Remember the GameStop stock trading frenzy from earlier this year? One of the key players in that saga was the stock trading app Robinhood, and that notoriety earned Robinhood’s CEO a moment on the hot seat in a congressional hearing. At issue was how the app works — and specifically, whether its business model has the best interests of its users in mind.

As Robinhood edges closer to its own debut on the stock market, the scrutiny continues. CNET’s Rich Nieva took an in-depth look at the company, the app and the common concern that Robinhood users aren’t quite clear about what’s going on or what they’re really getting themselves into.

That’s just one of the in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that appeared on CNET this week. So here you go. These are the stories you don’t want to miss:

Robinhood’s no-fee model has real costs: ‘That is what scares me’

As the trading app inches closer to its IPO, concerns surface again over how the service could harm consumers.

Sony ditches DSLRs, moving the camera industry beyond film-era designs

Commentary: The future of higher-end photography is mirrorless.

I swapped out my gas grill for a wood pellet grill, and this is what happened

Thinking about buying a wood-fired smart grill with Wi-Fi? Here are some things to consider based on my experience switching from a gas grill.

Mark Zuckerberg explains where VR goes next

Exclusive: Facebook’s CEO talks about what the next headset could bring, how fitness plays into the picture and whether there will be kid accounts for VR anytime soon.

Homework gap: The digital divide crisis that’s leaving millions of kids behind

US schools are going back to in-person learning, but the so-called homework gap will persist.

Facebook’s oversight board made the right call on Trump. Now it’s Zuckerberg’s turn

Commentary: The social media company’s inconsistent approach to its policies created an untenable situation. The oversight board is pushing for a fix.

Disney’s real-life lightsaber looks incredible. Here’s how it could work

The realistic Star Wars weapon will be part of Disney’s new Galactic Starcruiser hotel at Disney World opening in 2022.

Airlines rush to put parked airplanes back in the sky

As the COVID-19 travel slump ends, the airline with the world’s largest fleet is preparing its aircraft to carry passengers again. It can take 1,000 hours of work per plane.

Yahoo Answers is dead, but the internet never forgets

What Yahoo Answers was supposed to be, what it became and what remains.

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I’m planning to wring at least one more year out of my iPhone X — or, at least, I was, until I got a look at this deal. Because would I like to upgrade to the iPhone 12? Sure. Am I willing to pay $829 or more to do so? Hard pass.

But check this: Today only, you can buy the iPhone 12 64GB for $672, then get a $300 prepaid Mastercard after three months of service — with Yahoo Mobile. Wait, Yahoo Mobile? I’ll explain.

See it at Yahoo Mobile

First things first: The iPhone 12 64GB would cost you $829 unlocked if purchased directly from Apple. So right off the bat you’re saving $157.

As for Yahoo Mobile, it’s owned by Verizon, but appears more like a Visible partner. Visible is a fast-growing Verizon-powered carrier. Indeed, if you look at Visible’s iPhone 12 page, you’ll see that it’s virtually identical to Yahoo’s — with one key exception: The Mastercard rebate there is just $100, versus $300 from Yahoo Mobile.

Read more: Verizon launches new Yahoo Mobile sub-brand with unlimited data starting at $40 a month

So here’s how that works: Port your existing number to Yahoo Mobile, pay a flat $40 a month for unlimited service (5G where available, 4G otherwise) and stay for at least three months. Then you’ll get your 300 virtual smackers.

Although it’s not expressly stated anywhere, Visible has told me repeatedly that it sells only unlocked phones. So, in theory, after those three months, you could take the iPhone elsewhere. There’s definitely no contract keeping you at Yahoo Mobile.

One thing you might want to do, in fact, is switch to Visible proper, where you can take advantage of the carrier’s excellent Party Pay option. (I’m not seeing any indication that Yahoo is offering that.)

Don’t want to pay $672 up front? You can finance the iPhone with zero interest. Need more storage? The 128GB model adds just $48 to the total price ($720); the 256GB option brings you to $816. You get the $300 Mastercard with any of them.

