• California Sen. Kamala Harris officially launched her campaign for the 2020 presidential election with a massive rally in her hometown of Oakland, California, on Sunday.
• Thousands showed up to witness the first-term senator's speech.
• She advocated for a reformed criminal justice system, immigration reform, and a solution to the gender pay gap, among other issues.
• Business Insider was on the scene. Here's what it was like at the rally.

SEE ALSO: What you need to know about Kamala Harris and her 2020 presidential bid

California Sen. Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election on January 22.

On January 27, she officially launched her campaign with a rally in her hometown of Oakland, California.

Thousands gathered in downtown Oakland to hear the Democratic candidate speak.

Source:Business Insider

Investors sent stocks lower on Monday morning as they weigh looming trade talks between the US and China and a slew of other key events to help gauge the health of the global economy.

• Key negotiators are due to hold meetings on trade between the US and China on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington. China's top economic aide will meet with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
• Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft are among companies reporting quarterly earnings. Boeing, 3M, Alibaba, SAP, Qualcomm, Tesla, Samsung, Whirlpool, Harley-Davidson, McDonald's, Verizon, and Exxon are also among blue-chip companies due to post results.
• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will hold a news conference after the central bank's rate decision on Wednesday.
• On Tuesday, UK lawmakers will vote on amendments to Theresa May’s Brexit deal with the EU.

Here's where things stand in markets as of 9.05 a.m. in London (4.05 a.m. in New York).

• Futures on major US indexes the S&P 500, the Dow, and the Nasdaq are down at least 0.5% each.
• The European benchmark, the Euro Stoxx 50, is down about 0.4%. France's CAC index declined 0.5%, Germany's Dax is down 0.3% as is the UK's FTSE 100.
• The Shanghai Composite closed down about 0.2%, while the Hang Send closed about flat, up 0.03%.
• Brent crude oil is down 1.5% to $60.69 per barrel.

SEE ALSO: 10 things in tech you need to know today

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NOW WATCH: The founder of the World Economic Forum shares what he sees as the biggest threat to the global economy

This is a preview of The Reverse Logistics Report from Business Insider Intelligence. Current subscribers can read the report here.

With e-commerce becoming a lucrative shopping channel, retailers and their logistics partners have been primarily focused on how to quickly move goods through the supply chain and into the hands of consumers — a process commonly referred to as forward logistics. However, the opportunities presented by the growing popularity of e-commerce also come with a challenging, multibillion-dollar downside: returns.

Return rates for e-commerce purchases are between 25% and 30%, compared with just 9% for in-store purchases. Turning reverse logistics — the process of returning goods from end users back to their origins to either recapture value or properly dispose of material — into a costly and high-stakes matter for retailers.

Not only are retailers experiencing more returns as a result of e-commerce growth, but consumer expectations also demand that retailers provide a seamless process. In fact, 92% of consumers agree that they are more likely to shop at a store again if it offers a hassle-free return policy (e.g. free return shipping labels). Some consumers even place large orders with the intention of returning certain items. 

And e-commerce sales are only going up from here, exacerbating the issue and making retailers' need for help more dire. However, for logistics firms that can offer cost-effective reverse logistics solutions, this has opened up a significant opportunity to capture a share of rapidly growing e-commerce logistics costs in the US, which hit $117 billion last year, according to Armstrong & Associates, Inc. estimates. 

InThe Reverse Logistics Report, Business Insider Intelligence examines what makes reverse logistics so much more challenging than forward logistics, explores the trends that have driven retailers to finally improve the way in which returns move through their supply chains, and highlights how logistics firms can act to win over retailers' return dollars.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• E-commerce is now a core shopping channel for retailers, and it's still growing. US e-commerce sales are set to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% between 2018 and 2023, surpassing $1 trillion in sales, according to Business Insider Intelligence estimates.
• Booming e-commerce sales have driven product returns through the roof. Business Insider Intelligence estimates that US e-commerce returns will increase at a CAGR of 19% between 2018 and 2023, surpassing $300 million dollars. 
• Consumers have high expectations about how returns are handled, and retailers are struggling to find cost-effective ways to meet their demands. Sixty-four percent of shoppers stated they would be hesitant to shop at a retailer ever again if they found issues with the returns process. And retailers don't have the expertise to effectively keep up with how demanding consumers are about returns — 44% of retailers said their margins were negatively impacted by handling and packaging returns, for example.
• Logistics firms are well positioned to solve — and profit from — returns. These companies can take advantage of their scale and expertise to solve pain points retailers commonly experience as goods move through the reverse supply chain. 
• Reverse logistics solutions themselves present a lucrative opportunity — but they're also appealing in the potential inroads they offer to supply chain management. The global third-party logistics market is estimated to be valued at $865 billion in 2018, according to Bekryl. 

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• Mark Zuckerberg's former classmate Aaron Greenspan published a report last week claiming that more than 50% of Facebook accounts are fake.
• Facebook dunked on the report, calling it "unequivocally wrong."
• Greenspan claims to have had the original idea for Facebook, and has been an outspoken critic of the social network.
• In his report, Greenspan acknowledged a certain degree of bias.

Facebook has outright dismissed a report from Mark Zuckerberg's former Harvard classmate, which claimed more than half of the social network's users are fake.

The report was published last week by Aaron Greenspan, who studied alongside the billionaire tech executive and claims to have come up with the idea for Facebook first.

