David McQueen
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David McQueen In The News
Business Times (2024-10-15)
"Apple is clearly positioning the iPad Mini as a device that can do more with less," said David McQueen, an analyst at ABI Research. "By leveraging the A17 Pro chip, Apple is making its smallest iPad an appealing option for users who need a portable tablet that can also handle intensive AI tasks and gaming."
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CNN (2024-07-10)
David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research, believes foldable displays will also find their way into other mobile products, such as tablets, laptops, and smartwatches over the coming years, but most manufacturers are currently focused on getting consumers comfortable with foldable phones.
“While the user experience of foldable devices has improved through each new iteration, the sector has still yet to fully convince consumers of the improved use cases, tactile benefits, and the added functionality of a foldable product,” he said.
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CNN (2024-05-02)
According to David McQueen, research director at tech intelligence firm ABI Research, the company could spark sales growth soon. “It [may] engender a ‘super cycle’ as it rolls out generative AI features in its upcoming products, despite being “a little late to the generative AI party,” he told CNN.
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CNN (2024-03-26)
David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research, said he recognizes that the content and applications market should be open, and Apple needs to avoid monopolistic advantages that can restrict competition, push up prices or block innovation. But Apple’s success stems in part to its tight grip on its products and services, keeping things intuitive and seamless.
“If Apple is forced to comply, it could potentially spell the end to the provision of this consistent and unified user experience, although by the same token, consumers will be open to a greater choice of apps and services, helping more developers and providers,” McQueen said.
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CNN (2024-01-26)
“Being Apple, which is still the largest company in the world by market cap, I’m sure it will do all it can to minimize the impact of these problem areas,” said David McQueen, an analyst at ABI Research. “It will still have an extremely loyal base of users so that its brand value and recognition, and quality are not compromised.”
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CNN (2024-01-25)
“Being Apple, which is still the largest company in the world by market cap, I’m sure it will do all it can to minimize the impact of these problem areas,” said David McQueen, an analyst at ABI Research. “It will still have an extremely loyal base of users so that its brand value and recognition, and quality are not compromised.”
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CNN Business (2023-12-18)
David McQueen, a director at ABI Research, said the decision to leave the watches available for purchase in stores until December 24 should help soften the financial impact of the blow of the pause, giving shoppers a few days left to buy the devices ahead of Christmas.
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CNN (2023-11-01)
It’s difficult, however, to predict how the new chip will impact the total sales of the computer market, according to David McQueen, a director at ABI Research. He said Apple aims to pit itself against Intel, as well as Qualcomm, AMD, NVIDIA and Dell, not only as a performance leader but with chips that support productivity-related AI tools.
“It is an important part of Apple’s strategy to make sure performance of its silicon can keep up with or ahead of its competitors,” McQueen said.
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CNN (2023-10-29)
“Despite the upgrades to its M chips offering incrementally better performance, it is nothing compared to the difference when Apple switched from Intel chips to its own silicon,” said David McQueen, a director at ABI Research. “We’ll need to wait and see if the M3 chip really offers a large enough jump in performance over its predecessor to re-stimulate demand.”
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CNN (2023-10-18)
Although Apple does not break out its Pencil sales numbers, David McQueen, a director at ABI Research, estimates about 42 million have been sold since it launched in 2015, considering 420 million iPads have been sold since then (assuming 10% or fewer of these consumers have bought an Apple Pencil).
“I’d have to think it’d be this low because of its relatively high price, high-end use case, and the availability of much cheaper alternatives that are capable of working with iPad,” he said.
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CNN (2023-09-13)
“For Apple, it was all about being in control of its own ecosystem,” said David McQueen, a director at ABI Research. “Apple makes good money from selling Lightning cables and its many related accessories.”
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CNN (2023-09-08)
“For Apple, it was all about being in control of its own ecosystem,” said David McQueen, a director at ABI Research. “Apple makes good money from selling Lightning cables and its many related accessories.”
It also takes a financial cut from the third-party accessories and cables that go through its Made For iPhone program. “Moving to USB Type C would take away this level of control as USB-C is a much more open ecosystem,” McQueen said.
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Yahoo Finance Live (2023-09-08)
ABI Research Research Director David McQueen expressed his opinion on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 and whether it will help Samsung in the premium smartphone market. McQueen explained, "This is fifth generation now ... it's not really reached out as far and as wide as expected ... it's clearly not resonating as well with the higher-end user."
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CNN (2023-09-06)
“I think the reaction in China seems to be one of mass excitement because Huawei, which was at one time vying to be the number one smartphone brand worldwide, is seen to be fighting its way back into the smartphone market with Chinese-made silicon, and has no doubt been trading on a ‘Made In China’ mantra,” David McQueen, a director at market research firm ABI Research, told CNN.
But he said the launch also raises questions around how Huawei managed to launch the phone when it has spent the past four years under US restrictions banning access to 5G technology.
“While access to 5G for the chipset is one thing, I’m not sure how the company managed to source all the other components that need to go into a 5G smartphone, such as power amps, switches and filters,” he said.
