Smartphone sales in China took a slight hit in the first two months of 2026 as shipments fell by 4% compared to the same period last year, indicating a decline in demand despite government incentives.
While Ford ( NYSE: F) was eating through billions of dollars in an attempt to gain a large market share in the US EV market and its EU and China units stagnated, its best-selling, and likely most profitable vehicle, the F-150, continued its gargantuan unit sales. The F-150 is part of the F-Series of full-size pickup trucks. Last year, unit sales of these in the US reached 828,832, up 8.3%.
BMW is preparing to begin European deliveries of its important new electric SUV, the iX3, this spring. But it's changing the formula slightly for the Chinese market, where a long-wheelbase variant is being readied for launch. The stretched iX3 will be unveiled at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show in April before going on sale in China in the second part of the year.
Electrification is tricky business for any legacy car company, but BMW has gotten a lot right. Maybe that's because the automaker has actually been in this game a long time. The i3 city car, which you could call BMW EV 1.0, launched way back in 2013. In any case, the current lineup of the iX, i4, i5 and i7 has been pretty well-received. Most importantly, BMW has run circles around arch-nemesis Mercedes on the electrification front. What comes next is critical, though.
A total of 1.25 billion smartphones will be shipped in 2025, which represents a 1.5% increase compared to the figures for 2024. The latest International Data Corporation (IDC) report reflects an updated forecast that is reportedly driven by Apple's continued success with the iPhone 17 series. Cupertino is now forecasted to push over 247 million iPhone 17 series units in 2025, driven by favourable demand factors like an accelerated push in the holiday quarter, alongside growing demand in emerging markets and in China.
AUDI's second EV will be a large SUV aimed squarely at the Chinese market. Dubbed the E SUV, it's only a concept for now, but the production version will likely look the same. Confused about that brand name? There's an explanation. AUDI is kicking things into high gear. After starting production of the E5 Sportback just two months ago, the company that made the world double-check the spelling of its name earlier this year is already prepping a second model.
These mobile-first shows run just two to three minutes per episode and are shot vertically, but unlike typical short-form clips they trade quick dopamine hits for narrative tension. Each installment feels like a miniature TV episode complete with characters, arcs and cliffhangers that pull views into the next. Instead of doomscrolling, they bridge - one micro drama at a time.
On its face, the Nio ES8 may not look super different from its current generation. Yet, there are a lot of under-the-skin improvements to the model. Overall, the ES8 is about 7 inches longer than the old model, with 2.49 inches of that going to the wheelbase. Aside from the excess length, the ES8 now has a frunk, whereas the old one did not.
