What can we expect for the fast-moving telecommunications market this year?
There are many predictions. I started looking for information from Twelve 2012 Predictions For The Telecom Industry and Top 12 Hot Design Technologies for 2012 articles. Then I did some more research on what is happening on the field and decided to make my own list of what is expected this year. You can go to the original information sources by clicking the links to see where all this information comes from.
The global telecommunications services market will grow at a 4% rate in 2012 (was 7% in 2011).
Mobile growth does not stop. The number of global mobile subscriptions will pass the 6 billion mark in February. India will pass China to become the world’s largest mobile market in terms of subscriptions.
The mobile handset market will surpass the $200 billion mark. Smartphones are most heavily used by people under 45, and that age group increasingly sees the smartphone or tablet as a portal to Facebook and Twitter, among other social networks. The demand for the chips that generate and process that data in smartphones is increasing (sales of smartphone applications processors surged to $2.2 billion in the third quarter of 2011). Six Companies Want Supremacy On The Smartphones Chip Market! Qualcomm Look Out!
There is lots of competition on mobile OS marker, but I expect that thing continue pretty much as 2011 ended: Android continues to boom, RIM and Microsoft decline. Symbian’s future is uncertain although Symbian started and finished 2011 as the undisputed king of mobile OSs (33.59%). Windows Phone will try to get to market and Leaked Windows Phone Roadmap gives us a peek into the future. Java Micro Edition making a comeback according to the NetApplications report because large number of low-cost feature phones. The real mobile application battle lines of 2012 will be drawn across the landscape of HTML5.Tizen open source project tries to push to mobile Linux market (first version Q1 2012) with ideas from Meego, LiMo and WebOS. Cars and smartphones start to communicate using MirrorLink technology to allow new features.
Mobile campaigns to be hot in 2012 presidential race article tells that though mobile advertising not seen much on the campaign trail, mobile strategy is expected to be important for attracting younger voters. Social networks played an important role in the last U.S. presidential election, but the explosive growth in smartphone usage and the introduction of tablets could make or break the candidates for president in 2012. Expect to see specialized apps to help campaign groupies follow the candidates.
Text messaging has been very profitable business for mobile phone operators and making them lots of money. Text Messaging Is in Decline in Some Countries tell that all signs point to text messaging’s continuing its decline. There has been already decline in Finland, Hong Kong and Australia. The number of text messages sent by cellphone customers in USA is still growing, but that growth is gradually slowing, “SMS erosion” is expected to hit AT&T and Verizon in this year or next years. The fading allure of text messaging is most likely tied to the rise of alternative services, which allow customers to send messages free using a cellphone’s Internet connection.
EU politicians want to ban roaming charges according to Computer Sweden magazine article. If the proposal becomes law in the EU, it takes away slippery roaming charges for mobile data (could happen earliest at summer 2012, but I expect that it will take much more time). Roaming robbery to end – 2015 article tells that the goal is that the mobile roaming fees should be completely abolished the 2015th.
Near Field Communication (NFC) is becoming available in many mobile phones and new flexibility via organic materials can help in implementing NFC. NFC-enabled SIM cards are expected to become a worldwide standard. Electronic wallet in smartphones probably takes a step forward with this. Google, opened the game with Google Wallet service. According to research firm ABI Research estimates that in 2012 NFC phones is growing 24 million to 80 million units. There is still years to wait until mass market on NFC wallets starts. ABI Research estimates that there is 552 million NFC enabled devices at year 2016.
The 4G technology WiMax will see the beginning of its end in Asia. Like operators in other regions, Asian operators will opt for the rival 4G technology LTE instead.
The number of active (installed) PCs worldwide will pass the 2 billion mark. Broadband penetration continues to increase. Broadband penetration of the world’s population will pass the 10% mark globally. IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) penetration of the world’s population will pass the 1% mark. Broadband technologies are fundamentally transforming the way we live. UN wants two-thirds of the world online by 2015.
Today’s Cable Guy, Upgraded and Better-Dressed article tells that the cable guy is becoming sleeker and more sophisticated, just like the televisions and computers he installs. The nearly saturated marketplace means growth for cable companies must come from all the extras like high-speed Internet service, home security, digital recording devices and other high-tech upgrades.
Ethernet displaces proprietary field buses. As Ethernet displaces proprietary field buses to facilitate the operation of the digital factory. Ethernet switches are the ubiquitous building block of any intelligent network. Ethernet has also become the de facto networking technology in industrial automation even in mission-critical local networks. Modern Ethernet switches have added significant new functionality to Ethernet while decreasing port prices. Ethernet for Vehicles also becomes reality largely to serve the expected boom of camera-based applications in cars.
Operators’ growth will increasingly depend on their having a cloud computing strategy, an approach for the high-growth IT service market and a clear value proposition for the enterprise market. Data center technologies will be hot topic. 10GBase-T Technology will become technically and economically feasible interface option on data center servers. 10GBase-T Technology allows you to use RJ45 connectors and unshielded twisted pair cabling to provide 10Mbps, 100Mbps, 1Gbps, and 10Gbps data transmission, while being backward-compatible with prior generations.
40/100 Gbit/s Ethernet will be a hot topic. Carriers and datacenters have been clamoring for the technology to expand their core backbone networks. 2012–A Return to Normalcy and Pragmatic, Power Conscious 100G article mentions that in 2010 and 2011, the industry saw the first real roll-outs of 100G transport solutions based on Coherent Detection and FPGA-based Framers. In 2012 we’ll start to see 100G taking a bigger place in the build out of new and existing networks around the world. The initial deployments of 100G are clearly too costly and too power hungry to be widely deployed as the primary transport technology, so optical transport marketplace will move to much lower power and lower cost Direct Detection optical transport solutions. The average WDM link for 10G is dissipating about 3.5W per optical module, the average WDM link per 100G is dissipating about about 100W.
