Gateway time-out
Newark CloudFlare Working www.androidheadlines.com Host Error What happened?The web server reported a gateway time-out error.
What can I do?Please try again in a few minutes.
Two of the world's largest technology firms, IBM and Microsoft, are vying to tap the nascent, fast-growing market for forecasting air quality in the world's top carbon emitters.
Bouts of acrid smog enveloping Beijing prompted authorities in the Chinese capital to declare two unprecedented "red alerts" this month – a warning to the city's 22 million inhabitants that heavy pollution is expected for more than three days.
Such alerts rely on advances in pollution forecasting, increasingly important for Communist Party leaders as they seek improvements in monitoring and managing the country's notorious smog in response to growing public awareness.
Official interest has also been boosted by China's preparations to host the Winter Olympics – Beijing's smog is worse in the colder months – in 2022.
"There is increasing attention to the air quality forecast service," said Yu Zheng, a researcher at Microsoft. "More and more people care about this information technology."
A rudimentary forecast was pioneered by Dustin Grzesik, a US geochemist and former Beijing resident who created Banshirne.com, a free website and smartphone app, in 2013 to predict clean air days using publicly available weather data on wind patterns.
"If you can predict the weather, it only takes a few more variables to predict air quality," said Robert Rohde of Berkeley Earth, a US-based non-profit that maps China's real-time air pollution. "Most of the time pollutant emissions don't vary very rapidly."
Now, advances in "cognitive computing" – machines programmed to improve modelling on their own – allow more sophisticated forecasting software to provide predictions for the air quality index up to 10 days in advance using data on weather, traffic and land use, as well as real-time pollution levels from government monitoring stations and even social media posts.
Forecasts can help governments plan when to close schools and airports, restrict vehicles or postpone sporting events, and also decide which polluting factories to shut down temporarily.
Business of smog
Both Microsoft and IBM secured their first government clients last year after developing their respective pollution forecasting technologies at their China-based research labs.
Chinese authorities only began releasing real-time levels of PM2.5 – airborne particulate matter fewer than 2.5 microns in diameter that can penetrate deep into the lungs – in 2012, after denouncing the US embassy for publishing its own real-time monitoring data on Twitter.
IBM's first client was the city of Beijing's environmental protection bureau, which bases its colour-coded pollution alerts on the technology.
The company launched a "Joint Environmental Innovation Centre" – staffed by government and IBM scientists – with the bureau earlier in December, allowing officials to better model pollution reduction scenarios during the worst episodes.
Still the municipal government only makes public a 24-hour forecast on its website, meaning residents aren't able to see for themselves when a "red alert" may be due.
The environmental bureau's monitoring centre did not respond to a request for comment.
IBM has also signed a deal with Zhangjiakou, which will jointly host the 2022 Winter Olympics alongside Beijing, to do forward planning and scenario modelling ahead of the games.
For its part, Microsoft has signed up China's environment ministry, and the environmental protection bureaus in Fujian province and Chengdu, the capital of the south-western province of Sichuan.
Outside China, IBM has also signed deals for air quality modelling with Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities, and Johannesburg.
"We should be able to use the same base system and do air quality forecasting in different parts of the world," said Brad Gammons, the business leader behind the IBM initiative, which the company calls 'Green Horizons'.
"With the machine-based learning we can do it very quickly."
The two tech rivals aren't just competing over government clients. Business clients – in particular renewable power generation companies – are another target, along with consumers. Already more than 30 solar farms in China are using IBM's forecasting technology, which can also help predict the availability of sunlight.
Microsoft has created a website called Urban Air and a smartphone app with a 48-hour forecast for cities across China, while the China Open tennis tournament put two-day IBM pollution forecasts for parks across Beijing on its public WeChat social messaging account.
But there are still kinks to work out.
The latest version of Microsoft's iPhone app lacked the forecasting function advertised, which the company blamed on a soon-to-be-fixed bug, while during a recent "red alert," when the air was considered hazardous and schools were shut, the China Open IBM-based forecast recommended "light exercise".
And while other tech giants, such as China's Alibaba, currently remain on the sidelines, Air Visual, a crowd-sourced start-up pollution monitoring platform based in Beijing, is already giving IBM and Microsoft a run for their money, using "deep machine learning" to provide its own free three-day forecasts for cities across the globe through its website and smartphone app.
Qualcomm Inc.QCOM has been involved in an extensive tussle with regulators and domestic smartphone companies in China lately over its licensing business.
However, the signing of a Chinese Patent License Agreement (CPLA) with QiKu Internet Network Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd, has allowed the company some respite.We note that most recently the chipset maker signed a 3G/4G patent-licensing deal with Chinese smartphone maker - Xiaomi Inc. as well. Deal Details
Notably, QiKu is a joint venture between global internet giant Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. QIHU and telecommunications equipment manufacturer Coolpad Group Ltd.
Per the agreement, Qualcomm has granted QiKu a royalty-based license to develop, manufacture and sell devices that are integrated with the former's 3G and 4G technology. The financial details of the deal have been, however, kept under wraps.
