Windows Phone
Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools Finalized on September 16th, App Submissions Begin in Early October
Aug 23rd
Just over six months after the introduction of Microsoft’s Window Phone 7 mobile phone operating system, the Windows Phone Developer Blog has announced that the gold release of the Windows Phone Developer Tools will be available on September 16th. Along with that news, we have also been informed that application submissions to the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace will begin sometime in early October. There still isn’t a set hardware launch date, at least nothing more than the “ready for the holidays” line that we have seen before, but with the Marketplace ramping up in early October we’re going to set our sights on a late October or November launch date.
[Via Windows Phone Developer Blog]
Nokia maintains handset market share lead, HTC cracks top ten
Aug 14th
| Company | 2Q10
Units |
2Q10 Market Share (%) | 2Q09
Units |
2Q09 Market Share (%) |
| Nokia | 111,473.8 | 34.2 | 105,413.4 | 36.8 |
| Samsung | 65,328.2 | 20.1 | 55,430.1 | 19.3 |
| LG | 29,366.7 | 9.0 | 30,497.0 | 10.7 |
| Research In Motion | 11,228.8 | 3.4 | 7,678.9 | 2.7 |
| Sony Ericsson | 11,008.5 | 3.4 | 13,574.3 | 4.7 |
| Motorola | 9,109.4 | 2.8 | 15,947.8 | 5.6 |
| Apple | 8,743.0 | 2.7 | 5,434.7 | 1.9 |
| HTC | 5,908.8 | 1.8 | 2,471.0 | 0.9 |
| ZTE | 5,545.8 | 1.7 | 3,697.9 | 1.3 |
| G’Five | 5,208.6 | 1.6 | NA | NA |
| Others | 62,635.2 | 19.30 | 45,977.2 | 16.1 |
| Total | 325,556.8 | 100.0 | 286,122.3 | 100.0 |
Nokia sold 111 million phones in the second quarter of 2010 to maintain its lead on top of the mobile phone market, at 34% market share. Based on rumours we hear in North America about Nokia’s inevitable demise, this comes as quite a shock to me, and, I’m sure, to a few of you.
RIM kept its 4th place hold on the market with 11 million handsets, and only 3.4%, but enough to keep it ahead of Apple, who sold 8.7 million iPhones last quarter for a 2.7% market share.
HTC is the big surprise here, with a 139% year-over-year increase in handsets. This is mainly due to Android’s huge proliferation in the United States, and HTC’s increased brand recognition worldwide as a favourable and reliable company.
Android, as we mentioned previously, is the number one platform in America, overtaking RIM in the last quarter. Worldwide, it still trails Symbian by a lot, and BlackBerry by a small amount, but has overtaken iOS to take third place at 10% worldwide marketshare.
Two years ago, few would have predicted that Android would become as successful and ubiquitous as it has in such a short amount of time. But here we are, two years later, and it’s a thriving brand, product, and platform.
Worldwide Smartphone Sales to End Users by Operating System in 2Q10 (Thousands of Units)
| Company | 2Q10
Units |
2Q10 Market Share (%) | 2Q09
Units |
2Q09 Market Share (%) |
| Symbian | 25,386.8 | 41.2 | 20,880.8 | 51.0 |
| Research In Motion | 11,228.8 | 18.2 | 7,782.2 | 19.0 |
| Android | 10,606.1 | 17.2 | 755.9 | 1.8 |
| iOS | 8,743.0 | 14.2 | 5,325.0 | 13.0 |
| Microsoft Windows Mobile | 3,096.4 | 5.0 | 3,829.7 | 9.3 |
| Linux | 1,503.1 | 2.4 | 1,901.1 | 4.6 |
| Other OSs | 1,084.8 | 1.8 | 497.1 | 1.2 |
| Total | 61,649.1 | 100.0 | 40,971.8 | 100.0 |
(via Gartner Research)
Hands-On With Windows Phone 7!
Aug 12th
Today is a pretty special day at TCG. We have been given the chance to look at Windows Phone 7 running on a few pre-production hardware models. The phone that I am using at the moment is a pre-production Samsung phone running on Rogers, but there are a couple floating around. Throughout the day we will be updating with relevant information, and if you have any questions, please let us know!
From my first impression with the device, the home screen “tiles” work extremely smoothly and the device, even on pre-production. The typography really does add to the experience, and because the tiles are dynamic, the whole thing takes on a very organic feel. Because you will end up interacting with tiles more often than the “app drawer,” the stilted, iOS-like reliance on switching between apps to get anything done, is greatly reduced, though not to the extent of Android.
