Mark Bridge writes:

It’s the week before Christmas, which can only mean one thing for the mobile industry: plenty of research news. Yes, when there isn’t anything new to talk about, a survey or forecast is the perfect way to fill the silence.

Mind you, things haven’t been entirely quiet when it comes to mobile products and services.

There’s a new mapping application available for the iPhone… and it’s been created by one of Apple’s biggest competitors.

Following the introduction of Apple’s own Maps app in September - and Apple CEO Tim Cook’s apology for the quality of the map application - Google Maps has been released into the Apple App Store.

Retailers can only fully understand mobile shoppers when they know what device is being used, according to a report from affiliate marketing specialists Tradedoubler.

The company’s new Mobile Devices & Behaviour study, which contacted more than 2,000 smartphone users in Germany, Sweden, France and the UK, discovered that mobile shopping behaviour can closely be linked with the consumer’s chosen device and operating system.

New research conducted by TNS on behalf of Orange in the UK, France and Spain, has revealed the different ways that teenagers and adults use mobile media. Orange Exposure 2012/2013 - the latest in a series of annual reports that started almost five years ago - compares smartphone and tablet usage side-by-side.

The report found that 83% of teenagers in the UK had a smartphone, while BlackBerry penetration amongst teenagers in the UK was twice as high as the overall mobile media user population.

Musician will.i.am, best known for his work with the Black Eyed Peas, has revealed a new iPhone accessory that’ll go on sale in Selfridges London from 6th December.

The i.am+™ foto.sosho™ fits on an iPhone 4 or 4S and offers a choice of different lenses. As well as making the iPhone appear more like a conventional camera, it also offers control of the camera features, photo editing and photo sharing via social networks.