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Monday, November 5, 2012

Last week at The Fonecast: 5th November 2012

Expecting the expected

Mark Bridge writes:

Last week I referred to the previous week as having been ‘big news but no big surprises’ - and in many ways the past seven days have seen much of the same.

Google revealed new Nexus-branded Android devices and an update to the Android mobile operating system, all of which had been widely leaked beforehand. The new devices are expected on 13th November. Meanwhile Microsoft ‘unveiled’ Windows Phone 8, even though we’d already seen glimpses of it on smartphones from Nokia, HTC and Samsung.

RIM reassured the world that BlackBerry 10 was still on course for its launch early next year. Oh, and EE redecorated around 700 shops before turning on its 4GEE service for UK consumers.

Talking of retailing, there was concern in some quarters over news that O2’s franchise plans meant over 40% of O2 UK shops wouldn’t be owned by the Telefónica mobile network by mid-2013. And even more concern as electrical retailer Comet called in the administrators.

Sticking with worrying news, Japanese manufacturing giant Sharp feared for its future and security company Bit9 said 25% of Android apps in the Google Play store were suspicious or questionable.

Still, there was good news for Android with IDC calculating that 75% of new smartphones are running Google’s mobile OS - and good news for consumers as Virgin Media became the latest network to offer unlimited mobile data on ‘pay as you go’ tariffs.

But the biggest news for the week - at least in terms of traffic to TheFonecast.com web site - was the revelation that Motorola Mobility is sponsoring Justin Bieber’s ‘Believe’ pop tour. I wonder if a Bieberphone would outsell the iPhone 5?

Receive this reminder of the biggest mobile headlines by email every Monday morning. Simply register at TheFonecast.com by clicking the link at the top right-hand corner of our home page and we’ll send you our weekly news summary.
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Opinion Articles

Mobile optimised websites v native applications for mobile devices

James Rosewell writes:

51Degrees.mobi's figures show 10 per cent of web traffic in the UK originates from mobile devices. In India this figure rises to over 90 per cent. With global mobile internet usage expected to grow from 14 million at the end of 2010 to 788 million by the end of 2015, every business needs a strategy for mobile connectivity.

Author: The Fonecast
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Last week at The Fonecast: 5th December 2011

Mark Bridge writes:

Season of goodwill?  Not in the mobile phone industry.

Orange UK is putting its prices up next month. It says the 4.34% rise is less than inflation, so you might think customers would be pleased. You’d be wrong. Also unhappy are many people who’ve discovered Carrier IQ software embedded on their phones. Fortunately for the UK mobile industry, most of those people seem to be in the United States. And there was unhappiness in Egypt as Twitter’s acquisition of privacy and security company Whisper Systems saw Whisper’s mobile encryption applications taken (temporarily) offline.

Author: The Fonecast
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My phone isn't spying on me... and yours probably isn't, either

Mark Bridge writes:

“Mobile operators track who you call. In other news, banks know how much money is in your account and utility companies know where you live.”

At the end of a week in which so-called ‘spyware’ on mobile phones had been creating headlines, this tweet from Benedict Evans offered an alternative perspective.

Author: The Fonecast
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Farmers want QR cows, infrared sheep and mobile-controlled sheepdogs

Mark Bridge writes:

A brainstorming day run by T-Mobile UK with a dozen farmers, M&C Saatchi Mobile, the National Farmers Union and EBLEX (the organisation for the English beef and sheep industry) has resulted in some fascinating mobile-focussed solutions. The aim was to raise awareness of the benefits that smartphone technology can bring farmers and other small business owners.

Author: The Fonecast
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Mobile marketing in 2012: ten predictions for the year from 2ergo

John Barratt, product lead for 2ergo, predicts what lies ahead within the mobile marketing arena for retailers in 2012:

1. Mobile search marketing spend to increase significantly in 2012.

Author: The Fonecast
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Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

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A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

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Author: The Fonecast
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