Apple Picks Instagram As The “iPhone App Of The Year”

Apple released its iTunes Rewind 2011 and App Store Rewind 2011 today, the company’s annual lists detailing of the top selling apps, music, TV shows, movies and podcasts for the year. This year, the biggest winner on the apps front was Angry Birds, which ran away with the number one spot on the iPhone and iPad in all categories except top free iPhone app, which was awarded to Facebook.
Apple also selects its own favorite applications, and one of our preferred apps, Instagram, won the honor of being Apple’s “iPhone App of the Year.”
Angry Birds, which is available on iOS as both a paid and free application, not only dominated the year-end lists as the number one download in several cases, it also occupied additional slots on multiple lists for its spinoffs, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio.
Several other games also appeared on the year-end listings, including Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope, Tiny Wings, Doodle Jump, Plants vs. Zombies and more.
In terms of non-games, consumer-friendly brands like Netflix, Facebook, Skype, Kindle, Pandora, CNN and Twitter, plus Apple’s own Pages and GarageBand, made the list.
As for Apple’s editorial picks, it was Instagram as the favorite for iPhone, and photo app Snapseedfor the iPad. Runners up for the “app of the year” title included VidRhythm (iPhone), Band of the Day (iPhone), djay (iPad) and Jamie’s Recipes. (iPad)
Game of the year went to Tiny Tower (iPhone) and Dead Space for iPad.
All the runners-up and top 30 lists can all be viewed here in iTunes, where you can also find the results for the non-app categories. (That’s not our thing. But congrats, Adele).
The complete top 10 lists are below:
Top Paid iPhone Apps:
1. Angry Birds
2. Fruit Ninja
3. Angry Birds Seasons
4. Cut the Rope
5. Tiny Wings
6. Angry Birds Rio
7. Words With Friends
8. Camera+
9. Doodle Jump
10. Plants vs. Zombies
___
Top Free iPhone Apps:
1. Facebook
2. Pandora Radio
3. Words with Friends Free
4. Angry Birds Free
5. Skype
6. Netflix
7. Angry Birds Rio Free
8. Groupon
9. Fruit Ninja Lite
10. Twitter
___
iPad Apps
Top Paid iPad Apps:
1. Angry Birds HD
2. Pages
3. Angry Birds Seasons
4. GarageBand
5. Angry Birds Rio HD
6. Penultimate
7. Fruit Ninja HD
8. Cut the Rope HD
9. SCRABBLE for iPad
10. Keynote
___
Top Free iPad Apps
1. Angry Birds HD Free
2. The Weather Channel for iPad
3. Netflix
4. CNN App for iPad
5. Angry Birds Rio HD Free
6. Kindle
7. Skype for iPad
8. Calculator for iPad Free
9. Pandora Radio
10. Calculator Pro for iPad Free
Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/08/apple-picks-instagram-as-the-iphone-app-of-the-year/

iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true

In the game of Apple versus the jailbreakers, Cupertino threw the community a curveball with iOS 5's newly restricted downgrade system which blocks devices from restoring to old 5.x firmware. With the help of his noble steed iFaith (a custom Windows tool), hacker iH8sn0w has found a way around the firmware block, making it possible for dumped iOS 5 signature hash blobs (SHSH blobs) to permit unsigned restores. Why all the fuss about downgrading to prohibited firmware? Prominent iOS hackers MuscleNerd and pod2g have stated that the first untethered jailbreak will arrive on iOS 5.0 and, as such, may require iFaith's downgrade process to facilitate user restores. While the jailbreak is still under construction, iFaith should assure disheartened users in the community that all is not lost. Want to learn about blobs, blobs, and more blobs? Continue past the break to view iH8sn0w's informative video.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/ifaith-v1-4-allows-downgrade-to-ios-5-0-jailbreakers-dream-com/

Apple's request to block Samsung Galaxy tablet, phone sales in the US is denied

As the legal drama between Apple and Samsung drags on around the world, US District Court Judge has rejected Apple's request to block the sales of Galaxy devices. Reuters reports the ruling came out late Friday, with the judge deciding "It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung's accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed,". This isn't the first rejection for the folks from Cupertino either, after a request to speed up the trial was also denied back in July. The case itself will of course go on, but this means you'll still be able to get your hands on those Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy S IIs, and the like in the meantime.

Update: While Apple has yet to comment on the ruling, Samsung has issued an official statement which you can check out after the break.

