The handelot times issue XXI 01. Front to do 02. Intro 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- 11 years on the market 3 Lines of business: Platform, Magazine and Events The Handelot Times: Design: Adam Mieloszynski Copywriter: Melania Romanelli Copywriter: Kazi Najib Ashraf Copywriter: The Old Hand Associates of the organisation: Taha Tuzuner – Business Consultant Team Leader Dima Malovanyi – Business Consultant Team Leader Koushik Deka – Business Consultant Team Leader Khrystyna Terletska – Partner Coordinator Team Lead Basak Senturk – Partner Coordinator Team Lead Alicja Gogola – Business Consultant Omar Benabdellah – Business Consultant Jon Rodriguez – Business Consultant Venktesh Prasad – Business Consultant Jack Serdak – Business Consultant Victoria Chen – Business Consultant Carolina Kotulska- Business Developer Elza Lerner- Administrative Manager Aleksandra Rządkowska – Partner Coordinator Claudia Aniszkiewicz – Partner Coordinator Fidan Abdullayeva – Partner Coordinator Katarzyna Mroczkowska – Partner Coordinator Sevara Akhmedova – Partner Coordinator Joanna Muszalska – Business Developer Kasper Paprocki – Business Developer Edgar Arana – Business Developer Tetiana Handziuk – Administration Agnieszka Pulawska – CFO Valentyn Petruchek – Head of Development Alexander Golovnya – Development Cesar Gonzalez Patryk Skowron Advertising: For quotes please email times@handelot.com or call us at +48717152600. 03. Index 02. Intro 03. Index 03- 04. Quick Hits 2 05-06. Smartphone Industry decline in Q2_3 07. Island Terrace 08-10. Is the Second Covid Wave coming_3 11. Globomatik 1 12-14. Internal CRM systems - What to know_3 15. Globax Advertising 1 16-19. IPhone 12, how will it be and when will it arrive_4 20-27. VIP Gold + services_8 28-30. The Old Hand_The Age of technology 3 31. Teksmart 32-34. Xiaomi offers EU Specs with warranty_3 35. VON Advertising 1 36-37. Smart telecom 2 38-39. Yukatel - Mobile Phones2 40-43. Apple and Epic Games Battle Continues_4 44. GRT Advertising 1 45-46. Offices- do we still need them_2 47-48. Najib_The last six months 2 49-50. The Future of Exhibitions- CES 2021 going digital_2 51-54. Ways of Recruiting new Employees- HR during Covid19_4 55. Industry Hires - H-asia Recruitment 1 56. Industry Hires - Technology Supplier 57-58. Blackberry does software for cars now_2 59. TSMC Chipset maker hires_1 60. Top Products Top Manufacturer Top Brands Top Models_1 61-62. Tesla worths more than all manufacturing company combined_2 63. Newbridge FX 64. Handelot Offices 04-05. Quick Hits 11. Quick hits PS5 and Xbox Series X: has the release date been revealed for Christmas 2020? In the absence of official communications from Sony and Microsoft, for some time any possible signal that may be useful to find out the price and a launch date for PS5 and Xbox Series X has been carefully examined and nothing is left to chance. Sooner or later, however, one of the two will have to take the 'big step', but many are convinced that by the end of the month we will know more - predictably in an upcoming showcase event of the two giants. To rekindle the hope, however, is the announcement made this night by Epic Games of the new Fortnite Ride bene chi rista bundle, which will include the skins of Joker, Poison Ivy and Midas, with his new King Midas costume, And will be available for digital or physical purchase, including 1,000 V-Bucks. On the Epic Games website it is expressly written: “The physical edition is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. Furthermore, it will arrive in time for the launch of the next generation consoles: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X”. This bundle will hit the market on November 17, 2020, and judging from what we can read, they may well have revealed the release period for PS5 and Xbox Series X. At the same time, Amazon UK was also revealing in this sense, since from the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla preorder page for PS5, the expected date for the game’s release is the same: November 17th. If it is true that we have the example of FIFA 21, which will arrive for PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC on October 9, 2020, and then arrive at the launch of the next PS5 and Xbox Series X, nothing prevents us from hoping that the date of 17 November actually coincides with the debut of the two next-gen consoles, since at that point of the year we would be close to the real launch date. What is certain is that we will have the two royal enemies ready for Christmas 2020 sales! Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S on Amazon: price down! Just as some rumors related to the new Redmi Note 10 series emerged, for the moment it is still the Redmi Note 9 range to “hold the bench”. In fact, an interesting discount has been launched on Amazon for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S model. More precisely, the smartphone is now being sold at a price of 197.07 euros through resellers. This is the model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal memory. The color offered on Amazon is Glacier White. Previously the product had already been discounted, but we remind you that the list price of this variant is equal to 269.90 euros. This means that, in relatively few weeks, the cost of the smartphone has collapsed by over 70 euros, breaking, among other things, the 'psychological barrier' of 200 euros. Not bad for an already low cost product of its own. Analyzing the other proposals present online, we noticed that Xiaomi itself has discounted this model. In fact, Redmi Note 9S from 6 / 128GB is sold for 219.90 euros on the official website (previous price equal to 269.90 euros). In short, the offer launched by the Amazon Italy retailers could be interesting, since it essentially proposes the 6 / 128GB model at a price similar to that at which the 4 / 64GB variant can usually be found. Therefore, it does not seem to be a coincidence that this product is currently in the lead, in its interstellar Gray color, which costs a few euros more, in the ranking of Amazon Italy's Bestsellers smartphones. The aforementioned Glacier White colorway also appears in the top positions. "IFA 2020" atypical edition of the Berlin kermesse In the context of IFA 2020, the “atypical” edition of the Berlin kermesse, Realme held a conference dedicated to its products arriving in Europe. Among them are the Realme 7 smartphone range and Realme Smart TV 55'. In particular, according to what was reported by GSMArena and as you can see in the replica of the event published on Realme's official YouTube channel, the company has formalized the upcoming arrival in Europe of the Realme 7 series, recently announced in India (here you will find the specifications of the Pro model, while on this page there is the technical data sheet of the 'basic' variant), of the Realme Smart Cam 360, of the Realme Smart Bulb and of the Realme Buds Wireless Pro earphones. These are the products that will arrive in Europe soon, but there are also other devices that will arrive in the Old Continent in Q4 2020. These are the Realme V5 smartphone, as well as the Realme X7 series, the Realme Buds Air Pro earphones and the Realme smartwatch Watch S Pro. Furthermore, during the event there was a “teaser” relating to the 55-inch Realme Smart TV. Just so as not to miss anything, the company has also confirmed the upcoming arrival of the Narzo 20 series. In short, Realme is preparing to bring many products to the European market. Obviously there will be time to explore them further one by one, but for the moment the “message” of the company seems to be clear: Realme is aiming for Europe. Apple will build the worlds’ largest wind blades in Denmark The Cupertino company has declared that by 2030 it will reach the important “carbon neutrality” milestone, that is, it will have completely eliminated its CO2 emissions and each of its products will have zero impact on the environment. The next step is the construction of two record-breaking wind turbines in Denmark. In order to make possible the “clean energy” vision of the company led by Tim Cook, a lot of work will still be needed, but according to what has recently been stated by Apple spokesmen, a next big step will take place near the town of Esbjerg where it is planned The construction of the wind farm. The large plant will occupy over 4,000 square meters: equipped with 200m high wind turbines, it will produce enough energy to power a town of around 20,000 homes. Most of the energy production will go to the Apple Data Center in Viborg, the central core of the telematic and streaming services that the company offers (such as AppStore, Apple Music, iMessage and Siri) in Europe. The surplus of energy will then be fed into the Danish electricity grid, virtually lowering the bill costs for citizens. The race for “carbon neutrality” that began in 2015 is already well underway: all the offices of the Cupertino company in the world are already zero-emission, but with this new commitment, every Apple product sold will be zero-impact by 2030. Still remaining on the environmental theme, ozone pollution detected at low altitudes has recently been discussed and, if climate change continues in this direction, hurricanes will be increasingly on the agenda. Is Russian Vaccine ready to use? Just after the announcement of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against Coronavirus, the authoritative Lancet magazine has published the results of the first two phases of the clinical studies carried out on Russian serum against Covid-19. The study, available through this address, reports that Sputik V would be able to induce a long-term immune response in patients. To reach this conclusion, Denis Logunov's group of the National Institute of Epidemiological Research in Moscow tested the vaccine on 76 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 60 years: in 100% of cases they developed antibodies without reporting serious side effects. 