One thing I love about Android, and will hopefully translate well to the Windows Phone 7 series, is a drop-down notification system, combined with live information on the tiles, eliminating the need to go into an app to receive the info. As it stands, it’s very slick.
Obviously the speed and stability of the hardware and software right now is not final code, but it’s a great start. Stay tuned for more information throughout the day!
Windows Phone 7: Coffee and Code
Aug 12th
There has been much talk of Apple and Blackberry of recent, but what about Microsoft and their re-invigorated OS now known as Windows Phone 7?
Other than the odd device pop-up, the actual performance and usability have been shrouded in secrecy, with only potential launch dates being announced to the public.
If you are a die-hard Windows fan boy, have interest in getting a hands-on approach to the new Windows Phone 7 series powered devices, and live in the Toronto area, I have some good news for you.
Today, Aug 12, 2010, from 12pm – 8pm, 3 Microsoft product evangelists will be on location at Starbucks, 4 King West (corner of Yonge St and King St) with 3 devices running Windows Phone 7 series, ready to load up your application and let you test it out.
TheCellularGuru.com will be on location blogging live, moderating your questions using the twitter hash-tag #WP7CC, and finding out everything you our readers want to know about this up-coming OS.
So come by, say hi, and see what Microsoft has been cooking up!
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Samsung Developing Flexible, “Unbreakable” AMOLED Displays
Jul 20th
It looks like Samsung is taking to task the problem of broken screens in mobile devices with the development of flexible AMOLED screens. They have given one of these screens a beating (literally) and it seems to hold up quite well, especially when compared to a “normal” screen. The biggest problem with the idea of a flexible display is that unless the digitizer—the component which overlays the screen and actually registers touch input—is flexible, it will still be easily broken if the device takes a hard fall. The worst thing is, the digitizer is what makes Samsung’s SuperAMOLED displays so super. Who knows if the same results could even be achieved if the digitizer were flexible. We’ve got the screen-smashing footage queued up for you after the break.
[Via OLED-Display.net]
No, Windows Phone 7 won’t tear you away from your smartphone, unless it’s an Android
Jul 15th
Ok, so the poll results aren’t exactly going to turn a lot of heads here. I mean, most people haven’t even seen a Windows Phone 7 device in person, and to truly appreciate a new phone platform it needs to be used. Couple that with the fact that Windows Mobile has left a legacy of green ooze on Microsoft’s lap, it’s going to be hard to rebound quickly. I’m impressed that 14% of people are even willing to give the platform a try.
Personally, I think Android users are going to be the ones most likely to switch over. Their allegiances aren’t as strong, the Koolaid not as potent as with iPhone. And BlackBerry users are always going to be BlackBerry users. CrackBerry is the strongest narcotic known to man.
But things change. Come October, or November, or whenever, Windows Phone 7 might blow everyone away with the most robust and usable 1.0 software ever released on a mobile platform. People may say, “Wow! Look at the potential for this thing! I must be an early adopter.” What’s more likely is that most early adopters will breach the Zune/Xbox/Office integration, its potential app marketplace, and all other areas in which it can improve. The Metro interface looks sexy, its consistent UI deployment unbeatable.
All that’s left, really, is the hardware. We know that LG and HTC will be diving head first into manufacturing. We know that, at minimum, the hardware will be as or more powerful than current high-end Android devices. That’s important, as a minimum 4″ screen is going to need some robust hardware. If the internet experience is as good as they claim, and if multimedia support is there, I don’t see why WP7 will be any less desirable than Android or iPhone. But we’ve seen a pretty good platform in WebOS go down the toilet due to lack of hardware/carrier support. Microsoft can’t and won’t let that happen.
Microsoft’s Todd Brix Admits to Providing Financial Incentives and Free Hardware to Windows Phone 7 Developers
Jul 14th
In an interview with BusinessWeek, Microsoft’s Senior Director Todd Brix confirmed recent suspicions that Microsoft has been providing free hardware as well as financial incentives to entice developers to the Windows Phone 7 platform. Financial incentives include cash for their commitment to the platform as well as a little assurance that if things go south, their time won’t have been completely wasted.
“We are investing a lot to attract developers big and small to Windows Phone 7 to let them understand what the opportunity is and provide as many resources as we can to help them be successful on our platform. We’re open for business and we want to work with them.”
