CES returns as an in-person event in Las Vegas next year

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

CES 2021, despite being an all-digital event this year due to the ongoing pandemic, was a packed event with a ton of announcements. However, it appears that things will finally change next year. Organizing body CTA has today announced that the event will be back to its Las Vegas show floor next year with a hybrid attendance model, which means the event will be a mix of in-person as well as a digital affair for those who can’t be at the venue. 

The likes of Google, and Samsung have already pledged their presence at CES 2022 in Las Vegas

Media Days at CES 2022 will kick off on Jan. 3 and will go through Jan. 4, 2022. The main event will then begin on Jan. 5 and concludes on Jan. 8, 2022. CTA claims that around 1,000 companies have already committed to attending the show next year in Las Vegas, with some of those big names being Amazon, AMD, Google, Intel, Lenovo, Samsung, and Sony.

While in-person will be the key differentiator for CES 2022 compared to its 2021 iteration, the CES anchor desk will continue to be a mainstay. The latter will serve as the digital entry point to CES 2022, allowing remote participants live access to conference sessions, keynotes, and product announcements as they happen in real-time.

A lot hinges on the status of the pandemic, and plans might change down the road

“CTA will be reviewing guidelines for coronavirus safety measures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in addition to state and local guidelines. CTA will be following applicable federal, state and local laws, adapting CES plans accordingly and sharing updates with its audiences,” the organizing body mentioned in its press release. However, doubts remain, despite countries such as US and UK being in the middle of a steady vaccination drive.

It is quite likely that CTA will be setting up some strict protocols such as mandatory vaccinated status for all attendees, regular tests, and social distancing, alongside some infrastructure tweaks. But a lot of questions still loom over the safety aspect of the mega-event. But CES is not the only trade show returning to the in-person format. GSMA has also confirmed its intentions to go ahead with an in-person Mobile World Congress (MWC 2021) event in Barcelona this year after formulating a wide range of rules for the venue as well as attendees.

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IFA 2021 to be a ‘full-scale’ in-person event in September

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

While the pandemic is slowly beginning to curb in various countries, event managers are getting back to business. GSMA will be hosting an in-person Mobile World Congress this year, and it will now be followed by IFA 2021 Berlin. Organizers of the annual trade show have announced in a blog post that they plan to make a “full-scale” return this year. IFA Berlin is set to take place as a full-scale real-life event from 3-7 September 2021.

“As the world tries to define a new work-life balance after COVID-19 and appreciates the importance of the home in our lives, companies want to show their innovation at the industry’s first large-scale, real-life event in nearly two years.”

Global leading brands from the domestic appliances industry (both MDA & SDA) have booked more than 80% of its available exhibition space at this year’s IFA Berlin, says the organizer – the first full-scale return of the world’s leading consumer and electronics and home appliances show in two years.

“The past 12 months have completely redefined the relationship between people and their homes. They have changed how we eat and live, what we expect from our kitchens, and all the other home comforts that we need and want,” says Jens Heithecker, IFA Executive Director and Executive Vice President of Messe Berlin. “We have seen a significant increase in consumer demand across many home appliances segments – large and small. However, our world is now emerging from the pandemic, and already there are first signs of a subtle but marked evolution of what people expect from their homes. As always, innovation is anticipating, supporting and driving these trends. That’s why this year’s IFA is so important: It will be a showcase for the technologies that will allow us to live our best work and home lives in the years ahead.”

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Xiaomi prevails as court blocks US government bid seeking an investment ban

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Xiaomi has legally won its battle against a US government move that sought to ban investment in the Chinese company and could’ve forced American investors to divest their holdings. The restrictions were supposed to go into effect next week, but a federal court has blocked the US government’s bid to put an investment ban on the company – something that could’ve done ‘irreparable damage’ in Xiaomi’s own words.

