Windows Phone

mobile
December 6, 2012
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Windows Phone Shipments

Windows Phone shipments could surge by 150% in 2013

By on December 6, 2012 at 4:20 PM.

Windows Phone shipments could surge by 150% in 2013

2013 might go down as the year that Windows Phone finally hits the mainstream. A new study from Digitimes Research predicts Microsoft (MSFT) is expected to see the highest increase in shipments among all mobile device operating systems next year as Windows Phone devices, including both Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8 models, will see shipments increase 150% to 52.5 million units, good for a 6.1% share of the smartphone market. The firm also predicts that Google’s (GOOG) Android operating system is expected to “solidify its market leadership” in the mobile space in the upcoming year.  With continued support from a wide-range of smartphone vendors and higher sales in emerging markets, the platform could see shipments top 600 million units, or 70% of the market, for the first time. Apple (AAPL) is once again expected to take second place with its iPhone accounting for 20% of all smartphone shipments, while Research in Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry devices are expected to only account for a 3.7% share.

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Business
December 6, 2012
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Featured
HTC Sign

HTC’s Christmas miracle

By on December 6, 2012 at 9:00 AM.

HTC’s Christmas miracle

In November, HTC (2498) managed to snap a six-month losing streak and finally show month-on-month revenue growth. Steve Ballmer plays Santa Claus — the sales driver was most likely the Windows Phone 8X. The 23% sales bounce from October is impressive, because in 2011 HTC’s sales declined by nearly as much between these two months. More →

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Business
December 4, 2012
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Windows Phone Analysis

Windows Phone lives or dies on cheap smartphones

By on December 4, 2012 at 10:50 AM.

Windows Phone lives or dies on cheap smartphones

The AdDuplex data on Windows Phone market share is based on apps using AdDuplex software to serve ads, so it may not be completely accurate. Nevertheless, some of the patterns are so clear they are likely to be meaningful. In November, 59% of Windows Phones using on AdDuplex’s network consisted of Nokia’s (NOK) budget smartphone models including the Lumia 610, Lumia 710 and Lumia 800. The Lumia 900, Nokia’s high-end flagship phone that has shipped in volume for a long time now, held only 9%. More →

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Business
December 4, 2012
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Rumor
Nokia Windows Phone 7.5

Nokia’s plan to increase market share in 2013: Live in the past

By on December 4, 2012 at 9:30 AM.

Nokia’s plan to increase market share in 2013: Live in the past

Nokia (NOK) continued to struggle in 2012 despite the launch of its highly anticipated Lumia 900 smartphone. Things seem to be improving a bit as sales of its new flagship phone, the Lumia 920, appear strong, but the vendor has a steep hill to climb if it hopes to swing back to a profit in the near future. Picking up market share is a big part of Nokia’s fight in 2013 and a new report suggests that in order to make a dent in the smartphone market currently dominated by Google’s (GOOG) Android operating system and Apple’s (AAPL) iOS platform, Nokia plans to live in the past. More →

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Business
December 3, 2012
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Windows Phone US Sales December

Christmas bust threatens Windows Phone in America

By on December 3, 2012 at 1:36 PM.

Christmas bust threatens Windows Phone in America

Windows Phones are facing an icy December in America. HTC’s (2498) new Windows flagship is stumbling badly at leading web retailers like Amazon (AMZN) and Best Buy (BBY), and Best Buy has just given a chilling new shipping estimate for the Nokia 920: “Guaranteed Christmas Delivery. Get it by Dec 24.” Samsung’s (005930) ATIV S shipments are delayed until late December in North America and Europe. Demand may be out there — but supply is not. More →

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Business
November 28, 2012
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Windows Phone Sales 2012

Microsoft CEO Ballmer says Windows Phone sales have quadrupled

By on November 28, 2012 at 2:15 PM.

Microsoft CEO Ballmer says Windows Phone sales have quadrupled

In a renewed charge led by Nokia’s (NOK) flagship Lumia 920 smartphone, Windows Phone sales this holiday season are up dramatically from the same period last year. According to Bloomberg, sales of smartphones powered by Microsoft’s (MSFT) mobile platform have quadrupled handset sales ahead of the holidays in 2011. “Windows Phone 8 has been on sale for a few weeks and is off to a great start,” Bloomberg quotes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as having said during a shareholders’ meeting. He continued, noting that Windows Phone 8 models from both Nokia and HTC (2498) “are getting rave reviews and have initially sold out in many countries.” The executive also stated that there are currently 1,500 different PC and tablet models running Microsoft’s new Windows 8 software, up from 1,000 models when the platform debuted.

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Legal
October 31, 2012
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Microsoft Live Tiles Lawsuit

Microsoft embroiled in fresh patent suit over Live Tiles in Windows 8 and Windows Phone

By on October 31, 2012 at 5:27 PM.

