Item
1. Business.
Introduction
Sonim
Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Delaware on August 5, 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Unless otherwise
indicated, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “Company” and “Sonim” refer to Sonim
Technologies, Inc. and its wholly owned and consolidated subsidiaries.
Overview
We
are a leading provider of rugged and consumer durable mobile devices including phones and accessories designed to provide extra protection
for users that demand more durability in their work and everyday lives. In 2022, we introduced a tablet product that has generated a
significant portion of the Company’s revenue since its introduction. This new product has a large screen that allows customers
to easily access and process IoT data. It allows the Company to gain experience with data devices and diversifies the Company’s
portfolio. The Company is developing additional data devices to further diversify the Company’s portfolio.
We
currently have device placements in the three largest wireless carriers in the United States - ATT, Verizon and T-Mobile – as
well as the three largest wireless carriers in Canada – Bell, Telus and Rogers. While we primarily sell through the wireless
carrier channel, we also sell through distribution channels in North America and Europe. Our tablets are sold unbranded, and are
imported by our customer to the U.S., for sale in the U.S. Our devices and accessories connect users with voice, data, workflow and
lifestyle applications that enhance the user experience while providing an extra level of protection.
Task workers in the Enterprise and Government sectors have historically been limited to pen and paper, older radio technology and/or single-purpose electronic devices, such as
barcode scanners, location-tracking devices and sensors, to accomplish specific tasks. These single-purpose devices have
historically operated on proprietary networks, such as Land Mobile Radio 94 or LMR networks that enable Push-to-Talk or PTT services
for voice communications. We provide communication devices that consolidate and integrate multiple functions including PTT, into a
single ruggedized solution running on commercial wireless networks at a total cost of ownership that we believe is significantly
lower than other solutions and that provides improved productivity and safety of task workers.
Our
solutions include ultra-rugged mobile phones that are capable of attaching to both public and private wireless networks, industrial-grade
accessories that meet the requirements of specific applications, and software applications and cloud-based tools that provide management
and deployment services to our customers. We tightly integrate PTT capabilities into both the hardware and software of our mobile phones,
including a dedicated hard key that can initiate a PTT call even if the phone is in a sleep-state. End customers of our solutions include
construction, energy and utility, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, public sector and transportation entities that primarily purchase
our devices and accessories through their wireless carriers. The key attributes of our solutions are specifically tailored for the needs
of our end users, including impact resistance, waterproof, chemical resistant, and dustproof construction, extended battery life and
extra loud audio, supported by a three-year comprehensive warranty. All of our devices run on the Android operating
system, providing a familiar and intuitive user interface, and our smartphones have access to a library of millions of applications available
through the Google Play Store. We have also implemented dozens of application programming interfaces, or APIs, specific to our mobile
phones and have partnered with third-party application developers to create a purpose-built experience for our end users using these
applications on our mobile phones. This includes working with the leading providers of PTT and mission-critical-PTT, or MCPTT applications
to deliver a seamless instant communications experience.
We
currently have stocked phone and accessory products with the three largest U.S. wireless carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, meaning
that these carriers test and certify our mobile phones on their networks and maintain inventory in their warehouses that they then sell
through their enterprise and retail sales teams to end customers, often on a subsidized or financed basis. Our full product portfolio
has also been stocked with the three largest Canadian wireless carriers. In 2022, we sold approximately 25,000
mobile phones in Canada and 111,000 in the United States.
We
enter into master sales arrangements with carriers (including channel partners contributing over 53% of our total revenues for the
year ended December 31, 2022) under which our partners purchase our solutions for distribution on a purchase order basis. Under
these arrangements, we and the channel partners determine sales channel distribution in connection with pricing (including any
discounts and price protection) and market positioning of each particular mobile phone product. We also offer our channel partners
channel marketing and other promotional incentives, such as sales volume incentives, in exchange for retail price reductions. We may
also offer Non-Recurring Engineering, or NRE services in the form of third-party design services relating to the design of materials
and software licenses used in the manufacturing of our products. In the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, approximately 83%
and 76% respectively, of our revenues were derived from our top four customers. In 2022, 42% of our revenues were from our new
tablet product that had only one customer. We expect our revenues to continue to be heavily concentrated among our top customers,
and the loss of, or significant reduction in orders from, any of these customers could significantly reduce our revenues and
adversely impact our operating result.
For
the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our revenue was $69.8 million and $54.6 million, respectively. For the years ended December
31, 2022 and 2021, our net loss was $14.1 million and $38.6 million, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, revenues
from our top four customers were $58 million and $42 million, respectively.
Our
Industry
Communication,
data collection, productivity and safety among task workers has always been a central requirement in business-critical and mission-critical
environments. Organizations with remote and disparate workers—from police and firefighters to construction, oil rig, logistics
and manufacturing workers—need an extremely durable solution that provides reliable and secure voice, data and workflow applications.
Historically, task workers had limited options, and in many cases resorted to using pen and paper. In the 1930s, public safety organizations
introduced LMR networks that enabled PTT services, allowing workers to instantly and reliably initiate communications. In the 1970s,
proprietary bar code scanners and other proprietary single-purpose tools were introduced to assist task workers in accomplishing specific
tasks. In addition, in the mid-1990s, Nextel’s iDEN service provided organizations the benefits of PTT without the upfront equipment
and infrastructure investments required with LMR. The advent and proliferation of LTE and advancements in smartphone technologies led
to the start of the decommissioning of the Nextel iDEN network in the United States by Sprint in 2013. These developments paved the way
for commercial wireless carriers to deliver mobility solutions that enhance the speed, reliability and durability of those offered by
traditional LMR networks and other proprietary devices and applications.
The
global market for rugged devices continues to grow and we believe that the use of consumer phones in line-of-business applications provides
an attractive market opportunity. Ruggedized mobile phones are well suited for industrial enterprise and other critical infrastructure
applications due to their durability and functionality in a range of environments. Equipping workers with smarter mobile phones also
helps enable more efficient communication with and between field employees and enhance the information that decision-makers use to deploy
resources within their organizations. The PTT over cellular network market, such as rugged phones on LTE with integrated PTT functions,
has been steadily growing, in part as a replacement for aging LMR systems. The migration of a large base of legacy Windows-based handheld
devices to Android continues to be a growth driver for rugged devices.
The
core Sonim business has always been in the rugged space. Nevertheless, as there have been changes in market dynamics recently given LG’s
exit and the desire to move away from Chinese OEM’s, we are moving towards evolving our expertise in rugged handsets into a consumer
durable line of products which will include 5G handsets as well as mobile hotspots and solutions for fixed wireless access. It is estimated
that 87 million Americans have damaged their smartphones in the last 12 months. Sonim plans to bring our expertise in rugged design into
the consumer arena with competitively priced, attractively designed consumer products that have the added benefit of durability to help
prevent screen breakage and a higher level of water resistance (IPx ratings). The target market is price-conscious consumers that want
more protection for their devices without the cost and look of a more rugged device.
A
main component of our expansion strategy will be in the area of Connected Solutions which encompasses mobile hotspots and fixed wireless
access solutions. With competition exiting the carrier space as well as non-competitively priced products in the market, Sonim believes
that this space is a great opportunity for expansion. Sonim plans to address these segments with feature-rich devices that are competitively
priced. The mobile hotspot segment has millions of LTE devices that customers will be upgrading to 5G as the cost of the devices becomes
more affordable. The fixed wireless access segment is a greenfield opportunity for wireless operators to establish new revenue streams
with their customers. It is in both of these areas that Sonim plans to gain market share.
In
2022, we introduced our tablet product that is responsible for 42% of our revenue in 2022. We will continue to sell tablets in 2023 and
will develop additional products to diversify our portfolio.
Industrial
Enterprise Market Opportunity
Within
the industrial enterprise market, we primarily focus on providing our solutions for business-critical tasks. In the United States and
Canada there are task workers across verticals in our industrial enterprise end market, including transportation and logistics, construction,
manufacturing, facilities management and energy and utility, who could benefit from our products. The extreme durability, and enhanced
voice and text communication capabilities of our devices, enable these workers to be stationed in remote and hazardous environments,
while remaining connected to their central command center at all times.
The
functionality and durability requirements for workers in the industrial enterprise market significantly differ from that provided by
a consumer-focused mobile device. Our solutions provide enterprises with the ability to centrally manage, and control device functions
and data stored on the phone remotely. Enterprises seeking to reduce their operating expenses by optimizing workflows can enhance their
workers’ productivity by leveraging specialized, purpose-built rugged platforms with functions such as PTT, location tracking and
extra-loud audio. These features are especially crucial for business-critical applications across the industrial enterprise.
Public
Sector Market Opportunities
Historically,
U.S. public safety agencies and other critical infrastructure entities like utilities and municipalities have utilized rugged two-way
radios running on proprietary LMR networks to ensure reliable and immediate communication. As these closed networks were locally funded,
built and controlled, they were designed not to be interoperable across cities and states and other agencies. Over time, these users
have incrementally augmented their LMR radios with mobile devices running on commercial wireless networks. These mobile devices enabled
public-safety officers to gather real-time information, collected across multiple systems, and to respond and react to changing circumstances.
On
September 11, 2001, many firefighters perished in part due to the lack of interoperability between the LMR systems of the multiple responding
agencies in New York City and surrounding areas. Additionally, commercial cellular communications were halted due to the significant
increase in call volumes. Based on the 9/11 Commission Report’s recommendations, Congress passed legislation in 2012 to establish
the First Responder Network Authority under the Department of Commerce, which was tasked with deploying a nationwide public safety broadband
network.
In
March 2017, the Department of Commerce and the First Responder Network Authority awarded AT&T a contract to build, maintain and operate
a nationwide high-speed broadband network for public safety, or FirstNet, for 25 years. The contract provides AT&T with 20 MHz of
spectrum and $7 billion in funding to support this network and established subscriber targets, milestone buildouts and disincentive fees
to help ensure that AT&T fulfills its commitments to public safety. The contract also provides AT&T a 25-year lease of FirstNet Band
14 spectrum subject to AT&T enlisting a minimum number of emergency responders across the United States. As of December 2022, FirstNet
(Built with AT&T) had signed approximately 24,000 public safety agencies, representing approximately 4.4 million FirstNet connections.
Due
to AT&T’s focus on growing its number of public safety users, other major U.S. wireless carriers including T-Mobile and Verizon
have been focused on establishing and defending their market positions, creating a highly competitive market for public safety users
among the major U.S. wireless carriers.
We
introduced our first devices that supported FirstNet, XP8 and XP5s, in the first quarter of 2018, and XP3 the second quarter of 2019.
We launched the next generation of these three devices, the XP10 in the fourth quarter of 2022, the XP5plus in the second quarter of
2022, and the XP3plus in 2021. Through our partnerships with wireless carriers that provide FirstNet and similar networks, as well as
wireless carriers seeking to obtain market share through other dedicated cellular networks, we believe we are in a strong position to
provide our ruggedized solutions through these channel partners to the public safety market as these competing public safety networks
mature. We intend to continue to leverage our access to end customers and end users on public safety networks to increase brand awareness
and become the favored provider for ruggedized solutions across the public safety market generally. We believe that the general momentum
to convert to cellular based systems from LMR, either dedicated or prioritized for public safety, is a global trend as Western European
countries and Australia are considering similar wireless networks.
Consumer
Durable Market
The
combined mobile phone market between the U.S. and Canada is estimated to grow to 358 million users in 2023. While the majority of this
market has been dominated by Apple and Samsung, there is still a need for more durable, lower cost options for more budget-conscious
users. In the past this was usually accomplished by providing a durable case that was both an additional cost to the end consumer as
well as adding bulk to the device for added protection. Additionally, consumers would need to sign up for costly service plans to replace
cracked screens, the most common repair for smartphones. Sonim believes there is a significant opportunity to bring our expertise in
ruggedized design to this market for a lower cost, more streamlined design that will provide added protection against cracked screens
and water damage without the higher cost, service plans or bulk of a durable accessory. The target market for a consumer durable device
is quite expansive. While we see this segment as a natural extension of our expertise in ultra-rugged devices, the devices are meant
for consumers as a lower cost, high-value option with all the expected features of a consumer device and the added protection of key
rugged features. Some examples include: a busy budget-conscious mom on the go, an avid hiker who is an outdoor enthusiast, and a task worker
supervisor that doesn’t necessarily need an ultra-rugged device but needs something more durable that will not need to be constantly
replaced for screen breaks due to the nature of their activities.
Connected
Solutions Market
The
combined mobile hotspot market in the U.S. and Canada is estimated to be 3.5 million new devices in 2023. This is split between LTE and
5G devices with most of the LTE devices being supplied by Asian suppliers and the 5G devices being supplied by U.S. suppliers. With some
U.S. suppliers changing their corporate focus, there is a void in quality suppliers that are focused on the mobile hotspot market. There
is also a shift in focus from the U.S. and Canadian operators with an effort to minimize the non-5G devices put onto their networks.
Sonim believes that there is a significant opportunity to address this market with affordably priced products and take advantage of the
LTE to 5G upgrade cycle. As 5G device costs continue to erode, the percentage of 5G devices should greatly increase compared to LTE devices.
The
combined fixed wireless access market in the U.S. and Canada is estimated to be 4 to 5 million new devices in 2023. The vast majority
of these devices are 5G. Mobile network operators are focused on this segment as one of the pillars to achieve new revenue streams from
customers as the mobile phone market becomes more saturated. Most of the competition in this segment comes from Asian ODMs. This is a
reflection of the economics needed to make their fixed wireless access business work. There is an opportunity for Sonim to provide a
U.S.-based alternative that is at comparable prices. This will greatly ease the burden on operators to deal with Asian suppliers as well
as to alleviate geopolitical risks.
Original Design Manufacturing (“ODM”)
Business Model
Our
new tablet products represent our entry into the ODM business. In this model, we identify a customer, design a product to meet their
needs, outsource the production to a third-party partner, and manage the production and quality control of the product. We use our
expertise and experience to efficiently and quickly develop new products that are designed based on a customer’s
specifications. The model allows us to reduce our risk by preventing us from having to commit resources for the development,
production, and the financing of the raw materials and inventory. We are able to efficiently scale production without committing
additional resources. We expect to continue to sell products through this ODM model.
Our
Ruggedized Solution
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Durability
and reliability. Our mobile phones can withstand a variety of harsh environments and are supported by our industry-leading
three-year comprehensive manufacturer’s warranty, which includes physical damage. Key features of our rugged devices include: |
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Puncture,
shock, pressure and drop and impact resistance. Durable rubber and Gorilla Glass construction to protect against damage from
sharp objects, falls, vigorous movements and compression by heavy weights. |
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Waterproof
and dustproof construction. Reinforced seals and waterproof mesh membranes to prevent potential damage caused by moisture and
debris. |
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Multi-shift
battery life. Replaceable battery designed to provide sufficient power to last through a dual eight-hour shift in most real-world
conditions. |
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Extra-loud
audio. Produces high sound quality at high volumes and uses noise cancellation technology for loud background noise environments. |
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Glove-friendly
design. Screens and buttons responsive to touch through gloves and water. |
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Operational
in and resistant to extreme temperatures. Protective exterior prevents damage to our devices’ hardware from very cold and
hot temperatures. |
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Chemical
resistance. Ability to effectively sterilize and sanitize, regardless of potential contaminants. |
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Increased
communication and visibility through an enterprise. Our solutions are used to track locations, update and manage various
tasks and enable communication with and between task workers. For example, location tracking and data analytics enable fleet optimization,
help enterprises make asset allocation and deployment decisions and ensure that fleets are at the right place at the right time.
