Strategy in TECH...
The popular Northern California CI Expo & Technology Conference is preparing to run on May 28, 2026, in the same facility where the event was hosted last year – the DoubleTree Hotel at the Club, in Pleasanton, California. Organizers tell me that this year’s CI Expo will be even bigger and better than last year, with expanded exhibition space housing a greater assortment of booths presenting all of the latest technology innovations in the custom integration (CI) industry.
Emerald Holding, Inc. (NYSE: EEX), a major consolidator of trade shows and business conferences in multiple industries, including owner of the CEDIA Expo and CEPro/Commercial Integrator/Security Sales & Integration, has agreed to be acquired by Apollo Global Management, one of the largest private equity companies in the world that specializes in “alternative assets.” In the same announcement, we learned that Apollo is also acquiring another event consolidation company known as Questex, as part of the same transaction, and which Apollo intends to merge with Emerald.
The deal, in which Apollo will pay $5.03 per share, is said to be valued at approximately $1.5 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the back half of 2026 and will create one of the largest trade show and conference event consolidators in the U.S.
JL Audio, part of Garmin, Ltd, has announced the launch of an interesting new audio system known as Primacy. With Primacy, JL Audio says it has redefined and expanded the high-performance audio market to a wider potential base of customers. What did they change to address this wider market?
Last week, we learned that the status of a major antitrust action filed against Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) is changing. Filed by the State of California in San Francisco Superior Court in 2022, the matter is coming closer to fruition with a trial scheduled to begin next year. In the meantime, more salacious details are emerging from the investigation’s findings as previously sealed court documents were recently unsealed.
Some of those details are quite ugly.
On Monday this week, Apple, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) confirmed what had been widely rumored: CEO Tim Cook would retire from the company. Cook, who is 65 years old, will leave his role as CEO in September and move into a new position as Executive Chairman of the Apple Board of Directors.
The impact of this development is significant and is likely to echo throughout the entire technology industry. Let’s contemplate that a little…shall we?
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), part of the Sound United group, which was recently acquired by Harman (which itself is part of Samsung), announced today the expansion of its popular Px8 S2 over-ear headphone model by launching two new premium finishes. The Px8 S2 features a luxurious Nappa leather trim along with complementary aluminum detailing that all looks great in the new Midnight Blue and Pearl Blue finishes.
Netgear announced that it has received conditional approval on its routers from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This approval from regulators, the company says, means that dealers and consumers can rest assured that it is safe to buy, sell, and use Netgear routers which are now exempt from the recently announced ban on foreign-made routers by the U.S. government.
Who else has received FCC conditional approval?
Sound United brand Denon, now part of Harman International Industries, Inc., which itself is part of Samsung Electronics, has launched a new audio/video receiver (AVR) called the AVR-S980H that seeks to deliver an uncommon blend of audio excellence with simple, intuitive setup, and ease-of-use, along with flexibility and configurability to meet the varied needs of today’s consumers. The announcement sets a high bar, but the features and specs of the new Denon AVR-S980H suggest it clears that bar with ease.
On Tuesday, we learned that Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is laying off hundreds of employees from its film studio, TV studios, and division HQ, according to a report in the Hollywood Reporter (HR). The reason behind the company’s move is said to be an effort by CEO Ravi Ahuja to refocus the company on “certain core growth areas, while pulling back in other places.”
In a huge deal between two power tech players – Japan’s Sony Corporation and China’s TCL Electronics Holding Limited – TCL is set to become the majority owner of Bravia, Inc., a new holding company that will consist of Sony’s TV and audio business units. It is a deal that may ripple through the industry, as other brands may seek to mimic Sony’s move to jettison its hardware properties in order to transform themselves into a more profitable software, content, and services company.
