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Samsung projects record high profit for Q3 2018
Samsung had a less-than-stellar second quarter after the Galaxy S9 failed to keep its profit growth on pace, but the third quarter marks a return to form for the Korean tech giant. In fact, it expects to post record profits for Q3 2018. In its guidance report, the company said it estimates its consolidated operating profit to reach 17.5 trillion Korean won (US$15.5 billion) and its consolidated sales to reach 65 trillion won (US$57.5 billion). That's around 20 percent more than the 14.53 trillion Korean won profit it posted for the second quarter and could be a record high for the corporation.
Tiny house uses light to put you in the middle of a thunderstorm
Standing in a greenhouse and listening to the rain thunder against the roof can be strangely relaxing and therapeutic. Now, imagine if the same experience was recreated artificially. For the Triennale Der Photographie exhibition in Hamburg, designer Leigh Sachwitz has constructed a miniature house covered with semi-transparent projection screens. Once you step inside and turn off the hanging bulb, a series of projectors spring to life and batter you with heavy weather, including tornadoes and tropical thunderstorms. The dynamic sounds are recreated with speakers, but it's the projectors -- four on the inside, with another two cutting through a haze machine on the outside -- that really bring the installation to life. Circles quickly appear and disappear to recreate raindrops, while streaks of diagonal light imitate heavier downpours. It's not a particularly accurate art piece, but in terms of capturing atmosphere and mood, "INSIDE OUT" feels pretty spot on.
Activision rakes in $753 million in revenue for Q3 [Update]
Activision reported $753 million in net revenue for the third quarter (ending September 30), a nine percent increase over the publisher's $691 million in revenue recorded for the same period last year. A record 67 percent of the company's revenue came from digital channels, according to Activision's Q3 2014 financial report. The company also reported a $23 million net loss, a sizable drop from its $56 million in income reported in the same quarter last year. Looking ahead, Activision raised its full-year projections by 2 percent thanks to the positive Q3 results. It now expects to earn $4.325 billion in net revenue in 2014, $1.492 billion of which is expected in the next quarter. Besides the continued sales of its hit MMO-meets-shooter, Destiny, Activision will report sales in Q4 for another FPS that just arrived this week, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The publisher's popular mobile CCG Hearthstone will land on iPhone and Android phones early next year and Android tablets by the end of this year, having already reached 20 million downloads in September. Update: Activision also noted that Destiny reached 9.5 million registered players in its report. The publisher clarified to Engadget that "registered users" "refers to unique PlayStation Network / Xbox Live accounts, while multiple characters per account are not factored in." [Image: Activision]
Report: Sony to ship 200K PS4s to China by December
Sony plans on bringing 200,000 PS4 systems to China by December, Bloomberg reports. The number comes from a filing on the Chinese (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone website, which reportedly notes that Sony intends on shipping that many consoles to the region on an annual basis. Sony Computer Entertainment spokesman Masaki Tsukakoshi confirmed the report with Bloomberg and noted that the actual PS4 production amounts may vary. This follows news of Microsoft's relative success in China, as it reportedly sold 100,000 Xbox One consoles in its introductory week. Microsoft is the first to bring an official foreign console to China in 14 years since the government lifted its console ban in January. China issued a new set of rules for foreign video game and console sales in April, one of which requires that companies work with a China-based partner. Sony paired with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group in May to bring the PS4 to the country. [Image: Sony]
Nintendo posts $229M loss, Wii U estimates down by 60 percent
Nintendo fell slightly short of the reduced financial projections it set in January, with the Wii U reaching 2.72 million shipments for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014. However, the system remains way off Nintendo's initial projection of 9 million, so it's no surprise to see more conservative estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015 of 3.6 million units. That's 60 percent less than Nintendo originally projected for the previous year. Total Wii U shipments are now up to 6.17 million, nearly a year and a half after the console launched. On the software side, Nintendo revealed figures of 32.28 million units to date, with New Super Mario Bros. U (4.16 million), Nintendo Land (3.09 million) and Super Mario 3D World (2.17 million) leading the way.
