Android seems to be the operating system of choice when it comes to the US government and military. They’ve managed to create an operating system that is highly secure and is capable of sending highly classified data over cellular networks.

Previously, the government and military relied off of more antiquated phones. Being that technology continues to improve, devices get even smaller, and stronger materials such as Gorilla Glass are on the market, one can create a far more powerful and durable smartphone.

Via CNN:

“Some U.S. officials this year are expected to get smartphones capable of handling classified government documents over cellular networks, according to people involved in the project. The phones will run a modified version of Google’s Android software, which is being developed as part of an initiative that spans multiple federal agencies and government contractors, these people said.”

“The smartphones are first being deployed to U.S. soldiers, people familiar with the project said. Later, federal agencies are expected to get phones for sending and receiving government cables while away from their offices, sources said. Eventually, local governments and corporations could give workers phones with similar software.”

The Army has been testing touch screen devices for about two years now. Last year, they sent 40 phones to forces overseas. They plan to change that this year by shipping out 50 phones and 75 tablets overseas to troops just in March.

“Currently, the United States doesn’t allow government workers or soldiers to use smartphones for sending classified messages because the devices have not met security certifications.”

Do you think these Android phones and tablets are a good choice for the government?

Android Smartphones And Tablets Coming To US Government, Military is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Super Bowl is right around the corner and there’s expected to be a much larger number of people watching this year, 173 Million people to be precise which is the most in the last eight years.

According to a study, a mass majority of viewers will be using their mobile phones quite a bit during the big game. The past couple weeks, ads have been popping up on Youtube such as the one with Comedian Jerry Seinfeld in an Acura commercial or Matthew Broderick in a Ferris Bueller themed Honda commercial.

Via Mashable:

“Nearly half of Super Bowl XLVI viewers will check their mobile device as many as 10 times during the game, and almost a third of viewers under age 45 will watch the game “with device in hand.” More than 80% of viewers say they’ll use their mobile device during the game at least as much as they did during last year’s Super Bowl.

“That’s all according to a recent survey by research firm Harris Interactive. The study was commissioned by the mobile marketing company Velti, and shows that fans are increasingly reaching beyond just their in-person friends and the game broadcast itself for Super Bowl updates and interaction.”

These findings aren’t too surprising considering the growth of smartphones and the ability to easily read or update Twitter or Facebook through various apps. This is definitely good news for advertisers as people will definitely be talking about their commercials on social networks. Whether good or bad, people will talk about it and the success of the commercial truly lies with the people.

Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl Watchers To Use Their Mobile Phones Significantly, Good News For Advertisers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Some recent controversy in the area of smartphones, is the whole Carrier IQ debacle. Essentially, it’s in many phones and tracks user behavior and sends that data away to be analyzed.

This has lead to numerous reports of a breach of privacy and wireless carriers received some flack for it. A new bill that’s currently before Congress, would require cell phone carriers to disclose tracking software that’s in phones. This is a step forward in transparency and letting customers know what is pre-installed on their phones.

Via ReadWriteWeb:

“While consumers rely on their phones, their phones relay all sorts of information about them, often without their knowledge or consent,” reads a statement from Rep. Markey’s office today. “I am concerned about the threat to consumers’ privacy posed by electronic monitoring software on mobile phones, such as the software developed by Carrier IQ.”

“Carriers (or parties to the sale of a phone) failing to make this disclosure to customers, under Rep. Markey’s proposed provisions, could find themselves prosecuted for deception and/or unfair trade practices.”

“But that might not be the stickiest part of this bill. Under Rep. Markey’s proposal, once the customer consented to the monitoring software doing its job, the carrier (or other point of sale) would become responsible for maintaining a secure database of the identities of those who consented. Such a database could conceivably be used to retrieve data about the phones being monitored.”

How do you feel about carriers tracking  behavior on your phone? Is it a breach of privacy and trust?

