Mobile infrastructure must catch up with user needs and demands. Ubiquitous mobile computing is all around us, not only when we use smartphones to connect with friends and family across states and countries, but also when we use ticketing systems on buses and trains, purchase food from mobile vendors, watch videos, and listen to music on our phones. As a result, mobile computing systems must rise to the demand. The number of smart phones will exceed the number of PCs in 2014.
Some time in the next six months, the number of smartphones on earth will pass the number of PCs. This shouldn’t really surprise anyone: the mobile business is much bigger than the computer industry. There are now perhaps 3.5-4 billion mobile phones, replaced every two years (versus 1.7-1.8 billion PCs replaced every 5 years).It means that mobile industry can sell more phones in a quarter than the PC industry sells in a year. After some years we will end up with somewhere over 3bn smartphones in use on earth, almost double the number of PCs. The smartphone revolution is changing how consumers use the Internet: Mobile browsing is set to overtake traditional desktop browsing in 2015.
It seems that 4G has really become the new high speed mobile standard widely wanted during 2013. 3G will become the low-cost option for those who think 4G option is too expensive, not everyone that has 4G capable device has 4G subscription. How the situation changes depends on how operators improve their 3G coverage, what will be the price difference from 3G to 4G and how well the service is marketed.
Mobile data increased very much last year. I expect the growth to continue pretty much as projected in Mobile Data Traffic To Grow 300% Globally By 2017 Led By Video, Web Use, Says Strategy Analytics and Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2012–2017 articles.
When 4G becomes mainstream, planning for next 5G communications starts. I will expect to see more and more writing on 5G as the vision what it will be destined to be clears more. Europe’s newly-minted 5GPPP Association plans to launch as many as 20 research projects in 2014, open to all comers, with a total budget of about 250 million euros. The groundwork for 5G, an ambitious vision for a next-generation network of networks that’s still being defined, and the definition will go on many years to come. No one really knows today what 5G will be because there are still several views. Europe’s new 5GPPP group published a draft proposal for 5G. 5GPPP is not the only group expected to work on standards for next-generation cellular networks, but it could become one of the most influential.
The shifting from “dumb” phones to smart phones continue. In USA and Europe smart phone penetration is already so high levels that there will not be very huge gains on the market expected. Very many consumers already have their smart phone, and the market will be more and more on updating to new model after two years or so use. At the end of 2013 Corporate-Owned Smartphones Back in Vogue, and I expect that companies continue to shop smart phones well in 2014.
The existing biggest smart phone players will continue to rule the markets. Google’s Android will continue to rule the markets. Samsung made most money in 2013 on Android phones (in 2013 in West only Samsung makes money from selling Android), and I expect that to continue. In 2013 Apple slurped down enormous profits but lost some of its bleeding-edge-tech street credit, and I expect that to continue in 2014.
The biggest stories of the year 2013 outside the Samsung/Apple duopoly were the sale of Nokia’s mobile phone business to Microsoft and the woes of BlackBerry. BlackBerry had an agonising year and suffered one of the most spectacular consumer collapses in history, and I can’t see how it would get to it’s feet during 2014. Nokia made good gains for Windows Phones during 2013, and I expect that Microsoft will put marketing effort to gain even more market share. Windows Phone became the third mobile ecosystem, and will most probably keep that position in 2014.
New players try to enter smart phone markets and some existing players that once tried that try to re-enter. There are rumors that for example HP tries to re-enter mobile market, and is probable that some other computer makers try to sell smart phones with their brands. In the Android front there will be new companies trying to push marker (for example OPPO and many smaller Chinese makers you have never heard earlier). Nokia had a number of Android projects going on in 2013, and some former Nokia people have put up company Newkia to follow on that road. To make a difference in the market there will be also push on some smaller mobile platforms as alternative to the big three (Google, Apple, Microsoft). Jolla is pushing Sailfish OS phones that can run Android applications and also pushing possibility to install that OS to Android phone. Mozilla will push on with it’s own Firefox OS phone. Canonical will try to get their Ubuntu phone released. Samsung is starting to make Tizen powered smart phones and NTT DoCoMo could be the first carrier to offer a Tizen powered device. None of those will be huge mainstream hits within one year, but could maybe could have their own working niche markets. The other OS brands combined do not amount to 1% of all smartphones sold in 2013, so even if they could have huge growth they would still be very small players on the end of 2014.
As smartphone and tablet makers desperately search for points of differentiation they will try to push the limits of performance on several fronts to extremes. Extreme inter-connectivity is one of the more useful features that is appearing in new products. More context-aware automatic wireless linking is coming: Phones will wirelessly link and sync with screens and sensors in the user’s vicinity.
You can also expect extreme sensor support to offer differentiation. Biomedical sensors have lots of potential (Apple already has fingerprint sensors). Indoor navigation will evolve. Intelligent systems and assistive devices will advance smart healthcare.
Several smartphone makers have clear strategies to take photography to extremes. 40 megapixel camera is already on the market and several manufacturers are playing with re-focus after shooting options.
In high-end models we may be moving into the overkill zone with extreme resolution that is higher than you can see on small screen: some makers have already demonstrated displays with twice the performance of 1080-progressive. Samsung is planned to release devices with 4k or UHD resolutions. As we have seen in many high tech gadget markets earlier it is a very short journey to copycat behavior.
It seems that amount of memory on high-end mobile devices is increasing this year. To be able to handle higher resolutions smart phones will also need more memory than earlier (for example Samsung lpddr 4 allows up to 4 GB or RAM on smart phone as now high-end devices now have typically 2GB). As the memory size starts to hit the limits of 32 bit processors (4GB), I will expect that there will be some push for chip makers to start to introduce more 64 bit processors for mobile devices. Apple already has 64-bit A7 microprocessor in iPhone 5s, all the other phone-makers want one too for their high-end models (which is a bit of panic to mobile chip makers).
You will be able to keep your mobile phone during some flights all the time and browser web on the plane more widely. At some planes you might also be able to make phone calls with your mobile phone during the flight. Calls on flights have been theoretically possible, and United States has recently looked at mobile phone calls allow the flights.
