Sony’s 2012 earnings show a net profit of $458 million, its first since 2008

We’ve already heard from Sony about the positive effects some of its recent moves like the sales of several of its buildings are having on its finances, and now the company is revealing its detailed results for the last year. Sony has managed a net profit of 43 billion yen ($458 million) in 2012, its first in several years and a good sign after it projected such optimism in last year’s results. The most anticipated news is what it projects for 2013, a year where CEO Kaz Hirai has promised better integration between its products and of course, the PlayStation 4. Sony’s forecast projects sharply improved sales next year, however it expects the operating income to remain flat with a net profit of 50 billion yen ($506 million).

For the year, its TV sales were down 38 percent, reflecting the same drop in the market reported by competitors like Samsung and LG, as well as Sony’s cutbacks to reduce its losses. In phones, the newly-consolidated Sony Mobile experienced an increase in sales thanks to the shift to smartphones, however the cost of its inclusion cause the division to lose money. Next year, it’s anticipating sales of 42 million smartphones, up from 33 million. In the games division, Sony had a decrease in sales for the PS3, PSP and PS Vita of 12.2 percent from last year, although of course it’s counting on the PS4 to turn that around. There aren’t any numbers listed for next-gen, but it’s expecting sales of PS3 hardware to drop to 10 million units from 16.5 million (including the PS2) the year before. We’ll have to wait for the earnings call later this morning to hear more of the company’s future projections, for now you can check the links below for the full details on its results.

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Source: Sony (PDF), Q4 2012 Slides

IDC: Android surged to 69 percent smartphone share in 2012, dipped in Q4

IDC Android surged to 69 percent smartphone share in 2012, took a dip in Q4

Few would doubt that 2012 was Android’s year given how rapidly it grew, but it’s good to have some context. IDC is more than willing to oblige. It estimates that Google’s OS climbed from 49.2 percent of the smartphone space in 2011 to 68.8 percent in 2012. As we’ve seen in the past, though, most of that came from customers leaving embattled platforms, including a pre-BB10 BlackBerry and Symbian. Apple reportedly held its ground at 18.8 percent, while Microsoft appears to have turned a corner with Windows Phone by climbing back up to 2.5 percent.

The fourth quarter results paint a slightly different picture. Android still had a comfortable 70.1 percent of share in IDC’s reckoning, but it took a hit from 75 percent in the third quarter — similar to what we’ve seen elsewhere, the iPhone 5 launch helped iOS claw back enough share to hit 21 percent. BlackBerry and Windows Phone weren’t quite so rosy, although they also didn’t have full quarters with new devices to offer. We’ll have to wait for the first quarter of 2013 to finish before we learn of any true shakeups in the status quo.

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Source: IDC

Gartner: half of smartphones sold are Apple or Samsung, Huawei third for the first time

Gartner 2012 handset sales down 17 percent, half of smartphones sold are Apple or Samsung

We saw last quarter that while mobile phone buyers were on the decline in general, smartphone sales were way, way up. That’s how 2012 finished off as well according to Gartner, with cellphone purchases down 1.7 percent overall from 2011, but sales of higher-IQ models up 38.3 percent year-on-year. Samsung and Apple fared particularly well in the latter category for Q4 2012, making up over 52 percent of smartphones sold compared to 46 percent in Q3. Meanwhile, being embroiled in the odd security row didn’t stop upstart Huawei from hitting the smartphone podium for the first time with 27.2 million handsets sold in Q4 2012, a 73.8 percent jump over last year — but a distant third behind Samsung’s 64.5 million units and 43.5 million for Apple. Meanwhile, Nokia dropped 53.6 percent from last year with 39.3 million units sold, though it’s likely too soon to tell whether WP8 will boost it anew.

Speaking of Redmond’s Windows Phone ecosystem, it grew a modest 1.2 percent in Q4 to grab 3 percent of the market just behind BlackBerry, which tumbled 44.4 percent but stayed in third spot on 3.5 percent of devices. With new products now in the market, the two OSes will likely see a protracted battle for third spot over the next year, according to the survey outfit. Android widened its margin to control a whopping 69.7 percent share of the smartphone OS market compared to 20.9 percent for iOS, a bump of 87.8 percent over the quarter. Otherwise, your Badas, Symbians and others are battling for scraps, and will soon have certain new Linux-based predators to watch out for, to boot.

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Source: Gartner

Canalys: Android was a third of all cellphone shipments in Q4

Canalys Android was a third of all cellphone shipments

Despite regularly hearing how mobile platforms fare within the smartphone space, we rarely get a sense of their place in the wider cellphone universe. Canalys is stepping in with some context. It estimates that smartphones represented just under half of the total pie in the fourth quarter, giving bigger companies like Apple and Google some serious clout. Android accounted for 34 percent of all cellphones shipped, driven by Samsung as well as fast-growing Chinese backers like Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE — all of whom were big reasons why smartphones made up 73 percent of Chinese phone sales in the same period. Apple took a smaller share of the worldwide arena at 11 percent, although it too was riding the Chinese wave to success.

