Qik launches video apps for iPhone
Qik, a mobile video streaming platform has introduced an iPhone app, named Qik Video Connect.
The service intends to allow a person to stay connected with friends and family through video calling, video messaging and video sharing.
With the Qik Video Connect, users can instantly share the latest happening with their contacts through a live video call. If they are not able to connect live, users can send a video mail. Customers can also post live video links to Facebook and Twitter.
The social video feed allows users to follow what friends are doing by receiving alerts when new videos are shared and watching those videos directly on their mobile phone. The application is available in two options, Qik Video Connect and Qik Video Connect Plus.
The Plus option is available for US$2.99 and offers additional features such as real-time effects, video editing, and HD quality. Both the Qik Video Connect and Connect Plus apps enable live video chat over 3G or Wi-Fi between iPhones, iPod Touches with built-in cameras. Both apps are available for download at the Apple App store for iPhone and 4 generation iPod Touch models with iOS 4 or later.
Tesco Telecoms appoints Graham Harris as new CEO (UK)
Tesco Telecoms, the telco division of Tesco, has announced that it has appointed Graham Harris as its new chief executive, following the departure of his predecessor Lance Batchelor in February.
Harris, an internal candidate who joined the company in 2000 as non food finance director, will be responsible for all of Tesco Telecom’s operations, including its MVNO; fixed-line phone and broadband; international long distance; and retail divisions.
According to Harris, while the telecoms market remains highly competitive, they will continue to distinguish them by providing an exceptional customer experience coupled with excellent value.
Harris has been given the top job after the departure of his predecessor Lance Batchelor, who announced in January his plan to leave Tesco to become deputy chief executive of Domino’s Pizza.
Batchelor served as CEO of Tesco Telecoms for two-and-a-half years. During his tenure Tesco Mobile, which provides mobile services via O2′s network, caused a stir when in December 2009 it became the first U.K. player to offer Apple’s iPhone on a 12 month contract; it also undercut its rivals’ iPhone prices.
Tesco Mobile also grew its subscriber base by 25% over the course of 2010, reaching 2.5 million customers in January, helped by strong Christmas sales.
Cablecom introduces Bill2Mobile iPhone app (Switzerland)
Swiss cable network operator Cablecom has introduced the new Bill2Mobile iPhone; iPad and iPod Touch app to encourage customers opt for paperless bills.
The app provides a general idea of a customer’s bill at the touch of a button. The app is developed by the ETH Zurich in partnership with cablecom and can be downloaded from the Swiss iTunes store.
To access the app, customers must confirm their identity with their Cablecom customer login. Bill2Mobile is available in German, French, Italian and English.
26% smartphone owners use new apps loyally,26% are fickle
A recent research study has unveiled that while smartphone and tablet owners are very willing to give applications a try, 26% of the time they never use the same application again. It is also found that another 26% of people become very loyal, repeat customers, using a new application more than 10 times.
The researchers analyzed app usage data from thousands of Android, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 apps subscribed to their real-time mobile application analytics service. For all new customers of an app between July and September 2010, they counted the number of times customers used the same app through early March 2011.
The results revealed that 26% of new customers are fickle, install an app and only use it once. However, the share of customers lost with each additional usage drops quickly and half of customers use an app four or more times.
More importantly, 26% of new customers also become the most loyal customers, using an app more than 10 times over the following months–and many go on to use an app hundreds of times.
Finding Loyal Customers amid 10 Billion Downloads
With over 10 billion downloads from just Apple’s App Store, it’s clear that people are very willing to try new apps. It’s equally clear that app developers and publishers need to look beyond downloads and focus marketing resources on attracting and retaining the quarter of customers who tend to become loyal users.
Apple’s iPhone5 will not support mobile payments via NFC
Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 5 will not support mobile payments via Near Field Technology (NFC) despite a recent surge in interest in the service, and its addition to the Android OS.