In year 2013 there were many releases on wearable technologies. Wearable is a trend with many big companies already in the space, and more are developing new products. It seems that on this field year 2013 was just putting on the initial flame, and I expect that the wearable market will start to heat up more during 2014. The advent of wearable technology brings new demands for components that can accommodate its small form factor, wireless requirements, and need for longer battery life.
The Internet of Things (IoT) will evolve into the Web of Things, increasing the coordination between things in the real world and their counterparts on the Web. The Internet is expanding into enterprise assets and consumer items such as cars and televisions. Gartner suggests that now through 2018, a variety of devices, user contexts, and interaction paradigms will make “everything everywhere” strategies unachievable.
Technology giants Google Inc. and Apple Inc. are about to expand their battle for digital supremacy to a new front: the automobile. The Android vs. iOS apps battle is coming to the automotive industry in 2014: car OEMs aren’t exactly known for their skills in developing apps and app developers don’t want to develop so many different versions of an app separately (for Ford, General Motors, BMW, and Toyota). I am waiting for Google’s response to Apple’s iOS in the Car. Next week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Google and German auto maker Audi AG plan to announce that they are working together to develop in-car entertainment and information systems that are based on Google’s Android software. The push toward smarter cars is heating up: Right now, we are just scratching the surface.
For app development HTML5 will be on rise. Gartner predicts that through 2014, improved JavaScript performance will begin to push HTML5 and the browser as a mainstream enterprise application development environment. It will also work on many mobile applications as well.
1,857 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rap for KitKat in crap app wrap trap flap: Android 4.4 is ‘meant to work like that’
Even Notepad can manage text reflow
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/15/kitkat_text_trap_no_wrap/
Google has rebuffed users and developers calling on the internet king to reinstate text wrapping, broken and replaced in Android 4.4 aka KitKat.
The problem is that text displayed by web browsers using the WebView component isn’t automatically laid out to fit on the screen of devices running the mobile OS, forcing users to zoom out squint at tiny letters or scroll from side-to-side to read the words in full.
The issue came to light in November 2013
Google seems irrevocably committed to the change that broke text wrapping – the deprecation of NARROW_COLUMNS and SINGLE_COLUMN layout options in KitKat.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES Mobile Wrap: DSP, GPU, CPU Redefined
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1320630&
CES Unveiled: Toys, Fitness, Surveillance & IoT
Serious toys go beyond ‘gadget’
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1320567&
Tomi Engdahl says:
New Tactus Case Concept Brings A Disappearing Keyboard To The iPad
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/10/new-tactus-case-concept-brings-a-disappearing-keyboard-to-the-ipad/
It was about this time last year that Tactus — the company behind the amazing disappearing touchscreen keyboard — really started making a name for itself.
You see, Tactus’ big deal is all about licensing its disappearing keyboard tech to other device manufacturers, which means that all the tablets currently floating around on the market are tablets that Tactus can’t make money off of. In order to fix that, the team whipped up an impressive 3D-printed case prototype within the span of a month that adapts that screen keyboard tech to existing devices. When it’s lashed onto a device (in this case, an iPad mini) the Tactus case pushes fluid into a series of vessels nestled in a thin layer that sits atop the tablet’s screen. The end result? A keyboard that can appear and disappear at will and work on any device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Appvice’ Blocks Distracted Driving
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1395&doc_id=270897&cid=nl.dn14
Parents of teen drivers may now have a way to remotely prevent use of a smartphone while their child is behind the wheel. A new “appvice” — a combination software application and hardware device — blocks inappropriate use of a smartphone by a car’s driver, while allowing passengers to use their smartphones.
”We’re all programmed to answer our phones when they ring,” Rob Guba, CEO of CellControl, told Design News. “Everyone says, ‘Just turn the phone off.’ But the problem is, we don’t.”
Known as DriveID and introduced at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, the system consists of a software app, which loads onto a smartphone, and a small electronic box that sticks on the car’s windshield.
”It sends commands to the phone,” Joe Breaux, chief technical officer of CellControl, told us. “So if you’re playing Angry Birds, it will lock your phone. But if you want to use Apple’s Siri for navigation, it will allow you to do that.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tablets remain in second place – a hit product in trouser pockets to bottle early in the year
This year’s hit products are phablet of 5 to 6.9-inch devices that are a mix of smart phone and tablet PC.
At the same time, the traditional older tablet computers sales growth is waning, the consulting firm Deloitte predicts, published its report on Tuesday.
The compact tablet computers override the larger tablets in the first quarter of 165 million unit sales.
Some of the phablet success is due to the fact that people acquire different sized devices for different purposes. Among the major tablets will be a replacement for home computers, evaluates the CEO of Deloitte Finland Teppo Rantanen.
According to Rantanen, phablet wave does not, however, we go to Finland as great as, for example, in Asia.
Source: Tietoviikko
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/tabletit+jaavat+kakkoseksi++hittituote+pullottaa+housuntaskuissa+alkuvuonna/a959445
Tomi Engdahl says:
SMS traffic drops for the first time as iMessage and BBM take over
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2322560/sms-traffic-drops-for-the-first-time-as-imessage-and-bbm-take-over
THE NUMBER of short message service (SMS) texts sent has fallen for the first time.
The Guardian reports that the number of SMS texts sent in 2013 fell by seven billion from 2012 to 143 billion. The research, conducted by the accounting firm Deloitte, also predicted that the number of SMS texts will drop again this year to 140 billion.
The decline is the result of the rise of more flexible fast messaging services including vendor specific iMessage, Blackberry Messaging (BBM) and Google Hangouts as well as independent services such as Whatsapp, Kik and Facebook Messenger.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile Use Grows 115% in 2013, Propelled by Messaging Apps
http://blog.flurry.com/bid/103601/Mobile-Use-Grows-115-in-2013-Propelled-by-Messaging-Apps
In November 2013, Benedict Evans, a well-respected and widely followed analyst, shared an updated version of his famous slide deck called “Mobile is Eating the World”. This deck quickly made the rounds on social media and was highly referenced by industry and financial analysts who cover mobile. We can’t help but agree with Benedict’s conclusion. For the past five years, we have watched mobile disrupt every industry, in every country, and continue to break its own records year after year. 2013 did not disappoint.
