Apple entered the Chinese smartphone market in 2010, and its sales soared over 20 times within five years. It peaked at $58.7 billion in 2015….reports Asian Lite News
China has propelled Apple’s growth with a remarkable 128 per cent surge in net sales in the last 9 years, a new report said on Tuesday.
According to StockApps.com financial analyst Edith, “China has been a vital market for Apple, contributing significantly to the company’s global sales. The Chinese market has seen remarkable growth and challenges for Apple in the past decade”.
Apple entered the Chinese smartphone market in 2010, and its sales soared over 20 times within five years. It peaked at $58.7 billion in 2015.
However, economic headwinds and increased competition led to a gradual decline in sales, which dropped to $40.3 billion in 2020, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the report said.
Nonetheless, China has once again become Apple’s growth engine in the last two years.
Moreover, the report mentioned that the ban on iPhones for Chinese government officials is concerning for Apple as China accounts for 20 per cent of its sales, but this situation is not Apple’s first challenge in the country.
The ban comes from Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro flagship smartphone launch, which introduces a Chinese-made 7-nanometer processor.
This move raised eyebrows internationally given the US export ban on advanced semiconductors to China.
Despite these obstacles, Apple’s ability to navigate the Chinese market is noteworthy. The company has demonstrated resilience by constantly evolving its strategies, the report stated.
Apple has customised its products and services to suit local preferences by incorporating features like dual SIM card support, better selfie cameras, and region-specific content on services such as Apple Music and the App Store.
Furthermore, the company has extended its retail footprint in China, opening stores in major cities to offer customers a physical space to experience its products and obtain assistance, according to the report.
Apple said the software patch is “related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern.”…reports Asian Lite News
Tech giant Apple on Friday said it will issue a software patch for iPhone 12 users in France, after the country’s radiation watchdog (ANFR) said that that iPhone 12 breaches radiation exposure limits.
Earlier this week, the ANFR released a public statement saying that the iPhone 12 breaches radiation levels, telling the company to temporarily halt iPhone 12 sales and release a fix.
“We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France,” the iPhone maker said in a statement.
According to reports, Apple said the software patch is “related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern”.
The Cupertoni, California-based company had earlier said that iPhone 12 has been certified by several international regulators as compliant.
The French government welcomed the move, saying the “ANFR is preparing to quickly test this update”.
The tech giant, which just launched iPhone 15 series, had said it has independent third-party lab results that show that it complies with all Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) standards globally.
The most common EU SAR limit of 2 W/kg represents an average over 10 g of tissue absorbing the most signal, reports TechCrunch. This limit is a bit higher than the FCC limit in the U.S. (1.6 W/kg). Apple complies with this SAR limit.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, also available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, will be available in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium finishes….reports Asian Lite News
Giving its next-generation of iPhones a brand new look and power, Apple on Tuesday debuted the new iPhone series with four models — iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max — that come with industry-leading features. For the first time, the ‘Make in India’ iPhone 15 will be available from the day of the global sales (September 22).
Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be available in pink, yellow, green, blue, and black finishes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage capacities, starting at Rs 79,900 and Rs 89,900, respectively.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, also available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, will be available in black titanium, white titanium, blue titanium, and natural titanium finishes.
iPhone 15 Pro starts at Rs 134,900 and is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities. iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at Rs 159,900 and is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage capacities.
Customers in more than 40 countries, including India, will be able to pre-order all four models beginning September 15, with availability beginning September 22.
The devices feature a strong and lightweight titanium design with new contoured edges, a new Action button, powerful camera upgrades, and A17 Pro for next-level performance and mobile gaming.
“This is the most pro lineup we have ever created, with a state-of-the-art titanium design, the best iPhone camera system yet that enables game-changing new workflows, and the A17 Pro chip, which ushers in a new chapter of performance and games never before seen on iPhone,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
The customizable Action button allows users to personalise their iPhone experience. A17 Pro unlocks next-level gaming experiences and pro performance.
The new USB‑C connector is supercharged with USB 3 speeds — up to 20x faster than USB 2 — and together with new video formats, enables powerful pro workflows that were not possible before.
The premium titanium used on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any metal, making them Apple’s lightest Pro lineup ever.
Meanwhile, iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, feature an industry-first colour-infused back glass with a stunning, textured matte finish, and a new contoured edge on the aluminium enclosure. Both models feature the Dynamic Island, and an advanced camera system designed to help users take fantastic photos of everyday moments in their lives.
The iPhone 15 lineup also introduces the next generation of portraits, making it easier to capture portraits with great detail and low-light performance.
Apple also launched Watch Series 9, with the new S9 chip, double tap gesture, a brighter display, faster on-device Siri with the ability to access and log health data, Precision Finding for iPhone and more features. Apple Watch Series 9 starts at Rs 41,900 and Apple Watch SE starts at Rs 29,900.