Notably, the royalties that QiKu will be paying for those patents are consistent with the rectification plan submitted by Qualcomm to China's National Reform and Development Commission (NRDC).
Rationale Behind & Benefits
With the deal, Qualco mm aims to support QiKu's entry into China with 3G/4G smartphones and aid it in delivering the best to consumers in terms of performance and reliability.
We believe this new patent license agreement will lessen the chip maker's struggles in the country and take it a step closer to solving issues pertaining to its most profitable licensing patent business. Further, the deal should boost Qualcomm's top line by bringing in additional royalties and also solidify its foothold in the Chinese market.
Our Take
Qualcomm is the largest baseband chipset developer for mobile handsets globally. The company's chipsets are used in Apple Inc.'s AAPL iPhone as well as Alphabet Inc. GOOGL -developed Android smartphones.
It seems that other Chinese smartphone manufactures are following in the footsteps of Xiaomi and have started entering licensing deals with Qualcomm - which has already inked agreements with majority of the top phone makers in China.
Qualcomm currently ca rries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report
QUALCOMM INC (QCOM): Free Stock Analysis Report
QIHOO 360 TECH (QIHU): Free Stock Analysis Report
ALPHABET INC-A (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
After increasing sales in Greater China by 84% during 2015, Apple faces the daunting task of continuing to grow in the world's largest smartphone market. Meanwhile, research firms are estimating that 2015 marks the end of the rapid growth of China's smartphone market, putting added pressure on Apple.
But there's still a good reason to be optimistic about Apple's continued growth in China. China Mobile expects that its 4G customers will continue to climb next year, reaching 500 million subscribers. Meanwhile, its fourth-quarter 4G customer adds continue to bode well for premium phone sales like Apple's.
China Mobile is expanding coverageWith 287 million 4G customers as of the end of November, China Mobile is planning a massive expansion in 2016 to convert more of its 538 million non-4G subscribers to the high-speed data network.
The company plans to add 300,000 4G stations across the country in 2016. With 1 million base stations currently in operation, that represents a 30% increase in coverage. As such, China Mobile is banking on some customers currently in well-covered markets converting to 4G next year in order to hit its goal of 500 million subscribers.
In the trailing 12 months, China Mobile has added 216 million 4G subscribers, undoubtedly boosted by the release of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were big hits in China. Apple's sales growth in Greater China correlates strongly with China Mobile's year-over-year growth in 4G subscribers in each of the last two quarters (now that China Mobile has a sizable 4G customer base). With expectations to grow 4G another 66% or so in 2016, Apple could still see some sizable growth in its fastest-growing market of the last three years.
Strong subscriber growth so far this quarterFor investors worried about Apple facing "the mother of all comps" this quarter, China Mobile's subscriber numbers from October and November may help calm some nerves. 4G growth at the world's largest wireless carrier remains strong with the company poised to set a new quarterly record for 4G subscriber additions.
Over the last two months, China Mobile added 39.7 million new 4G customers. Comparatively, during the same period last year, the carrier added just 30.3 million 4G subscribers. What's more, December adds are historically stronger than October and November for 4G and 3G subscribers.
The acceleration in 4G subscriber growth at China Mobile bodes well for Apple to continue adding new iPhone customers. With average revenue estimates near the high-end of Apple's guidance of $75.5 billion to $77.5 billion, it will need another strong quarter in China to please investors.
While Apple won't see the 70% sales growth it saw in China during the first quarter of last year, it could maintain a double-digit growth rate in the country, if just barely, based on the strong trend in 4G subscriber growth at China Mobile (as well as the other Chinese wireless carriers). Combined with growth in other emerging markets, and partially offset by declining iPad sales, Apple should be able to eke out a few points of growth this quarter, and maintain that momentum through 2016.
The next billion-dollar iSecretThe world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something at its recent event, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here .
The article Is There Still Room for Apple to Grow in China? originally appeared on Fool.com.
Adam Levy owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool recommends China Mobile. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .Copyright © 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Two new Xiaomi smartphones have been certified by TENAA, carrying the model numbers Mi 2015811 and Mi 2015812.
According to a Weibo source, the Mi 2015811 is likely to be the Redmi 3. The TENAA listing suggests the handset will sport a 5-inch 720 x 1280 HD display, an octa-core SoC clocked at 1.5 GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory, 13/8MP rear camera, and a 5MP front-facing unit. Connectivity features include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS with A-GPS, and MicroUSB.
The handset carrying the model number Mi 2015812 features a bigger 5.5-inch sized display and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC. It also includes 2GB of RAM, 16GB onboard memory, 8 or 16MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera, fingerprint scanner, and runs on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.
Both handsets will be offered in three color options – Silvery, Gray, and Gold.
Via: PhoneArena
Leave a comment
Samsung may have posted an unexpected increase in its earnings in the third quarter. However, a large share of those profits can be attributed to the sustained growth of Samsung's semiconductor business.
