Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Management shake-up may lead to a shift in business focus for China-based Amoi
China-based Amoi Electronics may shift the focus of its business from mobile phones to PC systems following the recently resignation of the company's CEO
Mobile advertising still at tryout stage
In the weeks leading to Christmas, an online wine retailer gave 15 percent discounts to anyone who sent in a photo of its newspaper ad snapped with a camera phone.
SnapTell Inc., the company helping Wine Enthusiast and other merchants offer such services, uses image-recognition software to determine what offer, video clip or other content to return to the phone. In the coming months, the same technology could deliver movie reviews and discounts to anyone snapping a picture of a movie poster or billboard.
It's one of a number of emerging approaches to mobile advertising, an industry still in its infancy but showing promise. More than 80 percent of Americans now own cell phones — a statistic Jupiter Research analyst Neil Strother equated with "carrying a potential advertising channel in their pocket."
Fast-food chains, carmakers and TV reality shows have run contests and other promotions in which consumers participate by sending text messages. Wireless carriers have begun letting companies run banner ads — mini-versions of what you might see on a PC. Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. have brought lucrative search ads to phones.
Advertisers have been spending a little money here, a little there trying to gauge what works on mobile phones. The efforts so far are best described as trials and pilots, lacking in comprehensive strategy.
"It's the Wild, Wild West right now," said Rick Sizemore, chief strategy officer for the tech consultancy Multimedia Intelligence. "This is an interesting and compelling vehicle, but they don't necessarily know who to work with. There are so many options out there — a lot of hype with no substance, and then a couple of gems."
SnapTell is among Sizemore's favorites.
Gautam Bhargava, SnapTell's co-founder and chief executive, said the company considered the phone's unique qualities — its lack of regular keyboards in most cases, and the ubiquity of built-in cameras. Rather than require someone to punch in a brand name using a clunky keypad, the company decided to accept picture messages.
"We wanted to make it simple for the end user," Bhargava said. "There's nothing to install on your phone. You don't need to pre-register. We do not have to worry about whether you are with Carrier A, B or C."
Another of Sizemore's favorites is Single Touch Interactive Inc., which plans to unveil in February a program that lets customers activate electronic coupons at drug stores and other retail chains simply by dialing the pound sign on the phone followed by "SAVE." Discounts are automatically applied at the register.
"I don't want to increase the line and have customers be frustrated because someone's fumbling trying to find a coupon" in a text message, said Anthony Macaluso, Single Touch's chief executive. "What we need to do today is not change the behavior of the retail point of sale or the behavior of the customer."
There are still a number of hurdles before mobile advertising can truly take off.
Advertisers now have a good idea what a typical desktop computer can do. Handsets, however, vary in screen size and features — even the same model can be configured differently depending on a customer's carrier.
And there are also big differences among users: Some people use phones only for calling, some have dabbled with text messaging and others are comfortable surfing the mobile Web and watching video.
"In mobile you can't assume anything," said Derek Handley, chief executive of The Hyperfactory, a mobile ad company. "You need to build programs and campaigns around this fact."
In addition, many users pay for services by the minute, message or kilobyte. Seven ads via text messaging could hike a phone bill by a dollar.
The uncertainty has led to some experimentation in business models, as some wireless carriers and ad companies bet that consumers will embrace ads for free minutes or ring tones.
Virgin Mobile USA LLC, which offers prepaid mobile services, said more than 10 percent of its 5 million customers have signed up for Sugar Mama, a program that lets customers earn up to 75 minutes of free airtime each month simply by watching ads or responding to mobile surveys. PepsiCo Inc., the U.S. Navy and Nintendo Co. have been among the brands participating.
Expect the experimentation to continue in the new year and beyond.
"That's how a new market is being created," said Dan Olschwang, chief executive of JumpTap Inc., an ad-technology company. "People adopt all kinds of stuff they know from other medium and gradually the industry learns how to utilize the best in this new medium that's called the mobile phone."
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Ericsson Technology Enables New Safety Device Launched by Ntt Docomo
Ericsson has announced that a brand-new security device with positioning capabilities, enabled by Ericsson technology, has been launched in Japan.
NTT DoCoMo, the Japanese telecoms giant, has launched a safety device that gets high-precision location information by using the GPS function. The device is designed to provide family members or authorities with positioning information or to enable location tracking when the user pulls the slide switch in a dangerous or emergency situation. The slide switch also triggers a crime prevention buzzer on the device.
The device is based on the U310 platform developed by Ericsson. The platform enables the modem and GPS functionality within the device, which is small enough to be carried inside a pocket or bag for easy activation in case of emergency.
Robert Puskaric, Head of Ericsson Mobile Platforms, says: "This shows that our platform technology is flexible and small enough to be implemented in devices other than the traditional mobile phone. We are also pleased to see that our platform has been included in a security device within the DoCoMo portfolio, as this proves its stability and quality."
The product, CTG-001G, has been developed by Giant Electronics on behalf of DoCoMo, and was launched on the Japanese market on December 7.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Docomo, Google Join to Upgrade I-mode Service
Starting as early as the spring, users will be able to access Google search, email, scheduling and photo-saving features through NTT DoCoMo's i-Mode Internet network, Japan's main business daily The Nikkei said, without identifying its sources.
The two firms plan to integrate the search feature with handset software, enabling the development of new services, the paper said.
Tokyo-based NTT DoCoMo is also considering developing a next-generation handset using Google's free operating system for mobile devices, it said. Such a phone could be introduced in the second half of next year, paving the way for the companies to roll out a wide range of cutting-edge services.
Kyodo News agency carried a similar report.
DoCoMo spokeswoman Makiko Furuta said users can already search the Internet with Google and other search engines through its i-Mode service. DoCoMo is also exploring other possibilities with domestic and foreign search service providers, but nothing has been decided, she said.
DoCoMo's business strategy has been to handle everything from communications infrastructure to services. With the surge in Internet use, however, the company determined that it couldn't meet customer needs on its own, the Nikkei said.
While DoCoMo has logged strong profits under its existing business model, young customers - the core users of mobile Internet services - have recently defected to KDDI and Softbank Mobile.
DoCoMo has been the sole carrier to lose subscribers since the introduction of number portability in the autumn of 2006. Number portability allows customers to switch carriers but keep the same phone number.
For Mountain View, Calif.-based Google, the alliance will give the company better access to the Japanese search engine market, the Nikkei said. Although Google is the world's leading search engine, in Japan it lags behind Yahoo Japan.
