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Consumer preferences towards larger smartphone screens on the rise

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by James Gray on
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According to a new report by Strategy Analytics, existing smartphone users in the second half of 2012 were most likely to be interested in devices with a screen size between 4.2-inches and 4.7-inches. These statistics show an increase from a similar study done in the second half of 2011 where the preferred screen size was 4.3-inches.

Those who intended on buying their first smartphone showed a preference towards slightly smaller screens, while most current smartphone owners were interested in an increase over their current device. Males preferred slightly larger screens than females, and current brand ownership made an impact on preference as well. Nearly all participants in the study showed a preference for their next device to have a larger screen size than their current handset.

Source: Strategy Analytics

Amazon’s Alphabet Projects, including 3D smartphone screen, could be sign of major hardware push

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by Jeff Causey on
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Sources in a WSJ article indicate Amazon has several hardware projects in the works that are collectively referred to as the Alphabet Projects. Perhaps most intriguing among them is a smartphone that reportedly will have a screen that can produce 3D images without the use of special glasses. Combined with complex eye-tracking software, the phone’s screen will produce the 3D images at almost any angle, producing a holographic image effect with items seeming to float above the screen. Another benefit of the technology will be the ability for users to navigate content on their phone using just their eyes. The high-end phone is just one of several devices that may signal a new strategy for Amazon in getting content into the hands of consumers. » Read the rest

Verizon Details Changes to Their Upgrade Plan

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by Spencer McClendon on
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It looks as though Verizon has made some changes to their upgrade service. Even though Verizon customers sign two-year contracts when the purchase a subsidized phone, they were always able to get an upgrade after 20 months. Unfortunately, Verizon is no longer allowing that and customers will have to wait until the full 2 years (24 months) is up in order to upgrade. Here is what Verizon has to say on the matter.

As the wireless business has evolved, Verizon Wireless has continued to expand its device portfolio, providing customers with more options than ever before. It is not uncommon for customers to have multiple devices such as a smartphone, tablet and Jetpack. In that context, Verizon Wireless is making the following changes to its upgrade practices:

  • In alignment with the terms of the contract, customers on a two-year agreement will be eligible for an upgrade at 24 months vs. today’s early upgrade eligibility at 20 months. This change aligns the upgrade date with the contract end date and is consistent with how the majority of customers purchase new phones today. The first customers impacted by this change are customers whose contracts expire in January 2014. As always, customers may purchase a new phone at the full retail price at any time.
  • The New Every Two program ended in January of 2011. Verizon Wireless has continued to allow customers to utilize these expired credits. However, as of April 15, these credits will no longer be available.
  • Customers may continue to share an upgrade with another person on an account if that customer is upgrading to a device within the same equipment category. Customers can utilize a phone upgrade to purchase a new phone; however, the option to transfer upgrades from non-phone devices (such as a Jetpack or tablet) will no longer be available.

Source: Verizon Wireless

Smart connected devices surpassed 1 billion units for 2012 worldwide, smartphones and tablets grew exponentially

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by Jared Peters on
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These numbers shouldn’t really surprise anyone, but a ton of people bought smart devices in 2012, according to IDC. They bought over 1 billion of those devices, actually. That includes, desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The leaders there were (obviously) Samsung and Apple, with Apple accounting for 20.3% and Samsung accounting for 21.2%. Pretty impressive for just two companies.

IDC also expects smartphone and tablet sales to surpass PC sales in 2013, which, considering how fast new phones and tabs seem to sell, isn’t all that surprising. They’re predicting PC sales will actually stall to no growth whatsoever by 2017. Four years is a long time, and things can change, but if the market continues on the trend it’s going now, I think that’s a very realistic result.

What do you guys think? Are you surprised that portable devices are eating into traditional PC market share? Do you think that’ll turn around in a year or two? Let us know in the comments. » Read the rest

T-Mobile CZ Uses Sex Appeal to Sell Sony Xperia Z

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by Jason Bracey on
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T-Mobile CZ was not shy during their Sony Xperia Z launch event in Prague recently.  Swimsuit models were used to capture the true essence of the smartphone’s water resistant feature.  Spectators stood in long lines, gawked, took pics and video of the models…oh, and the smartphone as well.

The scantly dressed models were made to use the smartphones while getting soaked in a specially built, strategically placed shower at the entrance to the T-Mobile mall store.  » Read the rest

China is Worried Over Google’s Control in Smartphone Industry

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by Jason Bracey on
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“China”, just hearing the word projects images of grandeur and power. So what, you might ask, would make such a powerful country worry outside of the next world war?  In a word, GOOGLE! The search engine, tablet, smartphone, and mobile operating system powerhouse is really drawing a lot of attention from the big dogs overseas.

When Google does things, they do it big, no matter what the venture might be…and the world is taking notice. China is said to be worried that Google may be a little too big for their britches. China’s Technology Ministry has stated that Google has too much control over their smartphone industry via their Android operating system and that they discriminate against China’s local firms. » Read the rest

Render surfaces of Huawei Ascend P2

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by Jeff Causey on
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We have seen quite a bit of chatter about the Huawei Ascend Mate, the smartphone maker’s entry into the supersize phone market. That is not the only device that may be of interest to consumers, especially those looking for something more in line with the size of a traditional smartphone. A new render intended for press materials has surfaced showing the Huawei Ascend P2, the successor to the Ascend P1 that was recently made available to U.S. customers via Amazon. » Read the rest

Amazon phone may be announced at September 6th event

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by Jeff Causey on
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On the eve of Amazon’s press event slated to take place in Santa Monica on September 6th, word is coming out that Amazon has confirmed a phone is in the works. The Verge is reporting that numerous sources have verified the existence of the Amazon phone model and some are hinting it will be revealed during tomorrow’s event.

Indications are that the phone is still in development, but may be ready enough for a press event. Sources are speculating the device will run a forked version of Android 4.0, similar to what the Amazon Kindle Fire runs. No other details have emerged at this time, but the wait should not be too long if it is in fact revealed at Amazon’s event.

source: The Verge

Beats Audio to introduce its own smartphone, TV and iTunes-like service

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by Colton Kaiser on
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Beats Audio has come along way since the launch of its first pair of headphones in 2010, but a new report suggests the company could be expanding its offerings. According to sources familiar with the matter, Beats is in the process of developing its very own Android-powered smartphone. While it’s rumored that HTC will manufacture the handset, there will be no branding on the phone to indicate so. Additionally, the company will be creating its own custom UI, exclusively designed for the new hardware. This news comes just weeks after HTC decided to sell back half of its stake in the audio equipment producer.

Interestingly, a smartphone isn’t the only thing in development, as the same source has also confirmed that the company will launch a smart TV in collaboration with Samsung. The television set will feature “Beats connect”, which is designed to compete head-to-head with the Apple TV. The idea is to allow users to be able to stream music from a smartphone or laptop to a nearby TV, similar to the way AirPlay functions. This new feature will complement Beats Audio’s upcoming music outlet, code-named Daisy, which will offer a subscription-based model for media streaming.

» Read the rest

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