In the 75-page study, Greenspan said fake accounts make up more than half of Facebook's 2.2 billion users. This contradicts Facebook, which in 2017 said just 2-3% of accounts on the platform were fake.

"Facebook has been lying to the public about the scale of its problem with fake accounts, which likely exceed 50% of its network. Its official metrics — many of which it has stopped reporting quarterly — are self-contradictory and even farcical," the report said. "The company has lost control of its own product."

Read more:Mark Zuckerberg: A look at the life, career, and controversies surrounding one of the richest people in the world

Facebook strongly denied the findings. "This is unequivocally wrong and responsible reporting means reporting facts, even if it's about fake accounts," a Facebook spokeswoman told Business Insider, but did not give any further explanation. 

Greenspan has been a vocal critic of Facebook in the past. In August last year, for example, he said the platform has caused "countless deaths" because of its addictive qualities. In his report, Greenspan acknowledged a certain degree of bias.

"The author of this report is in the strange position of trying to write objectively about a topic to which he has personal ties. Readers are accordingly welcome to dismiss this analysis as biased, but should be aware that nonetheless, it may still be correct," he wrote.

SEE ALSO: Internal emails show Mark Zuckerberg saying what's good for the world is not necessarily what's good for Facebook

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NOW WATCH: China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy

• President Donald Trump thought that the "Russia thing" would end when he fired national security advisor Michael Flynn, according to Chris Christie.
• Christie wrote in an upcoming book that both Trump and Jared Kushner thought removing Flynn as National Security Adviser in February 2017 would draw a line under the scandal.
• But, as of January 2019, special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the links between Trump and Russia is still dominating US political news.
• Flynn has admitted lying to the FBI, and is due for sentencing in March. Mueller's probe released its latest indictment, of Trump ally Roger Stone, on Friday.

President Donald Trump confidently said "this Russia thing is all over now" when he fired his national security advisor, Michael Flynn, at the start of 2017, according to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Trump fired Flynn almost two years ago, but the move did little to prevent scrutiny of Trump's relationship with Russia dominating large parts of the news agenda ever since.

In his new book, "Let Me Finish," Christie said that Trump told him at the time: "This Russia thing is all over now, because I fired Flynn."

Christie wrote that he laughed at the comment.

He then said that appeared to puzzle Trump, according to an excerpt from the book published by The New York Times.

Trump is said to have responded: "What do you mean? Flynn met with the Russians. That was the problem. I fired Flynn. It's over."

Read more:Mueller dropped a huge bombshell in Roger Stone's indictment, and it's bad news for Trump

According to Christie, Jared Kushner, Trump's son in law and advisor, then backed up the president. "That’s right, firing Flynn ends the whole Russia thing," Christie quoted Kushner as saying.

Investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and any contact between the Trump campaign and Russia have continued.

As recently as Friday, former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone was indicted on charges of obstruction, false statements, and witness tampering by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the Russia investigation.

Mueller's probe has resulted in several indictments and guilty pleas, including a guilty plea from Flynn.

Flynn pleaded guilty last December to one count of lying to the FBI when interviewed for the Russia investigation.

His sentencing has been delayed until March, as prosecutors said it was possible he would cooperate more with the investigation.

Read more: You sold your country out': Judge tears into Michael Flynn but agrees to delay sentencing after lawyers hint at more cooperation

Christie was an early supporter of Trump, campaigning for him after he dropped out of the presidential race himself and leading Trump's transition team.

But the high-profile Republican did tell Trump in December that he was not interested in being his chief of staff.

In his book, Christie said that Kushner told him he was "crazy" for thinking that they would still be talking about the Russia issue in 2018.

In an interview with The Times, Christie said that he did not believe Flynn was fired over the Russia investigation.

He also said that he never saw any evidence of collusion with Russia, and that he did not believe Flynn should have been fired in the first place.

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

• Zac Efron showed off his new platinum blonde hair at the Sundance premiere of "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" on Saturday.
• The look is quite a change from the 31-year-old actor's usual sleek style.
• Efron will play notorious serial killer Ted Bundy in the film, which also stars Lily Collins.

Zac Efron debuted some seriously blonde hair at Sundance this weekend, and it's quite the change from his usual look.

Efron first showcased his platinum locks early on Saturday during an appearance at IMDb Studio alongside his fellow "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" cast members.

That evening, the 31-year-old actor winked at photographers as he arrived at the premiere of the new film at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Fans outside the Eccles Center Theatre were certainly excited to see Efron, who was dressed in jeans and a tshirt and an olive-coloured jacket with a shearling collar.

The look was quite a change to the sleek, all-black ensemble that Efron, typically a brunette, wore to the Golden Globes earlier this month.

Read more:The 15 best-dressed men at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards

"Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" will see Efron portray notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, who confessed to committing 30 murders in at least seven states over the span of four years, escaped from jail twice, and was executed in January 1989.

Read more:Watch Zac Efron transform into infamous serial killer Ted Bundy in the trailer for his new movie

You can see Efron as Bundy in the photo below:

The film also stars Lily Collins as Elizabeth Kloepfer, Bundy's girlfriend; Jim Parsons as lead prosecutor Larry Simpson; and Kaya Scodelario as Carole Ann Boone, Bundy's ex-wife.

The cast gathered for a photo on Saturday outside of the film's Sundance premiere.