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CNN (2023-05-21)
The higher price point is one of the factors limiting the size of the foldable market. Samsung currently dominates the category, followed by others including Motorola, Lenovo, Oppo, and Huawei. According to ABI Research, foldable and flexible displays made up about 0.7% of the smartphone market in 2021, and in 2022 expected to fall just shy of 2%.
“Expense is mainly to do with the high costs of components, notably the folding displays and hinge technology, which in many cases is a proprietary hinge design,” said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. “So until volume grows enough that vendors can get scale, prices won’t be falling any time soon.”
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CNN (2023-05-11)
The Pixel Series A line has long been aimed at the cost conscious who want good features at a reasonable price, but its reach is limited. Google sells between eight to 10 million of the Pixel devices each year, according to ABI Research.
“Generally, the smartphones were really meant for Google to showcase how software, and now AI capabilities, could be effectively optimized on hardware and improve the Android user experience,” said David McQueen, a director at ABI Research. “Google has purposely kept volume sales limited as it also has to be mindful of its relationship with other smartphone manufacturers that use the Android OS.”
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Mobile World Live (2023-02-10)
ABI Research predicted migration to 5G-Advanced would reshape the mobile and wearables markets to the tune of 481.9 million devices by 2027, but was decidedly less bullish on private network deployments.
In a whitepaper, ABI Research director David McQueen noted the evolution toward 5G-Advanced would fully expose the value of the ecosystem while enabling the full potential of the technology.
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Technology for You (2023-02-10)
For the past three years, business leaders and organizations have faced an unyielding procession of challenges. As we usher in 2023, many of those challenges persist, and new ones are emerging. Yet, as unwavering as the challenges have been, technology and innovation have proven to be just as resilient. In its new whitepaper, 37 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2023, global technology intelligence firm ABI Research has identified and highlighted the most impactful forecasts that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.
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CNET (2023-02-06)
"An expected portfolio expansion of 5G and foldable smartphones throughout 2023 will help Samsung consolidate revenue growth and sustain leadership in a contracting market," said David McQueen, research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research.
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CNN (2023-02-01)
David McQueen, an research director at ABI Research, said manufacturers continue to dole out incremental updates, rather than waiting two years to release a new impactful device, because “the market moves so quickly now.”
“Companies need to be seen to be providing new devices with the latest technology, no matter how unnoticeable the upgrade, to survive,” he said.
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CNET (2023-02-01)
The addition larger 200-megapixel sensor in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra "will provide substantial improvements in both low-light camera settings and resolution, offering advanced features that are still trading as significant points of differentiation in a sea of upgrade plainness amongst most premium competitor phones," said ABI Research analyst David McQueen.
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TechNewsWorld (2023-01-18)
When he heard Apple was refreshing the mini, David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research, an international technology advisory company, thought the move would be designed to satisfy customers already invested in the Apple ecosystem. “But the improvements in performance and drop in price could entice new consumers to the product,” he told TechNewsWorld.
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CNN (2023-01-12)
David McQueen, research director at ABI Research, said the lines are increasingly blurred between higher-end iPads and Macs, thanks to new chips, battery life and slim design. He noted that when a 12.9-inch iPad Pro is attached to a Magic Keyboard with use of an Apple Pencil, there is “not much to tell it apart from a laptop experience.”
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CNN (2022-11-20)
“Much of the longevity for this type of single-use case device is that they just do one thing very, very well,” said David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research.
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CNN (2022-10-12)
Microsoft hardware devices amount to between 3% to 5% of the tablet market, according to David McQueen, an analyst at ABI Research. Instead, the bulk of its revenue comes from Microsoft OS across different device types and associated applications and cloud services.
“Microsoft is able to stay in the hardware sector because of revenue generated from these services,” McQueen said. It’s an approach similar to Google whose Pixel smartphone remains a niche product but serves as a way for the company to highlight its apps and OS.
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Mobile World Live (2022-10-03)
ABI Research director David McQueen indicated for Apple, especially, this meant a “significant change”.
“It has long resisted independent repair by restricting access to parts, manuals, and diagnostic equipment, creating products that are difficult to repair and campaigning against laws that would protect the freedom to repair,” he noted.
“Arguably, Apple’s move is good news for customers as they have more options for their repairs thanks to the expanded availability of authentic parts.”
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Telecoms TV (2022-09-26)
“The challenging headwinds and notable inventory corrections conspired to outweigh any growth potential in 1H 2022, which has tempered smartphone demand amid a period of weak seasonality,” said David McQueen, Consumer Technologies Research Director at ABI Research. “In response, ABI Research’s forecasts for global smartphone shipments in 2022 and 2023 have been adjusted downward from original estimates, in terms of both total market and 5G devices, with susceptibility to changes in the economic climate and geopolitical volatility reflected rationally in the revised data. The current expectation is that the total market will decline 7% Year-over-Year (YoY) in 2022 to reach 1.24 billion units, while 5G smartphones will grow 15% in 2022 to around 683 million versus a
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Inside Towers (2022-09-23)
According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, changes in the economic climate and geopolitical volatility will lead to a seven percent year-over-year decline in the smartphone market.