New Bill Would Require Carriers To Disclose Tracking Software In Phones is a post from: The Inquisitr

Smartphones are becoming more and more a part of our everyday lives. In fact, some people, when asked if there was one thing they could live without, say their phone. Over the years, cell phones got smaller and smaller.

Now, instead of carrying around a bulky brick that can only make phone calls and do a few other things, we can have something immensely more power, smaller, and with a wider range of functions.

Being that we have mobile Internet access, it seems that a lot of people used their phone to help with holiday shopping in 2011, a trend that’s likely to rise, especially with the likes of Amazon’s price checker app that allows you to scan an item in stores and see if it’s cheaper online.

Via Mashable:

“Research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that about half of consumers (52%) used their phones in stores during the holidays. Of this group, about 38% said they called friends for advice and 24% said they looked up product reviews. Meanwhile, about 25% looked up product prices online to see if they could find a cheaper price at other retailers.”

“The study was conducted among 1,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18 who were asked questions about how they shopped 30 days before and after Christmas.”

Also in the report, they found that those between the ages of 18 and 49 are more likely to use their phones for online product reviews than those over the age of 50 and minorities are more likely to look up online product reviews than caucasians.

Do you use your phone to look up prices and reviews?

52% Of People Used Their Phone To Help With Holiday Shopping is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apple has been doing fantastically well these last several years. The company released their Q1 2012 earnings last week and the results were nothing short of amazing. The iPhone now accounts for a solid chunk of their revenue.

With the release of the iPhone 4S back in October, the smartphone has done very well and made it’s way into tens of Millions of consumer’s hands. Thanks to its success, the tech giant was able to catch up with Android in terms of market share and as of recently, is barely ahead.

Quite the feat from just a few smartphones compared to who knows how many Android phones currently available. Seems like a new one comes out just about every other day. Okay, that’s exaggerating, but there’s a lot of ‘em. According to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, Apple could sell as many as 40 Million iPhones next year, just in China alone.

The fact is, China is still a largely untapped market for the company. Morgan Stanley looked at three carriers: China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. They then looked to see what percentage of high end subscribers have an iPhone.

The results are as follows:

• China Mobile – 8 percent
• China Telecom – 7 percent
• China Unicom – 20 percent

Out of a combined 150 Million high end wireless customers, that’s pretty low. Again, there’s a lot of untapped potential for massive growth.

Via Mashable:

“The iPhone is currently available in China from carrier China Unicom. Despite it being unavailable on the larger carriers, China Mobile and China Telecom, Chinese buyers have responded to the iPhone in a big way. In fact, Apple had to temporarily suspend iPhone 4S sales in order to protect store employees from overly enthusiastic crowds.”

“Huberty believes that if Apple is able to extend its China partnerships to include China Telecom, the company could sell an additional 26 million iPhone units in calendar year 2013. That would mean 40 million units for the entire region.”

And if they want to really do well in the country, inking a deal with China Mobile, the country’s largest carrier, would be very beneficial.

Do you think Apple has what it takes to dominate the smartphone market in China?

Apple Could Have Massive iPhone Sales In China Next Year is a post from: The Inquisitr

Samsung, maker of all things electronic, will have their latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note, available on AT&T starting February 19th. The smartphone is an extension of their Galaxy line of smartphones that continue to be very popular among the Android crowd.

The company has had great success with Android and this phone is a bit different from the others. No, it doesn’t have any special features aside from the others. The big difference? A bigger battery to support the bigger screen.

Just how big of a screen are we talking? Oh, just 5.3 inches, a full inch bigger than the largest smartphones currently on the market. They wanted something that was more in between a phone and a tablet. Consumers can use the phone with a stylus and looks to be extra special for artists, though anyone who wants a great viewing experience when surfing the web or watching videos.

Being that it’s so large, some people will definitely want to check it out at an AT&T store first before purchasing. For someone who has big hands, it will fit great but for someone who has smaller hands, it may actually be too big. And yes, it will still fit in a pocket, but is definitely pushing it.

