This month, Vizio, the North American vendor of value-priced television lines sold heavily in warehouse clubs and discount store chains, amended its exclusive use of smart TVs based on the Chromecast platform as it expanded its selection of app partners beyond the Google ecosystem. The move not only lets Vizio customers access a more traditional […]
Archive | Consumer electronics
Chinese video streaming market: How big can it get?
While the streaming video industry is focused on Netflix’s Q2 data—which was punctuated by the addition of 5.2 million subscribers—it might be a good idea to keep a closer eye on streaming service providers in China. Today, leading Chinese internet-based streaming services are believed to have more than 500 million active users, according to China […]
Sharp/Foxconn Undeterred In Bid To Reclaim Sharp Marketing Rights
Terry Gou, chairman of Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry, the parent of electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn, is looking to expand the company’s global footprint using its recently acquired majority stake in Sharp Corp., but Hisense is standing in the way. In recent weeks, Gou’s companies have been the focus of almost daily news articles concerning […]
CES at 50: Lessons Still Not Learned
Gazing at faded black-and-white photos from the first CES, which occurred 50 years ago this week in New York, it’s tough not to laugh at the antiquated gear that was considered cutting-edge at the time—fat tube black-and-white TVs when 23 inches was considered “big screen,” giant wood console cabinet TV/record player/radio combos, “portable” TVs that […]
Hungry Mobile Video: Will Next-Generation TV Feed the Beast?
Bandwidth-hungry video is viewed as an insatiable beast by those who are delivering it over crowded networks. Better compression and mobile network advances have relieved some congestion but the flames of UHD and virtual reality are licking at the heels of cellular networks. TV broadcasters think they can help relieve some of that congestion with […]
Different Looks at AI, Security/Privacy and eSports
Each year, the fine folks at IFA bring in journalists from around the globe (including yours truly) for a preview of the annual IFA confab in Berlin (1-6 September) and to take in a series of presentations from prognosticators and product makers. Nearly every trending tech topic is discussed. Among all the industry forecasts and […]
Samsung Rallies Industry Support For `QLED’ TVs
Samsung has started making it known throughout the consumer video display industry that it would like anyone involved in the development, production and sale of display devices enhanced by quantum dot technology to begin referring to those devices as “QLED,” short for Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode,” displays. Samsung is hoping that broad-based use of […]
Will “Surge S1” Make Xiaomi Surge Again?
Given recent activity by smartphone suppliers, it appears that independence from chip suppliers might be the preferred strategy for building international market share. The up-and-coming Xiaomi recently lost its top domestic market share. The company is changing its design and manufacturing plans in hopes of gaining back that share, as well as making headway into […]
Is History Repeating Itself in Japan?
One of the starkest trends in the consumer electronics industry over the past 15 years has been the collapse of Japan’s once mighty TV industry. Formerly iconic brands with immense global reach have shriveled in the face of intense pressure from South Korea’s one-two punch of LG and Samsung and a glut of low-cost competition, […]
The Technology Forest: Don’t Get Lost in the Woods
Believe it or not, there is a somewhat timely pattern to the historical disruption caused by technology advances. Let’s call the individual technology advances the trees, and the profound business and societal impacts from those advances the forest. Individually, these advances may not do much to challenge the status quo, but together, in a compressed […]