In addition, our solutions are specifically designed to capture, store and analyze multiple data types for enterprise needs, enabling
them to make decisions. For example, by leveraging this data, task workers such as first responders can more strategically plan their
logistics resulting in decreased response times. Finally, by providing a reliable mode of communication between employees, supervisors
and command centers, those not in the field have crucial insight into the status and performance of task workers in the field. This
can also result in improved safety for employees that work in high-risk environments. |
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Enhanced
functionality through software and hardware configurations. Our solutions allow end customers and task workers to customize
our mobile phones using Android-based applications and vertical- specific accessories to address their varying needs. Enterprises
and agencies can leverage the millions of applications available on the Google Play Store, our dozens of device-specific APIs, and
our industrial accessories to create a purpose-built solution to meet the specific use cases of their task workers. For example,
school bus operators can combine our ruggedized phones, an industrial mounting kit, a PTT application that leverages our APIs and
a location-tracking application to ensure that they have a solution that enables constant communication with dispatchers that is
compliant with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s hands-free driving regulations and that can also automatically alert
parents of route delays. The ability for enterprises and agencies to customize their solutions allows their task workers to use a
single device for tasks that would previously require multiple and often more costly devices. |
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Ease
of use. Our devices are designed to look and function similarly to the latest generation of consumer-focused mobile phones
with additional features for various enterprise-specific purposes, and also run on the Android operating system which has a familiar
and intuitive interface. They provide familiar characteristics to many single-purpose devices, such as dedicated physical buttons
for PTT and barcode scanning and offer a simplified user interface which helps minimize the learning curve for task workers who are
transitioning from LMR or data capture devices. Furthermore, all of our mobile phones come equipped with our SonimWare software,
which helps IT administrators more quickly provision and deploy our devices to task workers, reducing the cost and effort associated
with converting to our solutions. |
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Consolidation
of devices. A large number of devices can lead to excess bulk carried by task workers and can inhibit their mobility in the
field. These specialized devices can also be expensive and typically require full replacement after end-of-life, which can be a cumbersome
and costly process. By combining commonly used applications and functionality into one ruggedized device with the option for add-ons,
enterprises can reduce the need for multiple, single-purpose devices. We believe that replacing outdated single-purpose devices with
a Sonim device can enhance fleets’ mobility and economically streamline equipment updates or replacements. |
As
a result of these key attributes, we believe that our ruggedized, purpose-built mobile phones can increase the productivity of task workers
and significantly reduce total cost of ownership for entities deploying our solutions.
Our
Strategy
The
three pillars of our go-forward strategy are as follows:
| ● | Address
growing market demand in the consumer market for high quality, lower cost, attractively designed
handsets that include key rugged features such as reinforced housings to prevent screen breakage
and higher water ingress ratings to better protect devices from costly damage by leveraging
the company’s experience and expertise in rugged phone design. |
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| ● | Approach
the data device and connected solutions market with feature-rich devices that are affordably
priced and leverage the company’s high-quality approach to product design and procurement. |
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| ● | Maintain
our leadership position in rugged enterprise and public sector markets. |
Our
strategy includes the following:
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Reorganize
Company to achieve growth and profitability. Since July 2022, our management team has endeavored to reorganize the Company into
a leaner, lower cost organization to reach profitability. The Company has streamlined operational processes, enhanced cored competencies
such as carrier certification and design engineering, and partnered with ODM partners to leverage their supply chain efficiency and design
resources. We have also relocated our headquarters from Austin, Texas to San Diego California. We believe that the restructuring will
allow the Company to reach profitability. |
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Invest in sales channel partnerships and brand marketing
to drive sales. Our channel partners are leading global wireless carriers, distributors of data devices, communications system
integrators and electronics resellers. These channel partners have large sales forces who sell our solutions to end customers in
our target markets. They enable us to cost-effectively scale our business without employing a large direct sales force of our own.
Our expansion into the consumer durable and connected solutions markets opens up opportunities with additional carrier partners globally.
While our rugged product line was primarily targeted towards a post-paid plan user, consumer durable devices will expand our reach
into pre-paid markets with large subscriber bases that are intended for a more cost-conscious user. We believe that our investment
in marketing the Sonim brand and our solutions to end customers in target markets helps to raise brand awareness, deepen existing
channel partnerships, and acquire and retain new channel and end customers for our solutions. |
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Expand
Sonim into the consumer durable market. The current consumer market has many choices in the premium category with high end
features. The mid-low tier markets often sacrifice many of these features for a lower price point. We believe we can bridge the gap
between the premium category and the mid-low tier segments through our ability to bring key rugged features in a consumer-friendly
design at a lower cost. This will eliminate the need for costly service plans as well as rugged accessories. We will focus on multiple
price points that focus on best-in-class specifications as compared to current competitors. Key consumer specifications will be screen
sized, camera and memory. Added rugged features include reinforced housings to minimize screen breaks, IP68 ratings or higher, and
extended battery life. |
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Sonim
value proposition for data devices. The data device market differs greatly from the mobile phone market in that devices are
ranged by operators and customers have little choice in the device that they can buy from the operators. Sonim’s strategy with
the operators is to offer feature-rich devices that are priced at a level that allows those operators to sell the devices to a wider
market than previous 5G devices that had higher prices. The data devices offer customers the ability to get fast data speeds paired
with ultra-low latency. The speeds associated with 5G are comparable and frequently faster than what customers are used to with their
existing wireline solutions. |
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Provide development and manufacturing services for
data devices including a tablet product. The Company
has successfully development and shipped a tablet product since the third quarter of 2022. The strategy has enhanced and grown our
internal competence for data products, increased revenue in addition to our ruggedized phone products, and has diversified our product
lines to reduce business risks. |
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Position
Sonim as the leading solution for the public sector. We believe that we are at the forefront of a public safety market that
has a current need for dedicated cellular networks, such as AT&T’s FirstNet, prioritized networks, such as those provided
by Verizon, and the devices that enable their use. We intend to leverage the deployment of our solutions over dedicated and prioritized
LTE cellular in the public safety market to further position us as a trusted global solution. As public safety agencies continue
to shift to these dedicated cellular networks, we intend to deliver mobility solutions to increase security, safety and efficiency. |
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Position
Sonim as a leading solution for industrial workers and logistics. Workers need reliable communications and data collection
tools. We believe that our devices will provide not only the functionality that workers need, but also the ruggedness to ensure uptime
and reduce loss of productivity due to device breakage. As businesses see the increasing productivity that mobile devices provide
for their workers, we believe that they will further value rugged devices as a means of ensuring the ongoing benefit of computerization. |
Our
Target Markets
We
believe that our solutions can improve communication reliability, operational efficiency and safety for end customers and task
workers in commercial sectors, public sectors, and for individual retail customers. Our ruggedized mobility solutions target three
end markets: industrial enterprise, public sector, and consumers that demand a more durable product.
Industrial
Enterprise
Transportation
and Logistics. Enterprises and fleet workers across supply chain, delivery services and field management rely on mobile devices to
operate safely and efficiently in environments that are often susceptible to inclement weather. For enterprises looking to improve supply
chain functionality, our mobile resource management applications such as location tracking, mileage tracking, and job dispatch can help
businesses monitor operations more efficiently. We believe that a weather-resistant and long-battery ruggedized device, combined with
productivity applications and services with the native camera on our XP10 smartphone—provides reliable communication options for
transportation and logistics workers. In addition, our solutions reduce the number of devices and tools that these task workers would
need to carry in the field by consolidating the functionality of multiple single-purpose devices into one purpose-built mobile device.
Construction.
We offer workers in the construction industry crush-, puncture-, scratch- and impact-resistant devices, which we believe to be
crucial in environments where there is a high risk of such occurrences. Jobsites also value the PTT capabilities that are tightly
integrated into Sonim devices. Additionally, we believe our phones and related accessories help promote worker safety and
productivity, with support for lone-worker safety applications and with features such as extended battery life and extra
loud-speakers. For business decision-makers, we offer devices with consolidated functionality, which enables a total cost of
ownership that we believe is significantly lower versus comparable offerings that enable real-time reporting. This can help
eliminate costly delays by capturing verbal, visual and location data from job sites more efficiently.
Manufacturing.
As market demand and competition in the manufacturing sector require more nimble production lines, equipment for reliable
communication and safety standard compliance are necessary to improve efficiency and keep workers safe. Our devices’ PTT
functionality and extra-loud speakerphones are designed to keep lines of communication open and functional in fast-changing and loud
environments, while our glove-friendly touch screen displays allow for workers to have access to real-time data, thus reducing
production down time. Additionally, our devices are designed to survive blunt force and can be sanitized and sterilized for safe use
in food or medical processing facilities. We believe that these features can enhance the productivity of workers in the
manufacturing industry.
Facilities
Management. Service-based operations in large indoor and outdoor facilities require management of mobile teams. Our mobile phones
consolidate radio, guard tour verification, panic button systems and scanners, which otherwise would require separate and single-purpose
equipment. Our devices can improve business operations through functionalities such as automated work order dispatch and job completion
verification tools delivered via proprietary third-party applications integrated with our devices.
Energy
and Utilities. The safety standards for mobile phones used in the energy and utility industry are more stringent due to the reactive
characteristics of the natural resources being procured and serviced, as well as the potentially high-voltage or explosive environments.
We believe we are uniquely positioned to serve these workers because a number of our devices are designed for use in potentially explosive
or hazardous environments (rated Non-Incendive or Intrinsically Safe by either the CSA Group, ATEX or IECEx notified bodies), and their
resistance to various chemicals and extreme temperatures. Reliable communication devices are often mission- critical for workers to stay
safe while performing energy- and utility-related operations.
Public
Sector
Public
Safety. In the United States, AT&T’s FirstNet network and Verizon’s public safety prioritization provide optimized networks
for this sector. Through our partnerships with the major wireless carriers, we believe we are in a strong position to provide mission-critical
solutions to the public safety market as public safety networks mature. Through enhanced communication capabilities, we believe our devices
can decrease the response time of first responders and help public safety workers stay safe and connected in hazardous, isolated or emergency
conditions. We believe that the durability of our phones combined with their purpose-built functionality, provide a lower total cost
of ownership compared to similar products, which is highly attractive to city and state decision-makers.
Federal
Government. Whether during natural disasters or day-to-day operations, we believe our devices help provide functionality and reliability
that is crucial for federal workers to protect and serve their nation. Our mobile solutions support purpose-built voice communications
and data capture applications that allow federal workers to stay connected and quickly make more informed decisions while in the field.
Consumer
Durables
Everyday
consumers and small business users. As consumers grow more reliant upon mobile devices to support all of our daily activities, mobile
devices are now more than ever being placed into situations and environments that are more prone to physical damage including screen
breakage and water damage. Sonim believes that this market is currently underserved with only higher cost devices offering the features
that are needed. Sonim’s value proposition will be to offer an overall lower total cost of ownership as a consumer will not need
to lose valuable downtime and money repairing or replacing their device as often as other devices in the market.
Data
Devices
Mobile
hotspots are used by businesses, government employees and consumers. Having the ability to access the internet in a secure way wherever
the customers go is essential to many users. Whether it is a salesperson visiting their customers, a police officer using their computer
in their patrol car, a student working on a paper or a family going on vacation, the need for reliable internet has become a necessity
in today’s world. With the fast speed and low latency associated with 5G, there will be new devices and applications that will
rely on this technology. Mobile hotspots provide the perfect vehicle for taking advantage of these features.
Fixed
wireless access provides an economical way for operators to quickly deploy internet to new customers as compared to digging up roads
and laying cable or fiber. This service is used by businesses and consumers alike. Historically internet connectivity was effectively
a monopoly business with major fixed wireline operators dividing up the country. Consumers had little choice when it came to options
for internet service. With 5G, wireless operators are using fixed wireless access as a way to add new revenue streams to their businesses.
Additionally, fixed wireline operators are using fixed wireless access as a way to quickly deploy to new areas.
Tablets
are an example of a data device that we developed for a customer. The tablets are imported to the U.S., branded, and sold to a U.S.
retailer. The tablets have a lower selling price and a lower margin than our other devices, but we have increased revenue by scaling
the volume to meet our customers’ needs. The tablets have no inventory risk to the Company and are accretive to our net
income. We will continue to look for opportunities to develop new products to meet customer’s needs. We will utilize our
design, engineering, and production experience to increase the Company’s profitability.
Products
and Technology
Features
of Our Ruggedized Mobile Phones
Our
mobile phones can withstand a variety of harsh environments and are supported by our industry-leading three-year comprehensive manufacturer’s
warranty for our ultra-rugged devices. We developed our devices to meet industry standards for protection from the ingress of water and/or
micro-particles (IEC standard 60529). Our devices are rated a minimum of IP-68, allowing them to be submersed in up to six and a half
feet of water for up to 30 minutes, and our XP10 smartphone has been further tested and certified to withstand sprays of high-pressure
streams (up to 1,450 PSI) of hot (80°C) water (IPx9K). We have additionally designed and manufactured our devices to withstand repeated
drops to concrete across all angles and faces, attaining MIL-STD-810G ratings and, in 2011, earning the Sonim XP3300 the title of World’s
Toughest Phone by the Guinness Book of World Records after surviving a fall from 82 feet 11.7 inches to concrete. Engineered with a protective
glass lens that is up to three times thicker than that of other cellular devices in the market and a unique blend of plastic and rubber
used in the housings, our ultra-rugged mobile phones are designed to be resistant to punctures caused by impacts from external objects
up to 2J on the display lens and 4J on the housing. Furthermore, we understand that the jobs of our end users often take them into extreme
environments. As a result, we have designed our devices to operate from -4°F to +131°F, be usable while wearing work gloves (glove-friendly
touch display, large physical buttons), be audible in noisy environments with loud 100+ dB loudspeakers and multiple microphone noise-cancellation
technology, and, for our XP5plus and XP10 phones to last throughout an average day based on ordinary use without needing to be recharged
with large, extended-life batteries. We have also designed, manufactured and certified our devices to be safe for use in potentially
hazardous or explosive environments.
In
addition, our devices provide a wide range of connectivity options for our end customers (including LTE, 3G, 4G, 5G, GSM, WiFi, NFC,
location tracking and Bluetooth for certain of our devices), and our phones support a wide range of global frequencies allowing them
to be used almost anywhere in the world where there is cellular coverage. Our phones are certified to work on multiple mobile network
operators and come equipped with LTE Band 14 to support FirstNet (built with AT&T). We continue to explore how and when to best support
the latest technologies, including 5G, and we plan to incorporate them into our product roadmap when our end market segments require
such functionality, and the technology has reached a reasonable level of maturity.
Our
Devices
Mobile
Phone Products
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Sonim
XP10. The Sonim XP10 is an Android-based 5G smartphone that is certified as Android Enterprise Recommended by Google. The Sonim XP10
comes equipped with a 5.5 inch durable, glove-friendly display, an ultra-rugged exterior, physical programmable buttons (including
a large PTT button), and unique Secure Audio accessory ports that ensures you’re your industrial accessories stay connected
at all times. The XP10 is built to meet ultra-rugged standards, including MIL-STD-810H
and Non-Incendive Class I, II and III Div 2 ratings. It has been tested and can survive drops from six feet directly onto concrete,
be submerged in six feet of water for 60 minutes, operate in all weather conditions from -4° F to 131° F. The XP10
comes with an improved photography experience with a dual rear 50MP standard and 8MP wide angle
cameras as well as an 8MP front camera. The device also includes preloaded SonimWare Enterprise Mobility Software to help
customers deploy mobile devices faster as well as manage and support users in the field to increase productivity and improve safety.
