Strata-gee.com

Strategy in TECH...

You are here: Home / Archives for Manufacturers

Manufacturers

As LCD TV Biz Slides, Sharp Sells Its Largest Panel Factory to AI Companies

by Leave a Comment

Sharp Sakai factory

Are Onkyo & Integra Connected to This Story?

In yet another sign of mega changes in the electronics industry, news comes to us out of Japan via the Nikkei that Sharp Corp. – a division of Apple supplier Foxconn – is in negotiation to sell off a majority of the property and factory associated with its largest LCD panel manufacturing facility in Japan. That news alone surprised many in Japan, as Sharp has been a world leader in developing LCD TVs, but also surprising is that it would choose to sell this facility, a flagship for them in Sakai, a coastal city in Osaka.

Also surprising, a bidding war has broken out as multiple big players seek to turn the factory into a data center for use in generative AI, a technology in which Japan feels it lags.

See more on Sharp selling most of its top LCD panel factory for AI

[Read more…] about As LCD TV Biz Slides, Sharp Sells Its Largest Panel Factory to AI Companies

Resideo, New Owner of Snap One & Control4, Reports Fiscal 2024 Q1 Results

by Leave a Comment

Resideo cover page for Q1 2024 results

Resideo & Snap One Deal Expected to Close Friday, June 14th

Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: REZI), a manufacturer and distributor of security and related products for business and home – and soon to be the new owner of Snap One and Control4 – announced its fiscal 2024, first quarter financial results. Considering the looming event that will make Resideo an important partner to many in the custom integration business – the closing of its acquisition of Snap One/Control4 on Friday, June 14, 2024 – I am launching a more detailed coverage of the company.

So…given that Resideo is about to spend $1.4 billion, or 20% of their gross revenues – to acquire Snap One, you’d think that things must be going really, really well for Resideo. But are they???

See how Resideo did in its first quarter of fiscal 2024

[Read more…] about Resideo, New Owner of Snap One & Control4, Reports Fiscal 2024 Q1 Results

ELAC Launches Debut 3.0 with Legendary Sound in Upgraded Style

by Leave a Comment

ELAC Debut 3.0 loudspeakers
The new Debut 3.0 loudspeaker line from ELAC [Click to enlarge]

High-performance, affordable speaker manufacturer ELAC announced this week that it is launching its Debut 3.0 line of loudspeakers. The Debut 3.0, the company says, is the perfect blend of legendary ELAC sound performance in a style that is upgraded over some of its previous designs.

Learn more about this all-new ELAC Debut 3.0 loudspeaker line…

[Read more…] about ELAC Launches Debut 3.0 with Legendary Sound in Upgraded Style

MESSY-mo! Masimo is a Mess – Proxy War, Board Battles, Spin-Off Conflict, Whole Co. Up for Sale, JV Partner Emerges, DOJ & SEC Investigations

by 1 Comment

Masimo proxy cover image

The Future of Sound United Continues to Hang in the Balance

SEE STORY UPDATE NEAR END – It is total pandemonium in Masimo land as the company and Politan are engaged in a massive and really, really ugly proxy war ahead of the company’s annual meeting scheduled for July 25, 2024, at the Masimo headquarters in Irvine, CA. Details in dueling proxy filings so far have revealed many things we didn’t know up to now. And almost none of what has been revealed…is good.

Company CEO Kiani is in a fight for his professional life…Sound United is dangling in the wind of an uncertain future – and, frankly, even the entire company’s path forward is a question mark.

See More on matters at Masimo and the Sound United situation…

[Read more…] about MESSY-mo! Masimo is a Mess – Proxy War, Board Battles, Spin-Off Conflict, Whole Co. Up for Sale, JV Partner Emerges, DOJ & SEC Investigations

Panasonic Decides to Exit High-End Projector Biz; Puts Biz Unit Up for Sale

by Leave a Comment

Panasonic puts its projector business up for sale

For many generations, Panasonic Holdings has been a leading global technology innovator and while its business model has shifted in the last few years, it still holds much respect around the world. Now we’ve learned that the company has decided to sell off its high-end projector unit in order to refocus its resources on digital supply chain systems.

