The Company and its significant accounting policies (Policies) |
12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Description of Business |
Description of Business—Sonim Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in the state of Delaware on August 5, 1999, and is headquartered in San Diego, California. The Company is a leading provider of rugged and consumer durable mobile devices designed to provide extra protection for users who demand more durability in their work and everyday lives. Historically, the Company has focused on handsets and accessories in the enterprise and government sectors. However, the Company has increased its product portfolio to include connected devices including mobile hotspots that connect to the internet. In 2023, the Company has received five product awards from carriers in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, for two models of mobile hotspots that will launch in 2024. The Company has also expanded its portfolio of rugged phones to include a new semi-rugged smartphone that will be sold through the carriers to small business who want a more durable product. The Company has received three product awards from carriers for this new smartphone that will launch in 2024. The Company also received a product award for a consumer durable smartphone that will launch in the second half of 2024. In 2022, the Company began selling a tablet that was developed using the Company’s ODM model where the Company designs the product specifically for one customer and finds a manufacturer for that product. The tablet was a high volume and low margin product and generated a significant portion of the Company’s revenue in 2023. Sales of the tablet ended in October 2023 as the product reach its end of life. The ODM model is not a core business of the Company, and it is normal for ODM model revenue to fluctuate significantly.
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| Liquidity and Ability to Continue as a Going Concern |
Liquidity and Ability to Continue as a Going Concern—The Company’s consolidated financial statements account for the continuation of its business as a going concern. The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with the development and release of new products. The Company’s principal sources of liquidity as of December 31, 2023, consist of existing cash and cash equivalents totaling $9,397. The Company believes that it can meet its obligations with this cash over the next twelve months following the filing date of this report.
To provide additional liquidity to allow the Company to accelerate expansion into Europe and other markets, management is currently evaluating various funding alternatives and may seek to raise additional funds through issuances of equity, mezzanine or debt securities, or through arrangements with strategic or investment partners with greater sources of financing. The Company’s ability to obtain additional financing in the debt and equity capital markets is subject to several factors, including market and economic conditions, the Company’s performance and investor sentiment with respect to the Company and its industry.
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| Financial Statement Presentation |
Financial Statement Presentation—The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for annual financial information.
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| Principles of Consolidation |
Principles of Consolidation—The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sonim Technologies, Inc. and its wholly owned foreign subsidiaries, Sonim Technologies (INDIA) Private Limited, Sonim Technologies (Shenzhen) Limited, Sonim Technologies Shenzhen Limited Beijing Branch, Sonim Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited and Sonim Communications India Private Limited (collectively, the “Company”). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
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| Reclassifications |
Reclassifications—Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations.
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| Estimates |
Estimates—The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. These estimates include, but are not limited to, estimates related to revenue recognition; valuation assumptions regarding the determination of the fair value of common stock, as well as stock options; the useful lives of the Company’s long-lived assets; product warranties; loss contingencies; the recognition and measurement of income tax assets and liabilities, including uncertain tax positions; the net realizable value of inventory; and allowances for credit losses. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As of the date of issuance of these financial statements, the Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require it to update its estimates, judgments or revise the carrying value of its assets or liabilities.
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| Concentrations of Credit Risk |
Concentrations of Credit Risk—The Company’s product revenues are concentrated in the technology industry, which is highly competitive and rapidly changing. Significant technological changes in the industry or customer requirements, or the emergence of competitive products with new capabilities or technologies, could adversely affect the Company’s consolidated operating results.
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. Cash and cash equivalents are deposited with high-quality, federally insured commercial banks in the United States and cash balances are in excess of federal insurance limits as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. On March 10, 2023, SVB was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the FDIC as receiver. If any of the financial institutions with whom the Company does business were to be placed into receivership, then the Company may be unable to access the cash that it has on deposit with such institutions.
The Company generally does not require collateral or other security in support of accounts receivable. To reduce credit risk, management performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition.
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| Segment Information |
Segment Information—The Company operates in one reporting segment. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker, who is the chief executive officer, in deciding how to allocate resources and assessing performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker allocates resources and assesses performance based upon discrete financial information at the consolidated level.
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| Cash and Cash Equivalents |
Cash and Cash Equivalents—The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity from the date of purchase of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash deposited with banks and money market funds. Included in the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are amounts held by foreign subsidiaries. The Company had $1,131 and $1,061 of foreign cash and cash equivalents included in the Company’s cash positions on December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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| Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses |
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses—Accounts receivable consist primarily of amounts due from customers in the course of normal business activities. Collateral on trade accounts receivable is generally not required. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2023. The adoption of this pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and primarily resulted in new disclosures. Under this guidance, the Company maintains an allowance for credit losses for estimated uncollectible accounts receivable. The allowance is based on the Company’s assessment of the economic health of its customers and its history of credit losses. Accounts are written off against the allowance account when they are determined to be no longer collectible.
