The Amazing Recession Defying Tablet

When we think of tablets the first thing that comes to mind is iPad. Apple has grabbed more than 80% of the market since they launched. However, not everyone else is throwing their towels just yet. The war of the tablets is an ongoing one and it will be quite interestinig to see how this pans out in a couple years. As of now, it’s safe to say that Apple will remain the undisputed king, atleast for a while.
It’s funny if you think about how many people carry a tablet with them these days. Try sitting at an airport waiting for your flight and you’ll see almost 50% of the people waiting with you are on their tablet. I used to be quite heavy on being a mobile guy with the use of my phone but the tablet has definitely replaced my phone. I can go without a phone but not a tablet, and yes I am the iPad guy. Can’t live without it anymore and my business definitely wouldn’t be running as mooth without it either. It has become a leisure and business tool.
This infographic brougt to us by Sortable highlights some interesting points. The title itself is pretty strong as it shows how tablet market is defying the recession. Think about it, millions of people are unemployed. Many people can’t afford to buy gas or other daily necessities yet the tablet market is growing like there is no tomorrow. So, is it defying recession? Absolutely. It’s a growing market. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that tablet shipment will top 150,000,000 by the end of 2015. Let’s have a look at this tablet infographic to learn a bit more about the world of tablets.

Android Outnumbered iPhone 2 to 1 in Summer Sales

The delay in Apple’s usual summer iPhone rollout has been good for Android: Google’s mobile OS has outsold Apple’s iOS two to one in the last three months, finds Nielsen. Fifty-six percent of smartphones sold since June have been Android.
That figure suggests Android’s increasing market share. Among Nielsen’s sample of 25,000 mobile phone owners, 43% have Android devices. Meanwhile, 28% of people who bought a smartphone in the last three months purchased an iPhone, which is consistent with the overall market share of iPhones. Eighteen percent of respondents have a BlackBerry, although only 9% bought one in the last three months.

For Apple, the stagnation likely reflects pent-up demand for the iPhone 5, which is likely to be announced Oct. 4. This will be late for Apple since every iPhone update since 2007 has come during the summer. For BlackBerry, the numbers signal a decline in influence that has been indicated in many other surveys. Similarly, Android has flirted with 50% in other estimates.
Fortunately for all three companies, Nielsen found smartphone penetration is rising. Although 43% of respondents have a smartphone, 58% bought one rather than a feature phone over the past three months. 

Mobile Mania – The Growing Importance of Mobile Website Optimization

Apparently people want optimized for mobile websites. Actually they may don’t realize that, but the figures suggest that such websites lead to increased sales, generate more traffic and even boost customer engagement. Don’t take my words on this — I’m just fine browsing the “real” web on my Galaxy S II — but KISSmetrics suggests otherwise. They prepared a cool info-graphic to illustrate the growing importance of mobile website optimization.

56% of new U.S. smartphone buyers siding with Android

By Nielsen



While iPhone owners will be clinging to their brand until the bitter end, it looks like Android will be there to capture just about everyone else in the mobile world. A recent survey by Nielsen showed that of those that had purchased a smartphone in the last three months, 56% of Americans picked up an Android handset. The same survey showed that the overall penetration for Android (regardless of when folks bought their phone) is currently sitting at 43%, while iPhone stayed at 28% in both categories. BlackBerry market share is shrinking predictably, with 9% having picked one up in the last three months, versus 18% overall penetration.
It goes without saying that Android has a ton of momentum behind it, but this illustrates the fact nicely, and gives us a sense of where smartphone shopping habits are headed. It’s interesting to see iPhone completely unchanged across recent acquirers and all smartphone subscribers, since it suggests that though few iPhone owners want to switch, iOS isn’t winning many new fans.
Of course, with an iPhone 5 announcement right around the corner, that may very well change, at least for the short term. Details on the next iOS smartphone are slim, so it’s hard to say just how popular it will be, but silly little details like specs and features seem to be inconsequential when it comes to purchasing decisions for many customers.


Now, I can’t help but wonder just how well this trend translates internationally.. :-)

Mobile Web Has More Users While Mobile Apps See Higher Engagement

By MOMA



Finland-based mobile analytics provider, CEM4Mobile Solutions, has published new survey results detailing consumer preference in regards to mobile apps vs. the mobile Web in terms of engagement, unique users and mobile ad impressions.
The company completed its research by using a sample of over 56 million mobile impressions from devices where both apps and mobile Web browsing were supported.  The results show that while the mobile Web sees more traffic and unique users as opposed to native apps, the engagement is much higher with native mobile apps.  In looking at the survey respondents, 90.15% of all unique users used the mobile Web, while just 9.85% used apps.  The sum of all visits was similar, with the mobile Web seeing 81.66% of all respondents while apps saw just 18.34%.
In looking at mobile ad impressions, 65.39% were shown via the mobile Web while 34.61% came from mobile apps.  While these results clearly indicate a preference for the mobile Web in terms of sheer users, it can’t compete in terms of keeping users engaged.  CEM4Mobile broke down the time spent within a mobile app vs. the mobile Web on three leading mobile OSs — Android, Apple iOS and Symbian.  Here’s the breakdown:





These results fall in the line with the notion that mobile apps are popular right now, and will remain to be for the foreseeable future, simply because it’s what mobile users are most comfortable with and what brands and mobile developers have flocked to since the iPhone made mobile apps the “next big thing” in terms of mobile consumption.  As HTML5 grows in adoption, however, the shift to the mobile Web is inevitable.

Apple leads the tablet share till 2014..Gartner Predictions

By Intomobile
The bean counters at Gartner have published their predictions for where the tablet market is heading. Before we look ahead though, let’s look at 2010. An estimated 17.6 million tablets shipped during that year, of which 83% of them were iPads. By the end of this year it’s estimated that 63.6 million tablets will ship, up an astonishing 261.4%, and 73.4% of them will be iPads. Carolina Milanesi, Research Vice President at Gartner, has this to say:

“We expect Apple to maintain a market share lead throughout our forecast period by commanding more than 50% of the market until 2014. This is because Apple delivers a superior and unified user experience across its hardware, software and services. Unless competitors can respond with a similar approach, challenges to Apple’s position will be minimal. Apple had the foresight to create this market and in doing that planned for it as far as component supplies such as memory and screen. This allowed Apple to bring the iPad out at a very competitive price and no compromise in experience among the different models that offer storage and connectivity options.
So far, Android’s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications. Google will address the fragmentation of Android across smartphone and tablet form factors within the next Android release, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich,’ which we expect to see in the fourth quarter of 2011. Android can count on strong support from key OEMs, has a sizeable developer community, and its smartphones application ecosystem is second only to Apple’s.”

Juniper Research: Tablet shipments to reach 253 million by 2016

By Intomobile 
In its latest report titled “Tablet & eReader Evolution: Strategies & Opportunities 2011-2016,” Juniper Research is assessing the growing tablet market. According to the company, the number of tablet shipments will reach 253 million by 2016, which is nearly a five-fold increase from the 55.2 million tablets expected to ship this year.
Although most tablets sold today are Wi-Fi only, more than a half of all tablets shipped in 2016 will also have a cellular connection. At present, carriers ask customers to commit on two contracts – one for their mobile phone and the other one for tablet. Juniper argues this will change soon with mobile operators introducing multi-device plans. In addition, emerging markets will also help push sales of tablets with cellular connection due to lack of fixed-line infrastructure.
Finally, the research company is also talking about Microsoft and their tablet-friendly Windows 8 OS, which along with the MS Office suite could push enterprises to adopt tablets. Speaking of business users, Juniper forecasts that nearly a fifth of annual tablet shipments will reach the enterprise space by 2016.

