Similar to “Just Do It,” Nike’s latest slogan — “Do You” — encourages a greater, growing audience. But unlike the aforementioned, the succinct phrase preaches acceptance of oneself in ways the brand has yet to attempt. And here, as expected, the theme is joined by the Air Force 1 whose palette resembles previous additions.
A black neutral covers the shoe in near entirety, every stitch equally as dark. The Swoosh, then, outlines in white embroidery, while the adjacent “DO YOU” branded hang tag and heel tab opt for vivid pops of pink and Volt, respectively. Elsewhere, the dubrae and tongue label mimic this exact combo, contrasting the black-and-white duality of the looped-together laces.
For a closer look, peer below at the official images. Sizes should appear on Nike.com and select retailers in the next few months.
A recent Geekbench listing revealed that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M52 5G will be the first handset from the company running the Snapdragon 778G SoC and now a new leak gives some details about the camera setup.
According to GalaxyClub's insider info, the Galaxy M52 5G will feature a quad-camera setup headlined by a 64MP main sensor. A 12MP ultrawide unit and 5MP dedicated macro shooter are also on the menu, meaning the fourth camera will likely be a mere depth sensor.
And if this sounds familiar, it's because it is. The Galaxy A52 features the same exact camera setup on the back.
The front is said to feature a 32MP selfie snapper.
What future is there for the Samsung Galaxy Note range? Originally a wild take on the smartphone, modern phones seem to have adopted pretty much every once-unique feature the phones had.
Even the S Pen isn’t exclusive to the Galaxy Note anymore. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is compatible with Samsung’s stylus, and the company just confirmed at MWC that future flagships will get S Pen support as well. With all that going on, what good is the Galaxy Note really?
What the Galaxy Note was
The Samsung Galaxy Note launched back in 2011,in a time when the majority of smartphones were pretty small devices. For comparison, the original Note had a 5.3-inch screen, while the Galaxy S2, which was released earlier that same year, was 4.7 inches. The iPhone 4S’s screen was just 3.5 inches in size.
It was the Galaxy Note range that helped popularize the idea of the phablet, and led to phone screens getting larger as the years progressed. Now the vast majority of flagship phones have screens over 6 inches in size. The Note series also saw the launch of curved Edge; displays, something Samsung still uses to this day. Albeit, not quite as often as it did just a few years ago.
The Note was also one of the few smartphones to continue using a stylus, long after Apple popularized the idea of a touchscreen-only interface. As such, a lot of the Galaxy Note’s features and software were built around the S Pen. Features Included the ability to handwrite digital notes, and draw in a more natural way than using your finger.
As the Galaxy Note line matured, the S Pen also came with newer features like air gestures, Bluetooth shutter control and more.
However, as years passed the rest of the Galaxy S range caught up to the Galaxy Note in terms of size and performance. The S Pen was always the one thing the Galaxy Note had going for it. Now, that’s not going to be the case going forward.
The Galaxy Note as it is should die
Without the S Pen, there’s no need for a Galaxy Note range as it stands. If anything, Samsung has made its own Note devices obsolete by allowing the Galaxy S range to catch up to the Note, with Galaxy S Ultra models essentially taking the Note’s place in the company’s portfolio.
Think about it this way. The Galaxy S21 Ultra has a 6.8-inch display, which is fractionally larger than the 6.7-inch Galaxy Note 20 and fractionally smaller than the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. From a display size perspective there’s little difference between them, though the Notes have a much blockier rectangular design than the smoother curves of the Galaxy S.
The S21 Ultra even has S Pen support, and while it doesn’t have the same dedicated stylus slot as a Galaxy Note, it can nearly all the same pen-based functions. It can be used to write, draw, and annotate, as any good stylus should be, but that's about it.
More advanced features like air gestures and Bluetooth shutter control are still exclusive to the Galaxy Note range right now. Though Samsung has suggested this may change in the near future.
But despite those few differences, the Galaxy S21 Ultra is still very much a Galaxy Note in everything but name.
Obviously, these are not new points. The demise of the Galaxy Note range has been rumored for months. Long before Samsung confirmed that the S21 Ultra would indeed have S Pen support. And the fact that it looks like the foldable Galaxy Fold 3 will support the S Pen, and rumors of a larger 7.7-inch interior display, means the Note range might as well be dead in the water.
