Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres.

Amazon India's smart assistant Alexa completed one year of its existence, and will now available be on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country from Monday. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices.

Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said.

Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi.

Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao".

The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information.

At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on. 
&nbsp;

Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres.

Amazon is extending the feature of ‘Hindi language’ support for Alexa voice assistant. Amazon Alexa is easily available on Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more from where it can be used to gain information and entertainment of various genres. Amazon India's smart assistant Alexa completed one year of its existence, and will now available be on both Android and iOS smartphones in the country from Monday. The customers can now interact with Alexa in Hindi using the Alexa app on their mobile devices. Alexa in Hindi can be experienced on the entire Amazon Echo range of smart speakers, Alexa built-in devices by other brands, the company said. Alexa can now understand 50 different ways to play a particular song in Hindi. Amazon has also added six new Alexa original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi. Alexa now has a special message for all users in India. Just ask "Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao". The company said that Alexa is now equipped with hundreds of new words from the Hindi vocabulary, and is also able to understand different ways in which customers can ask for the same information. At the launch last year, Amazon had over 500 Hindi skills. Today, it has over 1,000 Hindi Skills, including Audible Suno, Ramayan Katha, Devotional Stories by Hungama, Shilpa Shetty Yoga, Jungle Safari, Kabir's Dohe, Rekhta, Hindi Jokes and so on.

Alexa in Hindi turns one; now available on smartphones in India

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday.

The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/severe-floods-in-china-leave-over-38-million-affected-141-dead-or-missing-312838" hreflang="en">Severe floods in China leave over 38 million affected, 141 dead or missing</a>

Phone makers shipped 27.7 million handsets in June, down from 32.7 million in June 2019, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a state-backed think tank.

That follows a similar decline in May, when shipments dropped more than 10% annually, from 36.4 million in May 2019 to 32.6 million one year later.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/majority-of-us-firms-in-hong-kong-concerned-about-security-law-312843" hreflang="en">Majority of US firms in Hong Kong concerned about security law</a>

In April, after a slump in the previous months due to the health crisis, CAICT reported that smartphone shipments grew an unexpected 17% percent annually.

At the time, the jump suggested potential for a rebound in the China's smartphone brands, which for years have wrestled with shrinking growth at home.&nbsp;

China is one of the few countries where retail outlets have re-opened almost fully after a lockdown period as COVID-19 spread.

Apple and its rival smartphone brands do not publicly release regional shipments.

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

Smartphone shipments in China fell 16% in June compared with a year earlier, according to government data released on Tuesday. The numbers suggest that handset demand in China remains lukewarm despite the country's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, boding poorly for Apple Inc and its local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Also read: Severe floods in China leave over 38 million affected, 141 dead or missing Phone makers shipped 27.7 million handsets in June, down from 32.7 million in June 2019, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a state-backed think tank. That follows a similar decline in May, when shipments dropped more than 10% annually, from 36.4 million in May 2019 to 32.6 million one year later. Also read: Majority of US firms in Hong Kong concerned about security law In April, after a slump in the previous months due to the health crisis, CAICT reported that smartphone shipments grew an unexpected 17% percent annually. At the time, the jump suggested potential for a rebound in the China's smartphone brands, which for years have wrestled with shrinking growth at home. China is one of the few countries where retail outlets have re-opened almost fully after a lockdown period as COVID-19 spread. Apple and its rival smartphone brands do not publicly release regional shipments.

Smartphone shipments in China fall 16% in June

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry. Samsung is hell-bent on changing that with the recently launched Galaxy M21. It’s a phone that borrows design cues from its predecessor Galaxy M20 and its immediate successors Galaxy M30s/M31, at an economical price of Rs 12,999. &nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 is a smartphone that offers a massive 6,000mAh battery, an AMOLED screen, decent RAM and storage options, a 48-megapixel rear camera and weighs just 164 grams.&nbsp;

While the M21 borrows a lot from other Samsung M-series smartphones, does it have what it takes to stand on its own two feet? Read on to find out.&nbsp;

Design and Display: Plain old boring&nbsp;

Thanks to the polycarbonate body of the Galaxy M21 that covers the entire back and chassis, the smartphone is extremely lightweight. Though this doesn’t feel premium at all. The plastic body lends to its durability. The smartphone is very ergonomically designed and it is a treat to use in one’s hand. &nbsp;

Thanks to the glossy nature of the plastic, the phone is very susceptible to fingerprints. If you choose to use the Galaxy M21 without a case then be prepared to be constantly wiping the back of the smartphone to make it look new and shiny.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8ff02ea-7fc8-46f7-af9e-b24db312c1e5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung5.jpg" />

The Galaxy M21 comes with a volume rocker and power button on the right, the SIM card slot on the back and the USB-Type C (thank you Samsung) port, 3.5mm headphone jack and speaker grille on the bottom. On the back is a capacitive fingerprint scanner. &nbsp;

There’s also no camera bump on the Galaxy M21. In a world of Galaxy S20s, this sure does feel refreshing. On the whole, the Galaxy M21 is dull and monotonous. It definitely won’t stand out next to an array of competitors in any mobile phone shop.&nbsp;

The display, on the other hand, is the standout feature (other than the battery) of the Galaxy M21. Samsung’s displays have always been its strong point and that doesn’t change with the M21. You get a 6.4-inch, full HD+ AMOLED (1440x2400 resolution) display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It’s got punchy colours and gets bright enough to be used while out and about on a walk. Furthermore, it’s got good viewing angles and is Widevine L1 certified which means that it’ll be a pleasure consuming media from OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix.&nbsp;

It may not have a 90Hz high-refresh-rate display but that isn’t something that has trickled down into the budget segment yet.&nbsp;

Performance and Software: Advantage over Realme and Xiaomi&nbsp;

Sadly though, performance is one area where the Galaxy M21 falters. The Exynos 9611 (coupled with 4GB/6GB of RAM) that powers the smartphone isn’t snappy and lags quite a bit when trying to multitask.&nbsp;

It’ll handle everyday tasks without a problem but when you try to open multiple tabs in Google Chrome while using the camera and listening to some audio, it sure will stutter along. The smartphone also tends to heat up slightly when taking a lot of photos of recording long videos. &nbsp;

Playing games like PUBG, Need For Speed, and others will not work on their highest settings. You’ll have to reduce the in-game graphics so that you can play the games without any lag.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="563a4172-bebe-4ba5-abfc-b9556a83f07c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung4.jpg" />

Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is by far the standout Android skin amongst all the budget players, especially Realme’s Reamle UI and Xiaomi’s MIUI. The software is feature-rich and you get consistency across all Samsung smartphones. It’s got a native dark theme that pairs well with the AMOLED screen.&nbsp;

The mono speaker on the smartphone is loud. At loud volumes though, it isn’t as clear and you can hear a little bit off crackling. The earpiece quality is pretty good.&nbsp;

Battery life: Most excellent&nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 comes with a huge 6,000mAh battery that doesn’t weigh down the smartphone at all. The smartphone lasts almost two days with a good 5-hour plus screen-on-time. The one downside is that the Galaxy M21 takes over two and a half hours to charge from 0 per cent -100 per cent.&nbsp;

The long charge times are negated by the fact that the smartphone can last really long on a single charge.&nbsp;

Cameras: So-so&nbsp;

The Galaxy M21 has a triple-camera setup at the back. It has a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens (123* field of view) and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front is a 20-megapixel sensor for all those selfies one takes on a daily basis.&nbsp;

Over the last few months, Samsung’s budget range of smartphones has gotten better and better in the camera department. &nbsp;

The 48-megapixel main sensor on the Galaxy M21 is excellent. With sufficient lighting, the pixel-binned photos came out great. The colours were vibrant and crisp. The close-ups also offered good depth-of-field. Taking some landscapes and you’ll be impressed with the dynamic range as well. Now it isn’t without its faults. &nbsp;

The ultra-wide sensor comes with a fixed focus and that’s a huge disappointment. Furthermore, a lot of noise is there and some details are lost.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Samsung M21" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e53618-4e23-4fde-99f5-c257196d5414" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Samsung1.jpg" />

The depth-sensor takes fairly decent shots but some of the in-focus items are sometimes slightly blurred and that’s a disappointment.&nbsp;

The 48-megapixel shots have some major issues. First, the colours looked weaker/faded and if you look at the pixel-binned photos and the 48-megapixel shots side-by-side, you’ll notice a huge colour temperature difference.&nbsp;

Finally, I’ll end on a positive note. Disable all the beautification features (trust me, you don’t want any of them) and you’ll get good, crisp selfies, that you can share on social media and spam all of your friends on WhatsApp. 
 
<img alt="Samsung M21" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf27a43e-c5c5-4085-9a62-0117a57f61a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung2.jpg" />

On the video front, you only get the main sensor to shoot from. Samsung, for whatever reason, doesn’t allow you to shoot with the ultra-wide sensor. Maybe this is where they are cutting corners. Nonetheless, videos come out decently good on auto mode with the anti-shake mode turned off. Turn on the super-steady mode and the videos look washed out.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Verdict: Is this a worthy budget smartphone in today’s market?&nbsp;

Compared to Samsung’s own Galaxy M31, I’d say this isn’t as good a deal. The Galaxy M31 has a better design - albeit slightly - and better low-light performance. Significantly, it has more RAM (the Galaxy M31 starts at 6GB and there is an 8GB variant as well) than the Galaxy M21’s measly 4GB.&nbsp;

Still, there is a lot going for the Galaxy M21. It’s got a great AMOLED display with HD streaming support, a massive 6,000mAh battery (on par with the M31) and fast biometric unlock - whether with face unlock or with the capacitive fingerprint sensor. It’s a worthy smartphone in today’s market.&nbsp;

At Rs 12,999, one feels that Samsung could have gone a little more aggressively and it a thousand rupees cheaper. That would have definitely given it the edge against the Realme 6 that at just Rs 13,999 offers a faster CPU, a fluid display and faster-wired charging. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro also starts at Rs 13,999 and offers great performance albeit with crippled software experience.&nbsp;

Both the Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 Pro offer better gaming performance than Samsung’s Galaxy M21.&nbsp;

For those that have brand loyalty, or can’t get a Realme/Xiaomi where they are because of lockdown rules, the Galaxy M21 will do them just fine. If you can stretch your budget to the Galaxy M31, I’d recommend getting that instead but it is a hefty Rs 3,000 more though.&nbsp;

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry.