“The challenging headwinds and notable inventory corrections conspired to outweigh any growth potential in 1H 2022, which has tempered smartphone demand amid a period of weak seasonality,” said David McQueen, Consumer Technologies Research Director at ABI Research.
In response, ABI Research said its forecasts for global smartphone shipments in 2022 and 2023 have b
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CNN (2022-08-10)
Meanwhile, Samsung's Galaxy Buds are due for an update, particularly around sound quality and battery life. According to ABI analyst David McQueen, the smartwatch and earbuds sectors have performed well during (and because of) the pandemic.
"I see this continuing for the next few years," he said.
While Apple AirPods are the leader in this category, McQueen said Samsung's Galaxy Buds work with both iPhones and Android devices, broadening its appeal.
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Computer Weekly (2022-06-28)
David McQueen, research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, added: “The expansion of Wi-Fi into the 6GHz band and the emergence of the new Wi-Fi 7 standard are causing unprecedented technology complexity and challenges in the way the radio is designed and implemented. These challenges are very similar in nature to those encountered by the cellular industry when migrating to LTE Advanced Pro and 5G, which has pushed many smartphone OEMs to delegate their RF system design to Qualcomm.”
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IoT Now (2022-06-27)
David McQueen, research director at global technology intelligence firm ABI Research says, “These new Wi-Fi 7 FEMs have been co-designed using Qualcomm’s recently announced ultraBAW filter technology, which allows spectrum access up to 7 GHz, and enables implementation of the company’s Wi-Fi 7 feature High Band Simultaneous Multi-Link.
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Electronics 360 (2022-05-25)
f MediaTek is going to be successful in current mmWave markets, which for the time being is limited to the ‘buoyant’ U.S. market, its options are restricted,” said David McQueen, research director for ABI Research. “Owing to the increased cost implications of adding 5G mmWave to smartphones, MediaTek will have no intention of playing in the mid-range sector anytime soon and so will find it challenging to match its dance card with the leading high-end smartphone vendors in the U.S. because they already have 5G mmWave phones in the market.”
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Electronics 360 (2022-03-11)
Critical Communications
Foldable smartphones to reach 10% of all devices by 2030
Peter Brown
10 March 2022
Devices with foldable screens are forecast to reach nearly 10% of all smartphone sales by 2030, according to new data from ABI Research.
Foldable smartphones are devices that unfold to become a larger screen almost tablet sized for viewing of content such as videos and streaming services or video conferences. The market has been previously hindered by inadequate technology implementations resulting in poor user interfaces, ABI said.
"However, with these problems now mostly resolved, the addition of more innovative designs, such as fold-to-compact models, folding form factor with its enhanced functionality, and evolution in device experiences, will see an increase in popularity, despite still having relatively high price points,” said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. “Consequently, a significant change in market availability and breakthrough of many more flexible screened devices is expected in 2022."
The data is part of ABI Research’s “38 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2022” white paper that highlights trending tech topics happening this year such as the explosion of edge artificial intelligence adoption, smart manufacturing platforms, metaverse applications, cybersecurity and always-on 5G portable devices.
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Computer World (2022-02-23)
The increase in 5G mmWave smartphone sales will be boosted by its inclusion in greater numbers of smartphone models, driven by Samsung’s flagship devices and Apple’s iPhones, as well as by expanding ecosystem momentum. After a slow start, mainly limited to the U.S. market, the impetus behind mobile mmWave continues to build with several regions and countries targeting deployments, broadening across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, and gaining support from a growing number of chipset suppliers.”
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CNN (2021-10-19)
"Apple has pulled off a masterstroke by taking items out of the iPhone box ... so then users are guided towards the purchase of additional premium priced accessories," said David McQueen, research director at market research firm ABI Research. "Apple is basically saying, these are aspirational products, and if you can afford to spend around $1,000 on a phone you can spend another few hundred dollars or so on our accessories."
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CNN (2021-10-19)
"Google never intended the Pixel to be a high volume smartphone," said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. "The idea was that they would use the Pixel devices to showcase the Android ecosystem, demonstrating to their partners what could be done with top-end hardware and the latest Android software." But the advantages of a custom Google Tensor chip could allow it to make new experiences possible, he added.
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CNN (2021-09-15)
Trade-in offers also typically tie customers to a long contract that can include high-priced data plans. Carriers want to keep these users loyal rather than seeing them move to a competitor network -- and a discounted or free iPhone could be the right incentive to keep them there, according to David McQueen, a director at market research firm ABI Research. For Apple, it keeps customers deep within its ecosystem of products.
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CNN (2021-09-13)
"Apple clearly doesn't have to do much," said David McQueen, a director at market research firm ABI Research. "Despite the relatively high price points, consumers will still buy and upgrade to Apple products, partly because of brand strength and the quality of the products, and partly because they have already invested heavily in the Apple ecosystem."
