While Apple may be talking to Google about adopting the search giant's Gemini AI for upcoming releases of iOS, over in China that's not a feasible plan, seeing as how Google services are banned. So, a local player is the answer, and it seems like Apple found it in Baidu, long called "the Google of China" - how fitting. News from China today reveals that Baidu is set to provide AI services to Apple's latest devices - only in China, of course. Baidu will be Apple's generative AI provider in the country, starting with the upcoming release of iOS 18 this fall. Apple has reportedly...
Apple Vision Pro was announced back in June last year and went on open sale in the US eight months later in early February. Apple’s first spatial computer has only been available in the US but we now get official confirmation from Apple CEO Tim Cook that Vision Pro will make its way to China later this year. The CEO attended the China Development Forum in Beijing and also confirmed that Apple will continue to ramp up R&D investment in China. Speculations suggest that Apple may bring the Vision Pro to the Chinese market in April or May. Initial supplies for the first batch of Vision...
China introduced guidelines that aim to prevent the use of US processors from Intel and AMD. The new rules also want to block Microsoft Windows and other foreign database products in favor of domestic solutions, reported The Financial Times on Sunday. All government agencies above the township level must have computers and servers with hardware deemed “safe and reliable.” The list of approved hardware includes chips from Huawei and Phytium, both banned in the United States. The move could have a significant financial effect on both chip companies. According to FT, 27% of Intel's $53...
The OnePlus Ace 3V was just unveiled in China and rumors have been pouring in recently about how it will be launched internationally as the OnePlus Nord 4. OnePlus also announced the Buds V alongside the Ace 3V, and these true wireless earbuds are thus quite likely to be rebranded for international markets as Nord Buds... something later this year, while possibly arriving at the same time as the Nord 4. That's all our speculation, by the way, so don't take it as gospel. But given all of the history and context surrounding these product lines, it would make perfect sense. So, if all of this...
Smartphone shipments are off to a rocky start in China with a drop of 7% in the first six weeks of 2024. The latest Counterpoint Research report shows double-digit declines in shipments across the board for the January 1 to February 11 period compared to last year. Low consumer confidence and the lack of upcoming high-profile launches as the two main reasons behind the disappointing start to the year. Oppo saw its shipment shares drop by 29% while Apple’s shipments were down 24% compared to last year. In Apple’s case, Counterpoint analysts specify stiff competition in the higher-end market...
We’re inching closer to the global rollout of the Xiaomi 14 which is set for February 25 and we now have a rumored price for the device. The team at Techmaniacs uncovered the Xiaomi 14 pricing for Greece which will start at €1,099 for the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version. For reference, last year's Xiaomi 13 launched at €999 for the 8/256GB trim. This is a new RAM/storage trim as the Chinese 512GB and 1TB models come with 16GB RAM. Xiaomi 14 is expected to go on open sale from February 29. The new report also corroborates previous rumors that the Xiaomi 14 Pro will not make its way...
We’re inching closer to the global rollout of the Xiaomi 14 which is set for February 25 and we now have a rumored price for the device. The team at Techmaniacs uncovered the Xiaomi 14 pricing for Greece which will start at €1,099 for the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version. For reference, last year's Xiaomi 13 launched at €999 for the 8/256GB trim. This is a new RAM/storage trim as the Chinese 512GB and 1TB models come with 16GB RAM. Xiaomi 14 is expected to go on open sale from February 29. The new report also corroborates previous rumors that the Xiaomi 14 Pro will not make its way...
So far the Apple Vision Pro is confined to the US, but of course it's inevitable that it will eventually launch in other countries. And one of them will be China, according to a new report from local media. The headset is going to become available over there in April at the earliest, or May at the latest. The information allegedly comes from unnamed "supply chain sources", so do take it with a pinch of salt. Not too much, though, for Apple CEO Tim Cook himself said the Vision Pro is coming "soon" to China at the release of the headset in New York earlier this month. Confusingly, the...
A decade ago Samsung dominated the Chinese market, but in 2023 it hovered around 2%. The leader of Samsung’s mobile division, TM Roh, has been on a quest to regain the lost market share. Earlier this week he told reporters “We are making efforts to reach Chinese consumers with products that fit the China market, through software optimisation that fits the China market, and I think the results are coming out little by little.” This better fitting software includes the new AI features, as it turns out. Everywhere else, the translation, summarization and generation functions are handled by...
Canalys posted a report on smartphone sales in China for the last quarter and the full calendar year of 2023. According to the analysis, companies shipped 5% fewer devices compared with 2022, which was already the worst year in a decade. The Q4 period showed signs of recovery with only a 1% decline, or 73.9 million in total. Huawei was the “dark horse” as it emerged to fourth place and almost doubled its shipments compared to the same time last year. The final quarter of the year, generally addressed as a holiday period in other regions, saw the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup,...