TECHNOLOGY : View Posts

SAN DIEGO – Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that it has reached a resolution with China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) regarding the NDRC’s investigation of Qualcomm under China’s Anti-Monopoly Law (AML).

The NDRC has issued an Administrative Sanction Decision finding that Qualcomm has violated the AML. Qualcomm will not pursue further legal proceedings contesting the NDRC’s findings. Qualcomm has agreed to implement a rectification plan that modifies certain of its business practices in China and that fully satisfies the requirements of the NDRC’s order. Although
Qualcomm is disappointed with the results of the investigation, it is pleased that the NDRC has reviewed and approved the Company’s rectification plan. The following are the key terms of the rectification plan:

• Qualcomm will offer licenses to its current 3G and 4G essential Chinese patents separately from licenses to its other patents and it will provide patent lists during the negotiation process. If Qualcomm seeks a cross license from a Chinese licensee as part of such offer, it will negotiate with the licensee in good faith and provide fair consideration for such rights.

• For licenses of Qualcomm’s 3G and 4G essential Chinese patents for branded devices sold for use in China, Qualcomm will charge royalties of 5% for 3G devices (including multimode 3G/4G devices) and 3.5% for 4G devices (including 3-mode LTE-TDD devices) that do not implement CDMA or WCDMA, in each case using a royalty base of 65% of the net selling price of the device.

• Qualcomm will give its existing licensees an opportunity to elect to take the new terms for sales of branded devices for use in China as of January 1, 2015.

• Qualcomm will not condition the sale of baseband chips on the chip customer signing a license agreement with terms that the NDRC found to be unreasonable or on the chip customer not challenging unreasonable terms in its license agreement. However, this does not require Qualcomm to sell chips to any entity that is not a Qualcomm licensee, and does not apply to a chip customer that refuses to report its sales of licensed devices as required by its patent license agreement.

In addition, the NDRC imposed a fine on the Company of 6.088 billion Chinese Yuan Renminbi (approximately $975 million at current exchange rates), which Qualcomm will not contest. Qualcomm will pay the fine on a timely basis as required by the NDRC.

“We are pleased that the investigation has concluded and believe that our licensing business is now well positioned to fully participate in China’s rapidly accelerating adoption of our 3G/4G technology,” said Derek Aberle, president of Qualcomm. “We appreciate the NDRC’s acknowledgment of the value and importance of Qualcomm’s technology and many contributions to China, and look forward to its future support of our business in China.”

“Qualcomm has played an important role in the success of the mobile and semiconductor industries in China for many years, and we look forward to building upon this foundation as we grow our investments, engagement and business in China,” said Steve Mollenkopf, CEO of Qualcomm. “We are pleased that the resolution has removed the uncertainty surrounding our business in China, and we will now focus our full attention and resources on supporting our customers and partners in China and pursuing the many opportunities ahead.”

Qualcomm is proud to have contributed extensively for many years to the growth and success of the mobile and semiconductor industries in China, and plans to continue to grow its investments and collaborations going forward, including with China’s mobile operators and handset and other device suppliers, and within the Chinese semiconductor sector. Some recent examples of these investments and support include:

• Providing extensive engineering assistance and support to China’s mobile operators in rolling out their 4G LTE networks in China.
• Working closely with Chinese handset manufacturers to build their businesses both inside and outside of China as they seek to become top global brands and leading global suppliers of smartphones.
• Expanding Qualcomm’s longstanding relationship with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), one of China’s largest and most advanced semiconductor foundries, which has led to SMIC’s major milestone of producing high-performance, low-power mobile processors using cutting-edge advanced 28nm technology.
• Creating a China-specific investment fund of $150 million to further the development of mobile and semiconductor technologies, including initial investments from the fund in five innovative Chinese companies.

About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit www.qualcomm.com

BT and Dolby Laboratories today announced expanded availability of the BT MeetMe™ with Dolby® Voice™ service and of the innovative Dolby Conference Phone as well as the integration of the service with Cisco® WebEx® and Microsoft® Lync®. BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice combines Dolby’s nearly 50 years of audio expertise with BT’s world-class communications capabilities to deliver exceptionally clear, natural and productive meetings.

BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice transforms conference calls by delivering an in-person experience. The users get stunning audio quality, free from background noise. They also hear each person from a distinct virtual location so it is easy to identify who is speaking and to hear everyone on the call — even those with soft voices. Conversation flows more naturally and everyone can contribute better.

BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice also offers significant cost savings over traditional audio conferencing services. Because users can join conference calls over data networks, the service helps lower transport and access fees.

BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice can be accessed anywhere — via the desktop, mobile devices and in meeting rooms using the Dolby Conference Phone. Packed with innovation, it is the only phone that extends the complete Dolby Voice experience and productivity to meeting rooms. It provides outstanding audio clarity and the ability to not only pick up all the voices in the room but also to separate and clearly present them to remote participants. In addition to being an endpoint for BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice service, the phone can be used for traditional IP telephony calls. The Dolby Conference Phone is now available worldwide.

“The Dolby Conference Phone revolutionizes the way people communicate and collaborate,” said Andrew Border, vice president and general manager, Communications Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. “Because everyone hears clearly and feels like they are in the same room, participation increases and calls are more effective.”

Carlos Zamora, global vice president, BT Conferencing, said: “Audio quality has a tremendous effect on the productivity of meetings. With BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice now integrated with BT One Collaborate for Cisco WebEx and BT One for Microsoft Lync, end users will gain substantial new benefits from the industry’s most popular collaboration platforms. We are proud to announce today that customers across Asia-Pacific and Africa are also now able to enjoy the full benefits of this great technology.”

The integration of the service with BT One Collaborate for Cisco WebEx lets users enjoy the full WebEx functionality while benefitting from the clearer, more natural and effective BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice experience. BT One Collaborate users can now initiate and manage BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice audio conferences directly from the WebEx interface. This can be done from a traditional PSTN environment or from an IP connection.