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CNN Business (2021-08-05)
David McQueen, research director at market research firm ABI Research, agrees, noting even the smallest of changes could impact the construction of smartphones on some level. For example, adding new screws or more holes may impact a device's IP ratings -- the degree of protection a device's components provide against dust and water.
"Smartphone vendors have worked hard to get this to high levels, but if devices do have more screw holes and have to be easier to take apart, then would these ratings be compromised or have to be lowered?" said McQueen.
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Technology For You (2021-06-02)
According to a new report from global tech market advisory firm ABI Research, 681 million 5G handsets will be shipped in 2022. The race is on for OEMs to find that all-important level of differentiation in their flagship portfolios to help boost margins and improve market share.
While there is a continuing need for vendors to drive adoption of cutting-edge trends in industrial designs, screen technology, chipsets, and camera setups, notably in flagship smartphones, they are also looking to alternative points of differentiation to keep pushing the envelope on innovation and an enhanced user experience. “As the market will bear witness over the next 12-18 months, and with the quickening ubiquity of 5G, upcoming flagship smartphones from key vendors will need to embrace a host of additional features and functionalities to continue to provide industry-leading high-end products,” comments David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research.
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CNN Business (2021-04-20)
"Although AirTags are probably going to be fairly low priced, they may help to grow revenue, and users may buy multiple tags for different scenarios, such as for a bag, bike or car keys," said David McQueen, director at tech market advisory firm, ABI Research. "It may also spark a rise in the manufacture of accessories to house the tags, such as a key fob, keychain or wrist strap."
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CNN Business (2021-04-07)
"With the expected demise of LG, which is the third largest vendor in the US, Samsung will no doubt fill the void it leaves behind in the mid-range," said David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research. "I doubt Apple will hit the same price points -- plus it's not Android."
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Mobile World Live (2021-04-07)
ABI Research research director for consumer devices David McQueen said the move was a “long time coming,” explaining LG’s “marketing has been poor and nowhere near as aggressive as Samsung, while it has made some bad pricing decisions and probably tried to launch one too many duff types of product over the years, such as 3D and Flex”.
McQueen added its rollable could have “been a serious growth opportunity when pitted against foldable devices”, had it made it to market.
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Electronics 360 (2021-01-21)
“The list of Chinese OEMs namechecked that are ready to support the new chipsets, and the effects of an ongoing U.S.-China trade war ensures that MediaTek can enhance its competitiveness and grow volume in the high-end to mid-tier smartphone sectors,” said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. “However, using the company’s M70 modem means that these chipsets do not yet come packed with mmWave, which may limit device acceptance in other major global markets in the short term, notably the U.S. and Japan.”
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CNet (2021-01-20)
"Using the company's M70 modem means that these chipsets do not yet come packed with mmWave, which may limit device acceptance in other major global markets in the short term, notably the US and Japan," ABI Research analyst David McQueen said.
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CNN Business (2021-01-10)
About 20 sessions, as listed on CES' website, will dive into how 5G will reinvent various industries, from automobiles and smart cities to healthcare and farming. 5G-connected laptops may also make an appearance, according to David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. Manufacturers, including Dell (DELL) and Lenovo (LNVGF), have yet to reveal their 5G plans, pricing and overall strategies and could use this week to lay it out.
According to ABI Research research manager Jonathan Collins, the pandemic helped boost the appeal of home care, social and educational robots, so we can expect a lot more of that this year at CES, too.
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Tech News World (2021-01-05)
Consumers will benefit from the new chip, noted David McQueen, a research director, at ABI Research.
"It will enable smartphones to be sold at much lower price points, helping to bring 5G smartphone models to market quickly and democratize the 5G experience," he told TechNewsWorld.
"Many leading OEMs are expected to push deeper into the lower-priced 5G smartphone segment, and this will be the main growth driver for accelerating adoption in 2021 and beyond, aided by the continuing availability of more affordable 5G chipsets, notably those from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Unisoc."
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Tech HQ (2020-12-09)
From the power of new AI-enabled smartphones to Huawei bans and the ongoing race for 5G supremacy, despite the obvious challenges, the telco industry has plowed onward in 2020.
That’s no surprise, given how connectivity has enabled businesses to stay online while offices were forced to close. ABI Research’s chief research officer, Stuart Carlaw said that, in this period of uncertainty and change, there is one polestar of unflinching truth: technology will be the most powerful tool in ensuring corporate health.
As we head toward a more hopeful 2021, ABI laid out several predictions for how goings-on in the telco industry could continue to unfold next year.
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“A resilient company that is well set to grow once this pandemic ends will be characterized by its digital agility as much as anything else,” he added. In a recent report, ABI Research stated predictions of things that will and will not happen in 2021.
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BBC News (2020-12-01)
"It may point to Qualcomm extending an olive branch to those in the industry caught up in the ongoing China-US trade war," suggested Deborah Petrara from ABI Research.
"888 is regarded by the Chinese as a symbol of fortune and prosperity, which will also undoubtedly chime well with Qualcomm's expectations of success."
