Future Mobility

HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS BEING INTEGRATED INTO THE MOBILE INDUSTRY What benefits are there for business and the consumer?

HOW TO KEEP YOUR MOBILE FLEET FRESH Exertis DaaS offers a unique opportunity for businesses to keep their mobile fleet fresh and affordable

Winter issue 14.

Samsung Galaxy devices work together seamlessly, making it easier to manage technology across your organisation.

MOBILITY

The ultimate Galaxy

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Copyright ©Exertis (UK) Ltd 2019

Your go-to for accessories At Exertis, we have everything you need to accessorise your mobile, laptop or tablet. Whether you want to protect, charge or connect, it’s a certainty we’ve got just the solution, with a great choice from the leading brands in the market. Adding an accessory means extra margin for you and a happy customer.

That’s a win-win situation.

To find out more visit exertis.co.uk Follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn @ExertisUK

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To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR MOBILE FLEET FRESH

ARE BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY GOOD OR BAD FOR BUSINESS

THE ERA OF USB-C

CONTENTS 05 EXERTIS COMMENT Simon Woodman introduces the Winter edition Future Mobility

21 IMPACT OF IOT ON MOBILE With new technology and 5G on the horizon, the impact of IoT in the mobility sector is set to explode

06 MARKET STATS UPDATE We take a look at the latest Mobility trends

07 HOW TO KEEP YOUR MOBILE FLEET FRESH Exertis DaaS offers a unique opportunity for businesses to keep their mobile fleet fresh and affordable

08 NEWS IN BRIEF We round up the latest news and product releases from the world of technology

12 ARE BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY GOOD OR BAD FOR BUSINESS? Deciding whether Black Friday and Cyber Monday are good for business may depend on who you are, how big you are and what you are selling

16 HOT PICKS

A range of best-selling products designed to make you more margin

27 HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS BEING INTEGRATED INTO THE MOBILE INDUSTRY Artificial Intelligence is touted as the next big growth area but how is it being deployed and what benefits does it bring to both business and users?

31 THE ERA OF USB-C More power, more speed and less hassle. The USB-C era is a welcome innovation

34 TOP 10 ATTACH See our top 10 recommended range of attach products for mobility

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SMARTPHONES

TABLETS

MACBOOKS & LAPTOPS

©2018 Speculative Product Design, LLC, All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Publisher Exertis Editor Nasrin Khanom Design Sophie Hammond Website store.exertis.co.uk

Basingstoke

WELCOME FROM EXERTIS Naturally, for those of you in retail, it was a busy peak period with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the festive Christmas period. It wasn’t that long ago when Boxing Day marked the start of the sales for bargain hunters. How times have changed. Whether Black Friday and Cyber Monday are good or bad for business is something that we discuss in our article on page 12.

Certainly, these events seem to be set in the calendar, at least for the foreseeable future.

With consumers hanging on to their mobile devices for longer periods, offers need to be attractive because there are fewer reasons to change in terms of innovation. For businesses, keeping a mobile fleet up-todate has many considerations. Our Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) offering has many advantages that can free up time for busy IT departments in terms of outsourcing the tracking and reporting. Adding in-life service and retirement services can provide peace of mind and our ability to offer Android zero-touch enrolment makes companywide deployment much easier. You can find out more about DaaS on page 7.

Technology certainly brings about change and IoT is having an impact both in the home and in industry.

Projections for the number of IoT devices to be connected over the next couple of years are hard

to comprehend and the impact that 5G will have on this market will make the smartphone an increasingly important device as we highlight on page 21.

These devices are also being enhanced by the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in many different areas from cameras and security to voice and processors. It is also influencing the way companies will make use of apps in the future. How AI is being integrated into the mobile industry is featured on page 27.

Whilst it might seem a relatively insignificant innovation, the reversible feature found on the new USB-C connector is simple but highly user friendly. Of course, it delivers much more than that with increased power and speeds as you can find out on page 31.

Don’t forget to look at our regular features including our hot picks and top ten attach products as well as the new products and promotions from our vendors.

With CES and MWC soon upon us, there are bound to be some interesting new releases and products to look forward to.

Thanks for your continued support.

Simon Woodman Director Mobile Division

Sales: 01256 707 070 Address: Ashwood Chineham Business Park Chineham Basingstoke Hampshire RG24 8EH To place an order please call 01256 707 070 between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday Burnley Sales: 01282 776 776 Address: Technology House, Magnesium Way, Hapton, Burnley, Lancashire, BB12 7BF To place an order please call 01282 776 776 between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday Stoke Sales: 01782 648 300 Address: Innovation House, Bellringer Road, Trentham ,AKES /FûCE 6ILLAGE

Trentham, Stoke on Trent ST4 8GH To place an order please call 01782 648 300 between 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday

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CONSUMER & BUSINESS TRENDS DRIVING DEMANDS

SMART WEARABLE DEVICE SALES WILL DOUBLE TO

$27BN BY 2022

Forbes

THE AVERAGE SMARTPHONE USER

CHECKS THEIR DEVICE

47 BankMyCell

TIMES A DAY

VIRTUAL REALITY INDUSTRY IS PREDICTED TO GENERATE

$21.5BN IN REVENUE Mediakix

PC SHIPMENTS

PREDICTED TO REACH 278M UNITS

IN 2020, THE GLOBAL

BY

2019 Gartner

EAR-BASED ‘HEARABLES’ ARE PREDICTED TO INCREASE MORE THAN

550% BY 2022 Juniper Research

Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | Burnley: 01282 776 776 | Stoke: 01782 648 300 | store.exertis.co.uk

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR MOBILE FLEET FRESH Whether a company is large or small, the decision to keep up with technology often comes down to expenditure. Holding on to older mobile devices may seem at first sight a good way to reduce costs. But it’s often the case that older hardware running software that might not have been updated will cost more in the long run. For IT departments, that can mean more work in terms of maintenance and fixing issues. In addition, it can also lead to more time trying to protect ageing devices against malware and trying to ensure that they are still capable of supporting business applications that are critical in terms of user productivity. Not surprisingly, older hardware and software are also more liable to be a security risk – prone to viruses and hackers.

