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One in three iPhone users use LBS in Q4 February 11, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Apple, iPhone, LBS, SMS.
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Users of Apple’s iPhone are more than twice as likely as non-iPhone users to browse the mobile web and more than three times as likely to use LBS or a location-based social network, according to a mobile advertising report by Limbo. The report suggests that advertisers can reach iPhone users with mobile campaigns more easily than with other platforms, with more than 80 percent of iPhone users taking advantage of non-voice mobile data services, compared to just over 60 percent of non-iPhone users. One in ten mobile phone users in the US used a location-based service such as a map, friend or restaurant finder in the fourth quarter. The 25-34 age group saw the highest levels of interest in this type of offering, with 22 percent penetration. In contrast, iPhone users are four times as likely to recall LBS ads as non-iPhone users. While 33 percent of mobile consumers recall seeing mobile advertisements, 41 percent of iPhone users recall seeing mobile ads, according to the survey. The vast majority of these ads were seen in SMS text messages, twice as much as mobile web ads, which are the second most common mobile ad viewed. Significantly fewer consumers see other forms of mobile advertising unless they have an iPhone.

Mobile Industry News

Etisalat to sell Apple’s iPhone 3G in UAE, Saudi Arabia February 3, 2009

Posted by aikservices in 3G, Apple, Etisalat, iPhone, Middle East, Mobily, Orange, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Vodafone.
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UAE-based operator Etisalat has signed an agreement to sell Apple’s iPhone 3G mobile phone in the United Arab Emirates from later this month. The operator will simultaneously launch the device in Saudi Arabia through its operator there, Mobily. The iPhone 3G, available in 8GB and 16GB models, is already available in some countries in the Middle East, through agreements with Vodafone and Orange affiliates.

Mobile Industry News

Apple gets 1% global market share February 2, 2009

Posted by aikservices in ABI Research, Apple, iPhone, LG, Mobile, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung.
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According to data from a ABI Research study, iPhones now make up 1.1 percent of all cellphones, which is a boost from the 0.3 percent share the original iPhone held in 2007. It’s not much but it’s a start for Apple, which is still way off that number one spot. Of course, Nokia’s still dominates with 38.6 percent, Samsung holds second place with 16.2 percent. Meanwhile LG and Motorola share third place with 8.3 percent a piece. 

Mobile Industry News

Consumers Want Citywide Wi-Fi – And Are Willing to Pay for It January 30, 2009

Posted by aikservices in 3G, Google, iPhone, Mobile, Nokia, Telecom, UK, USA, Wi-Fi, Wireless.
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A report commissioned by Wi-Fi application vendor, Devicescape has found that most respondents want citywide Wi-Fi (84%) and, surprisingly, many are willing to pay for it (56%) as they would a utility. The report also found that an overwhelming number of Wi-Fi users expect Wi-Fi while on the road (91%) and when traveling, the most-often used device for accessing Wi-Fi was the smartphone, such as an iPhone (vs. laptops). The overwhelming majority of smartphone users (81%) prefer using Wi-Fi over 3G for browsing Web sites, downloading data, Google searches and sending e-mail. Also, 86% of respondents want OEMs to build Wi-Fi into their handsets and 82% of respondents want the service provider to provide an overall 3G/Wi-Fi data package.Many of the statistics within the UK and mainland Europe were similar to the US, but one significant difference is that Nokia is the most used device tapping into Wi-Fi, more than laptops and iPhone users.

Mobile Industry News

Deutsche Telekom Substantially Increased its Customer Numbers in 2008 January 30, 2009

Posted by aikservices in 3G, Apple, Deutsche Telekom, Europe, Germany, iPhone, T-Mobile, USA.
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Deutsche Telekom has issued a trading statement and says that it saw encouraging developments in its mobile communications markets during last year. The number of customers with the companies in Europe and the United States totaled 128.3 million. This means that the number of customers increased organically by 7.6 million. The contract customer segment accounts for 5 million of this growth with a current customer base of 65.9 million.

T-Mobile Deutschland also defended its leading position in Germany. With over 950,000 new contract customers, the high level of the previous year was reached once again. The successful introduction of the Apple iPhone 3G and the attractive range of calling plans were the main reasons for this development.