Iwata: Nintendo 'thinking about a new business structure' following weak console sales
With Nintendo having to slash its forecasts following weak Wii U sales comes the contemplation of new business strategies. While not announcing any definitive changes in the company's direction, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata admitted at a press conference today in Osaka, Japan that the company is "thinking about a new business structure," Bloomberg reports. "Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business," Iwata said. "It's not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone." Nintendo took its 3DS projections for the fiscal year down from 18 million to 13.5 million. However, the bigger hit came with decreased projections for its home console, taking the Wii U down from 9 million to 2.8 million for the year. "We cannot continue a business without winning," Iwata added. "We must take a skeptical approach whether we can still simply make game players, offer them in the same way as in the past for 20,000 yen or 30,000 yen, and sell titles for a couple of thousand yen each."
Huawei has lost interest in US market for its network gear after inquiries
In recent months scrutiny has intensified over the involvement of Chinese companies in US networking infrastructure, and as a result Huawei announced it's through trying to crack the market. Financial Times quotes VP Eric Xu saying that it is "not interested in the US market anymore" after years of efforts to count US operators among its customers. Ranked as the world's #2 telecom equipment maker, it's now recalibrating sales expectations for the next few years down to $10 billion by 2017 from the $15 billion it projected in more optimistic times. Reuters reports Xu didn't answer questions about any expansion of its handset business, so while Europe may be looking forward to new phones, we doubt the A199 is coming over here.
Nintendo aims to flog 18 million 3DS, up to 10.5 million home consoles this fiscal year
All eyes are on Nintendo, now that it has revealed losses of $460 million. Buried in all of the financial paperwork were the revelations that it sells the 3DS at a loss, its plans for digital distribution and its projected sales figures for this year. It aims to flog 18.5 million 3DS handhelds and 10.5 million Wii consoles by March 31st 2013. But wait, what about the Wii U? That figure actually encompasses both old and new hardware, so it is either hoping for a sharp fall in Wii sales or a tough opening for the new baby. It's a bold pair of figures that relies upon how well New Super Mario Bros 2, Animal Crossing and the new hardware capture the public's imagination in a time when people are tightening their belts (especially if they've been using Wii Fit).
Nintendo posts first annual loss of $460 million, predicts turnaround next year
Nintendo has announced its first annual operating loss following an initially lukewarm response to its new 3DS handheld and an aging Wii console -- set to be replaced later this year. Nintendo made an operating loss of 37.3 billion yen ($459.54 million) from 2011 to 2012, but intends to spin it around to a 35 billion yen operating profit in the forthcoming year. Net sales dropped by 36.2 percent compared to 2010-2011 , despite price cuts on its existing hardware like the 3DS and Wii. The Japanese games manufacturer has also seen increased competition from new rivals on Apple and Android hardware, as mobile gaming continues to go from strength to strength. Nintendo also laid some of the blame at the feet of the weakened yen, but expects the incoming Wii U, cheaper 3DS production and incoming titles like New Super Mario Bros. 2, Brain Training and Animal Crossing will all help turn its fortunes around. Nintendo intends to stop selling the 3DS "below cost" (that is; at a reduced manufacturing cost) by the middle of the next financial year, after strong sales from the substantial price cut last year. The company sold 13.53 million 3DS devices and 36 million 3DS games, compared to 80.2 million on the original DS. The original DS still managed to sell 5.1 million units in the last year. Nintendo's main console, the Wii, sold 9.84 million units in the last year, with 102.37 million games sold.
Namco Bandai profits up in Q3 2012, as are year-end projections
Namco Bandai's financial statement for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 has been released, and while the report contains a lot of tables and numbers and figures, it actually has very few pictures, which was a problem for our exceedingly limited attention spans. We did our best, though, and after concentrating really hard and taking our Adult ADD medication, we were able to produce actual, honest-to-goodness business information.For instance! For the 9 month period ending on December 31, 2011, Namco Bandai reports a net income (which is the amount of earned money left over after all operating expenses and taxes) of ¥16.3 billion, or about $210 million, which is a 34.3 percent increase over the same period last year.The company predicts an additional ¥2.19 billion ($28.3 million) in net income over the course of Q4, (which runs from January 1 to March 31, 2012), wrapping up fiscal 2012 to the tune of ¥18.5 billion ($238.4 million) in net profit over the course of the fiscal year. Provided these predictions stand the test of time, Namco Bandai's performance in fiscal 2012 will be a 90 percent increase over its performance in fiscal 2011.Whew! Now if you'll excuse us, we have cat videos to watch.
