Microsoft to reportedly cut Windows pricing by 70% as Apple, Google eat PC marketshare

As the mobile device market — led by device from Apple and Google — continues to devour traditional PC marketshare, Microsoft is reportedly looking cheaper Windows licensing fees in a bid to stop the hemorrhaging.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports Microsoft will slash Windows licensing fees by 70 percent for low-cost hardware manufacturers in an attempt to regain marketshare lost to devices running iOS, Android and Chrome.

Under the supposed pricing scheme, OEMs will pay $15 to preinstall Windows 8.1 on devices that sell for less than $250. The fee is down from a traditional rate of $50 per device. Further, Microsoft will not impose restrictions on hardware size or form factor as long as the final product meets the required low retail price.

In addition to the lower fees, Microsoft will also relax its licensing standards by allowing manufacturers using the cheaper rates to forego logo certification. Usually, hardware compatibility is vetted by the Redmond, Wash., company. In addition, these sub-$250 products do not have to be touch enabled.

Recently-appointed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is said to be pushing for accelerated development and launch timelines for new Windows devices. The rumored licensing price cuts may be part of that plan.

Friday's report follows rumors that Microsoft is "seriously considerding" allowing Android apps to run on both the PC and mobile iterations of Windows. The move would allow the Windows maker to tap into Google's immense share of the mobile device market.

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Apple snaps up app-testing company Burstly

(Credit: James Martin/CNET ) Apple is said to have acquired the app-testing and analytics startup Burstly, and on Friday all but confirmed it: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans," an Apple spokesperson told CNET. Burstly is the operator of popular developer services like TestFlight, which lets app makers deploy an app to a small amount of users for field testing before wider release. That way, developers can work out kinks and monitor things like in-app purchases and the app's durability against crashing, without having to put the product up for full release on an app store. The startup also announced this week that it would end TestFlight's support of Android apps on the platform -- a clear indication of Apple asserting its new ownership, taking a dig at iOS's arch rival. Android support will officially end on March 21st. TechCrunch, which first reported news of the deal, also said that the startup's engineers have already begun working at Apple. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Apple is clearly continuing its trend of scooping up smaller companies for technological gains, as opposed to bigger, splashier buys, like Facebook made this week in its jaw-dropping purchase of messaging service WhatsApp for over $16 billion.

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Apple is the next Microsoft, analyst says

Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes says he just doesn't see growth in Cupertino's future, whether it's from a watch or a TV. Is this really Steve Ballmer? (Credit: James Martin/CNET) The first time I ever talked to an analyst, she told me that I was perfectly sane, but merely needed a few hundred Prozac to lighten my burden. This early, troubling experience has tended to color my encounters with the word "analyst." However, in the venal world of money, every time an analyst speaks, numbers seem to twirl on Wall Street in nervous reaction. I am surprised, therefore, that Wall Street and half of California didn't endure electrical faults on hearing that an analyst had declared Apple heading down Microsoft Way. As Business Insider reports, Barclays' Ben Reitzes sniffed that Apple's shares were, you know, alright to have and to hold, but only if you're prepared for richer or poorer. "Frankly, we just couldn't quite bring ourselves to use smart watches or TVs as reasons to raise numbers," he said. "Nor were we fully convinced that these products could move the needle like new categories did in the old days." Ah, the old days. When iPods were exciting and Barclays was just a bank. Reitzes, though, continued to make the one comparison that will energize the bile of many who believe Apple to be the way, the truth, and the life. He said: "We look at a valuation analogy vs. Microsoft from 2000 to about 2010 and see no precedent that large-size tech companies simply start to broadly outperform again after a tough year or two if the law of large numbers is catching up to them and margins have peaked." In essence, Apple is just like Microsoft, merely steps away from a flattened mediocrity, and ready to elect a hoodie-wearing cricket fan to the CEO's throne. Reitzes might turn out to be right. It may well be that Apple slips into a fallow irrelevance, as other competitors (who?) stomp upon it with innovation (what innovation?). Still, analysts make many predictions so that at least some of them might turn out to be right. Some analysts, I understand, even put their money on the very opposite side of where there mouth is. It's called being clever or something. Your fickle is their normal. Why, just two years ago, an analyst issued an upgrade note on Apple. He used phrases like "solid momentum," "pent-up demand" and "bloody hell, there's money to be made here." Actually, I made the last one up. What I'm not making up is that the optimistic analyst of 2012 was Barclays' Ben Reitzes. Has it really all gone so wrong for Apple in these last two years? One analyst says "perhaps." Another says "perhaps not."

