Showing posts with label sales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sales. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

LG Q1 earnings come in lower than last year, but phone sales are up

LG ANNOUNCES FIRST-QUARTER 2013 FINANCIAL RESULTS
Quarterly Results Reflect Record-High Smartphone Shipments

SEOUL, Apr. 24, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) today reported a solid first-quarter performance due to a resurging handset business which shipped 10.3 million smartphones between January and March, the highest for LG since it entered the smartphone race. Better-than-expected performance in LG's mobile operations offset weaker results in the home entertainment business.

First-quarter operating profit of KRW 350 billion (USD 322.88 million) and net profit of KRW 22 billion (USD 20.30 million) declined somewhat from the same period last year. However, revenues in the first quarter rose 6.8 percent year-over-year to KRW 14.10 trillion (USD 13.01 billion) mainly due to the improved performance of the mobile business.

LG Home Entertainment Company revenues of KRW 5.17 trillion (USD 4.77 billion) declined year-on-year due to lower sales of plasma TVs and IT products. Sales of LCD TVs increased in Europe and developing markets such as China and CIS from the same period last year. Operating profit of KRW 30 billion (USD 27.68 million), although lower than last year, increased compared to the previous quarter. Although TV and IT market will continue to be stagnant, LG expects stronger results with the rollout of new 3D Smart TVs and ULTRA HD TVs.

LG Mobile Communications Company results improved significantly in the first quarter, recording revenues of KRW 3.21 trillion (USD 2.96 billion) on smartphone shipments of 10.3 million units, an increase in revenue of 28.5 percent from the same period last year. Healthy sales of LTE smartphones such as the Optimus G and Optimus G Pro along with 3G smartphones including the Optimus L Series and Nexus 4 contributed to the improved results. Operating profit increased almost four-fold from the same period last year to KRW 133 billion (USD 122.69 million) thanks to stronger revenue and better cost structure. The company expects to further increase shipments and sales in the second quarter with the worldwide rollout of Optimus L SeriesII targeting 3G markets with the 5.5-inch Full HD IPS Optimus G Pro and Optimus F Series in countries with 4G LTE networks.

LG Home Appliance Company sales in the first quarter of 2013 increased 11 percent from the same period last year to KRW 2.81 trillion (USD 2.59 billion), largely due to improved sales in the United States, Central America and the Middle East. A 29 percent decrease in operating profit year-over-year to KRW 102 billion (USD 94.10 million) reflected increased investments in R&D and marketing. LG will focus on strengthening its competitiveness and market leadership in a weak worldwide market with differentiated products and a strengthened product line-up.

LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company revenues were KRW 1.23 trillion (USD 1.14 billion) in the first quarter, mainly as a result of improved performance in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Due to successful new products, operating profit was virtually unchanged year-on-year at KRW 73 billion (USD 67.34 million) despite an increase in R&D expenses. LG expects to improve its sales and profitability by introducing more energy efficient and localized air conditioning products.

2013 1Q Exchange Rates Explained
Starting from the first quarter of 2013, LG Electronics accounted LG Innotek as a consolidated subsidiary of the Company pursuant to enactment of Korea-International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS) 1110 "Consolidated Financial Statements." Due to this change, the Company has also reclassified comparative financial data in accordance with the new disclosure requirement. Amounts in Korean won (KRW) are translated into U.S. dollars (USD) at the average rate of the three-month period of the corresponding quarter - KRW 1,084 per USD (2013 1Q).

Earnings Conference and Conference Call
LG Electronics will hold a Korean language earnings news conference on April 24, 2013 at 16:30 Korea Standard Time at the LG Twin Tower Auditorium (B1 East Tower, 20 Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea). An English language conference call will follow on April 25, 2013 at 10:00 Korea Standard Time (01:00 GMT/UTC). Participants are instructed to call +82 31 810 3069 and enter the passcode 9084#. The corresponding presentation file will be available for download at the LG Electronics website (www.lg.com/global/ir/reports/earning-release.jsp) at 14:00 on April 24, 2013. Please visit http://pin.teletogether.com/eng/ and pre-register with the passcode provided. For those unable to participate, an audio recording of the news conference will be available for a period of 30 days after the conclusion of the call. To access the recording, dial +82 31 931 3100 and enter the passcode 142690# when prompted.