According to Flurry Analytics, overall app use in 2013 posted 115% year-over-year growth
Every single app category has shown growth over the last twelve months.
App Monetization To Get Tougher Still, With Gartner Predicting 94.5% Of Downloads Will Be Free By 2017
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/13/making-apps-pay-gets-harder/
The business of making money from apps is going to get tougher still, with analyst Gartner predicting that through to 2018 less than 0.01% of consumer mobile apps will be considered a financial success by their developers.
A key factor making it harder for apps to attract a paying audience is the sheer number of apps consumers can wade through before making their choice. Both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android stores now each have more than one million apps on tap. It’s the very definition of a crowded playing field — and this is pushing mobile users to take shortcuts to help them determine which apps to download.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Secrets Your Phone Is Sharing About You
Businesses Use Sensors to Track Customers, Build Shopper Profiles
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702303453004579290632128929194-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwMzExNDMyWj
Fan Zhang, the owner of Happy Child, a trendy Asian restaurant in downtown Toronto, knows that 170 of his customers went clubbing in November. He knows that 250 went to the gym that month, and that 216 came in from Yorkville, an upscale neighborhood.
And he gleans this information without his customers’ knowledge, or ever asking them a single question.
Mr. Zhang is a client of Turnstyle Solutions Inc., a year-old local company that has placed sensors in about 200 businesses within a 0.7 mile radius in downtown Toronto to track shoppers as they move in the city.
The sensors, each about the size of a deck of cards, follow signals emitted from Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones. That allows them to create portraits of roughly 2 million people’s habits as they have gone about their daily lives, traveling from yoga studios to restaurants, to coffee shops, sports stadiums, hotels, and nightclubs.
But Turnstyle is among the few that have begun using the technology more broadly to follow people where they live, work and shop. The company’s dense network of sensors can track any phone that has Wi-Fi turned on, enabling the company to build profiles of consumers lifestyles.
But as the industry grows in prominence, location trackers are bound to ignite privacy concerns.
In the U.S., companies don’t have to get a consent before collecting and sharing most personal information, including their location.
For example, by monitoring how many times a consumer visits a golf course in a month, Viasense can classify her as a casual, intermediate or heavy golfer.
Viasense doesn’t gather personal information or know any of its users’ names
Right now, the only way to opt-out of geolocation is to either switch off the Wi-Fi on a cellphone, or make a request through a website of one the data companies like Turnstyle that has an opt-out option.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Toshiba and Qualcomm Set to Introduce UFS 2.0 Solutions in 2014
by Jarred Walton on January 14, 2014 8:30 PM EST
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7696/toshiba-and-qualcomm-set-to-introduce-ufs-20-solutions-in-2014
Since they first started showing up on the market, most smartphones and tablets have used eMMC flash storage. While in some ways similar to the NAND flash used in SSDs – and some devices have even gone so far as to call eMMC storage “SSD storage” – the reality is that eMMC has always been much slower than what we’re used to seeing in SSDs. UFS – Universal Flash Storage – is looking to become the successor to eMMC, and we’re very much looking forward to the host of improvements it brings.
Initially designed as an open standard for flash memory cards, MMC (MultiMediaCard) has been around since 1997. eMMC basically takes that standard and embeds the controller and flash memory into a small BGA package for use in devices like smartphones and tablets
Instead of a parallel interface, UFS uses a serial interface.
Toshiba is taking the standard to mass production with UFS 2.0 controllers and flash, targeting 2Q’14 for the release.
two lanes providing an aggregate 5.8Gbps (~725MB/s) of bandwidth
UFS is a JEDEC defined standard, and as we move into 2014 we should start seeing devices adopt the standard in place of eMMC.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm Demos Snapdragon 805 & 802 at CES 2014
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 14, 2014 6:25 PM EST
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7693/qualcomm-demos-snapdragon-805-802-at-ces-2014
I don’t know of any other mobile SoC vendor (outside of Apple) that has been able to deliver frequent, consistent architecture and product updates as well as Qualcomm. Its latest Snapdragon SoCs remain the ones to beat across all Android smartphones, and are generally found in many of the more desirable Android tablets.
Snapdragon 805 tablets at the show. These tablets were all running at 2560 x 1600 and had no issues delivering smooth, playable frame rates regardless of the content.
Although it didn’t announce any new mobile SoCs at CES last week, Qualcomm did introduce new automotive and TV SoCs
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mozilla Is Mapping Cell Towers and WiFi Access Points
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/14/01/17/2347257/mozilla-is-mapping-cell-towers-and-wifi-access-points
“Mozilla is building a map of publicly-observable cell tower and WiFi access points to compete with proprietary geolocation services like Google’s.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dear Mr. Wheeler: Americans pour their hearts out over in-flight cellphones
As the FCC’s official comment period begins, hundreds of people have already weighed in
http://www.itworld.com/mobile-wireless/400262/dear-mr-wheeler-americans-pour-their-hearts-out-over-flight-cellphones
Like a nearby cellphone user with an annoying way of saying, “Helllloooo!” recently confirmed FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has already hit a nerve.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s proposal to allow cellular services on airliners, advanced less than a month after Wheeler’s confirmation in late October, had drawn more than 400 brickbats from wary citizens even before the official comment period began with its publication in the Federal Register on Wednesday. Submissions that came before the comment period still count.
Unlike most FCC issues, which tend to draw highly technical and legal arguments, the in-flight cellphone concept has kindled the passions — and penmanship — of many ordinary Americans.
The FCC banned cellphones on planes in 1991 to prevent transmissions from the air from interfering with cellular networks on the ground, which weren’t designed to handle calls from planes.
What the agency is now proposing is to let passengers use their cellphones if there’s a miniature cell tower on the plane. It would be up to airlines to decide whether passengers could use their phones for voice calls or just for texting and data services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
China reveals COS: a government-approved operating system designed to break the monopoly of foreign software
http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/16/cos-china-operating-system/
China’s tried to create its very own mobile OS ecosystem in the past, but let’s face it: The attempt with OPhone was hardly something that would make the nation proud. This time round, though, a company by the name of Shanghai Liantong has joined forces with the ISCAS (Institute of Software at the Chinese Academy of Sciences) and the government to launch COS, which simply stands for China Operating System. While there’s no official mention of this, it appears that HTC is a big supporter behind this project, which would match what we heard from a Wall Street Journal report from August.
