Sony’s Mobile Communications division continues to struggle in Q2 2015
Sony released their latest quarterly financial report revealing struggles continue for their Mobile Communications division. For the second quarter of their fiscal year, Sony saw sales of smartphones decrease by 15.2% with revenues falling from 329.5 billion yen ($2.7B USD) to 279.2 billion yen ($2.3B USD) compared to the same period in 2014. Perhaps more troubling is the fact that for the sales that continued to occur, Sony saw operating income of 5.5 billion yen ($45.4M USD) fall to an operating loss for the division in the amount of 20.6 billion yen ($170M USD) year-over-year.
According to Sony, the “significant decrease” in smartphone sales is due to a decision to focus on profitability instead of trying to expand their scale of operations. In terms of operating income impact, Sony thinks they have improved their product mix to focus on higher end “value-added” smartphone models and they reduced their marketing and R&D expenses. All of the changes the division has been undergoing resulted in an increase in restructuring charges, which contributed to the loss.
Despite the sliding sales numbers and impact on operating income, Sony says their annual sales forecast is unchanged. For 2014, Sony sold 39.1 million units and they are predicting sales of 27 million units for 2015. From Q1 to Q2, smartphone unit sales fell from 7.2 million to 6.7 million in 2015. For the same periods in 2014, Sony sold 9.4 million and 9.9 million units respectively.
source: Sony
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Google wants to cover the entire globe with Project Loon internet in 2016
Google’s Project Loon is an ambitious project to bring internet access to tons of different places in the world through floating balloons. It’s a weird concept, but it’s been growing rapidly and so far, it’s worked pretty well for Google.
The next step for Project Loon, according to Google, involves covering the entire globe with internet access in 2016. That’s a bold plan, but Google is working on creating a string of continuous balloons that will create widespread coverage with no gaps. Initially Project Loon will test continuous coverage in the southern hemisphere, and if that goes well, it will expand from there.
This global coverage is now possible thanks to significantly better technology in the balloons that Google is using to deploy internet coverage. The newer balloons can relay internet connections back and forth, with a range of up to 100 km. That allows internet operators to drastically increase their coverage range to get more and more people connected to the internet.
source: Project Loon (Google+)
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Eddy Cue: Apple TV Remains ‘Add-On’ Device, Will Continue to Improve
Apple executive Eddy Cue sat down with CNN senior correspondent Brian Stelter this week to answer a wide range of questions about the new Apple TV, reiterating how Apple believes an app-based TV experience is the future.
Cue described the new Apple TV as an “add-on for most people,” rather than a true cable-cutting experience, since channels such as ABC, CNN and WatchESPN still require authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription.
That could change if Apple’s much-rumored streaming TV service launches in the future, but the company has reportedly faced difficulties and delays in ongoing negotiations with content providers. Cue did not discuss those rumors, but did speak vaguely about original programming.
Stelter: “There have been rumors that Apple is going to get into licensing, actually financing TV shows, basically what Netflix and Hulu do today. Can you clear it up for us? Is that true?”
Cue: “We love working with our partners. We’re great at technology, and they’re great at creating content, and we think that’s a great partnership to have.”
While still an “add-on,” Cue said that the new Apple TV is a “much better experience” for consuming content compared to traditional cable or satellite TV. Cue said TV has historically been a “closed” ecosystem, but the new Apple TV changes that by allowing content providers to create interactive app-based experiences.
Cue downplayed the need for “exclusive” content on Apple TV, and said that Apple’s goal is to “build technologies that let developers do things that they can’t do anywhere else.” He added that “we certainly don’t think there’s anybody that can do this on a TV today,” which “by sheer nature may be exclusive.”
Stelter said that authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription remains a problem with the current TV experience, and Cue said those are areas where Apple can “continue to innovate” and “make better” through future software updates, but he also stressed that services such as HBO GO, Hulu and Netflix already have a one-tap subscription process.
The new Apple TV is available online now and launches in stores on Friday, October 30.