It was also the first time in two years when the South Korean company posted operating profits and even announced a massive share buyback plan worth $9.9 Billion after that. Although, the mobile division also showed a hint of profits after a long time, but it is still largely struggling, whose contribution to the operating profit fell to 39 percent in the January-September period as opposed to the 68 percent in 2013.
To revive the mobile business segment, Samsung recently made major changes in the leadership of the business. It has brought in Dongjin Koh as the new president of company's mobile communications unit. Koh replaced JK Shin, the co-CEO of Samsung Electronics who will continue as the Head of mobile division and will also look after the long term strategy.
Previously, Koh was heading the mobile research and development wing and was behind the development of Samsung Pay, Knox and Tizen. The decision to bring him at the forefront of mobile business is seen as the Samsung's new focus on software by numerous experts.
In fact, according to a report published by Reuters, many unnamed executives who have worked with Samsung, have pointed towards the obsessive focus on hardware by top executives at Samsung as a major reason behind so little innovation by Samsung on the software front.
Samsung's upper management just inherently doesn't understand software. They get hardware – in fact, they get hardware better than anyone else. But software is a completely different ballgame.
said a former employee.
According to experts, this focus on short-term gains by hardware on the expense of long-term vision of developing valuable services and software platforms is the leading cause of Samsung's dwindling mobile business. This is because, with the rise of so many low and mid-end companies in the smartphone market, Samsung has now little to differentiate itself from its competitors.
Samsung has already begun to offer new services such as Samsung Pay, Tizen OS as well as new initiatives in the field of Internet of Things. But as far as the overall mobile business is concerned, it is going be a tough road especially with the competition from Apple in the premium segment as well as from lower and mid-range segment companies like Huawei and Xiaomi.
Especially, Apple has been witnessing an aggressive growth in smartphone sales in recent times which have slowly started to close the gap and reach Samsung numbers.
If we look at the numbers of second quarter, Apple sold 48 million smartphones in the period with a y-o-y growth of 36%. Now, Samsung still led in terms of the total number of phones selling 72 million phones but this was after a 5.3% dip from last year.
Furthermore, in the same period, the market share of Samsung fell to 21.9% from over 26% last year and over 30% in 2013. On the other hand, Apple witnesses an increase in market share which rose to 14.6% from 12% last year. This was mainly as a result of Apple's lead in the major market China and the popularity of large-screened iPhone 6 and 6 Plus phones in the market.
Moreover, the overall smartphone market is showing signs of a slowdown in growth. Markets like China as well as other developed countries are almost saturated and the only scope of growth is being shown by the developing markets.
So, the companies are nowadays not only focussing on offering smartphones in the emerging markets but also on offering better software-based services and platforms in the fairly saturated markets for retaining the customers and preventing them from switching the brands.
This is something which is a cause of concern for Samsung who has traditionally adopted hardware approach to just build and sell phones. In the changing times, to revive its mobile business, it has to focus more on software-based platforms and services to its customers to retain old customers as well as attract new customers.
SPONSORED CONTENT, POWERED BY GOOGLE Comments Samsung mobiles, samsung mobile business, samsung mobile head, samsung business news, samsung mobile, samsung business, samsung mobile software, samsung software, samsung hardware
ADVERTISEMENTS : SHANGHAI - At a telecom office in China's largest city Shanghai, customers come to send messages to loved ones using technology almost 200 years old.
The city was one of the first in the country to adopt the telegram and continues to operate the service despite massive advances in communications technologies.
The rapid proliferation of smartphones and instant messaging systems that can relay messages back and forth in a matter of split-seconds has made the telegram largely redundant but there is more to using the telegram than speed.
Al Jazeera spoke to one user, Wu Can, who said the continued appeal of the service was due to the sentimentality associated with it.
"It is nostalgic for my parents. They are from a time when people used to write letters, so this will be like a souvenir for them to keep," Can said.
The telegram message she sent to her parents will take a week to arrive, but the text message she sent to let them know its on its way arrived immediately.
But how long the sense of nostalgia can keep the service running remains to be seen.
Source: Al Jazeera
Yesterday, HTC teased the launch of One X9 on Weibo, and true to its words, the company has launched the smartphone in China. The One X9 is a mid-range smartphone that packs decent set of specifications and features.
The smartphone boasts a metal unibody design and dual front-facing BoomSound speakers with Dolby audio. It's slim with thickness of just 7.99mm and carries a similar design language as the recently launched One A9. The One X9 will be available in Silver and Gunmetal Gray color options.
HTC One X9 specifications and features: The One X9 flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) IPS display. Under the hood is MediaTek's Helio X10 (MT6795T) octa-core SoC clocked at 2.2GHz. It is paired with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot with support up to 2TB.
ALSO READ: HTC One A9 Review: A worthy mid-range Android smartphone
On the camera front, it sports a 13-megapixel rear snapper with OIS (optical image stabilization), support for 4K video recording and dual-tone LED flash. Up front, there is an ultrapixel selfie camera of aperture f/2.0 with support for 1080p video recording.