The integration with BT One for Microsoft Lync provides the flexibility for participants to join their Lync meetings from the Lync client or from a BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice client and the Dolby Conference Phone. Users benefit from the in-person audio experience of BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice and from simple access for internal and external meeting participants. All Lync features are available to users who join from the Lync client.

Case study – WANdisco
BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice is already boosting productivity, enhancing collaboration and improving operations for companies like WANdisco, which is using the service and the Dolby Conference Phone to connect workers across several worldwide offices. WANdisco is a leading provider of continuous-availability software for global enterprises to meet the challenges of Big Data (www.wandisco.com/about).

“We recently deployed BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice and the Dolby Conference Phone across several of our worldwide offices. The experience has been excellent,” said WANdisco CEO David Richards. “The clarity and quality of the audio makes a huge difference in our ability to work together. As a result we have moved our senior management meetings, which include attendees from the UK, US, and Australia, to BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice. The combination of the service and the phone really makes it feel like everyone is in the same room. You forget you are on a conference call. We plan to expand our use of the service and deploy the phone in more rooms in the coming months.”

BT MeetMe with Dolby Voice and the Dolby® Conference Phone are available in Asia, Australia, Africa, throughout Europe and the United States. Using IP connectivity, the service is more cost effective than traditional conferencing services.

About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) creates audio, video, and voice technologies that transform entertainment and communications in mobile devices, at the cinema, at home, and at work. For nearly 50 years, sight and sound experiences have become more vibrant, clear, and powerful in Dolby®. For more information, please visit www.dolby.com.

The best inventions are never finished. When the German engineer Karl Benz invented the first petroleum-powered automobile, he did not just create an engine with wheels; he set in motion an industry that revolutionized the way society was structured. Similarly, the English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee did not only build the world’s first Web site. He laid the groundwork for the World Wide Web. Neither could have anticipated the impact of what he was doing.

If there is one lesson that economic policymakers should heed in 2015 and beyond, it is this: Just as invention is dynamic, so are the industries it creates. As we learned in 2014, it is a lesson that has yet to sink in entirely.

When Google was launched, people were amazed that they were able to find out about almost anything by typing just a few words into a computer. The engineering behind it was technically complicated, but what you got was pretty rough: a page of text, broken up by ten blue links. It was better than anything else, but not great by today’s standards.

So our co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin – like all other successful inventors – kept iterating. They started with images. After all, people wanted more than just text. This first became apparent after the 2000 Grammy Awards, where Jennifer Lopez wore a green dress that, well, caught the world’s attention. At the time, it was the most popular search query we had ever seen. But we had no surefire way of getting users exactly what they wanted: J­Lo wearing that dress. Google Image Search was born.

Maps are another great example. When people search Google for an address, they do not want a link to Web sites that mention the street. They usually want to know how to get there. So we built a map that was clickable, draggable, and easy to explore. Maps have become such an integral part of Google that most users probably cannot imagine it without them.

It has been the same with many of our changes. Our searches have gotten better over time. Google the weather where you live and you will get the forecast for the next few days as the top result, saving you time and effort.

But Google’s efforts to provide direct answers to questions have fueled complaints at the European Commission. Companies like Expedia, Yelp, and TripAdvisor argue that Google searches are depriving their Web sites of valuable traffic, putting their businesses at a disadvantage. Instead of us providing you with images, maps, the weather, news, or translated versions of foreign-language sites, they would rather go back to ten blue links.

A few years ago, a lawyer for one of our competitors drew a picture of a coastline with a little island offshore. He added a dotted line, explaining that this was the only ferry connecting the island to the mainland. His point was that Google was just like the ferry: the only way to navigate the Internet.

In reality, there are many ways to get around on the Web. For news, you might go directly to your favorite news service. If you want to buy something, you might go directly to Zalando or Amazon, where you can research models and prices, get reviews, and pay for your purchase all at once.

The real point is that the economic landscape in which we are operating is not only competitive; it is changing constantly. This year, our industry reached an important milestone. For the first time, people are spending more time on mobile devices than on their desktop computers. Time spent on desktops has now fallen to just 40%. And people use mobile devices very differently from the way they use desktops. Seven out of every eight minutes spent on a mobile phone is spent within an app, and the most popular app in the world is Facebook.

Many people look at Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon, among others, as companies that no competitor could ever beat. I am less certain. History is full of examples that show that size and past success guarantee nothing. Great companies can be surpassed swiftly. Just a few years ago, companies like Yahoo, Nokia, Microsoft, and Blackberry seemed unrivaled. They have all since been disrupted by a new wave of tech companies – Google among them.

Google works very differently from other companies that have been dubbed “gatekeepers” and that are regulated accordingly. We are not a ferry, a railroad, a telecommunications network, or an electricity grid with only one line serving you and no competitors allowed. No one is stuck using Google. People have choices, and they exercise them all the time. We know that if we cease to be useful, our users will leave. The barriers to entry are negligible, because competition is just one click away.

Someone in a garage somewhere is gunning for us, and 2015 could be the year that they make their move. I know, because not long ago we were in that garage. And I know that the next Google will not do what Google does, just as Google did not do what AOL did.

The upheavals resulting from momentous technological change are rarely expected. The telegraph disrupted the postal service. Radio and television shook up the newspaper industry. Airplanes ended the age of ocean liners. Inventions are always dynamic; that is why the future will always be as exciting as the past.

This article is published in collaboration with Project Syndicate. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

To keep up with Forum:Agenda subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Author: Eric Schmidt is Executive Chairman of Google.

LAS VEGAS – The President and CEO of Samsung Electronics, BK Yoon, today delivered the opening keynote speech at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), calling for greater openness and collaboration across industries to unlock the infinite possibilities of the Internet of Things (IoT).

“The Internet of Things has the potential to transform our society, economy and how we live our lives,” said Mr. Yoon. “It is our job to pull together — as an industry, and across different sectors — to make true on the promise of the Internet of Things.”

Mr. Yoon also emphasized that IoT must center on people and fit into their lifestyles, adding, “The Internet of Things is not about ‘things.’ Instead, it is about people. Each person is at the center of their own technology universe, and the IoT universe will constantly adapt and change shape as people move through their world.”

