Seoul [South Korea], August 2. ‘Samsung Electronics’ smartphone shipments ranked first in the world in the second quarter of this year, following the first quarter.

According to the global market research firm Counterpoint on the 30th, Samsung Electronics recorded 18% of total global smartphone shipments in the second quarter, maintaining its No.1 position in the world. However, Samsung Electronics’ shipments in the second quarter (18%) slightly decreased from the previous quarter (21.7%). Samsung Electronics shipped out 57.9 million units in the second quarter.

Xiaomi recorded the highest performance in China, Southeast Asia, and Europe, and ranked second. Xiaomi has increased global shipments in India market, which have been hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, with its premium strategy and low-priced line sales.

In particular, its share of mid-priced markets such as Southeast Asia and Europe increased.

Apple’s shipments decreased 12% compared to the previous quarter, and ranked third, one notch lower than the previous quarter.

Counterpoint explained that the global smartphone market decreased 7% in the second quarter due to global semiconductor shortage and spread of COVID-19, but sales increased by 35% year-on-year to $113 billion (about 129.5658 trillion won).

“Due to the delay in the release of iPhone 12 series, there were demands for waiting, and the sales revenue increased with the high sales of iPhone ProMax in Europe and the U.S.,” Counterpoint explained regarding this trend. “Also, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo also increased their shipments and sales due to Huawei’s absence and increased demand for 5G.” (ANI/Global Economic) RSS

Apple unveiled its iPhone 11 models Tuesday with a price cut for the most basic models while also laying out plans for streaming and gaming services as it bids to weather the slump in the global smartphone market.

Price appeared to be a key consideration as the tech giant reduced the entry level price for the iPhone 11 to $699 and undercut rivals for its gaming and streaming television subscriptions.

Apple unveiled three versions of the iPhone 11 including “Pro” models with triple camera and other advanced features starting at $999 and $1,099, unchanged from last year’s prices, touting upgraded features including ultra-wide camera lenses.

The surprise from Apple was the reduction in the starting price at $699, down from $749 for the iPhone XR a year ago even as many premium devices are being priced around $1,000.

The new iPhones are “jam-packed with new capabilities and an incredible new design,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook told a launch event in Cupertino, California as the company set plans to sell the new handsets on September 20.

CONTENT AS ‘SWEETENER’

Apple’s announcements appeared to be aimed at emphasizing value as the company looks to shift its business model to reduce its dependence on smartphones and tie in digital content and other services to its devices.

“We got a stream of nonstop product launches, with content being used as a sweetener,” said Avi Greengart, analyst and consultant with Techsponential.

“I think the iPhone 11 is compelling and may convince people to upgrade earlier than they might have otherwise given the lower price and longer battery life, not just an improved camera.”

With the new devices and services, “I think there are more reasons to stay with Apple than to defect from Apple,” said Patrick Moorhead, analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.

STREAMING AND GAMING

Apple TV+ service will launch November 1 in more than 100 countries at $4.99 per month and will include a “powerful and inspiring lineup of original shows, movies and documentaries.”

While Apple’s streaming service will have limited content at first, its price is below the $6.99 for the forthcoming Disney+ service and the more expensive plans from Netflix.

“Clearly Cupertino is looking for market share coming out of the gates with these surprising price points that we loudly applaud,” said Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities.

Apple is featuring scripted dramas, comedies and movies as well as children’s programs in the service, which will compete against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon.

“With Apple TV+, we are presenting all-original stories from the best, brightest and most creative minds, and we know viewers will find their new favorite show or movie on our service,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of video.

Apple said customers who purchase an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch or Mac will get the first year of the service for free.

The company’s online gaming subscription service, Apple Arcade, will launch next week, offering exclusive titles for mobile and desktop users.

The new service, which will also cost $4.99 per month, will include more than 100 game titles made for Apple devices and will be available in some 150 countries.

“You can’t find these games on any other mobile platform or subscription service. No game service ever launched as many games, and we can’t wait for you to play all of that,” product manager Ann Thai told the Apple media event.

Apple also unveiled updates to its iPad tablet and Apple Watch smartwatch, also emphasizing stable or lower prices with cuts to older versions.

“We think the lower iPhone 11 price point and trade-in program will help promote upgrades, specifically in China, while the Apple Arcade and TV+ offerings will help accelerate services growth,” CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino said in a note about Apple.