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By: Unknown On 10:37 PM
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Thursday, April 18, 2013

3DS still outpacing predecessor in comparative sales, says Nintendo



It took a hefty price cut and a holiday sales boost to coax the 3DS out of its predecessor's shadow, but these days Nintendo's autostereoscopic handheld is doing just fine. NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime says it isn't slowing down either, revealing to GamesIndustry that more than 8 million consoles have been sold in the US in the last two years -- beating the original DS' first two years by a million units. Software sales are picking up too. "Life-to-date 3DS game sales surpass 20 million units in the US, and that's just physical," Fils-Aime explains. "It doesn't include digital sales." Both digital and physical software sales have increased by 55 percent in the last year, and according to Nintendo executive vice president of sales and marketing Scott Moffitt, 11 percent of last year's 3DS games were downloaded from the handheld's eShop. Nintendo's digital escapades may not be perfect, but it's good to see that its downloadable sales push seems to be paying off.


Source: GamesIndustry, Polygon

Monday, April 1, 2013

Tesla Model S axes 40 kWh battery option, surpasses sales goals

Tesla Model S Sales Exceed Target

Profitability Guidance Amended Upward; 40 kWh Battery Cancelled

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Tesla Motors announced today that sales of its Model S vehicle exceeded the target provided in the mid-February shareholder letter. As customers who note their Model S serial number this weekend will realize, vehicle deliveries (sales) exceeded 4,750 units vs. the 4,500 unit prior outlook. As a result, Tesla is amending its Q1 guidance to full profitability, both GAAP and non-GAAP.

"I am incredibly proud of the Tesla team for their outstanding work. There have been many car startups over the past several decades, but profitability is what makes a company real. Tesla is here to stay and keep fighting for the electric car revolution," said Elon Musk, Tesla Motors co-founder and CEO. "I would also like to thank our customers for their passionate support of the company and the car. Without them, we would not be here."

Also being announced today is that the small battery option for the Model S will not enter production, due to lack of demand. Only four percent of customers chose the 40 kWh battery pack, which is not enough to justify production of that version. Customers are voting with their wallet that they want a car that gives them the freedom to travel long distances when needed.

The customers who ordered this option will instead receive the 60 kWh pack, but range will be software limited to 40 kWh. It will still have the improved acceleration and top speed of the bigger pack, so will be a better product than originally ordered, and can be upgraded to the range of the 60 kWh upon request by the original or a future owner.

Tesla is also revealing a small Easter egg today: all 60 kWh cars have been and will be built with Supercharger hardware included. Tesla is taking a slight cost risk that ultimately all customers will want to buy the Supercharger upgrade and receive unlimited, free long distance travel for life. Even for those that never drive long distances, this will improve the resale value of their car to people that do.


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By: Unknown On 10:55 PM
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

HTC Butterfly said to be getting a sequel, thanks to strong sales in Asia

HTC reports strong demand for Butterfly phone in Asia, says there'll be a sequel


It's anyone's guess how the HTC One will fare in the West. After all, quality doesn't guarantee success. If we look across to Asia, though, we can see that the One's counterpart in that hemisphere, the Butterfly, has already gained some traction. Supply has failed to meet demand in its Taiwanese homeland and, according to Focus Taiwan, the phone has enjoyed "brisk sales" in Japan too -- at one point toppling the iPhone 5 to become KDDI's bestselling handset. There's been sufficient interest, in fact, that HTC's marketing boss Ben Ho has been quoted as promising a successor to the Butterfly, which will carry the same brand name. He didn't say when a Butterfly II might arrive, or what new "innovations" it might deliver, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless.


Via: Android Beat


Source: Focus Taiwan

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Verizon wraps up 700MHz spectrum sales to three rural telecom firms

Verizon Wireless Completes Spectrum Sales to Three Rural Companies

Verizon Wireless has completed three spectrum license sale transactions following agreements reached late last year as part of the open sale process for its 700 MHz A and B Block licenses. Nortex Communications and Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc. closed on their respective purchases this week. Colorado Valley Communications completed its purchase on January 16, 2013.

Nortex Communications, based in Muenster, Texas, acquired the Texas RSA 6-Jack 700 MHz lower B-block license, which covers a four-county area northwest of Dallas. Panhandle Telecommunication Systems, Inc., based in Guymon, Okla., acquired the Texas RSA 2-Hansford 700 MHz lower B-block license, which covers 12 counties in the northwest part of Texas. Colorado Valley Communications purchased a partitioned A-Block license covering a five-county area in the Houston market.