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Eddy Cue: Apple TV Remains ‘Add-On’ Device, Will Continue to Improve
Apple executive Eddy Cue sat down with CNN senior correspondent Brian Stelter this week to answer a wide range of questions about the new Apple TV, reiterating how Apple believes an app-based TV experience is the future.
Cue described the new Apple TV as an “add-on for most people,” rather than a true cable-cutting experience, since channels such as ABC, CNN and WatchESPN still require authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription.
That could change if Apple’s much-rumored streaming TV service launches in the future, but the company has reportedly faced difficulties and delays in ongoing negotiations with content providers. Cue did not discuss those rumors, but did speak vaguely about original programming.
Stelter: “There have been rumors that Apple is going to get into licensing, actually financing TV shows, basically what Netflix and Hulu do today. Can you clear it up for us? Is that true?”
Cue: “We love working with our partners. We’re great at technology, and they’re great at creating content, and we think that’s a great partnership to have.”
While still an “add-on,” Cue said that the new Apple TV is a “much better experience” for consuming content compared to traditional cable or satellite TV. Cue said TV has historically been a “closed” ecosystem, but the new Apple TV changes that by allowing content providers to create interactive app-based experiences.
Cue downplayed the need for “exclusive” content on Apple TV, and said that Apple’s goal is to “build technologies that let developers do things that they can’t do anywhere else.” He added that “we certainly don’t think there’s anybody that can do this on a TV today,” which “by sheer nature may be exclusive.”
Stelter said that authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription remains a problem with the current TV experience, and Cue said those are areas where Apple can “continue to innovate” and “make better” through future software updates, but he also stressed that services such as HBO GO, Hulu and Netflix already have a one-tap subscription process.
The new Apple TV is available online now and launches in stores on Friday, October 30.
Discuss this article in our forums
Check Google’s new Zombie-themed Android Studio tutorial
Interested in learning a bit more about Android Studio and how to get started with it? A new video from Google has landed, walking you some of the best practices and pro tips. The guide is obviously made with developers in mind, but the video itself is actually pretty funny and in the right spirit for Halloween.
Basically, the video walks you through the process of building an app in a stressful environment: a zombie apocalypse. Certainly a fun watch, and a great way to learn a few new things along the way. For those looking for a more traditional, written guide, you may also want to check out Android Authority’s beginner guide for Android Studio. Also check out our breakdown of what is new in Android Studio 1.4.
What did you think of the video? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Motorola announces Moto X Force with iPhone and Galaxy S6 drop test
It’s hard to argue with the main selling point of Motorola’s marketing campaign for the Verizon-bound Droid Turbo 2. We’ve all had, or at least seen, phones with cracked displays, and no matter how careful we are with our devices, we’re always just a slip or bump away from disaster. In this fragile world, the Droid Turbo 2 offers some much-needed firmness.
Now Motorola is rebranding the Droid Turbo 2 as the Moto X Force and bringing it to international markets. And instead of the usual press release, it’s announcing it with a one-minute video starring Motorola President Rick Osterloh, dropping the iPhone 6S (?), the Galaxy S6, and the Moto X Force.
Only one device makes it through alive. No surprises here – as this video from CNN shows us, the Turbo 2/X Force is capable of taking a ton of punishment.
If the promise of a shatterproof display isn’t enough for you, the Moto X Force brings the same powerful specifications as the Turbo 2, including a Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, a beautiful 5.4” AMOLED Quad HD, and a massive 3,760-mAh battery that’s guaranteed to take you through a day of power usage.
See also: Motorola Droid Turbo 2 hands-on and first look
Besides Rick Osterloh cracking competitors, the only other info included in Motorola’s #ShortestPressAnnouncementEver regards availability: the Moto X Force is coming to Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia Pacific from November.
What do you think of the new Moto X Force? What about Motorola’s marketing?
Teardown gives us a peek inside the difficult to repair Nexus 6P
I love a good teardown and iFixit’s latest gives us a look at how China’s Huawei has constructed the new Nexus 6P. Unfortunately, the smartphone scores very poorly for reparability, managing just a 2 out of 10 rating.