Mobile Industry News

Earnings Preview: AT&T to report 4Q results January 28, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, Financial, iPhone, USA.
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AT&T Inc. reports its fourth-quarter results on Wednesday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.As the largest telecommunications company in the country, AT&T has been something of a haven in a dismal economy. But its stock is down 24 percent from a year ago, compared with a 37 percent decline for the S&P 500.AT&T’s wireless unit has kept posting healthy growth, helped in particular by the July release of Apple’s second-generation iPhone. Analysts expect that growth to have slowed down in the fourth quarter, even though AT&T did launch another high-profile smart phone, the BlackBerry Bold, in November.Paradoxically, fewer iPhone sales help the company in the short term, because AT&T subsidizes each unit by hundreds of dollars, which it then recoups through service fees. AT&T is the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone.

Mobile Industry News

T-Mobile CEO sees stable results in 2009 January 28, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Android, Apple, G1, Google, iPhone, Mobile, T-Mobile, Telecom, Telecompaper, Wireless.
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T-Mobile International has yet to see a direct impact on its results from the economic slowdown and expects to maintain its performance in 2009, CEO Hamid Akhavan told Telecompaper in an interview. Results for the fourth quarter were in line with the company’s expectations, he said, adding that based on November and December sales figures, the company saw no major changes in the number of clients or spending. T-Mobile is on track to meet its 2008 forecasts, and for 2009 the company expects a stable performance with no decline in results, he said.
Looking ahead, T-Mobile is focused on growing service revenues, while maintaining its profit margins. Growth will come from innovative services such as its mobile data service Web’n’walk and new data-driven phones such as Apple’s iPhone and the G1 Android handset. Mergers and acquisitions are not on the agenda at the moment, due to the high cost of capital, according to the CEO.

Mobile Industry News

Apple sells 4.36 million iPhone 3Gs in quarter January 27, 2009

Posted by aikservices in 3G, Apple, Financial, iPhone, Mobile, Telecom, Wireless.
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Apple announced financial results for its fiscal 2009 first quarter ended 27 December 2008, posting record revenue of USD 10.17 billion and record net quarterly profit of USD 1.61 billion. This compares to USD 1.78 per diluted share. In accordance with the subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP, the Company recognizes revenue and cost of goods sold for iPhone and Apple TV over their economic lives. Adjusting GAAP sales and product costs to eliminate the impact of subscription accounting, the corresponding non-GAAP measures for the quarter are USD 11.8 billion of Adjusted Sales and USD 2.3 billion of Adjusted Net Income. Apple sold 2,524,000 Macintosh computers during the quarter, representing 9 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter and at the same time, Apple sold a record 22,727,000 iPods during the quarter, representing 3 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 4,363,000, representing 88 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. In total, Apple sold 11.26 million iPhone 3Gs and 6.1 million first generation iPhones. 

Mobile Industry News

The 5800 – A Good Foundation for Nokia Touch Screens January 27, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Android, iPhone, Mobile, Nokia, Smartphone, Telecom, Wireless.
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Nokia’s first proper touch-screen handset will reach several key European markets in the next few days. As a significant milestone in the company’s strategy, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by its execution, which will provide a strong foundation on which to introduce further touch-enabled handsets. Nevertheless, the whole package needs some tweaks to put it on an even footing with the genre-defining iPhone and devices based on Google’s “people’s platform”, Android. A good launching point for Nokia touch screens with a touch of déjà vu.

Our road test of the 5800 XpressMusic over the past few weeks has provided some useful pointers as to Nokia’s relative strengths and weaknesses as it enters the touch-screen arena.

First off, and more important, the 5800’s S60 5th Edition platform (the first handset in the market running the software) is very stable, with not a single crash or hang yet experienced. This is unusual for high-tech handsets generally and especially when a vendor introduces a major technology update. 

Mobile Industry News

Coolgorilla launches talking phrasebook for iPhone January 16, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Apple, Coolgorilla, iPhone, Mobile, Telecom, Wireless.
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Coolgorilla, the world’s most primitive software developers who have been at the forefront of the evolution of mobile translation products, have launched a new talking phrasebook for all iPhone and iPod Touch users. The phrasebook is available in seven different language versions, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japenese, Portuguese and Spanish, and can be downloaded by visiting Apple’s App Store. Searching through a printed phrasebook is now a thing of the past as Coolgorilla’s intuitive application allows consumers to search quickly and simply for a phrase in English and let their iPhone speak the phrase in the foreign language. A real, native accent is used and the text translation is also provided on the screen. Each phrasebook contains over 500 sound files covering all elements of the holiday experience including Eating, Travel and even Flirting. The talking phrasebooks also have a new search functionality included. Users can now quickly and easily search for all phrases with, for example, ‘taxi’. 