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NOW WATCH: China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy

• Four-year-old data company Knotch has raised $20 million in Series B funding, which it will use to accelerate its move into helping marketers understand their campaign data.
• Knotch helps advertisers compare the effectiveness of their branded content but is increasingly tracking web, email and social data.
• The firm sees a growing business from brands taking their data and creative teams in-house in light of regulation and privacy concerns.

Marketers continue to seek more tools to evaluate the performance of their digital advertising and branded content.

And venture capital money appears to be following. Marketing-tech company Knotch has raised $20 million in Series B funding to accelerate its move into tools that help brands analyze their content. The round was led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and also included previous investors. With the funding news, NEA venture partner Hilarie Koplow-McAdams and former GroupM exec Rob Norman are joining Knotch's board. Knotch has raised $34 million to date and has 35 employees.

The New York-based firm provides software that helps brands measure their branded content campaigns wherever it's distributed, whether it be on publishers' sites or through email, social media or their own sites. Knotch's customers include JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, Ford and Calvin Klein.

Branded content is losing some of its novelty

The business is being driven by a couple of trends. The buzz around so-called native advertising that mimics editorial content has died down as brands demand proof that these ads actually drive results. Some brands are repurposing publisher-created branded content on their own channels to get more out of what are often expensive ad buys.

Read more:'In the next 12 months, you're going to see a massive amount of consolidation': Web publishers are overhauling their branded content divisions to keep ad budgets flowing

Knotch plans to use its funding to build products to evaluate all the associated data in one place, said Anda Gansca, Knotch's CEO and founder. The firm also plans to staff up its West Coast office and expand into the UK.

The goal is to let a CMO see how all their digital content performs, whether it's paid, owned or earned, she said. "There's been this massive wall between the way data is collected on the owned versus the paid [side and] there hasn't been a standard across the board."

An increasing number of brands are taking their advertising and marketing in-house. In fact, half of Knotch's business deals with marketers' own content.

Regulations like the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation and California's upcoming privacy law also have brands leaning more on their own first-party data.

"There's an overall realization that it's not just good for marketing to bring data in house, but it's good for business because the more first-party data you can aggregate as a brand, the better positioned you're going to be as you're thinking about more relevant personalized products," she said. "There's more emphasis on bringing consumers back to your owned-and-operated properties, which then means that you just have a lot more control over the delivery of the experience and the data collection itself."

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NOW WATCH: Saturn is officially losing its rings — and they're disappearing much faster than scientists had anticipated

• Every year, a bunch of brands try to steal the spotlight during Super Bowl Sunday with a series of wacky stunts.
• But the deli brand Dietz & Watson is going one step further and creating a whole new product line, specifically catered to the most-watched football game of the year.
• The company has rolled out "Dietz Nuts," a game-day snack that is essentially bite-sized bits of meat jerky.
• The move was not only a chance for the brand to tap into a big pop-culture phenomenon, but also stand out in a crowded space — without paying $5 million for a TV ad.
• Plus, it lets the company enter into a new product area.

From fake reboots of '80s Australian blockbusters to showing a Super Bowl ad to only one person, there is no dearth of brands trying to steal the spotlight during Super Bowl Sunday with a series of wacky stunts.

But no brand has created a whole new product line specifically catered to the Super Bowl — until now.

Philadelphia-based Dietz & Watson is rolling out "Dietz Nuts" in the market, touting it as a new go-to game-day "meat nut" snack. But don't be fooled by the name; it actually has nothing to do with nuts, and is essentially bite-sized, savory bits of meat jerky. The recipe is based on traditional landjaeger, a sun-dried European sausage.

Dietz Nuts was not always intended to be an actual product. In fact, it was conceptualized as a stunt to hijack the big game with a play on the popular "deez nuts" meme, an expression used to deliberately interrupt a conversation that became widely popular on the internet.

"It just so happens that Dietz & Watson has the perfect name to play on that phrase," Steve Red, president and chief creative officer at the brand's agency RTO+P told Business Insider. "That, and the fact that we saw a huge opportunity in the dried-meat snack category made this the perfect idea."

Dietz & Watson simply couldn't pass up the opportunity, Lauren Eni, the brand's VP of brand strategy, told Business Insider. Not only was it a chance to tap into a big pop-culture phenomenon, but also to do something off the beaten path and stand out in a crowded space, as well as make inroads in a new product category with a new addition to its brand portfolio.

"We're an 80 year-old heritage brand that's been around for a long time, and yet we're not necessarily top-of-mind for consumers," Eni said. "Our goal is to become a nationally-known brand, and for that we have to evolve and cater to new demographics and markets that we haven't paid attention to — and bring our brand to the forefront."

And, of course, not every brand thinks it's worth it to shell out $5 million for 30 seconds of airtime during the big game on Super Bowl Sunday either. Every year, a string of brands, for instance Skittles this year, try to bypass Super Bowl ads by pulling off other stunts instead.

Read more:Here's the full list of all the Super Bowl commercials we know about

Dietz & Watson is also one of them, and has opted for humorous regional stunts during the Super Bowl until now.

Last year, for example, the brand delivered deli meats and cheeses to Super Bowl parties across Philadelphia in a campaign called "Deli Deli" to troll Bud Light's "Dilly Dilly" ads.

This year, the brand is running a new ad campaign featuring comedian and "The Office" actor Craig Robinson and his brother, Chris Robinson, to create awareness, amplify the new line of products and drive sales.

