Huawei Consumer Business Group First Half Results for 2016

Huawei Consumer Business Group announced today its 2016 half year financial results: Sales revenue in the first half of 2016 increased by 41% year-on-year to USD $11.6 billion. Smartphone shipments stood at 60.56 million, a year-on-year increase of 25%. According to IDC, global smartphone shipments in the first half of 2016 increased by just 3.1%, indicating that Huawei’s growth has significantly outperformed the market.

Huawei Consumer Business Group Chief Executive Officer Richard Yu said, “We saw particularly fast growth in traditionally high-end smartphone markets such as Europe and emerging markets including North Africa, Central Asia & Latin America.”

“We have continued to maintain healthy growth within the highly competitive smartphone market, which is testament to Huawei’s long-term commitment to innovation, anticipation of consumer trend and dual strategy of focusing on both domestic and international markets. Looking to the future, we will continue to work with our industry partners to offer consumers excellent levels of service and develop innovative new products that combine technology, quality and style.”

Optimized revenue structure sees overseas growth surpassing domestic growth

In the first half of 2016, Huawei Consumer Business Group further optimized its revenue structure, resulting in overseas markets seeing 1.6x faster growth growth than that of in mainland China. According to GFK, by the end of May 2016, Huawei’s share of the global smartphone market reached 11.4%[1]. Among the USD $500-$600 smartphone range, Huawei’s share share increased by 10%[2].

Particularly strong results were recorded in European smartphone markets as well as  significant breakthroughs in the high-end market. According to GFK, Huawei’s smartphone market share has reached over 15% in some European countries. In the traditionally high-end market, such as UK, Germany and France, Huawei has achieved breakthrough in high-end market as well.

In key countries from North Africa and South Pacific, Huawei saw significant market share growth. In Egypt, Huawei’s smartphone market share has reached over 20%.

Strong sales growth was also achieved in emerging markets in Latin America and Central Asia where in some countries, Huawei’s year-on-year smartphone sales have doubled.

In China, Huawei continued to cement itself as the industry leader with a smartphone market share of 18.6% according to GFK report in June.

Huawei is focusing on meaningful innovation

Having consistently demonstrated significant sales growth, Huawei Consumer Business Group continues to show a deep commitment to innovation in research and development from its R&D centers around the world, alongside repeated breakthroughs with its products, channels and brands.

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[1] Source: GFK, May

[2] Source: GFK, June

Huawei’s flagship products, such as the P9, Mate 8, Honor V8 and MateBook, have been well-received by consumers worldwide. Sales volume of the Mate 8 increased by 65% when compared with sales of the Mate 7 during the same period in 2015. Furthermore, 4.5 million P9 and P9 Plus devices have also been sold, of which the number of devices sold internationally increased by 120% when compared with sales of the P8 during the same period in 2015. MateBook, Huawei’s first 2-in-1 notebook product, has been made available in many countries worldwide and it is expected to be available in the Middle East Africa by the third quarter of 2016.

Huawei Consumer Business Group continues to uphold its strategic commitments worldwide. As of May 2016, there were 35,000 retail stores around the world offering Huawei products, an increase of 116% on the same period last year. And according to GFK, Huawei global shops coverage has reached about 150 thousand globally.

Additionally, Huawei is continuing to emphasize the importance of their customer service offering. With 394 service centers located around the world and 28 all across Pakistan, customers are ensured quality, direct and transparent communication with Huawei.

The brand has endeavored to continue investing marketing resources in sports, lifestyle, fashion and entertainment, amongst other categories, which helps to bring the brand to life and connect with consumers across the globe, increasing awareness and recognition of Huawei worldwide. Huawei also continues to work with many market-leading partners including Leica, Swarovski, Harman Kardon, Audi, Google, Microsoft and Intel, amongst others, to offer consumers advanced industry innovation.

In 2016, Huawei was once again named in the BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands. Huawei’s value of US$18,652 billion saw the brand leap from 70th position in 2015 to 50th in 2016.

Huawei is well-positioned to continue its presence in the smartphone, wearable, smart home and cloud markets, becoming itself into an end-to-end solutions and platform service provider, and offering consumers a more convenient and intelligent way to connect their lives.

Samsung Electronics Announces Second Quarter Results

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2016. Samsung’s revenue for the quarter was KRW 50.94 trillion, an increase of KRW 2.40 trillion YOY, while operating profit for the quarter was KRW 8.14 trillion, an increase of KRW 1.24 trillion YOY.

The second quarter saw significant earnings growth led by strong performance both in the set and component businesses. Overall earnings of the set business improved YOY as well as QOQ due to the continuous sales increase of premium products.

The IT & Mobile Communications (IM) Division saw substantial earnings improvement led by expanded sales of flagship products such as the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. A streamlined mid-to low-end smartphone lineup also contributed to improved profitability. Operating profit for the IM Division was KRW 4.32 trillion.

The Consumer Electronics (CE) Division achieved significant earnings growth YOY led by strong sales of its premium lineup such as SUHD TVs, Chef Collection Refrigerator, AddWash washer and newly launched air conditioner. 