I have to say, this is the single most tempting iPhone 12 deal I’ve seen yet.

Your thoughts?

Hang 24 household items on nail-free hooks for just $5

I love cheap, effective solutions to common problems — like how to hang your keys by the door without putting holes in the wall. Turns out, peel-and-stick hooks exist, and they’re incredibly cheap right now.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon seller Alliebe has a 24-pack of adhesive wall hooks for $5.04. Regular price: $12.

See it at Amazon

All you do is wipe the wall so it’s clean, peel and place the hook, then leave it for 24 hours to properly set. Needless to say, the applications here are fairly endless. Anything you want to hang, you can hang just about anywhere. Keys, kitchen utensils, bathroom items and so on.

What’s nice is that the sticky part is transparent, so for the most part you just see the hook. In other words, these are reasonably decor-friendly. Five bucks! What’s not to like?

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CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow him on Facebook and Twitter. You can also sign up for deal texts delivered right to your phone. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and even more from hundreds of other online stores. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Answers live on our FAQ page.

Get your next phone for the best price.

Set price alerts on your favorite models with the CNET Shopping extension and get notified when prices drop.

The post Get an iPhone 12 for $672 (save $157) and then get $300 back after 3 months (Update: Expired) first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Yahoo has announced it’s shuttering its Answers website next month. The site will go to read-only mode April 20, and on May 4 it’ll be taken down completely, redirecting people to the Yahoo homepage. 

Yahoo Answers users can request to download their old data, including questions and answers they’ve posted, before June 30 before it disappears, as reported earlier Monday by The Verge. 

In an FAQ, Yahoo says answer seekers can instead “visit Yahoo Search for answers and information from the web” and Yahoo’s COVID-19 page “for specific info and resources around the coronavirus pandemic.”

Yahoo Answers launched in 2005, with categories including finance, cars, internet, electronics, education, entertainment, health, news and parenting. A glimpse of the current homepage shows questions about politics appear to be the top interest now, with far-right conspiracy theories taking up many of the top spots.

The old message board, where users could rack up points by posting questions and answers, doesn’t require any special knowledge from users before allowing them to post responses to others’ questions.

The post Yahoo Answers is finally being shut down first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is launching a new app. 

Mayer and Enrique Muñoz Torres, co-founder of Lumi Labs (now rebranding as Sunshine), have created Sunshine Contacts, an app for managing contacts, according to a press release Wednesday. Sunshine Contacts uses artificial intelligence to organize contacts, remove duplicates and automatically update contact information. 

“The essential technologies that help us stay connected to those who matter most are antiquated. They’ve been around forever and we all see them as ‘good enough,’ despite their outsized impact on our interactions and relationships,” Mayer said in a statement. 

The app is free, but so far only available to download the App Store through invitation, and only in the US. 

See also: Restore Gmail contacts you’ve deleted by mistake with this simple trick

The post Marissa Mayer wants to help you organize your contacts first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Yahoo is venturing into uncharted territory by launching its first branded smartphone, the parent company Verizon announced on Wednesday. The Yahoo Mobile ZTE Blade A3Y is available on the Verizon network as part of Yahoo Mobile’s unlimited phone service. Yahoo is owned by Verizon. 

The $50 purple phone comes with preinstalled apps including Yahoo Mail, News, Sports, Finance and Weather. It’s equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera with a dual flash and 5-megapixel front-facing camera with a flash. The phone runs on Android 10. It has a 5.45-inch 720p HD display, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and a rear fingerprint sensor as well the ability to unlock the phone with your face.

Read more: The best phone to buy for 2020

Yahoo Mobile launched in March with unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data for $40 a month, with taxes and fees included. Customers who buy the Yahoo phone can take advantage of other perks on the Yahoo Mobile service plan including ad-free email with Yahoo Mail Pro and an unlimited mobile hotspot that can be used on one connected device at a time.

