Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China - MobilEgypt

Going by Microsoft's Greater China COO Michel van der Bel, the launch of Windows Phone in China is off to an auspicious start -- enough to give Apple the shakes. He claims that devices like the Nokia Lumia 800c have helped Windows Phone reach seven percent of the Chinese market, or just enough to get past the six points of the iPhone. We're waiting on hard data before we take van der Bel's word: the top smartphone makers worldwide aren't depending much or at all on Windows Phone, and the iPhone has a thriving gray market in China that masks some of its real numbers. Having said this, we've seen signs of Windows Phone enjoying a bit of a surge even in an iOS- and Android-loving Europe, so we'll be watching to see if there's an uptick in the number of buyers saying ni hao to Microsoft in the near future. Via : CNET Source : Emerce (translated)

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RIM, Motorola try compromise in Apple nano-SIM battle - MobilEgypt

Some of the most prominent mobile companies in the world are currently working on a new standard for SIM cards. The only issue is, they can't come to an agreement. But three of those firms yesterday tried to get one step closer to an accord. According to The Verge, citing sources, RIM, Nokia, and Motorola yesterday unveiled a new concept design for the nano-SIM standard . The card itself looks similar to its elders, featuring a rectangular design with a notched corner. However, like other nano-SIM design concepts, the latest from RIM, Nokia, and Motorola is extremely small, potentially paving the way for new design concepts, and the opportunity for more storage, despite less real estate on the card's face. The new design is an important one. Apple, which has its own nano-SIM concept, couldn't come to terms with the mobile companies over the design of the standard. At a meeting back in March at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, Apple brought one design concept to the table, while its competitors brought another. The original concept from Nokia, Motorola, and RIM, feature a dramatically different design that Apple took issue with. The other companies, meanwhile, didn't want to give Apple the standard straight away, potentially creating a scenario where both concepts could be used in the mobile space -- an unacceptable issue for many. So, rather than vote on the standards, ETSI announced that it had delayed the vote to decide which concept would be the new standard , pending "broad industry consensus." According to The Verge, which obtained the new design concept plans from Motorola, Nokia, and RIM, the companies have tried to compromise with Apple by bringing to its design "80 percent" of what Apple wanted. The remaining 20 percent is made up of those features the mobile companies were after. Whether Apple will accept the proposal remains to be seen. However, the companies will be meeting with each other between May 31 and June 1 in Japan to once again discuss the nano-SIM standard. Although a vote could be held that day to determine what will become the standard, it's not a definite.

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Fry's stocks unlocked Nokia N9, is slightly misinformed about its specs - MobilEgypt

Sure, Nokia's Lumia 900 and 808 PureView may have garnered much of the spotlight lately, but lest we forgot about its flagship MeeGo handset, the N9 . If you've been anxiously hoping to somehow score this slab of polycarbonate unlocked in the US sans gray-market importers, apparently Fry's Electronics has you covered. Phone News spotted a listing for the phone in the store's latest weekly ad -- although upon closer inspection, it appears that the retailer isn't too sure about its actual specs. Aside from describing the 3.9- inch slab of polycarbonate as a 4.3- inch device, it's also flubbed on the OS, calling it "Mego." Perhaps the most interesting error, however, is that the handset's ClearBlack AMOLED display is listed as Super AMOLED -- Samsung's competing technology. Assuming these are merely errors, you'll be able to pick one up for a spendy $600. Hit up the source link below to view the full ad.

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Nokia Announces More Exclusive Apps for Lumia Handsets - MobilEgypt

