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Posts Tagged ‘Business and Technology’

Verizon’s Android share suffers after iPhone 4 launch

giovedì, agosto 18th, 2011

The release of Apple’s iPhone 4 on Verizon in February helped to seriously erode the carrier’s Android market share, market research firm Chitika revealed in a report yesterday.

In March, Chitika reported that Verizon held 51.4 percent of the US Android market, but the company’s most recent report shows that Verizon has fallen to 41 percent. AT&T’s Android share, meanwhile, jumped five points to 8.7 percent.

The Android dip was to be expected — Verizon reported in its first quarter earnings that it had sold 2.2 million iPhones. In that same quarter, the carrier said it shipped 500,000 units of its first batch of 4G Android phones.

The iPhone is expected to eat into Android sales when it’s eventually made available on T-Mobile and Sprint (which may end up happening with the release of the iPhone 5). But let’s not forget that Google is activating some 500,000 Android phones every day, and that Android currently holds 40 percent of the US smartphone market (iOS is in second place, with 26.6 percent). Even with the iPhone on all US carriers, it won’t be able to compete with sales from cheaper Android phones.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Android, Business and Technology, iOS, mobile, smartphones, VentureBeat
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Surprise! Fusion Garage is TabCo, announces Grid 10 tablet, Grid 4 smartphone

lunedì, agosto 15th, 2011

Commence eye rolling. After an obnoxious marketing campaign, mystery tablet maker TabCo revealed itself today as Fusion Garage, creator of the failed JooJoo tablet.

Fusion Garage CEO Chandrasekar “Chandra” Rathakrishnan unveiled the company’s new operating system today, GridOS, in a live webcast, along with its Grid 10 tablet and Grid 4 smartphone. Rathakrishnan explained that the company decided to pursue a mock marketing campaign as TabCo because he didn’t think people would give its new devices a fair shake otherwise.

Speaking about the Joojoo tablet, he said, “Our initial hype didn’t meet the performance of the product.” The company obviously wants to be taken more seriously with its Grid devices, but I don’t really think the TabCo hype helped its case much. And of course, many still remember Fusion Garage as the company that co-developed, and ultimately betrayed, TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington’s Crunchpad tablet.

The company said its GridOS and devices are an answer to countless Android devices that all look the same. The GridOS is based on the Android kernel, and it can run Android apps, but Fusion Garage has developed an entirely new grid layout that makes it look completely different than Android. I’ll admit that the interface looks cool, but it’s certainly not as groundbreaking as the company’s marketing would have you believe.

GridOS devices will be able to run apps from Amazon’s Android app store, and Fusion Garage will also launch its own Grid Shop for apps specific to the platform. Given how little the operating system resembles Android, don’t expect to see the official Android Market on GridOS.

The Grid 10 tablet sports a 10-inch screen, a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, and a (surprisingly high) 1366 by 769 resolution. It’ll cost $499 for the Wi-Fi only version, and $599 for built-in 3G. The company is taking pre-orders for the device now on its website and at Amazon. The tablet is expected to ship on September 15.

The company offered up fewer details on its Grid 4 smartphone, but Chandrasekar did show off how you can continue watching media on it from the Grid 10. The phone will featured a four-inch screen, dual-core Qualcomm processor and will sell for $399 unlocked. It’s expected to ship in the fourth quarter, and the company will announce carriers at that point as well.

Click here to download the VentureBeat Windows 7 desktop app. The Intel AppUp developer program is the official launch sponsor.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Business and Technology, Grid 10, Grid 4, GridOS, marketing, mobile, tablets, VentureBeat
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Apple testing 4G LTE iPhone, still no word on 4G for iPhone 5

lunedì, agosto 15th, 2011

Somewhere out there, Apple is testing an iPhone with 4G LTE capabilities, according to the mobile site Boy Genius Report.

