The stock of Apple(NASDAQ:AAPL) was soaring ahead of its 4-for-1 stock split today, but at least one analyst has expressed concern that the tech giant's shares have become "decoupled from fundamentals" and doubts a super cycle in iPhone sales will occur as it transitions from 4G to 5G networks.
Barclays analyst Tim Long says there is more downside risk than upside potential for Apple's stock and he is maintaining his equal-weight rating on its shares.
Image source: Getty Images.
The iPhone 12 is expected to debut in September and roll out in October. With about a third of the nearly 1 billion existing iPhones in an upgrade window, there's the potential for the advent of 5G to create a super cycle of conversions.
Yet Long is not convinced, according to thefly.com, and he advises investors in a note that the experience from 5G's uptake in China and Korea suggests the hope for a massive sales wave is overblown. He says actual unit sales are not growing, and may be declining.
Long also points out the much-anticipated super cycle from 3G to 4G failed to materialize, and the first iPhone with 4G capabilities, the iPhone 5, saw the greatest deceleration in unit growth in iPhone history.
He doesn't expect the iPhone 12 to contribute meaningfully to earnings, and with Apple's shares having "vastly exceeded the change in consensus estimates," Long says, the outlook for the stock is decidedly muted.
August 31, 2020 at 08:13PM
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Analyst Doubts Apple 5G iPhone Super Cycle Is Coming - Motley Fool
Apple has designed a 12-inch MacBook powered by Apple Silicon that weighs less than one kilogram and the company intends to launch it by the end of the year, according to a new report today.
Apple's first ARM-based Mac will use an A14X processor, which is codenamed "Tonga" and manufactured by TSMC, and the MacBook will have a battery life of between 15 and 20 hours, according to the Chinese-language newspaper The China Times.
According to Apple's supply chain, Apple is expected to launch a Macbook with a 12-inch Retina Display at the end of this year, using its self-developed and designed A14X processor, with the development code of Tonga, supporting a USB Type-C interface and weighing less than 1 kilogram, because of the low-power advantage of the Arm-based processor. The Macbook battery lasts 15 to 20 hours. The A14X processor will also be used in the new generation iPad Pro tablet.
Apple announced at its WWDC developer conference in June that its Macs will transition from Intel x86-based CPUs to its self-designed Arm-based Apple Silicon processors over the next two years. Bloomberg has said that Apple is currently developing at least three Mac processors that are based on the 5-nanometer A14 chip that will be used in the upcoming iPhone 12 models. According to the Chinese report's sources, the first Apple-designed A14X processor has been finalized and will be mass produced using TSMC's 5-nanometer process by the end of the year.
Apple's first Mac processors will have 12 cores, including eight high-performance cores and at least four energy-efficient cores, according to Bloomberg. Apple is said to be exploring Mac processors with more than 12 cores for further in the future, with the company already designing a second generation of Mac processors based on the A15 chip.
This is the second time we've heard rumors of Apple reviving the 12-inch MacBook form factor to showcase its first consumer Apple Silicon machine. Fudge, a leaker who goes by @choco_bit on Twitter, said in June that Apple could revive its now-discontinued MacBook, with a new 12-inch model unveiled as the first Mac with an Apple-designed Arm-based chip. Fudge said the 12-inch MacBook could look the same as the retired version with minimal design changes, although 5G connectivity could be a feature.
In contrast to today's report, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a form factor similar to the current 13.3-inch MacBook Pro could be the first Mac to get an Arm-based chip designed by Apple. In March, Kuo predicted this new MacBook Pro will launch late in 2020 or early in 2021.
Kuo said he expects the Apple Silicon 13.3-inch MacBook Pro to go into mass production in the fourth quarter of this year, but he has also predicted we will see an Arm-based MacBook Air either in the same quarter or in the first quarter of next year, so it's not impossible the 12-inch machine turns out to be a redesigned MacBook Air.
Today's report also claims that Apple will launch an Apple Silicon iMac next year with a powerful custom-designed graphics processing unit, replacing the mobile AMD GPUs that Apple has traditionally relied on. In addition, the report claims the A14 chip to feature in Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 lineup is codenamed "Sicilian."
