CNet: Sales of Google Android smartphones outpaced sales of the Apple iPhone at AT&T in the second quarter.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Linux Today
Tag Archives: Google Android
Will Apple's Latest Results Be Its Latest Letdown?
Filed under: Technology, Apple, Earnings, Stocks
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Apple’s (AAPL) latest quarterly results are likely to illustrate why investors are clamoring for the maker of the iPhone and the iPad to come out with another trend-setting device.
The report, due out after the stock market closes Tuesday, is expected to show that Apple Inc. is making less money as more customers buy its lower-priced iPhones and iPads instead of the top-of-the-line models. Other consumers increasingly are bypassing Apple products altogether as smartphones and tablet computers running Google’s Android software win more fans.
Those dynamics have changed the way that Wall Street – and even parts of Main Street – view Apple. Once regarded as an indomitable innovator, Apple now looks vulnerable and perhaps a step behind Google Inc. and the leading Android disciple, Samsung Electronics Co.
If analysts’ projections pan out, Apple’s earnings fell during the three months that ended in June, marking the second consecutive quarter of decline. The slump follows a decade-long streak of earnings growth that ended at the start of the year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet are expecting, on average, earnings of $7.34 per share, down from $9.32 per share a year ago.
Meanwhile, analysts are forecasting little or no revenue growth for the first time since the debut of the iPhone six years ago. Analysts are expecting $35 billion in revenue for the period, its fiscal third quarter. It was $35 billion at the same time last year.
Those would be impressive numbers for most companies, but the bar has been set high for Apple since the introduction of its iPhone triggered an upheaval that has changed the way people engage with technology. Smartphones and tablets are emerging as the preferred way to connect to the Internet and perform many other common computing tasks. In the process, those mobile devices are supplanting laptop and desktop computers.
Ignited by its early lead in smartphones and tablets, Apple’s financial performance launched into a scintillating trajectory that catapulted its stock into Wall Street’s stratosphere, too. The company’s shares rose nearly six-fold from the debut of the first iPhone in 2007 to the release of the latest model last September to establish Apple as the world’s most valuable company.
Since peaking 10 months ago at $705.07, Apple’s stock has plummeted by about 40 percent to about $425 to wipe out roughly $260 billion in shareholder wealth. It is now behind Exxon Mobil Corp. in market capitalization – at $400 billion, compared with $422 billion for the energy company. Not even a recent 15 percent increase in Apple’s quarterly dividend has done much for the stock.
Despite the downturn in the company’s fortunes, Apple’s products still have legions of admirers. Sales of iPhones for the just-ended quarter are expected to total about 26 million, around the same number as the same time last year. But a …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Delayed Shield game gadget to hit market on July 31
Graphics chip star NVIDIA has set a July 31 release date for its Shield handheld gaming and entertainment device powered by Google’s Android software. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Phys.org
S. Korea drops antitrust investigation against Google
South Korea has dropped a two-year anti-competition probe into Google’s Android smartphone operations in that country, sources close to Google confirmed Thursday.
The investigation, which was based on claims that Google had pressured Android phone manufacturers to block search engines or other applications that rivaled its own, has ended with no finding of a violation of law, sources said.
Two Korean search engine operators, Daum and NHN, filed the claims with South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission in 2011. Among other charges, Daum said Google had influenced Android-based phone manufacturers to block certain other software services from being placed before Google’s search tools.
However, it has since been established that Google’s Android business practices did not break any laws, the sources said. Google declined to comment on the case. Neither Daum nor NHN could be immediately reached for comment.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld
This Is How Apple Will Grow Share in a Mature Smartphone Market
By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Apple investors have been fretting lately over where future iPhone growth will come from, as data continues to pile up that the high-end segment of subsidized, developed markets approaches maturity. Before even including the very distinct possibility of an affordable iPhone, Apple still has a powerful weapon in grabbing share from Google Android: customer loyalty.
That’s the conclusion of a Yankee Group report, which expects Apple to top Android in the U.S. by 2015. The researcher surveyed 16,000 consumers over the past year, asking questions about smartphone ownership and purchasing plans. Current trends support the current duopoly structure of the market, with 84% of respondents planning on buying either an iPhone or Android in the next six months.