As of December 31, 2022, XP10 is available at AT&T, Bell Mobility and Telus with additional customers planned to launch in Q1
2023. We are expecting many of our loyal XP8 customers to upgrade to XP10 as they transition to 5G devices. |
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Sonim
XP5plus. The Sonim XP5plus is a purpose-built 4G feature phone designed for task workers who have a “no frills” attitude
about their communications tool. It comes equipped with a 2.8 inch non-touch display, dual front-facing loudspeakers, a large PTT
button, and the Secure Audio connector ports, enabling full access to our complete ecosystem of industrial accessories. The
new XP5plus was designed for critical communications and includes many features that enhance the Push-to-Talk (PTT) experience. At
the top of its long list of new features is a version with two easy-to-use control knobs – for channel select and volume control.
PTT can now be accessed without users ever taking their eyes off the mission in front of them. As of December 31, 2022, the
XP5plus is available at AT&T, Bell Mobility and Telus. We also have an unlocked version available to our European and North American
customers. |
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Sonim
XP3plus. The Sonim XP3plus is a 4G feature phone in a clamshell form factor that offers our customers a cost-effective voice and/or
PTT solution without distracting end users from doing their jobs with things like an application store or email. Built with an over-sized
PTT button, a physical numeric keypad and a loud front-facing speaker, the Sonim XP3plus delivers a reliable voice-centric experience
to those who operate in industrial environments. As of December 31st, XP3plus is available at Verizon, T-Mobile, Bell
Mobility and Telus with additional customers expected to launch in 2023. There is also an unlocked version for our North American
and European customers. Sonim recently announced the integration of NextNav Pinnacle vertical location, or z-axis capabilities,
into XP3plus, making it the first Sonim feature phone available with these capabilities. By leveraging NextNav’s Pinnacle 911
to deliver reliable and consistent z-axis capabilities nationwide, floor-level altitude measurements will greatly enhance the ability
of public safety answering points (PSAPs) to accurately identify the indoor location of wireless E911 callers. Dispatchers will be
able to more precisely locate where a caller is by adding the vertical dimension alongside their horizontal location of latitude
and longitude, and in turn more quickly get callers the help they need. NextNav’s technology has demonstrated floor-level accuracy
94 percent of the time in independent testing conducted in 2018 by the CTIA. |
Tablets
In
the third quarter of 2022 we expanded our product line to tablets as an interim strategy to diversify our business and to grow revenue. We can further enhance and grow our internal competencies as we start to broaden our portfolio.
We expect to offer additional data devices in the future.
Accessories
Our
portfolio of industrial-grade accessories extends beyond the traditional consumer cellular ecosystem of wall chargers and cases. We work
with a number of accessory manufacturers and design partners to deliver innovative purpose-built accessories that enhance the functionality
and usability of our devices. Our audio accessories take advantage of our SecureAudio Connector, which allows for accessories, like a
Remote Speaker Microphone, or RSM, to be physically secured to the device via a screw mechanism that prevents accidental disconnection.
Our multi-bay charging accessories allow for enterprises and agencies to charge multiple devices at once via a single unit, ensuring
that at the start of a shift, the device is fully charged and ready to go. We also support a wide range of in-vehicle solutions that
enable hands-free voice communications for those end users who work from the road.
SonimWare
Software
In
addition to the ecosystem of Android developers and their applications, which are supported on our devices, we provide a suite of applications
and tools that help customers manage, deploy and support their Sonim devices. The capabilities of these software applications differentiate
us from many rugged vendors that only focus on hardware. Current capabilities include:
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Sonim
Setup Wizard allows provisioning teams to rapidly customize and deploy large number of devices with less manual
work and fewer errors. |
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Sonim
SafeGuard lets user administrators block usage of selected apps and features, ensuring only those critical to
job related functions and cost requirements are used. We are looking to expand the functionality of SafeGuard to extend to the consumer
market for key features such as parental controls. |
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Sonim
Kiosk Mode lets user administrators configure devices with the minimum required functionality, a critical customer need in hazardous
environments or anywhere that user safety is paramount. |
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Scout
App Updater lets administrators control when and where updates are sent to users’ phones. |
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Sonim
SOS provides emergency alert capabilities for users of Sonim devices to help ensure worker and job-site safety. Additionally, given
recent events that highlight school safety concerns, we are working on implementing this solution in our consumer handset line as
well as our data solutions products. |
Sales
and Marketing
As
of December 31, 2022, our sales and marketing team consisted of 11 professionals located in the United States, Canada and Europe. We
sell our products directly to wireless carriers, through distributors and resellers and directly to end customers. Our marketing efforts
consist of product marketing, channel partner/carrier marketing and corporate marketing. Product marketing focuses on ensuring that carrier
requirements related to product specifications are in-line with our brand requirements. Channel partner marketing focuses on go-to-market
strategy as well as developing supplemental sales tools, carrier and non-carrier marketing campaigns, industry trade show materials and
brand awareness. Corporate marketing consists of public relations, social and digital marketing and lead generation operations.
Manufacturing
We
have outsourced the manufacturing and the final assembly to third-party ODM partners for our new phones and tablets in 2022. The Company managed the material purchases, production, and quality control
that was performed by a manufacturing partner for legacy phones through August of 2022.
Competition
We
operate in a highly competitive environment serving end customers in the industrial enterprise and public sector markets. These markets
are highly fragmented, evolving and increasingly competitive. Competition in our industry is intense and has been characterized by rapidly
changing technologies, evolving industry standards, significant barriers to entry in the form of carrier certification requirements,
frequent new product introductions, annual operating system changes and rapid changes in end user requirements.
Non-rugged
mobile device manufacturers have not historically created devices specifically to compete in the industrial enterprise and public sector
markets. These manufacturers typically focus on a different consumer audience and the requirements to manufacture ruggedized phones differ
significantly from their core products. Nevertheless, we face competition from manufacturers of non-rugged mobile phones such as Apple
Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, or Samsung. to the extent end users decide to purchase traditional devices and add a rugged case
for use in environments that we believe are better suited for purpose built ruggedized mobile phones. We also face competition from manufacturers
of rugged mobile phones such as Samsung, Bullitt Mobile Ltd. and Kyocera Corporation as well as from large system integrators and manufacturers
of private and public wireless network equipment and devices. Competitors in this space include Harris Corporation, JVC KENWOOD Corporation,
Motorola Solutions, Inc. and Tait International Limited.
We
believe the principal competitive factors affecting the market for our products are the products’ performance, features (including
security features), quality, design innovation, reliability, price, customer service, reputation in the industry, brand loyalty and a
strong third-party software and accessories ecosystem. We believe that our strongest competitive advantages are our products’ durability
and reputation in the industry, as well as the push to talk capabilities not available in all competitive devices. Additionally, we believe
our XP10 rugged smartphone is one of the most rugged smartphones made anywhere in the world and it is consequently able to be fully sterilized
and cleaned. In order to compete, we will be required to continue to respond promptly and effectively to the challenges of technological
changes and our competitors’ innovations.
With
regard to competition from LMR providers, traditional LMR providers have chosen to not fully enter the LTE market primarily to avoid
harming their significant existing LMR business. For example, certain major LMR providers have historically achieved over $3.0 billion
in annual revenues from device sales. Further, these LMR providers typically do not have stocked products with major U.S. and Canadian
wireless carriers. Achieving stocked product status with the wireless carriers requires that a manufacturer incur substantial cost and
maintain technical know-how regarding carrier certification requirements.
Intellectual
Property
Our
competitiveness and future success are dependent on our ability to protect our own proprietary technology and to access other important
intellectual property. We protect our freedom to operate in the markets and mitigate intellectual property costs by proactively securing
licenses with key patent holders, filing our own patents, trademarks, and copyrights and participating in defensive patent pools. As
of December 31, 2022, we held 17 utility and design patents in the United States and 11 outside the United States and have filed 1 utility
and design patent applications in the United States. We also have contractual rights to standard essential patents for 2G, 3G, 4G, and
5G wireless technologies, some of which require significant royalty payments. In addition, as of December 31, 2022, we held 16 trademarks
in the United States and 17 trademarks outside the United States and have filed 9 trademark applications in the United States and 11
outside the United States. We opportunistically negotiate licenses with other patent holders where appropriate for our technology.
Our
products are built to conform to wireless standards which are covered by numerous essential patents held by third parties. Our wireless
carriers require us to provide patent indemnification for the products we sell to them, and in turn we secure intellectual property indemnification
from our suppliers.
We
do not believe that our products infringe on the proprietary rights of any third parties. There can be no assurance, however, that third
parties will not claim such infringement by us or our channel partners and end customers with respect to current or future products.
In the past, we have had third parties assert exclusive patent or other intellectual property rights to technologies that are important
to our business. Any such claims, with or without merit, could be time consuming, result in costly litigation, cause product shipment
delays or require us to enter into a royalty or licensing agreement, any of which could delay the development and commercialization of
our products.
Our
smartphone devices use the standard Android operating system and our feature phones use an operating system based on the Android Open
Source Project. We additionally integrate third-party licensed software on commercially reasonable terms. Several Android-based apps
and extension enablers of Android are developed internally by our employees.
Certain
License Agreements
In
January 2017, we entered into an amended and restated global patent license agreement, as amended in December 2018, or the Ericsson Agreement,
with Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ), or Ericsson, pursuant to which Ericsson granted us a license under certain Ericsson patents
to manufacture and sell mobile phones that comply with certain telecommunications standards. Under the agreement, we made a one-time
payment to Ericsson to partially settle royalty arrears and are obligated to pay Ericsson (i) single-digit U.S. dollar amounts per unit,
which amounts are based on the particular product sold and the standards with which such products are compliant, and (ii) quarterly payments
to cover the remaining royalty arrears. The Ericsson Agreement continues until January 1, 2024, unless terminated earlier by the parties.
Ericsson has the right to terminate in the event (i) we materially breach the agreement and do not cure such breach within 30 days, or
(ii) in the event of a change of control of our company, where the successor does not agree to the terms of the agreement. Further, Ericsson
may terminate certain rights under the agreement with respect to third-party manufacturers if a third-party manufacturer files an infringement
suit relating to any patents owned by Ericsson.
Legislation
and Regulation
Wireless
communication devices use radio spectrum, which is regulated by government agencies throughout the world. In the United States, use of
spectrum is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
or NTIA, for non-federal government entities and federal government entities, respectively. The FCC and NTIA allocate spectrum for various
uses, including commercial wireless services and public safety services, and regulate the use of that spectrum and the devices, such
as our products, that operate on that spectrum. The FCC and NTIA also adopt requirements that affect wireless equipment, such as limits
on radio emissions and rules requiring that handsets have specified capabilities, such as providing location information to 911 operators.
The FCC also regulates the testing and certification for the import and/or sale of certain wireless devices.
Other
countries also have regulatory bodies that define and implement the rules for using radio spectrum, pursuant to their respective national
laws and international coordination under the International Telecommunications Union. Our ability to manufacture and sell products in
other countries could be affected by such rules. In addition, any significant variations between the rules in the United States and rules
in other countries, including differences in available spectrum bands for wireless communication, could increase the costs of designing
and manufacturing our products.
Research
and Development
We
allocate significant resources and funds to developing robust and innovative solutions for the end users of our products and ensuring
that these solutions meet their exacting requirements for functionality and reliability. Our research and development initiatives are
led by our internal teams and are supported by third-party original design manufacturers as needed. Our product management team and our
sales and marketing team spend time interacting with a combination of end users and IT administrators in our target markets, wireless
carriers and application and accessory ecosystem partners to better understand the market requirements for our solutions. Once defined,
our engineering organization develops and tests the solution against these requirements and works to achieve technical certification
and approval from the wireless carriers which allows the solutions to be sold to our end users.
Employees
We
have 54 full time employees and 23 contractors as of December 31, 2022.
None
of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We have not experienced any work stoppages,
and we consider our relations with our employees to be good.
Available
Information
Our
Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to
Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, are filed with the Securities
Exchange Commission, or the SEC. The SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Our website provides a link to our SEC filings, which are
available free of charge on the same day such filings are made. The specific location on the website where these reports can be
found is ir.sonimtech.com The information contained on the websites referenced in this Form 10-K
is not incorporated by reference into this filing. Further, the Company’s references to website URLs are intended to be
inactive textual references only.
Item
1A. Risk Factors.
Investing
in our securities involves a great deal of risk. Careful consideration should be made of the following factors as well as other information
included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K before deciding to purchase our securities. There are many risks that affect our business
and results of operations, some of which are beyond our control. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial
condition or operating results could be significantly harmed. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, and
you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks that we do not yet know of or that we currently think are immaterial may
also affect our business and results of operations.
Risks
Related to Our Business
Our
consolidated financial statements included a statement that there is a substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern
and a continuation of negative financial trends could result in our inability to continue as a going concern.
Our
consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022, were prepared on the assumption that we would continue
as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022, did not include any adjustments
that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. As a result of our ongoing net losses, there is substantial doubt about our ability
to continue as a going concern over the next twelve months. The reaction of investors to our potential inability to continue as a going
concern, could materially adversely affect the price of our common stock.
Additionally,
if our projected operating results fail to improve, our liquidity could be further adversely impacted, and we may need to seek additional
sources of funding. We are actively pursuing expanding our business and increasing our revenue opportunities while effectively managing
business operations and exploring further cost saving opportunities. We may not be successful in these efforts, in which case, we may
need to seek to raise additional capital from the sale of equity securities or the incurrence of indebtedness to allow us to invest in
growth opportunities. There can be no assurance that additional financing will be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Additionally,
if we issue additional equity securities to raise funds, whether to existing investors or others, the ownership percentage of our existing stockholders would be reduced. New investors may demand rights,
preferences, or privileges senior to those of existing holders of common stock. We may also be limited as to the amount of funds we can
raise pursuant to SEC rules and the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq.
Our
liquidity has been adversely impacted by our ongoing net losses, and there is no assurance that we
will have sufficient liquidity to continue operations.
We
have incurred significant net losses since 2013 and have an accumulated deficit of $249.9 million as of December 31, 2022. We cannot provide any assurance that we will be able to secure sufficient liquidity to fund our operations, including
through additional capital from the sale of equity securities or financings, or that we will be able achieve profitability through cost
efficiencies implemented in 2022 and 2021. If we are unable to generate or obtain the requisite amount of financing needed to fund our
business operations, our liquidity and ability to continue operations could be materially adversely affected. As a result, we may be
required to delay, reduce or cease our operations and we may be required to seek bankruptcy protection.
We
may not be able to continue to develop solutions to address user needs effectively, including our new consumer durable products, which
would materially adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to continue operations.
Our
industry is characterized by:
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evolving
industry standards; |
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frequent
new product and service introductions; |
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evolving
distribution channels; |
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increasing
demand for customized product and software solutions; |
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rapid
competitive developments; and |
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changing
customer demands. |
Technological
advancements could render our products obsolete, which typically erodes prices and causes products to become unmarketable. Our success
will depend on our ability to respond to changing technologies and customer requirements, and our ability to develop and introduce new
and enhanced products in a cost-effective and timely manner. For example, our XP3plus and XP5plus products are compatible with fourth
generation, or 4G, technology, but emerging fifth generation wireless, or 5G, technology will require network infrastructure upgrades,
which could require us to update and migrate all of our systems from 4G to 5G.
