Ebooks, Media Apps Top iPad Developer Efforts
By Jason Ankeny
With Apple poised to release its iPad tablet device on April 3, developer interest remains strong, with 80 percent of developers telling open-source platform provider Appcelerator they plan to build iPad applications within the next year. Among more than 1,000 developers surveyed by Appcelerator, 53 percent said their overall interest in iPad as a development platform is "very strong," behind only iPhone and Android--by comparison, just 12 percent expressed similar interest in the rival Amazon Kindle ebook platform. Ebooks, entertainment and media applications, business apps, healthcare apps and education apps lead as likely candidates for forthcoming iPad software projects.
Appcelerator notes that interest in Android is also surging--in January, 68 percent of developers expressed interest in writing Android apps, compared to 86 percent proclaiming similar desire to build for iPhone, but Android interest has since jumped to 81 percent, with iPhone edging up to 87 percent. In addition, developer support for BlackBerry increased from 21 percent in January to 43 percent in March, while interest in Microsoft's Windows Phone leaped from 13 percent to 34 during the same timeframe--Appcelerator credits the renewed interest to recent improvements to both platforms.
Interest in rival operating systems is waning, however. In January, 17 percent of developers expressed support for Palm's webOS, but that number has now slipped to 14 percent, due in large part to Palm's recent financial woes. Sixteen percent of developers remain interested in Symbian, trailed by Meego at 12 percent.[FierceMobileContent]
RIM Releases BlackBerry Storm2, Touts Improvements
By Phil Goldstein
Research In Motion announced the BlackBerry Storm2, the sequel to its first touchscreen device, in a coordinated media blitz. Two days after Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam touted the device in a New York Times article, RIM is promoting the product as one of its major launches for the holiday season.
Verizon did not make any official announcement about pricing or availability for the device, but Vodafone announced that it will launch the new smartphone in seven European countries as well as South Africa."This is a dramatically different, dramatically enhanced product," RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie told Bloomberg. Indeed, the phone has several advancements from the original, including WiFi and a new user input mechanism. The touchscreen now stays still when tapped, and provides tactile feedback electronically instead of mechanically, according to a review in the Wall Street Journal. The phone is expected to be one of the cornerstones of Verizon's holiday handset strategy, in addition to the Android phones it is expected to launch.
"We believe the Vodafone announcement is largely embedded in expectations (we expect late October launch) and expect Verizon to announce Storm2 for the holiday season," UBS analyst Maynard Um wrote in a research note. "We expect launches for Bold2 by U.S. and Canadian operators in late October."In an interview with Reuters, Balsillie acknowledged that the company is prepared to launch new smartphones to keep pace with the likes of Apple, Palm and Motorola.
"We have a really rich (product) road map ... and we aren't slowing down," he said. [FierceWireless]
RIM Adds 3.8M New BlackBerry Accounts
By Phil Goldstein
Research In Motion posted strong results in its fiscal first quarter, which ended May 30, reporting net income of $643 million, above the $518.3 million it recorded in the previous quarter and 33 percent higher than its $482.5 million in the year-ago quarter.
The BlackBerry maker said it had revenue of $3.42 billion in the quarter, down slightly from $3.46 billion in the previous quarter but 53 percent above its revenue of $2.24 billion in the year-ago quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were looking for revenue of $3.43 billion. Devices made up 81 percent of RIM's revenue and the company said it shipped 7.8 million devices in the quarter.
RIM also said it added around 3.8 million BlackBerry subscriber accounts in the quarter and that its BlackBerry subscriber account base stood at around 28.5 million at the end of the quarter. The subscriber additions were down slightly from the 3.9 million new account activations RIM had in the previous quarter. RIM also boosted its gross margin sequentially to 43.6 percent, up from 40 percent in the last quarter, but down from 50.7 percent in the year-ago quarter.