August 31, 2020 at 04:19PM
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Report: Super-Lightweight 12-inch MacBook Powered By Apple Silicon to Launch This Year - MacRumors
Samsung has opened up preorders for the Galaxy M51 in Germany, officially confirming that its latest midrange phone has an absolutely massive 7,000mAh battery. It costs €360.01 (about $429), and Samsung’s site says that it expects the phone to start shipping on September 11th. There’s no sign of preorder pages on Samsung’s other regional stores just yet, but a release in India seems likely given that Samsung teased the phone there last week.
At 7,000mAh, it isn’t the biggest phone battery we’ve ever seen. Last year, for example, Avenir Telecom showed off an Energizer-branded smartphone containing a bulbous 18,000mAh battery. But it’s almost unheard of in devices from mass-market manufacturers like Samsung, and we’ll be interested to see what effect it has on the overall size and weight of the handset when it releases.
Aside from its battery, the Galaxy M51 has a more typical set of specs for a phone of its price. It has a 6.7-inch OLED screen with a central hole-punch notch for its 32-megapixel selfie camera. Around the back there are four rear-facing cameras, a 64-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide with a 123-degree field of view, and 5-megapixel macro and depth-sensing cameras. It’s got 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and Samsung says it’s powered by an “octa-core processor,” which GSMArena notes is thought to be a Snapdragon 730.
At €360.01, the Galaxy M51 has a very similar asking price to the Galaxy A51 in Germany, but it sounds like it might be the better option if you absolutely need every hour of battery life.
August 31, 2020 at 07:24PM
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Samsung’s latest midrange phone has a whopping 7,000mAh battery - The Verge
Samsung is continuing to drive strong revenue growth through its U.S. mobility channel program as the company expands its work with partners and releases business-friendly devices at a steady clip, Samsung’s mobile channel chief told CRN.
The latest Samsung devices to launch with big potential for mobility solution providers are the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra, which feature a wide range of features aimed at workers.
Mike Coleman, vice president and mobility channel chief at Samsung Electronics America, spoke recently with CRN about the growth of the company’s channel efforts, key verticals for Samsung’s B2B devices and key business capabilities of the Galaxy Note 20.
“It’s one of many B2B tools that are part of the lineup now,” Coleman said. “The Note 20 is becoming more and more business-centric.”
What follows are five key comments from the interview with Coleman.
B2B Growth
“We are on track to just about double the business again this year--despite all of the COVID-related challenges. The business is really doing well. We came off of a really strong first half, and our second half is shaping up to be very promising. Our pipeline looks really good.
I think there’s a tremendous opportunity for partners that may or may not have focused on a mobility strategy. And when I say mobility, that can be a laptop, a Chromebook, a tablet, a wearable, a phone--a device that solves a problem. It is not simply a personal device, it’s really a tool for work.”
Channel Expansion
“We have also increased the size of the [U.S. mobility channel] team about 30 percent. We keep adding people to the team. We’re going after deeper coverage for the NSPs as we call them--CDW, Insight, Connection and such. We’re adding more folks to distribution--because as our business grows, we need more and more focus on the distro, Tier 1 side. And then we’re also expanding the geo coverage, for the geographically dispersed partners. So it’s really exciting, where we’re actually growing on all fronts.”
Key Verticals
“We’ve seen some very large wins in healthcare, transportation, logistics, education. The Chromebook business is off the charts in terms of growth. That business is a rocket for us. And that’s obviously education-focused. We’ve seen good solutioning on transport fleet management. Everybody’s at home, but they’re ordering stuff. So the trucking and transportation business has been growing rapidly, and we’ve partnered with quite a few different resellers in that space to equip fleets with the Galaxy Tab Active2, for example--with the ruggedized tablets and solutioning for ELD tracking. We’ve had some really big wins with some healthcare providers on the phones to track diabetes or blood pressure or things of that nature--where we’re able to use the devices in partnership with resellers and ISVs to manage healthcare applications.”
Galaxy Note 20 For Business
“If it’s going to be used as a business device, it has to have an amazing battery and have really good performance. So we’ve done that. We’ve loaded it with the Knox security features so that remote employees are protected. The S Pen is really cool now--the latency is significantly reduced. We’ve synced up with Microsoft and Cisco--we’ve optimized it for Microsoft 365 / Teams and for Webex.
