Three asks Ofcom to limit BT in next spectrum auction
Ofcom is expected to auction off fresh slices of mobile spectrum later this year, which carriers will use to improve speeds on their networks amid our ever-increasing demand for data. It’ll be a significant event in the mobile world, with the spectrum on offer being the equivalent of roughly 75 percent of the capacity released in 2013 to pave the way for the launch of the UK’s first 4G services. Ofcom hasn’t set a formal date yet, but already Three’s CEO David Dyson is calling on the regulator to protect his network’s interests so it can remain competitive with its larger rivals.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Dyson fears that BT could end up with something of a monopoly on the airwaves if they’re sold to the highest bidder. As it stands, it’s reported that Three commands 15 per cent of spectrum, O2 14 per cent, Vodafone 28 per cent and BT a whopping 42 per cent, given its own spectrum is now pooled with that of EE’s. Following BT’s acquisition of EE, Dyson believes the combined company “has got the financial ability to outcompete everyone in the market in how much they are willing to pay.”
Given BT’s dominant position, Dyson argues it could use its bank balance to hoover up as much spectrum as possible, purely to stifle rival providers. Thus, he wants Ofcom to impose “fairly significant restrictions” on BT and Vodafone in the upcoming auction, including potentially making the former releasing some of its existing spectrum before being allowed to buy more.
Though Dyson may be stomping his feet a little prematurely, he does have a point. Should O2 and Three have merged, the resulting company would’ve had a spectrum allowance equivalent to Vodafone’s, and a bigger customer base with better cash flow. Basically, an equal player at auction — the auction that was supposed to take place early this year before Ofcom was forced to delay while the BT/EE and O2/Three proposals played out.
The European Commission ended up blocking the marriage of Three and O2 based primarily on concerns that shrinking the number of mobile operators from four to three would have a negative impact on competition. Ofcom was of the same disposition, and now Dyson is asking that the regulator continue to protect competition by engineering the auction appropriately.
Network infrastructure, of which intangible spectrum forms a part, is something Three’s top brass have been paying a lot of attention to of late. Last month, it came to light that Three is seeking over £150 million in damages from EE over a mast-sharing agreement between the two. Three claims it has only been allowed to access half of the mobile masts it was promised under the deal, which EE denies of course. This mast-sharing agreement also played a part in the recent devaluation of Three UK by owner CK Hutchison.
Looking into his mirky crystal ball, Dyson told the FT that if “we can make the business model work,” CK Hutchison would continue to invest and support Three, “but as the smallest [operator] we have few customers to recoup the investment.”
Source: The Financial Times
‘Persona 5’ delayed in the US until February 2017
Unlike Final Fantasy XV, which will be released simultaneously in Japan and the US, Persona 5 will have a split release, and the English translation won’t come until February 14th, 2017. That’s five months after the Japanese release date of September 15th, 2016.
Persona 5 is the latest in the long-running Persona series, itself a spin-off from developer Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei games, which date back to the ’80s. Originally due out in 2014 for PlayStation 3, it was pushed back to 2015 and also announced for PlayStation 4. That plan slipped, with Atlus promising a release “in Japan and the Americas in 2016.” The company formally announced the Japanese release date last month along with a new trailer.
Together with the US release date we also got news of some limited editions. The “Take Your Heart” Premium Edition will arrive with a soundtrack CD, a 4-inch Morgana plush, a 64-page hardcover art book, a steelbook copy of the game, a school bag, and a “colossal collectible box.” That’s actually pretty great for $89.99.
English-speaking fans can console themselves with the fact that Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE, a Shin Megami Tensei / Fire Emblem crossover game, is coming out in the US and Europe at the end of the month for Wii U. Although it’s not Persona, it does have a very Atlus battle system, relationship building and some great music.
Neither a European release date nor the availability of the collector’s edition in the region have been confirmed by Atlus. We’ll update this article if we hear anything regarding the international release plans.