However, where the two dominant mobile platforms differ is loyalty.
Source: Yankee Group via AllThingsD.
That’s a big difference in platform loyalty, and the effects in the long term will be a gradual shift toward iOS. There will always be defectors, but in this case the number of turncoats is extremely asymmetrical. Only 6% of iPhone users are looking to move to the other side, while 18% of Android users are eyeing iPhones.
Rival platforms from Microsoft and BlackBerry are hardly in the picture, with only 3% of iPhone users and 6% of Android users interested in abandoning the top two platforms.
By the time 2015 rolls around, Yankee Group is projecting iOS to surpass Android in U.S. market share. By 2017, Apple could be enjoying 42% of the domestic smartphone market, while Android sits idly by with a 34% slice. Yankee Group exec Carl Howe compares the platforms to leaking buckets of water, except that Google’s leaks a lot more than Apple’s.
Even as unit growth in the U.S. slows, Apple can still gain share through Android defectors.
Even though Apple boasts the highest loyalty rates, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool’s senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple and what opportunities are left for the company (and your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.
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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Alibaba steps up battle versus Android with Amos OS
BBC News: A Chinese government report recently warned China had become “too dependent” on Google’s Android operating system.
Microsoft signs Android patent deal with Foxconn
BBC News: Microsoft has secured a patent deal with the world’s biggest consumer electronics manufacturer to receive fees for devices powered by Google’s Android and Chrome operating systems.
FoxConn to pay Microsoft royalties for Android devices
Taiwan tech giant Hon Hai, parent company of FoxConn, will pay royalties to Microsoft to ward off a lawsuit over its production of devices using rival Google’s Android and Chrome platforms.
FAB Universal Sees Explosive Podcast Audience Growth For Libsyn
By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
FAB Universal Sees Explosive Podcast Audience Growth For Libsyn
Unique Monthly Audiences Increase from 20 Million to 28 million
PITTSBURGH, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– FAB Universal (NYSE MKT:FU), a worldwide distributor of digital entertainment, today announced unique monthly audiences has experienced accelerated growth from 20 million people in the first quarter of 2012 to 28 million people in the first quarter of this year. The 40% increase is a result of the addition of 8 million podcast audience members enjoying podcasts from 240 countries around the world on the Libsyn Network each and every month.
The recent hockey stick type growth chart for audience engagement with podcasts comes at a time when more shows are now being distributed to mobile devices than to traditional PC‘s. Media distribution to mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads demonstrate a fundamental shift away from the traditional method of downloads via iTunes to the PC. This fundamental catalyst represents a significant opportunity for monetization of podcasts through advertising due to the fact that these mobile downloads can now be tracked in the same manner as streaming video content from a website like YouTube. This type of tracking was not possible before this shift in audience consumption habits.
FAB Universal, the parent company of Libsyn, is looking for Libsyn to generate $1 million of profit this year, a first for the podcast division. FAB Universal Corp. expects to generate Revenue between $98.9 million and $102.6 million for the full year 2013 and expects after tax Net Income between $19.3 million and $20.1 million for the full year 2013.
“It is an exciting time for podcasting and we are well-positioned for substantial revenue growth with the Libsyn platform, our mobile strategy and monetization opportunities for our producers,” said Laurie Sims, President of Libsyn. “Our strategy has always been to provide producers with the tools to distribute and monetize podcast media and today we remain the premier podcast platform in the world. We expect to see even more opportunities for hosting and monetization revenue in 2013.”
About FAB Universal Corp:
FAB Universal Corp. is a global leader in digital media entertainment sales and distribution. FAB delivers media to its customers worldwide through Intelligent Kiosks, Retail Stores, Retail Franchises and online through Apple iTunes and Google Android through three business units: Digital Media Services, Retail Media Sales and Wholesale Media Distribution. We distribute billions of movie, music, podcast, TV show and other
From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/17/fab-universal-sees-explosive-podcast-audience-grow/
Make Up Your Mind: Should Devices Get Bigger or Smaller?
By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
There’s been a lot of talk about the growing consumer trend toward phablets, oversized smartphones that approach tablets in dimensions. Analyst continue to call on Apple to address this niche segment of the smartphone market, particularly because Samsung and the rest of the Google Android army has been able to tap it quite successfully.
