New Year Issue The handelot times issue 11 2 THE HANDELOT TIMES- The Online B2B Magazine for Electronics Wholesalers The tech industry is changing quickly and we want to keep you up to date with the latest news. We are developing ourselves by opening up to new innovations in IT. We are growing and keeping a reliable source of B2B information from all over the world. With The Handelot Times, we will bring you more information about market trends, share cutting-edge ideas, and bring our world together with yours. Handelot.com- 10 years on the market The Handelot Times: Design: Adam Mieloszynski Chief Copywriter: Brendan James Copywriter: HANDELOT AMBASSADOR Kazi Najib Ashraf Copywriter: The Old Hand Associates of the organisation: Taha Tuzuner - Business Consultant Team Leader

 Dima Malovanyi - Business Consultant Team Leader

 Alicja Lipka - Business Consultant

 Omar Benabdellah - Business Consultant Koushik Deka– Business Consultant

 Jon Rodriguez - Business Consultant Venktesh Prasad – Business Developer Jack Serdak - Business Consultant 

Iryna Mats – Customer Service/Sales Assistant Administration Basak Senturk – Customer Service Team Lead Jane Nguyen – Customer Service Katarzyna Mroczkowska – Customer Service Karen Saldarriaga – Customer Service Paulina Franikowska - Customer Service Elzbieta Kajdzik – Customer Service Khrystyna Terletska - Administration Agnieszka Pulawska – CFO Valentyn Petruchek – Head of Development Cesar Gonzalez Patryk Skowron Advertising: For quotes please email times@handelot.com or call us at +48717152600. 4 QUICK HITS A selection of corporate news from around the tech world. Mobile News reports that Santok, parent company of Wileyfox and STK, will undergo restructuring with the intent of manufacturing smartphones and GSM desk phones. Santok also intends to cash in on the IoT products trend ahead of the widespread launch of 5G. According to a report from TechRadar, Huawei is expected to rake in upwards of $108.5 billion in revenue from its performance in 2018. Although the Chinese giant has come up against espionage accusations in its global expansion efforts, it has invested heavily in China’s burgeoning 5G network. Following a £100,000 cash injection, UK-based Citycom has recently undergone rebranding. Per a report from Mobile News, Citycom is not GDPR compliant and is focusing on making the shopping experience smoother for their customers, which include Tata Communications and Caretech. Huawei has terminated the employment of sales director Wang Weijing amid allegations of spying. While the company released an official statement saying Weijing’s actions had nothing to do with the company, Poland’s internal affairs minister has joined the chorus of voices calling for a ban their products from EU markets, asking EU and NATO for a joint decision on such a move. Lease Telecom has recently introduced a device trade-in service worth up to £500 cash back, according to Mobile News. The service is aimed at the 350-plus Lease Telecom partners, which consist of mobile, UC and IT resellers, major networks and distribution. GSMArena reports that, after no-showing CES this year, Sony plans to boost its standing in the smartphone game by offering a “much better camera experience” with their upcoming Xperia XZ4 series. Leaks, however, suggest that the finished product may not live up to the promise. Gaming giant Electronic Arts has canceled plans to release an open-world Star Wars game, per a report from TechCrunch. The news is hardly surprising, as little about the game has been revealed since being announced a few years ago. Bloomberg reports that Asian companies such as Sony and Panasonic are looking at contingency plans for downsizing or moving operations out of the UK, should a hard Brexit take place. 05. Dear Traders, Your friendly neighborhood author here welcoming you to 2019. We here at The Handelot Times are looking ahead to the upcoming months with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. There is so much to look forward to in the tech world and so many moves to be made! We begin with a list of our top 100 tech companies ranging from device manufacturers to IT to web services. Our list is weighted toward those companies especially prepared to capitalize on 5G technology and those who make modern living a little easier. Read on for our pieces about how the advent of 5G will influence the future of games, home appliances, and interconnectivity. Of course, you know Xiaomi will be near the top, as their are preparing to release a slew of devices in this new year. The BBK Electronics Group also rank particularly high as they begin to push into European markets hot on the heels of Xiaomi’s recent success there. In-depth stories on both are within! We do look back on 2018 with an unfortunate eye, covering the death of the long-running CeBIT in Germany, which is a bit sad but nothing that The Handelot Times didn’t see coming. Additionally, we give you coverage of trading fraud in Poland, where a nationwide bust has revealed a massive defrauding of the state treasury and uncovered millions in ill-gotten property. And of course we’ve got your usual: Takeaways From The East on the increasingly separate fortunes between the Chinese and Indian markets, another fine Najib’s Corner interview, yet another dispatch from The Old Hand and all of the most vital corporate news in Quick Hits. Just as we did in 2018, The Handelot Times has you covered in 2019. Read and enjoy, and then get ready to make the next move! Yours truly, Brendan 06-07. 1. You have come a long way. How did you get your start in mobile phones? On 22nd October 2008, the iPhone 3G debuted in Poland - a breakthrough smartphone. Outside Poland, you could get them only in a few selected countries in Europe. That was it, I remember exactly the first unboxing. Thanks to the internet and auction portals, I managed to buy a couple phones and started to look for buyers. Those were old times, over a decade ago. 2. You started very young for a trader. How old are you? What is your recipe for success? I am 28 years old. One of the recipes for success is for sure opening yourself up to all markets and countries in the world, trading globally. That is the key for expanding business limitlessly. 3. Your company is now 3 years old. Can you tell us a bit about XTG? How many people do you employ? What was the turnover last year? In 2014, I decided to make my first steps on the international stage. I started alone. After a year I invited more people, starting with my friends from high school. Now my team has 35 employees and many more in companies we closely work with as partners. We have discovered that we need twice as many able-bodied people, however. 