Business News Holding

Category: smartphone

  • Apple unveils iPhone 5

    Apple finally presented the iPhone 5 and its new features and as it was expected, all the fans can't wait to buy it!

    In case you didn't hear the news yet, you might be wondering what is all the fuss about the iPhone 5. Here are the new features then:

    – Bigger Screen

    iPhone 5 now has a larger screen, which is not wider than the previous iPhones, with a resolution of 1136×640 and an aspect ratio that extends to 16:9.

    – LTE technology

    LTE technology is getting popular latel y and iPhone 5 will be the first iPhone that will have it integrated. It will work on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and in other countries throughout the world. Moreover, there wil be different models of iPhones, according to the LTE bands.

    – iPhone gets thinner

    iPhone 5 will be thinner than the previous iPhones, being just 7.6 mm thin, which makes it 18% thinner than iPhone 4S.

    – A6 Chip

    A6 chip is proud to be faster than A5 chip, with 50% better performance in graphics, 22% smaller and what's more important, less battery consuming.

    – Smaller Connector

    The connector we all knew about iPhones has just changed. iPhone 5 has a smaller lighning connector, which makes previous handsets useless, although there will be compatible devices, too.

    – EarPods

    Earphones are changing, too, with the new EarPods having a much better design, deeper bass, fitting to every ear and every music taste.

    – Better Camera

    Camera is also improved, with the rear iSight remaining at 8 MP, although there is ow a built-in panorama mode that can merge photos into one of 28 MP.

    – Siri is improved

    Siri is more mature on iPhone 5, being able to launch apps, post tweets, Facebook updates and also understand sports scores.

    When can I buy it?

    iPhone 5 is expected on September 21 in USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. It will be available by the end of the year to more than 100 countries.

    How much will it cost?

    It is priced at $199 for 16GB (2-year contract), 299$ for 32GB and 399$ for 64GB.

  • RIM presents BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

    RIM has announced their plans about BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, hoping that businessmen will stick to Blackberries and buy their new BB10 devices.

    Research in Motion does not seem to lose hope, despite the fall in Blackberry's sales the last years. Although iOS and Android have conquered the market, RIM knows that they still have part of the businessmen on their side. That's why they announced BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, which simplifies any service that entrepreneurs might need.

    According to RIM:

    "BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 represents a consolidation of our enterprise mobility management (EMM) product portfolio, which includes our mobile device management (MDM), security, infrastructure, and app management products. It will prepare your organization for the future of mobile diversity, as well as integrate with your existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) deployment. From a single unified web-based console, BES 10 will manage the following devices:

    – BlackBerry 7 OS and prior smartphones
    – BlackBerry 10 devices
    – BlackBerry PlayBook tablets
    – iOS and Android™ smartphones and tablets

    BES 10 will be the ultimate management solution for all BlackBerry platform devices, as well as iOS and Android devices. BES 10 will launch with the first BlackBerry 10 devices in Q1 of calendar year 2013. "

    As it seems, RIM understands that their focus should be on enterprise customers and they decided to entice them with a great idea.

    "RIM remains committed to our enterprise customers by providing advanced, innovative, and flexible options for a straight-forward migration to BlackBerry 10 smartphones, as well as cross-platform management of your mobile device deployment."

    We just have to see whether this could boost their sales.

  • Goophone I5: a Chinese iPhone 5 lookalike

    If you are among the Apple fans that simply cannot wait about the iPhone 5, imagine your reaction on hearing that you can get a first impression on it before anybody else.

    That's what some iPhone fans thought when they saw an iPhone 5 lookalike leaking on the Web, which is known as  Goophone.  Well, don't be fooled, this is not the iPhone 5, but it really looks a lot like it. Although Goophone seems identical to iPhone 5, it is definitely not one. Goophone I5 is a Chinese phone from the company Goophone that might look like an iPhone 5, but ironically it runs on Android software!

    Goophone I5 has a 4-inch screen, a 1280×720 pixel display, a Tegra 3 quad-core processor of 1.4GHz and a RAM of 1GB. What's more, it has an 8MP back camera and one in front of 1.3MP.  Except for the Android, the other difference with the iPhone 5 is that it does not have a bigger screen, which is expected on iPhone 5. As you can see from the picture, the resemblance with the iPhone is quite obvious, although we are not sure whether this will have any implications on them, similar to the ones that Samsung had recently. Apple knows that iPhone 5 is a much anticipated product and they significantly count on it for their annual sales.

    In addition, the Chinese market is really big to be ignored and the fact that some people will already hold such an iPhone 5 lookalike might affect their sales. However, Apple is planning a big collaboration with China Mobile in the near future, which might turn things around. For the time being, Apple fans are counting down the days to the release of iPhone 5 and hop they won't be disappointed!