Companies need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) which can be seriously affected by keeping older devices. True costs of a device need to include purchase, delivery, security, user support, repair and replacement. In addition, there is a clear value from the productivity gains that can be derived from upgrading to higher performance devices with better specifications that can complete tasks quicker and increase employee mobility. It’s impossible for companies to provide a true evaluation of the cost and values of upgrading without considering all these factors.

Of course, technology changes at a fast pace and with smartphones new models are launched regularly. However, there is a clear indication that people are holding on to their devices longer than in the past – on average about 21 months in Europe according to Statista. Cost is one reason. Another is quite simply down to the fact that there are fewer, new innovations to make the purchase compelling - smartphone hardware has matured to the stage where customers aren’t running into any major reasons to upgrade annually anymore. However, many consumers still want the latest flagship device rather than a cheaper option.

EXERTIS DAAS OFFERS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY For companies, Exertis provides a great option to control, maintain and provide the latest offering to their employees in a cost-effective manner. Purchasing a fleet of handsets clearly limits most companies, as does keeping up with the latest equipment. With our Device as a Service (DaaS), companies have the flexibility of scaling the number of devices based on demand, refreshing the technology at regular intervals and outsourcing maintenance and asset tracking to their provider as a bundled service. For many companies, this can free up valuable time spent by IT in reporting and tracking devices. It also makes it easier for a company to standardise the handset and software deployed, rather than be faced with the issues encountered with a BYOD policy, and ensure that security management services like updates and patches are routinely deployed. For FDs, it has the advantage of moving from a capex to an opex model and freeing up cash for other investments.

With our DaaS offering, we have added in-life service and retirement to our services in an easily digestible format using a newly developed portal. This provides our resellers with a unique ID and log-in where you can get a tailored view of existing contracts and previous quotes.

Resellers can pick and choose devices from Exertis’ mobile portfolio, filter by price point, brand, storage or other features and once selected, you can add a range of services. Special requests can be handled via a bespoke button. You can also get an estimate of the residual value of existing devices you might wish to trade in either for cash or as part of a future lease agreement. Both residual values and lease prices can be calculated on the system. The service is initially available for phones and tablets, but the intention is to add other hardware in the future.

Furthermore, the lease agreement is made between the leasing company and the end customer. Provided that the credit check is satisfactory, you get paid in full by the company immediately, improving your cash flow. In addition, the credit risk sits with the bank.

Finally, Exertis can support you with Android zero-touch enrolment – a seamless tool to configure and deploy corporate-owned devices.

For further information on how to keep your customers’ mobile fleet up to date, ask your Exertis account manager.

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NEWS IN BRIEF ANDROID SHARE REMAINS STABLE Android’s smartphone share will remain stable at 85% throughout 2022. Volumes are expected to grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% with shipments approaching 1.36bn in 2022. Android average selling prices (ASPs) are estimated to rise 9.6% this year to $258, from $235 in 2017. IDC expects this upward trajectory to continue through 2022 but at a softened rate from 2019 nd beyond. and Meanwhile Meanwhile, iOS smartphones are seen declining by 2.5% this year o 210.4m. P to Prices went up on the back of more expensive and gger screen iOS smartphones launched in Q3, but this also affected bigger shipments. hipments. IDC sees iPhone shipments only rising at a CAGR of 0.1%, with volumes at 217.3 217.3m in 2022.

LENOVO AT NO 1 IN PC SHIPMENTS Lenovo has once again claimed the number one spot in PCs shipped globally, with both IDC and Gartner listing the Chinese multinational as shipping around 16,000 desktops, notebooks, and workstations in the third quarter of 2018.

SMARTPHONES GO LARGE Worldwide smartphone shipments are expected d to decline by 3% this year before returning to low single-digit growth rowth next year through 2022, according to the latest study from m IDC. Shipments fell in the third quarter by 6%. IDC said it sees a return eturn to growth going fo forward ma based on continuing developments from emerging markets, the potential surrounding 5G and new product factors. duct form factors For 2018, smartphone shipments should ould fall to 1.42bn units from 1.47bn the year before. Shipments willll then rise r 2.6% year-on-year in 2019. Over the long term, shipmentss are eexpected to reach 1.57bn units in 2022.

All major manufacturers have built out their portfolios with bigger screens and higher-end smartphones. In Q3, the 6-7inch screen became the most prominent band for the first time with more than four times year-on-year growth. IDC believes that larger-screen smartphones (5.5 inches and above) will for the full year lead the charge with volumes at 947.1m, and a market share of 66.7 per cent among all smartphones, up from 623.3m units and 42.5% share in 2017. By 2022, shipments of these larger-screen smartphones will move up to 1.38bn units and 87.7% of overall shipment volume.

In IDC’s third-quarter PC rankings, Lenovo was reported as being accountable for 16,152 - 24% - of the total devices shipped in the three-month period, while Gartner reported Lenovo as shipping 15,889 units during the same period. In total, IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker reported 67,387 individual desktops, notebooks, and workstations were shipped; similarly, Gartner had the total at 67,206.

Coming in second to Lenovo for both analyst firms was HP, with IDC’s 15,359 total and Gartner’s 14,629 figure giving the company an approximate 22% market share for the quarter. Dell claimed the third spot in both reports, with 11,466 and 10,737 units listed across both reports. IDC had Acer in fourth place, shipping 4,874 units, while Gartner gave Acer fifth spot, with just over 4,000 PCs shipped. Fourth for Gartner was Apple, with 4,928 devices. IDC placed Apple fifth, highlighting that sales had reduced from 5,387 devices in the third quarter of 2017 down to 4,762 for the current reported period.

The PC market continued to be driven by steady corporate PC demand, which was driven by Windows 10 PC hardware upgrades.

Weakness in consumer PC demand continued, offsetting the strong sales in the business market.

