Your weekly look at the world of smartphones and mobile technology, this is the Phone Buzz on Friday 29th January 2021.

Apple Headlines

• Apple’s Q1 2021 passed a milestone for a quarter, it’s the first time the company has posted over $100 billion in revenue. The actual numbers are $111.44 billion revenue and profits of $28.76 billion. (Apple).
• Last year, IDC estimated 1.5 billion iPhones were shipped during Q1. This year? 1.65 billion. Not only is that Apple’s biggest quarter for smartphone sales, it’s the biggest quarter for any smartphone manufacturer (CNBC).
• The iPhone market share in India has doubled to four precent, with 1.5 million units shipped (Counterpoint Research via TechCrunch).
• The iOS 14.4 update is now live. As well as the usual bug fixed, Apple has published extra information on the security updates in the new version (Apple Support). Catalin Cimpanu has taken a closer look at the three zero-day exploits that have been addressed (ZDNet).
• This week in the Epic/Apple app store stramash has brought some emails from Apple’s exec team into the public. Dating from 2011, they discuss how Apple would handle subscription services on AppleTV, with a view to not disturbing the thirty percent cut that powers the App Store (The Verge).
• Supply chain watchers have, through the usual convoluted chains of parts suppliers, spotted the potential for a second-generation AirPods product to be launched in the first half of 2021 (Apple Insider).
• Apple’s chief of hardware engineering Dan Riccio is now overseeing “a new project”, with John Ternus taking over (Apple). Given Riccio’s remit covered the Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod, there’s a lot of knowledge being called on here. The obvious projects may be Apple VR or the mythical Apple Car (Reuters).
• Last weekend saw Apple publish a support document regarding the potential interference with medical devices of the magnets inside the iPhone 12 handsets, With the inclusion of the new mag-safe connection system there are more magnets in the latest handsets than in previous years (Apple Support).
  

  Here’s the key section of the support document: “Medical devices such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators might contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact. To avoid any potential interactions with these devices, keep your iPhone and MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from your device (more than 6 inches / 15 cm apart or more than 12 inches / 30 cm apart if wirelessly charging). But consult with your physician and your device manufacturer for specific guidelines.”

Android Headlines

• Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra is a big phone with a big battery, but efficiency and battery life remain key. One of the villains of battery life has always been the screen of any smartphone, so the news that the S21 Ultra screen is 16 percent more efficient than the 2020 models is a big help (SamMobile).
• Following last week’s release of the Honor View40, more details on Honor’s new partnerships now it has been spun out from Huawei have been confirmed. These include Microsoft, AMD and Intel, presumably for its laptop range; MediaTek and Qualcomm for smartphone system on chips; and Samsung, Micron Technology, SK Hynix and Sony for components. The question on Google Play Services support in its smartphones remain (Nikkei Asia).
• Sony’s latest smartphone comes with an HDMI port alongside USB-C. The Xperia Pro 5G retains the SnapDragon 865 from last year’s Xperia 1 II, larger bezels, a thicker design, and (wait for it) a $2,500 price tag (Ars Technica).
• Sony’s Xperia is preparing the return of an old favourite. Steve Hemmerstoffer brings news of a potential Sony Xperia Compact for 2021, measuring 140 x 68.9 x 8.9mm and sporting a 5.5 inch screen. But with the iPhone 12 Mini sales falling short of expectations, can Sony find a market that Apple missed? (OnLeaks at Voice).
• Following last week’s discussions over LG leaving the smartphone market, Jerry Hildenbrand looks at the wider implications, and the power of the Google/Samsung/Apple trifecta in the mobile ecosystem (Android Central).

Mobile Technology

• It’s the week for a lot of quarterly earnings calls, so if you’re playing profit and loss bingo your callers include Microsoft AMD, Apple, and Facebook,
• Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro 7 advert is a great example of framing the debate around your won strengths and your opponents weaknesses, as it compares the new Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet with the MacBook Pro (Microsoft on YouTube). No doubt a similar Mac vs PC advert from Apple would cover some different features (via YouTube).

And Finally…

• Bzotto on Twitter has been on a bit of a quest. Can he read the data on a thirty-year old 5.25 inch floppy disk to recover an Apple II program he wrote in elementary school? (via Threadreader).

Ewan Spence

Ewan is the editor at Phone Buzz News. For over 30 years he has been covering the worlds of media and technology, from the early days of the first smartphone through to their essential role in today's society.