FitBit is a pioneer in wearable technology. But the company has recently shifted its strategy amid competition from the Apple Watch, and as the wearable market has failed to really see mass adoption. Cheddar's Hope King and Brad Smith explore the company's performance using E*Trade's innovative platform.
Adult wearable technology users in the U.S. is expected to grow nearly 12 percent this year, according to eMarketer. In a survey conducted by Cheddar, 18 percent said they own a FitBit compared to 27 percent who've said they own an Apple Watch. 47 percent of those surveyed by Cheddar say they don't wear any wearable technology.
FitBit has had an up and down year, with shares ranging between $5 and $7 a share. Overall, shares are down 17 percent over the course of the past year. The company did introduce its first smartwatch in 2017, and is looking to directly compete against the Apple Watch at a similar price point. Shares also hit a 52-week high in December during the holiday shopping season.
FitBit reports fourth quarter earnings after the Closing Bell Monday. Analysts expect revenue of nearly $590 Million, and to break even in profit.
The wireless company, fresh off its deal to buy Time Warner, wants to build out an ad platform to rival Facebook and Google.
The cannabis culture company launched an equity crowdsourcing campaign on its own website Tuesday ahead of an official IPO expected this quarter. CEO Adam Levin told Cheddar shares will be offered at $11 apiece.
The founder of the streaming platform, DeShuna Elisa Spencer, created KweliTV after realizing that there was barely any content she could relate to on other channels. KweliTV now has 30,000 paying subscribers and is home to independent films, shows, and documentaries by and for the black community.
IBM on Monday hosted a debate between live humans and an AI-powered robot that managed to hold its own, scanning through research and news reports to formulate arguments against its opponents. It even managed to convince the audience to favor its stance, displaying its nuanced ability to create persuading opinions. "This is a great tool for helping educate the public," says Arvind Krishna, SVP & Director of IBM Research.
Each team competing in the hugely popular esports competition, which culminates in the sold-out Grand Finals at Brooklyn's Barclays Center next month, is attached to a city, giving fans a reason to follow. "We wanted to make an esport league that was really easy to follow," says Overwatch commissioner Nate Nanzer.
In Cheddar's interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, the CEO of VaynerMedia talks about the state of advertising, if it is the year of independent agencies, and what type of growth to expect.
Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, joins Cheddar CEO Jon Steinberg from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to discuss the future of voice technologies like Amazon's Alexa and the Google Home. He says development for the platform is just getting started.
Video games and esports, which are front and center at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this week, have caught the attention of the entrepreneur and CEO of VaynerMedia. "I have been lurking in the grass, as they say," he told Cheddar's Jon Steinberg.
Google is investing $550 million in Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com. Now, JD.com products will be featured on Google's shopping service. JD.com is China's second largest e-commerce company, just behind Alibaba.
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler was arrested on Monday in Germany. Authorities detained him for fear that he would interfere with the ongoing investigation into Volkswagen over its emissions testing scandal. Volkswagen is the parent company of Audi.
Pressure is mounting on President Trump to end the zero-tolerance immigration policy that's separating children and parents at the border. Mike Allen, executive editor at Axios, weighs in on the controversy.
The game plays "so smoothly" on Nintendo's Switch console, says the eSports commentator and Twitch broadcaster. The Japanese gaming giant made the uber-popular game available on its latest device at E3 this week.