Update 2: Feel like thumbing through the entire 65 page ruling? FOSS Patents has posted the entire document on Scribd, you'll find it embedded after the break. 

Samsung:

Samsung welcomes today's ruling denying Apple's request for a preliminary injunction. This ruling confirms our long-held view that Apple's arguments lack merit. In particular, the court has recognized that Samsung has raised substantial questions about the validity of certain Apple design patents. We are confident that we can demonstrate the distinctiveness of Samsung's mobile devices when the case goes to trial next year. We will continue to assert our intellectual property rights and defend against Apple's claims to ensure our continued ability to provide innovative mobile products to consumers.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/03/apples-request-to-block-samsung-galaxy-tablet-phone-sales-in-t/

eSleeper combines cats, Arduino and Twitter in an eMac shell (video)

If we had to imagine our dream DIY project chances are it would involve Arduino, Twitter and, of course, cats. How we'd combine those things we're not sure, but we'll admit to being big fans of Samuel Cox's eSleeper, which turns a hollowed-out eMac into a bed for his feline. Inside the shell is an Arduino Ethernet connected to an IR sensor, some LEDs and a sound shield. When the cat breaks the infrared beam it triggers the iconic Mac chime and turns on a series color-shifting LEDs for a little mood lighting. From there the clock starts ticking. When little Fluffy (Captain Whiskers? Matlock? Penny? Greg?) decides she's had enough napping and leaves the white plastic cocoon, tripping the IR sensor again, a random phrase is tweeted, along with the length of the cat's siesta. Check out the video after the break to see the eSleeper in all its adorable DIY glory.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/esleeper-combines-cats-arduino-and-twitter-in-an-emac-shell-vi/

Crapgadget: iStation woos Apple romantics with the glory of the late '70s, fails

Some people buy tablets for their portability and convenience. Others get sucked into the pitfalls of gadget lust, snatching up the latest tech. But for the dedicated fanboy, there's a whole world ofunnecessary kitsch just waiting to relieve'em of those hard-earned greenbacks. Enter M.I.C.'s iStation: an iOS dock in sorta, kinda Apple I / II clothing (their claim, not ours) that's ready and willing to cash in on your tech industry nostalgia. Alright, so this $85 setup won't exactly ape those Jobs / Woz lovechildren of the late '70s, but it does pack stereo speakers, a subwoofer, Bluetooth keyboard, USB port, microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack into its wood-paneling. Feeling spendthrifty? Good, then you can fork over the dough at the source below. Or, if you still need convincing, peep the video after the break and soak up the heavenly choral music. 

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/crapgadget-istation-woos-apple-romantics-with-the-glory-of-the/

The LandingZone: A Dock For Your Air, Handsome And Bold

This Kickstarter project has been kicking around the Internet a bit but it’s pretty cool. This is a handsome dock for your 11- or 13-inch air and includes 4 USB ports, an ethernet port, a DisplayPort, Kensington lock port, and power supply. To use it simply lock your MacBook into the LandingZone’s snug confines and start working.
As a doofus who just set up a standing desk, this would be a livesaver. First it improves the Air’s USB situation immensely and the ease of use would shave, at worst, a few seconds off of my start-up time and probably improve air circulation around the Air.
The entry-level pledge is $159 and that gets you an 11- or 13-inch model. You can get two for $299. I’d be wary given the upcoming changes we expect to the MacBook Air in the next few months, but not much in terms of port placement should change.
Kitae Kwon, an engineer in Cupertino, created the dock and has been working on it for eight months. He’s set up a product page here. The product has 31 more days to reach $50,000 in funding. Considering it’s at $30,000 now, it shouldn’t be too hard.
Total of 4 USB 2.0 ports; no need to attach a separate USB hub
Built in 10/100T Ethernet port; no more dongles for the Ethernet or fumbling with the cable
Built in Mini DisplayPort capable of driving resolution up to 2560×1440
Built in locking port compatible with all the Kensington Locks; now you can secure your MacBook Air
Two models to support either the 11″ or 13″ version of the MacBook Air (2010 or later)
Beautifully designed and engineered for simplicity, elegance, reliability and functionality (patent pending)
Comes with US power adapter which accepts wide range of input voltage (100~240 Vac)
Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/30/the-landingzone-a-dock-for-your-air-handsome-and-bold/

Nielsen's Q3 numbers are out: Android's still atop the OS chain, Apple remains number one manufacturer