Verizon Wireless offered its lower 700 MHz spectrum licenses for sale to rationalize its spectrum holdings and enable more spectrum to reach the marketplace where it can be used for the benefit of customers. As a result of the sale process, Verizon Wireless signed agreements with seven companies, including one national carrier, five rural or regional carriers and one minority-owned firm. To date, three purchases have been completed and four remain pending. Verizon Wireless is also getting 700 MHz C block spectrum into the hands of 20 rural operators through its LTE in Rural America leasing program.


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By: Unknown On 11:04 PM
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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Canalys: Apple hits 20 percent of PCs through iPad sales, HP up to second place

Canalys Apple up to 20 percent of PCs through iPad sales, HP up to second place


Canalys is still staking its market share estimates on the view that mobile tablets are as relevant to PC market share as desktops and laptops. If we accept that interpretation, Apple was easily on top of the heap during the fourth quarter. Combining iPads and Macs would give it 27 million computer shipments in the fall, or 20.1 percent of the 134 million computers that left factories -- the first time it would have had more than a fifth of the market. Not that Apple was the only one having a good time, however. HP reportedly took back second place from Lenovo by shipping 15 million PCs and claiming 11 percent of the market, while Samsung stepped into the top five for the first time at 11.7 million PCs and 9 percent share.


The upswings may have masked deeper problems. Apple and Samsung benefited from the iPad mini and Galaxy Tab lines, but they, Amazon and other tablet makers were reportedly propping up the market. Canalys doesn't believe Windows 8 or RT moved the needle for demand, noting that laptop shipments were flat year-over-year where tablets surged 75 percent. It was a tough market for most conventional PC builders -- just ask Dell -- and there's no immediate signs that it will be any easier for them in 2013.


Source: Canalys

Saturday, February 2, 2013

NPD: Apple tops Q4 US smartphone sales, Samsung a strong second place

According to NPD's Mobile Phone Track, Samsung's Q4 2012 U.S. Unit-Sales Volume Grew 117 Percent, But Apple Still Tops Overall Consumer Smartphone Sales
According to The NPD Group, a global information company, although Samsung's sales grew dramatically in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2012, Apple continued to lead overall smartphone sales with 39 percent of the market compared to Samsung's 30 percent market share. Apple and Samsung continued to run away from all the other smartphone makers accounting for nearly 70 percent of all sales during Q4 2012. Following is NPD's year-over-year comparison of market share and growth for the top-five smartphone manufacturers:
Q4 2011 Q4 2012
Apple 41% 39%
Samsung 21% 30%
Motorola 8% 7%
HTC 14% 6%
LG 5% 6%
"Even taking into account the tremendous sales growth of the Galaxy III and other Samsung smartphones, the iPhone is still king of the U.S.-market hill," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at The NPD Group. "In addition to strong U.S. sales of iPhone 5, Apple has been bolstered by strong and continued demand for older, less-expensive iPhone models."
Based on information from NPD's monthly Mobile Phone Track service, when comparing Q3 2012 with Q4 2012, U.S. iPhone 4 sales increased 79 percent and iPhone 4S sales grew 43 percent. Sales of the iPhone 5 made up 43 percent of all iPhone sales in Q4 2012 and accounted for almost two thirds of all post-paid smartphone sales above $199
Based on the latest information from NPD, the top-selling mobile phones in the U.S. were as follows:
Rank Brand
1 iPhone 5
2 Samsung Galaxy S III
3 iPhone 4S
4 iPhone 4
5 Samsung Galaxy S II
Total mobile phone unit sales increased 24 percent in Q4 2012, compared to the previous year with smartphones increasing by 52 percent and feature phones declining by 31 percent. Smartphones represented a record eight in 10 (81 percent) mobile phones sold, compared to just 66 percent in Q4 2011. Continuing the upward trend of pre-paid phones, in Q4 2012 pre-paid phone unit sales increased 139 percent over the previous year.
"While smartphone sales continued on their torrid pace in the fourth quarter, the seeds of change are evident in the sales numbers," Baker said. "With of the vast majority of all phone sales now smartphones, and with the largest unit-sales growth within smartphones occurring in the pre-paid segment, today's product pricing and channel models will need to adapt to accommodate this new reality."

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By: Unknown On 8:19 PM
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Thursday, January 31, 2013

IDC: iPad loses a little marketshare, still dominates global tablet sales in Q4 2012

Tablet Shipments Soar to Record Levels During Strong Holiday Quarter, According to IDC

31 Jan 2013
FRAMINGHAM, Mass., January 31, 2013 – Worldwide tablet shipments outpaced predictions reaching a record total of 52.5 million units worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2012 (4Q12), according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker. The tablet market grew 75.3% year over year in 4Q12 (up from 29.9 million units in 4Q11) and increased 74.3% from the previous quarter's total of 30.1 million units. Lower average selling prices (ASPs), a wide range of new product offerings, and increased holiday spending all acted as catalysts to push the already climbing tablet market to record levels.