What are the specs?

• 5.3 inch WXGA HD Super AMOLED screen
• 1280×800 resolution (best of any smartphone)
• 1.4GHZ dual core processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, MicroSD card slot for more storage
• 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video support
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 2,500 mAh battery
• 4G LTE
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Pre-orders start February 17th and will be available for $299.99 on a two year contract.

Would you buy the Samsung Galaxy Note if you were in the market for a new phone and on AT&T?

Samsung Galaxy Note Coming To AT&T February 19th is a post from: The Inquisitr

Motorola Mobility who was recently acquired by Google and still waiting for the deal to be approved, posted an $80 Million loss for the fourth quarter as well as disappointing sales of their tablets.

They saw just 200,000 of the Xyboard and Xoom sold. Competition with other Android tablets and the iPad is very fierce. While they did lose money in the fourth quarter, they did generate more revenue year-over-year at $3.4 Billion.

Google is hoping for the merger with the company to go through despite concerns. If the deal is not approved, it’ll cost the tech giant a whopping $2.5 Billion dubbed a “break-up fee”.

Via The Washington Post:

“If not for certain items unrelated to its ongoing business, Motorola Mobility said it would have earned 20 cents per share in its most recent quarter. That’s below the average estimate of 26 cents per share among analysts polled by FactSet. Before the company released its preliminary results earlier this month, analysts were expecting 42 cents per share.”

Although there was bad news, it didn’t really affect stock price.

“The results didn’t sway Motorola Mobility’s stock that much because Google’s $40-per-share offer is still on the table. Motorola Mobility’s shares edged up 7 cents to $38.74 in extended trading, after rising 7 cents during regular trading as well. Google shares added 90 cents to $569 after hours.”

The company has quite a year ahead. The Droid line of smartphones and the recently introduced Droid Razr, are doing well. It seems that in order to do well with tablets, they need to roll out new models and/or make them more appealing and attention worthy.

Do you think the Motorola Mobilty/Google acquisition will go through?

Motorola Mobility Loses $80 Million, Disappointing Tablet Sales is a post from: The Inquisitr

Porsche, known for it’s luxury and fast cars, has created their very own smartphone in a partnership with BlackBerry. Now, it won’t feature a twin-turbocharged engine or racing suspension, but those interested can at least expect a cool looking design.

Details about the phone leaked last year, particularly pictures and had some wondering if it was actually legit. As it turns out, it is. Being that it has the design and name of a luxury car manufacturer behind it, don’t expect the smartphone to be cheap.

Just how much are we talking? Oh, just the cost of almost 12 iPhone 4S’s.

Engadget has a full write up of the phone:

“RIM’s been hard at work trying to regain lost momentum by introducing a series of new devices featuring its latest OS, BlackBerry 7, and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 / 9930 series has been the star of the show so far. The problem is, it’s not flashy enough. How is a C-level exec supposed to walk proudly on the golf course with a $300 (subsidized) phone? Talk about embarrassing. Have no fear, poor corporate top dog, luxury brand Porsche Design has come up with a solution: the $2,300 BlackBerry P’9981, a Vertu-ized version of that lesser handset you wouldn’t be caught dead using.”

Specs:

• 2.8 inch touchscreen
• 640×480 resolution
• 1.2GHZ Qualcomm single core processor
• 768MB RAM
• 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video recording
• BlackBerry OS 7.0
• 1,230 mAh battery

The smartphone has a very solid feel and is in very limited production which is one of the several reasons for the cost. Could you ever see yourself buying a phone from Porsche, even if they came out with a more affordable one?

Porsche Makes A BlackBerry Smartphone, Sleek And Expensive is a post from: The Inquisitr

O2, a leading provider of mobiles phones and broadband in the UK, accidentally revealed mobile phone numbers on websites that their customers accessed. This was a rather big flaw and definitely not good for all the customers who surf and browse the web on their phones.