Domestic mobile service subscriptions exceed 100 million as of the end of last year, with some 70 million users accessing the Internet through their cellular phones.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
Posted to the site on 26th December 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Sanyo threatened with delisting after understating losses
25 Dec, 2007
Tokyo (dpa) - Sanyo Electric Co faces delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange after it announced Tuesday that it had understated its losses for the past six years by tens of millions of dollars.
The Japanese electronics maker and the world's largest maker of rechargeable batteries said it had suffered losses of 484.5 billion yen (4.24 billion dollars) from April 2000 to March 2006 although it had reported losses of only 478.6 billion yen during the period."The revisions to the securities statements are significant," the Tokyo Stock Exchange said. "Depending on further examination, the revisions may be of a nature that warrants the delisting of the shares."
Sanyo said it would cut the salaries of seven top managers and strike pension payments for board members for failing to prevent the miscalculations, adding that they had led to the mistaken payment of dividends.
The Osaka-based company said the reason for the understated losses was insufficient internal controls.
Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission recommended that Sanyo be fined 8.3 million yen.
Sanyo revealed the misstated earnings as it was seeking to achieve its first profit in four years after creditors bailed it out last year in return for stock.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Inventec Appliances to benefit from newly assigned Willcom wireless broadband license
Inventec Appliances is expected to further boost its shipments of PHS (personal handyphone system) handsets to Japan since its client Willcom was awarded a license last week to provide next-generation 2.5GHz wireless broadband services in Japan, according to market sources.
Willcom along with Wireless Broadband Planning KK (WBPK), a subsidiary of KDDI, were the telecom operators awarded the two operating licenses issued by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the sources noted.
WBPK will provide high-speed wireless Internet access services by utilizing WiMAX technology, whereas Willcom will offer its services via next-generation PHS technology, the sources said.
Inventec began to cooperate with Willcom on the production of PHS handsets in 2007, the sources noted, adding that Willcom also purchases PHS handsets from Sharp, Toshiba, Kyocera, NetIndex and JRC.
Inventec will ship a total of eight million PHS handsets for the markets in Taiwan, China and Japan in 2007, the sources estimated.
HTC revenues to decline over 38% sequentially in 1Q08 due to chipset shortages, says paper
High Tech Computer (HTC) revenues are expected to decline 38.5% sequentially to NT$24 billion (US$738.5 million) in the first quarter of 2008 from the NT$39 billion projected for the fourth quarter of this year due to an insufficient supply of chipset solutions from Qualcomm, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
Despite a capacity ramp by Qualcomm, HTC is expected to receive up to only 70% of the CDMA and WCDMA solutions its needs for the first quarter of 2008. This will consequently affect HTC's shipments of CDMA handsets to the US and WCDMA handsets to Europe, the paper said.
In addition, handset shipments from Foxconn International Holdings (FIH) and Chi Mei Communication Systems (CMCS) to Nokia are also likely to be affected by Qualcomm's supply shortages, the paper added.
Indonesia Telecom Sector
In-Depth Analytical Research Report Covering Market Trends & Issues.
www.ceicdata.com/Indonesia
Thursday, December 20, 2007
BYD Electronics keeps expansion plans despite FIH complaints
Despite facing complaints from rival Foxconn International Holdings (FIH), BYD Electronic, a manufacturer of mobile handset casings and keypads, will continue its expansion projects by building up plants in India, Hungary, Romania in addition to its home market, China, according to market sources.
[Can you stop competitor to grow?]
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
iPod touch is more than an iPhone without a phone, says iSuppli
On the outside, Apple's iPod touch looks a lot like its iPhone. On the inside, there's a strong resemblance too, but a dissection conducted by iSuppli's Teardown Analysis service reveals the touch sports a distinct design and unique advancements compared to the iPhone.
The 8GB version of the iPod touch carries a bill of materials (BOM) cost of US$149.18, according to iSuppli, based on pricing in October. The BOM has decreased somewhat since October due to declines in pricing for memory semiconductors and other components in the iPod touch, with the cost falling to the US$147 level during the intervening period. When adding the iPod touch's direct-conversion cost of US$5.86 – consisting of manufacturing, assembly and test expenses – to the US$149.18 BOM, the total cost is US$155.04.
The 8GB version of the iPod touch sells for US$299. Apple's iPods traditionally have been sold at retail pricing that is about twice the level of their hardware BOM and manufacturing costs, based on iSuppli's extensive teardown analysis of devices in the product line. The iPod touch is no exception, with its price nearly double its materials and manufacturing cost, at 92.9% higher.
iSuppli's estimate of the iPod touch's costs is strictly limited to expenses for components and other materials and manufacturing. The estimate does not include costs for software, intellectual property, accessories and packaging. The BOM figure also does not include research and development costs, because such data cannot be derived from a teardown and component analysis.
An iPhone minus the phone?
Functionally, the Apple iPod touch is an iPhone minus several features, including cell-phone capability, Bluetooth and certain software elements. Otherwise, the core features of the iPhone user experience are all present in the iPod touch, including orientation sensing, web surfing via Wi-Fi and the product's signature feature: a 3.5-inch diagonal touch screen with multi-touch sensing.
These advanced features place the iPod touch right at the top of Apple's iPod line.
"The iPod touch likely represents the future of the high end of the iPod line," said Andrew Rassweiler, teardown services manager and principal analyst for iSuppli. "Click wheel-interface and hard-disk drive (HDD)-based versions of the iPod are expected to wane in favor of touch screen and flash-memory-equipped models like the iPod touch. But despite its functional and physical outward resemblance to the iPhone, and the fact that its internals borrow heavily from the iPhone, the iPod touch is no iPhone clone, and has its own unique design."
Family resemblance
Rassweiler estimated the iPod touch and iPhone designs have a 90% commonality in terms of components. For example, the key integrated circuit (IC) at the core of both the iPod touch and iPhone is Samsung Electronics's video/applications processor, a chip based on an ARM microprocessor core and employing stacked on-package memory. Costing US$13.19 based on iSuppli's October estimate, the Samsung processor accounts for 8.5% of the iPod touch's total cost.
Another common part between the two products is a power-management IC from NXP Semiconductors, costing US$2.61 and accounting for 1.7% of the iPod touch's cost in October.
Design departure
However, the iPod touch's design differs from the iPhone in that it is uniquely optimized to meet its form-factor and cost requirements.
To cut space usage, the iPod touch makes use of some advanced packaging for its components not seen in the iPhone, including 0201 diodes and passive components in 01005 enclosures on the touch's WLAN module.
"This is the first time iSuppli has seen these components in a product we've torn down," Rassweiler said. "Apple products always seem to push the envelope in terms of space savings, and therefore we often first see the newest, most-compact components in Apple products."
