No New Windows Phone Models on Tap for Barcelona – Nokia It’s shaping up to be a rough Mobile World Congress for Microsoft, with little new expected on either the hardware or software front for Windows Phone – not necessarily that rough, the handsets could be lost in the noise. No new Windows Phone models would also be a sign that the licensing programme has failed and there isn’t a space for a third operating system. If that’s the case Microsoft will need to pivot its Windows Phone strategy from an operating system locus to an app and services locus – probably focused on the enterprise
Business
Private-Equity Funds Bet $5 Billion on Shipping Rebound – Bloomberg – and so betting on increased world trade / consumption
Big blues at IBM India | EE Times – part of 15,000 layoffs worldwide. If you want to know the why read Bob Cringely’s pieces on IBM
Consumer behaviour
My contemptible device – I had a similar journey with tablets to Anthony’s
Indian women adopt western clothes | WARC News – The market for western-style women’s wear could grow by as much as 50% in India, representatives from the domestic clothing industry have suggested
Culture
Fear of a White Genre – concerns that white people will destroy hip-hop
Design
Ikea Couches With Added Bling Boost Furniture Startups – Bloomberg
Economics
China and Schumpeter’s “Creative Destruction” | BloombergBusinessWeek
China denies export data was inflated – The Ministry of Commerce has dismissed speculation that China’s suprisingly strong export data in January was inflated. Exports jumped 10.6 percent year on year — more than double the 4.3 percent growth in December
Finance
Investors are losing interest in complex tax-avoidance structures | Quartz
FMCG
Birds Eye launches Mashtags potato shapes – as if you needed to see more evidence that social media is now a hygiene factor
When nicotine tastes like candy and is sold online, of course kids will buy it | Quartz – Electronic cigarettes are a good alternative for those unable to cut out nicotine, but fears are mounting that they could also represent a gateway vice for kids who might never have smoked in the first place
Hong Kong
Extravagant events ‘not enough’ to keep the Hong Kong showbiz industry’s star shining – A decade of government extravagance in promoting show business has done little to sustain the local entertainment scene, which may benefit more from long-term policies instead, industry veterans say. (paywall)
Ideas
Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling | Co.Create – burn these into the PR programme
Japan
Abe put Japan on back foot in global PR war with China | The Japan Times
Innovation
Design Engineers Take On Component Police | EE Times
Depth-Sensing Image Sensor Array Touted for Smartphones | EE Times – could open whole new contactless ways of interacting with the smartphone
Legal
Samsung is very sensitive about being called a copycat – After getting thumped by Apple for alleged patent infringement, Samsung has become more determined than ever to shed its copycat image. That’s why Samsung has now filed a countersuit against British manufacturer Dyson for allegedly “hurting Samsung’s corporate image” – I guess the truth hurts, as a PR strategy this is sure to bite Samsung on the arse
Luxury
Diversification Key to the Future of LVMH | Euromonitor
Marketing
Emerging Markets Hold the Key for Further Success in Toys and Games – Euromonitor International
Behaviour Change Strategy Cards – interesting ideas for campaigns
The New Facebook Engagement Models by The Marketing Arm – (PDF) via Digital Orange
Media
TV still king in UK | WARC News – The vast majority (98.5%) of British TV viewers continue to prefer watching programmes via a TV set even though the proportion using non-TV set devices increased slightly in 2013
Meet The Woman Behind One Of Facebook’s Fastest-Growing And Most Lucrative New Businesses | BuzzFeed
Retailing
Retail trends to watch in SEA | TelecomAsia
Software
Android Contract Raises Questions | EE Times – not terribly surprised by this, explains the commoditisation of the handset market quite eloquently though
Google wants to do away with Android fragmentation once and for all | BGR – it really needs to sort out hardware manufacturer relations in China which are abysmal
Web of no web
Google Glass Will Be a Huge Success—Unless People Find It Creepy | MIT Technology Review – kind of the reverse of William Gibson‘s quote about ‘street finding it’s own use for things‘
UK mobile ops Weve loyalty into a Pouch – using iBeacon protocol
Dissecting Disney’s MagicBand | EE Times – passive short range RFID and active longer range RFID with built in battery and transmitter
Wireless
No proof of cancer risk from mobiles: study – An 11-year medical study has found no link between mobile use or proximity to base stations and and increased cancer risk
EU puts number of non-roamers at 300 million
Gee, We Meant Superfast Wireless – Bloomberg – EE brand fail, their network is pretty pants as well