China to become the largest smartphone market in 2012 (Asia)
By Editor on March 16, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Smartphone shipments to emerging markets will drive growth in the worldwide smartphone market in the years ahead. According to a report by the IDC, China will become the leading country-level market for smartphone shipments in 2012, moving ahead of the current leader, the United States. Looking ahead to 2016, two additional emerging markets, India and Brazil, will enter the top 5 country markets for smartphone shipments.
Analysts say that due to their sheer size, strong demand, and healthy replacement rates, emerging markets are quickly becoming the engines of the worldwide smartphone market. Users in emerging markets seek more than simple voice telephony, and smartphones offer the ideal platform for mobile entertainment, social networking, and business usage as seen in developed markets.
Meanwhile, mature markets, such as Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, will experience continued growth in smartphone adoption, but volumes will not keep up with those destined for emerging markets.
At the same time, smartphone growth within emerging markets presents its challenges. Further, the total cost of ownership remains a hurdle for potential smartphone buyers. Smartphones still represent a significant investment for consumers in many countries.
This fact was acknowledged by a number of industry executives at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, who stressed the need for low-cost devices – as low as sub-US$50 – to spur widespread adoption. Another notable barrier to adoption is the cost of a monthly data plan. To realize the full potential of emerging markets, smartphone vendors need to develop low-cost smartphones that provide a full, robust experience while mobile operators will need to creatively subsidize device cost and data plans.
Filed under Asia, Brazil, China, India, Latin America, Mobile, Smartphones · Tagged with ASIA, Barcelona, Brazil, China, Emerging Markets, India, largest smartphone market, low-cost devices, low-cost smartphones, mobile data plans, Mobile World Congress, monthly data plan, United States, worldwide smartphone market
Mobile World Congress 2012 targets high mobile roaming charges (Spain)
By Editor on March 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
The premier telecom event, Mobile World Congress, held in Barcelona has raised a concern for high mobile roaming charges claiming that this leads to a reduction in mobile phone usage while travelling abroad.
According to a report by Canada.com, the market reflecting people who reduce mobile usage or switch of their cell phones while travelling could be worth $ 2 billion in Europe alone.
Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner of New Technologies said that 40 percent of mobile customers are nervous about using data services abroad. Because, with EU roaming prices still so high, they know they could be in for a nasty surprise when they open their bill, she added at the Mobile World Congress.
Jeff Gordon, chief executive of Syniverse claims that they probably have two-thirds of the people here who have turned off their data, because they’re scared to death of the roaming prices, and they are people from the telecom world. The report reveals that according to Syniverse, out of 75 million people who travel to another country in a month, close to 70 percent never use the data service and half make no calls at all.
Industry analysts claim that it is very important for mobile operators to reconsider their roaming tariffs as it is discouraging mobile usage while abroad. Further, by revising them slightly, operators can ensure profit while at the same time encouraging higher usage.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Barcelona, bill shock, high mobile roaming charges, international roaming tariff, Jeff Gordon, Mobile Data, Mobile World Congress 2012, Spain
Android 5.0 may be named ‘Jelly Bean’ (USA)
By Editor on March 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Following the trend of naming each version after a desert, Google may be planning to name the Android 5.0 version as ‘Jelly Bean’. According to reports, this piece of information was revealed by Benson Lin, Corporate Vice President, ASUS, who said that Asus is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0, there will be a high possibility that they will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update.
Further, reports reveal that the booth occupied by Google at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, was accompanied by a bowl of jelly beans, adding weight to these rumors. Industry analysts expect Google to officially announce the same by next year.
Further, according to a report by the verge, Google may have moved on to Android 6.0, for which it has been short listing desert names from the alphabet K, with ‘Key Lime Pie’ being favoured.
However, industry sources reveal that this can also be a cause for concern as many devices have not yet been updated to the Ice Cream sandwich (Android 4.0). With Android versions being released so frequently, and many devices still operating on the old versions, industry analysts are concerned that newly purchased phones running on old Android software may be obsolete soon.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Android 4.0, Android 5.0, ASUS, Barcelona, Benson Lin, Google, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, Key Lime Pie, Mobile World Congress
Etisalat wins three GSMA Global Mobile Awards in Barcelona (UAE, Spain)
By Editor on March 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Mobile operator Etisalat, has won three international awards for ‘Best Mobile Health Innovation’, ‘mWomen Best Mobile Product’ for its mobile health innovation – Etisalat Mobile Baby – that is helping to combat maternal mortality in developing countries, as well as the ‘Best Mobile Money Innovation’ award for its Etisalat Commerce commercial platform enabling customers to use the mobile phone as a payment instrument anywhere , anytime.