Though the company continues to score gains--indeed, RIM increased its worldwide smartphone market share to 19.9 percent in the first quarter, up from 13.3 percent in the year-ago quarter, according to Gartner--analysts remain worried about increased competition from the likes of Google, Apple and Palm.
RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said in a conference call after the earnings were released that the company wasn't too worried about the crowded smartphone market. "We don't really, sort of, fret those kinds of things," he said. And it seems the BlackBerry maker will soon lose the benefit of a major promotion: A Verizon spokeswoman confirmed this week to FierceWireless that the carrier's buy-one-get-one promotion, which has been running since February, would be ending shortly. NPD Group said the promotion helped RIM's BlackBerry Curve unseat Apple's iPhone as the best-selling consumer smartphone in the first quarter. [FierceWireless]
RIM's Lazaridis Stakes out BlackBerry App World at CTIA
By Jason Ankeny
Research In Motion officially unveiled its BlackBerry App World virtual storefront in conjunction with president and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis' keynote appearance today at CTIA Wireless 2009 in Las Vegas. According to Lazaridis, the on-device storefront promises a broad cross-section of personal and business applications for BlackBerry smartphones: "We've worked closely with our carrier and developer partners," he said. "[BlackBerry App World] aggregates applications in one place, and gives enterprise customers the controls they need."
According to RIM, BlackBerry App World is designed to automatically spotlight relevant premium and free applications according to each individual user's respective BlackBerry device model--each week, the Front Page Carousel feature will showcase a suite of new apps, complementing the list of Top Downloads. In addition to user reviews, complete screenshots and app descriptions, the store will enable BlackBerry users to recommend applications to contacts via email, PIN, text message or BlackBerry Messenger.
RIM will break down BlackBerry App World downloads into 13 different categories: Entertainment, Games, Maps and Navigation, Music and Video, News and Weather, Personal Health and Wellness, Personal Finance and Banking, Productivity and Utilities, Professional and Business, Reference and eBooks, Social Networking and Sharing, Sports and Recreation, and Travel. Users may access the store via both cellular and WiFi networks.
BlackBerry App World will also include My World, a personal storage space that keeps track of all the user's downloads to date, offering uninstall and re-install tools and premium application transfers. "Users can search by title, browse by category, read and submit reviews, [and] purchase applications via PayPal," Lazaridis said.
RIM adds that BlackBerry App World will offer about 1,000 applications at launch. Confirmed contributors include Bloomberg, Clear Channel, Gameloft, Lonely Planet, MTV Networks, The New York Times, Pandora, Shazam, Slacker, Vligo and WorldMate.
The store will also spotlight social media applications--Lazaridis reports that more than 10 million BlackBerry users have downloaded existing apps for Facebook and MySpace. In addition, Lazardis offered a glimpse of the forthcoming PrimeTime2Go, its rumored full episode mobile TV service. He offered few additional details on the service, but did note it is being developed in association with mobile TV and video solutions provider QuickPlay Media.
Supported by smartphones with a trackball or touchscreen running BlackBerry device software 4.2 or higher, BlackBerry App World is available now for consumers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, with additional international markets scheduled to follow. "We as an industry have been investing and building up to the convergence that's happening today," Lazaridis said. "This convergence is made possible by smartphones." [FierceWireless]
Skype Launching App for iPhone, BlackBerry Users
By Phil Goldstein
Skype will launch its VoIP application for Apple's iPhone on Tuesday, and will debut a similar application for some of Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices in May. The Skype for iPhone application will allow users to make calls to other Skype users for free if they are using a WiFi hotspot. Skype users can also call landline numbers for a fee, usually for around 2.1 cents per minute. The application will use numbers taken directly from the iPhone's address book, and will even display a photo of the contact (if they have uploaded one for Skype).
