Given Apple’s “unparalleled functionality and design capabilities" and its “market clout,” the impending launch of the iWatch, if it happens at all, “could be just what smart watches need to move into the mainstream,” said Charles Annis, DisplaySearch vice president-manufacturing research, in a blog post Monday (http://bit.ly/1txgFtG). Though virtually all that’s known about the iWatch belongs “in the realm of speculation,” Apple’s display manufacturing partner, LG Display, is believed to be ramping up production of 1.3- and 1.5-inch QVGA AMOLEDs on plastic substrates, he said. “If these are for the iWatch, it could be an indication that Apple has prioritized image quality over battery life. Another benefit of AMOLED on plastic is that it can be extremely thin, light and rugged.” Since LG Display currently has a limited amount of flexible AMOLED capacity, “yield rates may well determine when the iWatch launches as well as initial volumes,” he said. DisplaySearch estimates average yield rates above 60 percent would allow LG Display to produce more than 10 million panels in 2014, he said. “Apple has an incredible track record of successfully creating completely new markets. So although we are not exactly sure about unit numbers or if Apple will release its first generation smart watch in September or November, or if it will slip to 2015, we are very excited about the prospect of the iWatch pushing flexible plastic AMOLEDs from their current niche status into mainstream consumer product."

Azione Unlimited added three new dealer members, to bring its lineup to 95, the buying group said Monday. The new members are: World Premiere of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Osbee of Harrison, New York; and Premier Media Technologies of Destin, Florida. Azione group member totals include 1,295 staffers and $295 million in sales, said President Richard Glikes, adding that 85 percent of members haven’t been in a buying group before Azione. The group’s fall meeting is in Austin, Texas, Oct. 8-10.

The Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA) Association announced six new member companies, including OEMs and ODMs, bringing its roster to 30. New members are Claridy Audio, Elytone Electronic Co., Enclave Wireless Audio, Fostex, Innovo Concepts and Monitor Audio. Additional member announcements are expected in the coming days, WiSA said Monday.

Product certification organization THX released an update Monday for its iOS app that includes the THX Product Finder, a feature designed to keep users informed of the latest THX-certified products from CE makers. Products are filtered by product type and global region, and users can save products to a favorites list for quick reference later, THX said. The update is available exclusively through iTunes for devices with iOS version 6.1 and higher, it said. The company has no plans to update the Android version of the THX tune-up app to support the Product Finder feature since only about 5 percent of THX app downloads are for the Android OS, a company spokesman said. THX doesn’t offer the app for Windows devices, he said.

Bay Audio unveiled the LW1210 Live-Wall loudspeaker, part of its series of invisible architectural speakers. It includes a small form factor and installation brackets for soffits and other challenging locations; durable materials designed to withstand high-humidity locations; 160-degree off-axis dispersion; a 100-watt protection circuit to guard against overdriving; and a fire-rated back box and metal bracket. The LW1210 is priced at $500 each.

Rumors were rampant Friday about production delays for the iPhone 6 on accounts from supply chain sources. According to a Reuters report (http://reut.rs/1q0Nr5f), Apple suppliers are scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 because a redesign of “a key component” disrupted panel production. Some accounts speculate that the thinness of the iPhone 6 is causing manufacturing headaches. An Apple news conference scheduled for Sept. 9 has many industry watchers pegging availability for Sept. 19, based on previous Apple roll-out schedules. A delay could threaten the number of phones available at launch, reports say, but rumors of delays for upcoming iPhones are as much a part of the annual runup to a new launch as “exclusives” about design and features. Retailers, meanwhile, continue to clear shelves of the soon-to-be-dated iPhone 5s. Walmart lopped $100 off no-contract 5s and 5c models on the Straight Talk plan. The prepaid 32 GB 5c is now $449 at Walmart, while a 16 GB 5s is $549. Two-year-old iPhone 4s smartphones have dipped, in turn, to $349, with bonus case, on Straight Talk and to $299 for an 8 GB on Net10, we found. On the contract side, Target has a temporary price cut to $99 on the 16 GB 5s on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon networks with a two-year contract. Best Buy cut the 16 GB 5s to $149 on Sprint, with Verizon and AT&T holding at $199. The trade-in market for the iPhone is active, too. Gazelle gave a trade-in price Friday of $305 for a 32 GB iPhone 5s in good condition, $320 in excellent shape and $100 for a broken model. In contrast, the 32 GB iPhone 4s reaped $70 in good condition, $80 perfect and $30 broken, we found.

Amazon launched its Football Kickoff 2014 store (http://amzn.to/1pm1anr) in advance of the NFL season and is featuring TVs as part of the product roster. With tailgates becoming “more high-tech,” there’s stronger demand for what Amazon calls less traditional tailgating products, including outdoor pizza ovens, portable generators and “state-of-the-art TVs.” Staggered TV deals throughout Amazon’s “kick-off” include Samsung’s 55-inch 4K Ultra HD smart UN55HU7250, cut 14 percent to $1,897, through Sept. 13. The Sharp 70-inch Aquos Q+ 3D smart TV is on sale for $2,297, a 15 percent discount, through Sept. 27, and Vizio’s 70-inch E700i-B3 HD TV will sell for $1,499, with a $100 Amazon gift card thrown in, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, Amazon said. Tailgate deals will run throughout the fall, the retailer said.

The automotive telematics market is projected to grow to $45 billion by 2019, a MarketsandMarkets report found. Telematics, the technology that transfers data between vehicles or devices through wireless networks, has the potential to convert vehicles “from just a simple mode of transportation to moving information stations,” said the report, released Friday (http://bit.ly/1mvOd5C). Demand for connected vehicles is driven by developments like collision warnings or remote maintenance “that provide safety and comfort to the driver and passengers,” it said. Telematics services are divided into the four major types of safety, information and navigation, entertainment and remote diagnostics, MarketsandMarkets said.

Though Q2 same-store sales of packaged music sales fell 12 percent at Trans World Entertainment, “we have seen encouraging results from the expansion of our vinyl product in many of our stores,” CEO Bob Higgins said Thursday on an earnings call. The chain is devoting six to eight feet of floor space to vinyl in its average store, “but in some stores we've got bigger departments and in those stores we are doing better with it, so we are going to watch it carefully,” Higgins said in Q&A. “We know the freestanding stores can do very well in the business and so we are watching those carefully also. So, we will expand it as appropriate and we think we have got significant expansion plans in that category."

Four in every five Americans associate privacy concerns with wearable Internet of Things connected devices, said Accenture’s Acquity Group e-commerce subsidiary Thursday in a survey report (http://bit.ly/1ohHf3C). But when the company canvassed 2,000 consumers this summer, it found that half would be willing to share personal data collected on wearables with third-party retailers, as long as they're offered some sort of “compensation,” such as a coupon or discount toward the purchase of fitness gear or healthier foods, it said. Only 9 percent said they would be willing to share data with brands for free. “As the connected technology opportunities within the market continue to grow, it’s important for businesses to understand ways to overcome barriers to adoption and create digital device strategies,” the company said. “Brands that do not evolve strategies to mirror consumer expectations will fall short and miss major revenue opportunities moving forward. While incentives are part of the answer, companies must create an understanding among consumers that their devices and personal data are well-protected from security threats. This is where firms can most effectively differentiate their business models."