Description: A recent survey indicates that 28 % of Canadians spend two hours or more on their smartphones each day. The rate jumps to approximately 50% for users between 18 and 34. Investors and others are urging phone makers – like giants Apple and Samsung – to do more to address the subject of smartphone addiction.

Date: February 23, 2018

Source:  financialpost.com

Link: http://business.financialpost.com/news/half-of-young-canadian-adults-spend-two-or-more-hours-per-day-on-their-cellphones?

1) How much do you use your smartphone each day? Have you ever tried to reduce the time you spend on it?

2) Apple and Samsung, as well as other tech giants, seem to be in a strange situation. They obviously want to encourage users to spend time on their products. But at the same time they are drawing negative attention regarding this so-called smartphone addiction. What might be some strategic responses to these two conflicting pressures?

3) In chapter 14 of Wiley’s  Financial Accounting: Tools for Business Decision Making, you can read about Apple’s gross profit margin and its connection to share price (see page 786). Check out more recent statistics on gross profit margin and share price to see if the relationship continues.