Rumor is that there will be one final Galaxy Note phone coming out later this year (or early next year) as a kind of “final hurrah” for the range. But there’s a different way, one that doesn’t involve Samsung releasing one final generic phone and saying “that’s all, bye”. In fact, it’s an opportunity for Samsung to totally reinvent the Galaxy Note, and ensure it still has a place going forward.
A new Galaxy Note for a new age
There’s no reason to keep the Galaxy Note around as it currently is. Instead Samsung should focus on reinventing the lineup into something that it doesn’t already have. Samsung has been slowly positioning the phone as the ‘enterprise device’ over the past few years, and now is the time to go all in.
The Samsung Galaxy Note should be the go-to phone for business users. Back in the day that role fell to BlackBerry, but these days it seems as though the iPhone has become the de-facto "work phone."
There’s no reason why Samsung can’t try to claim some of that territory for itself. After all, it's already tried to do that with previous Galaxy devices, even going so far to develop software (DeX) that lets people use their phones as desktop machines when they’re at their desk.
The Galaxy Note already has almost a decade of brand awareness to build on, and it’s naturally fallen out of place in the Samsung portfolio. That would make this the perfect opportunity to do something like this.
Samsung could take the Note and stop worrying about having to create something new every year — that’s what the Galaxy S and Fold ranges will be for after all. Instead it can focus on developing a phone that’s built primarily for business rather than pleasure.
You wouldn’t necessarily need the latest and best chipsets, just as long as the hardware it did have was good enough. Likewise, there could be a much bigger emphasis on security, much like there was during Blackberry’s heyday. Samsung could take data security to the next level in terms of protecting sensitive corporate data.
As for the S Pen? It can keep doing what it was always meant for: functions and features that require the fine input you can’t really mimic with a finger or a mouse. Note taking, annotations and so on.
The alternative is to just kill of the brand and let it fade into obscurity. Which is, frankly, a huge waste.
Knowing how to AirPlay to a Samsung TV will let you mirror videos and other content from your Apple device to a bigger screen.
Like many of the best TVs, Samsung's QLED sets support AirPlay built-in, meaning you can take advantage of the feature without an Apple TV 4K (2021) or other Apple streaming box. As long as the proper settings are in place, you can AirPlay to a Samsung TV directly from your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
AirPlay lets users with these Apple devices mirror their device's screen onto another AirPlay-supported device. Whether you're mirroring music, videos or photos, an exact replica of what you see on your primary device should be seen on the secondary one. It's a pretty neat party trick, especially when the secondary device is a brand-name smart TV (or in this case, any of the best Samsung TVs).
1. Turn on your TV and make sure it's connected to the internet. See our guide on how to set up your set up your Samsung TV if you need help getting your set online.
2.Review your Samsung's TV's AirPlay settings. Go to Settings > General > Apple AirPlay Settings.
(Image credit: Future)
3. Turn AirPlay 'On' if it's not already. Decide whether to require a pairing code every time you want to AirPlay from an Apple device, or just the first time you AirPlay from a given device.
(Image credit: Future)
Your Samsung TV is now ready for AirPlay. Make sure the TV is turned on when you're ready to AirPlay. And keep in mind that AirPlay will disrupt whatever you're currently watching.
How to AirPlay to a Samsung TV from iPhone or iPad
1. Make sure your iPhone or iPad is currently connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV. AirPlay to a Samsung TV won't work if both your TV and device aren't on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Choose and open the content to AirPlay to a Samsung TV. Any photos or videos in your camera roll will work. You can also AirPlay audio from Spotify and Apple Music.
3. Tap the AirPlay button, if there's one available. It's a curved rectangle with an arrow pointing up at the bottom. If there's no AirPlay button, tap the sharing or casting button. In the Photos app, it looks like a square with an arrow pointing up at the top.
(Image credit: Future)
4. Select AirPlay from the sharing options. In a third-party app like Spotify, the AirPlay options might be found alongside Bluetooth options.
(Image credit: Future)
5. Select your Samsung TV from the list. You might see other AirPlay-compatible devices on the list, so be sure to choose your TV.
(Image credit: Future)
6. Enter the 4-digit AirPlay Passcode displayed on your TV, if prompted. If you've used this device to AirPlay to your Samsung TV before, you might not need to enter a passcode depending on your set's AirPlay settings.
