Category Archives: mobile news
Sacked Nokia workers launch own smartphone using ditched technology
Meego never given a fair chance, they say, as new op rises from the ashes
A group of ex-Nokia workers who believe the Finnish manufacturer was wrong to ditch its Meego operating system have unveiled their own smartphone using the abandoned technology. The workers, who lost their jobs after Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, opted for Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, set up their own company called Jolla soon afterwards and yesterday, with Meego now reborn as Sailfish, launched their first smartphone. Continue reading
Yahoo! wants your mobile blog from Tumblr
Web 2.0 conspiracy theories of our time
It does seem a little strange that Yahoo! would want a major blogging host company and be willing to pay a massive $1.1 billion for the privilege, according to the latest reports. But it seems to have happened. As all GoMo News will instinctively know, nothing happens on the Net unless it is mobile related. This had left us scratching our proverbial heads until we saw a story in London’s Evening Standard. Apparently, it is a mobile related move. Continue reading
After Summly Yahoo! to acquire Tumblr blogs
We’re still waiting for results of Summly acquistion
It appears that Yahoo! – best known for its search engine, is on the acquisition path again according to report coming out of the Wall Street Journal. Current CEO, Marissa Meyer, apparently will be given the go-ahead to purchase Tumblr – the NY based blog hosting site. GoMo News hopes it goes better than Yahoo!’s acquisition of Summly the smartphone app created by Brit, Nick D’Aloisio. It seems that only those residing in the USA can currently enjoy the benefits of Summly technology incorporated into Yahoo!’s mobile apps. Continue reading
MegaFon boss ups stake to 2.5% as shares surge
Stock worth half as much again since London IPO
MegaFon’s CEO, Ivan Tavrin, has upped his stake in the company to 2.5 per cent, after purchasing an additional 1.25 per cent under a long term incentive plan. The value of MegaFon’s shares has risen by more than half since the part flotation in London last November when Tavrin bought his first tranche for $20 a share – the same price as his latest stake. Under the incentive plan he has the option to purchase up to 5 per cent of the operator’s capital. Continue reading
MegaFon investors to share $1.3bn dividend windfall
Usmanov alone set to pocket quarter billion dollars from controlling stake
MegaFon, the Russian mobile operator owned by controversial billionaire Alisher Usmanov, is to pay out a bumper $1.3 billion in dividends after beating analysts’ earnings estimates. It means Usmanov, who part floated the company in London last November, himself stands to become more than £250 million richer thanks to the payout. Continue reading
Samsung edging out Apple in smartphone wars
South Korea’s Samsung has further extended its lead over Apple as the world’s largest smartphone maker, taking a 31 per cent share of recent sales according to new data.
Research firm Gartner says the manufacturing giant sold 64.7 million smartphones in Q1 2013, against 38.1 million iPhone sales. It means Samsung is increasing its lead since a year ago when it sold 40.6 million smartphones to Apple’s 33.1 million.
Together, the two companies now account for nearly half the smartphone market which in itself is increasing by 43 per cent a year. Gartner says more than 200 million people bought smartphones in the quarter, and that the devices now account for just AMeanwhile, Nokia’s shares slump after release of latest WP8 model
South Korea’s Samsung has further extended its lead over Apple as the world’s largest smartphone maker, taking a 31 per cent share of recent sales according to new data. Research firm Gartner says the manufacturing giant sold 64.7 million smartphones in Q1 2013, against 38.1 million iPhone sales. It means Samsung is increasing its lead since a year ago when it sold 40.6 million smartphones to Apple’s 33.1 million.
Together, the two companies now account for nearly half the smartphone market which in itself is increasing by 43 per cent a year. Gartner says more than 200 million people bought smartphones in the quarter, and that the devices now account for just under half of total phone sales globally.under half of total phone sales globally. Continue reading
Verizon ‘mulling huge bond issue’ as fight to secure Vodafone stake in joint venture rages on
Verizon Communications could issue as much as $20 billion in the international bond market in a single transaction soon, eclipsing even Apple’s huge $17 billion bond sale last week.
That’s the prospect that has analysts salivating, convinced as they are that Verizon is putting together a war chest in its ongoing bid to buy out Vodafone’s stake in their joint venture, Verizon Wireless. Continue reading
Monitise stock soars on Visa deal and fund manager’s endorsement
Shares in Aim-listed, mobile money firm Monitise leapt nearly 9 per cent in early trading today following a double whammy of upbeat news.