Over time the company may expand the perks it offers based on the Yahoo services that its customers want, Verizon Media CEO Guru Gowrappan tells CNET. Someone who is a big Yahoo Finance user, he says, may have the option to get free access to its Yahoo Finance Premium offering, while a Yahoo Sports fan would get free betting credits or promotions for the company’s sportsbook, assuming they are in a state where sports gambling is legalized. 

See also

• Best phones under $500: iPhone SE, Pixel 4A 5G, Galaxy A51 and more
• The rock-bottom cheapest phone plans you can get today
• 5G: From iPhone 12 to Galaxy Note 20, here’s what you need to know

“A lot of consumers love our products, and they want to go deeper in terms of our relationship with them,” he says, adding that these types of promotions could appear in the next year or two. 

The new ZTE phone is available in the US now. Customers can also subscribe to Yahoo Mobile service with the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro while the iPhone 12 Pro Max and 12 Mini will be available in November. Verizon’s 5G network will be included with all Yahoo Mobile plans and available on compatible devices later this year, the company said. 

The post Yahoo’s first branded phone is here. It’s purple and only $50 first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Apple’s iPhone sales plummeted 20% as consumers awaited the release of its iPhone 12 amid the continued spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which has upended lives, disrupted business and slowed manufacturing across the globe. But Apple executives said they aren’t terribly worried about it.

That’s primarily thanks to Apple’s delay releasing the iPhone 12, creating a fluke in financial reporting that artificially made the company’s sales look lower than they otherwise would. Last year’s number included about a week of newly announced iPhone sales. This year’s number didn’t. As a result, Apple tallied $26.4 billion in older iPhone sales, down more than a fifth from the same time a year ago.

Instead of lingering on those numbers, though, Apple executives painted a rosy picture of the holiday shopping season, saying the company expects sales of its iPads, Macs, Apple Watches and other products to jump at least 10%. And the company was also upbeat about iPhone sales, which it predicted would see sales rise as well.

A primary reason, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, is new wireless technology.

“We’ve got a once in a decade opportunity with 5G,” he told analysts during a conference call Thursday, talking about the next-generation wireless service that promises faster and more reliable downloads. “There’s a lot of excitement around 5G.”

To push that point, Apple said that aside from the iPhone, the company’s sales rose 25% from the same time a year ago, despite supply constraints amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. 

“Back in April, I said we were in the most challenging environment in which Apple as a company has ever operated. That atmosphere of uncertainty — of resolve, of making difficult calls with limited information — has not only come to define Apple’s year, but each of our lives,” Cook said. “When we first began to grapple with COVID-19, I said there are worse things for a company whose business is innovation than having to periodically do just about everything in an entirely new way.”

All told, Apple said it notched profits of $12.7 billion, down about 7% from the same last year. That translates to 73 cents per share in profit, off $64.7 billion in overall revenue, which itself was up slightly from the $64 billion reported last year. It was also enough to beat average analyst estimates, which were 70 cents per share in profits on $63.7 billion in revenue, according to surveys published by Yahoo Finance. 

Investors responded by pushing Apple’s stock down more than 5% to $109.20 after it closed regular trading up 3.7% to $115.32 per share. It’s risen by about half so far this year.

Challenging year

Apple’s latest financial disclosures are just the latest sign of how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the world economy. In the US, overall smartphone sales grew slightly in the same period after falling double digits earlier this year, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple derives most of its revenue from sales of its iPhone family of products. 

Broadly, the US is now preparing for the presidential election next week, during which Americans will choose their leader to manage the coronavirus and economic troubles that have followed its spread. The US GDP, a measure of America’s economy, swung wildly over the past few months, making its worst quarterly drop on record earlier this year before rising more than 33% between July and September. All told, it fell 3.5% from the same time a year ago, before COVID-19. Analysts warn that more coronavirus-related lockdowns may set the economy back further. 