Apple shares ended the formal trading day up slightly to $216.70, while streaming television rivals Netflix and Disney both finished down about two percent. AFP

Apple on Monday announced the demise of its groundbreaking iTunes platform in favor of three more tailored apps, as it refines its offerings to be a stage for digital music, films, podcasts and more.

iTunes transformed the way people buy and listen to music after its launch in 2001, but is now being phased out, Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said, while helping kick off the technology giant’s annual gathering of developers in Silicon Valley.

“The future of iTunes is not one app, it’s three,” Federighi said.

“Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV.”

Since the launch of iTunes, lifestyles have shifted to streaming music, video and more from the internet cloud as online data centers and high-bandwidth connections gave rise to on-demand entertainment expectations.

The iTunes software let users manage and listen to music collections as well as buy digital versions of songs.

“There is no reason for iTunes to exist, period.” said Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi.

“If I want music, I have an the app. If I want TV, I have the app. That is how people are thinking today.”

The transformation of iTunes into three separate apps comes with Apple preparing the international launch of an eponymous TV+ later this year.

The new content will be available on an upgraded Apple TV app, which will be on smart television sets and third-party platforms including Roku and Amazon’s Fire TV.

The California company showed off its podcast app on Monday as well, and said that service would be tailored to work independently on its smartwatch.

Some features from iTunes will be melded into the other Apple apps.

It remains to be seen what will become of the iTunes version tailored for Windows-powered computers, or how people will be able to move music libraries they have amassed.

Software innovations and improvements revealed at the opening day of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) touched the company’s entire line-up from wrist-wear to iPhones and Car Play along with smart assistant Siri.

The innovations come as Apple shifts to emphasize digital content and other services to offset a pullback in the once-sizzling smartphone market, and with many news organizations struggling to monetize their online services.

Apple is aiming to leverage its position with about 900 million people worldwide who use at least one of its devices.

– Apple sign-in –

The packed WWDC audience cheered when executives spoke of improvements that promised to make it easier for one app to work across the array of devices.

Apple is apparently trying to get app makers looking beyond the iPhone to the company’s family of hardware with a message of “better together,” Milanesi reasoned.

“It is about the breadth of those devices together,” the analyst said.

As high-end Android-powered phones made by Google become more attractive to iPhone users, having apps that extend experiences across Apple Watch, iPad, TV and Mac help keep them loyal to the brand, according to Milanesi.

“Not only are you driving more engagement with Apple, you are lowering the risk of having users go elsewhere,” she said.

Next-generation iOS software powering iPhones coming out later this year was reworked “top to bottom” to be faster, according to Federighi.

Apple chief Tim Cook and other executives focused on privacy features of improved software across the range of devices.

Protections being added to iOS mobile operating software included the option of giving apps permission to access location just once, instead of all the time, and letting users know when apps are tracking their whereabouts.

A new “Sign In With Apple” feature will be launched as an alternative to logging in using Facebook or Google accounts.

“This can be convenient, but it can also come at the cost of your privacy,” Federighi said.

“These log-ins can be used to track you.”

The iOS log-in feature will let people sign into apps using AppleID information, but provides the option of masking user names or email addresses with randomly generated information.

“The entire experience is meant to help you have control over your data,” Federighi said, to applause.

“A lot of love for random addresses here.”

Apple also announced changes that will make iPads easier to use as auxiliary screens for Mac computers and even perform a bit more like laptops themselves with capabilities like multiple windows operating simultaneously.

The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-performance desktop computer aimed at professionals, with a starting price of $5,999.

Apple previewed its iOS 13 for mobile devices, which includes a “dark mode” display, an upgraded maps application and faster access through its facial recognition sign-on. AFP

DONGGUAN, June 22: With its army of salespeople and vast network of outlets, a relatively new smartphone maker has exploded in popularity to overtake global giants Apple and Samsung in China’s market — and now it has its eye on the West.

Oppo began life selling DVD players in the in the southern manufacturing hub of Dongguan a little more than a decade ago and only broke into the handset market in 2011.

But with an aggressive marketing strategy and concentration on bricks-and-mortar stores in small and medium-sized cities — rather than relying on online customers — sales have soared.

Last year it had a market share of 16.8 percent making it the China market leader and while a slip in the first three months of 2017 put it just behind local rival Huawei, according to market analyst IDC, it remains well ahead of Apple and Samsung.

Globally it ranks fourth behind Samsung, Apple and Huawei.

While its rivals focus on the premium end of the smartphone market in major cities and online, Oppo makes relatively cheap devices — its latest model is less than half the price of an iPhone 7.