The component business achieved solid performance although overall earnings decreased YOY due to ASP declines in the industry. Earnings for the Display Panel segment improved QOQ led by increased OLED capacity utilization and stabilized LCD panel yields. Demand for semiconductors for mobile and SSD increased and the company achieved solid growth with a competitive edge in differentiated products, including 20-nanometer DRAM, V-NAND and 14-nanometer mobile AP.

The company estimated that the stronger Korean won against major currencies in the second quarter negatively impacted operating profit by approximately KRW 0.3 trillion, reflected mainly in the component business earnings.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2016, the company expects its solid performance to continue compared to the first half, mainly driven by earnings increase in the component business due to sales growth in high value-added products and stable demand and supply conditions. The set business is expected to continue its stable earnings while the IM Division expects marketing expenditure to increase.

In the third quarter, the company expects the component business to maintain its solid performance due to improved demand and supply conditions for memory chips and LCD panels and stable earnings for OLED and System LSI. For the set business, the company forecasts marketing expenditure for the IM business to increase mainly due to a new flagship product launch and fierce competition in the industry. Meanwhile, weak seasonality is likely to impact the CE business.

Capital expenditure (CAPEX) for the second quarter was KRW 4.2 trillion, which includes KRW 2 trillion for the Semiconductor business and KRW 1.6 trillion for the Display Panel business. The accumulated total CAPEX for the first half was KRW 8.8 trillion.

The annual plan for CAPEX has not yet been confirmed but is projected to increase slightly compared to last year. This year’s CAPEX will be concentrated on OLED and V-NAND capacity as the company sees strong market demand for OLED panels for smartphones and V-NAND SSD.

Demand for High-Density, High-Valued Products Drives Higher Earnings

The Semiconductor business posted KRW 12 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 2.64 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

The memory business enjoyed solid growth in demand in the second quarter. Orders for high-density NAND and DRAM products contributed to solid earnings QOQ. This was coupled by a reduction in cost from continuous process migration.

In NAND, shipments of SSD remained strong in the quarter, as enterprise companies increasingly made the transition from HDD to SSD so as to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). Orders for high-density mobile storage products over 32GB also helped drive sales, mainly due to the expanded adoption by Chinese companies. Samsung actively responded to orders for high-density mobile products over 64GB and enterprise SSD over 4TB and increased supply of the industry’s first 48-layer V-NAND.

In DRAM, demand climbed QOQ as smartphone manufacturers bought more high-density mobile DRAM and demand for high-density products increased following the launch of a new server platform.

A supply imbalance of some applications led to greater demand for Samsung’s 20-nanometer high-density, high value-added mobile and server products.

Looking ahead, for NAND, increased adoption of high-density products and strong seasonality will further drive demand growth in the second half. Growth in high-density, premium SSD products will continue, and the launch of new products by smartphone manufacturers is expected to raise demand for mobile storage. However, supply and demand will be tighter in the second half, due to soft industry supply growth.

For DRAM, the launch of new smartphones and the increasing adoption of 6GB memory chips in high-end smartphones will spur shipments of mobile DRAM in the second half. Shipments of high-density server products will be strong, as more data centers make the transition to a new server platform.

The System LSI business saw gains QOQ, thanks to stronger demand for 14-nanometer mobile AP in premium smartphones and increased sales of high megapixel image sensors. In the second half, increased sales of mid- to low-end mobile AP and LSI products are expected to provide a stable revenue stream.

Improved Display Performance on Strong OLED Sales and LCD Recovery

The Display Panel segment posted KRW 6.42 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.14 trillion in operating profit for the quarter driven by increased shipments of OLED panels and enhanced yields for new LCD TV panel production technology.

For the OLED business, second quarter earnings improved QOQ due to healthy sales of flagship smartphones and increased demand for flexible panels. High fab utilization rates with the help of an expanded mid to low-end product portfolio also contributed to improved earnings.

For the LCD business, the second quarter saw a continuation of QOQ growth under a gradual recovery in the supply-demand balance. The company was able to achieve growth thanks to improved yields for new TV panel production technology as well as expanded TV sales particularly for large-sized UHD panels.

Looking ahead to the second half, the OLED business, Samsung expects demand for OLED panels to rise despite a likely slowdown in the smartphone market. To remain competitive, the company plans to actively address customer demand and reinforce profitability by expanding the proportion of high value-added products such as flexible and high-resolution displays. Samsung will also seek to secure supply capacity according to market demand while expanding its customer base and new applications.

As for the second-half outlook for the LCD industry, Samsung expects supply and demand to improve thanks to increased demand under strong seasonality as well as continuous UHD TV market growth and size migration towards larger screens. In response, the company will focus on enhancing profitability by improving cost competitiveness and expanding its portfolio to high value-added products including ultra-large size, high-resolution and curved panels.

Mobile Unit Strengthens Competitiveness Amid Slow Global Market

The IM Division posted KRW 26.56 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 4.32 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

Samsung’s earnings improved QOQ thanks to strong sales of its flagship Galaxy S7 and S7 edge smartphones. Additionally the company achieved growth in the second quarter by maintaining the profitability of mid- to low-end models, such as the Galaxy A and J series, and improving the product mix by raising the sales proportion of the Galaxy S7 edge to over 50 percent.

