Podcasts Archives - Page 3 of 9

Podcast #60: Key Macro Risks For Tech Industry in 2023

The macro-environment saw a rollercoaster ride in 2022, one where our Counterpoint Macro Index dropped from 106.17 to 82.88 between January and November. Several factors contributed to the decline, such as the war in Ukraine, high inflation, the possibility of a global economic recession, and China’s strict COVID-Zero policies.

Besides, interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve not only slowed economic growth but also strengthened the US dollar, the effects of which were particularly painful in emerging markets. Technology firms that were previously thriving had to resort to mass layoffs, spending cuts and downward earnings guidance in preparation for a bleak economic outlook.

Moving into 2023, which of those macro risks will remain, and which new risks should the tech firms watch out for? Counterpoint Research analysts have voted on the top 10 macro risks that companies should pay close attention to.

In the latest episode of The Counterpoint Podcast, host Matt Orf is joined by Senior Analyst Yang Wang, based in Europe, and Research Analyst Archie Zhang, based in China. We bring on-the-ground and unique insights into the macro risks that cannot be ignored. The topics discussed in the podcast range from economic issues such as energy crisis and a potential global economic recession to geopolitical and political issues such as the US-China showdown and developments in US domestic politics.

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Podcast Chapter Markers

3:09 – Yang on factors contributing to an economic downturn in 2023, and the potential impact.

5:40 – Yang further talks about the economic downturn and how it will affect the technology world.

8:17 – Matt on the energy situation and the pressure points.

15:11 – Matt on some background and indication of the direction American policy might take in 2023.

19:09 – Archie on the US-China trade relationship.

22:54 – Archie further deep-dives with more details on China’s COVID-19 situation.

26:49 – Yang on emerging markets and problems they are more likely to face in the coming year.

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Top 10 Macro Risks For Tech World in 2023

Podcast #59 – Connecting the Unconnected!

When we formed Counterpoint a decade ago, our passion and mission were to provide the best, in-depth insights, data, and advisory services for the technology industry. We considered mobile connectivity and devices to be pivotal to the massive digital transformation underway. We wanted to help companies make better and more informed decisions to enable them to offer the best experiences to billions of users.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary and reflect on engagements with hundreds of companies from among the largest to start-ups, we believe we should also play our part in giving back to society by helping to connect those who are not yet connected to the internet and to help them transform their lives.

Our analysts are in a great position to utilize our diverse geographic footprint, knowledge, and excellent networks to create awareness, influence the industry, and volunteer to support underserved populations, such as children, women, and the displaced or otherwise overlooked communities, in getting internet connectivity. Data connectivity can unlock access to education, employment, healthcare, real-time communication, financial services, and more.

As a first step towards this goal, we are excited to partner with Unconnected.org, a UK-based non-profit founded in 2019 by tech industry veterans with a vision and goal to connect an additional 100 million people to the internet. We aim to closely work with Unconnected.org and NGOs on different projects around the world to spread awareness, volunteer, and attract donors.

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Jan Stryjak is joined by our VP of Research, Neil Shah, and Unconnected.org Chief Commercial Officer Mea Thompson. The discussion throws some light on why this is important, what Unconnected is doing, and how our partnership can help connect the unconnected!

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You can read the podcast transcript here.

Podcast Chapter Markers

01:07 – Mea talks about Unconnected.org and how it is supporting digital literacy training.

02:08 – Mea on whether there is a two-tiered society and economy, while also quantifying the problem.

04:49 – Mea on why companies should be focusing on CSR activities.

06:00 – Neil shares his thoughts on bridging the digital divide.

07:25 – Mea on how mobile operators and device manufacturers can make a direct impact.

09:33 – Mea on how to measure the actual impact of the initiatives when companies get involved.

11:09 – Neil talks about Counterpoint’s partnership with Unconnected.org and helping connect the unconnected.

15:07 – Mea on how organizations can get involved and help.

17:51 – Closing thoughts from Mea & Neil on the partnership to work together and influence the industry.

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Podcast #58 – Component Shortage: Will it drive the eSIM migration?

