Apple Makes Record Sales In India

Apple sales achieve their all time high in India

Apple Inc. has deciphered the reason behind the decline observed in the sales of the iPhone. There has been staggering economic growth in the Chinese market but the company has done quite well in the emerging market of India where they have succeeded in achieving record sales during the last trimester of FY15. Several policies that encompass a wider distribution network, discounts, installment packages have assisted the company in shipping 800,000 products in India which is an achievement in itself. Ironically, consumers are not quite interested in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus due to the hefty price tag.

The catalyst churning growth for Apple products is the price reduction in the Indian market. Some of the devices by the tech giant that had low prices are now retailing at a 50% lesser rate than the original cost. Moreover, the price of the iPhobe 5S has been reduced to $350 to $360 which in return has bolstered sales. A buyback program was also initiated by the company in FY14 where Indian consumers were granted the leverage to exchange their old iPhones for new models.

Apple has also collaborated with various banks in India to offer interest free loans so that the cost of the iPhone becomes affordable for the masses.

The saturation in the smartphone fraternity has now become quite evident where Chinese manufacturers are pushing in competition by coming up with mid-range smartphones that are becoming an imminent threat to Apple iPhones. The stocks of the company have gone down by 30% over the past six months and are now residing below $100.  The tech market is quite flustered now and the pressure will get more due to the Chinese economic slowdown.

Considering this, the growth opportunity which India has to offer is extremely lucrative. As per the consensus made by analysts, almost 35% of all the phones retailed in the region are smartphones. a research was conducted by the International Data Corporation (IDC) suggested that by FY17 India will take over the position of the second largest smart phone market from United States and will stand right behind China.

Apple has been extremely successful in India which adds value to the claimsa. The year which climaxed by the end of March 31, 2015, the Indian wing resulted in revenues worth $1 billion. A 44% increase has also been observed in contrast to a year back. However by September, only 2% of the local smartphone fraternity was under the company’s control.

Watson Need Not Be Blamed For IBM's Downfall

Watson is not the dominant force contributing to IBM's downfall

If you have seen the advertisements of the International Business Machines Corp. or if you’ve read the declarations made by the company then you might agree that they are making a huge bet with Watson. Its popular “cognitive computing” engine might make many believe that the project is not doing quite well.

The company informed the investors recently, irrespective that the company has tried to make all sort of services available with Watson insight, the net income of the company dropped down by 19% during the last trimester of FY15 and will drop down further this annum. However, the issue is not that Watson has failed as a technology. The challenge by the business segment of IBM is so extravagant that it makes it difficult to believe that any other smart business service could actually solve it.

To be particular, masses have the right to ask how valuable Watson actually is. Two years back, it was made obvious that the processing of natural language, geniuses designing the data scanning program paved its way to a show Jeopardy! Was not actually conveying and attracting businesses in the right manner which other businesses could use. The Financial Times recently observed two weeks back, that IBM has brought so many cloud computing technologies under the Watson label making it very difficult to deduce what the service primarily is. This however aroused several questions regarding the brand is now making use of a halo effect for several technology that are not as evolutionary as perceived.

Even if the company would have transformed Watson into a business, still IBM would be in hot waters due to the present market trends that have strengthened over a relatively long span of time. The increase in popularity of the cloud computing services has minimized the need for big organizations to buy mainframes and IBM servers. This was happening before the time Ms. Ginni Rometty became the CEO of the company in FY11.

However, the predecessor of Rometty, Mr. Palmisano was great enough to camouflage the shortcoming and still make Wall Street happy by selling out all those unprofitable business segments. The strategy deployed was simple, the company was buying high end software firms and then paid investors back in the via share buyback plans and dividents. However, there are a few financial cards that the company needs to pull out. It has been 15 consecutive quarters where revenues have ripped apart. It needs to change now before it’s too late.

Visa Appoints Lynne Biggar As New Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Visa makes another addition to its employees by hiring Lynne Biggar as its chief marketing and communications officer.

Visa has made another addition to its senior associates by appointing Lynne Biggar as the new chief marketing and communications officer, who will become an operational member of the financial business from February 1. She was previously working at Time Incorporation as the executive vice president of consumer marketing and revenue.

Her position indicates that she has a good experience in the field and is eligible for the post at Visa. She also spent 20 years from 1992 at American Express in different designations including many marketing and managerial positions in the United States and even internationally. She was also a member of American Express Global management department.

The CEO of the financial services provider, Charlie Scharf, had a few words to say regarding the recent addition to the company. He said, “We are delighted to have Lynne joint the Visa team to guide our marketing, brand and communications efforts, Lynne’s extensive global marketing and product experience will be a great complement to our talented marketing and communications team.”