A 30-second spot sits at the center of the effort, which will run primarily across digital and social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Vevo, among others. The campaign will also tap celebrity influencers to test out and promote the new product.

Dietz Nuts will be available online starting Tuesday, January 29, less than a week before the big game on February 3. It is being sold on Amazon Fresh and Prime Now and on-demand convenience delivery service GoPuff, as well as the brand's own website.

That itself is a strategic move by Dietz & Watson to not only aim for the widest possible reach before the Super Bowl, but it's also efficient targeting. The company has been trying to go deeper into e-commerce, as well as get access to a greater swath of consumer data.

"E-commerce is big for us right now, and we see a huge opportunity to grow our business there," Eni said. "The targeting on these platforms is the best way to get customer trial, and we are then able to track the performance all the way to sales."

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NOW WATCH: We compared Apple's $159 AirPods to Xiaomi's $30 AirDots and the winner was clear

• A Banksy was stolen from Paris' Bataclan theatre at the weekend.
• The mural is thought to pay homage to the 90 people who died in a terrorist attack at the venue.
• "Banksy's work, a symbol of remembrance and belonging to everyone — locals, Parisians, citizens of the world — was taken from us," theatre staff announced.

On Saturday, the Bataclan theatre in Paris announced on Twitter that a Banksy which had been painted on its door had been stolen.

The notorious artist is thought to have painted the woman wearing a veil as a tribute to the 90 people who were killed in a terrorist attack at the theatre in November 2015.

"It's a deep sadness that moves us today," the tweet says. "Banksy's work, a symbol of remembrance and belonging to everyone — locals, Parisians, citizens of the world — was taken from us."

According to Reuters, the thieves stole the door and drove off in a van.

A series of murals, including this work, were painted around Paris last June. Some were protected by screens, but others were vandalized soon after they appeared.

Read more:One of Banksy's paintings shredded itself after it sold at auction — and now it might be even more valuable

Banksy's illusive nature and the scarcity and mystery of his works means they sell for a great deal when they crop up. Earlier this month, a mural on a garage in Port Talbot, Wales sold for more than £100,000 ($129,000).

Last October, a piece called "Girl With Balloon" sold for $1.4 million, then spontaneously shredded itself when the auction ended.

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NOW WATCH: This tiny building in Wilmington, Delaware is home to 300,000 businesses

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

US consumers have been “cord-cutting” — or canceling their pay-TV subscriptions in favor of internet-delivered alternatives — since 2010.

The number of pay-TV subscribers dropped a record 3.4% year-over-year (YoY) in 2017, and the rate of decline is expected to accelerate further in the coming years. As a result, traditional media companies will continue to see their most important revenue stream erode. To compete in the shifting media landscape, traditional media companies' business strategies must satisfy two goals: extract as much revenue from pay-TV as possible before the opportunity to do so fizzles out, and taper reliance on pay-TV-related revenue along the way.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will look at how big media companies are refining their strategies to meet the aforementioned goals and mitigate the impacts of cord-cutting that are detrimental to their business. We also discuss current consumer behavior trends that are simultaneously driving the growth of streaming platforms (like Netflix) and decline of linear TV, as well as actionable insights on how companies can respond.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• As consumers flee linear TV, they're spending more time on digital video services with ad-free and ad-lite viewing experiences. 
• Media companies are responding by becoming less reliant on pay-TV revenue by launching their own streaming services. 
• Traditional networks are also increasingly seeking M&A opportunities to gain the resources, talent, and technologies necessary to compete with streaming giants.
• More media companies are beginning to experiment with airing fewer commercials per hour to enhance the linear TV viewership experience. 

 In full, the report:

• Explains the decline in US pay-TV subscribers in recent years, and how significantly this decline has diminished the viewership and ad revenue of top TV networks. 
• Outlines the top factors that consumers look for when deciding to subscribe to a streaming service. 
• Details the top recent M&A deals between media companies, and describes how they've positioned those involved to better compete against streaming giants like Netflix.
• Provides direction on how to best approach cutting ad loads on linear TV, and explains why experimenting with airing fewer commercials could be beneficial for viewership.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >>Purchase & Download Now
2. Subscribe to a Premium pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> Learn More Now

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you've given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the fast-moving world of cord-cutting.

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• A 3-year-old boy told family and rescuers that he "hung out with a bear" for two days after getting lost in the woods in North Carolina.
• Casey Hathaway was found alive and well despite spending two days in freezing temperatures by himself.
• Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes told local news that he said a bear was with him in the forest.
• North Carolina is home to thousands of black bears, which normally avoid contact with humans and rarely attack.
• Hathaway has reportedly been inundated with stuffed bears from well-wishers after the news of his return broke.

3-year-old Casey Hathaway who went missing for two days after getting lost in the woods in North Carolina told his family and rescuers that a bear kept him safe.

Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes told local news that they found the boy 40-50 yards into the woods after responding to a report that a child crying could be heard nearby.

Despite freezing conditions during the night, Hathaway was found a little lethargic but warm, the sheriff said.

Asked if the child had been able to verbalise just how he'd managed to stay alive in the forest by himself, the sheriff said: "He did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear that was with him."

This claim was reportedly echoed by the boy's aunt Breanna Hathaway in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.

"He said he hung out with a bear for two days," Hathaway wrote, according to BuzzFeed News. "God sent him a friend to keep him safe. God is a good God. Miracles do happen."