There are a number of reasons for the very low score. The back cover and screws can be rather tricky to remove and there’s plenty of adhesive used to prevent tampering. Once inside, the teardown reveals that the internals are all connected together on one large assembly, with the exception of NFC module. This means that replacing a broken screen or connector is much more problematic than with other smartphones.
New Nexus phones:
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We can spot the huge 3,450mAh battery taking up most of the space in the handset. Although the battery is fairly accessible once the back has been pulled off, it is stuck down with copious amounts of glue that make it very difficult to remove.
The motherboard houses the processor and other main components near the top of the smartphone. There’s a little thermal paste on the Snapdragon 810 SoC to help with heat transfer. Perhaps what is most odd about the design is that the rear camera connector is hidden on the underside of the main board, meaning that you have to take the whole thing out should something go wrong with it.
If you want a breakdown of the chips. There’s 4GB of LPDDR4 sitting on top of the SoC which is provided by Micron, Samsung manufacturers the 32GB NAND flash and Broadcom provides the WiFi modem. Most of the other chips are designed by Qualcomm, including its Quick Charge IC, Power Management and WCD9330 Audio Codec.
Despite the questionable internal build decisions, the Nexus 6P is still a rather good handset. Just don’t take it apart. For a closer look at all the juicy innards, be sure to check out the source link below.
Deal: Learn-by-Example Android Developer Course lifetime subscription only $19
Want to learn how to make Android apps? We know it can be an intimidating challenge, but nowadays there are so many tools out there to make the learning process easier. And some of us are better at learning visually, hence people pay thousands of dollars and spend years in school. Today’s AA Deals Store offer helps you polish your Android developing skills with only $19, though. This happens to be a 90% discount over the suggested $199 price point.
Here’s how the system works: the Learn-by-Example Android Developer Course consists of 59 lectures and over 11 hours of content.
Students will build 10 Android apps in the process, as well as learn about all the technologies and APIs needed for making a proper application. Among these apps there will be a news reader, a navigation app, a YouTube app and more. Furthermore, you will gain experience in using Android Studio and Eclipse ADT.
The only caveat is you will need to have some knowledge of Java and Android. In a way, you have to have an intermediate level of development experience, but if you have that covered taking on the course will be a breeze. And those who complete the course will even get a certificate to corroborate their skill level.
So what are you waiting for? Embark on this journey and make your developing dreams come true. This could even be the beginning of a brand new career! And for $19, this deal is a total winner.
Sprint caters to the most basic of users with new $20 ‘Starter’ plan
Sprint today announced a new rate plan for customers who need the most basic amount of data per month. Called the Starter Unlimited Data Plan, the $20 monthly option gives customers 1GB of 4G LTE data per month.
Should a customer go over the allotted data, Sprint will let them continue on with services at 2G speeds. The 2G data is unlimited for the remainder of the bill cycle.
It is worth noting that this plan does not give customers any talking or texting; it is simply a data plan. If you’re looking for the typical phone services, Sprint will gladly sell you that for $20 per month. In essence $40 gives customers unlimited talk text and 1GB of high speed data each month. Sprint will sell additional data at a rate of $15 per gigabyte if a customer needs more data in any bill cycle.
In addition to the new rate plan, Sprint has raised the price of its unlimited high speed data plan to $70 per month. The plan includes 3 gigabytes of mobile hotspot data and does include unlimited talk text and high speed internet speeds. Additional lines with the same package are priced at $60 per month with a limit of ten per account.
These new rate plans take effect starting October 30th.
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Nexus 6P gets the teardown treatment
The folks over at iFixIt have finally managed to get their hands on the brand new Nexus 6P following shipping hold-ups, and have dismantled it in their usual fashion just to show us how difficult it is to repair. The handset can be taken apart in 16 relatively complex steps, earning it a repairability score of 2 out of 10, which isn’t great when you consider its sister smartphone, the Nexus 5X, weighed in at 7 out of 10.
Hit the break to see a few key images from the teardown.
Source: iFixIt
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