Limiting the scope to smartphones tells a mostly familiar tale. Android staked out 69 percent of the market, taking a 5-point hit as iOS jumped to 22 percent through the iPhone 5 launch. Samsung reigned supreme among individual smartphone makers, followed by Apple and Nokia. The rest are once again Chinese, as Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo scooped up the next three spots. Whether or not regular cellphones are included, the message is the same — if you haven’t been building a popular flagship device or catering to buyers in Beijing, you’ve likely been left out in the cold.

[Image credit: Jon Fingas, Flickr]

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Source: Canalys

Sprint sells 2.2 million iPhones in Q4 2012 but sheds 1 million customers, $1.3 billion

Sprint announced its quarterly (and annual) results today, with overall revenues totaling $9 billion, up from the preceding quarter. Its wireless services formed $7 billion of that, but Hurricane Sandy was responsible for a $45 million hit to its bottom line. Sprint added that it’s been able to sell 2.2 million iPhones, while its LTE network, launched last July, now handles more than 3 million connections. The network picked up 401,000 new post-paid subscribers in the process, but according to the figures, shedded 1 million existing ones from the Nextel part of the business. Its future owner, Softbank, was briefly mentioned in passing — the Now Network received a $3.1 billion bond from the Japanese phone network for the merger.

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Source: Sprint (PDF)

Canalys: Apple hits 20 percent of PCs through iPad sales, HP up to second place

Canalys Apple up to 20 percent of PCs through iPad sales, HP up to second place

Canalys is still staking its market share estimates on the view that mobile tablets are as relevant to PC market share as desktops and laptops. If we accept that interpretation, Apple was easily on top of the heap during the fourth quarter. Combining iPads and Macs would give it 27 million computer shipments in the fall, or 20.1 percent of the 134 million computers that left factories — the first time it would have had more than a fifth of the market. Not that Apple was the only one having a good time, however. HP reportedly took back second place from Lenovo by shipping 15 million PCs and claiming 11 percent of the market, while Samsung stepped into the top five for the first time at 11.7 million PCs and 9 percent share.

The upswings may have masked deeper problems. Apple and Samsung benefited from the iPad mini and Galaxy Tab lines, but they, Amazon and other tablet makers were reportedly propping up the market. Canalys doesn’t believe Windows 8 or RT moved the needle for demand, noting that laptop shipments were flat year-over-year where tablets surged 75 percent. It was a tough market for most conventional PC builders — just ask Dell — and there’s no immediate signs that it will be any easier for them in 2013.

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Source: Canalys

ARM sees 16 percent profit increase in Q4 2012, 21 percent increase in royalty payments

UK-based chipmaker ARM had yet another profitable quarter, announcing that the end of 2012 saw pre-tax profits of around $126 million — an increase of 16 percent since the same period last year. Revenue totaled $262.8 million for Q4 and with a huge proportion of Android and iOS devices containing chip know-how from ARM, it continues to benefit from the smartphone boom. In fact, shipments of chips based on its processors totaled 2.5 billion in Q4 alone, while royalty revenue grew 21 percent year-on-year, thanks to successes with both its Cortex-A and Mali silicon series. ARM chief exec Warren East added that the company is “well positioned” to have a great 2013, too — unless everyone stops buying phones all of a sudden.

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Via: Reuters

Source: ARM

IDC: iPad loses a little marketshare, still dominates global tablet sales in Q4 2012

IDC iPad loses a little marketshare, still dominates global tablet sales in Q4 2012

While Samsung continues to claim the top spot in smartphone sales, Apple is doing the same with tablets. According to IDC, the iPad (in all its shapes) is still the most popular tablet — by a long way. Apple claimed a 43.6 percent market share for the last quarter, shipping 22.9 million tablets. The iOS tablets lost 6.8 percent of the market share, although this loss is substantially less than what IDC monitored earlier this year. Since the same period last year, that’s an increase of 48.1 percent, while total tablet shipments increased 75.3 percent in total. Samsung sidles into second place with all those different screen sizes shipping 7.9 million units and claiming a 15.1 percent market share — since Q4 2011 that’s a huge 263 percent year-on-year increase. Amazon (11.5 percent marketshare) ASUS (5.8 percent) and Barnes and Noble (1.9 percent) round out the top five, while other manufacturers were still able to claim 22.1 percent of total tablet sales — presumably including Microsoft’s Surface, whose effect was described as “muted”. The full table of sales and marketshare is right after the break.