Lynne has massive experience in the field she has been hired for according to the evidence, and is quite excited to be joining the banking business. She has also worked in San Francisco for different companies at different position of strategy and marketing. She was included as one of Folio’s top women in media in 2014 and included as the list of 25 most influential women in travel by ForbesLife.

The position at the e-commerce mobile payments provider taken by Biggar previously belonged to Antonio Lucio, who decided to leave the company in April and joined Hewlett-Packard instead.

Lynne Biggar received her Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University at international studies and did her MBA from the Columbia University. Huge improvement in terms of marketing can be expected from the company after this extensively experienced addition.

Visa received good news recently by major merchants adding its service in digital payments known as, Visa Checkout. Many merchants including Starbucks and Walgreens have added the company’s payments services, which will help the business to grow more and prosper.

The same service was launched by the organization in 2014, when it saw its competitor MasterCard generating profit from launching the same service in 2013, known as MasterPass. It is making good progress this year according to report so far. Visa learned much from its competitor to launch the service and exceed in the same game. 

BlackBerry Is Far From Being Dead, Says CEO

Blackberry was considered to be the strongest company in the mobile phone business but not anymore.

Over the years, cellphones revolutionized the world of innovation. Many telecom companies introduced their creative products in the market and received great response from the targeted audience. Among such organizations, Blackberry was the most prestigious one but in recent years, it has not only lost the popularity but its loyal customers too which are miffed by the company's confused approach of introducing and upgrading two different operating systems simultaneously.

Android and iOS operating systems provide easy interface to users. Smartphones recently changed the definition of a cellular phone and integrated almost everything in one device. Blackberry has an arsenal of good apps and except a couple of designs, it still has the conventional design of a mobile phone.

Recently, Blackberry introduced its new smartphone, named PRIV, based on Android. The company expects that the new addition will provide better and higher returns to the country. Although it was hopeful that its new product would be well received, the results turn out to be opposite.

Since its launch on November 6, 2015, the company has witnessed significant decline in the shipment of the high-hoped product. From third quarter of fiscal year 2015 to third quarter of fiscal year 2016, its unit shipment has declined from 2 million to 0.7 million. However, the tech corporation is hoping to get consolation when its deal with T-Mobile and Verizon networks will operate.

BlackBerry is also looking forward to invest in its operating system BB10 and believes that the updated version will be more beneficial to the users. The company believes that the improved version of the operating system will ensure greater security making the data and operations of the users safe and secure therefore, the company anticipates attracting government officials and those customers that demand high level of security. However, the company faces the financial issues in order to work on the software upgrade.

BB users were given free access to BB10, which means that users do not have to pay anything when they convert from BB7 to BB10. This left the organization with lack of monetization opportunities to spend it on its new research and developments.

Not disturbed by the current crisis, Blackberry struggles to survive in the competitive world of Silicon Valley. In a blog post, Blackberry CEO waived off all the speculations regarding BB10 being obsolete and commented that BB10 is ‘far from being dead.’ The business is currently running with a share price of $6.75 significantly lower than its competitors. 

Apple Wins The Samsung Lawsuit

Apple wins an old patent battle against Samsung

Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics have been competitors since a very long span of time. Both the companies have been competing with one another over various segments such as smartphones, wearable tech etc. the Samsung Galaxy smartphones and 

Apple iPhone are concerned to be the dominant forces in the fraternity.

There was a patent dispute that was running between both the tech giants since a while and now the final verdict has been observed according to which Apple has sabotaged Samsung. 

Ironically, this defeat is not really that damaging for Samsung. The Apple iPhone maker was granted the leverage to make changes to certain Samsung smartphones that were infringing their patents. However, all these devices have now become obsolete and the latter has already retired them.

This decision does not really bother Samsung since they believe that the consumers in America will not really be under any impact.

The quarrel between both the companies is pertinent to features like slide to unlock, autocorrect which were used in Galaxy S II along with Galaxy Nexus. These models are already been removed from circulation by the company.  The verdict regarding an injunction was granted by the company this week which has an impact on similar devices. Moreover, Samsung has also been restricted from making use of the infringing software or to retail devices that make use of this technology.

"We would like to reassure our millions of loyal customers that all of our flagship smartphones, which are used and loved by American consumers, will remain for sale and available for customer service support in the U.S.," Samsung mentioned in a statement. As per the company, the decision will not have any impact on America based consumer. Moreover, AAPL was derided for "abusing the judicial system to create bad legal precedent which can harm consumer choice for generations to come."