Another quarter has come and gone, and you know what that means: Nielsen ratings are out again. The latest batch of numbers don't reveal anything wildly new, but they're still just as telling nonetheless: 44 percent of mobile subscribers in the US use a smartphone in the US. Of those, 71 percent are in possession of an Android device or an iPhone. Additionally, 56 percent of all phone purchases during the third quarter were smartphones. And -- this probably won't come as a surprise to anyone -- at a decisive 42 percent, Android remains the number one smartphone OS while Apple is still perched firmly on top as the leading manufacturer (28 percent). Check out the source link below and graph above for more of the tiny details.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/nielsen/

Microsoft enables Android and iOS users to experience Windows Phone 7... via the web

Still tempted by the fruit of another? If you're looking Microsoft's way, but aren't quite ready to toss your adoration for iOS or Android aside, the coders in Redmond are giving you an aalternative to quitting cold turkey. By visiting http://aka.ms/wpdemo on one's iOS or Android browser, you'll be immediately tunneled into a emulation of Windows Phone 7. We gave it a test run here at Engadget HQ, and it seems that every tile and swipe save for Apps runs properly. Can't say the fonts and such looked as smooth on our Galaxy S II as they do on the Radar, but it's a solid effort that'll definitely serve you well if you're considering the switch. Just don't try to flip the demo horizontally -- that's clearly a no-no.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/microsoft-enables-android-and-ios-users-to-experience-windows-ph/

RIM unveils BlackBerry Mobile Fusion for enterprise, extends reach to Android, iOS

In an apparent attempt to solidify its standing in the corporate world, RIM has unveiled a new platform that allows IT specialists to more tightly manage company devices -- even those from rival manufacturers like Apple and Android. With the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion software, announced this morning, companies will be able to set up rules governing employee passwords apps and other software across a variety of smartphones and tablets, including the iPhone, iPad and Android handsets. The system also allows managers to remotely wipe and lock any devices that go missing or stolen, potentially bringing enhanced security to a workplace that's become increasingly fragmented. "Our customers have been saying, 'We're moving to these different adoption models, and we'd like you on board with that,'" said Alan Panezic, vice president for enterprise product management, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Slated to launch during the first quarter of next year, Mobile Fusion represents RIM's first foray into the multi-platform management market, and may expand even further to encompassWindows Phone devices, as well. Compatible with BlackBerry OS and BBX, Mobile Fusion will also allow users to remotely manage PlayBooks from BlackBerry handsets, though that won't happen until February, when the tablet finally receives a software update. No word yet on pricing, but Panezic says it will be "competitive" with the market.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/rim-announces-blackberry-mobile-fusion-software-for-multi-platfo/

iTether app skirts AT&T tethering plan, sets up shop in iOS app store

Ready to share your iPhone's data plan with your laptop without springing for the requisite tethering plan? No, it's not another brightly colored, data smuggling easter egg, it's iTether, a USB tethering app that has apparently made its way through Apple's approval process. The data sharing newcomer promises to pipe your existing data plan to your PC via a companion desktop application. If history is anything to go by, this $15 app won't be available for long, so you'd better get while the getting's good -- it seems that high demand has already taken Tether's website down.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/itether-app-skirts-atandt-tethering-plan-sets-up-shop-in-ios-app/

Apple's founding documents go up for auction, estimated to bring in $150k

Sure, your OG iPhone may look like a relic from Apple's past, but for a true bite of old skool memorabilia you may want to consider bidding on the company's original founding documents signed by Steve Jobs,Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The three-page treasure, which established the Apple Computer Company way back in 1976 won't come cheap, though, as they're expected to go for a cool $100,000 to $150,000. Besides the starting papers, Sotheby's New York is throwing in Ronald Wayne's Statement of Withdrawal as part of the package, a document that gives up his ten percent stake in the biz -- what some may call a $2.6 billion dollar mistake. Check out the source for more auction details.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/apples-founding-documents-go-up-for-auction-estimated-to-bring/

iOS 5.1 beta seeded to developers (Update: iPhone 5, new iPad and Apple TV revealed?)

The latest update to iOS 5 is drawing near, folks, as the beta of version 5.1 was just released on Apple's developer site. You can grab the build if you're in possession of an iPhone 3GS or later, either iPad or the third and fourth generations of the iPod Touch. We're hoping to see some fixes to the battery life issues on the iPhone 4S, as the company has acknowledged the concern and promised a fix in the near future. Stay tuned as we learn more about the new refresh.

Update: A little digging has already revealed a new product ID contained in the update, referencing an "iPad 2,4". There's some speculation that this could be a reference to a tablet with a modem from Sprint built in, but even if that's the case, who knows if it would actually be released prior to the next generation iPad.