You should now be able to AirPlay to a Samsung TV from your iPhone or iPad.
How to AirPlay to a Samsung TV from Mac
1. Make sure your Mac computer is currently connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your TV. AirPlay to a Samsung TV won't work if both your TV and your Mac aren't on the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Choose and open the content to AirPlay to a Samsung TV. Any photos or videos saved to your Mac will work. You can also AirPlay audio from the Apple Music desktop app.
3. Tap the AirPlay button, if there's one available. It's a curved rectangle with an arrow pointing up at the bottom. In the Photos desktop app, it's next to the settings wheel.
(Image credit: Future)
5. Select your Samsung TV from the list. You might see other AirPlay-compatible devices on the list, so ensure you choose your TV.
(Image credit: Future)
6. If prompted, enter the 4-digit AirPlay Passcode displayed on your TV. If you've used this device to AirPlay to your Samsung TV before, you might not need to enter a passcode depending on your set's AirPlay settings.
(Image credit: Future)
You should now be able to AirPlay to a Samsung TV from your Mac.
Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of Samsung Newsroom Australia, which will serve as the official news source of Samsung Electronics for Australian media and consumers.
The first Samsung newsroom in the Oceania region will feature a wide range of content, from press releases and live broadcasting of Samsung’s global events to high-quality images and videos. In addition, the new digital content hub will provide original content specifically created for the Australian audience.
The Newsroom launches following over 30 years in the local Australian market for Samsung Electronics, and marks the 32nd Samsung Electronics’ Newsroom site around the world.
HENDERSON, Nev. – As part of their ongoing commitment to the community and to youth football, the Las Vegas Raiders conducted the Nike 11-On event at Valley High School in Las Vegas at which around 600 Southern Nevada boys high school football players at all positions partook in on and off-the-field team-building activities.
Sixteen Las Vegas area high school teams participated in the Nike 11-On, a scholastic-based, team-oriented, character-building program. The one-day curriculum kicked off with Raiders Alumni Ike Ekejiuba and Jay Schroeder speaking to the student-athletes about character development, film study, nutrition as well as strength and conditioning in the morning, followed by on-field sessions.
The Raiders held the inaugural Nike 11-On event at Clark High School in Las Vegas in 2019, where over 500 Southern Nevada boys participated. Raiders Alumnus Mervyn Fernandez was among the former NFL players who addressed the student-athletes during the character development phase. The NFL and Nike brought 11-On to 16 NFL clubs including the Raiders two years ago and has since expanded to all 32 clubs.
The NFL describes Nike 11-On as "a unique endeavor that focuses on team play over individual recognition and provides development for all 11 athletes on both sides of the ball. The 11-On initiative supports scholastic high school football team competition that focuses on building transferable life skills while also creating an alternative to individual all-star formats."
The Raiders opened Allegiant Stadium to Southern Nevada high school football teams that were selected by the Clark County School District for Spring practices in late April. The nine teams each had two hours to utilize Allegiant Stadium for their individual sessions and inter squad scrimmages.
The Raiders also recently partnered with the Southern Nevada Flag Football Coaches Association and Allegiant to host the Southern Nevada High School Girls Flag Football All-Star Game. Prior to the game, the girls took part in a combine event which served as a showcase to perform physical and mental tests in the hopes of attracting the attention of college recruiters.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., scolded Nike CEO John Donahoe on Monday after he called the sportswear apparel giant a "brand of China," following an incident it was involved in earlier this year over concerns about human rights abuses committed by the communist government.
"I guess Nike's attitude towards genocide in China is ‘just too it,’" Cotton told "Fox News Primetime" host Jesse Watters, referencing the company's well-known slogan.
During an earnings call last week, Donahoe explained that Nike had a positive long-term view of its operations in China, where it had been operating for close to four decades.
"We are the largest sport brand there, and we are a brand of China and for China," Donahoe said. "And the biggest asset we have in China is the consumer equity. Consumers feel a strong, deep connection to the NIKE, Jordan and Converse brands in China. And it’s real."
Donahoe's comment came shortly after the company was ridiculed for a comment it made raising concerns about forced labor practices in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
The statement resurfaced and resulted in calls among Chinese consumers to boycott the brand after the U.S. and other Western countries responded to the forced labor allegations with sanctions. Nike was forced to reassure customers that it does not source textiles or products from the region.