Demand for smartphones and tablets in the second half is forecast to increase, however, market competition is expected to strengthen as other companies release new mobile devices. Despite this outlook, Samsung will focus on YOY earnings increase by strengthening its high-end line-up and maintaining solid profitability of mid to low-end products.

Looking into the third quarter, the release of a new large-screen flagship smartphone will help to maintain solid sales of high-end smartphones led by the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. Samsung will also focus on expanding smartphone sales including this year’s new Galaxy A and J series and the debut of the Galaxy C series exclusively for the China market.

Samsung will focus on increasing smartphone sales under strong seasonality with the launch of a new model, while expecting marketing expenses to increase QOQ due to seasonality.

As for the Networks business, earnings improved due to increased LTE investment of major carriers in the second quarter.

Solid Performance for Consumer Electronics Despite Sluggish Market

The Consumer Electronics Division - encompassing the Visual Display (VD), Digital Appliances (DA), Printing Solutions and Health & Medical Equipment (HME) businesses - posted KRW 11.55 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 1.03 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.

In the second quarter, global TV demand remained flat YOY due to sluggish economic conditions in major emerging markets that offset the growth experienced in developed markets. Amid these challenging conditions, Samsung achieved solid YOY earnings by successfully launching new products, including SUHD TVs, and increasing sales of premium products on the back of global sporting events.

For the appliances business in the second quarter, although growth momentum continued in North America, global demand declined YOY due to slower growth in China and the impact from the economic slowdown in emerging markets. Despite these circumstances, earnings improved from the same period of the previous year thanks to increased sales of premium products such as the Chef Collection refrigerator and the AddWash and activ dualwash™ washing machines.

Looking ahead to the second half, TV demand is expected to decline YOY due to weakened demand in Europe and a prolonged economic slowdown in emerging markets. In response, Samsung will focus on improving profitability and increasing sales through collaborations with local channel partners and through region-specific promotions. To reinforce its leadership in the premium TV segment, the company will also seek to grow sales of its premium SUHD TV line-up, particularly products featuring its Quantum Dot technology.

Concerning the outlook for appliances in the second half, market growth is expected to be limited due to the aforementioned concerns in Europe and emerging markets. Despite these conditions, Samsung will actively seek opportunities to counter the challenging market dynamics by launching innovative products that offer superior consumer experiences. The company also plans to achieve further growth by enhancing its B2B business in this sector, particularly for built-in kitchens and system air conditioners.

Gree G10 Inverter AC performs best even with low voltage.

Gree - a globally leading enterprise of air-conditioning technology has introduced a highly energy-efficient smart-inverter Air conditioner – G10 that ensures best cooling, even in low-voltage. With an Auto-Voltage Adaptation of 150 to 260 Volts, the G10 eliminates the threats of low-voltage damaging the AC. It saves 60 percent of energy, compared with the regular ACs and provides an Energy Efficiency Ratio of 4.0 (E.E.R). So, the consumers can; Say ‘NO’ to Voltage fluctuation and tension.

Gree AC uses the latest, most powerful G10 inverter to generate cooling and heating swiftly due to its bigger Outdoor condenser. Other features of the Gree G10 AC include; Elegant design and finishing, Ultra low frequency torque control, High Speed DSP Chip, Eco Friendly Refrigerant - R410A, Power Factor Correction Technology, Ultra Low Noise Control, Computer Simulation Control, Ultra High Frequency Control, Dual Installation (Both sides option), Auto Restart, Low Voltage Start up - 150V, Self-Diagnosis, SMPS, High Temperature Resistance PCB, Turbo Cooling, 4-Way Air Outlet, 3 Sleep Curves and a Double Layer Condenser.

Gree has been consistently innovating new technologies to create the best-suited products, in accordance with the experts’ insights and the changing needs of the consumers. Due to the hot weather conditions, rising costs and unstable supply of electricity in Pakistan, Gree has created the most reliable technologies, to ensure best performance in the country’s environment and climate.

There is a rapidly increasing trend among Pakistani consumers opting for air conditioners based on inverter technology, which greatly reduces electricity consumption and the overall cost of air-conditioning. Gree AC’s are more attractive, with the best performance, sophisticated designs and a wider array of colors.

Samsung Electronics’ Smart UX Center Wins Buyers Laboratory Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award

Samsung Electronics won an Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award for its Smart UX Center at the Buyers Laboratory (BLI) Summer 2016 Awards.

The Smart UX Center is the printing industry’s first ever Android-based system, enabling users to store, photocopy, print, edit and transfer documents in any form between printer, computer and mobile.

BLI, the world’s leading independent evaluator of document imaging hardware and software, gave Samsung’s Smart UX Center a high rating, particularly noting its unique and innovative properties in customizing and expanding printing functions to meet users’ needs.

“The combination of a true Android tablet UI and accessible ‘app store’ by end users, resellers and IT administrators, puts Samsung in the vanguard as MFP makers begin to embrace the app paradigm,” said Jamie Bsales, Director of Office Workflow Solutions Analysis at BLI.

