Computer Shopper - UK (2020-07)

ISSUE389|COMPUTER SHOPPER|JULY2020 15

THEFACTTHATApple might not launcha
flashy new iPhone this year is hardlythe most
concerningnews in the world today, yetit
paints apicture of an industrythatmight never
be the same again.
Given Apple is one of thebiggestnames in
the smartphone world, its reluctancetocarry
on ‘business as normal’ mayforce others in the
industry to do the same.
Gartner had expected 5G to be one of the
major catalysts forgrowth this year.However,
with Apple perhaps no longer planningto
launch a5GiPhone,and mostconsumers
unaware of thebenefits the next-generation
technology brings, rollouts of telecomstech
and device launches are likely to stall.
“5G technology is not going to help alot in
the new reality.We’re not going to see the
same levelof5Gmodelsbecoming available,”
said Gartner’s Roberta Cozza.
This isn’t the only innovative technology
likely to be turned on its head amidthe
pandemic. Foldable phones,suchasSamsung’s
Galaxy Fold and the Huawei MateX,are
expected to be hithard. These futuristic
devices, though impressive withtheir flexible
displaysand unique cases, are still in thevery

SOWHAT?

Corona crooks

Since the onset of the coronavirus

pandemic, the World Health

Organization has reported afive-fold

increase in the number of cyber attacks

directed at its team members, and cyber

criminals are using the Covid-19 crisis to

try to scam the public

Tippedoff

Google has abandoned aproject to

introduce atipping featurethat would

have let people donatemoneytothe

websites they’ve been browsing, which

could have helped struggling sites

That sucks

Tech giant Dyson won’t

be making ventilators for

the NHS after all, as its

CoVent machines are “not

required”,according to

founder James Dyson

Nintendowoe

Nintendo revealed that up to 160,

Nintendo accounts were compromised

and cyber criminals used unauthorised

access to linked PayPal accounts to

make digital purchases

Zoomboom

VideoconferencingserviceZoomgained

100 millionusersinthreeweeks,as

morepeopleadoptvideocallingto

communicatewhile under lockdown

That time already

The Apple Watchisnow five

years old and remains the

most successful smartwatch,

though not agreat deal has

changed in termsofits design

over the past half-decade

Take cover

Apple has released the Magic

Keyboard forits newiPadPro,

with akeyboard and trackpad in aslick

case,which helps the iPad get closer to

being aproperlaptopalternative

Puppy love

While the coronavirus pandemic is

keeping people at home,virtual

adoption forrescue dogs has helped

home cutecanines, showing that

technology can be asolution to all

manner of problems

MADNESSANDSTUPIDITYcould bebest
usedtodescribe the 5G–coronavirus
conspiracies.The World HealthOrganization,
the InternationalCommissiononNon-Ionizing
Radiation Protection and multiple academics
have all deemed5Gtobesafe.
There are some concerns
over thelong-term effects of
5G, given peopleand the wider
environment will be exposed
to more radio waves at higher
frequencies.But these waves
produce non-ionising
radiation,which is basically
harmless. Ionising radiation occupies thehigher
frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum,
and includes X-rayand gamma rayradiation.
Independent fact-checkingorganisation
Full Fact concluded the claimsof5Gspreading
through coronavirus are nonsense.

“Thisis not true.Thereis noevidence that

5G Wi-Finetworks are linked to the new

coronavirus,” the organisation said.

As aShopperreader,you’reprobably

shaking your head at the conspiracy theories.

But the conspiracies hidea

nasty sting beyond forcing

telecoms companies to

replace burnt down masts.

EE, O2, Threeand

Vodafone wrotealetter

addressing the conspiracy,

notingtheir networks are

essentialfor the NHSand

emergencyservices, as well as those in isolation.

“There is no scientificevidence of any link

between 5G and coronavirus,”the letter stated.

“Notonly arethese claims baseless, they

are harmful forthe people andbusinesses that

rely on the continuity of our services.”

SOWHAT?

early stages, leading to high price tags that will

be hard formany to justify.

“I think OEMs are going to hold off on

foldables forthe foreseeable. Eveninanormal

scenario,they’re ahardsell,”Cozza explained.

While it lookslike an unsteady fewmonths

ahead forthe smartphone industry,it’s not all

doom and gloom. Thanks to the rise in remote

working andhomeschooling,it’s likely that

other devices, suchastablets, will be able to

withstand the current uncertainty.

“There arepockets of opportunity forother

computing devices,likethe tablet. These

devices are going to hold up betterthan

smartphones,” said Cozza.

Services are also likely to seeanexplosion

in growth. Those staying at home are looking to

software such as Office 365,Zoom and Netflix.

With thatinmind, the growing importance

of services rather than specs could shape the

industry goingforward, putting somemobile

vendors in abetter position than others.

Although Apple’s iPhone12launch might not

go ahead,its App Store will keep consumers

flocking to the company’s devices,while firms

such as Huawei –which recently lostaccess to

the GooglePlayStore –couldstruggle.

Thereisno

evidence that

5GWi-Fi networks

arelinked to the new

coronavirus”

FullFact

ow