Basingstoke: 01256 707 070 | Burnley: 01282 776 776 | Stoke: 01782 648 300 | store.exertis.co.uk

MOBILE SHOPPING ON THE UP Shopping on mobile devices now accounts for a quarter of retail spending across Europe, according to research by Mastercard. The study found that 27% of spending in Europe takes place on mobile devices, and 57% is done through online channels. In the UK, two of the most popular categories of goods shopped for on mobile were clothing and accessories, and food and beverages. About 80% of UK customers have shopped on their mobiles while sitting on the sofa, and 6% have done so in the bath.

DEBIT CARD OR MOBILE IN CASHLESS PAYMENTS? The percentage of payments made with a mobile phone in UK stores has jumped from 1.3% in Q3 2016 to 5.6% in Q3 2018, according to Cardlytics analysis of 190m card transactions. Compared to this time last year, the volume of contactless mobile payments has increased by 60%. For payments under the £30 contactless payments limit, the number of transactions accounted for by mobile payments increased from 1.8% in Q3 2016, to 4.6% in Q3 2017 and then 7% in Q3 2018. The study revealed that mobile payments are used more readily at merchants that people visit on a daily basis and wish to pay more expediently, while less popular amongst bigger-ticket, one off purchases.

However, research by IDEX Biometrics has revealed that mobile payments are almost as unpopular as cheques, with payment cards still being the overwhelmingly preferred method when it comes to in-store purchases for UK consumers. It found that three quarters of respondents use cards - including contactless - most often, compared to cash (21%), mobile payments (3%) and cheques (1%). The survey also showed that 72% were concerned about the possibility of no longer having access to a physical debit card and needing to rely on mobile payments only. A further 65% of those questioned said that they wouldn’t give up their debit card in favour of mobile payments and 78% admitted to feeling more secure using their debit card in comparison to mobile payments.

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NOKIA ENHANCEMENTS AVAILABLE FROM EXERTIS The Nokia 8.1 smartphone was launched in December. The phone comes with a 6.18inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 2244 pixels. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage that can be expanded up to 400GB via a microSD card. It features a 12-megapixel (f/1.8, 1.4-micron) primary camera and a 13-megapixel secondary camera on the rear and a 20-megapixel front shooter for selfies. It has a 3500mAh battery, measures 154.80 x 75.76 x 7.97 (height x width x thickness) and weighs 178.00 grams.

We also have availability of the Nokia 5.1 Plus and Nokia 3.1 Plus mid-range smartphones.

EXERTIS HAS ANNOUNCED THE AVAILABILITY OF ANDROID ZERO-TOUCH ENROLMENT A streamlined process for enterprise deployment of large-scale corporate-owned mobile devices, Exertis will provide this service for our reseller channel for applicable handsets and tablets from Huawei, Sony, LG and Nokia.

Mark Weston, Exertis, mobile sales director said “Android as a platform scores heavily in terms of device choice, cost, features and the ability for businesses to customise the handset for specific customer apps. With zero-touch enrolment, IT departments can easily and securely deploy their own corporate devices in bulk with enforced management without having to manually set-up each device. We are pleased to be able to offer this service to our customers.”

NEWS FROM EXERTIS:

EXERTIS SHOWCASES FIRST PRODUCT AS AN OCULUS APPROVED ACCESSORY PARTNER Exertis has announced the availability of Dazed, a stash case designed to complement the Oculus Go. The case provides a snug and safe haven for the VR headset and accessories providing protection against sunlight, shock, splashes and scratches.

Paul Jacobs, Exertis, director of business development and innovation said, “Dazed has been crafted and designed specifically for the Oculus Go to protect and store the headset and accessories. The carry case is lightweight yet sturdy and is ideal for when you’re on-the-move, mitigating the risk of damage to the equipment. For consumers the message is ‘stash before you dash’. Priced attractively, it will be a great attach sale for retailers and is the first of a range of Oculus approved accessories that will be available exclusively from Exertis.”

EXERTIS DISTRIBUTES THE PIXEL 3 AND PIXEL 3 XL FROM GOOGLE “We are delighted to be offering the Google Pixel 3 to our customers.

The phone has been receiving great reviews in the media based on its excellent display, stunning cameras and software experience,” said Mark Weston, Exertis mobile sales director. “Exertis is the Home of Android and with our ability to deploy and manage bulk roll-outs for corporates through the Android Zero-Touch enrolment, we are in a great position to take advantage of the opportunity this presents.”

The Pixel 3 has: a 5.5” QuadHD+ OLED display, an all-glass construction which has enabled Google to introduce integrated wireless Qi charging support and retain an IP68 water-resistant rating; a 12MP camera with free unlimited on-line photo storage; 64 or 128GB internal storage and is available in three colours.

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ARE BLACK FRIDAY

AND CYBER MONDAY

GOOD OR BAD

FOR BUSINESS?

Like many things, it doesn’t take long for concepts to make their way across the pond to the UK and further afield. Online retail giant Amazon introduced the idea of an annual discount day (Black Friday) to the UK in 2010, promoting a range of discounts and deals to consumers. However, it wasn’t until 2013 when American owned Asda promoted Black Friday that it started to gain momentum with other retailers like John Lewis, Argos and AO.com subsequently following the trend. Following the somewhat chaotic scenes seen in some stores with shoppers clamouring for deals, it looked as though it might be a short-lived phenomenon. However, it is now well established in the retail calendar, albeit with some changes.

Cyber Monday follows Black Friday and was first introduced as the major shopping day for online retailers. However, it seems both definitions have somewhat changed since the original concept. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become rather blurred with online sales increasingly taking place on Black Friday resulting in lower than expected footfall in stores. What’s more, they now appear to have moved away from one day only opportunities to becoming a weeklong extravaganza for deals both in-store and online. Many Black Friday deals continued before and after the designated day.

approach should that matter? According to Adobe Analytics, in the US, Black Friday online sales ($6.2bn) came in just short of last year’s Cyber Monday sales of $6.6 bn. That represented a growth of 23.6% year-over-year, surpassing the 16.9% increase in 2017 and the 22% witnessed in 2016. Adobe predict that Cyber Monday will have amassed $7.8 bn in sales in 2018. Whilst not providing actual figures, Amazon did report that Black Friday and Cyber Monday were the biggest shopping days in the company’s history. Last year, Amazon said that Cyber Monday 2017 was its largest single sales day.

