joint venture
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Orange and T-Mobile UK merger approved by EU, forms 29.5 million customer juggernaut
The European Commission has decided it doesn't mind the crass splicing of pink (okay, magenta) and orange, and has therefore provided its tastefully hued green light to the UK merger of the two mobile operators. Once the transaction is completed this Spring, we'll still be looking at two delineated entities on the consumer market, but there'll be one back office and one consolidated network servicing the two brands. That'll remain the case for at least the next 18 months, when the joint venture between Deutsche Telecom and France Telecom, the respective parent companies of T-Mobile and Orange, will likely complete the process by rebranding itself into one entity. The press announcement is littered with vague references to synergy leveraging and value generation, but those all-important questions as to what the new operator will eventually be called and what colors it will sport are left unanswered. All that really matters for now is that the UK has a new market share leader and the mobile space became that little bit less competitive. [Thanks, Mitchel]
Major media giants to form joint venture for digital future, says WSJ
News Corp, Time Inc., Condé Nast Publications Inc., Hearst Corp., and Meredith Corp. If this Wall Street Journal report is to be believed here, these five major media firms are preparing to announce a new joint venture tomorrow to "prepare print publications for a new generation of electronic readers and other digital devices." Details are a bit sketchy here, and what makes it more interesting / confounding is that many of these companies already have or have showcased separate initiatives, such as Hearst's Skiff and tablet demos from both Time and Condé Nast. We'll be eager to find out if there are any devices the group rallies behind (or even produces itself), but one thing's for sure: good old Rupert Murdoch will have something fun to say on the matter.
Vodafone thinking long and hard about its Verizon stake
Though Verizon Wireless and corporate half-parent Vodafone are finally getting close to achieving technological synergy now that both are moving to LTE for their next-gen networks -- and contrary to recent statements -- rhetoric is heating up that suggests the marriage may not last forever. Speaking at an investor's get-together this week, Voda CEO Vittorio Colao said that "the board continues to look at" the company's investment in the joint venture with Verizon -- which we take as executive-speak for "everything's for sale for the right price." The popular rumor is that Vodafone's bummed about Verizon's failure to pay dividends for the past four years, which effectively means that Big Red isn't actively contributing to the wireless giant's bottom line. Verizon's made no secret of the fact that it'd love to own the joint venture outright, so come on, guys... Verizon's got money, Voda's got the goods, let's sit down at that oaken conference table on the 45th floor and work this out.
NEC, Casio, and Hitachi forming mobile joint venture next year
It took a little longer than anyone had thought, but that rumored three-way deal involving NEC, Casio, and Hitachi in Japan to create a superpower mobile joint venture is now official. Two of the three -- Casio and Hitachi -- have already had their mobile units united in holy matrimony since 2004, so NEC is the new kid on the block joining in the fun to help spread out R&D costs a bit further, achieve even more spectacular scales of economy on component orders, and pull sophomoric pranks on Fujitsu to score popularity points with the cool companies. The deal's expected to close in April of next year, at which point the combined venture will be the second-largest in Japan behind Sharp and the idea of NEC bringing devices to the States won't seem that far-fetched -- Casio Hitachi already does through Verizon, after all.
T-Mobile UK and Orange to merge, still clash
Step aside O2 and Vodafone, there's a new sheriff in town. At least there will be if the announced 50:50 merger between T-Mobile UK and Orange can be signed into existence by November as planned. The new venture would give France Telecom and Deutsch Telekom units a 37% share of the UK mobile marketplace leaving O2 with 27% and the once mighty Vodafone with 25%. Let's hope that the corporate cultures mix better than orange and magenta.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
NEC rumored to want in on Casio Hitachi joint venture
The big rumor out of Japan today has NEC locked in heated negotiations with existing joint venture Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications to add itself into the mix -- a JV that's currently a 51 / 49 percent ownership split between Casio and Hitachi, respectively -- with NEC wanting to pick up a total of 50 percent of the combined operation. Japan's one of the more competitive, low-margin mobile markets in the world (just ask Mitsubishi) so it makes sense that a lot of these guys would be looking to consolidate and work on their sourcing scales of economy; if it happens, the rumor has the deal targeted for an April 2010 close that would make the combined operation the second-largest in the market at 20 percent share behind Sharp at 23 percent. Does this mean they'll be more friendly toward the crazy idea of wide-scale North American launches, by chance? Please? [Via MobileCrunch]
On again / off again Sony & Sharp LCD plant is still on, just delayed
It seems that the details of Sony and Sharp's LCD joint venture are still being worked out, but, by the end of the month Sony is expected to agree on investing around $1 billion to take a 34% share in the plant by next spring, though Sharp will be operating it on its own beginning in October. In case the 10-figure investment hadn't tipped you off, the first 10G plan is kind of like a big deal, which will certainly lead to plenty of progressively cheaper and larger flat screens headed our way in the coming years, whether they'll have the picture quality to satisfy vs. plasma is another question.[Via Reuters]
Pioneer & Sharp Blu-ray joint venture officially official
Pioneer and Sharp have officially finalized their deal to combine Blu-ray operations, completing the joint venture planned since Pioneer began navigating its way out of several businesses including its Kuro plasma HDTVs. The official PDF has all the details, but the salient points are that Pioneer will have 66% ownership and 3 of 5 seats on the board of the 450-employee joint venture, ready to start up on schedule October 1, for the development, design, manufacture and sale of optical disc products, primarily Blu-ray.