"We expected a very strong fourth quarter, and the market didn't disappoint," said Tom Mainelli, research director, Tablets, at IDC. "New product launches from the category's top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season. The record-breaking quarter stands in stark contrast to the PC market, which saw shipments decline during the quarter for the first time in more than five years."

Apple's iPad once again led the market, and the firm's shipment total of 22.9 million units was exactly in line with IDC's forecast for the period. A strong iPad mini launch, plus availability of the fourth generation full-sized iPad, led to solid 48.1% shipment growth over the same quarter last year. However, strong competition in the market led to Apple's market share declining for a second quarter in a row (down to 43.6% from 46.4% last quarter). Number two vendor Samsung experienced 263% year-on-year growth, shipping nearly 8 million combined Android and Windows 8 tablets during the quarter to grab 15.1% of the market, its same market share total from the previous quarter.

Amongst the other top 5 vendors, Amazon and Barnes & Noble both saw their market share increase sharply as new products gained traction during the holiday season. Amazon shipped more than 6 million tablets during the quarter, increasing its share to 11.5%, up from 8.3% the previous quarter, with year-over year growth of 26.8%; Barnes & Noble shipped close to a million units, increasing its share to 1.9%, up from 0.7%, despite a year-over-year growth rate of -27.7%. Meanwhile, number four Asus saw its share slip from 7.8% to 5.8% despite continued strong shipments of its Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet and the highest year-over-year increase in the top five at 402.5%. Microsoft entered the market during the quarter with its Surface with Windows RT tablet, but failed to reach the top five after shipping just shy of 900,000 units into the channel.

"There is no question that Microsoft is in this tablet race to compete for the long haul. However, devices based upon its new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems failed to gain much ground during their launch quarter, and reaction to the company's Surface with Windows RT tablet was muted at best," said Ryan Reith, program manager, Mobile Device Trackers at IDC. "We believe that Microsoft and its partners need to quickly adjust to the market realities of smaller screens and lower prices. In the long run, consumers may grow to believe that high-end computing tablets with desktop operating systems are worth a higher premium than other tablets, but until then ASPs on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices need to come down to drive higher volumes."


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By: Dilusha On 5:57 PM
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Nintendo's Iwata acknowledges slow Wii U sales, but no price drop is coming

Nintendo's Iwata acknowledges slow Wii U sales, but no price drop is coming


Yesterday Nintendo revealed its new Wii U console was selling more slowly than it had anticipated, and today company President Satoru Iwata explained the issues to investors in more detail. What he made clear immediately, is that unlike the launch of its 3DS in 2011, Nintendo will not attempt to boost its sales by cutting the price anytime soon. So, how can the Wii U's fortunes be turned around? According to Iwata, the problem is a software lineup that has "not yet fully communicated the value of our product." The system updates we've already heard were in the works are expected to help in the short term. The plan is to earn 100 billion yen or more in the next fiscal year, with the 3DS already selling at a profit he hopes to return to a pattern of "Nintendo-like profits."


As far as the Wii U, the plan is to strengthen its software lineup throughout the spring and summer, with more system exclusives arriving later in the year (announced last week on Nintendo Direct). The delayed Google Street View-powered Wii Street U update is expected to arrive in mid-February, and other demonstrations are planned for GDC in March as Nintendo attempts to capitalize on an internet connection rate of 74 percent. He also referenced the planned integration of its handheld and console divisions, intended to make software and apps more portable between devices.

Nintendo's Iwata acknowledges slow Wii U sales, but no price drop is coming

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Lenovo's Q3 sees sales reach $9.4 billion, profits rise to $200 million

DNP Lenovo Q3 results


While big chunks of the industry may be feeling gloomy, the artist formerly known as IBM's PC Division keeps on raking in money. Lenovo's third quarter earnings report reveals that the company sold $9.4 billion worth of hardware, keeping $200 million of that back for itself in net profit. It's also seen its Chinese smartphone business turn a profit, and is now eyeing Russia as the next land ripe for conquering. Lenovo's corporate mattress is so stuffed that it probably smells of money, as the company has squirreled away $4.2 billion for a rainy day, or, you know, something else.