Apart from the open-source code, this Linux-based OS is said to be developed “entirely independently,” in the hopes of breaking the foreign software monopoly, as well as providing better localization for the likes of language input, cloud services and monetization.
Ironically, all the COS variants — in the form of phones, tablets, PCs and set-top boxes — shown in the promo video after the break are very Android-like
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Works on a Fitness API for Android
http://googlesystem.blogspot.fi/2014/01/google-works-on-fitness-api-for-android.html
Wearables are now the next big thing. A lot of companies develop smart watches, smart glasses and head-up displays, smart headphones, smart clothes. They all include low-power sensors that can obtain information about your health, your activities, the things you see.
Android 4.4 supports some new sensors for detecting and counting steps. These sensors are implemented in hardware and are only available on Nexus 5.
Google now works on a Fitness API for Android which will allow applications to view and edit fitness data.
Tomi Engdahl says:
California woman who drove with Google Glass beats traffic ticket
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/17/us-usa-googleglass-trial-dismissal-idUSBREA0F1XR20140117
A California woman ticketed for driving while wearing Google Glass, a tiny computer mounted on an eyeglass frame, had her citation dismissed on Thursday by a San Diego court commissioner who said he found no proof the device was operating at the time.
The case, which raises new questions about distracted driving, made headlines when technology entrepreneur Cecilia Abadie, one of thousands of people testing the device for Google Inc, was stopped for speeding in October by the California Highway Patrol on Interstate 15 in San Diego.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple details secure ‘touchless’ e-wallet strategy in patent filing
By Mikey Campbell
http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/01/16/apple-details-secure-over-the-air-e-wallet-strategy-in-patent-filing
Apple has been coy in revealing its plans for a touchless payment solution, but a patent filing discovered on Thursday gives clues as to where the company is headed.
Tech companies like Google are looking to streamline real world payments with so-called “e-wallet” solutions based on touchless technology like NFC. Despite a market heavily saturated with smart devices that would serve as optimal platforms for such systems, a clear frontrunner has yet to emerge.
While Apple is said to be working on a mobile payments solution, it has taken a “go slow” approach to the still nascent market. Over the past months, the company has been quietly laying groundwork for a possible reveal, however, first with Passbook, and more recently iBeacon. At this point, the endgame is unknown, but a patent filing discovered today may play a role in Apple’s grand design.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published Apple’s application for a “Method to send payment data through various air interfaces without compromising user data,”
The patent language notes that the invention covers a commercial transaction method in which a purchasing device, such as an iPhone, finds and establishes a secure connection to a point of sale system via a first wireless interface. Following link up, the device identifies a second, different wireless interface to connect to a backend server for transaction completion.
According to the document summary, the first secure connection can be accomplished via near-field communications modules — or like technology — and is provided to initiate the sales process. Here, NFC is used as an example and the patent points out that other wireless protocols can be used as necessary. In addition, the invention notes that a “bump” may be used to start the connection sequence.
It should be noted that Apple has shown more interest in Bluetooth than NFC, especially given the introduction of iBeacon technology, which rolled out in Apple Stores across the U.S. in December. Based on the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol, iBeacon has the potential to combine the benefits of NFC’s limited proximity operation with increased range if needed.
Because holding a phone next to a cash register may be uncomfortable, a second more robust wireless interface is used to complete the transaction.
Along with Wi-Fi, the patent application names Bluetooth as a candidate wireless protocol for the second secure link with a store’s backend server.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Designing for exponential trends of 2014
http://blog.learningbyshipping.com/2013/12/17/designing-for-exponential-trends-of-2014/
Low-cost/high-function devices. The seemingly endless march of the exponential Moore’s law will continue but include more than compute. Devices will put transistors to work for sensors, rich graphics, and discrete processors. These devices will continue to drop precipitously in price to what seem today like ridiculous levels
Cloud productivity. Cloud (SaaS) productivity tools will routinely see exponential growth in active users.
Cloud first becomes cloud-only. Enterprise software in 2013 was a dialog about on-premises or cloud. In 2014, the call for on-premises will rapidly shift to a footnote in the evolution of cloud.
WWAN communication tools. WWAN/4G messaging will come to dominate in usage by direct or integrated tools (WhatsApp, WeChat, iMessage, and more) relative to email and SMS. Email will increasingly be viewed as “fax” and SMS will be used for “official” communications and “form letters” as person to person begins to use much richer and more expressive (fun) tools.
Cross-platform challenge. This is the year that cross-platform development for the major modern platforms will become increasingly challenging and products will need to be developed with this in mind.
Small screen/big screen divergence. With increasing use of cloud productivity, more products will arrive that are designed exclusively for larger screen devices.
Urban living is digital living.
Sharing becomes normal. With the resources available for sharing exceeding those available in traditional ways, 2014 will be the year in which sharing becomes normal and preferred for assets that are infrequently used and/or expensive.
Phablets are normal.
Storage quotas go away. While for most any uses today this is true in practice, 2014 will be a year in which any individual will see alternatives for unlimited cloud storage. Email, files, photos, applications, mobile backup and more will be embedded in the price of devices or services with additional capabilities beyond gigabytes. Design: Design for disk space usage in the cloud as you do on a mobile client, which is to say worry much more about battery life and user experience than saving a megabyte.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Glass driver told she CAN wear techno-goggles while on the road
If they’re switched off. Glass definitely half empty for cops
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/17/california_traffic_court_dismisses_google_glass_ticket/
It’s safe to wear Google Glass behind the wheel after a California court struck down a woman’s traffic citation – which was issued by a highway patrolman for wearing the head-mounted computer.
Abadie has said she wears her Glass headset all the time, even when not using it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
‘Xiaomi is good enough to break the American market’ – Apple’s Woz
Plus: ‘No-one knows what the new Dell is or what is happening to their roles’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/17/quotw_ending_january_17/
Apparently Xiaomi, dubbed the Apple of the Far East, is so similar to the fruity firm that its founder Lei Jun even appears in Steve Jobs-esque attire of black shirt and blue jeans to talk about the company’s products.