4. Why do you think your company grew so much? There are rumors that you worked for 26 hours straight, are they true? When do you sleep? We have seized almost all of the available opportunities for growth and expansion that were given to us. Operating in many markets simultaneously, building strong relations with each new partner, focusing on maintaining ongoing relationships with contractors – these are key parts. That also means hard work. Without it, you cannot create a successful business. There were long nights, yes, but night is when you can work very efficiently. While Europe rests and Asia sleeps, America clocks out of their shifts. You can work nonstop. There is always someone awake. 5. There are a lot of people who complain about your cashflow issues. Do you have an answer for them? There are many challenges when you grow so fast. At XTG, it was thousands of percent year on year! More and more tasks, not enough time. With hundreds of transactions each month, mistakes can happen. We tend to not make the same mistake again, so we found a solution. We hope that soon we will be able to offer quick payments to our suppliers. 6. What are plans for XTG in the future? This is just the beginning of what we can do. We want to still increase our business each year. Growth, growth and more growth, continuous expansion. Acquiring new, untapped markets and trade adventures all over the world. 7. Apparently the smartphone market will shrink this year by 20%. Do you have any plans to expand your offering of products? Growth does not mean only smartphones. We want to increase our portfolio and enter new markets, to start new business not only in electronics, but in other areas. Our dream for the future is to try our luck in the organic food market. I believe that even though the market is slowing down and there is more competition, there is still room for growth. All you need is careful planning. Fortunately, I have a good plan for the future. 8. What makes you creative? Traveling. Travel is a key to creative thinking. When you are in a new place for the first time, every new sensation can inspire you. New places, new cultures, new cuisines, they are best for creativity. Other than that. sport, meditation and good music. They are all important to help relax after many hours spent behind the desk. 9. What 3 tips would you give others in order to achieve success? Work hard. Re-invest as much capital as you can. Keep a close eye on spending, liquidity, and profitability, and be careful. Look for your chance and place in the world and, of course, work with XTG. We will be your faithful business partner. 08-09. THE ADVENTURES OF OPPO IN EUROPE One of the hottest smartphone brands in China enters the European market in 2019. One year ago, we were talking about the imminent arrival of Xiaomi devices into European hands. Their first year has been so wildly successful that Apple is beginning to worry about losing their foothold in the market. It can be assumed that Xiaomi, whether intentionally or not, has opened the floodgate for Chinese manufacturers to try their hand in Europe. Oppo, the smartphone brand run by BBK Electronics Group who claim to have 200 million users worldwide, have big plans for the young year. Having already tentatively introduced themselves in France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands in June of last year, Oppo will make their entry into the Polish market at the end of January. And more markets are coming: the push into Poland signifies the second wave of European expansion. Along with the United Kingdom, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Turkey are in Oppo’s sights for the first half of 2019. When it’s all said and done, the company could have a lasting presence in 41 European countries. The Find X, a nearly €1000 device with a truly bezelless front and slide-out selfie camera, was Oppo’s first phone on offer in their new markets. Taking the reverse approach to Xiaomi by offering many devices at different price points, Oppo decided to release what they considered their finest product first, assuming the masses would flock to it. While the verdict is still out on this approach, the design and performance of the phone are certainly very attractive. Moreover, the choice to project presence with this particular device is not to say that Oppo is positioning themselves as a high-end smartphone brand. The company has registered more than forty new smartphones in six different series, so prospective customers will have more than enough choice when deciding whether to go bold with a new brand. Oppo is also betting its chips on their new flagship R17 Pro - rebranded the RX17 Pro for the European continent. The phone is a triple-camera, bezelless-but-notched devices that offers some unique features (and if we’re being honest it bears more than a little resemblance to the OnePlus 6T, but being that OnePlus shares a parent in the BBK Group, it’s somewhat understandable). While it doesn’t carry a superfast processor like the Snapdragon 845, it justifies its €699 price tag by offering a 3D camera, a 20MP sensor, and the super fast VOOC charging system which can fully charge a battery in thirty-five minutes. BBK Electronics Group owns the Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus brands, all three of which are at an early stage of entering the European market. While Vivo has been positioned to directly compete with Oppo, OnePlus complements Oppo by targeting different price points. With their expansion, Xiaomi is gaining the trust of European consumers and lending credibility to Chinese smartphone manufacturers that was somewhat lost in light of bad news coming out of the Huawei camp recently. It’s going to be a big year for BBE Electronics if they can capitalise on Xiaomi’s gains. 