The president of Acer's Pan-Asia Pacific operations, Andrew Hou, pointed out that irresistible momentum in India and Indonesia, coupled with a rebound in business PC sales, has offset the sluggish consumer PC market. Notably, India has achieved Acer’s best sales performance to date.
Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen expects the popularity of AI PCs to explode, driving demand for hardware and software, with AI PCs expected to make up about 90% of Acer's product portfolio in 2025.
Qualcomm recently announced the expansion of the Snapdragon X series at the International Radio Exhibition Berlin (IFA Berlin 2024). Company CEO Cristiano Amon expressed confidence that the company is heading in the right direction as its PC platform is being compared with Intel.
Acer has announced a range of new products on the eve of IFA 2024, with its Project DualPlay gaming laptop concept taking the spotlight. This innovative device features a built-in gaming controller that allows users to seamlessly switch between laptop and gaming console user modes. Acer will continue to identify micro-trends in the broader market, according to chairman and CEO Jason Chen.
The global tech industry is in the midst of a horror show, says Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen. Although the specifics vary by company, the same three reasons lie behind the calamities: elections—especially the US presidential election, geopolitics, and an AI reality check.
Despite Samsung Electronics' high expectations for the sales performance of its newly launched foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, intense competition from rivals such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, and Motorola is rapidly intensifying. This competition has forced Samsung to reconsider its strategy regarding the positioning and pricing of its foldable smartphones.
AUO believes that power-saving technology for panels will play a key role in advancing AI PCs. The company is optimistic that LTPS technology is more power-efficient than dual-layer OLED and will be more competitive as AI PCs become more prevalent.
Bharti Airtel, India's second-largest telecom operator, has partnered with Apple to offer exclusive Apple TV+ and Apple Music promotions. This move helps enhance Apple's position against rivals like Spotify and JioSaavn as Apple is expanding its digital services in India.
LG Electronics CEO William Cho has announced that by 2030, 52% of the company's revenue and 76% of its profits will come from the business-to-business (B2B) sector. Subscription services, the webOS platform, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and automotive businesses are expected to drive LG's future growth.
Sonix Technology, a microcontroller (MCU) manufacturer, reported that the notebook (NB) industry is actively advancing the AI PC market. Sonix plans to introduce its human presence detection (HPD) chip into AI PCs in the first quarter of 2025.
E-reader manufacturer Netronix said it struggled to meet demands for color e-readers. The company views color e-readers and digital advertising signage as its two growth engines for the next decade.
It was previously reported that Meta Platforms has canceled its planned high-end mixed reality (MR) headset project, internally codenamed "La Jolla," originally slated for release in 2027. However, new information now suggests that the company plans to launch a new product integrating smart glasses with MR functionality.
Apple has officially announced that the title of this year's fall product launch event will be "It's Glowtime." It will take place on September 9 at 10:00 am PT. The event is expected to feature the reveal of the new iPhone 16, AirPods, and Apple Watch. The implementation of Apple's AI features into hardware and the revamped version of Siri are also key areas of interest for the market.
On August 29, Huawei announced its 2024 first-half financial results, showing a robust 34.3% year-on-year revenue increase to CNY417.5 billion (US$58.83 billion), with a net profit margin of 13.2%, translating to a net profit of CNY55.11 billion, a significant 18.2% year-on-year rise, as reported by MyDrivers, Yicai, and Jiwei.
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has announced a 20% price increase for the PlayStation 5 (PS5) and its accessories due to escalating costs of components such as semiconductors. The new pricing will take effect from September 2.
The global notebook (NB) market is experiencing a period of stagnation in 2024, with shipments expected to remain largely flat or show only single-digit percentage changes. This comes as the industry anticipates a significant AI-driven upgrade wave post-2025. Despite the challenging market conditions, Apple aims to maintain its MacBook shipments at 15 million units for the year, even as major manufacturers like Foxconn, Quanta, and Wingtech face order reductions.
A Chinese game developer recently launched the AAA title "Black Myth: Wukong," which has sold over 10 million copies globally since its release on August 20. Due to the game's stunning visuals, the market anticipates it will drive a wave of hardware upgrades among gamers. However, supply chain sources caution that while there is excitement, it's still uncertain whether this will lead to significant growth in overall performance.
Chinese smartphone manufacturers are preparing to make a strong push into the Indian wearable device market, a space traditionally dominated by local companies. It remains to be seen whether these Chinese firms will replicate their success in other sectors by outcompeting domestic players.
Upcoming next-generation hardware releases by Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Nvidia, as well as the launch of China's first AAA game "Black Myth: Wukong," are expected to boost PC sales. This surge is prompting related PC and motherboard manufacturers to raise their shipment targets for 2024 by 3-10%, according to industry sources.
Taiwan's prominence in the global tech industry continues to grow, as evidenced by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's recent praise at Stanford University. Schmidt highlighted Taiwan's impressive workforce, noting how even physicists with PhD degrees begin their careers at TSMC on the floor below ground. As a democratic model in Asia, Taiwan is solidifying its position as a crucial tech hub through recently finalized industrial policies.
International Business Machines Corp. is shutting a key research division in China in a move affecting more than 1,000 employees, local media including Yicai reported, in the latest pullback by a US name from the world's No. 2 economy.
When will AI PCs take off? The consensus in the PC industry is that 2024's second half will be a warm-up, with a surge in demand expected to unfold gradually in 2025. By then, ARM-based players like Qualcomm and MediaTek will be gearing up to challenge x86 titans Intel and AMD in a high-stakes showdown.
As India's import management policy on imported computers approaches expiration at the end of September, stakeholders in the industry are seeking clarity on future policies to avoid disrupting the booming market.
Apple's annual new product announcement event is approaching, with rumors from foreign media suggesting it will be held on September 10th, US time. There is speculation that the theme of the event, "Capture," hints at a high likelihood of a lens upgrade.
