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

According to multiple sources Amazon has acquired Ring, the company known for connected doorbells, security cameras and floodlights. The asking price, Reuters reports, is over $1 billion.

“Ring is committed to our mission to reduce crime in neighborhoods by providing effective yet affordable home security tools to our neighbors that make a positive impact on our homes, our communities, and the world,” a statement from the company reads. “We’ll be able to achieve even more by partnering with an inventive, customer-centric company like Amazon.”

As well as products, Ring owns a good number of patents covering smart doorbell and camera technologies, meaning the acquisition makes more than a little sense for Amazon. It is also the second smart doorbell company owned by the online retailer, following the December 2017 acquisition of Blink.

Land Rover lends its name to another ruggedised smartphone-- the Explore, a handset the company describes describes as the toughest yet, "built to work in places other phones can't reach."

The work of British smartphone maker Bullitt (who made devices branded by the likes of Caterpillar, Kodak and JCB), the Explore includes a factory-fitted screen protector and protective casing allowing it to survive dives of up to 1.8m in salt water and drops of up to 1.8m. The phone also has an IP86 rating for splash, water and dust resistance, and includes the ViewRanger mapping app for customers wanting to take their Land Rover (the car, not the phone) off the beaten track.

According to IDC W. European talbet shipments total 10.6 million units in Q4 2017-- a -13.1% Y-o-Y decline, further indication of the weakening state of the market, primarily due to regular "slate" tablets.

Slate tablet shipments are down by -15.4% Y-o-Y for the quarter, as such devices are now considered to be little more than simple media consumption devices with little no no productive use cases. In comparison, detachable tablets see traction in at least some areas, and as such post a minor -2% Y-o-Y decline.

Detachable tablets see "very strong" commercial performance with 8.5% Y-o-Y growth and sales value (in euros) rising by 3.2% Y-o-Y, the result of increased enterprise adoption. The overall detachable tablet market is down by -1.4% Y-o-Y, with the consumer segment falling by -7.1% Y-o-Y as rapid convertible adoption cannibalises sales.

Struggling British CE retailer Maplin is currently looking for a lifeline following a negative holiday shopping period-- and one potential cash source being considered is no other than smart home installation.

According to Sky News, a "2020 Vision Strategy" has Maplin fight the "hands off" likes of Amazon by taking more care of customers. Thus, it would not only sell smart home products, but also install them and offer aftercare services. Maplin believes smart home is the next big thing in the UK, with an own report stating 2017 demand for products such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home is up by 135% over 2016.

That said, Maplin's idea is hardly new-- both John Lewis and Currys offer smart home installation services. John Lewis has joined forces with local contractors to take care of installation, while Currys has own installers as part of the Knowhow team. Maplin already has an installation service, specifically a partnership with TSG taking care of Nest thermostat setup.