Amazon Reportedly In Talks to Use Department Stores as Distribution Hubs
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Amazon Reportedly In Talks to Use Department Stores as Distribution Hubs | |
| Number | 1201 |
| Broadcast Date | AUGUST 10, 2020 |
| Episode Length | 5:10 |
| Hosts | Rich Stroffolino |
Amazon is reportedly in talks to turn closed Sears and JCPenney stores into distribution hubs, Ming-Chi Kuo analyzes the impact of a WeChat ban on iPhone shipments, and E Ink Corporation shows off a foldable e-reader.
Headlines
- The Wall Street Journal reports that, according to sources, Simon Group, the largest mall owner in the US, is in talks with Amazon to turn empty department store locations into Amazon distribution hubs. Talks have focused on former locations of JC Penney and Sears department stores, both of which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It's unclear how many stores are under consideration, but Simon Group malls had 74 locations from the two companies as of public filings in May.
- Kuo: Global iPhone Shipments Could Decline Up to 30% If Apple Forced to Remove WeChat From App Store
- A new note from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo looks at the potential impact of President Trump's executive order banning WeChat transactions in the US on iPhone sales. The note looks at the impact if WeChat is removed from the App Store in the US, or if the ban would require removing the app globally. In the case of a removal from the US store, Kuo predicts iPhone shipments declining 3-6%. If removed globally, Kuo sees iPhone shipments declining 25-30%, with shipments of other Apple proucts like Macs, iPads, and Apple Watch declining 15-25%. In Apple's latest earnings report, Greater China accounted for roughly 15% of Apple's quarterly revenue.
- According to a memo sent to ad agencies, TikTok will continue to honor planned ad campaigns, but will refund any that it can't fullfill, as a result of the executive order that bans transactions with the company in the US after September 15th. The memo also said TikTok will work with major influencers to migrate to other platforms in the event the ban becomes effective. Prior to the executive order, TikTok had forecast $1 billion in revenue for 2020.
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Twitter held preliminary talks with TikTok about potentially merging with TikTok's US operations. Sources say Microsoft is still considered the frontrunner in a potential TikTok acquisition, but that Twitter believes its smaller size would be less likely to face antitrust scrutiny. Given Twitter's $29 billion market cap, it is unclear how Twitter would finance a potential deal.
- According to Huawei's consumer business president Richard Yu, the company will stop production of it's Arm-based Kirin chips on September 15th, as contractors that make the chips require US manufacturing technology. Yu said Huawei lacks the ability to make its own chips and that the company's smartphone production has "“no chips and no supply.” Last year that US Department of Commerce placed Huawei on its "entity list" requiring a license to export to the company. In May, the Commerce Department amended its rules to extend this to include the sale of semiconductors made abroad with U.S. technology. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Qualcomm is currently lobbying the Commerce Department for a license to sell advanced components to Huawei, arguing that a export ban would strengthen overseas competitors like MediaTek and Samsung.
- Twitter told the Verge it accidentally pushed incorrect release notes to an update of its iOS app Thursday which said the ability to control replies to tweets was being added. It's not. It's still being tested. If you have the ability to limit who replies to a Tweet you're in t he test but if you don't have it don't expect to get it after all.
- Google announced new developer tools for Android TV. The platform now supports Google Play Instant, which lets users launch an app without a full install, and has been available on Android since May 2018. The Android TV emulator will also get Play Store support, purchases on Android TV can now be made with a pin code rather than a user's full password, and the previous A-Z keyboard is being replaced with GBoard TV which includes speech-to-text and predictive typing. Google also announced that Android TV monthly active devices were up 80% on the year, although it did not provide specific numbers.
- Two years ago, Microsoft divided the Windows team with the core development going to the cloud and AI team aka Azure and the front end in a team that is now under under Panos Panay. Microsoft is now moving the fundamentals and developer experience team back under Panay. Windows core engineering will stay with Azure. Panay says his team will focus on growing the Surface business among other things.
- Since the Paramount Consent Decree of 1948, the big 5 movie studios of the time haven't owned theaters and have been limited in something called block booking which lets a studio force a theater to take a smaller movie in order to get a more desirable blockbuster. Friday, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres found “…that termination of the Decrees is in the public interest.” Not all studios were subject to the decree, Lionsgate and Disney were nt part fo the Big 5 for instance and didn't have to comply. But now any studio is free to buy a theater. However they are more likely to take advantage of the end of restrictions against block booking which will end after a two year sunset period.
- E Ink corporation published a video showing a prototype foldable e-reader device. This builds on a previous prototype showed off earlier this year, with a sturdier hinge, dedicated hardware buttons, lightbars on the top and botton, and support for notetaking with a Wacom stylus. It's unclear if the technology is ready for E Ink Corporation to license to OEMs for production.
Links
| Preceded by: "Week in Review for the Week of 8/3/20" |
Amazon Reportedly In Talks to Use Department Stores as Distribution Hubs |
Followed by: "Google Creating Android-Powered Global Earthquake Alert System" |