Read more:An Asian bird managed to stow itself on a business class flight from Singapore to London, and no one noticed it for 12 hours

According to NCpedia, the black bear is the only species of bear found in North Carolina where they are thought to number about 16,000. Their diet includes berries, nuts, and small animals and attacks on humans are very rare.

Hathaway reportedly added that the family would set up a post office box to accommodate the influx of gifts being sent to Casey, but warned that he could only house so many stuffed bears.

"We appreciate the thoughts but we do want to recognize that everyone wants to get Casey a stuff little bear and although we absolutely love that remember that he can only home so many."

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NOW WATCH: What will happen when Earth's north and south poles flip

• Naomi Osaka just won the 2019 Australian Open, which follows on from her 2018 US Open success.
• But she has expressed fears for the season ahead.
• Osaka has proved exceptional on hard courts, but says she needs to improve her mentality when it comes to clay and grass court tennis.
• "People slide and slip and it is a little bit frightening," she recently told The Guardian.
• Fortunately for Osaka, she has plenty of time to prepare as the clay season does not begin until April, with grass tennis taking over in the summer.

Naomi Osaka has not let back-to-back Grand Slam victories go to her head, and has openly admitted her fears ahead of two of the year's biggest tournaments.

Osaka has exhibited great tennis in the new season, winning the 2019 Australian Open, which follows her 2018 US Open success, and is now ranked the world's number one women's singles player by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).

Much will be expected of Osaka throughout the year, but the 21-year-old said on Sunday that she actually fears Wimbledon's grass surface, playing down what is perhaps now expected of her in the majors ahead.

When it comes to grass courts, The Guardian quotes Osaka to have said that she sees "people slide and slip and it is a little bit frightening." She added: "So I think I have to change that."

Read more: A home video of a 10-year-old Naomi Osaka has come back to 'haunt' her — but it shows she's always been a champion

Though Osaka is a two-time Grand Slam champion, she has only ever reached the third round of Wimbledon and the French Open. Regardless, she has ambitions of being "an all-court player," she said.

The clay surface of Roland Garros arrives sooner than the grass courts at Wimbledon, and Osaka wants to convince herself that she can play on clay, too.

"I think mentally, I don't like clay. I always tell myself I don't like clay, so I never really embrace anything about it and that is something I have to change."

Fortunately for Osaka, she has plenty of time to prepare. The hard court season does not end until March, with clay tennis beginning in April. Grass court tennis, meanwhile, begins in June.

SEE ALSO: Naomi Osaka cried as she won her second grand slam in a row, becoming the first Asian player to be world number one

DON'T MISS: Naomi Osaka was asked a question about her crush Michael B. Jordan and it embarrassed her so much she pulled her hat over her face

UP NEXT: Naomi Osaka has signed a 3-year endorsement deal with Nissan — and she's well on her way to becoming the biggest star in tennis

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NOW WATCH: China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy

• Justin Trudeau has fired Canada's ambassador to China John McCallum following comments he made about the arrest and potential extradition of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
• McCallum said last week that Meng had "strong arguments" for resisting extradition to the US. He later added that if the US dropped the extradition request it would be "great for Canada."
• Trudeau said in a statement on Saturday that he had asked for and accepted McCallum's resignation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired the country's ambassador to China, John McCallum, on Saturday after he spoke out about the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.

It is the latest twist in the ongoing saga over Meng, who was detained in Vancouver last month on reported suspicion of breaking US trade sanctions.

McCallum told Chinese language media on Tuesday last week that Meng had some, "strong arguments" for avoiding extradition to the US. He also said Meng getting extradited "would not be a happy outcome."

His comments prompted astonishment from fellow diplomats who thought they undermined Canada's position. David Mulroney, the former Canadian ambassador to China, called McCallum's remarks "mind-boggling."

McCallum apologized on Friday, telling the Toronto Star that he "misspoke," but then added that if the US dropped its extradition request, it would be "great for Canada."

Read more:China is outraged that the US wants to take the arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou off Canada's hands

The Toronto Star reported on Wednesday that Trudeau was standing by McCallum, but that changed at the weekend. Trudeau announced in a statement on Saturday: "Last night I asked for and accepted John McCallum's resignation as Canada's ambassador to China."

Meng's case has sent tremors through China-Canada relations, and following her arrest on December 1, two Canadians have been detained in China and a third had a prison sentence upgraded to the death penalty.

China claims that the arrest was politically motivated by the US, which has been lobbying allied countries to freeze out Huawei's new 5G network plans on national security grounds. It claims Huawei could be acting as a backdoor for the Chinese government.

Chinese state media reacted derisively to the news of McCallum's resignation. State-run newspaper The Global Times said:"Ottawa is now as sensitive as a frightened bird."

SEE ALSO: What you need to know about Meng Wanzhou, a Chinese tech founder's daughter whose arrest could set fire to US-China relations

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NOW WATCH: China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy

• Dubai's government held its annual gender balance awards on Sunday, where all the prizes went to men.
• The Gender Balance Index for the federal government 2018 offered three awards: best gender personality, best work initiative, and best department. 
• Two male government department heads, and one male military officer received framed golden trophies from Dubai's emir.
• Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum "recognised the efforts" of one woman, but she did not get an award.
• Despite the poor optics, the United Arab Emirates is well above the average for gender balance in the region, according to the UN. 

The Dubai government held its annual gender balance awards on Sunday, and men walked away with every trophy.

