Huawei's new consumer launch reflects its All-scenario Seamless AI Life strategy

- The Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) is rolling out the 1+8+N all-scenario hardware ecosystem

- Huawei is building out the Huawei AppGallery, and invites developers to join up

- New products launched include the HUAWEI Mate Xs foldable smartphone

- The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G, flagship 5G tablet

- An updated HUAWEI MateBook X Pro, a FullView notebook

- The HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX3 and HUAWEI 5G CPE Pro 2 WiFi routers, and Quick Apps

Yu introduces the HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX3 router during the virtual launch.

The Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) has announced new 5G products and a strategy that demonstrates the full capabilities of its all-scenario ecosystem at a virtual launch in Barcelona, Spain.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said, “Huawei will remain committed to the All-scenario Seamless AI Life strategy. We will continue investing in our edge technologies including chipsets, 5G communications, mobile AI, operating systems, cameras and audiovisual solutions so as to build out our long-term competitive advantages.

"We are also eager to work with developers globally to catalyse the growth of the all-scenario ecosystem. Together with them, we will elevate the all-scenario experience and take it to new heights.”

Huawei has dedicated the past decade to cultivating the 1+8+N ecosystem. The “1” represents the handset, which serves as core to which other types of products are connected. There are eight categories of products, smart watches, headphones, PCs, tablets, smart speakers, smart glasses, cars, and smart TVs. Internet of Things (IoT) products are connected to the handset via the eight product categories, forming the all-encompassing ecosystem.

Huawei Share and Huawei HiLink are the bridges that connect all devices together to deliver a holistic user experience. Besides working on the hardware, Huawei continues to build its Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) ecosystem, which is accessible to consumers via the HUAWEI AppGallery.

The key products announced include:

- HUAWEI Mate Xs, an evolution of the foldable smartphone, expected to be available in SG in March 2020

- HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G, a flagship 5G tablet

- HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX3 and HUAWEI 5G CPE Pro 2, two Wi-Fi 6+ enabled connectivity solutions

 - A range of new HUAWEI MateBook Windows laptops.

HUAWEI Mate Xs

Representing the next evolution of the foldable form factor, the HUAWEI Mate Xs delivers an improved user experience with a new flexible display manufactured with novel materials and a new hinge to realise the signature Falcon Wing design. Equipped with Huawei’s self-developed flagship 5G SoC Kirin 990 5G processor, the HUAWEI Mate Xs features improved mobile artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G communications capabilities.

The Leica SuperSensing Quad Camera returns on the HUAWEI Mate Xs. Comprising a 40 MP SuperSensing camera, a 16 MP ultra wide-angle camera, an 8 MP telephoto camera and a 3D Depth Sensing camera, the Leica camera system takes full advantage of with the foldable form factor, playing the role of both front and rear cameras to support wide range of photographic use cases.

Running on the EMUI10.0.1 operating system, HUAWEI Mate Xs supports Multi-Window apps that ensure a smarter and more dynamic experience. To expand the range of apps that exploit that full potential of the foldable form factor, Huawei is working with global developers to grow the ecosystem.

HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX Series

As part of Huawei’s All-scenario Seamless AI Life strategy, connectivity solutions such as Wi-Fi routers, customer-premise equipment (CPE), and communication modules play a critical role connecting the 1+8+N ecosystem and providing a secure, intuitive, smart and high-speed consumer experience.

Leveraging the synergy between its proprietary chipset and software optimisations, Huawei developed Wi-Fi 6+ based on the Wi-Fi 6 standard. Wi-Fi 6+ supports end-to-end 160 MHz channel bandwidth and Huawei’s exclusive dynamic narrowband technology. These breakthroughs lead to better Wi-Fi speeds and signal coverage. Speeds listed during the virtual launch include 2,400 Mbps at 5 GHz, and 600 Mbps at 2.4 GHz.

During the virtual launch, Huawei launched Gigahome 650 and Kirin W650, the latest Wi-Fi 6+ chipsets designed for routers and smartphones respectively. The new HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX3 Series is equipped with the Gigahome 650 chipset, which allows it to support dual-band dual-concurrent (DBDC) operation at speeds up to 3,000 Mbps. When used in conjunction with a Huawei device that also supports Wi-Fi 6+, the HUAWEI Wi-Fi AX3 routers - the world's first Wi-Fi 6+ router - can deliver better signal coverage and speeds exceeding that of Wi-Fi 6 routers.