Cotton said the company's "kowtow" approach to the communist government "poses a big danger because Nike CEO is just another example of what I call ‘China lobby.’"
"All of the woke CEOs the big Hollywood move studios, the university presidents who depend on a full freight Chinese students coming to their campuses. The lobby firms in Washington. The news networks that are either owned by or affiliated with those Hollywood studios needing access to the Chinese market. They all lobby in effect on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party," he continued.
"Let's remember, too. These woke CEOs saddle their high horse and ride it hard in America. Talk about Nike with Colin Kaepernick, but when they get into China they kowtow before the powers that be and they never bring up anything like China's genocide against its own people or crushing Hong Kong's autonomy or unleashing this plague on the United States. All they care about in China is money."
Later in the segment, Cotton called for U.S. athlete Gwen Berry to be removed from the team representing the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics this year after she turned her back to the American flag during the national anthem on Sunday.
"I don't think it's too much when athletes are competing…to compete under the stars and stripes in the Olympics for them to simply honor that flag and our anthem on the medal stand. If Ms. Berry is so embarrassed by America, then there is no reason she needs to compete for our country," he said. "She should be removed from the Olympic team."
The new Galaxy Watch will be the first device to feature One UI Watch and the new unified platform jointlybuiltwith Google
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today introduced its One UI Watch user experience at Mobile World Congress (MWC) today. The new interface is designed to make the Galaxy Watch and smartphone experience more deeply connected. Samsung also confirmed that One UI Watch will be available for Galaxy Watch on the new, unified platform it jointly built with Google, bringing performance enhancements, a more seamless experience between the Watch and Android smartphones, and access to an even greater number of applications. Samsung further revealed that its upcoming Galaxy Watch will be the first to feature the new unified platform and One UI Watch, which will make its debut at the Unpacked event later this summer.
“To unlock the full potential of these wearables, we’re leveraging our long legacy of mobile innovations and our partnerships with trusted industry leaders who have grown with us in our open ecosystem,” said Patrick Chomet, EVP and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through these efforts, we will enrich our smartwatch experience and convenience of the Galaxy ecosystem for our consumers.”
One UI Watch together with the new unified platform will create an entirely new Galaxy Watch experience. As part of the new experience, once you install watch-compatible apps on your smartphone, they will be swiftly downloaded onto your smartwatch. If you’ve customized your clock app on your phone to show the time in different cities around the globe, this will be automatically reflected on your watch as well. And if you block calls and messages from your watch, they will now be blocked on your smartphone, too.
The unified platform will open up new features and integrations with popular third-party apps available to download from Google Play directly on your Galaxy Watch. So, whether you’re a sports and fitness fanatic who wants to get more out of apps like Adidas Running, GOLFBUDDY Smart Caddie, Strava and Swim.com, a wellness seeker who wants to live a more balanced lifestyle with apps like Calm or Sleep Cycle, a music lover who revels in discovering new artists on Spotify and YouTube Music, or an intrepid explorer ready to roam with Google Maps—there’s something for everyone, thanks to a diverse range of partners.
Recommended News
“Samsung and Google have a long history of collaboration and whenever we’ve worked together, the experience for our consumers has been dramatically better for everyone,” said Sameer Samat, Vice President of Product Management, Android and Wear, Google. “That certainly holds true for this new, unified platform, which will be rolling out for the first time on Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch. In collaboration with Samsung, we’re thrilled to bring longer battery life, faster performance, and a wide range of apps, including many from Google to a whole new wearable experience.”
In addition, Samsung will bring an improved watch face design tool, making it easier than ever for designers to create new watch faces. Later this year, Android developers will be able to unleash their creativity and release fun, new designs that will be added to Samsung’s ever-growing collection of watch faces to give consumers even more options for customizing their smartwatches to suit their mood, activity and personality.
The new Galaxy Watch will be the first-ever device to feature One UI Watch and the new, unified platform, which is scheduled to be announced at Samsung’s Unpacked event later this summer. Stay tuned for the new Galaxy Watch and much more.
We've heard the rumors before so the report from the reputable Korean media ETNews comes out as a confirmation about the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold3's and Z Flip3's display sizes.
According to the inside sources, the Galaxy Z Fold3's external display will measure 6.23" in diagonal while the inner, extended display will go up to 7.55". In other words, there won't be any changes in size, just expect a more compact overall device.