At the same time, investors are expecting the next big wave in computing to come in the form of smaller wearable devices. Should devices get bigger or smaller?
We want bigger phones!
Among others, Topeka Capita Markets analyst Brian White believes that Apple absolutely needs a phablet in order to compete, since that form factor is popular in markets like China.
There’s certainly a case for Apple to release such a device, but chances are that Apple won’t release a larger iPhone until next year. Besides, there’s data that suggests that Apple shouldn’t be in any rush, since the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S outsold the 4.8-inch Galaxy S3 in 2012. Flurry Analytics also thinks phablets comprise a relatively modest slice of the broader market.
Oh no! Phones are too big!
One of the reasons why people also expect Apple to release an iWatch at some point is because phones are getting too big and becoming cumbersome to carry around. Microsoft is reportedly laying some component groundwork for a possible smart watch.
That’s despite the fact that Microsoft used to offer a smart watch, except it failed to gain traction in part because it carried a $10 monthly subscription fee. Microsoft could even be considered a first mover in smart watches.
Google will likely be the first to market with a wearable device when it launches Google Glass later this year. Glass will be a different approach to the market, with the search giant going straight for the jugular.
RBS analyst Wanli Wang was quoted as saying, “We see growing demand for wearable gadgets as the size of the smartphone has become too big to carry around.”
So now we have analysts calling for bigger smartphones, which is almost immediately followed by analysts deriding smartphones as being too big. Is there room for both? Or do analysts and consumers need to make up their minds?
As one of the most dominant Internet companies ever, Google has made a habit of driving strong returns for its shareholders. However, like many other web companies, it’s also struggling to adapt to an increasingly mobile world. Despite gaining an enviable lead with its Android operating system, the market isn’t sold. That’s why it’s more important than ever to understand each piece of Google’s sprawling empire. In The Motley Fool’s new premium research report on Google, we break down the risks and potential rewards for Google investors. Simply click here now to unlock your copy of this invaluable resource.
From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/17/make-up-your-mind-should-devices-get-bigger-or-sma/
The iPad Mini's Latest Challenger
By Doug Ehrman, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
When research firm IDC put out its latest numbers on global tablet sales, it noted that “[o]ne in every two tablets shipped this quarter was below 8 inches in screen size.” The firm believes that the shift to smaller devices will accelerate, making it little surprise that, according to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is developing a 7-inch Surface tablet to be released sometime this year. IDC expects Google‘s Android operating system to snatch the top market share position from Apple‘s iOS. At this size, Microsoft is competing with the Google Nexus 7, the iPad Mini, and Amazon.com‘s Kindle Fire HD. While this is stiff competition, getting in the fight is a critical step for Microsoft.
The tablet market
Not that there’s any doubt as to how important the tablet market is, but the numbers are compelling. IDC raised its forecast for worldwide tablet shipments from 172.4 million units in 2013 to 190.9 million and expects that by 2017, 350 million units will be shipping each year. Apple and Google may rule the sandbox, but it’s a big enough sandbox that carving out even a small corner can mean real and meaningful revenue for Microsoft. IDC expects that Microsoft, between its Windows OS and RT OS, account for a combined 10.1% by 2017. These projections don’t include a smaller Surface, so the addition could prove to be meaningful.
Shifting markets
Earlier this week, IDC reported a 14% drop in PC sales for the most recent quarter, mirrored by an 11% drop reported by research firm Gartner. Microsoft is not a PC-maker per se, but falling numbers in this arena are a real blow to sales of Windows. This will be a critical number to watch this week as the company reports earnings on Thursday. As PC sales continue to slide, Microsoft’s involvement in other areas continues to be of greater and greater importance.
What does a smaller Surface mean to the market?
Many will argue that the announcement of a smaller Surface tablet is a non-event because even the bigger Surface RT and Surface Pro have done little to disrupt the market. While this position is not without some merit, it misses the bigger picture of what I believe Microsoft is trying to achieve. As things currently stand, Apple makes the premium tablets on the market and uses this cachet to maintain its market share. Google makes the low-cost tablets on the market, using this appeal to drive its market share similarly to what it has achieved in smartphones.
Microsoft is not only trying to get its foot in the door but is also looking to change the very nature of the tablet market. Windows 8 has been widely criticized as being clunky and counterintuitive on a PC, even with a touchscreen. These reviews seem to assume that Microsoft is oblivious to this reality and failed to conduct any market research before launching the new
From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/15/ipad-minis-latest-challenger/
It Gets Worse, BlackBerry Investors
By Rick Munarriz, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
At least one BlackBerry worrywart is growing even more concerned.
The analysts at Detwiler Fenton are reporting that a wave of returns for BlackBerry’s Z10 smartphone is now exceeding actual sales at several key retailers.
Negative net sales is a phenomenon that Detwiler Fenton argues it has never seen before so soon after a major product launch.
To be fair, Detwiler Fenton has been seeing BlackBerry through blood-colored glasses for some time. It even finds a way to rain on BlackBerry’s parade when the news appears to be positive. When BlackBerry announced last month that a single customer order a million BlackBerry 10 devices — its biggest order in company history — Detwiler Fenton found a way to spin that as a negative.
After a little digging around, the analysts at Detwiler Fenton suggest that it was international distributor Brightstar placing the beefy order. Verizon is a company that relies on Brightstar when it doesn’t want to take on the risk behind an unproven product.
“Verizon doesn’t believe this well be a strong seller since it normally tries to allocate hot product on its own,” Detwiler Fenton analysts concluded last month.
Even bulls didn’t see the Z10 as a game changer out of the gate. The market knew that BlackBerry was going to have a hard time with the Z10, the first handset fueled by the company’s improved BlackBerry 10 mobile operating system. The BlackBerry brand has diminished in popularity as Google‘s Android and Apple‘s iOS account for the lion’s share of the phones out there.
However, it’s hard to believe that early adopters — likely the most devoted of BlackBerry loyalists — are turning on the device so quickly.
The complaints from those reportedly returning their Z10s range include a lack of app developer support, poor mapping, and an unintuitive interface.
Developer support was a well-known problem going in. Google and Apple didn’t attract hundreds of thousands of app developers until they achieved the critical mass that justified the effort to code for the Android and iOS platform. Microsoft has had to sweeten the pot for important app makers to port their applications for Windows Phone. Many important developers will rightfully wait on the sidelines until they see if BB10 is the real deal. Buyers should’ve known that.
Then we get to the interface knocks that fly in the face of the first wave of critical reviews that gushed about some of the new mobile platform’s bar-raising features.
There certainly appears to be some truth to the bumpy launch for BlackBerry’s make-or-break device, but investors will want to be careful about believing the extremely positive or negative accounts until we get real numbers.
When tech titans battle, it gets ugly
It’s incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out “Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?” in The Motley Fool’s
From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/it-gets-worse-blackberry-investors/
How to Take Down the Leading Mobile OS: Complain
By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
It may not prove to be the most effective strategy, but some the world’s leading technology companies have filed a complaint to the EU Commission that Google‘s Android operating system is giving the company a monopoly on mobile, search advertising, and consumer data.
Microsoft , Nokia , Oracle, and TripAdvisor are teaming up against Google, saying that the company is using Android as a “Trojan horse” to monopolize the mobile marketplace. When it comes to Microsoft and Nokia, it’s pretty clear why the two aren’t exactly happy with Google’s OS dominance.
Why Nokia’s upset
It’s not difficult to figure out why Nokia might not be too happy with Android’s current position in the mobile market. Nokia has bet the farm on the Windows Phone platform and it’s currently battling it out with BlackBerry for more market share in both the U.S. and Europe. You can see below how far the Windows Phone platform has to go in Europe:
Source: TechCrunch.
The more market share that the Windows Phone platform takes up, the more Nokia benefits. The EU Commission hasn’t even agreed to hear the official compliant by the companies, but in theory it could hear the complaint and come down on Google, and break up some of Android’s monopoly. That’d be great news for Nokia, but it’s also an unlikely scenario.