06-08. Smartphone Industry decline in Q2_3 1. Smartphone Industry decline in Q2 All the data analytics companies agree: the smartphone market slowed down in the most difficult quarter since 2013, a year of real discontinuity for mobile telephony. And for the first time significantly. The reason has name and surname: the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first quarter of the year, the Coronavirus caused the largest decline ever experienced. We do not want to linger further with the negativities, because in reality not a few smartphones have been sold. The countervalue of shipment data compared to 2019 is simply negative, in an undeserved way for the brands that have continued to engage and engage consumers with new models. The lockdown did not help and in any case, especially in Europa, the smartphone is a product that is preferably purchased at the point of sale and in installments, whether hidden in the operator's bill or in another form. Broadening the gaze globally, the Coronavirus has given no respite in the markets with the highest numerical impact: China and India, above all, whose volume has been significantly reduced. Not even Apple was immune from the negativities, with a 2.5% decline in total revenue due to lower demand for hardware. This is the phrase of Tim Cook, CEO of the Cupertino company, who, for the writer, best photographs what brands have done so far: “This would not have been the fiscal quarter in the absence of the pandemic. Having said that, I don't think I remember a similar period in the past and for this reason I can't be more proud of what was done and how it was done”. A thought that we feel we can extend to any other brand, despite the cold numbers. Just to close, Cook stressed that 'we have always gone through difficult times by doubling our efforts and investments in our next generation of products'. Smartphones and analysts We have compared the shipping data collected by Idc, Strategy Analytics and Canalys. Which, respectively, indicated a total of devices distributed equal to 275.8 million, 274.8 million and 272.5 million. Let's say that the average is around 274 million units circulating in Q1 20. This means that for Idc there was a decrease in volume equal to 11.7% (312.3 million in 2019), for Strategy Analytics on 17 % (330.4 million in 2019) and 13% for Canalys (313.9 million in 2019). In practice, an average decrease in 2020 of around 14% compared to the average volume compared in 2019 of about 320 million units. For Nabila Popal, director of research at Idc, the problem was also 'in the supply of components' from China, a fact that 'had a huge, if not huge, impact on the overall market'. All the analysts of the various institutes are convinced that the epicenter of the pandemic in China inevitably penalized the results for the quarter, both in terms of production, logistics and sellout. However, the months with the handbrake should be over, as both factories and logistics are returning to traditional regimes. In this sense, in the current quarter the situation should normalize and in Q3 20 it should return to the results of 2019. All seasoned with some variables: the actual spending power of consumers, future uncertainty. However, they are amply compensated by a very high latent demand. Smartphones are a staple product for most people, as well as a moment of personal achievement and fulfillment. Purchases of the more expensive models are only postponed. Raw data of shipment Below we propose the numbers represented by IDC research institute. The market for every company The research institutes state that Samsung is in first place for shipments with a volume of more than 58 million units distributed in the first quarter and a reduction of around 18% compared to the same period of 2019. The Galaxy S20 had the Its importance in creating profit and to accelerate the transition to 5G, but the real secret weapon of the Korean brand is the Galaxy A series. Summer will be the battleground of the flagship, waiting for the autumn range probably entrusted to the Note 20 and At Fold 2. Samsung is keeping production and distribution rates still unattainable by competitors, also for the control over the manufacture and supply of most of the components inside Galaxy smartphones. This will increasingly make a difference, especially in the coming months. Huawei ranks second in all rankings with a volume of around 49 million units and a contraction of around 17%. The company's articulated strategy focused on promotions centered on the Mate 30 and the P30 series, as well as diversifying the mix by relying on Honor models (V30 and 9X were the most widely distributed models). The skilful management of the various channels (online and offline, with also direct stores) together with a centered brand proposition made it possible to compensate for the transition of the apps to the Hms platform. Apple is in third place, with a volume of just under 40 million units and an uneven decrease. The contraction is about 8; For Idc it does not exceed 1%. The reasons are also conflicting: the iPhone 11 range was successful; The recent marketing of the iPhone SE 2020 is a guarantee of a further potentially positive quarter. Xiaomi is fourth: just under 30 million units distributed and a trend in contrast to the other brands because it marks a positive sign. That is, a growth of more than 6% compared to 2019. The credit goes to the market in India, where the Poco and Redmi ranges had great success before the lockdown began. In fifth place is Oppo with 25 million units distributed. For Idc and Canalys there is Vivo with an equivalent value. The two brands are headed by Bbk Technologies. It is significant that the Others category, with a weight equal to about 25% of the overall market, is in sharp decline (even more than 10%). It indicates that consumers have polarized their preferences on the most popular brands, at least in this first quarter of 2020. 09. Island Terrace 10- 12. Is the Second Covid Wave coming_3 10. Is the Second Covid Wave coming? Autumn, the second wave and immunity: questions about Covid-19 that have no simple answers. We are experiencing a unique moment in our recent history, in which science actually begs us to have faith in the effectiveness of a practice - wearing a mask, washing hands, using physical distancing - even though it is not yet able to provide knowledge. Solid science on the pillars of this pandemic. Epistemologically it is an interesting counterpoint, which not just broadens the contours of the concept of prevention. The idea continues to pass that since we do not yet have certain scientific knowledge, then there is no reason to wear a mask or to follow the 03 physical distance; while the rationale is exactly the opposite: precisely because we do not yet know who, how and when he will become infected and seriously ill, the smartest thing we can do is to follow strictly the preventive measures that have a foundation. It is too early for science to have a definitive answer to several crucial questions and therefore it is too early for us to choose to act on these: how will it go in the fall? Is it a danger if children go back to school? What is the nature of the immunity provided by a future vaccine, and how long will it last? What is the real risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 once infected? What is the nature of this virus? Maybe - maybe - we should start screaming less when a single expert, or a team of experts, speculates about the end of the pandemic, or how things will go in the fall. It does not seem at all sensible in this midsummer to define oneself as optimists or pessimists, because there is a risk of influencing the practical choices that at the moment are the only common sense things that each of us can do. We know two things with good certainty: that using the surgical mask in the right way protects against contagion and that alcoholic solutions for personal and domestic hygiene kill the virus. It is an important theme in science communication, which distinguishes scientists from communicators and journalists. The former aim to study and understand how things are going, also taking a position if needed within their own community; The latter have the task (among others) of answering people's doubts, helping them to understand how to behave. When a scientist communicates directly with the public he must change register, and always think about what practical utility he is offering to the extended community with his stance. Also because - as we had well explained in our article at the end of April - Not all experts are the same, and this information chaos is created by politics, but we journalists especially create it when we choose who to interview and what questions to ask. Who are the people most at risk? One of the most striking aspects of COVID-19 is the stark differences in the experiences of the disease. Why do people respond so differently to infection? We have not yet understood this, also because for obvious reasons autopsies on COVID-19 patients were prohibited. Some people never develop symptoms, while others, apparently healthy, have severe or even fatal pneumonia. We do not know what damage the virus causes in the short and long term, not only in the lungs but also in the brain. You read high-sounding headlines every day about this or that effect, but to have reliable scientific data it takes much more time, and many samples are needed, possibly depending on the genetic profile of the virus. How will things go in the fall? This question has two aspects: the epidemiological one, that is, how much we will infect each other, and the genetic one, if the virus has developed worrying mutations. We know that all viruses mutate as they infect people, and SARS-CoV-2 is no exception, but we don't know why some lines are more virulent or contagious than others. Most of the mutations will have no impact on the epidemic and for this reason the challenge is to identify the worrying ones, which is not trivial. Versions of the coronavirus identified at the start of outbreaks in hotspots such as Lombardy in Italy or Madrid in Spain, for example, may seem more lethal than those found in later stages or in other locations. “The problem is that such associations are probably false”, says William Hanage, a Harvard University epidemiologist. “Health authorities are more likely to identify severe cases in the early uncontrolled stages of an outbreak. The widespread diffusion of some mutations could also be due to the 'founder effects’”. What is the nature of immunity and how long does it last? Although it is dangerous, in most cases coming into contact with an infectious disease, if it does not kill it makes it immune, and therefore exempt from spreading the infection. It is the beginning of what is called herd immunity. Immunologists are working feverishly to determine what the “guaranteed” immunity of SARS-CoV-2 could be and how long it could last, but there are still no answers. Much of the effort has focused on 'neutralizing antibodies', which bind to viral proteins and directly prevent infection. Some studies have found that the levels of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 remain elevated for a few weeks after infection, but then generally begin to decline. However, these antibodies may persist at high levels for longer in people who have had particularly severe infections. “More viruses, more antibodies, longer lifespan”, says immunologist George Kassiotis of the Francis Crick Institute in London. “Similar patterns have been seen with other viral infections, including SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). Most people who have had SARS have lost their neutralizing antibodies after the first few years. But those who had it really badly still had antibodies when they