Smartphone Market Grows 79.7% Year Over Year in First Quarter of 2011

By Mobiletechnews,
The worldwide smartphone market grew 79.7% year over year in the first quarter of 2011, driven by a combination of vendors releasing highly anticipated models, widespread availability of older smartphones at lower prices, and sustained end-user demand. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone vendors shipped a total of 99.6 million units in 1Q11, nearly double from the 55.4 million units in the first quarter of 2010.
"Conditions in the smartphone market are creating a perfect storm for sustained smartphone growth," says Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends team. "First, vendors are increasingly emphasizing smartphones as the key to their own growth. Second, selection has proliferated from mostly high-end devices to include more mid-range and entry-level offerings. Third, pricing has become increasingly competitive, with even high-end devices available at low price points. Finally, users continue to seek greater utility from their mobile phone beyond voice, and smartphones have been the ideal solution. Altogether, these add up to continued smartphone growth throughout the year."
The strong demand for smartphones also means the market will remain highly competitive and fragmented. "The rise of Android as a prominent mobile operating system has allowed several suppliers to gain share quickly," adds Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Also, the relatively nascent state of smartphone adoption globally means there is ample room for several suppliers to comfortably co-exist, at least for the short term."
Top Five Smartphone Vendors
Nokia, despite announcing its intentions to move from Symbian to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone operating system, maintained its leadership position in the smartphone market. Demand for Symbian-powered smartphones remained strong within its traditionally strongest markets of EMEA and Asia/Pacific, and the company continues to announce more devices running on Symbian, including the E6 and the X7. Still, as Nokia transitions from Symbian to Windows Phone, it may find itself in danger of ceding market share as the competition ramps up smartphone production.
Apple reached a new record shipment volume in a single quarter, and inched closer to market leader Nokia with fewer than six million units separating the two companies. The company posted market-beating year-over-year growth and recorded triple-digit growth in two key markets: the United States, with the release of its CDMA-enabled iPhone, and Greater China. Additionally, the company enlisted South Korean Telecom and Saudi Telecom as carrier providers of the iPhone.
Research In Motion remained solidly in third place from the previous quarter, as the company grew its presence outside of its home territory of North America. RIM has launched several 3G devices to the market, and recently announced two new BlackBerry smartphones running on its new BlackBerry 7 OS. Still, the majority of RIM's shipment volumes have been comprised of older, lower-cost devices. The company expects this trend to continue into the following quarter.
Samsung posted the largest year-over-year gain of any other vendor on the list. With a multiple operating system strategy in place, Samsung has been able to grow its smartphone portfolio to meet the needs of a diverse market. Accounting for the majority of its smartphones and driving shipment volumes higher was the continued success of its Android-based smartphones, including the high-end Galaxy S devices and mass-market Galaxy Ace and Galaxy mini devices. Meanwhile, its bada-powered Wave devices and Windows Phone 7 devices continued to gain traction.
HTC posted yet another record shipment volume, nearly surpassing the ten million unit mark for the first time. Like other vendors, HTC announced multiple new devices, including the Facebook-optimized Salsa and ChaCha. In addition, the company launched several new devices, including its Inspire 4G, WiMAX-enabled EVO Shift 4G, and LTE-enabled Thunderbolt. These, along with its investment and developments on hardware, displays, and its HTC Sense layer have helped HTC differentiate itself further in an increasingly crowded market.

Apple Brand Value at $153 Billion Overtakes Google for Top Spot

By Bloomberg,
Apple Inc., maker of the iPhone, iPad and iMac, overtook search-engine giant Google Inc. to become the world’s most valuable brand, WPP Plc said in a report today.
Apple’s brand value climbed 84 percent in the past year to $153.3 billion, WPP’s Millward Brown unit said. Google’s brand lost 2 percent to $111.5 billion, ending four years atop the rankings, while International Business Machines Corp. climbed 17 percent to be the No. 3, ahead of McDonald’s Corp. 
New versions of the iPhone and iMac, and the introduction of the iPad tablet, helped Cupertino, California-based Apple almost double sales and profit for the latest quarter. Apple, which overtook Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp., as the most-valuable technology company by market value in May 2010, boosted its share of the global phone market and is the leading seller of tablet computers.

“It’s clear that every single Apple employee, from Steve Jobs and Tim Cook to the summer interns, see protecting and nurturing that brand as a top priority,” Millward Brown Chief Executive Officer Eileen Campbell wrote in the report. “Tablet computing also drove value growth not just for Apple, but also for the providers who support yet another networked device.”
Facebook Inc., operator of the world’s largest social- networking site, had a 246 percent climb in brand value, the fastest, to become the No. 35 brand at $19.1 billion, according to the report. Baidu Inc., Google’s Chinese rival, posted the second-fastest climb at 141 percent, to be the No. 29 brand at $22.6 billion.
Twelve of the top 100 global brands were from China, led by China Mobile Ltd. (941) at No. 9 and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. at No. 11. Amazon.com Inc., which ranked 14th, overtook Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which ranked 15th, to become the most-valuable retail brand.

Wi-Fi Direct: Creating a Wireless Powerhouse

By Mobiletechnews,


Wi-Fi Direct is software that sits on top of IEEE 802.11x silicon, so Wi-Fi Direct’s success is fully dependent on the success of that underlying 802.11x chip solution. Because it is software and not a change to the silicon, it does not require a new IEEE specification, and is governed instead by the Wi-Fi Alliance?the Austin, Texas-based trade association.
Wi-Fi Direct creates a very powerful Wi-Fi solution, as it enables the premier wireless networking standard to add peer-to-peer capability, with no need for a Wi-Fi access point. This creates a much more compelling and complete wireless standard, and brings Wi-Fi into competition with specifications such as Bluetooth. And because Wi-Fi Direct is software based, the marginal cost of Wi-Fi Direct-enabled silicon over basic Wi-Fi silicon is minimal.
"Wi-Fi Direct enjoys wide backing from Wi-Fi silicon vendors. Companies such as Atheros, Broadcom, CSR, Intel, Marvell, Qualcomm, Ralink, and Realtek all have plans for widespread release of Wi-Fi Direct-enabled silicon," according to Brian O'Rourke, Research Director. "In fact, many of these companies received Wi-Fi Direct certification for at least one chip solution in the fourth quarter of 2010, shortly after the specification was released by the Wi-Fi Alliance in October. In terms of adoption by 802.11x type, 802.11a/g chip vendors are not likely to add Wi-Fi Direct, as the standard has a limited life span remaining. However, it will be seen in the vast majority of new 802.11n silicon beginning in 2011. And it will be standard in 802.11ac silicon as it begins to ship."
However, adoption of Wi-Fi Direct software in Wi-Fi silicon is only half the battle to ensure its success among consumers. Another vital issue will be making the Wi-Fi Direct standard useful with application programming interface (API) software. APIs ease the connection between devices, and increase the usability of Wi-Fi Direct for consumers. Without solid APIs, Wi-Fi Direct will only be marginally more useful than the current 802.11x ad-hoc mode?the first, complex, little-used attempt at Wi-Fi peer-to-peer connectivity. Wi-Fi chip vendors are already delivering API solutions. For example, Broadcom has announced its Maestro API suite, Atheros has Direct Connect, and Qualcomm has introduced AllJoyn. Nevertheless, there is a danger in Wi-Fi silicon vendors creating APIs. A rival company may be hesitant to use one of these solutions for fear of helping, and possibly becoming dependent on, the competition. And without widely accepted APIs, it will be difficult for a Wi-Fi Direct ecosystem to develop. This could create an opening for a third-party software vendor to provide an API.
Wi-Fi Direct devices came to market in very small numbers in late 2010, a result of the 21 Wi-Fi Direct-certified products approved by the Wi-Fi Alliance in the fourth quarter of 2010. Many more products will hit the market in 2011. The first applications to adopt Wi-Fi Direct include mobile PCs, mobile phones, and digital televisions (DTVs). These devices share a trait: they are the respective centers of the PC, CE, and mobile device clusters, and they ship in the hundreds of millions of devices annually. So it makes sense for Wi-Fi Direct to start with these applications, and then move to the rest of the PC, PC peripheral, and CE ecosystems. Ultimately, we expect Wi-Fi Direct to be successful and that, by 2014, all Wi-Fi devices that ship will be enabled with Wi-Fi Direct, creating a one-stop shop for wireless networking and connectivity.

