Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

3 Upgrades to See on the Next Apple TV

We've been saying for more than a year that Apple TV is due for a major makeover; compared to competitors such as Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV, the streaming media player is clearly dated—the last refresh appeared in 2013. Apple fans need not worry, though. It sounds like that overhaul will finally arrive in about two weeks, in the form of a fresher look, a new operating system, and some enhanced features.

The timing—linked to the Sept. 9 press event for the new iPhone 6—couldn't be better. A survey released last week by market research firm Parks Associates has revealed that, based on 2014 sales, Apple has slipped to number four in the streaming media player market, trailing not only Roku and Chromecast, but also Amazon Fire TV.

From the article "3 Upgrades to See on the Next Apple TV" by James K. Willcox.

Previously In The News

Smart-lock startup August Home bought by Yale lock-maker owner

Meanwhile, August Home and Walmart are testing a service that uses a smart lock to open the door for a delivery person to leave an online-ordered package inside. The Assa Abloy acquisition gives Au...

Gamer gear maker Razer jumps into smartphone market against Apple, Samsung

According to research released this week by Parks Associates, Apple and Samsung own more than 76 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, widening their lead over also-rans LG and Motorola. While Google...

Smart-home tech might help older adults live independently longer

A recent survey by the research firm Parks Associates of adults age 40 and over found that 80 percent expected to still be living in their own homes when they were 80 years old. That expectation, h...

The threat of the ‘DIY smart home’

In order to ensure interoperability with products from other manufacturers, more and more companies are beginning to turn to open standards such as ULE. Panasonic, Orange, Deutsche Telkom and Gigaset...