With 3,000mAh non-removable battery, connectivity options include dual-SIM card support, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and GPS. The smartphone runs on Android OS with Sense UI running atop. However, details about the Android version are scarce at the moment. Considering that One A9 was launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box, the One X9 is likely to run on the same OS version.
In China, the HTC One X9 is priced at 2399 Yuan, which roughly translates to Rs 24,500. As of now, HTC hasn't announced as to when it plans to launch the smartphone in India. We will keep you posted as and when we have more information about India launch of the One X9.
Gadgets API returns Empty Value
Previous
Lenovo confirms K4 Note will feature fingerprint sensor, to launch on January 5 in India 
Government is funding research project on 5G technology 
Asus smartphones to come with AdBlock Plus pre-installed 
Xiaomi Mi 5 to feature the world's smallest and fastest fingerprint sensor, latest leak suggests 
Net Neutrality debate: Paytm, Truecaller ask users to oppose Facebook's Free Basics initiative 
HTC One X9 leaked press renders give a closer look at the smartphone: Specifications, features
HTC Desire 828 Dual SIM with 13-megapixel OIS camera launched in India: Price, specifications and features
HTC Perfume with Android Marshmallow 6.1, Sense UI 8 rumored to launch next year
HTC One A9 Review: A worthy mid-range Android smartphoneHTC One A9 launched in India exclusively via Snapdeal, priced at Rs 29,990: Specifications, features
News Email address:
Samsung is one of the top smartphone manufacturers in the world, and that's in part to the sheer number of handsets they've cranked out over the past few years. The Samsung Galaxy A9 specifications have made their way through the rumor mill several times, but today they have become official thanks to a big announcement in China.
Samsung took to the stage today in China where they showed off their latest smartphone while revealing the Samsung Galaxy A9 specifications to the world. It's a large handset that walks the fine line between flagship and mid-ranger, but could prove to be a big hit if they price it accordingly with other smartphones in its range.
The Samsung Galaxy A9 specifications show a handset with a 6-inch panel sporting a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080. It's not an "edged" device but does feature 2.5D curved glass to go along with an octa-core Snapdragon 652 and 3GB of RAM. The internal storage is listed at 32GB and expandable up to 128GB through the usual means.
On the backside of the Samsung Galaxy A9, you'll find a fingerprint scanner and a 13MP sensor with an LED flash. The front-facing camera isn't as fancy but will certainly get the job done at 8MP. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, Wi-Fi, ANT+ and Dual SIM. The handset will sip its power from a large 4,000 battery with fast-charging and runs Android 5.1.1 out of the box.
While the Samsung Galaxy A9 may not be a flagship, Samsung has made some additions that we would like to see in their next flagship with the big battery and microSD card slot. At the moment, there's been no word on the Samsung Galaxy A9 price or availability, but it will roll out in Gold, Pink and White whenever it arrives.
What do you think of the Samsung Galaxy A9 specifications now that they are official?
Read more about: Mobile Phones Samsung
Huawei's Mate 7 alone has sold 7 million sets so far, making it one of the most popular smartphone models in China. Sales of the new Mate 8 in the first two weeks were ten times that of Mate 7. Mate 8 falls in the same price category as the Samsung Galaxy series and Apple's iPhone models.
Chinese tech-giant Huawei said its smartphone shipments have topped 100 million this year, breaking the record among domestic players and making it the world's third biggest mobile brand following Samsung and Apple.
The market share of Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies Company has risen to 9% globally and surpassed 15% in China, leading for six consecutive months, data from a third-party market consulting agency showed.
"It's a stunning increase," He Gang, president of Huawei's mobile phone line said.
"Beginning in 2010 with a sales figure of no more than 3 million, Huawei took five years to reach 75 million and another year to achieve 100 million" state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.
He said Huawei has gained a firm foothold in the middle and high-end market over the past year, thanks to innovation and marketing.
Middle and high-end smartphones costing more than 2,000 yuan ($308) jumped to 33% of Huawei's total shipments in the third quarter in China.
Huawei's Mate 7 alone has sold seven million sets so far, making it one of the most popular smartphone models in China. Sales of the new Mate 8 in the first two weeks were ten times that of Mate 7. Mate 8 falls in the same price category as the Samsung Galaxy series and Apple's iPhone models.
"It's just a matter of time before we introduce high-end smartphones at a price above 5,000 yuan," he said.
International sales are expected to account for 40% of the company's revenue by 2016.
According to a company report released today, Huawei invested 40.8 billion yuan in research and development in 2014, or 14.2% of annual revenue.
Huawei has set up 16 overseas R&D institutions, including in Bangalore, CEO Ren Zhengfei said, adding his company has invested more than 190 billion yuan in technological innovation and holds a total of 76,687 patents.