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| Inventory |
Inventory—The Company reports inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined using a first-in, first-out method (“FIFO”) and includes the cost of inventory, materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead related to the purchase and production of inventories. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation.
The Company periodically reviews its inventory for potential slow-moving or obsolete items and writes down specific items to net realizable value, as appropriate. The Company writes down inventory based on forecasted demand and technological obsolescence. These factors are impacted by market and economic conditions, technology changes, new product introductions, and changes in strategic direction, and require estimates that may include uncertain elements. Actual demand may differ from forecasted demand and such differences may have a material effect on recorded inventory values. Any write-down of inventory to the lower of cost or net realizable value creates a new cost basis that subsequently would not be marked up based on changes in underlying facts and circumstances.
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| Property and Equipment |
Property and Equipment—Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, generally 24 to 36 months. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of estimated useful lives of the assets or the lease term. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. Upon disposition, the cost and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.
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| Leases |
Leases—The Company accounts for its leases under ASC 842, Leases. Under this guidance, arrangements meeting the definition of a lease are classified as operating or finance leases and are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as both a right of use asset and a lease liability, calculated by discounting fixed lease payments over the lease term at the rate implicit in the lease or the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. Lease liabilities are increased by interest and reduced by payments each period, and the right of use asset is amortized over the lease term. For operating leases, interest on the lease liability and the amortization of the right of use asset results in straight-line rent expense over the lease term. Variable lease expenses are recorded when incurred. In calculating the right of use assets and lease liabilities, the Company elects to combine lease and non-lease components. The Company excludes short-term leases having initial terms of 12 months or less from the new guidance as an accounting policy election and recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
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| Non-recurring Engineering (“NRE”) Tooling and Purchased Software Licenses |
Non-recurring Engineering (“NRE”) Tooling and Purchased Software Licenses—Third-party design services relating to the design of tooling materials and purchased software licenses used in the manufacturing process are capitalized and included in other assets within the consolidated balance sheets. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, amortization of NRE tooling and NRE software costs approximating $12 and $13 were charged to Cost of Revenues. The related net book value is $110 and $13, respectively, as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.
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| Long-lived Assets |
Long-lived Assets—The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. No such impairments have been identified to date.
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| Revenue Recognition |
Revenue Recognition—The Company accounts for revenue in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers.
The Company recognizes revenue primarily from the sale of products, including its mobile phones, tablets, and accessories. The Company also recognizes revenue from other contractual arrangements that may include a combination of products and NRE services or from the provision of solely NRE services.
Revenue recognition incorporates discounts, price protection and customer incentives. In addition to cooperative marketing and other incentive programs, the Company has arrangements with some distributors, which allow for price protection and limited rights of return, generally through stock rotation programs. Under the price protection programs, the Company gives distributors credits for the difference between the original price paid and the Company’s then current price. Under the stock rotation programs, certain distributors are able to exchange certain products based on the number of qualified purchases made during the period.
The Company’s handsets typically require a technical approval process. This process entails design and configuration activities required to conform the Company’s devices to a wireless carrier customer’s specific network requirements. Each wireless carrier defines its own specific functional requirements and certification process in order for the product to be ready for manufacture. While the technical approval process does involve some level of customization, in addition to design and configuration, the Company does not charge separately and is not reimbursed for these activities to the extent that they do not involve significant customization and does not incur these costs in advance of entering into binding agreements with its wireless carrier customers. Such technical approval is obtained prior to shipment. Revenue is recognized when control of promised goods or services is transferred to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for its arrangements, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.
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| Cost of Revenues |
Cost of Revenues—Cost of revenues includes direct and indirect costs associated with the manufacture of the Company’s products as well as with the performance of NRE services in connection with significant design modification and customization. Direct costs include the cost of inventory, shipping, royalties, warranty accruals, depreciation and amortization, supply chain costs, and logistic costs.
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| Advertising |
Advertising—The Company expenses the costs of advertising, including promotional expenses, as incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 the Company had no advertising expenses.
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| Shipping and Handling Costs |
Shipping and Handling Costs—When the Company bills customers for shipping and handling it includes such amounts as part of revenue. Costs incurred for shipping and handling are recorded in cost of revenues.
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| Deferred Revenues |
Deferred Revenues—Deferred revenues represent the amount that is allocated to undelivered elements in multiple element arrangements. The Company limits the revenue recognized to the amount that is not contingent on the future delivery of products or services or meeting other specified performance conditions.