As the US has grappled with rising coronavirus cases across the country, the US government has chosen not to enact further stimulus efforts after passing a series of bills earlier this year. That’s led to a souring mood on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen about 6% in just this week.

That raises questions about how enthusiastically people will participate in holiday shopping this year, and whether they’ll be willing to shell out for one of Apple’s iPhone 12 models, which start at $799. The iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Mini are slated to launch early next month. 

There’s also uncertainty about whether Apple itself can produce enough supplies to keep up with any potential demand. Though Apple’s considered one of the best supply chain companies in the world, it warned earlier this year iPhone sales would slow because of manufacturing issues in China. The company also noted “supply constraints” during its call with analysts on Thursday.

Still huge

While iPhone sales numbers were garbled by the iPhone 12’s delayed launch, Apple was upbeat about other parts of its business. Mac sales grew nearly 30% to $9 billion, and iPad sales grew nearly 46% to $6.8 billion. The company’s “wearables, home and accessories” business, which includes the Apple Watch, AirPods and HomePod, grew 20% to nearly $7.9 billion. Its services business, including Apple Music and Apple TV Plus, rose more than 16%, the slowest growth among the company’s non-iPhone divisions.

The Americas continue to be Apple’s biggest market, rising more than 4% to nearly $30.7 billion. Its weakest market was in China, which saw a sales decline of 29%, which Apple attributed to the iPhone’s delay. “Given the initial data points that we see on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro,” Cook said, “I would tell you that we’re confident that we will grow this quarter in China.”

“We are very bullish,” he added.

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Bet on 5G

Despite the economic uncertainty around the world, Apple watchers say the iPhone 12 could represent one of the company’s most successful products in years. 

Analysts routinely discuss Apple’s introduction of upgraded 5G wireless networking features, which promise faster and more reliable download speeds, will kick off a “super cycle” of purchases not seen since 2014. Back then, the then-new iPhone 6 helped Apple’s holiday sales tally rise to 74.5 million units, up more than 45% from the 51 million it sold during the same period in 2013. Apple’s holiday iPhone sales haven’t budged much ever since.

Without giving details or official “estimates,” Apple executives repeatedly told analysts they expect the company to perform well during the holiday shopping season. That includes increased iPhone revenue and double-digit growth in its other products and services. “We’re off to a great start,” Apple CFO Luca Maestri said during the conference call with analysts Thursday.

The holiday shopping season will also include the launch of the company’s new Apple One service, which offers some of the company’s services like its music and new fitness subscriptions, in a discounted bundle starting at $15 per month. Cook said Apple One will be made available starting Friday, and its fitness service will arrive before the year’s end.

One of Apple’s biggest challenges, other than the pandemic in general, has been building enough iPhones for people who want to buy them.

“How long we will be supply constrained, it’s hard to predict,” Cook said. “We’re working really, really hard to remedy those as quickly as we can but at this point. I can’t estimate when when we’ll be out of that.”

The post iPhone sales fell 20% ahead of iPhone 12 launch, but Apple isn’t worried first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Apple’s iPhone sales showed resilience between April and June, despite the coronavirus pandemic’s continued spread, upending lives and disrupting business across the globe. Apple, in the midst of a strong fiscal third-quarter report, signaled its success navigating the global health emergency has its limits, and that means the new iPhone will be coming later than usual.

The tech giant twice warned investors during a conference call Thursday that its expected new iPhone, which Apple watchers say will likely include 5G wireless radios among other things, will be delayed from its typical September launch.

“As you know, last year we started selling iPhones in late September. This year, we project supply to be available a few weeks later,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri. 

When an analyst later asked him to clarify, Maestri said a new iPhone was coming, we’d just have to wait. “A year ago we launched the new iPhone in late September,” he said. “This year, the supply of the new product will be a few weeks later than that.”

