Apple VR Headset Rumors; LG May Drop Smartphones; Amazon Offers COVID Response Help to Biden; Cybersecurity Spending Projected to Increase

The latest rumor about Apple’s AR or VR products indicates that the first virtual reality headset will be bulked up with powerful processors, a high res display, a fan, and an Applesque (read HIGH) price. Cnet.com reports that it will likely be noticeably more expensive than mot of the headsets on the market now, which generally range from $300 to $900. A prototype includes external cameras, apparently. Apple is expected to roll out their VR headset by 2022. 

After years of being an afterthought to smartphone heavyweights Apple and Samsung, LG is thinking about exiting the smartphone market this year. According to theverge.com, LG has dropped about $4.5 billion the last 5 years. The company is also considering selling off its smartphone division as opposed to just closing it down. Even some innovative products like the Wing smartphone have failed to move the needle in market share or profitability for LG. 

With virtually no national plan from the previous administration, the new Biden administration is quickly trying to build out its COVID response from the ground up. For production of vaccines and PPEs, President Biden signed an executive order today to use the Defense Production Act to ramp up production. That leaves the distribution and actual act of getting the vaccine into arms part. Now, engadget.com says Amazon has offered help from the online and logistics giant. Amazon notes that its Whole Foods division has already partnered with a 3rd party firm to vaccinate its 800,000 strong workforce once vaccine is available. 

According to a study by Canalys, worldwide cybersecurity spending will increase by 10% this year. Venturebeat.com reports that the continued move to cloud computing has spurred the boost in spending, in addition to some very high profile hacks of supposedly secure software and platforms. The figure is put at $60.2 billion for security products and services in 2021. That investment includes beefing up areas such as “endpoint security, network security, web and email security, data security, vulnerability and security analytics, and identity access management,” according to the report. Spending could fall short of that by over 6% though, if the pandemic keeps many businesses closed for extended periods.