With the continued growth of e-commerce, it’s questionable whether there is any distinction between the two days. Indeed, consumers don’t appear to see Black Friday as an in-store shopping day and Cyber Monday for online. Certainly, that appears to be the case for Black Friday. However, for those retailers that adopt an omni-channel

INITIAL RESULTS

Retail aggregator LovetheSales.com, which tracks prices and discounts, said there were 26% more deals on offer this year compared with 2017, and noted that some major chains such as Homebase, Whistles and FatFace had begun offering Black Friday deals again. Analysts GfK, however, maintained that retailers had cut back on the depth of discounts - citing for example that only a third of laptops were discounted this Black Friday compared with 70% last year and that the average price drop was 8.9% compared to 9.5%.

Tech market watcher, Context concurred based on distribution volumes into retail, citing a growing cynicism from consumers.

So how did Black Friday and Cyber Monday fair in the UK? Trolling through the media, there is no shortage of data:

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Barclaycard announced an all-time record number of transactions on Black Friday hitting 1,087 transactions per second between 12 noon and 1pm, surpassing the previous high on 22nd December 2017.

It reported that transactions were up 10% year on year by 3pm, however spending was down by 12% in value.

Vend (a retail management platform which powers thousands of small-to-medium and independent stores) reported that spending between 24-27th November increased by 28% compared to previous weeks. However, in-store spending over Black Friday shopping period dropped by 7% compared with 2017 with spending over the entire week down by 10% on last year. This was despite discounting levels being a third higher than in 2017 with the average discount amount increasing by four percentage points.

Sigma (a user experience agency) maintained that purchases made on Black Friday and Cyber Monday would give the retail sector an impressive £7bn cash injection.

Shopify (a global e-commerce company) reported that UK merchants saw an increase in sales across the weekend versus their average day online.

What is clear from the reports in the retail media is that on-line fared much better than the high street and that mobile has become an increasingly important factor. Figures from the British Retail Consortium pointed to a 6.1% decline in footfall for bricks and mortar retailers compared to 2017. Analysts, Springboard, maintained that all three destination types were impacted with drops ranging from 4.3% in retail parks to 6.5% in shopping centres and 4% in the high street. Inevitably, the picture worsened with the company reporting that for the week beginning November 25th, the third day of the four-day Black Friday weekend, footfall dropped by 5.5% year-onyear. Importantly, the decline was almost double that of the 3.1% fall recorded during the same week in 2017. Overall UK data − combining shopping centre, high street and retail park figures − shows that footfall dropped by 5.4% on Friday, 5.6% on Saturday and 6.1% up to 3pm on Sunday. Advisory firm BDO’s numbers highlighted a similar picture indicating a 6.5% drop compared to 2017’s Black Friday week.

In news that should surprise few people, it appears that more and more UK consumers are choosing to avoid the crowds and do their Black Friday shopping online from the comfort of their home or office, at a time that suits. Choice and availability are also key. Digital retailers clearly have the upper hand. Indeed, on-line stores even benefit from a head start as they don’t have to wait for the bricks and mortar stores to open. Data analysis firm, Loqate, recorded a 46% year-on-year rise in online transactions between midnight and 4pm on Friday. UK Fast, a hosting provider, revealed that their site experienced record-breaking spikes in consumer traffic over Black Friday with a 30% growth on the previous year.

MOBILE MOMENTUM However, perhaps the biggest talking point is mobile rather than online versus stores. According to Shopify, 66% of orders on Black Friday were made on mobile phones or tablets with mobile sales accounting for 60% of total sales, an increase of 10% on 2017. As a result, desktop orders were down accordingly. In the US, Adobe Digital Insights reported that mobile had its first $2bn day on Cyber Monday with increased conversion rates on smartphones. E-commerce consultancy, Salmond, released data that showed that over the Black Friday weekend, 76% of traffic came via mobile devices. However, whilst figures from Qubit maintained that most shoppers were visiting retailers’ sites via mobile, the share of revenue from mobile (36%) was lower on Black Friday than last year. According to an article in the Guardian newspaper, half of Argos’ orders on Friday morning had been made on a handset up from 40% last year, while

Carphone Warehouse said its sales through smartphones were up by 8% year-on-year. Salmond also revealed that social media sales showed an upward trend with a 15.4% increase in social-driven shopping. Female shoppers accounted for 66% of traffic. According to PayPal, 30% of UK consumers expect to shop on mobile more often in the next twelve months, indicating the importance of having mobile friendly sites.

Deciding whether Black Friday/Cyber Monday are good for business may depend on who you are, how big you are and what you are selling. It’s clear that some product categories do better than others, on-line scores better than in-store and mobile is becoming increasingly important. However, whilst many big retailers like JLP reported its biggest ever sales week, the impact on the following weeks can only be appreciated at year end. Whilst some retailers may not like it, it’s hard to see it disappearing anytime soon.

Sources & Acknowledgements: Retail Week, Retail Systems, BBC, Real Business, Forbes,

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FEATURES • Available in two wearing styles: hi-fi stereo or monaural • Flexible microphone boom and ergonomic design for long-wearing comfort • Roam freely, with a range of up to 98 ft/30 m from a Class 1 Bluetooth® device • Up to 12 hours of talk time and 15 hours of listening time • Easily take the headset on the go with folding speakers and included carrying case • Dynamic mute alert lets users know if they try to talk while on mute • Enhanced voice alerts tell you connection status, remaining talk time, mute status and more • Multi-language voice alerts • On-call indicator lets others know when you’re on a call • SoundGuard® DIGITAL provides advanced acoustic protection against audio spikes • Built for UC applications and softphones from Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft and others • Certified for Microsoft Skype for Business Open Office • Plantronics Hub software offers customization and value-added features, such as device and language settings and firmware updates • Plantronics Manager Pro, software-as-a-service that is sold separately, enables your IT team to gain insight into every Plantronics headset used company-wide • Backed by Plantronics industry-leading global service and support

CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT MANAGER TODAY

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EXERTIS MOBILITY

HOT PICKS

TOP 5 NEW DEVICES

NOKIA 3.1 PLUS Take your viewing experience to the next level. With an impressive 6’’ HD+ screen, Nokia 3.1 Plus provides stunning contrast and clarity with vivid colours and more detail.