The Galaxy Z Flip3, on the other hand, will get a larger 1.9" external display, coming from 1.1" on the original Z Flip. The main, inner panel, however, remains at 6.7".
Other details were not mentioned but we still have a little over a month until Samsung unveils both devices so more rumors will pop up until then.
Samsung needs to broaden and deepen its commitment if it is going to have a genuine impact in the fight against climate change, campaign group Greenpeace said.
Smartphone and chip giant Samsung Electronics' fulfilment of a headline-grabbing pledge to switch to renewable energy in the US, China and Europe accounts for less than 20 percent of its global electricity use, environmentalists Greenpeace said Tuesday.
The firm needs to broaden and deepen its commitment if it is going to have a genuine impact in the fight against climate change, the campaign group said in a report, urging it to take similar steps in more countries within "aggressive timeframes".
The company is the flagship subsidiary of the Samsung group, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in South Korea, the world's 12th-largest economy.
In 2018, Samsung Electronics promised to source all of its energy use in the US, China and Europe from renewables within two years, a target it said in March it had met.
But renewables only accounted for 17.6 percent of the firm's global energy mix in 2020, Greenpeace said, highlighting that its two key production hubs—South Korea and Vietnam—were not included in the original commitment.
The two countries account for around 80 percent of Samsung Electronics' worldwide electricity consumption and in both of them it "depended heavily on fossil fuels", Greenpeace said in its report, which was based on disclosures and statistics from Samsung itself.
Chart showing the growth and proportion of power consumption in the information and communication technology sector.
In the South, Samsung has its own solar panels and geothermal power facilities, but they generated only "a tiny fraction" of its gigantic 17 TWh electricity usage there last year—more than 70 percent of the firm's global consumption.
Samsung Electronics is among the South's biggest consumers of electricity and the situation presents a challenge for President Moon Jae-in's goal of the country becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
It is an ambitious target given that according to the International Energy Agency only around six percent of the South's electricity came from renewables in 2020.
But Samsung Electronics is not among the more than 300 global corporations—including its biggest smartphone rival Apple—that have signed up to the RE100 pledge committing to use only renewable electricity, Greenpeace pointed out.
"Samsung has demonstrated that they can achieve 100 percent renewable energy in a short period in the US, Europe, and China," said Hyunsook Lee of Greenpeace.
"It is essential to set a 100 percent renewable energy conversion goal in Korea and Vietnam, which are vulnerable to climate crisis."
Citation: Samsung lagging on renewables pledge: Greenpeace (2021, June 28) retrieved 28 June 2021 from https://ift.tt/3diQXH1
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Nike didn’t make its billions alone. Most of its sales have come from selling to wholesale partners such as department stores, mom-and-pop shops, sporting goods specialists, and all the thousands of retail businesses Nike has long relied on to distribute its products to shoppers. Just a decade ago, in 2011, roughly 84% of Nike brand sales (pdf) were still to wholesale customers. Sales Nike made to shoppers itself, through channels such as its stores and website, amounted to just 16% of its business.
That balance is rapidly shifting. Nike’s sales straight to shoppers, which have been rising for years, accelerated in the past year as the firm’s overall business rebounded from the pandemic. In the company’s 2021 fiscal year, ended May 31, direct sales rose to approximately 39% of Nike brand sales (pdf), while wholesale accounted for about 61%. (These figures exclude sales of products from subsidiary brands such as Converse.)
Why Nike is selling to fewer retailers
The shift is part of a strategy Nike announced in 2017 called the “consumer direct offense.” A key element entails increasing Nike’s own sales to shoppers through its own immersive stores and digital channels, notably its suite of apps, including SNKRS, where it launches limited release products. Direct sales tend to have better margins since there’s no middleman taking a cut; they give Nike direct connections to customers and their data; and they allow Nike more control of its brand. Once Nike sells to a retailer, it has limited say in how its products are displayed, meaning they can end up crammed onto shelves alongside competitors in a generic mass.
At the same time, Nike has been culling the number of retailers it sells to, pulling products from what it deems “undifferentiated” shops that lack a strong identity or don’t offer Nike a different customer than it reaches on its own. These include independent stores and big chains alike. Recently it has ceased sales to Urban Outfitters, DSW, and Macy’s, according to research from Sam Poser, an analyst at investment firm Williams Trading.