Samsung has been on a blitz of sorts in 2020. For many months now Xiaomi and Realme have dominated the budget segment (under Rs 15,000) in the smartphone industry. Samsung is hell-bent on changing that with the recently launched Galaxy M21. It’s a phone that borrows design cues from its predecessor Galaxy M20 and its immediate successors Galaxy M30s/M31, at an economical price of Rs 12,999. The Galaxy M21 is a smartphone that offers a massive 6,000mAh battery, an AMOLED screen, decent RAM and storage options, a 48-megapixel rear camera and weighs just 164 grams. While the M21 borrows a lot from other Samsung M-series smartphones, does it have what it takes to stand on its own two feet? Read on to find out. Design and Display: Plain old boring Thanks to the polycarbonate body of the Galaxy M21 that covers the entire back and chassis, the smartphone is extremely lightweight. Though this doesn’t feel premium at all. The plastic body lends to its durability. The smartphone is very ergonomically designed and it is a treat to use in one’s hand. Thanks to the glossy nature of the plastic, the phone is very susceptible to fingerprints. If you choose to use the Galaxy M21 without a case then be prepared to be constantly wiping the back of the smartphone to make it look new and shiny. The Galaxy M21 comes with a volume rocker and power button on the right, the SIM card slot on the back and the USB-Type C (thank you Samsung) port, 3.5mm headphone jack and speaker grille on the bottom. On the back is a capacitive fingerprint scanner. There’s also no camera bump on the Galaxy M21. In a world of Galaxy S20s, this sure does feel refreshing. On the whole, the Galaxy M21 is dull and monotonous. It definitely won’t stand out next to an array of competitors in any mobile phone shop. The display, on the other hand, is the standout feature (other than the battery) of the Galaxy M21. Samsung’s displays have always been its strong point and that doesn’t change with the M21. You get a 6.4-inch, full HD+ AMOLED (1440x2400 resolution) display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It’s got punchy colours and gets bright enough to be used while out and about on a walk. Furthermore, it’s got good viewing angles and is Widevine L1 certified which means that it’ll be a pleasure consuming media from OTT platforms such as Amazon Prime and Netflix. It may not have a 90Hz high-refresh-rate display but that isn’t something that has trickled down into the budget segment yet. Performance and Software: Advantage over Realme and Xiaomi Sadly though, performance is one area where the Galaxy M21 falters. The Exynos 9611 (coupled with 4GB/6GB of RAM) that powers the smartphone isn’t snappy and lags quite a bit when trying to multitask. It’ll handle everyday tasks without a problem but when you try to open multiple tabs in Google Chrome while using the camera and listening to some audio, it sure will stutter along. The smartphone also tends to heat up slightly when taking a lot of photos of recording long videos. Playing games like PUBG, Need For Speed, and others will not work on their highest settings. You’ll have to reduce the in-game graphics so that you can play the games without any lag. Samsung’s One UI 2.0 is by far the standout Android skin amongst all the budget players, especially Realme’s Reamle UI and Xiaomi’s MIUI. The software is feature-rich and you get consistency across all Samsung smartphones. It’s got a native dark theme that pairs well with the AMOLED screen. The mono speaker on the smartphone is loud. At loud volumes though, it isn’t as clear and you can hear a little bit off crackling. The earpiece quality is pretty good. Battery life: Most excellent The Galaxy M21 comes with a huge 6,000mAh battery that doesn’t weigh down the smartphone at all. The smartphone lasts almost two days with a good 5-hour plus screen-on-time. The one downside is that the Galaxy M21 takes over two and a half hours to charge from 0 per cent -100 per cent. The long charge times are negated by the fact that the smartphone can last really long on a single charge. Cameras: So-so The Galaxy M21 has a triple-camera setup at the back. It has a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens (123* field of view) and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. On the front is a 20-megapixel sensor for all those selfies one takes on a daily basis. Over the last few months, Samsung’s budget range of smartphones has gotten better and better in the camera department. The 48-megapixel main sensor on the Galaxy M21 is excellent. With sufficient lighting, the pixel-binned photos came out great. The colours were vibrant and crisp. The close-ups also offered good depth-of-field. Taking some landscapes and you’ll be impressed with the dynamic range as well. Now it isn’t without its faults. The ultra-wide sensor comes with a fixed focus and that’s a huge disappointment. Furthermore, a lot of noise is there and some details are lost. The depth-sensor takes fairly decent shots but some of the in-focus items are sometimes slightly blurred and that’s a disappointment. The 48-megapixel shots have some major issues. First, the colours looked weaker/faded and if you look at the pixel-binned photos and the 48-megapixel shots side-by-side, you’ll notice a huge colour temperature difference. Finally, I’ll end on a positive note. Disable all the beautification features (trust me, you don’t want any of them) and you’ll get good, crisp selfies, that you can share on social media and spam all of your friends on WhatsApp. On the video front, you only get the main sensor to shoot from. Samsung, for whatever reason, doesn’t allow you to shoot with the ultra-wide sensor. Maybe this is where they are cutting corners. Nonetheless, videos come out decently good on auto mode with the anti-shake mode turned off. Turn on the super-steady mode and the videos look washed out. Verdict: Is this a worthy budget smartphone in today’s market? Compared to Samsung’s own Galaxy M31, I’d say this isn’t as good a deal. The Galaxy M31 has a better design - albeit slightly - and better low-light performance. Significantly, it has more RAM (the Galaxy M31 starts at 6GB and there is an 8GB variant as well) than the Galaxy M21’s measly 4GB. Still, there is a lot going for the Galaxy M21. It’s got a great AMOLED display with HD streaming support, a massive 6,000mAh battery (on par with the M31) and fast biometric unlock - whether with face unlock or with the capacitive fingerprint sensor. It’s a worthy smartphone in today’s market. At Rs 12,999, one feels that Samsung could have gone a little more aggressively and it a thousand rupees cheaper. That would have definitely given it the edge against the Realme 6 that at just Rs 13,999 offers a faster CPU, a fluid display and faster-wired charging. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro also starts at Rs 13,999 and offers great performance albeit with crippled software experience. Both the Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 Pro offer better gaming performance than Samsung’s Galaxy M21. For those that have brand loyalty, or can’t get a Realme/Xiaomi where they are because of lockdown rules, the Galaxy M21 will do them just fine. If you can stretch your budget to the Galaxy M31, I’d recommend getting that instead but it is a hefty Rs 3,000 more though.

Samsung Galaxy M21 review: The best Samsung smartphone under Rs 15,000

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing.

The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported. The image was shared by “Ice Universe” on Twitter, and since then, people have been testing the veracity of this claim on their phones. Turns out, it actually causes phones to crash, especially if you’re using a Samsung device.

<h6><img alt="bug" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="115bd01f-4583-4f85-9d7f-54b0c5c6a31d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_10.jpg" /> 
The image that is causing the bug on phones | Courtesy: Twitter user @IceUniverse 
&nbsp;</h6>

Since it was brought to attention, the bug has been verified by online Android portals like”9to5Google” and “Android Authority”.

Even though the bug mostly affects Samsung devices, it also caused similar issues on Google Pixel phones.&nbsp;For users who made this bug picture their wallpapers, the phones kept turning on and off,&nbsp;disabling the users from using it.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WARNING！！！ 
Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users! 
It will cause your phone to crash! 
Don't try it! 
If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it. <a href="https://t.co/rVbozJdhkL">pic.twitter.com/rVbozJdhkL</a>
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) <a href="https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1266943909499826176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to “9to5Google”, restarting the phone isn’t enough. In fact, one needs to restart their phones in safe mode and then delete the file, which may or may not work.

Most tech experts suggest not to try this on phones.&nbsp;However, the bug doesn’t seem to affect all Android phones. For instance, “Android Authority” attempted to replicate the bug on a Huawei handset, but it wasn’t affected.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/UniverseIce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UniverseIce</a> This is an android issue sadly is affecting also google pixels as well <a href="https://t.co/HZTtogLfwB">pic.twitter.com/HZTtogLfwB</a>
— Sebastian (@seb3153) <a href="https://twitter.com/seb3153/status/1266968321733296138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Most users who tried to play with the image ended up formatting their phones, ie, restoring it to factory settings, which could put all your data in jeopardy, especially in the absence of backups.

Experts suggest that this may be due to the variation in colour space used in the image, which may not be supported by many phones. For clarity -&nbsp;the image uses the RGB colour space, opposed to the Android preferred SRGB.

Just earlier this year, a similar visual bug serenaded iPhones, whereby certain Sindhi characters caused phones to crash. In a series of bizarre mass-crashes, a five-second long video caused many iPhones to crash a few years ago.

Many developers have submitted patches to fix the issue. A tech professional from “Android Authority” claimed that Pixel 4 XL did not crash after the image was used as its wallpaper, but instead opened up space to replace the unsupported colour code, implying there might be a fairly simple solution to this bug.

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing. The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported.

A new bug has been discovered on Android phones. Setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could cause it to keep crashing and freezing. The bug went viral on social media over the weekend, The Verge reported. The image was shared by “Ice Universe” on Twitter, and since then, people have been testing the veracity of this claim on their phones. Turns out, it actually causes phones to crash, especially if you’re using a Samsung device. The image that is causing the bug on phones | Courtesy: Twitter user @IceUniverse Since it was brought to attention, the bug has been verified by online Android portals like”9to5Google” and “Android Authority”. Even though the bug mostly affects Samsung devices, it also caused similar issues on Google Pixel phones. For users who made this bug picture their wallpapers, the phones kept turning on and off, disabling the users from using it. WARNING！！！ Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users! It will cause your phone to crash! Don't try it! If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it. pic.twitter.com/rVbozJdhkL — Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 31, 2020 × According to “9to5Google”, restarting the phone isn’t enough. In fact, one needs to restart their phones in safe mode and then delete the file, which may or may not work. Most tech experts suggest not to try this on phones. However, the bug doesn’t seem to affect all Android phones. For instance, “Android Authority” attempted to replicate the bug on a Huawei handset, but it wasn’t affected. @UniverseIce This is an android issue sadly is affecting also google pixels as well pic.twitter.com/HZTtogLfwB — Sebastian (@seb3153) May 31, 2020 × Most users who tried to play with the image ended up formatting their phones, ie, restoring it to factory settings, which could put all your data in jeopardy, especially in the absence of backups. Experts suggest that this may be due to the variation in colour space used in the image, which may not be supported by many phones. For clarity - the image uses the RGB colour space, opposed to the Android preferred SRGB. Just earlier this year, a similar visual bug serenaded iPhones, whereby certain Sindhi characters caused phones to crash. In a series of bizarre mass-crashes, a five-second long video caused many iPhones to crash a few years ago. Many developers have submitted patches to fix the issue. A tech professional from “Android Authority” claimed that Pixel 4 XL did not crash after the image was used as its wallpaper, but instead opened up space to replace the unsupported colour code, implying there might be a fairly simple solution to this bug.

Using this particular image as the wallpaper is causing many Android phones to crash

A new study has found that smartphones may make your headaches worse. This report has more.

Gravitas: Smartphones can make your headaches worse

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India.&nbsp;

Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Earlier, Wistron had assembled and manufactured Apple's middle-tier device called the ''SE'' in 2017. Currently, iPhones 6s and 7 are also assembled there.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/latest-business-news-apple-prepares-from-for-virus-fallout-samsung-says-it-will-affect-first-quarter-earnings-277547">Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings</a>

This is the first assembly of PCBs by Wistron in India.

A PCB holds the key components of a phone, including processors, memory, wireless chipsets, which remain at the centre of an electronic device.

The PCBs usually account for half of the cost of a smartphone. 
Wistron is set to open another facility 65 kms out of Bengaluru, which shall become operational by April. The plant will make iPhone 7 and 8 models, with much of it being exported.

<h6><img alt="apple" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b13f965-4a52-4e4f-a1f7-354a54d648a2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/78235-untitled-design-3_0.jpg" /> 
Apple logo | Reuters</h6>

 
Reuters reported that the facility can produce 8 million smartphones annually.&nbsp;

In 2018, Wistron had announced plans for a 30 billion rupee investment in Karnataka.

Foxconn, Wistron's rival began making iPhone XR models in India last year, with PCB assembly happening locally.