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Tech HQ (2020-11-11)
Speaking to TechHQ, David McQueen, Research Director at tech market advisory firm ABI Research, said the launch of the M1 chip could “signal a significant step” for Apple toward 5G integration and ‘always-on’ connectivity in its notebooks.
“The shift could pave the way to making it easier for all of Apple’s devices to enable 5G connectivity, potentially providing tight integration with its own 5G modems in the future after having bought the majority of Intel’s smartphone modems business, which was completed in December 2019.
“If such a move were to come to fruition, it could be the impetus that the industry has craved, becoming the catalyst to bolster demand in the sector to deliver on the promise of enhanced, next-generation always-on mobile compute experiences.”
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E-Commerce Times (2020-11-11)
Although 5G connectivity wasn't mentioned at the event, David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research, believes that's in the future for Apple Silicon.
"This move could also signal a significant step for Apple toward 5G integration and 'always-on' connectivity in its notebooks," he told TechNewsWorld.
"The shift could pave the way to making it easier for all of Apple's devices to enable 5G connectivity, potentially providing tight integration with its own 5G modems in the future," he said.
"If such a move were to come to fruition," he continued, "it would boost the drive to create a 5G always-on notebook market."
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Ranzware (2020-11-11)
Although 5G connectivity wasn’t mentioned at the event, David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research, believes that’s in the future for Apple Silicon.
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Tech Digest (2020-10-29)
In its new whitepaper, The 36 Transformative Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2021, global tech market advisory firm ABI Research highlights the lesser-known stats that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.
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Technology (2020-10-29)
ABI Research reveals the staggering numbers in technology forecasting for the next half decade
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Tech Channel (2020-10-29)
David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research, said that 5G smartphones will reach 1.15 billion units by 2025 compared to 192.1 million this year.
“5G smartphones will become the most accelerated mobile technology generation ever launched. It is expected that 5G smartphone sales will increase more aggressively compared to 4G and, in comparison to growth at launch, 5G will outperform its predecessor on nearly every metric, including the number of mobile devices, subscribers, and networks,” he said.
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Electronic Products & Technology (2020-10-26)
Global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research, using the teardown expertise of System Plus Consulting, unpacked two 5G smartphones to confirm that smartphone OEMs are extending fully integrated modem-RF system designs to support 5G and LTE implementations over their flagship devices. The teardowns analysis shows that Qualcomm’s RFFE system design covers both sub-6 Gigahertz (GHz) and Millimeter Wave (mmWave) 5G options, as well as LTE frequency bands, which will enable OEMs to efficiently and cost-effectively integrate 5G with 3G/4G into complex form factors. Such a fully integrated modem-RF system design is vital to drive wider adoption of 5G beyond the traditional smartphone market.
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Circuits Assembly (2020-10-26)
“Of particular interest in these teardowns is the use of mmWave modules, which are showing signs of increasing adoption as they aim to reach markets beyond North America. The use of these modules will be even more crucial for enabling new and complex form factor designs, such as foldable phones, to support mmWave access,” said David McQueen, research director, ABI Research.
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CNN International (2020-10-17)
"It's probably the closest thing to reviving subsidies, which were rife in the US when the iPhone first hit the market," said David McQueen, research director at tech advisory firm ABI Research.
A major issue trade-ins aim to address is the growing tendency of smartphone users to hold onto their devices for longer, often skipping a model or two (sometimes even more) before buying a new one.
"The motivation for subscribers to upgrade smartphones has been a problem over the past few years with most flagships having very little differentiation with their predecessors," McQueen said.
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Freight Waves (2020-08-30)
Apple anticipates selling about 65 million to 75 million iPhones globally in the fourth quarter despite the impact of COVID-19, with Samsung likely to sell a similar amount of its latest device, said David McQueen, research director for consumer devices at ABI Research, in an email.
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Everything RF (2020-07-22)
David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research, stated that 5G smartphone market is set to rapidly expand in the next 12 months, with many mobile vendors looking to quickly develop their 5G portfolios. However, a host of extremely complex challenges lie ahead for smartphone vendors, which they must overcome to fully realize the 5G demand explosion across all tiers.
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EP & T (2020-07-22)
“The 5G smartphone market is set to rapidly expand in the next 12-months, with many mobile vendors looking to quickly develop their 5G portfolios. However, a host of extremely complex challenges lie ahead for smartphone vendors, which they must overcome to fully realize the 5G demand explosion across all tiers,” says David McQueen, research director at ABI Research.
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Mobile World Magazine (2020-07-21)
A new report from New York-based tech advisory firm ABI Research released on Monday has revealed a worrying trend for smartphone manufacturers. Researchers behind the report conducted an extensive teardown - an exhaustive analysis of hardware and software specs - of nine leading 5G smartphones.
The results pointed to a new level of complexity in the RF Front End components of new handsets that could pose a challenge to many manufacturers. According to ABI, RF Front End content is moving towards full-level integrated modem-RF system designs, which will likely be the key to success as the market advances towards wider 5G adoption.
