Report: Apple Orders CDMA iPhones, Maybe for Verizon
March 30, 2010
Apple is working to develop a CDMA version of the iPhone that could be marketed by Verizon Wireless, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Apple is working with Pegatron Technology to develop a CDMA version of the iPhone that could be mass produced by September. A second version of the iPhone is also under development by Hon Hai.
As the Journal noted, that Apple is working on another iPhone is not really a secret; the company has refreshed its iPhone lineup every June or July. Reports of a Verizon-branded iPhone surfaced in 2009, when a report by USA Today came up with a similar conclusion. The paper also reported that the two sides had talked in 2005 about a similar partnership.
The paper did not reveal any other features of either phone.
At the time, however, neither Apple nor Verizon seemed warm to the concept of a CDMA phone; instead, both companies seemed to indicate that any Verizon phone would use Verizon’s upcoming LTE network.
“There has been lots of incorrect speculation on CDMA iPhones for a long time. We haven’t seen one yet and only Apple knows when that might occur,” said an AT&T spokesman, according to the Journal.
Apple iPhone users have been notoriously dissatisfied with AT&T’s network coverage, enough that AT&T committed to spending an additional $2 billion this year to improve its network coverage, even as the iPhone swelled its subscriber ranks Apple took note, even as Apple recently said it would sell an iPhone without the need for a contract. That phone is still locked to AT&T’s network, however.
SOURCE: Yahoo
New Apple iPhone Could Hurt AT&T’s Growth
March 30, 2010
Apple Inc. plans to bring out a new iPhone this year that can be sold by U.S. mobile carriers other than AT&T. Currently, AT&T is the leading mobile phone carrier in the U.S. It’s success in the American market has been largely due to the huge sales of the iPhone. In that sense, both Apple and iPhone have been a crucial factor for AT&T.
AT&T has over 43% of all U.S. smart-phone customers, compared with 23% for Verizon, it’s rival and the second most popular mobile carrier in the U.S. Smart-phone customers pay more for their data plans, and are hence more attractive. In the fourth quarter of 2009, AT&T has activated around 3.1 million new iPhones. AT&T uses the GSM technology for iPhone.
It has now being reported that Apple is working on a new iPhone that can work in a new wireless networking technology called CDMA. When this new phone gets released, carriers like Verizon, Sprint and other mobile operators in countries including South Korea and Japan can work with Apple to sell it. AT&T’s exclusive deal with Apple might come to an end.
The partnership with Verizon may help Apple double its sales figures, says an expert. The iPhone sales rose by a massive 83 percent in 2009 to 25.1 million. At this point of time, Apple might want to further diversify its products for distribution to new carriers. “There has been lots of incorrect speculation on CDMA iPhones for a long time. We haven’t seen one yet and only Apple knows when that might occur,” said an AT&T spokesman. Apple declined to comment.
SOURCE: GlobalThoughtz
High-End Phones Highlight CTIA
March 26, 2010
If Mobile World Congress was dominated by the discuss of new mobile platforms, what stood out at CTIA were some high-end new mobile phones that take the operating systems and the new chips to create some very interesting new devices.
Getting the most attention was the HTC Evo, the first “4G” phone, meaning that it runs on Sprint’s Wimax network as well as its older 3G EVDO Rev. A network. Sprint and Clear, which actually runs the 4G network, made a big push for this phone at the show, and it certainly got a lot of attention. It runs Google’s Android 2.1 operating system but with HTC’s “Sense” user interface overlay, which gives it features like the ability to pinch and see all of your home screens together very easily. Read more
Wi-Fi smartphones to dominate
March 24, 2010
LAS VEGAS – In the next few years it will be difficult to buy a new smartphone that does not have built-in Wi-Fi for speedy Net access, according to a report that ABI Research and the Wi-Fi Alliance published Tuesday.
Today, about half the smartphones sold have Wi-Fi. By 2014, the forecast goes, about 90 percent of smartphones will offer access to Wi-Fi. Read more
Palm’s survival questioned
March 19, 2010
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Shares of mobile phone maker Palm tumbled on Friday on questions over its ability to survive in a tough market dominated by Apple, Google and Research in Motion.
Its shares fell 19 percent in early Nasdaq trading to their lowest level in more than a year after the company warned on Thursday that revenue for the current quarter would be far below Wall Street’s expectations, amid tepid demand for its smartphones.
In the third quarter, the maker of the Pre and Pixi shipped 960,000 units to carriers, but shoppers only purchased 408,000. It sees fourth-quarter revenue of less than $150 million, one-half of the $306 million expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Read more
HTC to ‘fully defend’ itself against Apple patent suit
March 18, 2010
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Taiwan cellphone maker HTC, accused by Apple of infringing on iPhone patents, said Thursday it will “fully defend” itself against the charges.
“HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself,” HTC chief executive Peter Chou said in a statement.
“HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done,” Chou said. Read more
Google Denied Nexus One Trademark
March 18, 2010
Google may have to find another name for its flagship Android device, the Nexus One. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has reportedly rejected Google’s application for the name Nexus One.
The USPTO said in a filing that an Oregon company, Integra Telecom, owns the “Nexus” trademark and Google’s smartphone might lead to confusion. A Google spokeswoman was not available for comment by press time but told Market Watch that the company will stand by the name.
Timing for the rejection was less than ideal. In the past 48 hours, both Sprint and AT&T announced availability of the Nexus One, which means the device is now available on every major carrier in the United States, as well as with Rogers in Canada.
SOURCE: Wireless Week
ONCE AN ALLY, VERIZON IS GOOGLE’S NEWEST ENEMY…
March 15, 2010
While Google’s spat with the Chinese government over censorship devolves into an all-out war, the Internet giant is getting into hot water with a company that was seen as an ally: Verizon Communications.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Verizon has been the main company pressing the Federal Trade Commission to investigate, with an eye toward blocking, Google’s $750 million acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob. Read more
Microsoft to sell phones on Verizon by summer: source
March 9, 2010
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp is aiming to launch two phones that will be sold by top U.S. mobile operator Verizon Wireless in late spring or early summer, a person briefed on the matter said on Thursday.
The phones would be targeted at heavy users of social network sites, according to the person who asked not to be identified as the devices have not yet been announced.
The phones are being developed by Microsoft under the code name Project Pink, the person said. Representatives for Microsoft and Verizon Wireless declined comment. Read more
Sony Developing PlayStation Phone
March 5, 2010
Today the Wall Street Journal reports that Sony is going to develop “a smartphone capable of downloading and playing PlayStation games” in order to combat Apple’s growing hold on the mobile gaming market. The smartphone (along with a second multimedia device alo in development) will be able to connect with Sony’s online gaming and media platform, which will go live in the U.S. later this month. The Sony Online Service will offer much of the same content being offered by Apple’s iTunes Music Store, but Sony believes that it can differentiate by permitting a range of devices (not just phones) to access its catalog of games. Sony says the games will mostly include older games that are compatible with the original PlayStation. Sony is working more actively with Sony Ericsson to develop the handset, which is expected to launch later this year. Sony has indicated that smartphones are going to play a much more strategic role in the company’s future. Details about the smartphone, such as price and features, weren’t shared.
SOURCE: Phone Scoop
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