The local assembly of PCBs will help Apple save on import taxes on smartphone components, which is levied by the central government to boost local manufacturing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-to-close-all-china-mainland-stores-due-to-virus-outbreak-278041">Apple to close all China mainland stores due to virus outbreak</a>

In the yearly budget, India announced that the taxing import on PCBs will increase to 20 per cent, from an earlier ten.

Apple still makes most iPhones in China but has been scouting other locations amidst the trade war between US and China.

India boasts 1.1 billion wireless connections, with about 480 million smartphones in the country. However, Apple's share based on shipment volumes is just over one per cent. 
&nbsp;

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India. Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Wistron Corp, Taiwan's phone assembler has announced plans to assemble PCBs or printed circuit boards at its new plant in South India. Apple is pushing to increase manufacturing in India, which is the world's second-largest smartphone market. Earlier, Wistron had assembled and manufactured Apple's middle-tier device called the ''SE'' in 2017. Currently, iPhones 6s and 7 are also assembled there. Also read: Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings This is the first assembly of PCBs by Wistron in India. A PCB holds the key components of a phone, including processors, memory, wireless chipsets, which remain at the centre of an electronic device. The PCBs usually account for half of the cost of a smartphone. Wistron is set to open another facility 65 kms out of Bengaluru, which shall become operational by April. The plant will make iPhone 7 and 8 models, with much of it being exported. Apple logo | Reuters Reuters reported that the facility can produce 8 million smartphones annually. In 2018, Wistron had announced plans for a 30 billion rupee investment in Karnataka. Foxconn, Wistron's rival began making iPhone XR models in India last year, with PCB assembly happening locally. The local assembly of PCBs will help Apple save on import taxes on smartphone components, which is levied by the central government to boost local manufacturing. Also read: Apple to close all China mainland stores due to virus outbreak In the yearly budget, India announced that the taxing import on PCBs will increase to 20 per cent, from an earlier ten. Apple still makes most iPhones in China but has been scouting other locations amidst the trade war between US and China. India boasts 1.1 billion wireless connections, with about 480 million smartphones in the country. However, Apple's share based on shipment volumes is just over one per cent.

Wistron to start assembly of key iPhone component in India soon

The Indian Navy has banned navy personnel from using social media and smartphones at naval bases, dockyards and onboard warships. This stringent step has been taken by the force after seven Navy personnel were caught leaking sensitive information to enemy intelligence agencies on social media. #IndianNavy #Navy #Smartphones #WION

Indian Navy bans use of smartphones at naval bases, warships

After Indian Navy Busted An Espionage Racket, It Has Banned Smartphones Across Naval Bases, Dockyards & Ships. #Gravitas

Gravitas: Indian Navy Bans Use Of Smartphones, Social Media

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases.&nbsp;

A senior Navy officer said that all social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others, would not be allowed at the naval bases and ships from now on.&nbsp;

Smartphones would also not be permitted to operate, the official said.&nbsp;

On December 20, seven Navy personnel and a Hawala operator were arrested from Mumbai, Karvar and Visakhapatnam after a joint operation by the intelligence agencies busted an espionage racket linked to Pakistan.

Reportedly, the accused were sharing sensitive information about the movement of Indian warships and submarines to the Pakistani agents.&nbsp;

The intelligence agencies said that some more suspects are being interrogated.&nbsp;

After the incident, the Indian Navy said that there is no security breach and all critical assets are safe.

The operation was named 'Dolphin's Nose' and was jointly executed by central, naval intelligence officials and Andhra Pradesh Police.&nbsp;

The accused are currently under judicial custody. &nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases.

After the recent arrest of seven Navy personnel for allegedly sharing sensitive information linked to Pakistan, the Indian Navy has issued directives to ban smartphones and social media use onboard ships and naval bases. A senior Navy officer said that all social networking platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others, would not be allowed at the naval bases and ships from now on. Smartphones would also not be permitted to operate, the official said. On December 20, seven Navy personnel and a Hawala operator were arrested from Mumbai, Karvar and Visakhapatnam after a joint operation by the intelligence agencies busted an espionage racket linked to Pakistan. Reportedly, the accused were sharing sensitive information about the movement of Indian warships and submarines to the Pakistani agents. The intelligence agencies said that some more suspects are being interrogated. After the incident, the Indian Navy said that there is no security breach and all critical assets are safe. The operation was named 'Dolphin's Nose' and was jointly executed by central, naval intelligence officials and Andhra Pradesh Police. The accused are currently under judicial custody. (with inputs from agencies)

Indian Navy bans use of social media platforms, smartphones

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year.&nbsp;

Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).&nbsp;

The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences.

Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school.

Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study.&nbsp;

- An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually.&nbsp;

- 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones.

- Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health.

- 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones.

The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India.

As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR).

A recently conducted study on mobile phone usage reveals that Indians, on an average, spend more than 1,800 hours on their smartphones in a year. Global smartphone giant VIVO carried out the study titled ‘Smartphone and their impact on human relationships’ in association with Cybermedia Research (CMR). The study looked at uninhibited smartphone usage as well as factors that influence smartphone users, their actions, moods and preferences. Some of the key features that the study highlighted about an average Indian smartphone user included the fact that around 75 per cent of the people surveyed agreed to own a smartphone in their teens of them 41 per cent were hooked to the device even before graduating from high school. Here's looking at some of the top findings from the study. - An average Indian spends one-third of their waking hours on their phone - roughly 1800 hours annually. - 1 in 3 people feels that they can’t even have a 5-minute conversation without checking their phones. - Over 70 per cent felt that the growing influence of smartphones is likely to impact mental and physical health. - 3 out of 5 people believe in technology detox and say that it’s important to have a life separate from mobile phones. The study was conducted based on an online survey with people, ageing 18 to 45 years - from across the top 8 cities in India. As many as 2,000 Indians were surveyed for the study of which 36 per cent were females and 64 per cent were men.

Study reveals Indians spend over 1,800 hours glued to their smartphones annually 

A landmark lawsuit has been filed against the world’s tech giants by Congolese families who say their children were killed while mining for cobalt used to power smartphones, laptops and electric cars. #TechGiants #Apple #Google

Tech giants like Google, Apple sued for Congolese child cobalt mining deaths

Russian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-russia-makes-worlds-best-cheese-thanks-to-putins-sanctions-war-264952">Vladimir Putin</a> has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software.

The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software. But it has been dubbed the "anti-Apple" law because it would force the US tech giant to pre-install non-Apple software on its products.

The Russian government will now draw up a list of products affected by the law, published and signed by Putin on Monday, as well as a list of applications that would need to be pre-installed.

It comes amid a slew of measures taken by Russian officials to control the tech sector, including a law that took effect on November 1 requiring local internet providers to install devices provided by authorities to enable centralised control of traffic.

Apple last week appeared to bow to government pressure and began showing the annexed Crimea peninsula as part of Russia on maps and weather apps in the country. After the move sparked outrage in Ukraine, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-fails-to-end-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-class-action-265873">Apple</a> said it might "adjust its approach".

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law requiring all smartphones and computers sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The legislation, which will take effect in July 2020, is aimed at promoting Russian-made software. But it has been dubbed the "anti-Apple" law because it would force the US tech giant to pre-install non-Apple software on its products. The Russian government will now draw up a list of products affected by the law, published and signed by Putin on Monday, as well as a list of applications that would need to be pre-installed. It comes amid a slew of measures taken by Russian officials to control the tech sector, including a law that took effect on November 1 requiring local internet providers to install devices provided by authorities to enable centralised control of traffic. Apple last week appeared to bow to government pressure and began showing the annexed Crimea peninsula as part of Russia on maps and weather apps in the country. After the move sparked outrage in Ukraine, Apple said it might "adjust its approach".

Russia to pre-install their local software in every smartphone and computer

Samsung's plan to&nbsp;outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to&nbsp;China&nbsp;next year may help it compete with low-cost&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known&nbsp;outside&nbsp;China.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-says-to-shut-down-united-states-cpu-research-division-260078">Samsung&nbsp;</a>has been coy about&nbsp;the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million&nbsp;phones&nbsp;made&nbsp;in&nbsp;China&nbsp;by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year&nbsp;out&nbsp;of a total of about&nbsp;300 million devices.

Wingtech and other ODMs make&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget&nbsp;phones&nbsp;quickly.

Critics of&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by&nbsp;outsourcing, and may even help&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all.

Samsung&nbsp;can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive&nbsp;phones&nbsp;were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified.

But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with&nbsp;Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs.

"This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of&nbsp;Samsung's Chinese operations said.

Samsung&nbsp;said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones&nbsp;outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are&nbsp;made&nbsp;by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined.

Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment.

Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones&nbsp;for 10 per cent&nbsp;to 15&nbsp;per cent less than major brands with their own factories in&nbsp;China.

One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning&nbsp;out&nbsp;smartphones, TVs and home appliances.

Wingtech started making tablets and&nbsp;phones&nbsp;for&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;in 2017, accounting for 3&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit.

Samsung's&nbsp;outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be&nbsp;outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in&nbsp;China.

The Wingtech&nbsp;phones&nbsp;will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said.&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new&nbsp;phones.

While&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all.

"Low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;are a headache for&nbsp;Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea.

Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;gave ODMs&nbsp;more&nbsp;volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge.

"If ODM firms become&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive,&nbsp;rivals&nbsp;will be&nbsp;more&nbsp;competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end&nbsp;phones&nbsp;by&nbsp;outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how.

Chung said&nbsp;Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods.

US rival Apple&nbsp;outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in&nbsp;China, but Apple still designs its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in California.

Samsung&nbsp;said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones&nbsp;produced by ODMs.

One person familiar with&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps&nbsp;out&nbsp;of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details.

With that in mind,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said.

"We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about&nbsp;it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said.

Samsung&nbsp;told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products.

Historically,&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;has designed and produced almost all its&nbsp;phones&nbsp;in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and,&nbsp;more&nbsp;recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and&nbsp;China&nbsp;where labour costs&nbsp;more.

But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said.

"It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;insider who declined to be named.

Other Korean firms have also embraced&nbsp;outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones&nbsp;have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM&nbsp;output from budget models to mid-priced&nbsp;phones.

"Smartphones&nbsp;have come down to a battle over costs.&nbsp;It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said.