Microsoft embroiled in fresh patent suit over Live Tiles in Windows 8 and Windows Phone

A small company that designs technology for operating systems filed a patent complaint against Microsoft (MSFT) over its Windows Phone and Windows 8 platform. SurfCast alleges that Microsoft’s operating system infringes one of its patents that details “making, using, selling, and offering to sell devices and software products.” The lawsuit targets the company’s mobile devices running both Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8, as well as PCs using Windows 8 and Windows RT. SurfCast’s patent broadly covers information that can be assigned to a tile and be updated at different refresh rates, similar to the Live Tiles Microsoft uses in its Metro user interface. More →

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Business
October 25, 2012
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Bill Gates Interview Windows

Bill Gates: Windows and Windows Phone will be combined into one platform

By on October 25, 2012 at 3:17 PM.

Bill Gates: Windows and Windows Phone will be combined into one platform

In a recent interview posted by Microsoft (MSFT), company co-founder Bill Gates had much praise to offer Microsoft’s upcoming Surface tablet. Gates called the new slate an ”unbelievably great product” and said it is far more than just a tablet. In a less widely reported portion of the interview, however, the former Microsoft boss had an insight to offer that sheds further light on Microsoft’s future plans. More →

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mobile
October 22, 2012
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Lumia 920 pricing

Nokia’s flagship Lumia 920 to attack rivals on price

By on October 22, 2012 at 1:30 PM.

Nokia’s flagship Lumia 920 to attack rivals on price

Nokia’s (NOK) upcoming flagship smartphone, the Lumia 920, is set to launch in the coming weeks and Nokia appears to be utilizing a familiar plan of attack. While the new smartphone offers a number of novel features such as wireless charging, Nokia has had trouble attracting attention to its smartphones — and to Windows Phone in general — in key markets like the United States. To help foster interest in the device, The Wall Street Journal reports that Nokia has chosen to cut into its margins and price the flagship phone at $149.99 while rival flagship devices start at $199. Of note, Nokia priced its previous flagship at $99.99, but the cost advantage didn’t seem to appeal to the mass market and Nokia only sold 4 million Lumia phones globally in the Lumia 900′s launch quarter. Nokia will reportedly announce launch details for the Lumia 920 on Thursday.

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Business
October 11, 2012
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Microsoft gearing up to make smartphones, tablets and PCs in company-saving strategy shift

By on October 11, 2012 at 4:00 PM.

Microsoft gearing up to make smartphones, tablets and PCs in company-saving strategy shift

Microsoft Strategy Analysis

Microsoft (MSFT) is currently in the midst of a major transition unlike anything the company has dealt with in the past. According to our own sources and multiple subsequent reports, Microsoft is working on its own smartphone. While this would mark the first time Microsoft has launched a self-branded smartphone (we’re not counting the KIN), the implications for the company are much greater than just a phone. Noted industry insider Eldar Murtazin has written a lengthy piece on the company’s upcoming Windows Phone plans, but has also explored some of the reasons why Microsoft is being forced to make its own tablets and smartphones, and most likely its own laptops and desktops as well in the near future. This is a fundamental shift in the company’s business model, and it could absolutely end up backfiring. We have included some of Eldar’s most important points as well as our own thoughts and reactions from our own sources below. More →

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mobile
October 2, 2012
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comScore

Sorry, Microsoft: Android and iOS are still the only operating systems that matter

By on October 2, 2012 at 4:45 PM.

Sorry, Microsoft: Android and iOS are still the only operating systems that matter

To little surprise, Android has not only remained the most popular smartphone operating system in the United States by a wide margin, but Google’s (GOOG) platform continues to see impressive growth in an over-saturated market. In a three-month study ending in August 2012, research firm comScore found that Android was on more than half of all smartphones in the U.S., increasing from 50.1% in May to 52.6%.  More →

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mobile
September 28, 2012
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ios-android-market-share-grows

iOS, Android once again grow market shares at RIM and Microsoft’s expense

By on September 28, 2012 at 1:15 PM.

iOS, Android once again grow market shares at RIM and Microsoft’s expense

Well what do you know: iOS and Android are still growing while BlackBerry and Windows Phone are still shrinking. AppleInsider got its hands on the latest data from comScore showing that Android increased its share of the American smartphone market to 52.2% in July 2012, up from 50.8% in April, while iOS increased its share to 33.4%, up from 31.4% in April. On the losing side of the equation, RIM saw its share of the American smartphone market fall from 11.6% in April to 9.5% in July, while Windows Phone’s share declined from an already-minuscule 4% in April to an even-smaller 3.6% in July. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see how these numbers change over the next few months in the wake of the iPhone 5 release, as well as the release of Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry 10.

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Business
September 20, 2012
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Nokia CEO has ‘a few months’ left to make Lumia a success

By on September 20, 2012 at 7:45 AM.

Nokia CEO has ‘a few months’ left to make Lumia a success

Nokia Lumia Analysis

Nokia’s (NOK) turnaround isn’t going as smoothly as many had hoped and it now looks as though investors and industry watchers are starting to get restless. The struggling Finnish smartphone vendor has lost more than $1 billion in each of the three most recent quarters. Nokia managed to ship 4 million Lumia smartphones last quarter, but it continued to lose market share as Google’s (GOOG) Android OS and Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone dominated the global market. Investors have been treated to a few unexpected surprises, but some are beginning to lose patience with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop as questions surrounding whether or not Microsoft’s 2-year-old mobile OS will ever manage to make a dent in the smartphone market continue to be raised. More →

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