The Gender Balance Index 2018 awards offered up three prizes for people or departments who champion women and the pursuit of gender equality in Dubai.

These were a gender "personality" award, an award for a workplace initiative to make men and women more equal, and a departmental award for supporting gender balance.

The Dubai government's media office tweeted a photo of the winners after the ceremony, who were all men. 

The tweet said the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, "honors the winners of the Gender Balance Index 2018."

The Sheikh "recognised the efforts" of one woman, Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

She carried out "exceptional projects that helped achieve the nation’s goals of gender balance,"the press statement said— but she did not win an award. 

She is also a member of the royal family and the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

On his personal Twitter account, the Sheikh described the awards as: "A great effort led by many parties to establish an environment that achieves a balance between the two sexes."

The United Arab Emirates is one of the leaders in the middle east for gender balance, according to UN Human Development Reports, with a Gender Development Index (GDI) of 0.97. This compares with 0.88 in Saudi Arabia.

The UAE is the highest ranked country for gender equality in the Gulf region.

After the government's press office tweeted the images, people were quick to notice the lack of female award winners. 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Golnaz Esfandiari tweeted: "All winners of Gender Balance Index are men!?"

Nicholas McGeehan, a former Middle East Researcher with Human Rights Watch, tweeted: "Best Gender Balance Awards Ever."

Oz Katerji, freelance conflict and rights journalist tweeted: "This would be funny, if it was not so utterly depressing."

In the statement Dubai's government said: "Over the past four years, the UAE Gender Balance Council has launched several initiatives and projects to promote gender balance in the country and move towards greater success and global leadership."

"The achievements of Emirati women today reaffirm the wise vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who believed in the importance of the role of women, and their right to work and become key partners in society."

The full titles of the awards were:

• Best Personality Supporting Gender Balance
• Best Federal & Institutional Authority Supporting Gender Balance 
• Best Gender Balance Initiative

Business Insider has contacted officials in Dubai for comment, but has yet to receive a reply.

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

Here is what you need to know.

1. China's industrial profits shrink. Profits fell 1.9% year-over-year in December to 680.8 billion yuan, or $100.9 billion — one month after they posted their first contraction in nearly three years, Reuters reports, citing data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics.
2. Morgan Stanley explains the stock market is set to tumble again."In our view, its recovery is fragile and vulnerable to negative earnings guidance, the resumption of Fed policy normalization and clumsy policy execution by China," Lisa Shalett, the chief investment officer at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, told Business Insider.
3. Bitcoin is at its lowest level of the year. The largest cryptocurrency by market cap fell by as much as 4.8% to below $3,388 a coin Monday, hitting its lowest level since December 17.
4. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is considering a presidential run. "I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent," he tweeted Sunday evening.
5. 4 big Apple questions remain ahead of its most crucial earnings report in years. Apple is scheduled to report its holiday-quarter results on Tuesday — here are the key issues facing the iPhone giant.
6. Vale suspends its dividend after its dam disaster. The world's biggest iron-ore producer suspended its dividends after a dam breach at one of its mines in Brazil left at least 58 people dead and more than 300 others missing, Bloomberg reports.
7. A California marijuana company is thinking about taking its hemp and CBD business public. Vertical's president, Smoke Wallin, told Business Insider he was in early-stage talks with bankers to spin off his company's hemp and cannabidiol business so it can be listed on a major US stock exchange.
8. Stock markets around the world were lower. Japan's Nikkei (-0.6%) led the losses in Asia, and France's CAC (-0.48%) trails in Europe. The S&P 500 is set to open down 0.44% near 2,653.
9. Earnings reporting is light. Caterpillar reports ahead of the opening bell.
10. An avalanche of economic data is coming. Data releases will be heavy throughout the week as the government plays catch-up from the shutdown.

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NOW WATCH: What will happen when Earth's north and south poles flip

• The collapse of an index measuring sentiment among French services companies was an extreme version of a number of negative-looking charts coming out of Europe this week.
• Junk bonds have gone through the roof — meaning that the credit quality of European companies is getting worse.
• There is an industrial recession in Germany.
• The continent will probably avoid a full-blown recession ... but it is looking fragile. Here's a summary of recent data.

Economic data from France last week was so bad that one analyst simply wrote "?!" on a chart measuring confidence in the service sector. The survey in question was the INSEE services confidence poll. It showed a cliff-edge drop in expectations from France's non-manufacturing companies. 

Here it is:

"The crash in the French services PMI looks completely out of whack compared with the INSEE data," Pantheon Macroeconomics analyst Claus Vistesen told clients.

That index isn't the most crucial economic indicator in Europe, but its collapse was an extreme version of a number of negative-looking charts coming out of the continent this week. The ECB said midweek that risks to the economy in Europe had “moved to the downside” largely due to a reduction in international trade caused by political uncertainty (ie Trump and Brexit).

Among the bad news:

• Junk bonds went through the roof: Total issuance of junk bonds from non-financial companies (rated BBB) went parabolic, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, as more highly rated bonds declined. That means more companies are issuing worse debt. In recent history, (2008-2009 and 2012) the phenomenon was accompanied by a recession.

• PMI flatlines: The composite index of Eurozone Purchasing Managers Index (a measure of sentiment in all types of companies) flatlined, pretty much like it did before the recessions of 2009 and 2012.

• Germany looks particularly bad. It may have just about avoided a technical recession last year but its manufacturing/industrial sector is contracting — and that is the core of Europe's largest economy.