were tested again 12 years later”. When will we finally have the vaccine? This is finally the crux of the problem. An effective vaccine could be the only way out of the pandemic, but at the moment we are not sure that a vaccine as we know how to produce it really serves to block the spread of the virus. There are currently about 200 in development around the world, with about 20 clinical trials, that is, on humans. The first large-scale efficacy studies to find out if vaccine work is expected to begin in the coming months and will compare COVID-19 infection rates between people taking a vaccine and those receiving a placebo. Currently, studies conducted on macaques suggest that vaccines could do a good job in preventing lung infection and subsequent pneumonia, but not in blocking infection in other parts of the body, such as the nose. Monkeys who received a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford in the UK and who were then exposed to the virus had levels of viral genetic material in their noses comparable to levels in unvaccinated animals. Findings like this raise the possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine preventing serious disease, but not the spread of the virus. Human data, although scant, suggest that COVID-19 vaccines push our bodies to produce powerful neutralizing antibodies that can block the virus from infecting cells. What is still unclear is whether the levels of these antibodies are high enough to block new infections or how long these molecules persist in the body. In short: it is not yet said that the vaccine will be the panacea for all ills. 13. Globomatik 14-16. Internal CRM systems - What to know 4. Internal CRM systems What to know Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the tool for companies that effectively manages your relationship with customers. Organize information from different channels and analyze the data collected: so you are guaranteed to always take the most effective strategic action to increase turnover and raise the level of customer satisfaction. Much more than just software, CRM is a reflection and projection of the corporate vision, of its way of integrating internal processes and communicating. The automation and precision that characterize this tool allow you to optimize work times and maintain control over the entire customer acquisition and loyalty process. Manage the corporate sales process: import new contacts and retain old ones We know how much work it takes to build customer loyalty, but we also know how important this aspect is for the company, since the acquisition of a new one costs much more! Organizing contact information in the best possible way and managing your relationships effectively and productively is essential for the good health of your business. This is vital for customers already acquired for some time, who deserve special attention, but the evaluation of the initial impact of newly won leads is not of secondary importance. What is the first impression they will have of your company? Think about the contact data collected during a trade fair, rather than from online contact forms: what to do, once obtained? Taking advantage of a new contact in order to strengthen the business is much more than cataloging leads and storing the information obtained. It means managing them (hence the management of the relationship with the customer) in an integrated but above all coordinated manner across the various departments of the company. On the market we find a wide range of CRMs, the choice for each individual company depends on several factors: budget, objectives, integration with existing systems, user training, level of automation etc. Valuable information in these cases is provided by the agency that deals with the management of the entire marketing strategy. How does management through CRM systems work? Once the program is installed and configured, we create a company account within the CRM. We import all available data and contacts, also connecting the tool to the e-mail box. At this point, the marketing automation mechanism is set in motion. We can thus 'capture' new registrations, implementing customized contact forms. The contact thus obtained automatically becomes part of a 'flow' of e-mails (workflow), which have the purpose of 'feeding' it over time, establishing an advantageous and non-invasive relationship. This is the right way to communicate to keep interest in the company alive (interest that the person spontaneously expressed when he left his contact). Organize data and contacts thanks to CRM When you start importing your data and contacts, consider answering these questions: • What data do I need to advance the entire sales process? • What data do I have available up to now and how can I use / integrate them? This kind of attention will allow you to: In the first place to always associate a name to the relative company and e-mail address, an essential starting point to be able to start the sales process. Secondly, to take all the necessary actions to obtain the missing information and thus to progress in the conversion process. Let's take an example: what is the basic information, which your salespeople need in order to work effectively? The following is a valid scheme: • First name • Surname • Company • Email address • Telephone number • Stage of the acquisition process in which it is located This last point is decisive for finalizing the sale: depending on whether the potential customer is only at the beginning of his journey or is at the final crossroads that will lead him to the purchase, the marketing and direct sales actions to be prepared will be Different. Manage new leads and nurture them Learning to work from an inbound perspective means stopping thinking about how to sell and learning to understand and manage the new ways of buying. An issue that is anything but academic: communication with the customer, the satisfaction of their needs and above all the lead nurturing after the purchase has been made, are now among the most imminent business priorities. Here are some of the most effective actions to take to nurture your leads, using CRM automation: • Schedule meetings, demos and appointments • Create templates for the e-mails to be sent, taking care to insert customizable elements • Create custom email sequences (with valuable content) • Continuously update the documents to share with your prospects • Organize direct calls • Track and monitor visits This last point is crucial, it is no coincidence that one of the distinctive and winning traits of inbound marketing concerns the monitoring of visitors and the analysis of reports produced to identify new conversion opportunities on your site or the companies that visit you and that could Be interested in your products or services. The CRM allows you to organize the reports and the dashboard always offers an overview of the performance of your business in real time. Current productivity, forecasts, tasks completed and pending to be re-planned, feedback on sending e-mails, to identify what performs best and make sense of future actions to be foreseen. In conclusion, a CRM tool is now at the center of the customer management and data organization strategy within a company. SMEs increase turnover, employee productivity and improve customer care but above all they seize unexpected business opportunities, often 'submerged' by confusion, lack of organization and haste in communication. 17. Globax Advertising 1 18-21. IPhone 12, how will it be and when will it arrive_4 15. IPhone 12, how will it be and when will it arrive? The announcement of the new iPhones is now close at hand, which presumably will be accompanied by the number 12 if Apple has decided to follow the same naming scheme used for last year's iPhones. The latest rumors, however, would point to a shift. When they will arrive? It was already known that iPhone 12 could be late: it was announced by Apple itself, talking about a delay of “a few weeks”. Then some problems in the production of the cameras made them fear that the times could expand further, a risk that apparently should not be revealed. When will the new iPhones arrive? Trying to answer was Jon Prosser, who published a post on Twitter in which he reported the new revised dates of Apple which also concern Apple Watch and iPad • Apple Watch and iPad: announcement via press release in the week of September 7 (September 8 to be precise) • IPhone: event in the week of October 12 • IPhone 12 and 12 Max: pre-orders in the week of October 12, shipments in the week of October 19 • IPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max: pre-orders and shipments in November • A note is a must: it is a rumor - even Prosser himself does not rule out that there may be variations. 4 Iphone 12 in 2020 The iPhone 12, we will call them that in this article, should bring important news both in terms of the internal hardware and the design that has remained almost unchanged compared to the iPhone X launched in 2017. Four iPhones with three different sizes are expected for 2020. Of displays: 5.4, 6.7 and two 6.1 inches. According to rumors, there will be two PRO versions, with 6.7-inch and 6.1-inch displays and with a triple rear camera, and two lower-end iPhones of 5.4 and 6.1 inches with dual rear sensors. IPhone 12 with OLED display (Samsung with Y-OCTA support) from 5.4 'with resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels and density of 475 ppi. IPhone 12 Max with 6.1 'OLED display (Boe / LG) with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels and a density of 460 ppi. IPhone 12 Pro with 6.1 'OLED (Samsung) XDR and ProMotion display with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 pixels and 460 ppi. IPhone 12 Pro Max from 6.7 'OLED (Samsung with Y-OCTA support) XDR and ProMotion with resolution of 2778 x 1284 pixels and 458 ppi. iPhone 12: OLED for everyone Unlike in previous years, all iPhone 12s will have a display with OLED technology. Only on PROs may there be a variable 'ProMotion' refresh rate. This technology has already been adopted for some years on the iPad Pro and allows dynamically adjusts the display refresh rate, up to 120Hz, depending on the content displayed, offering smoother scrolling and greater responsiveness. On iPad Pro, the refresh rate changes based on what is playing on the display to conserve battery life. If we are watching a movie, scrolling a feed, web page or playing games, for example, the refresh rate could go up to 120Hz, but if we are reading a static page or looking at photos the frame rate automatically drops to the minimum. It is still not entirely clear whether this feature will be there or not. So far it has been said that ProMotion is scheduled for 2020 but that Apple will not add it if battery life standards are not met. Other rumors have pointed the finger at the supply chain regarding a possible delay in the launch