The iPod touch design also pushes the envelope in terms of memory density. The high-end version of the product includes 16GB of NAND flash memory, more than any product in the Apple iPod line. In contrast, the high-end iPhone offers only 8GBs of NAND flash.
Another notable difference is in the printed circuit board (PCB) design. The iPod touch employs a single PCB as opposed to the iPhone's modular two-PCB design.
Other differences between the touch and the iPhone include a new set of components to support the iPod touch's wireless LAN (WLAN) functions and the location of the touch screen circuitry on the main PCB-rather than on the touch screen module.
Production outlook
Based on the history of the various Apple iPod products, iSuppli has assumed a total lifetime of one year for the first-generation iPod touch. iSuppli estimates that if Apple follows its historic product pattern, it will manufacture about 8.5 million first-generation iPod touches during the approximately one-year period from the third quarter of 2007 through the beginning of the third quarter of 2008. At that time, iSuppli expects the first-generation touch will be replaced by a new product in the third quarter of 2008.
However, this forecast could be impacted if Apple chooses to replace the iPod touch sooner to coincide with the introduction of a new model of the iPhone. Furthermore, if the product lifetime extends to two years, production could increase to as much as 20 million units.
The arrival of the flash-memory-based touch will have major implications for the rest of Apple's iPod line, iSuppli believes. "The touch, along with the nano, may drive Apple's HDD-based iPods close to extinction in the near future,"[Goodbye HDD!] said Chris Crotty, senior analyst, consumer electronics, for iSuppli. "While not a dollar-for-byte match for HDDs, flash now offers sufficient capacity that many consumers are willing to trade off storage for advanced displays and features."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Strategy Analytics Comments on MediaTek Acquisition of ADI Handset Unit
MediaTek has a definitive agreement to acquire Analog Devices' handset transceivers, basebands and related platform product lines and staff for $350 million by the end of December 2007. This acquisition marks the clear emergence of MediaTek as a top five, world-class baseband supplier.
"MediaTek, Inc., the largest fabless semiconductor company in Taiwan, has had an enviable growth and profitability record, most recently in ICs for handsets," stated Chris Taylor, Director of RF & Wireless. "This acquisition puts the firm in a strong position to win share from Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, and Freescale, particularly in the rapidly growing greater China region, where MediaTek has the most strength."
We mark 2007 as the year in which expected baseband vendor consolidation played out, resulting in a quite different supplier landscape at the end of 2007 compared to the beginning," added Stephen Entwistle, VP Strategic Technologies at Strategy Analytics.
About Strategy AnalyticsStrategy Analytics, Inc focuses on market opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of Automotive Electronics and Entertainment, Broadband Connected Home, Mobile & Wireless Intelligent Systems Implementation Strategies and High Frequency Market intelligence. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China, Strategy Analytics works with clients through annual multi-client services, management team workshops and custom consulting engagements.
Dopod China reportedly to introduce low cost CDMA handsets in China
18 Dec, 2007
Dopod China, which has a strong connection with High Tech Computer (HTC), will soon begin to introduce low cost CDMA handsets in China in cooperation with China-based telecom service provider China Unicom, according to market sources and media reports in China.
Dopod will market its CDMA handsets under a new brand name, Vivie, which will be built by a China-based contract maker, using CDMA chipsets from VIA Telecom, an affiliate of VIA Technologies, said the sources, noting that the CDMA handset will not be powered by Windows Mobile OS (operating system).
Previously, Dopod focused on marketing Windows Mobile-based PDA handsets and smartphones manufactured by HTC, using chipset solutions mostly from Qualcomm.
The introduction of VIA Telecom-based CDMA handsets signals a further integration of the VIA Technologies Group, the sources indicated.
In other news, market sources estimated that the size of the CDMA handset market in China is expected to reach 10 million units in 2007, with leading vendors including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Motorola, Huawei Technologies and ZTE.
Motorola to introduce next-generation Linux-based Ming handsets in 2Q08
Motorola plans to launch its next-generation Linux-based "Ming" handsets in the second quarter of 2008, with the hand input intelligence handsets to be available in both high-end and entry-level versions, according to Bill Chen, general manager of of mobile device business at Motorola Taiwan. Previously, the Ming was released only in a high-end version.
While Motorola's R&D center in Beijing will continue to handle the development of the high-end version of the new Ming handsets, the US vendor will outsource the production of the new entry-level Ming handsets to the Taiwan-based Inventec Group, according to market sources, who also noted that the new Ming handsets will continue to support the 2.5G standard.
Motorola on December 17 launched its high-end 3.5G RAZR V9 in Taiwan, and the company plans to introduce in Taiwan a Symbian-based ROKR Z8, Windows Mobile-based Q9 and three entry-level models, including the W360 and W213, before the end of this year, Chen said.
Handsets supporting the 3G standard will account for 50% of all handsets sold in Taiwan in 2008, Chen projected.
[What is their strategy?...do they have one?...who know?]
Outsource low-end
http://mobilenewsarchive.blogspot.com/2007/12/motorola-to-increase-outsourcing-of.html
Join Google- Andriod
Where's my Gphone?
Member of LiMo Foundation.
Buy UIQ from SE.
EU clears Sony Ericsson/Motorola deal-Sony Ericsson Gets European Approval to Sell Half of UIQ Software to Motorola
Monday, December 17, 2007
Motorola to increase outsourcing of handsets in 2008, says paper
17 Dec, 2007
Motorola is expected to expand its outsourcing policy by increasing the ratio of ODM handsets to its total output to 50% in 2008 compared to 40% in 2007, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
Under the new outsourcing strategy, Motorola is expected to outsource 75-80 million handsets to ODM makers in the coming year, with more than 50 million units outsourced to Compal Communications and the rest of the handsets outsourced to Chi Mei Communications System (CMCS), the paper said.
Component suppliers, including Toppoly Optoelectronics (display), Wintek and Giantplus Technology (CTSN panels), Career Technology and Ichia Technology (flexible PCBs), Silitek (keypads) and Compeq Manufacturing and United Printed Circuit Board (PCBs), will also benefit from the increased outsourcing, noted the paper.
Japan and South Korea leading in mobile advertising, says ABI Research
17 Dec, 2007
By 2012, the total value of all mobile advertising and marketing in Japan and South Korea will reach US$1.2 billion and US$684 million, respectively, according to ABI Research. With closely-targeted marketing using demographic data from existing mobile subscribers, mobile ads over phones are effective in reaching consumers who are open to receiving commercial messages, noted the research firm.
Senior analyst Andy Bae of ABI Research says, "Japan and South Korea have almost the same market structures, value chains, and service applications. This is because mobile operators in both countries established their own mobile ad agencies to support operators' business models for mobile ads. The relationships between operators and the affiliated mobile ads firms are close, in order to produce desirable business results."