Zen Mobile launches Cinemax 2, priced at Rs 4,199
Spice partners Flipkart for Nexian range in India
Google Nexus 6P Special Edition launched at Rs 43,999
OnePlus X Champagne Edition goes international
Google Nexus 5X and Apple iPhone 5S @ Rs 25,000: Which one to buy
Videocon launches Z55 Krypton 4G phone with scratch-resistant back panel
Intex launches Aqua Star 4G, priced at Rs 6,499
The company, through its 'Honor' sub-brand would be launching an open source Operating System and a communication protocol for Internet of Things (IoT) devices in China, and is working towards building an ecosystem in India to enter the home automation or the smart home segment.
"The demand for smartphones will be huge. Our initial strategy will be to focus more on the mid and entry-level phones and gradually move towards the high-end segment," Huawei India business head Wang Guodong told IANS, averring the company will pay more attention on the smartphones over the next couple of years.
"We are among the top three smart phone providers in the world. Our target i n India is to match our global position," said Guodong, informing that the company was targeting to reach a sales figure of 20 million smartphones in the next few years.
With its Chinese eco-system setting the stage for the company to announce launching of the ambitious 'HiLink' - a communication protocol for web-based home devices - Wang said it was working on its plan and talking to various stake holders to build up a similar eco-system in India.
"Anywhere in the world, smartphone is the core of the entire ecosystem. So, only when you have huge smartphone users can you look towards home solutions and the like. Once we have 10-20 million smartphone users, we will be able launch other products and then this eco-system will have some meaning.
"To build an effective ecosystem you need lot of partners and it takes time to talk to them. So step by step, we are moving towards building that ecosystem in India. We are in talks with various stake holders, we have the stron gest of abilities of building an ecosystem and with our R&D centre in India, we would step by step, build an ecosystem like we have done in China," he said.
Even as he conceded that the launch of 'Hilink' in India was not possible in the near future, Honor Global president George Zhao asserted India was a very important market for the company and the entry of its latest products and technologies will not delayed for long.
"India is an important market for us and we will give enough attention to this market. We wish to do a great a job in India and hope to keep this promise. We believe people in India deserve the latest products and technology. So we have our plans not to delay for long the launch in India of Athe latest products that we have launched in China," said Zhao.
The company is also banking on its R&D centre in Bangalore to strengthen its presence in India.
"While our R&D centre in India has been contributing towards our global requiremen t, now it has an additional target of focusing more on India specific innovations. That is the big change we have been bringing. The R&D team has been instructed to ensure the Indian market is success, that is now the priority," Wang said.
Although he was not very optimistic about Hilink getting launched in India anytime soon, Wang said the company was exploring ways to contribute towards the 'Make in India' campaign.
"The Narendra Modi government has been doing a lot to support manufacturing and we are evaluating about setting up a plant in India. We will be very excited towards making a concrete effort but it will be too early to make any comment on setting up the plant in India," Wang said.
"Undoubtedly Hilink is a very hot concept and we are very confident of its success but then, unless and until we have the results on the ground we cannot judge. So it will be difficult to tell when India can see it," Wang said about the platformthat aims at providing a 'u niversal language' to web-connected home appliances.
Chinese smartphones already account for more than a third of the global market and that number looks set to grow, with companies like Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi consistently featuring in the top 10 worldwide sales lists. So why are they becoming so popular and why should your next smartphone be Chinese?
Could your next phone come from a Chinese manufacturer?/ © ANDROIDPIT They are cheaper than the competition We're starting with an obvious reason, but the value for money offered by Chinese smartphones is undoubtedly the main reason for their recent success. You could pick up an Honor 7, which has comparable specs to the US$650 HTC One M9, for a shade over US$400. Surely there's no contest.
This isn't a one-off either. At almost every level of the market, Chinese phones are showing up the prices of their counterparts from the US or Korea. From the Xiaomi Mi4c, which we described as "the half-price Nexus 5X", to the Huawei P8, a genuine flagship phone at an incredible price, there is all sorts of choice out there.
They offer something differentWhich brings us neatly on to our next point. Most of us crave a bit of individuality but when it comes to smartphones, individuality is becoming rarer and rarer. As a result, we've lost that element of shock and wonder when someone pops an unusual device down on the table.
The Huawei P8 is a genuine flagship for a very reasonable price./ © Huawei Chinese phones are becoming increasingly well designed. Just look at the Meizu Pro 5 or the Lenovo Vibe P1. Manufacturers are no longer taking their cues from existing devices but offering something truly different. And that has to be worth something.
The brands are growing and targeting youThe growth experienced by Chinese manufacturers over the last decade shows little sign of stalling and that could be good news for consumers. Traditionally companies like Huawei and Xiaomi have concentrated on their domestic market but, with some stagnation in China, they have their sights firmly focused on Western markets.
One big problem Chinese brands traditionally faced was a lack of brand recognition, particularly important in the UK and US. But in recent years, there have been attempts to counter this. One example is Lenovo buying Motorola Mobility from Google for US$12.5 billion in 2012 and then the Motorola handset business for nearly US$3 billion two years later.
Releasing its phones (the Moto G, for example) under the more-recognized Motorola name has helped increase Lenovo's market share massively – and has given consumers a much better choice at the lower end of the price scale.
