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Another week, another couple of smartphones that won't sell…
More mobile hardware hype?
I’m coming to the conclusion that brands are now announcing new smartphones purely as a publicity stunt. This week’s candidates for the daftest new mobile handset ideas are:
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EV company Polestar has presumably decided that the uber-competitive EV market is not enough for it. The company announced a new smartphone that integrates with its EVs this week. You can read the story here.
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Meanwhile, HMD has partnered with Heineken - to bring you the suitably named Boring phone - aimed to distract us less, presumably when we are out drinking Heineken.
I’ve vented hot air before about how the market is littered with failed smartphone brands and I’ve no doubt that neither of these devices will ever come to market unless they are given away with their respective products. It’s another reminder of how hungry the tech media are to report new developments in the handset market, however unlikely they are to influence the future.
Humane? Not the reviews!
Talking of mobile devices, a few weeks ago, I said how interesting I thought the Humane AI product was in an otherwise fairly mundane Mobile World Congress 2024. Well, the reviews for the product are out, and – guess what – they are average, to say the least.
But the reviews miss the point, which is that new ways of interacting with information – particularly in a generative AI world – are possible. The Humane Pin will probably not be the future of mobile devices – it's expensive and clunky – but it demonstrates new ways to remain connected without needing a screen. And that is interesting!
What's it like to sell a company?
I sat down with Gavin Loader recently to chat about what it was like to sell XL Communications to The Jargon Group.
Gavin has just published the interview online. Reviewing It was truly excruciating, seeing how much I move around and look distracted when chatting on a video call, so there are certainly lessons there for me.
Just in case you're interested in taking a look (and I strongly recommend it – if only as an opportunity to take the p*ss out of me), it's available here. You need to share an email address to see it, but Gavin is not going to spam you....promise!
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