Via: Kotaku
Source: Atlus
ICYMI: Plant-powered, self-moving robot and safer spacecraft
Today on In Case You Missed It: The Hortum Machina B is made of plants that send electrochemical stimulus to the autonomous robotic machine that houses them, so they can direct where to move. UC Santa Barbara researchers developed materials that can better handle the thermal loads carried inside modern rocket engines, because in some cases, the components are close to completely melting (bad news for the astronauts onboard).
Take a spin through this Norwegian cruise ship’s slide and if you want to watch our new favorite VR freakout video, it’s here. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Microsoft Launches Trello-Like ‘Planner’ App For Office 365 Subscribers
Microsoft has announced it is rolling out a new project management and collaboration app called Planner to all Office 365 subscribers for free from today.
Similar to Trello in concept, Planner enables users to organize projects into “buckets”, or collections of tasks that can then be dragged and dropped between buckets in the project interface.
Planner has a marked emphasis on team collaboration: tasks can be assigned to individual team members and users can get a visual overview of task responsibilities, progress, and upcoming deadlines.
The company has been trialling the app through a select few customers since September, but the planned rollout “over the next several weeks” marks the app’s official entrance into the standard Office suite of apps.
Existing Office users needn’t do anything to access the app, as the tile should appear in the Office 365 launcher as soon as it becomes available.
In recent months Apple has been including a subscription option for Microsoft Office 365 in all iPad ordering processes on its website, a move that initially raised a few eyebrows, since Apple usually positions its iWork suite as a better alternative to Microsoft’s Office apps.
A one-year, single-license Office 365 subscription on Apple’s website costs $69.95. A five-license subscription costs $99.95 and a four-year, two-license University download comes in at $79.95.
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Apple Issues 30-Year Bond in Taiwan at 4.15 Percent Yield
Confirming rumors reported last week, Apple on Monday issued a U.S. dollar bond in Taiwan that is estimated to raise between $1 billion and $1.2 billion (via Reuters).
The yield on the 30-year bond compares with a range between 4.2 percent and 4.3 percent ahead of its pricing, according to people familiar with the matter.
That yield comes in significantly lower than recent bonds by blue-chip multinationals such as Intel and Anheuser Busch InBev, but it is only the first issue of debt by Apple on the island, which is home to a number of the company’s partners in the supply chain.
The total amount raised by the bond, which is callable after the second year, has yet to be finalized, said sources who spoke to Reuters and could not be named.
Cathay Financial Holding, the parent company of Taiwan’s biggest life insurer, has reportedly bought a “small part” of the bond, since the yield is lower than others issued by Apple outside of Taiwan.
Apple has a large offshore cash pile and the company clearly sees debt markets as a viable way of financing its capital return program, which was recently increased to $250 billion following a $50 billion expansion in April. Apple is also said to be issuing bonds in Australia, and possibly Japan and Singapore, as part of broader plans to raise up to $4 billion in debt in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tag: Taiwan
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Original Apple ‘i-Brand’ Creator Says Naming Convention ‘on its Last Legs’
Last week, The Guardian published a negative-sounding article by Ken Segall with the title “How Apple lost its way: Steve Jobs’ love of simplicity is gone”.
Ken Segall worked with Steve Jobs as his ad agency creative director for 12 years. In that time he led the team behind Apple’s famous ‘Think Different’ campaign, and helped Apple create its ‘i-brand’ with the naming of the iMac, therefore Segall’s overall evaluation of how the company has evolved since Jobs’ death is likely to be a point of interest to many.
Interestingly however, yesterday Segall criticized The Guardian for its choice of headline, which he says misrepresents his views and the subject matter of the article. Segall has now published the complete article on his own website with the original title, “Has Apple lost its simplicity?”, which he says is a question, not a conclusion, followed by thoughtful opinion.
Segall notes in the article that Apple’s product naming used to be extremely simple – computers were Macs and consumer products were i-devices. But now “the consumer products are offered as i-things and Apple-things (Apple Watch, Apple Pay, Apple Music),” writes Segall, who claims that “the i is obviously on its last legs, and a transition like this doesn’t happen overnight”.