One of key reasons for mobile advertising's market growth is the well-established range of 3G and HSDPA-based handsets available in both regions. Consumers in Japan and South Korea are well accustomed to accepting rich content advertising messages.
Compared with other regions, these markets are entering a new, advanced phase. SMS-based mobile ads are still mainstream, but consumers here are quite ready to accept rich format advertising that utilizes multimedia capabilities. More important, consumers sometimes regard SMS advertising as spam, so that some consumer-related companies are changing their advertising vehicle to MMS (multimedia messaging service), instead of text-based SMS.
Bae concludes, "Mobile search and gaming will be promising sectors for the next growth phase in these regions. Mobile operators believe that search results with location-based advertising messages could generate large revenue streams with gradually increasing usage by subscribers. Google and Yahoo are already implementing their business activities in the regions by cooperating with mobile operators in Asia."
Qtopia Phone Edition a Core Component of ZTE’s TD-SCDMA 3G Standard in China
17 Dec, 2007
Norway / China : Trolltech announced that Qtopia Phone Edition, the company’s application platform and user interface for Linux-based mobile phones, has been selected by Chinese mobile phone manufacturer ZTE as the Linux-based application framework for ZTE U980.
The U980 is ZTE’s mobile phone platform created for China’s national 3G standard TD-SCDMA. Smartphones based on this platform will be supplied through China Mobile and sold into the market.
ZTE is the biggest infrastructure supplier in China’s TD-SCDMA 3G market. To facilitate 3G smartphone development ZTE created the U980 platform to be one of the smartphone solutions used to create 3G phones. ZTE has long experience with Qtopia Phone Edition and Linux, having already released two Qtopia smartphones (the e3 and e700) in the Chinese market.
“Qtopia offers the advantage of a comprehensive development platform while being very flexible,” said Luo Zhong Sheng, Ph. D, General Manager, TD-SCDMA Product Line, Handsets Division of ZTE. “We hope to leverage both advantages when building our internal TD-SCDMA mobile phone platform, U980. It will enable us to create new and complex devices quickly and efficiently while supporting the Chinese 3G standard.” [How about Google, Android?]
“This additional relationship with ZTE affirms their confidence in Qtopia as a fundamental element of their smartphone platform,” said Haavard Nord, Trolltech CEO. “We are honored to be part of the deployment of TD-SCDMA in China through this new cooperation with ZTE. We believe that this partnership is the result of our early commitment to TD-SCDMA technology and to China.”
Trolltech’s award-winning Qtopia® is unrivaled as the application platform for efficient creation of virtually any type of Linux-based device. Qtopia’s comprehensive product family offers an unmatched flexibility and control for customizing the user experience.
Qtopia Phone Edition extends the flexibility and cost-savings benefits of Linux to the mobile market, serving as an alternative to proprietary software platforms, such as Windows Mobile and Symbian.
Ericsson U360 Mobile Platform Selected by ASUSTeK
ASIA Taiwan : Ericsson announced that its U360 mobile platform has been selected by Taiwanese mobile device manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer for its recently launched T500 PC card.
Ericsson's U360 platform is an EDGE/WCDMA/HSPA platform with quad-band EDGE as well as triple-band HSPA capabilities on the downlink. It represents one of the smallest, yet most powerful and stable commercially available multimedia platforms.
Ericsson's U360 solution also offers high levels of silicon integration and low power consumption, providing greater cost-effectiveness.
The T500 PC card provides users with high-speed mobile broadband and offers special phone communication functions for the desktop or notebook.
HC Hung, President of Digital Mobile at ASUSTeK, says: "Ericsson's U360 platform offers high performance in a small, stable and cost-effective package. It's an essential ingredient in the creation of our cutting-edge PC card and will ensure we can offer a first-rate experience for end users."
Robert Puskaric, Head of Ericsson Mobile Platforms, says: "We are proud to continue our longstanding relationship with ASUSTeK and support them with the launch of their T500 PC card. The move is a significant milestone and reflects Ericsson's expertise in offering strong platforms that generate cost-competitive and feature-rich mobile solutions."
The T500 was launched in October in Hong Kong. It will debut in Asian markets and is expected to reach both Europe and the US at a later stage.
Encouraging people to contribute knowledge
Google is working on a new internet encyclopedia poses a potential challenge to the nonprofit Wikipedia
The web contains an enormous amount of information, and Google has helped to make that information more easily accessible by providing pretty good search facilities. But not everything is written nor is everything well organized to make it easily discoverable. There are millions of people who possess useful knowledge that they would love to share, and there are billions of people who can benefit from it. We believe that many do not share that knowledge today simply because it is not easy enough to do that. The challenge posed to us by Larry, Sergey and Eric was to find a way to help people share their knowledge. This is our main goal.
Earlier this week, we started inviting a selected group of people to try a new, free tool that we are calling "knol", which stands for a unit of knowledge. Our goal is to encourage people who know a particular subject to write an authoritative article about it. The tool is still in development and this is just the first phase of testing. For now, using it is by invitation only. But we wanted to share with everyone the basic premises and goals behind this project.
The key idea behind the knol project is to highlight authors. Books have authors' names right on the cover, news articles have bylines, scientific articles always have authors -- but somehow the web evolved without a strong standard to keep authors names highlighted. We believe that knowing who wrote what will significantly help users make better use of web content. At the heart, a knol is just a web page; we use the word "knol" as the name of the project and as an instance of an article interchangeably. It is well-organized, nicely presented, and has a distinct look and feel, but it is still just a web page. Google will provide easy-to-use tools for writing, editing, and so on, and it will provide free hosting of the content. Writers only need to write; we'll do the rest.
A knol on a particular topic is meant to be the first thing someone who searches for this topic for the first time will want to read. The goal is for knols to cover all topics, from scientific concepts, to medical information, from geographical and historical, to entertainment, from product information, to how-to-fix-it instructions. Google will not serve as an editor in any way, and will not bless any content.[just provide the system not editing, keep his hand clean] All editorial responsibilities and control will rest with the authors. We hope that knols will include the opinions and points of view of the authors who will put their reputation on the line. Anyone will be free to write. For many topics, there will likely be competing knols on the same subject. Competition of ideas is a good thing.[create interesting argument or discussion,..more exciting and additive]
Knols will include strong community tools. People will be able to submit comments, questions, edits, additional content, and so on. Anyone will be able to rate a knol or write a review of it. Knols will also include references and links to additional information. At the discretion of the author, a knol may include ads. If an author chooses to include ads, Google will provide the author with substantial revenue share from the proceeds of those ads.