Xiaomi will likely get permanent relief as the case proceeds

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras has temporarily blocked the investment ban, adding that the company will likely get permanent relief as the case proceeds. Following the court ruling, Xiaomi now seeks another court ruling that will declare the designation of being called a ‘Chinese military company’ unlawful and permanently remove it, reports Bloomberg.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., said on Friday that the court “concludes that defendants have not made the case that the national security interests at stake here are compelling.”
– Reuters

A brief history of events

The US Department of Defense added Xiaomi to its list of “Communist Chinese military companies” and by the virtue of an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, it sought an investment ban on Xiaomi. As per the order, American companies were supposed to divest their holdings in Xiaomi, with the Chinese company even facing the risk of being de-listed from US exchanges.

Xiaomi was designated a Communist Chinese military company by the Department of Defense

Xiaomi called the move unlawful and unconstitutional, stressing that it is not controlled by – or affiliated with – the Chinese military, and that it offers products and services solely intended for civilian and commercial use. The US Department of Defense, on the other hand, argued that Xiaomi supports the Chinese military by providing it advanced technology and expertise while operating as a private company.

Did an award received by Xiaomi CEO trigger the avalanche?

Experts had predicted weeks ago that the case won't stand in a court

Another report that surfaced earlier this week mentioned that an award received by Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun may have partly been responsible for the US government’s action. Jun was honored with the Outstanding Builder of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics award in 2019 from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Now, as per the US Department of Defense, MIIT supports the People’s Liberation Army (PLI) by helping it gain access to advanced technology and supports what it calls China’s Military-Civil Fusion development strategy.

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Xiaomi got blacklisted by US government partly over an award received by its founder

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Earlier this year in January, the US government put Xiaomi on a military blacklist that prohibited American entities from investing in the company. Xiaomi later went to court seeking to overturn the designation that could severely hamper its business prospects, citing severe and irreparable damage. Now, legal filings of the US Department have revealed that an award conferred upon Xiaomi co-founder and CEO Lei Jun was partly responsible for the company getting blacklisted.

The state agency that gave the award is perceived as a threat by US Defense Department

Jun received the Outstanding Builder of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics award in 2019 from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Now, MIIT is the state agency that regulates everything from telecom and internet to electronics production and industrial policy in China. However, the US Defense Department believes that MIIT oversees the Military-Civil Fusion development strategy of China which supports the modernization goals of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by helping it with advanced technology. 

“The award is given once every five years to top private-sector entrepreneurs. The last award, in 2019, was given to 100 people. Other notable CEOs who also made the cut include Ding Lei of internet and videogame company NetEase Inc., Wang Gaofei of social media firm Weibo Corp., Wang Chuanfu of auto maker BYD Co.,” says a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Xiaomi, on the other hand, has argued that the US Department of Defense did not give it a chance to respond before blacklisting the company, and has also stressed that it is not controlled by – or affiliated with – the Chinese government or military

Another reason that landed Xiaomi in hot waters was the company’s plan to invest around $7.7 billion for the development of 5G and AI over the course of the next five years. Xiaomi’s ambition of ‘absolute dominance’ in the smart living segment by leveraging a combination of AI, 5G, and IoT also reportedly raised alarms. In the eyes of the US Defense Department, 5G and AI are the core components of the Chinese state’s Military-Civil Fusion strategy that poses a threat to the United States. 

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GSMA planning in-person MWC21 in Barcelona with a ton of protocols in place

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

GSM Association, the organizing body for the world’s biggest tech trade show – the Mobile World Congress (MWC) – is planning to go ahead with an in-person Mobile World Congress (MWC 2021) event in Barcelona this year. Stylized as MWC21, the GSMA has proposed a long list of protocols and measures to go ahead with organizing the event at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. As per the official press release, the health and safety plans – called Committed community – have been approved by the local health authorities, and will cover everyone from staff and visitors to exhibitors and locals.

Mandatory testing every 24 hours, on-site medical staff, and contact tracing app

The safety protocols put in place for organizing an in-person MWC21 event in Barcelona include mandatory negative COVID-19 tests with frequent testing rules, contact tracing via an app created specifically for the event, improved air conditioning system across the show floor, touch-less environment for exhibiting products, strict occupancy monitoring, on-site medical service availability, mandatory temperature checks, and of course, adherence to social distancing norms.