Huawei also launched the HUAWEI 5G CPE Pro 2, a new Wi-Fi 6+CPE that is 30% more compact than its predecessor. Other notable upgrades include the support for up to 11 5G bands and Huawei’s exclusive Super Uplink technology, which greatly improves upload speed and latency.

Yu also showed off the tiny Huawei 5G Module for IoT, which comes in an industrial LGA package and works in a wide range of temperature conditions, between -40 and 85 ^oC.

"We want to make it even smaller but today it's the most compact in the world," Yu said.

HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G

The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G tablet is billed as the world's first wireless-charging tablet. The Kirin 990 5G system-on-a-chip (SoC) powers the tablet, supporting 5G connectivity while delivering high performance and power efficiency.

It features a 10.8" HD display with support for the cinema-grade DCI-P3 colour gamut. With ultra-thin bezels, it has the world’s highest tablet screen-to-body ratio, at 90%. There are four speakers, and four microphones. A 5th microphone is used for noise cancellation. The tablet suports far field sound pickup, which means that it will pick up audio from far away.

Running the EMUI10 operating system, the HUAWEI MatePad Pro can be connected to other Huawei smartphones through the Huawei Share Multi-Screen Collaboration feature. Once the devices are paired, users can navigate and control both devices with the tablet’s display. Multi-screen Collaboration also enables drag-and-drop file transfers between smartphones and tablets. Users can type on the smartphone using the tablet’s keyboard and screen, play music saved on the smartphone with the tablet’s speakers, and more.

HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G supports Multi-Window for displaying up to three apps simultaneously. App Multiplier splits one app instance into two windows, delivering a dual-view experience that makes the most out of the landscape orientation. According to Yu, the top three best-selling apps in China will support the technology, and there is an Open UIKit that developers can use to provide support App Multiplier as well.

"In future, all the top apps will support this," he said, sharing that developers can integrate their apps with App Multiplier in two hours.

The HUAWEI MatePad Pro 5G can be paired with the HUAWEI M-Pencil, which supports 4,096 pressure sensitive levels to deliver natural and intuitive writing. HUAWEI Notepad natively supports the Huawei stylus with a new Screen-off Shorthand feature, allowing users to capture their inspiration whenever it strikes.

There is also a smart magnetic keyboard available, with two angles of view. The HUAWEI MatePad Pro will be available from 549 euros, with the 5G version available from 799 euros. The pencil is 99 euros, and the keyboard 129 euros.

MateBook series

Huawei also announced the latest HUAWEI MateBook models during the event. The upgraded HUAWEI MateBook X Pro is powered by the 10th Generation Intel Core processors. Available in a new Emerald Green colourway, the ultraslim premium laptop retains the FullView Display design in a 3,000 x 2,000 touchscreen to achieve a screen-to-body ratio of 91%. The power button is also a fingerprint sensor.

Meanwhile, the new HUAWEI MateBook D Series joins the HUAWEI MateBook family as a PC targeting younger consumers, offering an innovative smart experience in a design that is signature to the HUAWEI MateBook series. Two models were shown at the virtual launch, the 14" D 14 and the 15.6" D 15.

The D series features the 10th Generation Intel Core processors, AMD Ryzen 7 processors, as well as Radeon RX Vega 10 graphics. Cooling has been improved with the Shark Fin Fan 2.0, which drives 27% more airflow, and the portable charger will also charge Huawei smartphones. Windows 10 and Office 365 are pre-installed.

Huawei Share is supported on all MateBook models.

The D 14 starts at 649 euros, and the D 15 at 699 euros.

Developing the ecosystem

To cultivate a fully-fledged ecosystem that will support Huawei devices moving forward, Huawei is gradually opening up its chip-device-cloud capabilities to global developers through HMS, which Yu suggested would "give more choice to users" in a landscape dominated by the Google Play and Apple App stores. Featuring all-scenario features, global distribution and lifecycle management capabilities, this ecosystem is a key component in Huawei’s All-scenario Seamless AI Life strategy.

"We're working closely with local app developers to develop the best apps for local users," he said.

