Sony

Sony developing handsets to compete with Apple

On 03.08.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A new lineup of handheld products is being developed by Sony Corp to compete with Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The products are scheduled to launch this year. The range of products includes a smart phone capable of downloading and playing PlayStation games.

Sony and Sony Ericsson are working together to develop these handsets. Apple has a wide range of products that connect to its iTunes media platform and Sony’s product aims at having a dig at them. The portable-gaming market which is dominated by Sony has now being invaded by Apple. The nascent e-reader market where one million units have already being sold by Sony is expected to be disrupted by iPad tablet.

Project to develop a portable device is also underway to compete against multifunction products such as Apple’s coming iPad tablet. The product is designed in a way that blurs distinctions among a netbook, an e-reader and a PlayStation Portable, or PSP.

Sony’s online media platform will work with both the new smart phone and the multifunction device. The media platform is due to launch later this month in the U.S. as the company’s answer to Apple’s iTunes.

Nokia emerges highest smartphone seller in a research

On 02.24.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nokia continues its lead in the number of mobile phones shipped, in the report issued by a research company on worldwide mobile phone sales. Although Nokia and Symbian have been losing their market share by a few percent, in the smartphone sector they still lead by a comfortable margin.

36 percent market share is occupied by Nokia while Samsung is in second place with 19 percent of the market, increasing its share by just over 3 percent. 2% growth is also witnessed by LG which occupies the third position.

Motorola and Sony Ericsson emerged as the biggest losers with their sales plummeting and the market share dropping alarmingly. Motorola’s market share fell to just 4.8 percent in 2009 while Sony Ericsson fell from 7.6 percent to 4.5 percent during the same period.

Tagged with: ARTP • Ericsson • LG • Motorola • Nokia • Samsung • Sony • Symbia

Wana launches 3rd mobile operator in Morocco

On 02.23.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A new GSM mobile service, Inwi has been launched by Moroccan operator Wana. The third mobile operator in Morocco will cover three-quarters of the population. The GSM license was awarded to Wana in early 2009.

Prepaid offering with per-second billing as well as four postpaid plans with free on-net calls are included in the service along with a range of corporate offers.

Daily and weekly unlimited SMS plans, BlackBerry services, prepaid and postpaid 3G mobile internet using a USB modem, a Windows Live Messenger service, roaming are also offered by Inwi.

A wide range of handsets from Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Motorola are also an exclusive offer to the customers. The company will compete against incumbent Maroc Telecom and Meditel on the GSM market.

Tagged with: 3G • Africa • Blackberry • Ericsson • GSM • Inwi • Launch • LG • Maroc Telecom • Morocco • Motorola • Nokia • operator • Samsung • Sony • Wana • Windows Live Messenger

MWC2010: Vodafone displays Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini

On 02.17.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: It was not said by any network that it will be selling the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini at its launch on Sunday but with the display of the device at Vodafone’s stand at the Mobile World Congress shows that it will be one of the homes for the Android smartphone with a tiny 2.5-inch screen.

However, there is no sign of its QWERTY keyboard cousin, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro, on the network’s stand but it can be inferred that it might also appear in future or on any other network.

Tagged with: Android • Ericsson • Launch • Mobile World Congress • MWC2010 • QWERTY • Sony • Sony Ericsson • Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 • Vodafone • Xperia X1 • Xperia X10

Handset makers bet on apps to market mobiles in India

On 02.17.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: To boost sales in the midst of a market leader busy ramping up its offerings and a bunch of domestic players making long strides in the marketplace, handset makers Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson are gaming on services and free apps.

World’s second largest mobile handset maker, Samsung Electronics will soon roll out smartphones based on a new in-house operating system platform, BADA, which will enable users to download music, maps, games and access interactive features online. LG Electronics and Sony Ericsson too are ramping up applications, music and games available on their online stores.

According to Shravani Sen, head and director, qualitative division, at market research firm Synovate India, the integration of mobile handsets with services is really the future of telephony in India and the consumers, both rural and urban, expect more than just a handset from marketers and they are responding to what consumers expect.