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Via: TNW

Source: IDC

LG’s Q4 earnings show a narrow yearly net profit of $80.75 million, improved income for all divisions

LG's Q4 earnings show a narrow yearly net profit of $8075 million, improved income for all divisions

The latest company to release its quarterly and year-end earnings report is LG, and the good news is that unlike last year’s losses, it has managed to eke out a net profit of $80.75 million. Revenues overall were down six percent from last year, but its operating profit moved way up to $1.01 billion from $342.06 million for 2011. Its TV division also reported record sales and a full year profit of over $480 million, while the cellphone division’s revenue for Q4 was the highest of the year as it shipped 8.6 million smartphones. So what’s on deck for 2013? As you may have heard, Ultra HD and OLED to push the extreme high end of HDTVs along with ever more 3D and connected models for the mass market. For phones, we can expect successors to the Optimus G (more than the Optimus G Pro?) and L-Series, plus LTE phones for the masses in the F-Series as high speed data continues to spread throughout Europe and emerging markets. There’s a few more numbers in the press release after the break if you’re interested, hit the source link to check out the presentation slides.

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LG ANNOUNCES FOURTH-QUARTER AND FULL-YEAR 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS
All Business Units Report Improved 2012 Operating Income from Previous Year

SEOUL, Jan. 30, 2013 – LG Electronics Inc. (LG) today announced consolidated revenues of KRW 50.96 trillion (USD 45.22 billion) and a net profit of KRW 91 billion (USD 80.75 million) for full-year 2012. Despite a 6 percent revenue decrease from 2011, operating profits increased significantly in 2012 to KRW 1.14 trillion (USD 1.01 billion) from KRW 379 billion (USD 342.06 million) in full-year 2011.

Fourth quarter 2012 consolidated revenues were KRW 13.50 trillion (USD 12.37 billion) with an operating profit of KRW 107 billion (USD 98.08 million). Unaudited consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter ending Dec. 31, 2012 showed a net loss of KRW 468 billion (USD 428.96 million) which reflects a fine related to alleged cathode-ray tube pricing issues imposed by the European Commission in December.

The LG Home Entertainment Company reported record sales of flat-panel TVs with 9.3 million units in the fourth quarter resulting in a 17.4 percent revenue increase quarter-on-quarter to KRW 6.44 trillion (USD 5.91 billion) and full-year operating profit of KRW 542 billion (USD 480.92 million). Revenues from 3D and Smart TVs increased with higher unit sales in the United States, Europe and CIS countries. Although the Home Entertainment Company had the strongest quarter of the year in terms of revenue, profitability declined somewhat due to lower average selling prices and increased competition. LG will continue to aggressively market 3D and Smart TVs and plans to expand its share of the premium TV segment in 2013 with Ultra HD TVs and OLED TVs.

The LG Mobile Communications Company reported a 7 percent unit increase quarter-on-quarter in mobile handset shipments to 15.4 million with more than half of the units coming from smartphones. Smartphone shipments grew 23 percent compared to the previous quarter, increasing to 8.6 million devices from the 7 million in the third quarter. Fourth quarter revenues were the highest of the year, growing 15 percent to KRW 2.81 trillion (USD 2.58 billion) quarter-on-quarter. Sales of premium LTE smartphones such as Optimus G and Vu:2 increased in the fourth quarter, as did the L-series and Google Nexus 4. With more European and emerging markets introducing LTE services this year, LG plans to increase smartphone revenues and market share by launching follow-up devices to Optimus G and the L-series as well as the new F-series.

The LG Home Appliance Company posted almost flat revenues year-on-year, with sales of KRW 2.94 trillion (USD 2.7 billion) in the fourth quarter as strong sales in the U.S. and CIS countries were largely offset by sluggish demand in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Profitability was affected by unfavorable foreign exchange rates and increased marketing investments, even though average selling prices for home appliance products rose in the fourth quarter. The company plans to improve its revenue and profitability in 2013 with more competitive products, advanced technologies and a stronger focus on profitable regions.

The LG Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions Company reported sales of KRW 683 billion (USD 626 million) in the fourth quarter, essentially unchanged year-on-year. An operating loss of KRW 11 billion (USD 10.08 million) in the quarter showed improvement from the same period last year due to operational efficiencies. For full-year 2012, the company recorded revenues of KRW 4.35 trillion (USD 3.86 billion) and operating profit of KRW 156 billion (USD 138.42 million). The priority in 2013 will be to introduce more energy-efficient and localized products to bolster revenue growth.

2013 Business Direction
For 2012, LG Electronics is targeting a revenue goal of KRW 53.5 trillion with plans to spend KRW 2.5 trillion in capital expenditures.