At the CTIA Wireless 2012 conference in New Orleans, US, Nokia announced a new series of applications available for its Windows Phone-powered handsets in the Lumia series. These apps, meant to provide users with appealing, locally relevant software on their devices, arrive on smartphones as the result of the various exclusive partnerships that the company has signed with industry leaders. “With Nokia Lumia smartphones now available in 48 markets, developers are rapidly recognizing the business opportunities and creating their best work for our consumers,” Marco Argenti, SVP, Nokia Developer Experience, stated. The newly announced apps for Lumia devices range from games and sport software to lifestyle and finance applications, entertainment, news, productivity and more. The list of software includes the PGA Tour app, which will be exclusively available on Nokia Lumia devices for 12 months from launch. Additionally, Nokia’s Windows Phone devices will receive the ESPN Hub exclusively until May 2013. A Windows Phone version of the ESPN Fantasy Football app will arrive on these handsets in fall. Nokia’s Lumia users will also receive access to apps such as Angry Birds Space from Rovio, as well as FIFA, Madden NFL, NBA Jam, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, Mirror's Edge and Yahtzee from EA. A Groupon Windows Phone application will be exclusively available on Lumia devices for 6 months, while Tripdots will feature a 3-month exclusivity period on these devices. Nokia and PayPal are working together on the release of an application for Windows Phone, to enable secure payment capabilities on Lumia devices. Additionally, an AOL Entertainment Hub will feature six-month exclusivity on these handsets, with access to radio stations via SHOUTcast, streaming of music albums with AOL's Listening Party, and more. "The live tiles on Nokia Lumia helped us create an awesome app that makes it easy to stay in the know on what's happening in Film, TV, Radio, Concerts and Music right from your home screen," said Sol Lipman, Director of Mobile First products at AOL. A Time Magazine app for Windows Phone is also in the works, along with Newsweek - The Daily Beast app for Windows Phone. Last but not least, there will also be a Box app for Windows Phone arriving on Nokia’s mobile devices, the company announced. "We believe that Windows Phone will play a meaningful role in enhancing mobile productivity across businesses of all sizes, and we're excited to work with Nokia to bring an unparalleled experience for both users and IT to its Lumia smartphones," Matthew Self, VP of Platform Engineering at Box, stated.

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Nokia fixes purple screen bug in Nokia Lumia 900 - MobilEgypt

Nokia seems to have solved the mystery of the purple hue. The company's NokiaCare account tweeted the news yesterday, saying that it has identified the issue and promising a fix bundled into the next overall software update. Plaguing some owners of the Nokia 900 Lumia, the bug displays a purple tint on the screen when the brightness is set low. Several posts at the XDA Developers Forum discussed the issue and displayed the actual problem , showing the difference in tint between a good model and a bad model. Nokia acknowledged the glitch last month via its Facebook account and a U.K. discussion forum. Customers in Europe were advised to bring the phone to the nearest Nokia Care center where support staff could examine it. The company was mum about a launch date for the fix but said it would tweet its followers when the software update is available. The Lumia 900 has seen strong demand in certain regions, such as the U.S. But the phone has been afflicted by a few problems. An initial bug prevented users from establishing a data connection. Nokia responded by offering a $100 credit for both new and existing customers, covering the cost of a new Lumia 900. A few other minor glitches have been found in the phone, according to WPCentral, which thinks Nokia will fix through the next software update.

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Apple, Samsung put hammerlock on smartphone profits - MobilEgypt

Apple and Samsung essentially own the entire mobile phone market now, leaving nothing but scraps left over for the rest of the pack. Tracking the industry's various players , Dediu found that Apple now holds 73 percent of all operating profits and Samsung 26 percent, leaving HTC with just 1 percent. Some mobile phone makers, such as Motorola and Sony Ericsson, haven't seen a profit in years, according to Dediu, while LG has just about been breaking even since 2009. RIM and Nokia have been struggling to regain their former footholds, but both companies are being hit hard by the heavy competition. Yet the industry itself remains strong. First- quarter profits soared to $14.4 billion from $5.4 billion just two years ago. Of course, most of that is being grabbed by Apple. But it's not so much that the iPhone maker has captured profits away from the other players but that Apple has created a new "pool of profits," according to Dediu. And just what is that pool? Carrier subsidies for the iPhone 4S, says the analyst. The carriers willingly cough up a premium to Apple to sell the iPhone for two reasons: 1) It provides a competitive advantage; and 2) it keeps their customers from jumping ship. That's why 250 carriers around the world now offer the iPhone, says Dediu (though 250 others still don't) "Following this value proposition to its logical conclusion would suggest that the industry is rewarding those who can supply computers- as-phones which preserve the cash flows of what is essentially a trillion dollar data services business," according to Dediu. "Vendors which cannot offer this solution saw their businesses implode. At least on the high end."

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