Currently in its fourth iteration, HMS Core is a collection of tools made for Huawei’s partners and app developers to create unique, new experiences that tap into the full hardware and software capabilities Huawei devices have on offer. By integrating HMS into their apps with HMS Core 4.0, developers can quickly deploy Huawei’s on-device capabilities such as distributed technology and camera features on their apps and provide quality experiences to end users. 

One such new experience available through HUAWEI AppGallery is Quick Apps, a new category of apps. Quick Apps require no installation ("just tap to use") and use minimal system memory. A GB of capacity will host 2,000 Quick Apps, as compared to about 20 native apps.

At present, there are over 1,700 Quick Apps available on the HUAWEI AppGallery, which will run on devices like smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, and in-car systems. In addition to creating apps, Huawei is actively curating quality apps that are popular worldwide to enrich the user experience.

To protect users from malicious apps, Huawei has pioneered a full-cycle security and protection system, including developer real-name verification, a four-step review process, download and installation protection as well as a mechanism for secure app operation.

Yu said, “Moving forward, we will continue expanding our app ecosystem in the HUAWEI AppGallery with hopes to not only create a secure and reliable platform, but also to provide consumers with more choice. The continued success of this thriving ecosystem will remain one of our highest priorities.”

"We believe tech should be open and available for everyone - only then can we use technology to move the world forward to make a better life," Yu said.

Source: Huawei. A summary of the launches at the event.

The all-scenario ecosystem has been well-received, as shown by its 2019 annual revenue growing by 30%, to US$67 billion. Huawei’s smartphone business surpassed 240 million unit shipments, securing the company's position as the world’s second-largest handset manufacturer. Its PC business was up by 200%, wearables up by 173% and wireless audio products were up by 210%.

Huawei contributed significantly to the development of the Wi-Fi 6 standard. The IEEE 802.11ax standard working group includes five technical experts from Huawei, with one of whom is the sitting chairperson of the group. With 260 contributions submitted – accounting for 15% of all submissions – to the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) project, Huawei is the second-most prominent contributor to the collaborative industry effort.

Huawei's products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world's population. Huawei CBG is one of Huawei's three business units and covers smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services.

Hashtags: #TogetherConnectingPossibilities, #Together2020

Samsung developing dynamic spectrum sharing technology using Keysight network emulation

Keysight Technologies has announced an extended collaboration with Samsung Electronics' LSI Business, a major player in semiconductor components and 5G technology, to validate dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology used in the smartphone maker's new 5G modem.

Samsung has used Keysight's 5G network emulation solutions to accelerate the development of its radio frequency (RF) solution, Exynos RF 5510, as well as its newest 5G modem, Exynos Modem 5123, which supports DSS technology.

"We're pleased to extend our collaboration with Keysight on 5G technology to support the development and commercialisation of Samsung's next-generation 5G solutions to ensure that they meet the outstanding performance needed for tomorrow's 5G devices," said Woonhaing Hur, VP, System LSI protocol development at Samsung Electronics.

"Together with key collaborators such as Keysight, we're able to deliver cutting-edge solutions that touch the lives of people around the world every day."

Mobile operators' deployment of DSS in their networks will accelerate deployment of 5G services and support global sales of 5G smartphones predicted to reach 1 billion by 2025, according to Strategy Analytics. DSS allows mobile operators to quickly and cost-effectively roll out 5G new radio (NR) services by implementing a software upgrade on existing 4G LTE base stations to create hybrid 4G/5G base stations. This emerging technology supports flexible use of existing spectrum allocations across low-, mid- and high- frequency bands by dynamically switching between LTE and 5G NR coverage based on traffic demand.

"We're excited to once again showcase our 5G technology leadership by being the first test vendor to successfully validate the DSS feature on Samsung's new Exynos modem," said Kailash Narayanan, President and GM, Keysight's wireless test group.

"Close collaborations with industry leaders such as Samsung enable Keysight to help a connected mobile ecosystem accelerate the commercialisation of 5G."

Keysight's 5G network test solutions allow users to cost-effectively validate multi-radio access technology (RAT) designs on a single platform for both non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) mode in sub-6GHz (FR1) and mmWave (FR2) frequency bands.

How trust in data is evolving

IBM’s latest C-Suite Study, the 20th edition of IBM’s bi-annual Build Your Trust Advantage report*, explores the changing nature of data and trust in it.