Nike’s wholesale business still matters
That’s not to say Nike’s wholesale business no longer matters. Nike made clear in 2017 it would prioritize a handful of retailers. “Today, we’re working closely with large strategic partners like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, and JD Sports, as well as compelling local neighborhood partners who are authentic to sport performance and lifestyle,” CEO John Donahoe said on the company’s June 24 earnings call.
Local skate shops, for example, have been vital to Nike’s distribution of its Dunk sneaker, which it carefully positioned to be one of the hottest shoes of 2021. Foot Locker, meanwhile, exemplifies how Nike manages to keep its wholesale business growing even as it cuts back on the stores it sells to. As some of its competitors get cut out of Nike’s distribution, it’s working even closer with Nike and buying more of its products, based on data published in Foot Locker’s annual reports.
Nike gets the best of both worlds: It’s able to keep its wholesale business growing, even as it slashes its number of partners. And it does more direct sales to shoppers.
The company plans to keep the shift going. By 2025, it expects direct sales, led by its digital channels, to reach 60% of its business.
SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG, CHINA - 2019/10/05: American multinational sportswear manufacturer Nike logo ... [+]seen in Shenzhen. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
What?
Nike (NYSE:NKE) posted a strong set of Q4 FY'21 results, with revenue growing by over 96% year-over-year to $12.3 billion, well ahead of street estimates. EPS stood at $0.93, compared to a loss last year.
Why?
The results were driven by strong consumer demand for athletic apparel and footwear as the economy continues to open following Covid-19.
So What?
Nike stock jumped by over 15% in Friday's trading, following the earnings report. Nike's robust earnings indicate that the broader sporting goods and apparel sector could also see a quicker than expected rebound post-Covid.
It takes two, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock famously explained, to make things go right and outta sight. “It takes two” is a fitting mantra for the sneaker industry, too, as brands have dosey-doed into collaborative nirvana. More specifically, the 1988 hit song is also the source code for the latest batch of sneakers from Louis Vuitton’s men’s artistic director Virgil Abloh: 21 pairs of Air Force 1s made in partnership between Nike and the French house (now that’s two making it outta sight). Last week, during the Louis Vuitton men’s spring-summer 2022 runway show, Abloh debuted almost two dozen of the Swooshed and LV monogrammed sneakers in green, white, metallic blue, lemon yellow, red, and even Vuitton’s iconic “Damier” check that probably have StockX building out additional servers in preparation.
"I said give me two pairs cause I need two pairs"
Dominique Charriau/WireImage
The shoes are a very long time coming, and a full-circle moment for culture and Abloh, according to notes provided along with the show. Abloh provides a new list of concepts and definitions every season, laid out the same way your biology textbook defined protons and xylem. This season, the Air Force 1 is defined as “one of the most successful shoes ever created,” according to the notes. But Abloh is particularly interested in the version of the Air Force 1 that appears on the cover art for Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s single—the one that was customized so that the Nike Swoosh was covered with the Louis Vuitton monogram. “The cover embodied the hip-hop community’s early practice of hacking together high fashion and sportswear, side-lining diverging brands with equal reverence.” Now, Abloh is making that 1988 bootleg official. (There are a few classic Abloh touches on the Air Vuitton 1s: where Abloh typically prints “LACES” on...the laces, here they have the French translation: “LACET.”)
"Now if you look, and see lime-green Forces; it's Kiwi, you couldn't get this color if you had a personal genie"
Nike on Thursday reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and sales that topped analysts' estimates, fueled by record revenue in its largest market, North America.
It also offered a better-than-expected sales outlook for the upcoming year, driven by optimism around its women's category, apparel business and Jordan brand.
Nike continues to benefit from consumers seeking out comfortable clothing to wear for workouts but also around the house. Even as people return to schools, offices and other social settings, many are still searching for relaxed options such as sneakers and stretchy pants.
Nike also saw a boost to its wholesale business — something that was largely inactive a year earlier during the Covid pandemic, when shopping malls and department stores had to temporarily shut their doors and put orders for merchandise on pause. Some of Nike's key wholesale partners include Dick's Sporting Goods, Foot Locker and JD Sports.
Nike shares jumped more than 12% in after-hours trading.