As
a result, we are currently prioritizing spending on research and development of our consumer durable mobile phones and other data devices.
However, the research and development necessary to launch our new products will require us to incur additional costs and our liquidity
continues to be adversely impacted by our ongoing net losses. There can be no assurance that we will have sufficient resources to complete
the development of our new products and bring them to market. Even if we are able to introduce our new ruggedized mobile phones to the
market, there can be no assurance that these new product introductions will lead to any sales or increase in revenue. If we fail to develop
new products on a timely and cost-effective basis, or if our new products fail to achieve market acceptance, our business, operations,
financial condition and liquidity would be further materially adversely affected and we may be required to delay, reduce or cease our
operations and we may be required to seek bankruptcy protection.
Further,
the development of new or enhanced products is a complex and uncertain process requiring the accurate anticipation of technological and
market trends. We may experience design, manufacturing, marketing, and other difficulties that could delay or prevent the development,
introduction or marketing of our new products and enhancements. If we experience delays with new products, if our expectations regarding
market demand and direction are incorrect, if sales of our existing products begin to decline more rapidly, or if the rate of decline
continues to exceed the rate of growth of our next generation products, it will materially and adversely affect our business, results
of operations and financial condition, and may require us to significantly reduce or even eliminate certain research and development
programs.
We
are dependent on the continued services and performance of a concentrated and limited group of senior management and other key personnel,
the loss of any of whom could adversely impact our business.
Our
future success depends in large part on the continued contributions of a concentrated and limited group of senior management and other
key personnel. As previously disclosed, beginning in 2021, we outsourced substantially all of our software development and manufacturing
work to third parties and, as part of these outsourcings, we transferred or eliminated a significant number of employees. As of December
31, 2022, our worldwide employee headcount was 54 employees.
Due
to the small size of our Company and our limited number of employees, each member of our executives, managers and other key personnel
serves a critical role to our success. If we are unable to retain sufficiently experienced and capable employees, including those who
can help us increase revenues generated from our end market segments, our business and financial results may suffer. The loss of the
services of any additional executives, managers or other key personnel could impede the achievement of our strategic objectives, seriously
harm our ability to successfully implement our business strategy and adversely impact our operating results. In addition, if additional
executives, managers or other key personnel resign, retire or are terminated, or their service is otherwise interrupted, including due
to COVID-19, we may not be able to replace them in a timely manner and we could experience significant declines in productivity and/or
errors due to insufficient staffing or managerial oversight. Moreover, experienced and capable employees in the technology industry remain
in high demand, and there is continual competition for their talents. Given our size, we may be at a disadvantage, relative to our larger
competitors, in the competition for these personnel.
We
have not been profitable in recent years and may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
We
have incurred significant net losses since 2013 and have an accumulated deficit of $249.9 million as of December 31, 2022. We are not
certain whether or when we will obtain a high enough volume of sales of our products to sustain or increase our growth or achieve or
maintain profitability in the future. We also expect our costs to increase in future periods, which would negatively impact our future
operating results if our revenues do not increase. In particular, we expect to continue to expend substantial financial and other resources
on:
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research
and development related to our solutions, including investments in our engineering and technical teams; |
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expansion
of our sales and marketing efforts; |
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general
and administrative expenses, including legal and accounting expenses related to being, a public company; and |
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continued
expansion of our business. |
These
investments may not result in increased revenues or growth in our business. Additionally, we have recently and may continue to encounter
unforeseen operating expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other unknown factors that may result in losses in future periods.
If we are unable to increase our revenues at a rate sufficient to offset the expected increase in our costs, our business, operating
results and financial position may be harmed, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability over the long term or continue
as a going concern. Our consolidated financial statements account for the continuation of our business as a going concern. We are subject
to the risks and uncertainties associated with the development and release of new products. Our principal sources of liquidity as of
December 31, 2022 consist of existing cash and cash equivalents totaling $13.2 million, which includes approximately $14.4 million in
net proceeds from a new investor in July and August 2022. The cost structure of the company has been significantly reduced and many aspects
of product development and operational support have been outsourced to add additional spending flexibility if needed. Existing capital
at December 31, 2022 is expected to allow the company to continue operations for at least the next twelve months. If necessary, we will
seek to raise additional capital from new debt. There can be no assurance that additional financing will be available to us on acceptable
terms, or at all. Additionally, if we issue additional equity securities to raise funds, whether to existing investors or others, the
ownership percentage of our existing stockholders would be reduced. New investors may demand rights, preferences or privileges senior
to those of existing holders of common stock. Additionally, we may be limited as to the amount of funds we can raise pursuant to SEC
rules and the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market or Nasdaq. If we cannot grow our revenue run-rate or raise needed
funds, we might be forced to make additional reductions in our operating expenses, which could adversely affect our ability to implement
our business plan and ultimately our viability as a Company.
We
rely on our channel partners to generate a substantial majority of our revenues. If these channel partners fail to perform or if we cannot
enter into agreements with channel partners on favorable terms, our operating results could be significantly harmed.
A
substantial portion of our revenue is generated through sales by our channel partners, which are primarily wireless carriers who sell
our phones through their sales channels. To the extent our channel partners are unsuccessful in selling or do not promote our products,
or we are unable to obtain and retain a sufficient number of high-quality channel partners, our business and operating results could
be significantly harmed.
We
enter into master sales arrangements with the majority of our channel partners (including channel partners contributing approximately
53% and 89% of our total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021) under which our partners purchase our products for
distribution on a purchase order basis. While these arrangements are typically long term, they generally do not contain any firm purchase
volume commitments. As a result, our channel partners are not contractually obligated to purchase from us any minimum quantity of products.
We are generally required to satisfy any and all purchase orders delivered to us within specified delivery windows, with limited exceptions
(such as orders significantly in excess of forecasts). If we are unable to efficiently manage our supply and satisfy purchase orders
on a timely basis to our channel partners, we may be in breach of our sales arrangements and lose potential sales. Our sales arrangements
also generally include technical performance standards for our mobile phones and accessories sold, which vary by channel partner. If
a technical issue with any of our covered products exceeds certain preset failure thresholds for the relevant performance standard or
standards, the channel partner typically has the right to cease selling the product, cancel open purchase orders and levy certain monetary
penalties. If our products suffer technical issues or failures following sales to our channel partners, we may be subject to significant
monetary impact and our channel partners may cease making purchase orders, which would significantly harm our business and results of
operations. In addition, our channel partners retain sole discretion in which of their stocked products to offer their customers. While
we may offer limited customer incentives, we generally have limited to no control over which products our channel partners decide to
offer or promote, which directly impacts the number of products that our partners will purchase from us.
Our
channel partners may be unsuccessful in marketing, selling and supporting our solutions. They may also market, sell and support solutions
that are competitive with ours, and may devote more resources to the marketing, sales and support of such products. They may have incentives
to promote our competitors’ products in lieu of our products, particularly for competitors who do a large volume business with
the channel partner. For example, during the summer of 2019, we expected, based on input from our US wireless carrier channel partners,
for such channel partners to subsidize our new products following launch, to place new releases in retail locations and to sign up push-to-talk
customers to our new generation phones. In each of these cases, there were significant delays and changes in the rollout of these efforts,
which negatively impacted demand for our products and thus our profitability. In the event there is not sufficient demand for our products,
our channel partners may stop selling our products completely. While we employ a small direct sales force, our channel partners have
significantly larger sales teams who are not contractually obligated to promote any of our devices and often have multiple competing
devices in stock to offer their customers. In addition, downstream sales by our channel partners often succeed due to attractive device
prices and monthly rate plans, which we do not control. In certain cases, we may promote our own devices through customer incentives,
typically in exchange for retail price reductions or contributions of funds for marketing purposes; however, there can be no assurance
that any such incentives would contribute to increased purchases of our products. Further, given the impact of attractive pricing on
ultimate sales, we generally must offer increased promotional funding or price reductions for our more expensive products. This promotional
funding or price reductions operate to reduce our margins and significantly impact our profitability.
New
sales channel partners, as well as sales of new products being sold by existing channel partners, may take several months or more to
achieve significant sales. Our channel partner sales structure could subject us to lawsuits, potential liability and reputational harm
if, for example, any of our channel partners misrepresents the functionality of our products or services to their customers or violate
laws or our corporate policies. Additionally, some of our master agreements with our wireless carrier customers contain most “favored
nation” clauses. These clauses typically provide that if we enter into an agreement with another wireless carrier or customer on
more favorable terms, we must offer some of those terms to our existing wireless carrier customers. These provisions may obligate us
to provide different, more favorable, terms to our existing wireless carrier customers, which could, if applied, result in lower revenues
or otherwise adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If
we fail to effectively manage our existing or future sales channel partners, our channel partners fail to promote our products effectively,
we are unable to meet our obligations under our sales arrangements or enter into future agreements with wireless carrier customers that
have terms that are more favorable to the customer, our business and results of operations would be harmed.
In
the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, approximately 83% and 76% of our revenues respectively, were derived from our top four customers.
We expect our revenues to continue to be heavily concentrated among our top customers, and the loss of, or significant reduction in orders
from, any of these customers could significantly reduce our revenues and adversely impact our operating results.
We
currently rely on the three largest U.S. wireless carriers, and two of the three largest Canadian wireless carriers, for the majority
of our revenue. We expect our revenues to remain heavily concentrated among these top wireless carriers, and we will be substantially
dependent on these wireless carriers continuing to purchase and promote our products to their sales channels as well as customer demand
for devices and services from these wireless carriers (factors over which we do not have any control). The communications industry is
also experiencing rapid consolidation and realignment. As a result, our customers may consolidate or align with other entities in a manner
that may delay orders or result in reduced demand compared to historical rates for our products. The loss of one or more of these significant
customers, or reduced demand or purchases from these significant customers, would result in significant harm to our revenues and results
of operations, and our growth could be limited.
We
are materially dependent on some customer relationships that are characterized by non-binding product award letters and the loss of such
relationships could harm our business and operating results.
We
receive award letters or contracts from some of our customers that generally provide for the supply of a customer’s requirements
for a particular product, but do not require the purchase of a product. In addition, new program launches require a significant ramp
up of costs; however, the sales related to these new programs generally are dependent upon the timing and success of the introduction
of our products by our customers. The loss of business with respect to, or the lack of commercial success of, a particular product for
which we are a supplier could reduce our sales and thereby adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.
We
continue to restructure and transform our business. The assumptions underlying these efforts may prove to be inaccurate, or we may fail
to achieve the expected benefits from these efforts, and we may have to restructure or transform our business again in the future.
In
order to be successful, we must have a competitive business model which brings innovative products and services to market in a timely
way. We continue to restructure and transform our business in response to changes in industry and market conditions and to focus on business
simplification, quality improvement, reduced direct and indirect costs, and new revenue growth. We must manage the potentially higher
growth areas of our business, which entail higher operational and financial risks, as well as the non-core areas, in order for us to
achieve improved results. Our assumptions underlying these actions may not be correct, we may be unable to successfully execute these
plans, and even if successfully executed, our actions may not be effective or may not lead to the anticipated benefits. As a result,
we may determine that further restructuring or business transformation will be needed, which could result in the need to record further
special charges such as costs associated with workforce reductions, and we may be unable to maintain or improve our market competitiveness
or profitability.
In
connection with the transformation of our business, we have made, and will continue to make, judgments as to whether we should outsource
the development and manufacturing of our products. If any of these providers experience (i) difficulties in obtaining sufficient supplies
of components, (ii) component prices significantly exceeding anticipated costs, (iii) an interruption in their operations, or (iv) otherwise
suffers capacity constraints, we could experience a delay in production and shipping of these products, which would have a negative impact
on our revenue. Should there be any disruption in services due to natural disaster, economic or political difficulties, transportation
restrictions, acts of terror, quarantines or other restrictions associated with infectious diseases, or other similar events, or any
other reason, such disruption could have a material adverse effect on our business. Operating in the international outsourcing environment
exposes us to certain inherent risks, including unexpected changes in regulatory requirements and tariffs, and potentially adverse tax
consequences, which could materially affect our results of operations. If these providers are unable to achieve greater operational efficiencies,
delivery schedules for new product development and current product delivery could be negatively impacted. Currently, we have no second
source of manufacturing for a portion of our products. In addition, switching from one provider to another is an expensive, difficult
and a time-consuming process, with serious risks to our ability to successfully transfer our development and/or manufacturing operations.
If overall demand for our devices increases in the future, we will need to expand our manufacturing capacity in a cost-efficient manner.
Our operations, and consequently our revenues and profitability, could be materially adversely affected if we are forced to switch from
any of our providers to another provider due to any of a number of factors, including financial difficulties faced by the manufacturer,
disagreements in pricing negotiations between us and the manufacturer or organizational changes in the manufacturer.
Further,
we have made, and will continue to make, judgments as to whether we should further reduce, relocate or otherwise change our workforce
We have outsourced substantially all of our manufacturing functions, software development and quality control functions
to third parties, transferring the employees who previously performed this work. These reductions may have resulted in the loss of institutional
knowledge and expertise and the reallocation and combination of certain roles and responsibilities across the organization, all of which
could adversely affect our operations. These restructuring and additional measures we might take to reduce costs could divert management
attention, yield attrition beyond our intended reduction in force, reduce employee morale, or cause us to delay, limit, reduce or eliminate
certain product development plans, each of which could have an adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Furthermore, our workforce efforts may impair our ability to achieve our current or future business objectives.
We
are materially dependent on the adoption of our solutions by both the industrial enterprise and public sector markets, and if end customers
in those markets do not purchase our solutions, our revenues will be adversely impacted, and we may not be able to expand into other
markets.
Our
revenues have historically been in the industrial enterprise market, and we are materially dependent on the adoption of our solutions
by both the industrial enterprise and public sector markets. End customers in the public sector market may remain, for reasons outside
our control, tied to solutions or other competitive alternatives to our phones. Sales of our products to these buyers may also be delayed
or limited by these competitive conditions. If our products are not widely accepted by buyers in those markets, we may not be able to
expand sales of our products into new markets, and our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely impacted.
Our
quarterly results may vary significantly from period to period, which could make our future results difficult to predict and could cause
our operating results to fall below investor, analyst or our expectations.
Our
quarterly results and, in particular, our revenue, gross margins, operating expenses, operating margins and net income (loss), have historically
varied significantly from period to period and may continue to do so in the future. As a result, comparing our operating results on a
period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. Our budgeted expense levels are based, in large part, on our expectations of future revenue
and the development efforts associated with that future revenue. Due to our smaller scale compared to many of our customers, we are particularly
vulnerable to the impacts of changes in these customers’ order forecasts. Consequently, if our revenue does not meet projected
levels in the short-term, our inventory levels, cost of goods sold and operating expenses would be high relative to revenue, resulting
in potential operating losses. If our revenue or operating results do not meet the expectations of investors, the price of our common
stock may decline substantially.