The COVID-19-led semiconductor shortage disrupted the supply chains of several industries. The shortage also accelerated lead times for key components such as chipsets, DDIs & PMICs that power all electronics around us. While the auto sector was heavily affected, telecom operators were also struck due to the lack of physical SIM cards as SIM plants shifted their production to higher-value technologies.

With no significant CapEx investment in mature nodes, SIM shortage means telcos cannot activate new subscriptions, potentially losing customers and market share. And while mobile network operators have been resistant to moving to eSIM, the eSIM is still gathering pace. Premium flagship smartphones from Samsung and Apple come with one physical SIM slot and one eSIM. Even the latest iPhone 14 series in the US ditches the physical SIM slot altogether and comes with eSIM-only capabilities.

With component shortages expected to continue until 2023, how do the mobile network operators reorganize their supply chain and forecast SIM needs in advance? We discuss all this and more in the podcast.

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Peter Richardson is joined by Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst William Li, and Olivier Leroux, President and Founder of Oasis Smart-SIM to talk about how the telecom industry is dealing with disruptions due to semiconductor shortage. We also discuss the real impact of SIM shortage and the development of eSIM to mitigate some of these issues.

The podcast discussion is based on a recent joint white paper that Counterpoint Research wrote together with Oasis Smart SIM. You can download it from here.

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You can read the podcast transcript here.

Podcast Chapter Markers

01:33 – Olivier on Oasis Smart-SIM’s history and what the company does.

02:33 – William talks about chip shortages and how it has been affecting different sectors and industries.

05:37 – Olivier on how chip shortages continue to impact the telecom provider situation.

08:53 – Olivier talks about how SIM cards being made on mature nodes instead of leading nodes is forcing the SIM industry to re-adjust

11:54 – Olivier further discusses the real impact of SIM shortage on telecom operators.

13:29 – Olivier on whether components shortage is accelerating the move to eSIM?

15:57 – William on how geopolitical tensions have been impacting the chip shortage further.

18:32 – William talks about CapEx investment in legacy nodes vs matured nodes.

21:27 – Olivier on supply of physical SIM and development of eSIM market to mitigate some of the issues.

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Podcast #57 – Will 5G Offset Macroeconomic Weakness in SEA Smartphone Market?

Southeast Asia, one of the world’s most promising markets, saw its smartphone shipments decline in Q2 2022. But despite this, Thailand’s premium smartphone market grew 22% YoY, confirming a key trend in the overall Southeast Asian market. Other key trends in the region include the growth of gaming and 5G smartphones.

Rising inflation and reduced consumer spending are resulting in a lengthening smartphone replacement cycle. So, how are OEMs navigating this trend with different financial schemes, easy upgrades, cashbacks and more? 5G smartphone shipments in Southeast Asia markets are also growing, so how are operators geared up for rolling out 5G services and demonstrating their use cases?

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Tarun Pathak is joined by Senior Analysts Febriman Abdillah and Glen Cardoza to discuss the key trends in the SEA smartphone market. From falling shipments to H2 2022 outlook, 5G and online vs offline, we discuss all this and more in the podcast.

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Podcast Chapter Markers

01:42 – Glen talks about smartphone shipments decline in Southeast Asia and key trends to look for.

03:10 – Febriman weighs in on smartphone OEM strategies as rising inflation is resulting in reduced consumer spending.

05:26 – Glen on how OEMs are navigating the trend of lengthening replacement cycle.

07:44 – Febriman talks about different financial schemes from brands to push consumers to upgrade to newer devices.

10:32 – Glen on how online channels are shaping up in key Southeast Asian countries.

12:34 – Febriman on offline channels in Southeast Asian countries and how distributors are increasing their reach.

15:27 – Glen talks about 5G in Southeast Asia from the devices’ point of view, and how it is trickling down to lower price points.

17:50 – Febriman on how operators are preparing for 5G rollout, creating awareness and demonstrating use cases.

20:58 – Glen and Febriman discuss the H2 2022 outlook for the SEA smartphone market.

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Podcast #56: Foundry Capacity Expansion Easing Chip Shortage, But Weakening Demand Can Cause Oversupply

The global semiconductor components shortage has been in the news since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade tensions between the US and China further upset the normal supply situation and the automotive sector was among the high-profile casualties. Chip manufacturers addressed the supply-demand issue by increasing capacity.

