How Worried Should Apple be about Xiaomi?

I’ve been asked this question often and feel there is a great deal of misunderstanding regarding the dynamics and strategies of the two companies. I was quick to point out during Xiaomi’s rise that they pose more of a threat to Samsung and this has proven to be true. Samsung’s issues are a combined double … Continue reading How Worried Should Apple be about Xiaomi?

Microsoft Is (Sorta) Doomed

On October 27th, 2014, Techpinion’s very own, Brian S. Hall, wrote an article entitled “Microsoft Is Doomed. Doomed!” Brian was, of course, being facetious. Far from predicting doom for Microsoft, he was mocking the Microsoft doomsayers. Let’s take a look at a few of his article’s choicer bits: I have to believe Microsoft’s latest earnings … Continue reading Microsoft Is (Sorta) Doomed

BlackBerry and Samsung: Will a security partnership help either company?

Yesterday, Blackberry held an event where one of their announcements was a deal with Samsung to help add a deeper layer of security to Samsung/KNOX devices. Given the criticism of KNOX’s security, questions surrounding its integrity aren’t surprising. In my view, it’s a recognition/admission that Samsung needed help in the security arena if they wanted to be … Continue reading BlackBerry and Samsung: Will a security partnership help either company?

Lenovo’s Move to Industry Leadership

Many descriptions of the smartphone business focus on the competition between Apple and Samsung, with some attention paid to the assault of Xaiomi in Asia. The computer business is concerned with Macs and occasionally Windows. Hardly anyone pays attention to the sale of low end Intel-based servers. That may be why there is a tendency … Continue reading Lenovo’s Move to Industry Leadership

Google’s Ads: Defense or Offense?

I recall not too long ago Google did zero advertising. “Just Google it” was spreading virally and Google was growing and had no need to spend money on marketing. Slowly but surely over the past few years, Google has stepped up its advertising efforts. Which, and some may disagree, I interpret as a sign of … Continue reading Google’s Ads: Defense or Offense?

Understanding the Global Mobile Web

In the latest mobile focused podcast with Benedict Evans and myself, we touched on a theme that needs more fleshing out. That of a future only possible because of mobile computers/smartphones. When I detail the mobile first world in articles, presentations, and reports, what I highlight is not only the impact but the necessity of … Continue reading Understanding the Global Mobile Web

Thoughts on Xiaomi

The Wall Street Journal had a big scoop this week: some numbers on Xiaomi’s business are apparently being shared with potential investors as it looks to raise money for acquisitions and/or expansion. Until now, I’ve held off on writing anything in-depth about Xiaomi precisely because its financial model and key facts such as its profitability … Continue reading Thoughts on Xiaomi

New Thoughts, New Links, New Microsoft

It wasn’t the biggest news of the week. But anyone who paid attention to the recent announcement by Microsoft, a deal that will integrate Dropbox into Office, sees a new way the company is run by Satya Nadella. For the decades it was run by Bill Gates and Steven Ballmer, Microsoft saw little reason to … Continue reading New Thoughts, New Links, New Microsoft

Microsoft Beyond Windows

Microsoft is going through an evolution. Microsoft has always been a “platform” company and for decades that platform was Windows. Microsoft is in the post-Windows era but they are still poised to be a platform company. The only difference is that the platform resides in the cloud rather than on billions of PCs. Windows runs … Continue reading Microsoft Beyond Windows

Why Apple Pay Will Win

When Apple announced Apple Pay as part of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, it failed to tell consumers something it clearly knew: Many retailers would prevent iPhone owners from using Apple Pay for quick and simple payments. For the time being, a lot of retailers, especially big ones such as Walmart and Best Buy, … Continue reading Why Apple Pay Will Win

The Apple Mac Takes Its Place In The Post-PC World

PC Resurgent The PC market turnaround is real. ~ Bob O’Donnell (@bobodtech) 10/15/14 Q: IS THE PC MARKET TURNAROUND REAL? A: No. Macs are resurgent. Google Chrome is slowly gaining ground. However, sales of traditional personal notebook and desktop computers that run the Windows Operating System and are known as “PCs”, continue to falter. In … Continue reading The Apple Mac Takes Its Place In The Post-PC World

The Consumer Tablet Growth Opportunity

A great deal of my tablet market analysis has been spent exploring opportunities for a PC in the form of a tablet. Opportunities not fulfilled by a PC in the form of a desktop or laptop. As I explained here, the enterprise or commercial tablet market’s upside is still quite large. But the question about the … Continue reading The Consumer Tablet Growth Opportunity

iPads: The Bad, The Good And The Takeaway

Tablets, in general, and iPads, in particular, seem to be getting a bad rap nowadays. So I thought I’d take a look at both the bad and the good, and see if that provided us with any meaningful takeaways. 1) The Bad 1.1) The Tablet Market is slowing. 1.2) The iPad Market is slowing. 1.3) … Continue reading iPads: The Bad, The Good And The Takeaway