- Todd Brix
Microsoft has a massive mountain to climb to push a brand new platform like Windows Phone 7 into a market where developers are primarily finding success in the iOS or Android platforms. It is going to take a lot of work on Microsoft’s part to gain momentum and developer support for a new OS that won’t have a defined user-base until months after the launch has occurred. For developers it’s hard to know whether their developmental work will pay off and whether or not WP7 will mature enough to become a lucrative platform to develop for.
What Microsoft is doing to entice developers certainly isn’t wrong, nor is it necessarily a bad sign for the future of Windows Phone 7. They are simply giving devs the tools they need to make their work successful, while throwing a little cash at developers to relieve some of the insecurity involved with developing for a brand new platform. At this point, Microsoft needs to be doing all they can to stack the Windows Marketplace’s roster because when compared to the iPhone’s massive selection and Android’s quickly growing market, they are going to need all the help they can get.
[Via BusinessWeek]
Adobe Announces Release of Flash 10.1 for Mobile
Jun 22nd
Today Adobe announced the release of Flash for any Android smartphone running FroYo, also known as Android 2.2. For now this only applies to Nexus One users and those who have flashed a custom 2.2 ROM to their Android phone. Other Android will users will have to wait patiently for their 2.2 update before they can get in on the Flash-filled fun. Don’t feel left out though if you’re not an Android user, because Adobe had plenty to say in regards to our other favorite smartphone platforms (sans iOS of course):
Flash Player 10.1 was also released to mobile platform partners to be supported on devices based on Android, BlackBerry, webOS, future versions of Windows® Phone, LiMo, MeeGo and Symbian OS, and is expected to be made available via over-the-air downloads and to be pre-installed on smart phones, tablets and other devices in the coming months.
They use the typical “in the coming months” phrase which could mean by the end of the year based on the slow rollout thus far. Still, it’s good to know that Adobe has done their part and that it’s up to manufacturers to make the implementation happen. Adobe also promises great performance along with accelerometer support. While that all sounds very nice, we’ll believe it when we see it.
Join us after the break for the full press release.
[Via Adobe]
SAN JOSE, Calif., — June 22, 2010 —Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the release of Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 to mobile platform partners. Redesigned from the ground up with new performance and mobile specific features, Flash Player 10.1 is the first release that brings the full Web across desktops and devices. Mobile users will now be able to experience millions of sites with rich applications and content inside the browser including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, music, video, audio and more.
Already one of the top free apps on Android™ Market today, Flash Player 10.1 will be available as a final production release for smart phones and tablets once users are able to upgrade to Android 2.2 “Froyo.” Devices supporting “Froyo” and Flash Player 10.1 are expected to include the Dell Streak, Google Nexus One, HTC Evo, HTC Desire, HTC Incredible, DROID by Motorola, Motorola Milestone, Samsung Galaxy S and others. Flash Player 10.1 was also released to mobile platform partners to be supported on devices based on Android, BlackBerry, webOS, future versions of Windows® Phone, LiMo, MeeGo and Symbian OS, and is expected to be made available via over-the-air downloads and to be pre-installed on smart phones, tablets and other devices in the coming months.
“We are thrilled that more than three million Flash designers and developers are now able to unleash their creativity on the world of smart phones, tablets, netbooks, televisions and other consumer electronics,” said David Wadhwani, general manager and vice president, Platform Business at Adobe. “The combined power of the leading rich media technology platform with millions of passionate creatives is sure to impact the world in ways we haven’t even imagined yet.”
Broad Partner Support
Device and technology partners including ARM, Brightcove, Dell, Google, HTC, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, RIM, Samsung, Texas Instruments and others announced more specifics around their support for Flash Player 10.1 today.
Content publishers including AgencyNet, AKQA, Armor Games, Blitz, CNET.com, HBO, JustinTV, Kongregate, Mochi Media, Msnbc Digital Network, Turner, Nickelodeon, Odopod, Photobucket, RAIN, Roundarch, Sony Pictures, South Park Studios, USA Network, Viacom, Warner Brothers and many others have also started to optimize Flash content to deliver the best possible experience within the context of smaller screens, which includes larger buttons for interactions, layout adjustments for mobile screens and more.
For details visit www.adobe.com/go/flashquote_sheet_101 or m.flash.com, Adobe’s showcase site for optimized Flash content. For more information on how to optimize Flash content for mobile, visit www.adobe.com/go/fpmobile.