Factors
that may contribute to fluctuations in our quarterly results, many of which are outside our control and may be difficult to predict,
include:
|
● |
fluctuations
in demand, sales cycles and prices for products and services, including discounts given in response to competitive pricing pressures
or to secure long-term customer relationships, as well as the timing of purchases by our key customers; |
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fluctuations
in our customer, product or geographic mix, including the impact of new customer deployments, which typically carry lower gross margins,
customer consolidation, which may affect our ability to grow revenue, and products powered by our next-generation technologies, which
initially tend to be lower margin due to higher per unit production costs and greater variability in production yields; |
|
● |
the
timing, market acceptance and rate of adoption of our new product releases and our competitors’ new product releases; |
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● |
our
ability to manage manufacturing costs, maintain or improve quality, and increase volumes and yields on products; |
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● |
our ability to successfully restructure or transform our operations within our anticipated time frame and realize
our anticipated savings; |
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● |
the
price, quality and timing of delivery of key components from suppliers, including any shipping cost increases or delays in the supply
of components, as well as impacts due to consolidations amongst our suppliers; |
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order
cancellations, reductions or delays in delivery schedules by our customers; |
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any
delay in collecting or failure to collect accounts receivable; |
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our
ability to control costs, including our operating expenses and the costs and availability of components we purchase for our products; |
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any
significant changes in the competitive dynamics of the markets we serve, including any new entrants, new technologies, or customer
or competitor consolidation, as well as aggressive pricing tactics by our competitors; |
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our
ability to manage inventory while timely meeting customer demand and avoiding charges for excess or obsolete inventory; |
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the
availability of third-party service partners to provide contract development and manufacturing services for us; |
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the
timing of revenue recognition and revenue deferrals; |
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any
future changes in U.S. GAAP or new interpretations of existing accounting rules; |
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the
impact of a significant natural disaster, as well as interruptions or shortages in the supply of utilities such as water and electricity; |
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general
economic and political conditions in domestic and international markets, and other factors beyond our control and |
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additional
developments regarding our intellectual property portfolio and regulatory exclusivity protections, if any |
We
participate in a competitive industry, which may become more competitive. Competitors with greater resources and significant experience
in high-volume product manufacturing may be able to respond more quickly and cost-effectively than we can to new or emerging technologies
and changes in customer requirements.
We
face significant competition in developing and selling our solutions. Our primary competitors in the non-rugged mobile device market
include Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Our primary competitors in the rugged mobile device market include Bullitt Mobile
Ltd., and Kyocera Corporation. We also face competition from large system integrators and manufacturers of private and public wireless
network equipment and devices. Competitors in this space include Harris Corporation, JVC KENWOOD Corporation, Motorola Solutions, Inc.,
or MSI, and Tait International Limited.
We
cannot assure we will be able to compete successfully against current or future competitors. Increased competition in mobile computing
platforms, or related accessories and software developments may result in price reductions, lower gross profit margins, and loss of market
share, and could require increased spending on research and development, sales and marketing, and customer support. Some competitors
may make strategic acquisitions or establish cooperative relationships with suppliers or companies that produce complementary products,
which may create additional pressures on our competitive position in the marketplace.
Most
of our competitors have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, larger customer bases and significantly greater financial,
technical, sales, marketing and other resources and experience than we do. In addition, because of the higher volume of components that
many of our competitors purchase from their suppliers, they are able to keep their supply costs relatively low and, as a result, may
be able to recognize higher margins on their product sales than we do. Many of our competitors may also have existing relationships with
the channel partners who we use to sell our products, or with our potential customers. This competition may result in reduced prices,
reduced margins and longer sales cycles for our products. Our competitors may also be able quickly and cost-effectively respond to new
or emerging technologies and changes in customer requirements. The combination of brand strength, extensive distribution channels and
financial resources of the larger vendors could cause us to lose market share and could reduce our margins on our products, especially
if any of our larger competitors moved into the market for ultra-rugged mobile phones and accessories, as those competitors would enjoy
relatively low barriers. If any of our larger competitors were to commit greater technical, sales, marketing and other resources to our
markets, our ability to compete would be adversely impacted. If we are unable to successfully compete with our competitors, our sales
would suffer and as a result our financial condition will be adversely impacted.
We
rely primarily on third-party contract manufacturers and partners. If these relationships are disrupted and we are unable to obtain substitute
manufacturers or partners, on favorable terms or at all, our business, operating results and financial condition may be harmed.
We
have outsourced our software development, third-party contract manufacturing, and product assembly operations to third-parties
located in India and China.
Our
contract manufacturers now produce all of our products in facilities located in Asia. All manufacturing of our products
is performed in accordance with detailed specifications and product designs furnished or approved by us and is subject to rigorous quality
control standards. We periodically review our product manufacturing operations and consider changes we believe may be necessary or appropriate.
Although we intend to closely manage the transition process when manufacturing changes, we could experience disruption to our operations
during any such transition. Other significant risks include limited control over assembly and testing capacity, delivery schedules, quality
assurance, manufacturing yields, production costs, tariffs and uncertainty over political unrest. Any such disruption could negatively
affect our reputation and our operating results.
In
addition, we rely on third parties to provide certain services to us, or to our customers, including software development, hosting services
and providers of other cloud-based services. If these third-party providers do not perform as expected, our customers may be adversely
affected, resulting in potential liability and negative exposure for us. If it is necessary to migrate these services to other providers
due to poor performance, cyber breaches or other security considerations, or other financial or operational factors, it could result
in service disruptions to our customers and significant time and expense to us, any of which could adversely affect our business, operating
results and financial condition.
Migrating
our design methodology to third-party contract manufacturers or partners could involve increased costs, resources and development time,
and could expose us to further risk of losing control over our intellectual property and the quality of our products.
If
our products contain defects or errors, we could incur significant unexpected expenses, experience product returns and lost sales, experience
product recalls, suffer damage to our brand and reputation, and be subject to product liability or other claims.
We
produce highly complex products that incorporate leading-edge technology, including both hardware and software. The industry standards
upon which many of our products are based are also complex, experience change over time and may be interpreted in different manners.
Software often contains defects or programming flaws that can unexpectedly interfere with expected operations. In addition, our products
are complex and are designed to be deployed in large quantities across complex and varying networks. Because of the nature of these products,
they can only be fully tested when completely deployed in large networks with high amounts of traffic, and there is no assurance that
our pre-shipment testing programs will be adequate to detect all defects. As a result, our customers may discover errors or defects in
our hardware or software, or our products may not operate as expected. If we are unable to cure a product defect, we could experience
damage to our reputation, reduced customer satisfaction, loss of existing customers and failure to attract new customers, failure to
achieve market acceptance, reduced sales opportunities, loss of revenue and market share, increased service and warranty costs, diversion
of development resources, legal actions by our customers, and increased insurance costs. Defects, integration issues or other performance
problems in our products could also result in damages to our customers, financial or otherwise. Our customers could seek damages for
related losses from us, which could seriously harm our business, operations, financial condition and liquidity. A product liability claim
brought against us, even if unsuccessful, would likely be time consuming and costly. The occurrence of any of these problems would seriously
harm our business, operations, financial condition and liquidity.
Further,
errors, defects or bugs in our solutions could be exploited by hackers or could otherwise result in an actual or perceived breach of
our information systems. Alleviating any of these problems could require significant expense and could cause interruptions, delays or
cessation of our product licensing, which would reduce demand for our products and result in a loss of sales, delay in market acceptance
and injure our reputation and could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We
compete in a rapidly evolving market, and the failure to respond quickly and effectively to changing market requirements could cause
our business and operating results to decline.
The
mobile device market is characterized by rapidly changing technology, changing customer needs, evolving industry standards and frequent
introductions of new products and services. In order to deliver a competitive mobile device, our solutions must be capable of operating
in an increasingly complex network environment. As new wireless phones are introduced and standards in the mobile device market evolve,
we may be required to modify our phones and services to make them compatible with these new products and standards. Likewise, if our
competitors introduce new devices and services that compete with ours, we may be required to reposition our solutions or introduce new
phones and solutions in response to such competitive pressure. We may not be successful in modifying our current phones or introducing
new ones in a timely or appropriately responsive manner, or at all. If we fail to address these changes successfully, our business and
operating results could be significantly harmed.
If
our business does not grow as we expect, if we fail to manage our growth effectively or if our cost cutting measures are not sufficient
our operating results and business would suffer.
Our
ability to successfully grow our business depends on a number of factors including our ability to:
|
● |
accelerate
the adoption of our solutions by new end customers; |
|
|
|
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expand
into new vertical markets; |
|
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develop
and deliver new products and services; |
|
|
|
|
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increase
awareness of the benefits that our solutions offer; |
|
|
|
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become
more cost effective and scalable by utilizing contract manufacturing. |
As
usage of our solutions grows, we will need to continue to make investments to develop and implement new or updated solutions, technologies,
security features and cloud-based infrastructure operations. In addition, we will need to appropriately scale our internal business systems
and our services organization, including the suppliers of our detection equipment and customer support services, to serve our growing
customer base. Any failure of, or delay in, these efforts could impair the performance of our solutions and reduce customer satisfaction.
Further,
our growth could increase quickly and place a strain on our managerial, operational, financial and other resources, and our future operating
results depend to a large extent on our ability to successfully manage our anticipated expansion and growth. To manage our growth successfully,
we will need to continue to invest in sales and marketing, research and development, and general and administrative functions and other
areas. We are likely to recognize the costs associated with these investments earlier than receiving some of the anticipated benefits,
and the return on these investments may be lower, or may develop more slowly, than we expect, which could adversely impact our operating
results.
If
we are unable to manage our growth effectively, we may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities or develop new solutions
or upgrades to our existing solutions, satisfy customer requirements, maintain the quality and security of our solutions or execute on
our business plan, any of which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
We
are required to undergo a lengthy customization and certification process for each wireless carrier customer, which increases our operating
expenses, and failure to obtain such certification would adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Each
wireless carrier requires each of our devices to complete a thorough technical acceptance process before it can be stocked and sold.
Such acceptance processes impose rigorous and complex requirements on our devices, which result in a lengthy testing and certification
process, during which we incur substantial operating expenses related to the wireless carrier’s technical acceptance of our devices.
The acceptance processes and related costs to us vary across carrier customers depending on carrier size and level of customization required.
Generally, the certification process commences within one to three months of product concept development. During this development stage,
certain carriers provide a technology roadmap and target demographics, allowing us to define product specifications to meet carrier goals,
while other carriers provide defined specifications and preferred price points. Once we receive approval of a product concept by the
carrier, we and the carrier advance the product to the development stage. When the product is close to becoming a functioning model,
we commence internal quality assurance processes and field testing, which may include third -party lab testing, in-market field testing
and interoperability testing. Finally, as the last step in the testing phase, the wireless carrier typically conducts testing itself,
following which the product may be certified and stocked. The entire process can last from 6 to 18 months depending on the particular
wireless carrier and type of device. Any delay in the acceptance process or failure to satisfy the device certification requirements
would affect our ability to bring products to market and adversely impacts our results of operations and financial condition.
If
we fail to adequately forecast demand for our inventory and supply needs, we could incur additional costs or experience manufacturing
delays, which could reduce our gross margin or cause us to delay or even lose sales.
Because
our production volumes are based on a forecast of channel partner demand rather than firm purchase commitments from our major customers,
our forecasts have been, and there is a risk that our forecasts could be in the future, inaccurate and there is a risk that we will be
unable to sell our products at the volumes and prices we expect, which may result in excess inventory. We provide, and will continue
to provide, forecasts of our demand to our third-party suppliers prior to the scheduled delivery of products to our channel partners.
If we overestimate our requirements, our contract manufacturers may have excess component inventory, which could increase our costs.
If we underestimate our requirements, our contract manufacturers may have inadequate component inventory, which could interrupt the manufacturing
of our products and result in delays in shipments and revenues, lost sales, or we could incur unplanned overtime costs to meet our requirements,
resulting in significant cost increases. For example, certain materials and components used to manufacture our products may reach end
of life during any of our product’s life cycles, following which suppliers no longer provide such expired materials and components.
This would require us to either source and qualify an alternative component, which could require a re-certification of the device by
the wireless carriers and/or regulatory agencies or forecast product demand for a final purchase of such materials and components that
may reach end of life to ensure that we have sufficient product inventory through a product’s life cycle. If we overestimate forecasted
demand, we will hold excess end-of-life materials and components resulting in increased costs. If we underestimate forecasted demand,
we could experience delays in shipments and loss of revenues.
In
addition, if we underestimate our requirements and the applicable supplier becomes insolvent or is no longer able to timely supply our
needs in a cost-efficient manner or at all, we may be required to acquire components, which may need to be customized for our products,
from alternative suppliers, including at significantly higher costs. For example, in 2018, one of our suppliers became insolvent and
ceased all production, requiring us to seek alternative supply of complex components in a very short time frame. If we cannot source
alternative suppliers and/or alternative components, we may suffer delays in shipments or lost sales. Similarly, credit constraints at
our suppliers could require us to accelerate payment of our accounts payable, impacting our cash flow. Further, lead times for materials
and components that we order vary significantly and depend on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms, customization needed
for any particular component and demand for each component at a given time. Any such failure to accurately forecast demand and manufacturing
and supply requirements, and any need to obtain alternative supply sources, could materially harm our business, results of operations
and financial condition.
The
markets for our devices and related accessories may not develop as quickly as we expect or may not develop at all.
Our
future success is substantially dependent upon continued adoption of devices and related accessories in the industrial enterprise and
public sector markets, including the transition from LMR and PTT, to smartphone and cellular networks. These market developments and
transitions may take longer than we expect or may not occur at all and may not be as widespread as we expect. If the market does not
develop as we expect, our business, operating results and financial condition would be significantly harmed.
Our
dependence on third-party suppliers for key components of our products could delay shipment of our products and reduce our sales.
We
depend on certain suppliers for the delivery of components used in the assembly of our products, including machined parts, injection
molded plastic parts, printed circuit boards and other miscellaneous custom parts for our products. Our reliance on third-party suppliers
creates risks related to our potential inability to obtain an adequate supply of components and reduced control over pricing and timing
of delivery of components. In particular, we have little to no control over the prices at which our suppliers sell materials and components
to us. The components business has, from time to time, experienced periods of extreme shortages in product supply, generally as the result
of demand exceeding available supply. Many companies utilize the same raw materials and supplies that we do in the production of their
products. Companies with more resources than our own may have a competitive advantage in obtaining raw materials and supplies due to
greater buying power. When these shortages occur, suppliers also tend to either increase prices or reduce the number of units sold to
customers. In addition, certain supplies of our components are available only from a single source or limited sources and we may not
be able to diversify suppliers in a timely manner. We have experienced shortages in the past that have negatively impacted our results
of operations and may experience such shortages in the future. These factors can result in reduced supply, higher prices of components
used in the assembly of our products and delays in the receipt of certain of our key components, which in turn may generate increased
costs, lower margins and delays in product delivery, with a corresponding adverse effect on revenues and customer relationships.
We
also do not have long-term supply agreements with any of our suppliers. Our current contracts with certain suppliers may be canceled
or not extended by such suppliers and, therefore, do not afford us with sufficient protection against a reduction or interruption in
supplies. Moreover, in the event any of these suppliers breach their contracts with us, our legal remedies associated with such a breach
may be insufficient to compensate us for any damages we may suffer.
Any
interruption of supply for any material components of our products for any reason, including but not limited to a global or local health
crises, or inability to obtain required components from our third-party suppliers, could significantly delay the production and shipment
of our products and harm our revenues, profitability and financial condition.
Our
future success is dependent on our ability to create independent brand awareness for our company and products with end customers, and
our inability to achieve such brand awareness could limit our prospects.