Bloomberg has also highlighted that this decision will not damage Samsung instantly. However, in the times to come, the tech giant will get more significance and an upper hand whilst negotiating for patents.

The tech behemoths in the fraternity seem to be on the side of Samsung. Recently, many tech giant including Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. have filed a petition where the Supreme Court has been pleaded to hear Samsung’s side of the story.

Hence, in a nutshell, Apple may enjoy the superiority in the times to come but so far winning the battle is actually futile for them since it won’t result in anything fruitful.

McDonald Is Ripping Off its European Consumers

McDonald's is giving a tough time to the European consumers and franchisers

When it is about McDonald’s Corporation, the Americans quickly start thinking about burger, fries and value meal offerings. On the other hand, things are different towards the Atlantic where the company is known for increasing prices and harassing consumers.

A coalition of European Consumer Rights organization recently filed a complaint to the European Commission, where they have demanded an investigation. The authority has been asked to conduct an investigation on the mostly neglected ways by the company through which they abuse their power, and sabotage the right of consumers and franchises all over Europe.

So this might provoke some to ask that how a company that retails fast food items be an imminent threat to the masses. The explanation is quite simple, the company has a reputation f selling foods however, and their business model is not just made up of this. The company has a core business of selling real estate which most of us aren’t aware of.

MCD forces all its franchises to lease the property on which they are operational directly from the company which no other company retailing fast food does. So since franchisers do not have any other option, thus the company y charges them almost 10 times more than the original price which is mere brutality.

So it will not be wrong to say that a substantial chunk of the company’s revenues are governed via rents. It has been estimated that two third of the company’s income is via rent.

Apart from charging high rents, the restaurant is forced to comply with the other hardsh conditions. This includes contracts which are long terms, high royalty fees, “one-to-two year non-compete clauses”, and broad termination clauses.

According to Huffington Post, “What allows McDonald's to get away with this scheme is the fact that it is, by several orders of magnitude, the dominant fast-food company in Europe, with some 8,000 stores across the Continent serving 15.7 million customers. These stores generated $19 billion in sales in 2014, nearly twice the sales of its nearest competitor. In other words, McDonald's is big enough to write its own rules.”

So now it will not be wrong to say that MCD is the evil perpetuator in the food industry of Europe. In one part of the world, the company is offering price cuts to the consumers whereas in the other half, owners and consumers are being sabotaged off their rights. This needs to end here before the European Commission takes any strong step. 

IBM's Anne Altman Is All Set To Depart

Sam Gordy will replace Ms. Anne Altman

Anne Altman has made up her mind to retire from her present designation with International Business Machines Corp. Ms. Anne has spent almost three decades with IBM where she was closely working with the federal government.

A press release was observed recently where the tech giant announced that Ms. Altman who is presently designated as the General Manager for the federal business at IBM will retire on January, 31, 2016.

“During her tenure, [Altman] devoted her leadership and passion to drive IBM solutions that have enabled our U.S. federal agency customers in so many ways, helping transform them in the process,” mentioned the release. “We wish her the best in her retirement.”

Individuals like her are an asset to any company since she devoted half of her life serving the company and taking it to newer heights. The company observed several milestones under her able leadership and has always contributed positively towards the growth of the company.  Analysts report that Ms. Altman’s enthusiasm and devotion will be missed by her inmates at the company.

The company has already found a replacement for Ms. Altman where Sam Gordy will take over her present position. Mr. Sam Gordy also has a glistening portfoliuo where he has served as the Group President of Integrated Systems and Senior Vice President at Leidos Inc. and Reston respectively.

While Ms. Altman was rendering her services to IBM, the server hardware business of the company was led by her. She was assisting in integrating the firm’s mainframe namely the “System z” in the ecosystem of federal government. Ms. Altman has the honor of being part and parcel of the Top 50 Women in the Tech World as per Fedscoop. Moreover, she has also receive several awards for her outstanding service.

Altman has also rendered her services as the Vice Chairperson for the Northern Virginia Technology Council along with being the executive committee member of the Professional Services Council.

According to Fedscoop, “Gordy has nearly 30 years of experience in the intelligence community as both an active duty naval intelligence officer and as a contractor. Before Leidos was spun off from Science Applications International Corporation, he ran three of the SAIC’s highest growth markets: cyber command and control, intelligence systems, and logistics.”

Sources suggest that Gordy who is a well known former intelligence officer was appointed to conduct operations in Iraq, Libya, Panama, and Soviet Union.

Mr. Sam Gordy will render his services to IBM from January 18, 2016.

Google Reduces The Price Of Nexus 5X

Google decides to reduce the price of the Nexus 5X models

Alphabet Inc. made a strong debut in the smartphone fraternity by launching the Google Nexus series. The company has partnered with various smartphone giants over the years to come up with the best possible smartphone offering. So far several variants of the Nexus phone have been revealed.