"The 5G smartphone market is set to rapidly expand in the next 12 months, with many mobile vendors looking to quickly develop their 5G portfolios. However, a host of extremely complex challenges lie ahead for smartphone vendors, which they must overcome to fully realise the 5G demand explosion across all tiers," said David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research in a press release.
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CNN Business (2020-06-21)
When that does happen, the major changes Mac users are likely to see include better battery life and sleeker devices. Apple's in-house chips have a smaller architecture and are more efficient because they are designed for smartphones, according to David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. ARM is the processor design developed by UK-based chipmaker Arm Holdings, which it then licenses to various tech manufacturers for their own use.
"Moving to ARM-based chips can bring efficiencies and better battery life without sacrificing performance," McQueen said. "It may also help to cut out some size issues, possibly allowing Macs to be made thinner, while also negating the need for fans," he added.
McQueen says having the same chips running on iPhones, iPads and Macs would also make it easier to standardize the user experience across all three devices.
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CNN Business (2020-06-19)
This could mean big changes down the line for Mac users: potentially longer-lasting battery life and better support for power-sucking graphics, according to research director David McQueen at ABI Research. Of course, Apple won't have to rely on Intel for chipset launch dates, update cycles or size, meaning the Mac could even become slimmer by negating the need for fans, he added.
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Fudzilla (2020-06-17)
ABI Research David McQueen, Research Director said that Qualcomm's new 5G mobile platform is designed to make 5G user experiences even more broadly available globally.
He said it will enable mobile OEMs to bring 5G affordable devices to the marketplace, supporting services such as on-device AI and advanced entertainment experiences, including multiplayer gaming, and 4K HDR streaming, and 120hz displays. Early smartphones powered by this platform are expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2020.
"The Snapdragon 690 joins the 800-series and 700-series on Qualcomm's roster of 5G platforms, expanding its offer across multiple tiers with this latest addition bringing the 5G experience down to even lower price points. The new platform will undoubtedly allow OEMs to expand 5G deep into their smartphone portfolios, delivering more cost-effective and affordable products, which will drive the proliferation of and significantly increase the addressable market for 5G smartphones”, McQueen said.
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Tech News World (2020-06-10)
Apple will benefit from severing ties with Intel, suggested David McQueen, research director at ABI Research, a technology advisory company headquartered in Oyster Bay, New York.
"Apple now won't be beholden to Intel's chipset launch dates and update cycles," he told TechNewsWorld.
Moving to ARM-based chips can bring efficiencies and better battery life without sacrificing performance, McQueen added.
"Some of Apple's A chips already perform well in benchmarks against those from Intel," he said. "The move may also help cut out some size constraints, possibly allowing Macs to be made thinner, while also negating a need for fans."
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EET Asia (2020-04-21)
According to a research note from ABI Research focusing on telco cloud revenues from 5G core deployments, this could fall between 20% to 30% short of previous forecasts of $9 billion this year. ABI fears the investment shortfall in updating networks could be between $2 billion to $3 billion ‘in the short term’.
“The 5G market was growing faster than anticipated, with 2020 expected to be the starting point for 5G Standalone (SA) core commercial deployments in CSPs’ networks. But that expectation may take a little longer to materialize.
“That is due, in part, to the fact that Covid-19 will almost certainly derail further trials and testing to verify the processing performance and stability of 5G Stand Alone networks. In the short term the industry may have no choice but to protect existing consumer revenue,” suggests Don Alusha, senior analyst at ABI.
Meanwhile, Dimitri Mavrakis, Research Director for 5G at ABI, told EE Time,s“there are relatively few challenges as regards the supply chain, which remains relatively robust. The biggest problem we see impacting deployments is that relating to site engineers and technicians, who clearly need to follow strict guidelines when working in close proximity with others, as well as access issues to some key sites.”
Again, these sentiments echo the projections at Gartner. Porowski told EE Times, “infrastructure supply chains have been slowed but not broken. CSP inventories have thinned, but at the moment there are no major concerns about the non-availability of critical infrastructure.”
Mavrakis suggests this could add at least 3 months of delays to the process. The bigger problem, he argues, is consumer confidence and the availability of 5G enabled devices.
The lockdown has also, counter intuitively, focused some to question the need for 5G. “We are hearing from clients, and experiencing, that existing networks are coping relatively well at most operators. But this really misses the point that 5G is targeting the macrocell domain, and thus outdoors coverage. Of course, most of us now are indoors. That clearly will change and we will see that 5G is very much a much needed, cutting edge technology for the medium and long term.”
ABI Research said due to disruptions in the supply chain, caused primarily by a shortage of certain components and integration engineers, it is now forecasting a 10% fall in 5G infrastructure revenues from the forecasted $2.1 billion.
As for 5G enabled smartphones, “we are looking at a 30% shortfall in shipments for now, but this, also, will be reined back once business is back to normal,” said Mavrakis. The big surge is expected to come once the mobile network operators have opened their retail outlets, where the majority of upgrades and new subscriptions are sealed.