My Apple vs. Samsung Conspiracy Theory

The Samsung issues we are seeing has me thinking about something. It’s a conspiracy theory with zero evidence but something that strategically intrigues me. Tim Cook said in a recent interview with Charlie Rose that Apple could have made a bigger iPhone years ago. So the question is, why didn’t they? The writing was on … Continue reading My Apple vs. Samsung Conspiracy Theory

The Apple Announcement and the Future of Modesty

Apple’s latest product announcements were improvements to existing iPads and iMacs. This, not surprisingly, caused mild disappointment among those who had no reason to expect more but somehow felt they’d be surprised anyway. The fact is, modesty is the reasonable move to expect from Apple. And that can be fine for Apple’s business. The latest … Continue reading The Apple Announcement and the Future of Modesty

India and the Digital Age

When it comes to the computing products I study — TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs — I tend to talk primarily about what is happening in China and the US/Europe. Mostly because, for most consumer tech products, China and the US are the largest markets by population for consumer technology. While there is a great deal … Continue reading India and the Digital Age

Does Windows Stand a Chance With Enterprise Mobile Apps?

The buzz that’s built around enterprise mobility has reached nearly deafening levels with seemingly everybody and their brother working on solutions to mobilize enterprise applications. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of the attention has been focused on bringing business apps to iOS and Android, given their dominant roles on smartphones and tablets. In the process, … Continue reading Does Windows Stand a Chance With Enterprise Mobile Apps?

Samsung Schadenfreude And The Fall Of The Church Of Market Share

Schadenfreude |ˈSHädənˌfroidə | noun | pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. ORIGIN German Schadenfreude, from Schaden ‘harm’ + Freude ‘joy.’ Samsung has reported a 60% fall in quarterly profits. Just three years ago, Samsung rose from seemingly nowhere to dominate the global smartphone market. Today, Samsung is being pressured from above and below … Continue reading Samsung Schadenfreude And The Fall Of The Church Of Market Share

Samsung’s Cautionary Tale

Yesterday, Samsung issued a Q3 2014 guidance update stating they will miss expectations. The report says profit is down nearly 60%. For many of us, this was entirely expected. If this estimate holds up, Samsung’s operating profit chart looks like this: For me, the only surprise is so many people are surprised at Samsung’s troubles. … Continue reading Samsung’s Cautionary Tale

First Half 2014 Tablet Report

The tablet market is easily the most fascinatingly diverse consumer electronics category I have ever studied. If you have read my commentary on tablets, it is the unique form and function of the product that allows it to be so nuanced. Both the smartphone and the tablet are relatively small pieces of glass. Both are … Continue reading First Half 2014 Tablet Report

Windows 10: Fixing the Windows 8 Mistake

Back in February, I wrote a post called “The Windows 8 Mistake“, which outlined my perception of the reasons why Microsoft did what it did with Windows 8, why it was wrong to do so, and why Windows 8 was so poorly received. I also gave some thought to how Microsoft might go about fixing … Continue reading Windows 10: Fixing the Windows 8 Mistake

Apple Defines Wearables as Fashionable Computing

Apple pioneered the PC, the mouse-driven PC, the digital music player, the modern laptop, the smartphone, and the tablet. Steve Jobs directed the creation of each of these transformative products, collaborating with Steve Wozniak, Jon Rubinstein, Jony Ive, and others along the way. Apple is now entering Wearables without Steve Jobs at the helm – … Continue reading Apple Defines Wearables as Fashionable Computing

Tablet and Smartphone Futures: Specialization

As the markets for tablets and smartphones continue to mature and saturate, I believe we’re heading towards some important changes. Specifically, I think the time for mass market smartphones and tablets is rapidly nearing an end. It’s not that we won’t have any big products, but post-iPhone 6, I think it’s going to be much … Continue reading Tablet and Smartphone Futures: Specialization

Mars Needs Indians. Earth Needs Women. The Internet Needs Balloons.

Question: What can a country with over a billion people and a per capita GDP of $4,000 do with the cash it costs to make a middling Hollywood blockbuster? Answer: Send a spacecraft to Mars! On their first try! We do not seem to be talking enough about this, so I will repeat: India sent a spacecraft to Mars! … Continue reading Mars Needs Indians. Earth Needs Women. The Internet Needs Balloons.

How Apple’s Business Model Burned Samsung

I have been amused by Samsung’s current TV ads saying they were first to market with a smartphone over 5 inches and staking claim to being the one who blazed the trail and showed the market there was demand for larger smartphones. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt reinforced this idea when he was asked … Continue reading How Apple’s Business Model Burned Samsung