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| Research and Development |
Research and Development—Research and development expenses consist of compensation costs, employee benefits, development fees paid to ODM partners, research supplies, allocated facility related expenses and allocated depreciation and amortization. Research and development expenses include costs incurred for the design and configuration activities of new products to conform to the specific functional requirements of the Company’s wireless carrier customers necessary to prepare the product for manufacture. The Company determined that the NRE technical approval costs and the NRE field test costs are contract fulfillment costs and recognizes the associated NRE asset as these costs are incurred. The Company tracks the NRE assets by product and customer, then amortizes the NRE assets to Cost of Revenues over a period of four years, which is management’s estimated average product life for each model phone, starting from the date of the first significant sales.
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| Stock-Based Compensation |
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| Warranty |
Warranty—The Company provides standard warranty coverage on its accessories and handsets for one and three years, respectively, providing labor and parts necessary to repair the systems during the warranty period. The warranty coverage is an assurance type warranty, and thus is not a separate performance obligation. The Company accounts for the estimated warranty cost as a charge to cost of revenues when revenue is recognized. The estimated warranty cost is based on historical product performance and field expenses.
Utilizing actual service records, the Company calculates the average service hours and parts expense per system to determine the estimated warranty charge. The Company updates these estimated charges periodically. The actual product performance and/or field expense profiles may differ, and in those cases the Company adjusts warranty accruals accordingly.
From time to time, the Company ships mobile devices to its customers as seed stock. The seed stock represents extra units of mobile devices beyond the original mobile devices ordered by the customer and are primarily used to facilitate warranty coverage of mobile devices received by the Company’s customers from their direct customers.
The warranty liability account balance is based on management’s estimates of the lifetime return rate for each model and the cost to repair each returned model. These assumptions are based on historical rates for similar products and on actual return rates. If the estimated cost to repair each unit increased by 10%, then the warranty liability balance would be $52 higher at December 31, 2023. If the lifetime return rate was increased by 10%, then the warranty liability balance would be $52 higher at December 31, 2023. The cost of revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 would increase by the same amount as an increase in the warranty liability. Decreases to these rates of 10% will reduce the warranty liability by the same amount.
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| Comprehensive Income or Loss |
Comprehensive Income or Loss—The Company had no items of comprehensive income or loss other than net loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Therefore, a separate statement of comprehensive loss has not been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
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| Foreign currency translation |
Foreign currency translation—The Company uses the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for its significant subsidiaries. Foreign currency assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at the end-of-period exchange rates except for property and equipment, and related depreciation and amortization, which are translated at the historical exchange rates. Expenses are translated at average exchange rates in effect during each period. Foreign assets held directly by the Company include certain accounts receivable balances and bank accounts which are translated in the U.S. dollar at the end-of-period exchange rates. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had approximately $235 and $102, respectively, in net foreign currency transactions losses, which are included in Other Expense, Net, on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
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| Sales taxes |
Sales taxes—Sales and value added taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are accounted for on a net basis and not included in revenue.
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| Income taxes |
Income taxes—The provision for income taxes is computed using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates that apply to taxable income in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized or settled. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is believed more likely than not to be realized.
Compliance with income tax regulations requires the Company to make decisions relating to the transfer pricing of revenue and expenses between each of its legal entities that are located in several countries. The Company’s determinations include many decisions based on management’s knowledge of the underlying assets of the business, the legal ownership of these assets, and the ultimate transactions conducted with customers and other third parties. The calculation of the Company’s tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations in multiple tax jurisdictions. The Company may be periodically reviewed by domestic and foreign tax authorities regarding the amount of taxes due. These reviews may include questions regarding the timing and amount of deductions and the allocation of income among various tax jurisdictions. In evaluating the exposure associated with various filing positions, the Company records estimated reserves when it is more likely than not that an uncertain tax position will not be sustained upon examination by a taxing authority. Such estimates are subject to change. See Note 11.
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| Net Loss per Share |
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| New accounting pronouncements |
New accounting pronouncements—The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s consolidated financial statements with another public company, which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period, difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Pronouncements not yet adopted:
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This ASU was issued to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. This guidance applies to all public entities that are required to report segment information in accordance with Topic 280, Segment Reporting. ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted and the guidance should be applied retrospectively. ASU 2023-07 will be effective for the Company for the annual period of its fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This ASU was issued to address investor requests for more transparency about income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosure primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information, and to improve the effectiveness of income tax disclosures. This guidance is effective for public entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. ASU 2023-09 will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements. |