Skype, a unit of eBay, has made it known in the past that it planned on pushing its service more directly into the cell phone market, branching out from its traditional personal computer base. Skype currently offers its calling application to Windows Mobile smartphones and in January began offering a version of the software for use on the T-Mobile G1, the first phone in North America running on Google's Android platform. Skype recently tussled with O2 and Orange when the two carriers declined to sell Nokia's Skype-enabled N97 handset. [FierceWireless]
RIM Confirms BlackBerry Application Storefront Launch
By Jason Ankeny
In conjunction with this week's BlackBerry Developer Conference, device maker Research In Motion announced both a new online application storefront and a new on-device application center promising to help developers and operators more effectively reach BlackBerry smartphone users worldwide.
According to RIM, the online app storefront will go live in March 2009, although developers may begin submitting their applications and content for inclusion on the site in December--the store will give developers the flexibility to set their own prices and award them 80 percent of revenues generated from sales of their apps. RIM will partner with online payment service PayPal to offer consumers a secure mechanism to purchase apps directly from their BlackBerry devices.
Research In Motion adds it is also collaborating with its carrier partners to provide operator-customized, on-device application centers to nurture after-market application downloads. RIM has already launched on-device distribution system for individual software applications, most notably the Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application.
According to leaked information obtained by enthusiast community Crackberry.com, the on-device BlackBerry Application Center will make its debut via the BlackBerry Storm version 4.7 operating system. [FierceMobileContent]
RIM to Launch BlackBerry Application Center
By Jason Ankeny
Device maker Research In Motion is poised to introduce the BlackBerry Application Center, a virtual software storefront to rival Apple's App Store and Google's Android Market. According to leaked information obtained by enthusiast community Crackberry.com, the on-device BlackBerry Application Center--which will make its debut via the BlackBerry Storm version 4.7 operating system--will enable users to discover, browse and install third-party BlackBerry apps hosted by mobile operators, serving as the primary interface between the consumer and the carrier's directory of downloadable software.
The BlackBerry Application Center promises one-click, browser-based installation--users will only see applications available for their specific device model and OS version, with related information for each app including full descriptions, the date of the most recent software update and alerts when new updates become available. Carriers will assume responsibility for hosting application data and sending updates to a RIM-hosted server backend.
Last month, mobile content and applications provider MobiHand announced a partnership with CrackBerry.com to launch their own on-device application storefront for BlackBerry smartphone users. The digital retail portal enables consumers to browse and search thousands of applications optimized for their particular Research In Motion-produced device, and will integrate with the BlackBerry Wallet m-commerce service to simplify to purchasing process.
According to MobiHand, users may purchase applications in a single click, with over-the-air delivery following within seconds of registration. No word on how, if at all, the launch of an official, RIM-operated BlackBerry app service will impact MobiHand's rival effort. [FierceDeveloper]
RIM Begins Rolling Out New Devices
By Sue Marek
Research in Motion is beginning to rollout its highly anticipated new device lineup for the fall and analysts are already starting to question whether the company can deliver on its robust plans.
The BlackBerry Bold, which is the company's first 3G phone, is expected to launch on Canadian operator Rogers Wireless today and will debut with AT&T in mid-September. The Bold is expected to sell in Canada for $399 with a three-year contract. Meanwhile, analysts believe that AT&T will subsidize the phone more than Rogers and offer it for $250 with a two-year contract.
RIM's other two devices--the touchscreen Thunder and the flip phone Kickstart are expected to hit the market in late September, according to analysts. RIM has never acknowledged the existence of the Thunder or the Kickstart but analysts say both products are ready to be introduced. Avian Securities analyst Matt Thornton says that all the new devices from RIM should bring an "onslaught of new customers."
However, he also says that RIM needs to make sure they have enough quantities of the phones and they can deliver them on time. [FierceWireless]
Zumobi Expands to BlackBerry Platform
Zumobi (www.zumobi.com), the innovative mobile widget company, today announced the launch of its application for BlackBerry devices. As the profile of Smartphone users expands to include more than just business users, Zumobi has developed its BlackBerry product to enhance the user experience by providing easy access to small "bites" of customized Web content via mobile device. The Zumobi platform, which is ad supported and gives a fully-branded experience to users, is an ideal medium for advertisers and content providers to directly reach consumers in an engaging and highly-targeted manner.