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There’s a reason for Wall Street’s obsession over the iPhone. The smartphone is Apple’s most important product, representing more than half its revenue in at least the last six years. The device is also largely responsible for turning Apple into the juggernaut it is today, worth more than $1.65 trillion on Wall Street and producing more than 1.5 billion devices actively being used across the globe.

Apple’s latest financial disclosures are just the latest sign of how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the world economy. In the US, overall smartphone sales fell by a quarter in the same period, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple derives most of its revenue from the sale of its iPhones, which saw a slight tick up from a year ago. 

Broadly, more than 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment, raising questions about whether consumers will have the appetite to buy pricey new gadgets. The US GDP, a measure of America’s economy, suffered its biggest quarterly decline on record, falling 32.9% between April and June. 

Apple’s future

• Apple confirms new iPhone will be delayed ‘a few weeks’ from typical September launch
• Poor pitiful Big Tech? That’s not what their earnings say
• iPhone 12 rumors: Everything we think we know about price, design, features
• Apple iPhone SE (2020) (In Depth)

The US government has attempted to fight these issues with enhanced unemployment benefits, though that program expired last weekend for roughly 30 million Americans, and more will be impacted in the coming months. And even though the stock market is bouncing to near all-time highs, economists fear that may not last unless Congress follows through on another round of stimulus and unemployment assistance it’s negotiating.

But a spike in COVID-19 cases in different parts of the US, which began in June and continues today with Florida reporting a single-day death record for the third straight day, raises questions about Apple’s prospects in the coming months. Though Apple is hailed as one of the best supply chain companies in the world, bringing together a network of hundreds of suppliers to make its devices primarily in China, Apple watchers worry it may be further hit by COVID-19 as it prepares for the holiday shopping season.

“We’ve taken an approach that you know we try to understand how the virus is evolving over time,” Maestri said.

Investors seemed unaffected by the delay, sending Apple’s stock up more than 5% in after-hours trading, after closing up more than 1% to $384.76 per share. Apple’s shares have risen more than 28% so far this year.

Showing the numbers

Despite the iPhone’s relative struggles, Apple said its other product categories did well. 

During the three months of its fiscal third quarter, which ended June 27, Apple said it tallied iPad sales of $6.6 billion, up 31% from the same time last year. Mac computer sales were nearly $7.1 billion, up more than 21% from last year. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that these categories benefited from the environment, with people locked down in their homes likely seeking devices for work or entertainment. 

The company’s wearables and services businesses, which, while smaller than the iPhone business, are a key part of Apple’s future, both posted double-digit growth. The wearables segment, which includes the Apple Watch and AirPods, posted sales of $6.5 billion. Its services, including subscription services like Apple Music and Apple TV Plus, posted $13.2 billion in revenue.

Even the iPhone, whose slowing production in China prompted Apple to warn investors about the coronavirus in February, tallied $26.4 billion in sales, up more than 1% from the same time a year ago. That time included included lockdown orders worldwide and the temporary closure of Apple’s retail stores. The minor bump is also better than last year, when Apple posted a nearly 12% drop in iPhone sales during the spring months before its iPhone 11 reveal.

Apple WWDC 2020 event

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All told, Apple said it notched a profit of $11.3 billion, up 12% from the same last year. That translates to $2.58 per share in earnings, on $59.7 billion in overall revenue, which itself was up 11% from last year. That was also much higher than what analysts had been expecting the company to report, which on average was $2.04 per share in profits on $52.3 billion in revenue, according to surveys published by Yahoo Finance.

“In uncertain times, this performance is a testament to the important role our products play in our customers’ lives and to Apple’s relentless innovation,” Cook said in a statement. He noted that Apple notched growth in each of its international markets, including China, where sales rose 1% despite it being the epicenter of the initial coronavirus outbreak. 

While Cook indicated his company has somewhat of a handle on the coronavirus, he did warn that the company will likely struggle to meet demand for the iPad and Mac during the important back to school shopping season. Analysts believe uncertainty around whether schools will reopen may drive further technology purchases by families, despite the economic turmoil, putting even more pressure on Apple to deliver devices.