We
depend on a small number of wireless carriers to distribute our products. While we intend to accelerate direct marketing and
end-customer brand awareness initiatives in the future, our sales and marketing efforts have historically been predominantly focused
on channel partners. As such, our operating expenses related to end-customer marketing efforts have historically been very small,
representing less than 1.0% of our total sales and marketing expenses during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. To increase
end-customer brand awareness requires investments in our sales and marketing efforts. As a result, we expect our sales and marketing
expenses to increase in the future, primarily from increased sales personnel expenses, which will require us to cost-efficiently
ramp up our sales and marketing capabilities and effectively target end customers. However, there can be no assurance that we will
successfully increase our brand awareness or do so in a cost-efficient manner while maintaining market share within our existing
sales channels. Our failure to establish stand-alone brand awareness with end customers of our products would leave us vulnerable to
competitors and have an adverse impact on our prospects. If we are unable to significantly increase the awareness of our brand and
solutions with end customers in a cost-efficient manner, we will remain significantly dependent on our channel partners for sales of
our products and would adversely impact our ability to grow our business.
If
we are unable to sell our solutions into new markets, our revenues may not grow.
Any
new market into which we attempt to sell our solutions may not be receptive. Our ability to penetrate new markets depends on the quality
of our solutions, the continued adoption of our public safety solution by first responders, the perceived value of our solutions as a
risk management tool and our ability to design our solutions to meet the demands of our customers. If the markets for our solutions do
not develop as we expect, our revenues may not grow.
Our
ability to successfully face these challenges depends on several factors, including increasing the awareness of our solutions and their
benefits, the effectiveness of our marketing programs, the costs of our solutions, our ability to attract, retain and effectively train
sales and marketing personnel, and our ability to develop relationships with wireless carriers and other partners. If we are unsuccessful
in developing and marketing our solutions into new markets, new markets for our solutions might not develop or might develop more slowly
than we expect, either of which would harm our revenues and growth prospects.
Our
existing IT systems may not be adequate to manage our growth, and our implementation of updated IT systems could result in significant
disruptions to our operations.
Our
existing IT systems may be inadequate to manage our growth and we must implement various upgrades to our enterprise resource planning,
or ERP, systems, as well as other complementary IT systems, over the next several years. Implementation of these solutions and systems
is highly dependent on coordination of numerous software and system providers and internal business teams. The interdependence of these
solutions and systems is a significant risk to the successful completion of the initiatives and the failure of any one system could have
a significant adverse impact on the implementation of our overall IT infrastructure. We may experience difficulties as we transition
to these new or upgraded systems and processes, including loss or corruption of data, delayed shipments, decreases in productivity as
our personnel and third-party providers implement and become familiar with new systems, increased costs and lost revenues.
In
addition, transitioning to these new systems requires significant capital investments and personnel resources. Difficulties in implementing
new or upgraded information systems or significant system failures could disrupt our operations and have a significant adverse impact
on our capital resources, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Implementation of this new IT infrastructure could
have a significant impact on our business processes and information systems across a significant portion of our operations. As a result,
we must undergo significant changes in our operational processes and internal controls as our implementation progresses, which in turn
will require significant change management, including recruiting and training of qualified personnel. If we are unable to successfully
manage these changes as we implement these systems, including harmonizing our systems, data, processes and reporting analytics, our ability
to conduct, manage and control routine business functions could be negatively affected and significant disruptions to our business could
occur. In addition, we could incur material unanticipated expenses, including additional costs of implementation or costs of conducting
business. These risks could result in significant business disruptions or divert management’s attention from key strategic initiatives
and have a significant adverse impact on our capital resources, financial condition and results of operations.
A
security breach or other significant disruption of our IT systems or those of our partners, suppliers or manufacturers, caused by cyberattacks
or other means, could have a negative impact on our operations, sales, and operating results.
We
rely extensively on our information systems to manage our business operations. We have experienced and expect to continue to
experience attempts to compromise our information technology systems and those of our third-party service providers. All IT systems
are potentially vulnerable to damage, unauthorized access or interruption from a variety of sources, including but not limited to,
cyberattacks, cyber intrusions, computer viruses, security breaches, energy blackouts, natural disasters, terrorism, sabotage, war,
insider trading and telecommunication failures. A cyberattack or other significant disruption involving our IT systems or those of
our outsource partners, suppliers or manufacturers could result in the unauthorized release of proprietary, confidential or
sensitive information of ours or result in virus and malware installation on our devices. Such unauthorized access to, or release
of, this information or other security breaches could: (i) allow others to unfairly compete with us, (ii) compromise safety or
security, (iii) subject us to claims for breach of contract, tort, and other civil claims, and (iv) damage our reputation. We could face regulatory penalties, enforcement actions, remediation obligations, or private litigation by parties
whose data is improperly disclosed or misused. Any or
all of the foregoing could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We
experience lengthy sales cycles for our products and the delay of an expected large order could result in a significant unexpected revenue
shortfall.
The
purchase of our products is often an enterprise-wide decision for prospective customers, which requires us to engage in sales efforts
over an extended period of time and provide a significant level of education to prospective customers regarding the uses and benefits
of such devices. Prospective customers, especially the wireless carriers that sell our products, often undertake a prolonged evaluation
process that may take from several months to several years in certain cases. Consequently, if our forecasted sales from a specific customer
are not realized, we may not be able to generate revenues from alternative sources in time to compensate for the shortfall. The loss
or delay of an expected large order could also result in a significant unexpected revenue shortfall. Moreover, to the extent we enter
into and deliver our products pursuant to significant contracts earlier than we expected, our operating results for subsequent periods
may fall below expectations. We may spend substantial time, effort and money on our sales and marketing efforts without any assurance
that our efforts will produce any sales. If we are unable to succeed in closing sales with new and existing customers, our business,
operating results and financial condition will be harmed.
Our
ability to use our net operating losses to offset future taxable income will be subject to certain limitations.
As
of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had U.S. federal and state net operating loss carryforwards, or NOLs, of $88.4 million and $7.4 million,
respectively, due to prior period losses, a portion of which expire in various years beginning in 2037 and 2035, respectively, if not
utilized. In general, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, a corporation that undergoes an
“ownership change” is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its NOLs to offset future taxable income. Due to the investment by AJP
Holding Company, LLC during 2022 and the resulting ownership change, the future use of the NOLs to reduce future taxable income of the
Company is severely limited.
We
may incur substantial costs and receive adverse outcomes in litigation, regulatory investigations, and other legal matters in connection
with alleged violations of securities laws and regulations.
Our
business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by unfavorable results in pending or
future litigations, regulatory investigations, and other legal matters related to violations or perceived violations of applicable securities
laws and regulations by the Company or its affiliates.
We
have been subject to the SEC investigation and stockholders’ class actions in the past and may become subject to securities-related
investigations or legal proceedings in the future. The ultimate resolution of such investigations and lawsuits cannot be predicted, and
the claims raised in these lawsuits may result in further legal matters or actions against us, including, but not limited to, government
enforcement actions or additional private litigation. We were subject to an SEC investigation that had started in March 2020. Although
there were no penalties imposed against the Company as a result of that SEC investigation, we cannot predict the outcome of any particular
proceeding, or whether any new SEC investigation will be resolved favorably or ultimately result in charges or material damages, fines
or other penalties, enforcement actions, or civil or criminal proceedings against us or members of our senior management.
Litigation
matters and regulatory investigations, regardless of their merits or their ultimate outcomes, are costly, divert management’s attention,
and may materially adversely affect our reputation and demand for our products. We cannot predict with certainty the eventual outcome
of pending or future legal matters. An adverse outcome of litigation or legal matters could result in us being responsible for significant
damages. Any of these negative effects resulting from litigation, regulatory investigations, and other legal matters could materially
adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Changes
in the availability of federal funding to support local public safety or other public sector efforts could impact our opportunities with
public sector end customers.
Many
of our public sector end customers rely to some extent on funds from the U.S. federal government in order to purchase and pay for our
solutions. Any reduction in federal funding for local public safety or other public sector efforts could result in our end customers
having less access to funds required to continue, renew, expand or pay for our solutions. Additionally, the last U.S. government partial
shutdown, and any future U.S. government shutdowns, could result in delayed public safety spending or re-allocation of funding into other
areas of public safety. If federal funding is reduced or eliminated and our end customers cannot find alternative sources of funding
to purchase our solutions, our business will be harmed.
Changes
in laws and regulations concerning the use of telecommunication bandwidth could increase our costs and adversely impact our business.
Our
business depends on our ability to sell devices that use telecommunication bandwidth allocated to licensed and unlicensed wireless services,
and that use of that bandwidth is subject to laws and regulations that are subject to change over time. Changes in the permitted uses
of telecommunication bandwidth, reallocation of such bandwidth to different uses, and new or increased regulation of the capabilities,
manufacture, importation, and use of devices that depend on such bandwidth could increase our costs, require costly modifications to
our products before they are sold, or limit our ability to sell those products in to our target markets. In addition, we are subject
to regulatory requirements for certification and testing of our products before they can be marketed or sold. Those requirements may
be onerous and expensive. Changes to those requirements could result in significant additional costs and could adversely impact our ability
to bring new products to market in a timely fashion.
Failure
of our suppliers, subcontractors, distributors, resellers, and representatives to use acceptable legal or ethical business practices,
or to fail for any other reason, could negatively impact our business.
We
do not control the labor and other business practices of our suppliers, subcontractors, distributors, resellers and third-party sales
representatives, or TPSRs, and cannot provide assurance that they will operate in compliance with applicable rules, and regulations regarding
working conditions, employment practices, environmental compliance, anti-corruption, and trademark a copyright and patent licensing.
If one of our suppliers, subcontractors, distributors, resellers, or TPSRs violates labor or other laws or implements labor or other
business practices that are regarded as unethical, the shipment of finished products to us could be interrupted, orders could be canceled,
relationships could be terminated, and our reputation could be damaged. If one of our suppliers or subcontractors fails to procure the
necessary license rights to trademarks, copyrights or patents, legal action could be taken against us that could impact the saleability
of our products and expose us to financial obligations to a third party. Any of these events could have a negative impact on our sales
and results of operations.
Moreover,
any failure of our suppliers, subcontractors, distributors, resellers and TPSRs, for any reason, including bankruptcy or other business
disruption, could disrupt our supply or distribution efforts and could have a negative impact on our sales and results of operations.
We
are subject to a wide range of privacy and data security laws, regulations and other legal obligations.
Personal
privacy and information security are significant issues in the United States and the other jurisdictions in which we operate or make
our products and applications available. The legislative and regulatory framework for privacy and security issues worldwide is rapidly
evolving and is likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. Our handling of data is subject to a variety of laws and regulations,
including regulation by various government agencies, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, and various state, local and
foreign agencies. We may collect personally identifiable information, or PII, and other data from our customers. We use this information
to provide services to our customers and to support, expand and improve our business. We may also share customers’ PII with third
parties as allowed by applicable law and agreements and authorized by the customer or as described in our privacy policy.
The
U.S. federal and various state and foreign governments have adopted or proposed limitations on the collection, distribution, transfer,
use and storage of PII. In the United States, the FTC and many state attorneys general are applying federal and state consumer protection
laws as imposing standards for the online collection, use and dissemination of data. Many foreign countries and governmental bodies,
including Canada, the European Union and other relevant jurisdictions, have laws and regulations concerning the collection and use of
PII obtained from their residents or by businesses operating within their jurisdiction. These laws and regulations often are more restrictive
than those in the United States. Laws and regulations in these jurisdictions apply broadly to the collection, use, storage, disclosure
and security of data that identifies or may be used to identify or locate an individual, such as names, email addresses and, in some
jurisdictions, Internet Protocol, or IP, addresses. Within the European Union, legislators have adopted the General Data Protection Regulation,
or GDPR, effective May 2018 which may impose additional obligations and risk upon our business, and which may increase substantially
the penalties to which we could be subject in the event of any non-compliance. We may incur substantial expense in complying with the
obligations imposed by the governments of the foreign jurisdictions in which we do business or seek to do business and we may be required
to make significant changes in our business operations, all of which may adversely impact our revenues and our business overall.
Although
we are working to comply with those federal, state, and foreign laws and regulations, industry standards, contractual obligations and
other legal obligations that apply to us, those laws, regulations, standards and obligations are evolving and may be modified, interpreted
and applied in an inconsistent manner from one jurisdiction to another, and may conflict with one another, other requirements or legal
obligations, our practices or the features of our products or applications. At state level, lawmakers continue to pass new laws concerning
privacy and data security. Particularly notable in this regard is the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, which became effective
on January 1, 2020, as well as the California Consumer Privacy Act, which was passed in November 2020 and makes a number of significant
amendments to the CCPA. The CCPA introduced significant new disclosure obligations and provides California consumers with significant
new privacy rights. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with federal, state or foreign laws or regulations, industry standards,
contractual obligations or other legal obligations, or any actual or suspected security incident, whether or not resulting in unauthorized
access to, or acquisition, release or transfer of PII or other data, may result in governmental enforcement actions and prosecutions,
private litigation, fines and penalties or adverse publicity and could cause our customers to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse
impact on our reputation and business. Any inability to adequately address privacy and security concerns, even if unfounded, or comply
with applicable laws, regulations, policies, industry standards, contractual obligations, or other legal obligations could result in
additional cost and liability to us, damage our reputation, inhibit sales and adversely impact our business.
We
also expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations and industry standards concerning privacy, data protection
and information security in the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions, and we cannot yet determine the impact such
future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. New laws, amendments to or re-interpretations of existing laws and regulations,
industry standards, contractual obligations and other obligations may require us to incur additional costs and restrict our business
operations. Such laws and regulations may require companies to implement privacy and security policies, permit users to access, correct
and delete personal information stored or maintained by such companies, inform individuals of security breaches that affect their personal
information, and, in some cases, obtain individuals’ consent to use PII for certain purposes. In addition, a foreign government
could require that any PII collected in a country not be disseminated outside of that country, and we are not currently equipped to comply
with such a requirement.
We
are exposed to risks associated with strategic transactions.
We
may consider strategic acquisitions of and combinations with companies with complementary technologies or intellectual property in the
future. Acquisitions hold special challenges in terms of successful integration of technologies, products, services and employees. We
may not realize the anticipated benefits of these transactions or the benefits of any other acquisitions we have completed or may complete
in the future, and we may not be able to incorporate any acquired services, products or technologies with our existing operations, or
integrate personnel from the acquired or combined businesses, in which case our business could be harmed.
Acquisitions
and other strategic transactions involve numerous risks, including:
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problems
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unanticipated
costs, taxes, litigation and other contingent liabilities; |
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continued
liability for discontinued businesses and pre-closing activities of divested businesses or certain post-closing liabilities which
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adverse
impacts on existing business relationships with suppliers and customers; |
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cannibalization
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risks
associated with entering into markets in which we have no, or limited, prior experience; |
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incurrence
of significant restructuring charges if acquired products or technologies are unsuccessful; |
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significant
diversion of management’s attention from our core business and diversion of key employees’ time and resources; |
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licensing,
indemnity or other conflicts between existing businesses and acquired businesses; |
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inability
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potential
loss of our key employees or the key employees of an acquired organization or as a result of discontinued businesses. |
Financing
for future strategic transactions may not be available on favorable terms, or at all. If we identify an appropriate acquisition or combination
candidate for any of our businesses, we may not be able to negotiate the terms of the transaction successfully, finance the transaction
or integrate the applicable business, products, service offerings, technologies or employees. Future strategic transactions may not be
well-received by the investment community, which may cause the value of our stock to fall. We cannot ensure that we will be able to identify
or complete any acquisition, divestiture or discontinued business in the future. Further, the terms of our indebtedness constrain our
ability to enter into and finance certain strategic transactions.
