adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Tech

Will smartphones eventually ship with nothing else in the box? – Android Authority

Published

 on


Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority

Roger Fingas

Roger Fingas

Opinion Post

Read More

Apple made headlines in October 2020 when it decided to drop power adapters not just from the iPhone 12 lineup, but from all iPhones going forward. Samsung has joined suit with flagships like the S21, ensuring that the decision will have a wide impact. Could it be that these policies will quickly become an industry standard, forcing every new smartphone owner to buy basic accessories on top of increasingly expensive hardware?

First, let’s back up a bit and talk about motivations. During the iPhone 12 reveal Apple made a big deal about reduced environmental impact, which is undeniable. Electronics of any kind require minerals and plastics, which strips the Earth of finite resources, never mind the pollution generated by the supply chain. Fewer accessories allows for less packaging, which saves on resources like trees and makes shipping more environmentally efficient. This is offset to an extent by the extra material and supply chains needed for third-party accessories, but as long as people don’t ramp up those purchases, the logic checks out.

The reality however is that Apple and Samsung aren’t offering free adapters (or earbuds for that matter) to shoppers who need them. They’re charging full price, and not even discounting their phones to compensate. It’s obvious that profit margins are a major incentive for dropping bundled accessories, if not the primary motive.

Where are Apple and Samsung headed?

Yootech F500 Wireless Charger with iphone and accoutrements.

Eric Zeman / Android Authority

The decision to drop power adapters means the only thing included with Apple and Samsung phones at the moment is a connector cable. In the case of Apple, of course, it’s a Lightning cable, limiting usefulness further. Apple has resisted pressure to switch iPhones over to USB-C — which is perhaps the strongest argument against its environmental position. Proprietary ports mean customers have to buy separate, proprietary accessories.

Glancing a few years down the road, the speculation is that Apple will remove ports entirely. It showed the “courage” to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack with 2016’s iPhone 7, and has since made wireless charging standard, even if top-up times lag behind many Android devices. The Lightning port continues to serve several functions — CarPlay, accessories, faster charging, and iTunes sync — but it’s easy to imagine a future in which Apple claims wireless is all anyone needs. It would allow the company to remove all bundled accessories, slash component costs, and clean up the iPhone’s internal design space.

The best wall chargers: A buyer’s guide

Samsung has been imitating Apple for well over a decade, so it probably won’t be far behind if the iPhone does go portless. It’s unlikely to jump in with both feet, however. Much of Samsung’s mobile revenue comes from markets where people are inclined towards budget models and can’t necessarily afford to load up on wireless accessories. Expect premium phones in the Note and Galaxy S lines to go first.

Even Apple will probably try some sort of stepped approach, at least keeping an older Lightning-equipped iPhone around while newer models make the leap. It could theoretically reserve portless tech for Pro phones, but it might be easier to encourage adoption if every new model is onboard.

What about the rest of the smartphone market?

OnePlus Nord 2 showing the screen — bucking the trend to drop power adapters from the box.

Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

Because of budget-conscious demographics, it’s going to be difficult to sell the masses on phones without some bundled accessories, much less portless devices. The latter may require technologies like 5G and high-speed Qi charging to feel seamless — and those haven’t become universal in Europe or North America, forget the rest of the world.

Cost savings and the influence of Apple and Samsung are hard to resist, so the long-term trend is towards dropping accessories.

Even if Apple and Samsung lead the way, it will probably be years before the rest of the industry follows, and a total transition isn’t guaranteed. Bundles can be a competitive advantage, as evidenced by the OnePlus Nord 2, which bucks the trend to drop power adapters and other accessories by shipping not just with a USB-C cable and charger, but a case and screen protector. In France, it even comes with wired earbuds. Xiaomi doesn’t include a charger in China, but it does offer one at no extra cost and bundles the accessory with global versions of the Mi 11.

Cost savings and the influence of Apple and Samsung are hard to resist, so the long-term trend is towards dropping accessories. It seems safe to say though that by the time they all vanish, it won’t matter as much. Consumer reaction is going to slow the process, and hopefully wireless technologies will become better and more ubiquitous by the time the last cable is removed from a smartphone box.

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Tech

Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) New iPad Pro and iPad Air to Hit Markets Soon – TipRanks.com – TipRanks

Published

 on


Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is likely to introduce its new iPad Pro and iPad Air as soon as May. The much-anticipated product launch will come just ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

End to a Long Wait

As the much-awaited moment draws near, Bloomberg reports that the tech giant’s suppliers have already ramped up production of the devices. For Apple’s devout customers, the introduction of the revamped iPads marks the end of a nearly 18-month drought of major new releases from the company. The iPads are expected to boast features such as new OLED displays for the Pro model and an option for a 12.9-inch screen for the Air model.

Revamped iPads Unleashed

The long wait for new iPad models has resulted in sluggish tablet sales for Apple in recent times. Consequently, the company will likely look to the revamped versions to boost demand. Additionally, Apple is introducing more processing power to the new versions. The Pro models will feature a new M3 chip. Similarly, the iPad Air is also receiving an upgrade with a new processor, moving from its last version’s M1 chip to the latest technology.

300x250x1

What to Expect in June

Importantly, the product launches are scheduled just before Apple’s highly anticipated annual Worldwide Developers Conference. This event is slated for June 10. The iPhone maker is widely expected to unveil its AI strategy as well as software updates for its range of products at the event. 

Is Apple a Buy, Sell, or a Hold?

Apple’s share price has corrected by nearly 11% year-to-date. The Street has a cautiously optimistic stance on the stock with a Moderate Buy consensus rating. Furthermore, the average AAPL price target of $203.40 points to an 18.6% potential upside in the company’s share price.

Read full Disclosure

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Tech

Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports

Published

 on


Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.

Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”

More from Variety

300x250x1

As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”

Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.

Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.

Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.

The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.

“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Tech

An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May – Engadget

Published

 on


Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year.

The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Other than a white color option, the latter has remained unchanged since its arrival four years ago.

Meanwhile, the iPad Air will supposedly run on a new processor. Bloomberg didn’t specify which, but — considering the current model uses the M1, and Apple likely wants to reserve the M3 for the more expensive Pro — the M2 sounds like a safe bet. The 12.9-inch screen option would mark the first time the iPad Air line has offered a display larger than 10.9 inches. Although Apple will charge more for that model than the smaller sibling expected alongside it, that would be the cheapest way yet to get a supersized iPad screen.

300x250x1

Gurman said early this month that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptop arrived without any iPads in tow. He now reports that Apple’s release schedule was pushed back to finish working on the devices’ software and ironing out the kinks from the “complex new manufacturing techniques” they require.

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending