HTC to open third R&D office in USA
Taiwan’s HTC has announced its plans to lease space for a new R&D office in North Carolina, USA.
In the first quarter of 2011, HTC expects to hire approximately 45 people in its facility, conducting research into multiple areas of wireless technology, with plans to grow further during 2011 and into the future.
According to Ron Louks, Chief Strategy Officer for HTC Corporation, HTC has been successfully bringing its unique brand of people-centric innovation to consumers, and with the establishment of this new R&D office, they are taking an important step to extend their leadership position in the wireless industry. Durham is a perfect place to open new R&D office because they are able to tap into this deep pool of technical talent that complements HTC’s leading-edge R&D efforts going on around the world.
With the opening of its new Durham location, HTC will have three dedicated R&D locations in the United States.
Currently, HTC has a location in Seattle focused on creating user experience design, including its branded HTC Sense user experience, and creates industrial designs through its One & Co subsidiary located in San Francisco. Along with these R&D facilities, HTC’s America’s headquarters are located in Bellevue, Wash. Altogether; HTC currently employs approximately 250 people in the United States and over 10,000 people worldwide.
Android Drives Smartphone Growth in Western Europe and Ramps Up to Overtake Symbian and Become Biggest Smartphone OS in 2011
The Western European mobile phone market grew 7.5% year on year to 50.7 million units in 3Q10, according to IDC’s European Mobile Phone Tracker. Shipments of smartphones increased to 19 million units, 109% higher than last year’s third quarter, to represent 37% of total shipments. Feature phone shipments declined 17% to 31.7 million units compared with the previous year.
Strong smartphone demand continues to drive the Western European mobile phone market. Growth in the segment was supported by the surge in Android devices and strong sales of Apple’s iPhone 4. In the quarter vendors shipped over 4.3 million Android devices, with HTC, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung accounting for 84% of total Android shipments. This lifted the platform into third position, with 23% market share. Apple’s iPhone 4 was a major hit in the quarter, with 4.5 million units shipped, 102% higher than last year’s third quarter, giving iOS 24% market share.
Feature phones suffered their biggest decline ever, with shipments down 17% to 31.7 million units from the same period last year. Operators are moving their subsidies to smartphones and the segment has suffered from the lack of attractive devices, with price the major sales driver.
“In the third quarter, 24 of the 45 Android devices available in Western Europe were launched,” said Francisco Jeronimo, European mobile devices research manager, IDC. “This shows how actively phone makers are seeding operators with new Android models to meet market demand. The operating system is very popular among consumers due to its intuitive user interface, increasing number of free applications, and very competitive prices compared with other devices on the market. It’s also important to point out that the strong volumes Apple shipped during the quarter took it to third position among the biggest manufacturers in Western Europe, which is an impressive achievement after the antenna problems and the criticism the iPhone received when it was launched.”
Apple becomes third-biggest manufacturer in Western Europe and closes gap with Nokia in smartphone segment
Nokia’s total shipments increased 4% year on year to 17.2 million units, but market share slipped to 34% due to slower growth in its smartphones compared with the overall market.
Samsung’s shipments dropped 3% year on year to 13.9 million units and smartphones only represented 8% of total shipments. The Samsung Galaxy S, running Android, was a top seller with most operators but had a limited impact on the results due to its late launch in the quarter. 63% of total Samsung smartphone shipments run Android and 29% are based on Samsung’s bada. This platform will continue to play a major role in Samsung’s portfolio and more devices will be launched at lower price points.
Apple had an excellent quarter. The iPhone 4′s antenna problems didn’t affect its sales, and it shipped 4.5 million units, 102% higher than in the previous year – making it the third-biggest manufacturer in the region. Apple retained second position in the smartphone segment and closed the gap with Nokia.
Sony Ericsson’s successful Android strategy and products kept it in the top 5 smartphone vendors, placing it in fourth spot with 10.6% market share, one place ahead of HTC, though fierce competition from HTC, Samsung, and LG is expected to negatively impact Sony Ericsson’s market share.
LG’s performance in the quarter was poor, with shipments declining 48% to 2.7 million units from 3Q09. Unlike Samsung, LG has not been able to bundle its feature phones with smartphones to push its sales due to the lack of a strong smartphone portfolio. LG feature phones dropped 54% in 3Q10 to 2.4 million units, from 5.1 million units a year ago.
Microsoft plans to launch Chinese-edition WP7 platform in 2H11
If sources are to be believed, Microsoft plans to launch a Chinese-edition of Windows Phone 7 (WP7) in the second half of 2011 and is currently soliciting China-based mobile device makers including Lenovo, Huawei Technologies and ZTE to jointly develop WP7-based smartphones targeting the China market.
According to the sources, Microsoft is expected to unveil the second batch of WP7 smartphones at the upcoming MWC 2011 trade fair with the showcase including Asustek Computer’s first WP7 model, the E600. Although HTC, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics (LGE) and Dell have all launched WP7-based smartphones, Microsoft still hopes to ignite a wave of demand for Windows Phone-based smartphones with the introduction of the Chinese-version WP7.
However, it remains to be seen if China-based mobile device makers will shift their focus to develop WP7 smartphones as most of them have put effort into Android-based models recently.
HTC HD3 Smart Phone – Coming With All Leading Networks
HTC believes in manufacturing, producing, announcing and releasing very high-end mobile phones which may be instantly hit at the retailers’ shops and which may be the favorite mobile phones for all the mobile phone subscribers. There are so many excellent gizmos which have come in the mobile phone markets with the tag of HTC and have become very popular and famous overnight. The gadgets manufactured by the company are generally equipped with the best features which are usually considered to be the intrinsic parts of multimedia mobile phones nowadays. HTC has been in the arena of mobile phone manufacturing for a long time and to its great satisfaction it has a long list of very powerful and successful gadgets to its credit. HTC HD 3 is also one of the same very successful gadgets which have ever raised the stature of HTC brand by dint of their sheer quality and supreme functioning.
The look of HTC HD 3 is very smart as all its parts are in accurate proportion. The size of the gadget is of 122 x 68 x 11.2 mm Dimensions and the processor is Qualcomm QSD 8250 1Ghz. Memory comprises ROM 512 MB, RAM 576 MB with the storage of 8GB. Display is of the type of 4.3†( 480 x 800 ) WVGA with TFT capacitive touchscreen with multitouch, GPS : A-GPS, Snapper: 5 MP color CMOS with Auto-focus, Dual LED flash and Kick Stand. Connectivity is strengthened with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, microUSB with 3.5mm Audio Port. In a nutshell, all the salient characteristics of the mobile phone are worthy of enough praise from the mobile phone users.
Therefore, all the people are seen to be running for HTC HD 3 contract in the mobile phone markets and all the retailers feeling hard pressed against time in providing them HTC HD 3 O2, HTC HD 3 Orange and HTC HD 3 Vodafone contract deals as these deals are turning to be especially beneficial for the mobile phone users due to the many benefits attached with the deals.
HTC challenges Samsung for first LTE smartphone
The Android smartphone competition is increasingly focused on a two-way conflict between HTC and Samsung, and they have shifted their rivalry to LTE.
Samsung has already created an LTE feature phone for MetroPCS and is tipped to summarize with a full smartphone in the first half of next year, but HTC is also planning a 2011 launch.
This shows LTE handsets coming to market well ahead of expectations, and the two vendors will be particularly keen to gain the initial slot at Verizon Wireless, given the high profile that first movers get in the US. HTC benefited from having the first with Android device at T-Mobile, Motorola with the first Droid device at Verizon, and HTC again with the first WiMax smartphone at Sprint.
Samsung has been too late into the open smartphone sector to claim first prize, but is catching up fast with Galaxy S.
Nokia delays E7 shipment till Jan 2011
Nokia has delayed the shipping of its Symbian 3 based mobile phone, Nokia E7 to early 2011.
As per the Finnish company, E7 has been delayed to ensure a good user experience. So, Nokia will not have new products for this Christmas holiday. Nokia E7 was announced during the Nokia Conference in Sep, 2010 in London.
Nokia’s previous flagship launch, of the N8, was also delayed and some of the devices subsequently suffered a technical glitch.
Stephen Elop, Chief Executive has vowed to raise Nokia’s game but he faces a difficult balancing act between increasing the speed at which products get to market and improving their quality.
In addition to the iPhone and BlackBerry, Nokia is also under pressure from rivals such as South Korea’s Samsung and HTC of Taiwan, which have adopted Google’s increasingly popular Android operating system.
Nokia, in contrast, has stuck with its Symbian operating system in spite of criticism that users feel it is inferior.
The E7 uses a newly improved version of Symbian. Nokia is also working on a new operating system, called MeeGo, due to be introduced next year.
GO launches digital voice product in Saudi Arabia
GO (Etihad Atheeb Telecom), a leading telecom services provider in Saudi Arabia has launched the company’s latest digital voice product, GO Terhal†thus introducing a revolutionary concept for the first time in the Kingdom.
According to the company, GO Terhal provides a range of unique features starting with the ability to transform any smart device (iPod Touch, iPad, and Samsung Galaxy Tab) to a phone device to make local and international calls and receive calls free of charge, with a special number from GO starting with 08111.
Besides, any smart phone device (iPhone, Galaxy S, HTC, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and Blackberry) running on operating systems such as (iOS, Google Android, Smibian^3, and Windows Phone 7) or any Personal computer or Laptop (Windows, MAC, Linux), can work without a SIM Card and with the ability to customize infinite numbers on one device and ability to share one number among infinite number of devices.
GO Terhal†can be downloaded free of charge from any of the popular App Stores such as iTunes App Store, Ovi Store and Google Android. Calls within GO Terhal†network are free of charge during launch period.
According to Raed Kayal, acting Chief Executive of GO Telecom, the company is pleased to launch the Digital calling service GO Terhalâ€, which is a significant step for both the company and the Saudi telecom market, as a varied number of segments inside and outside Saudi Arabia will benefit from this high-definition voice service. The company’s aim is to fully utilize their advanced infrastructure and increase the number of subscribers as every internet user inside or outside the Saudi Arabia is a potential customer regardless of their internet service provider.
HTC may triple smartphone sales to 60 million in 2011 (TAIWAN)
Taiwan’s HTC has claimed that it will be ramping up its smartphone production to around 60 million handsets during 2011, compared to sales of 20 million during 2010.
According to sources, HTC executives revealed its roadmap for 2011 while the company was holding a summit with more than 200 executives from over 100 suppliers of handset parts and components recently in Taipei.
As per sources, HTC is pursuing higher growth for 2011 following the appointment of its new COO Matthew Costello and other top-tier executives.
The New BlackBerry Torch 9800 enters the smartphone market
The BlackBerry Torch is the latest release from BlackBerry looking to penetrate the fiercely competitive touchscreen Smartphone market; a segment of the mobile phone market which has grown exponentially in the last twelve months, so much so that it is now recognized as a market of its own.
This is not the first time that BlackBerry have attempted to enter this market however, two previous models in the form of the Storm and Storm 2 looked to try and grab a piece of the market albeit quite unsuccessfully, largely due to their unique and quite unusual piezo ‘clickable’ touchscreens which received very mixed reviews.
The Torch on the other hand, really distances itself from the Storm; it is BlackBerry’s first slider incorporating both a touchscreen and a physical QWERTY keyboard, essentially ‘the best of both worlds’. It is a concept that puts the Torch in quite a large bit of ‘middle ground’ sitting between the iPhones/HTC Desire HDs of this world and BlackBerry’s own Curve/Bold series. It creates an interesting debate as to whether the need for such a device exists, but if early sales figures and reviews are any reflection on the future, then it certainly looks as though the Torch will be lighting the way.
The reason for the encouraging reviews is quite clear when you look in a bit more detail at the specifications of this device; a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen capable of displaying 16 million colours at a resolution of 360 x 480 pixels, a full BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard, 4GB of internal storage, microSD support, microUSB port, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 5 megapixel camera and of course, the latest iteration of BlackBerry software OS 6.0 which has been heavily optimised for touchscreen use.
Of course, as with any BlackBerry, the real attraction of the Torch is the exceptional push email services and BlackBerry Messenger; features which will essentially let you instantly message any other BlackBerry user, anywhere in the world. There is also access to third party applications thanks to BlackBerry Appworld, BlackBerry’s answer to the App Store in which you’ll find a huge selection of games and applications ranging from horoscopes to Sudoku and everything in between.
Aside from all of the features and specifications mentioned above, the Torch is quite possibly the best looking addition to the BlackBerry family with its compact looking design and sleek curves it really is a good looking phone from any angle and is a welcome break from the usual Smartphone form factor adopted by the likes of HTC, Apple, Samsung et al.
Apple increases legal team for Patent Showdowns with Nokia, Motorola, HTC
Apple’s iPhone, one of the best-selling smartphones on the market is adding lawyers to the company.
Apple is squaring off against Nokia Oyj, the world’s largest mobile-phone maker, before the International Trade Commission. The dispute, in which each side alleges intellectual property violations, is also a precursor to Apple patent battles with Motorola Inc. and HTC Corp.
Cupertino, California-based Apple is trying to protect its right to import the iPhone, while shutting out rivals, particularly those whose phones are powered by Google Inc.’s Android operating system, the world’s most popular smartphone software. Android-based phones also are made abroad.
According to Lyle Vander Schaaf, an attorney at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione in Washington, who handles cases before the commission, these are very well-known, deep-pocketed, high-end manufacturers, usually you have one 800-pound gorilla going after a new entrant. Here you’ve got 800-pound gorillas fighting each other.
Apple has been the most-sued technology company since 2008; the year after the iPhone was introduced, topping Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., according to LegalMetric Inc., a compiler of litigation data based in St. Louis.
