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Amazon forays into crowded fitness tracker market to take on rivals

TCN Bureau
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Amazon forays into crowded fitness tracker market to take on rivals
  • Amazon positions Halo as a comprehensive digital health service that leverages both your phone and its accompanying wristband.
  • The battery lasts up to seven days and fully charges in under 90 minutes.

Bengaluru: Amazon has forayed into the crowded wearable space to take on rivals with – Amazon Halo – comprising a fitness band with no screen and a subscription-based app.

The $100 water-resistant band, covered in fabric or silicone, is being sold on its ecommerce website for $64.99. The Amazon Halo app is available on iOS and Android.

 The membership includes body composition (measure body fat percentage, a better indicator of health than weight or BMI alone), tone of voice analysis (analyse qualities of your voice like energy and positivity to help strengthen communication), sleep (analyse patterns like how often you wake up during the night) and activity tracking (track the intensity and duration of your movement plus sedentary time), and more — free for six months and can be auto renewed at $3.99/month + tax.

If Halo membership is not renewed, non-members retain access to basic sleep time, heart rate, and step tracking.

 “Despite the rise in digital health services and devices over the last decade, we have not seen a corresponding improvement in population health in the US. We are using Amazon’s deep expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer customers a new way to discover, adopt, and maintain personalized wellness habits,” said Dr. Maulik Majmudar, Principal Medical Officer, Amazon Halo.

He said that health is much more than just the number of steps you take in a day or how many hours you sleep and it  combines the latest medical science, highly accurate data via the Halo Band sensors, and artificial intelligence to offer a more comprehensive approach to improving your health and wellness.

Rather than focusing on the device itself, Amazon is positioning Halo as a comprehensive digital health service that leverages both your phone and its accompanying wristband.

Amazon Halo Labs are science-backed challenges, experiments, and workouts that allow customers to discover what works best for them specifically, so they can build healthier habits.

Customers can choose from labs created by Amazon Halo experts, as well as brands and personalities they already know, including 8fit, Aaptiv, American Heart Association, Exhale On Demand, Harvard Health Publishing, Headspace, Julian Treasure, Lifesum, Mayo Clinic, Openfit, Orangetheory Fitness, P.volve, Russell Wilson, Relax Melodies, SWEAT, and WW.

Additional content from more providers will be added to Labs regularly.

Promoting healthier lifestyle

The small sensor capsule delivers highly accurate data, and includes an accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light, and a button to turn the microphones on or off, among other functions.

The battery lasts up to seven days and fully charges in under 90 minutes.

Unlike the Apple Watch and other devices, Amazon’s Halo hasn’t received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for any of its functions. It doesn’t count as a medical device.

Earlier this week, Fitbit launched a new $330 smartwatch called the “Sense” that includes a temperature sensor, an electrocardiogram app and an electrodermal activity sensor to detect the body’s response to stress. In September, Apple is expected to unveil a new version of its Watch with more health bells and whistles.

“The American Heart Association is excited about technology that focuses on new and interesting ways for people to improve their cardiovascular health, quality of life, and healthy life years. We’re thrilled to see companies like Amazon innovating in this space,” said Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention, American Heart Association.

“The Association is committed to helping people live longer, healthier lives—both physically and mentally. The first step is to know your current status, and features like body composition are important advances. Through our Center for Health Technology and Innovation, we are pleased to provide our evidence-based science as part of this solution, which we believe has the potential to drive behaviour change towards healthier lives.”

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ASPs of 5G smartphones to drop by over 25% this year

TCN Bureau
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ASPs of 5G smartphones to drop by over 25% this year
  • IDC expects global 5G smartphone ASPs to hit $495 by 2023.
  • Smartphone volumes will return to pre-Covid levels in 2022.

Bengaluru: Even though 5G smartphones remain a top priority for manufacturers, challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and weak consumer demand have forced vendors to cut their production for 4G devices for this year and slash 5G prices by more than 25 per cent.

The supply-driven 5G push mixed with a poor economic climate will only accelerate the drop in 5G average selling prices (ASPs) in 2020 to about $600 from more than $800 last year.

In the second quarter, China saw 43 per cent of 5G devices priced under $400.

Research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) expects global 5G smartphone ASPs to hit $495 by 2023.