But that hasn’t stopped the Woz from hopping up on stage with Jun at a Beijing event and chatting about how great the Chinese company’s latest smartphone is. He said:
I’m playing with mine. I like it so far. I’ll tell you if I have problems. Xiaomi has excellent products. They’re good enough to break the American market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Introducing our smart contact lens project
http://googleblog.blogspot.fi/2014/01/introducing-our-smart-contact-lens.html
We’re now testing a smart contact lens that’s built to measure glucose levels in tears using a tiny wireless chip and miniaturized glucose sensor that are embedded between two layers of soft contact lens material
Tomi Engdahl says:
Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Shelves Plan to Launch Tizen Phone
Carrier Says Smartphone Market Not Growing Fast Enough for a Third Operating System
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702304419104579325551303211522-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwNjExNDYyWj
NTT DoCoMo Inc. DCM +0.67% has shelved indefinitely plans for a March launch of a smartphone featuring a new operating system called Tizen, dealing a blow to one of the platform’s key backers— Samsung Electronics Co. 005930.SE -0.69%
Japan’s largest mobile carrier said Friday that the smartphone market in Japan wasn’t growing fast enough for it to support a third mobile operating system, a reference to Apple Inc. AAPL -0.56% ’s iOS operating system and Google Inc. GOOG +0.66% ’s Android, which powers the majority of Samsung’s devices. In explaining its decision, DoCoMo cited research by IDC Japan showing the country’s overall smartphone market grew only 2.2% in the April-to-September period from a year earlier.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony Smartwatch 2 review
Sony’s wearable sequal fends off competition from Samsung’s Galaxy Gear
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/review/2322957/sony-smartwatch-2-review
GETTING TO MARKET before Apple’s and Samsung’s rumoured smartwatches when it announced its second-generation Smartwatch 2 last summer, Sony’s wearable device is a companion for the firm’s Android powered smartphones.
Tomi Engdahl says:
When Apple reached parity with Windows
http://www.asymco.com/2014/01/13/when-apple-reached-parity-with-windows/
Gartner estimates that about 309 million Windows PCs were shipped,[1] down from 337 million in 2012 (which was down from 344 million in 2011, the year PCs peaked.)
When comparing these platforms, the contribution of the Apple mobile platform becomes striking.
The total number of platform products Apple sold in 2013 was about 260 million The total number of users Apple has is above 550 million.
But the bigger story is how Apple’s mobile platform has nearly reached the sales volume of Windows. In 2013 there were only 1.18 more Windows PCs than Apple devices sold. Odds are that in 2014 they will be at parity.
Today, with mobile products there are billions of decision makers.
Ultimately, it was the removal of the intermediary between buyer and beneficiary which dissolved Microsoft’s power over the purchase decision.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Parrot’s Jumping Sumo ‘bot gets some pretty impressive air (video)
http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/05/parrot-jumping-sumo/
The device is a two-wheeled terrestrial ‘bot that’s controlled via tablet or smartphone, using streaming video from a built-in camera. It’s pretty zippy, and even more impressively, it can stop on a dime.
Tomi Engdahl says:
San Francisco cab drivers are Uber’s latest pickup
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/15/with-ubers-comes-struggle-for-san-francisco-taxis/
Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing upstarts are transforming a slow-to-change industry from the outside in.
Being a cab driver isn’t what it used to be.
The San Francisco Cab Drivers Association (SFCDA), an association for registered taxi drivers that promotes fair working conditions and business practice, reports that one-third of the 8,500 or so taxi drivers in San Francisco – over 2,800 – have ditched driving a registered cab in the last 12 months to drive for a private transportation startup like Uber, Lyft or Sidecar instead.
How have these startups been able to take so many drivers so quickly? Passengers more and more appear to appreciate these startups’ superior dispatch technology, ease-of-use, and competitive pricing.
Many cab drivers who still drive registered taxis are seeing income drop. And that income drop is, in turn, causing them to turn to startup solutions.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple Inc. Will Provide Full Consumer Refunds of At Least $32.5 Million to Settle FTC Complaint It Charged for Kids’ In-App Purchases Without Parental Consent
Company Also Will Modify its Billing Practices Under FTC Settlement
http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/01/apple-inc-will-provide-full-consumer-refunds-least-325-million
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Adds Optional Data Compression Feature To Chrome For Mobile, Reducing Your Data Usage By Up To 50%
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/15/google-adds-optional-data-compression-feature-to-chrome-for-mobile-reducing-your-data-usage-by-up-to-50/
Google today is officially announcing the release of a data compression feature for its Chrome mobile web browser which allows you to reduce your data usage on smartphones and tablets, potentially saving you money on your monthly cell phone bill or data plan. The feature is one of several new additions coming to Chrome’s mobile browser
Tomi Engdahl says:
Price war in U.S. mobile market raises fear of profit hemorrhage
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/11/us-ces-mobile-pricewar-idUSBREA0A08U20140111
New Year’s rivalry among U.S. mobile operators has Wall Street worried that the industry’s profits could seriously decline.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Phil Zimmerman Launching Secure “Blackphone”
http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/14/01/15/1526211/phil-zimmerman-launching-secure-blackphone
“Famed cryptography activist Phil Zimmerman is set to launch Blackphone, a privacy-oriented phone which allows secure calls and messages. The phone is a joint venture between Zimmerman’s Silent Circle communications provider and Geeksphone,”
Privacy and control
https://www.blackphone.ch/
Blackphone is the world’s first smartphone to put privacy and control ahead of everything else. Ahead of carriers. Ahead of advertising. Blackphone is re-shaping the landscape of personal communication
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm Demos Snapdragon 805 & 802 at CES 2014
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 14, 2014 6:25 PM EST
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7693/qualcomm-demos-snapdragon-805-802-at-ces-2014
Snapdragon 805 tablets at the show. These tablets were all running at 2560 x 1600 and had no issues delivering smooth, playable frame rates regardless of the content.
