| Mobile Minute: The Mobile Minute is sponsored by SpiderCloud Wireless. iPhone production expected to ramp up Apple is betting big on China Mobile’s network investment, reportedly ramping up iPhone production in anticipation of strong Chinese demand. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple wants between 70 million and 80 million new iPhones from its manufacturers before the end of the year, an increase of roughly 35% from last year’s order. The new iPhone models will reportedly come on two sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. Pricing is a question mark, since displays are the most expensive part of a smartphone. Apple adds cost by integrating touch sensors directly into the display, and it may also be using a sapphire crystal cover in the next iPhone. Huawei charges ahead Huawei posted a 19% year-on-year revenue increase, with sales of almost $22 billion for the first half of 2014. Operating margin surged to 18.3%, up more than 6 basis points from the same period last year. The Chinese telecom equipment vendor is finding plenty of customers, even though it is selling very little telecom equipment in the United States. Huawei also makes smartphones and semiconductors, and it is growing its network equipment business for corporate customers as well, which puts it into competition with Cisco and Juniper. BlackBerry stumbles BlackBerry (BBRY) has been Wall Street’s comeback kid this year, with the stock climbing steadily as the firm’s new CEO charts a new course for the Canadian company that once dominated the smartphone industry. But last week BlackBerry shares dipped sharply on news of Apple’s alliance with IBM. Now, BlackBerry has some good news that it hopes will encourage investors. For more on that see today’s video below. |
Apple ramps it up, Huawei charges ahead (RCR Mobile Minute)
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