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- Samsung to offer movies formatted for mobile devices
Samsung has begun selling full-length movies and TV shows that U.K. users can download to their cell phones and PCs, to either own or rent for a day, the handset maker said, adding that it plans to gradually expand the service across Europe. Equipped with a library of 10,000 movies and TV shows formatted specially for mobile devices as well as deals with three major studios and independent providers, Samsung eventually wants to spread the service to all of its IP-enabled hardware, such as TVs, laptops and digital music players. MocoNews.net
(3/18), The Register (U.K.)
(3/19)      
| Company News | | |
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- Sony Ericsson puts heavy U.S. bet on cameraphone
Swedish phone maker Sony Ericsson says it thinks this is the year its global success with Cybershot cameraphones finally reaches the U.S. market and persuades consumers to upgrade their devices. The company said it was planning a huge second-quarter push to back the launch of its C905 cameraphone, an 8-megapixel device that could run on either AT&T or T-Mobile USA's network. The Washington Post/Reuters
(3/19)
- Mobile wave prompts companies to take action
Seeing a surge in how customers use their mobile phones, businesses of all sorts -- from online to bricks-and-mortar -- are trying to catch what a Bank of America executive termed "this fast-moving tide," often by partnering with startup companies to do so. "Mobile is essential to reach our audience, and it's also a revenue driver for us," said Allen Duan, an MTV vice president whose company hired Rhythm New Media to provide ad-supported video applications for smartphones. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(3/18)
- Report: AT&T mulls no-commitment iPhone offer
AT&T will soon let subscribers buy an Apple iPhone 3G without signing a two-year contract, according to the Boy Genius Report, an online publication. Starting March 26, AT&T is expected to sell the smartphone for $599 and $699 -- for the 8GB and 16GB versions, respectively -- a move possibly aimed at paring down iPhone inventory ahead of a new-product launch. AT&T had no comment on the report. CNET
(3/18), Dealerscope
(3/19)
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- Developers face touch choices on mobile-platform picks
The boom in online application markets has acted as a double-edged sword for developers, who are often forced to decide whether to spend extra time and effort writing across a number of mobile operating systems, according to this analysis. Venture capitalists are divided on how developers should proceed, arguing either that writing for a specific platform -- such as the iPhone -- severely limits their potential market or that they should target their applications narrowly for the platforms for which they are best suited. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(3/19)
- New group seeks to extend ISO wireless standard
A consortium of tech companies and wireless-data users has united to expand the ISO 18000-7 standard from use solely among global defense companies to the commercial sector. The DASH7 Alliance wants to provide support -- including application development, security and interoperability -- for military, government and private business users to monitor a wide range of products, dangerous materials, perishable goods and heavy equipment, according to the alliance. EE Times
(3/18)
| Trends & Research | | |
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- Skype to carriers: Give users more freedom on apps
Despite the publicity given to the success of App Store-like online markets, few cell phone customers have actually downloaded any applications, according to a new study commissioned by VoIP provider Skype, which said users felt they lacked control over their handsets compared with their PCs. Skype said its survey of 3,000 users showed that interest in mobile apps rose dramatically when carriers gave them more control over what they could load onto their phones. InformationWeek
(3/18)
| Earnings Roundup | | |
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| Public Policy | | |
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- Lawmakers press FCC to speed phone-number porting
Fixed-line telecom companies would have two days to switch their customers' phone numbers when they move to a wireless or cable company, according to a proposal put forth by several U.S. lawmakers in a letter to acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps. Midsize wireless carriers, such as T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel, have pushed for the action. Reuters
(3/18)
| CTIA News | | |
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Wireless @ Work -- Sharp Electronics
Sharp Electronics' use of wireless applications to streamline its field operations and reporting has revolutionized how the firm and its clients perform. By eliminating paperwork and creating instantaneous results, Sharp has gained a competitive edge using wireless technology. Click here to watch WOW now!
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Palm's shares have soared in advance of the release of the long-awaited Palm Pre smartphone while BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion has been mired in a slump, according to a published report that analyzes the prospects of the two companies. 
ClipSyndicate/Bloomberg