[here is the $$$]
Once testing is completed, participation in knols will be completely open, and we cannot expect that all of them will be of high quality. Our job in Search Quality will be to rank the knols appropriately when they appear in Google search results. We are quite experienced with ranking web pages, and we feel confident that we will be up to the challenge. We are very excited by the potential to substantially increase the dissemination of knowledge.
We do not want to build a walled garden of content; we want to disseminate it as widely as possible. Google will not ask for any exclusivity on any of this content and will make that content available to any other search engine.
As always, a picture is worth a thousands words, so an example of a knol is below (click on the image twice to see the page in full). The main content is real, and we encourage you to read it (you may sleep better afterwards!), but most of the meta-data -- like reviews, ratings, and comments -- are not real, because, of course, this has not been in the public eye as yet. Again, this is a preliminary version.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Chi Mei Communication Systems lands ultra-low cost handset orders from Motorola, says paper
14 Dec, 2007
Chi Mei Communication Systems (CMCS), an affiliate of Hong Kong-based Foxconn International Holdings (FIH), has landed a large-quantity order for ultra-low cost handsets from Motorola, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
CMCS is expected to begin delivering the ultra-low cost handsets to Motorola in the second quarter of 2008, with total shipments likely to reach 30 million units, said the paper, which also noted that the handsets will initially target the market in India.
They are also doing good with Nokia. They are building capacity to ensure cost advantages. Also, they have windows mobile....
Other news.
1. Foxconn International Holdings (FIH) has taken over the CDMA team of Nokia located in San Diego, USA
2. FIH to build new handset plant in Guangdong
3. Handset start-up Mobinnova lands smartphone orders from i-mate
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
EU clears Sony Ericsson/Motorola deal-Sony Ericsson Gets European Approval to Sell Half of UIQ Software to Motorola
12 Dec, 2007
Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson won European backing Wednesday to sell a 50 percent stake of software developer UI Holdings BV to its rival, Motorola Inc.
The European Commission cleared the deal after identifying no antitrust problems and receiving no complaints from rivals.
Sony and Motorola have not disclosed the value of the stake in UI Holdings, the parent company of UIQ Technology AB, UIQ licenses open user interface and development platforms to mobile phone vendors.
Sony Ericsson, itself a 50-50 joint venture between Sony Corp. and LM Ericsson, said the deal with Motorola would help make UIQ a stronger player for selling user interface software for smartphones and media phones to all handset vendors.
Under the agreement, UIQ Technology will be vendor and chipset independent and will be licensed equally to all mobile device vendors in the industry.
Both companies have previously launched a number of Symbian and UIQ based products, including Sony Ericsson's P1 smartphone and W960 Walkman phone and Motorola's MOTO Z8.
Mobile phone companies have been linking up with technology interests to capture a growing market that wants their phones to do more, from mapping and Internet searches, to texting.
Monday, December 10, 2007
China Datang Mobile Chooses 3G Mobile Interactive Entertainment Platform
US / China : NMS Communications announced that Datang Mobile is using NMS’s 3G Mobile TV platform to develop and deploy 3G mobile entertainment systems for the emerging 3G China mobile market.Datang Mobile’s 3G Mobile Interactive Entertainment solution allows mobile operators to increase average revenue per user (ARPU), create customer loyalty and offer distinct brand differentiation through truly interactive content. It provides a standard platform for any 3G handset offering a simple user interface which requires minimal “clicks” to access video content. This approach represents a complete revolution from the traditional experience of browsing through WAP menus on mobile phones and can be customized to meet the different needs of telecom operators or content owners.
NMS’s 3G mobile video components, the foundation of Datang Mobile’s 3G Mobile Interactive Entertainment solution, provides operators and network equipment providers such as Datang Mobile the ability to rapidly develop and deploy new, innovative video and voice applications for IP, PSTN and 3G/324M networks and quickly assimilate new features such as 3G streaming video services to 3G based handsets.
“NMS Communications has extensive credentials in providing 3G/324M video technology including its scalability, ease of use and low latency necessary for video playback. Its video expertise helps Datang take the lead within the emerging China 3G mobile network market,” said Mr. Lu Wu, vice president of Datang Mobile.
“We are excited about our new partnership with Datang Mobile for introducing Mobile Entertainment services within China’s 3G Mobile Solution Network,” said Steve Gladstone, president, NMS Communications Platforms division. “We’re pleased that NMS’s leading video technology will contribute to Datang Mobile’s success and look forward to a continuing and profitable partnership.”
About Datang Mobile
Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co., Ltd (Datang Mobile) registered and established in Beijing on February 8, 2002, is one of the core members of Datang Telecom Technology and Industry Group. The company headquarters is in Beijing, with one subsidiary in Shanghai and one branch in Xi’an.
Friday, December 7, 2007
HTC sees strong sales in November; to achieve annual target for 2007
Thanks to new products in the US and Europe as well as strong shipments of its own-brand Touch series, High Tech Computer (HTC) posted revenues of NT$14.54 billion (US$30.9 million) in November, up 11% on month, according to the company.
Accumulated sales for the first eleven months of this year totaled NT$107.2 billion, up 9.37 billion on year, noted the company. This is the second consecutive year that the company will see its annual revenues break the NT$100 billion mark. Performance this year is rather significant as the company is phasing out of the ODM/OEM market and is focusing only on own-brand products and partnerships with telecom service providers.
Meanwhile, HTC is expected to reach its shipments target of 10 million units in 2007, market sources noted.
As sales for October and November jumped strongly, HTC's fourth-quarter revenues are expected to beat the company's forecast made earlier to reach NT$38.5-39.5 billion, the sources predicted.
Sales for HTC in December will drop slightly to NT$11-12 billion due to the end of the peak season, market watchers commented. Quarterly revenues for the company in the first quarter of 2008 will fall 15%-20% sequentially to NT$31-33 billion, the watchers predicted.
E-commerce solution provider Com2B allowed to make equity investment in Global Mobile
Taiwan's National Communication Commission (NCC) has approved an application by Cayman Islands-based Com2B, a provider of e-commerce solutions, to invest NT$60 million (US$1.86 million) in licensed WiMAX operator Global Mobile, according to an NCC announcement.
The equity investment from Com2B will account for a 5% stake of Global Mobile's initial paid-in capital of NT$1.2 billion, according to a capital formation plan released earlier by Global Mobile.
Global Mobile has also attracted investments from a number of companies, including Era Digital Media, Videoland and Soft-World International.
However, Global Mobile might have difficulties soliciting enough of the minimum capital required by the NCC for the commencement of WiMAX service. So far the company has gathered only 10% of the capital needed for its initial capital formation plan, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
The NCC has issued six WiMAX licenses in Taiwan with each licensee requiring to put up a minimum paid-in capital of NT$1 billion before the end of this year. The NCC also offers a grace period of three months for the formation of the minimum capital, if necessary.