As part of Samsung’s commitment to realizing the IoT era, Mr. Yoon announced a timetable for making Samsung technology IoT-enabled. By 2017, all Samsung televisions will be IoT devices, and in five years all Samsung hardware will be IoT-ready, further accelerating the expansion of IoT devices available in the market.

He also emphasized the importance of developers in building IoT and announced that Samsung will invest more than USD 100 million in its developer community in 2015.

Expanding IoT Devices and Components
In the IoT era, sensors become even more advanced and precise, and key components become ever more compact and highly energy efficient.

Mr. Yoon described Samsung’s advanced sensors, which are precise enough to understand a person’s surrounding environment and offer the right solution or service. For example, Samsung is developing a new three-dimensional range sensor that can detect the tiniest movements.

The company is also working on chips, such as the embedded package on package (ePOP) and the Bio-Processor, which are energy-efficient and compact enough to go into a wide range of devices, especially wearables and mobile devices.

“Expanding the devices in the IoT ecosystem and the components that power them is the first step in fulfilling the promise of the Internet of Things,” said Mr. Yoon. “Samsung already has a broad range of IoT devices. Last year, Samsung delivered more than 665 million products, and this number is set to increase. We have already begun to unlock the value hidden in connected devices and all the everyday objects around us.”

Creating an Open Ecosystem
In addition to IoT devices and components, Mr. Yoon emphasized the importance of openness in bringing IoT to life. Joining Mr. Yoon on stage, SmartThings CEO Alex Hawkinson underscored Samsung’s vision for an open infrastructure.

“For the Internet of Things to be a success, it has to be open,” said Hawkinson. “Any device, from any platform, must be able to connect and communicate with one another. We’ve worked hard to accomplish this, and are committed to putting users first, giving them the most choice and freedom possible. The SmartThings ecosystem is now compatible with more devices than any other platform.”

Supporting the Developer Community
Samsung deeply values the role of developers and their contributions, and firmly believe that developers will play a key role in realizing the IoT era.

“We at Samsung are committed to supporting the developer community,” said Mr. Yoon. “Only together can we shape this better future.”

As part of this commitment, Mr. Yoon announced that Samsung would invest more than USD 100 million to support its developer community in 2015 by strengthening its accelerator programs and further expanding its international developer events.

Collaborating Across Industries
Samsung believes that IoT will have far-reaching impact, much more so than the consumer electronics industry has so far, as it will touch every aspect of people’s lives and revolutionize every industry. For IoT to succeed, companies across all industries will have to collaborate to build the necessary infrastructure and develop the many tailored IoT services that can meet the needs of consumers.

“I know in my heart that neither one single company nor one industry alone can deliver the benefits of the Internet of Things,” said Mr. Yoon. “To create this IoT universe, we have to see the potential of the Internet of Things across all kinds of industries. Only if we work together can we improve people’s lives.”

For more information, please visit: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/CES2015

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of USUSD216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

In a detailed report on the Internet of Things, released today, the staff of the Federal Trade Commission recommend a series of concrete steps that businesses can take to enhance and protect consumers’ privacy and security, as Americans start to reap the benefits from a growing world of Internet-connected devices.

The Internet of Things is already impacting the daily lives of millions of Americans through the adoption of health and fitness monitors, home security devices, connected cars and household appliances, among other applications. Such devices offer the potential for improved health-monitoring, safer highways, and more efficient home energy use, among other potential benefits. However, the FTC report also notes that connected devices raise numerous privacy and security concerns that could undermine consumer confidence.

“The only way for the Internet of Things to reach its full potential for innovation is with the trust of American consumers,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “We believe that by adopting the best practices we’ve laid out, businesses will be better able to provide consumers the protections they want and allow the benefits of the Internet of Things to be fully realized.”

The Internet of Things universe is expanding quickly, and there are now over 25 billion connected devices in use worldwide, with that number set to rise significantly as consumer goods companies, auto manufacturers, healthcare providers, and other businesses continue to invest in connected devices, according to data cited in the report.

The report is partly based on input from leading technologists and academics, industry representatives, consumer advocates and others who participated in the FTC’s Internet of Things workshop held in Washington D.C. on Nov. 19, 2013, as well as those who submitted public comments to the Commission. Staff defined the Internet of Things as devices or sensors – other than computers, smartphones, or tablets – that connect, store or transmit information with or between each other via the Internet. The scope of the report is limited to IoT devices that are sold to or used by consumers.

Security was one of the main topics addressed at the workshop and in the comments, particularly due to the highly networked nature of the devices. The report includes the following recommendations for companies developing Internet of Things devices:

build security into devices at the outset, rather than as an afterthought in the design process;
train employees about the importance of security, and ensure that security is managed at an appropriate level in the organization;
ensure that when outside service providers are hired, that those providers are capable of maintaining reasonable security, and provide reasonable oversight of the providers;
when a security risk is identified, consider a “defense-in-depth” strategy whereby multiple layers of security may be used to defend against a particular risk;
consider measures to keep unauthorized users from accessing a consumer’s device, data, or personal information stored on the network;
monitor connected devices throughout their expected life cycle, and where feasible, provide security patches to cover known risks.
Commission staff also recommend that companies consider data minimization – that is, limiting the collection of consumer data, and retaining that information only for a set period of time, and not indefinitely. The report notes that data minimization addresses two key privacy risks: first, the risk that a company with a large store of consumer data will become a more enticing target for data thieves or hackers, and second, that consumer data will be used in ways contrary to consumers’ expectations.

The report takes a flexible approach to data minimization. Under the recommendations, companies can choose to collect no data, data limited to the categories required to provide the service offered by the device, less sensitive data; or choose to de-identify the data collected.

FTC staff also recommends that companies notify consumers and give them choices about how their information will be used, particularly when the data collection is beyond consumers’ reasonable expectations. It acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how that notice must be given to consumers, particularly since some Internet of Things devices may have no consumer interface. FTC staff identifies several innovative ways that companies could provide notice and choice to consumers.

