Q3 2012: Android Marks Fourth Anniversary Since Launch with 75.0% Market Share in Third Quarter, According to IDC .

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Please click on the charts to enlarge the view.

Android Marks Fourth Anniversary Since Launch with 75.0% Market Share in Third Quarter, According to IDC

01 Nov 2012

 The Android smartphone operating system was found on three out of every four smartphones shipped during the third quarter of 2012 (3Q12). According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, total Android smartphone shipments worldwide reached 136.0 million units, accounting for 75.0% of the 181.1 million smartphones shipped in 3Q12. The 91.5% year-over-year growth was nearly double the overall market growth rate of 46.4%.

"Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008," said Ramon Llamas, research manager, Mobile Phones at IDC. "In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition. In addition, the combination of smartphone vendors, mobile operators, and end-users who have embraced Android has driven shipment volumes higher. Even today, more vendors are introducing their first Android-powered smartphones to market."

"The share decline of smartphone operating systems not named iOS since Android's introduction isn't a coincidence," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "The smartphone operating system isn't an isolated product, it's a crucial part of a larger technology ecosystem. Google has a thriving, multi-faceted product portfolio. Many of its competitors, with weaker tie-ins to the mobile OS, do not. This factor and others have led to loss of share for competitors with few exceptions."

Mobile Operating System Highlights.

Android, having topped the 100 million unit mark last quarter, reached a new record level in a single quarter. By comparison, Android's total volumes for the quarter were greater than the total number of smartphones shipped in 2007, the year that Android was officially announced. Samsung once again led all vendors in this space, but saw its market share decline as numerous smaller vendors increased their production.

iOS was a distant second place to Android, but was the only other mobile operating system to amass double-digit market share for the quarter. The late quarter launch of the iPhone 5 and lower prices on older models prevented total shipment volumes from slipping to 3Q11 levels. But without a splashy new OS-driven feature like Siri in 2011 and FaceTime in 2010, the iPhone 5 relied on its larger, but not wider, screen and LTE connectivity to drive growth.

BlackBerry's market share continued to sink, falling to just over 4% by the end of the quarter. With the launch of BlackBerry 10 yet to come in 2013, BlackBerry will continue to rely on its aging BlackBerry 7 platform, and equally aging device line-up. Still, demand for BlackBerry and its wildly popular BBM service is strong within multiple key markets worldwide, and the number of subscribers continues to increase.

Symbian posted the largest year-on-year decline of the leading operating systems. Nokia remains the largest vendor still supporting Symbian, along with Japanese vendors Fujitsu, Sharp, and Sony. Each of these vendors is in the midst of transitioning to other operating systems and IDC believes that they will cease shipping Symbian-powered smartphones in 2013. At the same time, the installed base of Symbian users will continue well after the last Symbian smartphone ships.

Windows Phone marked its second anniversary with a total of just 3.6 million units shipped worldwide, fewer than the total number of Symbian units shipped. Even with the backing of multiple smartphone market leaders, Windows Phone has yet to make a significant dent into Android's and iOS's collective market share. That could change in 4Q12, when multiple Windows Phone 8 smartphones will reach the market.

Linux volume declined for the third straight quarter as did its year-over-year growth. Samsung accounted for the majority of shipments once again, but like most other vendors competing with Linux-powered smartphones, most of its attention went towards Android instead. Still, that has not deterred other vendors from experimenting, or at least considering the open-source operating system, as multiple reports of Firefox, Sailfish, and Tizen plan to release new Linux-based experiences in the future.

Google Search App for iOS and Android, enhanced. Video.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Google Search App for iOS and Android, enhanced. Video.

The application looks accurate and responsive. 

In the latest version of the Google Search App for iOS and Android, not only can you say your question out loud, but your search app can speak your answer right back to you. And, using Google's Knowledge Graph, your search app gives you smarter answers loud and clear.

Learn more: http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/voicesearch/

SONY Music Unlimited version 1.2 improved for iOS devices. Free for download.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

SONY Music Unlimited version 1.2 improved for iOS devices. Free for download.

The SONY Music Unlimited app for iPad, iPhone and iTouch has been improved with some new features.

Premium subscribers to Sony’s music streaming service can download Music Unlimited for free from the iTunes App Store

My Channels feature that lets you create channels inspired by your favorite artists.

The update allows users to create and edit playlists directly on their mobile device.

Description:

Millions of songs and ad free channels across multiple devices.

