Daily Business Report: April 19, 2024
Visual Capitalist
Global Smartphone Market Share:
Apple Steals the Crown by Less than 1 percent
Overview
What we’re showing
Global smartphone market share for the year 2023, based on data from the International Data Corporation’s (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Apple and Samsung nearly tied
The two companies are the dominant names in the global market, holding a 20.1percent and 19.4 percent market share.
In terms of growth from 2022, though, Apple managed +3.7 percent, while Samsung shrank by -13.6 percent.
Chinese firms round out the top five
Next in the rankings are Xiaomi and OPPO, two well-known Chinese manufacturers of consumer electronics. Similar to Apple and Samsung, both companies produce a variety of products like speakers and tablets.
In fifth spot is Transsion, which is a name most likely unknown to Western audiences. The Shenzhen-based firm is becoming a major player in emerging markets like Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.
Based on IDC data, Transsion has grown its share of the global smartphone market by an impressive 30.8 percent from 2022.
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California sets nation’s first water
standard for cancer-causing contaminant
By Rachel Becker | CalMatters
In an effort to protect more than 5 million Californians from a cancer-causing contaminant, state regulators on Wednesday set a new standard that is expected to increase the cost of water for many people throughout the state.
The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously approved the nation’s first drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium, which is found naturally in some California groundwater as well as water contaminated by industries.
Now water suppliers will be forced to install costly treatment to limit the chemical in water to no more than 10 parts per billion — equivalent to about 10 drops in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
California water systems are expected to spend $180 million a year to comply, including testing and treatment. The water board said the average cost for most people would be less than $20 per month, with 87 percent paying about $8 per month. The cost rises an average of $135 per month for people served by waer agencies with fewer than 100 connections.
Water suppliers warned officials that the costs of complying would hit low-income customers especially hard.
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California leaders take sides in monumental
Supreme Court case on homelessness
By Marisa Kendall | CalMatters
The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear the biggest case about homelessness in decades, and it seems like everyone in California has an opinion.
At issue: whether and under what conditions cities can fine or arrest people for camping in public spaces. The ruling will have nationwide implications for how local leaders manage homeless encampments.
Where does Gov. Gavin Newsom stand on that issue? What about the leaders of California’s major cities? Our law enforcement agencies? Homelessness experts? How about President Joe Biden’s administration?
Good questions! The good news is we can actually answer that. Many people and organizations have filed amicus briefs to the Supreme Court for the case, which means they’ve written out their opinion and submitted it in writing to the Justices for them to consider.
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City now plans safe parking lot at H Barracks instead of shelter
By Dave Schwab | sdnews.com
The City of San Diego has abandoned its controversial plan to convert H Barracks into a temporary, large-scale homelessness services shelter, instead proposing turning it into a Safe Parking Lot for vehicle dwellers.
A different location, an empty 65,000-square-foot warehouse at 3570 Kettner Blvd. near Vine Street in Middletown, has been selected by the City as the new proposed site to build a comprehensive 1,000-bed homeless shelter. If successful, it would become San Diego County’s largest permanent homeless shelter ever.
Asked about the City’s change of plans with H Barracks, Rachel Laing, director of communications for Mayor Todd Gloria, said: “It’s not a change; it’s just the announcement of the decision on how we intend to use the site. We’ve been talking with the community and homelessness stakeholders for months about what form of service/shelter should take place there. We stressed the entire time that we were considering an array of options, which always included Safe Parking.”
Added Laing: “Of all the potential uses, Safe Parking requires the least capital investment, and since the site will only operate temporarily – until Pure Water construction starts in about five years – it seems like the most prudent use. Plus, it’s an opportunity to nearly double the current size of the City’s Safe Parking program, which is in high demand and will be enormously helpful in getting folks living in their cars off residential streets and connected to services.”
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Cannabis Social Equity program could get ax
Voice of San Diego
Mayor Todd Gloria wants to hit the brakes on a program that would have helped people previously charged for black market cannabis dealings break into the legal weed market.
City staffers had put years of work into the proposal, which is known as the Cannabis Social Equity program. It would have been set to take effect in the new future.
If Gloria successfully ends the program, the city will need to return a nearly million dollar grant to the state.
Advocates aren’t happy. The program was supposed to be the city’s way of “saying sorry,” one person said.
Voice of San Diego Editor Andrea Lopez-Villafaña writes: “It is expensive to get into the legal cannabis market. Like any business, you need to have startup capital and have the time and ability to wade through an array of permitting and regulatory hassles. People with criminal histories are much less likely to have those resources.”
The program would have provided 36 licenses to sell cannabis to people previously charged and waived some fees for them.