Juniper Research: Application-generated texts to exceed $70 billion in revenues by 2016

In its “Mobile Messaging Report,” Juniper Research (among other things) looks at the Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging, forecasting that revenues from such services will exceed $70 billing by 2016, effectively overtaking revenues from Person-to-Person (P2P) messaging during the year 2016.
The research company points to various use-cases of A2P messaging, including financial services, advertising, marketing, business administration, ticketing, television voting and any other service where information needs to be sent to, or received from a large number of users in text form.
According to the report author Daniel Ashdown, although SMS has its unique appeal, revenues from P2P messaging will peak in a number of regions during the period 2010-2016 as it reaches a low point in valuation.
Other key findings include:

• Premium-rate SMS and MMS will decline due to challenges from other forms of billing/delivery.
• MMS traffic and revenue will continue to grow, but A2P MMS will not have as bigger impact as A2P SMS.
• Mobile instant messaging will increasingly become a customer retention exercise as with fixed line services.

For more information about this survey, here is the link to follow: http://www.juniperresearch.com/reports/Mobile_Messaging_Markets

PayPal to process $2 billion in mobile payments this year

By fiercemobilecontent,

During eBay's first quarter earnings call, PayPal, the digital transaction arm of eBay, said that it expects to process more than $2 billion in mobile payments this year, which is nearly three times the amount it processed in 2010. In addition, the company announced that it acquired Fig Card, the maker of a low cost USB device that plugs into the cash register at point of sale offering merchants an easy way to handle mobile payments.

According to a transcript of the earnings call from Seeking Alpha, John Donahoe, eBay's CEO, said that mobile payments offer strong growth potential for PayPal particularly since it doesn't require consumers to enter their credit card information. Consumers' concerns over security have prevented many from entering credit card data via their mobile phones, but PayPal alleviates those concerns. "The fact is PayPal is the only safe way to pay on mobile phones," he told analysts.

In addition, Donahoe said PayPal's agreements with VeriFone Systems and Bling Nation have helped the company penetrate the physical point of sale for the first time.

Regarding the purchase of Fig Card, PayPal did not reveal the terms of the deal. However, in a blog post, Peter Chu, senior director of PayPal Mobile, said that Fig Card founders Max Metral and Hasty Granbery will join PayPal.

 

Three-quarters of Americans want multi-mode mobiles

By wirelessfederation,

A survey commissioned by the Consumers Union shows that nearly three-quarters of Americans would support legislation that would force mobile phones to be compatible with all wireless standards.

According to the survey, 73% said they would support a government rule that requires handsets to be compatible with all US cellular services. This view was supported most strongly by smart phone owners (81%). Virtually all respondents (96%) felt that consumers should be able to keep their existing handsets when changing carriers. An overwhelming majority (88%) said that their handset should work on any cellular network they choose.

According to Parul P. Desai, policy counsel for Consumers Union, as technology makes it easier for people to take their phones with them when changing wireless carriers; they want to make sure this benefit is extended to all consumers. The poll results announced today make it clear that this is a feature that nearly all cell phone owners feel they should be able to utilize.

It is important that they work to put rules in to place to ensure that the benefits of interoperability be made available to consumers, rather than prolonging the current trend of locking handsets to specific providers.

Whether consumers would be willing to pay the fairly steep price premium and performance loss that would come from having phones that are required to be compatible with WiMAX, iDEN, CDMA and GSM remains to be seen.

Methodology The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey using two nationally representative probability samples: landline telephone households and cell phones. 981 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+ who own a cell phone. The margin error of this poll is +/- 3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

Android smartphones winning over 'app' makers

By Glenn Chapman (AFP News),
Google is the new darling of software wizards out to cash-in on the world's love for customizing smartphones with fun, hip or functional applications.
Developers once obsessed with "apps" for Apple's hot-selling iPhones are touting creations tailored for smartphones built on the Google-backed Android platform.
"In the past seven months, Android has become the de facto second platform out there that people are developing for," AppNation chairman Drew Ianni told AFP during the gathering of software entrepreneurs this week in San Francisco.
"I think there is a general wait-and-see interest regarding platforms outside of Apple iOS and Android," he added.
Mobile platforms being watched by developers include BlackBerry, Microsoft Windows Phone 7 and Hewlett-Packard's webOS.
Ianni expected smartphones based on Microsoft or HP software to increase in allure as they gain traction in the market.
"We need a third platform that is viable, otherwise it is going to be the Android show," Urban Airship chief executive Scott Kveton said after taking part in an AppNation panel.
"Android is growing at a phenomenal rate," he continued. "I'm afraid it is going to be Android running away with it."
Urban Airship provides tools that help developers make money from smartphone programs. Early in April the Oregon-based company added a feature allowing people to make purchases inside Android applications.
"Increasingly, people are finding it a good investment to build for Android and build for tablets and we are trying to support them," Google director of mobile Americas Jason Spero said after an on-stage chat at AppNation.
Android's share of the US smartphone market has surged this year while BlackBerry's sunk, according to recent figures from industry tracker comScore.
Android commanded a third of the market, while BlackBerry ranked second with 29 percent and Apple third with 25 percent, comScore reported.
"Almost everyone developing for iPhone has moved on to Android," said Mario Tapia, director of mobile products at application store GetJar and coordinator of a Mobile Mondays social group for developers in Silicon Valley.
"At the end of the day, it is about distribution," he added. "You move to where the audience is."
Apple had slightly more that 333,000 iPhone applications in its App Store in March, but Google's Android Market boasted 206,000 "apps" and was growing fast, according to figures from industry tracker Distimo.
"The Android Market is going to take over as biggest application store in terms of quantity of apps in about five months," Distimo researchers concluded.
Distimo predicted that Apple's App Store would be relegated to second place, followed by Windows Phone 7 Marketplace and BlackBerry App World.
Windows Phone 7 Marketplace had about 12,000 applications in March while Nokia Ovi Store had 30,000 and BlackBerry had 27,000, according to Distimo.
Distimo expected Windows 7 Marketplace to leap ahead of BlackBerry and Ovi by October.
"If Apple has 150 million iOS devices out there it is almost a no-brainer, you write for iOS," said analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies.
"You see Android coming up the line, and that is almost a no-brainer," he continued. "Where it becomes tougher is making the next step to go after webOS or BlackBerry or whatever with limited money and talent."
Independent application operations typically have only a few, if not just one, software developer, according to Bajarin.
Finding ways to get noticed and make money in a sea of more than 600,000 smartphone applications were hot topics at AppNation.
Attendance at the event grew to 1,700 this year from 1,100 at its premier in San Francisco last year. The number of exhibitors grew to 210 from 80.
Opera Mobile Store that spans more than 200 countries launched an "Appcelerator" program at AppNation to help developers promote and profit from software creations.
"The apps here are great," said Opera Software consumer mobile executive vice president Mahi de Silva. "You are seeing the tip of the iceberg in innovation."
Advertisers are increasingly tuning into the potential to target consumers on smartphones and tablet computers.
"There is no question that ultimately, this is probably the most powerful vehicle for ads that we've ever had," Bajarin said. "Television was obviously significant but if I can do location-based services tied to ads this changes the dynamics of advertising completely."
Mobile ads are more effective for advertisers and can translate into more money for developers, according to Lisa Abramson, director of marketing at mobile video ad network Rhythm New Media.
"Consumers love free and the best way to monetize that is through advertising," Abramson said.
Developers can also make money from in-application transactions, selling virtual goods, or simply charging for software.
"It becomes a collage of monetization mechanisms," Spero said. "Each developer has to be an expert on what their audience has a tolerance for."