If
we acquire businesses, new products, service offerings or technologies in the future, we may incur significant acquisition-related costs.
In addition, we may be required to amortize significant amounts of finite-lived intangible assets and we may record significant amounts
of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangible assets that would be subject to testing for impairment. We have in the past and may in the
future be required to write off all or part of the intangible assets or goodwill associated with these investments that could harm our
operating results. If we consummate one or more significant future acquisitions in which the consideration consists of stock or other
securities, our existing stockholders’ ownership could be significantly diluted. If we were to proceed with one or more significant
future acquisitions in which the consideration included cash, we could be required to use a substantial portion of our cash and investments.
Acquisitions could also cause operating margins to fall depending on the businesses acquired.
Our
strategic investments may involve joint development, joint marketing, or entry into new business ventures, or new technology licensing.
Any joint development efforts may not result in the successful introduction of any new products or services by us or a third party, and
any joint marketing efforts may not result in increased demand for our products or services. Further, any current or future strategic
acquisitions and investments by us may not allow us to enter and compete effectively in new markets or enhance our business in our existing
markets and we may have to impair the carrying amount of our investments.
Risks
Related to Our Intellectual Property
If
we are unable to successfully protect our intellectual property, our competitive position may be harmed.
Our
ability to compete is heavily affected by our ability to protect our intellectual property. We rely on a combination of patents, patent
applications, copyright and trademark laws, trade secrets, confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary
rights. We also enter, and plan to continue to enter, into confidentiality, invention assignment or license agreements with our employees,
consultants and other parties with whom we contract, and control access to and distribution of our software, documentation and other
proprietary information. The steps we take to protect our intellectual property may be inadequate, and it is possible that some or all
of our confidentiality agreements will not be honored, and certain contractual provisions may not be enforceable. Existing trade secret,
trademark and copyright laws offer only limited protection. Unauthorized parties may attempt to copy aspects of our products or obtain
and use information which we regard as proprietary. Policing unauthorized use of our products is difficult, time consuming and costly,
particularly in foreign countries where the laws may not protect our proprietary rights as fully as in the United States. We cannot assure
you that our means of protecting our proprietary rights will be adequate or that our competitors will not independently develop similar
technology, the effect of either of which would harm our competitive position in the market. Furthermore, disputes can arise with our
strategic partners, customers or others concerning the ownership of intellectual property.
Others
may claim that we infringe on their intellectual property rights, which may result in costly and time-consuming litigation and could
delay or otherwise impair the development and commercialization of our products.
In
recent years, there has been a significant increase in litigation in the United States involving patents and other intellectual property
rights, and because our products are comprised of complex technology, we are often involved in or impacted by assertions, including both
requests to take licenses and litigation, regarding infringement of patent and other intellectual property rights of third parties. Third
parties have asserted, and in the future may assert, intellectual property infringement claims against us and against our channel partners,
end customers and suppliers. Many of these assertions are brought by non-practicing entities whose principal business model is to secure
patent licensing revenues from product manufacturing companies. Claims for alleged infringement and any resulting lawsuit, if successful,
could subject us to significant liability for damages and invalidation of our intellectual property rights. Defending any such claims,
with or without merit, including pursuant to indemnity obligations, could be time consuming, expensive, cause product shipment delays
or require us to enter into a royalty or licensing agreement, any of which could delay the development and commercialization of our products
or reduce our margins. If we are unable to obtain a required license, our ability to sell or use certain products may be impaired. In
addition, if we fail to obtain a license, or if the terms of the license are burdensome to us, our operations could be significantly
harmed.
Our
use of open-source software could subject us to possible litigation or otherwise impair the development of our products.
A
portion of our technologies incorporates open-source software, including open-source operating systems such as Android, and we expect
to continue to incorporate open-source software into our platform in the future. Few of the licenses applicable to open-source software
have been interpreted by courts, and their application to the open-source software integrated into our proprietary technology platform
may be uncertain. If we fail to comply with these licenses, then pursuant to the terms of these licenses, we may be subject to certain
requirements, including requirements that we make available the source code for our software that incorporates the open-source software.
We cannot assure you that we have not incorporated open-source software in our software in a manner that is inconsistent with the terms
of the applicable licenses or our current policies and procedures. If an author or other third party that distributes such open-source
software were to allege that we had not complied with the conditions of one or more of these licenses, we could incur significant legal
expenses defending against such allegations. Litigation could be costly for us to defend, have a negative effect on our operating results
and financial condition or require us to devote additional research and development resources to change our technology platform.
With
respect to open-source operating systems, if third parties cease continued development of such operating systems or restrict our access
to such operating system, our business and financial results could be adversely impacted. We are dependent on third parties’ continued
development of operating systems, software application ecosystem infrastructures, and such third parties’ approval of our implementations
of their operating and system and associated applications. If such parties cease to continue development or support of such operating
systems or restrict our access to such operating systems, we would be required to change our strategy for our devices. As a result, our
financial results could be negatively impacted because a resulting shift away from the operating systems we currently use, and the associated
applications ecosystem could be costly and difficult.
Our
inability to obtain and maintain any third-party license required to develop new products and product enhancements could seriously harm
our business, financial condition and results of operations.
From
time to time, we are required to license technology from third parties to develop new products or product enhancements. For example,
we have entered into worldwide intellectual property cross license agreements or other technology license agreements with a number of
global technology companies in the mobile telecommunications market. Third-party licenses may not be available to us on commercially
reasonable terms, or at all. If we fail to renew any intellectual property license agreements on commercially reasonable terms, or any
such license agreements otherwise expire or terminate, we may not be able to use the patents and technologies of these third parties
in our products, which are critical to our success. We cannot assure you that we will be able to effectively control the level of licensing
and royalty fees paid to third parties, and significant increase in such fees could have a significant and adverse impact on our future
profitability. Seeking alternative patents and technologies may be difficult and time-consuming, and we may not be successful in finding
alternative technologies or incorporating them into our products. Our inability to obtain any third-party license necessary to develop
new products or product enhancements could require us to obtain substitute technology of lower quality or performance standards, or at
greater cost, which could seriously harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks
Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
We
have identified one material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting which, if not remediated, could result in material
misstatements in our financial statements.
A
material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a
reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim consolidated financial statements may not be prevented or
detected on a timely basis. As of December 31, 2021, we have identified one material weakness in internal control over financial reporting
that pertain to (i) a deficiency in the design and implementation of IT general controls, including elevated (administrator) access to
financial reporting systems and subsystems, which are not appropriately restricted and segregated.
Although
we have developed and implemented a plan to remediate the material weakness, we cannot assure you that this will occur within a specific
timeframe. The material weakness will not be remediated until all necessary internal controls have been designed, implemented, tested
and determined to be operating effectively. In addition, we may need to take additional measures to address the material weakness or
modify the planned remediation steps, and we cannot be certain that the measures we have taken, and expect to take, to improve our internal
controls will be sufficient to address the issues identified, to ensure that our internal controls are effective or to ensure that the
identified material weakness- will not result in a material misstatement of our consolidated financial statements. Moreover, we cannot
assure you that we will not identify additional material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting in the future.
Until
we remediate the material weakness, our ability to record, process and report financial information accurately, and to prepare financial
statements within the time periods specified by the rules and forms of the SEC, could be adversely affected. This failure could negatively
affect the market price and trading liquidity of our common units, cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information,
subject us to civil and criminal investigations and penalties and generally materially and adversely impact our business and financial
condition.
We
have failed, and may continue to fail, to meet the listing standards of Nasdaq, and as a result our common stock may become delisted,
which could have a material adverse effect on the liquidity of our common stock.
The
listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market provide that a company, in order to qualify for continued listing, must maintain a minimum
stock price of $1.00 and satisfy standards relative to minimum stockholders’ equity, minimum market value of publicly held shares
and various additional requirements (the “Bid Price Rule”). On February 16, 2022 , we received a deficiency letter from the
Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) notifying us that,
for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price for our common stock had closed below $1.00 per share, which is the minimum
closing price required to maintain continued listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) (the “Minimum
Bid Requirement”).
In
accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), we were provided a period of 180 calendar days, or until August 15, 2022, in which
to regain compliance. In order to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement, the closing bid price of our common stock
must be at least $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days during this 180-day period. On August 16, 2022 we received
an additional 180-day period from Nasdaq to regain compliance through February 13, 2023. On February 14, 2023 we received a deficiency
letter from the Staff. On February 21, 2023 we filed an appeal with the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel (“NLQP”) and
requested a hearing. We plan on regaining incompliance by effecting a reverse stock split if our stock price does not increase by a period
that may be granted by the NLQP. There can be no assurance that we will be able to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement
or maintain compliance with the other Nasdaq listing requirements. If we do not regain compliance with the Nasdaq continuing listing
requirements, our common stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market and it could be more difficult to buy or sell our securities
and to obtain accurate quotations, and the price of our common stock could suffer a material decline. In addition, a delisting would
impair our ability to raise capital through the public markets, could deter broker-dealers from making a market in or otherwise seeking
or generating interest in our securities and might deter certain institutions and persons from investing in our securities at all.
Some
provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may delay or prevent a change in control and may discourage
bids for our common stock at a premium over its market price.
Our
certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide for, among other things:
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authorization of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which may be established and shares of which may be issued without stockholder
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notice requirements for stockholder proposals; and |
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These
anti-takeover defenses could discourage, delay or prevent a transaction involving a change in control of our company. These provisions
could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and
cause us to take other corporate actions than you desire.
Additionally,
we are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL. These provisions prohibit large
stockholders, in particular a stockholder owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock, from consummating a merger or combination
with a corporation unless this stockholder receives board approval for the transaction or 66 2/3% of the shares of voting stock not owned
by the stockholder approve the merger or transaction. These provisions of DGCL may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing
a change in control, and may discourage bids for our common stock at a premium over its market price.
Our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive
forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’
ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or agents.
Our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum,
the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum
for the following types of actions or proceedings under Delaware statutory or common law: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought
on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees, agents
or trustees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of
ours arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our bylaws or (iv) any action
asserting a claim against us or any director or officer or other employee of ours that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine,
in each such case subject to such Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of,
and consented to, the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation described in the preceding sentence. Under
our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, this exclusive forum provision will not apply to claims which are vested in the
exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or for which the Court of Chancery
of the State of Delaware does not have subject matter jurisdiction. For instance, the provision would not apply to actions arising under
federal securities laws, including suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations
thereunder, jurisdiction over which is exclusively vested by statute in the U.S. federal courts. This exclusive choice of forum provision
may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors,
officers, employees or agents, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. If a court were to find the choice of
forum provisions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action,
we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could have a significant impact on
our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the U.S. federal district courts as the exclusive forum for the resolution
of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. We will seek to enforce these provisions.
Our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum,
the federal district courts of the United States shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the
resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent
jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the
rules and regulations thereunder. Accordingly, there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision. The Delaware
Supreme Court recently determined that the exclusive forum provision of federal district courts of the United States of America for resolving
any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act is permissible and enforceable under Delaware law, reversing
an earlier decision from the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware that had ruled that such provisions were not enforceable. In
light of the Delaware Supreme Court determination that Delaware law permits exclusive federal forum provisions, we have sought to enforce
the exclusive federal forum provision in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation including in pending litigation. Enforcement
of this provision could result in additional costs. If we face relevant litigation and are unable to enforce this provision, we may incur
additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, financial condition, or
results of operations.
General
Risk Factors
Natural
or man-made disasters and other similar events may significantly disrupt our business, and negatively impact our operating
results and financial condition.
Any
of our facilities may be harmed or rendered inoperable by natural or man-made disasters, including earthquakes, tornadoes,
hurricanes, wildfires, floods, nuclear disasters, acts of terrorism or other criminal activities, infectious disease outbreaks, and power
outages, which may render it difficult or impossible for us to operate our business for some period of time. Any disruptions in our operations
could negatively impact our business and operating results and harm our reputation. For example, our headquarters in Austin, Texas were
shut down without power or water for several days in 2021. In addition, we may not carry business insurance or may not carry sufficient
business insurance to compensate for losses that may occur. Any such losses or damages could have a significant adverse impact on our
business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, the facilities of significant vendors may be harmed or rendered inoperable
by such natural or man-made disasters, which may cause disruptions, difficulties or significant adverse impact on our business.
Increasing
scrutiny and evolving expectations from investors, customers, lawmakers, regulators, and other stakeholders regarding environmental,
social and governance, or ESG-related practices and disclosures may adversely affect our reputation, adversely impact our ability to
attract and retain employees or customers, expose us to increased scrutiny from the investment community or enforcement authorities or
otherwise adversely impact our business and results of operations.
There
is increasing scrutiny and evolving expectations from investors, customers, lawmakers, regulators, and other stakeholders on ESG-related
practices and disclosures, including those related to environmental stewardship, climate change, diversity, equity and inclusion, forced
labor, racial justice, and workplace conduct. Regulators have imposed, and likely will continue to impose, ESG-related rules and guidance,
which may conflict with one another and impose additional costs on us or expose us to new or additional risks. Moreover, certain organizations
that provide information to investors have developed ratings for evaluating companies on their approach to different ESG-related matters,
and unfavorable ratings of us or our industry may lead to negative investor sentiment and the diversion of investment to other companies
or industries. As a smaller company, we may not have resources to meet the evolving ESG-related expectations of an investment community.
Our
operations and performance depend significantly on global and regional economic conditions and adverse economic conditions can materially
adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We
are highly susceptible to the global supply chain and any disruptions. The majority of our suppliers and manufacturing facilities are
located outside the U.S. As a result, the Company’s operations and performance depend significantly on global and regional economic
conditions.
Adverse
macroeconomic conditions, including inflation or recession, new or increased tariffs and other barriers to trade, changes to the U.S.
fiscal and monetary policy, tighter credit, higher interest rates, high unemployment, and currency fluctuations can adversely impact
consumer confidence and spending and materially adversely affect demand for our products and services. In addition, consumer confidence
and spending can be materially adversely affected in response to financial market volatility, negative financial news, declines in income
or asset values, energy shortages and cost increases, labor and healthcare costs, and other economic factors. Besides an adverse impact
on demand for our products, uncertainty about, or a decline in, global or regional economic conditions can have a significant impact
on our counteragents including suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics providers, cellular network carriers, and other channel partners.
These
and other economic factors can materially adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations, financial condition,
and stock price.
Economic
uncertainties or downturns, or political changes, could limit the availability of funds available to our customers and potential customers,
which could significantly adversely impact our business.
Current
or future economic uncertainties or downturns could adversely impact our business and operating results. Negative conditions in the general
economy both in the United States and abroad, including conditions resulting from changes in gross domestic product growth, financial
and credit market fluctuations, political deadlock, natural catastrophes, infectious disease outbreaks, and warfare and terrorist attacks
in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific region or elsewhere, could cause a decrease in funds available to our customers and potential
customers and negatively affect the growth rate of our business.
These
economic conditions may make it extremely difficult for our customers and us to forecast and plan future budgetary decisions or business
activities accurately, and they could cause our customers to reevaluate their decisions to purchase our solutions, which could delay
and lengthen our sales cycles or result in cancellations of planned purchases. Furthermore, during challenging economic times or as a
result of political changes, our customers may tighten their budgets and face constraints in gaining timely access to sufficient funding
or other credit, which could result in an impairment of their ability to make timely payments to us. In turn, we may be required to increase
our allowance for doubtful accounts, which would adversely impact our financial results.