Regarding legislation, staff concurs with many stakeholders that any Internet of Things-specific legislation would be premature at this point in time given the rapidly evolving nature of the technology. The report, however, reiterates the Commission’s repeated call for strong data security and breach notification legislation. Staff also reiterates the Commission’s call from its 2012 Privacy Report for broad-based privacy legislation that is both flexible and technology-neutral, though Commissioner Ohlhausen did not concur in this portion of the report.

The FTC has a range of tools currently available to protect American consumers’ privacy related to the Internet of Things, including enforcement actions under laws such as the FTC Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act; developing consumer education and business guidance; participation in multi-stakeholder efforts; and advocacy to other agencies at the federal, state and local level.

In addition to the report, the FTC also released a new publication for businesses containing advice about how to build security into products connected to the Internet of Things. “Careful Connections: Building Security in the Internet of Things” encourages companies to implement a risk-based approach and take advantage of best practices developed by security experts, such as using strong encryption and proper authentication.

The Commission vote to issue the staff report was 4-1, with Commissioner Wright voting no. Commissioner Ohlhausen issued a concurring statement, and Commissioner Wright issued a dissenting statement.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

DAVOS, Switzerland — Jan. 19, 2015 — A survey of Internet users around the world conducted by Microsoft Corp. shows an overwhelming majority believes personal technology is making the world a better place to live and has vastly improved how they shop, work, learn and generally get things done.

There are nonetheless notable differences in certain attitudes toward personal technology between developed and developing economies. Developing countries express widespread enthusiasm about the benefits of technology — including its impact on social bonds, the sharing economy and personal fitness — while developed countries, where technology is more ubiquitous, express concerns about emerging issues.

Microsoft unveiled the results of its new survey Monday in advance of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The report, titled “Views from Around the Globe: 2nd Annual Poll on How Personal Technology Is Changing Our Lives,” encompasses the views of 12,002 Internet users in 12 countries. This is the second year in a row that the company has commissioned the study.

“Internet users overwhelmingly say that personal technology is making the world better and more vital,” said Mark Penn, Microsoft executive vice president and chief strategy officer. “But there is a digital divergence in the attitudes of Internet users in developing and developed countries regarding how technology will affect them going forward.”

Among the overall findings of the poll are these:

Majorities in all 12 countries surveyed think personal technology has had a positive impact on their ability to find more affordable products and start new businesses. They also say it has benefited social activism, as well as innovation in business.
A majority in nearly all of the countries thinks personal technology has improved productivity.
Compared with last year’s results, more respondents said technology has had a positive impact on transportation and literacy, while fewer said it has benefited social bonds, personal freedom and political expression. Concern about technology’s impact on privacy also jumped significantly.
Indeed, in 11 of the 12 countries, most Internet users said technology’s effect on privacy was mostly negative. Majorities in every country but India and Indonesia also said current legal protections for users of personal technology were insufficient, and only in those two countries did most people feel fully aware of the types of personal information collected about them.
As previously noted, attitudes toward technology in developing and developed economies diverged in several key emerging areas:

Sixty percent of Internet users in developing countries, compared with only 36 percent of people in developed countries, think personal technology has had a positive impact on social bonds.
Fifty-nine percent of people in developing countries think technology-enabled, sharing-economy services, such as Uber and Airbnb, are better for consumers than traditional services, such as taxis and hotels. By contrast, only 33 percent of people in developed countries think the new services are better for consumers.
Only 59 percent of people in developed countries, compared with 85 percent in developing countries, say they are interested in working in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. And notably, while 77 percent of women in developing countries feel encouraged to work in STEM fields, only 46 percent of women in developed countries do.
The poll was conducted between Dec. 17, 2014, and Jan. 1, 2015, and surveyed Internet users in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey and the U.S.

The results were then weighted based on the size of the Internet populations in each of the 12 countries. The full findings can be found at http://blogs.microsoft.com/?p=45963.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January 2015 – There is optimism for a sustainable future, where poverty is eradicated, disease eliminated and everyone has access to nutritious food and the opportunities presented by education. This message of hope was delivered by Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, Co-Chairs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USA. They were speaking at the 45th World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos-Klosters.

Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, confirmed that the main reason for optimism is the evidence of the past. “We have made tremendous progress in this world,” he said. Rosling pointed out that it is possible to make the world a better place. “The long-term trends are going in the right direction. The conflicts and the epidemics we can solve.”

Bill and Melinda Gates believe that the lives of people in poor countries will improve faster in the next 15 years than at any other time in history. Important breakthroughs will be driven by innovation and technology, ranging from new vaccines with universal coverage, better agricultural yields due to better seeds, better nutrition, cheaper smartphones and new ways to deliver these benefits to more people.

“At any increase in the level of GDP, life is better,” Bill Gates said. “We get economic growth, but the fundamental basics have improved as well. The wonderful thing about the fundamentals improving is that it will continue for the next 15 years.”

Poverty has been halved because of innovation, he said. “Countries are following others that have done it right. Economic miracles start with agriculture, education and then they can participate in the world economy.” He pointed to China, which is now a middle-income country, as an example.

Bill Gates predicted that “in the next 15 years, we will have the tools to reduce [the incidence] of malaria and AIDS by 95% to 100%”. Melinda Gates said that vaccines are “a miracle cure”. Today, eight out of 10 children are getting vaccines. “Biotechnology and innovation are absolutely saving lives,” she said.

One out of 10 children used to die before the age of five. Thanks to the development of new vaccines and treatments, the percentage of children who die before the age of five has been cut in half. “We are looking at the biggest childhood killers of the world and tackling them with incredible vaccines,” said Melinda Gates.

Vaccine systems are being developed and the lag time between research and development and a vaccine being ready is one to three years. Thanks to private and government funding, prices have gone down by 35%. Countries such as Vietnam, Ghana, Ethiopia and Rwanda are reporting 90% vaccination coverage.