As per the recent reports, Google Nexus has observed a price cut where it is now priced $30 cheaper than the price it was being retailed a few days ago. The search engine giant has reduced the price of the smartphone to $349 for the 16GB variant and $399 for the 32 GB variant. Ironically, the 16GB offering is far more sought after than the 32GB model.

Initially the company had plans to mark the 5X price down during the holiday season, but now the spokesperson belonging to the tech giant told The Verge that the changes in price are permanent and are not a short term promotion. It is also being assumed that the third party retailers such as the B&H Photo and Best Buy will now follow the pattern set by GOOG in the times to come so that they can comply to the new MSRP.

Initially, the 5X was being retailed for $379 for the 16GB Model and $429 for the 32GB model. So now when the prices have been revised, this leads to the creation of a massive gat when it comes to the 5X and the Nexus 6P- the larger and powerful Nexus offering. Nexus 6P price starts from $499 for 32GB model and is available in gold as well. However, the 5X is a great choice for all those who want to get their hands on smaller phones that encompass stock Android. Moreover, the camera of 5X is actually quite good. All those who decide to choose5X over 6P need to give up on a faster processor, high end display along with speakers that are front facing and have amazing audio. Ironically, for the price gap, it’s not a bad bargain.

Other than that, when the Nexus 5 was launched it was priced at $349, so if one is getting a successor model in the same price then it is certainly not a bad bargain. Hence in a nutshell, Google has given a great offer to the masses which will further exemplify the popularity of the smartphone range. The price in terms of the specifications is a great offering and the masses can benefit with the reduction whenever they want.

McDonald's Packaging Gets A Makeover

McDonald's makes its packaging funky and trendy

When it is about millennials, McDonald’s Corporation has been trying to come up with various offering that assist in attracting them to the fast food chain. The company has recently decided to change its look and give its branding a fresh air in the form of a makeover.

The company recently announced to come up with McPick 2 menu which was aimed to attract the consumers who want delicious food without burdening their wallets. So now the company has decided to unveil new boxes, bags and cup by the end of this month. This initiative is aimed to attract the youngsters who get attracted by a funky and trendy look.

McDonald’s has come up with several press photos, where they have finally bid farewell to the traditional gold, white and red. So now the packaging will flaunt bold colors that will be paired with big typography.

According to the company’s senior global marketing director who recently published a press release, "McDonald's is a fun and modern brand, and this was a progressive way to turn our packaging into art and support a community where fashion is an expression." However, only a limited audience will be appalled by this change whereas those who were convenient will the typical yellow, red and white will miss the signature offering.

Eater has now given its verdict on the initiative calling it similar to putting lipstick on a pig. The reason behind this strong statement is relatively simple, the company is investing huge amounts to give a trendy look to its packaging and improving its overall feel. The interiors are also being modified to give a chic feel to the fast food chain. However, the company has failed to realize that they need to cater to a bigger purpose which is to improve  the quality of its food being served at the outlets.

McDonald’s menu has been in the scrutiny by various food critics and weight watchers that needs to be catered according to the needs of buyers. Packaging plays a great role but MCD is already an established brand thus it does not need to fluke around with outer beauty until is quality related issues are sorted.

The writers at E! claim that this update "is a dash of desperate if you ask us." But the company is adamant to come up with its new packaging. The company has vouched to distribute this new packaging in 36000 McDonald’s restaurants all over the globe in the times to come.

McDonald's Next Comes With New Innovations

McDonald's Next is the "next big thing" with its high end offerings.

McDonald’s Corporation has a history of being consistent, with productivity and cost efficiency. It now wishes to make a change and come up with something innovative. So, this is considered as the best option available in the market for the best burgers and delicious fries; but beware, you’d be guilty for your cravings the next day you come out of your dilemma. 

In Hong Kong, the company wants to embrace a massive change. McDonald’s has been present in the region since past 40 years but now it is going to embrace a massive change. In December, it vouched to change one of its retail outlets into a first fast food chain of its kind in the form of McDonald’s Next. This restaurant is devised with an aim to be progressive and modern.

Things have changed for the fast food organization where now it is not going for monotonous, pale yellow and red color tinge but have opted for harsh lighting. So now a sleek white and black logo, with top-notch lighting, high-end metallic based interior along with a salad bar will be present to make a difference.

All those who used to complain about McDonald’s menu being unhealthy can now take a stride since healthier alternatives are now added to the menu to lure the “weight watchers”. Moreover, the company has come up with high-end coffee blend. Apart from this, it is also offering table service that will start from 6 p.m. The idea is to elevate and take the restaurant experience to a completely new level.