1

Part Code S10234366

HONOR VIEW 20 Equipped with the world’s first highdefinition 48MP rear 3D TOF camera and a front-facing 25MP camera integrated into the display. The innovative All-View display provides a notch-less viewing experience and a stunning 91.8% screen-to-body ratio.

HUAWEI P SMART 2019 The advanced Kirin 710 octa-core chipset enhances the running performance to full-speed while the 12nm process technology efficiently lowers power consumption.

Part Code S10233322

Part Code Coming soon

1

TOP 5 ACCESSORIES SAMSUNG DEX CABLE DeX Cable is now all users need to use Samsung Dex. Simply plug the HDMI adapter to one end and the Type C USB to either the Galaxy Note9 or Galaxy Tab S4 and they’re ready to go.

Part Code S10218753

BELKIN UNIVERSAL CABLE

BROTHER FULL COLOUR LABEL PRINTER

WITH MICRO-USB, USB-C AND LIGHTNING CONNECTORS All-in-one cable solution designed to meet all your charging needs.

Compatible with majority of smartphones and tablets.

Brother’s first full colour desktop wireless, label printer is perfect for every office. Print in full colour including images and logos, ideal for colour coding file labels and indoor signage.

Part Code S10207921

Part Code S10206755

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To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

17

TOP BEST-SELLERS 1 SAMSUNG GALAXY S9 Everyday moments become epic with Super Slow-mo and the option to overlay music on every shot. And with AR Emojis and a Dual Aperture camera that adapts like the human eye, expressing yourself becomes effortless.

Part Code S10188716 | Blue S10188717 | Black S10188718 | Purple

HUAWEI MATE 20 PRO An iconic square combining Leica Triple Camera and one flash inherits the Mate series’ central and simple camera design concept to create an aesthetic signature.

Part Code S10222351

SAMSUNG GALAXY J6+ Eliminates the worry of running out of charge with a battery that’s 10% bigger than the Samsung Galaxy J6. For those moments when a bit more battery life makes a big difference to your busy day.

NOKIA 7.1 Nokia 7.1 is the perfect combination tion of style and substance. The Full HD+ + 5.84’’ PureDisplay screen with a 19:9 ratio o goes edge-to-edge for a bigger experience erience without the bigger handset.

Part Code S10225610

ASUS ZENBOOK S UX391 As a seasoned traveller, you’ll appreciate the way ZenBook S slips effortlessly into your bag, with its svelte profile taking up the bare minimum of space and adding hardly any weight.

Part Code S10206126

Part Code S10221571

SONY XZ3 5

Escape from the everyday into your world of entertainment with the Xperia XZ3. Experience an HDR OLED display, stereo speakers and Dynamic Vibration System at your fingertips in a stunningly slim and borderless design.

Part Code S10219152

NOKIA 5.1 CLEAR COVER CASE

SAMSUNG EVO PLUS 256GB MICROSDXC

Protect your Nokia 5.1 from the knocks, scrapes and drops everyday life throws your way with this official clear silicone cover. This case adds virtually no bulk to your device, leaving the Nokia 5.1 as sleek and slim as on day one.

More space and higher speed.

Free up your devices with the largest capacity and highest read/write speeds in its class, perfect for 4K UHD video. With astonishing performance and reliability.

Part Code S10225577

Part Code MB-MC256GA/EU

5

LG G7 FIT Get immersed with the large 6.1” QHD+ FullVision display, all precisely engineered from metal and glass in a form that feels truly natural to hold.

Part code: S10229615

5

# 1 D I ST R I B U TO R F O R H U AW E I M O B I L E Not only are Exertis the largest distributor for Huawei mobile, we are also the only distributor offering products across the Huawei portfolio; phones, tablets, wearables and matebooks into B2B and Consumer.

We are perfectly placed to support you in selling Huawei. With our new DaaS proposition; we offer hassle-free device lifecycle management including sourcing and customisation, repair and refurbishment, trade in, leasing and finance solutions.

CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT MANAGER TO FIND OUT MORE.

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For more information, go to: https://www.sonymobile.com/gb/legal/testresults/xperia-xz3/

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To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

21

IMPACT OF IOT ON MOBILE Projections of the number of IoT connected devices are mind-boggling – 30bn by 2020 has been widely reported. The growth of connections spans both the consumer side (e.g. Smart Home) and the B2B sector (e.g. connected machinery). Indeed, the world is being increasingly connected – people, retail, automotive, transportation, manufacturing, energy and utilities. Ericsson1 forecasts that the number of connected devices will be nearly quadruple the world’s current population by 2023, of which two-thirds will be powered by IoT. According to Gartner and Machina research2, it is estimated that in 2018 the UK IoT industry will be worth £42.19m and will rise to £69.53m by 2023.

The mobile phone can harness the benefits of IoT solutions and will play an important part in its explosion as both a dashboard and controller of devices - in many situations. Accessing IoT solutions via mobile apps is an inexpensive option with over 3.3bn smartphones already expected to be in use worldwide by the end of 2018, according to Newzoo3. Creating a mobile app is a relatively inexpensive task.

Home automation has been one of the key areas for smartphone and IoT integration. Home appliances like bulbs, heating and cooling systems, locks and cameras can be controlled remotely using a mobile device. The Smart Home has more recently been boosted by the growth of virtual assistant smart speakers, most notably from Amazon and Google. Inside the home, these may well be a better solution than having to reach for the mobile device, but remotely, the phone will still retain its importance. IoT is clearly seen as a big opportunity for all the major players evidenced by Microsoft’s commitment to invest £3.87bn over four years in research and development.