According to the company, Etisalat’s Mobile Baby program delivers affordable primary healthcare solutions to even the remotest regions of Africa and it has already demonstrated tangible results to meet Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5) which seeks to reduce maternal mortality in childbirth by 75 per cent and deliver universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
Developed in partnership with Qualcomm, D-Tree International and Great Connection, Etisalat Mobile Baby is a complete mHealth ecosystem that brings together medical healthcare professionals, NGOs, pharmaceutical and insurance companies, and federal and state government to deliver affordable healthcare for all powered by mobile connectivity.
In Tanzania in the regions where Etisalat first launched the service, there has been a substantial drop in baseline maternal mortality rates and 30 percent increase in in-medical facility delivery rate. During 2012 the Etisalat Mobile Baby service will be rolled out across its operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Niger, Central African Republic and Gabon.
The award for ‘Best Mobile Health Innovation’ aims to highlight the rapidly emerging area of mobile connectivity in healthcare, an area which has the potential to address one of the biggest challenges faced globally; how to make high-quality healthcare affordable and accessible to all while utilising the benefits of mobile technology for innovative diagnoses, treatment and health service operations and logistics.
The Etisalat Commerce initiative won the ‘Best Mobile Money Innovation’ for its transformational way of implementation of payments instruments seamlessly integrated with mobile phone technology. Developed in partnership with MasterCard Worldwide and Oberthur Technologies, the innovation transforms mobile phones into the virtual payment cards accepted in MasterCard merchants.
Essa Al Haddad, Etisalat Group chief commercial officer, said that Etisalat is committed to harnessing the power of mobile connectivity through innovation to develop products that change people’s lives for the better.
Further, Etisalat’s commitment is to provide the necessary technologies to enable people to take charge of their futures which will lead to accelerated social and economic development. In the case of Etisalat Mobile Baby it can also save lives and narrow the gender gap.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Barcelona, Best Mobile Health Innovation, Best Mobile Money Innovation, Etisalat, Etisalat Mobile Baby, GSMA Global Mobile Awards, mWomen Best Mobile Product, Qualcomm, Spain, UAE
Samsung showcases Galaxy Note 10.1 tab at MWC 2012 (South Korea, Spain)
By Editor on March 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
South Korean handset maker, Samsung, showcased its latest wonder, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona. According to reports, the tablet is powered by the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has a 1.4GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera, with a 2 megapixel camera in the front. Further, S-Pen stylus is larger and more sensitive to the touch screen, enhancing user experience on the tablet.
A prime attraction of the tab is the S Note feature which provides users with templates for cards, diaries, meeting minutes and much more, along with the ability to customize them according to personal preference. The tab also includes the Adobe Photoshop software allowing users to perform photo editing services on their tab, instead of their laptop or PC.
According to JK Shin, president of IT and mobile communications division, at Samsung Electronics, Galaxy Note 10.1 takes productivity on a Note to a whole new level. With a larger, fully usable screen and superior performance, it combines the intuitiveness of handwriting with all the versatility of digital content to let users be more productive across all of life’s demanding tasks—whether working, learning or simply creating their own stories. He added that with Galaxy Note 10.1, they are demonstrating Samsung’s commitment to extend the mobile category and are working with key partners like Adobe to provide extraordinary experiences for users that enable them to be more productive, express themselves creatively and add a touch of fulfillment to their lives.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is convenient to carry around with a thickness of only 8.9 millimeters.
Filed under 4G/LTE, Mobile · Tagged with Adobe Photoshop, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Barcelona, Galaxy Note 10.1 tab, JK Shin, Mobile World Congress, MWC 2012, S Note, S-Pen stylus, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, South Korea, Spain
MWC 2012: Nokia 808 PureView to redefine smartphone imaging (Finland, Spain)
By Editor on March 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Global leading player in mobile communications, Nokia, unveiled the Nokia 808 PureView at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. As per the company, this is the first smartphone to feature Nokia PureView imaging technologies, bringing together high resolution sensors, exclusive Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia developed algorithms, which will support new high-end imaging experiences for future Nokia products.
The Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. At high-resolution (38 megapixel maximum) it means the ability to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards to expose previously unseen levels of details. With superior low-light performance and the ability to save in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS, and on social networks, the Nokia 808 PureView makes it possible for anyone to capture professional looking images in any conditions.
In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording. Rich Recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones. The Nokia 808 PureView also features exclusive Dolby Headphone technology, transforming stereo content into a personal surround sound experience over any headphones and Dolby Digital Plus for 5.1 channel surround sound playback.
Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Nokia Smart Devices said that Nokia PureView imaging technology sets a new industry standard by whatever measure used. He said that people will inevitably focus on the 41 megapixel sensor, but the real quantum leap is how the pixels are used to deliver breath-taking image quality at any resolution and the freedom it provides to choose the story you want to tell.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Barcelona, Carl Zeiss optics, Finland, high resolution sensors, Jo Harlow, Mobile World Congress 2012, MWC 2012, Nokia 808 PureView, Nokia Smart Devices, smartphone imaging, Spain
Telefonica may partner with Alcatel-Lucent for network upgrade (Europe)
By Editor on February 20, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Telecom operator Telefonica may partner with Alcatel-Lucent in an attempt to offer high-speed network services to its customers, as data phones have led to an increase in demand for high speed mobile data services.
According to reports, the network upgrade will pave the way for LTE services, with the operator expected to release the details for the same at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The upgrade is expected to incur an investment of US$ 394 million as per BN, and will cover over 65 per cent of the Spanish telecom market.
Telefonica had previously revealed that it had tied up with Alcatel to set up trial LTE networks in regions of Madrid and Barcelona. As per the company, Alcatel-Lucent is involved in 70 LTE deployment trials worldwide.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Alcatel-Lucent, Barcelona, Europe, LTE, Madrid, Mobile Data Service, Mobile World Congress 2012, Network Upgrade, Telefonica
Nokia Siemens CEO confident about progress in 2011
By Editor on February 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Nokia Siemens Networks, Chief Executive, Rajeev Suri stated that he is very confident about the company’s prospects and reiterated its plans to finalize the acquisition of Motorola Inc.’s network equipment assets in the first quarter of 2011.
According to him, overall, they have a lot of confidence and conviction about furthering their progress in 2011. The company feels extremely strong about their portfolio, which is stronger than it has ever been before. Through this, NSN is as strong as it has ever been.
NSN is a joint venture between Finland’s Nokia Corp. and Germany’s Siemens AG.
As per Suri, a week before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, their owners stated that on their behalf there will be slight growth in industry revenue, which means they see just a little bit of growth, and that given the trend in mobile broadband and services, they believe that the company will outgrow the market and that non-IFRS operating margin will be above break-even.
NSN’s current guidance excludes the Motorola acquisition. Suri added that they will update their outlook when the Motorola acquisition is complete.
Suri also stated that NSN hopes to finalize its planned acquisition of most of Motorola’s network equipment assets in the first quarter of this year.
If the deal closes, NSN will get an important inroad into the lucrative U.S. market.
Suri also commented on interest from private equity firms in buying a stake in NSN from its parent companies. He stated that their shareholders have been talking to a few private equity players and time will tell them how talks progress and which player that will be.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Barcelona, Chief Executive, Finland, Germany, Mobile, Mobile World Congress, Motorola Inc, Nokia Corp, Nokia Siemens Networks, non-IFRS, Operating Margin, Rajeev Suri, Siemens AG, U.S
Airtel Africa, Standard Chartered Bank and MasterCard honored for mobile payments innovation at Mobile World Congress
By Editor on February 22, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Airtel Africa, Standard Chartered Bank and MasterCard Worldwide were honored for mobile payments innovation at the 16th Annual Global Mobile Awards held during Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011. The recently launched virtual card product, developed in collaboration between Airtel Africa, Standard Chartered and MasterCard, received top honors as the Best Mobile Money Product or Solution.
Honored by a panel of mobile industry experts, the virtual card product was recognized as an innovative mobile payments solution that will offer consumers in Kenya, and eventually across Africa, greater participation in the financial system through mobile commerce. In collaboration between Airtel Africa and Standard Chartered, the virtual card product is powered by MasterCard inControl technology and enables more people to connect to the global marketplace through their mobile phones.
Andre Beyers, Airtel Africas chief marketing officer, and Daniel Monehin, area head, East & West Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, MasterCard Worldwide, received the award on behalf of the three companies at the Global Mobile Awards 2011 ceremony held at the Fira De Barcelona in Montjuc, Barcelona, Spain.
The virtual card product enables Airtel Africa customers in Kenya to use their mobile phone to make online purchases from MasterCard merchants around the world. The simplified online transaction works in the following way: each time an Airtel customer is shopping online he or she will be able to request a single use shopping card number. Airtel money services will then generate a special 16-digit number that enables the completion of the transaction. On completion of the transaction, a confirmation message will be sent to the consumers mobile phone. The single use feature of the virtual card product provides the consumer with a convenient and secure online shopping experience.
