On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

Yamaha announces the YAS-108-- a sequel to the YAS-107 soundbar featuring a slimmer, fabric-lined design with rounded edges and out-of-the-box DTS Virtual:X 3D sound.

The YAS-108 has the same built-in dual-subwoofers as the YAS-107, and Yamaha promises improved Bluetooth performance allowing users to connect up to two devices simultaneously. Wired connectivity is also included via x2 HDMI, optical TOSLink and analog audio ports, making it compatible with both modern and older TVs. One of the HDMI ports has ARC support, allowing soundbar control through the TV remote.

Turtle Beach launches a pair of headsets aimed at gamer customers at E3 2018-- the Stealth 300 and Recon 200, both wired (via 3.5mm jack) devices described as "perfectly suited" for games such as Fortnite.

“We’ve seen unprecedented industry growth this year in the headset market, with Turtle Beach outpacing that industry growth by nearly 38% because we deliver the high-quality headsets gamers want and need to be successful in popular Battle Royale games like Fortnite and PUBG, as well as all genres,” the company says. “Gamers demand superior audio and comfort no matter their level of play, and that’s what we bring to the table with a variety of products to suit every type of gamer.”

The EMEA smartphone market shows "some" stability in Q1 2018 in unit terms, IDC reports, while value is not only up has even managed to exceed the previous peak result of Q1 2015.

The total value of Q1 2018 smartphone sales is $29.967 billion, while unit volume is 86.523 million.

"Overall mobile phone shipments in EMEA declined year on year in unit terms, and it may well be that the market is beyond the peak levels registered in 2017," the analyst says. "This is because the resurgence in feature phones in emerging markets, mainly in Africa, seen from the H2 2016, is now beginning to ebb. The Q1 2018 feature phone market was the smallest in six quarters."

The Garmin Fenix smartwatch line gets an update-- the Fenix 5S Plus, Fenix 5 Plus, and Fenix 5X Plus, all offering Garmin Pay and music playback together with advanced health and mapping features.

As the top-tier Garmin smartwatch line, the Fenix devices feature either PVD-coated stainless steel or lightweight titanium construction. Sizes range from 42 to 51mm, and the smallest Fenix 5S Plus model has a 1.2-inch display, a size increase of nearly 20% compared to the previous Fenix 5S. The difference between the three models boils down mainly to battery life, since the 5S Plus offers 4 hours of use in GPS and music mode, the 5 Plus lasts 8 hours and the bulky 5X Plus claims 13 hours of GPS/music use.