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Samsung Materials Affiliates Hold Investment Due to Slow Business

It has been about four months since the electronic material research center of the Samsung Group was opened in Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province. However, its subsidiaries’ move-in is continuing to be delayed. Besides, the recent poor performances of Cheil Industries, Samsung SDI, and Samsung Fine Chemicals and their investment postponement announcements are adding difficulties to the Samsung Group’s plan for the promotion of its material business segment.

At present, Cheil Industries has yet to complete its relocation, and Samsung Fine Chemicals is planning to be housed there from next month, according to its plan to move the headquarters to Suwon. Only Samsung SDI has finished the relocation so far.

Under the circumstances, some industry insiders point out that the Samsung Group has failed to draw up a big picture for the restructuring of its materials business arms. “The overhaul is likely to be led by Samsung Electronics, but no specific plan has been suggested yet,” said one of them, adding, “It seems that Samsung is suffering from the lack of a control tower.”

The trouble has been compounded by the subsidiaries’ less-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter of last year. Not a few investment plans have been put on hold, signaling some change in their long-term business strategies. Cheil Industries and Samsung SDI recorded losses in that quarter while Samsung Fine Chemicals’ annual operating profits fell below zero. The first has decided to reexamine its 1.8 trillion won (US$1.68 billion) investment plan for the next three years. The third is going to pace itself as well in manufacturing polysilicon and positive electrode active materials for secondary batteries.

Things were quite different earlier last year. At that time, Cheil Industries took over Novaled, which owns OLED patents, and sold its fashion business unit to Samsung Everland to speed up the reorganization. However, the pace has been significantly slowed, due mainly to the poor performance of Samsung Electronics, one of its major clients.

The group has not come up with any countermeasures, either. This means that the future of the subsidiaries of Samsung is not entirely rosy in the short term.

Samsung Fine Chemicals is moving ahead with its polysilicon and active material businesses, through collaboration with SunEdison (formerly MEMC) of the US and TODA of Japan. Samsung SDI, in the meantime, is producing products based on its PDP patent contracts with Seiko, Asahi, Sony, etc. Although they have hundreds of patents and their own R&D teams and projects, these are easily eclipsed by its rivals like LG Chem.

This is why some employees of the companies are claiming that the chemical business unit, rather than electronics, lead the development of the materials business in view of its own characteristics, that is, at least five to 10 years is taken for at least some tangible results. Then, it is Cheil Industries that is to assume the central role. Still, it remains to be seen whether or not Cheil Industries is capable enough when its business showings and relations with the National Pension Service, the largest shareholder, are taken into consideration.

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Samsung Group seems to have a vision with NX30, Galaxy Camera 2

Samsung Galaxy Camera 2 price to be announced around launch

Samsung NX30 has 20.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor, can capture fast-paced moments in perfect clarity.

At the Samsung Group Forum in Bali, the buzz was all around the updraded versions of a bunch of its mobile devices as well as the enterprise oriented tablets. However, the Korean tech giant also showed that it means business in a segment that it has not really been able to monopolise so far.

The Samsung Group announced the Samsung NX30 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera 2. The first a compact system camera delivering high quality images and the second a sequel to the Galaxy Camera line-up that brings smartphone-like sharing to imaging devices.

The NX30 has an advanced 20.3MP APS-C CMOS Sensor and can capture fast-paced moments in perfect clarity thanks to its 1/8000 sec Shutter speed and the 9 frame per seconds (FPS) continuous shooting function. The NX30's NFC and Wi-Fi capabilities creates a 'eTag & Go'f function that lets users tap and share photos instantly and easily. The Photo Beam feature allows users to transfer images or videos between smartphones or tablets by simply touching devices together.

The Galaxy Camera 2 lets users enjoy the full benefits of the Android platform. Its 16M BSI CMOS Sensor is supported by a 21x Optical Zoom. It also featured an upgraded 1.6 GHz Quad-Core processor supported by a massive 2.0 GB of RAM. The Galaxy Camera 2's 121.2mm (4.8-inch) HD Super Clear Touch LCD adds to the experience.

Samsung will announces the prices closer to the India launch dates.

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