Samsung Snags $6.6 Billion Verizon Order; Microsoft-Xbox Series S; Apple Watch 5 Scarce-New Models Soon; GM Pours $2 Billion into EV Maker Nikola

Samsung has nailed down an order for 5G equipment from Verizon valued at $6.6 billion. According to venturebeat.com, Verizon has noted that it does not use any Huawei equipment, a major concern to the US government. Verizon had already been a Samsung customer. This will help Samsung make inroads into the global total telecom equipment market. Right now, they have a 3% share. Huawei holds 28% for #1, followed by Nokia with 16%, Ericsson at 14%, ZTE with 10%, and Cisco at 7%.

Microsoft has now officially confirmed a smaller, lower-line Xbox….the Series S console. Theverge.com reports that the price will be the previously leaked $299. Both it and the Series S will launch November 10th. The higher end unit will be $499. The Series S (codenamed Lockhart) is designed to play next-gen games in a smaller, cheaper package with less GPU power and lower resolution output than the Series X.

People are noting that the Apple Watch Series 5 in most configurations are not available from the Apple website. Considering the registering of a number of new unit numbers with the EU for Watches and iPads, it looks like Apple is close to announcing their virtual roll out of the iPhones and Watches. 9to5mac.com notes that one tout..Jon Prosser…had Tweeted that they would announce the Watch this week, but he was contradicted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman…who theorizes that there will just be an announcement this week and invitation to the Apple event later this month. As we already are pretty sure that at least the higher line iPhones will be out late, it seems early in September for the actual event. The new Watch 6 models may have a blood oxygen level detection and better sleep monitoring. It appears they will have a brand new lower line watch to replace the 3 and 5 Series.

GM has announced a strategic partnership with EV maker Nikola. According to techcrunch.com, they will take an 11% stake in the company, and will build Nikola’s fuel cell pickup starting the end of 2022. Nikola plans to build both electric and fuel cell pickups, as well as big rigs, and vans (which Amazon has invested in and has ordered some 100,000 of). GM will supply fuel cells for the upcoming class 7/8 trucks, and will give Nikola their Ultium battery tech for the EVs. Access to GM’s manufacturing virtually assures that Nikola will be able to crank out EVs and fuel cell vehicles at volume quickly.