Mobile phones are globally recognised as an excellent way to communicate and people everywhere are used to interacting with an iPhone. Coolgorilla’s talking phrasebooks allow your iPhone to communicate on your behalf, directly with the locals you meet on holiday.

Wireless Industry News

Top Ten Selling Mobile Phones in 2008 January 14, 2009

Posted by aikservices in Apple, HTC, iPhone, Mobile, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Telecom, Wireless.
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The Swedish manufacturer of carrying cases for portable electronics, Krusell, has released their “Top 10”-list for 2008.

The list is based upon the number of pieces of model specific mobile- and smart phone cases that have been ordered from Krusell during 2008. Krusell’s list is unique due to the fact that it reflects the sales of phones on six continents and in more than 50 countries around the globe.

1. Apple iPhone
2. Nokia 3109
3. Nokia 6300
4. Nokia E51
5. HTC Diamond
6.Nokia N95 8GB
7.Sony Ericsson K800i
8. Sony Ericsson C702
9. Sony Ericsson K850i
10. Sony Ericsson K530i

Wireless Industry News

An Odd Couple Pitching iPhone: Apple, Wal-Mart December 30, 2008

Posted by aikservices in 3G, Apple, AT&T, iPhone, Mobile, Telecom, USA, Wal-Mart, Wireless.
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Apple has officially gone mass market with the iPhone. Wal-Mart said Friday that it would start selling the popular smart phone on Sunday in nearly 2,500 stores.The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer will sell the 8-gigabyte iPhone 3G for $197 and the 16-gigabyte model for $297, with a new two-year service agreement from AT&T T or qualified upgrade. Apple and Wal-Mart make an odd couple. Apple is a high-end brand known for its boutique-style stores and pricey computers. Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, is a renowned discount chain that touts “always low prices” for goods ranging from apparel to grocery items.

But Wal-Mart isn’t heavily discounting the iPhone as some media outlets had speculated in recent weeks. Instead, Wal-Mart is charging $2 less than Apple’s list price on both models, just a 1% discount. By adding Wal-Mart to its list of iPhone retail outlets, which in the U.S. also includes AT&T stores and the Best Buy BBY consumer electronics chain, Apple is executing on a strategy to take market share in the burgeoning smart phone market.

Wireless Industry News

The Phone that Feels the Flu Before You Do December 8, 2008

Posted by aikservices in G1, Google, iPhone, Mobile, T-Mobile, Telecom, Wireless.
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A maker of over-the-counter cold and flu remedies released a program this week for the T-Mobile G1, also known as the “Google phone,” that warns the user how many people in an area are sneezing and shaking with winter viruses.

The “Zicam Cold & Flu Companion” will say, for instance, that 8 percent to 14 percent of the people in your ZIP code have respiratory illnesses, representing a “Moderate” risk level. To give germophobes and hypochondriacs even more of a thrill, it also says what symptoms are common, like coughing and sore throat.

Matrixx Initiatives Inc., the Arizona company that makes products under the Zicam brand, gets the information on disease levels from Surveillance Data Inc. — which gets its data from polling health care providers and pharmacies.

Users can also ask the application about risk levels in other ZIP codes, so they can steer clear of, for instance, Atlanta, one of the five most infected cities in the nation right now, according to Zicam.

The “Companion” is available for free from the Android Marketplace, the repository of downloadable programs for the G1. Later this month, the program will be available for the iPhone, according to Matrixx.

Google Inc., which created the G1’s operating system, launched its own state-by-state Web-based flu tracker recently. It’s based on the number of people plugging flu-related searches into Google’s search engine.

Wireless Industry News

Smartphones Try To Outsmart the Competition December 8, 2008

Posted by aikservices in AT&T, BlackBerry, CDMA, GSM, iPhone, Microsoft, Mobile, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Telecom, Verizon Wireless, Wireless, YouTube.
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Cell phone carriers are touting their smartphones as the smart choice for the holiday season. Verizon Wireless and Research in Motion’s new BlackBerry Storm has all the familiar BlackBerry features but is a touch-screen device.

Audrey Lundy, public relations manager for Verizon Wireless, said Verizon incorporated the touch-screen to keep up with customer demand. The Storm employs a clickable touch-screen that is designed to respond like a keyboard.

