Calendar Year 2018 Worldwide Smartphone market share: Samsung 20.8 %, Apple 14.9%, Huawei 14.7% says IDC

More information on : https://worldwidegadget.blogspot.com/2019/01/4q-2018-worldwide-smartphone-market.html

4Q 2018: WorldWide Smartphone Market share: Samsung 18.7%, Apple 18.2 %, Huawei 16.1% says IDC.

According to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone vendors shipped a total of 375.4 million units during the fourth quarter of 2018 (4Q18), down 4.9% year over year and the fifth consecutive quarter of decline. The challenging holiday quarter closes out the worst year ever for smartphone shipments with global smartphone volumes declining 4.1% in 2018 with a total of 1.4 billion units shipped for the full year. With challenging market conditions continuing into the first quarter of 2019, the likelihood of a declining market this year becomes more of a reality.

"Globally the smartphone market is a mess right now," said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "Outside of a handful of high-growth markets like India, Indonesia, Korea, and Vietnam, we did not see a lot of positive activity in 2018. We believe several factors are at play here, including lengthening replacement cycles, increasing penetration levels in many large markets, political and economic uncertainty, and growing consumer frustration around continuously rising price points."

Despite all the challenges the smartphone market is facing, the largest focal point remains the China market as recovery continues to get pushed further forward. China, which accounts for roughly 30% of the world's smartphone consumption, had an even worse 2018 than the previous year with volumes down just over 10%. High inventory continues to be a challenge across the market as is consumer spending on devices, which has been down overall. At the same time the top 4 brands, all of which are Chinese – Huawei, OPPO, vivo, and Xiaomi – grew their share of the China market to roughly 78%, up from 66% in 2017.

On a worldwide basis, the top 5 smartphone companies continue to get stronger and now account for 69% of smartphone volume, up from 63% a year ago. If vivo is included, which is currently number six and has been in and out of the top 5 in recent quarters, the share of the top companies is 75% and growing. While the market faces some very serious challenges in general, none are greater than the challenges facing the brands that continue to lose market share and channel positioning.

"With replacement rates continuing to slow across numerous markets, vendors will need to find a new equilibrium that balances the latest smartphone features, compelling design, and affordability," said Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "The arrival of both 5G and foldable devices later this year could bring new life to the industry depending on how vendors and carriers market the real-life benefits of these technologies. However, we expect these new devices to elevate average selling prices as new displays, chipsets, and radios will bring an increased price to the BOM (bill of materials), which will translate to higher price points for consumers. To combat this, carriers and retailers will need to fully maximize trade-in offers for older devices as a type of subsidy to push upgrades throughout 2019."

Smartphone Company Highlights

Samsung saw smartphone volumes decline 5.5% in 4Q18 with total shipments of 70.4 million units. While this was enough to maintain the top position for the quarter, its share once again fell below 20% to 18.7%, just a few points above Apple and Huawei. Things weren't much better for the full year as 2018 volumes were down 8% to 292.3 million. With a barrage of 5G smartphones right around the corner, it will be interesting to see if Samsung has enough in the tank to weather the competitive environment and maintain the top spot in the market.

Apple saw iPhone volumes drop 11.5% in 4Q18 marking one of the more challenging iPhone quarters in terms of growth, despite the three new models. Total iPhone volumes were down 3.2% for the full year, which is understandable considering its two largest markets (the United States and China) both experienced the worst year for smartphone performance ever. Apple is certainly not out of the game, but the likelihood of not having a 5G iPhone in 2019 means it will need to tell a strong iPhone and, more importantly, ecosystem story to succeed. If anyone can do it, it is Apple. But it certainly won't be easy when faced with all the other downward market pressures.

Huawei continued to capitalize on strong momentum in some markets with 4Q18 volumes up 43.9% year over year and 2018 volumes up an impressive 33.6%. Huawei continues to see growing success from its Honor line of devices, which are now representing close to half of its overall volume. China represents about half of Huawei's smartphone business, but that is dropping as the company continues its international success with growth in almost every international market where they participated in 2018.

OPPO finished 4Q18 in the fourth position with full-year shipments of 113.1 million, up 1.3% from 2017. While the growth wasn't as high as in past years, growth is still a feat given current market conditions, especially for a company that still does most of its business in China. India and Indonesia continue to be OPPO's largest focus markets outside of China with ongoing success from its A-series devices.