An internal iOS test build from a US carrier reveals that Apple has a settings file for LTE technology floating around. This isn’t too surprising, since I can’t imagine that Apple is sitting on its hands as LTE 4G networks pop up around the world.

But I wouldn’t hold my breath for LTE 4G to be included in the iPhone 5, which is expected to be revealed next month. Since this is the first evidence we’ve seen of Apple testing LTE, it’s very likely the company still isn’t ready to implement the technology in devices. And judging from recent LTE 4G phones, battery life is still a major issue with LTE chipsets.

Basically, all of the points I made back in May about why the iPhone 5 won’t have LTE still hold true. Until battery life isn’t a concern, we likely won’t see an iPhone with LTE.

Apple could still include support for faster HSPA+ networks in the iPhone 5, although that would only work on GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. AT&T is currently referring to its HSPA+ network as 4G, with devices like the Motorola Atrix 4G. I can’t really see that happening though, since it will leave CDMA carriers like Verizon out in the cold with slower 3G speeds on the iPhone 5.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: 4G, Business and Technology, iphone 5, LTE, mobile, smartphones, VentureBeat
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Android partners “welcome” Google’s Motorola Mobility buy

lunedì, agosto 15th, 2011

Android manufacturers like HTC, LG and Sony Ericsson sure seem excited about Google’s $12.5 billion Motorola Mobility purchase – even though it could mean friction down the line between Google and its Android partners.

“We welcome the news of today’s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem,” HTC CEO Peter Chou wrote in a statement to press this morning. Google said today that Motorola’s massive patent portfolio is a big reason it decided to buy the company.

Other Android manufacturers followed HTC’s lead almost verbatim, Engadget reports. Sony Ericsson President and CEO Bert Nordberg said, “I welcome Google’s commitment to defending Android and its partners.” LG President and CEO Jong-Seok Park said, “We welcome Google’s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”

We asked Samsung for comment, and — brace yourselves — the company’s president of global mobile communications JK Shin had this to say, “We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.”

Indeed, we can’t really expect Google’s Android partners to talk ill of today’s news. Most of these companies have centered their mobile device business on Android, and it wouldn’t really help them to complain. But there’s certainly reason for Android partners to worry — Google has now gotten itself into a situation in which it will be competing with its own licensees. That’s never really worked out well in the technology world — just look at Microsoft screwed over its PlayForSure partners with the Zune.

But while the Android partner response may sound robotic and monotonous, they all have a point. Google will be be able to help its partners fend off patent battles thanks to Motorola’s massive portfolio. The only question now is how much the Motorola purchase will hurt Android partners’ device business.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Android, Business and Technology, mobile, patents, smartphones, VentureBeat
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Google buys Motorola Mobility for $12.5B, says Android will stay open

lunedì, agosto 15th, 2011

Yowza. Google this morning announced that it will buy Motorola Mobility — Moto’s mobile device arm — for $12.5 billion.

Let that sink in for a moment. Google will now be in charge of one of the world’s major mobile manufacturers, which ultimately means we’ll see more refined Motorola Android devices in the future, and it will also strengthen Google’s patent portfolio. Google says the move will increase competition in the mobile world, but I imagine other Android partners are a bit worried this morning.

“Motorola’s total commitment to Android in mobile devices is one of many reasons that there is a natural fit between our two companies,” Google CEO Larry Page wrote in a blog post this morning. “Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers everywhere.”

Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40 per share in cash, a 63 percent premium over the company’s Friday closing price. Google says it will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business. Motorola spun off its business into two divisions last year, Mobility and Solutions (the data and telecom portion), as a response to declining profits.

In its investor call this morning about the acquisition, Google stressed that it’s mostly focusing on protect Android with patents in the deal, reports All Things D. As the creator of the modern day cellphone, Motorola’s portfolio of some 25,000 patents will surely be able to help Google fend off attacks from Microsoft and Apple. Motorola Mobility also houses the company’s TV set-top box business, which could lead to some interesting Google TV integration in the future.