When Apple’s iPhone came into the marketplace in 2007, users were excited about its touch-screen capability. The phone also offers more than 5,000 downloadable applications like navigation tools and access to YouTube.

The iPhone was the No. 1-selling phone for the third quarter of this year. Even with its success, some said the iPhone is for general consumers while the BlackBerry is for the business community.

The launch of the iPhone 3G added Microsoft Exchange access and GPS technology, which could in turn appeal more to the business crowd, said Brian Bollenbach, director of product development for Anyware Mobile Solutions. The BlackBerry and the iPhone still have their niche audiences, he said. But additions and phone upgrades are increasing their customer base. “I say in both cases they have opportunities to bleed over to both markets with their new versions,” said Bollenbach.

Smart phones took off about six years ago, said Bollenbach. They offered mobile  versions of applications business people had on their home computers, making it easier to work away from the office.

Various industries took note of the increasing popularity for mobile devices. They started creating mobile Web sites, but many were slow to take off because it took a long time to download all the information. Bollenbach said in the past year there have been significant improvements to browsers that have sped up loading time. The success of the iPhone in the past year has the other carriers taking note of its forward-thinking applications, he said. “The systems are going to continue to become more diverse,” said Bollenbach. “I do think we’ll see certain carriers lose market shares and others will gain.”

Which company will see the most success depends on consumers’ carrier service, he said. The iPhone works for AT&T  subscribers and the BlackBerry Storm is on the Verizon plan. Those services could influence future smart-phone purchases.

“I would say iPhone is off to a good start, they have a loyal fan base,” he said. “But we’ll have to see.”

Even with people conserving their money this holiday season, Bollenbach anticipates many smart phones are a likely gift purchase this year.

Wireless Industry News

Open-Source Symbian Has Caught AT&T’s Eye December 8, 2008

Posted by aikservices in Android, AOL, Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, CDMA, Google, GSM, iPhone, Mobile, Research In Motion, RIM, Smartphone, Symbian, Telecom, Windows Mobile, Wireless.
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The world has been waiting for an open-source Symbian mobile  operating system, but it won’t have to wait much longer. The Symbian Foundation expects to have its first version ready in the first half of 2009.

The foundation is making strides and gaining more support. Symbian on Thursday announced AOL, Cell Telecom, Intrinsyc, ISB Corporation, Trusted Logic, and Xenient have added their endorsements to the 58 other companies already supporting the open-source effort.

“We are delighted with the response from the Silicon Valley community, as well as from developers around the world, to the plans for the foundation to build on the leading open mobile platform,” said Lee Williams, who has been nominated as executive director of the foundation and who was a keynote speaker at this week’s Symbian Partner Event in San Francisco.

The AT&T  Connection

Even though Symbian has a commanding lead in the global mobile operating-system market with nearly half the implementations worldwide, competition is rising. Research in Motion, Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android, and Windows Mobile are all challenging Symbian on the smartphone front.

What’s more, Symbian hasn’t gained much traction in the U.S. Symbian could gain an advantage, though if comments made by an AT&T executive at the Symbian event Thursday pan out as some observers expect.

Roger Smith, AT&T’s director of next-generation services, told the event that the wireless  carrier is considering how it might standardize on only a few mobile platforms over the next few years. He cited Symbian as a “credible candidate” to be among those platforms.

Speaking of an open Symbian, Smith said, “If done well and done right, this can be a game-changing event.” It’s all part of AT&T’s move to take more control over its destiny in the mobile operating space.

A Fragmented Market

“At the end of the day, the mobile OS platform market is going to be fragmented for the foreseeable future. While there is Windows Mobile, there is no Windows of mobile, meaning one dominant platform that will rule everything,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia. “We are going to see any number of strong players here amongst many.”

Symbian has been a strong platform in Europe for some time. But until the birth of the Symbian Foundation, talk about Symbian revolved around Nokia, its creator. Nokia’s interpretation of the Symbian mobile operating system was in the Series 60 devices. Some industry watchers have speculated about Symbian becoming a unified  platform for AT&T.

“It’s hard to see a carrier standardizing on a single platform and what benefit that would have for them,” Gartenberg said. “Even more interesting is that these comments came from someone at AT&T, which of course has the exclusive [U.S.] franchise on the iPhone, which is now one of the best-selling devices in mobility, period.”

Wireless Industry News