The Gates believe that with innovation in agriculture, within 15 years Africa will be able to feed itself, with access to the latest seeds adapted to African regions. Melinda Gates noted that with training in how to plant, crop rotation, and no till farming, Africans will be able to feed their families and trade intra-country.

Cheap smartphones are a game-changer. “In the next 15 years mobile phone coverage will go up, the price will come down, gender equity will improve and online software will be flourishing,” Bill Gates predicted. This will revolutionize everything: agriculture, access to digital payments, low transaction costs, women’s empowerment and education.

“If you want to pick one thing in an economy, education is a master switch of economic improvement,” Bill Gates concluded.

More than 2,500 participants are taking part at the 45th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from 21 to 24 January 2015.

Last November, the President outlined his plan to keep the Internet open to new competition and innovation by safeguarding net neutrality — which will help ensure no one company can act as a gatekeeper to digital content. But there is more work to do so that every American has access to a free and open internet. This is particularly true in areas where broadband competition is lacking, resulting in high prices and slow service.

Building on his net neutrality plan, tomorrow in Cedar Falls, Iowa President Obama will announce steps he will discuss in the State of the Union to help more Americans, in more communities around the country, get access to fast and affordable broadband. Communities like Cedar Falls have banded together to commit to broadband that works by bringing in new competition, leveraging municipal investments, and forming new partnerships to bring world-class Internet to places like this small Iowa town.

High-speed, low-cost broadband is paving the way for economic revitalization not just in Cedar Falls, but in places like Chattanooga, TN, Kansas City, MO, and Lafayette, LA — all of which have Internet speeds nearly 100 times faster than the national average and deliver it at an affordable price. To help more communities achieve these results, support economic growth, and promote a level playing field for all competitors, the Obama Administration is:

Calling to End Laws that Harm Broadband Service Competition: Laws in 19 states — some specifically written by special interests trying to stifle new competitors — have held back broadband access and, with it, economic opportunity. Today, President Obama is announcing a new effort to support local choice in broadband, formally opposing measures that limit the range of options available to communities to spur expanded local broadband infrastructure, including ownership of networks. As a first step, the Administration is filing a letter with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging it to join this effort by addressing barriers inhibiting local communities from responding to the broadband needs of their citizens.
Expanding the National Movement of Local Leaders for Better Broadband: As of today, 50 cities representing over 20 million Americans have joined the Next Century Cities coalition, a nonpartisan network pledging to bring fast, community-supported broadband to their towns and cities. They join 37 research universities around the country that formed the Gig.U partnership to bring fast broadband to communities around their campuses. To recognize these remarkable individuals and the partnerships they have built, in June 2015 the White House will host a Community Broadband Summit of mayors and county commissioners from around the nation who are joining this movement for broadband solutions and economic revitalization. These efforts will also build on the US Ignite partnership, launched by White House in 2012, and which has grown to include more than 65 research universities and 35 cities in developing new next-generation gigabit applications.
Announcing a New Initiative to Support Community Broadband Projects: To advance this important work, the Department of Commerce is launching a new initiative, BroadbandUSA, to promote broadband deployment and adoption. Building on expertise gained from overseeing the $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program funded through the Recovery Act, BroadbandUSA will offer online and in-person technical assistance to communities; host a series of regional workshops around the country; and publish guides and tools that provide communities with proven solutions to address problems in broadband infrastructure planning, financing, construction, and operations across many types of business models.
Unveiling New Grant and Loan Opportunities for Rural Providers: The Department of Agriculture is accepting applications to its Community Connect broadband grant program and will reopen a revamped broadband loan program, which offers financing to eligible rural carriers that invest in bringing high-speed broadband to unserved and under served rural areas.
Removing Regulatory Barriers and Improving Investment Incentives: The President is calling for the Federal Government to remove all unnecessary regulatory and policy barriers to broadband build-out and competition, and is establishing a new Broadband Opportunity Council of over a dozen government agencies with the singular goal of speeding up broadband deployment and promoting adoptions for our citizens. The Council will also solicit public comment on unnecessary regulatory barriers and opportunities to promote greater coordination with the aim of addressing those within its scope.
Background: A National Need, And Solutions That Are Working

Today, too few Americans have affordable and competitive broadband choices, but some communities around the country are choosing to change that dynamic. As a result – as outlined in a new report being issued today – cities like Lafayette, Chattanooga, and Kansas City, have broadband that is nearly one hundred times faster than the national average, yet still available at a competitive price. By welcoming new competition or building next-generation networks, these communities are pioneers in broadband that works, and tomorrow in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the President is highlighting their remarkable success stories and providing municipal leadership and entrepreneurs new tools to help replicate this success across the nation.

Americans in even our busiest cities often find only one or two providers offering broadband service, and often none providing them with fast, fiber-optic connections — despite the fact that many of cities are already equipped with fast fiber-optic broadband. At the same time, in too many places, residents do not have access to broadband in their home, or their speeds continue to lag while their monthly bills continue to grow.

Both of these challenges are driven by the lack of broadband choice in many American markets. In fact, three out of four Americans have no competition or no service at speeds increasingly required for many online services. Rarely is the problem a lack of demand — too often, it is the capital costs of building out broadband infrastructure and a combination of laws that prevent communities from providing incentives to attract providers. Competitive markets translate to lower monthly prices, better products, and better customer service. In cities across the country, new competitors entering markets have provided consumers with new and often faster alternatives, spurring investment from incumbents and providing consumers with more choice.

Many of the communities that have taken aggressive steps to improve their broadband have residential and business Internet speeds among the fastest in the world — faster, even, than in San Francisco, New York City, or Los Angeles:

What sets these top-performing cities apart is that they have all taken dramatic steps to bring in more competitors, and enter into new partnerships to deliver top-quality broadband. Some specific examples of how creative thinking and partnerships are delivering faster, better broadband across the country include:

Chattanooga, TN — After investing in a visionary 1 gigabit per second broadband network, the City of Chattanooga is transforming itself into a regional center for technology and innovation. Today, Chattanooga is attracting entrepreneurs and computer programmers from around the country and boasts new business incubators and state-of-the-art public facilities. Investors have responded in kind. Since 2009, Chattanooga has gone from hosting close to zero venture capital to at least five organized funds with investable capital of over $50 million.

