Mobile telephony: the Japanese NEC disclaims

Business: The Japanese manufacturer of mobile phones officially threw the sponge. Absent abroad and gradually crushed (5% of market share) on its national territory, NEC ceases his activity and will produce more smartphones.

For the Japanese manufacturer NEC, adventure in the mobile telephony sector is definitely over. The Group has formalized this activity stopped, acknowledging the failure of its strategy in the field of smartphones, including the Japan where the manufacturer has fallen to 5% market share.

In a statement, NEC emphasizes that "the mobile market has changed dramatically" and that it is "difficult to foresee an improvement" of its performance in the future in a sector where "the economies of scale are more important" in terms of competitiveness.

NEC was in big trouble with growing losses. In April 2012, after a deficit of almost 900 million euros, Japanese manufacturer had especially to reduce its workforce by 10%, or 10,000 employees, mainly in the Japan.

But if NEC was able to reduce its costs, it is not pierced on the very dynamic segment of smartphones, ultra-dominated by Apple and Samsung. During the last fiscal year, the Japanese company has thus delivered only 2.9 million smartphones, although far from its forecast (4.3 million). And sales still continued to deteriorate, reported Les Echos.

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Key figures: sales of mobile and smartphones

Sony disclaims its Xperia Z in phablette and launches a new smartwatch\r

Sony found the smile in smartphones through a strategy clear and long-awaited: replace into the tracks of the historic values of the nippon, namely design and premium.

With the launch of a high-end very successful, the Z Xperia, Sony seems to hold good end. For its first fiscal quarter, which ended in late March, the Group sold 8.1 million terminals — 82% more than a year earlier.

The giant continues the declension of this model. After a Tablet, Sony therefore announces the Xperia Z Ultra, presenting himself as a giant of its predecessor version. The intent is simple: attack the juicy segment of the phablettes, these terminals to halfway between the smartphone and the Tablet, for the moment dominated by Samsung with its Note (including the 3rd version is expected).

6.4 inches and 2.2 Ghz

This new Xperia Z Ultra is a beast of a racing, it therefore has a TRILUMINOS Full HD display 6.4 asserting itself as the more "end of the world" (6.5 mm thick for 212 grams) and powered by a processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor 2.2 GHz fully integrated, with LTE 4 G (150 Mbps) modem and voice supported by 2 GB RAM HD. There are also 16 GB of memory storage and an 8 megapixel camera sensor, all Android 4.2.

He resumed the successful design of the Z as well as its ability to resist water and dust (IP55 and IP58 certification).

If the entertainment (through including the contents of Sony) and convergence with the other appliances (including the future PS4?) are at the center of the experience, Sony has not forgotten the professionals who are fond of these very large terminals.

Sony Announces so compatible with any pencil and some pens, handwriting recognition. "You can even take notes or make sketches during calls, to capture your ideas at the time," can be read in a statement.

Shows connected: dedicated Android apps

This terminal will be launched worldwide in the third quarter, its price was not communicated.

At the same time, Sony again took position in a promising market, connected watches. While rumors are multiplying around a smartwatch\r Apple, the Japanese announced its Smartwatch\r 2 (SW2).

 

"The future of nomadic devices is incredibly promising since, according to our forecasts, 41 million smart watches will be sold until 2016" said Stefan K Persson, head of Companion Products at Sony Mobile Communications.

Waterproof and NFC, it connects of course to an Android smartphone and made office of second screen (notifications, make and receive calls/messages etc...) and remote control. Its screen offers a diagonal of 1.6-inch with a resolution of 220 x 176. It also allows to run dedicated Android applications.

Sony gives some examples: photo taken remotely by using a smart camera application; pilotage presentations remotely using Presentation Pal; Runtastic for mapping and immediately follow its activities of fitness on the move...

The manufacturer also promises "an intuitive interface similar to Android" and a range of 3 to 4 days. Its price was not communicated.

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Key figures: sales of mobile and smartphones