5 Major Changes Facing the Internet in 2012 article tells that 2012 is poised to go down in Internet history as one of the most significant 12-month periods from both a technical and policy perspective since the late 1990s. This year the Internet will face or can face several milestones: root servers may have a new operator, new company could operate the .com registry, up to 1000 new top-level domains will start being introduced, additional 10,000 Web sites will support IPv6 and Europe will run out of IPv4 addresses.
No IPv6 Doomsday In 2012. Yes, IPv4 addresses are running out, but a Y2K-style disaster/frenzy won’t be coming in 2012. Of course there’s a chance that panic will ensue when Europe’s RIPE hands out its last IPv4 addresses this summer, but ‘most understand that they can live without having to make any major investments immediately. Despite running out of IPv4 addresses we will be able to continue to use IPv4 techniques (Asia depleted all of its IPv4 address space already April 2011). ISP’s and hosting companies will not run out of IPs. This only means that the price per IP will start to slowly grow. Forward thinking enterprises can spend the year preparing for the new IPv6 protocol (USA is expected run out of addresses next year). Comcast has said it will offer production-quality IPv6 services across its nationwide network in 2012.
Operators start to pay more attention to the business opportunity of “M2M” (machine-to-machine connections). Investment and innovation in M2M (think smart energy meters and fleet trackers for logistics) will follow.
Smart Grid technologies include smart power management and architecture system components are already hot. Smart meter deployment on the rise globally. The global power utilities are the next mega-market moving from analog, standalone systems to digital networked technology. The opportunities are huge in everything from wireless components in smart meters to giant power electronics. First cut of some very basic framework standards have been drafted and lots of works needs to be done (ensure safety!). Forward-looking utilities and such vendors have now put business units and plans in place. IPv6 is seen as a needed technology in implementing Smart Grid communications. IPV6 has become a buzz word for smart grid firms.
You Will See A Ton Of Hype Around “The Internet Of Things” article tells that “The Internet Of Things” is a catchy term revolving around the idea that most everyday objects around us will be equipped with internet-collected electronics, and this will open up new applications. You Will See A Ton Of Hype Around “The Internet Of Things”, and it is hard to say if The Internet Of Things will be a huge business or a passing fad. NXP Semiconductor’s vision of Internet of Things starts with lightbulbs. Wireless sensor networks will get attention. EE Times article Top ten Embedded Internet articles for 2011 gives you links to articles that help you to catch on those topics.
Security issues were talked about lot on 2011 and I expect the discussion will continue actively during year 2012. There are still many existing security issues to fix and new issues will come up all the time.
802 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
NFC tap-to-pay kit spreads its wings at IFA: Now used for audio
It’s not just good for bonking
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/31/nokia_sony_nfc/
NFC is finally sneaking into a range of hardware, with Sony and Nokia emphasising the audio-pairing capabilities while everyone else is just sticks it in there for laughs.
Nokia hasn’t announced its new Windows Phone yet, there’s a teaser up for next week, but it has announced that such phones will pair with HARMAN speakers using an NFC tap. Meanwhile Sony is pushing NFC pairing as a key feature of its new Vaio family computer and all but the cheapest Xperia handset, while Samsung is just sticking NFC into everything in the expectation that applications will turn up later.
technology has always lacked a killer application despite being awash with nice-to-have potential
Nokia is a leader in the tech, and with a decent patent portfolio in the field it stands to gain from NFC’s success.
NFC connections are neither fast nor long-range, the induction-power limits the range to a few centimetres and the speed is measured in Kilobytes
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ethernet switch sales sizzle
Everybody needs – and is buying – bigger pipes
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/31/idc_ethernet_switch_q2_2012/
The server market may have stalled a bit as Intel, AMD, IBM, Oracle, and Fujitsu work through various stages of processor transitions, but the Ethernet switch market is going gangbusters.
According to the box counters at IDC, the worldwide market for Layer 2 and 3 switching gear that adheres to the Ethernet protocol accounted for $5.52bn in revenues in the second quarter as companies begin the transition to from Gigabit to 10 Gigabit Ethernet switching in the data center
a move toward flatter and fatter Layer 2-3 networks for many workloads rather than the tiered networks that have been common for the past two decades.
In the quarter ended in June, IDC reckons that Gigabit Ethernet switches collectively accounted for 55 million ports and revenues rose 6.5 per cent.
10GbE ports are taking off, know that shipments rose above 3 million ports in the second quarter ( up 22.9 per cent )
With the latest Intel Xeon E5 processors, server makers are also putting 10GbE ports on their motherboards, essentially making the 10GbE networking free as 100Mbit and Gigabit were ahead of them
Tomi Engdahl says:
IDC – Press Release 30 Aug 2012
China to Overtake United States in Smartphone Shipments in 2012, According to IDC
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23668012
Strong end-user demand and an appetite for lower-priced smartphones will make China (PRC) the largest market for smartphones this year, overtaking the United States as the global leader in smartphone shipments. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, China will account for 26.5% of all smartphone shipments in 2012, compared to 17.8% for the United States.
“Looking ahead, the PRC smartphone market will continue to be lifted by the sub-US$200 Android segment,”
“Near-term prices in the low-end segment will come down to US$100 and below as competition for market share intensifies among smartphone vendors.”
“After going through a period of sustained high growth, top-tier cities are likely to see decelerating smartphone growth rates. In contrast, secondary cities are expected to experience accelerated smartphone growth, with strong demand for low-cost models as well as high-end models, which are desired as status symbols.”