“No doubt, Covid-19 is our biggest challenge to date. But our experience gives us a rock-solid foundation from which we have built our plan. This foundation means MWC21 Barcelona can go ahead safely, in person, with a digital online component for those unable to attend. It will remain the unique, unmissable experience that has made it the world’s most important mobile event,” CEO of GSMA, John Hoffman said regarding the MWC21 plans. 

GSMA aims to host anywhere between 45,000 and 50,000 attendees at MWC21 in Barcelona

Starting with the testing protocols, attendees from certain regions will be required to produce a negative COVID-19 test report before they can board the plane for MWC21. Additionally, all participants will have to furnish a valid negative rapid test before they can access the venue, and this test must be taken again after every 72-hour span. There will be multiple testing centers spread across the venue and even hotels. Additionally, information regarding safety protocols as well as the mandatory health questionnaire will be dispersed via the My MWC app. 

Listed below are the venue-specific measures that have been put in place for MWC21: 

The Venue
1. Entrances and exits have doubled to ensure social distancing and support one-way traffic flow through the Venue
2. A ‘touchless’ environment, with ‘badgeless’ entry and other formerly manual interactions digitised
3. Fira Gran Via restaurants have been re-designed to ensure social distancing, food preparation, and offering adheres to enhanced standards, including contactless payment
4. Fira Gran Via has increased sanitisation protocols throughout the Venue
5. Features a new fresh-air injection and external ventilation system to improve airflow, exceeding the highest standard of AD1
6. Upgraded infrastructure including new monitoring systems will support our active capacity and density management, ensuring social distancing guidelines are adhered to along with one-way flows

Medical protocols
1. The onsite medical facilities have been adapted to incorporate Covid-19 protocols, including the addition of isolation rooms to facilitate assessments
2. Increased medical personnel onsite to conduct assessments, administer PCR or rapid tests and to coordinate where necessary with Catalan health authorities
3. The relevant contact tracing data will be shared with health authorities if needed to mitigate potential exposure further

GSMA’s Chief Marketing Officer has said in an interview (via Bloomberg) that MWC21 can host between 45,000 and 50,000, which is less than half the number of visitors compared to the event’s 2019 edition. The organizers are moving forward with MWC21 plans in Barcelona after the success of MWC Shanghai last month which didn’t record any confirmed COVID-19 cases. MWC21 Barcelona kicks off on June 28 and will go through July 1.

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OnePlus was the only brand to grow in the US market in a pandemic-hit 2020

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

The ongoing pandemic took its sweet toll on the smartphone industry, catalyzing a 15% drop in shipments and forcing smartphone brands to adjust their expectations for what comes next. In the US market especially, each brand witnessed its growth trajectory return to a downward slope, with one exception – OnePlus. As per a Counterpoint Research report, OnePlus actually saw its channel presence and overall size grow by an impressive 163% on a YoY basis. Here’s what the report mentions about the key factors behind OnePlus’ growth:

OnePlus was able to achieve this growth by appealing to consumers who became disenfranchised with current premium smartphone offerings. iPhone prices have increased, especially with the iPhone 12, while Samsung Galaxy S20 devices also saw a price increase due to 5G support. Average selling prices (ASPs) for premium smartphones have continued to rise over the last year. While most consumers acquiesced to this market shift, there were still some that preferred to look for more affordable alternatives.
Image: Counterpoint Research

In simple words, OnePlus offered smartphone buyers an alternative high-end phone experience on a much tighter budget, something that has been the objective of the brand since its beginning. The company had a particularly solid growth when it comes to carrier channels, with T-Mobile proving to be the single largest sales outlet for OnePlus. In Q4 2020, the industry returned to a recovery path and the momentum is likely to carry forward in 2021 as well.

As for OnePlus, the company is rumored to launch three new top-of-the-line phones – the OnePlus 9, 9 Pro and 9 Lite – in the first quarter. Additionally, the company’s first smartwatch is also rumored to make its debut soon, after entering the health wearable segment with the OnePlus Band last month. Additionally, OnePlus is expected to release more devices in the Nord series that will cater to the budget segment by offering features such as a high refresh display, multi-camera setups, large battery, and 5G support at an affordable price point.

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