China handset market to remain robust in 2008, says Spreadtrum executive
NASDAQ-listed handset solutions vendor Spreadtrum Communications expects that the handset market in China will remain strong in 2008 despite a temporary easing in demand seen in the fourth quarter of this year, company vice president Renyong Fan said recently in Taipei.
Continuing economic growth in China, the upcoming commercialization of the TD-SCDMA networks and the planned launch of EDGE and TD-SCDMA services by China Mobile will help drive up demand for handsets in China in the coming year, Fan asserted.
At Spreadtrum, the company has already developed a complete lineup of GSM, EDGE and TD-SCDMA baseband solutions, with some of those solutions already entering design-in and design-win processes with downstream partners, said Fan, noting that a number of devices using Spreadtrum's solutions are to enter mass-production in the first half of 2008.
In other news, the production of Spreadtrum's next-generation baseband handset solutions will migrate to a 65nm process at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in 2008, Fan indicated.
Nokia to group its target markets into two mega distribution areas, say market sources
Nokia plans to initiate a shake-up of its corporate structure by grouping its market segments into two large areas – Distribution East and Distribution West – instead of the current six markets. The plans are to come into effect starting January 1, 2008, according to market sources familiar with the project.
Colin Giles, incumbent present for Greater China Nokia, will be assigned to head Distribution East, whereas Timo Toikkanen, current senior vice president for the Middle East and Africa, will become the head of Distribution West, the sources indicated.
Also including the shake-up Nokia will restructure its corporate branches into three major divisions – devices, software/services and markets – instead of current four branches covering mobile phones, multimedia, enterprise solutions and telecommunications, the source noted.
Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia executive vice president and general manager of multimedia, is expected to take up the reins of the new markets division, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Opera Extends Mobile Browser to the BREW Platform
Norwegian software house, Opera Software says that its Opera Mini mobile web browser is now available on phones enabled with Qualcomm's BREW platform. Built on Opera's technology, Opera Mini has already been used by more than 27 million cumulative users who view more than one billion Web pages every month.
Opera Mini leverages Opera's Small Screen Rendering (SSR) technology to reformat the Web page to fit inside the screen width. In addition, Opera's new "Desktop Mode" gives users a wider view of the page, displaying Web pages exactly as they appear on the PC. Enhancements such as the Opera Zoom functionality allow users to dive into the page, and dynamically navigate the content, resulting in a more intuitive browsing experience.
For operators, a turnkey white-labeled Opera Mini solution increases brand loyalty among millions of users worldwide. The Indian telecom operator, Tata Teleservices, was one of the first to realize the advantages of Opera Mini for their BREW handsets last month.
"We are excited to provide Opera with the ability to extend the offering onto BREW-enabled devices," said Bob Briggs, senior vice president and general manager of BREW for Qualcomm Internet Services. "Opera Mini represents another way that customers can have an enhanced user experience with high speed and content rich Web sites right from their BREW phones."
Kinpo-Compal Group aims to ship 93 million handsets in 2008
Kinpo-Compal Group chairman Rock Hsu on December 5 said the group expects overall handset shipments to top 93 million units in 2008.
Under the forecast, Cal-Comp Electronics will have one million set-top box (STB) shipments in 2008 and 15 million CDMA-based handsets. Major shipment drivers are expected to be China and South America.
Kinpo Electronics will also see handset shipments rocket to 13 million units next year, compared to only two million units this year, estimated Hsu.
Compal Communications is likely to have a 30% growth in handset shipments next year, Hsu said conservatively. Shipments were around 50 million units in 2007, added the chairman.
For the LCD TV business, Compal Electronics will see its annual shipments exceed one million units in 2008, up from only 100,000 units this year, Hsu detailed, adding that its Vietnam notebook production plant will commence operation in the first quarter of 2009. Compal is also considering building a notebook plant in Brazil in order to offset the effects of local tariffs, Hsu revealed.
Meanwhile, Hsu also said the group may integrate resources for the automobile electronic business with the group considering the spin off of departments related to automobile electronics in the future, Hsu stated.
Global smartphone shipments to top 195 million units in 2008
6 Dec, 2007
Global shipments of smartphones are expected to top 195 million units in 2008, accounting for 16% of total global handset shipments, compared to shipments of 149 million units and a ratio of 13% projected for 2007, according to an estimate by Digitimes Research.
With the increasing market size in Asia, Symbian and Microsoft both will target China and Japan to further boost their market shares in the region, said Digitimes.
According to Symbian, nine out of the 15 Symbian-based handsets launched by its handset partners in the third quarter of this year were targeting markets in Japan and China.
Accumulated sales of Symbian-based handsets in Japan have surpassed 30 million units, accounting for 72% of Japan's smartphone segment, Symbian said.
Symbian, which has set up a global R&D center in Beijing, said that 12% of global production of Symbian handsets is currently shipped to China, with Symbian-based models now accounting for 60% of China's smartphone market.
On the other hand, Microsoft is planning to set up a chain of 35 "Windows Mobile-concept" shops to promote its mobile handset solutions in China, according to market sources.
China-based Huawei Technologies and ZTE both plan to enter design-in process for the production of Windows Mobile-based smartphones in addition to Amoi Electronics, TechFaith Wireless and Lenovo who have already built up business relationships with Microsoft, the sources noted.
A total of 12 Windows Mobile-based smartphones are currently available in Japan's handset market compared to only one model in 2005, Microsoft said.
Taiwan market: Nokia launches SNAP Mobile via cooperation with CHT and Gamania
Nokia, on December 6, formally launched SNAP (Scalable Network Applications Package) Mobile in Taiwan through partnership with Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) and Gamania Digital Entertainment.
Under the partnership CHT will provide access to its 3G mobile infrastructure while Gamania offers games developed for the platform, according to industry sources.
Nokia's SNAP Mobile is an open platform for the development of mobile connected multi-player games based on the Java MIDP (Mobile Information Device Profile) 2.0 standard. All handsets that support Java MIDP 2.0 should be able to play such games, the sources indicated.
In addition to Taiwan, Nokia has launched SNAP in the US, Europe, China, Singapore and Hong Kong, according to the company's SNAP Mobile and games global sales director, Antoine Doumenc.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Google picks iPhone for launch of new mobile app
5 Dec, 2007 InfoWorld
iPhone's browser capabilities make it the first choice over smartphone rivals Nokia and BlackBerry for single Google navigation bar
Google released today an iPhone application that puts Google's numerous services into a single interface on a navigation toolbar. Over time, the application will be available for other mobile devices, said Gummi Hafsteinsson, a product manager with the Google mobile team.