Hilco / Gordon Brothers acquires Polaroid brand, assets and dignity
After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (again) in December of last year, Polaroid may have just made its last shakeable memory. Today, the Federal Bankruptcy court for the district of Minnesota has approved a motion for "substantially all the assets of Polaroid, including the Polaroid brand, intellectual property, inventory and other assets," to be acquired by Hilco Consumer Capital and Gordon Brothers Brands. If those names sound familiar, have a cookie on us. You see, this very same joint venture picked up The Sharper Image around this time last year, and while it's still unclear what these suits plan to do with the 72 year-old name, we are told that it doesn't plan on shelving it anytime soon. In fact, it's hoping to "partner with a number of global institutions in the ongoing development of the Polaroid brand." Personally, we would've used "revival" rather than "development," but we'll refrain from bursting any bubbles here.
Telenor and Tele2 agree to split LTE buildout costs in Sweden
Network buildouts our expensive, and virtually every carrier in the world is staring down the barrel of a potentially multibillion-dollar LTE or WiMAX upgrade over the coming years. How do you soften the blow? One option is to make a strange bedfellow or two, and that's exactly what Telenor and Tele2 have done in Sweden. The rival carriers have agreed to form a joint venture to share the cost of crafting a new LTE network from the ground up and sharing spectrum in the 900 and 2600MHz bands, kicking off this year with the goal of offering service in 2010. From the customer's perspective, it seems like this could ultimately limit competition and healthy price pressure in the marketplace -- but if the alternative is waiting a few more years for these pricey networks to get off the ground, we suppose we'll take it. [Via GigaOM]
Pioneer, Sharp agree to joint Blu-ray venture
As mentioned during Pioneer's reorganization, it's combining forces in the optical disc biz with Sharp, and have signed a basic agreement to start combined operations October 1. The aim is to strengthen the joint venture's stance in the Blu-ray market, but what exactly this means for Pioneer's Elite line of players is unknown. Negotiations are still underway and we should likely hear more by the time a final agreement is reached, anticipated by June 25. [Warning: PDF read link]
Toshiba to buy Panasonic's shares in LCD joint venture
Around seven years after it was originally established, Toshiba has decided it best to stop waiting for Panasonic's input on decisions regarding Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Company. If all goes to plan, Toshiba -- which currently owns a 60 percent stake in the joint venture -- will buy out Panasonic's 40 percent stake on April 28th. For those unaware, the venture was responsible for developing, manufacturing and selling LCDs and OLEDs, most of which were classified as "small to medium-sized." After the share transfer is finalized, TMD will change its name to Toshiba Mobile Display Company, and according to the jointly-issued release, it'll allow Tosh to "further accelerate decision-making and promote comprehensive restructuring of TMD's business." The consumer takeaway here? "Looking to the future, TMD aims to establish OLEDs as an engine for growth and to enhance its display business in the medium- to long-term." Boom.[Via Wall Street Journal]
Sharp Display Products emerges from Sharp / Sony joint venture
It's been just over a year since we first heard that your next Sony LCD TV may actually be a Sharp, and while the joint venture has been flipped on and off again during the past 13 months, it seems that the stars are finally aligning in order to make this thing happen. Sharp is preparing a unit that will be launched on April 1st in order to act as "a base to be transformed into the joint venture." The unit will be christened Sharp Display Products Corporation, with Sharp owning 66 percent (and thus, the namesake) and Sony taking the remaining 34 percent. The two currently plan to start up production of LCD panels by March of 2010, which gives Sharp a solid dozen months to construct the facility in Sakai, Japan. Better hurry, folks -- it's not like OLED is breathing down your neck or anything.