“The fact that China will overtake the United States in smartphone shipments does not mean that the U.S. smartphone market is grinding to a halt,”
Smartphone shipments into the United States will increase as users upgrade their devices and feature-phone users switch over to smartphones.
expansion of 4G networks
With smartphone penetration in India currently among the lowest in Asia/Pacific, the market has tremendous untapped growth potential. Low-end smartphones offering dual-SIM capability and local apps and priced around US$100 will rapidly bring this market to life.
Smartphone growth in Brazil will be bolstered by strategic investments by mobile operators, smartphone vendors, and regulators.
The United Kingdom has been one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in Western Europe, driven by the high operator subsidies and long-term post-paid contracts
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Danger In Exempting Wireless From Net Neutrality
http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/12/09/02/196216/the-danger-in-exempting-wireless-from-net-neutrality
“Nearly two years ago, the FCC outlined its rules for net neutrality. Notably absent were rules for wireless networks. There are several legitimate reasons that the same rules applied to wired networks can not apply to wireless networks. However, the same danger lies in leaving wireless networks unguarded against the whims of its administrator”
“There would be nothing from stopping one of the big wireless providers like AT&T or Verizon from scooping up a content provider and prioritizing its data speed over the network.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Super Wi-Fi’ poised for growth in U.S., elsewhere
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/09/02/super-wi-fi-poised-for-growth-in-u-s-elsewhere/
Move over Wi-Fi, there’s a new wireless technology coming.
So-called “Super Wi-Fi,” which offers a bigger range than existing hotspots, is being deployed in the United States and generating interest in a number of countries, including Britain and Brazil.
Super Wi-Fi is not really Wi-Fi because it uses a different frequency and requires specially designed equipment, but it offers some of Wi-Fi’s advantages, and more.
The name was coined by the US Federal Communications Commission in 2010, when it approved the deployment of unused broadcast television spectrum, or so-called “white spaces,” for wireless broadband.
The long range and use of the broadcast spectrum could allow wireless signals to travel farther than Wi-Fi — in theory as far as 100 miles (160 kilometers) — although for practical reasons the range will probably be only a few miles.
“Everybody understands the value of this spectrum,” he said. “It is the biggest swath of spectrum and has the most favorable characteristics.”
Chipmaker Texas Instruments recently joined the alliance, suggesting that equipment makers are ready to start making Super Wi-Fi equipment.
“It’s definitely going to be here in visible ways by the middle of next year,” Lubar said.
Gerry Purdy, an analyst and consultant with MobileTrax LLC, was more cautious about prospects for Super Wi-Fi, saying it may take several years to gain traction.
“Building chipsets takes times, software standards take time; I don’t think people should have false expectations.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
US congress wants a word with ZTE, Huawei
Considers laws to deal with national security threat posed by Chinese kit
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/03/huaweu_zte_in_us_spotlight/
China’s dominant telco vendors ZTE Corp and Huawei will take part in US congressional hearings next month regarding investigations of alleged Chinese spy threats to US telecommunications infrastructure.
investigating allegations of close ties between the Chinese government and both Huawei and ZTE
Australian and New Zealand government officials have also been part of the panel’s investigations looking into how the vendors operate in foreign markets, according to Rogers.
Earlier this year in Australia, Huawei was excluded from bidding for any National Broadband Network contracts due to concerns over national security issues.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dodgy audio connections conceal more than just words
How much will HD Voice tell you?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/03/hd_voice_stress/
Today’s call centres routinely use stress analysis to see if callers are lying, despite the fact that such systems generally don’t work, but up at BT’s Adastral Park they’re testing high-quality audio connections to see if better audio will give greater insight into what callers are thinking, and perhaps provide a business case for HD audio too.
Fraud identity systems work as primitive lie detectors
The idea is top, if you’re an insurance company, but the rampant inaccuracy often causes more harm than good, so few companies bother with them.
Some of that will be down to the quality of the phone line, with the rest being the fault of the software
High Quality audio has been possible on both fixed and mobile networks for at least a decade, but users aren’t interested – data rates have shot up but the quality of a voice call hasn’t improved in decades.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Office on wheels: RV-based workers telecommute from anywhere
http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/13/13218962-office-on-wheels-rv-based-workers-telecommute-from-anywhere?lite
For many Americans, summer is the time to hit the road in an RV, taking time off work to see the country from the relative comfort of a home on wheels.
But for some free-spirited adventurers, summer never has to end as the RV becomes a mobile office, taking advantage of the growing ubiquity of wireless Internet access.
many professionals cite the freedom that comes with a mobile lifestyle.
Equipped with gadgets including a satellite dish for Internet access, solar panels and a pair of laptops, they have a virtual office that travels with them.
Out of the 8.9 million American households that have RVs, about a half-million live full-time on the road, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association estimates.
Many campgrounds now offer free Wi-Fi, Broom notes. “With Internet access from anywhere, it’s more and more possible for professionals,” said Broom.
Almost all 485 Kampgrounds of America sites across the country have free Wi-Fi, said Mike Gast, a spokesman for the chain.
(It) quickly became an amenity that people expected, like a swimming pool,” he said. When Wi-Fi is not in range, campers doing business on the go use network air cards or satellite dishes.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Baidu launches mobile browser, tosses currency into clouds
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/03/baidu_mobile_browser_cloud/
China’s search-and-plenty-more giant Baidu has flagged a $US1.6 billion cloud investment. The investment, announced with a minimum of detail by CFO Li Xinzhe, will go towards building data centres and hiring staff.
The Chinese search firm also announced the launch of the Baidu Mobile Browser, which it says is designed to compete with Chrome and Safari. It claims a 20 percent performance boost over its rivals based on internal testing.
Baidu said its mobile browser can play high-definition video without plugins or extra supporting software, according to Reuters.
