Tag Archives: technology

Will Apple Rival Xiaomi Make Splash At Google I/O?

Xiaomi, Apple ’s ( AAPL ) rival in China, might make a splash at Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) Google I/O developer conference, which runs Wednesday through Friday. Xiaomi was the top smartphone seller in China in Q4, followed closely by China’s Huawei, with Apple down at No. 3. Hugo Barra, vice president for global at Xiaomi, joined the company in 2013 after leaving Google, where he had worked on mobile products and the Android mobile operating system. Google is expected to disclose more details for Android N, the next major update of the mobile OS, due for release this year. On Twitter, Barra teased that he’s “thrilled to share that Xiaomi will be a part of Google I/O.” There’s also growing speculation Google might provide some details on “Project Chirp,” its answer to Amazon.com ’s ( AMZN ) Echo home electronics hub. Smart-thermostat maker Nest Labs, acquired by Google in 2014, seems to be struggling, and Google’s “Other Bets” are not expected to have a big profile at the developer conference. Any new products and technologies coming to Google I/O will likely be unveiled by Google CEO Sundar Pichai in his keynote address , scheduled for 10 a.m. PT Wednesday. In a recent letter to Google shareholders, Pichai touted plans for artificial intelligence. While Apple and Google have dominated in the world of mobile apps, there could be more competition down the road. Facebook ( FB ) recently introduced “chatbots,” while  Microsoft ( MSFT ) launched its “Bot Framework” software tools for developers. Both rely on AI. Some observers expect chat bots to be a topic in Pichai’s keynote. Alphabet stock was down a fraction in afternoon trading in the stock market today . Shares broke out of a cup-with-handle base on April 16 at a 777.41 buy point, but Alphabet’s Q1 earnings report on April 21 disappointed, sending shares falling more than 5%.

The Truth About Tesla’s 2018 Target: 900% Production Hike Needed

Loading the player… After the Model 3 received such a big response, Tesla Motors ( TSLA ) moved up its 500,000 annual unit build plan by two years to 2018. But just how much will Tesla have to increase its production to do so? In 2015, Tesla delivered 50,658 vehicles. That means it will have to increase production by 887% in just three years to meet that target. If CEO Elon Musk wants to deliver 1 million cars by 2020, that’s a production increase of 1,874%. For 2016, Tesla expects to deliver between 80,000 and 90,000 cars. By comparison, Ford ( F ) sold 231,316 vehicles just last month, while General Motors ( GM ) sold 259,557 in April. But CEO Elon Musk remains optimistic, and he has reason to be: The new Model 3 received nearly 400,000 orders in its first three weeks on presale. And Evercore ISI said last week that though Tesla’s 2018 production target is aggressive, it’s not impossible.

Apple Pay Rival MCX, Visa Loom At PayPal Analyst Day

Delays and staff cuts at Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), a mobile payments consortium, will likely boost Apple Pay, while PayPal ( PYPL ) management’s view on MCX’s woes should be a hot topic at PayPal’s analyst day on Wednesday. MCX said Tuesday it will cut 30 jobs and again delay the launch of its mobile app , a potential rival of  Apple ( AAPL ) Pay and others. MCX has been courting retailers, Apple,  Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) Google, PayPal, Samsung, Visa ( V ) and others in the mobile payments space.  Wal-Mart ( WMT ) has been MCX’s main backer. PayPal will be hosting its first analyst day following its 2015 spinoff from eBay ( EBAY ) last year. The event will be held in San Jose, Calif. PayPal recently launched its redesigned mobile app, which works on Apple iPhones and Android-based devices, in 145 countries. While Apple and MCX were rivals, PayPal has aimed to partner with different players in mobile payments. PayPal in March 2015 acquired Paydiant, which had close ties to MCX and retailers. MCX had aimed to reduce the clout of credit card firms in the nascent mobile payments business, analysts say. Prior to the latest MCX announcement, Citigroup analyst Ashwin Shirvaikar said in a research report that PayPal’s relationship with Visa and MasterCard ( MA ) was one area of interest heading into its analyst day. At Jefferies, analyst Jason Kupferberg was also hoping for an update on Visa. “PayPal’s relationship with Visa remains a topic of interest for the Street, but we wouldn’t be surprised if there is limited commentary at the analyst day on this topic, given ongoing negotiations,” Kupferberg wrote in a report. Prior to the eBay spinoff, PayPal acquired Braintree, a mobile payment service, and Venmo, a hybrid mobile payment app and social network for millennials. Daniel Perlin, an analyst at RBC Capital, expects mobile to be a big theme at PayPal’s analyst day. “We believe management will outline its plans to shift from its legacy e-commerce platform into a leading mobile-first platform for payments, with its Braintree asset being front and center.”