Tony Blinard of Keys2iPhone.com writes:

Not too long ago, iPhone enthusiasts rallied the White House with an online petition to legalize out-of-contract iPhone unlocking. The Obama administration cast its support that generated only a lukewarm response from the industry. Not surprising: the top three U.S. wireless carriers - Verizon, AT&T and Sprint - have relied on contracts to sell cell phones for over a decade. With Apple's introduction of iPhone - the most expensive smartphone in history - the carriers could then generate lucrative profit margins on each and every phone sold under contract. And to make sure the customers wouldn't 'jump ship', the carriers locked in all subsidized iPhones.

Samsung Electronics has announced the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, a smaller and lower-spec version of its multi-million selling S4 smartphone.

The Galaxy S4 mini has a 4.3-inch display and runs Android v4.2.2 on a 1.7GHz dual-core processor.

Motorola Mobility CEO Dennis Woodside has announced that the company’s forthcoming flagship smartphone - the Moto X - will be assembled in the USA, although components will be sourced worldwide.

The new device is being described as the first smartphone that’s ever been assembled in the United States.

The GSMA, a trade organisation that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, has published a new report that shows Europe lagging behind the USA when it comes to deploying next-generation mobile technologies and advanced services.

Five years ago, the European mobile market was matching or outperforming the market in the United States, according to the GSMA. However, US customers now consume five times more voice minutes and nearly twice as much data as those in the EU.