According to sources, Apple had disclosed in meetings that it would not add NFC to the next generation iPhone. Apple told the operators that it was concerned about the lack of a clear standard across the industry.
However, as per the recent speculations, Apple’s motives, as it is understood, are to develop its own iTunes based NFC payment platform which would compete with the services being planned by the mobile networks, who are typically working with banks on rolling out the necessary hardware into retailer and travel locations.
AT&T iPhone ranks near the top on data download and upload speed (US)
Metrico Wireless, a Handset testing company has run a series of comparison trials between the AT&T and Verzion Wireless versions of Apple’s iPhone, and found that the AT&T iPhone experienced double the mean data download speed of the Verizon iPhone though the mean load time for an average Web page was about the same on both devices.
In addition, the findings showed that when the iPhone is mobile, the AT&T iPhone successfully completed around 10% more data download sessions than the Verizon iPhone. The results were opposite when the iPhones were stationary; the Verizon iPhone was more consistent uploading data when stationary in comparison to the AT&T iPhone, with a 10 percent better success rate.
Metrico also compared the AT&T iPhone to 22 other AT&T smartphones. When compared to other AT&T smartphones:
- The AT&T iPhone ranks near the top on data download and upload speed, with comparable performance to the Sony Ericsson Xperia, the LG Quantum and the HTC Surround.
- The AT&T iPhone ranks below average in Bluetooth speech quality behind top rated performers like the Blackberry Torch and Blackberry Curve.
- The AT&T iPhone ranks in the middle of the pack on call performance behind top rated performers like the Samsung Captivate and the HTC Aria.
When compared to 17 other Verizon smartphones:
- The Verizon iPhone ranks near the top in noise cancelling performance, joining the likes of the Motorola Droid X and the LG Ally.
- The iPhone ranks below average in data download speed relative to other Verizon smartphones like the HTC Incredible.
- The iPhone is comparable to the Verizon average in speech quality, behind top performers like the LG Fathom.
SK Telecom to start iPhone sales (South Korea)
SK Telecom is all set to enter iPhone Market this month. The company will start selling the Apple iPhone 4 from March 16 with pre-orders to begin from Wednesday. This will end KT’s exclusive distribution of iPhones in the country and signals mounting competition between the two leaders in the market.
SK Telecom will offer similar contracts for the iPhone as KT but will try to attract customers with better customer service. It will replace faulty handsets with new ones if defects are found within seven days of purchase and any needed repairs will be done at SK Telecom’s own service center. It will also offer discounts for repair costs to loyal customers.
KT plans to fend off the challenge with its service know-how gained by selling iPhones over the past year.
AT&T CFO Lindner to step down in June
AT&T Inc has announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Rick Lindner will retire June 1 and will be replaced by Controller John Stephens.Lindner has served as CFO since 2004.
Stephens, a 19-year veteran of the telecommunications company, has been AT&T’s controller since 2001.
According to AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson, Rick and John have worked together closely for more than 15 years, and they expect a seamless transition.
In January AT&T, the No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier behind Verizon Wireless, projected earnings growth for the year that was less than analysts’ expectations. AT&T’S investors have been unnerved since word emerged that Verizon would begin carrying Apple’s popular iPhone, ending more than three years of U.S. exclusivity for AT&T.
AT&T, which is heavily dependent on iPhone, forecast 2011 earnings per share growth in the mid-single-digit percentage range.
Apple in talks to offer unlimited downloads of purchased music
Apple Inc. is in talks with record companies to give iTunes music buyers easier access to their songs on multiple devices.
According to sources, Apple is negotiating with music companies, including Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp. and EMI Group Ltd. An agreement may be announced by midyear.
The arrangement would give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music. Apple and the record labels are eager to maintain demand for digital downloading in the middle of rising popularity for Internet services such as Pandora Media Inc., which don’t sell tracks and instead let users stream songs from the Web with whatever the device.
Sources added that a deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost. The service would also enable downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTune’s account. The move would be a step closer to universal access to content centrally stored on the Internet.