Xiaomi rounded out the top 5 in 4Q18 with full-year shipments up 32.2% year over year and volumes surpassing the 100 million market. Like OPPO, India and Indonesia continue to be the focus markets outside of China. However, Xiaomi has done exceptionally well in a few markets in Western Europe, most notably Spain. Its Redmi series devices continue to lead in emerging markets, but its Mi Mix/Max/Pro devices are increasingly becoming flagship contenders with attractive price points. 

LG launches LG Gram 14 inch 2 in 1 laptop.

LG launched today in Korea and the US the new 14 inch LG Gram 2 in1 laptop , which can be converted into a tablet allowing users to draw and write on the full HD touch screen IPS display with LG Wacon`s Stylus pen. Can be rotated up to 360º.

The LG Wacon`s stylus pen recognizes the tilt and direction of the pen , including 4096 steps of pressure, so you can express the lines and text more precisely and accurately.

The LG Grammat is smaller and lighter than comparable notebooks. Weighs only 1.145 grams.

Equipped with Intel 8th Gen quad core processors, latest DDR4 memory , a slot for additional SSDs, a power button with fingertip recognition and a 72Watt (Wh) battery.

The LG Grammat is also durable through seven items : shock, dust, high temperature , low temperature, vibration, slat, low pressure, of the US Military standard test (MIL-STD) , known as the military specification.

US$1.688 to US$1.990 are the prices range between the LG Gram 2 in1  14 inch models, that you can see on the chart below.

Samsung laptops coming with world`s first UHD OLED displays.

Samsung Display Co. said Wednesday it has developed the world's first Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display with ultra-high definition (UHD) for laptops.

The panel making unit of Samsung Electronics Co. said it will roll out the UHD OLED panels with pixel counts of 3,840 by 2,160 next month.Samsung Display said the displays have a high resolution, low blue light and a wide viewing angle, allowing it to tackle the premium segment.

The company said the OLED panels are thinner and more energy efficient than their LCD products, although they can be about $50-60 higher more expensive than a comparable LCD panel.

This year, market observers expect growing demand for laptops using UHD OLED panels, which are better for watching high-resolution content and playing games.

Are the Samsung Galaxy S10 models and Galaxy Foldable coming with self-healing screen ?

Speculation around the web are saying the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones family models might arrive not only with in-screen fingertip scanner but also with self-healing screen, meaning you will not need a screen protector anymore at all.

A Technical thought is suggesting is the only way to keep the in-screen fingertip scanner working smoothly.

Let`s talk about the patent:

Samsung has designed a revolutionary display that fixes itself. The so-called "self-healing" screen will repair scratches all by itself, keeping your device looking as good as new. The tech is revealed in a Samsung patent granted by the World Intellectual Property Organisation.

"There is a need for a protective material having improved properties, and which can be applied to an electronic device," Samsung explains in its patent filing.

Samsung describes how its concept solution – a thin film that lives on top of your smartphone screen, that could even be applied to foldable phones.

"The film may be self-healed after being scratched and has excellent flexibility, and thus may be applied to a flexible device and the like," Samsung writes.

The patent explains that the film would be made from "polyrotaxane, polyhedral silsesquioxane, and fluorinated (meth) acryl".

thesun

Meet the Samsung Galaxy S10 processor Exynos 9 Series 9820 Full Features. Video

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S10 family models in February 20th at the UNPACKED event in San Francisco, California. The new smartphones will sport the Exynos 9 series 9820 new processor.

We suppose the Galaxy Foldable smartphone will has it in too. Meanwhile watch what are the features of the Exynos 9 series 9820 on the video below and on some pictures after.

Pictures credits: GSMarena.

Samsung

MWC2019: LG teases the G8 ThinQ smartphone with hand gestures. Video.

LG on Wednesday sent an invitation to global press and industry officials for an event on Feb. 24 to unveil its flagship model for this year. 

The invitation that included a 10-second video hinted at a new user interface for its flagship phone -- assumed to be the G8 ThinQ -- that will allow users to control the smartphone via hand gestures without the need to touch the screen. 

Alongside with the eighth edition of the G series phone, LG is rumored to introduce a dual display smartphone that has a second display attached to the rear of the phone, instead of a true foldable display phone. 

LG Electronics 49SK8000 49-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2018 Model) AI ThinQ.

MWC 2019: LG will showcase its foldable smartphone to B2B customers.

“LG will showcase the foldable smartphone under development to its VIP customers at a private booth to be set up the MWC."

Privately showcasing the new model to its key B2B customers, such as mobile carriers, could mean that a commercial launch is imminent.

LG’s foldable model will differ from the so-called “dual display” phone at the Barcelona trade show,  and will fold outward instead of inward,unlike Samsung Electronics inward-bending phone.