Ericsson reaffirms commitment to Sony Ericsson joint venture
Given the current state of Sony Ericsson, we completely understand the re-heating of rumors regarding a nasty breakup. That said, a new report from Dow Jones confirms that Ericsson (at least) has "has no plans to abandon its joint venture Sony Ericsson," with spokesperson Minako Nakatsuma Olofzon stating that "[Ericsson is] committed to the joint venture; it hasn't changed its view on that." Of course, the report makes no mention of Sony's take on all of this, but at least one half of the equation is still in it for the long haul. Publicly, anyway.[Via mocoNews]
Hutchison and Vodafone to merge in Australia, become VHA
So, how does one successfully snatch away market share from Telstra and Optus? If you're Hutchison or Vodafone, you merge! Announced today, two of Australia's smaller operators have decided that an equal joint venture would be the best approach to moving on up, and while they aren't suggesting that the current economic conditions influenced the decision, many analysts are suggesting that the tie-up could help the newly formed VHA fend off adverse effects from slowed spending on mobile communications. Once together, the combined group will have a local market share of around 26 percent, and Hutchison Australia's current chief executive, Nigel Dews, has been chosen to lead the new venture. Under the agreement, VHA will market its products and services under the Vodafone brand, though it will retain exclusive rights to Hutchison's "3" brand in The Land Down Under.[Via MobileBurn]
Vodafone's Vittorio Colao dreams up "unbeatable" alliance around LTE
And here we go again -- new CEO, same message. Just under a year after ex-chief Arun Sarin urged the industry to rally around LTE, the new bigwig (that's Mr. Vittorio Colao to you) is coming forward with even zanier ideas. In a recent interview with Financial Times, Colao asserted that collaboration between China Mobile, Vodafone and Verizon Wireless around LTE could create an "unbeatable" alliance. More specifically, he noted that the trio could "work more closely... in the management of customers, procurement and service creation," which in some courtrooms may be misconstrued as collusion. All kidding aside (maybe), this master plan makes more sense when you realize that Vodafone owns a 3.2 percent stake in China Mobile and is already involved in VZW via a joint venture. Still, just because Microsoft and Apple could join forces to create an unbeatable operating system factory doesn't mean that laws would allow it.[Via mocoNews]
Sharp and Sony delay LCD joint venture, not that it matters
The global economic downturn and rising Yen have claimed another victim: the LCD partnership between Sony and Sharp. The joint venture to make and sell large LCD panels has now been pushed to March 2010 -- the same date that Sharp's new LCD factory in Sakai is still scheduled to open. So one way or another you'll be able to snag the next generation Sharp- or Sony-branded LCD television assuming, a) the companies survive, and b) you still have a job. What, too pessimistic?
GE lets loose premium details about premium HDTV line
When we heard last September that General Electric was aiming to enter the "premium" HDTV market, we all had a brief laugh and continued on about our day. Apparently, our doubts are completely unfounded. According to an interview with numerous GE executives tied in with the initiative, the GE-branded sets will be serious contenders. In fact, bigwigs are hoping to make their sets "a top-tier brand that rivals the likes of Sony, Samsung, and Sharp." The secret sauce is the differentiation, as GE is looking to stuff internet connectivity, wireless audio and many other "advanced features" onto its sets in order to show up rivals. Among the early prototypes shown at CES earlier this month was a 46-inch HDTV with a GLT edgelight that utilized white Luminus LEDs and GLT's lightguide blades. It's also looking to expand into wireless video boxes with 1080i support, which means the sky really could be the limit here. Obviously, we're keeping our skeptic hats on until a commercial device hits the market, but you can definitely color us intrigued.[Image courtesy of DecoRadios]
General Electric partners with Tatung for "premium" GE-branded HDTVs
Who says there are too many players in the HDTV realm? With current mainstays partnering up like it's going out of style, we've found two firms that see something no one else does. General Electric has just announced a joint venture with Taiwan-based Tatung in which the pair plans on making two million HDTVs annually when production gets going in 2009. The two hope to capture at least 5% to 10% of the global TV market in due time, and according to Peter Weedfald, president of North America and global chief marketing officer for the JV, the resulting product will be a "premium brand" that will be "very competitive with current leadership brands." We'll be interested to see what all becomes of this, and hopefully we'll have some prototypes to gawk at come CES / IFA / CEDIA 2009.[Image courtesy of VintageTVSets]
LG, Amtran hook up on LCD joint venture to go live in 2009
LG and Amtran, the manufacturer behind Vizio HDTVs, put pen to paper today on a LCD joint venture in China. Amtran will own 49 percent of the new company and set it up on its existing production base in China, with LG holding the other 51 percent. According to Reuters the plant should be up and running early next year pumping out 5 million LCD TVs a year, but that hasn't improved investor reaction, with shares in both companies falling again. As usual, keep an eye out for quality and not just a nameplate, those Insignia / Vizio / LG on the shelf next year could have a lot more in common than you think.