Customers in India and other select countries can now order Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch SE, with availability in stores beginning September 22.
Apple Watch Series 9 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes in starlight, midnight, silver, (PRODUCT)RED, and a new pink aluminum case, as well as stainless steel in gold, silver, and graphite cases.
“Apple Watch is an indispensable companion that helps millions of people with their health, fitness, communications, and safety,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer.
Apple Watch Series 9 is powered by custom Apple silicon in the all-new S9 SiP. The power efficiency of the S9 SiP allows Apple Watch Series 9 to maintain all-day 18-hour battery life, said the company.
“At Apple, we are committed to making products customers love and protecting the planet at the same time, and this year, we hit a key milestone toward our Apple 2030 goal,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.
With double tap gesture, users can easily control Apple Watch Series 9 using just one hand and without touching the display.
For the first time on Apple Watch, Siri requests can be processed on the device. The company also unveiled Apple Watch Ultra 2, bringing new features to Apple’s most capable and rugged smartwatch. With all the new advancements, Apple Watch Ultra 2 has the same 36-hour battery life with regular use and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced at Rs 89,900, also available from September 22.
Apple also announced AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging (USB‑C), making the world’s most popular headphones even better.
AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‐C) will be available for Rs 24900 from apple.com/in/store and more than 30 other countries and regions starting September 22.
Both premium models will have “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will have USB 2.0 ports…reports Asian Lite News
Apple is holding its next big event, dubbed “Wonderlust”, on September 12 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, to launch the iPhone 15 series, iOS 17, Apple Watch, and other products.
At the event, it is expected that the tech giant, for the first time, will launch the iPhone 15 lineup with a USB-C port instead of Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector, reports The Verge.
Along with this, Apple might announce the release dates for iOS 17 and watchOS 10 during its upcoming event.
Although reports claim that the USB-C port will be available on all iPhone 15 models, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that only the Pro and Pro Max will benefit from faster data transfer rates.
Both premium models will have “at least” USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, while the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will have USB 2.0 ports.
Some Apple iPhone 15 models are likely to support charging up to 35W which will offer faster charging speeds.
In addition, supply chain analyst Ross Young predicted last year that all models of the iPhone 15 would include the Dynamic Island. The iPhone 15 lineup is also expected to get an ultra-wideband chip as well.
Moreover, the report said that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are rumoured to feature a titanium frame, slimmer bezels, and a more easily repairable aluminium chassis, similar to the iPhone 14.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max might also have a faster A17 chip built using the 3nm process, whereas the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will most likely include the A16 chip included in the iPhone 14 Pro.
In addition to the iPhone 15, Apple is expected to unveil its latest smartwatch lineup — with few major changes so far.
The premium Apple Watch Ultra will reportedly retain its 49mm size and come with a new darker titanium case. But as per rumours the Watch Series 9 will come with an updated S9 processor, the report mentioned.
The iPhone 15 isn’t the only Apple device that’s expected to get the USB-C treatment. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans on releasing a pair of AirPods Pro with USB-C during the event.
Kuo predicted in 2022 that Apple would release AirPods with a USB-C charging case this year. Aside from the new case, it’s unclear whether Apple will make any significant changes to the AirPods themselves.
There are a few other things Apple is rumoured to be working on that will most likely not be revealed at the iPhone 15 event. This includes new Macs and iPads, which Apple usually announces in October, the report stated.
Other Apple suppliers in India like Pegatron and Wistron (being acquired by the Tata Group) will also assemble iPhone 15 as soon as possible, according to sources…reports Asian Lite News
Driven by domestic manufacturing, Apple iPhones are set to garner 7 per cent market share in the Android-dominated smartphone market in India this year, latest data showed on Saturday, as the tech giant gears up to globally launch its flagship devices next week.
Apple iPhone shipments grew 68 per cent (year-on-year) in the first half of this year in the country.
In the first half, Apple secured a 6 per cent market share in the Indian smartphone market and dominated the super-premium smartphone segment (priced between Rs 50,000-Rs 100,000) with a robust 63 per cent market share, according to data from market intelligence firm CyberMedia Research (CMR).
CMR estimates the iPhone 15 shipments in the launch quarter to hover around 65 per cent, driven by an increased ‘Make in India’ initiatives.
iPhone domestic manufacturing in the country has significantly increased over the past four year.
In another push to its India manufacturing dream, Apple maker Foxconn started the local production of the next-generation of iPhone 15 at its Sriperumbudur facility near Tamil Nadu faster than ever.
A small set of ‘Make in India’ iPhone 15 units is likely to be exported to other countries within a short span of time from its global launch.
Other Apple suppliers in India like Pegatron and Wistron (being acquired by the Tata Group) will also assemble iPhone 15 as soon as possible, according to sources.