Wearables are another key area. With Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, devices like wristwatches and eyeglasses can be connected to a mobile phone. In addition, wearables are being increasingly used as homebased medical appliances, helping to monitor and diagnose a variety of conditions, or simply to promote a healthier lifestyle. These devices obtain health data which can, in some circumstances, be transferred to a mobile app and sent remotely to a doctor, carer or family member.

Another benefit of IoT in healthcare is integration with home medical dispensers to automatically notify when medication is not taken or in any other case which requires the health professional to be alerted.

According to research4, the global IoT in the healthcare market is expected to reach $323bn by 2025.

Many analysts believe that industrial uses of IoT will also be a big market opportunity. IoT based farming is an example of where sensors have been deployed that detect conditions, enabling farmers to remotely monitor farmland with data sent to a mobile phone on soil conditions, temperature, humidity etc. Live stock monitoring, precision farming and agricultural drones are other uses. In addition, there are many other uses in machine monitoring, predictive maintenance, smart transportation, smart cities and vehicles.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL PROVIDE MORE SOLUTIONS Whilst 3G, 4G and LTE can handle most wireless and mobile connectivity requirements, they do not deliver the cost-effective, technical infrastructure needed to both cope with the demand, and enable, all future IoT devices. However, there are other technologies that will help boost the market. 5G will play a significant role with the requirement for high capacity speed and low latency bandwidth.

Once available, it will certainly drive IoT growth.

Furthermore, for many applications in IoT, traditional mobile technology is not efficient enough with the increasing number of IoT connections. Narrowband IoT is, therefore, being introduced as a standard of the future. Network choice depends on the application.

Short transmission paths, such as in a smart home, a supermarket or factory, can be effectively linked with Wi-Fi and LAN or near-field technologies such as Bluetooth, NFC (near-field communication), or RFID (radio frequency identification). Larger distances require the use of mobile technology, particularly for a connection to the cloud and for access via mobile devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. NB-IoT is a new low power wide area (LPWA) network that has been specifically designed for IoT and is essentially designed for connecting devices with low bandwidth requirements while providing wider area coverage.

For the foreseeable future, mobile devices and IOT are intrinsically linked. The smartphone will continue to be used as a tool to access IoT solutions and the growth in this area is set to explode.

1

Ericsson, 2Machina Research, 3VentureBeat, 4PR Newswire

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Impact your business now. Help save valuable ble time and money with a new Intel-powered PC with Windows* 10 Pro.1

SAVE UP TO ÂŁ13K A YEAR Every year, your old PCs could be draining your productivity. Get that money back.1, 2

GET UP TO 11 HOURS BACK Waiting for your old PC to start is wasting time e during your work day. Get that time back.2

BE UP TO 29% MORE PRODUCTIVE Your old PCs could be costing you employee productivity. Get that productivity back.2, 3 Circumstances will vary. Intel does not guarantee any costs or cost reduction.

Per year, per PC, based on statistics concerning 5-year-old computers from a 2018 web-based survey of 3297 respondents from small business in 16 countries commissioned by Intel and conducted by J.Gold Associates, LLC, to assess the challenges and costs of using older PCs. Details here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/business/small-business/sme-pc-study.html 3 Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark and MobileMark, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. For more complete information visit http://www.intel.com/benchmarks. Š Intel Corporation. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

1 2

Defence-grade security built from the chip up

ϑ ɇ ʀʪθϩ̈ѣʪʒ ç͝ͱу Üϑϩθ̈ɵЇϩͱθ иʪ ͝ͱϩ ͱ̷͝ц ϑʪ̷​̷ ç͝ͱу ʪ͝ɇɵ̷ʪʒ ʒʪӬʀʪϑࡡ ɵЇϩ ɇ̷ϑͱ ϑΧʪʀ̈ɇ̷̈ϑʪʒ ç͝ͱу ̷̈ʀʪ͝ʀʪϑࢋ ƊΧʪɇ̧ ϩͱ цͱЇθ kуʪθϩ̈ϑ ɇʀʀͱЇ͝ϩ ͔ɇ͝ɇ˝ʪθ ϩͱ ѣ͝ʒ ͱЇϩ ͔ͱθʪ ɇɵͱЇϩ ç͝ͱу Aͱ͝ѣ˝Їθʪࡡ ç͝ͱу đɇ͝ɇ˝ʪࡡ ç͝ͱу ť̷ɇϩ˙ͱθ͔ ˙ͱθ k͝ϩʪθΧθ̈ϑʪ ɇ͝ʒ Ɗɇ͔ϑЇ͝˝ kࣗ ͱϩɇࢋ Aͱ͔ɵ̈͝ʪʒ ӥϩ˵ ͱЇθ UʪӬʀʪࣗɇϑࣗɇࣗƊʪθӬʀʪ ΧθͱΧͱϑ̈ϩ̈ͱ͝ࡡ иʪ ɇθʪ ɵʪϑϩ Χ̷ɇʀʪʒ ϩͱ ϑЇΧΧͱθϩ цͱЇ ̈͝ ϑͱ̷Їϩ̈ͱ͝ ϑʪ̷​̷̈͝˝ࡡ ΧθͱӬʒ̈͝˝ ɇ ˙Ї̷​̷ ϑʪθӬʀʪ иθɇΧ ̈͝ʀ̷Їʒ̈͝˝ ϩθɇʒʪ ̈͝ࡡ ̷ʪɇϑ̈͝˝ ɇ͝ʒ ѣ͝ɇ͝ʀ̈͝˝ ͱΧϩ̈ͱ͝ϑࢋ

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27

HOW ARTIFICIAL

INTELLIGENCE IS BEING INTEGRATED

INTO THE

MOBILE

INDUSTRY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS TOUTED AS THE NEXT BIG GROWTH AREA IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR AND IT’S IMPACTING ALMOST EVERY SECTOR, MOBILE INCLUDED. BUT HOW IS IT BEING DEPLOYED AND WHAT BENEFITS DOES IT BRING TO BOTH BUSINESS AND USERS?

IN THE ENTERPRISE There is no doubt that mobility in its broadest definition has enabled workers to be more productive providing business apps and up-todate data, both in and out of the office, that can speed up many processes thereby increasing efficiency. If anything, employees are faced with information overload, drowning in a sea of data and using an average of 6.1 mobile apps for work purposes according to a CCS Insight survey1. This has increased along with the average number of connected devices used either for business or personal use.