Although it didn’t announce any new mobile SoCs at CES last week, Qualcomm did introduce new automotive and TV SoCs: Snapdragon 602A and 802, respectively. The latter is a variant of Snapdragon 800, intended for use in TVs. Qualcomm had a reference board up and running showing off a 4K TV with a native resolution UI, driven by the SoC’s Adreno 330 GPU. Qualcomm even had Riptide running, at 4K, all off of the adapted mobile SoC.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Toshiba and Qualcomm Set to Introduce UFS 2.0 Solutions in 2014
by Jarred Walton on January 14, 2014 8:30 PM EST
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7696/toshiba-and-qualcomm-set-to-introduce-ufs-20-solutions-in-2014
Since they first started showing up on the market, most smartphones and tablets have used eMMC flash storage. While in some ways similar to the NAND flash used in SSDs – and some devices have even gone so far as to call eMMC storage “SSD storage” – the reality is that eMMC has always been much slower than what we’re used to seeing in SSDs. UFS – Universal Flash Storage – is looking to become the successor to eMMC, and we’re very much looking forward to the host of improvements it brings.
Initially designed as an open standard for flash memory cards, MMC (MultiMediaCard) has been around since 1997. eMMC basically takes that standard and embeds the controller and flash memory into a small BGA package for use in devices like smartphones and tablets
Instead of a parallel interface, UFS uses a serial interface.
Toshiba is taking the standard to mass production with UFS 2.0 controllers and flash, targeting 2Q’14 for the release.
two lanes providing an aggregate 5.8Gbps (~725MB/s) of bandwidth
UFS is a JEDEC defined standard, and as we move into 2014 we should start seeing devices adopt the standard in place of eMMC.
Tomi Engdahl says:
What Secrets Your Phone Is Sharing About You
Businesses Use Sensors to Track Customers, Build Shopper Profiles
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702303453004579290632128929194-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwMzExNDMyWj
He knows that 250 went to the gym that month, and that 216 came in from Yorkville, an upscale neighborhood.
And he gleans this information without his customers’ knowledge, or ever asking them a single question.
Mr. Zhang is a client of Turnstyle Solutions Inc., a year-old local company that has placed sensors in about 200 businesses within a 0.7 mile radius in downtown Toronto to track shoppers as they move in the city.
The sensors, each about the size of a deck of cards, follow signals emitted from Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones. That allows them to create portraits of roughly 2 million people’s habits as they have gone about their daily lives, traveling from yoga studios to restaurants, to coffee shops, sports stadiums, hotels, and nightclubs.
But Turnstyle is among the few that have begun using the technology more broadly to follow people where they live, work and shop. The company’s dense network of sensors can track any phone that has Wi-Fi turned on, enabling the company to build profiles of consumers lifestyles.
But as the industry grows in prominence, location trackers are bound to ignite privacy concerns.
In the U.S., companies don’t have to get a consent before collecting and sharing most personal information, including their location.
For example, by monitoring how many times a consumer visits a golf course in a month, Viasense can classify her as a casual, intermediate or heavy golfer.
Viasense doesn’t gather personal information or know any of its users’ names
Right now, the only way to opt-out of geolocation is to either switch off the Wi-Fi on a cellphone, or make a request through a website of one the data companies like Turnstyle that has an opt-out option.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile Use Grows 115% in 2013, Propelled by Messaging Apps
http://blog.flurry.com/bid/103601/Mobile-Use-Grows-115-in-2013-Propelled-by-Messaging-Apps
In November 2013, Benedict Evans, a well-respected and widely followed analyst, shared an updated version of his famous slide deck called “Mobile is Eating the World”. This deck quickly made the rounds on social media and was highly referenced by industry and financial analysts who cover mobile. We can’t help but agree with Benedict’s conclusion. For the past five years, we have watched mobile disrupt every industry, in every country, and continue to break its own records year after year. 2013 did not disappoint.
According to Flurry Analytics, overall app use in 2013 posted 115% year-over-year growth
Every single app category has shown growth over the last twelve months.
App Monetization To Get Tougher Still, With Gartner Predicting 94.5% Of Downloads Will Be Free By 2017
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/13/making-apps-pay-gets-harder/
The business of making money from apps is going to get tougher still, with analyst Gartner predicting that through to 2018 less than 0.01% of consumer mobile apps will be considered a financial success by their developers.
A key factor making it harder for apps to attract a paying audience is the sheer number of apps consumers can wade through before making their choice. Both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android stores now each have more than one million apps on tap. It’s the very definition of a crowded playing field — and this is pushing mobile users to take shortcuts to help them determine which apps to download.
Tomi Engdahl says:
SMS traffic drops for the first time as iMessage and BBM take over
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2322560/sms-traffic-drops-for-the-first-time-as-imessage-and-bbm-take-over
THE NUMBER of short message service (SMS) texts sent has fallen for the first time.
The Guardian reports that the number of SMS texts sent in 2013 fell by seven billion from 2012 to 143 billion. The research, conducted by the accounting firm Deloitte, also predicted that the number of SMS texts will drop again this year to 140 billion.
The decline is the result of the rise of more flexible fast messaging services including vendor specific iMessage, Blackberry Messaging (BBM) and Google Hangouts as well as independent services such as Whatsapp, Kik and Facebook Messenger.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tablets remain in second place – a hit product in trouser pockets to bottle early in the year
This year’s hit products are phablet of 5 to 6.9-inch devices that are a mix of smart phone and tablet PC.
At the same time, the traditional older tablet computers sales growth is waning, the consulting firm Deloitte predicts, published its report on Tuesday.
The compact tablet computers override the larger tablets in the first quarter of 165 million unit sales.
Some of the phablet success is due to the fact that people acquire different sized devices for different purposes. Among the major tablets will be a replacement for home computers, evaluates the CEO of Deloitte Finland Teppo Rantanen.
According to Rantanen, phablet wave does not, however, we go to Finland as great as, for example, in Asia.
Source: Tietoviikko
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/tabletit+jaavat+kakkoseksi++hittituote+pullottaa+housuntaskuissa+alkuvuonna/a959445
Tomi Engdahl says:
New Tactus Case Concept Brings A Disappearing Keyboard To The iPad
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/10/new-tactus-case-concept-brings-a-disappearing-keyboard-to-the-ipad/
It was about this time last year that Tactus — the company behind the amazing disappearing touchscreen keyboard — really started making a name for itself.
