iPhone 11 Shock As 'All-New' Apple iPhone Revealed

“The new iPhones are jam-packed with new capabilities and an incredible new design.” – Tim Cook

Apple unveiled its iPhone 11 models last night (Thai time) 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.

No major surprises. But in a surprising tone for the tech leader, Apple focussed on ‘price’ as a key strategy in today’s announcements.

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.

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Apple’s announcements appeared to be aimed at emphasising 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.

Apple TV+ service will launch November 1 in more than 100 countries at US$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.

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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 emphasising 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.

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Source - The Thaiger

#Apple delivers record profit, seeks to allay iPhone X fears

Apple on Thursday said its earnings in the final three months of last year set new records, with sales of its flagship iPhone X topping its expectations.

The California-based technology giant reported that profit climbed to $20 billion on revenue that increased 13 percent to $88.3 billion during the period.

"We're thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple's history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup," said Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

"iPhone X surpassed our expectations and has been our top-selling iPhone every week since it shipped in November."

However, Apple reported that overall iPhone sales in the quarter of 77.3 million were about a million fewer than the same period a year earlier. 

But iPhone revenues rose 13 percent from a year ago, suggesting its newer models were gaining traction.

The earnings -- for the first quarter of Apple's financial year -- come amid concerns over weak demand for the newest and most expensive iPhone X, the 10th anniversary edition of the iconic smartphone.

Revenue growth from iPhone sales rose in all regions, and it was the top-selling smartphone overall in mainland China, according to Cook.

"It was a stellar quarter for iPhone," Cook said.

"iPhone X was the most popular."

Apple also forecast revenue of between $60 billion and $62 billion in the current quarter, an outlook less rosy than analysts had expected.

Apple shares dipped and then rose more than three percent to $173.40 in after-market trades that followed release of the earnings figures.

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Huawei bets on AI phone in challenge to Apple, Samsung

Chinese technology group Huawei unveiled its latest smartphone Monday, talking up the advanced artificial intelligence capabilities it hopes will cement its place among the world's three biggest manufacturers.

The Shenzhen-based group's new Mate 10 phone appears just weeks after Apple unveiled its top-of-the-line iPhone X, a timing choice many industry observers have read as a direct challenge to the California tech titan.

Huawei has become a fixture in listings of the top three smartphone makers by worldwide unit sales in recent years, investing heavily in technology and design to vault beyond the low- and mid-range devices that still round out its range.

Like rivals Apple and Samsung, it has built AI features directly into the processor at the heart of its latest phone, allowing the device to help users translate between languages, choose the most appropriate camera settings or take over busywork like organising files and photos.

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Ideally, AI can help shift such everyday tinkering into the background, saving people time and minimising annoyance.

"This phone is designed for ultimate performance, that's the most important thing," Huawei consumer electronics chief Richard Yu told journalists and bloggers in the southern German city of Munich.

Huawei uses Google's Android operating system rather than keeping the same tight control over hardware, operating system and third-party apps as Apple.

Google executive Jamie Rosenberg made a brief appearance on stage to promise new tools early next year to let developers access the phone's AI processor.

"Computing is undergoing a fundamental shift from being mobile first to AI first," Rosenberg said.

Source - TheNation

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Apple starts recruiting staff for #Bangkok shop

Apple Thailand on Wednesday started recruitment for 13 positions at the first Apple Store in the country, which will open in Bangkok soon.

It announced the vacancies on its website. Available posts include a manager, market leader, shop leader and education development executive.

An Apple public relations officer told The Nation that the location of the shop and its opening date is still confidential.

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 “We’re excited to begin hiring the team that will open our first Apple Store in Thailand. Bangkok is one of Asia’s leading cultural and tourism centers, with a vibrant design and architectural scene.

“We look forward to providing customers an amazing space to experience all of our great products, services and inspiring educational programs that are loved by Apple customers around the world,” a statement on the Apple Thailand website says.

 Read also: Apple opens first store in Taiwan

This article appeared on The Nation newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post

Smartphone maker HTC explores strategic options

HTC Corp., the beleaguered manufacturer that once ranked among the world’s top smartphone makers, is exploring options that could range from separating its virtual-reality business to a full sale of the company, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Taiwanese firm is working with an adviser as it considers bringing in a strategic investor, selling its Vive virtual reality headset business or spinning off the unit, the people said. HTC has held talks with companies including Alphabet Inc.’s Google, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.

A full sale of HTC, which has businesses ranging from VR to handset manufacturing, is less likely because it isn’t an obvious fit for a single acquirer, one of the people said. 

Shares of HTC rose 4.7 percent in Taipei on Friday to the highest close in more that two weeks, giving the company a $1.9 billion market value. The company has shed about 75 percent of its value over the past five years as its smartphone market share dipped below 2 percent.

No final decisions have been made, and HTC may choose not to proceed with any strategic changes, the people said. Representatives for HTC and Google declined to comment.

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The Taoyuan City-based firm has been attempting to refocus its growth prospects on the high-end VR business, with shipments of the Vive headset totaling more than 190,000 units in the first quarter, according to research firm IDC.

HTC cut the price of the Vive by $200 earlier this week, in an effort to expand product sales and its user base, which is more important now than earnings, according to Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst David Dai.

The company is also trying to revive its smartphone unit with its latest flagship U11 model and a contract manufacturing deal to assemble Google’s Pixel handset.

“It’s a cutthroat Android smartphone market out there,” Ramon Llamas, IDC’s research manager for wearables and mobile phones, said in an interview, referring to the mobile operating system developed by Google.

“Apple and Samsung have made it hard for HTC to stay at the top of the market, and Chinese phone makers have made it hard for HTC to dominate the middle and low end of the market,” Llamas said.

A transaction with a Silicon Valley firm like Google would mark a face-saving moment for Cher Wang, HTC’s co-founder and largest shareholder, who took over as chief executive officer of the the manufacturer in 2015. Wang has been unable to stem the losses in market share since returning to the company in a full-time capacity. The daughter of a petrochemical billionaire, Wang was Taiwan’s richest woman until HTC’s stock tanked.

HTC, founded in 1997, began as a contract manufacturer. In 2002, it won a deal with Microsoft Corp. to make Windows-based phones and quickly became one of the top producers globally. It also made the first Android phone in 2008.

Vive is a “different beast” from Facebook Inc.’s Oculus VR and Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC’s PlayStation VR, Llamas said. “I am not seeing other companies really making that play, competing in that same area,” he said.

 Read also: HTC revenues plunge to an eleven-year low

Source - TheJakartaPost