Then, there is the Russia-Ukraine conflict which has added further uncertainties with respect to some raw materials that are required for semiconductor manufacturing. The geopolitical issues are also creating macroeconomic headwinds, leading to a drop in overall demand. Will an increase in capacity lead to an oversupply situation?

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Peter Richardson is joined by Research Director Dale Gai, and Senior Analyst Ashwath Rao to talk about the global semiconductor manufacturing and foundry market update. In this discussion, we talk about the foundry inventory correction cycle, the role of wafer fab equipment makers in the supply chain, the future of process node and packaging technologies, and much more.

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You can read the podcast transcript here.

Podcast Chapter Markers

02:31 – Dale on foundry inventory correction cycle.

05:04 – Dale weighs in on whether an increase in global semiconductor manufacturing capacity will lead to an oversupply situation.

07:43 – Ashwath talks about the role of the wafer fab equipment manufacturers in the overall supply chain.

10:19 – How geopolitics is affecting lead times for wafer fab equipment.

13:06 – Dale talks about foundry capacity expansion relative to potential equipment delays.

16:07 – Ashwath on how we see process nodes developing over the next few years

19:27 – Ashwath further talks about how semiconductor manufacturing equipment vendors prepared for different packaging technologies.

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Podcast #55: 5G FWA Update – Connecting Next Half Billion Households

The consumer demand for high-speed home broadband continues to grow at a rapid pace as companies adopt the hybrid working culture. Even personal content consumption has increased, be it for music and video streaming, gaming or other applications. And as billions of consumers across the globe continue to wait for reliable home broadband, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in conjunction with 5G is proving to be a great solution for last-mile connectivity.

In our previous podcast in 2020, we discussed why FWA is a killer app for 5G in helping bridge the digital divide. It’s nearly two years since, and there have been some developments with increased FWA deployments. From factors driving the growth of FWA to prices of CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) and how the ecosystem is changing with geopolitics, we discuss all this in the podcast.

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Jan Stryjak is joined by Senior Analysts Tina Lu and Parv Sharma to talk about the key trends in the Fixed Wireless Access space. We have also covered the 5G vs 4G FWA subscription forecast, factors that are holding back the growth of FWA in certain regions, and more.

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Podcast Chapter Markers

01:19 – Tina highlights the current broadband connectivity situation across the globe.

03:16 – Tina explains why Fixed Wireless Access is touted as the Killer App for bridging the digital divide.

05:42 – Tina talks about key factors that are driving the growth of Fixed Wireless Access.

07:55 – Parv on the pricing of CPE and how it affects the growth of Fixed Wireless Access.

09:40 – Parv talks about how the FWA CPE ecosystem is changing after the limitations in the US due to geopolitics.

11:29 – Tina on 5G vs 4G FWA subscription forecast.

12:56 – Tina on factors that are delaying the growth of Fixed Wireless Access in some regions.

15:35 – Parv talks about the top FWA CPE players in the market.

17:46 – Final comments from Parv and Tina.

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Podcast #54: Private Networks – What are the Key Trends, Market Drivers, & Challenges

Private Networks, especially in relation to 5G, were one of the hot topics of discussion at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 22) in Barcelona earlier this year. They have been gaining momentum with deployments across different scenarios such as manufacturing and mining, and for connecting devices like smart meters and sensors. Private Networks also have several other use cases that require high-quality and secure communication environments, such as ports, logistics, and transportation to name a few.

We recently published a report on Private Networks highlighting how major vendors such as Nokia and Ericsson are now selling network equipment to enterprises and bypassing the operators. There are also new entrants, including hyper scalers offering simplified solutions and reducing entry barriers for enterprises. We have also highlighted key trends, market drivers, and challenges in the report, and have discussed some of them in this podcast.

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Peter Richardson is joined by Research Director Gareth Owen and Research Analyst Charu Paliwal to talk about Private Networks. The discussion focuses on some of the case studies and key deployments, spectrum availability, and challenges for private 5G networks among others.

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You can read the podcast transcript here.