BLI also believes the Smart UX Center to be a highly innovative industry innovation. The Printing App Center effectively supports users who wish to enhance the features of their MFPs according to their own needs by downloading low-cost – and sometimes free – apps and widg 

“Customers should have no trouble finding solutions to boost productivity, streamline daily workflows, and realize the full potential of their MFPs. Samsung has just scratched the surface of the platform’s possibilities,” Bsales added.“Since its debut in 2014, Samsung UX Center has been creating changes in offices around the globe – designing a hassle-free printing environment through printing task digitalization” said David SW Song, Senior Vice President, Printing Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “As an industry leader in office innovation, Samsung will continue to develop high-technology, user-friendly printing goods and services.”

Buyers Lab (BLI) is the global document imaging industry's resource for unbiased and reliable information, test data and competitive selling tools. In summer and winter each year, BLI hosts its Pick Awards and Outstanding Achievement Awards, acknowledging high-performing printing hardware and software products, with a unique and rigorous evaluation system.

Gree Air Conditioners are safest to use in Heavy Rain!

Gree is a renowned global brand of innovative and high-quality Air Conditioning technology. As the monsoon rains have already arrived in Pakistan, this season tends to make most electrical-equipment unsafe, as the infrastructure such as buildings, roads and power cables become all wet and drenched, while the electric wirings in many areas remain inundated in rain-water. Identifying this serious threat, Gree has proactively raised the safety standards in its Air conditioners and other products.

Recently, Gree has proudly announced that these latest technological enhancements make its products completely safe to use during heavy rains. The company assures its customers, that heavy rains alone will have no effect on the performance of Gree air conditioners. Gree AC’s Outdoor-units are specifically designed and manufactured with stronger materials that can withstand extreme weather-changes, especially the temperatures variations and shifts from dry hot atmospheric conditions to torrential rains.

Usually, the heavy rain during the monsoon season threatens the safety of the conventional Air Conditioners’ outdoor units as well. Most people become worried that excessive rain water can damage the outdoor units of their ACs. However, when it comes to Gree, the consumers can rest assured that their Gree ACs’ are made completely safe from these threats and myths. In fact, the performance of your Gree AC will improve during rains, as the products will dry-out the inner humidity of your rooms, making the internal atmosphere more pleasant.

Gree units promise the ability to function efficiently in severe climatic conditions and are protected by high quality materials, durable paints and well-secured wiring. However, experts do recommend that the consumers should preferably switch-off their ACs and other heavy electrical equipment during severe climatic conditions like; Floods, Hail Storms & Snow fall. Consumers are advised, never to cover their outdoor units with plastic or air tight sheets, as that will keep the moisture trapped in the AC’s inner parts for a long time, and that will result in corrosion of the components.

15th Young Leaders’ Conference to commence on 26–31 July, 2016

The 15th Young Leaders Conference is all set to take off at DreamWorld Resort, Karachi from the 26 – 31 July 2016. It is a pioneering initiative by School of Leadership (SoL), to foster youth activism and leadership-training. This annual series of grand, insightful events was launched in the year 2002. Fifteen years later, YLC continues to change lives, enrich young personalities and groom revolutionary young leaders. With over 4000 alumni and over a million indirect beneficiaries from over 127 cities, towns and districts, YLC is the premier youth conference held in the country. The theme chosen for this year and revealed in early April is: ‘The Highway’. This theme combines independence and self-determination with a sense of responsibility, and embodies the YLC ethos perfectly; representing freedom with discipline.

YLC is supported by founding partner - English Biscuit Manufacturers (EBM), a dynamic organization with a long successful history of working for the cause of youth-empowerment, with great passion. Each year YLC opens its doors to over 300 youngsters from all over Pakistan, aged between 18 to 24 years. The participants usually comprise of 60% males and 40% females. Participants and various program segments have also been sponsored by; Thal Engineering Ltd, U-Report, UNICEF, Friedrich-Naumann-Stuftung and PPAF. These partners bring diversity to the conference, by taking up the responsibility of funding attendance-costs for the deserving participants, coming from underprivileged backgrounds.

YLC is a rigorous six-day residential conference that equips young individuals with the skills and knowledge required to become future leaders. Bismah Khan - the YLC Champ for 2016, has high hopes for the conference. She is assisted by an enthusiastic team of volunteers. She is mentored by Kamran Rizvi- Director at SoL, Umair Jaliawala - CEO at SoL and Waqar Ali - Head of Youth Affairs at SoL.

During the 6-day proceedings of the conference, the participants are mentored by over 50 expert speakers, scholars, educationists, corporate heads, academicians and trainers, on informative themes including; economics, environment, gender equality, development, and policy making. The generous cause-partners of this event; ACM-Gold, Fauji Fertilizers, and Mobilink are known for their devotion to the cause of inclusivity and integration.