Employees continue to appreciate mobility in the workplace and see the automation of mundane tasks as one of the leading benefits that AI could bring. In addition, a survey of 500 CEOs across 25 sectors

by ServiceNow2 reported that more than half considered machine learning to be a major area of focus with 57% maintaining that

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“routine decision making takes up a meaningful amount of employee and executive time, so the potential value of automation is high”. CCS Insight believes that AI will influence the way companies make use of apps within the next couple of years. AI has the potential to alter and improve the business logic within apps and to provide analysis on how they are being used which could provide valuable information when it comes to updates and improvements to meet the specific needs of business apps and the user. Applications will also be able to take advantage of advanced user interfaces with speech and visual gesture recognition.

On the other hand, Amazon not surprisingly believes that smart speakers will infiltrate the office in the same way they have done in the home. Using Alexa in a conference room environment sounds plausible. The company is enabling organisations and developers to build their own tailored Alexa skills and use cases maintaining that it can provide information and help more quickly through voice requests. Costs of the equipment may well be a challenge here.

Whilst AI raises security concerns in some quarters, it also has the potential to improve certain areas of security. With enterprises generating more and more data from an ever-increasing number of mobile devices that are connected to apps, cloud services and the like, it becomes more difficult for traditional tools to monitor and manage it all. AI proponents speak in glowing terms of the many ways AI systems will empower security teams to respond faster and more effectively to cyberthreats. It could be trained to spot suspicious patterns and activity within large volumes of data and work alongside other security measures. After all, cybercriminals are also using AI to crack enterprise defences.

With more flexible working, often remotely, due to the benefits that this can bring to organisations, AI may well be able to provide insight into work patterns. Whilst this might seem somewhat Orwellian in some quarters, it also has positive implications for mutual improvements.

Many believe that AI and enterprise mobility offer tremendous opportunity and IDC3 amongst others predict that spending will increase on AI and machine learning from around $8bn to over $50bn by 2021, some of which will be directed at mobile applications in the workplace in an effort to improve the employee experience and improve productivity.

MOBILITY

processors. The neural network processing unit powers a number of imaging, power efficiency and security features. It is claimed to provide better privacy, performance and power management as all the computations happen locally on the phone and data isn’t uploaded to the cloud.

Android phone manufacturers and app developers have been busy working on AI to improve the outcomes from their cameras. AI equipped cameras enable faster detection of subjects and can also tweak the settings based on the lighting and other conditions. Images can be captured with sharper detail, enhancing the quality of the photo and getting the best possible image. Huawei was one of the first manufacturers to feature scene recognition. The Mate 10 could initially identify 13 scenes and with the update to Android 8.1 Oreo this has increased to 19, also present on the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro. These include pet pictures, sunsets, snow, waterfall, fireworks etc.

The camera can detect objects and scenes, automatically switching into the appropriate mode for what it recognises in the frame and selects the perfect focus mode for the scene. The Huawei P20 Pro also introduced an AI-assisted night shooting mode that emulates the effect of a long exposure with no tripod required.

Facial recognition and the ability to face unlock your phone is another technology using AI processing. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 has several biometric options, including a fingerprint reader, iris scanner and Google’s facial recognition technology which is common to Android phones. Samsung also offers a combination of iris scanning and face unlock, called Intelligent Scan, which isn’t secure enough for mobile payments, but is often faster and more accurate than iris scanning alone. With increased AI integration, smartphones will feature more sophisticated facial recognition. More Android phones with improved face unlock features will undoubtedly surface next year.

AI is going to play an increasingly important role in mobile in the coming years whether that’s in the enterprise or on the device. As the technology becomes more mainstream, it will be up to companies and individuals to embrace the opportunities.

Exertis has the best range of AI enabled smartphones. Call your account manager for details.

1

CCS Insight, 2Business Wire, 3IDC, 4Gartner.

ON THE DEVICE In terms of the device itself, AI is being increasingly highlighted as a feature on new smartphones. Many manufacturers are pushing the concept and it is becoming a distinguishing factor at a time when it is difficult to differentiate and make any major innovations to the device. Indeed, AI is being used in several different areas from cameras and security to voice and processors.

Many smartphone manufacturers have begun integrating AI processors in their devices. Gartner4 predicts that almost 80% of smartphones will have on-device AI capabilities by 2020. Huawei claims to have been the first to introduce a dedicated on-device AI. Google partnered with Intel to provide an AI chip in its Pixel devices and Qualcomm has also introduced AI capabilities in its Snapdragon

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Simply the right card Stunning speed and reliability in a single card

As a world leader in memory technology, Samsung has provided memory card solutions that consumers truly need and want – with best-in-class performance, excellent compatibility and long-term reliability to get the most out of today’s electronics, making them an ideal companion for high-end devices with a microSD or full SD slot. We want our customers to experience more and worry less about their purchase decision or running out of memory.

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Contact your Exertis account manager today for more details

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To buy online: store.exertis.co.uk

FUTURE

31

THE ERA OF USB-C There are plenty of reasons why USB Type-C has been gaining in popularity. Pretty much every new Android smartphone now only has this type of connector, as do tablets and increasingly laptops – although iPhones and iPads remain with Apple’s proprietary connector.

For consumers, it creates a much better user experience with the possibility of one standard cable for all their devices. Coincidently that’s also good for the environment. According to the EU, the number of old, incompatible chargers in households generated more than 51,000 tons of electronic waste per year1. Furthermore, because the USB-C features a new, smaller connector shape that’s reversible, it’s much easier to plug-in.

But that’s not all. USB-C cables can carry significantly more power, so they can be used to charge larger devices like laptops. They can also offer double the transfer speeds of USB 3 at 10Gbps. In addition, they can replace the need for the bulkier 3.5mm headphone jacks found on increasingly thinner smartphones as well as providing better sound quality than an analogue connection.

