ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Description of Business [Policy Text Block]

Description of Business

The overarching strategy of xG Technology, Inc. (“xG”, or the “Company”) is to design, develop and deliver advanced wireless communications solutions that provide customers in our target markets with enhanced levels of reliability, mobility, performance and efficiency in their business operations and missions. xG’s business lines include the brands of Integrated Microwave Technologies LLC (“IMT”), Vislink Communication Systems (“Vislink”, or “VCS”), and xMax. There is considerable brand interaction, owing to complementary market focus, compatible product and technology development roadmaps, and solution integration opportunities. In addition to these brands, xG has a dedicated Federal Sector Group focused on providing next-generation spectrum sharing solutions to national defense, scientific research and other federal organizations.

IMT:

On January 29, 2016, xG completed the acquisition of the net assets that constituted the business of IMT, pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement by and between xG and Skyview Capital, LLC. The IMT business develops, manufactures and sells microwave communications equipment utilizing COFDM (Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology. COFDM is a transmission technique that combines encoding technology with OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation to provide the low latency and high image clarity required for real-time live broadcasting video transmissions. IMT has extensive experience in ultra-compact COFDM wireless technology, and this has allowed IMT to develop integrated solutions over the past 20 years that deliver reliable video footage captured from both aerial and ground-based sources to fixed and mobile receiver locations.

Vislink:

On February 2, 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of certain assets and liabilities related to the hardware segment of Vislink International Limited, an England and Wales registered limited company (the ‘‘UK Seller’’), and Vislink Inc., a Delaware corporation (the ‘‘US Seller’’, and together with the UK Seller, the ‘‘Sellers’’), pursuant to a Business Purchase Agreement, dated December 16, 2016, as amended on January 16, 2017, by and among the Company, the Sellers and Vislink PLC, an England and Wales registered limited company, as guarantor. The Company refers to the hardware segment acquired as Vislink Communications Systems (‘‘VCS’’). VCS specializes in the wireless capture, delivery and management of secure, high-quality, live video from the field to the point of usage. VCS designs and manufactures products encompassing microwave radio components, satellite communication, cellular and wireless camera systems, and associated amplifier items. VCS serves two core markets: broadcast and media and public safety and surveillance. In the broadcast and media market, VCS provides broadcast communication links for the collection of live news, sports and entertainment events. VCS’ customers in the broadcast and media market include national broadcasters, multi-channel broadcasters, network owners and station groups, sports and live broadcasters and hosted service providers. In the public safety and surveillance market, VCS provides secure video communications and mission-critical solutions for law enforcement, defense and homeland security applications. VCS’ customers in the public safety and surveillance market include metropolitan, regional and national law enforcement agencies as well as domestic and international defense agencies and organizations.

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements were prepared using generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, these financial statements do not include all information or notes required by generally accepted accounting principles for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements as filed on the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as amended. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included herein contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the Company's financial position as of June 30, 2017, the results of its operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, the results of its cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. Such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 may not be indicative of results for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) include the accounts of xG and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, IMT and Vislink, since the date the acquisition of IMT and Vislink were completed. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in the consolidation.

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the operating decision makers, or decision-making group, in making decisions on how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company’s decision-making group is the senior executive management team. The Company and the decision-making group view the Company’s operations and manage its business as one operating segment. All long-lived assets of the Company reside in the U.S. and U.K.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Policy [Policy Text Block]

Stock Options

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock-based payment awards made to employees and non-employee directors, including employee stock options. Compensation expense based on the grant date fair value is generally amortized over the requisite service period of the award on a straight-line basis. The fair value of options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options on the date of grant based on key assumptions such as stock price, expected volatility and expected term. The Company’s estimates of these assumptions are primarily based on historical data, judgment regarding future trends and factors.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

Management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and assumptions include reserves and write-downs related to receivables and inventories, the recoverability of long-lived assets, the valuation allowance relating to the Company’s deferred tax assets, valuation of equity and derivative instruments, and debt discounts and the valuation of the assets and liabilities acquired in the acquisitions of IMT and Vislink.

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenues when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, services have been rendered, the price is fixed and determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Revenues from management and consulting, time-and-materials service contracts, maintenance agreements and other services are recognized as the services are provided or at the time the goods are shipped and title has passed.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

The Company reports earnings per share in accordance with ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share,” which establishes standards for computing and presenting earnings per share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive common share equivalents then outstanding. For the three and six month period ended June 30, 2017, potential common share equivalents consist of 8,182,497 common stock warrants issuable upon their exercise and 3,555,500 common stock options. Under the treasury stock method, unexercised “in-the-money” stock options and warrants are assumed to be exercised at the beginning of the period or at issuance, if later. The assumed proceeds are then used to purchase common shares at the average market price during the period and the excess number of options over the number of shares assumed to be repurchased is included in the total dilutive shares outstanding. There were 3,555,500 “in-the-money” stock options outstanding during the three and six-month period ended June 30, 2017 but were not exercisable and such shares were excluded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 since they had an anti-dilutive effect. The common stock warrants were excluded as they were out of the money and had an anti-dilutive effect. There were no such participating securities outstanding during the six-month period ended June 30, 2016.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

GAAP requires disclosing the fair value of financial instruments to the extent practicable for financial instruments which are recognized or unrecognized in the balance sheet. The fair value of the financial instruments disclosed herein is not necessarily representative of the amount that could be realized or settled, nor does the fair value amount consider the tax consequences of realization or settlement.