Here's how the company did during its fiscal fourth quarter, compared with what analysts were anticipating, using Refinitiv estimates:
Earnings per share: 93 cents vs. 51 cents expected
Revenue: $12.34 billion vs. $11.01 billion expected
Nike's net income for the period ended May 31 rose to $1.5 billion, or 93 cents per share, compared with a loss of $790 million, or 51 cents per share, a year earlier. That topped analysts' forecast of 51 cents per share, using Refinitiv data.
Total revenue rose to $12.34 billion from $6.31 billion a year earlier, topping estimates for $11.01 billion. Sales were aided by the company selling more goods at full price and relying less on markdowns.
In North America, Nike's biggest market, sales more than doubled to a record $5.38 billion as the company surged from a year earlier when the Covid pandemic was hitting the retail industry the hardest. The region's sales were up 29% on a two-year basis.
In Greater China, sales were up just 17% at $1.93 billion. Though China is typically one of the fastest-growing markets for Nike, consumers in China have threatened a boycott after some Western brands including Nike expressed concern about allegations of forced labor in Xinjiang.
Management said Thursday that Nike is seeing improvement in China sequentially month by month.
"Building on our 40-year history in Greater China, we continue to invest in serving consumers with the best products Nike has to offer in locally relevant ways," CFO Matt Friend said during a post-earnings conference call.
Digital sales were up 41% compared with the prior year and rose 147% compared with the same period in 2019.
The company said its membership model is helping to fuel its e-commerce business. Online purchases from Nike members, who receive first access to exclusive products and other perks, hit a record $3 billion during the fourth quarter. Nike said it now has more than 300 million members globally.
"Fueled by our momentum, we continue to invest in innovation and our digital leadership to set the foundation for Nike's long-term growth," said Nike CEO John Donahoe.
In fiscal 2022, Nike is expecting revenue to grow a low double-digit percentage, surpassing $50 billion. Analysts were looking for annual revenue of $48.5 billion.
The company anticipates the first half of the year to grow faster than the second half, Friend said.
"It's important to note as we normalize our post-pandemic business and continue to reshape the marketplace, we do not expect quarter-by-quarter growth to be linear," he said.
Nike also anticipates supply chain delays and higher logistics costs will persist throughout much of fiscal 2022. The headaches have been plaguing much of the retail industry for months now. A shortage of containers and a dearth of truck drivers, among other factors, have stalled merchandise from getting from ports to warehouses to shoppers' homes.
Nike shares are down more than 5% year to date. The company has a market cap of $211 billion.
The Samsung Galaxy A32, left, and A52 smartphones prove you don't have to overspend to get a 5G ... [+]device.
DWIGHT SILVERMAN
(Note: This story originally appeared inmy Release Notes newsletter. Get the good stuff first bysigning up. Release Notes drops each Tuesday morning.)
Typically, brand new smartphones cost a lot of money, particularly those at the very top of the electronics pyramid. The latest Apple and Android-based devices approach and soar beyond the $1,000 mark. And in the early days of a cellular tech transition such as the one we’re going through now with 5G, devices designed to use the newtech have an even higher premium.
But we’re far enough down the road that you can find relatively affordable phones with 5G capabilities. Earlier this year, Samsung refreshed its line of Galaxy A series phones, mid-priced to downright cheap handsets that are still pretty capable. I got my hands on a Galaxy A52 and an A32 for testing, and depending on your needs, each is a satisfying device. Make no mistake, though, there are sacrifices to be made. Whether what you give up is worth it is the question.
There are some things the A52 and A32 share in common. Both have 6.5-inch displays, though the A52 is of higher quality. Both have 5G capabilities – I tested them on T-Mobile’s network – but neither support super-fast millimeter wave connections that offer jaw-dropping downloads but can’t penetrate solid objects and are generally hard to find. Both come in black – take it or leave it – and both accept microSD memory cards to add up to 1 terabyte of storage. Both come with Android 11.
Galaxy A52 5G, $499.99.
This phone’s 6.5-inch screen is a Super AMOLED with 1,080 x 2,400-pixels at a 120-Hz refresh rate. It’s an excellent display, and considering you’d pay close to $1,000 last year for the S20 with this screen, it’s a great deal.