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Sony Electronics introduces its 2024 Bravia TV lineup
Sony Electronics announced its 2024 Bravia TV lineup and the redefining of Bravia as a brand that provides the ultimate home cinema experience. As part of the new Bravia lineup, Sony will release four new TV models, with Bravia 9 as the flagship capable of extraordinary peak brightness, deep blacks, and expanded contrast. The new lineup also includes Bravia 9 Flagship Mini LED, Bravia 8 OLED, Bravia 7 Mini-LED and Bravia 3 LED.
Aspen Neuroscience announces first patient dosed in clinical trial
Aspen Neuroscience Inc. announced that the first patient has been dosed in the ASPIRO trial, a Phase 1/2a open label clinical trial to assess safety and tolerability of ANPD001, an autologous, dopaminergic neuron cell replacement therapy for participants with moderate to severe Parkinson’s disease. Aspen Neuroscience is a private biotechnology company developing personalized regenerative therapies.
Vast Therapeutics to present at 2024 Respiratory Innovation Summit
Vast Therapeutics, a clinical-stage life science company focused on breaking the debilitating cycle of chronic infection and inflammation in respiratory diseases, announced an upcoming presentation at the 2024 Respiratory Innovation Summit being held in San DiegoMay 17-18, 2024. Dr. Nathan Stasko, chief executive officer of Vast, will deliver an oral presentation on how its lead candidate, ALX1, is positioned to reshape the treatment landscape for several patient populations chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Little Caesars fuels nationwide development agreements
Little Caesars, the third largest pizza chain in the world, announced the signing of several new multi-unit development agreements to expand its presence across target markets in the U.S., fueling the brand’s ongoing efforts to grow with ambitious operating partners. As part of these deal signings, Little Caesars will open more than 30 new restaurants throughout San Diego, Memphis, Tampa, Raleigh, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Antonio and Eugene.
Cellcosmet expands its in-store retail presence
Cellcosmet, the luxury Swiss skincare brand specializing in cutting-edge cellular skin science, has now expanded its retail presence to Nordstrom where they will be offering a curated assortment of 11 products at four select Nordstrom stores and a larger assortment of 20 products at Nordstrom.com. The four selected stores include Nordstrom La Jolla at UTC in San Diego. Cellcosmet offerings will continue to expand online throughout the year and will slowly expand in key markets throughout the country.
Cove Capital Investments releases aerial view of Pharmacy Net Lease 65 DST
Cove Capital Investments announced it has released an exclusive 360-degree aerial video of its Pharmacy Net Lease 65 DST a Regulation D Rule 506 (c) offering in downtown Encinitas, CA. This offering is available for 1031 exchange as well as direct cash investors. Cove Capital acquired the net lease trophy asset in 2023 shortly after a popular national pharmacy signed a long-term, corporately backed lease, reasserting its desire to remain in the downtown Encinitas location just blocks from San Diego’s famous Moonlight Beach.
XiFin continues strong momentum through technology advancement
XiFin Inc., a leading provider of innovative healthcare information technologies and services that deliver artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled operational efficiency, interoperability, and simplicity, announced that it has earned a renewal of the HITRUST Risk-Based Certification for information security for its industry-leading XiFin RPM revenue cycle management (RCM) platform, which delivers the automation and insight that is urgently needed for America’s health care system in this critical year.
FICO Score 10 adoption reaches significant milesone
Today at FICO World, the industry’s leading analytic and AI event, analytics software leader FICO announced a significant milestone in the adoption of FICO Score 10 T by the mortgage industry. Since 2023, clients with over $100 billion in annualized mortgage originations and approximately $300 billion in eligible mortgage portfolio servicing have signed up for the FICO Score 10 T. Additionally, Liberty Home Mortgage is the latest to choose to adopt FICO Score 10 T for non-conforming loans.
Seismic announces ‘The Generation Enablement Report
Seismic, the global leader in enablement, released the findings of its new Generation Enablement Report: The Rise of Enablement’s Influence. Nearly 2,000 Australian business leaders were surveyed to understand their enablement strategies, challenges, and go-to-market (GTM) processes. The survey explores how attitudes and actions vary across Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. And while opinions differ on adoption, use, and effectiveness, one thing is clear: enablement’s influence is growing worldwide, and so is that of its leaders.
BDA to host Bermuda reception at RIMS’ RISKWORLD 2024
The Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), in partnership with Chubb, is proud to host a Bermuda Reception at RISKWORLD 2024, the annual conference of RIMS, the world’s largest risk management community, in San Diego. The Bermuda Reception will be held on Tuesday, May 7 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sparks Gallery at 530 Sixth Ave., where hundreds of industry leaders will enjoy C-Suite networking, Bermuda entertainment, and the chance to win a weekend getaway for two to Bermuda.