In assessing the fair value of financial instruments, the Company uses a variety of methods and assumptions, which are based on estimates of market conditions and risks existing at the time. For certain instruments, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses, the Company estimated that the carrying amount approximated fair value because of the short maturities of these instruments. All debt is based on current rates at which the Company could borrow funds with similar remaining maturities and approximates fair value.

GAAP establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use on unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy is described below:

Level 1 –	Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 –	Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data.

Level 3 –	Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency and Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is typically the applicable local currency. The translation from the respective foreign currencies to United States Dollars (U.S. Dollars) is performed for balance sheet accounts using current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and for income statement accounts using a weighted average exchange rate during the period. Gains or losses resulting from such translation are included as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Gains or losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in foreign currency income or loss except for the effect of exchange rates on long-term inter-company transactions considered to be a long-term investment, which are accumulated and credited or charged to other comprehensive income.

Transaction gains and losses are recognized in the Company’s results of operations based on the difference between the foreign exchange rates on the transaction date and on the reporting date. The Company recognized a net foreign exchange loss of approximately $158,000 and $238,000, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. The foreign currency exchange gains and losses are included as a component of general and administrative expenses, in the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 the increase in accumulated comprehensive gain was approximately $365,000 and $348,000, respectfully.

The exchange rate adopted for the foreign exchange transactions are the rates of exchange as quoted on OANDA, a Canadian-based foreign exchange company providing currency conversion, online retail foreign exchange trading, online foreign currency transfers, forex information and website. Translation of amounts from British Pounds into U.S. Dollars was made at the following exchange rates for the respective periods:

As of June 30, 2017 – British Pounds $1.30017 to US $1.00, and

For the six months ended June 30, 2017 – British Pounds $1.24675 to US $1.00

Subsequent Events, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Subsequent Events

Management has evaluated subsequent events or transactions occurring through the date the condensed consolidated financial statements were issued and determined that no events or transactions are required to be disclosed herein, except as disclosed.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company has considered additional new relevant accounting pronouncements that are in effect through the date of these financial statements. These pronouncements did not have any material impact on the financial statements unless otherwise disclosed, and the Company does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

In July 2017, FASB issued ASU No. 2017-11, Earnings per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815). ASU 2017-11 consists of two parts. The amendments in Part I of this Update change the classification analysis of certain equity-linked financial instruments (or embedded features) with down round features. When determining whether certain financial instruments should be classified as liabilities or equity instruments, a down round feature no longer precludes equity classification when assessing whether the instrument is indexed to an entity’s own stock. The amendments also clarify existing disclosure requirements for equity-classified instruments. As a result, a freestanding equity-linked financial instrument (or embedded conversion option) no longer would be accounted for as a derivative liability at fair value as a result of the existence of a down round feature. For freestanding equity classified financial instruments, the amendments require entities that present earnings per share (EPS) in accordance with Topic 260 to recognize the effect of the down round feature when it is triggered. That effect is treated as a dividend and as a reduction of income available to common shareholders in basic EPS. Convertible instruments with embedded conversion options that have down round features are now subject to the specialized guidance for contingent beneficial conversion features (in Subtopic 470-20, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options), including related EPS guidance (in Topic 260). The amendments in Part II of this Update re-characterize the indefinite deferral of certain provisions of Topic 480 that now are presented as pending content in the Codification, to a scope exception. Those amendments do not have an accounting effect. For public business entities, the amendments in Part I of this Update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. For all other entities, the amendments in Part I of this Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for all entities, including adoption in an interim period. If an entity early adopts the amendments in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes that interim period. The amendments in Part II of this Update do not require any transition guidance because those amendments do not have an accounting effect. Management is currently assessing the applicability of ASU 2017-11 and has not determined the impact of the adoption, if any, as of June 30, 2017.

On May 10, 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Scope of Modification Accounting, which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements, provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. For all entities, the ASU is effective for annual reporting periods, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. We do not expect this standard to have a material impact on the Company’s reported results of operations or financial position.

Both ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2017-05 will be effective for public entities for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted in periods ending after December 15, 2016. ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2017-05 allow for either full or modified retrospective ("cumulative effect") adoption. Both standards must be adopted concurrently. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting both ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2017-05 and the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASU 2014-09"). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing GAAP revenue recognition guidance as well as impact the existing GAAP guidance governing the sale of non-financial assets. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it satisfies performance obligations, by transferring promised goods or services to customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for fulfilling those performance obligations. In doing so, companies will need to exercise more judgment and make more estimates than under existing GAAP guidance.

ASU 2014-09 also created guidance governing the sale of non-financial assets with customers and non-customers with the only difference in the treatment of these transactions being presentation in the statement of operations (revenue and expense is reported when the sale is to a customer and net gain or loss is reported when the sale is to a non-customer). Based on the nature of our business, we believe that our property sales represent transactions with non-customers.