Samsung's plan to outsource a fifth of its smartphone production to China next year may help it compete with low-cost rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi but it's a strategy fraught with risks, people with familiar with the move said. Samsung Electronics, which shut its last in-house Chinese smartphone factory in October, is quietly moving production of some Galaxy A models to contractors such as Wingtech, which are little known outside China. Samsung has been coy about the volumes involved but sources said the South Korean tech giant plans to ship some 60 million phones made in China by so-called original design manufacturers (ODMs) next year out of a total of about 300 million devices. Wingtech and other ODMs make phones for multiple brands - including Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo - giving them the economies of scale to keep costs down, and the nimble contractors can develop and produce new budget phones quickly. Critics of Samsung's strategy say it risks losing control of quality and undermining its manufacturing expertise by outsourcing, and may even help rivals by giving contractors the extra volume they need to lowers costs further for all. Samsung can ill afford another quality crisis. It scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after reports the expensive phones were catching fire and delayed the launch of its folding phone this year after screen defects were identified. But with margins razor-thin for budget smartphones, people familiar with Samsung's strategy say it has little choice but to follow rivals and use Chinese ODMs to shave costs. "This is an inevitable strategy rather than a good strategy," a source with knowledge of Samsung's Chinese operations said. Samsung said in a statement to Reuters that it has been making limited lines of smartphones outside its own plants to broaden its existing portfolio and "ensure efficient management in the market". It declined to say how many Samsung phones are made by ODMs and said future volumes had yet to be determined. Wingtech did not respond to a request for comment. Research firm Counterpoint says ODMs can procure all the components needed for $100-$250 smartphones for 10 per cent to 15 per cent less than major brands with their own factories in China. One supply chain source said Wingtech can get some parts for up to 30 per cent less than Samsung Electronics pays in Vietnam, where it has three factories churning out smartphones, TVs and home appliances. Wingtech started making tablets and phones for Samsung in 2017, accounting for 3 per cent of its smartphones. That's expected to hit 8 per cent, or 24 million units, this year, according to IHS Markit. Samsung's outsourcing plans involve its lower and mid-range Galaxy A series, with Wingtech having a hand in both design and production, sources said. The A6S, one of the models to be outsourced, costs from 1,299 yuan ($185) in China. The Wingtech phones will mainly go to Southeast Asia and South America, one source said. Samsung is gaining share in both at the expense of Huawei, which is suffering from U.S. sanctions that bar it from putting all Google's services on new phones. While Samsung is anxious to remain global smartphone market leader, some analysts worry it might not be worth the risk is given that profits in the budget phone business are scarce for all. "Low-end phones are a headache for Samsung," said CW Chung, head of research at Nomura in Korea. Chung said they were now commodity products and it was "nonsense" to make them in-house. But he and other experts said if Samsung gave ODMs more volume, that could cut contractors' costs further and boost their experience and knowledge. "If ODM firms become more competitive, rivals will be more competitive," Tom Kang, an analyst at Counterpoint said, adding that once a company loses its expertise in making low-end phones by outsourcing, it is difficult to regain the know-how. Chung said Samsung's strategic shift signalled the declining manufacturing prowess of the company, once a low-cost Asian manufacturer and now the world's top producer of high-end electrical consumer goods. US rival Apple outsources production to Taiwan's Foxconn Technology, which has factories in China, but Apple still designs its phones in California. Samsung said in an emailed response to Reuters that it will be involved in the oversight of the design and development of smartphones produced by ODMs. One person familiar with Samsung and Chinese ODMs said contractors save money by cutting some steps out of the manufacturing process, potentially raising quality issues. He declined to go into details. With that in mind, Samsung has been pairing South Korean component suppliers with Chinese contractors to keep closer tabs on quality control, the person said. "We understand the logic of increasing the production volume with Chinese contractors is a strategic business decision but that doesn't mean all of us are happy about it," an executive at a Korean component supplier said. Samsung told Reuters it has applied the same quality checks and standards it does with all its devices, adding that it was committed to delivering high-quality products. Historically, Samsung has designed and produced almost all its phones in-house in vast factories in Vietnam and, more recently, India while winding down production in South Korea and China where labour costs more. But Roh Tae-moon, the youngest executive to become a president at Samsung Electronics, is championing the new ODM strategy in his role as number two at the mobile division, two people familiar with the matter said. "It is crucial to cut costs to maintain competitiveness with Huawei and other Chinese handset makers," said a Samsung insider who declined to be named. Other Korean firms have also embraced outsourcing. LG Electronics, whose smartphones have been losing money for several years, has said it plans to expand its ODM output from budget models to mid-priced phones. "Smartphones have come down to a battle over costs. It's a game of survival now," said Kim Yong-serk, a former Samsung mobile executive who is a professor at South Korea's Sungkyunkwan University.

Samsung to outsource production to China to fend off rivals

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed.

Smartisan is a niche player in China's smartphone sector and is best known for its flamboyant founder Luo Yonghao, who made headlines in recent years with bold statements including a claim that he was planning to acquire Apple.

Luo is also barred from spending at higher quality hotels, night clubs and golf clubs, buying properties and high-premium insurance and sending his children to expensive private schools, according to an order issued by the court of Danyang in eastern China.

The order was issued after the court found the company failed to comply with previous court rulings from a contractual dispute with a local electronics firm, the document said.

Smartisan's smartphone sales in China lag behind players like Huawei, Xiaomi&nbsp;and Oppo. Chinese social media firm ByteDance earlier this year said it was developing a phone with Smartisan after acquiring a set of patents from it.

Smartisan launched a new phone on Thursday. In a video posted on its official Weibo account, Smartisan Chief Operating Officer Wu Dezhou said that most of the Smartisan team had moved to ByteDance following the deal to work on smartphones and education hardware, but that Luo had left the team due to personal reasons.

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed.

The founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan Technology has been barred from taking flights and high-speed railway trains due to the company's failure to comply with court rulings from a contractual dispute, a local court document showed. Smartisan is a niche player in China's smartphone sector and is best known for its flamboyant founder Luo Yonghao, who made headlines in recent years with bold statements including a claim that he was planning to acquire Apple. Luo is also barred from spending at higher quality hotels, night clubs and golf clubs, buying properties and high-premium insurance and sending his children to expensive private schools, according to an order issued by the court of Danyang in eastern China. The order was issued after the court found the company failed to comply with previous court rulings from a contractual dispute with a local electronics firm, the document said. Smartisan's smartphone sales in China lag behind players like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo. Chinese social media firm ByteDance earlier this year said it was developing a phone with Smartisan after acquiring a set of patents from it. Smartisan launched a new phone on Thursday. In a video posted on its official Weibo account, Smartisan Chief Operating Officer Wu Dezhou said that most of the Smartisan team had moved to ByteDance following the deal to work on smartphones and education hardware, but that Luo had left the team due to personal reasons.

Founder of China's smartphone maker Smartisan barred from planes, trains

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/huawei-in-early-talks-with-united-states-firms-to-licence-5g-platform-256876">Huawei Technologies</a>&nbsp;captured a record 42 per cent&nbsp;of China's smartphone market in the third quarter as local consumers rallied behind it after United States&nbsp;sanctions, leaving Apple to languish towards the bottom of the pile, market data showed.

Apple's market share in China slipped to 5 per cent&nbsp;from 7 per cent&nbsp;in the year-ago quarter, according to a report that market research firm Canalys released on Wednesday, hours before the Cupertino, California-based company was to report quarterly results.

The July-September quarter marked the iPhone's weakest sales in China in five years, said Nicole Peng, vice president of mobility at Canalys, with shipments likely down more than a quarter.

Concerns about slowing iPhone sales in China have dogged Apple for many quarters even as the global smartphone market has slowed and a resurgent Huawei has hit record sales in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/nine-month-revenue-up-despite-us-pressure-huawei-256217">Huawei</a>, the world's Number 2 maker of smartphones, was all but banned by the United States in May from doing business with American companies, significantly disrupting its ability to source key parts.

The company was then granted a reprieve until November but the blacklisting pushed up patriotic purchases of its smartphones in China, helping it more than offset a shipments slump in the global market.

With the expected rollout of the super-fast 5G network in China in the coming months, Huawei's advantage is expected to grow further.

"Huawei is in a strong position to consolidate its dominance further amid 5G network rollout, given its tight operator relationships in 5G network deployment, and control over key components such as local network-compatible 5G chipsets," Peng said.

"This puts significant pressure on Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, which find it very hard to make any breakthrough."

Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Apple together accounted for 50 per cent&nbsp;of the market in the third quarter, down from 64 per cent&nbsp;a year earlier.

Huawei said last week it had sold more than 200 million phones globally in 2019, 64 days earlier than in 2018. The company's profits have remained resilient and revenue jumped 27 per cent&nbsp;in the third quarter.

The Chinese smartphone market contracted by 3 per cent in the third quarter, and Huawei smartphones made up 41.5 million of the 97.8 million shipped in the period, Canalys said.

Apple and Xiaomi did not have an immediate comment on the Canalys data. Huawei and Oppo declined to comment, while Vivo said it does not comment on third-party reports. 
 
iPhone 11 hopes

Apple launched its latest iPhone 11 range in China in September to tepid responses on social media, but shoppers have warmed to the model's additional cameras and cheaper pricing.

"Apple is more prepared than previous years to face strong headwinds in China," said Canalys analyst Louis Liu, noting the iPhone 11's camera improvements and lower launch price "were critical market stimuli".

The company's quarterly results likely received a boost from the launch and accounted for 40 per cent&nbsp;of its shipments, with customers willing to wait two to three weeks to receive shipments of the newer models, Peng said.

"But it faces a looming challenge, as Chinese vendors and operators are set to drive heavy marketing and promotions around 5G in the next two quarters," Liu added. "This could steal its thunder."

The US tech giant is expected to report flat revenue and a dip in earnings in the September quarter, based on Refinitiv data.

Huawei Technologies captured a record 42 per cent of China's smartphone market in the third quarter as local consumers rallied behind it after United States sanctions, leaving Apple to languish towards the bottom of the pile, market data showed.

Huawei Technologies captured a record 42 per cent of China's smartphone market in the third quarter as local consumers rallied behind it after United States sanctions, leaving Apple to languish towards the bottom of the pile, market data showed. Apple's market share in China slipped to 5 per cent from 7 per cent in the year-ago quarter, according to a report that market research firm Canalys released on Wednesday, hours before the Cupertino, California-based company was to report quarterly results. The July-September quarter marked the iPhone's weakest sales in China in five years, said Nicole Peng, vice president of mobility at Canalys, with shipments likely down more than a quarter. Concerns about slowing iPhone sales in China have dogged Apple for many quarters even as the global smartphone market has slowed and a resurgent Huawei has hit record sales in the country. Huawei, the world's Number 2 maker of smartphones, was all but banned by the United States in May from doing business with American companies, significantly disrupting its ability to source key parts. The company was then granted a reprieve until November but the blacklisting pushed up patriotic purchases of its smartphones in China, helping it more than offset a shipments slump in the global market. With the expected rollout of the super-fast 5G network in China in the coming months, Huawei's advantage is expected to grow further. "Huawei is in a strong position to consolidate its dominance further amid 5G network rollout, given its tight operator relationships in 5G network deployment, and control over key components such as local network-compatible 5G chipsets," Peng said. "This puts significant pressure on Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi, which find it very hard to make any breakthrough." Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and Apple together accounted for 50 per cent of the market in the third quarter, down from 64 per cent a year earlier. Huawei said last week it had sold more than 200 million phones globally in 2019, 64 days earlier than in 2018. The company's profits have remained resilient and revenue jumped 27 per cent in the third quarter. The Chinese smartphone market contracted by 3 per cent in the third quarter, and Huawei smartphones made up 41.5 million of the 97.8 million shipped in the period, Canalys said. Apple and Xiaomi did not have an immediate comment on the Canalys data. Huawei and Oppo declined to comment, while Vivo said it does not comment on third-party reports. iPhone 11 hopes Apple launched its latest iPhone 11 range in China in September to tepid responses on social media, but shoppers have warmed to the model's additional cameras and cheaper pricing. "Apple is more prepared than previous years to face strong headwinds in China," said Canalys analyst Louis Liu, noting the iPhone 11's camera improvements and lower launch price "were critical market stimuli". The company's quarterly results likely received a boost from the launch and accounted for 40 per cent of its shipments, with customers willing to wait two to three weeks to receive shipments of the newer models, Peng said. "But it faces a looming challenge, as Chinese vendors and operators are set to drive heavy marketing and promotions around 5G in the next two quarters," Liu added. "This could steal its thunder." The US tech giant is expected to report flat revenue and a dip in earnings in the September quarter, based on Refinitiv data.

