TCL, the No. 1 Roku TV brand globally, turned to Google TV for the smart TV operating system in its latest 5- and 6-series TVs, which went on preorder Tuesday. “We are not pivoting from Roku to Google," emailed Chris Larson, senior vice president-TCL North America, saying TCL is also the largest Android TV brand globally. TCL's “deep engagement with both companies provides us a leadership position with the suppliers we see as most likely to win the battle of consolidation in smart TV operating systems,” Larson told us.

Savant pulled out of next month's CEDIA Expo as an in-person exhibitor due to COVID-19, it said in a Tuesday email to the CEDIA community. “To best protect our employees, our customers and all industry associates from the impact of COVID-19 and the unpredictable Delta variant, Savant will not be exhibiting in person at the 2021 CEDIA Expo,” said CEO Robert Madonna.

The Wireless Speaker and Audio Association’s focus shift last year from the technical standard to a consumer-facing organization is paying off, said Summit Wireless CEO Brett Moyer on the company’s Tuesday Q2 earnings call. Visitors to the WiSA website have grown from 26,000 to 360,000, to what it expects to be 2 million visitors by year-end.

Section 301 sample case plaintiffs HMTX Industries and Jasco Products “persuasively argue” that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative “clearly exceeded its authority” under the 1974 Trade Act when it imposed the “massive” Lists 3 and 4A tariffs on “virtually all imports” from China not previously dutied, “without connecting them to the underlying investigation of China’s trade practices,” said CTA, the National Retail Federation and five other trade groups Monday in an amicus brief (in Pacer) in docket 1:21-cv-52 at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

DOJ has “grave concerns” about T-Mobile's impending shuttering of its CDMA network and what that means for Dish Network's many Boost customers left in the lurch, said a July letter to Dish and T-Mobile from DOJ antitrust acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Powers that Dish filed Monday with the SEC. Justice said it might “pursue all remedies available” if the CDMA network shutdown means either T-Mobile or Dish not taking necessary steps to ensure Boost customers aren't left stranded without a functioning network. Many think the FCC is unlikely to act on Dish's CDMA complaint (see 2105060024).

Tech sector and civil society continue to disagree on aspects of a proposed EU AI regulation, they said. The draft Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) seeks to create trust in AI technologies via a risk-based approach that categorizes them as prohibited, high-risk or limited risk (see 2104210003). The proposal got generally positive though mixed reviews when it emerged in April. A European Commission consultation that closed Friday showed public interest and consumer groups remain worried about the measure's potential impact on human rights, while technology companies are concerned the law is too broad and could be onerous.

SAN ANTONIO -- Unknowns about the COVID-19 delta variant are making some dealers take a wait-and-see attitude toward CES and even the September CEDIA Expo shows, ProSource members told us at their summer event last week.

SAN ANTONIO -- A labor shortage is limiting potential growth for ProSource dealers, CEO Dave Workman said in a media briefing last week at the buying group’s summer meeting. A 15-20% bump for custom installation dealers “is about the most you can increase your business because of labor,” Workman said: “If you could expand your labor force, you could grow much more than that.” By comparison, ProSource dealers’ retail receipts were up 45-50% last year on a COVID-19-led second-half surge for all things electronics.

Universal Electronics Inc. is “gaining traction” with its Apple TV remote for MVPDs, said CEO Paul Arling on the company’s Thursday Q2 earnings call, naming for the first time Deutsche Telekom as one of its initial customers. It’s shipping to more customers he couldn’t name publicly, and the company is preparing for additional launches this year and in 2022. UEI is in discussions with “dozens” of customers about the product as the TV viewing landscape continues to shift, Arling said.

Commissioners 4-0 OK'd a public notice Thursday designating innovation zones for experimental licenses in Raleigh and Boston, while expanding New York City's, as expected (see 2108030052). Commissioner Geoffrey Starks urged the FCC to provide licensed spectrum for drones. The Raleigh zone is focused on unmanned aircraft systems.