“We’ve got a fantastic lineup of products,” Maestri said. “And we know that these products are incredibly relevant, especially given the current circumstances.”

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See also: iPhone 11 vs. iPhone XR: Find out which phone is the better value 

The post Apple’s iPhone sales grew despite coronavirus, but iPhone 5G will launch late first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

The expected iPhone 5G delay may be a reality. Qualcomm, which likely will supply the modems that power the newest crop of iPhones, on Wednesday warned of “the delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch.”

The company said handset sales are expected to drop about 15% in the current period, its fiscal fourth quarter, because of the delay. While Qualcomm didn’t specify what phone it was discussing, it’s widely believed to be the upcoming iPhone. Apple is expected to introduce its first 5G iPhones this fall, but worries about coronavirus-related delays have plagued the company for months.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 

At the same time, Qualcomm said it and Huawei have settled their long-running patent spat, with the two companies signing a long-term, global patent license agreement.  

As part of the agreement, Qualcomm will record about $1.8 billion from Huawei in its September quarter, helping its stock soar 13% to $105 in after-hours trading. The US government has banned Huawei from buying Qualcomm chips and other American components, but Huawei now is paying licensing fees for Qualcomm’s patents. 

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Qualcomm is the world’s biggest provider of mobile chips, and it created technology that’s essential for connecting phones to cellular networks. The company derives a significant portion of its revenue from licensing those inventions to hundreds of device makers, with the fee based on the value of the phone, not the components. Because Qualcomm owns patents related to 3G, 4G and 5G networking technology, as well as other features like software, all handset makers building a device that connects to cellular networks have to pay it a licensing fee, even if they don’t use Qualcomm’s chips.

Qualcomm and Apple had battled in courts around the globe over patents and Qualcomm’s licensing terms. The two giants reached a licensing and chip supply agreement a year ago, just after opening arguments began in a trial in San Diego. The pact cleared the way for Qualcomm to resume supplying modems for iPhones. Apple’s devices expected this fall will likely include 5G chips from Qualcomm. Its other modem supplier, Intel, exited the market. 

Huawei licensing battle

Huawei, one of the world’s biggest handset makers, was the last major company fighting with Qualcomm over its licensing terms. The two reached an interim licensing agreement 18 months ago, with Huawei at that time agreeing to pay Qualcomm $150 million each quarter. 

The new deal reached this month is long term and gives the two companies access to each other’s patents. 

See also

• Qualcomm expects a steep drop in phone shipments as coronavirus hurts demand
• Not even the coronavirus can derail 5G’s global momentum
• iPhone 12 rumors: Everything we think we know about price, design, features

Qualcomm said the new global patent license agreement covers sales beginning Jan. 1, 2020. It said it’s still assessing the accounting impacts of its new pact with Huawei but noted its current quarter revenue will include royalties for sales made by Huawei in the September 2020 quarter, as well as the $1.8 billion payment and estimated amounts due for the March 2020 and June 2020 quarters under the new pact. 

Qualcomm’s results

Qualcomm is a key partner for companies like Apple and Samsung. Its modems connect the majority of the world’s phones to wireless networks, and it had been expecting a big boost this year from the move to 5G. Because of its position as a key supplier, it has insight into the health of the mobile industry and can provide information into how COVID-19 is impacting tech.  

Qualcomm typically forecasts how many 3G, 4G and 5G phones will be shipped each calendar year.

In April, it warned that handset makers likely would ship about 30% fewer phones in the June quarter than it previous expected. And that followed a 21% drop in phone demand in the first three months of the year because of weakness in China. The bright spot was 5G, which Qualcomm at the time said was as strong as it previously expected. 

On Wednesday, Qualcomm reported better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results, boosted by the rollout of 5G. It said shipped 130 million chips for handsets, in line with its prediction for 125 million to 145 million. 