• The German data is so bad that Pantheon's Vistesen thinks it might be an outlier, or an error. "The headline (IFO) business climate index slid to a two-year low of 99.1 in January, from 101.0 in December, dragged down by a crash in the expectations index to 94.2, the lowest since the sovereign debt crisis. These headlines are not to be ignored," he told clients this morning.

• The same thing is happening in Britain. The UK is probably in better shape than the rest of the EU because the pound was devalued due to Brexit.

There is some good news for the longer term. The broad consensus among analysts is that Europe will avoid a recession in 2019 but that growth will be weak. There may be a stronger pickup toward the end of the year.

But this is a continent wracked by a trade war with the US, a slowdown in China (one of its major trading partners) political paralysis around Brexit, a currency crisis in Turkey, and recession in a debt-ridden Italy. One small example: Romania, with a population of just 20 million, doesn't usually make headlines in the economics world but over the last 12 months its currency, the leu, lost 11% of its value against the US dollar. That is not as extreme as the losses in Turkey, Argentina and Venezuela, but it's not a good sign either.

It's hard to put this all together and conclude that Europe will be regaining altitude anytime soon.

"The Eurozone economy needs solid growth in its core manufacturing sector to perform at its best, and at the moment, it seems like growth here is falling off a cliff, almost that is," Vistesen says.

Read more:

Unemployment is low only because 'involuntary' part-time work is high

Germany may have avoided recession in Q4 by just 0.1% because the quarter was one day longer than the previous period

Europe has made a political decision to go into recession

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NOW WATCH: The founder of the World Economic Forum shares what he sees as the biggest threat to the global economy

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

• eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
• There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
• The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
• The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
• The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
• Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
• Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
• Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
• Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
• Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
• Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
• Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

• The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
• The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
• eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
• eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

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• Elon Musk revealed that Tesla drivers can find a bunch of hidden features by pressing the Tesla logo on their car's touchscreen.
• Horror writer Stephen King responded that he enjoyed the "fart app."
• Musk thanked King for owning a Tesla.

Elon Musk is well known for being a prolific and sometimes volatile tweeter, but it's not often one of his tweets garners a response from a best-selling horror writer.

Musk tweeted on Sunday that Tesla owners can access a hidden cache of special features via the Tesla logo on the car's touchscreen.

Soon afterwards, Stephen King tweeted at Musk for the first time having tried out the Easter Eggs.

It is not entirely clear from King's tweet exactly how the Tesla fart app works.

Musk was evidently happy to hear from King, responding that it was an "honor" and thanking him for owning a Tesla.

Other famous Tesla owners include Will Smith, Stephen Spielberg, and Jennifer Garner.

SEE ALSO: Lawyers voice concerns about the potential for deleted information as rapper Azealia Banks gets pulled into a lawsuit against Elon Musk

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NOW WATCH: All smartphones look the same today for 2 key reasons

• Howard Schultz said he isn't worried about people's criticism that his potential 2020 run could inadvertently help President Donald Trump win re-election.
• The former Starbucks CEO said he was considering running as an independent candidate in the 2020 elections. Democrats say this might split the anti-Trump vote and re-elect the president.
• But Schultz told Axios he was "unfazed" by this and that he was "not considering this to win the Twitter primary."
• One tweet that criticized his announcement has received almost double the likes that Schultz's original tweet has.

Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks CEO considering a run for president as an independent candidate, said he is "unfazed" by criticism that his bid may actually help President Donald Trump get re-elected.

Democratic presidential candidates and Trump critics hit out at Schultz on Twitter after he announced on Sunday that he was "seriously considering" running for office as an independent.

Read more:Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announces he's 'seriously considering running for president' as an independent

They expressed concern that Schultz could split the anti-Trump vote if he runs as an independent and therefore help Trump get re-elected.

Kevin M. Kruse, a history professor at Princeton University, replied to Schultz's announcement by saying: "I'm an American political historian and I can assure you that the only thing you’ll accomplish by running for president as a centrist independent is helping re-elect Donald Trump."

As of Monday morning, the tweet had almost double the number of likes as Schultz's original tweet.

But Schultz told Axios that he was expecting such a backlash.

"I'm putting myself in a position that I know is going to create hate, anger, disenfranchisement from friends, from Democrats," he said.

"I'm concerned about one thing: Doing everything I can to help families who have been left behind, and to restore dignity and honor back in the Oval Office."

Schultz added that his goal was not to win over people on Twitter.

"I'm not considering this to win the Twitter primary," he said. "I believe that lifelong Democrats and lifelong Republicans are looking for a home, and they're not spending hours and hours on Twitter."

Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that he was concerned Schultz's run could help Trump.

"I have a concern that if he did run, that essentially it would provide Donald Trump with his best hope of getting re-elected," he said.

"I would truly suggest to Mr. Schultz to truly think about the negative impact that that might make."

Read more:Here's everyone who has officially announced they are running for president in 2020

Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski told INSIDER in a statement:"I have two words for Howard Schultz on a potential run for president as an independent: Just. Don't."

Howard Wolfson, an adviser to billionaire Michael Bloomberg — who is also considering running for president — also said that a high-profile independent candidate could help Trump.

"I have seen enough data over many years to know that anyone running for POTUS as an independent will split the anti-incumbent, anti-Trump vote,"Wolfson tweeted.