The company said it hopes that 80 percent of China’s handsets will run its browser by the end of the year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
India restricts SIM sales
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/03/india_gets_tough_on_cybercrims/
India’s telecoms regulator, the Department of Telecom (DoT), will try to put a crimp on mobile cybercrime by keeping a tight leash on visiting foreigners and their SIM cards.
Under the new rules the validity of any mobile connection is tied to the length of the foreign visa.
The tightening of restrictions comes as cybercrime statistics continue to rise, with many activities linked to misuse by foreigners.
Tomi Engdahl says:
EC Calls For Spectrum Sharing To Ease Mobile Data Strain
http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/ec-spectrum-sharing-white-spaces-91152
The European Commission (EC) today called for member states to introduce legislation that makes it easier to share spectrum and make use of white space in order to deal with anticipated growth in mobile data traffic.
‘White spaces’ consist of unused spectrum. They can emerge when signals are switched off because of a service running in certain time frames, or in geographic spaces where networks are not re-using spectrum.
The EC has warned that without the measures outlined in its new Radio Spectrum Policy Programme, mobile and broadband users could suffer from poor service and that Europe risks being left with a fragmented market which lags behind the use of wireless innovations.
Operators could also provide wireless broadband services in the spaces between television frequencies known as ‘white spaces’. White space technology has been seen in the UK as a solution to rural broadband not-spots and a recent trial in Cambridge was hailed as a success.
The EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Programme has previously told member states to clear the 800MHz spectrum for wireless broadband by 2013
Tomi Engdahl says:
Android Smartphone Sales, Led By Big Screens, Are Growing Everywhere Except In The U.S.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/03/android-smartphone-sales-led-by-big-screens-are-growing-everywhere-except-in-the-u-s-kantar/
Of all the Android devices that have been sold in the last three months, nearly one-third (29%) of them had a screen size of over 4.5 inches, with large-screened devices from Samsung, HTC, LG (pictured), Huawei and more. Apple’s current iPhone has a screen of 3.5 inches.
Kantar also found that Android’s market share in Europe has gone up by 20.2% in the past year; its devices now account for two-thirds of the smartphone market in Europe.
Overall, there is not a single market among those surveyed by Kantar where Android does not have over 50% of all smartphone handset sales and is still growing stronger than the rest. And in some markets like Spain that percentage is even approaching 90%.
the chief takeaway here being that the larger the screen the more likely a consumer will use that device for different services
“It is interesting to look at the impact a larger screen size has on how consumers use their smartphones, particularly as the line between tablets and smartphones becomes more blurred,” analyst Dominic Sunnebo writes.
Perhaps more importantly for carriers and handset makers, bigger screens as a result are also important for customer retention: that’s because the more engaged a consumer is with a device, the more likely they will stay loyal to a brand when they upgrade, Sunnebo says.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Firefox OS Marketplace leaks in current form, shows shopping Gecko-style
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/03/firefox-os-marketplace-leaks-in-current-form/
Mozilla has been seeding Firefox OS to eager developers for some time
the gallery is proof that Mozilla is well on its way to fleshing out the core of its OS for a launch next year. Let’s just hope that the rest of the software moves at a similarly quick pace.
Tomi Engdahl says:
When did addiction become a good thing?
http://gigaom.com/2012/09/02/when-did-addiction-become-a-good-thing/
Tech companies have become increasingly adept at manufacturing desire, but to what end? Behavior designer Jason Hreha argues that the industry needs to seriously consider the impact of its products. Are we helping our users lead better lives, or are we making them compulsive, impatient and distractible?
Are we really helping people live better lives? Or, are we promoting suboptimal habits and aptitudes? At best, many of the products we’re building are time wasters.
At worst, they’re the addictive equivalents of cigarettes —
The more users you have, and the more time they spend on the site, the better. Designers of these products have learned to manufacture desire — and they’ve gotten really good at it.
I believe that the purpose of technology is to take over the grating, tedious tasks that we have had to put up with for so long, so that we can live fuller, more interesting lives. In short, technology allows us to be even more human by becoming less mechanistic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ofcom begged to protect minicab, other small-biz’s radio spectrum
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/04/federation/
Private radios are used by all sorts of businesses, typically taxi companies but actually everyone from event coordinators to school teachers. Many conform to the “MPT1327″ standard which uses digital signalling to manage analogue voice channels and operate in a licensed band around 200MHz, while others are straight analogue systems.
One might imagine that in these days of ubiquitous mobile coverage the days of Private Radio would be numbered, but the Federation members reckon overall use of Private radio will double by 2017, which means business users are going to need more radio spectrum.
Ofcom’s policy is to sell radio spectrum to the highest bidder,
Meanwhile the Federation reckons businesses are losing out.
Federation wants is the spectrum now reserved for professional wireless microphones.
Ofcom needs “to act in the interests of the UK rather than just consumers”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Substandard cable, the steroid era and sour milk
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/blogs/blog-display/blogs/cim-blogs/cabling-blog/post987_2243099837249931212.html?cmpid=EnlCIMSeptember42012
Manufacturing cable is a business of tight tolerances and low margins. It is easy – too easy – for an unscrupulous party to cheat and offer cable at a significantly lower price than those that stay above board. For many purchasers, cabling contractors and end-users alike, it is too tempting to go with the cheaper option and not want to know the truth about what’s in the cable.
In an overwhelming majority of cases, once a cabling system is installed it is tested to ensure its electrical-performance specifications meet or exceed those established in industry standards. No such testing takes place to ensure the cable meets riser or plenum flame- and smoke-performance requirements.
If it says CMP, it goes into a building’s plenum space.
As an industry, it is evident that we have a long, long way to go before some users are unwilling to purchase the cable equivalent of undated milk.