"In the history of IBM and Singapore, over the last 66 years, one of the shared values has been in our commitment to trust. This belief of trust is in all relationships. And today we shift that discussion of trust to trust in data," said Brenda Harvey, incoming IBM Asia Pacific head while introducing the results.

"The use of data and sharing of data and trusting interesting data goes beyond technology like cloud, AI, Blockchain, although we believe that's really, really important. It really is about culture, and people, and skills."

Michelle Peluso IBM Senior VP Digital Sales and CMO, introduced the three main findings of the IBM C-Suite Study 2019:

• How to win consumers' trust
• The human-technology partnership
• Data and trust in an ecosystem

Winning in the trust economy

According to Peluso, increasingly-sophisticated ecosystems require an incredibly powerful approach to understanding data. She noted that there is a paradox with data. Consumers demand and expect a personalised experience, which requires vendors to possess data about them. At the same time, consumers are divided on whether they can trust that whoever has their data is managing it in a way that is in their best interests.


She pointed out a consumer paradox where consumers expect brands to know everything about their history when they are shopping online or contacting the brand. "(They) expect personalised recommendations based on their geography, their interests, what they've done with you in the past.

"And yet, there's also this growing divide, where consumers are increasingly worried about 'if I give my data over (to the brand) can I trust that the person on the other end of that relationship is actually doing things are in my best interest," she explained. "So we have this burgeoning paradox emerging."

Peluso said the best brands respond to this paradox with transparency, which in turn encourages consumers to be more open. She said, "Great brands are getting more and more sophisticated, and frankly, simplifying the way they talk about how their customers data is (used)...we see great brands are really leading the forefront of providing transparency."

Reciprocity, giving customers something they value in return for their data, is another solution, Peluso said. She spoke of one of the world's largest pharmacy chains, whose customers were reluctant to hand over their mobile numbers initially. Once the pharmacy reframed the request in terms of being able to text customers when their prescriptions were ready, customers were more than happy to do so.

“Takeup rates soared through the roof,” Peluso said. "This idea of earning reciprocity and really making sure that you're giving something back to the consumer providing you with additional information becomes more and more important," she said.

Data sharing goes hand in hand with accountability - how customer data is being used, shared and compliant with standards, she added. The question is how to turn that into an advantage and building a trusted brand. “Data standards and governance have to be owned by your company,” she said.

Human-technology partnerships

The human/tech partnership is remade by data, artificial intelligence (AI), and new connections between people, skills and culture to change the way we work. Peluso gave the example of the classic call centre: a thousand people having individual conversations with clients. In the contact centre of the future, banks of people speaking to customers one-to-one will no longer exist.

"You walk into a call centre of the future, and I've been able to go through some of these with our clients, and you see something entirely different. You see teams of 10. You see teams of 10 agents who are sitting there monitoring 1,000 or so chatbots," she said.

"Time is all of a sudden asynchronous. The consumer starts a conversation in chat, stops to make dinner for children or to help the kids with homework or do something really critical at work, and then continues the conversation. These 10 agents are doing very different jobs, they're monitoring those thousands of chatbots to determine whether the (conversation) is going off the rails and consumers getting frustrated."

The human touch is still needed to determine frustration levels and retrain the chatbots. Meanwhile, agents can focus on higher-value activities, Peluso said. "We're really refocusing individual agent time on a higher value services like sales and personalisation," she concluded.

Data and trust in an ecosystem

"Executives have to think about data in an ecosystem environment. It is no longer the case that I interact only with my customer," she said. AI could be useful in many applications as they are not biased, Peluso shared, but transparency is needed. "You have to be able to understand how these algorithms produce the results you see," she said.

Underpinning it all is the hybrid cloud. "This idea of making sure you have the right hybrid cloud infrastructure, so that you can analyse data wherever that data resides and form important conclusions for your company, becomes critical. There's no one strategy here that's not tied to a really smart thoughtful hybrid cloud infrastructure," she said.

*Conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in cooperation with Oxford Economics, the 20th edition of IBM’s bi-annual Build Your Trust Advantage report polled nearly 13,500 C-level executives who oversee leading brands across 98 countries and 20 industries.

Imagine Cup Asia winners unveiled

Source: Microsoft. Banner, Imagine Cup.