"The stakes couldn’t be higher. We can not afford the risk of spoiler politics that result in Trump's re-election."

Schulz told The New York Times in an interview published on Sunday that he would not consider running as a Democrat, as he would "have to be disingenuous" and adopt the party's positions that were further left-leaning than his own beliefs.

These positions "free government-paid college" and "free government-paid health care," he said.

Schultz served as CEO of Starbucks until he stepped down in April 2017. He stepped down as chairman in June 2018, sparking rumors of a presidential bid.

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NOW WATCH: MSNBC host Chris Hayes thinks President Trump's stance on China is 'not at all crazy'

• Chinese smartphone brand Oppo is the fifth biggest phone maker in the world and has outsmarted Apple in China and India.
• Oppo is largely unknown in the West, but it has teased an official UK launch on January 29.
• It's part of a family of other massive smartphone brands such as Vivo and OnePlus.
• Oppo will find it tough to break into the UK market, but does have a reputation for adding cool new features to its smartphones.

Apple might be the defining smartphone company in the West, but there's a crop of Asian brands that have outsmarted the California giant outside the US and Europe.

Few Westerners will have heard of the Chinese smartphone maker Oppo, but it's one of the most recognisable brands in Asia, and bigger than Apple in both India and China.

It's the fifth-largest smartphone maker in the world, despite having almost no presence in the US or Europe, accounting for around 8% of all global phone sales. Other than Apple, only Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi are bigger worldwide.

Take a look at this chart, showing Oppo is the fifth-biggest smartphone maker:

Not only has Oppo conquered its home market, being the second-biggest phone maker in China behind Huawei, but it's also cracked the top five brands in India. Apple has barely made a dent in India, thanks to the fact even its cheapest phones cost double the price of alternatives.

Oppo's success is down to a combination of marketing might, tech innovation, and clever pricing.

And now it's getting serious about Western markets. The company has invited journalists to a launch event on 29 January, and is holding a second event in February at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

What makes this especially interesting is that Oppo isn't a bit-part player, but part of a family of brands that includes two other emerging smartphone giants — Vivo and OnePlus.

"Oppo are a very interesting company because it's one of the five players in the Chinese market, and owned by a holding company called BBK Electronics," analyst Ben Wood told Business Insider. "BBK owns Vivo and OnePlus."

If you combined the Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus brands, BBK is arguably the third-biggest smartphone maker in the world. BBK likes to bill its three brands as operating separately, and Wood says it's never been clear if the three brands have ever teamed up on, for example, components, "which would make sense."

Read more:Palm's $350 credit-card sized smartphone is supposed to liberate you, but it's got some big problems

What might make Oppo appealing to Western consumers is its ability to innovate. Smartphone design hasn't radically changed since the first iPhone came out in 2007, and the smartphone most people use day-to-day will still be a rectangular block featuring a large touchscreen and a good camera.

"They have shown repeatedly they have a great ability to innovate in different directions, especially at the higher end," said Wood, pointing to the Oppo Find X.

The Find X is Oppo's copycat of the iPhone X, though it isn't available in the US. Its most interesting feature is its take on the camera notch, Apple's getaround for housing the camera on a full-screen display. Oppo avoided putting notch on its full-screen device by housing the camera in a section that pops out of the back of the phone. "That certainly captured the imagination of users," Wood said.

Other innovations include a periscope-style 10x zoom camera.

"They are a company that is prepared to embark on innovation in a market where we're stuck with the homogenous form factor, and design," Wood added. "They're ones to watch in terms of future design direction, and they do seem to be capable of nice, high-quality products."

But it's really tough to bring an unknown smartphone brand into the UK

For all that BBK's brands are doing well in China and India, Asian brands are all suffering from the wider smartphone slowdown in China. Apple made headlines after warning of a dip in iPhone demand, but its rivals need to work hard to expand outside their own markets too.

Wood predicted that Oppo will launch a new flagship or major new tech at MWC in February, and possibly launch a mid-range phone or announce a partnership in the UK this week.

"It's yet another company competing in the insanely competitive UK market at a time we're seeing a slowdown," he said. "Big players like Samsung, Apple, and Huawei are all investing disproportionate amounts of money into marketing and channel support in the UK. It's hard to see how Oppo is going to be able to move the needle unless they spend ridiculous levels of money."

It will also be difficult for Oppo to replicate its position as a high-end smartphone maker against the iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy S9. Instead, the firm will probably compete more closely with Huawei, Wood suggested, with mid-tier phones.

And happily for Oppo, Huawei has done a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to introducing an unknown Chinese brand to the West.

"All these new challenger brands, Xiaomi, or Oppo, or Vivo, even OnePlus, companies coming with names that aren't immediately a Western name, more a Chinese name — historically the UK market has been very brand conservative and reluctant to take a risk on products," said Wood.

Huawei changed all that thanks to multiple, expensive marketing campaigns about how to say its name correctly and pushing its devices.

"The money Huawei has spent [means] people have consideration for Huawei," Wood said. "Huawei products are giving a certain section of UK consumers confidence to try something where they don't know the brand initially. The people who buy Huawei are pleased, so there's word-of-mouth acceptance that you don't need to gravitate to the most recognised brands."

SEE ALSO: Two Chinese smartphone makers most people in the US have never heard of are innovating faster than any other company — even Apple and Samsung

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NOW WATCH: 7 science-backed ways to a happier and healthier 2019 that you can do the first week of the new year