Huawei tightens China market hold with 42% share at expense of iPhones: Report

Strong sales of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-electronics-ends-mobile-phone-production-in-china-253273">Samsung Electronics</a>'&nbsp;Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales.

Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker, is powering ahead with the launch of 5G phones and $2,000 foldable handsets as it heats up the competition with rivals US&nbsp;Apple and China's Huawei following a battery explosion scandal in 2017 that hurt sales.

Analysts said the strategy may be paying off as the company on Tuesday flagged a smaller-than-expected fall in third-quarter operating profit, saying at the same time that sales of the Note 10 both at home and in Europe had been strong since the August&nbsp;23 launch.

There are also early signs that the global memory chip business, a key driver of Samsung's profit, will stabilise next year after prices were eroded by a weak global economy and slower spending by key data centre customers.

"With its foldable smartphone that no other competitors have yet launched, Samsung will likely lead the high-end smartphone market as it would mass-produce foldable smartphones next year," said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at HI Investment &amp; Securities.

"Also, a growing number of data centre customers are ordering more memory chips ... possibly slowing down the drop in prices," Song added.

Samsung said it has sold more than one million of the 5G Note 10 handsets in South Korea, making it the company's fastest-selling flagship model at home, and sales in Europe were also strong.

Analysts credit Samsung with receiving a boost from US&nbsp;sanctions on Huawei that effectively bar US&nbsp;firms from supplying the Chinese competitor.

Huawei's new high-end Mate 30 smartphones are being shipped to Europe this month, but the sanctions mean the product lacks access to a licensed version of US&nbsp;Google’s Android operating system, as well as mobile services that include its Play Store and popular apps like Gmail, Youtube or Maps.

Jene Park, a senior analyst at market tracker Counterpoint Research, said Samsung was also moving in on Huawei at the lower end of the market in Europe and Latin America.

Sales of Huawei's Honor smartphones, which are mainly in the $180-$249 price band and accounted for a large portion of sales outside of China, had dropped significantly since March, allowing Samsung to boost sales volumes of its new A-series, according to Counterpoint.

Chip recovery?

But Huawei's woes also present problems for Samsung as the&nbsp;world's biggest semiconductor firm by revenue, with the Chinese firm a major buyer of its memory chips.

Some analysts are more cautious about the outlook for the global memory chip business, which remains clouded by US-Sino trade conflict and provides two-thirds of Samsung's profit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/priced-at-2000-samsung-to-launch-galaxy-fold-in-south-korea-on-september-6-247663">Samsung's profit has been slumping every quarter</a> since the year-end holiday quarter last year and is expected to fall again in the current quarter year-on-year.

In a limited trading update ahead of full earnings later this month, Samsung on Tuesday said operating profit for the July to September quarter would likely tumble 56 per cent&nbsp;to&nbsp;$6.44 billion.

"The strong smartphone sales has limited ability to fix all Samsung's issues," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities. "Data centre customers, a major driver for memory chip business, are pursuing conservative investment for the time being, not particularly uplifting news for Samsung."

Shares in Samsung were up about 1.5 per cent, just slightly ahead of an 0.8 per cent&nbsp;rise in the wider market in afternoon trade.

Strong sales of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales.

Strong sales of Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 10 smartphone series are limiting forecast profit falls at the South Korean tech giant, raising hopes it is getting back on a growth track after years of moribund sales. Samsung, the world's largest smartphone maker, is powering ahead with the launch of 5G phones and $2,000 foldable handsets as it heats up the competition with rivals US Apple and China's Huawei following a battery explosion scandal in 2017 that hurt sales. Analysts said the strategy may be paying off as the company on Tuesday flagged a smaller-than-expected fall in third-quarter operating profit, saying at the same time that sales of the Note 10 both at home and in Europe had been strong since the August 23 launch. There are also early signs that the global memory chip business, a key driver of Samsung's profit, will stabilise next year after prices were eroded by a weak global economy and slower spending by key data centre customers. "With its foldable smartphone that no other competitors have yet launched, Samsung will likely lead the high-end smartphone market as it would mass-produce foldable smartphones next year," said Song Myung-sup, an analyst at HI Investment & Securities. "Also, a growing number of data centre customers are ordering more memory chips ... possibly slowing down the drop in prices," Song added. Samsung said it has sold more than one million of the 5G Note 10 handsets in South Korea, making it the company's fastest-selling flagship model at home, and sales in Europe were also strong. Analysts credit Samsung with receiving a boost from US sanctions on Huawei that effectively bar US firms from supplying the Chinese competitor. Huawei's new high-end Mate 30 smartphones are being shipped to Europe this month, but the sanctions mean the product lacks access to a licensed version of US Google’s Android operating system, as well as mobile services that include its Play Store and popular apps like Gmail, Youtube or Maps. Jene Park, a senior analyst at market tracker Counterpoint Research, said Samsung was also moving in on Huawei at the lower end of the market in Europe and Latin America. Sales of Huawei's Honor smartphones, which are mainly in the $180-$249 price band and accounted for a large portion of sales outside of China, had dropped significantly since March, allowing Samsung to boost sales volumes of its new A-series, according to Counterpoint. Chip recovery? But Huawei's woes also present problems for Samsung as the world's biggest semiconductor firm by revenue, with the Chinese firm a major buyer of its memory chips. Some analysts are more cautious about the outlook for the global memory chip business, which remains clouded by US-Sino trade conflict and provides two-thirds of Samsung's profit. Samsung's profit has been slumping every quarter since the year-end holiday quarter last year and is expected to fall again in the current quarter year-on-year. In a limited trading update ahead of full earnings later this month, Samsung on Tuesday said operating profit for the July to September quarter would likely tumble 56 per cent to $6.44 billion. "The strong smartphone sales has limited ability to fix all Samsung's issues," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities. "Data centre customers, a major driver for memory chip business, are pursuing conservative investment for the time being, not particularly uplifting news for Samsung." Shares in Samsung were up about 1.5 per cent, just slightly ahead of an 0.8 per cent rise in the wider market in afternoon trade.

Strong smartphone sales raise hopes of Samsung turnaround

By Pushan Dutt

Japan and South Korea are showing no signs of resolving an escalating trade dispute, which traces back to 1910. It now poses a threat to the world’s tech supply chain and has potentially severe consequences for the global economy. And the dispute is being played out within a complex confluence of historical grievances, domestic politics, the ongoing US-China trade war and a looming global recession.

Japan has officially removed South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners that receive preferential treatment for importing sensitive Japanese-made goods, as of August 28. The list of goods includes chemicals that are crucial to producing the semiconductor memory chips found in most modern electronic devices.

This means that Japanese companies will now have to apply for a licence to export the chemicals to South Korean companies, a process that could take up to 90 days. Semiconductors are South Korea’s top export item. With manufacturers reliant on the chemicals from Japan, any delay in their production could pose a significant threat to the country’s economy and the South Korean currency, the won, which has already dropped 8 per cent against the US dollar this year.

From a global perspective, South Korea semiconductor giants Samsung and SK Hynix, which supply 60 per cent&nbsp;of the world’s memory chips, have warned that they can’t rule out production disruption if the Japanese export restrictions remain in place. Any delay to supply could cause serious disruption to global tech supply chains and significantly impact other tech giants, like Apple and Huawei, who use memory chips and displays from Samsung.

A conflict with deep roots 
 
Japan has given no indication that it will change its mind. It claims the restrictions are a response to a national security concern, alluding to leaks to North Korea.

With no evidence put forward to support this, the likely scenario is that Japan’s action is part of an escalating and ongoing dispute involving historic grievances that date back to Japan’s colonisation of the Korean peninsula more than a century ago. During World War II, Japan conscripted more than 670,000 Koreans as forced labourers to support its military ambitions.

The recent decision to remove South Korea from trusted trade partner status originates with a South Korean high court ruling in October 2018. The court ordered Japanese companies to compensate individual victims of forced labour including the “comfort women” – Korean women taken as sex slaves and forced to work in war-time brothels.

Japan insists that most of the necessary compensation was settled as part of a $500m payout under a treaty signed in 1965 and then a new agreement that was reached in 2015. But the current South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, created a taskforce in 2018 which concluded that the 2015 agreement did not reflect the opinions of the victims, especially their demand that Japan admit direct responsibility. Tokyo refuses further discussion of this issue and the bilateral relationship has continued to deteriorate.

The dispute is an emotional one for both countries. Thousands of South Korean protesters have marched on the Japanese embassy in Seoul, to express their displeasure at being downgraded as a trading partner. Many South Koreans have also vowed to boycott Japanese products, and there are reports that petrol station operators have been urged to stop refuelling Japanese cars.

Global slowdown

Both Japan and South Korea are integral to the world economy and disruptions will have spillovers that will go beyond the two antagonists. The most immediate threat is to the global tech supply chain, but any slowdown increases the likelihood of a worldwide recession.

The dispute has come at a particularly bad time. Major economies are currently experiencing weak growth with negative numbers coming out of the UK and Germany and a general slowdown in the US, China and India. With the world’s two largest economies, the US and China, involved in an escalating tariff war that is chilling business investment, confidence and trade flows across the world, the Japan/Korean trade spat will only add to business uncertainty.

There is little indication as to when these disputes will be resolved, or in whose favour. Add to this the chaos surrounding Brexit and businesses are left wondering what will happen next. Not surprisingly, firms are already adopting a wait and see attitude, postponing investment and waiting for clarity amid increasing uncertainty, as bond markets &nbsp;send alarming signals of a looming recession.

Shifting power, weaponising trade

In the past, the US would have stepped in to prevent any flare up between its two South-east Asian allies from getting going out of hand. But the Trump administration has been hesitant to get involved, despite the important role both countries play in monitoring North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

In a telling sign of shifting power in the region, China has already offered to step in and help mediate the dispute. The foreign ministers of the three countries met recently but failed to set a date for the annual meeting of their leaders.

China considers stability a priority and has been actively seeking to bolster regional economic integration as its relationship with the US sours. It will also be worried about the impact the Japan-South Korea trade spat could have on large Chinese technology companies like ZTE and Huawei, which rely on US suppliers like Qualcomm for chips and semiconductors. But if the US trade sanctions cut off this source of supply, they will be looking to South Korea for the vital components.

Another concern globally is Japan’s use of national security to justify its trade policy. This weaponising of trade follows Donald Trump’s citing of security concerns when putting tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. China sees the trade war as an attempt to disrupt its core development strategy, the Made in China 2025 plan, prevent it’s reemergence as a world power and views the trade dispute through the lens of security and sovereignty.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules which govern trade between countries are, to a large extent, based on norms. They include a national security exemption clause which relies on members applying it in good faith. Once member states start taking advantage of the provision, there is likely to be a cascading effect, tempting more countries to weaponise this exemption in a tit-for-tat trade war.