 
Microsoft has named the winners for this year’s Imagine Cup Asia. The finals were held on 19 February 2020, with the winners being Team Hollo from Hong Kong, Team Nutone from Japan and Team Zest from Singapore in the runner-up position.

The competition is designed to inspire students to use their imagination and passion for technology to create innovative solutions that tackle some of the world’s biggest social, environmental, and health challenges. In a first for the annual competition, this year's Imagine Cup Asia Finals was held via Microsoft Teams and saw the 10 finalists from seven countries virtually present their inventions to secure a place in the World Championships in May.

Ten teams competed in the finals. Team Hollo and Team Nutone each received a cash prize of US$8,000, Azure credits and a trip to the global finals to be held at Microsoft Build 2020. Both winning teams will compete with winners from Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), for the Imagine Cup trophy along with a cash prize of US$100,000, a mentoring session with Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft Corp and a US$50,000 Azure Grant. Team Zest, along with Tulibot from Indonesia and Blume from India will receive US$2,500 each for their projects:

• Team Hollo created a mental health companion and therapist in one platform to enhance current practices by NGOs and therapists. By integrating an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that utilises clinical CBT action plans and problem identification, Hollo introduces youth to therapy and counselling practices without fear of judgement. The platform also provides online gamified journalling and mindfulness activities to supplement the therapy and counselling. Data captured through the platform can be used to generate empirical and actionable findings for NGOs and their therapists.

• Team Nutone developed NUTONE, a neck wearable electrolarynx which gives people who have lost their voices the ability to speak. NUTONE vibrates the user's throat to create the sound that matches the movement of the user’s mouth. It uses neural networks to learn lost voice characteristics and restore them.

• Team Zest developed Dr. Rehab, a mobile application that provides real-world physiotherapy supervision by medical professionals through computer vision

• Team Tulibot developed Tulibot, an integrated assistive device to bridge the communication gap for the hearing-impaired. The technology features a wearable smart glove and glasses

• Team Blume developed an Android application that allows patients to scan the RFID tag on prescription medication to ensure its authenticity and allergen-compatibility with the patient

“Microsoft’s Imagine Cup competition not only challenges students to utilise technology creatively to make a difference in the world, but also provides the opportunity to connect, engage, and learn from a community of likeminded young innovators. We’re glad to see student teams from across Asia showcase their unique solutions that have the potential to create lasting impact. We hope that through this competition, students are inspired to pursue their passion to develop, ideate, and solve global problems through the power of technology,” said Jennifer Ritzinger, GM, Audience Evangelism, Microsoft.

Held annually since 2003, the Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition,. This year’s Imagine Cup encouraged participants to Dream it. Build it. Live it in order to create applications that shape how individuals live, work and play and through their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology.

The 10 finalist student teams - from Japan, Singapore, Nepal, Indonesia, India, mainland China and Hong Kong - were selected from various rounds of the competition online or through in-person National Final events organised by Microsoft subsidiaries in countries across the Asia region. The competition’s online judging panel included executives from Microsoft and industry leaders. They evaluated the teams on innovation, and whether each solution presented was comprehensive and marketable.

Samsung's new phone releases focus on screens, 5G and cameras

Source: Samsung. The Galaxy Z Flip.

Samsung Electronics has unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip, a foldable smartphone, following its introduction of the Galaxy Fold, together with the Samsung Galaxy S20, its latest series of flagship devices that introduces 5G and a new camera architecture.

“At Samsung, we were encouraged by the excitement for the Galaxy Fold. Galaxy Z Flip is an important next step as we look to build the foldable category by bringing to consumers a new form factor, new display and most importantly, a new kind of mobile experience,” said Dr TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.

“With Galaxy Z Flip’s unique foldable design and user experience, we’re redefining what a mobile device can be, and what it enables consumers to do.”

Engineered with first-of-its-kind foldable glass, Galaxy Z Flip features a 6.7" display that folds into a form factor that fits in the palm of the hand¹. Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex Display with Samsung’s proprietary bendable Ultra Thin Glass (UTG), making it slimmer with a sleek, premium look.

Samsung worked closely with Google to design Flex mode – allowing the device when it is free-standing to display two 4" screens. Content can be viewed on the top half of the display, and controlled on the bottom half.