2012 4Q Exchange Rates Explained
Starting from the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company has modified its disclosure of operating profit or loss in accordance with the newly issued Amendments to Korea-International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS) 1001 “Presentation of Financial Statements.” Due to this change, the Company has also reclassified comparative financial data in accordance with the new disclosure requirement. Amounts in Korean won (KRW) are converted into U.S. dollars (USD) at the average rate of the three month period in each corresponding quarter: KRW 1,091 per USD (2012 4Q) and KRW 1,146 per USD (2011 4Q). Average rate of the twelve-month period in 2012 was KRW 1,127 per USD.

Earnings Conference and Conference Call
LG Electronics will hold a Korean-language earnings news conference on Jan. 30, 2013 at 16:30 Korea Standard Time at the LG Twin Tower Auditorium (B1 East Tower, 20 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea). An English language conference call will follow on Jan. 31, 2013 at 10:00 Korea Standard Time (01:00 GMT/UTC). Participants are instructed to call +82 31 810 3069 and enter the passcode 9084#. The corresponding presentation file will be available for download at the LG Electronics website (www.lg.com/global/ir/reports/earning-release.jsp) at 13:00 on Jan. 30, 2013. Please visit http://pin.teletogether.com/eng/ and pre-register with the passcode provided. For those unable to participate, an audio recording of the news conference will be available for a period of 30 days after the conclusion of the call. To access the recording, dial +82 31 931 3100 and enter the passcode 142680# when prompted.

# # #

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Source: LG, LG Q4 2012 Earnings

Strategy Analytics: Android claimed 70 percent of world smartphone share in Q4 2012

Estimate Android claimed 70 percent of world smartphone share in Q4 2012

Maybe it’s easier being green than we thought. We suspected Android would do well in smartphone market share when Strategy Analytics had Samsung surging ahead in the fourth quarter of 2012, but the firm’s newer breakdown of estimated share by OS shows an even larger jump for Google’s overall platform — from 51.3 percent in fall 2011 to 70.1 percent one year later. Apple was knocked down slightly to 22 percent, although it’s mostly other platforms that took the bruising. Collectively, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows Phone and other platforms sank from 25.1 percent of the smartphone space in late 2011 to just 7.9 points as 2012 drew to a close. When just two companies’ platforms make up 92 percent of smartphones, it’s safe to call the result a duopoly, like Strategy Analytics does — even if others aren’t so content with the idea.

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Strategy Analytics: Android and Apple iOS Capture a Record 92 Percent Share of Global Smartphone Shipments in Q4 2012

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 38 percent annually to reach 217 million units in the fourth quarter of 2012. Android and Apple iOS together accounted for a record 92 percent share of all smartphones shipped worldwide.

Neil Shah, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew 38 percent annually from 157.0 million units in Q4 2011 to 217.0 million in Q4 2012. Global smartphone shipments for the full year reached a record 700.1 million units in 2012, increasing robustly from 490.5 million units in 2011. Global shipment growth slowed from 64 percent in 2011 to 43 percent in 2012 as penetration of smartphones began to mature in developed regions such as North America and Western Europe.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “We estimate 152.1 million Android smartphones were shipped globally in Q4 2012, nearly doubling from 80.6 million units in Q4 2011. Android’s share of the global smartphone market has surged from 51 percent to 70 percent over the past year, crushing Symbian, Bada and other platforms in its wake. Almost half-a-billion Android smartphones were shipped in total worldwide during 2012. Android is clearly the undisputed volume leader of the smartphone industry at the present time. Android’s challenge for 2013 will be to defend its leadership, not only against Apple, but also against an emerging wave of hungry challengers that includes Microsoft, Blackberry, Firefox and Tizen.”

Scott Bicheno, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, added, “Apple grew 29 percent annually and shipped 47.8 million smartphones worldwide for 22 percent marketshare in Q4 2012, dipping slightly from 24 percent a year earlier. Combined together, Apple and Android accounted for a record 92 percent share of all smartphones shipped globally in the fourth quarter of 2012. The worldwide smartphone industry has effectively become a duopoly as consumer demand has polarized around mass-market Android models and premium Apple designs.”

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Operating System Shipments and Market Share in Q4 2012 1

Global Smartphone OS Shipments (Millions of Units) Q4 ’11 2011 Q4 ’12 2012
Android 80.6 238.9 152.1 479.0
Apple iOS 37.0 93.0 47.8 135.8
Others 39.4 158.6 17.1 85.3
Total 157.0 490.5 217.0 700.1
Global Smartphone OS Marketshare %

Q4 ’11

2011 Q4 ’12 2012
Android 51.3% 48.7% 70.1% 68.4%
Apple iOS 23.6% 19.0% 22.0% 19.4%
Others 25.1% 32.3% 7.9% 12.2%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Total Growth Year-over-Year % 55.9% 63.8% 38.2% 42.7%

The full report, Android & Apple iOS Capture a Record 92 Percent Share of Global Smartphone Shipments in Q4 2012, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Smartphone Strategies (WSS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/9djv7u8.

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Via: TalkAndroid

Source: Strategy Analytics