Qualcomm reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $4.89 billion, down from $9.6 billion a year ago. Its per-share earnings tumbled to 74 cents from $1.75 in the same period last year. But its results were better than Wall Street expected. Analysts polled by Yahoo Finance expected revenue of $4.8 billion and earnings of 71 cents a share. 

Looking forward, Qualcomm expects to report fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $7.3 billion to $8.1 billion, thanks to the Huawei payment. Excluding Huawei, Qualcomm’s revenue will total about $5.5 billion to $6.3 billion, in line with the $5.8 billion projected by analysts. It also expects per-share earnings of $1.05 to $1.25 a share, excluding items. Analysts expected $1.10 a share. 

“As 5G continues to roll out, we are realizing the benefits of the investments we have made in building the most extensive licensing program in mobile and are turning the technical challenges of 5G into leadership opportunities and commercial wins,” Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said in a press release. 

The post Qualcomm settles Huawei patent spat, warns of 5G flagship phone delay first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

Apple was one of the first major tech manufacturers to warn investors that the coronavirus pandemic would impact its business. What resulted was a mixed bag, with its growing services business helping to offset its struggling hardware operations.

The iPhone maker on Thursday said it eked out a rise in overall sales during its second quarter, alleviating worries that its results would take a big hit amid the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Still, sales weren’t as strong as Apple had earlier expected, and the company didn’t provide guidance for the current period, indicating it doesn’t yet have a handle on the full impact the disease may have on its business. 

Apple‘s hardware operations have suffered more than other parts of company as the coronavirus has moved across the globe. In February the company warned that COVID-19’s spread in China would hurt its flagship iPhone business, limiting both supply and sales of the devices. Fiscal second-quarter iPhone sales ultimately dropped 6.7% from a year ago, to $28.96 billion. Sales of Macs and iPads also fell in the March period, down 2.9% and 10%, respectively.

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Apple’s services and wearables segments, which include Apple Arcade and AirPods, notched all-time and quarterly records, respectively. As more people sit at home, they’re seeking out services like Apple TV Plus and buying more games in the App Store. Services revenue jumped 17%, to $13.3 billion, while sales from wearables, home and accessories soared 23%, to $6.3 billion.  

“When you consider all the ways COVID-19 has touched Apple, our customers and the way we work, this may not have been the quarter it could have been absent this pandemic,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday during a call with analysts. “But I don’t think I can recall a quarter where I’ve been prouder of what we do, or how we do it.”

Apple’s earnings report is just the latest example of how the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the world economy. COVID-19 has killed more than 230,000 people worldwide and infected more than 3.2 million. More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment, and the US economy shrank nearly 5% between January and March.

In February, Apple warned that the COVID-19 outbreak in China would cause it to miss its projections for revenue in the March quarter. Its devices are assembled in China, and factory closures hurt its ability to ship orders to customers. Cook on Thursday said production has returned to normal.

See also

• iPhone SE vs. iPhone 11 comparison: Which Apple phone to buy in 2020
• Qualcomm expects a steep drop in phone shipments as coronavirus hurts demand
• Why the $399 iPhone SE is the perfect phone in the age of coronavirus

“While we felt some temporary supply constraints in February, our operations team, suppliers and manufacturing partners have been safely returning to work, and production was back at typical levels toward the end of March,” Cook said. 

Along with production, Apple has been affected by lower demand for its gadgets. It’s closed all its stores outside Greater China and has moved its Worldwide Developers Conference, typically held each June, online. The event, one of its biggest of the year, is where the company introduces its newest software features for its iPhones, Macs and various other devices. Apple has also helped health workers and others through the crisis, donating millions of dollars, more than 30 million masks and 7.5 million face shields to help combat the coronavirus. 

Apple said it’ll likely see a rebound in Mac and iPad sales soon as people seek out new devices for working at home. The company in March released a new MacBook Air and an updated iPad Pro with new Magic Keyboard. In the past couple of weeks, the company said, it’s seen an overall rebound in sales. 

