The International Data Corporation’s (IDC) today released its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report for Q2 of 2012. The report shows the breakdown of smartphone operating systems (OS) in all handset worldwide shipments over the months April, May and June, covering Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, Windows 7/Windows mobile and Linux. Continue reading
Sony has announced it that will acquire Ericsson’s 50 percent share in their Sony Ericsson mobile phone joint venture, turning the company into a subsidiary in January 2012.
In an official press release, Sony said that Ericsson will receive €1.05 billion for its stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. The transaction will most likely be completed by the beginning of 2012. Included in the deal are sets of related patents as well as cross-licensing agreements for various intellectual properties.
Since 2001, both brands have released their line-up of phones under the Sony Ericsson banner. The new deal will allow Sony to better integrate its new and existing mobile phones to compete more easily with Samsung and Apple’s mobile offerings. Continue reading
The target set by the GSMA back in February for a universal phone charger was the 1st of January 2012. It estimated that most phones would use a standard Micro USB (not to be confused with the Mini USB) charger. It now looks like phones compatible with the new universal charger will be available in Europe as soon as next year.
The European Commission has said it is eager to do away with the amount of excessive charger models, which are thrown away when buying new phones as well as generating several thousand tons of waste each year. Continue reading
Sony Ericsson today unveiled two new GreenHeart pioneer products underlining its ongoing commitment to taking a lead on environmental sustainability by driving green innovation that doesn’t compromise on product design and functionality. The GreenHeart programme means a 15 percent reduced CO² footprint, reduced packaging, recycled plastics, waterborne paints, and an electronic in-phone manual instead of a paper booklet. Continue reading
Sony Ericsson is dropping the Memory Stick M2 platform, in favour of MicroSD in its handsets.
The announcement from Sony Ericsson Global Marketing Director Fortuné Alexander, came after the recent launch of the Satio, Aino and Yari all with microSD card slots. When asked if it was soon to be the end of Sony’s proprietary memory card in mobile phones, Alexander confirmed: “Yes, we are moving in that direction.”
This is the latest sign to see more standardization in the mobile phone industry, as the initiative led by the GSMA to endorse a universal charger standard based on microUSB. Standardizing charging points and accessories cuts down on manufacturing costs, and can lead to a better end-user experience.
A reputable Sony Ericsson Blog has confirmed that Sony Ericcson are planning on releasing a new firmware for the X1, which will include support for a BlackBerry connection in June 09. Continue reading
A website for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Microsoft’s answer to the Apple App Store, has gone live with plans to include an application marketplace on Windows Mobile 6.5 devices.
The GSMA and 17 leading mobile operators and manufacturers today announced that they are committed to implementing a cross-industry standard for a universal charger for new mobile phones. The aim of the initiative, led by the GSMA, is to ensure that the mobile industry adopts a common format for mobile phone charger connections and energy-efficient chargers resulting in an estimated 50 per cent reduction in standby energy consumption, the potential elimination of up to 51,000 tonnes of duplicate chargers and the enhancement of the customer experience by simplifying the charging of mobile phones. Continue reading
A new virus for a wide range of Symbian OS-based smartphones was made public this week and has been dubbed the “SMS Curse of Silence” by Tobias Engel, who discovered and disclosed the virus.
The exploit is effective against a wide range of Symbian S60 smartphones and will effectively prohibit victims from receiving SMS and MMS messages. This ‘attack’ is not by bluetooth, but by receiving an anonymous SMS. Continue reading
Sony has announced a new image sensor “Exmor” for use in camera enabled mobile phones to achieve the industry’s smallest unit cell size (1.4µm), and highest pixel count (12.25 effective megapixel resolution).