Apple, Android phone users are heaviest app downloaders

 

iPhone owners have an average of 48 apps on their phones, and Android users, 35, making them the smartphone app kings, according to a new report from The Nielsen Company.
In contrast, BlackBerry users have an average of 15 apps on their phones.
This little stat — based on research of consumers who downloaded apps in the past 30 days, Nielsen says — does not surprise me. As both an iPhone and BlackBerry owner, I know which phone I prefer to have apps on and which one is easier to use: Hands down, it's the iPhone. It's simple, quick, seamless (generally), compared to the complicated, time-consuming and clunky way BlackBerry apps are downloaded and used.
That also jibes with what Nielsen found, that iPhone and Android users "use their apps more often: 68 percent of app downloaders with iPhones and 60 percent of those with Android phones reported using their mobile apps multiple times a day compared to 45 percent of app downloaders with Blackberry/RIM phones."
Palm owners came in third, with 21 apps on their phones, followed by Windows Mobile users, with 17.
Still, more of us are apparently getting comfortable with using apps in general. Last year, Nielsen said that the average number of apps on iPhones was 37; Android, 22; Palm, 14; Windows Mobile, 13; and BlackBerry, 10.
Nielsen released the updated figures at the AppNation conference in San Francisco, where mobile software developers and investors are meeting.
Consumers with either iPhones or Android phones "represent the majority of the smartphone market in the U.S. and 74 percent of mobile app downloaders," Nielsen said. So it makes sense that "If you want to understand the consumer landscape for mobile apps, you have to understand the Apple iOS and Google Android ecosystems."

500 million people worldwide to use their mobiles as metro and bus tickets by 2015

By Juniper,

Half a billion people worldwide will use their mobile devices as travel tickets on metros, subways and buses by 2015, according to new forecasts from Juniper Research. This is over five times the number generated last year but crucially Juniper is expecting usage to spread widely from the current concentration in Japan and several European countries. Outside Japan, systems in operation typically use SMS or bar codes.

NFC Creates Momentum

Whilst SMS ticketing has been in operation for several years in large cities in Scandinavia and Central & Eastern Europe such as Stockholm and Prague, Juniper believes that recent momentum in Near Field Communications (NFC) will only add to market growth. As metro authorities begin the transition to open contactless payment systems, NFC ticket usage is forecast to grow significantly beginning in 2013.  

Convenience & Choice Drive Adoption

According to Mobile Ticketing for Transport Markets report author Howard Wilcox: "Whether by expansion of SMS and bar code delivery or by NFC, at Juniper we see convenience and choice for users as key advantages of mobile ticketing.  It will be 2013 before large numbers of NFC enabled devices are in peoples’ pockets and our new report forecasts the impact on transaction volumes."
Furthermore, mobile ticketing also has potential across train and air travel, the latter driven by mobile delivered bar coded boarding passes.

Markets Sizing & Forecasts

Juniper’s new report contains comprehensive and detailed five year forecasting for all the key market parameters including users, transactions and values for airline, rail and metro/bus ticketing. Additionally the report highlights the conclusions from Juniper’s analysis of 23 vendors addressing the market, which culminates in a new Transport Mobile Ticketing vendor strategy positioning matrix.

Further key findings from the report include:

• Western Europe and the Far East & China will be the leading transport mobile ticketing regions by volume in 2015.
• Poor user experience is an implementation risk - such as bar code reading issues.

Whitepaper and further details of the study ‘Mobile Ticketing for Transport Markets: Airlines, Rail, Metro & Bus 2011-2015’ can be downloaded from www.juniperresearch.com.

What Will the Smartphone Market Look Like in 2015?

By Mashable,

Google and Apple are in a heated battle for control of the world’s smartphone market, but which mobile OS will reign supreme down the road?
That’s the question research and analyst firm Gartner is trying to answer. Its most recent prediction is turning some heads, though: Microsoft Windows Phone 7 will overtake Apple iOS market share by 2015. Not only that, but Gartner believes Android will control nearly 50% of the mobile smartphone market within two years.
In its most recent predictions report, Gartner claims Android will jump from 38.5% market share this year to 49.2% in 2012. That’s more than double its 22.7% market share in 2010. Needless to say, it’s a shocking conclusion.
Just as mind-boggling is the conclusion that iOS will actually peak in market share this year at 19.4%, then drop to 18.9% next year and 17.2% by 2015. Windows Phone, on the other hand, will grow from 5.6% this year to 10.8% next year and eventually reach 19.5% in 2015, according to the research firm’s estimates. BlackBerry is destined for a slow decline, dropping from 13.4% this year to 11.1% in 2015.

A Window into the Future

Of course, these are just estimates from one research firm in a very chaotic market. Case-in-point: seven months ago, Gartner predicted that Symbian would be the top OS in 2014 with 30.2% market share, Windows Phone 7 would just have 3.9% of the market in 2014, and Apple would only have 14.9%. Of course, these predictions came before Microsoft and Nokia struck their Windows Phone 7 deal, essentially dooming Symbian.
Some of the firm’s assumptions are tough to swallow as well. As Asymco points out, Gartner assumes Apple is interesting maintaining margins over increasing market share and RIM will migrate from BlackBerry OS to QNX by 2012.
Apple though is testing cheaper phones and seems to have learned from its mistakes competing with Microsoft during the Mac vs. PC years. RIM only acquired QNX Software last year. We believe it will take more time for RIM to fully integrate QNX software into its devices. 2012 is too aggressive.
Still, Gartner’s analysis provides an interesting window into the future of mobile. Android is showing no signs of slowing down, and it’s too early to tell how the Nokia-Microsoft partnership will play out. And there’s always the chance of another acquisition, merger or partnership that shakes up the industry.

Your iPhone Is Tracking Your Location History

By Mashable,

Two security researchers have discovered that Apple’s iPhone keeps track of a user’s location and saves that information to a file that is stored both on the device and on a user’s computer when they sync or back it up in iTunes.
The researchers, Pete Warden and Alasdair Allan, discovered the hidden file while collaborating on a potential data visualization project. “At first we weren’t sure how much data was there, but after we dug further and visualised the extracted data, it became clear that there was a scary amount of detail on our movements,” Warden told The Guardian.

What Does the Data Say

The data, which is stored as a log in a file called “consolidation.db,” contains longitude and latitude coordinates along with a timestamp. Right now, it appears that Apple has been recording this information since iOS 4.0 was released last June. Allan and Warden think that this information is determined by cell-tower triangulation. Although it isn’t always exact, it can give a very detailed overview of where an individual (or their phone) has traveled over a period of time.

Visualizing the Data

Beyond simply revealing that this data is available and, with a little work, accessible, Warden and Allan created a web app that can create a visualization of a user’s location information from an iPhone or 3G iPad.
Warden and Allan are not the first two data scientists to uncover this data store. However, they have created the most layperson accessible proof of concept that can showcase how this data could potentially be used.

What Does this Mean

As Warden and Allan make clear, right now, there is no evidence that the data ever leaves the user’s custody or that it is transmitted to anyone else. In other words, for someone to access this information, they need physical access to your phone or your computer with data backups, along with the wherewithal to actually use it.
The bigger question is: why does this data exist in the first place? Moreover, why is this data not encrypted within a backup? Sure, users can choose to encrypt their iPhone backups, but this is the type of file that strikes us as being encryption-worthy from the start.
Realistically speaking, the likelihood that this data could be used for evil is miniscule. We would be far more troubled if this information was accessible to other apps or was sent to Apple. Having said that, its very existence raises questions that Apple should be forced to address.