of the Pro models or even the possible decision to discard this feature entirely. The components in question would be the driver ICs necessary for the proper functioning of the 120Hz panels. There should not be substantial changes instead for the notch, the 'notch' that contains all the sensors and TrueDepth cameras for three-dimensional face recognition. Y-OCTA technology allows you to directly model the touch circuits on the OLED panel without the need for a separate layer resulting in a thinner display and lower manufacturing costs. In recent months, rumors have also circulated about the possible adoption of low-power LTPO technology for the displays of the iPhone Pro. This technology, already adopted on the Apple Watch Series 5, allows you to use up to 15 percent less energy than LTPS But it would be expected for iPhones in 2021. Flat Edges, a return to the past As for the design, as mentioned, the new iPhones should have a completely redesigned metal frame with flat edges, similar to the iPhone 4/5 and the same iPad Pro 2018 and 2020. On the PRO models this structure should be in stainless steel and Remain aluminum on the lower models. The glass will remain on the back and, of course, on the front. For the rest, from the CAD drawings from which 'dummy' models were also made, used in particular by accessory manufacturers, the new iPhones will have slightly larger rear camera lenses, thicker 5G antenna side lines, the drawer for The SIM moved to the left side, a Smart Connector type input on the right (which could be an antenna), one less hole for the speaker on the right side of the lower grille, the power button positioned slightly lower and the door Lightning that Apple will continue to use instead of USB-C. After last year's green color, which was the most popular with consumers, Apple could create a new Blue Navy color for the Pro models. On the iPhone 12, on the other hand, there would be several colors on the way including blue, purple and light orange. LiDAR photocamera and scanner Another novelty on the Pro models, also in this case inherited from iPad Pro 2020, will probably be the LiDAR scanner useful not only for augmented reality applications but also to further improve the quality of the photos by managing to better calculate the depth of field and Objects in space. The LiDAR scanner uses reflected light to measure the distance from the sensor to surrounding objects that are up to five meters away. It works both indoors and outdoors and is essentially able to immediately map the environment around us. On the iPhone 12 Pro a new telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom could be used, improved compared to the current 2x optical zoom, as well as a sensor always from 12MP but larger than the current ones. There may also be improvements with regards to the Smart HDR feature to get better shots in low light conditions. There have also been rumors in the past few months about the implementation of sensor-shift image stabilization technology that could potentially bring image stabilization to the ultra wide-angle lens as well. This technology allows you to apply optical stabilization to the sensor rather than to individual lenses. Few information regarding the TrueDepth front camera which should still be improved and have a wider viewing angle to support the unlocking of the face from more accentuated angles. Apple A14, Ram and batteries TSMC is expected to be the manufacturer of the 5-nanometer Apple A14 chip that will be used in the iPhone 12. The 5-nanometer process results in smaller, faster, more energy-efficient processors and thermal management. The Apple A14 processor will focus on accelerating artificial intelligence and augmented reality activities by offering a 15% performance increase and a 30% reduction in power consumption compared to the current Apple A13. On the iPhone 12 Pro there should be 6GB of RAM against the 4GB of the iPhone 12. The minimum storage space could go up to 128GB for the Pro models and remain at 64GB for the lower-end models. The first 5G iPhones The iPhones 12 will also be the first iPhones with support for 5G networks, that would seem to be certain. According to the rumors circulated so far, all the 2020 iPhones will be equipped with 5G connectivity but probably not all will support mmWave. The modem will be supplied by Qualcomm with which Apple has signed an agreement in recent months after the surrender by Intel from which the Cupertino company then bought the mobile division. The modem in question should be the Qualcomm X55 already used by many manufacturers even if there is no shortage of rumors about the possible adoption of the new X60 modem. Prices According to rumors of the usual Prosser, iPhone 12 will have an entry price of $ 649, the lowest that Apple has ever reached for an iPhone with an OLED panel. The cost will range from $ 649 to $ 1,099 for basic memory cuts: 5.4-inch iPhone 12: $ 649 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Max: $ 749 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro: $ 999 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max: $ 1,099 However, this information is in contrast with a more recent report by analyst Jeff Pu, according to which the starting price for the iPhone 12 is 749 euros, 50 dollars more than the 699 of the iPhone 11. iPhone 12 Max, however, could cost from A minimum of 799 to a maximum of 849 dollars, and that is with an increase between 100 and 150 dollars always compared to the iPhone 11. 22-29. VIP Gold + services_8 Mobility 0048 CZ s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kong AMC Elektronik Vertriebs GmbH Germany Bonn Amir Group United Arab Emirates Dubai AODELI COMPANY LIMITED China Hongkong, China AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal AVR GROUP DOO Serbia Beograd Blessings Telecom Fze United Arab Emirates Dubai Bluefin Century s.r.o. Slovakia Bratislava Bluepoint Corporation Ltd United Kingdom Milton Keynes BOSS ENTERPRISE LTD China Hong Kong Cell Axis FZCO/ Intracell Telecom United Arab Emirates Dubai Cell-Tel MIDDLE EAST LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai Central point Europe s.r.o. Slovakia Pezinok Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este Combigrama Portugal Portugal Lisbon Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Dotson IT Asset Management Corp United States Dallas Erregame S.p.A. Italy Milano Euromedia Investment Group, S.L. Spain Torrent Eurostar Global Electronics Ltd United Kingdom Newcastle-under-Lyme Galactica Aliança SA Spain Valencia Galaxy Telecom Netherlands Rotterdam GEETEX PTE LTD Singapore singapore Global Resource Trading Sh.p.k Albania TIRANE Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow HK HUI BAI ZHOU ELECTRONICS CO., LIMITED China Hong Kong Hong Kong Cooline technology Limitd China Hong Kong HTP France Villeneuve-le-Garenne INFO TECH France Paris Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Jimpower Trading Ltd China Hong Kong JP Teck BV Netherlands Beverwijk Jupiter GSM FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Kamkwat Limited China Hong Kong KANSKY a.s. Slovakia Bratislava Komputronik S.A. Poland Poznan Krishna Wireless United States Doral KROWN MOBILES TRADING LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai LANDOTECH MOBILE SP Z.O.O Poland Kraków LFE distribution, LLC United States Miami LMD GROUP GOLD LTD Israel Ramat Gan Mardin Gsm LLC United States Doral Metropolitan Trends GmbH Germany Hamburg MMM-Agramservis d.o.o. Croatia Zagreb Naam Electronics Fze United Arab Emirates Dubai NET WIRELESS INC United States New York NOVAPHONE sp. z.o.o S.K Poland Warsaw P.C.Distribution SPA Italy Napoli Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Klosterneuburg Parktel sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw PHF GmbH Germany Paderborn Phone Cash Business, S.L. Spain Madrid PINES Sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw PPA International AG Germany Schönefeld Prestige Group Srl Italy Bari Q-CONN GmbH Germany Bruchsal Rainbow International Distribution Romania Bucharest RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia RIBSON COMPANY, INC United States Florida RS GLOBAL LTD United Kingdom London Runphone international company limited China Hong Kong SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy Milano SGM Socher Inc United States New York SHAANXI HISUN BAUTON ELECTRONIC AND TECHNOLOGY CO. China Shaanxi Sisu Net AB Sweden Örsundsbro SK & ASSOCIATES LTD United Kingdom Cheshire Smalltronic.pl Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Wyszków Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale SMARTCOM DISTRIBUTION S.R.O. Czech Republic Praha Sound Business France Paris SPK Telecom FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Swift Telecom FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Tekpoint GmbH Austria Vienna TelePart GmbH Germany Holzmaden TPC Technology FZCO United Arab Emirates Dubai Uv phone ltd Israel haifa VADIMPEX Handels GmbH Austria Baden bei Wien Vitel Mobile United States Doral, MIAMI Vtech Electronics Tecnology Limited China Hong Kong WOWO Distribution Limited China HK XTG S.A. Poland Wroclaw Yonida International Trading Corp. United States New York Inhome: AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kong AODELI COMPANY LIMITED China Hongkong, China AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal BOSS ENTERPRISE LTD China Hong Kong Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este Click Europe Limited United Kingdom London Combigrama Portugal Portugal Lisbon Domo Trading Limited Malta Msida Dotson IT Asset Management Corp United States Dallas Erregame S.p.A. Italy Milano Galactica Aliança SA Spain Valencia GEETEX PTE LTD Singapore singapore Global Resource Trading Sh.p.k Albania TIRANE GLOBAX Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. Poland Poznań Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow Hong Kong Cooline technology Limitd China Hong Kong INFO TECH France Paris Intrade d.o.o. Slovenia Maribor Jimpower Trading Ltd China Hong Kong Krishna Wireless United States Doral KROWN MOBILES TRADING LLC United Arab Emirates Dubai MMM-Agramservis d.o.o. Croatia Zagreb NET WIRELESS INC United States New York P.C.Distribution SPA Italy Napoli Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Klosterneuburg Rainbow International Distribution Romania Bucharest RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia RS GLOBAL LTD United Kingdom London SELTE SPA Italy MILANO SG SPA Italy Milano SGM Socher Inc United States New York SHAANXI HISUN BAUTON ELECTRONIC AND TECHNOLOGY CO. China Shaanxi Shenzhen New Way Technology Co., Ltd. China shenzhen Shock Distribution Ltd United Kingdom Sheffield Sisu Net AB Sweden Örsundsbro Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale SPACO, S.A. Spain Madrid T W International General Trading L.L.C. United Arab Emirates