(Pushan Dutt is Professor of Economics, INSEAD) 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-century-old-dispute-between-japan-and-south-korea-threatens-the-global-supply-of-smartphones-122502">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By Pushan Dutt Japan and South Korea are showing no signs of resolving an escalating trade dispute, which traces back to 1910. It now poses a threat to the world’s tech supply chain and has potentially severe consequences for the global economy.

By Pushan Dutt Japan and South Korea are showing no signs of resolving an escalating trade dispute, which traces back to 1910. It now poses a threat to the world’s tech supply chain and has potentially severe consequences for the global economy. And the dispute is being played out within a complex confluence of historical grievances, domestic politics, the ongoing US-China trade war and a looming global recession. Japan has officially removed South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners that receive preferential treatment for importing sensitive Japanese-made goods, as of August 28. The list of goods includes chemicals that are crucial to producing the semiconductor memory chips found in most modern electronic devices. This means that Japanese companies will now have to apply for a licence to export the chemicals to South Korean companies, a process that could take up to 90 days. Semiconductors are South Korea’s top export item. With manufacturers reliant on the chemicals from Japan, any delay in their production could pose a significant threat to the country’s economy and the South Korean currency, the won, which has already dropped 8 per cent against the US dollar this year. From a global perspective, South Korea semiconductor giants Samsung and SK Hynix, which supply 60 per cent of the world’s memory chips, have warned that they can’t rule out production disruption if the Japanese export restrictions remain in place. Any delay to supply could cause serious disruption to global tech supply chains and significantly impact other tech giants, like Apple and Huawei, who use memory chips and displays from Samsung. A conflict with deep roots Japan has given no indication that it will change its mind. It claims the restrictions are a response to a national security concern, alluding to leaks to North Korea. With no evidence put forward to support this, the likely scenario is that Japan’s action is part of an escalating and ongoing dispute involving historic grievances that date back to Japan’s colonisation of the Korean peninsula more than a century ago. During World War II, Japan conscripted more than 670,000 Koreans as forced labourers to support its military ambitions. The recent decision to remove South Korea from trusted trade partner status originates with a South Korean high court ruling in October 2018. The court ordered Japanese companies to compensate individual victims of forced labour including the “comfort women” – Korean women taken as sex slaves and forced to work in war-time brothels. Japan insists that most of the necessary compensation was settled as part of a $500m payout under a treaty signed in 1965 and then a new agreement that was reached in 2015. But the current South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, created a taskforce in 2018 which concluded that the 2015 agreement did not reflect the opinions of the victims, especially their demand that Japan admit direct responsibility. Tokyo refuses further discussion of this issue and the bilateral relationship has continued to deteriorate. The dispute is an emotional one for both countries. Thousands of South Korean protesters have marched on the Japanese embassy in Seoul, to express their displeasure at being downgraded as a trading partner. Many South Koreans have also vowed to boycott Japanese products, and there are reports that petrol station operators have been urged to stop refuelling Japanese cars. Global slowdown Both Japan and South Korea are integral to the world economy and disruptions will have spillovers that will go beyond the two antagonists. The most immediate threat is to the global tech supply chain, but any slowdown increases the likelihood of a worldwide recession. The dispute has come at a particularly bad time. Major economies are currently experiencing weak growth with negative numbers coming out of the UK and Germany and a general slowdown in the US, China and India. With the world’s two largest economies, the US and China, involved in an escalating tariff war that is chilling business investment, confidence and trade flows across the world, the Japan/Korean trade spat will only add to business uncertainty. There is little indication as to when these disputes will be resolved, or in whose favour. Add to this the chaos surrounding Brexit and businesses are left wondering what will happen next. Not surprisingly, firms are already adopting a wait and see attitude, postponing investment and waiting for clarity amid increasing uncertainty, as bond markets send alarming signals of a looming recession. Shifting power, weaponising trade In the past, the US would have stepped in to prevent any flare up between its two South-east Asian allies from getting going out of hand. But the Trump administration has been hesitant to get involved, despite the important role both countries play in monitoring North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. In a telling sign of shifting power in the region, China has already offered to step in and help mediate the dispute. The foreign ministers of the three countries met recently but failed to set a date for the annual meeting of their leaders. China considers stability a priority and has been actively seeking to bolster regional economic integration as its relationship with the US sours. It will also be worried about the impact the Japan-South Korea trade spat could have on large Chinese technology companies like ZTE and Huawei, which rely on US suppliers like Qualcomm for chips and semiconductors. But if the US trade sanctions cut off this source of supply, they will be looking to South Korea for the vital components. Another concern globally is Japan’s use of national security to justify its trade policy. This weaponising of trade follows Donald Trump’s citing of security concerns when putting tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. China sees the trade war as an attempt to disrupt its core development strategy, the Made in China 2025 plan, prevent it’s reemergence as a world power and views the trade dispute through the lens of security and sovereignty. World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules which govern trade between countries are, to a large extent, based on norms. They include a national security exemption clause which relies on members applying it in good faith. Once member states start taking advantage of the provision, there is likely to be a cascading effect, tempting more countries to weaponise this exemption in a tit-for-tat trade war. (Pushan Dutt is Professor of Economics, INSEAD) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How a century-old dispute between Japan and South Korea adds to global trade uncertainty

The world is getting technologically advanced. From China to the US to India, Tech It Out gets you all latest trends from across the globe. This time, we decided to travel to the world’s most wired city - Seoul. Check out the most-exciting inventions from South Korea where technology is at play literally everywhere.

Tech It Out visits South Korea

ESports star Myint was on the cusp of victory when the screens went dark in the Yangon cafe where he competes, costing him thousands of dollars in missed prize-money and denting his reputation.&nbsp;

Myanmar's gaming scene is mushrooming, but frequent power cuts are holding players back in the emerging democracy.&nbsp;

"Every time a black-out happens, we curse out the electricity corporation -- and it happens often," he told AFP.

More than 60 per cent of people in Myanmar still live without reliable electricity after a political transition in 2010 that sought to pull in foreign investment after decades of junta rule.

That includes getting in on the global explosion in eSports, a billion-dollar industry that will be a medal event in the Southeast Asian Games in November for the first time.

But Myanmar is at risk of missing out with power cuts, few personal computers and a dearth of resources to support travel and competition abroad holding homegrown champions back.

Myint Myat Zaw, a 21-year-old player also known as "Insane", said he has lost about 40 matches due to blackouts, making it difficult to earn a slot abroad where cash prizes are now in the tens of millions of dollars.&nbsp;

He plays Dota 2, which in Shanghai hosted its equivalent of the champions league this weekend, boasting a record $34.3 million prize pool.

But Dota 2 tournaments are rare in Myanmar, he said, making it difficult for him to earn a living from the game.&nbsp;

"The last three years was the hardest period of my career...I lived in a game shop and was also short on food," he told AFP.

Anywhere, anytime

For gamers, a dingy internet cafe has long been the typical venue to battle it out with players from other countries.

But that has started to change as cheap SIM cards hit the markets and smartphone use soars.

Mobile penetration stood at just seven per cent in 2012, but demand has skyrocketed and the figure now sits at more than 80 per cent.

Players competing on mobiles can stay logged on when local grids go dark.

"We can play anywhere, anytime," said Myint Myat Aung, a mobile gamer who competes on PlayerUnknown's Battleground (PUBG) for Singapore-based eSports team Impunity. &nbsp;

It is also cheaper.

"We only have phone bills which don't cost very much," he told AFP.

Last month, Impunity, with more than 400 other teams, took part in a PUBG tournament hosted by Samsung Galaxy at a Yangon mall.

Staring into smartphones, players took down their opponents with sniper rifles, the action projected onto a large screen as spectators cheered.&nbsp;

The prize pool for the tournament was around $7,000, an immense sum in a country where the average income is less than $1,300 a year.

Impunity's country manager Brian Min Sett said the increasing value of winnings was a sign of growth as "our country doesn't have many high-prize tournaments."

Myanmar, like other developing countries, is at "a serious disadvantage" compared to its neighbours, said Jeremy Jackson, market analyst for eSports research firm NewZoo.&nbsp;

"Access to stable electricity and internet are crucial when it comes to competitive gaming," Jackson told AFP.&nbsp;

"Undoubtedly, greater smartphone penetration will allow more people access to the mobile competitive gaming landscape."

Myanmar legends?

In a country that has produced few international athletic stars, eSports offers players away into a global community and a chance to make a steady salary, especially for those competing in ultra-popular mobile games.

"They can make their own living just by competing in tournaments," said Kaung Myat San, co-founder of the HOG e-sports centre in Yangon.&nbsp;

Myanmar's sporting authorities lack funding, so HOG plans to send 16 athletes to represent Myanmar in the Southeast Asia games -- including Myint Myat Zaw, who was scooped up as a salaried player earlier this year.&nbsp;

Both Dota 2 and Mobile Legend - a fantasy battle game designed for smartphones with more than 3 million users in Myanmar - will be part of the competition.

After years of struggling to eke out a living playing for people wishing to boost their scores, Myint Myat Zaw said he was "proud" to now be representing Myanmar.&nbsp;

"Although there is more pressure, it makes me keen to do better," he said.

ESports star Myint was on the cusp of victory when the screens went dark in the Yangon cafe where he competes, costing him thousands of dollars in missed prize-money and denting his reputation.

ESports star Myint was on the cusp of victory when the screens went dark in the Yangon cafe where he competes, costing him thousands of dollars in missed prize-money and denting his reputation. Myanmar's gaming scene is mushrooming, but frequent power cuts are holding players back in the emerging democracy. "Every time a black-out happens, we curse out the electricity corporation -- and it happens often," he told AFP. More than 60 per cent of people in Myanmar still live without reliable electricity after a political transition in 2010 that sought to pull in foreign investment after decades of junta rule. That includes getting in on the global explosion in eSports, a billion-dollar industry that will be a medal event in the Southeast Asian Games in November for the first time. But Myanmar is at risk of missing out with power cuts, few personal computers and a dearth of resources to support travel and competition abroad holding homegrown champions back. Myint Myat Zaw, a 21-year-old player also known as "Insane", said he has lost about 40 matches due to blackouts, making it difficult to earn a slot abroad where cash prizes are now in the tens of millions of dollars. He plays Dota 2, which in Shanghai hosted its equivalent of the champions league this weekend, boasting a record $34.3 million prize pool. But Dota 2 tournaments are rare in Myanmar, he said, making it difficult for him to earn a living from the game. "The last three years was the hardest period of my career...I lived in a game shop and was also short on food," he told AFP. Anywhere, anytime For gamers, a dingy internet cafe has long been the typical venue to battle it out with players from other countries. But that has started to change as cheap SIM cards hit the markets and smartphone use soars. Mobile penetration stood at just seven per cent in 2012, but demand has skyrocketed and the figure now sits at more than 80 per cent. Players competing on mobiles can stay logged on when local grids go dark. "We can play anywhere, anytime," said Myint Myat Aung, a mobile gamer who competes on PlayerUnknown's Battleground (PUBG) for Singapore-based eSports team Impunity. It is also cheaper. "We only have phone bills which don't cost very much," he told AFP. Last month, Impunity, with more than 400 other teams, took part in a PUBG tournament hosted by Samsung Galaxy at a Yangon mall. Staring into smartphones, players took down their opponents with sniper rifles, the action projected onto a large screen as spectators cheered. The prize pool for the tournament was around $7,000, an immense sum in a country where the average income is less than $1,300 a year. Impunity's country manager Brian Min Sett said the increasing value of winnings was a sign of growth as "our country doesn't have many high-prize tournaments." Myanmar, like other developing countries, is at "a serious disadvantage" compared to its neighbours, said Jeremy Jackson, market analyst for eSports research firm NewZoo. "Access to stable electricity and internet are crucial when it comes to competitive gaming," Jackson told AFP. "Undoubtedly, greater smartphone penetration will allow more people access to the mobile competitive gaming landscape." Myanmar legends? In a country that has produced few international athletic stars, eSports offers players away into a global community and a chance to make a steady salary, especially for those competing in ultra-popular mobile games. "They can make their own living just by competing in tournaments," said Kaung Myat San, co-founder of the HOG e-sports centre in Yangon. Myanmar's sporting authorities lack funding, so HOG plans to send 16 athletes to represent Myanmar in the Southeast Asia games -- including Myint Myat Zaw, who was scooped up as a salaried player earlier this year. Both Dota 2 and Mobile Legend - a fantasy battle game designed for smartphones with more than 3 million users in Myanmar - will be part of the competition. After years of struggling to eke out a living playing for people wishing to boost their scores, Myint Myat Zaw said he was "proud" to now be representing Myanmar. "Although there is more pressure, it makes me keen to do better," he said.