The Moto G is an example of the changing strategy of Chinese manufacturers./ © ANDROIDPIT But it's not just the lower end of the price spectrum that has been affected. Phones like the Huawei Honor 7 are definitely targeting the premium market, but still carry much more affordable pricetags. Could this lead to the established big guns in the US and the UK lowering their prices to compete? You'd have to think it's possible.
They look pretty damn goodAppearances are always subjective, but there are some good looking Chinese smartphones out there these days. The Huawei P8 and the OnePlus 2 are up there with anything else on the market.
Chinese phones like the OnePlus 2 are now competing on looks. / © AndroidPIT In addition, the build quality tends to live up to the design. A lot of foreign manufacturers have been making their phones in China for some time and that expertise shows.
They give you more freedomAs the rise of Chinese smartphones shows, the world is becoming a smaller place, and travelling is much easier than it's ever been. But while people can easily move between countries, their mobile phones often can't.
Most Chinese phones address this problem with a dual SIM slot, meaning that if you live in one country but have to travel to work in another, you can switch between two SIMs easily.
Many Chinese phones offer dual SIM slots. / © ANDROIDPIT In addition to this, virtually all the Chinese smartphones available abroad come totally unlocked and carrier-free. This means you can pick a phone tariff that works best for you and leave when you want, a big advantage for many people.
Are you tempted by a Chinese smartphone? Have we missed any advantages? Share your views in the comments.
SAN FRANCISCO: Viki, a global TV site powered by fans, has launched both a traditional and simplified version of its website and apps and has entered into an agreement that sees Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi become its video streaming partner in select international markets.
The Chinese sites are available immediately and feature TV series and movies from around the world, including almost 350 shows from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Viewers will also have access to a selection of on-air and library shows from Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, among other territories.
As Viki's newest mobile partner, Xiaomi will offer seamless integration of localized versions of the Chinese site on its mobile browser and make its licensed content available in Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil, with new markets expected to be added in the future.
"As the Chinese entertainment industry establishes itself as an entertainment powerhouse globally, Viki is uniquely positioned to stream its TV shows and movies to a new audience of fans around the world, as well as the growing Chinese diaspora," said Tammy H. Nam, Viki's CEO. "More than half of our viewership of top Chinese shows such as My Best Ex-Boyfriend and the recent historical hit Nirvana in Fire comes from the United States, subtitled in nearly 20 languages, thanks to our amazing crowdsourced community of fans. We expect to create global hits for many more Chinese shows in 2016."
Viki recently inked a co-production deal with Jetavana Entertainment in China for its first original series, Dramaworld, which is set for a spring 2016 release. Later this month, two newly licensed Chinese series—the romantic drama Beautiful Secret and espionage thriller The Disguiser will premiere on Viki.
Viki also has partnerships with major Chinese producers and content partners such as Sohu, iCNTV and Huace Film & TV Co., among others.
China is testing a new "social credit score" system that would rank people based on their online behavior to crack down on anyone who strays from its ruling Communist Party, reports CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.
Just this week, a prominent human rights lawyer went on trial in China for social media posts that criticized the ruling party. The lawyer faces up to eight years in prison for his comments on China's equivalent of Twitter.
Just a few paragraphs on social media cost Zhang Aijia her job and even her home.
"I was shocked," said Aija, a former school counselor. "Our country is going backwards."
The post was an apparent jab at China's President Xi Jinping. Police showed up at her school to question her. Days later, she was fired and forced to leave her school housing.
"This is the 21st century," Aija said in Chinese. "So why does it feel like a society with an emperor? In other countries, people can criticize, even mock leaders."
But China watcher Ken DeWoskin was not shocked about China's new plan to rank citizens based on their online activity. The government's proposal would "evaluate the credit... and the online behavior of netizens."
"I think that it has a great deterrent effect and is intended for that purpose," DeWoskin said. "It's a way of compiling information all the way down to the individual level that can be rolled up into a score. That really talks about how well aligned you are to the agenda of the leaders."
Think of it like a credit score that combines everything from shopping habits to social media posts, and can be used by the ruling Communist Party.
"It's a continuation of what the Chinese used to do in what they call the dangan portfolio - the personal portfolio," DeWoskin said.
That portfolio was a sort of file that could affect everything from employment to health care options.
The new proposal advances that concept into the digital age in a country that does not have privacy laws the prevent mass data collection.
"The information compiled could affect your ability to go to a top university, it could affect your ability to get a really good job, it could even affect your ability to get a passport to travel abroad," DeWoskin said.
This "social credit score" wouldn't be rolled out for another few years, but it may already be having a chilling effect.
"This score system will probably further narrow the space for speech," Zhang said. "There won't be much that's fit to say in the end. It's pretty scary."
In fact, Zhang was so afraid to talk to CBS News that she scheduled an interview using several different cell phones and encrypted text messages.