“Over the long term, though, we have a high degree of confidence in the enduring strength of our business,” Cook said.

Phone woes

The coronavirus has been hitting other companies in the tech industry. Phone sales this year are expected to drop to their lowest level in a decade as consumers hold off on purchases.  

Samsung on Tuesday said it expects near-term phone and TV sales will “decline significantly” because of store closures and other economic issues related to the coronavirus. Qualcomm, the world’s biggest maker of wireless chips, warned on Wednesday that it expects a steep drop in global phone shipments, but it did see some bright spots. 5G phone shipments should be just as strong this year as the company earlier predicted, and most handset makers are on track with their launches.

Apple, meanwhile, sees promise in its growing wearables and services businesses, as well as its traditional hardware businesses as more people work remotely. Cook said Apple is “looking at other areas” where the company’s products can be used for health monitoring, particularly following the onset of the coronavirus. Cook also said the Apple Card’s new iPhone payment plan, allowing people to pay for a new iPhone over 24 months with no interest, will expand to other products, though he didn’t say which ones.

“You’ll see something on that shortly,” Cook said.

All told, Apple tallied a profit of $11.2 billion in the second fiscal quarter, down from $11.6 billion a year ago. Its per-share earnings rose to $2.55 from $2.46, though, helped by fewer shares outstanding. Analysts polled by Yahoo had expected earnings of $2.28 per share. 

Apple’s revenue climbed less than 1%, to $58.3 billion, during the second fiscal quarter, which ended March 28. A year earlier, it reported sales of $58 billion. In January, Apple had projected revenue of $63 billion to $67 billion, higher than Wall Street estimates at the time. Cook on Thursday said that before the coronavirus caused lockdowns and factory closures in China, Apple had been “headed toward a record second quarter, at the very high end of our expectations.” Analysts polled by Yahoo Finance most recently expected Apple to report revenue of $54.7 billion. 

Analysts had been “anticipating a horror show for the quarter in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global lockdown, with stores closed across the globe, we would characterize these results as a major feat in a dark storm.”

Apple shares, which have been essentially flat so far this year, fell 2.5% to $286.55 in after-hours trading after rising 2.1% during the regular session. The company is valued by investors at nearly $1.3 trillion.

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Correction, 3:07 p.m. PT: Fixes references to all-time and quarterly records for services and wearables segments.

The post Apple sales, profits grow even as coronavirus weighs on iPhone demand first appeared on Joggingvideo.com.

Looking for cheaper phone service on Verizon’s network? Try Yahoo. 

In an unexpected move, on Wednesday the wireless carrier announced a new sub-brand built around the venerable internet property. Called Yahoo Mobile, the service will offer unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data, including mobile hotspot use, for $40 a month with taxes and fees included. Subscribers will also get Yahoo Mail Pro for an ad-free email experience when using Yahoo Mail and 24/7 support. 

There are some caveats, however, such as hotspot use being limited to one device at a time, at speeds capped at 5 megabits per second. Support for 5G is coming later in 2020. Family plans are not yet available but they may come later. Verizon says that while the focus is on individual plans for now, “Yahoo Mobile will evolve to meet consumers’ needs as it continues to grow.” 

Yahoo will be selling phones, though you can also bring your own. A compatibility checker on Yahoo Mobile’s site will allow you to see if your phone will work on the network. 

Read more: 10 best phones under $500

You can sign up for Yahoo Mobile through its website or via an Android or iOS app. The app approach is similar to Verizon’s other sub-brand, Visible, which offers unlimited talk, text and 4G LTE data for $40 a month on Verizon’s network. Visible also offers family plans and like Yahoo Mobile includes taxes and fees into its pricing. 

Verizon’s cheapest unlimited plan starts at $70 a month for a single line and does not include taxes and fees. The carrier, which also owns AOL and the Huffington Post, bought Yahoo for nearly $4.5 billion in 2017.

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