Update 2: More leaks! Now 9to5Mac is reporting on a new device, codenamed "J33", which it believes refers to a new model of the Apple TV box. Hit up the link for a few more well-reasoned rumors, we'll let you know if any more details surface.

Update 3: Ok, now we're starting to think someone in Cupertino is just screwing with us. One more time, sleuths have uncovered a reference to the elusive iPhone 5 (aka "iPhone 5,1") in the code, as shown above. Check the third link for more details from 9to5Mac, and prepare for a whole new round of next gen iPhone rumors incoming any minute now.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/ios-5-1-beta-seeded-to-developers/

iOS 5.1 beta seeded to developers (Update: iPhone 5, new iPad and Apple TV revealed?)

The latest update to iOS 5 is drawing near, folks, as the beta of version 5.1 was just released on Apple's developer site. You can grab the build if you're in possession of an iPhone 3GS or later, either iPad or the third and fourth generations of the iPod Touch. We're hoping to see some fixes to the battery life issues on the iPhone 4S, as the company has acknowledged the concern and promised a fix in the near future. Stay tuned as we learn more about the new refresh.

Update: A little digging has already revealed a new product ID contained in the update, referencing an "iPad 2,4". There's some speculation that this could be a reference to a tablet with a modem from Sprint built in, but even if that's the case, who knows if it would actually be released prior to the next generation iPad.

Update 2: More leaks! Now 9to5Mac is reporting on a new device, codenamed "J33", which it believes refers to a new model of the Apple TV box. Hit up the link for a few more well-reasoned rumors, we'll let you know if any more details surface.

Update 3: Ok, now we're starting to think someone in Cupertino is just screwing with us. One more time, sleuths have uncovered a reference to the elusive iPhone 5 (aka "iPhone 5,1") in the code, as shown above. Check the third link for more details from 9to5Mac, and prepare for a whole new round of next gen iPhone rumors incoming any minute now.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/ios-5-1-beta-seeded-to-developers/

eBay Sold Four iPad 2s Per Minute This Cyber Monday Morning

Online commerce giant eBay this morning ran a Cyber Monday deal for a white Apple iPad 2 WiFi 16GB, selling the popular tablet for $449 or exactly $50 off the MSRP (+ free shipping). Turns out a lot of people figured that was a great deal.
And they were right, too. After all, Apple only discounted the iPad 2 16GB with $41 on Black Friday, so you would indeed have been better off waiting until today and buying it on eBay … if you could get your hands on it quickly enough.
An eBay rep tells me that the iPad 2 was on sale for a mere two hours before it was sold out. At that price, people picked up four iPad 2 tablets per minute (or about 480 in total) during that time.
There were other deals on eBay that were worth breaking out your wallet for. The company sold a Microsoft Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Bundle for $259.99 – all 1,500 of those on sale were gone in 20 minutes (or 75 bundles sold per minute).
eBay also sold a HP 3105m laptop for $199.99, and sold nearly three units per minute to sell out the notebook PC in just over three hours.
It also knocked a whopping 58 percent off a RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB ($249), but it hasn’t sold out yet today – which I guess says a lot more about the tablet than it does about eBay
Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/ebay-sold-four-ipads-2-per-minute-this-cyber-monday-morning/

iPhone 4 combusts on Australian flight, looks madder than a spurned Qantas employee

On an airline that's actually serving the great country of Australia these days, an iPhone 4 decided enough was enough. Shortly after Regional Express flight ZL319 landed in Sydney from Lismore, "a passenger's mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow." What happened next is a bit of an Aussie mystery, but it seems at some point that the glow was "extinguished successfully." No one onboard was harmed, and the handset in question has been handed over to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for "analysis." It suffered only mild reception issuesprior to its final collapse, and if faced with a similar situation, Siri reportedly stated that it would consult a therapist before discharging hot fury.