Oppo also sells them in actual shops. It has 200,000 outlets across China — less than 10 percent of its purchases are made online — while retailers are offered generous commissions in exchange for promoting the brand.

“In small cities, consumers unfamiliar with smartphones need to see and touch the devices and to have salespeople there to help them,” said Yi Jun, Oppo’s international sales director.

At the company’s factory in Guangdong province, Oppo handsets are submitted to a series of durability tests including one-metre drops and temperature changes ranging from -40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius.

“Technology is essential for meeting consumers’ expectations,” Yi said, pointing to Oppo’s fast-charging ability, high-definition camera lens and sleek design.

– ‘Brand ambassadors’ –

Now Oppo’s rivals are starting to follow suit.

Chinese brand Xiaomi, which lost significant market share in 2016, has been relying on the web for sales of its top-of-the-range smartphones.

But in February it announced plans to go back to old-fashioned selling techniques with plans to open 1,000 stores by 2020 in the hope of reversing its fortunes.

As competitors play catch up, analysts warn Oppo must maintain its momentum to stay on or near the top.

It needs to continue expanding its sales network and offering competitive products, said Mo Jia, an analyst at technology research firm Canalys.

Oppo has also been boosting its sales abroad, including emerging markets in Southeast Asia where its share more than doubled to 13.2 percent last year — by far the biggest increase among its rivals, IDC data shows.

In India, it was the fourth-biggest player in the fourth quarter, with 8.6 percent market share, behind Samsung, Xiaomi and Lenovo.

“Its success in these countries comes from frantic marketing,” said IDC analyst Tay Xiaohan, noting the use of local celebrities as “brand ambassadors” as it targets millennials.

It is also starting to back high-profile sports teams to increase brand awareness. Earlier this year it forked out more than $160 million to become an official sponsor of the Indian cricket side.

And Oppo is adapting its products to satisfy the “selfie” trend.

“We noticed the craze in Southeast Asia for group selfies and tailored our devices accordingly,” Yi said, referring to special camera features that enable users to take better self-portraits.

Next stop is the West.

“We are very interested in entering the US and European markets, we are working on it… but without a precise timeline,” Yi said.

It will be challenging.

While Huawei has managed to make a name for itself in US and European smartphone markets, it was already very present in those places as a telecom equipment manufacturer, said Annette Zimmermann, an analyst with technology research company Gartner.

And Oppo’s direct sales strategy might not be as successful in markets dominated by mobile network operators that provide handsets with their contracts.-AFP

President Obama’s trade representative on Saturday vetoed a ban on imports of some Apple iPads and older iPhones, dealing a setback to rival South Korean electronics company Samsung.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman overruled a June decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which had banned imports of the iPhone 4 and some variations of the iPad 2. The commission ruled that the Chinese-made Apple devices violated a patent held by Samsung and couldn’t be imported. The ban never went into effect, though, because the Obama administration had 60 days to decide if it would uphold the commission.

Obama is against import bans on the basis of the type of patent at issue in the Samsung case. The White House has recommended that Congress limit the ITC’s ability to impose import bans in these cases.

Samsung and Apple are in a global legal battle over smartphones. Apple argues Samsung’s Android phones copy vital iPhone features. Samsung is fighting back with its own complaints.

In an email, Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said the company applauded the administration “for standing up for innovation.”

Samsung said in a statement late Saturday night that it was disappointed in Froman’s ruling, saying the ITC “correctly recognized that Samsung has been negotiating in good faith, and that Apple remains unwilling to take a license.”

Froman wrote in a letter to the commission that he has concerns about patent holders getting too much leverage over competitors that use their technology under licenses.

Companies license patented technology to competitors so the devices can communicate as part of an industry standard for cellphones. Under the “standards-essential patent” legal theory prevailing in federal courts, holders of such patents are obligated to license them to all comers on “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” terms.

U.S. courts have ruled that such patents cannot be the basis for import bans. The International Trade Commission follows a different standard than the courts, but the Obama administration wants it to adhere to the same principles.

Froman wrote that he shares the Obama administration’s concerns that the holders of standards-essential patents could get “undue leverage” over their competitors.

Last year, a federal court ruled that Samsung owed Apple $1 billion in damages for infringing on non-essential Apple patents. But the judge refused to impose an import ban on Samsung phones and later struck $450 million from the verdict, saying the jurors miscalculated. The case is set for a rematch in appeals court.