MORE FOR YOU
The phone feels good in my hand, and although it’s mostly made of plastic, it feels solid, with some heft. The fingerprint sensor is under the display and works very well, unlocking quickly and reliably. I had less luck with the face recognition, but then I’m spoiled with Face ID on my iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The A52 5G uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage, but that’s expandable as mentioned earlier. It’s fast and responsive, with apps opening quickly and screens scrolling smoothly – it feels like a flagship phone. Mid-range games played well.
The phone has a 32-megapixel front selfie camera, and there are four cameras on the back: A 64-MP main camera with optical image stabilization; an ultra-wide 12-MP camera; a 5-MP macro camera; and a 5-MP depth camera to help with portrait mode shots. Video can be captured in up to 4K resolution.
Images don’t have the usual hyper-saturated look you expect from Samsung’s flagship Galaxy phones, with more natural tones. Low-light photos lacked the detail and depth I get with my iPhone, but did a good enough job with available light.
Portrait mode occasionally blurred foreground objects, and zooming to capture distant objects sometimes resulted in an odd blurring of things in the foreground. But the camera system does include a lot of the fancy features found in the higher-end Galaxys, such as Single Take, which lets you capture both stills and videos in one extended shot.
Note how some of the leaves on the left are blurred, even though they're part of the primary subject ... [+]in this A52 portrait mode shot.
DWIGHT SILVERMAN
The 5G connectivity on the A52 matched my iPhone 12 Pro Max, which also is on T-Mobile’s network. With 2-3 bars, I was able to get download speeds over 200 Mbps, and in some areas where all five bars lit up, I got speeds close to 300 Mbps. However, it does not support Wi-Fi 6.
Battery life is good, and I typically got a day and half’s worth of charge on moderate use. It supports 25-watt fast charging but won’t do wireless charging, as it’s got a plastic back.
Galaxy A32 5G, $279.99.
When Samsung launched its A-series lineup in April, the A32 was then the least-expensive 5G smartphone you could buy. Now there’s at least one cheaper 5G phone: the Motorola one 5G ace at $264. Still, if you specifically want a Samsung device, this is your lowest-cost 5G option.
The Galaxy A32 5G has a 6.5-inch HD+ LCD display with a 720-by-1,600 pixels resolution and a 90-Hz refresh rate. It’s neither as bright nor as crisp-looking as the A52, but scrolling is smooth.
The fingerprint sensor for the A32 is embedded in the lock button on the right edge of the phone. It wasn’t quite as responsive as the under-screen sensor on the A52, sometimes complaining that I wasn’t covering the entire button with my thumb when I was. But I found that I liked the convenience of the button sensor more than the version on the more expensive phone – placing my thumb on the button felt more natural. I’d love to see this on other phones, with the sensitivity improved.
Like what you see?Pleasesign up for my Release Notes newsletter, bringing you consumer tech insights, help and practical tips. It drops each Tuesday morning.
The A32 5G is powered by a MediaTek 720 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, but like the A52, it’s expandable to 1 TB. I was pleased with the speed of popular apps – Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Microsoft’s Office app, which is included on the phone, were quite snappy. But some mid-range games I tried didn’t play as smoothly as on the A52.
The A32 has a four-camera system on the back similar to the A52, but there’s no camera bump – the lenses for the camera have raised rims. (The A32 is noticeably thicker and heavier than the A52, which is likely why the bump is MIA.) The rear cameras include a 48-MP main, an 8-MP ultra-wide; a 5-MP macro; and a 2 MP depth camera. It also shoots video up to 4K resolution. There’s has a 13-MP front selfie camera as well.
The A32 sometimes oddly blurs foreground objects when you zoom in on a distant one.
DWIGHT SILVERMAN
Like the A52, colors are more subdued than on Samsung’s flagship phones. The out-of-focus smearing I mentioned in some zoomed photos was worse on this device. Portrait images were of decent quality, and low-light images were not nearly as well-lit. I would not recommend this model for anything beyond casual smartphone photography.
The 5G connectivity was as good as on my iPhone or the A52. Like the A52, it doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6.
The A32 has a larger battery, and battery life was very good. But it only supports 15-watt charging, and no wireless charging.
I was excited about the possibility of the A32 as a decent 5G phone, and for undemanding users who prefer Android devices it would likely suffice at an excellent price. But the A52’s higher cost gets you a much better display, a beefier camera system and more power for gaming. If you need more muscle, it’s worth it.