According to CNN, “The branch, located in the city's Admiralty neighborhood, has also been fitted out with mobile phone charging platforms, free Wi-Fi and self-ordering kiosks.” CNN approached the business to ask why it chose Hong Kong as a location for this outlet. However, it has not responded to the matter.

Briefly stated, the initiative is one of a kind that requires applause by the company. Health and weight conscious customers now have some benefit since quinoa and other healthy items have been added to the menu. This initiative will also attract all the coffee lovers since premium coffee will be served.

Starbucks and other coffee giants in the region need to be conscious now since there is immense competition at stake. McDonald’s Next is a great breakthrough and needs to be taken globally to make a drastic mark. People already love the change and reacted positively to the new additions.

Google Determined To Return In China, Hires More Employees

Google has posted job openings for the Chinese Mainland.

The Internet behemoth Alphabet Inc. is trying hard to pave its way again to China. The company bid farewell to the region and moved to Hong Kong since it had a tussle with the Chinese authorities, according to the media reports.

The rumors regarding the search engine giant making its way to China were confirmed when the company posted several job openings on their social media platform. On LinkedIn, the popular professional social media platform, it came up with as much as 60 job vacancies at its Beijing and Shanghai office.

Initially, a few job openings were posted in December but with time, the initiative gained momentum. Now, it seems like it has posted a deluge of vacancies. It claims that whatever it does is usually big and grand.

So far, the company has not made any official announcement regarding its comeback in the Chinese Mainland. According to the report, it has not announced about its comeback but its job openings clearly highlight that soon it will make a formal announcement regarding its entry.

From executives to interns, Google is now hunting for a variety of designations. These job openings are for customer services, technical support, creative development, corporate relations, sales, marketing, software development, and business development.

The tech giant bid farewell to the region earlier in 2010 and put a halt to all its operational activities. It has neither declined nor accepted the reports of a comeback to date. However, the sources close to the organization have hinted that it will make an announcement during the first half of 2016.

The executive chairman of Alphabet, Mr. Eric Schmidt, stated in November that Google has still 500 individuals employed in the Chinese Mainland. Most of these people are rendering their services to Chinese clients who wish to take their service global. The departments presently operational is marketing, development and research.

An analyst at Forrester Research who is stationed in China, Mr. Gene Cao, claims that the recruitment drive by Google is due to its interest in the local app store industry. Most of the personnel are hired for Google Play, including engineers for mobile apps and managers for business development.

“But I doubt whether it can take a big pie from local players. The company has already missed out the highs in the country’s smartphone industry, when sales peaked,” Mr. Cao claimed. Competitors should beware such silent returns of giant corporations.

Apple’s Biggest Worry Is The Apple Watch

Apple Watch has turned out to be a mess for the company

Apple Inc. has been in the limelight since quite some time now where the company has been struggling to deal with the issues regarding its iPhone inventory. Moreover, issues regarding the company’s ability to come up with an upgrade cycle which spans over two years after the launch of the iPhone 7 are also piling up. However, the thing that needs attention is the company’s wearable technology namely the Apple Watch.

Initially when the company devised its strategy, it decided to grow this Apple product slowly. So with time they wanted to design an ecosystem that would make it the next big thing in the fraternity. But what the tech giant failed to understand is the conventional approach of the company i.e the premium pricing of its product and the hardware updates which were launched once in a year were not going to garner traction for this product range.

The company has recently teased its fans by revealing secret image of a new Milanese band on its official website. The company has been found revealing new bands, software and applications for its wearable technology. This indicates that the company is now poised towards the improvement of its wearable device.

The tech giant needs to understand that the Apple iPhone is a mature product category that has its particular niche audience. Thus, it does not need as much promotion and limelight like the Apple Watch which is stumbling attract its users. Despite AAPL has a strong presence in the tech sector, it has still failed to attract the wearable segment as of yet.

Another factor that the company needs to take into consideration is the pricing of the Apple Watch. The wearable tech is priced at $299 and up. Buyers now claim that the price of the device is extremely high and the masses are not even aware of the functionalities and usage of the Apple Watch. Moreover, all those who do not own an iPhone then cannot benefit from the wearable device at all.

These days several variants of the Apple Watch are available in the market. However, the thing that has sabotaged the existence of this wearable tech is the availability of cheaper priced variants that are run on Google Android. These devices are compatible with a wide range of smartphones that make them more user friendly. Hence the company now needs to bring Apple Watch out of its tyranny and attract a wider range of audience by covering the loopholes