What Microsoft has to gain
Obviously Microsoft wants to see its mobile platform compete against Android and gain more ground, but that’s not all it’s concerned with. The big problem Microsoft has with the don’t-be-evil company is that Google uses its Android platform to tap mobile users for advertisements. Google is expected to snag $3.36 billion in mobile search advertising in the U.S. this year alone. Microsoft is trying to gain more mobile search advertising through Bing and it’s been very public about its thoughts on Google’s search advertising practices.
If the complaint can prove that Google has a monopoly on mobile advertising, Microsoft stands to benefit by being the next best option for mobile users. Part of Microsoft’s strategy is to topple Google’s advertising tower through lawsuits and complaints. The EU Commission is currently looking into another complaint about Google’s advertising practices, and this new complaint is just another attempt to unseat the advertising king.
Easier said that done
It’s not likely this complaint, even if it’s heard by the EU Commission, will somehow flip Android’s OS domination in Europe. But one thing that lawmakers seem keen on listening to is consumer data protection. The latest complaint says that back in April six European data protection agencies began investigating if Google broke EU laws when it consolidated its Google account online policies. It also says that Google had to pay the FTC back in August to settle charges that it misled Safari browser users.
If Google’s already painted in a bad light for how it handles user data, the Commission may be more apt to hear the complaint and do something about it —
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
How Tremendous Is Intel's Tablet Opportunity?
By Steve Heller, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Intel has been working hard to shrink transistors to the point where its chips become more suitable for mobile computing applications. With tablets being the fastest-growing segment of mobile computing, it’s not surprising to learn that Intel wants to own a large piece of this pie. Not to mention, the tablet market is expected to ship more than 350 million units a year by 2017 — about the size of the PC market today.
Sizing up the market
In order to assess Intel’s addressable market, Apple , Samsung, and Microsoft Windows RT devices must be taken out of the equation since they all utilize processors based on ARM Holdings designs. According to IDC, Apple is expected to command 46% of the tablet market this year, which represents about 88 million devices out of a possible 190.9 million devices. Assuming Samsung is good for another 17 million tablet shipments this year (like it shipped in 2012), Intel is left with about 86 million potential devices before taking into account Microsoft Windows RT tablets. Once Windows RT is factored into the equation, there’s about 82 million tablet devices left for Intel’s addressable market. If we use NVIDIA Tegra’s average selling price range of $20 to $25 as a proxy, this opportunity could currently be worth as much as $1.6 to $2 billion to Intel’s top line.
Public enemy No. 1
The first order of business for Intel is to gain an edge against NVIDIA, which commands about 17% of the tablet market. Considering that the tablet market more closely mirrors the PC market in terms of user experience, Intel has tremendous potential to win over the hearts of tablet-makers and users alike — especially in the Windows tablet computing space. In other words, Intel has the power to evolve the tablet market into something much more compelling than today’s offerings.
Source: Intel.
Pictured above is Intel’s upcoming Bay Trail processor, which is expected to make a splash this holiday season. This x86-processor will be the world’s first tablet processor that will be based on 22-nanometer designs — a full generation ahead of the ARM competition. It will give tablet makers the capacity to design Windows 8 tablets that can run the full version of Windows 8. I believe that Bay Trail will ultimately pave the way for a $200 Intel-powered Windows 8 tablet in the future, giving Google Android and even Apple’s iOS a run for their money.
A great balancing act
Although Intel has an opportunity to capitalize on new areas of growth, it may come at the expense of the already stagnating PC market. The PC market is currently running the risk of experiencing a prolonged user replacement cycle, stemming from increased user adoption of tablets and smartphones. Additionally, Intel is accustomed to receiving higher average selling prices than what the mobile computing
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Office for iPad in 2014? Big mistake
A purported Microsoft roadmap for future releases of its Office suite showed a fall 2014 launch date for Office on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android mobile operating systems, an online report said today.
How Verizon Talked Steve Jobs Into an LTE iPhone
By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
The first 4G LTE-enabled smartphone that Verizon Wireless launched was the HTC Thunderbolt, which was released back in March 2011. Over the next year and a half, the rest of the Google Android army would follow suit with a slew of LTE devices for Big Red‘s network. While the technology promised incredibly fast speeds, battery life dampened popularity since early LTE phones were prone to running out of juice prematurely.
