SAN FRANCISCO: Apple Inc. took the wraps off its fastest, thinnest iPhone yesterday, packing a significant larger screen and 4G capability on the fifth version of the smartphone that helped it become the world's most valuable corporation.
CEO Tim Cook, who took over from the company's late co-founder Steve Jobs last year, faces pressure to keep Apple at the forefront of the industry. The iPhone 5 introduced yesterday sports a 4-inch "retina" display, ability to surf a high-speed 4G LTE wireless network, and is 20 percent lighter than the previous iPhone 4S.
The latest iPhone comes as Apple tries to fend off competition that has reached fever-pitch. Google Inc.'s Android has become the most-used mobile operating system in the world, while key supplier and rival Samsung Electronics has taken the lead in smartphone sales.
Now, Microsoft Corp. is pushing its Windows Phone 8 operating system as a third alternative to Apple and Google's. Rivals have been first to market with phones that have bigger displays or run on faster wireless networks. Apple will try to close that gap with the unveiling of the newest iPhone, widely reported to offer 4G LTE for the first time and a 4-inch display, up from 3.5 inches.
The iPhone 5 will hitch a ride on the three largest US carriers — Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc., and Sprint , marketing chief Phil Schiller told a packed auditorium at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.
Cook began yesterday's event by saying the company's notebooks now rank tops in US sales, leading in market share in the past three months.
But it is the iPhone that carries the weight of Apple's future on its slim frame, especially with the company continuing to play its cards close to the vest about future growth drivers, including an oft-rumored TV device.
The iPhone 5 comes with Apple's newest "A6" processor, which executives claimed runs twice as fast as the previous generation. It will have three microphones and a better 8 megapixel camera that can take pictures on higher resolutions. Apple has sold more than 243 million iPhones since its 2007 arrival, after which the device proceeded to upend the industry and helped usher in the current applications ecosystem.
Cook told the audience that its apps store now has more than 700,000 on tap — the industry's largest library. Apple also is making a lot of headway in a corporate market that has been dominated by struggling Canadian smartphone maker Research in Motion . Cook said almost every Fortune 500 companies was testing or using its iPhones and iPads.
Globally, Samsung leads the smartphone market with a 32.6 percent share followed by Apple with 17 percent, according to market research firm IDC. Both saw shipments rise compared to a year ago, with Samsung riding its flagship Galaxy S III phone.
Apple takes wraps off 4G-ready iPhone 5
Apple takes wraps off 4G-ready iPhone 5
RLC Global Forum highlights role of Saudi youth in retail digital shift
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s young and highly digital population is reshaping how the Kingdom’s retail sector adopts new technologies and artificial intelligence, advancing faster than many global competitors, industry leaders told Arab News.
Speaking on the sidelines of the RLC Global Forum in Riyadh, executives told Arab News that the intersection of a youthful population and strong investment in AI is driving a shift in the industry’s priorities.
From understanding consumer behavior to leveraging the Kingdom’s growing status as a global AI leader, Saudi Arabia is becoming as a unique destination for the retail sector to thrive, learn, and evolve in the digital sphere.
Abdullah Al-Tamimi, CEO of commercial real estate company Hamat Holding, told Arab News that the firm is keen to analyze and understand consumer behavior, with a particular focus on the younger generation as a key part of that insight.
“Actually, it’s a big part of our day-to-day operation,” he said, adding that the company invests heavily in understanding customer needs and behavior and works to correct any missteps.
Al-Tamimi emphasized paying close attention to small details, noting that younger consumers are especially sensitive to the overall experience and “deserve that we work around the clock in order to improve it.”
He added that this focus “can be a competitive advantage for Saudi Arabia as well.”
Al-Tamimi said that as the younger generation grows accustomed to new technology shaping retail customer experiences, Hamat Holding is leveraging AI to enhance them further.
“We started a couple of initiatives improving digitalization,” he said, adding that the company sees digital tools as a way to enhance its work by automating day-to-day operations and allowing teams to focus on bigger-picture and more complex tasks.
While the firm has expanded its use of technology, he stressed it has not replaced human workers, emphasizing the continued importance of human capital for creativity and interaction. “AI is a big part of our strategy,” Al-Tamimi added.
Amit Keswani Manghnani, chief omnichannel and AI officer at luxury goods retailer and distributor Chalhoub Group, told Arab News that bridging a younger customer base with continuous digital development is key to advancing the Kingdom’s retail strategies.
On Saudi Arabia’s demographics, he said: “We look at 2030 as really building products which serve especially the younger population, which is growing and very digitally savvy.”
Manghnani underscored the unique characteristics of the Kingdom’s retail market as a tool for developing effective products and customer experiences.
“So it’s very digitally savvy, much more than in other markets,” he said, noting that e-commerce penetration is rising not only through online purchases but also via digital catalogs that drive in-store visits.
Manghnani said investment is focused on making products more digitally accessible and easier to use, while strengthening customer service to meet the expectations of what he described as a demanding but welcome consumer base. “Service excellence, digital — all these things together are how we are tapping into the younger population, which again is extremely savvy.”
Manghnani reinforced Al-Tamimi’s point that the Kingdom holds a competitive advantage, citing the speed at which its retail and technology industries are aligning.
“As a market, we’re tending to see the adoption of digital,” he said, referring to AI, data and other forms of digital interaction, adding that these tools are increasingly being combined.
He noted that this market is moving “much quicker than the other markets.”
The two-day RLC Global Forum brought together more than 2,000 global leaders, policymakers, and innovators from over 40 countries over the two-day event to define the next chapter of growth across retail, consumer, and lifestyle industries.