You see, Tactus’ big deal is all about licensing its disappearing keyboard tech to other device manufacturers, which means that all the tablets currently floating around on the market are tablets that Tactus can’t make money off of. In order to fix that, the team whipped up an impressive 3D-printed case prototype within the span of a month that adapts that screen keyboard tech to existing devices. When it’s lashed onto a device (in this case, an iPad mini) the Tactus case pushes fluid into a series of vessels nestled in a thin layer that sits atop the tablet’s screen. The end result? A keyboard that can appear and disappear at will and work on any device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CES Unveiled: Toys, Fitness, Surveillance & IoT
Serious toys go beyond ‘gadget’
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1320567&
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rap for KitKat in crap app wrap trap flap: Android 4.4 is ‘meant to work like that’
Even Notepad can manage text reflow
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/15/kitkat_text_trap_no_wrap/
Google has rebuffed users and developers calling on the internet king to reinstate text wrapping, broken and replaced in Android 4.4 aka KitKat.
The problem is that text displayed by web browsers using the WebView component isn’t automatically laid out to fit on the screen of devices running the mobile OS, forcing users to zoom out squint at tiny letters or scroll from side-to-side to read the words in full.
The issue came to light in November 2013
Google seems irrevocably committed to the change that broke text wrapping – the deprecation of NARROW_COLUMNS and SINGLE_COLUMN layout options in KitKat.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Stole Its Smart Contact Lens From Microsoft. And That’s a Good Thing
http://www.wired.com/business/2014/01/google-lens-microsoft/
Google latest bombshell of a research project is a smart contact lens diabetics can use to read blood sugar levels through the tears in their eyes. Thanks to a tiny microchip, Google says, the lens can provide a new glucose reading as often as once a second.
Some have pointed out that the project follows in the footsteps of rival Microsoft, but this is merely another reason to applaud Google, a company with a knack for bringing research into the real world that we’ll likely never see from Microsoft.
The lens Google unveiled on Thursday seems to draw heavily, if not directly, from work done by Microsoft. As TechCrunch notes, one of the Googlers behind the project, Babak Parvis, once collaborated with the Redmond software giant on a lens the company fashioned for tracking blood sugar without needles.
So, no, the Google lens isn’t all that new. But it’s still worthy of attention, mainly because it’s coming from Google.
Google has a knack for bringing research into the real world that we’ll likely never see from Microsoft
Tomi Engdahl says:
Major setbacks for two new smartphone OSs, Tizen and Ubuntu Touch
http://gigaom.com/2014/01/17/major-setbacks-for-two-new-smartphone-oss-tizen-and-ubuntu-touch/
Summary:
Looks like there won’t be any big new challengers for iOS and Android this year, after Japan’s NTT DoCoMo shelved plans for a Tizen launch and Canonical conceded that no big manufacturers will release Ubuntu phones this year.
Will 2014 be the year when scrappy new challengers take on the might of Android and iOS? Never say never, but the challenge won’t come from Tizen nor Ubuntu Touch.
Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo has indefinitely suspended its plans for a Tizen phone launch this year, and Ubuntu backer Canonical has admitted that there’s unlikely to be any Ubuntu handset coming from a major manufacturer or carrier this year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Devs write ‘film my shag’ sex app for Google Glass
Genuine mid-nookie command: ‘OK Glass, pull out’ … WTF?!
By Jasper Hamill, 20th January 2014
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/20/google_glass_get_app_for_recording_naughtiness/
It’s difficult to imagine anyone wanting to get down and dirty with a partner who would willingly wear Google Glass.
Yet one group of app developers is betting that Glassholes not only manage to get lucky, but also have a partner willing to film the whole sordid affair.
Click Here!
The Sex With Glass app was created at a Wearable Tech Hackathon in London. It allows Glassholes to film their “entire night” of lovemaking, which may be a bit optimistic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobility will rise to CIOs top coat instead of analytics . Norway and Sweden, this has already happened, Finland and Denmark following a little behind.
Management Event made by a joint Nordic survey, nearly half of IT managers expect the mobility of the betting improving the quality of service.
Sweden is expected to mobiliteettipanostusten addition to improving employee satisfaction and facilitate the recruitment of new talent.
Mobile Policies vary. The Danish-Norwegian, and about two-thirds of the leaders allow employees to choose a mobile device – either all the options available in the market or the company specifically designs approved by the crowd.
In Sweden, the device policy is the most stringent in the Nordic countries
Finland is in the middle ground – although Finnish IT managers as much as a quarter reported that their companies have no policy on the mobile device when the Danes, by contrast, 93 per cent that they had very clear rules of the game for mobile devices.
No sector has clearly risen above the rest in mobile investments. The forerunners were in different lines of the individual companies that are clearly recognize the business benefits of mobility.
Source: Tietokone
http://www.tietokone.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/mobiiliteetin_edut_eivat_kaikille_kirkkaita
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kolibree’s smart toothbrush uses tech to teach good brushing habits
http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/kolibrees-smart-toothbrush-uses-tech-teach-good-brushing-habits/
As a rule, CES is always filled with a litany of gadgets whose names are preceded by the word “smart.” Generally speaking, the vast majority of these devices are completely and utterly ridiculous, and they don’t offer much in the way of practical everyday uses. But amid this glut of smart junk, there’s usually one or two products that are actually worthwhile.
Kolibree’s smart toothbrush is one of those products. It takes sensor tech to a place that it’s never been before – the inside of your mouth. The idea is that with better metrics on the quality of your brushing, you’ll be able to keep your teeth healthier.
outfitted with an array of sensors that track the areas of your mouth that you’re hitting
To use it, simply download the Kolibree mobile app on your smartphone and sync it with the brush via Bluetooth. After that, every time you tend to your pearly whites, the brush will log data from your session. When you’re done, just pop open the app and it’ll display all the data in a simple visual format.
Kolibree is planning to release several different models of the toothbrush, ranging in price from $100 to $200, in the third quarter of 2014.