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Nintendo Q3 earnings show 3 million Wii Us sold, sales forecasts lowered again

Nintendo Q3 earnings report show


Nintendo's Q3 earnings report is out, and it's sold just over 3 million units of its new Wii U console (at a loss) along with 11.69 million pieces of software. The other big news is that it's adjusted sales forecasts downward -- again, after it announced they were being cut back in October. However, since the flagship console is sold at a loss, while Nintendo is predicting 17 percent lower revenue, its prediction for net income has actually moved up by eight billion yen ($87 million).


It's not all bad news however, as it's showing about $160 million in net income for the year, compared with last year's losses. The 3DS has jumped up to 29.84 million sold, while the original Wii is within shouting distance of the 100 million number. Need more numbers? Hit the source links to check out all the sales data firsthand.

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

GameStop says same-store sales to fall; shares drop

n">(Reuters) - GameStop Corp, the world's largest retailer of videogame products, said it would report a decline in same-store sales for the fourth quarter after a drop in store traffic during the holiday season.

The company said same-store sales for the current quarter would fall by between 4 percent and 7 percent. Its previous sales forecast ranged from an increase of 1 percent to a fall of 7 percent.

Shares of the company fell 7 percent to $22.92 in early trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

GameStop said new hardware sales, including sales of Nintendo Wii, fell 2.7 percent in the holiday period. As a result, the company expects profit for the current quarter to be at the low end of its forecast range of $2.07 to $2.27 per share.

The company said in November it expected the launch of Nintendo Co Ltd's Wii U and high quality games like Microsoft Corp's "Halo 4" and Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" to boost hardware and software sales in the holiday season.

"The pre-owned category (of video games) declined 15.6 percent as limited inventory due to fewer new titles released throughout 2012 and less promotional activity negatively impacted sales compared to last year," the company said.

(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh and Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)


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By: Dilusha On 10:18 PM
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Saturday, January 5, 2013

InterDigital files ITC complaint against Huawei, Nokia, Samsung and ZTE, requests sales ban



InterDigital is at it again. The company may have lightened its patent load last summer with a little help from Intel, but it apparently still has plenty of ammunition left to fire at four new targets: Huawei, Nokia, Samsung and ZTE for selling "certain 3G and 4G wireless devices... that infringe up to seven of InterDigital's U.S. patents." At risk is a suite of 3G and 4G products from USB modems to laptops and covering phones and tablets in between. The specific models aren't listed in InterDigital's release, but the company is asking the United States International Trade Commission to block the import and sale of them all. This isn't the first time Samsung, Nokia or Huawei have come to blows with InterDigital -- the former settled back in 2008, the latter filed its own lawsuit and Nokia has more than a few battle scars already -- and something tells us it won't be the last. One company that should stay out of the crosshairs? RIM. The House of BlackBerry just extended its patent licensing deal and can now rest easy.


Update: You can also add Sony to the list of companies who have paid up.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Samsung will have to reveal sales data in Apple patent lawsuit

Samsung will have to reveal sales data in its patent lawsuit with Apple as the Koreans lost a bid to keep it private.

Samsung is now appealing a prior sealing order and just yesterday U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh denied its request for sales data to remain a secret.

“Samsung’s appeal involves pricing information and profit margins,” Koh explained. The data that is requested “only lists the number of units sold in each of several recent months.”

You all know that Apple won $1.05 billion in August when a jury agreed Samsung infringed on six Apple patents. Cupertino is seeking additional damages, but could not prove that demand and sales of Samsung devices were driven by the particular technology it had infringed on.

Yesterday, Judge Koh only granted a Samsung request to postpone publication of a document revealing operating profit for two Samsung devices. Most other requests by both Apple and Samsung were denied by the judge.

source: Bloomberg


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By: Dilusha On 9:45 PM
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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Fujitsu president blames poor sales on 'weak' Windows 8 demand

Fujitsu president blames poor sales on 'weak' Windows 8 demandPC industry is relying on Windows 8 to take off

Fujitsu president Masami Yamamoto has said the lack of appetite for Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system is hurting PC sales.

Speaking to reporters in Japan on Thursday, Yamamoto said the demand had been "weak," following the launch of the re-imagined operating system in late October.

PC shipments are expected for fall short of the company's 7m estimates when everything is tallied up at the end of the fiscal year in March.

Yamamoto's comments come in the same week that Acer president Jim Wong said that customer adoption may be "dramatically delayed" as users become accustomed to the radical new interface.