With an already robust library of widgets (Zumobi calls them "Tiles") to entice users of Windows Mobile and BlackBerry with news, sports, weather, entertainment, games and more, Zumobi now offers even more new Tiles for users including NPR, AP Olympics report, Major League Baseball as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. Users can also create their own Zumobi mobile widgets from just about any Web content with the new Tile Creation Wizard now available on Zumobi's website.
Popular industry weblog BlackBerry Cool will launch a branded Zumobi Tile to extend its brand to the mobile space. "BlackBerry Cool is the first choice for timely news, opinion and reviews of the BlackBerry space, delivered to an audience that expects updates when they are available," said Douglas Soltys, editor-in-chief of Blackberry Cool. "Until now, there have been few options to do this successfully over mobile. With Zumobi available now on BlackBerry devices, we will be able to reach our audience directly with news that is important to them while they are on-the-go."
The unique design of the Zumobi application provides the user direct access to what they want, when they want it, with cached content for quicker retrieval of fresh information. This puts content at their fingertips, and allows for a more engaging and immersive experience for brands. In the new age of mobile marketing, this direct contact with consumers is ideal for brands looking to deliver products and services that are tailored to a specific audience.
"By adding BlackBerry as our second major mobile platform, Zumobi significantly expands our reach for brand and content partners. We're thrilled to introduce Zumobi to Blackberry's data-savvy users, and look forward to providing them with a highly-engaging mobile experience," said Ken Willner, vice president of Market Development. /PR
RIM Unveils A Series of BlackBerry Platform Updates
Research In Motion (RIM) announced a series of updates for its BlackBerry platform, promising enhanced usability and increased end-user productivity via enhanced messaging and collaboration, more efficient management, enhanced security and expanded application development support.
In addition to HTML and rich text email rendering, RIM rolled out enterprise tools including document download and editing, remote message search, calendar lookup and advanced IM and presence.
According to RIM, a new web-based device management console called BlackBerry Web Desktop Manager increases deployment flexibility and simplifies software upgrades by enabling BlackBerry users to install software and manage their smartphones from any browser-enabled computer, effectively reducing the volume of software components installed on end-user workstations -- new over-the-air software upgrades were also introduced.
Following the recent release of the BlackBerry Java Development Environment v4.3.0, RIM added new APIs, including support for Java Micro Edition Wireless Messaging 2.0, Content Handler, Internationalization and Web Services APIs. The new BlackBerry platform enhancements are scheduled to be phased in to new software releases throughout the first half of 2008. [FierceDeveloper]
MobiTV Goes Live on BlackBerry
Digital entertainment services provider MobiTV announced its mobile TV application is now available via Research In Motion's BlackBerry Pearl 8130 smartphone, heralding mobile television's official debut on the BlackBerry platform. According to MobiTV, the service is now available on more than 250 devices across 20 wireless operators worldwide.
MobiTV, Inc., the leader in mobile and broadband entertainment services today announced the availability of its mobile television application on the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM). The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 runs on CDMA and high-speed EV-DO networks, enabling MobiTV to provide the broadest selection of live TV and other video and music content for mobile users.
"We are excited to offer our award-winning mobile television service to BlackBerry customers on the BlackBerry Pearl 8130," said Paul Scanlan, president and co-founder of MobiTV. "This announcement furthers our goal of providing our innovative services to mobile users around the world, making our television and radio products available on more than 250 different mobile devices."
The BlackBerry Pearl 8130 is an impressive communications and multimedia Smartphone. The availability of the MobiTV and its while-labeled products marks the first time that a full mobile TV application has been available on a BlackBerry device.