The conference envisions breaking barriers and impacting the 60% youth population of Pakistan, that faces grave challenges, such as; underrepresentation and lack of opportunities to realize their potential and to explore a new world of opportunities. They need a voice and a platform to share their opinions and experiences, while enhancing their capabilities and competences in their chosen fields. The program is specifically designed to integrate career counseling and employability-training, along with a value system that allows the youngsters to become active and responsible citizens. The implementation of a Social-Action Project, within three months of the conference, is essential for all participants. The completion of this project is a pre-requisite to qualify for this certification.

Karachi Golf Club Joins Reon’s Solar Revolution

Reon Energy Limited today announced its latest project at Karachi Golf Club, Karsaz, Karachi. The solar energy system with a capacity of 400.5 kW shall offer numerous in savings and an annual expected carbon reduction of 190 Tonnes.

“This is one of the pioneering initiatives by the club’s management to address energy efficiency and conservation. Solar is present in abundance in Pakistan and can provide various economic and ecological benefits in the longer run. We live in an era where energy is the key to sustainable growth. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the Club’s management and members likewise, to be a part of something so vital and so fundamental for us as a nation,” said Inam ur Rahman, CEO, Reon Energy Limited.

Reon Energy Limited is a renewable energy venture of Dawood Hercules Corporation. Dawood Hercules is the single largest private energy contributor in Pakistan, contributing approximately 1800 MW of energy. Reon offers solar PV technologies to medium and large scale organizations to make them more profitable and self-reliant.

Samsung Debuts Global Rio 2016 Olympic Games Advertisement, “The Anthem”

With less than one month to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment, today debuted its marquee Olympic Games advertisement, titled “The Anthem.” As a continuation of Samsung’s global Olympic Games campaign, the TV and digital spot strives to break down barriers of geographic borders and to unite the world by combining segments of national anthems from several countries to form one “The Anthem,” brought to life by athletes and fans across the globe.

“The Anthem” opens with a young girl from Australia singing a line of the Botswana national anthem into a Samsung Galaxy S7edge. Throughout the ad, the Samsung Galaxy smartphone travels to all corners of the world, capturing and sharing the voices of fans and athletes around the world as they sing lines from other national anthems. Each line follows seamlessly to form a brand new “The Anthem,” giving viewers a glimpse of how Samsung innovative mobile products and technologies can help to break down geographic barriers and unite the world through deep, borderless connections. 

“ ‘The Anthem’ is a reflection of the Samsung brand and our continuous pursuit to break down geographic barriers and unite the world through technology and borderless communication,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “By singing one The Anthem, fans and athletes across the globe can feel a shared sense of pride and unity and together celebrate collective progress, which is integral to the spirit of the Olympic Games.”

Six global athletes are featured within the ad, each of whom has a unique story of defying barriers and pushing through constraints to make meaningful progress and achieve his or her goals. The athletes include:

         Tom Daley (Great Britain, Diving) – London 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist, 10m Platform

         Alysia Montano (United States of America, Track & Field) – London 2012 Olympic Games, 5^th place, 800m

         Arnaud Assoumani (France, Paralympic Games Athletics) – London 2012 Paralympic Games 2x Silver Medalist, Triple Jump F46 and Long Jump F46, Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games Gold Medalist, Long Jump F46, Athens 2004 ParalympicGames Bronze Medalist, Long Jump f46

         Margret Rumat Rumat Hassan (South Sudan, Track & Field)

         Shelley Watts (Australia, Boxing) 

         Gabriel Medina (Brazil, Surfing) -  2014 WSL World Champion

These athletes will also be featured in a variety of digital and social content, leading up to and throughout Rio 2016 which will tell their stories of defying barriers and overcoming obstacles, helping fans across the globe connect with what it means to “Do What You Can’t.”

“The Anthem” is a continuation of Samsung’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games global campaign centered on athletes who persevere and never giving up for the sake of making meaningful progress. Earlier this year, Samsung began the campaign with the short documentary film, “A Fighting Chance” to showcase the inspiring story of four Olympic hopefuls from diverse countries who are fighting constraints and pushing the limits to help their countries make history. Samsung followed with “The Chant,” which celebrates personal progress made by athletes and fans through devices like the Galaxy S7 edge and Gear IconX that help them to defy distance and stay connected. 

Huawei Mate 9 rumored to carry 20 MP Dual-rear cameras

After the overwhelming success of its new flagship phones – P9 and P9 Plus, the global leader in telecom technologies – Huawei is now preparing for another revolutionary product – the Huawei Mate 9, which is expected to be released in late 2016. Exciting rumors have already started circulating about the next Huawei Mate 9, which is expected to feature a Dual Camera setup, boasting an unprecedented clarity of 20 Megapixels – as speculated by the renowned industrial analyst – Pan Jiutangs (Via Gizmo China).

Huawei had recently introduced this concept of Dual-Rear cameras (12 MegaPixels), in both the P9 and P9-Plus smartphones. The specialized lenses for this innovative dual-camera technology has been developed in partnership with ‘Leica’ – the creator of world’s best digital cameras.

After the creation of this revolutionary Dual-camera technology, Huawei is putting a lot of emphasis on the P9's exceptional photography capabilities. So, if these rumors about the Mate 9 being enriched with 20 MP dual camera are true, the users will be able to capture jaw-dropping images with unprecedented clarity.