10-11 DYSON UNVEILS PLANS TO CREATE ELECTRIC CAR The story of the Dyson company, known for its sleek designs that have raised home appliances to the level of art objects, is as inspiring as it is satisfying. Ballbarrow maker James Dyson, being unsatisfied with the function his home vacuum cleaner, took his know-how and re-engineered the appliance to feature a cyclonic airflow system that lets it run without the need for dust bags, and further reinvented their capability by placing a sphere at the center of its mobility. Fired by his company, Dyson went into business for himself and cranked out thousands of unique, award-winning, and profitable vacuum designs that have often been imitated by competitors who saw his revolutionary design as a threat, but never quite duplicated. The products have a reputation for being as stylish as they are functional; from vacuum cleaners to ventilation fans to space heaters, owning a Dyson cleaner is a signifier of status and taste. Chances are you have had Dyson products in your stockrooms and warehouses at some point in time, and chances are they didn’t stay there long. James Dyson and Elon Musk are of a piece, the latter constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved by human ingenuity (and almost single-handedly keeping the United States of America in the modern-day space race). Most of all, he is perhaps best known for the electric vehicles bearing his name. Having become status symbols in their own right, their designs have wooed environmentally conscious consumers with an eye for design. James Dyson has taken notice and turned his attention to conquering - and redefining if he has his way - the electric car market. This past fall, the company announced plans to build an automobile manufacturing plant in Singapore to be completed in 2020, with the first Dyson-branded car rolling off the assembly line in 2021. Furthermore, the cars will be tested at the company’s facilities at Hullavington in the United Kingdom. Most interesting is that Dyson is not just doubling down on their gambit, but tripling down. They intend to manufacture three different types of vehicle at the outset, with a sport-utility vehicle and a high-end luxury model rumored to be among the variations. The full total of investments is a staggering $2.8 billion. A look back at Dyson’s moves reveal that the company has been gearing up to take on an electric car challenge for years. They have worked with American startup Sakti3 in recent years to investigate the viability of solid state batteries, and have shown a willingness to build and expand facilities for the process of experimenting at will. The company’s process of birthing new concepts mirrors the likeness of its founder - all parts for their machines are made in house, which have historically been high in quality. It has been a slow and methodical build to this moment. Whether Dyson can compete with the likes of Tesla is anybody’s guess, but the initial results promise to give the automotive industry something it can sweat over as well as ideas they can borrow from. In the end, we all win. 12-13. FRAUD BUST IN POLAND Police have uncovered an organized crime ring that has defrauded the Polish government of millions. In mid-December, Poland’s Ministry of Finance announced the results of the bust of an nation-wide organized crime ring that has, to date, defrauded the country’s treasury of 70 million Polish zloty (PLN, or USD $18.8 million). This was done through the falsification of monetary figures and amounts of equipment connected with the trade of smartphones and personal electronics using fictitious VAT invoices. Both Polish and international firms were involved in the fraudulent trading. The bust was a joint effort of the National Tax Administration (Polish: Krajowa Administracyjna Skarba, or KAS) and the Central Police Investigation Bureau (Polish: Centralne Biuro Sledcze Policji, or CBSP), who tracked the fraudulent activity over multiple years from 2014 to 2017. In sum, ninety-three Polish entities participated in these illegal trades as buffers, brokers, and so-called “disappearing” taxpayers. In Polish legal parlance, disappearing taxpayers are businesses or companies opened under fake names or the names of the deceased solely for collecting money without paying VAT, and closing without leaving a trace. Moreover, these invoices documented fictitious transactions that did not reflect actual economic events that matched up with declarations made to tax offices. Trading Seventeen people were detained as homes, businesses, and warehouses were raided across the nation in bigger cities like Warsaw, Lodz, and Wroclaw, as well as more provincial towns such as Biala Podlaska and Gorzow Wielkopolski. Of these, eight were sent to detention. Millions in assets and property were seized including jewelry, high-end automobiles and cash worth 2.6 million PLN, and bank assets in three currencies were frozen amounting to 305,000 PLN, €4,500, and $10,500. This bust is the most recent in an ongoing crackdown by Polish authorities of VAT extortion on personal electronic goods dating back to the second half of 2018. Until now, the biggest bust included the arrest of a thirteen-person group for a nationwide money laundering scheme. All told, 118 loans were falsely obtained totaling 68 million PLN. Police monitored the group from September to December, finding that 89 companies took part in the scam and recovering property worth 1.5 million PLN. Smaller busts have been taking place across the nation as well. A small company based in Lublin was shut down for issuing hundreds of fake invoices in the fall. Other companies have been investigated in suspected VAT fraud totaling at least 100 million PLN. 14. TOP BRANDS January ‘19: (Amount of trades) 1. Samsung 3532 2. Apple 2593 3. Huawei 846 4. Sony 808 5. Xiaomi 807 6. LG 739 7. Nokia 361 8. Google 248 9. Asus 214 10. Logitech 174. TOP MODELS January ‘19: (Amount of trades) 1. Galaxy J4+ 107 2. Airpods 105 3. Galaxy J6 101 4. iPhone 8 64GB 100 (s) 5iPhone 7 32GB 98 (s) 6iPhone X 64GB 95 (s) 7Galaxy A6 (2018) 91 (s) 8Galaxy A7 (2018) 85 (s) 9iPhone XS Max 256GB 77 (s) 10iPhone X 256GB 75 (s) 15. handelot Advertising map 16-17. VIP Gold members MOBILITY PLATFORM: 0048 CZ s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha ABC Data S.A. Poland Warsaw Bluefin Century s.r.o. Slovakia Bratislava BM Electronics FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Cell-Tel MIDDLE EAST LLC Central point Europe s.r.o. United Arab Emirates Dubai Central point Europe s.r.o. Slovakia Pezinok Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Eurostar Global Electronics Ltd United Kingdom Newcastle-under-Lyme GERSIM IMPEX Romania Bucharest HTP France Villeneuve-le-Garenne Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Jupiter GSM United Arab Emirates Dubai Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan NOVAPHONE sp. z.o.o S.K Poland Warsaw Parktel sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw Phone Parts Express United Kingdom rochester PPA International AG Germany Schauenburg Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari Q-CONN GmbH Austria Vienna Rixos FZE United Arab Emirates Dubai SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York ------------------ INHOME PLATFORM: BM ELEctronics FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan Q-CONN GmbH Austria Vienna Segment Bilgisayar Dış Tic. Ltd.Şti. Turkey İstanbul SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York --------------------- IT PlATFORM: ABC DATA S.A. Poland Warsaw Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari Segment Bilgisayar Dış Tic. Ltd.