Tag: technology news

Apple shows strong interest in wearable technology

Rumors concerning Apple’s development of wearable technology reached a fever pitch this week as Bloomberg reports suggest that a watch-like smart device could generate more revenue for the company than its line of iPads and its potential foray into the world of TVs. It is rumored that Apple has been working on a wearable device that speculators call the iWatch. This device is, essentially, a smartphone combined with a wristwatch, and while it may sound very simple, the device could have major implications for the company’s financial future.

Patents point to wearable technology from Apple

Apple has filed 79 patents concerning the development of wearable technologies. Some of these patents pertain specifically to devices worn on the wrist. Apple has shown strong interest in moving smart technology beyond the realm of cell phones and tablets, believing that wearable technologies may be attractive products for future consumers. Apple’s interest in the watch industry is not misplaced, as analysts from Citigroup suggest that the global watch industry will generate more than $60 billion in sales this year.

iWatch may be a promising opportunity

Analysts suggest that the iWatch represents a $6 billion opportunity for Apple. Moreover, the development of such a device could have major implications for the company’s future. When Apple released the iPod, it was considered something entirely new in the realm of consumer electronics. The iWatch may have a similar impact on the sector, returning Apple to the proverbial throne of mobile technology, which was recently taken over by Samsung.

Innovative steps must be taken to compete with Google and Samsung

Apple has not announced any definitive plans concerning the development of a wearable smart device. CEO Tim Cook has alluded to the company positioning itself to compete with both Samsung and Google more aggressively in the near future. The company has plans to take innovative steps in the realm of mobile technology in order to compete in the consumer electronics market, but whether the iWatch is anything more than rumor has yet to be seen.

The IDC has announced that smartphones are now shipping in larger numbers than feature phones.

An important first has been making technology news headlines as the International Data Corporation has announced that in 2013, the number of smartphones that have been shipped will be greater than the number of feature phones.

The IDC is calling this a groundbreaking milestone since its initial prediction was made this week.

The IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report has released the technology news in addition to the statistics to back it up. The organization has predicted that approximately 918.6 million smartphones will have been shipped this year around the world. This represents 50.1 percent of the total shipments of mobile phones. Though it is only a sliver above the halfway mark, it represents the first time that the smart devices have taken the lead.

One of the reasons for this technology news is that the price of smartphones is coming down around the globe.

Aside from prices, there are other factors that were included in the technology news announcement. For instance, there are far more options available among smartphones than ever before. Furthermore, there has been a widespread roll-out of data focused fourth generation (4G) wireless networks in many regions worldwide. This has made the devices increasingly attractive to users who can now afford them and can use them in a realistic and practical way.

The technology news report also showed that the IDC anticipates that within the next four years, there will have been 1.5billion more smartphones shipped globally. This will make up more than two out of every three mobile phone shipments.

Central to the size of these technology news numbers are the massive emerging markets around the world, such as those in India and China. According to an IDC Asia/Pacific senior research manager, Melissa Chau, “While we don’t expect China’s smartphone growth to maintain the pace of a runaway train as it has over the last two years, there continue to be big drivers to keep the market growing as it leads the way to ever-lower smartphone prices and the country’s transition to 4G networks is only just beginning.”