Apple iPad Held 85% Media Tablet Market Share in 2010

By MobileTechNews,

Apple’s iPad commanded 85% of the market for media tablets in 2010, according to full-year figures reported by ABI Research. The tablet market surged in the second half of the year, but it wasn’t just tablets: according to senior practice director Jeff Orr, “Device categories including netbooks and mobile broadband-enabled eBook Readers showed gains in year-over-year shipment numbers in 2010. The hype that media tablets were displacing portable computers and dedicated CE device purchases simply didn’t become a reality.”
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab ranked a distant second to the iPad in market share, with about 8%, while Archos’s Internet Tablet range just barely moved the needle at 2%. These top three vendors accounted for 95% of the media tablet market between them.
However that breakdown isn’t carved in stone; Orr says, “Many new entrants are looking to differentiate themselves from the $600+ ASP of the iPad, so low-feature and low-cost designs will become common. We expect between 40 and 50 million media tablets to ship worldwide in 2011.”
What of the more distant future? There are some scenarios suggesting a possible leveling-off of media tablet demand around 2015-2016, but market and economic variables will multiply with each passing year. “With increasing choices for consumers and greater opportunities for businesses to consider ultra-mobile devices, we expect multiple device categories to benefit in the near-term,” adds Orr.
ABI Research’s “Tablets, Netbooks, and Mobile CE Market Data” (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1003389) provides forecasts for all Ultra-Mobile Devices (UMDs) including media tablets, netbooks, UMPCs, mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and six types of mobile broadband-enabled consumer electronics (CE) device including eBook Readers and Connected Personal Navigation Devices. Shipments, ASPs, and revenue for these devices are provided, with shipment and revenues for each type of UMD by region, customer type, processor platform, operating system, WPAN, WLAN and WWAN connectivity.
The database is part of the firm’s Tablets, Netbooks, and Mobile CE Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Netbooks_MIDS_and_Mobile_CE) which also includes another Market Data product, Research Reports, ABI Insights, ABI Vendor Matrices, and analyst inquiry support.
For more information visit http://www.abiresearch.com/.

Annual Mobile Payment Transactions to Reach 45 Billion in 2015

By In-Stat,

The recent proliferation of web-enabled smartphones is acting as a catalyst to push mobile payment transaction volume. In fact, transactions will actually increase at a pace greater than the number of users, as individuals adopt mobile payment solutions for an increasing portion of their payments.  As consumers become more  familiar with mobile payments, and as the number of retailers supporting these solutions increases, the rate of usage will increase exponentially. Thus, it is expected that the number of annual mobile payment transactions will increase to 45 billion in 2015, says In-Stat (www.in-stat.com).

“Despite mobile payments’ perennial failure to launch globally, 2011 will be a significant year for market growth,” says Amy Cravens, Senior Analyst. “It’s the level of interest in mobile payments shown by big players worldwide, including banks, credit card companies, mobile operators, and handset/operating system providers that is largely driving that growth.”

Areas expected to generate significant activity in 2011 include:

• NFC: 2011 is poised to be the year for NFC as it evolves from a concept to a strategy that is actively being pursued.
• Mobile web payments:  A big growth area that is highly correlated to smartphone trends.
• App store billing: Handset manufacturers are partnering with mobile payment providers to enable carrier billing and improve consumer purchase experience and carry through.  
• Micropayment: Using your mobile phone for small payments by deducting funds from a virtual wallet is gaining momentum.
• Intersection between payments and other applications: Mobile payment concepts are emerging as a means to improve the consumer shopping experience by communicating information and simplifying the shopping experience.

For detailed report, here is the weblink, http://www.instat.com/abstract.asp?id=68&SKU=IN1105000SI

Android activations shoot up to 10 million

By Silicon India,

With the increase in the Android mania world wide, Android is now the top smartphone platform.Google reported that Android device users have downloaded and installed three billion applications from the Android Market at the rate of 500 million per month. Google purchased the initial developer of the software, Android, in 2005.
The Android Army invasion continues marching this week as Google announced 350,000 device activations take place each day. Google was activating 200,000 Android devices per day. At the rate of 350,000 per day, Google is selling more than 10 million Android phones per month. Android just chalked up its fourth consecutive month as the top platform when it comes to advertising, Android created a revolution with its special applications in the technology world.
In the U.S., two separate studies found that Android captured 44 percent of the smartphone market in the third quarter ahead of Apple and Research in Motion.
Android won 48 percent of mobile ad impressions. Apple's iOS followed with 31 percent, and RIM came in third with 18 percent. Android users are downloading 16.66 million apps per day, 695,000 apps per hour, 11,500 apps per minute, or 193 apps per second.
In January, Apple announced that more than 10 billion apps have been downloaded. Its store carries about 350,000 apps, which is twice the number of the Android Market, which is somewhere near 180,000. iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users downloaded five billion apps. Apple has seen another two or three billion downloads since January, and the rate is probably one billion downloads per month (or 33.33 million apps per day, 1.3 million apps per hour, 23,000 apps per minute or 386 apps per second).

Mobile apps: Who’s using who isn’t…

By momasolutions
It may seem as if everyone is using apps, but the facts are that most apps are not used more than one month past the download date. This makes advertising in or through apps a questionable tactic unless the marketer goes in looking at all the angles – including who specifically is using apps and who is not.
A recent report from the Pew Internet Project indicates that while 23% of US adults now have a cell phone but no landline phone only about 43% are using apps via a smartphone. Of the entire US cell phone population (about 83% of the total population) this means that only about 35% are using apps at any one time. Only about 24% are ‘active’ app users – meaning they utilize apps often. Many of these apps are used once or twice and deleted or simply remain unused on a smartphone.
So, which apps have the best shelf life, through downloads, and which demographics are most likely to download apps for use? This report indicates that Games are the most popular downloadable app with 60% of consumers downloading them. News/Weather and Maps have the attention of about half of the app population and Social Networking apps are used by about 47% of consumers.
What are consumers most likely to do with an app?
• Take a picture (76%)
• Send/Receive texts (72%
• Access the Internet (38%)
• Play Games (34%)
• Send/Receive email (34%)
“An apps culture is clearly emerging among some cell phone users, particularly men and young adults,” said Kristen Purcell, Associate Director for Research at the Pew Internet Project. “Still, it is clear that this is the early stage of adoption when many cell owners do not know what their phone can do. The apps market seems somewhat ahead of a majority of adult cell phone users.”
From a demographic standpoint, the most likely consumers to use apps are men (57%) between the ages of 18 and 49, Caucasian with at least a college degree.

Juniper Research predicts that 1 in 5 smartphones sold in 2014 will have NFC

Analyst predictions come and go. We report them, but rarely do a follow up, mostly due to the fact that there are more analyst firms out there than there are gadget sites. The few that matter (Gartner, Strategy Analytics, Canalys, Juniper Research, IDC, we’re sure we’ve left out a few) make predictions so often that they leave our head spinning. The latest of such conjectures comes from the folks at Juniper, who say that 20% of all smartphones sold in 2014 will come with support for near field communication technology. That’s a huge jump from the relatively 0% of today. The only handset we can think of that comes with NFC inside is the Samsung Nexus S. We thought there would be more by now, especially since Google added support for NFC in their latest version of Android, but it’s the chipmakers to blame.
Qualcomm silicon powers roughly 60% of all Android devices, and until those guys start bundling NFC inside their hardware in much the same way that they already bundle WiFi, GPS, and 3G/2G, then you can expect near field to stay a niche for the foreseeable future. Then there’s Apple. Every week a new rumor comes out about the iPhone 5. Will it have NFC or will it not have NFC? Will it have a 4 inch screen or will it have the same 3.5 inch screen as the current generation iPhone? We’re not going to find out until the damn thing gets announced, and even that announcement date isn’t yet known. Some say June, others say September, some say it’s not even going to happen in 2011. All we know is that when Apple starts shipping something with NFC, everyone else will want to follow suite. It’s a sort of chicken and egg game.
With three out of America’s four largest operators working together to make near field payments take off, and announcing trials will begin in the middle of 2012, we’re not quite sure what to think about Juniper’s prediction. From a geek perspective we’d like them to be right. From the trajectory of today’s technological progress, we’re more than a little skeptical.

