California’s Attorney General has announced an agreement that commits Amazon, Apple, Google, HP, Microsoft and Research In Motion to improving privacy protection for consumers who use internet-connected applications on their smartphones.

The six companies have agreed to ensure the apps available on their platforms have a formal privacy policy.

­A year after launching a dual-core smartphone, LG has announced plans to reveal the quad-core LG Optimus 4X HD at Mobile World Congress.

LG’s Optimus 4X HD is 8.9mm deep and has a 4.7-inch 1280x720 pixel display. It’ll run Android v4.0.

Everything Everywhere, which runs the Orange and T-Mobile networks in the UK, has announced its plans for introducing 4G LTE coverage to the UK.

It’s currently upgraded over half its UK network to HSPA+, the ‘3.5G’ service that provides up to 50% faster data speeds than standard 3G connections.

In the last few days we’ve had mobile payment news from Barclays and the Payments Council. Today comes the launch of a product from BOKU that involves a MasterCard debit card and a mobile phone.

BOKU is best known for its work with online merchants and mobile operators, enabling customers to make purchases that are charged to their mobile phone account. It’s now launching a new global mobile payments system that allows shoppers to use their mobile phone as a wallet.

Mobile web technology business Wapple has overcome several complaints from Apple in a trademark case. Wapple, whose company name is a pun on Wireless Application Protocol, was founded in 2004.

The company applied to trademark its name in 2006 but was challenged by Apple, which claimed Wapple was taking advantage of Apple’s brand.