Ed Sutherland

Samsung’s audit of Chinese suppliers finds excess overtime hours, but no child labor

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 26, 2012

No children are building Samsung devices in China, the South Korean smartphone maker announced Monday. According to an audit of 105 Chinese suppliers, there are problems with too much overtime and being fined for lateness or absences. The four-week monitoring of its suppliers' production facilities follows earlier accusations that one of Samsung's suppliers hired underage workers.

Although Samsung insisted it has "zero tolerance" about child workers, the company said today it will require that all suppliers follow new hiring procedures, including the use of a device that spots false IDs. By the end of the year, suppliers must stop fining workers when they are late or absent, the firm announced today...

Analyst: no Black Friday iPad mini discounts means huge demand exists

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

While Black Friday discounts abound at Apple and around the web, one product where deals are absent is Apple's iPad mini. The reason: people want to buy the smaller iPad deal or no deal, one analyst opines. According to Wells Fargo's Maynard Um, "early checks suggest demand continues to be robust with strong store traffic through the week and early Friday". That ship times remain two weeks for both the Wi-Fi and Cellular models points to the iPad mini becoming a must-have holiday item (kids agree)...

Apple picks new battery supplier, drops Samsung

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 23, 2012

Apple has chosen two China-based battery companies to supply the iPad and MacBook, says a Friday report. Amperex Technology Limited and Tianjin Lishen Battery would replace Samsung SDI, a subsidiary of the South Korean firm that is both Apple's chief rival and largest supplier. The report is just the latest indicating Samsung and Apple are reconsidering their close relationship.

As the two smartphone giants attempt to out-compete each other in the courtroom and store shelves, Samsung's role appears to be shifting from major supplier to important manufacturer...

Disney CEO buys $1M of Apple stock, a vote of confidence amid insane sell-off

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Disney CEO and Apple board member Bob Iger earlier this week purchased $1 million worth of shares of the iPhone maker, just one week after exercising an option on a million shares for $17.9 million. The move is seen as an attempt by the Disney executive to show confidence during a period of sell-offs one analyst described as "insane".

Iger joined Apple's board of directors a year ago and is credited with healing wounds between the two companies when his predecessor Michael Eisner led the studio. The executive purchased $1 million worth of Apple stock at the time, then worth near $375 per share. Under Iger, Disney has been a loyal supporter of Apple, permitting movies on iTunes during a time when other Hollywood content owners avoided Steve Jobs...

iPhone 5 easier to find in stores, analysts say

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

There is at least a 7-in-10 chance that you can now find an iPhone 5 on store shelves, according to one analyst Wednesday. The once-elusive smartphone may soon be available for same-day purchase from Apple Stores, the Wall Street observer told investors. The report by Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster (I know, don't start) follows news that iPhone 5 units ordered through Apple's website have a two-week shipping delay, down from as much as three weeks. His comments echo those by fellow Apple watcher Shawn Wu of Sterne Agee, who described the wider availability of the iPhone 5 as "much improved"...

Kids want an iPad for Christmas – and nothing else

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 20, 2012

Listen up, parents. Your kids want an iPad. Don't be swayed by the Microsoft Surface commercials or the Nintendo Wii U chatter. No matter whether your child is 6 or 16, the iPad is at the top of Christmas wish lists for 2012, a new survey has it. According to Nielsen Wire, the top four out of five most-wanted gifts for children and teens bear an Apple logo.

Even more intriguing are the changes in what Apple products are wanted this holiday season versus last year. If anything, the trend can be summed-up in one word: tablet...

Gartner predicts Lenovo will become China’s #1 smartphone brand in 2013

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 20, 2012

China is fast becoming a key market for Apple and other smartphone makers looking to cash-in on the nation's enormous population. However, the top player in 2013 could come from closer to home. Lenovo is expected to become China's leading smartphone brand next year, up from its current #2 slot, one research firm announced Tuesday.

According to Gartner, Lenovo's share of the smartphone market rose to 14.8 percent in the third quarter of this year, a dramatic increase from a year ago, when the company held just 1.7 percent of the market. That puts its Android-powered LePhone within striking distance of Samsung, which is the leading smartphone maker in China with 16.7 percent of the market.

What advantages does Lenovo have? Name-recognition and reasonable pricing, the latter being of the utmost importance in China...

Munster: Apple to kick off 2013 with iTV (and other wild predictions)

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 20, 2012

Like the left-over turkey that just won't disappear from the fridge, talk of a full-blown, Apple-branded HD television set - the mythical iTV - lingers on in the minds of Wall Street seers. The product could carry a price of $1,500 and $2,000 and be introduced in time for Christmas 2013, one analyst forecast Tuesday. The shiny television product launch would highlight a long list of new products for Apple fans of all stripes.

Although Apple's goal of offering à la carte TV programming is viewed as "unlikely," some of the features made popular on the iPhone and iPad could be headed to a big-screen TV set spanning between 42 and 55 inches, according to perhaps the most vocal iTV proponent out there, Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray...

Apple drops to sixth in Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 19, 2012

Apple's environmental credentials lost some of their luster in the eyes of watchdog group Greenpeace. The company ranked #6 among consumer electronics firms, a slip in stature largely blamed on lack of transparency. While ranking high in product's energy efficiency, the gadget maker from California lost points for not providing information on its greenhouse gas emissions that could be externally verified. Apple also received poor marks for not setting a target for lower emissions, the group announced Monday...

Obama, Boehner turn to Apple’s boss for financial advice

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 19, 2012

Apple CEO Tim Cook should consider becoming a financial consultant, if this iPhone thing fizzles out. Apparently, he is on speed-dial for both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. U.S. President Barack Obama called Cook seeking comment on the looming "fiscal cliff" crisis, according to Monday reports. Although it's not known what advice the Apple leader gave Obama, Cook was among a number of CEOs the White House contacted. Other business leaders included JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, Jim McNerney of Boeing and Craig Jelinek of Costco...

Apple owns 37 percent of the fragmented mobile ad market

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple continues to lead mobile advertising, despite Samsung's strength in handset sales, a new report out Monday indicates. Apple accounted for 37 percent of mobile ads while Samsung had 24 percent. The rest of the mobile pack were left in the two firms' dust. Cupertino's mobile ad lead over Samsung actually grew by three percent during the third quarter, with a little help from the iPhone 5, which was released at the end of the third quarter, according to Adfonic's AdMetrics report...

Android grabs 90 percent of China’s smartphone market

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 16, 2012

The world is full of ironies. The latest comes from China, whose government frequently blocks most of Google's properties. Yet, inside the country, more than 90 percent of smartphones run Android. Not laughing is Apple, with just a single-digit share of this enormous market. Specifically, Android's share hit 90.1 percent mark in Q3 2012.

At the same time, iOS recorded just a 4.2 share, new research finds. Seemingly at the heart of problem for Apple: price. While the average price of an Android-powered handset is $179, the iPhone carries a $726 average price tag. The iPhone 5 can't hit Chinese shelves too soon...