Şti. Turkey İstanbul SG SPA Italy MIlano SGM Socher Inc United States New York 18. Logistics and Services 19. H-asia 1 20-21. RIP Cebit R.I.P. CEBIT: 1986-2018 What caused the death of the world’s largest consumer electronics trade fair? In November, it was announced that the long-standing CeBIT convention (the name coming from a German acronym for Center for Office Automation, Information Technology and Telecommunication) was shutting down shop for good. Having been held in the city of Hannover for over three decades, parent company Deutsche Messe AG announced the cancellation in response to reduced space bookings ahead of its 2019 edition, tentatively schedule for June as usual. Many pundits in the tech world had been calling for the death of CeBIT for years. At the outset, information technology was but a part of the original Hannover Trade Fair, which began in 1970. In 1986, due to the increasing demand for home computers and personal electronic devices, the tech sector was spun off into its own event. CeBIT drew increasing numbers peaking with the dot-com bubble when it drew 850,000. After the crash, the crowds dwindled every year thereafter, only drawing 120,000 attendees in its final edition. In announcing the cancellation, Deutsche Messe AG noted that the mothership CeBIT show will be survived by its own spin-off trade shows in Australia, Thailand, and Russia. Could the demise of CeBIT have been prevented? Perhaps the trade fair could have had more funding and resources poured into it, being kept alive like a zombie for the sake of pride. In reality, CeBIT lived a long, rich life before having the plug pulled on it long after it was viable. It would be nice to say that the event went peacefully while still maintaining some dignity, but it’s hard to say it even had that. The 2008 edition of the show was subject to police raids for alleged patent infringements by some of the exhibiting companies. Why did CeBIT die? Grace Dobush of Handelsblatt supposes that the spin-off process that birthed it is the very same process that killed it, with apparent plans for fairs dedicated to niche areas like artificial intelligence forthcoming. One way or another, the trade show simply wasn’t built to withstand the evolving nature of the tech business. Even during the highs of the dot-com bubble we could hardly conceive of how, in the very near-future, technology would change not only the way people interact, but the sheer amount of interactions people can have. Vendors stopped coming, finding little justification to haul in their new gadgets and coordinate logistics at great expense. The reason that CeBIT fell is that firms and manufacturers have figured out that they no longer need to have new arrivals to justify gatherings. In this day and age, the most successful meets are those in which the script has been flipped: the bigwigs of the tech world can meet first and figure out the logistics later. Personal relationships can be built, and time and money can be potentially be saved if partnerships don’t work out. In short, there’s less to risk and more to gain. The death of CeBIT shows all of us in the tech world exactly where the future of forging business connections is taking us, toward exchanges with an emphasis on the building of partnerships and away from spectacular events like bloated trade shows. In this day and age, it is up to the individual to make the greatest gains. 22. Teksmart Spotlight 1 Teksmart Update As a young rapidly growing company, Teksmart are an enabler of Smartphone Recycling Solutions for other companies, allied or non-allied with the technology distribution business. Using Teksmart’s products, Smartcheck, Smartcycle and SmartC2C, they offer cosmetic and diagnostic grading facilities, a CRM-based buyback system that enables retailers or corporations to evaluate used smartphones in real time, and create a tailor-made end-to-end recycling solution, respectively.. Having already acquired funding in Australia through Packhorse Investments Ltd, Teksmart are on a mission to collect and recycle as many smartphones as they possibly can. Teksmart have also recently partnered with a UK-based company called CFP Ltd. CFP specialises in the distribution of refurbished smartphones and have their head office and warehouse in Derbyshire. Managing Director of CFP, Richard Osborn says “I am delighted to be involved with Teksmart. Whilst refurbishment and reintroduction back into channel is a fantastic business, to be involved with a dynamic company such as Teksmart that is focusing on the whole cycle really is a very exciting prospect for me.” Richard has been involved in the pre-owned business from a very early age. He was 15 when he bought and sold his first smartphone on eBay, and now he has built up a strong international business reselling refurbished smartphones. “My recent investment in Teksmart will open up a whole new plethora of opportunities to grow and develop both CFP and Teksmart within this very exciting arena,” says Osborn. CEO of Teksmart, Russell Cusack, is quoted as saying that “the alliance of Teksmart and CFP is crucial to the further development of Teksmart. We didn’t expect to capitalise on such an opportunity so soon, but everyone at Teksmart is very excited about the future opportunities that such an alliance will bring. The pre-owned business is on fire and we intend to be lighting a few ourselves” Teksmart will be utilising CFP’s warehouse and logistical operation based in Glossop, North Derbyshire, UK, along with CFP’s extensive technical knowledge and experience in refurbishing and distribution of pre-owned smartphones. For more info, you can contact Teksmart on info@tek-smart.co.uk or visit www.tek-smart.co.uk, or you can reach CFP Ltd. on info@cfplimited.co.uk or by visiting www.cfplimited.co.uk 23-25. We Are All Responsible! They call it corporate responsibility, I call it common sense! 5 year old: ”Daddy why aren’t we allowed to wash the car together like we used to do before?” Father: “It’s been that way for the last few years, son. It’s because our planet is heating up and we have to be careful how we use water.” 5 year old: “Daddy, why is our planet heating up?” Father: “Son, because man is producing a poisonous gas called carbon dioxide that destroys an invisible protective layer around our planet called the ozone layer. It’s like a force field. When it’s broken, the sun heats our planet too much. That’s why it’s hot and that’s why we aren’t allowed to use water to wash the car anymore.” 