For detailed article, pls refer following weblink..http://juniperresearch.com/viewpressrelease.php?pr=239

iOS creeped up on Android in March according to Millenial Media

It’s a little funny that Fortune wrote earlier this week about iOS and iPhone market share comparisons with Android, and just a few days later it’s reporting a Millenial Media study on just that – iOS versus Android market share. This time around, it seems like Apple was able to take back a bit of the market and went from 27% to 31% share in March.
Android, on the other hand, slid down just a hair from 51% to 48%, so it’s nothing drastic. The gains for iOS and slip for Android in March have been attributed to the Verizon iPhone launch in February, although it seems strange considering the low volume of CDMA iPhone sales. Something else must have happened in March that gave iOS a huge boost, but I’m not entirely sure. Maybe some gigantic tablet launch or something.
Here are some additional details gleaned from the Millenial Media study:

• Apple was the leading device manufacturer on its network, represented 32% of the top 15 manufacturers impression share in March, a 14% increase month over month
• iPhone impressions grew 17%
• iPad impressions grew 7%
• Overall iOS impressions grew 29% versus Android’s 23%
• iPad application revenue doubled, according to Millennial, pushing iOS back into the app revenue lead, with 47% of the market to Android’s 36% and RIM’s 7%

Android and iOS fanboys can go at it all day long for I care, but what’s most important about these figures is what other platforms have to worry about. While Google and Apple are jostling at the top, RIM really needs a major strategy shift to take back some of that market share where it’s currently at 18%. Windows Phone is at a paltry 1%, but Microsoft is in it for the long-haul and will hopefully see greater figures in the next three years.

Android Will Rule Half of the Smartphone Market By 2012

By Mashable,

Following a similar recent prediction by IDC, market research firm Gartner has predicted big growth in the smartphone market in the next couple of years, with Symbian all but disappearing and Android leading the way.
Gartner predicts worldwide smartphone sales will reach 468 million units in 2011 and Android will command 38.5% of the smartphone market. By 2012, that rate will increase to 49.9%, but it will drop slightly to 48.8% by 2015.
This is where we get skeptical about predictions such as this one. Yes, based on Android’s track record it’s fairly safe to say that it will grow significantly in the next year or two, but we’d stop shy of saying that it will actually lose some of its projected market share three years later.
Symbian, now more or less abandoned by everyone, will lose a tremendous amount of market share in the next two years, ending with a meager 0.1% in 2015, Gartner predicts. Windows Phone 7, largely due to Microsoft’s partnership with Nokia, is predicted to grow to 10.8% market share in 2012 and should further increase to 19.5% in 2015.
Apple’s iOS is predicted to have a 17.2% market share in 2015, followed by BlackBerry with 11.1% and other platforms are predicted to have 3.3% market share.
Again — just like in IDC’s prediction — this positions Windows Phone 7 as the number two platform on the smartphone market, and again, we think that this is a very bold prediction. A lot can go wrong with Microsoft and Nokia’s partnership in the next couple of years, and Apple has been doing almost everything right when it comes to the iPhone and other iOS devices.

By

Nokia scored a huge point against Apple in their ongoing court battles. The US International Trade Commission ruled that the Cupertino-based company has infringed a number of Nokia patents relating to mobile phones, computers and music players and has banned the sales of the Apple products in the US.
The products in question are the iOS-running Apple iPad (both versions), iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch. Their sales within the US have been suspended indefinitely and Apple is facing a heavy fine, which is yet to be announced. Experts believe that it will be between $1 billion and $2 billion.
Apple still has the right to appeal the decision, but there have been very few prior cases, where ITC decisions have been altered.
Effectively this means that unless Apple and Nokia sign a Patent License Agreement, US citizens won't be able to buy new iOS devices until Apple comes up with solutions on their own for the patented technologies. So far both companies have refused to comment on the possibility of signing such an agreement.
There's also no saying if Nokia will try to get a similar sales ban for the Apple products in Europe.
Anyway we'll keep track on the development of the case - stay tuned for more updates. And if you were going to purchase an iOS device you might want to act swiftly or you may miss you chance for quite some time to come.

New tools for finding lost phones

By CNET
AT&T announced a new equipment protection plan today that bundles insurance, support, and phone location services for $9.99 per month. Most of the carrier's current handsets  will be compatible with the AT&T Mobile Protection Pack, though iPhone and iPad users will have to resort to other solutions like Apple's MobileMe and Find My iPhone/iPad.
Customers who sign up for the service will get:
Mobile Insurance (formerly called Wireless Phone Insurance) will replace handsets that disappear through loss or theft, become inoperable through accidental or liquid damage, or suffer from mechanical and electrical failure after the manufacturer's warranty expires. Of course, this includes "approved claims" and you'll be subject to a deductible of $50 or $125 depending on your device.
Enhanced Support will go beyond normal customer service to offer setup advice and troubleshooting over the phone or online. And if they choose to do so, customers can give customer service reps remote access to select devices.
Mobile Locate will give customers the option to locate a lost phone in real time, find the last five locations of the handset, and get directions to each place. They also can make the phone sound an alarm every 3 minutes even if it's in silent mode and remotely lock the device with a PIN. Of course, to use these features the phone will need to be turned on and in an AT&T service area.

How to Buy the Best Tablet?

By PC Magazine
When the first Apple iPad and the Fusion Garage JooJoo were released within days of each other in early 2010, the world got its first real taste of tablets—and, what some might say, is an excellent summation of the breadth of quality future tablets would offer. At the high end, the iPad, and now the iPad 2, is the benchmark tablet to beat, with top-notch, seamless design paired with a robust app store. The now-discontinued JooJoo was a clunker—it lacked internal storage, often crashed, and basically didn't have any apps, only some basic tools. In between these bookends lies the rest of the tablet field, with early Android tablets (anything running a version lower than Android 3.0) ranking closer to the JooJoo end of the spectrum and newer Android tablets like the Motorola Xoom and upcoming second-generation Samsung Galaxy Tabs taking aim at the iPad. Upon first glance, the upcoming RIM BlackBerry PlayBook also looks to be quite the competitor, with its own operating system and the ability to run some Android apps. So which of the plethora of deceivingly similar-looking tablets is worth your sizable investment?
 Let's look at the key factors you need to consider..

Slow start for two payors’ wellness apps

By mobihealthnews
Most health apps debut on Apple’s iOS for iPhone and then make their way to Android. Some even move to the BlackBerry platform or in rarer cases the Windows Phone 7 OS, which recently launched. Very few health apps created by well known healthcare organizations launch on a smartphone platform other than Apple’s, however, two payors decided to go down that launch path in recent months.

How Secure is Your Mobile Device?

By SayEducate
If you want to buy a smartphone but fear attacks from mysterious hackers intent on stealing your private data, buy an Android or Windows Phone 7 and avoid an Apple iPhone or Blackberry at all costs.
Those were the results of the annual Pwn2Own hacking competition this year.
It took hackers just two days to hack their way through the iPhone 4 and Blackberry Torch 9800 units, but were unable to get into the Nexus S powered by Android or the Dell Venue Pro, Windows Phone 7.
This is good news for people who chose Windows Phone 7 or Android phones. Not such good news for people who shelled out big bucks for the iPhone or a sleek new Blackberry. It is also hardly a surprise to anyone who understands hackers or computers in general. Blackberry and Apple have been targets for some time and hackers have had ample time to learn the tricks for getting inside its brains. The Android has also been on the market for quite some time, but for some reason the competitors lined up to hack its system withdrew. So it wasn’t a case of “can’t be hacked” but more like “didn’t want to hack it.”
The fact is, no piece of hardware currently connected to an online network is unhackable. Since the very early days of computers the network hackers have been breaking into systems, poking around, stealing data and generally being the bedevilment of programmers everywhere. Most of them do it for the same reason some folks climb mountains: because they are there. If you must have a smartphone device but want the best protection you can find compare features such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP), address space layout randomization (ASLR), sandboxing and code signing.
These different features make hacking the phone more difficult, but they do not make the device unhackable. If a phone is too difficult for hackers to get into, like locking your car door does to most thieves, they will move on to something much less secure. Of course, if they are absolutely intent on getting into your system there is nothing you can do to keep them out. Given enough time and enough desire to do it, they will eventually break in and get what they want.
If you absolutely have to have an unhackable phone, you better get an old rotary dial phone and hang it on your wall. Of course, you would need an awful long extension cord to stay connected. The best idea is to stop thinking about it.