Source:http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/28/iphone-4-self-combusts-on-australian-flight-looks-madder-than-a/

Rumor Has It: Apple Planning 15-Inch MacBook Air

We’ve heard rumors of a sort of MacBook Pro/MacBook Air convergence for the past few months and it seems Digitimesmay be confirming the arrival of a larger, ultrabook-like 15-inch MacBook Air.
The source believes that Apple is working on updated 11.6-inch, 13.3-inch and 15-inch models. This will be distinct from the Pro line.
Analysts believe this move will drive down current MBA prices as Apple tries to head off the coming flood of Windows-based ultrabooks – 30-50 at CES alone, according to some estimates. This partially confirms rumors that Apple’s next 15-inchers will be thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro line-up.
Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/rumor-has-it-apple-planning-15-inch-macbook-air/

It’s Still A Feature Phone World: Global Smartphone Penetration At 27%

With all the talk of iPhone vs. Android these days, it’s easy to forget how the majority of the world’s mobile users still make calls and access data: via feature phones. A recently releasedreport (download) from mobile strategy firm VisionMobile takes a look at today’s mobile marketplace finding that, despite the sharp rise in smartphone shipments over 2010 and 2011, global smartphone penetration (by OS) is at just 27%.

Smartphone adoption varies wildly by region, the report finds. Not surprisingly, those markets where 3G coverage is extensive and subscription plans are “post-paid” (as opposed to pre-paid) see the highest smartphone adoption rates. Meanwhile, in markets dominated by pre-paid subscriptions, the real battle is price. Here, Nokia’s mid-tier Symbian platforms and BlackBerry consumer-targeted models are still holding onto significant market share. However, both platforms are now facing threats from low-cost Android phones, thanks to the latter’s pricing versatility. Android devices today sell for anywhere from $100 to $750 (USD), allowing the phones to compete both on the high-end and the low-end of the pricing spectrum.

In the North American and European markets, smartphone penetration is the highest, with 63% and 51% market share, respectively. In the Asia-Pacific region (19%), Africa/Middle East region (18%) and Latin America (17%), it’s much lower.

As for today’s smartphone leaders, it really is an iPhone vs. Android world out there, since former mobile leader Nokia was slow to react to the iPhone’s coming, and steadily lost ground in the high-end smartphone market. Nokia’s decision to move from Symbian to Windows Phone allowed other Android players an edge, including Samsung, HTC, Motorola, LG, Sony-Ericsson as well as newcomers like Huawei, ZTE, Acer, Dell and Asus.

Despite the numerous differences between the two leading smartphone platforms, iOS and Android, there are some notable similarities. Both originate from non-telecom players. Both are monetized indirectly. (Instead of software license sales, they either profit from high-margin device sales or, in Google’s case, enhancing its online ad business). And both are driven by companies able to sustain investments of billions of dollars in order to develop an OS and create the accompanying developer and app ecosystems.

And yet, even though it’s “Android vs. iPhone” in terms of consumer choice, VisionMobile says there won’t be a single winner in the smartphone race. Both platforms have reached critical mass with hundreds of millions of users, making it almost impossible to displace them. As for RIM and Windows Phone, the jury’s still out on whether or not there’s even room for a third player and whether Microsoft, with Nokia’s help, can move into position number three.

Although the report doesn’t dive into speculation about what happens next, when the rest of the non-smartphone world upgrades their handsets, it does examine the network effects belonging to today’s dominant players. Not only are these platforms winning because of their technological sophistication, but also because of their application ecosystems. With 500,000+ iOS apps and 300,000 on Android, both platforms have reached critical mass. When that occurs, the platform begins to grow exponentially. However, app counts alone aren’t the ultimate measure of long-term health – the sustainability of the developer ecosystem is.

What’s interesting is to see the network effects in terms of mobile apps plotted out for all the top smartphone players. Below, the graphs show the number of apps available on a particular platform at a particular point in time, and the number of devices shipped for that platform in the quarter just preceding it. The resulting charts show just how popular Android and iOS are, and how difficult a battle it will be for a third major smartphone player to emerge.

You can also see the challenge that Apple faces as it attempts entry into emerging markets to take its share of the feature phone upgraders. As the report notes, Apple has high margin device sales, which means it doesn’t have as much flexibility in terms of hardware discounts as Android does with its $100 phones. But Apple did something else recently – when it brought out the iPhone 4S, it greatly discounted the prices of older model iPhones. The iPhone 3GS became free and the iPhone 4 was just $99, both with 2-year commitments. However, while that’s a viable strategy in attracting price-sensitive consumers in post-paid markets, it’s not necessarily going to be enough to attract pre-paid consumers to switch subscription plans. It’s the data bill that’s the killer, not the initial cost of the phone.

Apple knows that it needs compete in the pre-paid market, though. On its Q3 2011 earnings call, COO, now CEO, Tim Cook said, Apple is not avoiding that market. ”We don’t want to avoid that market. We know that we need to play there in order to have the kind of volumes that we’d like to have.”

