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  • Increase Revenue Share – Or Games Developers May Exit Java


    Games publishers and developers will give up on Java unless operators follow Apple’s lead in offering more appealing revenue shares.

    That’s according to a report by analyst Windsor Holden, of Juniper Research, who warns that as well as being a lost opportunity for developers it would seriously reduce the variety of games for players.

    In his report Holden shows that the value of the global mobile games market is expected to rise from USD $5.4 billion this year to more than USD $10 billion in 2013.

    However, he says the volume of paid mobile game downloads has stagnated across North America and Western Europe.

    This is despite the positive response from mobile games publishers and developers to Apple’s iPhone.

    Developers and gamers have reacted strongly to the possibilities handsets such as Apple’s offer for sophisticated games that were previously only possible on consoles.

    Holden believes growth is being hindered by a combination of limited on-portal revenue share for publishers, causing some to leave the market, and poor marketing of games.

    The report author said that the revenue share offered by Apple to games publishers is incredibly attractive.

    “The danger is that if operators do not respond with a similar business model, publishers faced with low margins may simply exit Java completely, thereby reducing consumer choice in the longer term,” he said.

    The report also found that ad-funded downloads have become increasingly popular, but that revenues generated from that model are not likely to provide developers and operators with a sufficient primary revenue stream.

  • Sony Ericsson Among 14 Newbies To Open Handset Alliance


    It looks like 2009 could be an interesting year for Android following the announcement by the Open Handset Alliance that it has 14 new members.

    Topping the list of newcomers most likely to offer a handset to rival Google’s HTC-built G1 is Sony Ericsson.

    The list also includes ASUS and navigation systems manufacturer Garmin.

    ASUS has already announced its intention to build a Google smartphone and there has been much speculation about Garmin’s efforts to produce a phone.

    Sony Ericsson has so far used the Windows Mobile – most notably for its recent Xperia handset – and Symbian platforms.

    Now it is promising "consumer focused multimedia handsets" that draw on the successes of the Walkman and Cyber-shot sub-brands.

    Based on that its likely that Android-based Walkman and Cyber-shot handsets are in the offing.

    The Alliance said that new members will either deploy compatible Android devices, contribute significant code to the Android Open Source Project, or support the ecosystem through products and services that will accelerate the availability of
    Android-based devices.

    The full list of new members is: AKM Semiconductor Inc., ARM, ASUS, Atheros Communications, Borqs, Ericsson, Garmin, Huawei Technologies, Omron Software, Softbank Mobile Corporation, Sony Ericsson, Teleca AB, Toshiba and Vodafone.

  • TeliaSonera Launches Unlimited Mobile Music Service


    TeliaSonera is to launch an "all you can eat" mobile music download service.

    The Swedish operator becomes the latest mobile player to offer subscribers unlimited access to "millions of songs" from all the major record labels plus several independent labels.

    The operator said that Telia Musik can be downloaded to either a mobile or a PC.

    Telia in Sweden will be the first mobile operator to launch the service, which will be free for the first three months and cost SEK99 (USD $12.2) per month thereafter.

    However, TeliaSonera said the service will eventually be offered to more than 13.3 million mobile customers across six of its markets, including Norway, Finland, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania.

    In Sweden, Telia Musik will compete with Sony Ericsson’s new unlimited music download service, PlayNow Plus.

    It is being offered by rival mobile operator, Telenor Sweden, and also costs SEK99 per month.

    The service could also compete with Nokia’s high-profile Comes With Music product, which is being offered in the UK by mobile operator 3 UK and is expected to launch in further markets soon.

  • Vodafone To Buy Swedish LBS Firm


    UK-based Vodafone is to acquire Swedish firm Wayfinder for USD $29.4 million.

    The move is being seen as a bid by Vodafone to boost its location-based services (LBS) offering and drive mobile data growth.

    Wayfinder’s services are available in 19 languages to a global user base of more than 2 million.

    Its software enables mobile phones to display user-friendly maps as well as deliver voice directions to drivers in the same way as dedicated navigation devices.

    Vodafone has said that Wayfinder’s board is recommending the bid and Wayfinder shareholders, controlling 45 per cent of shares, have agreed to accept the offer.

    The acquisition is the latest in Vodafone’s acquisition strategy in new mobile Internet services.

    In May it purchased European social networking company ZYB for €31.5 million.

    Vodafone’s latest deal will be seen as its response to Nokia’s moves into the navigation and LBS space.

    The wireless and location industries have seen a fair degree of activity recently, with TomTom and Nokia acquiring digital map providers.

  • USB Device Plays HD Content On PC


    DiBcom has launched an HD-ready digital terrestrial decoder in a USB key device that gives viewers free high-def content on their PCs.

    The French mobile TV hardware maker claims the device is a world first – other manufacturers are already offering USB devices that receive over-the-air HD broadcasts although not in such a small package.

    DiBcom has partnered with broadcaster CANAL+ to offer French viewers its 18 free channels and premium CANAL+ HD channel.

    With a double receiver, the CANAL+ KEY also makes it possible for a connected PC to be used as a PVR.

  • Netflix Beats Blu-ray Target – Hopes High For 2009


    Netflix has reached its target of 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers ahead of schedule.

    The retailer’s chief financial officer Barry McCarthy said subscribers had added the option of paying an extra USD $1 to receive Blu-ray Disc titles at a quicker rate than Netflix forecast in October.

    While prices of Blu-ray players have dropped sharply recently, the same has not been true of disc prices. This may have benefitted Netflix’s HD rental service as new Blu-ray player owners look to rent moviest rather than buy them.

    Netflix expects the Blu-ray service to help boost total subscribers to about 9 million by the end of the year.

    To continue its high-def push, Netflix will promote Blu-ray inside its mailing envelopes next year.

    As well as providing the Blu-ray option, the company has boosted subscribers by offering its listing of over 12,000 video-streaming titles available for TV viewing through TiVo digital video recorders.

    Last week, Netflix also began offering an HD download service on two Samsung Blu-ray players.

  • Japan Grasps Blu-ray – US Starts To Get Taste


    Blu-ray players bucked generally weak Black Friday sales in the US – helped considerably by average prices dropping to USD $200, according to DisplaySearch.

    Stripping out sales of Sony’s PlayStation 3, the researchers report that US Blu-ray Disc player revenue "more than tripled from a year earlier" during the week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday .

    Over USD $30 million was generated on sales of 147,000 Blu-ray decks.

    With Sony and Samsung leading the charge by dropping the price of their entry-level machines to below USD $200, overall costs averaged half the $400 price tag of a year ago.

    Coupled with the strong BD player sales, retailers have been reporting sales of HDTVs have been similarly buoyant despite the economic difficulties.

    If the US – finally – appears to be on the cusp of grasping Blu-ray, take a look at the Japanese market.

    BD recorders now account for half of all DVD recorders in the country – up from just 10 per cent last October.

    Even if this phenomenal rise is down to price drops it must still make for cheery year-end reading for the Blu-ray Disc Association.

    Now maybe it can turn its attention to the price of Blu-ray Disc prices.

    While the release of The Dark Knight is expected to boost the high-def format’s disc sales, the general perception is that the movie studios need to cut prices to ensure Blu-ray really does take off.

  • Nokia Remains Dominant As Smartphone Market Slows


    Growth in the global smartphone market dipped to 11.5 per cent in the third quarter year-on-year, the slowest rate of growth since it started tracking smartphone sales, according to research firm Gartner.

    Some 36.5 million smartphones were sold globally in the July-September quarter.

    Despite all vendors seeking a larger slice of the smartphone market, the growth rate is expected to continue slowing.

    Gartner also painted a fairly gloomy picture for the handset market generally, something announcements by the likes of Nokia and RIM over the past few days have done nothing to dispel.

    Not surprisingly, it blamed the current economic climate for "negatively impacting" on sales of high-end devices.

    Nokia maintained its No.1 position with 42.4 per cent market share in the third quarter of 2008, but for the first time it recorded a decline in sales of 3 per cent year-on-year.
    Gartner attributed the drop to increased competition in the consumer smartphone market.

    Sales of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry smartphones increased 81.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2008.

    Apple regained its No.3 position in the global smartphone market and improved its market share to 12.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2008.

  • Acer Smartphone Gets Launch Date


    The first Acer-branded smartphone is to go on sale in the first quarter of 2009.

    While no details have been released – handset info or precise regions where it will be sold – it does at least firm up what have until now been largely speculative reports.

    The first Acer-branded handsets are expected to launch in first-quarter 2009 initially in Western Europe and Russia, with other markets to follow later.

    The company appears optimistic about the smartphone market, which it signalled its intent to enter with the purchase of Taiwan smartphone maker E-Ten Information Systems earlier this year.

    While Acer is confident the smartphone segment will be a major growth driver for the company over the next 3-5 years, it is equally bullish in other areas.

    With news of its smartphone activity came an similarly optimistic forecast from Acer about its growth opportunities for 2009.

    The company expects its notebook shipments to increase 15-20 per cent in 2009 and overall sales to grow 25-30 per cent year-on-year.

  • Second Android Smartphone Arrives


    Australia-based Kogan Technologies has announced it is to begin selling two Android handsets from next month.

    The Agora and Agora Pro models will be the second phones to be launched – after T-Mobile’s G1 – with the open-source operating system.

    Similar in appearance to classic BlackBerry smartphones, the Agora’s will come with 3G connectivity, a 2.5-inch LCD, a 320×240-pixel touchscreen, a five-way central navigation key, a microSD slot, a QWERTY keyboard with backlighting, and Bluetooth 2.0.

    Functions include Google Search, Gmail, the YouTube video player, Google Maps, Google Talk, and Google Calendar, as well as support for a variety of video, audio and mail-attachment formats.

    The Pro version, which also has a two-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, and GPS, will work on networks around the world.

    Due for release on 29 January, both models can be preordered from Kogan’s web site. The standard Agora is priced at about USD $194, while the Pro version will cost about USD $399.

    Although with similar specs to the G1 and very reasonably priced, it remains to be seen whether consumers will put their faith in a little known brand.

    What is certain is that if Kogan can bring what appears to be a well put together Android handset to the market, others will be able to do so too.

    Hopefully that means 2009 will see more new Android smartphones coming online.