The flaw was found by Lewis Peckover, a web systems administrator during an experiment. He showed that the company was sharing customer’s phone numbers with websites that were displayed as plain text in their header information.

With this happening, website owners could have had the ability to take their phone numbers and then spam them through text messages or telemarketing.

Via Telegraph:

“O2 admitted that the problem began on January 10th and said it was the “unintended effect” of some routine maintenance that the network carried out earlier this month. They said the issue was fixed this afternoon. In a statement, the company said: “We investigated, identified and fixed it this afternoon. We would like to apologise for the concern we have caused.” The company added: “The only information websites had access to is your mobile number, which could not have been linked to any other identifying information we have about customers.”

So, the company knew about the problem, just not the extent of the problem. Or did they and just not worry about fixing it? Either way, the flaw is fixed and customers don’t have to worry about their mobile phone numbers being taken and used to spam them.

Do you think O2 should issue an individual apology to customers?

O2 Accidentally Revealed Customer Phone Numbers Online is a post from: The Inquisitr

T-Mobile, one of the largest mobile carriers in the US, has some goodies available for premium data customers starting January 25th. Customers who purchase a premium data plan which goes from 5GB to 10GB in data every month, can get the mobile hotspot feature for free.

What’s the catch? Well, you’ve simply got to ask. Customers can also ask for the mobile album feature which gives you 10GB of cloud storage for music, photos, video, and more. In the World of mobile and the many carriers, it’s a tough market and any way of differentiating yourself and giving more value to customers, is a good thing.

Via CNET:

“That’s $19.98 in additional value for signing up for the higher end plans. The features, however, won’t be widely promoted in the store, so customers will need to ask for them, just as customers have had to learn from word of mouth about the items on In-N-Out’s now not-so-secret menu. The offer is only available for a limited time.”

It’s worth noting that the merger with AT&T didn’t go through and the wireless carrier is looking to win back customers and re-establish itself as a solid competitor.

“T-Mobile still has an uphill battle. It’s now the only major carrier without the iPhone, a gap it hopes to fill eventually, but hasn’t had much luck with yet. The carrier said recently, however, that it could technically happen with the next version of Apple’s smartphone. It’s also the only major carrier not yet moving to LTE, instead relying on its HSPA+ network, which it calls 4G.”

Despite that, these promotions are sure to bring in more customers, that is of course as long as they know to ask.

Would these extras get you to switch to T-Mobile?

T-Mobile Premium Data Customers Can Get ‘Extras’ Starting January 25th is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sony, maker of all things electronic, will be upgrading their smartphones and tablets currently on the market, to Android 4.0 also known as ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich). One of the issues with Android is fragmentation, essentially all different devices with all different builds of Android.

The team at Google has been really pushing to change that since the release of 4.0 and more manufacturers are upgrading their current devices. Those of us however with older smartphones, are left behind, but that’s what happens when a new smartphone comes out every other day just about.

And as well, this gets people to buy a new smartphone or tablet.

Via MSNBC:

“The upgrades to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich continue with the entire Sony Xperia line of smartphones, starting this spring, according to reports. Those say updates may be applied to applied to Sony’s Android tablets as well.”

“According to The Verge, sources say that Sony’s Tablet S and Tablet P “are already running ICS and are being tested behind the scenes, though Sony wouldn’t be drawn on giving any more specific a release window than the spring.” Sony also acknowledged the imminent upgrades on a UK-based Sony forum.”

Despite Sony Ericcson losing money last year, their new line of Xperia smartphones and new line of tablets, look to do well this year. Even the Pope used one of their tablets to light the biggest Christmas tree in the World. There’s a lot of competition in the space so we’ll see just how well they do among everyone else.

Does Sony have a chance of making a bigger dent in the smartphone and tablet market this year?

Sony Smartphones, Tablets To Get The Latest And Great Android 4.0 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Android and iOS continue to be the two largest in terms of smartphone and OS market share. Over the years, the majority of app developers have built apps for iOS first, and then, just maybe, built apps for Android.

