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Connected Intelligence
The best phone you cannot (easily) buy
NPD Connected Intelligence president, Eddie Hold, provides his take on Huawei’s latest smartphones, the Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro
Commercial Technology
The Open Office Trend – Peter Gibbons Was a Genius
As companies across the globe look for ways to increase productivity, collaboration display sales are reaping the benefits. According to NPD’s U.S. B2B Distributor and Reseller Tracking Service, the collaboration display market grew 61 percent in dollars for the 12 months ending August 2018 versus the year prior.
Flashback Friday
Are cameras the main point of differentiation between smartphones these days? Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold takes a look back at past generations of mobile phones and shares his thoughts on the future.
Foodservice
Let’s Disrupt the Overuse of Disrupt
The buzzword these days is disruption. What was initially used as a term to define technology-enabled services or products that target an established market and eventually move their way up to overtake the market leaders — think Uber — is now a catchall to describe any change or innovation.
Toys
Crazy About Football: The League Triggers Sales of Cards in Spain
When Cristiano Ronaldo announced this summer that he was leaving Real Madrid, it’s safe to assume that more than one child thought of his next season's sticker album.
Toys
The Holiday Landscape without Toys‟R”Us
As we move into the most important time of the year when nearly 50 percent of all U.S. toy sales occur, the question is, what impact will the liquidation have on the toy industry’s holiday season? Juli Lennett crunches the numbers and outlines her Q4 expectations.
Watches Jewelry
Smart Watches Rejuvenating the Department Store Watch Category
When I visited Macy’s Herald Square this week, I was struck again by how watch offerings have evolved – even in the past year alone.
Amazon Wants To Be Your TV Provider
Connected Intelligence analyst, John Buffone, shares insights regarding Amazon’s all new Fire TV Recast device, which is aimed at routing a larger portion of consumers TV viewing time through Amazon’s ecosystem of hardware and services.
Consumer Electronics
Amazon Extends Its Platform Mentality Even Further Into Devices
NPD’s Technology Industry Advisor, Stephen Baker, analyzes what he believes is the most interesting aspect of Amazon’s recent announcements: the clear path Amazon continues to take in both owning and partnering within its ecosystems.
Watches Jewelry
Luxury Watches and the “Supreme Effect”
While luxury watch brands release new product only once per year, the nature of their very tight distribution has become almost like Supreme’s product drops.
Commercial Technology
The Current State of the Desktop Workstation Market
Workstations are one of the unsung segments of the desktop PC market. In this blog by B2B Industry Analyst, Mike Diamond, find out what is currently driving this category’s growth in the U.S. B2B Indirect market.
The Age of Ecosystem Dominance
The consumer tech market is approaching a transitional moment when the current smartphone-driven ecosystem will be superseded by a voice-driven interface. This blog by Eddie Hold, President of NPD’s Connected Intelligence, looks at how voice control and growth of home automation will ultimately drive the latest ecosystem change.
Beauty
Perfumers Become Superstars
While fragrances had become objects of consumerism, perfume makers are stepping into the spotlight and garnering attention, as consumers today are showing heightened interest for understanding, learning, and honoring the creative process of perfume making.
Voice as a Unifier
The growth in voice-enabled speakers has allowed consumers to begin to see the value of a more integrated smart home ecosystem. By providing a line of sight to a more robust smart home experience, speakers have become a leading indicator of smart home adoption.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Purpose-Driven Brands
Consumers want to know what a brand stands for and what motivates its decisions. Consumers want brands to align with their values. Matt Powell explains how the sports industry is winning here, through companies including Carhartt, Patagonia, Merrell, and VF Corporation.
Apple Watch Series 4: A Change Of Heart
With the launch of the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple has further separated itself from the smartwatch pack with larger edgeless screens, better resolution, and a sleeker design. However, the biggest shift heralded in by the Series 4 is a clear pivot by Apple towards the wellness and healthcare market and away from focusing primarily on fitness.
Retail
Tracking the Retail Rebound
Quarterly earnings are on the rise at Target, Walmart, Macy’s, Kohls, Nordstrom and other major retailers. Here's why that is -- and how they can make the rebound continue.
Big Screens, Big Data: The Future For Smartphones
When it comes to this year’s iPhone news, form factor sizing has risen the ranks to the most heavily speculated aspect. But what do these bigger screens mean for OEMs and carriers?
Elevator Music For The Soul
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, explores the evolution of portable music players and why he believes the smartphone is not the best solution.
The Missing Link
NPD Connected Intelligence President, Eddie Hold, takes a look at what will be needed to make some of today’s high-tech trends more useful in the future.
Office Supplies
An Eco-Friendly Back-to-School
In office supplies, the market for products made from recycled materials is growing. And, as consumers look towards sustainable alternatives to traditional school supplies, reusable notebooks such as the Rocketbook, as well as dry erase boards have become popular options.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Sports and Sustainability
Millennial and Gen Z consumers want to know where their brands and retailers stand on important social and environmental issues, and are willing to take their business elsewhere if those positions don’t align with their own. Matt Powell explains how the outdoor and athletic markets are winning here, and where there’s opportunity.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Back to School 2018 at the Halfway Point
NPD’s sports industry expert Matt Powell recaps the athletic footwear trends he is seeing take shape this back-to-school season.
Beauty
Hair Gets Social
Hair care is the smallest piece of the U.S. prestige beauty market, but growing at more than twice the rate. While makeup and skincare have been changed to the greatest extent because of social media, hair is joining in with brands including Olaplex and Playa.
Commercial Technology
Summer, Summer, Summer Time! – Security Appliances
NPD’s B2B Tech Industry Analyst, Mike Diamond, takes a look at the top performers and growth drivers in the security appliance market for Q2 2018.
The Changing Face of the Smartwatch
The smartwatch has undergone an evolution over the last several years, and with increased support and features, it’s becoming more desirable to a broader range of consumers. NPD Connected Intelligence analyst, Weston Henderek, takes a look at who’s buying, use cases, and what’s next.
Sports
Sneakernomics: Q2 Team Sports Equipment Recap
Golf equipment sales performed well, and soccer improved due to World Cup interest. Matt Powell recaps what helped and what offset U.S. team sports equipment sales in Q2.
Apparel
Getting To Know You…As An Apparel Shopper
Apparel shopping habits are transforming with both retailers and brands evolving to meet shoppers’ elevated expectations. For apparel manufacturers and retailers it takes understanding that not all apparel consumers shop alike to get the shopping experience right.
Luggage Takes Flight
Record travel among consumers and an increased online focus on from brands and retailers has made luggage the fastest growing online accessories category.
Office Supplies
The Changing Face of Back-to-School Shopping
Convenience-based online purchasing methods, and Millennial parents stepping in as the next generation of back-to-school shoppers are shifts that are changing the face of back-to-school shopping for traditional supplies.
Food Consumption
Whole Foods Primed Up My Prime Day Purchase
Amazon is tightening the gap between online and offline experiences by offering discounts to Prime members in Whole Foods. The tightening continues with this year’s Prime Day sales.
Demystifying Prime Day
In anticipation of Prime Day 2018, NPD's Marshal Cohen and Stephen Baker review industry analysis on the event’s past performance discuss its potential.
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