Evan Niu, CFA

Android Wear puts a heavy emphasis on Google Now for predictive and proactive notifications containing relevant information. This is an area where Apple can't easily compete, since it lags Google's ability to gather and analyze user data. Will this be the killer app for smartwatches?

The password deserves to die, and Apple is much closer to making this a reality than Google. Touch ID's game-changing potential has not yet been fully realized, but we're getting closer.

Apple still has plenty of opportunities stateside for the iPhone. There are a lot of potential first-time smartphone buyers to target while it can count on recurring revenue from consistent upgrades.

BlackBerry pops after it reports a surprisingly solid quarter. Operating costs are coming down and the company is making progress with its turnaround.

Apple's iWatch is expected to be introduced in a matter of months. The Mac maker is reportedly hoping to sell 50 million units in the first year. Does that figure make sense?

LinkedIn releases a new app that follows exactly where the mobile market is going. At the same time, it will collect precious data on its users.

Microsoft's Surface Mini was supposed to be unveiled last minute. Management had a last-minute change of heart, though, and here's the evidence.

Amazon has had the same modus operandi with pricing for seven years. That all just changed.

T-Mobile adds two more offerings to tempt consumers into "cheating" on their carriers, and hopefully switch. The carrier isn't letting up on the aggression any time soon.

Amazon launches Fire Phone, a supercharged shopping device that also makes phone calls. Can Amazon's smartphone challenge Apple and Samsung in the high end?

Firefly promises to be a key selling feature of the Fire Phone. Bringing it to other platforms would help Amazon sell more items, but also less phones.

T-Mobile's aggression never ends. The company unveils 2 new uncarrier initiatives, adding even more reasons for customers to switch.

At long last, Amazon launches its widely anticipated smartphone. Can a slew of new services and features set it apart in such a competitive market?

BlackBerry partners with Amazon to bring its Appstore to BlackBerry 10. In this case, the third time is not the charm.

GT Advanced has had quite a year so far, with shares more than doubling. Can investors still buy into this stock as its promising sapphire business begins to take off?

Rumor has it that Samsung is looking to acquire Nuance, in a move that could potentially cripple one of Apple's key features. Can Apple find an alternate supplier or build an in-house solution?

Fusion-io is finally getting acquired, just three years after going public. The conservative premium associated with the deal means that SanDisk will get a lot of bang for its buck.

Can the e-commerce giant's ambitious new smartphone truly be a game changer?

Apple is among the largest holders of foreign cash, and current repatriation taxes ensure that it will likely stay there. That's partially why Congress is considering another repatriation tax holiday similar to a decade ago.

The theory was that installment plans would make consumers more price conscious, which could hurt iPhone sales in the process. The reality is that the exact opposite is happening in the U.S.