News
Apple Shipped 29M iPhone X in Q4 2017
Apple shipped some 29 million iPhone X units in the last quarter of 2018, according to fresh estimates from Canalys, making it the best-shipping smartphone for the period. According to the market research firm, iPhone X adoption was fueled by strong upgrade demand in markets with already high iPhone install bases.
These regions are often characterized by dominant cellular carriers capable of offering financing options to alleviate out-the-door customer costs, an important consideration for a handset that starts at $999. Canalys estimates an impressive 7 million iPhone X shipments went to China. Some analysts expect Apple to report slow iPhone X uptake in China due to the handset’s high price tag, though data collected by others, like RBC Capital Markets’ Amit Daryanani, show heightened interest in the premium device.
To put the Canalys numbers into perspective, Apple shipped a record 78.3 million iPhones over the holiday quarter in 2016, and another 46.7 million units last quarter. “One major benefit to Apple is that customers are increasingly realizing the residual value of their old smartphones, opting for trade-in programs to offset the high price of the iPhone X,” said Canalys analyst Ben Stanton. “But that big price tag, and Apple’s split launch strategy, still had an impact, and shipments were not the fastest ever for an iPhone.”
While the firm failed to provide specific figures, it said the iPhone 8 series and older hardware like the iPhone SE, 6s, 7 also shipped well in the last calendar quarter of 2017. As expected, price was a determining factor in moving iPhone models below iPhone X. Today’s estimates follow a Kantar Worldpanel report that earlier this month claimed iPhone X sales topped smartphone sales charts in Japan and Great Britain in November.
The top-tier model was surpassed by the iPhone 8 in the U.S., and captured only 6 percent of the urban China market over the same period, Kantar said. Apple put iPhone X up for preorder in October ahead of a launch in early November. Initial supply was quickly depleted as customers saw their delivery dates pushed out to over one month.
Apple only recently reached supply and demand equilibrium in mid-December, meaning the final quarterly tally could be lower than some anticipate. Apple is expected to offer a glimpse into iPhone X sales metrics when it reports earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2018 next month. The company typically declines to break out numbers on a per device basis, however, meaning investors are unlikely to receive definitive data on iPhone mix.
Cars
VinFast Officially Launches in the Middle East
VinFast Auto has officially entered the Middle Eastern market. The company, together with its partner Al Tayer Motors, officially opened its first dealership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located in the downtown area of Dubai. With a total area of over 1,000 square meters, the store is designed with a modern and luxurious style, integrated with a service workshop, providing customers the opportunity to directly experience VinFast’s smart electric vehicles, including the VF 6, VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9 models.
With modern design, advanced technology, and impressive performance, VinFast’s electric vehicles promise to bring entirely new driving experiences to customers in the UAE as well as the Middle East region. Previously, on October 17, 2024, VinFast signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Charge&Go to promote the installation and operation of a network of public charging stations and related services in the UAE.
According to plans, additional VinFast dealerships in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, will be opened later this year. The VinFast VF 8 model is expected to be priced starting from $47,500 (Eco trim) and $51,500 (Plus trim) when it is launched for sale in the Middle East.
Speaking at the event, Ta Xuan Hien, CEO of VinFast Middle East, shared, “Today’s official brand launch in the Middle East marks an important step in VinFast’s journey to expand its presence in the global electric vehicle market. We are proud to partner with Gulf nations in the electrification revolution, offering smart and powerful electric vehicles with exceptional warranties, while gradually realizing our expansion plan in the Middle East and globally.”
As a pioneer in the all-electric vehicle strategy, VinFast has established a strong reputation with its presence in numerous international markets such as the U.S., Canada, Europe, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines. The Middle East is a new advancement in VinFast’s expansion strategy, especially as countries in the region are adopting policies to accelerate the development of electric vehicles.