The article also covers a number of other topics related to the idea of simplicity, including the differences between Steve Jobs and current CEO Tim Cook, who “certainly knows how to make Apple run efficiently” but recognizes he “doesn’t have Steve’s many talents” and relies on the expertise of others in areas of product design and marketing.
Segall also compares simplicity versus complexity in Apple product lines, the challenge of finding simplicity in software (he calls Apple Music “bewildering” to use), the evolution of Apple’s marketing group (which has “changed dramatically” since Jobs’ leadership), and how he thinks the company currently fares in these areas.
Segall is the author of the books Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success and Think Simple: How Smart Leaders Defeat Complexity.
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Samsung Rumored to Launch Fully Bendable Smartphones in 2017
Smartphone maker and display manufacturer Samsung is believed to launch a pair of smartphones in early 2017, each with a bendable OLED display. According to people familiar with the smartphones’ development (via Bloomberg), the two devices could be unveiled as early as Q1 2017 — potentially at Mobile World Congress in February — and come in two different sizes, similar to that of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Bendable smartphone mockup by Samsung
One phone would have a 5-inch screen when used in a normal handset fashion, and could then be opened to a tablet size that’s “as large as 8 inches.” The smaller alternative is estimated to be sized around a traditional modern 5-inch smartphone, but users would have the ability to fold it in half “like a cosmetic compact” to easily fit it into bags and pockets.
“This product could be a game-changer if Samsung successfully comes up with a user interface suitable for bendable screens,” said Lee Seung Woo, an analyst at IBK Securities Co. in Seoul. “Next year is a probable scenario. Their biggest obstacle was related to making transparent plastics and making them durable, which seems resolved by now.”
Codenamed “Project Valley,” the bendable smartphones won’t be Samsung’s new flagship devices, and are believed to be angled more as an experiment by the company to test the waters of user response to bendable screens. Because of this, the two new handhelds also won’t fall under the Galaxy S line of phones currently running by Samsung, but will be newly named entries in its collection of smartphones.
While not bendable, Apple’s 2017 iPhone is expected to pack in a curved OLED display with an edge-to-edge, bezel-free design, similar to that of Samsung’s Galaxy S7 smartphone. Overall, Apple’s “iPhone 8” is expected to be a huge update year for the company’s smartphone, following 2016’s internals-focused upgrade, so it’ll be interesting to see how the the two handhelds fare against each other when they launch.
Tag: Samsung
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Bose SoundSport Pulse Wireless Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
At Bose’s launch even for its new 2016 wireless headphones, I got a chance to try its new Bluetooth sports headphone, the SoundSport Wireless, an in-ear model that’s fairly affordably priced at $150 (£140, AU $249). It’s the wireless sports headphone a lot of people have been waiting for, but in September the company is releasing the step-up SoundSport Pulse, which costs $200 (£170, AU$300) and has an integrated heart-rate monitor that’s compatible with Runkeeper, Endomondo and other fitness apps.
New Bose wireless headphones
- Bose intros 4 new wireless headphones you’re going to want (hands-on)
- Bose QuietComfort 35 (hands-on): Finally, an active noise-canceling wireless headphone from Bose
- Bose’s QuietControl 30 is the ultimate neckband-style Bluetooth headphone (hands-on)
Like SoundSport Wireless, the SoundSport Pulse Wireless has an open design and is very comfortable to wear. By open I mean that you don’t jam the earbud into your ear. Thanks to Bose’s Stay-Hear+ eartips, which come in three sizes, the bud sits loosely in your ear yet remains securely in place.
Those new eartips are a special sport version of the Stay-Hear tips that are different from the ones included with Bose’s earlier in-ear headphones, so they aren’t interchangeable. And I should also point out that because the earpieces extend out from your ears you’ll probably have some trouble wearing these under a helmet (I’ll see see if I can use them with a ski helmet once a I get a review sample).
The only downside to the floating-fit, open design is that ambient sound does leak in and this isn’t a good headphone for noisy environments. (By contrast, Bose’s upcoming QuietControl 30 features active noise canceling.) But if you’re out running or biking, you’ll be able to hear cars coming, which is why a lot of runners and bikers prefer their headphones to have open designs.
