Reuters - Technology Report

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Friday, February 2, 2018

Strong iPhone prices, cash plans buoy Apple shares after muted outlook

Stronger iPhone prices and hints by Apple Inc on Thursday that it could return more than half of its $285 billion in cash to shareholders eased concerns among investors, even as the world's biggest technology company gave a disappointing revenue outlook for the current quarter.

Exclusive: Dell, VMware decide to explore options including merger - sources

(Reuters) - U.S. computer maker Dell Technologies Inc and business software provider VMware Inc have decided to explore options that could include a potential merger of the two companies, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

China's Xiaomi back to top five vendor as global smartphone market shrinks

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has climbed back into the global top five vendors list as the global market shrunk annually, even if only by a fraction, for the first time in 2017, according to a leading industry tracker.

Sony CEO Hirai to step down, turnaround ally Yoshida to take helm

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp said CEO Kazuo Hirai would be handing over the reins to finance chief Kenichiro Yoshida, while it also hiked its annual profit forecast further to a record that highlights the revival in fortune they have both engineered.

Japan's regulator urged Coincheck to fix flaws before $530 million cyber theft

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's financial regulator on Friday swooped on Coincheck Inc with surprise checks of its systems and said it had asked the Tokyo-based cryptocurrency exchange to fix flaws in its computer networks well before hackers stole $530 million of digital money last week.

Daimler open to alliances, partial listing of mobility services

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Car and truck maker Daimler on Friday said it was open to considering a broader alliance and a partial listing of its mobility services operations, which include car sharing.

Alphabet's earnings miss profit estimates as spending grows

(Reuters) - Google parent Alphabet Inc missed quarterly profit forecasts as steady ad sales growth was offset by increased spending to promote its consumer gadgets, YouTube video app and cloud computing services, the U.S. technology company said on Thursday.

Blockchain to track Congo's cobalt from mine to mobile

LONDON (Reuters) - Blockchain is to be used for the first time to try to track cobalt's journey from artisanal mines in Democratic Republic of Congo through to products used in smartphones and electric cars.

Sony reports best-ever third quarter profit, forecasts new annual record

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp on Friday reported a nearly four-fold jump in third-quarter operating profit on growing demand for its image sensors, and raised its full-year earnings outlook.

Alphabet names board veteran as chairman to succeed Schmidt

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google parent Alphabet Inc replaced long-time Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt with board veteran John Hennessy, a former Stanford University president and one of search engine company's first users, it said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.