Google shares were down around 1.5 percent at the time of this post, while Motorola Mobility’s stock jumped 57 percent.

The company says Motorola Android phones won’t be receiving any special treatment as a consequence of the deal — but that’s a tough nut to swallow, since Google often plays favorites. Just look at the history of the flagship Nexus phones – Google first worked closely with HTC to develop the Nexus One, and as Samsung’s dominance in the Android market grew, it became the go-to collaborator for the Nexus S. Samsung is also thought to be involved in the third Nexus phone, which is expected to launch by the end of this year. Google says Motorola will be part of the bidding process for next year’s Nexus phone, the same as always.

Filed under: Business and Technology, deals, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Business and Technology, deals, mobile, patents, smartphones, VentureBeat
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Skype outlines Microsoft and Facebook integration road map

mercoledì, agosto 10th, 2011

Skype is planning deep integration of its voice and video internet messaging service with Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile operating system, Microsoft’s Lync office software and Xbox consoles and other products, reports Forbes.

Skype, which Microsoft acquired in June, technically can’t start any integration until terms of the company’s sale are approved by European regulators. The company did, however, share a road map for what consumers can expect to see in the future.

While Skype currently produces application support for both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android devices, the company plans to offer something unique when it’s brought to Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, according to the report. As a division of Microsoft, Skype will be able to gain much deeper integration that can’t be achieved on either iOS or Android. This is mainly due to restrictions on those devices that don’t allow third-party applications to access the mobile phone’s video processor or address book information.

Skype’s vice president and general manager of products Neil Stevens told Fortune that he wants to see Skype move beyond just an application when it hits Windows Phones — with integration similar to Apple’s treatment of the Safari web browser or Skype’s upcoming video service with Facebook.

Consumers are likely to see a greater emphasis on Skype’s partnership with Facebook, which adds a video chat function to Facebook. Users will be able to make outbound calls to landlines and cellphones from within Facebook to Skype and vice versa. Only a small portion of Facebook’s total global users currently have access, but a larger roll out should occur in the next few weeks, according to the report.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, News, social, Social Media, VentureBeat

Tags: apps, Business and Technology, Integration, mobile, news, Social, Social Media, VentureBeat, video chat, Windows Phone
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Yup, Apple is suing Motorola in Europe over the Xoom too

mercoledì, agosto 10th, 2011

Apple has its sights set on more than just Samsung’s tablet in Europe. The company is also suing Motorola over its Xoom Android tablet, FOSS Patents reports.

FOSS’s Florian Mueller found evidence of Apple’s complaint against Motorola buried deep within yesterday’s Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 complaint. It’s a clear sign that Apple’s patent rampage against Android competition, which also includes HTC’s devices, isn’t letting up any time soon.

We’ve asked Motorola for comment on the news and will update when we hear back.

According to the filing, Apple has issued a complaint over the design of the Xoom, but it’s unclear if it has requested a preliminary injunction to have Motorola stop selling its tablet in Europe. Mueller writes: “While it’s not stated explicitly, I suppose that the complaint against Motorola also asks the court for an EU-wide injunction — but perhaps just for a permanent injunction without a previous preliminary one.”

Mueller also notes that German courts typically don’t grant preliminary injunctions if rights holder are aware of infringements for too long. Since the Xoom launched earlier this year, Apple is likely past whatever time limitation German courts typically impose for urgent preliminary injunctions. The company can still pursue a permanent injunction, however.

Apple and Motorola have been squabbling over more than 40 US patents since late last year, but this is the first time Apple has dragged the battle to Europe.

Filed under: Business and Technology, Legal, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Android, Business and Technology, Legal, mobile, patents, tablets, VentureBeat, Xoom
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Kindle Cloud Reader, Vudu iPad site help avoid Apple tax

mercoledì, agosto 10th, 2011

Companies are turning to Web apps to avoid Apple’s onerous iOS in-app revenue sharing rules.

