Michael Simon, staff writer for PC World, discusses Apple's 11.3 iOS announcement, as well as the HomePod which is now available for pre-order. He also explores what China's first ever annual decline in phone shipments could mean.
Simon says iOS 11.3 will finally allow users to check the health of their batteries, a growing issue for customers. The iOS 11.3 will also offer new Animojis. Apple says the update is due out this spring.
Simon also discusses Apple's new HomePod, now available for pre-order. While the company has a loyal following of people who will definitely purchase the product, he doesn't see most people paying $349 when Amazon's Echo is just $99. Concerning China's decline in phone shipments, Simon says Americans will always buy new phones for new features, but China is a different market and Apple will need to learn how to adjust.
Facebook recently set up a small booth at the University of British Columbia in Canada with free t-shirts, dogs to pet, and the opportunity to win a $1,000 cash prize. All students had to do was download a new app called Bonfire.
Even as Mercedes-Benz unveils its latest models to the public at the L.A. Auto Show on Friday, designers at the company will be thinking much further ahead ー to the future of the auto industry.
At this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, one of the first booths visitors will see when they enter belongs to Tesla, which is set up right near the entrance to the South Hall of the L.A. Convention Center. But as Cheddar took in the show during Wednesday's media preview, Tesla's presence was felt far beyond its booth.
Mashahiro Moro, president and CEO of Mazda North American Ops, spoke with Cheddar at the L.A. Auto Show about the redesigned Mazda 3 sedan, and the company's continued commitment to small, fuel-efficient passenger cars.
Derrick Hatami, the executive vice president of sales and marketing at Volkswagen, told Cheddar's Tamara Warren at the L.A. Auto Show about the retiring of the iconic VW Beetle, and the automaker's new focus on electric cars and a concept van that calls back to another VW icon -- the bus.
The future of the sedan is parked on shaky ground in the U.S.
But according to the president of the Lincoln Motor Company, the car model is still major in China. “But we’re in a little bit of different situation because in China — sedans are still 50 percent of the market.” Joy Falotico told Cheddar Wednesday morning at the Los Angeles Auto show.
Logitech may eye a Turtle Beach acquisition as it turns away from a Plantronics deal. "Logitech has a great history as far as making very smart M&A transactions," said Tom Forte, a senior research analyst at D.A. Davidson. "I do see a potential longer term for Turtle Beach to be acquired. Logitech is one potential suitor ー Microsoft's ($MSFT) another," he added.
Columbus, Ohio, may not have won the bid for Amazon's HQ2, but the city isn't ready to retire its proposal quite yet. Mayor Andrew Ginther said the city's leaders plan to use their application as a road map to transform Columbus from a Midwestern destination into a national one.
Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express in the U.S., told Cheddar that Cyber Monday ー its biggest shipping day of the year in terms of "outbound" packages ー saw a 40 percent lift in packages moved year-over-year, as more overseas consumers took advantage of deals on U.S.-based websites like Amazon.
The cannabis industry's go-to packaging supplier KushCo Holdings is taking full advantage of the green rush. And when marijuana finally goes fully legal in the U.S., the company plans to re-emerge as the leader in ancillary products.