We
cannot predict the timing, magnitude, or duration of any economic slowdown, instability, or recovery, generally or within any particular
industry, or the impact of political changes. If the economic conditions of the general economy or industries in which we operate worsen
from present levels, or if recent political changes result in less funding being available to purchase our solutions, our business, operating
results, and financial condition could be adversely impacted.
The
market price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and could fluctuate or decline, resulting in substantial loss of your investment.
The
market price of our common stock could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to, among other things, the factors described in this
“Risk Factors” section or otherwise, and other factors beyond our control, such as fluctuations in the valuations of companies
perceived by investors to be comparable to us.
Furthermore,
the stock markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity
securities of many companies. These fluctuations often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those
companies. These broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, systemic, political and market conditions, such as recessions,
interest rate changes or international currency fluctuations, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock.
The
trading price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and subject to wide price fluctuations in response to various factors, including:
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actual
or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly financial and operating results; |
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introduction
of new products and services by us or our competitors; |
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sales,
or anticipated sales, of large blocks of our stock; |
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issuance
of new or changed securities analysts’ reports or recommendations; |
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failure
of industry or securities analysts to maintain coverage of our company, changes in financial estimates by any industry or securities
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additions
or departures of key personnel; |
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regulatory
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in accounting principles or methodologies; |
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acquisitions
by us or by our competitors; |
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litigation
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economic,
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These
and other factors may cause the market price and demand for our common stock to fluctuate substantially, which may limit or prevent investors
from readily selling their shares of common stock and may otherwise negatively affect the liquidity of our common stock. In addition,
in the past, when the market price of a stock has been volatile, holders of that stock have often instituted securities class action
litigation against the company that issued the stock.
Unless
our common stock continues to be listed on a national securities exchange it will become subject to the so-called “penny stock”
rules that impose restrictive sales practice requirements.
If
we are unable to maintain the listing of our common stock on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange, our common stock could become
subject to the so-called “penny stock” rules if the shares have a market value of less than $5.00 per share. The SEC has
adopted regulations that define a penny stock to include any stock that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain
exceptions, including an exception for stock traded on a national securities exchange. The SEC regulations impose restrictive sales practice
requirements on broker-dealers who sell penny stocks to persons other than established customers and accredited investors. An accredited
investor generally is a person whose individual annual income exceeded $200,000, or whose joint annual income with a spouse exceeded
$300,000 during the past two years and who expects their annual income to exceed the applicable level during the current year, or a person
with net worth in excess of $1.0 million, not including the value of the investor’s principal residence and excluding mortgage
debt secured by the investor’s principal residence up to the estimated fair market value of the home, except that any mortgage
debt incurred by the investor within 60 days prior to the date of the transaction shall not be excluded from the determination of the
investor’s net worth unless the mortgage debt was incurred to acquire the residence. For transactions covered by this rule, the
broker-dealer must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and must have received the purchaser’s written consent
to the transaction prior to sale. This means that if we are unable maintain the listing of our common stock on a national securities
exchange, the ability of stockholders to sell their common stock in the secondary market could be adversely affected. If a transaction
involving a penny stock is not exempt from the SEC’s rule, a broker-dealer must deliver a disclosure schedule relating to the penny
stock market to each investor prior to a transaction. The broker-dealer also must disclose the commissions payable to both the broker-dealer
and its registered representative, current quotations for the penny stock, and, if the broker-dealer is the sole market-maker, the broker-dealer
must disclose this fact and the broker-dealer’s presumed control over the market. Finally, monthly statements must be sent disclosing
recent price information for the penny stock held in the customer’s account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.
Sales
of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception these sales might occur, could cause our
stock price to decline.
The
market price of our common stock could decrease significantly as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our common stock in
the public market, and the perception that these sales could occur may also depress the market price
of our common stock. Certain stockholders are entitled, under our investors’ rights agreement, to require us to register shares
owned by them for public sale in the United States, including the registration rights agreement dated July 13, 2022, by and between the Company and AJP Holding Company,
LLC. In addition, we filed a registration statement to register shares issued under our
equity compensation plans. As a result, subject to the satisfaction of applicable vesting periods, the shares issued upon exercise of
outstanding stock options or upon settlement of outstanding RSU awards will be available for immediate resale in the United States in
the open market. A decline in the price of shares of our common stock might impede our ability to raise capital through the issuance
of additional shares of our common stock or other equity securities.
We
are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain whether the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging
growth companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We
are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various
reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including,
but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and
reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We cannot predict whether
investors will find our common stock less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive
as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
The
requirements of being a public company may strain our resources and distract our management, which could make it difficult to manage
our business, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company.”
We
are required to comply with various regulatory and reporting requirements, including those required by the SEC. Complying with these
reporting and other regulatory requirements will be time-consuming and will result in increased costs to us and could have a negative
effect on our results of operations, financial condition or business.
As
a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. These
requirements may place a strain on our systems and resources. The Exchange Act requires that we file annual, quarterly and current reports
with respect to our business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we attest to having internal controls over financial reporting. To maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and
procedures, we will need to commit significant resources, hire additional staff and provide additional management oversight. We will
be implementing additional procedures and processes for the purpose of addressing the standards and requirements applicable to public
companies. Sustaining our growth also will require us to commit additional management, operational and financial resources to identify
new professionals to join our firm and to maintain appropriate operational and financial systems to adequately support expansion. These
activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a significant adverse impact on our
results of operations, financial condition or business.
As
an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, we intend to take advantage of certain temporary exemptions from
various reporting requirements including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements
of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports
and proxy statements. In addition, we have elected under the JOBS Act to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable
to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. As a result, our financial statements may not
be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
When
these exemptions cease to apply, we expect to incur additional expenses and devote increased management effort toward ensuring compliance
with them. We cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the
timing of such costs.
Changes
in U.S. trade policy, including the imposition of tariffs and the resulting consequences, may have a material adverse impact on our business,
operating results and financial condition.
The
U.S. government has adopted a new approach to trade policy, including in some cases renegotiating and terminating certain existing bilateral
or multi-lateral trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. government has also initiated tariffs on
certain foreign goods from a variety of countries and regions, most notably China, where we outsource the manufacturing of our mobile
phones, and has raised the possibility of imposing significant, additional tariff increases or expanding the tariffs to capture other
types of goods. In response, many of these foreign governments have imposed retaliatory tariffs on goods that their countries import
from the U.S. Changes in U.S. trade policy have and may continue to result in one or more foreign governments adopting responsive trade
policies that make it more difficult or costly for us to do business in or import our products from those countries. This in turn could
result in significant additional costs to us when shipping our products to various customers in the United States and could require us
to increase prices to our customers, which may reduce demand, or, if we are unable to increase prices, result in lowering our margin
on products sold.
We
cannot predict the extent to which the U.S. or other countries will impose new or additional quotas, duties, tariffs, taxes or other
similar restrictions upon the import or export of our products in the future, nor can we predict future trade policy or the terms of
any renegotiated trade agreements and their impact on our business. The adoption and expansion of trade restrictions, the occurrence
of a trade war, or other governmental action related to tariffs or trade agreements, or policies has the potential to adversely impact
demand for our products, our costs, our customers, our suppliers, and the U.S. economy, which in turn could have a material adverse effect
on our business, operating results and financial condition.
Economic
uncertainties or downturns, or political changes, could limit the availability of funds available to our customers and potential customers,
which could significantly adversely impact our business.
Current
or future economic uncertainties or downturns could adversely impact our business and operating results. Negative conditions in the general
economy both in the United States and abroad, including conditions resulting from changes in gross domestic product growth, financial
and credit market fluctuations, political deadlock, natural catastrophes, infectious disease outbreaks, and warfare and terrorist attacks
in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific region or elsewhere, could cause a decrease in funds available to our customers and potential
customers and negatively affect the growth rate of our business.
These
economic conditions may make it extremely difficult for our customers and us to forecast and plan future budgetary decisions or business
activities accurately, and they could cause our customers to reevaluate their decisions to purchase our solutions, which could delay
and lengthen our sales cycles or result in cancellations of planned purchases. Furthermore, during challenging economic times or as a
result of political changes, our customers may tighten their budgets and face constraints in gaining timely access to sufficient funding
or other credit, which could result in an impairment of their ability to make timely payments to us. In turn, we may be required to increase
our allowance for doubtful accounts, which would adversely impact our financial results.
We
cannot predict the timing, magnitude or duration of any economic slowdown, instability or recovery, generally or within any particular
industry, or the impact of political changes. If the economic conditions of the general economy or industries in which we operate worsen
from present levels, or if recent political changes result in less funding being available to purchase our solutions, our business, operating
results and financial condition could be adversely impacted.
The
unfavorable outcome of any future litigation, arbitration or administrative action could have a significant adverse impact on our financial
condition or results of operations.
From
time to time, we are a party to litigation, arbitration, or administrative actions. Our business may bring us into conflict with third
parties with whom we have contractual or other business relationships, or with our competitors or others whose interests differ from
ours. If we are unable to resolve those conflicts on terms that are satisfactory to all parties, we may become involved in litigation
brought by or against us. Our financial results and reputation could be negatively impacted by unfavorable outcomes to any future litigation
or administrative actions, including those related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act, or other anti-corruption
laws. Monitoring, initiating and defending against legal actions is time-consuming for our management, likely to be expensive and may
detract from our ability to fully focus our internal resources on our business activities. In addition, despite the availability of insurance,
we may incur substantial legal fees and costs in connection with litigation. Lawsuits are subject to inherent uncertainties, and defense
and disposition costs depend upon many unknown factors. Lawsuits could result in judgments against us that require us to pay damages,
enjoin us from certain activities, or otherwise negatively affect our legal or contractual rights, which could have a significant adverse
effect on our business. In addition, the inherent uncertainty of such litigation could lead to increased volatility in our stock price
and a decrease in the value of our stockholders’ investment in our common stock. There can be no assurances as to the favorable
outcome of any litigation or administrative proceedings. In addition, it can be very costly to defend litigation or administrative proceedings
and these costs could negatively impact our financial results.
We
are subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, economic sanctions, export control, and similar laws. Non-compliance
with such laws can subject us to criminal or civil liability and harm our business, revenues, financial condition and results of operations.
We
are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. §
201, the U.S. Travel Act, and other anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. Anti-corruption
and anti-bribery laws have been enforced aggressively in recent years and are interpreted broadly to generally prohibit companies and
their employees and third-party intermediaries from authorizing, offering, or providing, directly or indirectly, improper payments or
benefits to recipients in the public or private sector. As we increase our international presence, we may engage with distributors and
third-party intermediaries to market our solutions and to obtain necessary permits, licenses, and other regulatory approvals. In addition,
we or our third-party intermediaries may have direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies or
state-owned or affiliated entities. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of these third-party intermediaries,
our employees, representatives, contractors, partners and agents, even if we do not explicitly authorize such activities.
The
United States has imposed economic sanctions that affect transactions with designated foreign countries, nationals and others. In particular,
the United States prohibits U.S. persons from engaging with individuals and entities identified as “Specially Designated Nationals,”
such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers. These prohibitions are administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office
of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC. OFAC rules prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in, or facilitating a foreign person’s engagement
in, transactions with or relating to the prohibited individual, entity or country, and require the blocking of assets in which the individual,
entity or country has an interest. Blocked assets (e.g., property or bank deposits) cannot be paid out, withdrawn, set off or transferred
in any manner without a license from OFAC. Other countries in which we operate, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also maintain
economic and financial sanctions regimes.
Some
of our solutions, including software updates and third-party accessories, may be subject to U.S. export control laws, including the Export
Administration Regulations; however, the vast majority of our products are non-U.S.-origin items, developed and manufactured outside
of the United States, and therefore not subject to these laws. For third-party accessories, we rely on manufacturers to supply the appropriate
export control classification numbers that determine our obligations under these laws.
We
cannot assure you that our employees and agents will not take actions in violation of our policies and applicable law, for which we may
be ultimately held responsible. As we increase our international presence, our risks under these laws, rules, and regulations may increase.
Further, any change in the applicability or enforcement of these laws, rules, and regulations could adversely impact our business operations
and financial results.
Detecting,
investigating and resolving actual or alleged violations can require a significant diversion of time, resources, and attention from senior
management. In addition, noncompliance with anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, or economic sanctions laws, rules,
and regulations could subject us to whistleblower complaints, investigations, sanctions, settlements, prosecution, other enforcement
actions, disgorgement of profits, significant fines, damages, other civil and criminal penalties or injunctions, suspension and/or debarment
from contracting with certain persons, the loss of export privileges, reputational harm, adverse media coverage, and other collateral
consequences. If any subpoenas or investigations are launched, or governmental or other sanctions are imposed, or if we do not prevail
in any possible civil or criminal litigation, our business, revenues, financial condition, and results of operations would be significantly
harmed. In addition, responding to any action will likely result in a significant diversion of management’s attention and resources
and significant defense costs and other professional fees. Enforcement actions and sanctions could further harm our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
We
are subject to a wide range of product regulatory and safety, consumer, worker safety and environmental laws and regulations.
Our
operations and the products we manufacture and/or sell are subject to a wide range of product regulatory and safety, consumer, worker
safety and environmental laws and regulations. Compliance with such existing or future laws and regulations could subject us to future
costs or liabilities, impact our production capabilities, constrict our ability to sell, expand or acquire facilities, restrict what
solutions we can offer and generally impact our financial performance. Our products are designed for use in potentially explosive or
hazardous environments. If our product design fails for any reason in such environments, we may be subject to product liabilities and
future costs. In addition, some of these laws are environmental and relate to the use, disposal, remediation, emission, discharge of
and exposure to hazardous substances. These laws often impose liability and can require parties to fund remedial studies or actions regardless
of fault. Environmental laws have tended to become more stringent over time and any new obligations under these laws could have a negative
impact on our operations or financial performance.
Laws
focused on the energy efficiency of electronic products and accessories, recycling of both electronic products and packaging, reducing
or eliminating certain hazardous substances in electronic products, and the transportation of batteries continue to expand significantly.
Laws pertaining to accessibility features of electronic products, standardization of connectors and power supplies, the transportation
of lithium-ion batteries, and other aspects are also proliferating. There are also demanding and rapidly changing laws around the globe
related to issues such as product safety, radio interference, radio frequency radiation exposure, medical related functionality, and
consumer and social mandates pertaining to use of wireless or electronic equipment. These laws, and changes to these laws, could have
a substantial impact on whether we can offer certain products, solutions, and services, and on what capabilities and characteristics
our products or services can or must include.
These
laws and regulations impact our products and could negatively impact our ability to manufacture and sell products competitively. In addition,
we anticipate that we will see increased demand to meet voluntary criteria related to reduction or elimination of certain constituents
from products, increasing energy efficiency and providing additional accessibility.
Foreign
currency fluctuations may reduce our competitiveness and sales in foreign markets.
The
relative change in currency values creates fluctuations in product pricing for international customers. These changes in foreign end-customer
costs may result in lost orders and reduce the competitiveness of our products in certain foreign markets. These changes may also negatively
impact the financial condition of some foreign customers and reduce or eliminate their future orders of our products. In addition, a
significant portion of our research and development expenditure takes place in China and India. Fluctuations in the currency values of
those countries could negatively impact our operating expenses.