Credible analysts are also predicting that the Huawei Mate 9 will make use of the new Kirin 960

“System on Chip” (SoC), which cobines Artemis and Cortex A53 clocks into an Octa-Core architecture. The Kirin 960 supports CDMA networks and Category 12 LTE speeds. If this rumor turns out to be true, the Mate 9 will be the first handset to use the chipset, which will feature Octa-core architecture and ARM's advanced “Artemis Cores”, as reported by  Gizmo China. The company may possibly step up from the Kirin 950's quad-core Mali-T880 MP4 graphics processing unit, onto an octa-core GPU, while it will probably stick with the 16NM process designed by TSMC.

These rumored specifications, however, are not in line with the Huawei Mate 9 listing in  Gizok, which foresees a 16 MP Dual camera setup in the Mate 9, along with a Kirin 955 Octa-core processor. Other specifications revealed in the listing are 4-GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage-along with a memory-card slot, an 8 MP front camera, a 6-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) display, and an Android 6.1 Marshmallow Operating System, along with powerful connectivity features.

Since the device is not officially launched yet, this info may turn out to be mere speculations. However, the Huawei fans are all excited about this new device and eagerly await official announcements from Huawei, over the coming months.

Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 EDGE overtake Apple’s iPhone 6S, 6S Plus

The flagship devices Galaxy S7 and S7-EDGE from the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer Samsung are sold in greater quantities than the Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S-Plus during a three-month period ending in May.

Almost 16% of customers preferred a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7-Edge on Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S-Plus and only 14.6% people purchased an iPhone 6S or 6S-Plus during this period.

No doubt, it is a significant achievement for the South Korean smartphone manufacturer. Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S-Plus were released in September last year while the Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7-EDGE were announced in March this year with exciting and attractive Virtual Reality (VR) offer.

But, the bad news for Samsung is that Apple is still dominating the customer satisfaction ranking. 88% of Apple’s customers stick to the iPhone and don’t change their brand. On the other hand, 86 percent of Samsung’s customers intend to stay loyal. 14% of the people who purchase Apple’s iPhone devices used Samsung previously. Only 5% of the Samsung’s sales came from people switching away from Apple.

The reason for this difference is the fact that people get a lot of options available when they decide to change Apple’s iOS-based device with the Google’s Android-based gadget. In China, individuals mostly prefer purchasing a Huawei device than Samsung or Apple.

While Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7-EDGE have outsold the Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S-Plus, there is a chance that the upcoming major device from the South Korean company will also surpass the next device from Apple.

Siemens drive technology to boost efficiency of Pakistan sugar mill by up to 10%

Advanced drive technology from Siemens will increase the operational efficiency of one of Pakistan’s largest sugar mills by up to 10 percent. Faran Sugar Mills will install 19 Siemens electric motors at its Shaikh Bhirkio, District Tando Muhammad Khan plant, implementing the company’s premium efficiency SIMOTICS IE3 motor for the first time in Pakistan’s sugar industry.

Siemens will also install high-efficiency SIMOTICS IE2 motors, and together they will support optimization of the plant’s energy usage, increasing operational efficiency by up to 10 percent. IE2 and IE3 are international standards for high and premium efficiency motors in industrial operations.

“Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of sugar, and the integration of IE3 motor technology is a milestone in supporting the industry to continue competing on a global stage,” said Helmut von Struve, Managing Director of Siemens in Pakistan.

“Highly-efficient Siemens motor technology in the industrial sector is an important way to ensure our customers’ infrastructure is operating at its most reliable, energy efficient and cost effective. We’re proud to be the chosen technology partner for the first installation of IE3 motors in Pakistan’s sugar industry.”

The highly-efficient motors, which range from 30 kilowatts (kW) to 200 kW, will reduce the amount of electricity used by the mill, which operates an independent power plant. The electricity saved by the motors will be contributed back to the national grid, increasing revenue and strengthening the electricity supply.

 Existing Siemens motor technology at the plant has already enabled Faran Sugar Mills to realize efficiency gains of two percent and cost reductions of between two and three percent.

Electric drives and motors consume up to 70 percent of the energy used in industrial plants. Siemens premium-efficiency motors (IE3) are up to 10 percent more efficient than conventional IE1 motors, making the analysis and modernization of drive technology in a manufacturing facility a potential for significant cost-saving.

As part of its portfolio for process industry and drives Siemens also has the world‘s first true one-stop solution for entire drive trains. The Siemens Integrated Drive System integrates seamlessly in any drive train and any automation environment, turning common components into drive systems allowing easier diagnosis of potential errors, and a more flexible approach to maintenance. The result is lower wear on machinery and ultimately shorter time to market. 

Siemens recently announced the inauguration of a new service and repair center in Karachi for generators and motors, extending the range of services offered to cater for increasing customer demand in Pakistan. The company has been a key provider of infrastructure solutions to Pakistan since 1947, implementing technology for power generation, transmission and distribution, industrial automation and solutions for innovative building management systems.

An award-winning innovator and global technology leader Huawei - Strengthening the image of China's manufacturing-sector.

