Apple iPhone 3G: faster... cheaper... slimmer margins

20 July 2010

The much anticipated iPhone 3G is due to launch in July; it will include 3G and GPS, but will otherwise be quite similar to the old model, and is still a little off-the-pace in feature terms

Recent reports

CES 2021: Consumer tech show switches on to the pandemic

25 January 2021

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year was held virtually, with announcements revolving almost exclusively around the pandemic and addressing changing consumer needs. The evolving use of tech at home was a particular focus for brands as consumers are now demanding more of their homes than ever before.

Following a record 2020, ecommerce was a topic that garnered a lot of attention, with retailers emphasising the importance of a consumer centric 'digital first' strategy, accepting the fact that ecommerce is going to be bigger than it ever has been.

Amid increased tech use at home, moves to ban third-party cookies and impending regulatory changes to data collection in the US, the conversation around data and privacy was more prominent than ever before. First-party data is going to be more valuable, even if tracking restrictions limit what can be done with that data.

Access report

Update: COVID-19 and Mobility

20 January 2021

The UK entered 2021 in the grip of a dangerous third wave of the pandemic, despite Lockdown 3.0 over Christmas, driving down trips taken by people to depressed levels last seen in Lockdown 1.0, reducing economic activity for Q1.

Time spent at home closely tracks the severity of lockdowns and mandates to work from home (WFH). Underpinned by the UK’s advanced digital infrastructure and services, WFH is providing resilience to Gross Value Added (GVA) creation, while staff in B2C activities are furloughed.

The City of London is emblematic of the potential for outsourced GVA creation under WFH. Its skilled and highly paid staff are too valuable to employers to risk exposure to the virus. WFH, largely preserving GVA, will anchor the future of work.

Access report

Netflix: 200 million subs with cash piling up

20 January 2021

Netflix believes that it no longer needs to raise external financing for its day-to-day operations. This has come quicker than expected—a product of the pandemic, fuelled by an extra $4.8 billion in streaming revenue (+24% on 2019) and aided by the production shutdown and proportionally lower marketing spend

Baked into Netflix’s confidence for the future is the knowledge that the pandemic has allowed greater exploitation of price rises, given the residual lower churn

While Disney+’s content slate is impressive, Netflix has countered it with breadth alongside scale and a massive 2021 film schedule that given it is not geared for the box office, will be a more diverse offering than that of the major studios

Access report