Leading manufacturers citing Windows 8 as the answer to shortcomings in their bottom lines might become a bit of a theme in the next few months, as the PC industry continues to struggle.

Microsoft has plenty riding on the success of Windows 8, but if it fails it could also bring down an entire segment of the market.

Via CNET

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Samsung Elec seeks U.S. sales ban on some Ericsson products

Students walk out of a showroom at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics in Seoul October 28, 2011. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak

Students walk out of a showroom at the headquarters of Samsung Electronics in Seoul October 28, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Jo Yong-Hak

SEOUL | Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:57pm EST

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday it had filed a complaint against Ericsson with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), requesting a U.S. import ban and sales ban on some of the Swedish telecoms equipment maker's products.

The action taken on Friday by the world's top smartphone maker, which accused Ericsson of breaching seven of its patents, came after Ericsson requested an ITC U.S. import ban on Samsung products and sued the South Korean firm for patent infringement.

"We have sought to negotiate with Ericsson in good faith. However, Ericsson has proven unwilling to continue such negotiations by making unreasonable claims, which it is now trying to enforce in court," Samsung Electronics said in a statement.

"The accused Ericsson products include telecommunications networking equipment, such as base stations," Samsung said.

With Ericsson suffering a big drop in sales at its network unit, down 17 percent in the third quarter, it is turning to the courts to maintain its patent income, part of a wider trend where big technology names are fiercely protecting intellectual property as global sales of tablets and smartphones boom.

Ericsson is facing a growing challenge from Samsung Electronics, a smaller player in the network equipment market.

"I'm sure that at this point, no one in the industry would underestimate Samsung's ability to become a significant player, if not the leader, in a new segment of the overall market for telecommunications hardware," Florian Mueller, a patent expert, said in a blog posting on Monday.

"This certainly adds a more strategic dimension to the Ericsson-Samsung dispute."

Samsung Electronics and its arch smartphone rival Apple Inc have been also locked in patent disputes in at least 10 countries as they vie to dominate the mobile market and win over customers with their latest gadgets.

The European Commission on Friday charged Samsung Electronics with abusing its dominant position in seeking to bar rival Apple from using a patent deemed essential to mobile phone use.

Samsung Electronics shares were trading up 1.3 percent, outperforming the wider market's 0.7 percent gain as of 0037 GMT.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Robert Birsel)


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By: Dilusha On 7:30 PM
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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Strong software sales push Oracle shares to 19-month high

n">(Reuters) - Shares of Oracle Corp, the world's No. 3 software maker, rose 4 percent to their highest in 19 months on Wednesday after it forecast strong sales for next year, prompting several brokerages to raise their price targets on the stock.

The company's results often set the tone for smaller software makers, and analysts said the 17 percent jump in its quarterly software sales boded well for the industry.

Investors pay close attention to new software sales as they generate high-margin, long-term maintenance contracts and are an important gauge of a company's future profits.

"Oracle delivered strong results in a challenging environment," Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Derrick Wood said in a note to clients.

Investors are worried that corporations would postpone spending on technology because of uncertainty over the year-end deadline for Congress and U.S. President Barack Obama to reach a compromise on the looming "fiscal cliff", an automatic rise in tax rates and government spending cuts next year.

Shares of Oracle, which competes with Germany's SAP AG and Salesforce.com Inc, rose to $34.15 in early Wednesday trading on the Nasdaq.

Oracle said earlier this month it would give over $800 million back to shareholders, joining a rising number of companies accelerating dividend payments or declaring special dividends because of uncertainty surrounding the U.S. government's fiscal plans.

"(Oracle's) investments and efforts to build out its product portfolio and sales capacity are clearly starting to pay off handsomely and enable it to navigate the rough seas," Stifel Nicolaus analyst Brad Reback said.

Reback, who has a "buy" rating on the stock, raised his price target by $1 to $38.

Oracle, which was slow to embrace cloud computing -- a broad term referring to the delivery of computer services via the Internet from remote data centers -- is now trying to drive growth by promoting its suite of cloud computing products.

Corporate technology buyers like the approach because it is faster to implement and has lower upfront costs than traditional software, which businesses need to install on their own computer systems.

"Calendar 2013 is promising for Oracle thanks to a strong product cycle, market share gains, and healthy secular trends for cloud spend," FBR Capital Markets analysts said.

The brokerage, which has an "outperform" rating on the company's stock, raised its price target by $1 to $37.

"The only blemish in the quarter was on the hardware front, as the company remains focused on sunsetting uneconomical product offerings," FBR said.