Research firm TrendForce forecasts total smartphone production is likely to make a rebound next year and brands are pushing out 5G models this year to maintain their market shares in the face of the recent demand slump and the share of the 5G models in the annual total smartphone production is projected to grow rapidly to 19.2 per cent for 2020 with China taking a lion’s share of more than 60 per cent.

The penetration rate is equivalent to around 238 million units. Next year, 5G penetration rate is expected to be about 40 per cent and have more than 50 per cent by 2023.

Less room for 4G devices on shelf

“5G remains a priority for all smartphone OEMs despite the challenges with the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of consumer demand. Most channels in developed markets have set the expectation that the portfolios they carry will be dominated by 5G units by the end of 2020, leaving less shelf space for 4G,” said Ryan Reith, Program Vice-President at IDC.

However, he said that they still believe that consumer demand for 5G is “very low” and when that is combined with the economic headwinds facing the market, the pressure to drive down hardware and service fees associated with 5G will become increasingly important.

According to IDC stats, the worldwide smartphone market is forecast to decline 9.5 per cent year over year in 2020 with shipments totaling 1.2 billion units.

On a positive note, IDC expects the smartphone market will return to a full recovery by 2022, and will achieve a compound annual growth rate of 1.7 per cent over the five year forecast, largely driven by the assumption that smartphones will continue to be the computing platform of choice for most of the world.

“Although we expect year-over-year growth of 9 per cent in 2021 that is only due to the large drop in 2020. The real recovery won’t happen until 2022 when smartphone volumes return to pre-Covid levels,” said Nabila Popal, Research Director at IDC.

“Other elements beyond 5G will play a role in the market recovery, most notably the continued opportunity in developing markets. There continues to be a strong shift towards low- to mid-end 4G devices in developing regions, which make up over 80% of smartphone volumes in these regions,” she said.

Yahsat selects Airbus to build Thuraya 4-NGS satellite system

TCN Bureau
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Yahsat selects Airbus to build Thuraya 4-NGS satellite system
  • UAE operator aims to enhance its L-band business for mobile telecommunications system.
  • It is scheduled for operation in 2024.

Abu Dhabi: UAE’s satellite operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) has selected Airbus to build Thuraya 4-NGS satellite to enhance its L-band business for the mobile telecommunications system.

The satellite will cover across Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, enabling mobility solutions for all customer segments, including defence, government and enterprise. 

“With a AED2 billion commitment, we are creating a multipurpose and flexible satellite ecosystem that is attuned for growth and future diversification,”  Khaled Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Yahsat’s Board of Directors and CEO of Mubadala’s Aerospace, Renewables and ICT platform, said.

Based on the Airbus Eurostar Neo Platform, Thuraya 4-NGS will incorporate a large 12-metre L-band antenna and a payload with on-board processing providing advanced routing flexibility of up to 3,200 channels with dynamic power allocation over a large number of spot beams.  It is scheduled for operation in 2024.  

Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems, said that Thuraya 4-NGS, being electric, will benefit from its  latest processed payload technology giving increased flexibility and adaptability over the course of its life in orbit.

Delivery Hero acquires InstaShop for $360M to rev up delivery business

TCN Bureau
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Delivery Hero acquires InstaShop for $360M to rev up delivery business
  • Despite the acquisition, InstaShop will continue to operate as an independent brand under the current leadership.
  • Plan is to launch in new markets and invest in further growth.

Dubai: Delivery Hero SE, Berlin-listed online food-delivery service, has acquired Dubai-based online grocery platform InstaShop for $360 million, on a cash and debt-free basis.  

John Tsioris, CEO and Founder of InstaShop, said that the partnership is a great opportunity for them to continue to grow their business and put the group’s expertise to use.

“I really enjoyed working with Delivery Hero on this deal and am thrilled to continue to further expand the reach and quality of our service at InstaShop. Delivery Hero is a network-driven by ambitious founders and entrepreneurs just like ourselves, and we are proud to become part of this family,” he said.

InstaShop was launched in June 2015 and generates approximately $300 million gross merchandise value on a second-quarter annualised basis, up 330% year-on-year, and a positive EBITDA margin.

With Delivery Hero’s support, the plan is to launch in new markets and invest in further growth.

As a leading grocery delivery marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa, InstaShop offers scheduled as well as on-demand deliveries in 45 minutes on average.

Partnering with approximately 1,500 vendors, the company operates in five countries – the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and Lebanon.

Despite the acquisition, InstaShop will continue to operate as an independent brand under the current leadership.