Dubai TECH DREAM D.O.O. Croatia Zabreb TELPUR SRL Romania Bucuresti XTG S.A. Poland Wroclaw IT AC Electronic Limited China Hong Kong AT7 GmbH Germany Wuppertal Challenger S.A. Paraguay Ciudad del este Combigrama Portugal Portugal Lisbon GEETEX PTE LTD Singapore singapore Gsm Creative Solutions sp. z o.o. Poland Cracow INFO TECH France Paris Jimpower Trading Ltd China Hong Kong Krishna Wireless United States Doral P.C.Distribution SPA Italy Napoli Pantheon Distribution GmbH Austria Klosterneuburg RIBA MUNDO TECNOLOGIA SL. Spain Valencia SGM Socher Inc United States New York Smart Telecomm LLC United States Scottsdale Triple J'S Hong Kong Limited China Hong Kong XTG S.A. Poland Wroclaw Services: 365 Days Freight United Arab Emirates Dubai AIR EXPRESS POLAND Sp. z o.o. Poland Wroclaw G company Bulgaria Sofia Captains Freight Services HK LTD China Hong Kong Captains Freight Services USA United States Miami FL DREAM CARGO SERVICES SRL Romania BUCHAREST Interken Freighters (UK) Ltd United Kingdom Feltham MIT MEDIA Poland Warszawa NewbridgeFX United Kingdom London Qualilog s.r.o. Czech Republic Praha VELARA TRAVEL United States Boston 30-32. The Old Hand_The Age of technology 3 The Age Of Technology Well, its official: Apple is the largest company in the world. Worth over $2 Trillion, Apple is now larger than the whole of the UK,s FTSE 100 put together. Incredible but true! Within the last 15 years, technology companies have become the new giants of commerce and industry. In fact, in the top eight companies in the world technology companies own seven of the top positions. Go back to 2005 and technology companies owned only one of those spots. https://www.statista.com/chart/22677/the-age-of-the-tech-giants/?utm_source=Statista+Global&utm_campaign=e191f7e1fd-All_InfographTicker_daily_UK_AM_KW36_2020_Mo&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_afecd219f5-e191f7e1fd-308035973 The reason for that is simple. In our every day lives and workplaces, we have become totally reliant on technology. Our needs and obsessions to have, hold and use huge amounts of data on just about everything and anything has driven this huge exponential growth. And combined with our reliance on total automation, that has directed this incredible revolution. Since the beginning of this year the same pattern has occurred at an experiential rate. We have adapted and applied so many different technologies to create a complete lifestyle change, in order to properly react to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Working from home has seen a massive increase in virtual technology. Companies like Zoom have increased their user base by 354% and more than doubled their revenue compared to the same period last year. Within 6 months, moreover, Amazons sales have jumped by 68% with a double income of that in the same period last year, taking the personal fortune of Jeff Bezos from $113 Billion to $189 Billion. Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have all amassed huge personal gains during the Covid-19 Pandemic. For the fist time in history, then, the top 12 richest guys in the world have a combined personal wealth that has exceeded $1Trillion. So what do most of these guys have in common? At some extent, they are all associated or involved in technology companies. The core value of technology lies in the software: the creation of a practical tool that can control a process in fact so practical that it very quickly becomes normality for the masses to utilize it. Software is the hub or the value of a business. Built around that hub is a whole infrastructure of aligned businesses, totally reliant on the software. Ultimately, a whole ecosystem is created. The software will always require a vehicle to operate within, that vehicle is a bridge between the software and us. That vehicle is what we trade, hardware, Smartphones, Tablets, Desktops, Gaming Consoles and so forth and so on. As a good technology hardware trader, then, you will always profit. This business is here to stay. The growth of the business will only get larger and stronger. If you are willing and able to source that hardware at the right price and sell with a healthy margin then you will always be able to put clothes on your back and food in your belly. So what’s the next big thing? 5G will certainly have a massive impact on our market place. The 4.7 Billion users of Smartphone’s in the world will quickly adapt to this new and incredible technology, producing data speeds of at least ten times that of 4G. It is inevitable that in the near future there will be no necessity for a fixed broadband solution. All data will be transferred through our devices. Just the same way as we jumped from telephone landlines to voice over mobile, we will jump to data over mobile, while fixed broadband will be a thing of the past. We can safely say that over the next few years the world will require another 4.7 Billion Smartphone’s. So, it never ends! We have the imminent release of the new range of folding phones. Personally I would give them a wide berth for a few years. This is because breaking technology normally takes a few years to develop to perfection and with a price tag of over $2000 then it could be an expensive lesson. Currently Samsung seem to be leading the pack with their Galaxy Z Fold2 5G, but I am sure that Apple will soon have a competitor in their midst to match Samsungs quality product. As the on-line retailers grow the high street retailers will shrink. If the high street retailers don’t diversify to on-line retailer then they will disappear altogether. It’s an ever changing landscape of business evolution. And what evolves from it we can profit out off. The only thing that remains important to us is our awareness of it and our ability to change our direction quickly. As traders we are accustomed to change, we are able to change and we do change, frequently. Therefore we have no need to worry about what future holds for us: if we adapt ourselves as we do normally, then our future will be bright. Technology is where it is at and we are already there. We are the warriors of our technology industry, we will adapt and we will prosper. Keep The Faith The Old Hand. 33. Teksmart- Open Partnerships 34-36. Xiaomi offers EU Specs with warranty_3 12. Xiaomi offers EU Specs with warranty The one we are talking about today represents a real bombshell in the Xiaomi world for us European users. We have been talking to you about this brand several times, ever since it was only a topic for true connoisseurs. In recent years, it has finally made its official debut in Europe, making life easier for consumers who can buy directly from the source. Nonetheless, buying from Asian stores still remains the cheapest option, thanks to a more aggressive pricing policy. Many, however, are often doubtful, as they think that getting a phone from China means having no guarantees. But what if we told you that this is not the case and that even if you buy from China you are entitled to the official Europe guarantee? Do you have a Xiaomi Cross Border smartphone? Then the European guarantee is valid No, you have not read wrong. Perhaps you have already heard of it in some online discussion, with the first testimonies already at the end of 2019, but so far no one has spoken about it with greater concreteness. This is why we decided to personally contact the Xiaomi assistance and have us explain what the actual state of things is. Fortunately for all of us in the community, what appeared to be just a rumor has been confirmed to us as the truth. Everything is based on the concept of a cross-border model, that is the type of device that is not linked to a specific geographical territory. This means that the local guarantee is not valid for it, but the European one (in our case). This is why we have decided to draw up a guide to help you understand if your phone is also cross-border and how to take advantage of the European guarantee. How to check if my Xiaomi or Redmi is cross-border? Assuming you already have the phone in your hands, the method to understand if what you have is a cross-border model is very simple. First of all you need to have an IMEI 1 code: you can find it directly on the sales package. Alternatively, you can type the number * # 06 # into the dialer to see it appear. At this point, go to the official Xiaomi portal to verify the authenticity of the product. Enter the IMEI code in the space provided and the required captcha. Is it valid only for Xiaomi or for all sub-brands? It certainly applies to Xiaomi and Redmi, as well as to POCO phones. We do not have the certainty, however, for Black Shark. And the accessories? Not having an IMEI to check, on accessories it is not possible to understand if there is this type of distinction. Therefore we do not feel like we are unbalanced, also because many of the accessories that are sold in China are not really present in Europe. How to understand before buying if a phone is cross-border? To date, there is no recognition method that 100% guarantees that the Xiaomi smartphone you are about to buy is cross-border. It is possible that in the future, when the news is in the public domain, the stores will adapt and possibly specify it. At the moment, the only thing we can tell you is that, also based on reports, almost all stocks of Global models appear to be cross-border, regardless of origin. If, on the other hand, the product you purchase is indicated as China, then it is not cross-border. Beyond everything, we do not take responsibility if it is not actually cross-border. Also because there are cases of users who have bought an indicated phone of a certain origin which then turned out to be untrue. As it is shown on the package, we advise you to check the IMEI before opening it and, in case of problems, contact the store for clarification. Which stores are cross-border phones available on? Basically everyone. Let's take GearBest and BangGood as an example, as they are the main Chinese online stores of reference. But we can also find them on eBay and Amazon itself, in case they are models from third-party sellers, and so on. The important thing is that there is the wording “Global”. How is the guarantee handled? Warning: there is a big difference between an officially European and cross-border device. While both have the same 24-month warranty, only the former can be returned directly to the store where they were purchased to be sent for assistance. In the case of cross-border devices, however, everything is managed online. The first step is to contact support by phone, informing them of the IMEI and confirming the validity of the guarantee. Then you will have to contact the support email. At the address you will need to provide your name, surname, address, telephone number, email, IMEI, brief description of the problem and proof of purchase. This may be the receipt given to you by the store from which you purchased the defective smartphone. In the event that the damage covered by warranty is confirmed, Xiaomi will organize the collection at home by courier, without having to go out to go to the store. Once fixed, it will always be returned to you by the courier. When does the warranty period start? Here too we are in the field of assumptions, but we can rely on the analogous case of OnePlus, for which the same mechanism applies with the European guarantee. Consequently, the warranty begins its term from the moment the initial phone setup is completed. Moreover, Xiaomi is trying to implement regional restrictions (probable many of you heard companies complaining they can't sell certain regions). They splitted Europe in two regions - Eastern and Western. In Eastern (for ex. Poland, CZ) they have signed contracts with local repair shops and in case of warranty case phones are sent there. In Western part all warranty repairs are held by Anovo UK. Apparently warranty have phones only imported by official Xiaomi partners. 