Wilson, NC — Through inspired leadership and the community mobilization, Wilson has been transformed from “the ‘World’s Greatest Tobacco Market’ to ‘North Carolina’s First Gigabit City,’ delivering speeds up to 100 times the national average, at a price North Carolinians can afford. Unanimously approved by the city council, Mayor Bruce Rose believes this infrastructure “is absolutely essential to improve the economy and quality of life.”

Kansas City, MO — Kansas City was the first city to successfully compete for Google Fiber, the search giant’s entry into broadband service to homes and businesses, and today is being nationally recognized for attracting new start-ups, retaining existing business, and providing better municipal services and education as a result of this new and affordable broadband.

The new report released today by the National Economic Council and Council of Economic Advisers examines these remarkable stories in greater depth.

BETHESDA, Md., Lockheed Martin has finalized the purchase of Systems Made Simple. This acquisition aligns with our business strategy by augmenting our existing government health IT capabilities and enabling us to deliver solutions to additional customers. We are thrilled to welcome approximately 430 new employees to the Lockheed Martin family.

Lockheed Martin in late October announced the agreement to acquire Systems Made Simple, a leading provider of health information technology solutions to the U.S. federal government.

Systems Made Simple delivers technology and service solutions to improve, increase, enable and ensure the secure exchange and interoperability of information between patients, providers and payers. The company does significant work with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in areas such as health data analytics, data center operation, health data management and health system interoperability. The company operates in the fastest growing part of the U.S. federal IT budget and was selected for the Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4) contract that supports the VA’s IT modernization initiatives, a contract that Lockheed Martin is not currently involved in.

Systems Made Simple is a privately held company headquartered in Syracuse, New York. Additional locations include McLean and Charlottesville, Virginia; Salt Lake City, Utah; Tampa, Florida; and Austin, Texas.

LAS VEGAS – The President and CEO of Samsung Electronics, BK Yoon, today delivered the opening keynote speech at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), calling for greater openness and collaboration across industries to unlock the infinite possibilities of the Internet of Things (IoT).

“The Internet of Things has the potential to transform our society, economy and how we live our lives,” said Mr. Yoon. “It is our job to pull together — as an industry, and across different sectors — to make true on the promise of the Internet of Things.”

Mr. Yoon also emphasized that IoT must center on people and fit into their lifestyles, adding, “The Internet of Things is not about ‘things.’ Instead, it is about people. Each person is at the center of their own technology universe, and the IoT universe will constantly adapt and change shape as people move through their world.”

As part of Samsung’s commitment to realizing the IoT era, Mr. Yoon announced a timetable for making Samsung technology IoT-enabled. By 2017, all Samsung televisions will be IoT devices, and in five years all Samsung hardware will be IoT-ready, further accelerating the expansion of IoT devices available in the market.

He also emphasized the importance of developers in building IoT and announced that Samsung will invest more than USD 100 million in its developer community in 2015.

Expanding IoT Devices and Components
In the IoT era, sensors become even more advanced and precise, and key components become ever more compact and highly energy efficient.

Mr. Yoon described Samsung’s advanced sensors, which are precise enough to understand a person’s surrounding environment and offer the right solution or service. For example, Samsung is developing a new three-dimensional range sensor that can detect the tiniest movements.

The company is also working on chips, such as the embedded package on package (ePOP) and the Bio-Processor, which are energy-efficient and compact enough to go into a wide range of devices, especially wearables and mobile devices.

“Expanding the devices in the IoT ecosystem and the components that power them is the first step in fulfilling the promise of the Internet of Things,” said Mr. Yoon. “Samsung already has a broad range of IoT devices. Last year, Samsung delivered more than 665 million products, and this number is set to increase. We have already begun to unlock the value hidden in connected devices and all the everyday objects around us.”

Creating an Open Ecosystem
In addition to IoT devices and components, Mr. Yoon emphasized the importance of openness in bringing IoT to life. Joining Mr. Yoon on stage, SmartThings CEO Alex Hawkinson underscored Samsung’s vision for an open infrastructure.

“For the Internet of Things to be a success, it has to be open,” said Hawkinson. “Any device, from any platform, must be able to connect and communicate with one another. We’ve worked hard to accomplish this, and are committed to putting users first, giving them the most choice and freedom possible. The SmartThings ecosystem is now compatible with more devices than any other platform.”

Supporting the Developer Community
Samsung deeply values the role of developers and their contributions, and firmly believe that developers will play a key role in realizing the IoT era.

“We at Samsung are committed to supporting the developer community,” said Mr. Yoon. “Only together can we shape this better future.”

As part of this commitment, Mr. Yoon announced that Samsung would invest more than USD 100 million to support its developer community in 2015 by strengthening its accelerator programs and further expanding its international developer events.

Collaborating Across Industries
Samsung believes that IoT will have far-reaching impact, much more so than the consumer electronics industry has so far, as it will touch every aspect of people’s lives and revolutionize every industry. For IoT to succeed, companies across all industries will have to collaborate to build the necessary infrastructure and develop the many tailored IoT services that can meet the needs of consumers.

“I know in my heart that neither one single company nor one industry alone can deliver the benefits of the Internet of Things,” said Mr. Yoon. “To create this IoT universe, we have to see the potential of the Internet of Things across all kinds of industries. Only if we work together can we improve people’s lives.”

For more information, please visit: http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/CES2015

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of USUSD216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

With the Lenovo acquisition complete, Motorola is returning to China — one of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone markets — in triumphant fashion, introducing three of its latest devices. The new Moto X, new Moto X Pro and new Moto G with 4G LTE will all go on sale in early 2015.

Motorola has a long history in China and we are pleased that smartphone fans there continue to be passionate about our brand and products. Chinese consumers have long been at the leading edge of smartphone use, blazing trails in mobile messaging, media and more. Motorola’s pure Android based devices will give them new choices in how they connect to the world.