  • iPhone 5 to sell 250 million units?

    iPhone is about to be released very soon, but the rumors keep going about it. This time there is an estimate of the units it will sell, which seem pretty impressive, if they are achieved of course.

    According to Craig Berger, an analyst from FBR Capital Markets, iPhone 5 will sell 250 million units, which will bring for Apple a revenue of $144 billion! And the numbers can be even more impressive, if you consider that Apple has made $50 million from the sales of all the previous iPhones in the US market, over the last 5 years!

    If you are wondering how he justifies his claims abou such a big increase in the sales, there are two major factors. The first one has to do with the loyalty of Apple's customers. When you own an iPhone you feel the need to buy the new one, evn though you might not need it and even more, even though it might not add any impressive features. This loyalty is important in the smartphone market, since Apple knows that their customers will follow them.

    However, it's not just loyalty that could boost so much the sales. The second factor is Apple's intention to cooperate with Chine Mobile, the biggest carrier in the world. This deal is expected in the beginning of 2013 and it will definitely boost Apple's sales in China, which is a huge market.

    Bearing these two factors in mind, Apple might see a rise in the sales with iPhone 5, but can they really sell 250 million units? Nobody can tell yet, but nobody would be really surprised either. We just have to wait for now!

  • Samsung to Pay $1 Billion to Apple

    Apple is finally the winner in the big patent war with Samsung, since the juries found that Samsung infringed Apple's patents.

    This decision is forcing all the manufacturers to avoid creating any smartphones that might even resemble to Apple's products, in order to avoid the consequences.

    Samsung is now expected to pay $1 Billion, which is a big loss for them. The fact that they were rising on the smartphone market is forcing them to reconsider on their future phones. As for the patent war and Apple's victory, they mentioned in a statement:

    "It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.”

    Apple on the other hand should feel relieved from this decision, which might also boost their sales even more. According to Katie Cotton, Apple's spokeswoman, and her words in New York Times:

    "The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were about much more than patents or money. They were about values. At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right.”

    What is the future in the smartphone market after this decision?

  • Windows Phone to win Blackberry in US market

    Times are changing and so does the smartphone market. Gone are the days when Research in Motion was dominating the smartphone market. Now, Blackberry seems to decline in the US market, with Windows Phone being willing to take over its place.

    According to a chart from Statcounter, posted by WMPoweruser, Windows Phones are expected to overtake Blackberries in the US market until November. The fact that Windows Phone is on the rise and Blackberry seems to decline might justify the graph's validity. What's more, Windows Phone 8 smartphones are about to be released in September, which raises the competition even more. And the graph is further enhanced by the fact that Blackberry 10 is not expected before the beginning of 2013.

    With all these in mind, Microsoft should be happy about their recent progress in the smartphone market. Although many were questioning whether Windows Phone could make it in such a competitive market, the numbers are proving them wrong. Microsoft's collaboration with Nokia is already considered rather successful, since it was a combination of Nokia's experience in the smartphone market with Microsoft's fresh air. If you consider that the first Windows Phone has been released in US market only 2 years ago, and is currently about to overtake a well established name like Blackberry, then it is definitely a success.

    Blackberry on the other hand hopes that Blackberry 10 will help them recover, since they keep on losing their share in the market. Two years ago they held the 34.3% of the US market, a number which now seems really distant to them. Times are changing, Apple is dominating and Blackberries are only used by a small, but loyal, group of people that are satisfied with them and do not seek a change.
    However, are these people enough to hold such a big name?

  • What to expect in Windows Phone 8 and not Windows Phone 7.8

    Microsoft has already announced that Windows Phone owners should expect another update on their smartphones, the Windows Phone 7.8 update.

    Although every update is received with satisfaction, this time was rather different. Windows Phone owners were not happy when they heard that their current Windows Phone 7 smartphones won't be updated to Windows Phone 8. Microsoft sees Windows Phone 8 as part of the whole Windows 8 change and sadly for current Windows Phone owners, it couldn't be done on their existing smartphones. Windows Phone 7.8 update will contain some new features, but unfortunately it won't be like the Windows Phone 8 update.

    According to a French document that leaked at the Internet, Windows Phone 7.8 will lack the following features, comparing to Windows Phone 8:

    – Windows Phone Wallet
    – Internet Explorer 10
    – Real Multitasking
    – NFC
    – Device Management
    – MicroSD card support
    – Secure boot and encryption
    – Multi-core processor support

    Nokia did not comment on whether the document is correct, although the French blog "Smartphone France" claims it as authentic.