And yet, when it came to its pre-paid strategy, Cook only mentioned getting customers to switch plans. ”In some cases, we convince someone to start a post-paid plan because in the long-term, I think, that’s better for the customer, the carrier and us.”

If that’s Apple’s pre-paid strategy, it looks like the iOS vs. Android battle in emerging markets may just now be heating up. And given how much of the world is still yet to upgrade, it’s a long fight ahead.

Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/its-still-a-feature-phone-world-global-smartphone-penetration-at-27/

Source: Apple Had A Better Black Friday Than It Expected

The Black Friday madness has finally come to a close. Well, almost. We all still need to live through Cyber Monday — a much safer version of our public displays of consumerism — but for the most part Black Friday is behind us. People camped out all night, were pepper-sprayed, and hopefully walked away with some new gear for a cheap price.Apple, which seemed to have the weakest discounts of almost any gadgets retailer, posted some strong numbers from its Black Friday one-day sale. According to a 9to5Mac source inside Apple, the company had originally expected to do four times the sales it usually does. By 7pm on Friday, however, Apple had blasted past its original goal and had its biggest sales day to date.The source added that iPad and MacBook Air sales were strong, though we haven’t been given access to any of the actual figures, so we’ll have to take his word on that.

Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/source-apple-had-a-better-black-friday-than-it-expected/

Microsoft: “Microsoft Has Had [Voice Control] In Windows Phones For A Year”

In a charming interview with Forbes Magazine, Microsoft’s Craig Mundie discussed future products at Microsot, including the success and plans for the Kinect as well as their mesa para computación, the Surface.Most important to certain folks who like computers by Apple were his comments on Siri. Basically, he said Windows Phone has had voice control – namely simple commands like “text Mom” and Bing searches – for a year now. Duh!

He said:People are infatuated with Apple announcing it. It’s good marketing, but at least as the technological capability you could argue that Microsoft has had a similar capability in Windows Phones for more than a year, since Windows Phone 7 was introduced.Now does that say that Microsoft can’t market product? Sure. Does it also say that people don’t care about Windows Phone? Why not. Does it say that Microsoft has a huge gap to close? Absolutely.Will they close it? Eventually, but it won’t be easy.

Source:http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/25/microsoft-microsoft-has-had-voice-control-in-windows-phones-for-a-year/

China Beats U.S. In Q3, Becomes Largest Smartphone Market By Volume

While smartphone adoption continues to pick up steam here in the U.S., new research from Strategy Analytics shows that China is hungrier for smartphones than we are. For the first time ever, China has pulled ahead of the United States in terms of the number of smartphones shipped.
Those expecting a huge blowout may be a bit disappointed by the results: while 23 million smartphones were shipped in the United States during Q3 2011, China squeeked by with nearly 24 million units sold. With that, China has become the world’s largest smartphone market by volume. Given that China has the most cell phone users in the world, it may not come as a huge shock, but companies looking to break into the mobile space have yet another reason to consider China carefully.
Strategy Analytics also took a look at the manufacturer break down, and for the most part the winners are who you would expect. The two top vendors in the United States are HTC and Apple, who together account for almost half of all smartphones sold in the country during Q3. Meanwhile in China, Nokia and Samsung take the top two spots, with each company accounting for 28.5% and 17.6% of the market respectively.
Nokia in particular had a good quarter in China, as they shipped more units (6.8 million) than anyone else. The big question for Nokia is whether or not that momentum will continue once they complete their transition to Windows Phone. Microsoft has been eyeing the Chinese market for a while now, and their forthcoming Tango version of Windows Phone is reportedly meant to break into China and other emerging markets.
China’s smartphone boom also helps explain why their app downloads have gone through the roof; recent data from Flurry indicates that China is also experiencing a huge uptick in the number of apps downloaded, although the existence of multiple independent app stores certainly doesn’t hurt.
Manufacturer market share is great, but what I’d really like to see is a breakdown of mobile OS usage. Strategy Analytics Director Tom Kang notes that the Chinese smartphone surge is thanks in large part to “the aggressive subsidizing by operators of high-end models like the Apple iPhone, and an emerging wave of low-cost Android models from local Chinese brands such as ZTE.” I would imagine that those low-end Android devices are beginning to supplant the feature phone as the device of choice for first-time users, but Apple’s smartphones enjoys considerable popularity (even if many of them are being used unofficially).
Source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/23/china-beats-u-s-in-q3-becomes-largest-smartphone-market-by-volume/