CMR anticipates a 25 per cent YoY growth in iPhone shipments with the iPhone 15 series.
iPhone 14 series shipments in launch quarter were around 58 per cent and iPhone 13 series were around 23 per cent in the country.
“Apple has enjoyed a positive growth trajectory in India in recent years, with sales of its older generation iPhones steering growth. The upcoming iPhone 15 series is poised to maintain this growth momentum,” Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, told IANS.
However, its success will hinge on Apple’s ability to effectively manage any potential production challenges and shipment delays with the 15 line-up, and especially the ‘Pro’ models, he added.
The market momentum for iPhones in India have been driven by the sales of the previous generaIon iPhones.
Apple is hosting its next big global product launch — showcasing the fresh lineup of iPhone 15 series — on September 12. The tech giant is also expected to announce new Apple Watches at the event.
Huawei purchased 23-25 million and 40-42 million mobile phone SoCs from Qualcomm in 2022 and 2023, respectively…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese smartphone brand Huawei’s new smartphones will fully adopt the new self-developed Kirin processors starting in 2024, a move that will hurt chip-maker Qualcomm the most, according to leading analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
According to Kuo, Qualcomm will not only lose Huawei’s orders completely from 2024 onwards “but also face the risk of a decline in shipments to non-Huawei Chinese brand clients due to the competition from Huawei”.
Huawei purchased 23-25 million and 40-42 million mobile phone SoCs from Qualcomm in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
“However, it’s expected that Huawei’s new models will fully adopt the new self-developed Kirin processors starting in 2024,” said said Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, a financial services group in the Asia-Pacific region.
Qualcomm’s SoC shipments to Chinese smartphone brands in 2024 are expected to be at least 50-60 million units lower than in 2023 due to Huawei’s adoption of the new Kirin processors and will continue to decline year by year.
“My latest survey indicates that Qualcomm will likely start a price war as early as 4Q23 to maintain market share in the Chinese market, which will be detrimental to profits,” Kuo emphasised.
Two other potential risks for Qualcomm are that the market share of Exynos 2400 in Samsung mobile phones is higher than expected and Apple is expected to use its own modem chip starting in 2025.
Huawei and China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) built an advanced 7-nanometer processor to power its latest smartphones, according to a report by market analysis firm TechInsights.
It is reported that Huawei is using a homemade advanced 7nm chipset, identified as Kirin 9000s, in its Mate 60 Pro smartphone.
The company started selling its Mate 60 Pro phone last week, without much information about the chipset inside.
Beijing has instructed some government staff to stop using iPhones through chat groups or meetings
Amid the escalating rivalry between the US and China, the Xi Jinping government has reportedly barred officials from using Apple iPhones at work, the media reported on Wednesday.
Beijing has instructed some government staff to stop using iPhones through chat groups or meetings, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Apple relies heavily on Greater China region for both manufacturing and sales of its iPhones and has a major chunk of its product manufacturing in the country amid its future plans to make India the next big manufacturing hub.
“Restrictions on foreign devices are the latest step in Beijing’s campaign to reduce reliance on overseas technology and could hurt Apple’s success in the country,” the report noted.
China apparently ordered officials at central government agencies not to use Apple’s iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office.
The move is a blow to Apple’s public perception in China which is its second-biggest market after the US.
Apple didn’t immediately comment on the development.
According to the company’s latest quarterly results, the Greater China region — Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan — contributed to nearly 19 per cent of the revenue in the June quarter.
According to the the IDC, 65.7 million smartphones shipped in China in the second quarter (Q2) this year, a narrower decline of 2.1 per cent compared to the same period last year.
In the first half of the year, the Chinese market saw 130.9 million shipments, down 7.3 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
Huawei and Apple were the only vendors with a positive YoY growth in the Top 5 ranking, as the price discounts of Apple’s iPhone 14 series successfully stimulated the demand in the country.
Samsung suffered a 12.4 per cent (quarter-on-quarter) downturn, while Apple marked a 21.2 per cent dip from the preceding quarter….reports Asian Lite News
With the upcoming iPhone 15 series outperforming market expectations, Apple has a good chance of unseating Samsung from its long-held position as the global market leader, a new report has said.
According to the market intelligence company TrendForce, in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, Samsung continued to lead in production rankings, delivering 53.9 million units, while Apple’s second quarter was the weakest in terms of production, delivering 42 million units.
However, Samsung suffered a 12.4 per cent (quarter-on-quarter) downturn, while Apple marked a 21.2 per cent dip from the preceding quarter.
Moreover, the report said that global smartphone production has faced back-to-back quarterly declines.
“After plunging nearly 20 per cent in 1Q23, second-quarter numbers dwindled further by approximately 6.6 per cent, settling at a modest 272 million units. The first half of 2023 clocked in at a mere 522 million units — marking a 13.3 per cent (year-on-year) decline and setting a ten-year low for both individual quarters and the first half of the year combined,” the researchers said.