DeX has been a big point of interest for a lot of resellers, because now you can [more easily] transition between mobile and desktop. So for example, you can connect the Note 20 to a monitor or even a Smart TV--which is really interesting, because every boardroom now has Smart TVs. So you can wirelessly connect and present--when we go back to the office--or even using your TV at home, you can use that as a monitor, if you wanted to. It’s obviously 5G equipped and enabled. And so those are some of the things we’re finding companies are really interested in, in terms of equipping their employees with a device for business use.”
Recruiting Partners
“We’re looking to recruit new partners, which we’ve continued to do. We’re working closely with our distributors to identify partners that have an interest in mobility. So we’re actively recruiting new resellers--and we’re obviously working with resellers that have been with us for quite some time to help them deliver more solutions, and to generate more revenue and more profit.”
August 31, 2020 at 11:42PM
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Samsung's B2B Surge: 5 Takeaways From Channel Chief Mike Coleman - CRN
The most recent top of the line smartphone release from Samsung has an opening list price of $1,300 and most reviews, mine included, could be summed up in a few words. Great phone, but so expensive? Now, during a pandemic, when millions have been thrown out of work?
This really comes to home when you consider that there are three fantastic smartphones out now for $400 or less: The Samsung Galaxy A51 and Apple iPhone SE will cost you $399, while the Google Pixel 4A is just $350.
And they are clearly the best bargain-priced phones I've ever seen. Unless you need the latest camera technology with multiple lenses, there is no reason for most consumers to spend more on a phone. You won't be missing out.
All are worth your attention if you're looking for a replacement phone, or a new model for the kids. Meanwhile, new phones are scheduled to be released in a few weeks from Google (a new Pixel) and Apple (several models of iPhones) and are expected to cost way more than $400. So how do the budget phones compare?
Samsung Galaxy A51
The biggest of the phones is a $399 bargain, with a beautiful 6.5-inch screen the size of the $1,099 iPhone Pro Max, and even larger than the $999 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S20. . You get a second lens with the camera, which the rivals don't have. And while that's a plus, Samsung tends to over-saturate your photos, so if that's a problem, and you want to remain in the Android family, you'll want to look at the Pixel 4A.
Google Pixel 4A
The best bargain in smartphone land, at $349, the Google phone is an Android flagship with a 5.8-inch screen, fast processor, and a terrific one-lens camera that can take some pretty amazing night photos in the dark. Plus there are add-ons like the ability to add live captions to both homemade videos and ones you watch on YouTube, and an instant transcription service using Google's voice recording app. The Pixel 4A is clearly the best Pixel phone Google has made, one so good, I think if the line had launched with this model, Google would have been able to turn Pixel into a mass market brand. Google's market share is under 1%, while most phones sold in the United States are from Apple and Samsung.
Apple iPhone SE
This is the Apple phone for those who didn't like bigger phones, with a 4.7-inch screen, and yearn for the classic iPhone, one with a Home button for navigation, Touch ID instead of Face ID, and a headphone jack. Apple's nod to modernity is a powerful A13 processor, the same one that's in the current top of the line iPhones. It's classic in every sense, but as powerful as the latest iPhone. If you prefer living in an iPhone world to Android, this is the phone for you.
None of these phones are compatible with the new, faster 5G networks. However, know that in our tests, true national 5G service that isn't spotty or as fast as advertised is still at least a year away, if not longer. So you won't be missing anything now by waiting.
Decisions, decisions
Which one is best for you? It depends whether you prefer Android or iPhone. I'd choose the Pixel 4A over the Galaxy because I'm not a fan of Samsung bloatware or the somewhat over-saturation of photos, (notice how the oranges below are "orange orange" in the words of the old Trix rabbit, compared to just orange on the Pixel and iPhone) but these are minor quibbles. I could easily live with either.
On a specs basic, you'd have to go with the A51, for the bigger screen and second camera lens. But if money's tight, the Pixel 4A is fantastic. As is the SE. You couldn't go wrong with any of these phones.
Readers: if you had to take one of these phones to a desert island, which one would you select?