According to a new report, that’s going to change this year. Frankly, it’s not too surprising considering that they command a large amount of market share and are a very popular option. This is, of course, great news for smartphone users. While the iPhone has a wide range of great quality apps, it won’t hurt for more of that goodness to come over to the other side.

“More app developers are going to go “Android first” over Apple’s iOS this year, according to a survey by research firm Ovum. While there is a legitimate chance of this happening, we will believe it when we see it. It often seems like analysts are shooting in the dark with these types of proclamations, no matter what kind of survey data they collect.”

“All the corollary evidence suggests that developer interest will overtake that of iOS. More Android devices are shipped and activated across the world every day than iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. The Android Market is growing rapidly. Analyst firms love this type of parallel data. But will reality catch up with theory?”

Being that we’ve just started 2012, we won’t know for certain until the year starts to heat up. With that said, it’s sure to be a great year otherwise.

Will more develop for Android this year or with the iPhone closing in on their market share, with the trend stay the same?

Android To Get More Developers In 2012 Than iOS [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

RIM, the maker of BlackBerry smartphones and devices, had two of its co-CEOs and co-Chairmans step down today, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. Over the last couple of years, the company has been going through some difficult times.

While their phones continue to sell, the likes of Android and iPhone have rose to the top and are commanding the bulk of the smartphone market, while they’ve been pushed further and further to the bottom.

Currently, BlackBerry is just a few percentage points higher than Windows Phone which, according to Nokia and Microsoft, they look to have a very strong year with new phones and may just be able to catch up or surpass.

Via ABC:

“RIM’s U.S. market share of smartphones declined from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent in 2011, according to market researcher NPD Group. The company still has 75 million active subscribers, but many analysts believe the company will lose market share internationally as it has in the U.S.”

“Thorsten Heins, a little known chief operating officer who joined RIM four years ago from Siemens AG, replaces RIM’s founders after the company has lost tens of billions in market value. Balsillie acknowledged in December that the last few quarters have been among the most challenging times the company has seen.”

Despite all of that, Heins says that he doesn’t think significant change is needed. Quite surprising to hear from a company that has been on the decline for quite some time. It’s either wake up and smell the coffee, or wake up and it’s too late.

Do you think RIM has a chance of making a comeback?

RIM Co-CEOs Step Down, Not A Seismic Event Says CEO is a post from: The Inquisitr

Millions of people have access to both 3G and 4G on their smartphones and devices. 3G is good and can get the job done, but faster speeds are always wanted for obvious reasons.

For example, Verizon’s 4G LTE offers speeds of up to 12mbps down and 5 mbps up. On the other hand, T-Mobile’s 4G network can give customers speeds of up to 27mbps down. While these speeds are great, a new technology looks to take that to the next level.

Via The Australian:

“A United Nations telecom meeting has approved the next generation of mobile technology, which experts say will make devices 500 times faster than 3G smartphones and eliminate the wait time between the tap of a finger and the appearance of a Web page.”

“The technology will be used immediately for planning changes to equipment but it could take two years to show up on consumers smartphone, tablets and other devices because of the time it takes to get to production, International Telecommunication Union spokesman Sanjay Acharya said Thursday.”

Did they just say 500 times faster than 3G? With speeds like that, mobile networks could one day replace the need for an ISP. Oh, wait…several gigabyte data caps so nevermind.

“The IMT-Advanced system uses radio-frequency spectrum much more efficiently, and devices built with it will need less bandwidth to access the Internet, stream videos and transfer data. That means those devices could deliver blazing fast messages, video chats and even high-definition TV.”

Very exciting technology and with more powerful devices already on the market, by the time we would be able to have access to it (which will be a long time away), we could actually take full advantage of the speeds.

How would you use an insanely fast connection on your smartphone or device?

