The smart speaker market in Europe grew 23.9 percent in Q1, led by Google Home devices, which had 45.1 percent of shipments vs. 41.8 percent for Amazon Echo, said IDC Tuesday. Google continues to expand to new countries and support new native languages at a faster rate than Amazon, said analyst Antonio Arantes, noting Google Assistant was embedded in 49.2 percent of all smart speakers sold in Europe in the quarter. Amazon faced supply issues, with the Echo Dot out of stock in some countries for several weeks, he said. Some 21.3 million smart speakers shipped in Europe in the quarter; Western Europe had 88.3 percent share of shipments.
RTI began shipping a new flagship handheld remote control with a high-resolution 4-inch capacitive touch screen and programmable soft-touch buttons. The second-generation T4x has a smaller form factor than the previous model, integrated grip sensors to keep the device awake during use and an accelerometer for instant-on activation. It integrates 802.11b/g/n wireless Ethernet, which enables viewing of Motion JPEG video, wireless program updates and enhanced two-way communication, said the company. The dual RF platform supports 433 MHz RF for one-way control and 2.4-GHz Zigbee for bidirectional communication with music servers, lighting and HVAC systems, it said.
HVAC manufacturer Lennox Residential added Google Assistant compatibility in its iComfort smart thermostat line, joining Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri via HomeKit, it said Tuesday. Voice commands through Google Assistant include making the temperature warmer or cooler, setting temperature to a precise setting and raising or lowering temperature by 2 degrees, it said.
Legrand introduced smart lighting for Apple HomeKit, giving iOS customers the ability to control smart switches, dimmers and plug-ins over Wi-Fi without a hub and with Siri voice control. Customers who prefer a different voice assistant can configure the Legrand Home iOS app to enable control via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, it said.
The EPA is taking a “fresh approach” to promoting Energy Star-certified smart thermostats, it said Monday, targeting eco-conscious homeowners who haven't switched from programmable to smart devices. The agency’s promotional creative will lead with environmentally focused messaging with the themes “A Perfect Climate Inside and Out” and “Perfect for Everywhere You Live,” it said. Media will include display and video advertising; paid social on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; paid search; content marketing; and a conversion-focused campaign landing page, it said.
Wireless charging company Aircharge rolled out technology at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, site of the Wimbledon Championships, it said Friday. The club approached Aircharge, seeking a “safe and convenient solution” to allow players competing in the 2019 tournament and their guests to keep devices powered and connected without having to carry cables or power banks, it said. Aircharge's Qi-based wireless charging points are integrated in furniture at select tables and counters located in the Millennium building and Competitor’s restaurant in the Aorangi Pavilion, it said. Aircharge’s battery-powered solution addresses the lack of direct access to mains power in the club venues, it said, with installed “battery pucks” providing eight full charging cycles on an average smartphone. QR code integration at point of charge allows users to receive additional services on their mobile phones, including Wi-Fi connectivity, menu ordering and access to tournament information.
True wireless is “rapidly cannibalizing other in-ear form factors,” especially in low- and mid-price segments, reported Futuresource Friday. True wireless is “here to stay” and is projected to comprise two-thirds of in-ear headphone market value in four years, it said. The headphone subcategory had 223 percent year-on-year unit growth and 188 percent revenue growth in Q1 amid “fierce competition,” said the research firm, and “the race is on” for manufacturers to deliver smaller form factors that still deliver features including waterproofing, noise canceling, no wires and voice, with “decent audio quality.” Apple’s market share in the segment exceeded 80 percent last year, but more brands are now releasing true wireless models, leading to “inevitable erosion” of the AirPods’ share, it said. Improvements in battery life will help adoption and enable vendors to incorporate more features such as active noise canceling and wake word technology, it said. Sony is offering noise canceling in true wireless earphones, Amazon is reportedly planning a true wireless model this year, and Google and Microsoft are expected to enter the market to extend the reach of their voice assistants, said Futuresource. Outside of traditional music uses, the researcher sees an uptake in true wireless headphones among users with hearing loss. Ninety percent of people with impaired hearing don't own a hearing aid, it said, expecting many of those with mildly impaired hearing to take to true wireless products to enhance their hearing and avoid the “stigma and costs” of wearing traditional hearing aids.
Amazon-branded Fire TVs with Dolby Vision -- announced last week and marking the first time Fire TVs have included Vision -- are part of growing momentum for Dolby's Vision, Atmos and Cinema platforms that are setting the stage for “double-digit revenue growth," wrote Dougherty & Co. analyst Steven Frankel in a Thursday research note. “All year,” Dolby has been expanding its ecosystem, “adding new partners, new devices and more content,” said Frankel, saying the company is operating in a "virtuous circle as broader adoption drives the creation of more content, encourages existing hardware partners to bring technologies like Vision and Atmos to more devices and attracts new licensing partners." He highlighted a $330 starting price for the Dolby Vision Toshiba Fire TV models, the upcoming TiVo Edge for Cable that supports the HDR format and recently launched Lenovo laptops with Dolby Vision. Apple now supports Dolby Vision on smartphones, the iPad Pro, AppleTV 4K and the Mac, Frankel noted, while Atmos is supported on the Mac and AppleTV. Netflix and iTunes continue to expand Atmos and Vision titles, “with little HDR10+ content available other than on UHD Blu-ray discs,” he said. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, an upcoming original Netflix series in 4K, will also have Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, he said.
Though TV makers have announced or introduced 8K TVs, the 4K segment will continue to cement its place as the mainstream TV format over the next few years, with more than 233 million sets expected to ship in 2024, reported ABI Research Thursday. “The cost of 8K TV sets is far from affordable for most consumers,” said analyst Khin Sandi Lynn, citing previewed models from Samsung, LG, Sony and TCL, priced between $5,000 and $70,000. Price will limit 8K sales volume for the “foreseeable future,” though price points will decline to more reasonable levels over the next several years, mirroring 4K trends, said the analyst. The lack of content and distribution models are more significant barriers than cost, though, for 8K TV adoption, said Lynn, noting that only Japanese broadcaster NHK is currently delivering 8K broadcast channels. Korean Broadcasting is working toward an 8K broadcast, and streaming service provider Rakuten recently announced intent to provide 8K content late this year, she said, but service providers overall “are not ready for 8K content, nor is there much incentive for content providers due to limited 8K TV set adoption.” The need for larger data files with 8K content creates challenges for distribution and data management, said Lynn. Versatile Video Coding, promising 34 percent higher efficiency vs. HEVC, is in the standardization process and will play a key role in driving the 8K TV market when the standard is completed next year, she said: “8K is likely to gain momentum only when challenges are addressed, and the ecosystem evolves.”
Apple recalled 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops due to reports of overheating that could lead to a fire hazard, said the company Thursday. Consumers should stop using the recalled computers and contact Apple to see if their laptop is part of the recall and to schedule a free repair, Apple said. It has received 26 reports of the laptop’s battery overheating, including five of “minor burns,” one report of smoke inhalation and 17 reports of minor damage to nearby personal property, it said. The recalled models have a 15.4-inch display, 2.2-2.5 GHz processors, 256 GB-1 TB solid-state storage, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, two USB 3.0 ports and one HDMI port. Only MacBook Pro 15-inch models with certain serial numbers are included in the recall; customers can contact Apple at 800-275-2273 or visit support at www.apple.com to check numbers, it said. About 432,000 units are affected, including 26,000 in Canada. The affected models were sold at Apple stores and electronics stores nationwide and online at apple.com September 2015-February 2017 for about $2,000.