Mobile data growth

http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2007/08/partial-state-of-mobile-data-market.html

HTC handset sales

HTC reports their Touch sales figures exceeded over 1 million units since launched in Oct. The company also says the total handset sales has reached 15 million so far for 2007.

Sprint breaks-up with ClearWire

Sprint announced today that they have terminated the partnership with Clearwire, sending Clearwire's stock down 28%. Analysts also believed that Sprint's rollout plan will be reduced.

iPhone w/ Intel inside. JP operators to cut rate

It is reported today that Apple may come out of a iPhone based on the Intel Moorsetown Mobile Internet Device chipset in 2009. Intel has been pushing Taiwanese companies to adopt the MID platform but with little success. However, we should start seeing UMPC coming out in 2008 with MID platform.

On the other news, NTT DoCoMo announced 30% cut in monthly rate in exchange of higher handset price (average $540). KDDI has announced 20% cut in monthly rate with the same offer. How will that affect the Japanese handset manufacturers. I think the turnover rate for new handset will be longer and thus slower sale.

DMCA made unlocking cellphone LEGAL

Computer programs in the form of firmware that enable wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telephone communication network, when circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network. Source

Moto moving away from Qualcomm

After the long battled litigation between Broadcom & Qualcomm, here is latest defector of Qualcomm. Motoroloa announced that they will switch their future future 3G chipsets suppliers to TI & Freescale based "on business reason". On the bright side, Federal Court is allowing carriers to continue importing new phones with Qualcomm's chips. Though the chips cannot be imported directly into the US.

iPhone file voice commands patent

VoiceSignal is demoing a iPhone with voice command to control the songs and music. Apple also files a patent that allow voice command to control menu controls. I believe this is an evolution path that Apple will have to adapt for enhancing its touch screen only interface.

Analyst predicts mobile sale to drop in 07

Infonetics expects worldwide revenue for mobile phones to total only $117. 5 billion in 2010, an 18% drop from 2006. iPhone & Samsung's Blackjack are expected to boost smartphone sale. Another repeating theme is the WiFi convergence device. The company predicts a double digit growth through 2010 reaching a total market of $145 billions.

AdMob served 5 billionth ad

In less than 9 months, the company has served more than 5 billionth ad to mobile users.

T-Mobile Financial result

Added 857,000 new subscribers. Total of 27 million. Churn rate downed to 1.8%. ARPU is at $53.

Patent Reform Legislation Introduced

The new legislation will be the first patent reform since 1950s. The new bill will award patent to first to file (not the first to invent), curtail the infringement damage and new framework for litigation.

Wireless broadband growing faster than cable or DSL

In January, the FCC released its High Speed Services Report, which provided clear evidence that consumers are turning to wireless for their high-speed broadband needs. Between June 2005 and June 2006, there was a 2,800% increase in the number of high-speed wireless lines in-use. In fact, during the first six months of 2006, wireless accounted for 59% of all new high-speed lines. This last statistic indicates that wireless broadband is growing faster than cable and DSL combined

Beceem customers

Beceem has announced that Sanyo will use their MobileWiMax chip on the CDMA/WiMax dual mode handset. Samsung is also to use Beceem's chips in their WiMax handsets.

Rumor - Google to make mobile devices

Ex-Danger founder Andy Rubin has joined Google. And recent job post on Google suggested that the company intends to explore in the wireless communications devices.

Steve Jobs & Microsoft on DRM

Apple has been using the FairPlay DRM which posts a restriction on music download from the iTune. Steve Jobs suggested that the label companies should not impose the DRM and allow music to be downloaded without DRM.

Microsoft unveiled a new content delivery technology called PlayReady that includes its own DRM scheme. Several large operators, including Cingular (AT&T) and Verizon Wireless, said they would support PlayReady although it isn’t expected to be in handsets until later this year. PlayReady

Clearwire plans for IPO

Clearwire, the Washington based company, plans to file an IPO that will worth $575 million later this year. It actually withdrew the first attempt of an $400 million mid-2006, however, not before it received a $900 million funding from both Intel and Motorola. McCow rocks!

LG selected as the low cost 3G handset provider

Led by GSMA, LG was selected by a group of 12 operators including 3, T-Mobile & Cingular (now AT&T) after beating 18 other proposals from 8 handset makers. The model is KU250 15mm think.

Amp'd numbers

Back in Sept of 06, Amp'd announced that they would increase the subscriber number by 50K to 100K. At the end of 06, they made the number. Q4 saw an increase 70K increase. How did they do that?!

Not only that they claimed the ARPU was $100/month. 30% of that is from media download. I started wondering if any financial models were used to achieved this type of number.

Nokia & Sony Ericsson Q4 results

Nokia beats estimates of $11.5B with $15.1B sales in Q4. 31% increase QOQ. Strong selling in India, China and Latin America. CEO Olli_Pekka said "through the strengths of Nokia's brand, products, cost structure and efficiency, without sacrificing our operating margins or cash flow". On the other hand, Moto reported a 48% drop in profits in Q4. So is Samsung which also suffered from the price pressure in the market.

Sony Ericsson reported tripled Q4 profits due to the strong sales of Walkman & Cybershot phones.

One key point: Nokia's N. America sales dropped 39% but 60% gain in APAC.

WiFi VoIP phones growth

According to Analyst firm Infonetics Research - WiFi phone grew to $535M, up 327% from 05 verses $115B, up 13% of the mobile phone market. Forecast of 07-10, WiFi handsets are forecast to jump nearly 1300%. Fastest growing segment will be the dual-mode phones.

[source]

Happy New Year!

It has been awhile since my last update. Had a wonderful vacation.

To start the year off, let me predict what is hot this year.

Hot: 1. Mobile TV/video
2. Messaging (Txt & IM)
3. WiFi capable phones.
4. LBS services.
5. Mobile payment.

Lets see how accurate I am and check back in a year.