© 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Smartphone makers have several partners that supply parts for their products. While Samsung does make a number of the parts themselves, they do still outsource a lot of the parts to make things easier and faster. Samsung has a number of partners in Korea, last count was around 500 firms. LG has about 500 as well, while SK Hynix has around 1500. It's reported that Samsung is facing a bit of an issue where several LCD and semiconductor manufacturing companies in China are looking to acquire Korean firms. LG and SK Hynix are also facing this issue. BOE, who is one of the larger display panel makers in China, had made an offer to Korean driver IC design firm. They weren't successful in buying the company, but they did get a supply contract out of the deal. BOE is also interested in acquiring fabless semiconductor companies, according to this report.
It's also being reported that Chinese firms are looking to do business or acquire Korean brands by investing pretty aggressively in these brands, offering them a number they can't refuse. And having the biggest economy, China is able to do just that. Currently, the Hualian Group is bidding on Faichild Semiconductor. This company does have a semiconductor plant in Bucheon City. And analysts are saying that with the increase in the number of Korean firms being bought by China, this could pose a big threat to Samsung and their supply chain. As South Korea and China aren't exactly on the same page. We'll have to see how all of this plays out though.
Samsung has a number of partners, and this could force the company to look elsewhere for components for their smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and other products. Which may not be a bad thing, change is usually a good thing. Right now, China has the largest mobile market in the world, with India in second and looking to overtake China in the next few years. China wants to keep that market to just home-grown companies like Xiaomi, Huawei, Meizu, and a few others. And to squeeze out the foreign companies like Samsung.
In its yearly re-shuffle of top management, Samsung has finally let go of its long-serving head of mobile Jong-kyun Shin, the man who presided over the stellar growth of Samsung's Galaxy smartphone series, along with its recent decline. Shin, who is sometimes referred to as JK Shin, will be replaced by Dong-jin Koh, who was vice president of research and development at Samsung Mobile.
Shin will remain one of Samsung's three co-chief executives, a role to which he was appointed two years ago. Rumors had been circulating since 2014′s management reshuffle that Shin might be on his way out, but it appears that Samsung Electronics vice chairman, Jae-yong Lee, chose to give him another year to improve the division's prospects. (Lee is the only son of chairman Kun-hee Lee, who has reportedly remained bedridden since a heart attack in May last year.)
Shin oversaw Samsung Mobile for six years and fostered the development of its juggernaut Galaxy Series. He spoke frankly about some of his partners, for instance pointing to lacklustre demand for Samsung's Windows-based products in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2013. He added then that Samsung Mobile aimed "to grow faster than the overall smartphone market."
In reality Samsung's growth began to stall in early 2014 as Apple AAPL -1.80% experienced something of a renaissance in demand for its iPhones, particularly in China, while lower-cost Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi and Huawei also ramped up sales. Like an echo to the problems that faced Nokia some years ago, Samsung's mid-priced smartphones have been getting squeezed on both the high end and low end by its competitors.
The phone that was supposed to get Samsung Mobile back on track, and protect Shin's position, was the most recent Galaxy S6 and its curved screen version, the S6 Edge. The devices got positive reviews from the technology press, but Shin fumbled on predicting high demand for the S6 Edge, which left Samsung facing stock shortages while sales of the S6 got off to a disappointedly slow start.
Samsung is still the world's largest smartphone vendor by shipments, with 23.7% marketshare in the third quarter of 2015, according to Strategy Analytics – but its share of the pie is shrinking. Samsung had 24.5% of the market last year. The two companies eating into its growth are Huawei and Apple.
Dong-jin Koh is said to have a stronger background in software than his predecessor, which may hint at a greater focus on software for Samsung Mobile in the near future. Shin had presided over the merging of Samsung's Tizen and Bada mobile platforms in an effort to shift Samsung away from its reliance on Google GOOGL +1.56%'s Android, but the resulting OS failed to find mainstream popularity.
A new smartphone just hit the market that claims its battery can last 10 to 15 days without charging. The Oukitel K10000 is crammed with a 10,000mAh battery, which should hold almost four times the charge of a Samsung Galaxy S6, and five and a half times the charge of the iPhone 6.
A full charge takes about three and a half hours, according to Oukitel, a Chinese gadget maker.
Smartphone software has gotten better at managing apps and programs to conserve battery life over the past few years, but not many manufacturers have upgraded battery capacity itself.
Oukitel says it's doing both.
The K10000 has a "super smart standby" mode, and "intelligent power consumption management," and is the "world's largest battery capacity smartphone," the company claims.
The phone can even be used to charge other devices.
But even if its battery technology is as advanced as the company says it is, the rest of the phone's specs are still stuck in the past -- it's not an iPhone competitor.
At the moment, Gear Best is selling the device for $240 and shipping begins in January.
The company says its battery will last two weeks with "normal use," but a spokesman did not immediately respond to request for an explanation of what it "normal use" means.
Related: Here's what to expect from next year's smartphones
Read: Thinking of buying a smartwatch? Read this first
Related: Huawei demonstrates smartphone battery that can charge 10 times faster
Source - South China Morning Post
Editor's note: we came across this today and thought it might be of interest.
"Imagine standing in a store with no cash or bank cards or even a telecoms signal and just waving a smartphone above a point of sale unit. Seconds later, the payment is done.
