Technology Reseller - v22

technolog y reseller.co.uk Mobile Computing 39 end range, where we have 13-inch devices, 14-inch devices and 2-in-1 devices. It would make sense to bring a thin, light, high-end 15-inch device to market. We are also looking at where we can make a clear technology leadership move in the whole thin and light segment. In Japan, we have launched a very thin and light, sub- 800g, 13-inch device. For us to have an ultra-light device like that would be a good technology leadership statement. Then, it is how we address the trend in mid-range devices for USB-C and that type of input. Those are the areas we are looking to cover. TR: Is there much regional variation in the types of products you have available? NO: There are some regional nuances. In Japan, the market doesn’t buy a lot of 14-inch devices, but in the UK and Europe 14-inches is probably now the biggest segment. It makes sense to take what they have in Japan and see what we also need from a European and global perspective. What our new ownership gives us is the ability to bring products and devices to market a lot quicker, in terms of the development cycle and production cycle. TR: What are some of the challenges your resellers face at the moment? NO: To work out how to benefit from the cloud. How do you move from a traditional managed service model to a cloud service model where customers want that type of experience? Also, as big cloud players come into the marketplace, like Amazon, partners are looking to diversify, for example into the IoT marketplace. Over time, partners have learnt how to adapt their models; smaller ones probably adapt a lot quicker and the larger ones probably consolidate more. For us, the channel is constant, in the sense that it remains our core route to market, but for channel partners it is always evolving, always changing. TR: What do your partners ask you, as a vendor, to do or to provide them with? NO: They want us to provide them with the best, most competitive range and they want us to bring new segments to market that they can get behind, like Edge Computing. It’s important for all vendors constantly to refresh what they offer and how they bring products to market. We are no different. available to us in this big new group we are part of, particularly in the second half of our financial year, which starts in October, when we should have some very interesting launches and technology statements. www.dynabook.co.uk TR: You mentioned doing more with 5G, do you see that as giving your business a big boost? NO: From a mobility perspective, 4G/5G today and 5G going forward will give a boost to mobility over the coming months, as 5G becomes normalised in the marketplace. TR: Are Sharp and Foxconn involved in foldable screens? NO: Sharp is one of the market leaders in panel displays, in terms of their technology and their R&D, and it wouldn’t be far removed from the truth to say that they have invested in foldable screen technology and that that will play a part as we move forward. It’s still early days, but the ability to make devices smaller by having a folding screen is obviously something that will emerge in the fullness of time. TR: What other developments from dynabook should we be keeping our eyes peeled for? NO: We want to be seen as a leading brand that brings new technology evolution to the marketplace, so keep your eyes open for how we enlarge our product offering by utilising the opportunities that are The newly launched Portégé X30-F, Tecra X40-F and A30-E are the first laptops to be dynabook-branded in Europe. Although the dynabook brand is new in Europe, it is well established in Japan. Toshiba launched the world’s first laptop computer in 1985 (the T1100) and the first notebook computer – the DynaBook J-3100 SS001 – in 1989.