Nintendo Q3 profits down 46 percent, slashes console sales projections
Call it an unfortunate coincidence but Nintendo just announced its quarterly numbers only minutes after Sony announced its new quad-core Cortex-A9 pumping PSP (codenamed NGP) and new PlayStation Suite for gaming on Android tablets and cellphones. So what's the damage? Well, to start with, Nintendo's Q3 (October to December) operating profits were down 46 percent (104.6 billion yen ($1.3 billion) compared with 192.3 billion last year) on account of weaker Wii and DS sales coupled with a continued strong yen. The house of Mario also slashed its annual sales expectations projecting 16 million Wii consoles (down from 17.5 million units) and 22.5 million DS handhelds (down from 23.5 million) sold through March. It wasn't all bad news though as Ninty maintained its annual operating profit forecast of 210 billion yen assisted by a projected 25% increase in Wii software shipments. Mind you, that's not chump change, but gone are the days of the Wii / DS one-two knockout punch on the competition. And with a full quarter to go before the 3DS is launched globally, we're not expecting any improvement to the bottom line until the next fiscal year.
When it comes to forecasting Apple's earnings, amateurs are better than the pros
The Challenge: predict seven key metrics of Apple's fiscal success over the past quarter -- such as sales numbers, profit margins, and gross revenue -- with the highest accuracy. The Competitors: In the blue corner, a bunch of amateur finance bloggers, and in the red corner, a cabal of professional analysts making mad dough at banks and trading houses. The Conclusion: whatever you're paying for your "expert" advice on the future financial wellbeing of Apple, or any other tech stock for that matter, stop. Just... stop.
Tron: Legacy gets its very own interactive halfpipe (video)
Look, y'all know that Tron: Legacy comes out in just a few painful hours. You've probably seen those Daft Punk headphones, a blue-glowy Razer mouse, and the obligatory armchair, among other insane promotional items. But those earthly objects definitely weren't enough to fulfill the geeky capacity of the branding opportunities that such a cinematic event -- nay, spectacle -- creates. Melbourne-based interactive design company Eness went ahead and built an interactive projection-mapped skate ramp to commemorate the premiere. The Aussies who got to shred in this thing created and destroyed light trails, exploded through galaxies of color and shapes piped straight from the Grid, and had their airtime measured in real time and projected onto the ramp. It's not quite a real-life light cycle battle, but we'll take it. Must-see video after the jump.
In-Stat sees Blu-ray players closing in on DVD sales in 2013
While Futuresource may still be sticking to its 2012 predictions of Blu-ray software dominance, In-Stat has taken a break from the tea leaves to mention it expects Blu-ray player sales to near 80 million by 2013. In its vision of the near-future that's not enough to overtake DVD player sales of 90 million, but with a higher average selling price Blu-ray players will own most of the dollars being spent. Naturally, Blu-ray recorders (and, we'd expect Blu-ray/VHS combos) are most popular in Japan, while Europe produces the most revenue for players. We're not ready to lay down $3,495 to find out more detailed forecasts, but we'll put a pin in the calendar and ask Jeremy Toeman to save the date for our 2013 podcast about whether or not Blu-ray sales have lived up to expectations.
LCD sales expectations raised for the rest of '09
Same old same old, despite the screams of plasma fans, LCD sales are expected to reach higher than ever this year, as DisplaySearch has raised its estimate to 127 million units worldwide in 2009. Total TV sales are expected to drop, as well as those of plasmas, but even in the liquid crystal world all isn't pretty. As a result of the ongoing price war, even with higher sales manufacturers are raking in less cash, with revenue projected to be down as much as 6 percent. We doubt that will result in the long predicted LCD price spike, but we do have to wonder how much lower we'llssee sales go later this year around usual bargain hunting times like Black Friday, there may not be much room left.
