Independent app store GetJar has introduced a new scheme called GetJar Gold.

It enables users to download premium applications they’d have to pay up to $10 for on other app stores. Unlike other promotional offers, new premium apps are added to GetJar Gold every day and remain on the store.

GetJar, which describes itself as the world's largest free app store, has just reached 2 billion downloads.

The company, which was founded in 2004, currently offers more than 150,000 applications across a variety of mobile platforms including Android, BlackBerry, Java and Symbian.

Mark Bridge writes:

Much like the mainstream media, this week's news summary begins with 'voicemail hacking'. In our podcast feature on Friday we spoke to industry crime-fighter Jack Wraith about the security of voice messages. He explained how remote voicemail access was now much more secure than it was ten years ago, which is good news for everyone (except dodgy investigators).

Apple's lawyers have sent independent application store GetJar a 'cease and desist' notice that asks GetJar to stop using the term "app store". There's currently a similar legal challenge between Amazon and Apple.

GetJar Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Mork has responded with a blog post that said he's surprised and disappointed with Apple's C&D notice.

Mark Bridge writes:

The Apple App Store runs in a similar way to many high-street shops. It decides what it'll sell. It decides what it won't sell. It has special offers. It has free gifts. It promotes certain products above others.

It’s heading towards that special time of the year when people prepare for a frantic few days of excitement, they get ready to exchange cards and they hope to glimpse a brand new star.

Yes, Christmas is over and everyone’s thinking about Mobile World Congress.

Mark Bridge writes:

Advertising is already personal. Browse online for certain products and services – perhaps a new camera, a car hire deal or a pair of jeans – and you’ll see the same items advertised when you visit other web sites.

Marketing technology company Pontis, based in the high-tech industrial zone of Ra'anana in central Israel, has a much more focussed perspective. It talks about a segment-of-one marketing approach… and it’s just started working with O2 in the UK.

Mark Bridge writes:

I’ve recently been talking to Theo Neumann from Wolverhampton City Radio about the top ten gadgets that are likely to hit the headlines in 2013. The most desirable, most likely to be talked about, most exciting… that kind of thing. Although my top 10 list isn’t entirely mobile-related, I thought it was worth sharing here.

Dave Katz writes:

It has been reported recently that consumer spend via mobile is on the increase this Christmas. Further confirmation has come from research indicating that 20% of the expected £4.6bn of total online shopping will be carried out using smartphones and tablets.

If consumers want to browse, research and purchase via mobile, then is it not something of a surprise that only 7% of adspend in the UK currently goes on mobile?

Mark Bridge writes:

Predicting the future is easy. Making accurate predictions is more of a challenge. In our final podcast of 2012 we've provided a forecast for the mobile telecoms industry in 2013 - and we've also looked back at last year's expectations.

So... what do the three of us at TheFonecast.com expect from mobile phones and wireless technology next year?

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.