37. VON Advertising 1 38-39. Smart telecom 2 40-41. Yukatel - Mobile Phones 42-45. Apple and Epic Games Battle Continues 7. Apple and Epic Games Battle Continues The war between Epic and Apple is undoubtedly one of the most interesting technological battles of recent years: it is so rich in nuances that a clear line-up is impossible, unless playing Fortnite on iPhone or iPad is your favorite pastime. On the one hand we have those who over the years have managed to build an effective distribution system thanks above all to video games, just remember the success of Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Clash Royale and many other games that have made millions on the Apple Store, always leaving behind. The famous 30% commissions, on the other hand we have Epic waving the banner of freedom and the defense of consumers' interests with a move designed at the table and also designed to transform its users into an army to be deployed in the field to do Pressure on the opponent. In fact, we remember that Epic knew very well what would happen and this would have an impact on those who spent money in Fortnite and played it above all on smartphones, a mentally impossible activity for adults but absolutely normal for millions of kids who often do not even have a console. Or a PC available. The recent case In recent days, Apple has removed Fortnite from its proprietary store, making it impossible for all users to download and update the famous Battle Royale. It was an almost mandatory decision, because Epic Games had recently introduced a payment method in its video game designed solely to evade the rich percentage due to the owners of the platforms. But while Tim Sweeney's company has even published a 1984 advertisement in a George Orwell key, Google has also followed in the footsteps of the Cupertino company, eliminating Fortnite from the pages of its Play Store. That Epic Games had to complain about the percentage imposed on all transactions within the mobile stores, has never been a secret. But this time the owners of Fortnite have decided to exaggerate by integrating a payment option in clear violation of the regulations of the mobile platforms. Epic aimed to evade the 30% royalty that Google as much as Apple pocket from every purchase made by users, a percentage that Sweeney has repeatedly defined as predatory and the daughter of a monopolistic situation. But despite these conditions that over the years have led several publishers to complain, it is the first time that we have witnessed a violation that smells of challenge. The consequences Perhaps Epic Games took the longest step of the leg. Not only because it worked against previously signed agreements, but because it immediately filed a sixty-five-page injunction against Apple, proving it had been ready for days, if not months, to make its move. Not to mention the weight of the commercial published in conjunction with the hashtag #freefortnite, a video that basically invites the 200 million users of the Battle Royale to boycott Apple's products and stores. A bitter legal battle awaits us in the coming months, with an Epic willing to bring the monopolistic situation to the attention of the court, and with Google and Apple determined to enforce the regulations of their platforms. Who’s right? Epic Games' main mistake lies in the desire to transform what is a personal economic interest into a real social battle. The quotas required by Apple and Google to win a prominent place in the most popular stores have long been at the center of criticism from video game developers. But Tim Sweeney's company, in the past, preferred to launch its own store rather than act in violation of the agreements and above all announce a lawsuit through a trailer. Is it possible that the Google and Apple stores are too big targets even for the company behind Fortnite, a giant of over 17 billion? Meanwhile, mobile devices with Fortnite installed are selling like hot cakes on Ebay: given the impossibility of legally downloading the game, there are those who have put their iPad Pro 12.9 up for auction with the game installed for 5,000 euros! Other turning points And if that wasn't enough, Apple has also closed the doors of its walled garden to cloud gaming apps like Stadia and XCloud, arguing that it would be impossible to enforce the quality and analytics standards of video games distributed in this way. The decision was also received in a very negative way by sites and analysts close to Apple and even here there is another truth: cloud gaming games could contain purchase possibilities that would go around 30% due to Cupertino. This sounds like a hoax for Microsoft, Epic and Google because Apple treats video games as different entities than music and movies, but also the same video-on-demand apps like Prime Video, for which Amazon not only pays half the commission. Standard, but gets no penalty for selling on-demand movies that Apple earns nothing on. Apple's decision against cloud gaming is linked to the fact that in this way iPhone and iPad would lose their status as a terminal where you can get more beautiful and desired games to simply become the screens on which Microsoft titles and other software houses can run. Why would a developer seek an agreement with Apple and comply with its demands when they could distribute their mobile title everywhere on XCloud or Stadia? Cloud gaming is not yet so widespread, but by now we have understood that it is an accessible tool, at least from a technical point of view and Microsoft itself seems to be aiming a lot, given that it will insert XCloud for free in its Xbox Game Pass service, a platform that will offer in the future All the titles coming out for Xbox Series X to anyone willing to pay a few euros a month, even on PC. Apple has always had a conflicting relationship with video games, for years the niche of its computers and hardware differences have prevented, and still in many cases prevent, Apple users from using many titles. On iOS, however, things immediately went differently and if the mobile gaming sector is so lively today it is due to the impulse received from the iPhone. Lately, Apple has also launched Arcade, a subscription service that collects games without in-app purchases and trying to escape from the usual monetization logic. To push Arcade, Apple has also contributed to the development of some titles, entering into agreements with producers from time to time. All this while Android certainly did not guarantee the same experience, giving way to piracy and copied titles. For years the agreement with Cupertino was not questioned, given that in exchange it offered one of the healthiest ecosystems in the entire videogame landscape, both in terms of quality and diffusion, but today Epic has decided to rebel and is perhaps one of the Few companies that could really open a few cracks in Apple's garden walls. It is news in these hours that Apple has informed Epic that it will close the company's developer account on both iOS and Mac by 28 August. “The App Store - comments Apple - was designed to be a safe and reliable place for users and a great business opportunity for all developers. Epic has been one of the most successful developers on the App Store, growing into a multi-billion dollar business that reaches millions of iOS customers around the world. We strongly want to keep the company as part of the Apple Developer Program and their apps on the Store. The problem that Epic has created itself is a problem that can be easily remedied if you come up with an update of your app that restores it to comply with the guidelines they have agreed and that apply to all developers. We won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of guidelines that protect our customers.” In response, Epic has filed another lawsuit and stated that this would mean depriving hundreds of developers of a fundamental tool: Unreal Engine. Epic, in fact, is not only the company that developed Fortnite, but the creator of one of the most popular graphics engines in the world. If this scenario were to become a reality it would be a huge damage for many people and Epic itself would find itself in a decidedly uncomfortable situation. Meanwhile, WordPress ends up in the debate Meanwhile Apple was about to mount a more or less similar case with WordPress, the famous CMS platform for blogs and more. Apple warned developers to implement in-app sales of premium plans and custom domains in the WordPress app - which is completely free. These elements form the platform's main livelihood system, but can only be bought on the website. Not even two days later, Apple said it re-examined the case and changed its mind about the WordPress app. In fact, Apple says it was WordPress that removed links and ads leading to the website to buy premium plans and subscriptions, which were there before and triggered the whole case; the problem is that these ads had actually already been removed weeks ago, if not months. In a nutshell, Apple tells the story as if it were WordPress that 'yielded' to Apple's demands by putting itself in good standing, while the facts suggest that Apple actually tried to force WordPress to implement in-app purchases - and since From these Apple retains 30% is an easy argument to support. 46. GRT Advertising 1 47-48. Offices- do we still need them 49-50. Najib_The last six months THE LAST SIX MONTHS – MOBILITY IN THE DAYS OF COVID 19 Aah, it's that time of the year again when the spring descends in the fall and the humanity waits for the once in a year event; some drool others splurge on the thousand’s dollar devices from Apple. The Two Trillion Dollar behemoth market capitalization, in fact, is more than the total cap of major western European stock markets. This time the edges would be flat like the initial iPhone 4. And then there is 5g, the first ever to bring this new cutting-edge technology beating the competition and leaving them in the dust. As usual Apple took its time to wait up on the rollout of the new tech and, in my opinion, it’s still at least about two years early. 