That is what China UnionPay is promoting.
On Saturday, together with more than 20 banks, smartphone makers and internet companies, China UnionPay formally released Quick Pass to strengthen its presence in the competitive third-party, mobile payment market.
According to the company, users don't need to open an app in order to pay nor is internet availability an issue. The system also gave them better security of their personal information, UnionPay said. Set-up takes 30 seconds and payment is quick – two seconds.
Trial runs, led by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, began in May and the service has already been established in McDonald's and petrol stations. "
Read the full article here: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/money-wealth/article/1890953/chinas-behemoth-unionpay-lets-smartphone-users-ring
Other recent payment news:
And more mobile payment news:
Be warned: Trying to use your smartphone for purchases can be a real pain.
Sarah Tew/CNETHey cool, I just found some awesome Festivus-themed socks. I'm going to buy them right now!
All I have to do is use my smartphone's tiny keyboard to oh-so-carefully tap in my name, email, password...then my address...then my credit card number...then...sheesh, forget it. I'll just play Candy Crush.
A scene like that may seem meaningless -- hardly anyone cares I didn't get those socks -- but such aborted purchases point to a big problem in US smartphone shopping that's frustrating customers and retailers alike.
The process of buying physical goods on your phone stinks. Consumers complain that product images are too small and that entering payment information is aggravating and stressful. So while we all use our smartphones more and more to compare prices and research products, we don't tend to make purchases on the devices, according to data from several retail researchers. Most people use desktops instead, where a la rger screen and physical keyboard make buying a breeze.
"The reality is," Anuj Nayar, PayPal's senior director of global initiatives, told me while holding up his iPhone, "it's very, very difficult to pay with one of these."
The results of this situation are crummy for those on both sides of the transaction. US retailers are seeing a big increase in their online traffic coming from smartphones, but they aren't able to turn those visitors into buyers -- and they're likely annoying potential customers along the way. That's a huge missed sales opportunity, industry experts say. The situation is unproductive for consumers, too, since they spend three hours every day on mobile devices for activities not involving phone calls.
"My little iPhone 5 just is not conducive to shopping," Marisa Falcon, a 30-year-old Brooklyn resident, said while checking her phone on the street in Manhattan. "Entering your credit card on that touchscreen is a total drag."
Marisa Falcon of Brooklyn smiles while checking her smartphone, likely because she's not trying to buy something.
Ben Fox Rubin/CNETData from the busy holiday-shopping season is a drag, too. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday this year, nearly half of online retail traffic came from smartphones, about double from the year before, reports market researcher ChannelAdvisor. But smartphones accounted for just a quarter of purchases. Desktops brought in 60 percent of sales while accounting for less traffic than phones.
Just 20 percent of US shoppers using smartphones tend to complete a purchase after placing an item in their virtual shopping cart, according to Visa. That figure is about 60 percent on desktops and 40 percent on tablets. Just how bad is that? If those people were in-store customers waiting at the checkout line, four out of five would be ditch their carts and walk out of the store before making their purchase.
Toys "R" Us is working to change that by simplifying its site on smartphones and making mobile checkouts easier, said Richard Barry, the company's chief merchandising officer. Those efforts have started convincing more shoppers to follow through with their purchases, he said. But there's still a long way to go.
It's difficult and expensive for traditional retailers to make these changes. Most don't have widely used mobile apps and employ just a handful of mobile developers, so change comes slowly. For now, Amazon and eBay seem to be benefiting from other retailers' lousy mobile sites, said Scot Wingo, ChannelAdvisor's executive chairman. Both online sellers have popular apps that store customer information, making shopping much easier.
It doesn't have to be this way. In China, mobile shopping is much simpler for customers, thanks to better integration of payment information on phones and more-developed mobile shopping websites, Wingo said. That lets retailers including JD.com and Alibaba make large chunks of their sales on the same devices customers now use the most. Alibaba reported that, as of Septe mber, 47 percent of its sales came from mobile, a figure most US retailers would envy.
There are several efforts afoot to make smartphone shopping in the US less miserable, but they're still young.
PayPal last year launched One Touch, which lets people buy items on retail sites without having to constantly re-enter their information. However, the service has attracted only a sliver of PayPal's 173 million active accounts.
Visa is working on a similar concept, called Visa Checkout. Yet the number of users amounts to a rounding error relative to its 2.1 billion accounts.
Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest also are starting to offer "buy now" buttons on their sites to make buying easier.
Apple's Apple Pay and Google's Android Pay might also jump into the mix as they evolve and gain adoption as places for consumers to store their payment information, Wingo said. Both services today focus on in-store purchases, not online shopping.
As those effo rts ramp up, next year could be a critical one in helping make the smartphone more than just a place where people go window-shopping.
"We're still in the early days of enabling the smartphone as a great commerce vehicle," said Sam Shrauger, senior vice president of Visa's digital solutions.
Maybe it won't be too much longer before I actually want to use my phone to nab those Festivus socks.
