Online Video Beneficiaries: Polycom

Driven by globalization, telecommuting, and offshoring, an enterprise is no longer limited to one building or one geography. With this ever increasing distance between people working in an enterprise, there is a growing stress on applications that facilitate collaboration. Applications like video conferencing are critical today for meetings with offshore employees or even employees on the move. In this post, I will analyze Polycom’s standing as an online video beneficiary.

Related posts of interest can be found here and here. Note, enterprise video conferencing is not the only trend driving the online video market momentum. The advent of YouTube and its compatriots have set in motion a rollicking online entertainment industry that has also been a major contributor to the phenomenon. >>>

iPhone/iPod Beneficiary: Sandisk

In this post, I will look at SanDisk with respect to the iPhone. SanDisk does not have any component in the iPhone, but is a beneficiary all the same because of the effect iPhone is having on the NAND flash memory market. For the record, Apple’s NAND Flash provider is Samsung for both the iPod and the iPhone.

Founded in 1988,SanDisk (NASDAQ:SNDK) has grown to be one of the world’s largest supplier of flash memory data storage products with revenues of $3.3 billion in 2006. Based in Milpitas, California, the company has more than 2,000 employees worldwide. SanDisk manufactures and sells retail and OEM flash memory cards, Cruzer® USB flash drives, and embedded solutions. Its products are used in digital cameras, multi-function mobile phones, USB flash drives, MP3 music players, and other digital consumer devices. SanDisk also licenses its technology to companies. It has more than 600 issued U.S. patents, and more than 300 foreign patents. >>>

iPhone’s Component Ecosystem: ARM Holdings

In this post, we will be analyzing ARM Holdings as part of the serieson the major players in the iPhone’s component ecosystem. The processor in the iPhone is based on an architecture licensed from Britain’s ARM Holdings, popularly referred to as an ARM Core.

ARM Holdings Plc.(Nasdaq: ARMHY) is the world’s leading semiconductor intellectual property (IP) supplier with total revenues of £263.3 million ($483.6 million) in 2006. Its technology is used in most of the advanced digital products, ranging from mobile, home and enterprise solutions to embedded and emerging applications. Its business is organized into three segments: Processor Division (PD), Physical IP Division (PIPD), and Development Systems Division (DevSys). >>>

iPhone’s Carrier Competitors: T-Mobile

In this post, I will look at T-Mobile with respect to the iPhone and AT&T. T-Mobile USA is the US operating unit of T-Mobile International AG & Co., the mobile communications segment of Deutsche Telekom.

Deutsche Telekom AG & Co. K.G. (NYSE: DT) is one of the leading telecommunications and information technology service providers in the world with net revenue of €61.3 billion in 2006. Its business is organized into three strategic business areas: Broadband/Fixed Network, Mobile Communications, and Business Customers. T-Mobile International is one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications with about 112 million customers worldwide. It has a strong presence in Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Montenegro. >>>

iPhone’s Carrier Competitors: Sprint

In this post, I will analyze Sprint with respect to AT&T and iPhone. Related posts are available here and here.

Sprint Nextel Corp.(NYSE: S) is a global communications company with net operating revenue of $41.02 billion in 2006. Its business is organized into two segments: Wireless and Wireline. The company utilizes CDMA and Nextel’s digital enhanced network (iDEN) technologies. Sprint and Nextel merged in 2005. The merger cost Sprint $36 billion and apparently much more. Its iDEN subscriber base decreased dramatically over recent quarters and Sprint had to spend more on advertising, promotions, and subsidies. The aggressive spending only resulted in decreasing the post-paid churn rate to 2% from 2.3% in the earlier quarter but did not affect the decreasing demand for iDEN services. Looks to me like an acquisition that has caused bad indigestion! >>>

iPhone’s Carrier Competitors: Verizon

In this post, I will look at Verizon with respect to the iPhone and AT&T. An earlier related post on Verizon is available here.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services with operating revenue of $88.14 billion in 2006. Its business is organized into two segments: Wireline and Domestic Wireless. The wireless business, operating as Verizon Wireless, is a joint venture formed in April 2000 between Verizon and Vodafone Group Plc with Verizon owning a controlling 55% interest.

For Q2 2007, for its Domestic Wireless segment, Verizon reported revenues of $10.8 billion. Its customer base increased to approximately 62.1 million, a 13.2% increase over last year. Verizon is the largest US wireless carrier in terms of revenue and in terms of customers, it is No.2 after AT&T which has 63.7 million customers. In the quarter, Verizon added 1.3 million wireless customers, less than AT&T’s 1.5 million. The main reason behind this is that Verizon lost about 300,000 wholesale subscribers due to the bankruptcy of its reseller Amp’d Mobile. This is the first time since early 2006 that AT&T has outpaced Verizon. >>>

iPhone and AT&T: How Goes?

Starting with this post on AT&T, I will analyze the US carriers and how the launch of iPhone has affected them. Earlier posts on AT&T available here and here can make for interesting reading. AT&T is the exclusive US carrier partner for the iPhone. To get the iPhone, subscribers need to sign up for a 2-year contract with price plans ranging from $60 to $100 dollars per month.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is one of the world’s largest telecommunications holding companies with operating revenue of 63.05 billion in 2006. AT&T companies are leading providers of IP-based communications services, high-speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. Its business is organized into four segments: (1) wireline; (2) wireless; (3) advertising & publishing; and (4) others. In December, 2006, AT&T acquired BellSouth. With the BellSouth acquisition, the Company acquired BellSouth’s 40% interest in AT&T Mobility, formerly Cingular Wireless LLC, resulting in 100% ownership of AT&T Mobility. >>>

iPhone Competitors: Motorola

In my earlier post on Motorola, I had mentioned their need for a better product mix and a better position in the SmartPhone / Convergence Device segment. There were not many changes in Motorola’s product mix in the second quarter with just upgradings to the RAZR model. This over-dependence on its RAZR model has proved detrimental to the company and it has slipped to the third position in the mobile phone market behind Nokia and Samsung.

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) has three business segments: Mobile Devices, Home and Networks Mobility, and Enterprise Mobility Solutions. For the second quarter of 2007, the company reported net sales of $8.7 billion, a 19% decline from $10.8 billion in the year ago period. Net sales were down 40% in the Mobile Devices segment, up 9% in the Home and Networks Mobility segment, and up 42% in the Enterprise Mobility Solutions segment primarily due to the acquisition of Symbol for $3.5 billion in January this year (smart acquisition). >>>