Moto X: Choose how it works. Choose how it looks. (Available early February)
Widely hailed by reviewers around the world as one of the best Android smartphones on the market, Moto X features a stylish design with a refined metal frame and a vivid 5.2” HD display, as well as backs made using authentic materials such as FSC® certified woods and genuine Horween® leather.

Starting in early February, just in time for Spring Festival, Moto X will be available to purchase in several different designs. In the spirit of choice, we want the people of China to vote on what colors and materials they would like to see featured first. Visit motorola.com.cn on January 7, Beijing time, to learn more and to let your voice be heard! After Spring Festival, people will be able to design their own Moto X through our Moto Maker design tool.

Moto X Pro: Choose to go big. (Available after Spring Festival)
Designed by Motorola and providing the latest Android, Moto X Pro gives you bigger images and better sound with a 6-inch Quad HD display and front-facing stereo speakers for immersive sound. A 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization takes high-quality photos in all lighting. Top it off with the latest 2.7GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 805 processor and a 3220 mAh battery that delivers more than 24 hours of power.

Moto G: Choose a phone that keeps up with you. (Available after Spring Festival)
Moto G was designed with you in mind, focusing on what you’ve said you value most. The curved design fits comfortably in your hand and nicely in your pocket, with colorful Motorola Shells included so you can switch to match your style. Surf the Internet quickly and multitask with ease as Moto G offers 4G LTE and quad-core processing speed, incredible call quality, dual-SIM capability, a brilliant 5” HD display and stereo sound.

We’re eager to build a direct relationship with Chinese consumers and empower them by bringing the mobile Internet to millions of people. With the new Moto X, new Moto X Pro and new Moto G with 4G LTE, the people of China will have the power to choose.

Bellevue, Washington − December 16, 2014 − T-Mobile (NYSE: TMUS) today announced its next industry-rocking Un-carrier™ move − eliminating the infuriating wireless industry practice of confiscating unused data you’ve already paid for. With Un-carrier 8.0, high-speed data you don’t use each month automatically rolls into a personal Data Stash™ so you can use it when you need it for up to a year. And, the best part is that Data Stash is included at no extra charge for every single new and existing T-Mobile customer – individual, family or business – on an eligible postpaid Simple Choice plan who buys extra high-speed data for their smartphone or tablet.

In addition, T-Mobile announced they will start every Data Stash with a whopping 10 GB of 4G LTE data – for free. That’s 10 GB of free data for every line in the family on a qualifying plan. And on top of that, the Un-carrier announced several major new milestones in the build-out of its Data Strong™ network.

“Can you imagine your gas station siphoning unused gas from your car each month? The US wireless industry is even worse,” said John Legere, president and CEO for T-Mobile. “Americans have been gamed by the carriers into buying huge data plans – all to avoid getting screwed with overage penalties. Only to find out they bought more than they need which is then confiscated by the carrier. For the consumer it’s lose, lose.

“That data is rightfully yours,” added Legere. “And, we’re putting an end to this appalling industry practice today. With Data Stash, when you buy additional high-speed data, there’s no need to lose what you don’t use.”

With T-Mobile’s Data Stash − the first such program from a national wireless provider − you don’t have to worry about buying extra high-speed data you’ll never use − or not having that data when you need it most. You’ve paid for it. Now you can use it when you need it for up to a full year.

Starting in January 2015, Data Stash will be automatically available at no extra charge to every T-Mobile customer – every individual, family and business – with a postpaid Simple Choice plan who has purchased additional 4G LTE data, 3GB or more for smartphones and 1 GB or more for tablets. And, you’ll start out with a Free Data Stash with up to 10 GB of 4G LTE data.

Once you’ve used up that Free Data Stash, any unused high speed data − rounded up to the nearest megabyte – will start to roll into your Data Stash automatically every month. And there’s no limit to how much data you can collect in your Data Stash. When you need extra high-speed data, you’ll automatically start tapping into your data deposits. Now, when you pay extra for 4G LTE data, you won’t lose data you don’t use.

Businesses face the same challenges when it comes to the data guessing game – just multiplied by the number of employees they have. Think it’s hard choosing how much data to buy for you and your family? Try figuring out how much to buy for you and your 50 employees. More than a third of U.S. businesses on shared data plans have been hit by punitive overage penalties, and others resort to buying more data than they need – all just to avoid budget-busting overage penalties at the end of the month.

“Like every Un-carrier move we make, Data Stash also came from listening to customers,” added Legere. “This year on Twitter, customers asked the carriers to create a program to roll data forward more than 40,000 times. So this isn’t rocket science. It’s just that we seem to be the only company in this industry that cares enough to listen. That’s fine by me.”

T-Mobile’s Data Strong Network Expansion
Data Stash is made possible by T-Mobile’s unique Data Strong network design which was purpose built for the data-intensive way people use smartphones and tablets today. Today, after an epic year of network firsts and massive advancements, the Un-carrier announced several major new milestones as it continues to expand and enhance its network at an unprecedented pace:

First, T-Mobile continues to grow its LTE footprint and now reaches more people than ever before − 260 million Americans coast to coast, expanding to reach an additional 10 million people in just the last 60 days.
Second, on the heels of upgrading T-Mobile’s network to its ultra-fast Wideband LTE in New York, the Un-carrier now reaches 121 metropolitan areas across the country with Wideband LTE, giving customers more capacity and up to a 50 percent boost in speeds. Already, T-Mobile customers in the NYC metro area have reported download speeds in excess of an unprecedented 100 Mbps.
Finally, T-Mobile announced that it has deployed its newly acquired 700Mhz spectrum in Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. boosting network reach, improving in-building coverage and extending coverage well beyond major population centers.

The Un-carrier expects to continue its rapid fire network improvements in 2015 and has already set a few resolutions for the New Year − like reaching 300 million people with T-Mobile’s blazing-fast LTE network.