More testing shows continued failure of ‘no-name’ cable
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/7222772394/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/network-cable/cat6/2012/august/No-name-cable-fails-fire-smoke-performance.html?cmpid=EnlCIMSeptember42012
Another round of electrical- and fire-safety performance testing, commissioned by the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) and conducted on cable brands that are largely unknown in North America, has yielded similar results to previous testing. Namely, five of six samples tested failed to meet the minimum National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) code requirements for low flame spread and/or smoke generation for installation in commercial buildings, schools and multi-tenant residences.
The CCCA reports that four of the five failing samples showed results that are considered catastrophic failures, and in one case the chamber used to conduct the burn tests had to be shut down because the “fire was so virulent.” When making the test results public, the CCCA said, “Extreme failures like these indicate an unacceptable public safety hazard still exists.”
“Four of the five cables, which failed the fire safety requirements, also failed to meet minimum electrical performance required by industry standards for Category 5e and 6 cables, to which independent test certifications were also claimed,” the CCCA reported.
He also stated, “The CCCA has taken the position that this serious problem will not go away until quality assurance procedures include testing of samples of finished cable procured directly from the marketplace.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Android Smartphone Sales, Led By Big Screens, Are Growing Everywhere Except In The U.S.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/03/android-smartphone-sales-led-by-big-screens-are-growing-everywhere-except-in-the-u-s-kantar/
Kantar also found that Android’s market share in Europe has gone up by 20.2% in the past year; its devices now account for two-thirds of the smartphone market in Europe.
Across the eight most important markets, Kantar notes that Android has a share of 61%; while iOS is at 24%; and the rest all have 5% or less, led by Windows.
Tomi says:
Consumers getting cagier about mobile app privacy
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/05/pew_mobile_app_survey/
Mobile users are getting a lot smarter about what they are willing to share with application developers, with over half deciding against downloading an app because of the information it sought to harvest.
The latest research conducted by the Pew Internet Project surveyed over 2,500 US cell and smartphone users, and found that 43 per cent of mobile phone owners are downloading and using applications on a regular basis, up from 31 per cent last year.
54 per cent refused new apps over privacy concerns, and three out of ten have removed installed applications because of the data they grab.
This cautiousness differs sharply by age. Around 44 per cent of teenager cell phone users flush out their history cache once in a while, compared to just 11 per cent of the over-65s. Similarly, a third of cell phone owners in their 20s turn off location-based applications, compared to 4 per cent of those old
Despite being more hands-on with their phones, smartphone users are twice as likely than cell phone holders to report having had their privacy breached. When it comes to getting phones lost and stolen, there’s little difference between smart and cell phone users, with around a third reporting at least one incident.
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The design of the blog layout is a combination of modify it your self and paid work to designer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel’s ‘Mobile Etiquette’ survey uncovers global peevishness
And presents it in a slick interactive presentation you’ve gotta check out
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/06/intel_mobile_etiquette_survey/
“What is most interesting is not necessarily how widespread our use of mobile technology has become,” said Intel director of user interaction and experience Genevieve Bell in a statement, “but how similar our reasons are for sharing, regardless of region or culture.”
One area of particular interest that the survey explored was online annoyances.
“The ability to use mobile devices to easily share information about our lives is creating a sense of connection across borders that we’re continuing to see flourish,”
2012 “Mobile Etiquette” survey
http://www.mobileetiquette.com/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exclusive: Amazon phone confirmed, could be announced tomorrow
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3294569/exclusive-amazon-phone-confirmed-could-be-announced-tomorrow
Amazon’s updated Kindle Fire and new backlit “Paperwhite” Kindle e-reader have already leaked out ahead of the company’s event tomorrow, but there may be one more surprise in store: a mobile phone. Multiple sources have confirmed to The Verge that Amazon is working on a smartphone that runs a variant of the Kindle Fire’s Android-based operating system
The phone itself is said to be currently unfinished
Tomi Engdahl says:
Published September 5, 2012 | By Nokia – Press Release
New Nokia Lumia Range Delivers Latest PureView Camera Innovation, New Navigation Experiences and Wireless Charging on Windows Phone 8
http://press.nokia.com/2012/09/05/new-nokia-lumia-range-delivers-latest-pureview-camera-innovation-new-navigation-experiences-and-wireless-charging-on-windows-phone-8/
Nokia Lumia 920 Captures Best Pictures and Video Ever Seen on a Smartphone
Nokia today announced the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Nokia Lumia 820, the first devices in Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 range.
The Nokia Lumia 920 is the flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone, including the latest advances in Nokia PureView imaging innovation. Using advanced floating lens technology, the camera in the Nokia Lumia 920 is able to take in five times more light than competing smartphones without using flash, making it possible to capture clear, bright pictures and video indoors and at night. It also compensates for hand movement while the photo is being taken.
The Nokia Lumia 820 is a stylish, mid-range smartphone that delivers high-end performance in a compact package.
Powered by Windows Phone 8
Both phones will be available in pentaband LTE and HSPA+ variants and are expected to start shipping in select markets later in the year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wi-Fi Alliance now certifying TDLS devices
Aug 27, 2012
The Wi-Fi Alliance announced that it has officially launched the Wi-Fi Certified TDLS [Tunneled Direct Link Setup] program. TDLS devices are able to automatically create a secure, direct link between them after accessing the Wi-Fi network, removing the need to transmit data through the access point.
Wi-Fi Alliance contends that, in today’s Wi-Fi networks, faced with increased traffic and more demanding applications, TDLS links between devices stand to improve overall network performance, reduce latency caused by heavy AP traffic, and avoid interference, thereby improving the user experience.