Tagged with: ASIA • bada • Ericsson • India • LG • Samsung • Sony • Synovate

Mobile operators join force on global apps platform

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: An open international applications platform has been launched by a joint force of the world’s largest mobile operators. This marks the largest unified move to date by the operator community into the mobile apps space.

A combination of 24 of the world’s largest mobile carriers, the so called ‘Wholesale Applications Community’ includes America Movil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, KT, mobilkom Austria, MTN Group, NTT Docomo, Orange, Orascom Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, TeliaSonera, SingTel, SK Telecom, Sprint, VimpelCom and WIND.

Vodafone, China Mobile, SoftBank and Verizon Wireless in the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) mobile apps initiative are also included in the group. The move has been backed by GSMA, an industry association. The aim of the alliance is to create a wholesale platform for mobile apps providing a single point-of-entry for developers. Operators are also eyeing the revenue-generating potential of getting into the apps business.

The new operator-led initiative has also got the support from the handset vendors including LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

Tagged with: Airtel • alliance • Austria • China • China Mobile • China Unicom • Deutsche Telekom • Ericsson • GSM • GSMA • Launch • LG • Mobilkom • MTN • NTT DoCoMo • operator • Orange • Orascom • Samsung • SingTel • SK Telecom • Sony • Sprint • Telecom Italia • Telefonica • Telenor • TeliaSonera • Verizon Wireless • VimpelCom • Wholesale Applications Community

Sony Ericsson adds QWERTY keyboard to Vivaz Phone

On 02.15.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The Vivaz smartphone of Sony Ericsson also known as Vivaz pro has added a QWERTY keyboard to the touch screen offering. According to Daniel Sandblom Marketing Business Manager, Sony Ericsson, Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro meets the increased consumer demand for QWERTY devices without compromising on any entertainment features.

UMTS HSPA 900/2100 and GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS HSPA 850/1900/2100 and GSM GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 are supported by the handset while it is available in selected markets from Q2 in Black or White.

Full slide-out keyboard, stay in touch through email, Twitter, Facebook, blogging and chat, view everything on the 3.2″ 16:9 wide touchscreen, HD resolution and PlayNow – immediate online access to applications, games and music are some of the exclusive features of the handset.

Tagged with: Ericsson • Facebook • GPRS • GSM • HSPA • PlayNow • QWERTY • Sony • Sony Ericsson • UMTS • Vivaz

Smartphone prices deducted by Nokia

On 02.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The phone prices have been cut by Nokia across its portfolio by up to 10%, putting its cheapest smartphones on a collision course with mid-range phones from rivals Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

According to Nokia, price changes were part of its normal, ongoing business as the company usually cuts prices across its portfolio a few times each year.

After the price cut Nokia’s cheapest smartphone model, the 5230, costs around EUR 170 in Finland and the model’s wholesale price is now below EUR 120.

Tagged with: Europe • Finland • Nokia • Samsung • Sony • Sony Ericsson

Vodafone’s DRM-free music service a hit

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After attracting almost half-a-million paying subscribers to its DRM-free services since March 2009, Vodafone has claimed to rule Europe’s mobile music market. The clear pricing policy of the carrier has been credited behind the subscription of 450,000 users for its music services.

A monthly bundle allowing the users to download 10 tracks, or a variety of all-you-can-eat packages has been provided to the subscribers. Some 100,000 subscribers have signed up in December alone in Vodafone’s eight key European markets – Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK.

The company has signed deals with Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, and Universal Music, to provide DRM-free MP3 content.

Tagged with: DRM-free • EMI Music • Europe • Germany • Greece • Ireland • Italy • Mobile Music • Netherland • Portugal • Sony • Spain • UK • Universal Music • Vodafone

Launch of Android phone in China would not be delayed: Sony Ericsson

On 01.21.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The launch of phone that runs Google Inc’s Android operating system in China will not be delayed by Sony Ericsson, a joint venture between Sony Corp and Ericsson.

The launch of two mobile phones using Android platform in China was postponed by Google this week. The move came as a result of the dispute over hacking and censorship in the country.

According to Sony Ericsson’s Chief Executive Bert Nordberg, the firm is planning to launch its Android phone, dubbed X10, in China and the rest of the world this spring.

Tagged with: Android • China • Ericsson • Google • Operating System • Sony