The application will give iPhone users the ability to switch between such Google services as search, Gmail, Calendar, and Reader by clicking on the navigation bar at the top.The question of why Google chose to launch on the iPhone first appears to have more to do with technology than with market size potential. Because the application is given away free, Google has more freedom in selecting which markets it wants to play in first, not having to worry about market size and potential customer base.
A bigger market exists among Nokia phone users running the Symbian operating system and Nokia's proprietary browser, or for the BlackBerry market. However, Hafsteinsson said that the iPhone technology rather than market potential played a significant role in making the launch decision.
"The Safari browser on the iPhone is essentially the same as Mac OS X, so in many ways, you get the same capability as on the desktop," said Hafsteinsson.
In addition, because Safari supports AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and HTML), which allows the system to fetch information in the background and enables the software to predict where the user will go next, it can prefetch information for the next step, making performance when switching between applications almost instantaneous, according to the iPhone product manager.
Nevertheless, Google is exploring other platforms, said Hafsteinsson.
iPhone users can go to Google.com to retrieve the application.
Ephraim Schwartz is editor at large at InfoWorld. He also writes the Reality Check blog.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Nokia Expects 4 Billion Mobile Phone Subscribers in 2009
4 Dec, 2007
At its annual investor event today, Nokia has presented key targets and forecasts for the next one to two years, while senior company executives described how Nokia's advantages as the leading device company underpin its strategic move into Internet services.
In his keynote address, Nokia President and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said: "We have made great strides in strengthening Nokia's device portfolio over the past year. The improvements we've made have driven the profitable growth and market share gains Nokia has enjoyed in 2007, and we aim to continue the good momentum in our device portfolio next year."
Speaking about Nokia's opportunities in Internet services, Kallasvuo said: "Nokia's goal is to be the world #1 in bringing the Internet to mobile devices. We estimate that in 2010, the total Internet services market will be approximately 100 billion euros."
In brief:
Nokia financial targets (excluding special items, purchase price accounting, and the pending acquisition of NAVTEQ)
Nokia Group operating margin of 16-17% targeted within the next one to two years. This target is revised from the one to two year 15% operating margin target Nokia gave in November 2006.
Nokia Devices & Services operating margin targeted to be approximately 20% during the next one to two years.* (see reconciliation below).
Nokia Siemens Networks' target operating margin increasing to 10% by the end of 2009.
Nokia targets an improvement in the ratio of Nokia Group gross margin to R&D expenses and an improvement in the ratio of Nokia Group gross margin to sales and marketing expenses in 2008, compared to 2007.
Targets and forecasts for Nokia and the industry
Industry mobile device volumes in 2008 to grow approximately 10% from the approximately 1.1 billion units Nokia estimates for 2007.
Industry mobile device volume growth in 2008 to be above 15% in Asia-Pacific, China and Middle East & Africa, and below 10% in North America, Europe and Latin America.
Nokia expects the device industry to experience value growth in 2008, but expects some decline in industry Average Selling Prices (ASPs) primarily reflecting the increasing impact of the emerging markets and competitive factors in general.
The four billion mobile subscriptions mark to be reached in 2009, rather than in 2010 as previously forecasted.
The converged device market to reach approximately 120 million units in 2007 and 180 million units in 2008.
To ship approximately 200 million Nokia devices with an integrated digital camera in 2007 and more than 250 million units in 2008.
To ship approximately 145 million Nokia music-enabled devices in 2007 and more than 180 million units in 2008.
Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks forecasts and targets for the infrastructure market and Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia expects very slight growth for the mobile and fixed infrastructure and related services market in euro terms in 2008.
Nokia Siemens Networks aims to grow faster than the market in 2008.
* Devices & Services is not comparable to the current definition of "Devices", consisting of Mobile Phones and Multimedia combined, but is based on what will be the reportable business segment under our new organizational structure starting January 1, 2008. Devices & Services will be comprised of the totality of the existing Mobile Phones, Multimedia and Enterprise Solutions business groups - and will also include expenses previously reported under "Common Group Functions". A comparable figure for Devices & Services operating margin for the period Q1-Q3 2007 was approximately 19%.
Asia's richest man buys Facebook stake
Facebook has raised $US60 million from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, adding to the list of financial heavyweights backing the online hangout's rapid growth.
Li, 79, will receive a 0.4 per cent stake in Palo Alto-based Facebook in return for his investment, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity.
The cash is coming from Li's personal foundation, the person said. The billionaire's business interests, anchored by the Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa, are not involved.
The investment means the three-year-old start-up now has support from both the richest man in Asia and the world's largest software maker, Microsoft, which paid $US240 million for a 1.6 per cent stake in October.
With an estimated $US23 billion fortune, Li is the ninth wealthiest individual worldwide, based on estimates gathered in an annual survey by Forbes magazine.
Li, nicknamed Superman in Hong Kong, has close ties with authorities in Beijing and is one of Asia's leading philanthropists.
The stakes acquired by Li and Microsoft imply a $US15 billion value for Facebook, which is privately held. That valuation presumes the company will substantially increase its revenue, which is expected to exceed $US150 million this year.
Facebook hopes to boost its profits with new ways for advertisers to connect with its audience of 55 million users, now the second largest social network on the web behind News Corp's MySpace.com.
A marketing initiative called Beacon, which Facebook introduced last month, agitated thousands of users because it circulated potentially sensitive information about their online purchases and other activity.
Stung by the backlash, Facebook last week promised it would no longer share any information collected in the Beacon program unless users gave their explicit permission.
Facebook may raise as much as $US200 million more to help fund a plan to more than double its work force of 300 during the next year. The company has explored selling small stakes to private equity firms but hasn't been able to settle on terms.
One possible sticking point has been Facebook's reluctance to give major investors a seat on its board of directors. Neither Microsoft nor Li gained a seat in exchange for investing.
Facebook's fundraising window will likely close in late January, according to the person familiar with Li's investment.
Chief Financial Officer Gideon Yu said at a conference last month that this will probably be the last time Facebook seeks out additional investors as a privately owned company.
Facebook hasn't set a timetable for going public, but Silicon Valley cognoscenti are betting the company will launch an initial public offering of stock in 2009.
Before tapping Microsoft and Li for cash, Facebook had raised $US40.7 million from Peter Thiel, a co-founder of online payment provider PayPal, and venture capital firms Accel Partners, Greylock Partners and Meritech Capital Partners.