The Global business world is a complex and dynamic arena, where only the most competitive and rapidly evolving enterprises can thrive. Specially, when it comes to the technology sector, only the organizations that can consistently innovate and keep exploring new horizons, are the ones that can maintain their leadership. Even if the world’s most successful company shows lack of innovation and fails to adapt fluidly, to the rapidly changing needs and preferences of the consumers, its global leadership will be quickly challenged by a more responsive and robust contender. One such example is Huawei – one of the youngest and biggest brands in the telecom world.

Over, the past decades, the manufacturing sector in China has developed tremendously and captured an overwhelming share of the global markets, in most categories of high-tech and low-tech products, due to their enormous scale, lowest cost of production and diverse manufacturing capabilities. However, the reputation and perceived quality of products made by Chinese manufacturers, remained low & even dubious, due to the unreliable and erratic performance of many cheap Chinese products. However, in recent years, several high-quality manufacturers have emerged in China – these robust companies are pursuing a vision to compete and lead on a global scale, by producing world-class quality.

Huawei is one exemplary Chinese enterprise which has achieved great milestones of success and innovation within a few years. It is a fast-emerging global leader in telecom technologies, which is creating fascinating new technologies and highly reliable products, by making robust investments in Research and Innovation, and it has already conquered a big market share, already beating global telecom giants like Samsung and Apple in the regional markets like China. Many of Huawei’s products and technologies have already won prestigious global awards due to their outstanding performance and popularity.

Despite being a relatively new entrant into the smart devices business, Huawei has achieved tremendous performance, innovation and popularity in this arena too. Its consumer business has shown rapid and immense growth within the past couple of years, whereby Huawei has quickly become a household name in Pakisatan too. Today, most people in the world are either using a Huawei product or every consumers personally know someone who owns a Huawei product.

Huawei Technologies is not a new entrant in the global telecommunications business. It was founded back in 1987. However, for many initial years, the company’s focus remained on being the largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment and software services, in the world. Huawei is proud to have built the networks of over 80 % of the world’s top 50 telecommunication companies. In 2012, Huawei had overtaken Ericsson, which was one of the leading telecom enterprises of that time.

The innovative technologies created by Huawei have surely dispelled the prolonged “Negative stereotype” image surrounding Chinese products and their poor perceptions in the consumers’ minds. Huawei is a completely Chinese brand, which has established a powerful network of manufacturing and business around the globe, with a relentless ambition to change the minds of the people and provide the world with a positive outlook towards China. 

However, Huawei’s focus towards creating telecom devices for end-consumers, is quite recent. Whereby its business model has been shifted from “Business to Business” (B to B) and is now focused more on Business to Consumers (B to C) with a wider range of products. With its new business approach, where Huawei is manufacturing electronic communications devices, including smartphones, tablet computers, smart watches, modems and other home electronic appliances, Huawei is striving hard to be the global leader in the industry very soon, therefore, it is spending 10% of its annual sales revenue on R&D. This huge investment has elevated the company into the World’s top intra-brands list.

Last year, the company impressed the consumer with its fascinating new technologies to enrich the P8 and Mate 8 smartphones, and then more recently with the P9 device. Huawei has established strategic partnerships with numerous innovation leaders. It teamed up with Leica – the top producer of high-performance cameras and the world’s best lenses, to enrich the flagship device - Huawei P9. While it also struck a design partnership with Swarovski AG to create the Huawei Watch for ladies. Another partnership with Harman/Kardon – the producer of the worlds best audio-speakers, helped in enhancing the sound-system of the M2 Tablet.

Some of the world’s most famous celebrities, athletes and sports teams have been sponsored and engaged to make Huawei’s marketing campaigns more inspirational, vibrant and glamorous. The company strongly believes in promoting global harmony through technologies that enable the people to communicate and share creative ideas, memories, expressions and concepts, whereby, Huawei even invited the global media to China – a country that prefers more privacy in its internal and national matters. Three years ago, Huawei had expressed its strategic vision to take over Apple and Samsung. Since then, Huawei’s marketing operations and activities have clearly reflected the pursuit of that ambitious goal. Huawei’s success in achieving its strategic goals is evident from the fact that; Huawei’s market-shares in all product categories and global markets are consistently increasing, while its main competitors - Samsung and Apple are having a tough time in various markets and product categories.

10TH Pakistan SME Forum 2016 on August 23 in Karachi

The 10^th Pakistan SME Forum 2016 organized by SHAMROCK Conferences International will be held on August 23, 2016 at the Pearl-Continental Hotel, Karachi. The theme of the moot is “Facilitating SMEs Makes Economic Sense” and will feature the sector’s pressing topics.

Being held for the past ten consecutive years, the SME Forum has evolved into a powerful platform where the long-standing issues of the sector are debated for its desired result.

Organized with the cooperation of the State Bank of Pakistan, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) of the Ministry of Industries, the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) and key stakeholders, the SME Forum 2016 will be addressing the sector’s vital issues taken up by the federal government. 