New High Performance Features
Completely redesigned and optimized for mobile, Flash Player 10.1 delivers new interaction methods with support for mobile-specific input models. Support for accelerometer allows users to view Flash content in landscape and portrait mode. With Smart Zooming, users can scale content to full screen mode delivering immersive application-like experiences from a Web page. Performance optimization work with virtually all major mobile silicon and platform vendors makes efficient use of CPU and battery performance.
The new Smart Rendering feature ensures that Flash content is running only when it becomes visible on the screen, further reducing CPU and battery consumption. With Sleep Mode, Flash Player automatically slows down when the device transitions into screen saver mode. Advanced Out-of-Memory Management allows the player to effectively handle non-optimized content that consumes excessive resources, while automatic memory reduction decreases content usage of RAM by up to 50 percent. Flash Player pauses automatically when events occur such as incoming phone calls or switching from the browser to other device functions. Once users switch back to the browser, Flash Player resumes where it paused.
Industry Analyst Feedback
“Although it is labeled a dot release, Flash Player 10.1 is a significant update that includes a number of new performance and mobile specific features,” said Al Hilwa, program director of the Application Development Program at IDC. “This allows consumers to see a much bigger part of the Web and allows developers to bring their Flash Platform skills to a much bigger swath of devices.”
“For the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to test an Android Froyo device loaded with a beta of Flash Player 10.1,” said Ben Bajarin, principal analyst at Creative Strategies. “The overall experience and performance of Flash has been impressive. Mobile users now have access to full Web pages with rich Flash content on millions of sites. With the new mobile specific features, developers also have an important opportunity to help shape the way Web content, games, touch capabilities and more are presented across platforms and devices as Froyo and other platforms deliver full Flash support.”
Additional Resources
To watch demo videos of Flash Player 10.1 running across devices, including smart phones and tablets, visit www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/demos.
Availability
Flash Player 10.1 is expected to be available as a final production release for devices once users are able to upgrade to Android 2.2 “Froyo.” Once upgraded, smart phones, tablets and other devices can be updated with Flash Player 10.1 over-the-air via numerous ways including content triggered downloads, system software updates and on-device app catalogs such as Android Market, Adobe Labs and other venues. The upgrade mechanism will vary by device and device manufacturer. The desktop version of Flash Player 10.1 for Windows, Mac OS and Linux is available on http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer today.
Samsung Messenger Picked up by Rogers and Bell
Apr 27th
So Windows Mobile 6.5 isn’t gone just yet. The new Samsung Messenger GT-B7330 is confirmed to be released running the aging operating system via Bell and Rogers in the near future. April 28th on Bell and May 4th on Rogers to be exact, with Telus following later in the year, though no date is given.
To learn more about the device visit Samsung Canada’s website
[via Mobile Syrup]
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Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two Social Phones Ousted
Apr 12th
Microsoft, failing not to be outshined by Apple time and time again, has released information about their new social phones, the Kin One and Kin Two.
Kin One seems to be an ugly, portrait-slider clamshell design with a low-res screen. It will likely be marketed to teenagers looking for basic social functionality without an expensive data plan. Verizon seems to be the partner carrier for these phones, and may release a special social plan for them to keep costs down.
Kin One specs are as follows:
- Form factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY
- Display: 2.6″ TFT, QVGA (320 x 240), capacitive touch screen
- Camera: 5.0MP CMOS anti-shake, autofocus, dual LED flash
- Speakers: Mono
- Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 4GB storage
- Battery: 1240 mAh
- Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed
USB, 802.11b/g - Other: Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer
The Kin Two seems to be a bit more of a smart phone and as such, will likely appeal to the iPhone-centred market (though by the time it is out, Apple will have released their new iPhone, and the chase will continue). Specs are as follows:
- Form Factor: Vertical slide, QWERTY
- Display: 3.4″ TFT, QVGA (480 x 320), capacitive touch screen
- Camera: 8.0MP HDR CMOS from Omnivision with anti-shake,
autofocus, Lumi LED flash - Speakers: Mono
- Memory: 256MB DDR RAM, 8GB storage
- Battery: 1390 mAh
- Connectivity: EV-DO Rev A, Bluetooth 2.1 w/A2DP, Hi-speed
USB, 802.11b/g - Other: Assisted GPS, FM radio, accelerometer
Stay tuned for more info as it arrives.
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