5g is not really happening. The conspiracy theories of the cute new technology used to control human mind with the COVID infested vaccine, the very same that would ultimately flip the humanity to mere robots becoming nothing more than instruments of the global elite - is not happening either. What is true about those theories - I am sorry to reveal that - is just the fact of spending too much time on some “special” websites. However, 5g is not as cool for consumers as we all know at this stage. This technology is more about connected devices than downloading movies in a few seconds. I wonder why we are so excited about downloading the full-length full HD movie in eight seconds rather than a few minutes; will there be a technology to watch the movie in eight seconds as well? You never know. Anyhow, attached is a gloomy figure from the global research firm IDC showing a 10% drop in smartphone shipments forecasted in 2020; I guess people were busy buying something else while stuck at home. The total smartphone shipments were around 1.3 Billion units with a market dropping by 18%; there are clear concerns in terms of the economy as well as people holding on to the smartphones much longer than they usually have. In the meantime, product quality has significantly increased, adding to the woes of longevity of lifetimes. Although research firms are hell bent upon the eventual growth and recovery of the market by the end of 2021, I see a flat curve in the coming years unless we get devices with a microwave access to heat up our lunch, who knows. Unique service propositions must be introduced by operators to ensure the move towards 5g for consumers as 4g services are enough at this stage to cover the demand. Developed markets might make a move towards the new tech but in the lower markets, so there won’t be a need to make a move in that direction. There would however be a push by chip manufacturers to drive the 5g range and withdraw the older technologies, but this would come at a flip side with the vendors having to reduce prices of the devices across the board. In my opinion, 4g would stay as a dominant technology for the next 3 years with 5g taking over the mantle after 2023, finally covering the whole range. China is already leaps and bound ahead of the world in 5g tech and would grow as such. Also, the other interesting movie to watch in the mobile space is the US tantrum against Huawei and the subsequent new Harmony operating system. I do have another observation, though. If everything tends to be controlled by the government then how come the likes of Oppo, Realme, VIVO, Xiaomi etc. are free to operate? Anyway, don’t tell the US, or they’ll screw it as well like they’ve done to TikTok! Anyway, fun times are ahead of us, so let’s enjoy the final months of 2020. STAY SAFE. 51-52. The Future of Exhibitions- CES 2021 going digital_2 6. The Future of Exhibitions- CES 2021 going digital The Las Vegas tech fair forced to change: from 6 to 9 January next, videoconferencing and streaming software, virtual and augmented reality will be exploited. The Consumer Technology Association, which has organized the event since 1967, has announced that what will take place in January will be just a big online appointment, made up of product presentations, futuristic speeches, open debates and everything that would normally be seen in the City ​​of sin, with the difference that for once we will be comfortable at our desks, sipping coffee and, probably, in pajamas. Ces 2021 will be held from 6 to 9 January next, but it will not be a traditional event but a totally digital and virtual version to allow many companies to show the news coming to the press and enthusiasts while respecting the regulations for the fight against the Covid coronavirus- 19. The 2020 edition in Las Vegas was one of the last major events that took place before the pandemic that blocked the world, with the following congresses - starting with the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona - being gradually canceled. That’s why the 2021 will be the year of the slow restart, but it is impossible to imagine an abrupt return to normal. “In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and growing global health concerns, it is not possible to safely summon tens of thousands of people to Las Vegas in early January 2021 to meet and do business in person” said Gary Shapiro, CTA president and CEO behind Ces”. “Technology is helping us work, learn and connect during the pandemic - and that innovation will also help us reimagine Ces 2021 and bring the tech community together in a meaningful way”. In short, as it has already been possible to appreciate with individual product presentations and with smaller events in recent weeks, Ces will also take advantage of streaming, videoconferencing software, virtual reality to be able to travel in an immersive way without moving from home and all Other technological solutions to ensure an enjoyable and, as far as possible, entertainment experience. The reason for the rethinking: Good or bad? Well, a necessity. In the last two months, the health crisis that is still struggling to disappear completely from Europe, is instead taking hold in the United States, where air travel is largely canceled (except for those limited to internal travel), with the risk that Can recap what was already seen with the Mobile World Congress that should have been held in Barcelona last February: last-minute postponements and millions of euros lost between almost completed installations, paid trips and hotels and stands now without reason to exist. It will also be a trend that will characterize the near future with many events that will become virtual. And it is not utopian to think that it will continue even once the situation has normalized to the full advantage of costs which will be drastically reduced both for those who organize and for those who participate, with the logistics part inevitably simplified. Who knows if among the presentations streamed from Las Vegas there will also be that of the tunnel of the Boring Company by Elon Musk, promised precisely for Ces 2021? As for Handelot, we also decided to postpone the TEN event until the pandemic is over… hopefully this will happen sooner than we think! 53-56. Ways of Recruiting new Employees- HR during Covid19_4 3. Ways of Recruiting new Employees: HR during Covid19 In these days of high uncertainty, the ability to change, adapt, develop and react is a prerequisite for the life of the company. A crisis situation must represent an opportunity to be seized to improve one's processes, starting with the management of Human Resources. For this reason, many companies around the globe have studied various solutions, today more than ever, to support companies. Find out how to create value in your organization by leveraging our expertise and the revolutionary potential of innovation. In this new way of working it is necessary to integrate services and products to face the challenges that the changed context leads us to face. Through our business lines we offer integrated solutions with structured paths. Between these: Digital Mapping Technology alone does not make us ready to operate effectively in digital and ever-changing environments. It is necessary to develop specific skills, integrate them with daily work practices and develop a corporate digital culture at all levels. A skilled team in the HR can quickly respond to your need to know who, today in the company, is more comfortable in using and solving complex problems through digital tools, more agile in thought and more prepared to shorten decision-making times Leadership Effectiveness It is in moments of uncertainty, ambiguity and crisis that there is a need for courageous leaders, who know how to reprogram in the short term, able to move skillfully in complex scenarios, to make difficult decisions, take risks and seize new, and not always obvious, opportunities. . Can your organization count today on the contribution of Leader with these characteristics? By doing so, you can provide a concrete answer to this question and quickly support the development of the Leadership skills your organization needs. E-Learning The Covid 19 has forces companies and workers to transcend the physical boundaries of the classroom through its offer of e-learning content. Whether it is standard courses or stimuli dedicated to management training, on “Smart Learning” platforms learning becomes multimedia. Smart Working With digital transformation, the world is becoming an incredibly close place to reach. Often standing still in the same spot. And the same goes for the workplace. If the city becomes 'smart', even daily activity becomes virtual. Sometimes for strategic choice, sometimes for contingent necessity. HR Digital Assistant HR Digital Assistants are virtual assistants developed in order to help people to use all corporate technological tools effectively and efficiently. HR Digital Assistant is a chatbot with artificial intelligence (Conversational AI) integrated with corporate or personal messaging tools that supports the colleague in everyday activities, improving their experience and increasing their effectiveness. Cyber ​​Security Assessment Many HR solutions have developed a Cyber ​​Assessment service, delivered remotely, which helps companies to develop or strengthen Remote Work plans, providing a high-level assessment and recommendations to mitigate IT risks and to protect the organization from loss O breach of sensitive data, in addition to the economic damage resulting from the fines of the GDPR. New Focus: clear and transparent We are going through a period in which an abundance of information joins the anxiety resulting from the presence of an invisible and devious virus. Employees sometimes know more than we do, however often the news is contradictory or incomplete and fake news spreads, fueling the climate of profound uncertainty already present. This is why it is important to be clear in making decisions and communicating them to the organization. This does not mean that once a direction has been taken, it cannot be changed, but, in order not to further fuel the anxiety, it is necessary to convey the feeling that the organization is aware of the situation and has a clear vision. You have to be able to give an immediate answer. Listen to employees What impact are initiatives such as prolonged school closures having on employees with young children? Are there any employees who have already faced the loss of loved ones due to the Coronavirus? How are the most exposed employees experiencing the situation? And those with the most precarious contracts? Answering these and many other questions means knowing