Tomi Engdahl says:
AMC movie theater calls FBI to arrest a Google Glass user
By: Julie Strietelmeier
on January 20, 2014 2:00 pm
http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/01/20/amc-movie-theater-calls-fbi-to-arrest-a-google-glass-user/
“What followed was over an hour of the “feds” telling me I am not under arrest, and that this is a “voluntary interview”, but if I choose not to cooperate bad things may happen to me (is it legal for authorities to threaten people like that?). ”
“I kept telling them that I wasn’t recording anything – my Glass was off, they insisted they saw it on. I told them there would be a light coming out the little screen if Glass was on, and I could show them that, but they insisted that I cannot touch my Glass for the fear “I will erase the evidence against me that was on Glass”. ”
“connected my Glass to the computer, downloaded all my personal photos and started going though them”
“Then they went through my phone, and 5 minutes later they concluded I had done nothing wrong.”
“I guess until people get more familiar with Google Glass and understand what they are, one should not wear them to the movies.”
Crazy huh? His story read like something out of the Jack Ryan movie that he and his wife had gone to see. Are there any other Google Glass users out there that have been treated badly just for your wearable tech? If not, are you reconsidering wearing a pair to the next movie you attend?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Leaked software suggests Sony’s next flagship phone will record 4K video
http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/21/sony-sirius-android-kitkat-leak/
With shots of a new Sony smartphone surfacing ahead of a possible reveal at next month’s Mobile World Congress, we guessed it wouldn’t be long until we laid eyes on the software powering it. XperiaBlog got its hands on an Android 4.4.2 KitKat build for the Xperia D6503 (rumored codename Sirius)
The headline-grabbing tweaks include options to record 4K and high frame-rate video, utilize Smart backlight controls
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Glass App for Firefighters Could Save Lives
http://mashable.com/2014/01/21/google-glass-firefighter-app/
A new Google Glass app in the works is anything but smoke and mirrors.
Patrick Jackson, a firefighter and self-taught programmer in Rocky Mount, N.C., is working on a Google Glass app that may very well change the way firefighters do their jobs. Initial versions of the app already help with minor tasks, such as receiving messages from dispatch or identifying nearby hydrants. But these features are small potatoes compared to what Jackson’s app may ultimately accomplish.
Jackson envisions that the app may someday be able to provide maps and floor plans to firefighters battling smoke in unfamiliar buildings, or provide extraction diagrams for when firefighters need to safely remove civilians from a vehicle. Some of these features are detailed in the video, below, although they aren’t actually available yet, Jackson said.
Glass will likely be used by firefighters in management and safety roles, that is, those outside the building giving orders, as opposed to those fighting fires on the inside. One reason for this: Glass doesn’t fit under a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus mask. Jackson said he is hopeful that Google will one day debut a version of Glass built specifically for firefighters, but is happy to build out his app in the meantime.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CONFIRMED: Man Interrogated By FBI For Wearing Prescription Google Glass At The Movies
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/man-interrogated-by-fbi-for-wearing-prescription-google-glass-at-the-movies-2014-1#ixzz2r7taw2P2
Tomi Engdahl says:
Opera: iPhone remains king of mobile ads, despite Android smartphones enjoying greater reach
http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2014/01/21/opera-iphone-remains-king-of-mobile-ads-despite-android-smartphones-enjoying-greater-reach/#!sSEPE
Android’s share of mobile Internet usage continues to grow, but Apple retains a strong lead as the most valuable mobile platform for advertisers, according to new figures from browser-maker Opera.
Based on data from Opera Mediaworks — the mobile ad network that serves over 60 billion monthly page impressions to 425 million users – Opera’s latest State of Mobile Advertising report shows that Android is winning the market share race on mobile.
Phones built on the Google operating system accounted for 36 percent of Opera’s traffic, some way ahead of the iPhone’s 29 percent. That’s a significant change from the last quarter, when the iPhone lead Android phones fractionally (31 percent to 30.3 percent). However, when it comes to advertising revenue, the iPhone accounts for a dominant 40 percent, while Android smartphones tally up to 30 percent.
Apple has the edge over the Android ecosystem as a whole, thanks to the iPad.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here Are 24 Countries Where Windows Phone Outsells The iPhone (And Why It Does)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/01/21/here-are-24-countries-where-windows-phone-outsells-the-iphone-and-why-it-does/
Statistics may say Windows 8 is a flop but, contrary to popular opinion, Windows Phone is far from down and out in the battle for our mobile affections. In fact in many parts of the world sales are rocketing past the iPhone.
The list reads as follows:
Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ecuador, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Interestingly in 14 of these markets – Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, India, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam – Windows Phone has taken second place in the sector
Furthermore, the context for this data is solid. It comes from global smartphone sales in Q3 2013 by independent market analyst IDC,
Windows Phone Is Fast Becoming A Hit In Europe
A supporting release for researcher Kantar in December (figures right) points out that Europe as a whole is quickly warming to Windows Phone at the expense of iOS.
Most marked is the aforementioned Italy, where a 12.8 percent market shift in 12 months now sees Windows Phone lead iOS 16.1 percent to iOS on 10.1 percent,
Conclusion
So what can we make of this? In short that generalists on both sides are talking nonsense. Windows Phone is still struggling to shift higher end devices, but clear traction is not restricted to developing countries.
Developed countries, particularly in Europe where iOS has previously been dominant, are showing strong shifts towards Windows Phone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Forecast: phablet market will grow by 600%, kings Samsung – and Nokia
The research firm Juniper Research predicts phablet devices, or about six inch screen with smartphone sales to reach 120 million in 2018.
In 2013, the products were delivered to an estimated 20 million. Growth will therefore 600 per cent in five years.
According to Juniper devices are growing in popularity, especially in eastern Asia, South Korea, and countries like China.
According to the report phablet-market is dominated by two operating systems: Android and Windows.
The research firm points out that the position may change if the rumors of Apple’s 5.6-inch device are correct.
Source: Digitoday
http://www.digitoday.fi/mobiili/2014/01/22/ennuste-phablet-markkina-kasvaa-600–kuninkaiksi-nousevat-samsung–ja-nokia/20141054/66?rss=6