We partnered with Standard Chartered and MasterCard in a joint effort to create affordable and innovative mobile services for consumers across Africa, said Beyers. It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by our peers in the mobile industry for the virtual card product, which we hope will set a new industry standard for mobile payments.
We are extremely pleased that this concept has been selected for the GSMA 2011 Best Mobile Money Product or Solution Award. This global award is fitting testimony to telecom & banking companies in Africa, who are the agents-of-change in the development of mobile finance and commerce, said Jaydeep Gupta, Standard Chartered Banks regional head, Distribution & Alternate Channels for Africa, NGL, MESA & India. We are proud of our unique partnership with Airtel Africa and MasterCard. Together we will continue to deliver innovative payment solutions across our geographies.
Said MasterCards Monehin, Consumers are increasingly reliant on mobile technology at each step of their lives from staying connected with their personal networks to making payments on-the-go. We joined hands with Airtel Africa and Standard Chartered to create the virtual card product that not only enhances peoples purchasing experiences, but also creates a financially inclusive mobile platform for people in Africa. We believe that innovations like the virtual card product will help ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of mobile commerce in Africa. We are committed to improving industry collaboration and fostering innovation as well as building interoperability across closed loop systems in Africa and abroad.
About Airtel in Africa
Airtel is the new brand name for the 16 Zain operations across Africa which were acquired by Airtel International in June 2010. Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has African operations in: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company.
About Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a leading international bank, listed on the London, Hong Kong and Mumbai stock exchanges. It has operated for over 150 years in some of the world’s most dynamic markets and earns more than 90 per cent of its income and profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This geographic focus and commitment to developing deep relationships with clients and customers has driven the Bank’s growth in recent years.
With 1,700 offices in 70 markets, Standard Chartered offers exciting and challenging international career opportunities for more than 80,000 staff. It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. The Bank’s heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, ‘Here for good.’
About MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network the fastest payment processing network in the world MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 140 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 140 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass and MasterCard inControl. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories.
Filed under Mobile · Tagged with 16th Annual Global Mobile Awards, Africa, Airtel Africa, Barcelona, Best Mobile Money Product or Solution, Bharti Airtel, Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fira De Barcelona, Gabon, Ghana, GSMA, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, MasterCard, MasterCard Worldwide, MESA, Mobile, Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011, Montjuc, NGL, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Spain, Standard Chartered Bank, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia
STC Demonstrates Thought Leadership At Mobile World Congress
By Editor on February 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment
As Platinum Sponsor of the Ministerial Program at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, STC participated with government ministers and global CEOs in a roundtable discussion on the impact of the telecom industry on the economy and the role of policy makers in encouraging further investment in this field.
Group CEO Engineer Saud Al Daweesh and Ghassan Hasbani, CEO International Operations, represented STC in the discussion.
“We believe that telecommunications services are key contributors to economic development and policy should focus on providing clarity and stability in regulatory frameworks to encourage higher levels of investments in the sector,” said Al Daweesh, commenting on the key points raised in the meeting.
In addition, STC addressed an audience of global industry leaders and policy makers at the Leadership Summit held during the Mobile World Congress.
The speech focused on the role of regulators and policy makers in ensuring that the industry continues to attract investments through fair regulation and usage of infrastructure, allowing access to a wide subscriber base with appropriate classes of service that suit their usage patterns at affordable cost.
STC presented a paper demonstrating the direct impact of innovation in telecommunications on global economic cycles and outlining the key challenges for the sector today.
On the third day of the Mobile World Congress, Ghassan Hasbani, Chief Executive Officer of STC International Operations, presented the company’s view on global Mergers and Acquisitions developments in which he indicated a revival of investment in the sector, although not at the same levels seen in 2006. He also expected further consolidation in the industry, with increased competition, substitution of main revenue sources and pressure on cost management.
During the panel discussion, Hasbani shared the experience of STC in operating across multiple markets.
STC also participated in a World Economic Forum Telecommunications Global Agenda meeting held in Barcelona in parallel with the GSMA Congress. It was attended by a large number of industry leaders and discussed issues related to mobile banking and mobile health services among other topics such as personal data exchange policies.
STC is a telecom industry partner with the World Economic Forum and has a seat on the Global Agenda Council among leading organizations from the industry.
“This Council serves to provide an industry view to global leaders and it is very important that our region is well represented through STC’s membership,” said Ghassan Hasbani, who represents the organization on the Council.
Executives from STC held several meetings with telecom ministers, technology vendors and telecom operators at which various operational and strategic matters were discussed including policy, regulation and technology evolution.