Samsung is the world’s largest maker of smartphones. Analysts estimate it outsold Apple nearly 2 to 1 in the first three months of the year. However, Apple’s smartphone business is more profitable

The iPhone 4 was launched in 2010 and is the oldest iPhone still sold by Apple. The ITC ruling applied only to the AT&T version of the phone. Apple is likely to retire the model.

Apple launched the iPad 2 in 2011. The ruling applies only to the version equipped with a cellular modem for AT&T’s network.

The ruling also applies to older iPhones, though these are no longer sold by Apple.

A Chinese family wants compensation from Apple over the death of their daughter.

They say Ma Ailun was electrocuted while trying to answer a call on her iPhone while it was charging.

The 23-years-old from Xinjiang died apparently by electrocution, according to a preliminary analysis, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

However, authorities are still examining whether the mobile phone caused the electric discharge, it says.

“I hope that Apple gives us an explanation,” Ma’s older sister said in a post on the Weibo social network.

During Sunday, thousands of messages were posted on Weibo, which is a Chinese social network similar to Twitter.

Apple didn’t delay in releasing a message.

“We are deeply sorry for the unfortunate accident,” said Apple in a statement, going on to express the firm’s condolences to the victim’s family.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple Inc.’s pencil-thin, smaller iPad will cost much more than its competitors, signaling that the company isn’t going to get into a mini-tablet price war.

The company unveiled the iPad Mini on Tuesday, with a screen about two-thirds the size of the full model, and half the weight. Customers can begin ordering the new model on Friday. In a surprise, Apple also revamped its flagship, full-sized iPad just six months after the launch of the latest model.

Apple’s late founder Steve Jobs once ridiculed a small tablet from a competitor as a “tweener” that was too big and too small to compete with either smartphones or tablets. Now Apple’s own Mini enters a growing small-tablet market dominated by Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle Fire.

Apple is charging $329 and up for the Mini — a price that fits into the Apple product lineup between the latest iPod Touch ($299) and the iPad 2 ($399). Company watchers had been expecting Apple to price the iPad Mini at $250 to $300 to compete with the Kindle Fire, which starts at $159. Barnes & Noble Inc.’s Nook HD and Google Inc.’s Nexus 7 both start at $199.

“Apple had an opportunity to step on the throat of Amazon and Google, yet decided to rely on its brand and focus on (profit) margin,” said Bill Kreher, an analyst with brokerage Edward Jones.

Apple shares fell $20.67, or 3.3 percent, to close at $613.36 after the price was announced. Shares of Barnes & Noble jumped 88 cents, or 6.1 percent, to $15.32. Shares of Amazon rose 53 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $234.31.

Apple has sold more than 100 million iPads since their debut in April 2010. Analysts expect Apple to sell 5 million to 10 million iPad Minis before the year is out.

Apple starts taking orders for the new model on Friday. The iPad Mini will be competing for the attention of gadget shoppers with the release that same day of computers and tablets running Windows 8, Microsoft’s new operating system.

Wi-Fi-only models will ship on Nov. 2. Later, the company will add models capable of accessing cellular, LTE data networks.

The screen of the iPad Mini is 7.9 inches on the diagonal, making it larger than the 7-inch screens of the competitors. It also sports two cameras, on the front and on the back, which the competitors don’t.

The iPad Mini is as thin as a pencil and weighs 0.68 pounds, half as much as the full-size iPad with its 9.7-inch screen.

The screen resolution is 1024 by 768 pixels, the same as the iPad 2 and a quarter of the resolution of the flagship iPad, which starts at $499.

The new model has better apps and is easier to use than competitors such as Google’s Nexus, said Avi Greengart, a consumer electronics analyst with Current Analysis.

“This really is not in the same category as some of the other 7-inch tablets,” he said. “And that’s before you consider that it has a premium design — it’s made of metal that’s extremely lightweight.”

Jobs attacked the whole idea of smaller tablets in his last appearance on a conference call with analysts in October 2010.

“The reason we wouldn’t make a 7-inch tablet isn’t because we don’t want to hit a price point. It’s because we don’t think you can make a great tablet with a 7-inch screen,” Jobs said. “The 7-inch tablets are tweeners, too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with an iPad.”

Job’s chief objection was that a smaller screen would make it hard to hit buttons on the screen with the fingers — never mind that Apple’s iPhone, with an even smaller screen, was already a hit at the time.

Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue started working on changing Jobs’ mind. In an email sent to other Apple managers in January 2011, Cue said the CEO had started warming to the idea of a smaller tablet. The email surfaced as part of Apple’s patent trial against Samsung Electronics Co. this year. Jobs died last October.

