News & Reviews:   market

Shares of Qualcomm fell sharply this week after the company issued weaker financial guidance for the current quarter, warning that a global memory chip shortage is weighing on the smartphone market and constraining demand for its mobile chips. The outlook disappointed Wall Street following Qualcomm’s fiscal first-quarter earnings release, triggering a sell-off in after-hours trading as investors absorbed the supply chain challenges.

It was only yesterday when we reported that the rising cost of memory chips may put pressure on Apple, since Samsung and SK Hynix are increasing it. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to that matter during the company’s latest earnings call with equity analysts.

We have been talking about this for a while; memory costs have already risen, and the global memory chip market is facing steep price increases that are reverberating across the technology sector. This is prominent in the smartphone industry, where dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) is a critical component.

Reports have surfaced that Norwegian telecommunications group Telenor may be considering an eventual exit from its 33.1% stake in Malaysia’s largest mobile operator, CelcomDigi. The speculation comes in the wake of Telenor’s recent divestments in other Asian markets, including its full exit from Thailand through the sale of its stake in True Corporation.

According to sources, China’s BYD is on track to surpass Tesla as the world’s top electric vehicle seller, marking a major shift in the global EV market. If confirmed, this would be the first time the Chinese automaker has overtaken its US rival in annual battery-electric vehicle sales.

In a major shift for the drone industry, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will ban approvals for new foreign-made drones and critical components from being imported, marketed, or sold in the United States unless specifically cleared by the Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security. This move fundamentally changes how drones built outside the U.S., including those from major manufacturers like DJI and Autel Robotics, can enter the American market.

Bolt Malaysia has launched its new instant Early Cash Out feature, giving eligible partner drivers the ability to withdraw their earnings anytime, any day of the week. This move, already implemented in other Bolt markets, underscores the company’s commitment to improving financial flexibility and independence for its driver partners.

According to a report, Apple was going to release a plastic version of the iPad. However, the company didn't carry out the plan and released the 10th generation of iPad, mainly built on aluminium. It's said that the tech giant would have made the tablet cheaper and more competitive. 

HONOR, once a brand that struggles, has now regained its glory. The brand is now the third-largest in China by shipping 4 million devices last month. With the help of the number, it managed to surpass other huge brands like Xiaomi and Apple, which shipped 3.9 million and 3 million devices respectively.

It seems that a statement from techradar.com hints that a report from Strategy Analytics hints that Apple, OPPO, and vivo holds the top spot for the highest 5G smartphone market share in Q1 2021 at 30.2%, 16.1%, and 14.5% respectively. With that in mind, we can expect 5G capable smartphones to gain popularity as 5G coverage improves with time.