According to senior analyst at ABI research Jiancao Hou, the spread of Covid-19 globally is likely to delay deployment of advanced 5G NR systems, including MIMO and active antennas that many operators have started deploying. “This may mean that operators that have already deployed a significant number of base stations will be in a better position to become early adopters and benefit from an earlier transition from previous generations to 5G, but this will rely on the availability of relevant handsets.”
Referencing the on-going discussions on OpenRAN and open networks, Hou suggests “it is important for mobile operators to broaden their supply chain and avoid a single-vendor infrastructure market.”
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CNBC (2020-03-25)
“The iPad Pro looks more toward productivity rather than just pure consumption,” says David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. Given the accessories ecosystem you have to invest in to make the iPad Pro the best workhorse, “it can be quite pricey,” he says.
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TechRepublic (2020-03-25)
"Significantly, in the short term, there will be an adverse effect on 5G devices. No sooner had 5G smartphones started to gain some traction and break into the market in significant numbers, than the outbreak will now trigger a suppression of its near-term growth, pushing out the development and introduction of affordable 5G phones," McQueen explained.
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CNN Business (2020-02-12)
"After years of complacency in the smartphone market, waiting for some design innovation, there is little doubt that foldable smartphones are set to become the next technology innovation trend," said David McQueen, research director at tech advisory firm ABI Research. "Despite the obvious and immediate issues with getting them to market -- notably high barriers to entry, extreme hardware innovation, seamless user experiences and current eye-wateringly high prices -- foldable displays are set to become an important form factor in future product portfolios bringing much needed innovation into device design."
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Computer Weekly (2019-12-19)
An advisory from global tech market analyst ABI Research predicts that 2020 will see the launch of a wide range of always-on 5G portable devices, notebooks and ultra books, with volumes exceeding 10 million units a year later, but there are some challenges still to be addressed.
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Deseret News (2019-10-20)
David McQueen, a London-based researcher who specializes in consumer technology and strategic technology for ABI Research, said a so-called “dumb phone” would be a feasible possibility if coupled with 5G technology.
“It could certainly allow it, as everything you might need could be accessed in the cloud,” McQueen said. “With a 5G, low-latency connection, whatever you’re working on, just go grab your files. It could make sense to take everything off your phone and put it in the cloud.”
But McQueen also pointed out that some of the applications one can see coming along with 5G connectivity, and those yet to be innovated, will require the on-board computational power of the modern smartphone.
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CNN Business (2019-10-17)
Apple has an advantage with iOS, because it releases the update directly instead of through wireless carriers, which David McQueen, an ABI Research analyst, calls a "time-consuming exercise."
McQueen told CNN Business that Apple's approach of getting people to download new operating systems themselves "helps massively with reducing fragmentation of the iOS platform, which means it can provide a far richer, uniform user experience for its apps and services across devices."
He added that is in stark contrast to Android's fragmented roll out which creates problems.
"This then leads to an inconsistent user experience across the Android ecosystem with the added problem of potential security issues," he said. "It also becomes a challenge for app developers who want to provide consistency on the platform but are faced with an abundance of smartphone varieties combined with differing Android software versions."
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CNN Business (2019-09-10)
Expect changes such as a faster processor and improved Face ID. But without any blockbuster design overhauls or flashy 5G phones, it may be difficult for Apple to grab customers' attention. "Apple tends to perform well when it changes the design of the iPhone in a drastic way," ABI Research analyst David McQueen told Samantha. "However, it cannot do this every year."
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CNN Business (2019-09-10)
5G modems may also reach a mass scale by then, allowing Apple access to cheaper modems so it could sell a 5G iPhone for less than it would now, according to David McQueen, research director at ABI Research.
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CNN International (2019-09-07)
"Apple tends to perform well when it changes the design of the iPhone in a drastic way," said ABI Research analyst David McQueen, referencing the transition from the iPhone 5S to the iPhone 6. "However, it cannot do this every year."
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CNN Business (2019-08-07)
Despite these hiccups, Samsung is solidifying itself as an early leader in 5G devices and hopes some of its user base will bite. "With Apple not expected to launch 5G iPhones until September 2020, Samsung could well have at least another two updates to its 5G flagship smartphones, if not more models, in the US market by then," said David McQueen, research director at ABI Research.
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Mashable (2019-05-21)
"There will probably be very little effect on Apple as the two companies have limited overlap in terms of smartphone addressable market," says David McQueen, research director at tech advisory, ABI Research. "Huawei and Apple both use differing OS platforms and apps stores, while brand loyalty also plays a part during the users’ purchase decision process."
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CNN Tech (2019-03-19)
Meanwhile, David McQueen, research director at ABI Research, argues Apple's latest product announcements could compliment what will likely be announced at the event.
"This could all be a wider plan by Apple to create a wealth of products with better specs across price points and device types to create an enhanced user experience and showcase for its soon-to-be-released streaming service — whatever that may be," McQueen said.
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The Times (2019-02-21)
David McQueen, research director at the technology advisory firm ABI Research, said: “These folding phones could be the future of smartphones.” However, he added that companies will need to “tread carefully” with the release of such devices due to the steep selling price, which will come up against “prevailing consumer smartphone price fatigue”.