“When folded in half, the LG foldable phone is larger than Samsung’s 4.58-inch phone, a differentiation point that would meet users’ needs for a bigger screen both when folded and unfolded,”

 “The user interface of the foldable phone will be run by Google.”

KH

Samsung confirma el lanzamiento del Foldable Smartphone junto con el Galaxy S10 en video teaser.

Samsung lanzará el teléfono inteligente Galaxy Foldable (Plegable) junto a la familia Galaxy S10 el 20 de febrero, en el evento UNPACKED 2019 en San Francisco, California, que se confirmó en el video teaser que la compañía cargó en Youtube el 16 de enero de 2019 sobre las valiosas carteleras de París.

Las vallas publicitarias, que se han instalado en la famosa Place de la Concorde de París, combinan hermosas imágenes con texto escrito en Hangeul, las letras coreanas. Cuando se traducen, los mensajes intrigantes "미래 를 펼치다" y "이월 이십일" se revelan para decir: "El futuro se despliega" y "20 de febrero".

Sin embargo, al final del video, las palabras "El futuro se despliega" están en un lenguaje sencillo.

Para experimentar la magia, simplemente diríjase a news.samsung.com/global, www.samsungmobilepress.com, www.samsung.com/galaxy o www.samsung.com para ver la cobertura de transmisión en vivo ese día.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Factory Unlocked Phone with 6.4" Screen and 128GB (U.S. Warranty), Lavender Purple

Samsung confirms Foldable Smartphone launch alongside Galaxy S10 on teaser.

Samsung will launch the Galaxy Foldable smartphone alongside the Galaxy S10 family in February 20th, at the UNPACKED 2019 event in San Francisco, California, which is confirmed on teaser video the company has uploaded on Youtube in January 16th, 2019 about captivating billboards in Paris.

The billboards – which have been installed in Paris’s famous Place de la Concorde – pair beautiful imagery with text written in Hangeul, the Korean letters. When translated, the intriguing messages “미래를 펼치다” and “이월 이십일” are revealed to say, “The future unfolds” and “February twentieth.”

However at the end of the video the words "The future unfolds" are on plain English. 

To experience the magic, simply head to news.samsung.com/global, www.samsungmobilepress.com, www.samsung.com/galaxy or www.samsung.com for live streaming coverage on the day.

Before related posts:
It`s Official: Samsung sends out invitation for the UNPACKED GALAXY S10 event Feb 20, 2019 in SF,USA

Samsung Galaxy S10 + pictures and specifications leaked.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Factory Unlocked Phone with 6.4" Screen and 128GB (U.S. Warranty), Lavender Purple

MWC 2019: SONY sent out invitations for February 25 event. XZ4 on his way.

Sony will showcase its new flagship smartphone the XZ4 at MWC 2019 in Barcelona in February 25, 2019.

Some specifications at this time:

6.5 inch flat screen

21:9 aspect ratio.

Snapdragon 855 chip.

Triple rear camera.

Single front camera.

Different internal storage capacity.

Dimensions of 166.9 x 72.4 x 8.2mm

Apparently no headphone port.

Sony's showcase will take place in Barcelona at MWC on Monday 25 February at 8:30AM CET (7:30AM GMT, 2:30AM ET, which is 11:30PM PT on Sunday 24 February).

techradar

Samsung Galaxy S10 + pictures and specifications leaked.

February 20, 2019 is about a month and 4 days away for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones family models in San Francisco, California, US, and as usual some details surfaced around the web and pictures of the Galaxy S10+ , as well.

Remember this information is not Samsung`s official yet , anything could change until February 20th:

Specifications:

6.4 inch Super AMOLED Display (expected Quad Hd+, aspect ratio 19:5:9)

Processor Samsung Exynos 9820 7nm

RAM 8GB

Storage on board 512GB

Micro SD card

16MP + 13MP + 12MP triple-camera setup at the rear.

in-display fingerprint sensor,

Dual-front cameras

IP68 certification,

stereo speakers, 

4000mAh capacity battery with fast charging support.

Nearly bezel less design.

Pictures:

Samsung Galaxy Foldable phone model numbers are: SM-F9000 China, SM-F900 USA, SM-F900F Europe and SM-F900N Asia

Models numbers surged for the different versions of the Samsung Galaxy Foldable phone with Infinity Flex Display around the world. Recently for China is SM-F9000.

For the USA SM-F900, for Europe SM-F900F and for Asia SM-F900N. 

The firmware F900USQU0ARJ5 was testing for the USA version.

Samsung showed the mobile at the SDC 2018 conference in November 2018 and for some selected crowd at CES 2019.