UN Approves New Mobile Technology That Leaves 4G In The Dust is a post from: The Inquisitr

The World of smartphones is quite a competitive and tough market to do well in. One company in particularly that struggled during the fourth quarter of 2011 was Sony Ericsson, the ninth largest maker of cell phones.

Companies such as Apple and Samsung did very well and with the iPhone creeping up on Android in terms of OS market share, some would say fantastically well which they would be right.

Via Reuters:

“Sony Ericsson reported a fourth-quarter pretax loss of 247 million euros ($317 million), compared with a forecast for a 42 million profit in a Reuters poll in which estimates ranged from a 130 million loss to a 94 million profit.”

“For the full year, Sony Ericsson slipped to a 243 million euro loss, forcing Ericsson to take a 1.1 billion crowns ($160 million) hit to its operating income in the fourth quarter. The venture shipped 9 million units in the fourth quarter, down 20 percent on last year, with smartphone deliveries failing to compensate for falling feature phone sales.”

Even with sales usually jumping up in the fourth quarter, the company saw a decline of 16% compared to the same time the year prior.

“Volume and profitability at Sony Ericsson are both considerably worse than expected, illustrating not only the intense competitive environment, but the huge challenge facing Sony as it embraces the mobile business,” Geoff Blaber at CCS Insight said on Thursday.”

“Key to success going forward will be Sony’s ability to gain traction in the smartphone market, which Sony Ericsson estimated grew 60 percent to 463 million units in 2011.”

What brand of smartphone do you own and use?

Sony Ericsson Loses Money, Tough Competition To Blame is a post from: The Inquisitr

Competition between the iPhone and Android has been very heated the last several years and it seems that Apple’s smartphone which originally held the top spot, is making it’s way back to beat out Google for the number one smartphone OS.

According to Nielsen Mobile, Android and the iPhone are nearly tied with iOS being just 1.4 percent behind as of December 2011. Apple has managed to bridge the gap with outstanding sales of their latest smartphone while Android has dropped from 61.6 percent market share in October, down to 46.9 percent.

Via DailyTech:

“This situation could soon change with the release of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which takes Google’s operating system in a somewhat “Windows Phoneish” direction.  It also has put a great deal of effort into polishing core applications like the browser, messaging hub, and email.  The results from ICS, upon initial examination, are equal or perhaps even better to their iOS equivalents.  However, the only ICS device on the market as of December was the Galaxy Nexus by Samsung which was only on one network – Verizon Wireless.”

The iPhone 4S, if it can keep up the trend which it likely will, will potentially surpass Android here very soon for the number one smartphone OS.

“Outside of the phone’s actual physical merits, another factor is that Apple continues to maintain a strong brand image.  While enthusiasm about Android, attack ads mocking extreme Apple fanboyism, and backlash against its lawsuit “crusade” have soured some on the Apple brand, among your average consumer it remains one of the strongest brands on the market.  To these consumers buying an Apple device is equivalent to buying “cool points” that some people would (literally) give an organ for. “

Which do you prefer: Android or iPhone and why?

iPhone And Android Nearly Tied As The Smartphone Wars Heat Up is a post from: The Inquisitr

Patent disputes are bigger than ever and no company is more outspoken about it than Apple, the World’s largest tech company. Known for their great products as well as great design, the company has been targeting other manufacturers of similar devices for a while now.

Samsung seems to be their biggest target. They even tried blocking Samsung Galaxy sales in the US. Anyways, it seems they’re back at it again, this time filing for patent infringement and wanting a sales ban on 10 different smartphones in Germany.

Via Los Angeles Times:

“Filed in Dusseldorf Regional Court, Apple’s suit — which calls for a ban on the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S Plus and eight other models — isn’t the only front in the ongoing international patent battle between the two firms, reports said Tuesday. Apple also filed a suit against five Samsung tablets “related to a September ruling” that imposes a sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1, according to a Bloomberg report.”