MobiTV, the mobile television solution that powers Sprint TV for Sprint and Axcess TV for Alltel, is the only mobile television application equipped to run on any wireless network, over any operating system, for more than 20 wireless providers, worldwide. Blackberry 8130 users can purchase MobiTV through their wireless provider, by visiting www.handango.com, or by selecting their device at www.mobitv.com and completing a purchase through the Handango shopping cart.
"MobiTV consistently appears in our best sellers list in the quarterly Handango Yardstick, and the application has earned numerous honors from Handango for quality and innovation," said Monica Hamilton, vice president of content at Handango. "We look forward to seeing improved sales results now that we are able to offer this product to BlackBerry users." [FierceWireless/FierceMobileContent]
SlingPlayer Mobile Software for BlackBerry Smartphone Platform
Content placeshifting technology developer Sling Media announced it will optimize its SlingPlayer Mobile software for Research in Motion's BlackBerry smartphone platform. SlingPlayer Mobile enables consumers to view their home television via Internet-connected devices and mobile platforms including Windows Mobile, Palm OS and Symbian OS.
Sling Media made the RIM announcement in conjunction with Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 7th - 10th and said it will release SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry later this year.
"SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry has been a top customer request since we launched the original Slingbox Classic in 2005, and being a BlackBerry addict myself I am particularly excited about this announcement," said Sling Media co-founder, chairman and CEO Blake Krikorian in a prepared statement. "Combining the best of breed email device with the ability to watch and control your living room TV is a killer combo."
The personalized mobile TV experience for BlackBerry smartphones is enabled by the award-winning Slingbox which allows customers to watch their home TV on an Internet-connected Mac or PC as well as a number of mobile phone platforms including Windows Mobile, Palm OS and Symbian OS.
SlingPlayer Mobile does not require a monthly fee or other recurring charges. Slingbox customers simply need to purchase SlingPlayer Mobile for a one-time charge of $29.99. All versions of SlingPlayer Mobile include a 30 day free trial.
Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Holding Corporation, is the world's leading digital lifestyle company offering consumer services and products that are a natural extension of today's digital way of life. Sling Media's product family includes the internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox that allows consumers to watch and control their living room television shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs, and smartphones. [FierceMobileContent]
RIM Likely to End 2007 with 10% Share of the Smartphone Market
Research In Motion (RIM) is likely to end 2007 with around 10% share of the smartphone market. This means that in terms of device shipments, RIM will be the second largest smartphone vendor in 2007, after Nokia. RIM’s share in the smartphone market has steadily increased in the last five quarters — from 7.2% in 3Q 2006 to 9.5% in 3Q 2007.
However, RIM’s business is still predominantly in North America and the company now needs to put increasing efforts into addressing and benefitting from the growing demand for smartphones in the emerging markets of Asia Pacific and other regions.
According to ABI Research industry analyst Shailendra Pandey, “In addition to operator partnerships, RIM needs to grow both its R&D and manufacturing capabilities to expand and increase its presence in markets beyond North America and Europe. Considering the growing opportunities in the Asia Pacific region, a manufacturing and R&D presence in India or China can help RIM in shipping more devices and reducing overall costs.”
This specific focus on the enterprise market and the email feature has helped RIM establish itself as one of the most preferred vendors in the smartphone market. This also enables the company to maintain higher and more stable ASPs for its devices. ABI Research estimates $345 as the ASP of RIM handsets in 2007, which is substantially higher than the overall industry average of $248 for smartphones. The growing popularity of RIM’s devices indicate that consumers and carriers are willing to support higher priced handsets, if the feature set is right and the device is executed well.
ABI Research expects RIM to continue performing strongly in the smartphone market in 2008. However, RIM will have to seek ways to include better features, improved design and a clearer UI in its devices, and introduce more handsets like the BlackBerry Pearl for the prosumer market. [ABI Research]
Smartphones Semakin Populer di Mata Pengguna
Para analis memperkirakan betapapun penetrasi smartphone di pasar, baik di Amerika maupun di banyak negara di dunia, masih relatif sedikit, namun dengan harga jual rata-rata yang sedikit lebih rendah ditambah fungsionalitas yang semakin banyak dan menarik, diperkirakan akan semakin mendorong penggunaan smartphone di tahun-tahun mendatang.
