It’s been a rough decade for personal computer makers as sales have slumped due to a combination of factors including the rise of smartphones and other mobile devices and decisions by PC users to upgrade or replace older hardware less frequently. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading millions of people around the world to […]
Tag: research
Researchers built a battery-free Game Boy
Most portable electronic gadgets these days ship with rechargeable batteries… and many modern smartphones and other devices support fast charging that lets you refuel quickly. But what if you didn’t need a battery at all? A team of researchers have developed a proof-of-concept handheld gaming device that doesn’t use a traditional battery. Instead it draws […]
Global tablet shipments are up as people shop for Work From Home tools
Global PC shipments were down during the first quarter of 2020 due to supply chain issues, but they more than bounced back in the second quarter, as customers snatched up computers for working and learning from home. But it looks like tablets might have had an even better Q2. Canalys reports that overall tablet shipments […]
Huawei shipped more smartphones in Q2 than any other company
Global smartphone shipments have been tanking this year as the world reacts to the global COVID-19 pandemic. And you’d think that Chinese phone maker Huawei would be in a particularly tough position, since the US government has blocked Google and other key hardware and software companies from working with Huawei. But that hasn’t stopped Huawei […]
PC shipments are up thanks to work and school from home trends
Smartphone shipments may have tanked due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but it looks like PC makers have seen an uptick. IDC, Gartner, and Canalys all released reports this week that shows PC shipments were up during the second quarter of 2020 when compared with the same period a year ago. Each of the research […]
Smartphone shipments tank in response to the global pandemic
Demand for personal computers may be up due to all the people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it looks like demand for smartphones is down… way down. Research from IDC and Canalys shows that smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2020 were down by 12 to 13 percent compared with the same […]
Lilbits 388: Microsoft’s Surface 2 and Surface Book 3 coming in May?
There’s mounting evidence that Microsoft is preparing to launch new Surface hardware soon… like next month soon. According to a new report from Windows Central, and apparently confirmed by The Verge’s sources, Microsoft is expected to launch the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2 in May. The Surface Go 2 will most likely be […]
Canalys & Gartner: PC shipments were down in Q1, despite increased demand (updated)
After years of declining PC shipments, things were starting to look up, with analysis’s spotting an uptick at the end of 2019. And then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Research firm Canalys says demand was up in the first quarter of 2020. But there were production and shipping delays related to the international efforts to curb […]
Counterpoint: Top smartphones of 2019 were nearly all Apple and Samsung devices
I don’t think it’s any surprise that Apple and Samsung dominate the smartphone market these days. But a recent report from Counterpoint Research confirms that fact — and offers a few interesting details that I hadn’t necessarily expected. The report examines the top 10 smartphone models sold in 2019. First up, only one of those […]
PC shipments grew in 2019 for the first time in 7 years
Smartphone shipments may have skyrocketed in the past decade, but apparently there’s still a place for personal computers. Research firms Gartner and IDC have both released reports suggesting that PC shipments were up in 2019, making it the first year since 2011 that PC shipments were up year-over-year. The increase was a modest one… and […]