Mr McQueen said: “Vendors will need to ensure that these introductions provide clear purpose to consumers, offering strong reasons for purchase, or else they run the risk of becoming low volume niche products.”
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CNN Business (2019-02-21)
"With 5G promising enhanced broadband speed connectivity and services, users will also be introduced to new, unique, and innovative ways to interact with their devices," said Daniel McQueen from ABI Research. "Immersive user experiences are expected to continue evolving and, under this new paradigm, smartphones will develop to become an extended part of a wider ecosystem through which many applications and services will be accessed."
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New York Magazine (2019-02-21)
“You could just have a dumb device with 5G connectivity,” says David McQueen, research director at ABI Research. “All the heavy-lifting computational power is done elsewhere, and you’re just basically walking around with a fairly cheap but connected product.”
“Many of these applications aren’t gonna pop up tomorrow. It’s gonna be over time. And this is true of every cellular generation,” says Emanual Kolta, a 5G research analyst at ABI Research. “The technical specs are always ahead of what the existing needs are. When we started to have 4G networks in 2010 and 2011, we didn’t know about Uber or Instagram or the rest. First we had the network, and then a lot of talented, smart people in Silicon Valley started to build applications based on these technologies.”
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The Tribune (2019-02-20)
David McQueen, research director at ABI Research, says Samsung now has a selection of prices and functions that “should appeal to a much wider range of consumers.”
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Bloomberg News (2019-01-25)
"Could this be third time lucky for Nokia in its bid to enter the North American smartphone market?" said David McQueen, Research Director at tech advisory firm, ABI Research. " It is no secret that Nokia has failed dismally in previous attempts to crack the North American market."
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TechRadar (2019-01-09)
Research suggests 5G might be silver bullet “For too long, major vendors have been lambasted for upgraded devices looking far too similar to their predecessors, with iteration rather than design innovation becoming the norm,” says David McQueen, Research Director at ABI Research.
“In fairness, it has become increasingly difficult for vendors to differentiate on features, with price being one of the very few competitive factors left, but new technology innovation and features are just around the corner to help arrest this decline.”
ABI Research believes 5G, along with flexible displays, will act as a catalyst for the market. 5G networks will offer faster mobile broadband speeds, but it is the new applications that will be enabled that has analysts excited.
Greater capacity and low-lantecy will make connections more reliable, helping usher in new user experiences in the fields of voice, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and biometrics.
The first 5G smartphones will arrive in the first half of 2019 and continue throughout 2020 – the year that Apple is expected to release its first compatible handset.
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The Daily Mail (2018-11-12)
Other analysts say the smartphone is not disappearing anytime soon, even if the market is pausing.
'The smartphone is not going away, but it might change its shape and form factor,' said David McQueen, an analyst on connected devices for ABI Research.
'The smartphone market still has legs for many years to come.'
Mr McQueen said in a recent report that the mobile industry is evolving to devices with more immersive touch-less experiences, fuelled by artificial intelligence, mixed reality and gesture control.
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CNN Business (2018-11-09)
David McQueen, research Director at tech advisory firm ABI Research, says the move to streamline large-scale productions to tablets makes sense.
"Tablets are gaining traction in many industries and businesses, from education and healthcare to lawyers and restaurants, so it is of no surprise that Broadway is also turning to them for ease of access to vast amounts of scripts and videos," he told CNN Business.
He emphasized how tablets enable real-time long-distance sharing in a relatively easy-to-use form factor has broad appeal.
"And of course, there are also the immediate benefits of reducing paper waste and literal storage space," he said. "Bye-bye, filing cabinets."
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CNN Business (2018-10-30)
Meanwhile, ABI Research director David McQueen said Apple's move to add higher-end specs to its products will help it accommodate future technological advances, like 5G. McQueen said he believes brand loyalty will push customers to pay the higher prices.
"Consumers are still happy to pay the price to have an Apple product having probably invested heavily already into the ecosystem," McQueen told CNN Business.
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BBC News (2018-10-18)
"My guess for the first smartphone launch - after the Motorola add-on - would be from either OnePlus or Sony," says ABI Research's Mr McQueen. And the largest vendors will take longest, he says.
Samsung, he suspects, will launch its first 5G smartphone "around August 2019 in its Note series", and Chinese manufacturer Huawei "sometime in mid-2019, possibly in its Mate rather than P series".
"[For Apple] we anticipate it will probably take another two generations, so probably 2020 earliest until 5G is seen in any of its iPhone devices," he says.
The researcher forecasts 5G smartphone sales will reach 15.8 million in 2019, rising to 77.5 million in 2020. While subscriptions "will ramp up quickly from 2020, reaching over 200 million by 2022".
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BBC News (2018-10-17)
"The battery life is massive but will that make up for the lack of [the social fitness network] Strava on there?" asked David McQueen, from the consultancy ABI.
"You can't even play music from it. It's quite a dumbed-down device.
"Perhaps people don't want a smartphone on their wrist with all the applications that involves - but you still need the key ones."
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