Stream music to your iPhone and iPod Touch via the Music Unlimited iPhone App with a Premium subscription and an Internet or mobile data connection.[1]

Choose any album or song from our massive catalog, or sit back and enjoy the Music Unlimited service’s wide range of Channels, which adapt to your taste and mood with no annoying ads and no song skip limits.

Music Unlimited Features:
・Stream as much as you want. Any song, any album
・Listen to your music from a range of devices
・Create customized channels built around your favorite artists
・New releases weekly
・Discover your next favorite song with Music Unlimited recommendations
・Unlimited skips and no ads!

[1] Requires 3G, 4G/LTE, or Wifi connection.

• Free
• Category: Music
• Updated: 24 October 2012
• Version: 1.2
• Size: 2.6 MB
• Languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
• Seller: Sony Network Entertainment International LLC
• ©2012 Sony Network Entertainment International LLC

Rated 12+ for the following:

• Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes
• Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humour
• Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug Use or References to these

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Download Link : iTunes

Games: Bubblis, words and puzzles in 44 languages for Android and iOS.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Games: Bubblis, words and puzzles in 44 languages for Android and iOS.

The objective is to construct the words Bubblies proposed from its interface with letters bubbles falling from the top of the screen. Each screen starts with the proposal of a word that the player must complete horizontally. 

As the player is placing letters are new words to fill in lines above. The characters Bloob Bleeb and also part of the game. Bleeb is an ally at first light circles indicates where to place the letters. It also provides wings to slow the decline of letters and more time to complete the items. Furthermore, the evil Bloob impedes the progress of the game by bubbles filled with: fog, smoke, ink, bombs, mines or resonance. These obstacles are overcome by their own specific functions some consoles but are new to mobile gaming. For example, to remove the smoke screen needed physically blow into the microphone of the device.

 Each screen has a different background design. These have worked individually by artisans with devices that simulate the drawing on paper, and their creators is like a little piece of art. Each fund represents a place in the world, easily identifiable. There are 15 designs in total, each with animations, music aesthetics and characteristics of the country or region they represent. Has beginner, advanced and expert, and each of them has 15 screens that can last between 5 and 45 minutes. 

The game is available in 44 languages ​​distributed in 154 countries around the world. The language can be changed at any time by accessing the setup menu of the game. The languages ​​in which it is available, sorted by the potential of language. Bubblis is available for iOS and Android to USD 1.99.

Diario El Comercio

Google acquired top iOS based photo app Snapseed, challenging Facebook`s Instagram

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Google Inc  has acquired a top iOS based photo app, Snapseed, in a bid to challenge Facebook Inc ’s Instagram, as Google+ subscriber base and monthly active users soar. According to recent reports, , the search engine giant has decided to enhance its social platform, Google+’s, competitive edge as it tries to challenge Facebook’s dominance in the social networking business, by acquiring the top iOS photo app.

According to reliable sources Snapseed deem as the the best app ever built by the German Software company. It is noted that the $4.99 app won Apple’s coveted iPad App Of The Year award in 2011, for its inventive multitouch photo editing interface, and gained over nine million users during its first year on sale. 

This week we also hit an important milestone–over 400,000,000 people have upgraded to Google+. It was only a year ago that we opened public sign-up, and we couldn’t have imagined that so many people would join in just 12 months. While Google+ is all about creating a better experience across Google, it’s also a destination. And here too, I’m happy to report that we have just crossed 100,000,000 monthly active users on Google+ (plus.google.com and mobile app).

http://www.snapseed.com/

London 2012: Telefonica launches Olympics app for Androids, iOS and Blackberry devices.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

London 2012: Telefonica launches Olympics app for Androids, iOS and Blackberry devices.

Taking advantage of the rise of social networks and how easy and quick it is to share information about sports in the media, comes the official implementation of the 2012 London Olympics.

The application is intended for all fans of different sports, looking for instant updates and information results in all competitions of the Olympics.

In this app, you will see the latest results, news and of course, times of each activity.Never miss a single moment of this event!, Which began on July 25 and ending on 12 August.

Features of the app:

Covers all events of the 36 Olympic sports and 21 Paralympic sports.

LIVE: The results are updated in real time and have the option to share them with friends.

You can see live: news, photos and social commentary about the Games.

It has a calendar with the dates of all the competitions of the Olympic Games and allows you to create a favorites list or individual communications.

You can review the Olympic Medal, consulting by country, individual and sport mode the total number of Olympic medals to be delivered in the Games.

Plus you'll find out the profiles (data, conditions, experience) of all athletes participating in the Games in 2012.

The only "but" of the application is only available in English, but do not worry, because it is very educational and certainly not cost you understand and use work perfectly.

