The Internet is no longer a teen as today marks said medium’s 20th birthday. Congrats are in order; pass the YouTube, please!
From Engadget: http://goo.gl/vrqXz
The results for Q2, 2011 are:
1) Apple – 19% of the Global Smartphone Market (with the iPhone 5G slated for release in September they are still the firm to be beat)
2) Samsung – 380% year-over-year growth (moving closer to their stated goal of being the #1 player in this space)
3) Nokia – 30% drop in units sold (failing forward continues unabated)
4) RIM – Lost market share overall (in an even worse position than their rivals from Finland)
5) HTC – Moved up to this position with just under 12% of the total market (with big gains continuing in China )
Clearly; a lot can and, seemingly, does change quarter-to-quarter within the smartphone market. And, if the current trends continue Nokia (in the midst of a pending transfer to Windows Phone 7 with America being omitted from their preliminary launch-list) and RIM (with essentially nothing other than a reconstituted BlackBerry) are going to slide further; Samsung just might pass Apple (if they can sustain the incredible momentum that the Galaxy S II generated) while HTC continues their rise (coming out of nowhere since the company jumped into this space).
The rough-and-tumble, smartphone space will stay hot; interesting and contentious as this year progresses with who knows if and when any major surprises or litigation will create yet another variable for the competition to contend with.
Stay tuned…
From the Washington Post: http://goo.gl/euqOJ
The ‘Clash of the Titans’ continues to escalate as Microsoft is doing whatever it can to deter; distract and derail Android’s (OS) ascent. Clearly; the tide has turned as Redmond now finds itself being the ‘victim’ e.g., aggressor vs. the position / role of playing ‘defense’ (as the firm seems to easily move from role-to-role based on their market objectives).
Recall how Microsoft took down Netscape (via essentially giving away IE when it was nothing more than a ‘me-too’ afterthought within the Browser space). Paradoxically (and/or due to Redmond’s own ineptitude) the company was once the default mobile / smartphone leader. However, after essentially attempting (how many times) to cram Windows onto a phone… they lost out as Apple blew them (and everyone else for that matter) away with the iPhone’s debut in 2007.
Not to be outdone; Google’s Android OS was largely dismissed just under two-years ago upon being introduced. Fast forward; now that it’s gained substantial market share and is firmly the second option (in an increasingly tilted two-option playing field) Microsoft is going to pull-out every variable in order to gain whatever traction that it can.
As patent litigation’s role in the ‘cost of doing business’ continues to increase and become the norm (vs. the exception) perhaps Redmond’s approach would be more effective via actually winning over the hearts and minds of mobile developers? Read: 7% mention Windows Phone 7 vs. 44% for Apple and Google, respectively… (regarding who will dominate the Mobile Enterprise space no less!) Granted; this is in all probability just the idiot savant staying the obvious; however, by doing so it might also equate to their input on the actual hardware design itself (hint, hint; Nokia) whereas a more competitive smartphone offering would result (thereby drawing real consumer interest and traction within this market).
From Information Week: http://goo.gl/AwMrt
RIM’s newest BlackBerry (yes, remember those) has been launched to an underwhelming response (which really isn’t a surprise). However; what is a surprise is that the company keeps trying to milk this model vs. actually coming out with something new (hardware aside, like a radically differentiated OS as a start).
The writing is clearly on the walls: impressive hardware releases with lots of updated features / functionality and consumer choice for selecting their carrier of choice (particularly in America) are what’s in demand (as an alternative to Apple’s iPhone juggernaut). Yet; RIM just stumbles on… it looks like to oblivion at this point in time with the way they are failing forward…
From PC Magazine: http://goo.gl/NChWc
It should come as no surprise that Android gets hammered for being open to criminal intent due to some of the challenges (and opportunities for dubious activities) this OS presents (the latest of which being a virus that will record any given end-user’s phone calls) on a smartphone that has been compromised.
Granted, the onus for ensuring that your phone is free of viruses, etc. rests with said owner. However, as the trickery of these programs become increasingly insidious it is a strong reminder of the merits of the walled-garden approach (which is also not above reproach).
In sum; be it an open and/or a closed environment, technology is only as good as the people that create (or, unfortunately, exploit) it.
From the UK Register: http://goo.gl/HDiqO
With Samsung agreeing to hold-off on releasing their latest tablet in Australia; the stakes between their main nemesis, Apple (believe it or not they do actually work together as the company has used their microchips within their products) raises the stakes much higher.
Samsung essentially agreed to forestall selling it until they’re given court-approval. While Apple agreed to pay for any damages if they lose their patent infringement suit… which is akin to both parties playing a card game in Vegas whereas they’re all-in (well, until the next round of escalation / litigation looms that is…) The saga continues; stay tuned for more legal wrangling…
From CNET: http://goo.gl/z8f2l
Once upon a time patents actually served a purpose. Yes; that’s obviously both a true and false statement… True in that intellectual property was protected via filing them; false in that patents have also become vital to fending off on-going litigation (which equates to them being set forth as a cost of doing business). And, in the example of Google’s purchase of 1,000 of them from IBM, they are being acquired for just that as patent-litigation is both becoming increasingly common and contentious within Silicon Valley (and the entire tech industry globally).
In the long-run; this orientation might very well have a negative impact on innovation… particularly if a fledgling start-up is squashed by a tech-behemoth and/or said entity just decides to opt-out (entirely) regarding trying to innovate (in general).
From PC World: http://goo.gl/ghIRy
Not to be outdone by an earlier report that company now has more cash on-hand than the (U.S.) Federal Government (ouch!) it was also reported that Apple currently garners 2/3 of all mobile (industry) profits!
From the BBC: http://goo.gl/1QTx0
From Slash Gear: http://goo.gl/1VR9J
People are not always ‘on.’ Mobile demands believe or not do actually ebb and flow… And, if someone comes up with ‘an app for that’ who knows how much more data will be mined (productive; relevant and/or where money can be made from it or not) still looks yet to be determined…
From Gigaom: http://goo.gl/tmj30
Microsoft’s decision to release the first Mango-enabled OS phone in Japan (as early as September of this year) might have been decided for two reasons: 1) The incentives that Toshiba-Fujitsu provided for / towards the firm; 2) If it does well in Japan (with a well-educated / tech-savvy consumer base it could be a harbinger for how it’ll fair in the US; EU and/or the rest of Asia, etc.)
Clearly, there’s a lot riding on this release. Nevertheless, with a 13.2 megapixel camera; 1 GHz Snap Dragon processor; WVGA touchscreen display and 32 GB of built-in storage the smartphone it is set to be released on has a lot to offer as a device… Now, the OS it’ll be running is another matter entirely…
From TG Daily: http://goo.gl/l3aYb