“The InstaShop team embodies our values and brings a strong vision and capabilities. As a leading player in the grocery segment, InstaShop has built a service that customers love, and their expertise is a great addition to our quick commerce expansion. Together, we will continue to invest to drive the future of delivery by pushing the standards for speed and convenience,” Niklas Ostberg, CEO and Co-Founder of Delivery Hero, said.

TikTok chief Kevin Mayer resigns due to US pressure to sell app

TCN Bureau
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TikTok chief Kevin Mayer resigns due to US pressure to sell app
  • Mayer says his decision to leave comes after the “political environment has sharply changed”.

Benagluru: TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigned on Thursday as the Chinese-owned short video sharing app faces enormous backlash from the US President Donald Trump.

In a letter sent to employees, Mayer said that his decision to leave comes after the “political environment has sharply changed”.

Mayer, a former Disney executive, joined TikTok as CEO in May.

The Trump administration has ordered TikToK to be banned in the US unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells its US operations to an American company within 90 days.

TikToK ban in the US

 “I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require, and what it means for the global role I signed up for,” he said in the letter.

“Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company,” Mayer said.

Bytedance is currently in talks with Microsoft for the US firm to buy TikTok’s US operations.

Market sources suggest that Oracle is also in the fray.

Walmart Inc said it was joining Microsoft in a bid for social media company TikTok’s US assets.

Walmart lauded TikTok’s integration of e-commerce and advertising capabilities in other markets and said that a three-way partnership could bring that integration to the US.

The deal would help Walmart reach customers across virtual and physical sales channels and grow its online marketplace and its advertising business.

“We are confident that a Walmart and Microsoft partnership would meet both the expectations of US TikTok users while satisfying the concerns of US government regulators,” Walmart said in a statement.

ByteDance launched TikTok in 2017, then bought Musical.ly, a video service popular with teens in the US and Europe, and combined the two. A twin service, Douyin, is available for Chinese users.

“We appreciate that the political dynamics of the last few months have significantly changed what the scope of Kevin’s role would be going forward, and fully respect his decision,” the company said in a statement.

Trump has ordered a sweeping but unspecified ban on dealings with the Chinese owners of consumer apps TikTok and WeChat as the US heightens scrutiny of Chinese technology companies, citing concerns that they may pose a threat to national security.

The Government of India has banned 59 Chinese mobile applications, including top social media platforms such as TikTok, WeChat and Helo, to counter the threat posed by these applications to the country’s “sovereignty and security”.

India’s mobile subscribers catch cold as Covid sneezes

TCN Bureau
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India’s mobile subscribers catch cold as Covid sneezes
  • India’s mobile subscribers decline 5.61m in May.
  • Private access service providers held 89.21% market share of the wireless subscribers whereas BSNL and MTNL had a market share of only 10.79%.

Bengaluru:  India’s wireless subscribers (2G, 3G and 4G) decreased by 0.49 per cent in May as daily-wage workers and labourers migrated due to the nationwide lockdown.

According to TRAI stats, India had 1,143.91 million subscribers in May compared to 1,149.52 million in April.

However, wireless subscription in rural areas increased by 0.70 per cent from 520.08 million in April to 523.70 million in May while subscription in urban areas decreased by 1.47 per cent from 629.44 million in April to 620.21 million in May.

As of May, the private access service providers held 89.21 per cent market share of the wireless subscribers whereas BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU access service providers, had a market share of only 10.79 per cent.

In the month of May, 2.98 million subscribers submitted their requests for Mobile Number Portability (MNP). With this, the cumulative MNP requests increased from 488.23 million at the end of April to 491.21 million at the end of May, since implementation of MNP.

Intra-service area Mobile number portability (MNP) was implemented first in Haryana service area in November 2010 and the rest of the country from 2011.

”All service areas showed decline except Kerala and Bihar in their wireless subscribers during the month of May. Kerala service area showed maximum growth of 0.39 per cent in their wireless subscriber during the month,” TRAI report said.

India’s broadband (wired and wireless) subscribers increased 1.13 per cent month on month in May, with Reliance Jio taking the lion’s share.

According to TRAI stats, India had 683.77 million broadband subscribers in May compared to 676.14 million in April.

The top five service providers constituted 98.93 per cent market share of the total broadband subscribers. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd had 393.72 million, followed by  Bharti Airtel with 145.96 million, Vodafone Idea with 113.06 million, BSNL with 22.07 million and Atria Convergence with 1.64 million.

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