Facebook's largest shareholder is its chief executive and co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, whose stake is worth $US3 billion , based on the value of Microsoft's and Li's investments.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Motorola executives leave
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mobile phone maker Motorola Inc (MOT), which announced last week that Chief Executive Ed Zander will step down, said on Monday its chief technology officer, Padmasree Warrior, had left the company to pursue other opportunities.
The company's strategy chief, Rich Nottenburg, will be responsible for Motorola's technology leadership, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson, who did not say if Warrior, 47, was leaving voluntarily. She had worked at Motorola for 23 years.
Its chief financial officer and the head of its mobile device business left earlier this year. Zander's planned succession by Chief Operating Officer Greg Brown on Jan 1. comes amid pressure from activist investor Carl Icahn.
American Technology Research analyst Mark McKechnie, who was a Motorola employee in the 1980s, said the departure was not surprising in light of Motorola's recent difficulties.
"Any time you have a new CEO there's always a bit of a changing of the guard," he said, adding that he knew of several talented engineers who had left the company recently.
"There's some really good talent that has left," he said.
Other news
1. The 3rd quarter profit decline
2. They are still behind Nokia and Samsung.
35% of US Tweens Own a Mobile Phone, According to Nielsen
3 Dec, 2007
The Nielsen Company has released the findings of an in-depth study on the mobile media and cross media behavior of U.S. "tweens" (ages 8-12).
The report estimates that:
35% of tweens own a mobile phone.
20% of tweens have used text messaging.
21% of tweens have used ring & answer tones.
While text-messaging and ringtones remain the most pervasive non-voice functions on the phone, other content such as downloaded wallpapers, music, games and Internet access also rank highly among tweens.
According to Nielsen, 5% of tweens access the Internet over their phone each month. While 41% of tween mobile Internet users say they do so while commuting or traveling (to school, for example), mobile content such as the Internet is also a social medium for this audience: 26% of tween mobile Internet users say they access the web while at a friend's house and 17% say they do so at social events.
Young mobile users are also turning to their phones for in-home entertainment:
58% of tweens who download or watch TV on their phone do so at home;
64% of tweens who download or play music on their phone do so at home;
56% of tweens who access the Internet on their phone do so at home.
"Tweens use their mobile phones, and media in general, in very unique and important ways," said Jeff Herrmann, VP of Mobile Media for Nielsen Mobile. "Marketers and media executives need to understand these 'digital natives' as they mature and reshape the way we all think about new and traditional media."
Regarding cross media behavior of tweens, Nielsen reports that tweens spend less time surfing the Internet than their teen counterparts. In this report, 48% of U.S. tweens said they spend less than one hour per day online. When they are online, 70% of tweens use the Internet for gaming. Comparatively, 81% of U.S. teens say they spend one hour or more per day online, with e-mail being the most pervasive online activity for this age group.
"In addition to the differences between adult and youth media consumers, there's an important gap between the media behaviors of teens and tweens," said Herrmann. "This report, which includes insights from more than 5,500 teens and tweens, dissects how these demographic segments are engaging with mobile and traditional media."
Posted to the site on 3rd December 2007
WiMAX Equipment Market Revenue Up 6% in 3Q07
3 Dec, 2007
The WiMAX market is heating up quickly, with worldwide sales of fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment up 6% in 3Q07 to $206 million following a 14% jump in 2Q07, says Infonetics Research in its latest report.
Worldwide unit shipments of fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment are up 16% in 3Q07, driven by continued rollout of new fixed and mobile WiMAX networks, and further expansion of those already in operation, the report shows.
"In addition to Sprint-Nextel's much-publicized roll-out, carriers including Vodafone, Brasil Telecom, Telmex, SK Telecom, Wateen, and NTT, amongst many others, have made a commitment to WiMAX, demonstrating that adoption is reaching all corners of the globe. Also this quarter, the ITU added mobile WiMAX as an approved 3G technology into its official IMT-2000 set of standards, consolidating WiMAX's position as a technology with a long-term future and posing a more serious challenge to W-CDMA and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO network deployments. Add in Cisco's entrance into the WiMAX market with its judicious acquisition of Navini, and the market is poised for big growth in 2008," said Richard Webb, wireless analyst for Infonetics Research.
Other highlights from the report:
Manufacturer revenue for fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment is forecast to grow at a 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 87% between 2006 and 2010
The number of worldwide WiMAX subscribers (fixed and mobile) is expected to skyrocket to close to 60 million in 2010, led by the Asia Pacific region
Unit shipments for access service network (ASN) gateways, which aggregate traffic from mobile WiMAX base stations, jumped 36% quarter over quarter
Alvarion continues to lead in fixed WiMAX equipment revenue share in 3Q07, followed by Airspan, then Aperto Networks
Outdoor mesh network access node shipments are up 7% worldwide in 3Q07; revenue is flat
Posted to the site on 3rd December 2007
HTC hires HP veteran to operate brand business, says paper
High Tech Computer (HTC) has hired Jason Juang, former vice president and general manager of personal systems group at Hewlett-Packard (HP) China, as an executive vice president, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.
Juang, a 17-year veteran of brand operations and channel sales at HP, will supervise HTC's brand products in Europe, the US, Japan, and the Middle East and Asia Pacific, the paper quoted HTC CEO Peter Chou as indicating.
Spreadtrum founder to visit Taiwan partner for touch screen handset solutions
3 Nov, 2007
The founder of China-based Spreadtrum Communications, a fast growing handset chip supplier, will visit Taiwan this week to attend an investors conference of Chip Hope, its local partner for the development of complete handset-use solutions featuring touch functionalities, market sources said.
Fan Yongren (transliterated from Chinese), currently vice president of Spreadtrum, will attend Chip Hope's investors conference on December 5 and will also call on Taiwan's handset vendors and makers, the sources said.
Spreadtrum, whose handset chip shipments for 2007 are expected to top five million units, has been working with Chi Hope to integrate Taiwan-based Elan Microelectronics' touch panel controllers into complete handset solutions, the sources noted.
Fan's attending Chip Hope's investor conference is meant to be a display of the strong partnership between the companies, the sources commented.
Spreadtrum hopes the complete solutions can boost its share of the white-box handset market in China, the sources said, adding a white-box handset with a touch screen can sell for more than 1,000 yuan (US$135), while one without a touch screen is only less than half of the sum.
The Chinese white-box handset market will grow to 100 million units in 2008 from 70-80 million units in 2007, the sources estimate.
Spreadtrum, Chip Hope and Elan are all optimistic about the shipments of the handset solutions they have co-developed, the sources said, adding the prices of their solutions are 30-40% cheaper than the US$18 for the one that Apple has adopted for the iPhone.
They expect ship 50,000-100,000 units of the solutions monthly during the first quarter of 2008, with a monthly goal of 100,000-500,000 units thereafter.