The website of Alex Kinch, live from London
Mobile News
Apple unveil new iPhone S; lower price of iPhone 3G
Jun 8th
Well the rumours were almost correct – Apple have indeed unveiled a new range of iPhones – called the iPhone ‘S’ (for speed, apparently). Plus the existing iPhone 3G is down to $99 with immediate effect. However, there were a few more surprises..
The new version 3.0 of the firmware will also bring internet tethering and MMS to all iPhone users. But what about the new models?
As mentioned earlier on, the ‘S’ stands for speed – Apple claim overall speed improvements will be around 2-3x the current model. Whilst they declined to discuss exact processor specifications, the new iPhones will feature OpenGL ES, and the radio modules are ready for 7.2Mbit/s HSDPA – which is obviously operator dependent.
Aside from speed improvements, the S sports a 3 megapixel camera, video support at 30 frames per second, and a new rather nifty voice control feature. Let’s hope it works better than RIM’s BlackBerry voice control – which seems to be very easily accessible in your pocket or handbag (how many times have you heard ‘Say a command’ in a robotic American accent come sauntering out of random places?).
As predicted, the Iphone S (as we now know it) will come in 16GB and 32GB models, and in a choice of colours – as long as it’s either black or white. In addition, battery life is dramatically improved – figures quoted by Apple are ten hours of video playback, 30 hours of audio playback, nine hours of Wi-Fi usage, and a standby of up to 300 hours. Talk time is a rather respectable up to five hours on 3G or up to 12 hours on 2G.
So when can you get yours hands on an iPhone 3G S – and more importantly, how much will it set you back? June 19th is the date you need to mark in your diary if you’re in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. US prices are $199 for the 16GB version and $299 for the 32GB version. Not in any of those countries? Expect the new son-of-jesus-phone range by 9th August.
UPDATE: O2 UK prices are here.
Deviceanywhere Debuts Touch-Screen Palm Pre Phone To Its Developer Network
Jun 8th
DeviceAnywhere, the global leader in end-to-end mobile application testing, test automation and mobile application monitoring, has added the new Palm Pre™ phone to its network of 2000+ cutting edge feature phones and smartphones available over the DeviceAnywhere platform and accessible by organizations seeking to develop and test next generation mobile applications.
Now, mobile application developers can get a head start in developing and testing mobile content on this revolutionary new smartphone. Through DeviceAnywhere, Palm webOS developers can access all Pre functions including; a full touch-screen display that supports an accelerometer, located above a slider that unveils a full QWERTY keyboard. With DeviceAnywhere and the unique Direct-To-Device™ technology, developers can utilize and test these unique functions as though they had the device in hand.
Developers can also run multiple activities at the same time, as the Pre allows for multitasking between different applications. Additional connections are supported including the use of email, Wi-Fi, and GPS.
“We are pleased to add Palm Pre to our rapidly expanding list of available smartphones,” stated Faraz Syed, CEO and Co-Founder of DeviceAnywhere. “Smartphone usage is on the rise and expectations predict that they will corner nearly eighty percent of the mobile device market over the next five years. In anticipation of this demand we will continue to ensure the availability of solutions and devices that cater to the smartphone developer. Providing access to the new Palm Pre is a testament to our commitment in this endeavor.”
Top-up your electric meter with your mobile
Jun 8th
Johannesburg-based Swap Mobile has unveiled a service that allows South African mobile users to buy electricity vouchers with their mobile.
According to ITWeb, the service is an add-on to the company’s existing Swap Wallet service. Once registered, customers can purchase electricity to the value of their choice with payment made from their mobile wallet or from a linked credit card.
Vouchers are delivered straight to the mobile, and can be entered into pre-payment electricity meters. Swap Mobile claims the solution does away with the problem of late payment, and the service is available throughout South Africa 24 hours a day.
Apple to announce four new iPhones today
Jun 8th
Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off today in San Francisco – with four new iPhones rumoured to be today’s big announcement.
The most consistent recurring rumours seem to throw light on four different models – possibly of a smaller form factor than the existing handset. There’ll be two 16GB models and two 32GB models – available in either black or white finish.
How about price? There’s been talk of a new $99 ‘iPhone Lite’, but most sources seem to think these models will merely replace the existing version at the same price point. It appears O2 will keep their exclusive deal, and bring the handsets to here in mid-July.
And who’ll be making this announcement? The money seems to be on Steve Jobs – previously ‘semi-retired’ on health grounds – and a return to the media spotlight that’d give most religious figures resurrections a run for their money.
More on this news as it happens..
IM+ for iPhone adds Skype and Twitter
Jun 8th
SHAPE Services, the makers of multi-service mobile instant messenger application IM+, have released a major update for their iPhone version.