It wouldn’t be until September 2012 that Apple would launch the iPhone 5, its first LTE smartphone. Many questioned Apple’s competitive prospects in early 2012, saying the iPhone 4S couldn’t compete with newer Android flagships due to the lack of LTE. In technologies where Apple isn’t the first mover, its strategy is to perfect it. In the case of LTE, Apple’s advances in battery engineering allowed the iPhone 5 to maintain respectable battery life.
Speaking at the National Association of Broadcasters conference recently, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam provided some insight into how he was able to talk Steve Jobs into launching an LTE iPhone, even though the device wouldn’t be released until a year after Jobs’ death.
You had me at hello
McAdam notes that video content now comprises roughly 50% of all wireless traffic served up over Big Red‘s network. Verizon estimates that by 2017, that figure will climb to nearly 66%. With such overwhelming consumer demand for video streaming, 3G technologies were bottlenecking the experience since most video clips would need to buffer before properly playing back. With 4G LTE, streaming video could be viable.
The executive recalled how he convinced Jobs:
I was really trying to sell him and he sat there without any reaction. Finally, he said, “Enough. You had me at 10 Mbps. I know you can stream video at 10 Mbps.” And Apple’s next phone was LTE.
Naturally, knowing how important video streaming is played a factor in Verizon’s partnership with Coinstar to launch Redbox Instant to challenge Netflix. Redbox Instant still isn’t a match for the dominant video streamer, but it’s a start.
There is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool’s senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple, and what opportunities are left for the company (and your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.
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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Will Apple Tumble Below $400?
By Doug Ehrman, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
At the end of January, I predicted that Apple would touch $400 per share before it crossed $500 again. While the stock made a valiant run to $480 in an effort to prove me wrong, it has since shown significant weakness that brought shares within less than a dollar of recent lows during last Friday’s trading session. Still trading with a P/E below 10 and looking like a real value, investors are beginning to ask themselves whether the stock will tumble, soar, or stagnate. While there seem to be several catalysts lurking in the shadows, none has pushed to the forefront to take control of the stock‘s future.
Potential positives
While there is little evidence that either product is imminent, the release of either the iWatch or iTV has been widely rumored and is drawing attention from investors. News of the next-generation iPhone, as well as the release of a cheaper version that will allow the company to make a significant push into the emerging markets, could likewise serve as a positive, but the timing of each of these events is not likely to drive the stock at present. There’s also some concern that the iPhone 5S — if Apple follows its regular pattern — could be a letdown.
The most plausible positive is an announcement from Cupertino of an initiative to put more cash back into the hands of Apple shareholders. Ever since the shareholder lawsuit leading up to the last shareholder meeting, the issue has been on the minds of many investors. Apple’s reported $137 billion in cash could make shares more attractive if some of that amount began to flow.
Stumbling blocks
Unfortunately for Apple, the number of potential negative catalysts is probably longer than the positive ones. Facebook‘s announcement of Facebook Home has the potential to pressure Apple sales, as the platform exists solely on Google Android devices. In addition to integrating the Facebook experience more fully into the phone, Facebook Home apparently streamlines the operation of Android in such a way as to make it more user-friendly, an area Apple has historically commanded. If evidence emerges that Facebook Home is gaining traction, expect to see further concerns for Apple.
Another Android based threat is the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The new smartphone from the world’s largest manufacturer of wireless phones is definitely likely to put pressure on Apple. While Apple reclaimed the top spot over the Galaxy S III after the iPhone 5 was released, Samsung had temporarily beaten Apple on its home turf. Samsung continues to make inroads, taking aim at Apple in various ways — another new development is the new retail locations that Samsung is introducing.
Probably the biggest risk factor for Apple shares is the direction of the overall market. While each of the major indexes has been flirting with progressively higher all-time highs, a correction could easily pull Apple …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
This Should Have Nokia Fans Jumping for Joy — Right?
By Tim Brugger, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
First, the good news: Nokia isn’t just the leading manufacturer of Microsoft‘s Windows 8 global smartphone market. According to a recent report from AdDuplex, it’s absolutely destroying the competition. Combined with the Q4 announcement of 4.4 million Lumias sold, that should make even Nokia bears stand up and take notice. But with so many ongoing questions regarding the impact of Windows 8 in the smartphone OS market, does Nokia’s resurgence even matter?