Company watchers have been expecting the iPad Mini for a year and most of the details, except the price, had leaked out.

Apple also said it’s upgrading its full-size iPad, doubling the speed of the processor. Previously, the company has updated the iPad once a year.

The fourth-generation iPad will have a better camera and work on more LTE wireless data networks around the world. Apple is also replacing the 30-pin dock connector with the new, smaller Lightning connector introduced with the iPhone 5 a month ago.

The price of the new full-size model stays the same as the previous version, starting at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only version with 16 gigabytes of memory.

Apple also introduced a 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop with a Retina display sporting four times the resolution of the older model.

The new model, which follows a 15-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display introduced in June, goes on sale Tuesday for $1,699.

The old MacBook Pro will still be sold, starting at $1,199.

The new model dispenses with an optical disc drive and a traditional hard drive. Instead, it uses solid-state flash memory. This makes it 20 percent thinner and at 3.75 pounds, nearly a pound lighter than the previous model.

Apple also eliminated the optical drive from its new iMac desktop computer, helping slim the edges down to 5 millimeters, one-fifth the thickness of the old model. That makes the edges thinner than most stand-alone computer monitors. It bulges in middle of the back, however.

An iMac model with a 21.5-inch screen will start shipping in November for $1,299 and up. A 27-inch version will start at $1,799.

___

Svensson contributed from New York.

Apple refreshed its lineup of Mac computers on Tuesday. It unveiled a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a sharper screen and introduced an iMac storage drive that combines the speed of flash memory and the capacity of traditional hard drives. Here are prices and other details on the new products.

MODELS AND PRICES:

Apple Inc. introduced a new MacBook Pro with a 13-inch screen measured diagonally. It sports a sharper, Retina display, which has a resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels. That is slightly lower than the 2880 by 1800 pixels of its 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina, but is far better the 1280 by 800 resolution of the existing, 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Retina display.

Prices vary depending on how much flash memory the computer comes with and the speed of the Intel processor. The base model comes with a 2.5 gigahertz dual-core Intel i5 processor.

— 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, i5 processor with 128 gigabytes of flash storage, $1,699

— 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, i5 processor with 256 GB flash storage, $1,999

These were the models unveiled in June and still available:

— 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, 2.3 GHz quad-core i7 processor with 256 GB flash storage, $2,199

— 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, 2.6 GHz quad-core i7 processor with 512 GB flash storage, $2,799

— Non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2.5 GHz dual-core i5 processor with 500 GB hard drive, $1,199

— Non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2.9 GHz dual-core i7 processor with 750 GB hard drive, $1,499

— Non-Retina 15-inch MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz quad-core i7 processor with 500 GB hard drive, $1,799

— Non-Retina 15-inch MacBook Pro, 2.6 GHz quad-core i7 processor with 750 GB hard drive, $2,199

Apple also introduced a new line of iMacs. The computers have a super-thin edge that is 5 millimeters (0.2 inch) thick, although the unit is more bulbous at the point where it connects with the stand. The new model achieves its severe thinness in part by eliminating the optical disc drive. Apple has been leaving those drives out of its most recent laptop models as well.

Prices vary by screen size, the amount of storage and the processor speed. The base model comes with a 1 terabyte hard drive and a 2.7 gigahertz quad-core Intel i5 processor. Apple also introduced its Fusion Drive, which combines flash and hard drive storage in one interface. Apple says it’s nearly as fast as flash memory on its own and is available as an option instead of the regular hard drive.

— 21.5-inch iMac, 2.7 GHz quad-core i5 processor, 1 terabyte hard drive, $1,299

— 21.5-inch iMac, 2.9 GHz quad-core i5 processor, 1 TB hard drive, $1,499

— 27-inch iMac, 2.9 GHz quad-core i5 processor, 1 TB hard drive, $1,799

— 27-inch iMac, 3.2 GHz quad-core i5 processor, 1 TB hard drive, $1,999

Apple updated its Mac Mini computer as well with the following specifications:

— 2.5 GHz dual-core i5 processor, 500GB hard drive, $599

— 2.3 GHz quad-core i7 processor, 1 TB hard drive, $799

— 2.3 GHz quad-core i7 processor, two 1 TB hard drives, $999

AVAILABILITY:

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available immediately online, at Apple stores and other retailers. The 21.5-inch iMac will be available in November and the 27-inch iMac will be available in December. The Mac mini is available immediately.