In the Middle East, VinFast has signed exclusive partnership agreements with three leading regional dealers: Al Tayer Motors (UAE), Al Mana Holdings (Qatar), and Bahwan Automobiles & Trading (Oman). By promoting collaboration with top partners in the Middle East, VinFast is actively participating in realizing green mobility solutions in the region, while affirming the commitment of the Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer to making EVs more accessible to everyone.
Gadgets
Corsair Introduces K70 PRO TKL
CORSAIR has unveiled the K70 PRO TKL, a tenkeyless keyboard that redefines the standards of gaming performance. Powered by CORSAIR’s innovative MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches and featuring cutting-edge technologies like Rapid Trigger and FlashTap, the K70 PRO TKL is designed to dominate the competitive gaming scene.
The K70 PRO TKL introduces CORSAIR’s MGX Hyperdrive magnetic switches, which utilize Hall-effect sensors for lightning-fast activation. Combined with Rapid Trigger, these switches accelerate actions by registering and resetting keypresses instantly, surpassing the capabilities of traditional mechanical switches. The customisable actuation distance, ranging from 0.1mm to 4.0mm, allows gamers to tailor the keyboard to their specific preferences.
The K70 PRO TKL also offers FlashTap, a revolutionary SOCD system that enables esports-grade character movement. By prioritizing the first or last keypress, FlashTap significantly enhances in-game movement, particularly for rapid-strafing and move-mirroring techniques.
The wired-only K70 PRO TKL boasts 8,000Hz hyper-polling, ensuring ultra-fast keystroke registration. CORSAIR’s AXON hyper-processing technology further minimizes input lag and delay, giving gamers a decisive edge in critical moments.
The K70 PRO TKL delivers a premium gaming experience with its pre-lubricated MGX Hyperdrive switches, which offer a consistent and wobble-free keystroke. The keyboard’s sound-dampening foam reduces unwanted noise, creating a quieter and more immersive gaming environment.
Gadgets
ASUS Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of NUC Portfolio
ASUS has announced that it has made significant achievements and launched groundbreaking AI innovations following its official takeover of the NUC portfolio from Intel in October 2023. In October 2023, ASUS undertook the significant task of taking over Intel’s NUC portfolio and continuing the 10-year legacy of NUCs, which have been deployed to millions of customers worldwide. This marked the first time that ASUS has been involved in such a large-scale industry transition. Over the past year, ASUS seamlessly and successfully transitioned customers from the legacy Intel NUC portfolio to the ASUS NUC portfolio.
ASUS NUCs are now synonymous with top-tier performance, exceptional quality, and reliability. These attributes ensure that ASUS NUCs stand out in the market, offering an alternative to traditional desktops in a compact, mini-sized package, providing users with superior computing solutions that are both innovative and dependable. Whether for professional workloads, gaming, or AI applications, ASUS NUCs deliver the power and stability required for even the most demanding tasks and ensure that users thrive in this new AI era.
“As we celebrate our first anniversary of the successful takeover of the NUC portfolio from Intel, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering cutting-edge technology to our customers,” said Jackie Hsu, Senior Vice President and Co-Head of the Open Platform Business Group and AIoT Business Group. “The introduction of the world’s first AI mini PC and a seamless transition for existing NUC users underscore our dedication to maintaining our leadership position in the industry.”
ASUS continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the computing industry with the introduction of the AI NUC – the world’s first AI mini PC powered by an Intel Core Ultra processor (Series 2) with Microsoft Copilot+. These AI-enabled NUCs feature the latest NPU, GPU, and CPU architectures, enabling customers to design for the future of AI. ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI, which was recently unveiled at IFA 2024, allows users to experience the next level of AI performance, unlocking new possibilities for advanced computing tasks. This compact powerhouse offers a mini PC alternative to laptop AI PCs, providing more flexible options for AI-driven computing.
In addition, the ROG NUC/NUC 14 Performance is a new expansion of the ASUS AI NUC offering. The ROG NUC and NUC 14 Performance mark significant strides in ultra-small form factor computing. These devices are tailored for both gamers and versatile commercial use, integrating high-performance components into compact designs.