Category Archives: Apple
ARM shares head towards record £10 mark after 16% profit rise
Shares in UK chip designer ARM hit a record high in early trading today [5th February 2013], reaching 946p after the company reported a a 16 per cent pre tax rise in profits for Q4.
The stock was up more than 6 per cent within an hour of trading, as the company reported profits of £80 million for the period compared to £69 million for Q4 2011. Continue reading
HTC eyes China as profits set to be wiped out
Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has revealed how its Q1 revenues for 2013 could be down 17 per cent and that profits could be wiped out, thanks to overwhelming competition from rivals Samsung and Apple.
The company’s gloomy outlook comes amid plans by HTC to introduce a five-inch flagship in the West, though otherwise it says it intends to focus on emerging markets such as China in the future to reverse the decline. Continue reading
Tablet sales up 75% in Q4 as consumers ditch PCs
Some 52.5 million tablets were shipped globally in the last quarter, latest figures from IDC reveal, but the bulk were Android devices as Apple’s iPad and iPad mini accounted for a dwindling 43.6 per cent of sales.
Korean giant Samsung, meanwhile, more than doubled its share to 15.1 per cent over the Christmas period with eight million devices sold, while Amazon shipped about 4.7 million Kindle Fire tablets closely followed by Google with its Nexus 7 with sales of 3.1 million tablets. Continue reading
GoMo hadn’t bricked its iPhone after all
Rating: We triumph over obscurity in the end
They say that necessity is the Mother of Invention. Well needing to test an iOS app, we decided to have another go at reviving our broken handset. We can now happily report that the iphone is now successfully connected to O2 in the UK. It is all down to activation. Continue reading
Brits pile into class action against Google over snooping
Hundreds of British iPhone users have joined a class action lawsuit against Google over claims it illicitly installed cookies on their devices to track their web habits.
With around ten million iPhone users in the UK, a legal settlement could cost the search giant dearly as word spreads of the compensation demands Continue reading
UK retailers favour Samsung over Apple, says survey
Commission hungry sales bods reckon Korean maker’s devices are safer bet
A mystery shopper survey of UK high streets has revealed that Samsung’s smartphones are the most recommended by retailers, with BlackBerry and LG devices rarely suggested. The survey, by Informa Telecoms and Media, found that the Samsung Galaxy SIII and the Galaxy Note II were the most recommended, followed by the iPhone 5. Phones from other manufacturers such as ZTE, Motorola, LG, RIM and Nokia were rarely proffered to customers. Continue reading
Market penetration is now the name of the game says KPMG
Rating: Apple and Samsung need to worry about Amazon
After Samsung and Apple announced results earlier this week, (see here) market penetration not innovation is now the name of the game says KPMG. After all, the very latest product releases from Apple such as the iPad mini and the iPhone 5 have been evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Under Tim Cook’s leadership, we have seen no signs of further ‘game changing’ products. Continue reading
Nokia slides back as Samsung surges ahead
The divide between Samsung and Nokia has become more marked, latest trading updates show, with the Korean manufacturer returning record quarterly profits while its Finnish rival has been forced into ditching its dividend payouts.
Last night Nokia shares closed 5.5 per cent down on news that it was abolishing dividends which last year cost the firm €750 million last year, around a sixth of its €4.4 billion cash reserves. Continue reading
Apple shares down 10% despite record iPhone sales
Lower growth warning spooks Wall Street
Apple shares closed more than 10 per cent down in New York last night [23rd January 2013] after its results for the three months up to Xmas disappointed investors. Ironically, the Cupertino-based manufacturer had posted record profits for its crucial Q1 period, covering October, November and December, but it also warned of lower revenue growth in coming months. A record 47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads were sold, though this would have been higher if Apple had managed to keep up with demand. Continue reading
Crucial milestone for RIM as it starts shipping new BES
Download now available ahead of next week’s BB10 smartphone launch
RIM has begun shipping its long awaited BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10) operating system, designed to support its upcoming BB10 smartphones also due to be launched next week. Available as a download to governments and corporate clients, it also offers support for the Canadian maker’s PlayBook tablets, Android devices, plus Apple’s iPhone and iPad iOS products through a unified web-based console. Continue reading
11% of iOS fans search for apps on loo
Rating: Shocking stats on how users behave on App Store
Research from Surikate/GfK, has just revealed that 11 per cent of iPhone users have confessed to browsing for apps whilst on the loo. This finding doesn’t shock GoMobile News since we have already revealed that smartphone users watch videos in the bathroom, too. The survey was intended to demonstrate just how difficult it is to get an app noticed on Apple’s key iTunes App Store. Continue reading
RIM extends deadline for BB10 app developers
App developers have been given a stay of execution if they still want to be considered for RIM’s Built for BlackBerry programme.
With just nine days to go before the much-awaited BlackBerry 10 platform is launched, the Canadian manufacturer has extended the deadline for developers to 18th February 2013.
Under the programme, developers who commit to building high quality, BB10 exclusive apps stand to earn at least $10,000 providing the idea qualifies and earns at least $1,000 in downloads over the next 12 months from 4th March 2013. If sales fail to reach the $10k mark, RIM pledges to make up the shortfall itself. Continue reading
Apple cutting orders for iPhone parts indicates weakness says Frost & Sullivan
Rating: Frost & Sullivan dares to say Samsung is the new Apple
It’s a bit of a taboo subject – just like Jimmy Saville’s antics, but industry analysts are finally admitting that Apple’s star is waning. And Samsung has taken over. The first clear indication of this are reports that Apple has cut orders for iPhone parts. But the signs have been there before. As one GoMo reader pointed out, when we reported Nokia’s discounting of the Lumia 920 here as a sign of weakness, Apple had done virtually the same thing in Canada – offering the iPhone 5 free on contract and nobody mentioned it. (See Comments to this story). Continue reading
Apple woos Chinese buyers with interest free credit
Scheme aims to wean them off cheap handsets from rivals
Apple has underscored its determination to boost sales in China by allowing consumers to buy its devices on credit. The initiative comes less than a week after a visit to the region by Apple CEO, Tim Cook, who met with the region’s biggest player – China Mobile, in a bid to forge new alliances and regain ground lost to the likes of Samsung and Nokia, not to mention homespun makers of cheaper brands. Continue reading
Industry reaction to demise of UK music retail chain – HMV
Rating: Is this a classic case of no ‘click & collect’ offering?
Over here in Blighty [UK] we’ve all been fond of the little do sitting next to a gramophone which symbolises HMV (His Master’s Voice). Although it enjoys an estimated 38 per cent share of physical music sales in the UK, HMV has just recently slipped into administration. Market watchers appear unanimous in their verdict that online sales have badly hit the chain’s 249 stores. What should HMV have done or do now to save itself? GoMobile News agrees with the suggestion made by Gregory Mead, Musicmetric’s CEO that it should have embraced a click & collect model. We also agree with Ovum’s Mark Little that this development might well give an unexpected boost to digital music sales. Continue reading