Follow USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham (@jeffersongraham) on Twitter
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August 31, 2020 at 07:25PM
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Forget $1,000 smartphones — here are 3 options for under $400 from Apple, Google, Samsung - Courier Journal
Samsung has just announced a major breakthrough in the development of RAM for mobile devices, and it could make the Galaxy S21 due out in the early part of next year faster than any of its contemporaries.
The company says it's begun the mass production of its new 10-nanometer 16GB LPDDR5 RAM chips, built using a new technique called extreme ultraviolet technology.
This process results in components that are 30% thinner than the LPDDR5 modules in modern smartphones, according to Samsung, and 16% faster than the current 12GB chips in the latest devices. That even includes the just-released, $1,299 Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Samsung says the new technique "overcomes a major development hurdle" in packaging more RAM at ever-smaller sizes in heavily space-constrained devices, like smartphones. Not long ago, 8GB was the standard quantity of RAM in high-end Android products, but some phone makers, like Samsung and OnePlus, have pushed the industry toward adopting 12GB and even 16GB for the most premium models over the past several months.
Of course, the more RAM at a device's disposal, the more bandwidth it has to handle multiple tasks at one time, including background processes users may not even be aware of. And the faster that memory is, the more readily it's available, in turn allowing the device to dispatch each task more swiftly.
(Image credit: Samsung)
According to Samsung, these new chips are so fast, they can transfer 51GB of data in one second. In addition to the firm's own mobile products, you can expect these chips in devices from rival phone makers as well.
Samsung also says it will bring its LPDDR5 solutions to the automotive realm, which will surely benefit modern cars that rely on fast data transfers for everything from sophisticated infotainment systems to assisted driving tech.
Given that Samsung is a major RAM producer, especially in the mobile realm, you can expect this technology to flourish in 2021 and make its way to a number of premium devices. But it'll still likely debut first in the Galaxy S21, as the company typically uses its own hardware to debut innovations that eventually trickle out to the rest of the industry in due time. And that could make it a serious rival to the iPhone 12 expected to arrive this fall.
August 31, 2020 at 10:11PM
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Samsung Galaxy S21 could beat iPhone 12 with this breakthrough - Tom's Guide
Following a misconfiguration in one of its data centers, the US internet service provider (ISP) CenturyLink suffered a major technical outage that spread across the internet taking down many popular sites and services on Sunday.
The error at the company's data center spread outward from its network and also ended up impacting other ISPs, which led to connectivity problems for many other companies including Amazon, Twitter, NameCheap, OpenDNS, Reddit, Discord, Hulu, Steam and others.
Cloudflare was also severely impacted by CenturyLink's outage and in a blog post, CEO and co-founder of the web infrastructure and website security company Matthew Prince explained how the incident affected the internet as a whole, saying:
“Because this outage appeared to take all of the CenturyLink/Level(3) network offline, individuals who are CenturyLink customers would not have been able to reach Cloudflare or any other internet provider until the issue was resolved. Globally, we saw a 3.5% drop in global traffic during the outage, nearly all of which was due to a nearly complete outage of CenturyLink’s ISP service across the United States.”
Incorrect Flowspec rule
Based on information from a CenturyLink status page, it appears the issue originated in the ISP's CA3 data center in Mississauga, located in Canada's Ontario province.
As its own services were affected by the outage, Cloudflare paid close attention and believes that an incorrect Flowspec rule that came at the end of a long list of BGP updates may have caused it.
If this was the case, every router in CenturyLink/Level(3)'s network would have received the Flowspec rule and started blocking BGP, which would lead them to stop receiving the rule.
The devices would then start back up, work their way through all the BGP rules until they got to the incorrect Flowspec rule and BGP would once again be dropped, creating an endless loop.
BGP routes are a type of message that internet companies relay between each other to inform each internet provider which group of IP addresses is available on their network. However, CenturyLink's incorrect Flowspec rule also brought down some routers outside of its network which began to announce incorrect BGP routes to other Tier 1 internet services. This brought down other networks, causing the major internet outage experienced over the weekend.
Thankfully, CenturyLink was able to fix the issue by telling all other Tier 1 internet providers to ignore any traffic coming from its network. This type of action is usually a last resort as it results in all of the company's customers losing internet connectivity.
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