Menin Rodrigues, Convener of the SME Forum 2016 said, “It is heartening to see that our consistency in highlighting the issues of the SME sector over the past decade is beginning to bear fruit. There have been a number of favorable interventions by the State Bank of Pakistan to address the issues, in particular, the working of an action plan for the implementation of the National Finance Inclusion Strategy (NFIS). I am hoping there would be a genuine headway in support of the SMEs in Pakistan.”

Zulfikar Thaver, President UNISAME and Chairman of the Capacity Building Working Group of NFIS Technical Committee, and who is also a member of the Consultative Group of the 10^TH Pakistan SME Forum 2016, said “The positive attitude of the Finance Ministry and the State Bank of Pakistan is a clear indication of the progress being made in addressing important issues of the SME sector; and conferences such as the Pakistan SME Forum, gives a precise understanding and direction to what we want to achieve in the dialogues.”

The topics to be covered in the 10^th Pakistan SME Forum 2016 will include among others, capacity building of the primary sector, cottage industries at grass roots levels, banking, leasing, insurance and logistics facilities and technology advancements. Promotion of modern systems of farming, cultivation, irrigation and harvesting will also be debated.

Huawei P9 & P9 Plus Are the best Versions of P Series

Huawei P9 and P9 Plus are the latest flagship smart phone versions recently launched by the Huawei in Pakistan. Huawei’s new P9 series has readily become highly sought-after smart-devices for the Android users. Both the devices have a few distinct features making them more attractive while offering an open choice for the consumers among the high tech smart devices. These features include; the display Screen size and resolution, the RAM, the Batteries, and the force-touch feature in the P9 Plus device.The P9 is a smart handset with a 5.2 inch screen, while the P9 Plus is a larger Phablet with a 5.5 inch display. Each of these flagship products supports a similar material design and both are built with precision-engineered aluminum with a good selection of color options.

The display screens on both devices have the same resolution, i.e. 1920×1080. However, due to the same resolution fitting into two different sized displays, the smaller 5.2” display in P9 is actually a bit crisper at 423ppi Versus the 401ppi of the P9 Plus. The large screen display of Huawei P9 Plus has a graceful expression of large images and exciting video watching experience.

Huawei P9 Plus has an AMOLED screen that offers more vibrant colors and classically smooth display. Secondly, the P9 Plus has Press-Touch display, which can sense two different levels of pressure. It not only reacts to; how long you press down, but also sense the strength of that press. So, you can zoom in on a picture by simply pressing down hard on the screen and access a couple of shortcuts by doing the same thing on certain app icons. On the contrary Huawei P9 does not provide with the force touch feature by the Tech-Giant, Huawei.

The Huawei P9 has been launched with 32GB storage capacity, while the P9 Plus only comes in a 64GB model. Both devices can take MicroSD cards up to 128GB, so there’s more than enough storage to go around. And again here the Huawei brand lovers with an attraction of music, videos and selfies can enjoy a mammoth storage space with Huawei P9 Plus. This clearly makes Huawei P9 Plus a smart choice and a superior product, no doubt. When it comes to RAM, both the versions vary slightly. The P9 and P9 Plus feature the exact same CPU, which is Huawei’s new Kirin 64-bit processor.

The Cameras on both devices offer superior quality, but the distinct features—which are truly unmatched in the conventional smart-phone market. As for front facing cameras, each of these P series device sports 8MP lenses. The front camera of the Huawei P9 Plus version offers an autofocus feature for superior results, while on the other hand the front camera of Huawei P9 version has a fixed focus. Moreover, the rear camera on the both devices has laser auto focus. Overall the photographic experience is just a fan with Huawei P9 and P9 Plus. However, the camera features of Huawei P9 Plus allow the users to have a more professional photography comparatively.

Similarly, both the versions have different battery specifications; Huawei P9 Plus offers 3400 mAh non-removable battery whereas, Huawei P9 has been incorporated with 3000 mAh battery. It is pertinent to mention here that Huawei has provided both the versions of P9 with the best battery solutions compared to the other smart phones available in the market. Moreover, Huawei P9 Plus has a faster charging with Rapid IC Charging (P9 Plus has 2 chips that enhances rapid charging as compared to P9).

Moreover, the P9 Plus also stands out with a massive improvement on the front-facing stereo speakers, rather than having a single speaker on the bottom. Also the P9 Plus version offers an IR blaster that enables the user to control the electronic devices like TV and AC. This feature is exclusive with the P9 Plus and not available in Huawei P9.

So, these phones are quite distinct in many important aspects and the P9 Plus certainly emerges as the winner. Because, Huawei P9 Plus has special features, offering the user control for the TV and Air conditioner simply by using the Huawei P9 Plus smart phone. Another interesting feature is the active dual SIM option at the same time in the Huawei P9 Plus. Third and the most exciting thing the customers have been attracted towards being the Dual 4G SIM activation in Huawei P9 Plus. It is also enriched with a Super AMOLED display that supports Press-Touch technology. The P9 is available in Colors like; Rose Gold, Prestige Gold, Titanium Grey and Mystic Silver, while the P9 Plus comes in Colors like: Haze Gold, Quartz Grey, Rose Gold and Ceramic White.