Todd Kort, analis Gartner Dataquest mengatakan bahwa penetrasi smartphone di Amerika hanya sebesar 6 persen, dimana Palm dan Blackberry merupakan dua perangkat bergerak yang paling banyak digunakan.
Namun, melihat kasus di Amerika Serikat ini, Kort melihat bahwa kecilnya penetrasi smartphone lebih dikarenakan penggerak utama penggunaan smartphone adalah pasar konsumen, bukannya pasar bisnis. Padahal, banyak fitur yang dimiliki smartphone sebenarnya ditujukan untuk mengakomodasi penggunaan yang terkait dengan kepentingan kalangan bisnis dan korporat.
Disisi lain, kalangan analis juga melihat bahwa penetrasi penggunaan smartphone di banyak negara di luar Amerika, sebut saja di Indonesia dan negara-negara lainnya di Asia, sebenarnya cukup besar. Bahkan beberapa produk smartphone lebih banyak digunakan di kawasan ini dibandingkan di kawasan lainnya di dunia.
Cliff Raskind, direktur nirkabel global Strategy Analytics, memperkirakan bahwa ketika harga smartphone turun hingga menjadi sekitar 200 dolar AS dan berada di kisaran lebih rendah, penggunaan smartphone di pasar, misalnya Amerika dan Asia, diperkirakan akan meningkat.
Raskind memperkirakan penggunaan smartphone di dalam gedung akan semakin meningkat dan dengan munculnya berbagai smartphone yang berkemampuan konvergensi fixed dan mobile akan menjadi pendorong peningkatan penetrasi smarthone lebih besar lagi.
Meski penggunaan smartphone di Amerika masih sedikit, namun para pengguna cenderung tertarik menggunakan berbagai macam layanan baru. Mark Donovan, vice president, produk dan analis senior M:Metrics, mengungkapkan bahwa 10 persen pengguna smartphone menggunakan layanan mobile TV dibandingkan para pengguna non-smartphone.
Ditambahkan bahwa 49 persen pengguna smartphone melakukan browsing berita dibandingkan sekitar 9 persen para pengguna non-smartphone. Itu lebih karena smartphone memiliki sejumlah keunggulan dibandingkan perangkat bergerak lainnya.
EQO Delivers Mobile VoIP to BlackBerry, Windows Mobile Devices
EQO Communications today announced immediate support for RIM BlackBerry and Windows Mobile powered devices. The addition of the BlackBerry Pearl and other powerful smart-phones brings the number of EQO-supported handsets to more than 400 devices from major manufacturers including Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Palm, LG, Panasonic, Phillips, RIM, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, and Siemens.
"We're rapidly evolving toward a world of ubiquitous connectivity in which we will be connected to each other all the time, everywhere we go," said Jill Aldort, Wireless/Mobile senior analyst for Yankee Group. "One of the most important elements in achieving this vision is the ability to deliver an easy to use, communications service that can reside on a broad range of handsets."
According to some estimates, more than 60 million smart phones will be sold worldwide in 2006. Users of RIM BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices now are able to access EQO Mobile, an Internet Communications platform that enables mobile VoIP calling and instant messenger services including AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, GoogleTalk, Jabber, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Instant Messenger and Skype.
"In response to user demand, we're adding support for the most popular smart-phones," said Colin Quon, founder and CTO of EQO. "Many smart-phones bring the benefits of a full keyboard, which provides a richer IM experience, and are often bundled with wireless data services, making EQO Mobile a natural fit for these users."
EQO Mobile is an evolution of the EQO for Skype service introduced at DEMO 2006. Since the launch of EQO for Skype, EQO has established itself as the premier mobile solution for Skype, with users in more than 130 countries across 260 carrier networks.
Source: WirelessIQ
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