Download it now and turn your Olympic spirit to support  your country athletes!

DOWNLOAD LINKS:

For iOS devices LINK

For Android devices LINK

For Blackberry devices LINK

Check out the app Video, London 2012:

Olympics 2012: NBC launches 2 apps to watch with your iOS and Android devices.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Olympics 2012: NBC launches 2 apps to watch with your iOS and Android devices.

NBC launched two mobile apps that will let people watch Olympics events as they happen, look up athlete profiles and access other extra content on their iPads, iPhones and certain Android devices.

NBC said that most of the content will be available only to pay-TV subscribers who have MSBC and CNBC as part of their service. The apps — NBC Olympics and NBC Olympics Live — are free to download starting Thursday.

The apps were created by Adobe Systems Inc. Adobe said NBC will receive analysis about how people interact with the content and ads on the apps. Users will be able to set reminders for their favorite events, record, pause or watch clips later, and switch between camera views while they watch, said Jeremy Helfand, vice president of monetization at Adobe.

Until now, he added, online content for the Olympics has been "limited." A big reason for that is NBC has been worried that showing the games online could hurt its TV audience. Under its new Comcast Corp. ownership, NBC executives now think that the extra coverage will increase interest in the games.

NBC said this the first time that all the Olympic events, more than 3,500 hours of coverage, will be available on smartphone and tablet computers. The 2012 Olympics will begin on July 27 with the official opening ceremony in London. In addition to the apps, NBC is also streaming events online.

Despite the popularity of the games NBC has said that it does not expect to turn a profit on them, given the high cost of doing business in London.

China: Apple will start selling the New iPad in July 20.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

China: Apple will start selling the New iPad  in July 20.

Apple will start selling the newest version of the iPad in China on July 20 after paying $60 million to settle a dispute over the ownership of the tablet computer's name.

Apple Inc. says it will begin selling its latest iPad starting at $499 and will cut the price of the older iPad 2 to $399.

The tablet computers will be sold online, at Apple stores, and through approved resellers.

Apple often brings products to China later than in other countries. The iPad model coming to China this month went on sale in the U.S. and several other countries in March. It features a sharper screen and a faster processing chip than the previous two iPad models.

Apple still dominates the emerging market for tablet computers, though Google and Microsoft are both coming out with competing devices.

The name dispute had threatened iPad sales in China, Apple's second-largest market after the United States and the source of much of its growth.

Apple, which is headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., said it bought the global rights to the iPad name from Shenzhen Proview Technology in 2009, but Chinese authorities said the rights in China were never transferred. A Chinese court ruled in December that Proview still owned the name in China and the company asked Chinese authorities to seize iPads.

To settle the dispute, Apple paid Proview $60 million to gain the rights to the iPad name. The company won approval from Chinese regulators for the device in May.

AP.

Google Chrome is now available for iPad and iPhone.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Google Chrome is now available for iPad and iPhone.

At Google's annual I/O developer conference in San Francisco on Thursday, company executives announced the development as well as a limited launch of a cloud-computing and hosting service to take on Amazon.com's thriving Web services arm.

"No matter which device you're using, we are working really hard across all important software platforms," Google Senior Vice President Sundar Pichai said. "We want to make sure it's about the user."

Chrome has 310 million "active" users, Pichai said. Google's browser, along with Google Drive, the cloud storage service, will begin appearing in Apple's App Store for download later on Thursday, Google said.

Microsoft Office for iOS devices and Androids tablets may arrive in November.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Microsoft Office for iOS devices and Androids tablets may arrive in November.

According to BGR ,Microsoft is planning to release the company’s full Office suite for not only Apple’s iPad, but for Android tablets as well.

It is also plausible that Microsoft Office will be coming to the iPhone and iPod touch rather than only the iPad, as we’re told the loading screen in the app clearly said “Office for iOS” and not just iPad.

The company is targeting November of this year for both launches.

Related post:

Rumor: Microsoft Office coming to iPad in 2012.

WWDC2012: Apple may launch its new own in-house 3D Map app. To abandon Google Maps.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

A 3-D view of San Francisco from C3 Technologies

WWDC2012: Apple may launch its new  own in-house 3D Map app. To abandon Google Maps.

The WWDC 2012 conference will take place in San Francisco, in June 11-15, and of one the keynotes might be related to the new Apple`s own in-house 3D Map app.

Between 2009 and 2011, Apple acquired three mapping companies in quick succession: Placebase, in 2009; 3-D mapping outfit Poly9 in 2010; and in 2011, C3 Technologies, a second 3-D mapping company.