5 year old: “Daddy, why don’t we just stop making the bad gas then?” Yes indeed. Why don’t we? The answer to that question is politics and economics. At this point you are probably wondering what this has to do with technology trading. Please bear with me for a moment because it is having, and will continue to have, an immense impact on our beloved trading business, be that directly or indirectly. I was reading a very interesting article in “The Journal Of Cleaner Production” and I quote: “The total global footprint of carbon dioxide production of the technology and smartphone business is expected to grow from about 1% in 2017 to 3.5% by 2020 and reaching 14% by 2040. This is more than half of the relative contribution of the entire transportation sector worldwide.” WOW! At this point you may sit back and say to yourself, “I don’t believe that global warming exists” or “I don’t believe that global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. It’s all a big conspiracy!” Well, let me tell you that science absolutely confirms the existence of global warming caused by the overproduction of carbon dioxide. Not only that, but reports also states that if we don’t change the way we live our lives, then the effects of global warming will be irreversible by 2036. Some scientists actually believe those effects are already irreversible. Let’s not get too doom and gloom with end times coming too quickly, let’s look at this logically. I believe that if you go the doctors with an illness and the doctor treats you accordingly, in most cases you trust his judgement and work with him. After all, he’s the doctor. He knows more than you. He’s the specialist on the subject and in most cases you trust him. Why is it then that people will not trust the judgement of science when we are referring to global warming? The simple answer is politics, power and finance. You see, people will normally only believe what they choose to believe if it suits their personal agenda and position. Politicians are a fine example of that! Donald Trump, like many of us, is a businessman first. His views on global warming are tentative to say the least, Why? Because to be green can be financially costly. Unfortunately, Trump runs a business and the USA is that business. But in our business it doesn’t have to be that way, nor is it that way! Sustainability is a buzzword that has been associated with global warming for a very long time. I don’t actually know what it truly means when applied to global warming but my interpretation of sustainability is the ability to own, run and operate a business on the basis that that business is self sustainable. If our businesses were not self-sustaining, then we wouldn’t be in business in the first place. But if we apply the word sustainability in the context of global warming,and to our own business, then we are left with a self sustaining business that is neither harmful to itself nor anyone else in any way. Along with that, it is also able to reuse or recycle its own product. If the Journal Of Cleaner Production is to be believed, then we are all responsible for a huge amount of carbon production. After all, we are trading the product that is responsible for the creation of that carbon dioxide. Behold, we are saved! We have within our grasp a true and very real recycling business incorporated by the used business, and if the whispers are to be believed, it is one of the biggest contributors to global warming on the planet. In my opinion, in the very near future the global warming debate will raise its head once more in the public domain, not that it has ever disappeared. Before and after the 2008 financial meltdown, global warming was the hottest subject on earth (excuse the pun)! It all went very quiet after 2008 and I think that was because of affordability. As our economic situation was in chaos at that time, the world leaders could not focus on anything other than survival in the moment. 10 years later the media is at it again, reports about our polluted oceans are back in the International spotlight. It is very possible that the powers that be will without a doubt implement penalties on companies for their negative carbon production in the short term. This of course already exists in the form of carbon credits against carbon negative. I think that at some point in the very near future it will be mandatory to pay a tax against the negative production of carbon dioxide in the form of carbon credits. Currently it is possible for a company to opt in or opt out. I think the intent is to make all companies and individuals financially responsible for their carbon footprints. So guys, if you’re involved in the “used” business or the technology recycling business, you are truly doing your bit for society and at the same time making a healthy profit out of doing so. You can hold your head high knowing you are doing your duty to save our planet and at the same time making a few quid in the process. Well, I for one say there is nothing wrong with that. Corporate responsibility will be a big issue with reference to global warming and it is something that we all have to be very aware of because it will affect our bottom line. But hey, what’s the issue? We can sell used products in the market knowing that we are contributing to a sustainable business model and at the same time continue to make our margin. We have and will have the best of all worlds. I don’t know about you guys but if global warming scenario is correct, as all the evidence points to the fact that it is, then I would also have immense satisfaction in the knowing that I am been personally responsible for the future of my own family along with everyone else’s. Keep The Faith The Old Hand 26-27. Najib's Corner Blockchain in the UAE – Always Embracing the Latest Technologies In early 2018, The UAE Government embarked upon launching the Emirates Blockchain Strategy & Vision 2021. The strategy aims to conduct more than half of all government transactions using the blockchain platform by then. This will help save time, effort and resources, as well as facilitate people to process their transactions in a way that suits their lifestyle and work. By adopting this technology, the government expects to save • AED 11 billion in transactions and documents processed routinely • 398 million printed documents annually  • 77 million work hours annually The UAE will use blockchain for digital transactions, giving each customer a unique identification number that points to their information on the secure chain. Information and data on the blockchain cannot be hacked or changed, which will ensure the digital security of national documents and transactions and eventually reduce operational costs and accelerate decision-making. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the strategy, further showing the rulers’ absolute commitment of the dynamic emirate to embrace new technologies. This is in addition to the adaptation of Artificial Intelligence at the onset of the tech boom. In October 2017, the UAE Government launched ‘UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI)’, marking the post-mobile government phase that will rely on various future services, sectors and infrastructure projects. The strategy is first of its kind in the region and the world and it aims to • achieve the objectives of UAE Centennial 2071 • boost government performance at all levels • use an integrated smart digital system that can overcome challenges and provide quick efficient solutions • make the UAE the first in the field of AI investments in various sectors • create new vital market with high economic value. Coming back to blockchain, the commitment of the government to embrace secure tech was outlined in an official statement: “Adaptation to advanced technologies and utilising them in serving society and enhancing the efficiency of government performance is a firmly established approach adopted by the UAE,” said Shaikh Mohammad. “We want to capitalise on this advanced technology to transform 50 per cent of government transactions into the blockchain platform by 2021 in order to cement the UAE’s position to be among the most advanced countries that are well prepared to deal with future changes,” he added. Shaikh Mohammad said embracing this future technology would reflect positively on the quality of life in the UAE and enhance people’s happiness. “The blockchain technology will help save time, effort and resources and enable people to process their transactions at the time and place that suit their lifestyles and work.” Unique identification number According to a statement on WAM, the UAE will use blockchain for digital transactions, giving each customer a unique identification number that points to their information on the secure chain. Information and data on the blockchain cannot be hacked or changed, which will ensure the digital security of national documents and transactions, and eventually reduce operational costs, reducing paper transactions and accelerating decision-making. The UAE’s strategy for blockchain focuses on four key themes: happiness of its citizens and residents, elevating government efficiency, advanced legislation and international leadership. The strategy works on building the capacity of individuals and government leaders through training courses and workshops. Training programmes on blockchain will be designed for government leaders. University programmes on blockchain will be available. UAE has always taken the lead in the implementation of new tech from border control and smart gates at the airports that were quickly adapted by the rest of the region. Several multinational organizations are bidding for verticals for AI and Blockchain for the projects to come. EXPO 2020 would also bring forth a host of technologies to the UAE. 28-29 2019 The Year of Things 2 2019: THE YEAR OF THINGS 5G connectivity is about more than hyperfast download speeds to get you your movies and music faster than before. This innovation is about an “internet of things” that work together in your homes to add convenience and security to your life that you never thought you needed. But what are these things, how do they help you, and how can they do a better job of doing what they promise? The current trend is toward voice-activated home assistants. Amazon’s Alexa, its sidekick Echo, Google’s Home Hub, and Apple’s HomePod are likely occupying space in your facilities as we speak. These devices are the entry point to the internet of things: typically no more intrusive than a small screen hanging on a wall or no bulkier then a cylinder tucked away in the corner of your kitchen counter. Furthermore, these devices are selling at a low enough price that they are wise investment for nearly everyone, and help with things like cueing up your favorite tunes, organizing to do lists, updating you on weather forecasts and traffic conditions, and enacting routines of simultaneous tasks with simple voice commands. The capacity is there for personality-building on the part of these AI-guided devices; as of now, you can even play simple games with these assistants, but whether that’s awesome or scary is not up for debate. The year 2019 is going to be filled to the brim with awesome things that will possess the ability to interact. Smart thermostats, like the Nest Learning Thermostat or the Ecobee3, can learn your habits and tendencies to heat your living space. What’s more, simple security cameras from Ring or even-full fledged security kits from Abode offer high definition video, the ability to customize motion triggers, and program a series of events to happen when an unfamiliar presence is detected. Of course, hazards abound that aren’t cause by intruders, but rather by a series of unfortunate events. Electrical fires caused by overloading wall outlets are a vast concern, and for this Amazon and other companies have devised smart plugs that can dim lights and even cut power when it is needed most, or simply, when it is requested to be done. For these innovations to work as they’ve been thought up, internet connectivity is essential. 5G is not about merely connecting to the internet, but giving devices the ability to talk to each other through such connections. We’ve been waiting a long time for 5G, but innovation will not stop just because we’ve finally got it. Where do these digital assistants go from here? The main school of thought is toward integration: so many current models of televisions and automobiles have voice recognition built right in. Another increasing tendency is facial recognition technology, currently being deployed in the latest smartphone models. It’s not hard to imagine being on the way home from work, uses a facial scanner on their phone (or perhaps even perched at the front of their car’s dashboard) to start a routine in which the software unlocks the vehicle, and then tells the furnace to light up with the help of the smart thermostat, hitting the kitchen lights on the way. Later the garage door would be triggered to open when the car reaches a short distance from home. This is just one example of a routine. Different people have different routines, and devices like the ones mentioned above will be built with the capacity not just to learn, but to communicate preferences and habits back to their respective manufacturers. From there, new use cases could be conceived to both help the product function better and help it sell to people who may not have considered a “smart home” lifestyle as being right for them. With this, the issue of data sharing rears its ugly head, as outside parties seek to gain that data to market unwanted products. How we protect ourselves from these new eyes and ears that are scattered throughout our homes is an issue we will be discussing all too soon. But for now, the excitement of buying shiny new toys that can help us make our homes just