“Demand in consumer markets such as China, Europe, and North America has not shown a significant rebound as we move into the second half of the year. Even if economic indicators in the Indian market improve, it is still difficult to reverse the global decline in smartphone production,” it added.
Further, the researchers predicted that the smartphone market may undergo another shift in Q2 this year due to poor global economic conditions, and production for the second half may consequently be further reduced.
Looking ahead to 2024, the current economic outlook is not optimistic, as per the report.
The researchers forecasted a 2 to 3 per cent annual increase in global production, depending on regional economic trends.
Samsung’s annual shipments have dropped by 18 per cent in 10 years while Apple’s shipments surged by 46 per cent…reports Asian Lite News
Apple shipped over 2.1 billion iPhones in the past decade, almost one billion less than its South Korean competitor Samsung, a new report showed on Monday.
However, Samsung’s annual shipments have dropped by 18 per cent in 10 years while Apple’s shipments surged by 46 per cent, the report noted.
Apple and Samsung’s corporate battle started 13 years ago. Since then, the two tech giants have been competing for the title of the world’s largest smartphone vendor, with each holding roughly a 25 per cent market share.
Still, the difference between their total shipments in the past decade is huge, according to data presented by CasinosEnLigne.com.
Samsung Electronics.(Yonhap/IANS)
According to Statista and IDC data, between 2013 and 2022, Apple shipped 2.07 billion iPhones worldwide, with 2015 and 2021 as the record years for sales.
In the first half of 2023, the US tech giant shipped another 97.7 million of its smartphones, pushing the 10-year iPhone sales to 2.16 billion.
Data shows that Samsung shipped 3.08 billion smartphones between Q1 2013 and Q2 2023, or 42 per cent more than Apple.
However, the IDC data showed an interesting trend in the annual shipment figures. Although Samsung leads in total shipments, its annual smartphone shipments have dropped by 18 per cent in the past 10 years. In 2022, the company shipped 258.2 million smartphones, down from 316.4 million reported in 2013.
On the other hand, Apple’s shipments surged by 46 per cent in this period, jumping from 153.4 million to 225.3 million.
“Although Apple lost the race with Samsung in total shipments over the past decade, the StatCounter data show the US tech giant overtook its leading position and became the largest player in the global smartphone market,” the report mentioned.
As of July, Apple’s iPhone had a 28.3 per cent share in the global mobile vendor market, up from 27.5 per cent in the same month a year ago.
On the other hand, Samsung’s market share stood at 24.22 per cent last month, down from 28.17 per cent in July 2022.
Xiaomi, Vivo and OPPO followed with 11.21 per cent, 6.06 per cent and 5.53 per cent market shares in July.
The alliance seeks to standardise the 3D ecosystem by advancing the capabilities of Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD)….reports Asian Lite News
Tech majors like Apple, Pixar, Adobe, Autodesk and NVIDIA, along with the Joint Development Foundation (JDF) which is an affiliate of the Linux Foundation, on Tuesday announced the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD) to promote the standardisation, development, evolution, and growth of Pixar’s Universal Scene Description technology.
The alliance seeks to standardise the 3D ecosystem by advancing the capabilities of Open Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD).
By promoting greater interoperability of 3D tools and data, the alliance will enable developers and content creators to describe, compose, and simulate large-scale 3D projects and build an ever-widening range of 3D-enabled products and services.
“OpenUSD will help accelerate the next generation of AR experiences, from artistic creation to content delivery, and produce an ever-widening array of spatial computing applications,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group.
“Apple has been an active contributor to the development of USD, and it is an essential technology for the groundbreaking visionOS platform, as well as the new Reality Composer Pro developer tool. We look forward to fostering its growth into a broadly adopted standard,” he added.
The alliance will develop written specifications detailing the features of OpenUSD.
This will enable greater compatibility and wider adoption, integration, and implementation, and allows inclusion by other standards bodies into their specifications.
The Linux Foundation’s JDF was chosen to house the project, as it will enable open, efficient, and effective development of OpenUSD specifications, while providing a path to recognition through the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
AOUSD will also provide the primary forum for the collaborative definition of enhancements to the technology by the greater industry.
“We open-sourced the project in 2016, and the influence of OpenUSD now expands beyond film, visual effects, and animation and into other industries that increasingly rely on 3D data for media interchange,” informed Steve May, Chief Technology Officer at Pixar and Chairperson of AOUSD.
Guido Quaroni, Senior Director of Engineering, 3D&I at Adobe said that leveraging a common 3D data representation during the creative process multiplies the value brought by each package and device.
“OpenUSD was created to be one of these ‘multipliers’ and we are excited to see a diverse group of companies joining together to support this innovative and open technology,” Quaroni added.
