A new study from ABI Research says the world’s smartphone customers will download about 36 billion apps in 2012, which means the average smartphone user will download almost 37 applications this year. It’s almost 6% up on the 35 apps that an average smartphone subscriber was thought to have downloaded in 2011.

However, the long-term trend is heading in the opposite direction.

Tep Wireless, which rents 3G personal WiFi hotspots and smartphones, has pointed out that “wireless access points and 3G hubs” are banned from venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The London 2012 rules also say that smartphones are permitted inside venues but must not be used as wireless access points to connect multiple devices.

Telefonica has reported net profit of 1,327 million Euro (£1,041 million) for the second quarter of its financial year. That’s an increase from the previous quarter but over 13% down on the same quarter in 2011.

The company has temporarily suspended its dividend payment for 2012 and has cut its directors’ pay by 20%.

LG Electronics has reported a 46% year-on-year increase in net profit to KRW 159 billion, attributing the rise to a combination of more premium products, a strategic focus on developing markets and aggressive cost reductions.

Revenue was up from the previous quarter but down 10.6% year-on-year to KRW 12.86 trillion.

A new forecast from ABI Research says the global volume of mobile data traffic will exceed 107 exabytes in 2017, eight times more than the anticipated total for 2012.

However, it points out that this doesn’t mean a ‘data tsunami’ is on the way.