BlackBerry Messenger for iPhone available April 26th?

By MobileSyrup.com
A few weeks ago rumours were that RIM will be expanding their BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app past BlackBerry devices and have it available to Android and iOS devices. If and when BBM will be implemented on other platforms it won’t be the full experience that BlackBerry users love but a stripped down version.
The Android BBM app is expected to be released sometime this year but a release on the iPhone is still unknown. However, another fresh rumour is brewing over at MacRumours of an April 26th release of the BlackBerry Messenger for iPhone. Apparently RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie was in Toronto today speaking at an event where he off-handed announced the app will be available for download in the App Store on April 26th (Thursday), then an update to follow in the Summer with a new “notification system”.

Google Sets Role in Mobile Payment

By Mobile Tech News
The Internet giant is aiming to make mobile payments easier in a bid to boost its advertising business. The planned payment system would allow Google to offer retailers more data about their customers and help them target ads and discount offers to mobile-device users near their stores, these people said. Google isn't expected to get a cut of the transaction fees.
The project, which is in its early stages, would allow holders of Citigroup-issued debit and credit cards to pay for purchases by activating a mobile-payment application developed for one current model and many coming models of Android phones. The idea is to turn the phones into a kind of electronic wallet.
These phone users also would be able to get targeted ads or discount offers, which Google hopes to sell to local merchants. They also could manage credit-card accounts and track spending through an application on their smartphone, the people said.
The venture also involves VeriFone Systems Inc., which makes credit-card readers for cash registers. VeriFone would roll out more so-called contact-less devices, or readers that enable consumers to pay with a wave or tap of a credit or debit card. The readers also would allow people to pay by tapping their smartphones, said the people familiar with the matter.
The credit-card readers involved all use "near field communication" technology that is already in place at thousands of merchants nationwide. Today, customers who have credit cards embedded with that technology have the option of waving a card in front of a reader, instead of using a traditional swipe method.

NFC gains traction as Google eyes system with MasterCard, Citigroup

By Computerworld
Google, MasterCard and Citigroup are reportedly working together on Near-Field Communication technology inside of Android phones to allow quick, contact-less payments at 150,000 NFC-ready terminals in the U.S.
Visa already working with four U.S. banks on mobile payments as more smartphones get Near-Field Communication tech
More.....

Is Apple Delaying the Release of iPhone 5?

By Mashable

Apple could be delaying the release of its unannounced generation iPhone from its typical summer debut to sometime in the fall due to the Verizon iPhone 4.
For the last four years, Apple has released a new version of the iPhone in June or July. And for the last three years, Apple has unveiled the phone at its Wordwide Developers Conference (WWDC), held sometime in June each year.
More........

American Express makes mobile payments available to millions of customers

By Mobile Commerce Daily
 Consumers set up an online account at Serve.com or through a smartphone app.

Funds can be added from bank accounts, debit cards, credit and charge cards, or other Serve accounts.

Customers can use those accounts to send and receive money to friends, pay bills and makepurchases  online.

Serve bridges online and offline commerce – each customer will be issued a Serve reloadable prepaid card linked to their Serve account that can be used at any merchant or ATM that accepts American Express cards.
More.......

Leading Parental Mobile Monitoring System Now Available for Android Devices

By Mobile Tech News
Awareness Technologies today announced that its leading parental computer monitoring and keylogger software – WebWatcher – is now able to track all SMS messages sent to and from Android devices. WebWatcher Mobile already has BlackBerry monitoring capabilities and the Company plans to launch WebWatcher Mobile for iPhone devices later this year.
United States teenagers send and receive an average of 3,339 text messages per month. Additionally, adoption of Smartphones among teens ages 13-17 continues to grow, with 94 percent of teen mobile subscribers self-identifying as advanced data users, turning to their cell phones for messaging, Internet, multimedia, gaming, and other activities like downloads (Nielsen).
"We've created a simple way for parents to stay informed about who their children are interacting with via text messages and what they're communicating to ensure they aren't victims of cyberbullying or involved in inappropriate behavior like sexting," said Brad Miller, CEO and Chairman of Awareness Technologies.
WebWatcher Mobile is easy to install and parents are able to monitor all of their children's SMS messaging activity whether it be on a computer, laptop or Smartphone through one interface. Recorded activity can be viewed by logging into the secure WebWatcher online interface and it can be accessed from any internet-connected computer. WebWatcher's keystroke logging technology allows parents to select alert words that will trigger a notification that will automatically be sent via email any time the words are sent or received.
WebWatcher is the leading parental monitoring software on the market. WebWatcher allows parents to remotely monitor and manage all computer activity, including email, instant messaging, website visits, and social networking activity, as well as block inappropriate websites and programs.

Apple iPad 2 – Resetting the bar for tablets

By Into Mobile
The iPad 2 is the second coming of the iOS-powered device that jump-started the current trend of all trends in tech – the tablet computer. Armed with a next-generation dual-core Apple A5 processor that sports two processor cores running at 1GHz each and both rear- and front-facing cameras, the new iPad 2 is slimmer, faster, and more capable than the outgoing model. To be sure, the first iPad set the bar for tablet devices of any sort – it flaunted its aluminum unibody chassis around the world, as millions upon millions of eager fans lined up for a chance to play with apps designed specifically for the larger tablet form factor. So, it’s clear that the iPad 2 is an improvement on the iPad 1, but does it have what it takes to reign as the new undisputed king of tablet devices?

Will we ever get NFC iPhone-Android payments?

By TECH.BLORGE.com
There has been a lot of noise lately about near field communications (NFC) payments arriving on our smartphones, at least the iPhone, Android handsets, and blackberries. Will it and do we care?
It seems that all of the necessary parties are on line for making NFC payments using our smartphones. Phone makers say that they are ready, retailers are lining up to participate, Android and iOS4 are said to be ready, and the banks are ready to give it a try. And, whenever a new handset model comes out, NFC is one of the updates that is rumored to be included. Yet, so far, the deal has not yet happened. Is this technology, heralded as the replacement for plastic, destined to be the way we pay in retail stores? What happens to online payments; will they just give users the numbers and no cards? And regardless, is it a big deal?
It could be a big deal, according to a Fox News article, but will not be until people stop being nervous about it. The banks worry because it could let other businesses more easily horn in on their credit card arena. None of the operating system makers really know what the standards are for sure, because they have not been cast in stone. Retailers worry about security, and the handset manufacturers have to install yet another chip. Consumers, the “you and I” in all this, are (or should be) worried about the security angle, as should everyone else. Right now, all of us are hosed if we lose our wallets. After NFC, we would be just about as badly hosed if we lost our smartphones, or maybe worse.
Then who do you call to report your NFC phone has been stolen? Verizon? Citibank? Visa? Apple? These are complex times we’re living in, my friend, and they are moving faster every day. Next, your driver’s license and Social Security card will be in your cell phone, along with every other piece of information about each of us. From a privacy standpoint, all of that taken together represents a possible security problem of immense proportions. All of the involved parties, including each of us, needs to get involved in making sure that cell phone security is a whole lot better than current PC security before we buy fully into NFC.

What does your choice of smartphone say about you?