The company's hardware business, which it acquired with its $5.6 billion purchase of Sun Microsystems in January 2010, continued to be sluggish, and quarterly hardware systems product sales fell 23 percent from a year earlier.

(Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon)


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By: Dilusha On 12:06 AM
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Friday, December 14, 2012

Study suggests shutting down MegaUpload hurt box office ticket sales

mpaa, movies, megaupload, file sharing, box office, motion picture association of ameri

It’s probably a safe bet to assume that members of the Motion Picture Association of America were among the happiest around when they learned that file hosting site MegaUpload had been shut down and their servers had been seized as part of a raid back in January.

The MPAA was a firm believer that MegaUpload was a threat to the entertainment industry although a recent study from researchers from the Copenhagen Business School and the Munich School of Management would suggest otherwise.

These researchers combed over five years’ worth of data and statistics from BoxOfficeMojo.com during the study. They discovered that there was very little evidence to suggest that closing MegaUpload had a positive effect on movie ticket revenue.

In fact, the data (although statistically insignificant) shows that MegaUpload’s closure may have had a negative impact on box office sales of average size and low budget movies. An opposite effect was noticed for larger blockbuster films, however.

They conclude that file sharing serves as a method to spread information about a product from a group of consumers that have zero or very little willingness to pay to users that are very willing to pay for a film.

In layman’s terms, this simply means that people that won’t pay to see a movie may encourage others to do so by making a particular movie available – in other words, helping to spread the word about a movie they might not have heard of.


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By: Dilusha On 1:13 PM
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Microsoft sold over 750K Xbox 360s last week, more than double Wii U sales

Microsoft sold over 750K Xbox 360s last week, more than double Wii U sales data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 220};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20389714' !== '') ? 'bsd:20389714' : ''; var modalMNo = '93319229'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"",channel:"us.engadget",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,engadget.com,joystiq.com,massively.com,tuaw.com,switched.com,techcrunch.com",prop1:"Engadget",prop2:"",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"",mmxgo: true,disablepipath:true,mmxtitle:"us.engadget" + " : "}); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("10000657",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); EngadgetMenuReviewsEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowBuyers GuidesFeaturesVideosGalleriesTopicsHD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA RIM Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93325870", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});Microsoft sold over 750K Xbox 360s last week, more than double Wii U sales HDByBen GilbertpostedNov 27th, 2012 at 4:37 PM 0

Microsoft's aging Xbox 360 console still has some pep in its proverbial step, moving more than 750K consoles last week in the US alone, rounded out by Black Friday. Between November 18 and 23, 360 sales bucked internal forecasts -- no doubt bolstered by the release of Halo 4 a few weeks prior, as well as holiday bundles -- helping Microsoft's game box to best Nintendo's new Wii U by more than double (during the Wii U's launch week, no less). Of course, the Xbox 360 now exists in a variety of flavors, from the $99 subscription model to the $300 S model; this makes Nintendo's $300 minimum for a Wii U a somewhat unfair comparison with the variety of Xbox 360s out there.

Regardless, Redmond's assuredly hoping these sales numbers will keep Xbox 360 in the top of NPD's monthly sales charts (October was the 360's 22nd consecutive month on top), though we have a few more weeks before we'll hear for certain which console maker moved the most units during one of the year's most crucial sales months. Despite a new PlayStation 3 model and the launch of the Vita this year, Sony's yet to announce its Black Friday numbers.

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Xbox 360 concluded another successful Black Friday holiday sales period, selling more than 750,000 consoles in the U.S. during the week of Black Friday*.

Sales highlights in the U.S. during the week* of Black Friday include:
· Xbox 360 sold more than 750,000 consoles in the U.S. alone –exceeding internal forecasts. (Source: Microsoft Internal data)
· "Halo 4" exceeded expectations with impressive sales the week of Black Friday. (Source: Internal data)
· Xbox LIVE Gold Subscription card sales increased more than 50 percent compared to last year's Black Friday week. (Source: Microsoft Internal data)
· We saw incredible activity on Xbox over the weekend. For example, on Sunday alone we had more than 14 million people on Xbox LIVE across the world, racking up more than 72 million hours of use in just one day. (Source: Microsoft Internal data)
· Compared to 2011, we've seen a 43 percent increase in U.S. entertainment application usage taking place on Xbox LIVE during the week of Black Friday. (Source: Microsoft Internal data)

Xbox is providing fun for everyone this holiday season with exclusive blockbuster games like "Halo 4" (which generated more than $220 million worldwide in the first 24-hours of its release), "Forza Horizon," "Dance Central 3" and "Fable: The Journey," as well as new family friendly titles such as "Kinect Nat Geo TV," "Kinect Sesame Street TV," and "Nike+ Kinect Training."