Source: http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/4603080397/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/wireless/2012/august/wi-fi-alliance_now.html?cmpid=EnlContractorSeptember52012
Tomi Engdahl says:
IEEE 802.11ac will deliver very high throughput for streaming multimedia devices
consumer products supporting high-definition video streaming based on 802.11ac have come to market beginning in the first half of 2012. Following the introduction of these first consumer products, 802.11ac-based laptops and tablets will become commercially available, and the BYOD trend will compel enterprise networks to support 802.11ac.
Source:
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/8130970848/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/wireless/2012/august/white-paper__understanding.html?cmpid=EnlContractorSeptember52012
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spain tests live 400G fiber-optic network links
Multiple newspapers in Spain report that Telefónica España has tested DWDM channel speeds of 400 Gbps on a live fiber-optic network. The tests were carried out to check the feasibility of using 400-Gbps channels on systems already carrying live customer traffic, and to demonstrate that Telefónica’s network will be able to support very high-speed traffic needs in the future. However, the reports say the operator doesn’t anticipate installing such links on a commercial basis until 2013 at the earliest.
Source: http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display.articles.cabling-installation-maintenance.news.connectivity-technologies.fiber-optic-connectors.2012.january.spain-tests_live_400g.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
“For 2015, we expect the bandwidth that needs to be supported to be 10 times what it was in 2010, and in 2020, 100 times what it was in 2010,” commented John D’Ambrosia, chair of the IEE’s new Higher-Speed Ethernet Consensus group that will lay the groundwork for the actual standard. A major component of that group’s work will be to determine whether 400 Gbps or 1 Tbps is a better approach, said D’Ambrosia.
Source: http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/7476998172/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/cabling-standards/ieee/2012/august/ethernet-bandwidth.html?cmpid=EnlContractorSeptember52012
Tomi Engdahl says:
Counterfeit cable exposed
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/5437615252/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/network-cable/cat5-cat5e/2011/2/Counterfeit-cable-exposed.html
counterfeit cable also continues to find its way into the hands of cabling contractors.
He described the situation as follows. “A contractor called me recently and said he had some cable that was hard to install and would not certify. This week he called to say they found the problem: THe wire was not copper but copper-plated aluminum.”
serwis gsm says:
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Tomi Engdahl says:
FCC to TV broadcasters: Ready, set … give your spectrum up
Methods to the madness – and the money – go live today
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/07/fcc_tv_spectrum/
The FCC is poised to publish the mechanism by which US TV broadcasters will be able to swap some of their allocated radio spectrum – which they mostly received for free – for a little cold, hard cash come 2014.
The Washington Post reckons the FCC will be laying out the details of how it will actually work later today, including the auction of TV frequencies scheduled for 2014.
The plan is to ask TV broadcasters if they’d like to switch off some broadcast frequencies, allowing the “spectrum-poor” mobile-phone operators run services there instead. The space can be cleared by shuffling the other channels closer together, sometimes without any loss of quality, or by switching off the less-popular channels, and in exchange for their largesse the broadcasters will get a share of the auction revenue, though no one is saying how much.
Mobile operators, meanwhile, lobby relentlessly for more spectrum, threatening politicians and the public with dour warnings about the forthcoming “spectrum crunch” which will drive us to eating our own relatives if not urgently addressed.
The total broadcast system uses several hundred MHz. For the sake of comparison: Three, the UK’s smallest operator, runs its entire national network in 34MHz of high-frequency spectrum.
Roland Kellison says:
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog. An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alibaba’s New Goal: Taking On Android
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10000872396390444554704577640822514376852-lMyQjAxMTAyMDAwOTAwODk3Wj.html
Alibaba Group, China’s largest e-commerce company by transactions, is seeing stronger demand from handset makers for its Aliyun mobile operating software it launched last year, Chief Strategy Officer Zeng Ming said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
The company expects the number of smartphone makers using Linux-based Aliyun to increase to five by the end of this year from two currently
“We want to be as strong as Android in China,”
“If I were a handset maker and if the only option is Android, I would be scared,” Mr. Zeng said. “Any company would like to have at least two suppliers.”
With one billion mobile phone users, the Chinese market has room for a broad range of handset vendors, from high-end players like Apple, to those selling inexpensive smartphones that cost less than $200—a category that has seen explosive growth in the past year. Given the market’s diversity, Alibaba sees room for more mobile operating systems beyond Android and Microsoft’s Windows Phone.
“Android is not able to provide good user experience in the Chinese market…. but we can,” Mr. Zeng said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Do Our Gadgets Really Threaten Planes?
The ban on electronic devices rests on anecdotes, not on hard evidence—because there isn’t any
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444273704577637703253402734.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
On Aug. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration requested public comment on its longstanding policy of prohibiting the use of personal electronics during takeoffs and landings. The restrictions date back to 1991 and were motivated in part by anecdotal reports from pilots and flight crews that electronic devices affected an airliner’s navigation equipment or disrupted communication between the cockpit and the ground. Over the years, however, Boeing has been unable to duplicate these problems, and the FAA can only say that the devices’ radio signals “may” interfere with flight operations.
40% said they did not turn their phones off completely during takeoff and landing on their most recent flight
7% left their phones on
2% actively using their phones when they weren’t supposed to
Consider what these numbers imply. The odds that all 78 of the passengers who travel on an average-size U.S. domestic flight have properly turned off their phones are infinitesimal: less than one in 100 quadrillion, by our rough calculation. If personal electronics are really as dangerous as the FAA rules suggest, navigation and communication would be disrupted every day on domestic flights. But we don’t see that.
Fear is a powerful motivator, and precaution is a natural response.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is the generational gap between the modes of communication?
The generation gap is clearly reflected in the ways of communication and culture.
Making a phone call and e-mail are no longer appears to belong to the communication between young people, and text messages are becoming a rare boxed.
The majority of older people to communicate even in so-called traditional instruments, while the youth to use social media and instant messaging applications. Middle-aged try to hold on between emails and text messages.