By Today online
Your smartphone can be an extension of your personality. Can't decide between an iPhone, Blackberry, Android or others? I never thought my choice of operating system (OS) would have much of an impact on my life.
I couldn't be more wrong.
Things were different when operating systems were only for desktops and laptops. The de-facto PC operating system was Windows and, if you had wanted something else - whether for self-expression or user experience, or both - you'd splash out on a Macintosh. Whether you're a Windows or Mac user didn't mean much to anyone except geeks, who would give personalities to the different OS (did you notice only the good guys on 24 used Macs?). Also Mac users tend to come from the creative industry.
Today, your choice of a smartphone, and, by extension, its mobile OS is a lot more telling than in the Windows versus Mac days of old. It can even highlight certain characteristics and behaviour of yours - affecting your way of life in small but significant ways. I see this in my friends, colleagues and family: Most of them own Android phones, iPhones or Blackberrys.
And they each have different motivations for choosing their mobile OS.
Why get an iPhone? The answer is a simple and unanimous "It's nice!" or "It's cool". iPhone users want to be seen as part of the "in" crowd, since all the cool kids own one - as does everyone else.
Android smartphone owners don't, and aren't afraid to show it. My Blackberry friends joined the ranks because they liked staying in touch with friends or long-distance boyfriends through Blackberry Messenger (BBM).
Me, I got an Android phone because I wanted to buck the trend of the iPhone. "No thanks," I said, "I want something different!" Ironically, Android has since taken over the biggest market share in America, according to comScore's January figures. And many have commented that my handset looks much like an iPhone. Oh well. Good thing I still have the adorable robot mascot and its open source platform to get me by.
Which smartphone we choose also influences how things unfold whenever the my-phone-is-better-than-yours conversation pops up.
iPhone owners sniff at their Android-loving peers' "less-than-aesthetically-pleasing" or iPhone-lookalike phones, but the tables turn when the battery runs low or calls drop. Blackberry users smirk when they see others struggling with their onscreen keyboards.
With a smartphone in hand, I often have difficulty focusing on what's happening around me and sometimes, even the person or persons I am with at the moment. Your choice of mobile OS will impact how you're distracted too.
People with iPhones sometimes seem to be surgically attached to their devices, and you can't blame them; quality aside, the sheer amount of apps available in the AppStore alone trumps the Blackberry App World and Android market. But even though the Android market offers a fraction of the apps in the AppStore, Android users are sometimes not much better than their iPhone-wielding rivals, glued to their free copy of Angry Birds.
Blackberry owners can only blame BBM for making them anti-social (to the person they're with, not the one they are messaging).
The faults and triumphs of the mobile OS have crept into our way of life, so much so that I can guess, quite accurately, which smartphone someone is using, just with some simple observations.
If the messages you get are often fraught with puzzling words, you are likely dealing with an iPhone user struggling with its autocorrect function. Short replies and numerous typos? The signs point to an Android device and its oft-lamented virtual keyboard. Full sentences and longer messages are indicative of a Blackberry phone armed with a QWERTY keyboard.
Additionally, Blackberry users are less often seen lugging their chargers around, unlike their iPhone and Android counterparts who are in need of some emergency juice ever so often.
Indeed, the smartphone OS can affect your way of life - and since many of us are deeply entrenched in our own camp, we would live with the consequences of our choice.

Android vs. iPhone for business: 5 questions to answer

By ZDNet
Both iPhone and Android are already flooding past corporate gate keepers. Moreover, current BlackBerry users are looking to make the leap to these newer devices. Recent Nielsen surveys show that BlackBerry users covet iPhones and Androids. These new devices are the most desired smartphones for every demographic group that Nielsen studied.
Business and IT leaders realize that these devices are coming, yet they are unsure about how to move forward. The delay will only heighten the problem. After all, just because an organization lags behind a significant technology shift doesn’t mean its employees will also. Consumers are purchasing Android and iPhone devices in droves.
A good strategy for any big change is to start small. In this case, pick a specific platform, select a few low-risk apps, and make a slow transition.
Here are five questions CIOs and IT organizations should ask to assess each platform’s strengths and weaknesses, and best match the smartphone OS to employee needs.
Question 1: How much are you willing to spend?
The iPhone is an up-market device, and, if Apple’s history is a guide, it will remain so indefinitely. The Android, conversely, made the smartphone a mass-market device. This past quarter, according to comScore, Android passed RIM and iPhone to vault into the number-one position for the first time. As with Windows’ dominance of the desktop, two of the main factors leading to the number-one position are price and availability.
Android made its OS available to multiple hardware manufacturers and carriers. Competition drove prices down and gave manufacturers and carriers the ability to differentiate on price, features, or both. Consumers can choose from low-cost “starter” smartphones or up-market “exclusive” devices with fancy bells and whistles – and everything in between.
If your organization seeks a low-cost platform, Android is the way to go. However, cost involves much more than the price of the handset. Management, maintenance and security are variables that can shift the cost equation, as are the varying plans from different carriers. Even so, Android’s openness will still be an advantage with these other variables factored in.
Winner: Android.
Question 2: How important is secure email?
Secure integration with enterprise email and policy enforcement are two of BlackBerry’s main strengths and will remain so for some time. Both iPhone and Android, though, aren’t far behind. Each integrates tightly with Microsoft Exchange and has other enterprise security features, such as remote wipe, complex passwords, and data encryption.
Winner: Draw
Question 3: How important is the end user experience?
Android’s open-source operating system allows for choice. Manufacturers are free to customize user interfaces, add custom features and offer support for new types of rich media. Consumers, then, can choose media-rich phones from HTC, social-media ones from Samsung/T-Mobile or business-focused phones from Motorola. Android’s openness means that manufactures can make a device to appeal to every demographic. With iPhone, you only get one device – take it or leave.
What Android cannot get is consistency. Android chooses choice (no pun intended) at the cost of platform fragmentation and a cohesive user experience. You can't have both.
The iPhone, on the other hand, values a consistent user experience more than choice. The availability of just one new device per year ensures consumers a controlled and consistent user experience. Moreover, Apple is a master of smooth, intuitive User Interfaces. Even if you’re not an Apple fan, you can’t ignore pioneering work Apple has done with User Interface design – everything from the desktop to MP3 players to smartphones and now tablets.
Apple controls more than just the experience on the iPhone. Their iTunes and App Store software serves as controlled ecosystems that let people find apps for work, play and everything in between. Since Apple controls the entire experience from the PC to the iPhone, users get consistency.
Winner: iPhone
Question 4: How important are apps and app security?
One of the main drawbacks of Android’s openness is reflected in how they approve apps for distribution on the Android Market. Essentially, they don’t have an approval process. The Android Market does not scrutinize apps before distributing. This was highlighted recently when malware showed up in the Android Market. The iPhone’s strictly curated app submission process helps Apple dodge bullets like that.
The iPhone also more tightly controls the underlying hardware, carrier relationships, and the APIs that third-party software has access to. As a result, Apple can more easily limit the iPhone’s exposure to various security threats.
The iPhone’s status as an up-market niche phone also benefits security. And, to look at the desktop for some historic guidance, Microsoft’s wide-net distribution approach set it up as the number-one target for hackers and malware. The same pattern may well repeat itself with smartphones. Apple is comfortable offering more exclusive products with lower-volume shipments. A side-benefit of that game plan is that Apple already understands and has thought through the security implications of its market standing.
Android, meanwhile, becomes a bigger, juicer target with each passing day.
Winner: iPhone
Question 5: How will the device interoperate with existing back-end systems?
For the enterprise, the concern is integration with important (and expensive) enterprise applications. If your organization wants to give mobile users access to CRM, SFA, billing systems and other back-end applications, Android’s openness will offer the least amount of friction from point A (no access) to point B (mobile productivity).
Android offers more API hooks than iOS. This means there are more possibilities for organizations to develop their own powerful back-end apps if none already exist for them. Apple iOS offers less power in what developers can take advantage of.
Winner: Android.
Final Verdict
There you have it: a tie. If you’re a European football fan, you won’t be all that disappointed. Readers in the United States hooked on American football, baseball and even North American hockey (they recently phased out ties) will not be satisfied.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. The winner varies depending on user preferences. If you are still on the fence, here are three other questions that will help you decide which platform is right for you:

•What do the various carrier plans look like in your area?
•How reliable is the coverage (both voice and data), and how many dead spots are there in your area?
•What devices do your employees already own for their personal use? Is there a clear winner?
Remember, your employees are already picking their device of choice. More often than not, they’re starting to use it for work. It’s just a matter of time before you will have to make the switch to one of these newer platforms.