As you might expect, the headphone is sweat and water resistant and there’s an inline mic and remote that lets you skip songs, adjust the volume, and take and make calls. Bose is touting its quality as headset for making calls, as well as how reliable the Bluetooth connection is.
Battery life for the SoundSport Pulse Wireless is 5 hours, which is decent for this type of design, but an hour less than the non-Pulse version. Both SoundSport wireless headphones come with a simple neoprene carrying case, but Bose will also sell an accessory case that has a built-in battery for on-the-go charging that’ll cost $50.
Bose will sell a separate accessory case that has a built-in rechargeable battery for $50.
Sarah Tew/CNET
In my limited listening test with SoundSport Wireless (the Pulse was behind glass) the sound quality seemed quite good for an in-ear Bluetooth headphone, but the real advantage this has over competing models from Beats, Jaybird and Plantronics is its high comfort level.
SoundSport Pulse Wireless’ highlights:
- Ships in September
- Price: $200, £170, AU$299
- 5 hours of battery life
- Water- and sweat-resistant
- Accessory charging case costs $50
The step-up SoundSport Pulse Wireless ($200) arrives in September and has an integrated hear-rate monitor.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Samsung working on bendy phones, one will fold like a compact
Samsung is said to be working on bendable phones, with form factors currently not available on the market.
It has previous released a curved handset before, the Samsung Galaxy Round, which had a concave screen, while the Galaxy S7 edge has a wrap around display like its predecessor. But the devices talked about now will be able to bend as a design feature.
Bloomberg claims its sources revealed that a couple of bendy phones are in the pipeline. One will fold in half “like a cosmetic compact” and another transforms from a 5-inch smartphone into an 8-inch tablet.
Both are said to be coming in 2017.
Samsung has actually demonstrated similar concepts in the past. OLED displays offer the ability for flexible screens and the company has previously suggested that future form factors could make more use of that talent.
According to Bloomberg, that could now be on the cards as the Korean firm looks to get one up on Apple.
Analyst Lee Seung Woo, who works for IBK Securities in South Korea, believes that it might not be Apple that will be rocked by Samsung bendable smartphones. “This product could be a game-changer if Samsung successfully comes up with a user interface suitable for bendable screens,” he said.
“Next year is a probable scenario. Their biggest obstacle was related to making transparent plastics and making them durable, which seems resolved by now.”
Google’s Project Ara modular smartphone: Everything you need to know
Project Ara is Google’s vision for making truly customisable smartphones. If there’s one thing we know from the current smartphone market, it’s that there’s no such thing as a “one size fits all”, but having a device with bits you can swap out and replace takes us one step closer to that.
For a while it seemed Google’s ATAP division had all but neglected the project, but then it came back at I/O 2016 with a full live demo, and it’s almost ready to be released to the public. Since it was first announced it has seen some fairly major changes, but the original spirit remains.
Project Ara: Framework
What started off as a concept to allow users to change any part of the device they could think of has turned into something a little more realistic. Sadly, for the tech nerds among you, Google won’t let you change any of the core internals. That means you won’t be able to swap out the processor, RAM, antennas or storage to beef up its performance.
Instead of buying an almost completely empty exoskeleton and then purchasing various models, the “exoskeleton” or frame will already have a built-in battery, processor, antenna, radios and memory components, as well as a non-removable display.
The frame itself has been built with long-lasting latches and connectors to ensure that modules stay secure. In fact, Google says the connectors are capable of lasting 10,000 swap-out/in cycles without dying.
On the software side, Google’s ATAP team has developed Greybus to support instantaneous module connections that are power-efficient and with data-speeds up to 11.9Gbps. That basically means that any information transferred between a module and the phone’s brain will be very quick, leaving you with a responsive and fluid experience, as if they’re meant to be there.
Google ATAP YouTube
Project Ara: Modules
What started off with the dream of having a phone that could last forever has turned into a modular phone more in line with the LG G5 and, if rumours are to be believed, the upcoming Moto Z, but far more adaptable than either of those two.
Although the core internals won’t be interchangeable, Project Ara will still allow a number of key hardware modules to be removable. You’ll be able to choose from different camera modules, add on multiple loudspeakers, expandable storage and even snap on a more powerful battery.