First, it was revealed that the company had completed a final contract with Visa Europe to deploy mobile money payments and commerce services for Europe’s financial institutions, ratifying an earlier announcement. Monitise also said it was granting Visa Europe – already its major shareholder – a warrant to purchase 43 million ordinary shares at a price of 36.25 pence. Continue reading
Change before it’s too late, Nokia investors warn CEO
Windows gamble isn’t paying off, they claim
Angry Nokia shareholders have warned the company’s CEO, Stephen Elop, that time is running out to turn the Finnish manufacturer around.
Since Elop abandoned Nokia’s own Symbian operating system in favour of the Windows Phone platform in 2011, the company has had little success in denting the smartphone duopoly of Apple and Samsung.
Elop, himself a former Microsoft executive, was criticised at the time for gambling the future of Nokia with an untested platform. Yesterday (7th May 2013), at the phone maker’s AGM, investors rounded on him again – calling on him to start making Android handsets instead. Continue reading
Microsoft ‘reversing gear’ on Windows 8
Tiled interface too much of a learning curve
Microsoft is planning to do a u-turn over key elements of its Window 8 operating system, it’s claimed, after many users found the new platform difficult to master. The Seattle giant is due to release an update to the OS later this year and, in an interview with the Financial Times, its head of marketing Tammy Reller admitted the “learning curve was real,” hinting that significant changes were on the way.
The admission also puts a question mark over Windows Phone 8, Microsoft’s current mobile operating system and which deploys the same Windows NT kernal. Continue reading
Mobile masts ‘half as high again’ allowed under eased planning rules
But, say ministers, changes could equally allow shorter masts with less range
Britain’s planning rules are to be eased so that Telcos can install 18 feet-high mobile phone masts without permission, half as high again as existing rules allow. Under proposals quietly ushered through last night (Friday 3rd May 2013) ministers argued the relaxed measures would encourage mobile phone operators to install shorter masts with less capacity and shorter ranges, at the same time enabling them to bring faster broadband speeds to rural areas. Planning minister Nick Boles said, “These proposed technical changes allow the new technology needed for improving mobile coverage and speeds for local residents to be installed in a way that ensures better use is made of existing infrastructure.” Continue reading
StrikeAd claims ‘world first DSP’
Are these guys living in a time warp?
Something of an ambitious claim here – StrikeAd claims to be, “the world’s first international mobile Demand Side Platform (DSP).” Not sure about that one. Anyway, its next claim is even more bizarre. The company has announced the launch of its a ‘business’ division -StrikeAd Engage. This division is dedicated solely to providing mobile brand advertising and rich media opportunities to brands and agencies. Hmm. Did it have a ‘consumer’ division before, then? Well, apparently, the business division is called StrikeAd Engage and it will operate separately from StrikeAd Fusion, the company’s mobile DSP. Continue reading
Perhaps another nail in the coffin for BlackBerry
Samsung lands US Department of Defense approval
In a first for Android powered devices, Korean based Samsung claims its smartphones and tablets supplied with Samsung Knox can be used by the US government and military services. That’s a market which BlackBerry had previous got sewn up for itself and the fact that the Number One global handset supplier has muscled in on this lucrative niche isn’t good news for the Canadian based supplier. To add insult to injury, the Samsung Galaxy S4 which has recently been launched in the global market, is the first smartphone to be enabled with Knox. From now on, Samsung’s premium smartphones and tablets will feature Samsung Knox, apparently. Continue reading
Verizon boss hints at dividend drought as he piles the pressure on Vodafone
Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam is again piling the pressure on UK operator Vodafone to sell its 45 per cent in their joint US venture, hinting that there will be no dividend forthcoming this year.
With Verizon Wireless (VZW) proving to be ever more a cash cow as its grows its mobile subscriber base, McAdam has repeatedly acknowledged that he’d like to get his hand on the entire operation either by buying Vodafone’s stake or the British carrier outright. Continue reading
Shares in Imagination plunge after renewed contract delay warnings
Shares in Britain’s Imagination Technology suffered a massive 18% drop in early London trading today, after an earnings update revealed deals has been subject to “higher levels of uncertainty due to structural and organisational changes among a number of semiconductor partners in various regions.” Continue reading