The device will sport a triple camera on the back with a SONY IMX 374 sensor, 512GB of internal storage and maybe two batteries combined for a 5000 or 6000 mAh .

Is not confirmed yet , if the Foldable phone will be unveiled alongside the Galaxy S10 family at the UNPACKED event in February 20, 2019 in San Francisco, California.

sammobile

It`s Official: Samsung sends out invitation for the UNPACKED GALAXY S10 event Feb 20, 2019 in SF,USA

Samsung Electronics has sent out invitations for the UNPACKED event in February 20, 2019 for unveiling the full line of Galaxy S10 models. That is 5 days before the MWC 2019 starts in  February 25-28, 2019. The event will take place in San Francisco, USA.

From Samsung Newsroom:

On February 20, Samsung Electronics will unveil new devices that promise to usher in new Galaxy experiences based on 10 years of innovations.

The exciting reveal will take place at the Samsung Galaxy UNPACKED event in San Francisco.

To experience the magic, simply head to news.samsung.com/global, www.samsungmobilepress.com, www.samsung.com/galaxy or www.samsung.com for live streaming coverage on the day.

Welcome to the next generation. Galaxy Unpacked on February 20, 2019. #SamsungEvent pic.twitter.com/M1Gh0F9Fs5

— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) January 10, 2019

Is Samsung going to present the Galaxy Foldable smartphone at MWC 2019 in Barcelona a few days after this event or will wait a little longer.?

2019 LG Smart TVs will run WebOS 4.5 platform. Details.

2019 LG WebOS 4.5

LG Electronics is confirming that all the LG Smart TVs 2019 models will run a new version of WebOS a 4.5 which comes from the 4.0 actually running on 2018 models. 

Some details of LG WebOS 4.5:

The on-screen menu is getting an improvement, adding a second contextual row to the app menu that pops up when you select an app. In this second row, you'll see recently watched content, along with movie recommendations and trending content.

Smart home enthusiasts will be pleased to learn that the new version of webOS also includes a feature called Home Dashboard. This dedicated tool lets you manage all of your connected home devices, from smart doorbells to thermostats, right from the TV.

LG's LCD model line, previously known as Super UHD, is now known as NanoCell. The model line features the new webOS 4.5 platform, and many (though not all) models will include the new Alpha A9 Gen 2 processor, with all of its enhancements.

tom`s guide

On the smart home front, LG is adding support for Amazon's Alexa smart assistant to its televisions, sitting alongside Google Assistant as part of the WebOS 4.5 upgrade. LG has also improved its own ThinQ assistant to support contextual follow-up questions.

smh au

According to LG Electronics Tweet below  the company will upgrade their TVs every year to a new WebOS version 

Each year the webOS TV platform changes. 2016 TVs run on webOS 3.0, 2017 TVs run on webOS 3.5, 2018 TVs run on webOS 4.0, 2019 TVs will run on webOS 4.5. We currently don't have al the details for webOS 4.5 yet. ^IV

— LG Electronics (@LGUS) January 9, 2019

Meanwhile take a look of some tweets LG Electronics made about on what is  WebOS working on:

WebOS works with AI services from their external partners Google, Amazon, Baidu and Yandex.

WebOS includes LG`s own AI technology and will be adding to WebOS Open Access to LG's own AI ThinQ platform for developers all around the world. 

On what is LG WebOS 4.0 platform focused at this time?

LG Electronics on their latest answer about the benefits of LG WebOS 4.0 platform at this time January 2019:

LG WebOS 4.0 is focused in the connectivity formed by a Smart Home enviroment, IoT Internet of Things, AI Artificial Intelligence Assistant and voice recognition for voice commands.

LG WebOS 4.0 strength  goes beyond Smart TVs connection only, but goes to connect other LG devices using AI technologies and is also applied to home appliances such as digital signage, beam projector, refrigerator and washing machine and was scalated to other Smart Home Appliances.

The LG WebOS 4.0 version is running with 2018 WebOS Smart  TVs. 

There is no news about an upgraded version from LG WebOS 4.0 and we are supposing the 2019 Smart TVs models will be still running 4.0 a little longer.

LG is upgrading some Smart TVs from 3.5 to WebOS 4.0 version.

Today I asked LG if they are upgrading their smart TVs from 3.5 to 4.0 because I found the information on the LG WebOs developers site:

And LG confirmed that some models are updated to webOS 4.0 already. I don`t have a list of them yet but if your LG Smart TV has been upgraded to 4.0 please let us know on the comments, to make a list of the models upgraded. Thanks.

UPDATE: More information on this post here