Apple has been hard at work developing its own in-house mapping solution for iOS, and now it’s finally ready to debut it.

Apple will abandon Google’s mapping back-end in the next major iteration of iOS, that might come up in the WWDC2012.

Source: allthingsd

Infinity Blade game for iOS now for $0,99 cents.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Infinity Blade game for iOS now for $0,99 cents.

Epic Games is dropping the price of its hit Apple iOS role-playing game Infinity Blade down to 99 cents.

 The sale is for a limited time.

Infinity Blade features a knight attempting to scale a giant castle -- dueling powerful enemies during his journey -- en route to a final showdown with the God King.

Players performs a series of swipes and other touch-based gestures to attack with swords, block with shields and dodge strikes. The real draw is collecting and upgrading the heaps of loot scattered across the environment. It's arguably one of the best (and best-looking) games on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Source: itunes

MWC 2012: NXP Software Demonstrates LifeVibes Smart Player Solutions for Today's Connected, Multi-Screen, Multi-Tasking World .

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

NXP Software Demonstrates LifeVibes Smart Player Solutions for Today's Connected, Multi-Screen, Multi-Tasking World.

NXP Software is demonstrating new smart player solutions for TV and Video on Demand (VOD) at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012. They provide seamless access to content from any device and enable exciting experiences like social TV. Visitors can try out a combined video player and social control panel that lets people watch and interact with friends at the same time. NXP Software is also showing its LifeVibes QuickPlayer, a proven solution for rapid deployment of secure, premium content services across most versions of iOS and Android.

The market for smart devices - from smartphones and tablets to internet-connected TVs - is growing rapidly. Some industry analysts expect a compounded annual growth rate of over 25% through to 2015 for smart mobile devices. At the same time, smart device platforms are becoming standardized with operating systems like Android supported on a wide range of devices.

"These trends mean consumers increasingly expect to have access to the same content across all their smart devices. Our LifeVibes solutions are designed to provide this sort of any content, on any device experience - and make it easy and enjoyable," says Peter van de Berg, Marketing Director, NXP Software.

On the NXP Software stand, visitors can see what this means in action. For instance, the LifeVibes social TV solution allows people to drag and drop between the player and the social control panel. So if people like what they are watching, they can simply drag it to the second screen to chat about it on Facebook or watch with friends.

The other product on show, LifeVibes QuickPlayer, is a powerful solution for service providers who want to bring TV and VOD services to a wide range of smart devices. It allows easy deployment of video services via an App on over 700 models of Android phone and tablet, as well as on iOS devices, and it enables content monetization through its application hardening solution.

These products are part of a range of LifeVibes smart player solutions that bring the latest entertainment experiences to smart devices. Others include LifeVibes CineXPlayer (selected for this year's Mobile Premier Awards), which combines cinema-style 3D video and surround sound in a single App.

About NXP Software

NXP Software is a world-wide leading software vendor for mobile multimedia. It specializes in innovative multimedia solutions and applications to help mobile device manufacturers and service providers deliver extraordinary media experiences.

End-user insights drive its designs, resulting in differentiating end-user experiences, while its unmatched audio and video expertise ensures better performance and customizable solutions.

NXP Software has established strong partnerships with key vendors to ensure optimum flexibility, ease-of-integration and interoperability between hardware and software platforms. Visit http://www.nxpsoftware.com for more information.

SOURCE NXP Software 

USA: Nielsen: Oct-Dec 2011: Smartphone OS share. Chart. Android,iOS,BB.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

The launch of the new iPhone 4S in October had an “enormous” effect on the proportion of US smartphone owners who opted for the Apple device, according to new figures from Nielsen.

This trend has allowed Apple to claw back some US smartphone market share from its Android-based rivals.

Among recent purchasers – defined as those who have bought a new device within the last three months - 44.5 percent of those surveyed in December said they chose an iPhone, compared to just 25.1 percent in October. Furthermore, 57 percent of new iPhone owners surveyed in December said they opted to buy the new iPhone 4S.

Apple claims it sold 4 million iPhone 4S units in the first weekend of sales.

Android continues to hold the overall lead in the US market, with 46.9 percent of all smartphone owners surveyed in Q4 2011 reporting they have an Android-based device, ahead of Apple (44.5 percent) and RIM (4.5 percent).

According to Nielsen, smartphone users now account for 46 percent of all US mobile consumers – a proportion that is growing quickly. The firm noted that 60 percent of those who acquired a new device within the last three months chose a smartphone over a feature phone.