Samsung also launched a new flagship Galaxy family. Every device in the new Galaxy S20 lineup—the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra—comes equipped with the latest 5G technology.

Dr Roh commented, “As all three Galaxy S20 variants come with 5G connectivity, Samsung is providing a next-generation device for transforming people’s lives. With an incredible, AI-powered camera, you can capture the moments as they happen and connect more seamlessly with the people you love.”

All three devices are capable of delivering non-standalone and standalone 5G capabilities. The Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra are the first devices able to take advantage of both sub-6 and mmWave*. The Galaxy S20 supports sub-6*.

According to Samsung, the camera is the single-most important feature for consumers purchasing a new smartphone. The Galaxy S20's new camera system is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and features its biggest image sensor yet.

Clarity

With a larger image sensor available on the Galaxy S20 series, camera resolution is significantly increased, resulting in more detailed images. The S20 and S20+ have a 64 MP camera. The S20 Ultra has 108 MP camera. The S20 Ultra takes things a step further with the option to shift dynamically between a high-resolution 108 MP mode and a 12 MP mode, thanks to nona-binning technology which combines nine pixels into one at the sensor level.

Zoom 

The Galaxy S20’s Space Zoom technology uses a combination of Hybrid Optic Zoom and Super Resolution Zoom, which includes AI-powered digital zoom. Use up to 30X zoom on the Galaxy S20 and S20+, or step up to the revolutionary folded lenses on the S20 Ultra, which uses AI-powered, multiimage processing to reduce quality loss at high zoom levels. This means Super Resolution Zoom can be experienced at up to 100X with a clearer view ever than before.

Single take, multiple possibilities

Thanks to its AI camera technologies, the Galaxy S20 can capture a number of photos and videos, such as live focus, cropped, ultra wide and more that captures every moment at its best.

Pro-grade filming

The Galaxy S20 offers 8K video shooting, which can be streamed to a Samsung QLED 8K for a best-in-class viewing experience². Stills from an 8K video can be turned into high-res photos. Bumpy experiences end up looking like they were shot using an action cam, thanks to Super Steady and its anti-rolling stabilisation and AI motion analysis.

Video chat
With 5G, the Galaxy S20 enhances the video chatting experience through a deep integration with Google Duo. New Duo features can be experienced first on the Galaxy S20. From the dialer, users can tap Duo to start a video call and enjoy, for the first time ever, FHD quality. Google Duo is compatible across operating systems, so users can video chat with anyone.

YouTube 

Samsung partnered with YouTube so 8K videos can be uploaded directly to YouTube—and with integrated 5G capabilities, on ultra-fast upload speeds³.

Gaming

With a 120 Hz display, gaming is smoother than ever. Later in around Q220 Samsung partner Microsoft will launch its popular Forza Street in the Galaxy Store, marking the first time the game is coming to mobile. Combined with a fast processor, 12 GB of RAM⁴, audio tuned by AKG and a game booster working in the background to optimise settings for peak performance, the Galaxy S20 is set to offer a powerful gaming experience.

Source: Singtel eDM. Singtel is offering free Galaxy Buds+ with preorders of the Galaxy S20 and S20 Ultra 5G. Exclusives from Singtel include free months for Spotify Premium, Viu Premium and discounts on its Mobile Swop service.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ complement the Galaxy S20 family. With sound by AKG, Buds+ feature two-way speakers; three mics for enhanced sound and voice quality; and up to 11 hours of battery life. An extra 11 hours is available with Buds+ in the case⁵. The Buds+ app, Galaxy Buds+, is now iOS-compatible, too.

Details:

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is available at local telecommunication operators’ (M1, Singtel and StarHub) online stores and the Samsung Online Store, with a recommended retail price of S$1,998 (including GST).