SO, WHAT IS USB-C? Simply put, it’s a relatively new type of symmetrical connector that delivers data and power to and from computing devices. Whilst it isn’t a new standard per se, it is closely aligned to several new powerful technologies including USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 3 and USB Power Delivery. Upgrades to the USB standard focus on speed and feature improvements. USB 3.1 can in theory deliver data speeds of up to 10Gbps, about twice as fast as earlier generations. In addition, USB-C was given a further boost with Intel adopting it for its Thunderbolt 3 data transfer technology that is believed to deliver speeds of up to four times faster than USB 3.1 – a major benefit for people who want to transfer lots of big files very quickly. With increased data-transfer speeds, it can support simultaneous video signals and power streams over the same connection. This means you can connect to and power a native DisplayPort, MHL, VGA or HDMI device and other types of video connectors on displays, TVs and projectors with the correct adapter and cables.

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USB-C is the industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power. The USB-C connector was developed by the USB Implementers Forum2 - a group of companies that has developed, certified, and advanced the Universal Serial Bus standard. It counts more than 700 companies in its membership, including Apple, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and Samsung - hence why USB-C has been so readily accepted by PC manufacturers. The Forum facilitates the development of high-quality compatible USB peripherals (devices) and promotes the benefits of USB and the quality of products that have passed compliance testing. From desktop computers to smartphones, USB memory sticks to laptops, USB is the standard when it comes to connectivity.

USB-C also supports the USB Power Delivery (USB PD) specification. A USB 2.0 connection can provide just up to 2.5 watts of power, only enough to charge a phone or tablet. With USB 3.1, that increases to about 15 watts. However, with USB PD it can deliver up to 100 watts of power. The power can be transferred at the same time the device is transmitting data across the connection. This provides the potential to even charge a laptop which requires about 60 watts.

Whilst the physical USB-C connector isn’t backwards compatible the underlying USB standard is. Of course, you can’t plug older USB devices into a smaller USB-C port nor vice versa but USB 3.1 is backwards-compatible with older versions. It just requires a physical adapter in order to connect the devices. There has been some concern about certain accessories on the market and the USB IF has set standards that any USB-C cable or connector need to comply with in order to prevent unsupported voltage levels dangerously affecting devices.

Without question, the USB-C era is here for Android smartphones and, increasingly, the same can be said for the popular ultra-thin laptops where a USB-C port is perfect for the design. They can also be found on desktops, particularly high end and gaming models.

Realistically, many computers will have both USB-C ports and the larger USB Type-A ports for the immediate future. In addition, there are many USB-C docking solutions available on the market both from PC manufacturers and accessory specialists like Targus, Belkin, Cygnett and Omnicharge.

Whilst the USB-C has been positioned as a one size fits all solution and is designed to support a wide variety of different modes and standards ranging from faster speeds and power through to optional multimedia features, it can also be confusing for the consumer with some compatibility issues. Perhaps not surprisingly, its reversible feature is one that consumers will value most.

Exertis is the home of Android smartphones with a great range of computing devices and accessories. Call your Exertis account manager for further details.

Sources & Acknowledgements: PC Mag, Geek.com, Trusted reviews, Android Authority 1

Europa, 2USB Org

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THE

FUTURE

TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS TOP 10 1 NOKIA

MOBILE ATTACH

34

7

Open, pair, play. The Nokia True Wireless Earbuds combine lightweight comfort with sleek design.

RRP: £129.99 Colour: Black Part code: S10225564

3

SAMSUNG PORTABLE SSD T5 250GB

The Samsung Portable SSD T5 elevates data transfer speeds to the next level and unleashes a new experience in external storage. With a compact and durable design and password protection, the T5 is truly easy to carry and stores data securely.

RRP: £94.00 Colour: Black/Blue Part Code: MU-PA250B/EU

5

CYGNETT 10K WIRELESS QI PORTABLE POWER BANK

Featuring the latest in Lithium Polymer Battery technology as well as Qi Wireless advancements.

RRP: £69.95 Colour: Black Part Code: CY2526PBCHE

LOCKNCHARGE CARRIER 30 CART™

Charge, store, secure and transport up to 30 devices. The Carrier 30 is designed to make life easier for Chromebook, Tablet, Laptop and iPad deployments.

RRP: £1899.00 Part code: S1016900

9

2

PLANTRONICS VOYAGER 4200 UC SERIES

Increase productivity for the office professionals in your organisation with Plantronics Voyager 4200 UC Series.

RRP: £168.93 Colour: Black Part code: S10226616

4

GRIFFIN SURVIVOR ALL TERRAIN CASE FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB A 10.1

Griffin has designed and rigorously tested Survivor All-Terrain to be the most protective case possible for whatever your day has in store.

RRP: £43.00 Colour: Black Part Code: S10162170

6

MICROSOFT SCULPT COMFORT MOUSE

The blue, customisable Windows touch tab on Sculpt Comfort Mouse revolutionises the relationship between hardware and software.

RRP: £34.99 Colour: Black Part Code: MSH3S-00001

8

SPECK PRESIDIO FOLIO CASE

One-piece case with a polycarbonate shell moulded together with shock-absorbing IMPACTIUM™ rubber protects your phone against damage during a drop.

Contact your Exertis account manager

ZAGG INVISIBLE SHIELD

InvisibleShield is setting the industry standard for screen protection. We started with militarygrade components and have forged our own path developing new technologies, proprietary adhesives, and more.

RRP: £39.99 Contact your Exertis account manager

MOBILITY

10

KENSINGTON SMARTFIT LAPTOP RISER WITH QI

Combining comfort and convenience, the Laptop Riser blends 20 years of ergonomic expertise with the latest in reliable wireless charging technology.

RRP: £134.66 Colour: Black Part Code: K52784WW

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Your world widened with quad* and triple** camera The ultra-wide-angle lenses produce great low-light results. So your customers can spend less time capturing the right shot and more time viewing content in complete clarity on the FHD+ Super AMOLED immersive displays. Plus, there’s Samsung Knox defence-grade security, a 24-month warranty and preinstalled business apps.

*Galaxy A9 **Galaxy A7