See more on this consequential decision by Panasonic to drop projectors

[Read more…] about Panasonic Decides to Exit High-End Projector Biz; Puts Biz Unit Up for Sale

Due to Popular Demand, Cambridge Audio Adds VU Meters to CXN100

by 3 Comments

Cambridge Audio CXN100

Cambridge Audio announced today that it is adding the ability to bring VU meters and a clock display to another company model, the CXN100 Network Player, via an over-the-air (OTA) software update. And why are they doing this? The company says that the decision to expand the number of models to gain this feature was made “due to popular demand.”

Learn more about the Cambridge Audio CXN100 gaining access to VU meters

[Read more…] about Due to Popular Demand, Cambridge Audio Adds VU Meters to CXN100

Parasound Appoints Final Link as Its Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

by Leave a Comment

Parasound JC1 designed by John Curl

Parasound has appointed Final Link Audio of Melbourne, Australia as its distributor for all of Australia and New Zealand. Final Link will offer all Parasound models, including their famous John Curl-engineered models.

[Read more…] about Parasound Appoints Final Link as Its Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

Will Sonos Ace Help the Company Return Its Business to Growth?

by 7 Comments

Sonos launches new Sonos Ace headphones

Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) announced today the long-awaited launch of its secretive new product targeted for a “multi-billion dollar category,” as Sonos CEO Patrick Spence is wont to remind us of frequently. One of the worst-kept, leakiest of launch secrets (probably intentionally so) in the industry, the company announced a new over-the-ear wireless headphone model featuring Dolby Atmos immersive sound and active noise cancellation called Sonos Ace.

But did the company Ace the test for turning around its deteriorating financial performance?

See more on the Sonos Ace headphone

[Read more…] about Will Sonos Ace Help the Company Return Its Business to Growth?

Sonos Says Q2 Fiscal 2024 ‘Exceeded Our Expectations;’ Revenues -16.9%, Losses +127%

by 2 Comments

Sonos Q2/FY2024 cover

Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) announced its financial performance for the second quarter of Fiscal 2024, the period that ended on March 30, 2024. The numbers, as we’re seeing more consistently across a wide variety of consumer brands, were rough…really rough. Revenues in the quarter declined a nasty 16.9% and the company’s Net Loss more than doubled, increasing by a scary 127%.

Yet CEO Patrick Spence claimed in a statement that “…we delivered results that slightly exceeded our expectations…” Either they were expecting a really devastating result, or I’ll have whatever he’s having!

See more on the Sonos Q2 Fiscal 2024 results

[Read more…] about Sonos Says Q2 Fiscal 2024 ‘Exceeded Our Expectations;’ Revenues -16.9%, Losses +127%

Snap One Reports Results for Q1 of Fiscal 2024; Old Themes Continue

by Leave a Comment

Snap One booth at CEDIA Expo 2023

Snap One Holdings Corp, soon to be part of Resideo Technologies’ ADI distribution business, reported their financial performance for the first quarter of Fiscal 2024 yesterday. In the wash, it looks much like its other recent quarterly reports – sales decline, losses increase, sales shift from its own proprietary brands to third-party brands, etc. But a couple of things did change, starting with my assessment that much less effort than usual was expended in creating this pretty thin report than is typical for them…there isn’t even a quote from CEO John Heyman or anyone in management…and the company even chose not to hold an earnings conference call with analysts as they typically do every quarter.

I suspect that this is due to the fact that the entire company – and its investors – are simply waiting for the new owners to take over.

See more on the Snap One Q1 Fiscal 2024 financial results

[Read more…] about Snap One Reports Results for Q1 of Fiscal 2024; Old Themes Continue