Starting on March 6, 2020, the Galaxy S20 series will be available in various, classic colours:

•       Galaxy S20: Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cloud Pink

•       Galaxy S20+: Cosmic Grey, Cloud Blue, Cosmic Black

•       Galaxy S20 Ultra: Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black

Preorders and registrations of interest for the Galaxy S20 (128 GB), Galaxy S20+ (128 GB) and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (128 GB) are now accepted. In Singapore, consumers can contact:

•       M1, Singtel, StarHub

•       Samsung Online Store/ Samsung Experience Stores

•       Selected consumer electronics and IT stores, Lazada Singapore and Shopee Singapore

The recommended retail prices for the devices are as follows:

Model	Screen Size	Built-in Memory6	RRP (S$) (including GST)
Galaxy S20	6.2”	128 GB	$1,298
Galaxy S20+	6.7”	128 GB	$1,498
Galaxy S20 Ultra	6.9”	128 GB	$1,898

                                                                 

1 Display measurements are diagonal, and actual viewable area is smaller due to rounded corners and camera hole punch. 

*Check with carrier provider for more information. Mmwave and sub-6 refer to the use of specific radio frequency bands. These bands have been earmarked for 5G use.

2 8K streaming available on 2019 and 2020 Samsung QLED 8K. 

3 Requires optimal 5G network connection, available in select markets. Check with your carrier for availability and details. 

4 May vary by model or market. 

5 Based on average battery life under typical usage conditions. Average expected performance based on typical use. Actual battery life depends on factors such as network, features selected, frequency of calls, and voice, data, and other application usage patterns. Results may vary. 

6 Actual user-accessible internal memory is less than specified total memory due to storage of the operating system, the software used to operate device features, and other built-in applications, and may vary after software updates/upgrades.

7 Terms & conditions apply, learn more at www.samsung.com/sg/samsungconcierge.

8 Valid for purchase within 14 days from date of device purchase. 

China smartphone market continues to decline

According to IDC’s Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, 366.7 million smartphones were shipped in China in 2019.

This was a 7.5% decline from a year ago, resulting from market saturation as well as a challenging economy. In Q419, 86.2 million units shipped, down 15.6% year-on-year due to both Huawei’s large inventories as well as consumers waiting for cheaper 5G smartphones. This was the market’s 11th consecutive quarterly decline and its 3rd consecutive annual decline.

“In 2019, vivo was able to surpass OPPO for the No. 2 spot, as the latter struggled to refine the positioning of its Reno series, while the former did well with its new mid-range iQOO and S series as well as 5G models,” says Will Wong, Research Manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific.

“In Q419, both Huawei and Apple gained share over the same period one year ago as a result of their strong branding. Nevertheless, the Wuhan coronavirus could have a black swan effect on the market in the first half of 2020."

A black swan is an unpredictable event that could affect a market or economy significantly.

Q419 top smartphone vendor highlights:

• Huawei’s flagship Mate 30 series and 5G products helped sustain its strong performance, though sellout has been limited by the high prices of its 5G handsets. The vendor’s strong brand appeal and channel management continued to be the growth driver, but the heavy inventories will remain a challenge to the vendor.

• Vivo continued to target the mid-range segment by positioning its iQOO and S series in different channels. The iQOO series mainly targeted tech-savvy users in the online channel, while the S series focused on the offline channel after the mid-range X series was repositioned as a high-end product.

• OPPO’s A series continued to be the vendor’s main driver in Q419. Although OPPO launched eight models for the Reno series in 2019 to target both mid-range and high-end segments, more marketing initiatives will still be needed to improve product positioning and awareness, IDC said.

• Apple climbed to fourth in Q419. Its competitive pricing strategy continued to help it compete with Huawei, while increased focus on e-tail also enhanced the vendor’s performance during the Singles’ Day shopping festival.

• Xiaomi continued to face challenges in strengthening its partnerships with offline channel players. The vendor’s performance has been largely supported by its low-end Redmi series, but this has also urged Xiaomi to target different consumer segments, such as young females, for its Mi and CC series to avoid direct competition.

The coronavirus outbreak impacted the Lunar New Year shopping season in late January 2020 and is also expected to have adverse effects in the following months. IDC expects China’s smartphone shipments to drop more than 30% year-on-year in Q120, not to mention create uncertainty in product launch plans, the supply chain, and distribution channels, in the mid- and long term.

“5G handsets will require lower pricing, better 5G network coverage, and attractive use cases to create a good value proposition for consumers. The innovation and 5G-related offerings from the whole ecosystem will play an important role in stimulating the demand for 5G products,” says Xi Wang, Research Manager for Client System Research at IDC China.

IDC Tracker products provide market size, vendor share, and forecasts for hundreds of technology markets from more than 100 countries around the globe. They are updated on a semiannual, quarterly, and monthly basis.