Armed with smartphones, Myanmar e-sports players battle power outages

Is a peek into the future worth your privacy in the present? That concern was pushed to the spotlight this week with the resurgence of a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to transform your current face into your younger and older selves. People raised fears on Twitter and other social media sites that on iPhones, FaceApp would be able to see and upload all your photos, including screenshots with sensitive financial or health information or photos of children with the names of their schools in the background. That's not actually true, but the scuttle serves as a good reminder to think twice before downloading new apps. Even large, mainstream apps routinely collect user data.

Myths and risks seen in FaceApp use

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it was heading for its lowest quarterly profit in more than two years as a glut in memory chips, slowing panel sales and rising competition in smartphones hit margins.

The South Korean tech giant said first-quarter operating profit likely slid 60 per cent from a year earlier, missing market expectations and putting it on track for its weakest quarterly profit since late 2016.

Shares in Samsung rose briefly before paring gains to trade flat following the guidance, as many investors are already looking ahead to an earnings recovery on the back an improvement in chip prices in the second half of the year.

Samsung supplies memory chips and screens for its own smartphones and Apple Inc, and server chips for cloud companies such as Amazon. Its semiconductor business is the main profit driver.

"In the second half, memory chip prices will have a soft landing, so falls will slow, and the release of new iPhones later seems like a good sign for Samsung's display and memory chips," said Kim Yang-Jae, an analyst at KTB Investment and Securities.

The world's biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips said in a filing January-March profit was likely 6.2 trillion won ($5.5 billion), missing the 6.8 trillion won estimate from analysts according to Definitive SmartEstimate.

Revenue likely fell 14 per cent from a year earlier to 52 trillion won. The firm will disclose detailed earnings in late April.

Samsung shares were flat as of 0120 GMT, while the broader market up 0.2 per cent.

The firm earlier had warned the quarter could be disappointing due to falls in memory prices, and slowing demand for display panels used in Apple's iPhones.

Samsung's premium Galaxy smartphones meanwhile are struggling to be profitable due to rising costs of innovation, competition from Chinese rivals and the reluctance of consumers to upgrade, analysts have said.

HIT BOTTOM

Samsung's share price has leapt more than 25 per cent since sinking to a two-year low in early January as some investors bet on a recovery in chip demand.

SK Hynix Inc, Micron Technology Inc and Samsung - which dominate the global market for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, chips used in personal computers, smartphones and servers - recently have issued upbeat assessments of the prospects for a recovery in chip prices.

Hopes were buoyed further when data showed the manufacturing sector in China, the world's biggest smartphone market, unexpectedly returned to growth for the first time in four months in March.

Samsung is betting a new line-up of smartphones including a foldable handset and a 5G-enabled model will help boost its market share in China, which crashed with the advent of cheaper Chinese rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.

But its latest phones are expensive to make, weighing on profitability even as it sells faster than its predecessor, analysts say.

"New smartphones coming out in the second half won't necessarily help its smartphone business, but will be a plus for Samsung's chip side as those phones require high-density chip adoptions," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at BNK Securities.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it was heading for its lowest quarterly profit in more than two years as a glut in memory chips, slowing panel sales and rising competition in smartphones hit margins.

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it was heading for its lowest quarterly profit in more than two years as a glut in memory chips, slowing panel sales and rising competition in smartphones hit margins. The South Korean tech giant said first-quarter operating profit likely slid 60 per cent from a year earlier, missing market expectations and putting it on track for its weakest quarterly profit since late 2016. Shares in Samsung rose briefly before paring gains to trade flat following the guidance, as many investors are already looking ahead to an earnings recovery on the back an improvement in chip prices in the second half of the year. Samsung supplies memory chips and screens for its own smartphones and Apple Inc, and server chips for cloud companies such as Amazon. Its semiconductor business is the main profit driver. "In the second half, memory chip prices will have a soft landing, so falls will slow, and the release of new iPhones later seems like a good sign for Samsung's display and memory chips," said Kim Yang-Jae, an analyst at KTB Investment and Securities. The world's biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips said in a filing January-March profit was likely 6.2 trillion won ($5.5 billion), missing the 6.8 trillion won estimate from analysts according to Definitive SmartEstimate. Revenue likely fell 14 per cent from a year earlier to 52 trillion won. The firm will disclose detailed earnings in late April. Samsung shares were flat as of 0120 GMT, while the broader market up 0.2 per cent. The firm earlier had warned the quarter could be disappointing due to falls in memory prices, and slowing demand for display panels used in Apple's iPhones. Samsung's premium Galaxy smartphones meanwhile are struggling to be profitable due to rising costs of innovation, competition from Chinese rivals and the reluctance of consumers to upgrade, analysts have said. HIT BOTTOM Samsung's share price has leapt more than 25 per cent since sinking to a two-year low in early January as some investors bet on a recovery in chip demand. SK Hynix Inc, Micron Technology Inc and Samsung - which dominate the global market for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, chips used in personal computers, smartphones and servers - recently have issued upbeat assessments of the prospects for a recovery in chip prices. Hopes were buoyed further when data showed the manufacturing sector in China, the world's biggest smartphone market, unexpectedly returned to growth for the first time in four months in March. Samsung is betting a new line-up of smartphones including a foldable handset and a 5G-enabled model will help boost its market share in China, which crashed with the advent of cheaper Chinese rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. But its latest phones are expensive to make, weighing on profitability even as it sells faster than its predecessor, analysts say. "New smartphones coming out in the second half won't necessarily help its smartphone business, but will be a plus for Samsung's chip side as those phones require high-density chip adoptions," said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at BNK Securities.

Samsung sees lowest quarterly profit in more than two years

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi.&nbsp;

DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones.

"We are the only device maker that is truly ‘Made in India’. We have been making phones here locally since 2007 at the World’s Largest Mobile Factory in Noida," Koh told a packed audience comprising media, partners and Samsung fans, at the event which was also live-streamed around the world.

"Samsung is partnering India to fulfil its promise of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for India’,"&nbsp;Koh said. "With the inauguration of the Noida factory, the World’s Largest Mobile Factory, Samsung has set its eyes to ‘Make for the World’," he added.&nbsp;

“In India, we are excited by the opportunities, as more and more consumers are embracing the age of digital transformation,” he said.

Koh was thrilled to share that this year marks the tenth year of the Galaxy S series.&nbsp;

With prices starting at Rs 55,900, Samsung S10 comes in three versions -- S10, S10+ and S10e -- and is slated to lock horns with the likes of Apple's iPhone and Google's Pixel in the premium smartphone market in India. These devices were unveiled in San Francisco on February 20.

Here's taking a quick look at some of the salient features of the flagship device:

- Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively.

- The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively.

- The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10e comes with only 128GB storage variant for Rs 55,900.

- Galaxy S10e comes with a&nbsp;5.8-inch display whereas S10 boasts of a 6.1-inch display and Galaxy S10+ bears a 6.4-inch display.

- The devices&nbsp;feature the world's first "Dynamic AMOLED" display.

- The new phones include features like cinematic Infinity-O display, enhanced camera capabilities and in-display fingerprint scanner among others, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp;

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi. DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones.

Global smartphone giant and appliance-maker Samsung, on Wednesday at a grand event, unveiled its latest flagship phone Galaxy S10 in New Delhi. DJ Koh, President and CEO of Samsung's IT and Mobile Communications Division, graced the launch event and emphasised the 'Make in India' quality of Samsung phones. "We are the only device maker that is truly ‘Made in India’. We have been making phones here locally since 2007 at the World’s Largest Mobile Factory in Noida," Koh told a packed audience comprising media, partners and Samsung fans, at the event which was also live-streamed around the world. "Samsung is partnering India to fulfil its promise of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for India’," Koh said. "With the inauguration of the Noida factory, the World’s Largest Mobile Factory, Samsung has set its eyes to ‘Make for the World’," he added. “In India, we are excited by the opportunities, as more and more consumers are embracing the age of digital transformation,” he said. Koh was thrilled to share that this year marks the tenth year of the Galaxy S series. With prices starting at Rs 55,900, Samsung S10 comes in three versions -- S10, S10+ and S10e -- and is slated to lock horns with the likes of Apple's iPhone and Google's Pixel in the premium smartphone market in India. These devices were unveiled in San Francisco on February 20. Here's taking a quick look at some of the salient features of the flagship device: - Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively. - The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10+ will be available in 1 TB, 512GB and 128 GB storage variants and will be priced at Rs 1,17,900, Rs 91,900 and Rs 73,900, respectively. - The Galaxy S10, on the other hand, will retail for Rs 84,900 (512 GB variant) and Rs 66,900 (128 GB). S10e would be available in only 128 GB storage variant and will be priced at Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10e comes with only 128GB storage variant for Rs 55,900. - Galaxy S10e comes with a 5.8-inch display whereas S10 boasts of a 6.1-inch display and Galaxy S10+ bears a 6.4-inch display. - The devices feature the world's first "Dynamic AMOLED" display. - The new phones include features like cinematic Infinity-O display, enhanced camera capabilities and in-display fingerprint scanner among others, news agency PTI reported. (With inputs from PTI)

Samsung launches next-generation flagship Galaxy S10 smartphones in India starting at Rs 55,990

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday backed a bill that would ban soldiers from using smartphones while on duty to post online or give information to media.

The move comes after journalists have used photos and videos posted on social media by troops to gain information on Russia's military involvement in Syria and in Ukraine -- where Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow gives military backing to pro-Russian separatists.&nbsp;

The Russian military has long sought to limit troops' use of social media to avoid information leaks.

The Meduza independent news site wrote that with the bill "we will know less about hazing and the military in Ukraine."

The defence committee of the State Duma lower house of parliament, which wrote the legislation, said it aimed to ensure "national security" in the "sphere of information" and to cover information that is not classed as a military secret.

The bill bans troops from carrying "electronic devices" that can post video and photos online or reveal their geo-locations.

