73% of mobile phone users in the USA use their mobile phones to visit social networking sites at least once a day, according to a new survey from ABI Research.

Social networking was the second most-popular mobile activity after checking email, which was carried out by 80% of smartphone, feature phone or tablet users.

Mobile application developer Handmark says it'll turn its social apps business and mobile ad services group into a new company later this month.

The new company will assume ownership of the TweetCaster and FriendCaster social apps, which have seen more than three million downloads.

Google has announced the launch of a new service called Google+ ('Google Plus'). It's currently an invitation-only trial with "some rough edges", according to the company.

The Google+ project is seen by many as an alternative to Facebook, enabling users to create 'Circles' of friends.

Mobile operators must make the most of mobile social networking by offering innovative devices, tariffs and services. That's the message from Pyramid Research, which has just published a report called The Peril and Promise of Mobile Social Networks for Operators.

It says communications patterns and mobile devices are both being influenced by social networking.

Nokia has appointed Michael Halbherr, who's recently been running the product unit in Nokia's Services business, to the post of executive vice president. As well as being a member of the Nokia Leadership Team he'll now lead a new Nokia Location & Commerce business.

The Location & Commerce business will create new 'social location' products and services while continuing to serve customers of Nokia's NAVTEQ subsidiary.