Analyst Roundup: Bullish on the iPhone
UBS analyst Maynard Um says that Apple could sell 7 million iPhones in the first quarter of the year if they sell a low-cost, 4GB model, according to Electronista. Citing "checks" with industry partners, Um claims a 4GB model is in the works, though it's unclear if it will be a regular iPhone at a lower price point, or a smaller iPhone nano device rumored to be in development. While it may cannibalize sales from the current low-end 8GB model, a significantly lower price could add 1.5 million more sales for the quarter. Generator Research's Andrew Sheehy goes even further, projecting that Apple could sell 77 million iPhones by 2013, according to Philip Elmer-DeWitt. Sheehy has three reasons why Apple will dominate the smartphone business: Apple's ability to combine hardware and software, making it easy for users to consume The App Store's vertical platform model leads the market so far Smartphones are the only kind of phone that Apple makes, unlike other handset manufacturers like Nokia. Sheehy says that, among other recommendations, Apple must broaden its offering to include higher- and lower-end units, including tablets and entry-level smartphones: All with access to the App Store. He also says that Apple will capitalize on the paralysis brought on by a weak global economy, and use its cash to get "one or two design cycles ahead of the competition." "When rivals start spending again, they may discover that Apple has built an unassailable lead," Sheehy writes.
Wii Fit set to outpace Grand Theft Auto IV -- gamer geeks weep, gnash teeth
Unafraid to incite elitist gamer geek unrest, respected video game industry analyst Michael Pachter has supported a prediction by GigaOM that Wii Fit will outsell Grand Theft Auto IV this year. Yeah, you read right: the latest entry into what is arguably the biggest hardcore video game franchise around is gonna get whooped by an exercise tool -- we're not shocked, we're just laughing. GTA4 was dominating at first, but with time interest has waned while Wii Fit and its included Balance Board peripheral have stayed hot despite supply shortages. Nintendo's hardware-focused strategy seems to be working; the Balance Board install base is approaching 12 million, or roughly 30% of all Wii owners. You can bet it'll be put to good use in future games and other, less mainstream applications even after folks have given up on losing weight and resigned themselves once more to lifelong loneliness.
Warhammer Online director expects three million subscribers
Warhammer Online Creative Director Paul Barnett said in an interview that he's (literally) betting that WAR will achieve one million subscribers within a year and three million at its peak. Apparently there's an office betting pool at Mythic about this subject. If Barnett's right, he stands to win ... wait for it ... $26. Wow. Enjoy your large pizza, man!It's an ambitious bet. Even Barnett himself described it as "bullish." Time will tell if another word -- similar to that one but with a relocated "i" and an added "t" -- will be more appropriate. If all 1.5 million shipped retail boxes sell and there's close to 100% player retention after the first month (that last bit is very unlikely), the game will quickly be halfway to the end goal. But we know from past experience that significant attrition can be a problem.The interview is full of other cocky statements, about World of Warcraft and other topics. If you're interested, grab yourself a grain of salt and start reading!
Multiverse co-founder describes new virtual world order
Multiverse's Corey Bridges spoke at the SXSW conference about the effects digital distribution and the democratization of advanced development tools will have on the industries of gaming, social networks, and virtual worlds.Gamasutra put together a great summary of the talk. The thesis: just as they are stripping the entrenched establishments of the music and film industries of much of their oligarchical power, new technologies will transform online gaming and virtual worlds. According to Bridges, virtual worlds are just getting started. "WoW is not a fad," he said, "it's a harbinger." Furthermore, the virtual worlds will be in the hands of indies, not the major conglomerates, and they'll be synergized with social networks.Bridges also touched on the notion of a more splintered industry made up of smaller projects catering to lots of niche tastes, as opposed to the huge Hollywood-budget productions we see today. A while back someone said that it would take at least a $1 billion super project to take on World of Warcraft. But maybe, as it was with the Roman Empire, the wolves at Blizzard's gate will be countless smaller tribes made up of the so-called unwashed hordes.
Did Warner cut its high-def DVD projections enough?
Warner Home Video recently recalculated its expectations for customer spending on Blu-ray and HD DVD combined in 2006, mostly due to delays in bringing new Blu-ray players to market. Even after that, this Motley Fool writer isn't sure that the new numbers are accurate either. He states that Warner's projections still put high definition DVD hardware and software on the highest sales pace ever a consumer electronics platform, outpacing the original DVDs. With a format war and so many technical complications, he prefers Disney's slower wait-and-see approach to Warner spending a lot of money hitting both platforms from the start with high profile titles and interactive features. That's probably not the same opinion many of us have about the next-gen DVD rollout, but if you weren't sure why some companies are taking a slower approach to it gives a bit of insight into their way of thinking.