how to listen to your employees. Penetrating the organization with communication is fine, but opening listening channels is equally essential to reduce concerns and increase the sense of closeness. When the crisis is overcome and everyone's contribution will be important to face the economic consequences of the health emergency and start again, companies that have been able to listen to their employees and take into account their requests will discover that they have gained in terms of trust and well-being Of people. Establish a multidisciplinary crisis management team For a company of the size of SAP Italia (over 700 employees, spread over 3 offices) it is essential to create a team with professionals from different areas, who know how to manage the crisis from multiple points of view (not only HR, but also finance, Security, facility, communication). Diversity is also important in this case, so as not to risk neglecting important aspects of the crisis, which in the long run would impact employee responses. Having as complete a vision as possible and being open to all positions does not, however, mean creating chaos in communication or adopting different lines depending on, for example, the offices. The presence of a leader who pulls the strings is in fact fundamental and once the path to follow has been decided, everyone must unanimously conform. Know when is the right time to communicate Sending 2 or 3 emails a day could create confusion and anxiety among employees, at the same time a too long interval between one communication and another could be a source of demotivation or give rise to speculation. As anticipated in the first point, employees are already subjected to a surplus of information that generates anxiety and often does not add real information value, being too zealous and abounding with communications does not bring any benefit to the organization. It is therefore appropriate to properly calibrate the frequency of communications, acting promptly in the event of significant changes (for example, the issuance of new decrees) to convey the feeling of being in control of the situation and continuing to communicate at regular intervals. Tackling the crisis with the ways in which major projects are tackled To react in the best possible way to a crisis such as that linked to the spread of COVID-19, it is essential not to be caught unprepared and not to have an approximate answer. It is necessary to prepare a project, assign roles, respect deadlines, control the delivery and the mood of internal customers. Every crisis carries within it opportunities Crises are moments of great discontinuity and the most immediate reaction is naturally the concern for the consequences, both the foreseen and the unforeseeable ones, however, even in the most difficult moments it is good not to panic and remember that every crisis is a source of Opportunity. The situation in which we found ourselves forced us to work in a different way than usual, to find new ways to relate to customers, partners and each other. 57. Industry Hires - H-asia Recruitment 1 58. Industry Hires - Technology Supplier 59-60. Blackberry does software for cars now_2 8. Automotive technology drives the revival of BlackBerry Yes. You read it correctly. Automotive technology drives the revival of BlackBerry. The growing presence in the automotive industry is key to BlackBerry's efforts to move away from the smartphone industry for which it has become famous. The Canadian company is expanding its joint ventures with car manufacturers and suppliers through its Technology Solutions unit which, through QNX software and radar products, operates in the sector of connected vehicles, in the research and development of autonomous technologies and in the management of fleets for the Transport industry. The strategy seems to be paying off: in the quarter ended November 30, BlackBerry recorded a net profit of 59 million Canadian dollars (44 million US dollars) on a turnover of 226 million compared to a net loss of 275 million dollars Last year. Part of the gain is due to the growth of the automotive unit, which grew 23% to $ 53 million in the quarter. The Waterloo-based company is beginning to reap the benefits of partnerships with manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover and investments, including the 2010 acquisition of QNX whose software is present in approximately 120 million vehicles globally. Last year BlackBerry launched Jarvis, a cloud-based cybersecurity product that can identify security flaws in code used in automotive software. BlackBerry has also signed a deal with Chinese internet giant Baidu that will use QNX in its autonomous driving system. Black-Berry leverages the expertise and reputation gained in safety in other sectors, including the medical field, to support activities in the automotive sector. BlackBerry QNX is now a cybersecurity company that provides secure foundational software for many of the world’s mission-critical embedded systems like connected cars, medical technology and trains. Lately, the company’s focus has been on self-driving vehicles and other forms of automotive tech. Now, 175 million vehicles run various versions of its software. BlackBerry has an extensive portfolio of certified and secure functional software, including the QNX operating system, development tools and middleware for autonomous and connected vehicles. Automakers and Tier 1 use BlackBerry® QNX® software for advanced driver assistance, digital instrument clusters, connectivity modules, hands-free and infotainment systems found in automotive brands, including Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, KIA, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen. These automakers are using QNX software for their driver assistance systems, digital instrument clusters, connectivity modules, handsfree systems and infotainment systems, according to the company’s press release. Last year 120 million vehicles used BlackBerry’s software. Between then and now, QNX has gained 30 million more users. The company is working with at least 45 different automakers, including Volkswagen, Ford, GM and more. Chip manufacturers and vehicle parts suppliers are also using QNX technologies to secure their automotive-based technologies. “Over the past five years we have gone from BlackBerry QNX technology that helped power 60 million cars to today's announcement of over 175 million - a nearly threefold increase and a testament to the fact that today's leading automakers and their Tier one vendors continue to rely on BlackBerry and our ability to provide them with secure software on which the next generation of vehicles will be built” said John Chen, BlackBerry Executive President and CEO. “Vehicle electronic architecture is evolving from being hardware-driven to software-defined and this independent assessment by Strategy Analytics further validates our industry leadership position as the leading provider of core software platforms for the Current and next generation of connected and autonomous vehicles.” What about Blackberry Smartphones? As of the end of August, BlackBerry will no longer license TCL to manufacture smartphones in its own name. The partnership between the two companies will therefore end in about 10 days, started with a brand licensing agreement in 2016. However, a new return of this brand is expected on the horizon, as anticipated on the official blog. BlackBerry has in fact signed an agreement with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile Limited, for the production of smartphones equipped with support for 5G technology as well as a physical keyboard. The planned launch is for 2021. The target audience of this new product will obviously be business users, those who historically have opted for BlackBerry terminals. The company aims to meet the needs of the latter, offering a product that combines support for 5G technology with specific security solutions and a user experience that aims at maximum personal productivity. At the present time the only information about this new smartphone is that it will integrate 5G support, which will be equipped with a physical keyboard and which obviously will adopt the Google Android operating system. It is almost obvious that the security element will be one of the most developed features of this device, thus replicating what has already been shown in the past with the most recent smartphones of the BlackBerry family. 61. TSMC Chipset maker hires_1 2. TSMC Chipset maker hires TSMC will hire more than 8000 engineers to develop the 3 nm. TSMC plans to add 8000 jobs for a new R&D center which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. It will be geared towards research and development for 3nm and beyond process technology. That was announced by Mark Liu, TSMC CEO in the last Annual conference, who said they will hire an additional 8,000 employees for the center. The new R&D center will be located in northern Taiwan. Construction is scheduled to begin early next year and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. According to Taiwan News, an employee said he would dedicate himself to the development of 3nm. We know that TSMC already works on the 5nm nodes for the next generation of chips, but the 3nm nodes are in the plans. At the moment, we do not know if nodes even smaller than 3 nm will arrive or if any other alternative to reducing nodes will be found to improve the performance of the processors and their energy consumption. TSMC ended 2018 with some 49,000 employees, so adding 8,000 would mean a strong increase in its R&D capacity. In its most recent third quarter, TSMC spent $ 769 million on research and development, 10% more than a year ago. They recently started the construction of a factory in which to develop the 3nm chips. TSMC recently started construction of a $ 19.5 billion manufacturing facility that will produce 3-nanometer chips starting in 2023. Technologically speaking, the Taiwanese foundry is “working with customers and progress in technology development is going well. . Our N3 process will be different from 5 nanometers with an improvement in PPA (power, performance and area, i.e. consumption, performance and area) similar to that between N7 and N5. We expect our 3 nanometer technology to be the most advanced for both PPAs and transistors when it is introduced. ' Overall, TSMC has invested $ 50 billion in fine-tuning the manufacturing processes that are used by its customers today. Recall that in recent weeks the company has indicated its intention to invest an additional 4 billion dollars in machinery to expand the production of 7 and 5 nanometer chips. Of these 1.5 billion will go to 7 nanometers, while 2.5 billion to 5 nanometers. TSMC will therefore bring the 'capex' in 2019 from 11 to 14/15 billion dollars. 62. Top Products Top Manufacturer Top Brands Top Models_1 63. Newbridge FX 64. Handelot Offices