The new 3.0 release adds Skype and Twitter interoperabillity to the list of messaging and social network services supported, which already includes Facebook, Yahoo, AIM, MSN/Windows Live Messenger, GoogleTalk and MySpace. The company is also preparing an update for the iPhone to utilize OS 3.0 features such as push notifications.
The company have also expanded the functionality of the ‘Lite’ version of IM+, adding features previously only available in the paid version, including IM Push, Send Photo, Send location and Send voice.
Carphone and Vodafone patch up relationship
Jun 7th
Carphone Warehouse are set to welcome Vodafone mobile contracts back into their stores after a three year break, according to reports.
The Times says discussions between Carphone Warehouse chairman Charles Dunstone and senior Vodafone management are at an advanced stage, with an announcement of a deal expected shortly.
Carphone Warehouse – which claims to offer an impartial service and not favour any one network – lost the right to sign up contract customers to Vodafone in 2006 after the operator signed an exclusive deal with rival Phones4U. Vodafone pre-pay packages – which Carphone still sells – were not affected by the deal.
T-Mobile remove DRM from Mobile Jukebox
Jun 5th
T-Mobile have announced plans to drop Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection from music tracks on their Mobile Jukebox service from June 4th.
The move comes after the company reached agreements with three of the four major record labels and key independent labels, and will give customers access to around two million DRM-free tracks for dual download to PC and mobile devices.
The company say that any tracks purchased from Mobile Jukebox before June 4 will remain protected by DRM – however users will be able to re-download tracks already purchased to get the new DRM-free versions.
MTS and Nokia Enter Strategic Partnership
Jun 5th
Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS” – NYSE: MBT), the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS, and Nokia signed the memorandum of understanding on the direct delivery of Nokia devices to MTS’ retail network. The first joint project of the two companies will be the priority sales launch of Nokia N97, Nokia’s flagship mobile computer, equipped with exclusive software from MTS.
The agreement signed by MTS and Nokia at the 2009 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum provides for the direct supply of Nokia products to MTS’ retail network, joint marketing campaigns to promote Nokia’s handsets and a special training program for MTS’ retail employees.
“This partnership agreement with Nokia is a milestone in our development of the MTS proprietary retail network. Teaming up with the world’s leading maker of mobile devices will allow us to further differentiate MTS’ retail network by matching cutting-edge products with tariff plans to enhance customer experience and spur the growth of data usage by our subscribers,” noted Mr. Mikhail Shamolin, President and CEO of MTS.
“Nokia N97 is the flagship product which has no analogues in the world. For the first time in Russia, Nokia is launching such an important device in partnership with the largest mobile phone operator, MTS. Together with MTS, we have developed applications and widgets tailored to the Russian users,” noted Mr. Niels Nielsen, Director-General of Nokia in Russia. “The primary difference of N97 from the currently available smartphones is not just the availability of touch display and QWERTY keyboard on one device, but the fact that it is a mobile computer with a range of applications that allow individual customization of the handset.”
MTS has developed a number of branded applications for Nokia N97 aimed at business users that will be distributed on a free 2 GB micro-SD memory card. The sales of Nokia N97 will start on June 17 in all MTS stores in Moscow and in the flagship Nokia store. By the end of the month, the device will become available to subscribers of all mobile operators through the MTS retail network in Russia and the 30 Nokia stores in the largest Russian cities.
ROK Deploys Streamed Mobile TV Across India with BSNL
Jun 4th
ROK Entertainment Group, the mobile technologies, applications and services company, today announces the launch of TINY TV across India with leading mobile operator BSNL.
BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) is the largest Communication Service Provider (CSP) in India with a 24% market share and a customer base of more than 90 million people across its mobile, fixed-line and internet service companies to include 4.6 million CDMA and 54.2 million GSM Mobile subscribers.
TINY TV is the first nationwide, subscription-based, mobile TV service in India to be streamed over mass-market 2.5G GPRS.
Offering a range of live and on-demand mobile TV channels to include local and international news, sports, music and movies, TINY TV is priced at Rs 150.00 (approximately $2.70c) per month payable via reverse-bill SMS.
Specifically, TINY TV channels include News 24 (Hindi news), E-24 (Bollywood entertainment), ROK Bollywood (celebrity news), Geet (Hindi songs), Green (evergreen Bollywood music), Red (latest music from Bollywood), Gyan (devotional), regional channels of Gujarati – Marathi for West India, Bengali for the East Zone,Tiny Sports TV, Tiny Comedy, Mobifun and a Movie Channel offering a regularly updated list of full length movies wherein the users can pause, fast forward and rewind, plus a Sony package of SAB TV – Channel SET and Channel PIX.
“India is a massive mobile market with a fast-growing appetite amongst consumers for mobile entertainment ” said Jonathan Kendrick, Chairman and CEO of ROK “so we are delighted to be working with BSNL in the deployment of TINY TV across India.”
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