Yesterday, both Amazon, with its new Kindle Cloud Reader, and Vudu, with its new iPad-optimized streaming video site, demonstrated that they’re not willing to give Apple its 30-percent cut for purchases and subscriptions inside of apps in the App Store.

This is a trend we’ll likely see many more companies following, as the alternative would be to either absorb Apple’s cut of their sales, or increase prices to offset Apple’s fees. The streaming music service Rdio is attempting the latter with its new iPad app, which charges new users coming through the app $15 for its monthly service, instead of the usual $10. I suspect that most companies would do anything to avoid raising prices, but if Rdio’s plan works out, perhaps more will follow in its footsteps.

As of June 30, any iOS apps that offer subscriptions are subject to Apple’s 30-percent tax. But at least now, companies have the choice of including in-app subscriptions or not. Previously, Apple was considering forcing companies like Netflix and Amazon to include in-app subscriptions and to price them the same as external subscriptions. Not surprisingly, that move didn’t win Apple any fans, and the company ultimately relaxed its restrictions.

Amazon says its Kindle Cloud Reader officially supports Chrome and Safari, which means it easily works across Macs, PCs, Chromebooks and the iPad. At the moment, the iPhone isn’t supported (likely because Amazon needs to work on an optimized interface for smaller screens). The Cloud Reader will serve as a companion to the Kindle’s iPad app for now — Amazon isn’t aiming to replace its more fully featured native app entirely (yet).

The site allows you to read your Kindle library from the Web — but its real purpose is to serve as an easy gateway to the Kindle Store for iPad users. Amazon had to remove links to the Kindle store from within its iOS apps as part of Apple’s new rules.

Unlike Amazon, Vudu chose to avoid the native app noise entirely and just offer a tablet-optimized website for its users. The site gives iPad users access to over 20,000 movies from Vudu, although they’re only available in standard-definition quality. You won’t see any Disney features though, as GigaOm points out. The Mickey Mouse company already has its own cloud video site, and it could offer streaming movies via its own iPad app in the future.

Filed under: Business and Technology, media, mobile, VentureBeat

Tags: Business and Technology, HTML5, kindle, Kindle Cloud Reader, media, mobile, Streaming movies, VentureBeat
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Oh snap, FCC may kill LightSquared to save GPS services

mercoledì, agosto 10th, 2011

Oh Snap The Federal Communications Commission and other regulators are prepared to stop wireless broadband startup LightSquared from operating if its network poses any risk to GPS services, the government agencies stated Tuesday during their monthly meeting, reports Reuters.

LightSquared’s business model relies on supplying outside companies with wholesale access to its high-speed wireless network, which operates on a portion of the wireless spectrum that causes interference to GPS. That interference prevents the estimated 500 million GPS-enabled devices and services — like airplane tracking, clock synchronization, weather forecasting, emergency communications and several others that are in use — from working properly.

Communications regulators are currently evaluating LightSquared’s network following months of testing that confirmed it does interfere with GPS.

Yet LightSquared has submitted a new plan that fixes the GPS interference problem while allowing the company to retain its network deployment schedule without delays. The plan states that LightSquared will use a different block of its allocated range of the wireless spectrum that’s farther away from the GPS block.

However, a FCC official said creating such a “guard band” between LightSquared’s airwaves and those used for GPS will leave a large swath of spectrum underutilized, according to the report.

Any underutilized portion of the wireless spectrum is unacceptable. Both the country’s four (soon to be three) major wireless carriers and President Barack Obama have stated several times that additional portions of the wireless spectrum are necessary for fueling faster internet speeds, economic growth and innovation.

The FCC official also said that regulators would like to find a solution that is better for long-term spectrum policy and allows efficient use of the airwaves.

Do you think LightSquared should be allowed to operate given the problems with GPS interference and/or the possibility of hogging valuable portions of the wireless spectrum?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Filed under: Business and Technology, mobile, News, VentureBeat