Apple is reportedly planning to launch three new iPhones this year.
The timing of the news, a day after Samsung unveiled its latest Galaxy S9 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, may seem coincidental. But Mark Spoonauer, editor-in-chief at Tom's Guide, says the American tech giant is nervous about more than just its rivalry.
“I think they’re sweating in general, not necessarily because of competition,” he said. “There was so much hype behind the iPhone X and that sales reportedly are not where they were expected to be.”
According to Bloomberg, Apple will unveil three new devices this fall. One would be the company’s largest yet, with a 6.5-inch screen, another will offer some upgrades to the current iPhone X, and the last is a more affordable version of the $1,000 smartphone.
Samsung is trying to capture some of the users seeing sticker shock with its S9. But a cheaper price tag and a better camera may not be enough to bite into Apple’s U.S. market share, Spoonauer says.
“I think what Samsung needs to do is strengthen their software and their services to make people feel more comfortable about making the switch,” he says. “Just talking to people around the city today, they loved the design of the S9, but they’re nervous about leaving Apple’s ecosystem.”
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-battle-is-on-samsung-galaxy-s9-vs-iphone-x).
Stock trading app Robinhood already has been offering cryptocurrency investments but seems further excited about the asset class following President Biden's recent announcement of an executive order. Dan Gallagher, the chief legal and corporate affairs officer for Robinhood, joined Cheddar News to talk about the White House's tentative vision for digital currency. "I think this executive order firmly states that, yes, crypto is here to stay, which it talks about the important competitive issues around crypto and how the United States needs to be a leader, a global leader, in innovation and technology regarding crypto," he said. Gallagher also discussed having clarity around meme stocks going forward but worried about overregulation slowing down innovation.
American private aviation company Wheels Up saw a substantial revenue increase in its Q4 earnings. With bookings ramping up for the summer — along with hopes of being on the tail-end of COVID-19 — the company is looking at a promising upcoming quarter as well. CEO Kenny Dichter joined Cheddar News to talk about the earnings reports as well as the company's new app development. "We’re following that Uber, Airbnb, Amazon playbook and are really going to disrupt this space through technology," he said.
In this edition of Tik Talk, musicians use tech to make songs with plants. The process turns electrodes in the plants into musical notes and the results just might blow your mind.
NFT and digital collecting platform Neon recently raised $3 million in seed funding. The startup also launched the world's first NFT vending machine, located in New York City's Financial District. Neon says it aims to be the simplest and most accessible way to buy, sell, and trade NFTs, both online and in the real world. Kyle Zappitell, CEO of Neon, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
President Biden issued his first executive to begin determining how the United States will move forward on digital currencies. Charlotte Principato, a financial services analyst for Morning Consult, joined Cheddar News Wrap to discuss. "What this executive order says is that crypto is mainstream," she said. "The United States has put our hat in the race to create a central bank digital currency and one with the power of the U.S. dollar behind it, so I think it's a really exciting time for both the cryptocurrency and the digital asset world."