Not a whole lot of details have been released yet as to why, but it’s likely to have something to do with Apple claiming that Samsung is stealing their designs, designs that they have patented.

They recently went after the Galaxy Tab 10.1 because it supposedly “copied the design of the iPad in a way intended to confuse customers”. The tablet is not able to be sold in Germany thanks to that lawsuit.

Going forward, patent infringement lawsuits aren’t going to slow down anytime soon. Apple is intent on going after each and every manufacturer who may be infringing on any of their patents. And with record breaking profits, they’ve got plenty of money to throw at lawyers.

Is Apple justified or is their massive success getting to their head?

Apple Goes After Samsung Yet Again, Wants 10 Smartphones Banned In Germany is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new research survey came out stating that in the next six months, 74% of all smartphone purchases will either be Android or iPhone. Commanding 90 percent of mobile phone market share, it’s not a big surprise really.

The iPhone 4S is helping iOS to quickly close in on the top spot and the slew of new and exciting Android based phones are sure to be a big reason for the large number.

Via eWeek:

“More than 70 percent of consumers who intend to purchase a smartphone over the next six months will purchase an Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone or a handset based on Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system, according to a Yankee Group survey.”

“The researcher, which polled more than 15,000 people, learned that more than 47 percent of U.S. respondents own a smartphone, and 58 percent of those surveyed said they would buy a smartphone as their next mobile handset.”

The World or at least the more developed World, is and has been shifting to smartphones for quite some time. Technology has improved, as has hardware and the size of that hardware. What we can now do on a smartphone, is more powerful than the best computers of their time just mere decades ago.

When it comes to RIM and Microsoft, the survey didn’t turn up the best news.

“Noting that RIM and Microsoft are having a hard time coaxing their existing customer bases to buy new phones, Katie Lewis (Yankee Group analyst) said 20 percent of U.S. consumers own a BlackBerry, but only 12 percent intending to buy a smartphone in the next six months will purchase a BlackBerry handset.”

“Of the 14 percent of consumers who own a Windows Mobile-based device, only 9 percent of those asked said they would pick up a phone based on the new Windows Phone OS.”

74% Of All Smartphone Purchases Will Be Android Or iPhone is a post from: The Inquisitr

However, they don’t facilitate picking up cute boys as much and are far more awkward to borrow from a stranger.

[via]

[Infographic] How Smartphones are the New Cigarettes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Smartphones have absolutely exploded the last several years, ever since the debut of the original iPhone in 2007. While that may be the case, expect fewer models this year according to executives.

One of the biggest reasons why isn’t because they’re not selling, it’s because too many models leads to confusion and having a small line of products to choose from is much more enticing to consumers.

Where there is too much to choose from, consumers can get overwhelmed and unsure of what to go with.

“Speaking at CES this week, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha reportedly said that the company plans to make fewer phone models in 2012, in part because the variety is confusing to some consumers. HTC is thinking along the same lines. “It’s a goal to have less phones,” Drew Bamford, vice president of user experience at HTC, said during a panel discussion at the show on Wednesday.”

“When pushed, Ryan Bidan, director of product marketing at Samsung, said that while he wasn’t sure what the model count for his company would be in 2012, he agreed that phone makers should drive down the number of phones. “Sheer SKU proliferation is a problem,” he said.”

This is more of a good thing than a bad thing. Also, being that there will be fewer models, this also allows more focus for developers to put towards keeping new phones updated and hopefully running the latest version of Android, 4.0.

Smartphones running Windows Phone won’t be slowing down this year, but it’s very clear why.

“While Microsoft doesn’t produce phone hardware, it’s hoping to see an increase in the number of models running Windows Phone, but that’s because it’s a relatively new entrant to the market and isn’t available on many models yet. “We have a stated objective” to have a broader selection of handsets running Windows Phone on the market, said Aaron Woodman, a director from Microsoft.”

Not As Many New Smartphones From Top Companies In 2012 is a post from: The Inquisitr