In its “What’s next” promo video, Google shows off the ability to customise the device to make it more optimised for musicians by swapping in multiple loudspeakers and a more powerful microphone, as well as the option to add in modules designed specifically for health and fitness tracking.
More trivial options include a kickstand, a monochromatic secondary display for showing useful info (like the weather), a tiny compartment for storing the odd TicTac, and different colour modules made from various materials purely to match what you are wearing, or make it feel different. Whether you want a splash of colour, a real wood panel, or some concrete; customisation is key.
In short: Ara still wants to be the phone that can suit you, wherever you’re going and whatever you happen to be into.
Although it may not seem like it, possibly the most important feature of the modules is that they’re “hot-swappable”. That means you’ll be able to remove them, and swap in new ones without having to reboot the phone. Users won’t even need to go hunting for drivers to download so that a new module works. It’s true plug-and-play.
Even more impressive is that the modules can auto-eject with a simple voice command. “OK Google, eject the loudspeaker”.
It’s not as ambitious as it was, but it sounds fun, and it is actually achievable.
Google ATAP YouTube
Project Ara: Potential and future versions
As with many great products, the potential for Project Ara could be huge, particularly in business and hospitals where developers could create bespoke modules for the device. Google already has a list of hardware partners lined up ready for launch, including the likes of Samsung, Sony Pictures, E-Ink, Toshiba, Harman and Panasonic, among others.
In a hospital, for instance, healthcare professionals could be equipped with phones with built-in highly sensitive sensors for on-the-fly heart rate monitoring, or even a blood sugar level sensor to save diabetes sufferers from having to cart around their monitoring gadgets.
Google wants module makers to build technology we’ve never seen in a smartphone. Whether that be well-known brands we’ve already heard of, or ambitious developers with great ideas.
The current version of Project Ara, which recently got demo’d at Google’s I/O conference in San Francisco, has six spaces for modules. All slots are generic, and any module fits in any of the spaces. Some of them, like the E-Ink secondary display are square, and take up two spaces. Others, like the camera and loudspeaker take up just one space.
Perhaps more vital is that Project Ara is still future-proof, to a certain extent. Current modules will fit future frame designs and products, and future modules will fit the existing framework.
With this being the case, it’s clear Google isn’t restricting Ara to just smartphones. It wants to make a “truly modular computing platform”, so who knows what else the team at Google’s ATAP division is looking into.
Project Ara: Release date
At long last we have a release timeframe to look forward to. Project Ara development kit units will be shipped out from the end of 2016, with a consumer model being targeted for early next year. With any luck we might actually be able to buy this thing in 2017.
We don’t know exactly how much it will cost, or if it will be available through more traditional retail stores. The likelihood is that Google will sell the hardware directly through its own store, along with a selection of modules, which will undoubtedly increase in numbers following launch.
Background: Phonebloks and Motorola beginnings
Project Ara was originally rooted in Motorola, when it was owned by Google, under the Motorola Advanced Technology and Projects group. When Google sold Motorola to Lenovo in early 2014, Google was able to keep the group under its Google Advanced Technology and Projects Group (ATAP).
Google is known for its crazy projects, so maybe it’s for the best the Project is sticking around in Mountain View.
Project Ara
Project Ara was inspired by the Phonebloks initiative, a similar project that wants to make “a phone worth keeping”. The Project Ara team has said it will partner in some aspects with Phonebloks to build Project Ara, but it doesn’t sound like a full-on partnership.
READ: Google to sell Project Ara smartphone modules through online store
Project Ara: Software
The latest Android operating system will be modified slightly to make it suitable for the Ara. With it being a Google project, it will resemble pure, stock Android but with a few under-the-hood tweaks to optimise it for the modular hardware. The project’s team leader. Paul Eremenko, has promised the Android team is working to make sure the Ara phone is a priority and gets the latest updates.
Tester kits have been available for some time from Google, which the company has been dishing out in waves to make sure it has the widest input when perfecting the phone.
AIVAnet 