How to manage a number of parallel media, such as e-mail addresses with several, different types of social media and instant messaging services so that all currently relevant messages filters down to the flood of information from the crowd?
Change control is not possible, and IT management’s role is to take advantage of opportunities opened up by technology, but also to manage the associated risks.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/cio/blogit/ict_standard_forum/onko+sukupolvien+viestintatapojen+valilla+kuilu/a836946?s=r&wtm=tietoviikko/-10092012&
Tomi Engdahl says:
FCC backpedals from Internet tax
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/248317-fcc-backpedals-from-internet-tax-proposal
The Federal Communications Commission is rapidly backpedalling from a proposal to tax broadband Internet service after a public outcry over the issue.
Democrats and Republicans at the agency are now blaming each other for pushing the idea in the first place.
Consumers already pay a fee on their landline and wireless phone bills to support the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, which aims to provide phone service to everyone in the country, even if they live in remote areas.
Last year, the FCC overhauled a $4.5 billion portion of the Universal Service Fund and converted it into a broadband Internet subsidy, called the Connect America Fund. The new fund aims to subsidize the construction of high-speed Internet networks to the estimated 19 million Americans who currently lack access.
In April, the FCC suggested a number of ideas for reforming the fund’s contribution system, including adding a fee to broadband Internet service.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IEEE approves updated 802.3 Ethernet standard
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/3009540302/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/cabling-standards/ieee/2012/september/ieee-approves_updated.html?cmpid=EnlCIMSeptember102012
The IEEE has officially approved the IEEE 802.3-2012 “Standard for Ethernet,” which defines wired connectivity for Ethernet local area, access, and metropolitan area networks. The new IEEE 802.3 revision approved by the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) incorporates various technical updates and enhancements and consolidates a host of amendments to the base standard that were approved since IEEE 802.3’s last full revision, in 2008.
The updated to IEEE 802.3 aim to help Ethernet address additional media types, bandwidth speeds, and protocols. Amendments incorporated into IEEE 802.3-2012 cover 10-Gbps Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (EPONs), energy efficiency, enhanced support for loss-sensitive applications and time synchronization (the latter is particularly important in applications where Ethernet is replacing SONET/SDH, such as mobile backhaul), and extension to 40- and 100-Gbps speeds while maintaining compatibility with previously installed IEEE 802.3 interfaces.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New iPhone to Support LTE
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443819404577637903902952754.html
Faster Wireless Network Gives Carriers Chance to Sell New Data Plans
Smartphone makers, including market leader Samsung Electronics Co., have begun offering LTE phones globally. That has given them a selling point that so far Apple has lacked.
Wireless carriers are eager to drive more customers to those networks, which are more efficient and could spur faster growth in data revenue by making it easier for consumers to use services like streaming video.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: New (Chinese) handsets you’ve never heard of
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4395862/Slideshow–New–Chinese–handset-brands-you-ve-never-heard-of?Ecosystem=communications-design
SHENZHEN, China – Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo and Coolpad are the Chinese smartphone brands you probably know. But what about Kente, Meizu, SGiFe, ThL or Zopo?
As the Chinese smartphone market surges, few should be surprised to see so many new brands popping up. After all, the Chinese like nothing better than a hot market.
The target for these new brands remains domestic. But it’s important to note that vendors are not just slapping brand names onto generic smartphones. They’ve made a conscious effort to create a whole storefront with a unique brand
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pew: Almost 70 Percent Of Affluent Adults Own Smartphones
http://marketingland.com/pew-releases-more-smartphone-data-on-eve-of-iphone-5-launch-21127
Based on a survey of more than 3,000 adults earlier this month, Pew says that 45 percent of Americans 18 and older now own smartphones. However the numbers go up when looking only at mobile subscribers (88 percent of all adults).
Pew says that among mobile phone owners smartphone penetration is 53 percent. Nielsen says that it’s now 55 percent and comScore reports that smartphone penetration is just over 49 percent.
According to the Pew data, confirming other research, smartphone ownership is greater for more affluent Americans as well as younger users. Smartphone penetration is highest among those 18 to 49 and for those making more than $50,000 per year, especially those whose incomes exceed $75,000 annually.
Nielsen: Overall, young adults are leading the growth in smartphone ownership in the U.S., with 74 percent of 25-34 year olds now owning smartphones, up from 59 percent in July 2011.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Acer Phone to Use Alibaba Operating System
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10000872396390444426404577645710780911798-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMTAxODE3Wj.html
Taiwanese personal computer maker Acer Inc. said Tuesday it will release a new smartphone in China that is powered by Aliyun, a mobile operating system developed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. that is trying to take on Google Inc.’s dominant Android platform.
“We chose Aliyun for the new smartphone because of the user experience it can offer,” said Dave Chan, general manager of Acer’s global smartphone business group overseeing Chinese operations. Aliyun is also easy for first-time users to navigate, he said.
Alibaba is seeing stronger demand from handset makers for its Aliyun smartphone operating software it launched last year
Unlike Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android, on which apps are installed on the device, Aliyun runs Web-based apps that are stored on remote servers. The system also comes with its own mapping and email applications. Alibaba spent about three years developing Aliyun, which the company unveiled in July 2011. The project involved more than 1,600 engineers, the company said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Six strikes” Internet warning system will come to US this year
We speak with the head of the new antipiracy effort.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/09/six-strikes-internet-warning-system-really-truly-coming-to-us-this-year/
Even as France looks set to scrap its three-strikes antipiracy scheme known as HADOPI, US Internet providers are inching forward with their milder “six strikes” program. But the head of that effort says the system is about education, and it is coming by the end of the year.