Podcast Chapter Markers

01:56 – Charu talks about some of the key findings and trends from her research on private networks.

03:38 – Charu further talks about verticals that are seeing the most traction.

06:45 – Gareth sets context on 4G LTE vs 5G private networks.

09:52 – Gareth talks about opportunities for hyper scalers.

11:37 – Charu on how the market is developing within the CBRS space and device availability.

14:25 – Gareth on challenges faced by private network players.

18:17 – Charu highlights some more challenges from her research on private networks.

19:45 – Closing thoughts from Charu and Gareth.

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Related Reports

Podcast #53: How Trade-Ins, Sustainability & Awareness are Driving Refurbished Smartphone Growth

Refurbished smartphones are cost-effective alternatives for consumers looking to save money when buying a smartphone. Apple and Samsung are the top brands in this secondary smartphone market, allowing users to purchase popular flagship smartphones at a much lower cost. Even as shipments for the global market for new smartphones grew 4.5% YoY in 2021, shipments for the global refurbished smartphone market witnessed 15% growth, according to Counterpoint Research’s Global Refurb Smartphone Tracker. Factors such as attractive trade-in programs, consumer awareness of sustainability, and certified pre-owned smartphones led to this growth.

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Maurice Klaehne is joined by Research Director Jeff Fieldhackand Senior Research Analyst Glen Cardoza to discuss the refurbished smartphone market. The insightful discussion focuses on key topics highlighting the refurbished market performance in 2021, key regions contributing to the growth, and key OEMs. The three also touch upon topics like geopolitics, sustainability, right to repair movement, and much more.

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Podcast Chapter Markers

01:17 – Glen on how the refurbished market performed in 2021.

02:41 – Besides attractive trade-ins, what are the other factors driving sales?

03:58 – Jeff talks about the key factors driving the growth in the US and EU.

05:59 – Jeff further talks about geopolitics and what OEMs are doing to diversify and ensure low-cost operations?

07:55 – Glen talks about the leading OEMs in the refurbished market.

09:42 – Jeff deep-dives into the right-to-repair movement and which components need the most repairs.

14:10 – Eco ratings and sustainability initiatives from top smartphone brands.

17:22 – Last comments and recommendations for OEMs from Jeff and Glen.

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Podcast #52 – Digital Cockpit to Drive Future Connected Car Experiences

Modern cars now feature an array of advanced digital technologies such as ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) that offer things like lane assist, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, and more. And as things progress towards the next level of autonomous driving, the digital cockpit will play a crucial role in unlocking future connected car experiences. Besides offering personalized experiences and seamless connectivity to drivers and passengers, a digital cockpit will also enhance driver safety.

But who are the key players in the automotive industry that are offering the technology stack to power these new experiences? What does Qualcomm’s announcement of its Digital Chassis mean for automakers? And lastly, what are EV (electric vehicle) makers doing to improve range, build more fast-charging stations, and integrate new battery chemistries?

In the latest episode of ‘The Counterpoint Podcast’, host Maurice Klaehne is joined by analysts Soumen Mandal and Mohit Sharma for an insightful discussion on autonomous and electric vehicles (EVs). The discussion also touches on connected cars, touchscreen infotainment systems with guided maps, ADAS, CES 2022 announcements, and more. At the end of the podcast, Soumen and Mohit also talk about the key trends they are seeing in the automotive industry.

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You can download the podcast transcript here.

Podcast Chapter Markers

01:20: Soumen talks about the performance of the automotive industry in 2021 and trends that we are likely to see in 2022.

02:48: Mohit touches on the impact of semiconductor and component shortages, and how things are looking.

03:55: Soumen discusses some of the important automotive announcements from CES 2022.

06:41: Mohit shares some insights on digital cockpit features

08:27: Soumen on connected car ecosystems and new features.

10:32: Autonomous driving is a hot topic, and Mohit deep-dives into what we are seeing.

16:24: Soumen talks about the development and deployment of fast-charging stations.

19:33: Mohit shares more details about new materials in EV batteries, driving range, and range anxiety among other things.

22:33: Soumen and Mohit talk about long and short-term trends they are seeing.

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