It bans troops, conscripts and reservists from informing media or putting information online that reveals they or others are in the military, describes their duties or gives their location.&nbsp;

It also bans giving out information about the actions of military commanders or the locations of military headquarters.

MPs in the State Duma voted on the key second reading of the bill, which will be followed by a final reading, a Senate vote and then a signing by President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

The bill warns that foreign secret services and "terrorist" organisations are interested in the activities of Russian troops, particularly those serving in Syria, where Russia has been carrying out a military intervention since 2015 to back President Bashar al-Assad.

It says that information posted online or given to media could be used to form a "prejudiced view of Russia's government policies."

Soldiers who broke the law could be given early discharge.

Basic mobile phones without cameras will not be banned, and troops will still be able to use smartphones while off-duty, the first deputy chief of the defence committee, Andrei Krasov told TASS state news agency.

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday backed a bill that would ban soldiers from using smartphones while on duty to post online or give information to media. The move comes after journalists have used photos and videos posted on social media by troops to gain information on Russia's military involvement in Syria and in Ukraine -- where Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow gives military backing to pro-Russian separatists.

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday backed a bill that would ban soldiers from using smartphones while on duty to post online or give information to media. The move comes after journalists have used photos and videos posted on social media by troops to gain information on Russia's military involvement in Syria and in Ukraine -- where Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow gives military backing to pro-Russian separatists. The Russian military has long sought to limit troops' use of social media to avoid information leaks. The Meduza independent news site wrote that with the bill "we will know less about hazing and the military in Ukraine." The defence committee of the State Duma lower house of parliament, which wrote the legislation, said it aimed to ensure "national security" in the "sphere of information" and to cover information that is not classed as a military secret. The bill bans troops from carrying "electronic devices" that can post video and photos online or reveal their geo-locations. It bans troops, conscripts and reservists from informing media or putting information online that reveals they or others are in the military, describes their duties or gives their location. It also bans giving out information about the actions of military commanders or the locations of military headquarters. MPs in the State Duma voted on the key second reading of the bill, which will be followed by a final reading, a Senate vote and then a signing by President Vladimir Putin. The bill warns that foreign secret services and "terrorist" organisations are interested in the activities of Russian troops, particularly those serving in Syria, where Russia has been carrying out a military intervention since 2015 to back President Bashar al-Assad. It says that information posted online or given to media could be used to form a "prejudiced view of Russia's government policies." Soldiers who broke the law could be given early discharge. Basic mobile phones without cameras will not be banned, and troops will still be able to use smartphones while off-duty, the first deputy chief of the defence committee, Andrei Krasov told TASS state news agency.

Russia moves to ban troops from using smartphones

Smartphone-maker Lava is a small player in India's booming mobile communications industry, but it has become a poster child for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious effort to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing.

Just a few years ago, Lava imported cheap phones from China. Now it builds its own devices at two factories on the outskirts of New Delhi that employ about 3,500 people, and expansion plans are in the works.

Modi's vow to create tens of millions of new jobs has stuttered on many fronts, but domestic smartphone production has emerged as a bright spot for Asia's third-largest economy. Along with local firms such as Lava, global smartphone giants including Samsung, Oppo and Xiaomi are expanding rapidly in India, and starting to bring along components suppliers while driving contract manufacturers like Foxconn to ramp up.

More than 120 new manufacturing units have created about 450,000 jobs in the mobile phone industry over the past four years, according to the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association, thanks largely to the 'Make In India' campaign and a phased plan featuring stiff duties on imported devices and parts.

That growth has made India the world's second-biggest mobile phone maker and positioned it for further growth as trade tensions and rising costs hobble China's world-leading electronics manufacturing sector.

"India has an opportunity to become a major player in the global supply chain because we have a very strong domestic economy," Vikas Agarwal, the India head of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus, told Reuters.

The country still needs to encourage the production of high-value components as well as research and development, Agarwal added, "but at least we are off to a very good start."

The Indian industry's emergence is especially visible in Noida, where Lava is based. Once a suburb for tech outsourcing firms, Noida is now bursting with companies making everything from headphones and chargers to high-end smartphones.

Sanjeev Agarwal, Lava's head of manufacturing, says local production is helping it reduce costs and build high-quality devices that can sell for less than $150.

Much of the company's product design is still done in China, Agarwal said, but the company plans to bring that work to India over the next few years.

The local presence allows quicker innovation, he said, as well as lower, tariff-free costs.

Lava has some big neighbours in Noida. Samsung this year opened what it said was the world's biggest mobile phone plant there. The South Korean giant last year said it will spend 49.2 billion rupees ($672.45 million) to expand capacity at the plant over three years.

Not far from Samsung's factory, China's Oppo, one of India's top smartphone players, is building a massive plant too. It is expected to open soon.

ALTERNATIVE TO CHINA

Modi's so-called phased manufacturing plan, introduced in 2016, aims to take advantage of India's huge domestic smartphone market to promote local production. India has more than a billion wireless subscribers, and about 380 million of them do not yet have a smartphone.

The manufacturing plan includes import duties not only on phones, but also on accessories such as phone chargers, batteries and headphones, as well as components including pre-assembled printed circuit boards.

Xiaomi, which competes with Samsung for the top spot in India's smartphone market, makes many of its phones using Foxconn's plants in southern India, with a total of six facilities producing its devices.

Just as important, Xiaomi said this year that it wants its component suppliers to set up shop in India too, a move that could bring as much as $2.5 billion of investment and create as many as 50,000 jobs.

Xiaomi supplier Holitech Technology has committed to investing about $200 million in India over three years in India, with plans to begin manufacturing in early 2019. It will make components such as camera and touch screen modules and fingerprint sensors, Muralikrishnan B, Xiaomi's chief operating officer for India, said in an email.

The big prize for India, local industry officials say, is to become a full-fledged alternative to China as a manufacturing hub.

More and more companies are realising they need a "China plus one strategy," one manufacturing industry source said.

In China, "there is the Trump risk and there are other risks - currency risks, overall wage appreciation risk and so on," the source said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"Today it's the trade-tariff war, tomorrow it may be something else, a natural disaster," the source added. "The question is then - how do I use India strategically?"

Samsung has said it plans to use its Noida plant as an export hub, but it is unclear whether other manufacturers will follow suit.

To become a true global centre for high-value mobile phone manufacturing, India still needs a more stable, business-friendly policy regime in a country known for heavy-handed regulation and abrupt shifts in industrial strategy, industry executives say. The country also needs better workforce training, said Tarun Pathak, associate director at tech researcher Counterpoint.

"Import taxes kick-started local assembly, but now we need to look beyond just duties," Pathak said.

Xiaomi's Muralikrishnan said bringing the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem to India would be a big challenge. He added: "Building the expertise to manufacture high-end design flagships locally would also be a big step for the local industry."

Apple, for example, assembles two low-cost models through Wistron in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru. But with little domestic demand for its high-end phones, the company has resisted government pressure to move more of its work from China.

Smartphone-maker Lava is a small player in India's booming mobile communications industry, but it has become a poster child for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious effort to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing.

Smartphone-maker Lava is a small player in India's booming mobile communications industry, but it has become a poster child for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious effort to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing. Just a few years ago, Lava imported cheap phones from China. Now it builds its own devices at two factories on the outskirts of New Delhi that employ about 3,500 people, and expansion plans are in the works. Modi's vow to create tens of millions of new jobs has stuttered on many fronts, but domestic smartphone production has emerged as a bright spot for Asia's third-largest economy. Along with local firms such as Lava, global smartphone giants including Samsung, Oppo and Xiaomi are expanding rapidly in India, and starting to bring along components suppliers while driving contract manufacturers like Foxconn to ramp up. More than 120 new manufacturing units have created about 450,000 jobs in the mobile phone industry over the past four years, according to the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association, thanks largely to the 'Make In India' campaign and a phased plan featuring stiff duties on imported devices and parts. That growth has made India the world's second-biggest mobile phone maker and positioned it for further growth as trade tensions and rising costs hobble China's world-leading electronics manufacturing sector. "India has an opportunity to become a major player in the global supply chain because we have a very strong domestic economy," Vikas Agarwal, the India head of Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus, told Reuters. The country still needs to encourage the production of high-value components as well as research and development, Agarwal added, "but at least we are off to a very good start." The Indian industry's emergence is especially visible in Noida, where Lava is based. Once a suburb for tech outsourcing firms, Noida is now bursting with companies making everything from headphones and chargers to high-end smartphones. Sanjeev Agarwal, Lava's head of manufacturing, says local production is helping it reduce costs and build high-quality devices that can sell for less than $150. Much of the company's product design is still done in China, Agarwal said, but the company plans to bring that work to India over the next few years. The local presence allows quicker innovation, he said, as well as lower, tariff-free costs. Lava has some big neighbours in Noida. Samsung this year opened what it said was the world's biggest mobile phone plant there. The South Korean giant last year said it will spend 49.2 billion rupees ($672.45 million) to expand capacity at the plant over three years. Not far from Samsung's factory, China's Oppo, one of India's top smartphone players, is building a massive plant too. It is expected to open soon. ALTERNATIVE TO CHINA Modi's so-called phased manufacturing plan, introduced in 2016, aims to take advantage of India's huge domestic smartphone market to promote local production. India has more than a billion wireless subscribers, and about 380 million of them do not yet have a smartphone. The manufacturing plan includes import duties not only on phones, but also on accessories such as phone chargers, batteries and headphones, as well as components including pre-assembled printed circuit boards. Xiaomi, which competes with Samsung for the top spot in India's smartphone market, makes many of its phones using Foxconn's plants in southern India, with a total of six facilities producing its devices. Just as important, Xiaomi said this year that it wants its component suppliers to set up shop in India too, a move that could bring as much as $2.5 billion of investment and create as many as 50,000 jobs. Xiaomi supplier Holitech Technology has committed to investing about $200 million in India over three years in India, with plans to begin manufacturing in early 2019. It will make components such as camera and touch screen modules and fingerprint sensors, Muralikrishnan B, Xiaomi's chief operating officer for India, said in an email. The big prize for India, local industry officials say, is to become a full-fledged alternative to China as a manufacturing hub. More and more companies are realising they need a "China plus one strategy," one manufacturing industry source said. In China, "there is the Trump risk and there are other risks - currency risks, overall wage appreciation risk and so on," the source said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. "Today it's the trade-tariff war, tomorrow it may be something else, a natural disaster," the source added. "The question is then - how do I use India strategically?" Samsung has said it plans to use its Noida plant as an export hub, but it is unclear whether other manufacturers will follow suit. To become a true global centre for high-value mobile phone manufacturing, India still needs a more stable, business-friendly policy regime in a country known for heavy-handed regulation and abrupt shifts in industrial strategy, industry executives say. The country also needs better workforce training, said Tarun Pathak, associate director at tech researcher Counterpoint. "Import taxes kick-started local assembly, but now we need to look beyond just duties," Pathak said. Xiaomi's Muralikrishnan said bringing the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem to India would be a big challenge. He added: "Building the expertise to manufacture high-end design flagships locally would also be a big step for the local industry." Apple, for example, assembles two low-cost models through Wistron in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru. But with little domestic demand for its high-end phones, the company has resisted government pressure to move more of its work from China.

Smartphones booming India's electronics manufacturing sector

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