Xbox 360 will also continue to offer consumers great value throughout the holiday season with a variety of special offers and pricing plans. A $50-off pricing promotion on select Xbox 360 consoles and three holiday bundles that include everything your family will need to experience all Xbox 360 has to offer are available now at participating retailers through Jan. 5, while supplies last.** Finally, get the best all-in-one entertainment experience starting at $99 with a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at $14.99/month. The Xbox 360 Entertainment For All Plan offers access to the best entertainment experiences including TV, movies, music, and sports, plus the hottest blockbuster games – all in one package. ***

It's never been a better time to own an Xbox 360, and consumers agree – October marked the 22nd consecutive month as the top-selling console in the U.S. (Source: NPD Group, October 2012).

* Note that the official retail reporting calendar runs from Sunday, Nov. 18 – Friday, Nov. 23, so these sales do not reflect Saturday and Sunday retail sales
**Savings based on estimated retail prices. Actual retail prices may vary.
***Applicable taxes extra. Early termination fee and other restrictions apply. See retailer for offer terms. Prices are Estimated Retail Prices. Actual retailer prices may vary.

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40 million Windows 8 licenses sold in a month; meanwhile, mum's the word on Surface sales

40 million Windows 8 licenses sold in a month; meanwhile, mum's the word on Surface sales data = {blogUrl: "www.engadget.com",v: 220};when = {jquery: lab.scriptBs("jquery"),plugins: lab.scriptBs("plugins"),eng: lab.scriptBs("eng")}; var s265prop9 = ('20389736' !== '') ? 'bsd:20389736' : ''; var modalMNo = '93319229'; when.eng("eng.omni.init", {pfxID:"weg",pageName:document.title,server:"",channel:"us.engadget",pageType:"",linkInternalFilters:"javascript:,engadget.com,joystiq.com,massively.com,tuaw.com,switched.com,techcrunch.com",prop1:"Engadget",prop2:"",prop9:s265prop9,prop12:document.location,prop17:"",prop18:"",prop19:"",prop20:"",mmxgo: true,disablepipath:true,mmxtitle:"us.engadget" + " : "}); adSendTerms('1')adSetMOAT('1');adSetAdURL('/_uac/adpagem.html');lab._script("http://o.aolcdn.com/os/ads/adhesion/js/adhads-min.js").wait(function(){var floatingAd = new AdhesiveAd("10000657",{hideOnSwipe:true});}); EngadgetMenuReviewsEventsPodcasts Engadget ShowBuyers GuidesFeaturesVideosGalleriesTopicsHD Mobile Alt Announcements Cameras Cellphones Desktops Displays Gaming GPS Handhelds Home Entertainment Household Internet Laptops Meta Misc Networking Peripherals Podcasts Robots Portable Audio/Video Science Software Storage Tablets Transportation Wearables Wireless Acer Amazon AMD Apple ASUS AT&T Canon Dell Facebook Google HP HTC Intel Lenovo LG Microsoft Nikon Nintendo Nokia NVIDIA RIM Samsung Sony Sprint T-Mobile Verizon About UsSubscribeLike Engadget@engadgettip uswhen.eng("eng.nav.init")when.eng("eng.tips.init") onBreak({980: function () {htmlAdWH("93325870", "215", "35",'AJAX','ajaxsponsor');}});40 million Windows 8 licenses sold in a month; meanwhile, mum's the word on Surface salesByDarren MurphpostedNov 27th, 2012 at 4:08 PM 0

Windows 8 sells 40 million licenses in a month meanwhile, mum's the word on Surface sales

It took just four days for Windows 8 to hit four million machines (ours included), and in just over a month, Microsoft has managed to sell some 40 million licenses of its tiled OS. To date, Windows 8 is outpacing Windows 7 in terms of upgrades, but given that the company had moved 600 million copies of the latter back in June, the new kid on the software block still has quite a ways to go. The news comes just hours after Microsoft also announced that it had sold a whopping 750,000 Xbox 360 consoles during the Black Friday weekend, which makes the omission of one other number that much more glaring -- after all, if it's so easy to dig up Xbox and Windows 8 numbers, why are we left with awkward adjectives to describe Surface sales?

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