The Copyright Alert System, as it’s formally known, was originally slated to deploy by the end of December 2011, a date that was then pushed back to July 2012. Now the CCI’s head, Jill Lesser, tells Ars the group is on track to launch by the end of the year. However, Lesser provided scant new details about the program.
“We are still very much intending to launch this year, but in no way was missing a July deadline a missed deadline,” she said in a recent interview. “This isn’t the American version of the French system, and it isn’t a baseball game.”
The ISPs involved are keeping quiet as well.
Lesser was reluctant to provide additional details beyond the Memorandum of Understanding published in July 2011. She emphasized that this MoU refers to the program as a “learning experience” for Internet users.
“It is not a six strikes program,” she said. “This is an educational program; there are a series of educational alerts that will be sent out to subscribers.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Verizon launches Mobile Security app for Android as antivirus companies target carriers
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/11/3314770/verizon-mobile-security-android-malware
Verizon has introduced a McAfee-based Mobile Security app for its line of Android devices, with prices ranging from free to $1.99 a month. The carrier claims that devices are targets “of the same security and privacy threats that plague laptops and desktops,” and while consumers haven’t taken to antivirus software on mobile, companies like McAfee are striking deals directly with carriers.
Android represents a new market for antivirus companies due to Google’s slow implementation of features such as device location and remote wiping — functionality that is sorely lacking from stock Android, but present for iPhone and iPad users.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“2012 is shaping up to be a year where the giant mobile tech companies battle it out for consumers’ loyalty and, most importantly, their money,” Mark Pearson, chairman of CouponCodes4u.com, said in a statement. “With no less than six brand new phone devices scheduled to be released in the next couple of months, consumers are quite spoiled for choice in terms of phone spec, design and branding.
Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409535,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121
Tomi Engdahl says:
PCI and USB are tipped to show up in mobile phones
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2204800/pci-and-usb-are-tipped-to-show-up-in-mobile-phones
PERIPHERAL COMPONENT INTERCONNECT (PCI) Express and USB will soon start showing up in mobile phones, as devices underlying technologies become more standardised.
The purpose of bringing PCI Express to these small devices is to capitalise on the well-known standards developed by the PC desktop, notebook and server technology markets.
“By using the same technology we want to make it easier and cheaper to develop new products,” Universal Serial Bus Implementer’s Forum (USB-IF) serial communications working group chair Ramin Neshati told The INQUIRER.
Both the PCI-SIG and the USB-IF are taking advantage of the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) physical layer used in mobile devices, but the upper layers of the protocol stacks conform to PCI and USB
Tomi Engdahl says:
13/09/2012
Chinese phone manufacturer ZTE in China to open its first commercial 4G mobile network. The network will use the city of Beijing.
ZTE took the network trial last year. The company announced today that the network will be opened for commercial use.
Source: http://www.digitoday.fi/bisnes/2012/09/13/kiinalaiset-saavat-ensimmaisen-4g-verkon/201237707/66?rss=6
Tomi Engdahl says:
Point of view: smartphones became boring
Apple’s new iPhone announcement on Wednesday, the field was again the following circuits excited, but the excitement was something very forced. The phone was not really anything revolutionary. Wired magazine described iPhone 5 fresh but ultimately very boring novelty.
Now smartphones have become common, and their properties are well-established practice. At the same time the phones have become about as exciting as notebook computers
All devices are handled roughly as neatly smartphone basic tasks
Why mobile phone launches at all then monitored so closely?
Communication has always been destined to become invisible, because the world always changes mediated by the contents of the equipment, not the equipment. It is only natural that this is the case now for smartphones.
Source: http://www.hs.fi/talous/N%C3%A4k%C3%B6kulma+%C3%84lypuhelimista+tuli+tylsi%C3%A4/a1305598880779
Tomi Engdahl says:
In-app payments more profitable than paid apps
http://www.zdnet.com/in-app-payments-more-profitable-than-paid-apps-7000004110/
Summary: About 90 percent of mobile apps downloaded in 2012 will be free, says Gartner, adding that in-app purchases can be a recurring revenue stream.
Free apps will account for the majority of mobile app downloads in 2012 with low-cost apps making up most of the paid downloads, said Gartner.
The research firm suggested that developers use in-app purchases to turn casual app users into paying customers and retain these customers with good user experience and continued product updates.
Tomi Engdahl says:
DNA today announced the launch of a new mobile solution. Finnish company Uros Oy has developed Goodspeed service and device offer to help communication when traveling abroad.
The new service provides an almost unlimited data transfer abroad for a fixed price.
Goodspeed new device is equipped with seats for 10 sim card.
The company says that the service is beginning the “travel in the most relevant countries,” including Germany, United Kingdom and Italy.
The company stated that the service is a monthly fee of about 10 euros and foreign usage charge EUR 5.90 per day.
Source: http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/dna+tuo+markkinoille+quotsupermokkulanquot/a838436
Tomi Engdahl says:
Skeletons in the telecom closet: The 10 scariest things I’ve seen this year
http://www.cablinginstall.com/index/display/article-display/1632001126/articles/cabling-installation-maintenance/news/ip-convergence/ip-security/2011/10/Skeletons-in-the-telecom-closet-The-10-scariest-things-Ive-seen-this-year.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intel to take felon-foiling tech to phones, slates
Lock up your datas
http://www.reghardware.com/2012/09/13/idf_2012_intel_to_bring_anti_theft_technology_to_tablets_and_phones/
IDF 2012 Intel has confirmed that it will bring its Anti-theft Technology (AT), currently being pitched at Ultrabooks, to Atom-based smartphones and tablets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Alibaba: Google forced Acer to drop our new mobile OS
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57512418-94/alibaba-google-forced-acer-to-drop-our-new-mobile-os/
The China-based company says Google threatened to pull its Android support from Acer if Acer pursued Alibaba’s Aliyun operating system.