    Even though we are not totally sure of the document's authenticity, we do know that current Windows Phone owners will feel "betrayed" by Microsoft, since their relatively new smartphones will become obsolete sooner or later. Buying a smartphone just a few months ago and being obliged to leave it does not seem the ideal situation for any customer. Although Microsoft does plan something bigger, they still know that they need to win the current Windows Phone owners.

    Windows Phone 8 handsets are expected to arrive in the following months, with Nokia collaborating with Microsoft once again. The fact that the new iPhone arrives in the mid-September raises the competition even more, with Microsoft being aware that Windows 8 should make the difference. It's their chance to prove they can make it big in smartphones, too!

  • Are we addicted to our smartphones?

    We live in a digital era where surfing on the Internet and checking for emails and any new notifications has become a never-ending habit. Even though we are not expecting a message, we feel "obliged" to check our smartphone.

    Time's Techland has conducted a big survey among 5,000 Americans, Chinese, Indians, South Koreans, Brazilians and South Africans and found out that we are indeed significantly addicted to our smartphones. According to the respondents of the poll:

    – 84% wouldn't live a day without a smartphone

    – 20% check the smartphone every 10 minutes

    – 50% of Americans sleep with their smartphone next to them

    – 32% prefers to communicate by text message

    – 17% checks the smartphone while eating, regardless of the person they are dining with.

    – 73% of Indians feel closer to their family with the use of technology

    – 79% of Chinese feel better informed about the latest news

    – 48% of South Koreans feel that they spend too much time on their smartphones, instead of observing the world

    – The average appropriate age for a child to have the first smartphone is considered the 13 years.

    The stats above indicate that smartphones have become part of our daily routines and even more, an extension to our life, our work, our social life. We cannot deny that times are changing and that the future will be even more digital. Technology has improved communication and we should embrace it, in order to improve our lives. However, it's up to us to decide the extent that we will use our smartphones, in order to balance our online and offline worlds.

    Don't let smartphones and the digital world take over your life. Instead, use them wisely and enjoy all their benefits. They are a lot!

  • LG sold 5 million LTE smartphones!

    LG is proud to announce that they managed to sell 5 million LTE smartphones, commenting on their strategy for "different phones for different consumer needs".

    It was just a month ago when they announced that they had sold  million LTE smartphones. Now, in just a month they managed to reach another milestone, selling almost one LTE smartphone every two and a half seconds! Their strategy is based on the diversity of their consumers, trying to offer a smartphone for every need. They already have 10 LTE smartphones, which are available in USA, Korea, Japan and several countries in Europe and Asia, where LTE services are available. The most popular LTE smartphone is definitely Optimus LTE, selling 2 million units, while Optimus Vu has sold 500,000 units. Another success was Optimus LTE II, the first LTE with 2GB RAM, which has already sold 500,000 units in just 70 days.
    LG is very optimistic about the future of LTE smartphones, feeling comfortable that these figures are just the beginning.
    According to the CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company, Dr. Jong-seok Park:

    “Sales of global LTE smartphones are expected to increase ten-fold this year from last year.”

    “With that in mind, we are planning to introduce an even more impressive LTE line-up in the next several months second to none.”

    According to a report by Jefferies & Company, LG is dominant in LTE patents globally, having a value of more than 8 billion dollars.

    It seems like LG has found a way to survive in the competitive smartphone market industry, hoping that LTEs will maintain and even increase their numbers in the following years.

  • Nokia to Launch Windows Phone 8 Smartphone

    Nokia used to be dominant in the smartphone market share, but the arrival of iPhone has dropped their sales significantly. The company seems to insist in releasing Windows Phone handsets and that is why they are about to release Windows Phone 8 smartphone.

    Nokia realized that Symbian cannot compete with iOS and Android, so they decided to cooperate with Microsoft and launch Windows Phone handsets. Lumia 900 was quite a success, selling 4 million units during the Q2. Many customers turned to Nokia one more time, finding an alternative to iPhone, at a much lower price. However, the upcoming release of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 from Microsoft has become a problem for Nokia. They decided to drop the price of Lumia 900 by 50$, but the fact that those who bought it were informed that they wouldn't be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8, was rather disappointing. Hence, they seem to be preparing for the release of new smartphones, coming along with Windows Phone 8 and trying to save the game.

    Windows Phone 7, which became Windows Phone 7.5, has received good reviews and although it is still a new operating system, it has the potential to be competitive the next few years. Nokia believes that they can boost their sales with the support of Microsoft and they stick to Windows Phone handsets. During September we are expecting the announcement of the new smartphones and by the end of the year they will be available in the market.

    However, with the release of the highly anticipated new iPhone, is this a good time for a new smartphone? Actually, it might be. Not everyone can afford an iPhone and if Nokia can provide them with another good smartphone, why not buy it?