About T-Mobile US, Inc.
As America’s Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company’s advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to approximately 53 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

CUPERTINO, California and ARMONK, New York – Apple® and IBM today deliver the first wave of IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions in a new class of made-for-business apps and supporting cloud services that bring IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities to iPhone® and iPad® users in the enterprise. IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions are now available to enterprise customers in banking, retail, insurance, financial services, telecommunications and for governments and airlines, thanks to an unprecedented collaboration between Apple and IBM. IBM clients today announcing support for IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions include: Citi, Air Canada, Sprint and Banorte.

“What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business—smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement,” said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, IBM Global Business Services. “Our collaboration combines IBM’s industry expertise and unmatched position in enterprise computing, with Apple’s legendary user experience and excellence in product design to lift the performance of a new generation of business professionals.”

“This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organizations will put iOS devices to work,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done.”

In targeting key opportunities and priorities within industries, IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps take enterprise mobility a level deeper, helping employees access their company’s full capabilities wherever they interact with clients—faster, easier and more securely than ever before.

Built exclusively for iPhone and iPad, IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps are delivered in a secure environment, embedded with analytics and linked to core enterprise processes. The apps can be customized for any organization and easily deployed, managed and upgraded via cloud services from IBM specifically for iOS devices, with security across the data, app and device. This first suite of IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions is now available across multiple industries, with additional apps being continuously designed and developed:
Plan Flight (Travel and Transportation) addresses the major expense of all airlines—fuel—permitting pilots to view flight schedules, flight plans, and crew manifests ahead of time, report issues in-flight to ground crews, and make more informed decisions about discretionary fuel.
Passenger+ (Travel and Transportation) empowers flight crews to offer an unmatched level of personalized services to passengers in-flight—including special offers, re-booking, and baggage information.
Advise & Grow (Banking and Financial Markets) puts bankers on premise with their small business clients, with secure authorization to access client profiles and competitive analyses, gather analytics-driven insights to make personalized recommendations, and complete secure transactions.
Trusted Advice (Banking and Financial Markets) allows advisors to access and manage client portfolios, gain insight from powerful predictive analytics—in the client’s kitchen or at the local coffee shop, rather than the advisor’s office—with full ability to test recommendations with sophisticated modeling tools all the way to complete, secure transactions.
Retention (Insurance) empowers agents with access to customers’ profiles and history, including an analytics-driven retention risk score as well as smart alerts, reminders, and recommendations on next best steps and facilitation of key transactions like collection of e-signatures and premiums.
Case Advice (Government) addresses the issue of workload and support among caseworkers who are making critical decisions, one family or situation at a time, on the go. The solution adjusts case priorities based on real-time analytics-driven insights, and assesses risk based on predictive analysis.
Incident Aware (Government) converts an iPhone into a vital crime prevention asset, presenting law enforcement officers with real-time access to maps and video-feeds of incident locations; information about victim status, escalation risk, and crime history; and improved ability to call for back-up and supporting services.
Sales Assist (Retail) enables associates to connect with customer profiles, make suggestions based on previous purchases and current selections, check inventory, locate items in-store, and ship out-of-store items.
Pick & Pack (Retail) combines proximity-based technology with back-end inventory systems for transformed order fulfillment.
Expert Tech (Telecommunications) taps into native iOS capabilities including FaceTime® for easy access to expertise and location services for route optimization to deliver superior on-site service, more effective issue resolution and productivity as well as improved customer satisfaction.

“Mobile innovations are driving profound impact on how Citi delivers superior client experiences, particularly those that extend our enterprise expertise all the way to the point of customer contact,” said Heather Cox, Chief Client Experience, Digital and Marketing Officer for Global Consumer Banking at Citi. “There’s terrific energy in our collaboration with IBM and Apple around the goal of equipping our professionals with mobile capability that will create new competitive advantage and enable us to re-imagine how we share our knowledge to improve the quality of life for our clients.”

To supplement the IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps, the partnership between Apple and IBM offers business customers additional levels of capability integrated for enterprise mobility, including:
Mobile Platform and Enterprise Integration—Leveraging IBM’s global industry consulting expertise, client experience design and enterprise systems integration from analytics, workflow and cloud storage, to fleet-scale device management, security and integration. Enhanced mobile management includes a private app catalog, data and transaction security services, and productivity suite for all IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions. In addition to on-premise software solutions, all these services will be available on Bluemix—IBM’s development platform on the IBM Cloud Marketplace.
Supply, activate and manage—Streamlined end-to-end procurement, deployment and lifecycle management—at scale; along with cloud solutions for enterprise security, device management, and data and process integration. IBM Global Financing leasing options and services to allow organizations to keep pace with latest device releases.
AppleCare for the Enterprise—Providing IT departments and end users with 24/7 assistance for their devices from Apple’s award-winning customer support group, with on-site service delivered by IBM.

For more information regarding the new Apple and IBM solutions, please visit www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/mobilefirst-for-ios.html or www.apple.com/business/mobile-enterprise-apps/.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

About IBM MobileFirst
IBM’s 6,000 mobile experts have been at the forefront of mobile enterprise innovation. IBM has secured more than 4,300 patents in mobile, social and security, which have been incorporated into IBM MobileFirst solutions that enable enterprise clients to radically streamline and accelerate mobile adoption, help organizations engage more people and capture new markets. Through IBM’s partnership with Apple, the two organizations are transforming enterprise mobility with a new class of industry specific business apps. For more information on IBM MobileFirst, visit the press kit or www.ibm.com/mobilefirst. Follow @IBMMobile on Twitter, and see IBM MobileFirst on YouTube, Tumblr and Facebook.

NEW YORK and REDMOND, WA – Accenture and Microsoft Corp. have expanded their long-standing strategic alliance with the introduction of the Accenture Hybrid Cloud Solution for Microsoft Azure, a powerful hybrid cloud platform designed to bring new capabilities, economics and innovation to the enterprise. Working with Avanade, the companies are co-funding and co-engineering this platform with new hybrid cloud technologies and services to help enterprises build and manage enterprise-wide cloud infrastructure and applications.