right is upon us. It’s marvelous, it’s anxiety-inducing, and it’s here. 30-31 5G in Gaming 2 THE FUTURE IN GAMING WITH 5G Up until now, the vast majority of discussion around 5G has centered around the possibility for it to enhance the conveniences of everyday life. While the automation of background tasks such as heating, cleaning, and protecting our homes is certainly a desirable pursuit, in focusing too much on that we overlook the possibility that 5G can make our lives a lot more fun. For the last little while now, gamers have been living for seamless connectivity between their PCs, consoles, and mobile devices. Platforms like the Nintendo Switch, which has been wildly popular and selling like hotcakes, are the epitome of the desire for seamlessness. Now, one trend is toward engineering the phones to be consoles in and of themselves, as devices like the Razer Phone 2 and the ASUS ROG are already on the market and earning rave reviews with their beautiful screens, excellent sound, and lush screen performance. The verdict is out on whether such phones will succeed enough to take over the mainstream, as they must be sufficient enough to perform all the regular tasks a typical smartphone user requires. Even if they prove to be a fad, smartphones are being built to access 5G networks and the vast amount of data they’re capable of transferring. 5G will make existing technological innovations that are on the precipice of breaking through, like virtual reality helmets and digital home assistants, that much more essential for consumers to buy, and therefore that much more essential to have in stock. Additionally, the ability to download lots of data quickly requires upgraded parts, which is why we’re seeing the quick evolution of processors, improved battery life with quicker charging capabilities, and the development of chipsets built to power AI technology. Games of the (near) future will ostensibly feature better graphics and in-game artificial intelligence-driven functions, which means that the size of games will take up much more space on phones, computers, and other devices. Therefore, we may begin to see cellular service operators offer unlimited data packages. This will, in turn, drive game developers to take advantage of those new capabilities. Indeed, we’re already seeing it in games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and Fortnite, which are games that, in having rich amounts of content already, require constant internet connection. 5G will only drive developer to create richer worlds for these and other games. In mobile games, where additional downloadable content is often required to complete the gameplay experience, the annoyance of doing such will be eliminated because 5G will allow for downloading extra content in tandem with the main game. The best thing about 5G, and you might have guessed this from reading about all the remote-controlled wonders that the near-future will bring, is that the enhanced data transfer may finally drive the nail in the coffins of those pesky wires. Wireless connectivity has long been a pipe dream, but due to latency issues and insufficient hardware leading to lag times, the technology has never been quite there to bring the ideas of developers into reality. 2019 could be the year that technology users worldwide will be finally free of wires! In sum, while there will be some devices tailor-made to take the 5G gaming challenge head on, the better bet is to watch out for existing accessories to be fully realized with the help of the faster speeds that the fifth generation wireless connectivity will bestow upon the world. 32. Rationalfx 32-34 Take Away from the East 3 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EAST: INTERESTING TIMES Are the new flagship phones enough to make up for a lack of consumer support in China? Why does India continue to beat the odds? From a devices standpoint, this is a very interesting and exciting time in smartphones. Xiaomi’s Mi 9 and Mi Mix 4 are just around the bend, upping the ante on the rear triple-camera trend that Huawei kicked off with an unprecedented periscope lens offering enhanced zooming capabilities. In the Chinese market, Vivo and Oppo are making gains, besting Xiaomi to become the top two domestic smartphone manufacturers in year-on-year shipment rankings as of Q3 2018. And this is all before mentioning the introduction of artificial intelligence into device functions, which we touched upon last issue! Will these dazzling new additions to flagship phones translate to sales? Apparently not. The overall volume of shipments in China are on the decline, per a report from Gizmo China. Reporting a 6.9% YoY drop for Q3, the amount of product moving could shrink as much as 10% YoY for Q4. Why? The Handelot Times has told you about the saturation of the Chinese market in the past, but there are more underlying structural factors at work in the drop. Speaking in the macro sense, the global economy is not good. This is especially true for bilateral trade between the China and the United States. Trade wars are not good for consumers as they drive up prices, which fuels the increasing likelihood that consumers will hang on to their devices for longer than in the past. Lackluster innovations have played a role in cutting into sales, too. Bigger screen real estates have been the main selling point of new devices, with technological updates behind the glass being deemed not substantial enough by consumers and their wallets. As such, the average consumer simply cannot justify the expense of every new edition of the Honor or iPhone series. Moreover, when consumers don’t buy, firms look to cut their losses. Telecom service providers in China are withdrawing subsidies that take the sting out of the expense of new devices for buyers. When times are tight, buying for the full price is incredibly off-putting, diminished sales will also make it unlikely to incentivise these providers to restore subsidies. The way these factors are playing off each other make for a vicious cycle. Is this a minor setback in the volume of shipments, or could it be setting up to be a trend? Indeed, technological upgrades in smartphones have proven to be underwhelming. Moves by smartphone manufacturers to include features like multiple camera setups and facial recognition technology in their devices has yet to show any real benefit. And still, it seems that new flagship devices come forth perennially for the sake of themselves. Artificial intelligence and 5G capability have the potential to truly transform the place of mobile phones in our life. However, it will not be enough to simply roll out technology. The onus is on manufacturers demonstrate how and why these new technologies are worthy of inclusion of their