Samsung the top handset manufacturer in US
According to a study of more than 30,000 US mobile subscribers, Samsung is the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.9% market share. The survey also found that the Google Android took the lead among smartphone platforms with 31.2% market share, after two short months in second place.
For the three month average period ending in January, 234 million Americans aged 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.9% of U.S. mobile subscribers, 0.7% points higher than the three month period ending in October. LG ranked second with 20.8% share, followed by Motorola (16.5 percent), RIM (8.6 percent) and Apple (7.0 percent).
65.8 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in January 2011, up 8 percent from the preceding three-month period. Google Android captured the first slot ranking among smartphone platforms for the first time in January with 31.2% market share. RIM ranked second with 30.4% market share, followed by Apple with 24.7%t. Microsoft (8.0 percent) and Palm (3.2 percent) rounded out the top five.
In January, 68.1% of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, while browsers were used by 37.0% of subscribers (up 0.8 percentage points). Subscribers who used downloaded applications comprised 35.3% of the mobile audience, representing an increase of 1.6 percentage points. Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 1.1% points, representing 25.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Playing games represented 23.7 percent of the mobile audience, while listening to music represented 16.5 percent (up 1.1 percentage points).
Microsoft licenses Palm smartphone patents
Microsoft Corp has licensed a number of patents relating to competitor Palm Inc’s smartphones, the latest move in a complex web of deals and proceedings in the fast-growing phone sector. Microsoft, which has licensing deals with many technology companies, did not provide any details.
The world’s largest software company has licensed the patents from ACCESS Co Ltd and a unit of Acacia Research Corp. According to the companies, the portfolio of patents licensed covered inventions by Palm, Palmsource, Bell Communications Research, and Geoworks.
According to David Kaefer, Microsoft’s general manager of intellectual property and licensing, by focusing on efficiently licensing patented innovations from other companies, the company is free to develop great software and the company will be able to provide the partners and customers intellectual property peace-of-mind.
The licensing agreement should decrease the opportunity of lawful wrangling with Palm owned by Hewlett-Packard Co.
A number of companies have filed lawsuits against each other.
Sprint corrects statement of triple sale of HTC Evo (USA)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The earlier statement by Sprint Nextel in which it announced that the HTC ‘Evo 4G’ WiMAX-capable handset’s first-day sales volume was three times the combined volume of Samsung Instinct and Palm Pre devices sold over their first three days on the shelves has been corrected.
Sprint clarified that the Evo did break the company’s record for the highest number of phones sold on a single day last Friday, at six times higher than on the launch day of the Instinct and twice as many as on the Pre’s first day.
Contrary to what the company announced, the Evo first-day sales figures were approximately equal to the other two models’ combined volume in their first three days.
HP to acquire Palm for USD 1.2 billion
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Palm is going to be acquired by HP for USD 5.70 cash per share, or a total of USD 1.2 billion. HP is expected to get more involved in the smartphone and connected mobile device market after availing the facility of Palm’s webOS platform.
HP will also be able to take advantage of features such as multitasking and always up-to-date information sharing across applications by using webOS. The deal is subject to normal regulatory approvals.
The transaction is expected to close during HP’s third fiscal quarter ending July 31.
Palm puts itself for sale after running into loss
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: It has been reported that handset manufacturer, Palm which has been running into loss since long has put itself up for sale and will start seeking bids later this week. The company is working with Goldman Sachs and Frank Quattrone’s Qatalyst Partners to find a buyer.
China’s Lenovo Group and Taiwan’s HTC might make an offer to buy the company. The company has a current market valuation of around US$900 million.
According to Frank He, a technology analyst at BOC International Holdings Ltd, the shares have gone down a lot and the company may become attractive to anyone looking for a turnaround play and Palm still has quite a good brand in the U.S. market, and some strong technology.
Apple reveals changes in iPhone, iPad
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: IPhone has left behind many of its rival in the handset category and now it will also be able to run more than one program at a time, the only ability which made it lag behind its rivals and which has been sought by its users for long.
The changes will come to the iPhones and iPads this summer. As a result of this change, users might be able to listen to music through the Pandora program and check a bank account online simultaneously. At present, before starting a new task, users have to return to Apple’s home screen, effectively quitting the open program.
Multi tasking is already permitted in iPhone but it is majorly limited to Apple’s own program. Apple users cannot effortlessly switch among all the software “apps” available from outside software companies, Palm and Google users.
LinkedIn unveils Blackberry App
LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional social network with over 60 million members globally has launched the LinkedIn application for BlackBerry. The app can be downloaded via the LinkedIn website, and on BlackBerry App World. It complements LinkedIn’s existing mobile offerings for the iPhone and Palm Pre.
The specialty of the app is its native integration with the Blackberry. Users can use it within their Blackberry’s existing email, calendar and contacts applications. They can stay connected to the professional conversation, build professional network and also prepare for a meeting by quickly accessing LinkedIN profiles even while traveling.
According to LinkedIn Vice President of Search and Platform Products, Adam Nash, with the addition of the application for BlackBerry to their broader suite of mobile applications, LinkedIn is available to more business people than any other professional network in the world. He opines that this is an important step in their strategy to deliver business productivity tools to their members wherever their work takes them.
The app is available in six languages globally including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Chinese language.
ChaCha introduces social platform
A social platform by the name of ChaCha.me has been introduced by ChaCha, in which its services have been extended. Now it would include answers directly from individuals and businesses.
These answers are now accessible via Facebook, Twitter, Texting 242242, the ChaCha.com Web site, and its iPhone and Android applications.
David Guetta, who won a Grammy this year and has had two songs on the Billboard Top 50 for over 30 weeks, will help launch ChaCha.me while performing this week at the 25th Annual Winter Music Conference in Miami, FL.
According to Scott Jones, CEO of ChaCha, Indianapolis, ChaCha is all about free questions and answers. This is a line extension of its core business of providing free answers to anyone, any time, on nearly any platform.
The company expects that as ChaCha.me gains momentum, it will be a go-to place for teens and young adults to ask questions of celebrities, friends and even businesses that interest them.
According to Nielsen and Quantcast, ChaCha.com is one of the fastest-growing mobile and online publishers owing to its association with major brands such as Paramount, AT&T, Palm, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and presidential political campaigns.