flagship devices, and why they’re worthy of consumers’ hard-earned money. What we are seeing now is a temporary ceiling. If Xiaomi wants to reclaim the top spot in China, and if Huawei wants to erase doubt about its products on global scale, these firms must justify their chase for innovation in a way that makes consumers feel secure and confident in their purchases. Otherwise, we will continue to see the status quo. MEANWHILE IN INDIA… Though just next door, India seems as though it’s another planet in the shipment galaxy. The Business Times reports a bull market for shipments, having reached an all-time high in Q3 2018. Notably, it is the first time that smartphones have captured fifty percent of the market, as featurephones like the revitalized Nokia 3310 have traditionally held court. While Xiaomi is the top sharegetter with 11.7 million units shipped, culminating in a 27.3% market share, OnePlus and its well-received 6T model clocked its most shipments ever in a single quarter, besting declining giants Apple and Samsung in the premium (>$400) smartphone category to do so. Samsung and Huawei, in spite of recent controversies, are still major players in the market. Online shipping is also proving to be wildly popular. This particular segment posted a 37% quarter-on-quarter growth compared to 6.6% growth for the offline segment. What gives? With China in decline and the US market expected to remain flat, why is India flourishing in such lull times? As you might have guessed, featurephones still make up a large segment of the market. While these devices are economical and reliable, the allure of the smartphone is tempting consumers to fork over their hard-earned cash to own a piece of pocket-sized advanced technology. It wasn’t long ago that smartphones were seen as something of a status symbol in the United States and Europe before they became commonplace. As Indians become more upwardly mobile (pardon the pun), the featurephone market will dwindle little by little. And even for those who have already crossed over to the smart side, phone replacement cycles are still a reliable indicator of sales. The International Business Times reports techARC founder Faisal Kawoosa as saying that, for people who bought their first 4G smartphone from 2015 to 2017, 2019 will bring about a large replacement cycle. This is especially salient in light of the new 5G devices coming about. Especially with respect to Xiaomi, the largest player in the market, if 5G devices appear on shelves this year, the growth will be there. In light of market malaise in the world’s biggest consumer bases, India is where the money is to be made in the coming twelve to twenty-four months. If traders pay close attention to the needs of this still-growing market, it may well be the gold rush all over again. 33. Teksmart January 2019 1. Phones 2995 2. Used 728 3. TVs 653 4. Tablets 474 5. Audio 426 6. Spare Parts 360 7. Gaming 318 8. Storage 261 9. Computers 239 10. Wearables 184 11. Video/ Photo 175 12. Components 173 13. Brown 145 14. Peripherals 36 15. Printing 19 16. Accessories 18 36-37 Xiaomi in 2019 2 XIAOMI IN 2019 Handelot’s favorite is poised to turn into a global giant in the coming year. Xiaomi: what more can you say about them? Their name has become synonymous with quality, community, and innovation. And in 2018, they began their quest for dominance outside of Asia, breaking into European markets and setting sights on North America. It’s not enough for Xiaomi to appear on the market, they’re actively reaching out to untapped consumers in these markets and making a connection. As we’ve seen with the fanbase they’ve cultivated in their home market, creating a large-scale conversation around their products will make all the difference going forward. 2019 will be a huge year. With the introduction of 5G, every single company involved with electronics has a chance to step their game up. But Xiaomi is the most prepared of them all. Here’s a taste of what they have planned for this young new year: POCOPHONE 2 The first edition of Poco was hailed as a flagship for those on more restrictive budgets. Critics praised the smooth, reduced lag in operation of the phone, and a variant of Poco was recently unveiled packing 6GB of RAM! Son of Pocophone will also boast large amounts of memory, as well as the Snapdragon 845 processor, which is the current powerhouse of most Android flagships. Though its release date is currently unknown, this device is not one to be slept on. REDMI 7 PRO Also yet to be announced, last year’s Redmi 7 is also set to get an upgrade. In memory, yes, but also in personalization as leaks have revealed plans for it to be released in a plethora of color choices. An octocore processor will feed the rumored 5.84-inch LED screen, 12MP primary rear camera and 8MP selfie camera. All of which makes it sound like it will be a quality phone for those not quite ready for the Son of Pocophone. MI 9 The Mi Series is a line of devices guaranteed to rake in the money, providing dependability and value for its users. Xiaomi is swinging for the fences on this one, jacking up its camera sensor to a whopping 48MP, not to mention a 13MP wide-angle lens and a 16MP depth sensor. Clearly positioned to compete with Huawei’s mate series, the phone will pack the recently-announced Snapdragon 855 to power quick charging capability and, pray tell, 5G connectivity. MI MIX 5G Of course, we can’t talk about 5G without talking about Xiaomi’s MI Mix series. If the MI 9 is tried and true, then the newest MI Mix will be the ace in the hole, also set to use the newest Snapdragon. CEO Lei Jun is betting the farm on this promising new technology, prognosticating that 5G is the cure for what ails the current decline in smartphone shipments worldwide. Critics say that smartphone makers’ pursuit of 5G mobile devices is a fool’s errand, being that a main aim of the network if for machines to communicate with each other wirelessly. While that may be true, nobody’s gonna say no to the possibility to download at speeds up to 2Gbps. Yes, that’s two gigabits per second. 5G will give the world that capability. Even though Xiaomi is primarily a device-driven company, they’re using the imminent 5G revolution to turn into a services company as well, making hardware for other companies that will enable and propagate 5G networks. The story of whether they can make the transition successfully is one of many that will play out across 2019. 38- 41. Top Tech Companies 4 42. handelot last page 40. Offices Handelot FZC E LOB office no E-42G-12 Hamriyah Freezone Sharjah United arabic emirates PO BOX 53224 Poland HECC Sp. z o.o. A. Ostrowskiego 30/ 327 53-238 Wroclaw NIP: 8971756584 www.handelot.com
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