The envelope, please
As of April 4, the date of AdDuplex’s report, Nokia was the manufacturer of choice for 80% of all Windows 8 phones in use worldwide. HTC was a distant second, holding 14% of the Windows phone market, and Samsung, with its limited Windows smartphone alternatives, accounted for 5%. A smattering of others, including Huawei, ZTE, and Acer, shared what little was left.
Nokia’s dominant position isn’t entirely a surprise. As the world’s No. 2 phone manufacturer, and the first to go all in with Windows 8, Nokia was always going to be ahead of the pack. But 80% is a staggering market share.
Fools should also note the growth of Nokia’s Lumia 920, its latest, greatest, and most expensive smartphone. The Lumia 920 has taken over the top spot of all Windows 8 phones worldwide, jumping from fourth place just a month ago.
With Nokia’s earnings announcement slated for April 18, let’s hope CEO Stephen Elop shares Lumia sales numbers specific to the China Mobile deal Nokia inked late last year. With 700 million subscribers, China Mobile is the world’s largest wireless carrier; a good start there would certainly help to explain the jump in Lumia’s position and position Nokia for further growth.
Internationally, Nokia dominates Windows 8 smartphone sales the way Samsung and Apple do in the U.S., with more than 90% market penetration in its top 10 markets. South America in particular loves its Nokia Windows 8 smartphones; four of Nokia’s top 10 countries by market share hail from the continent, with Argentina clocking in at 99% market share for all Windows 8 phones in use. Impressive.
Now for some perspective
Windows Phone, while growing market share in the U.S., remains a distant fourth behind Google‘s Android, Apple iOS, and BlackBerry , according to recent data from comScore. Android OS and iOS together own slightly more than 90% of the market domestically, and the story’s about the same internationally. Nokia and Microsoft can only point to Windows Phone 8’s movement in the right direction. Along with iOS, Windows 8 was the only operating system to increase its share of the domestic mobile OS pie the past quarter, up to 3.2% from 3% in November.
The battle lines have been drawn, and for mobile OS developers, that means the immediate objective is a fight for third place. Unseating Android and iOS will have to wait. Right now, BlackBerry’s holding onto that position. With its new BB10 slowly but surely rolling out across various markets, it should be able …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Apple's Not Innovating Fast Enough
By Travis Hoium and Erin Miller, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
It’s been six months since the last major product announcement from Apple , and the tech giant is allowing competitors to catch-up. Google‘s Android, Samsung’s Galaxy S4, and even Microsoft‘s Windows Phone 8 have had time to improve products while Apple has largely sat on the sidelines. Erin Miller sat down with Travis Hoium to see what Apple needs to do to excite consumers and investors again.
There’s no doubt that Apple is at the center of technology’s largest revolution ever and that longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded, with more than 1,000% gains. However, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool’s senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple and what opportunities are left for the company (and your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.
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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance
Apple Stock Could Use a Phablet Boost
By Rick Munarriz, The Motley Fool
Filed under: Investing
Apple may be ready to concede that size matters in the smartphone world.
Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White believes that bigger iPhones are one the way.
Now, before we get ahead of ourselves — dreaming of larger smarpthones and even fabled phablets — let’s frame this note appropriately. White has been known to dream big and wake up empty.
White turned heads last April when he slapped a price target of $1,001 on the stock. Two months later he suggested that the ballyhooed Apple HDTVs could hit the market in time for the 2012 holiday season. Neither vision materialized. A year later, Apple stock is trading at less than half of his price target. Anyone asking Santa for an iTV last year had to settle for an iPad Mini and a bag of coal.
However, he may be on to something this time.
White is trekking through Asia, visiting Chinese and Taiwanese suppliers that Apple and other consumer tech giants rely on for prototypes and eventual production runs. If a source in Apple’s supply chain is pointing to two — and possibly even three — different screen sizes for this summer’s inevitable iPhone 5S rollout, it’s a better wager than an analyst at home engaging in wishful thinking.
Go big or go home
The market initially applauded Apple’s decision to bump up the size of the iPhone 5. Going from 3.5-inch screens to 4-inch screens gave the stock a boost. Apple shares peaked the day that the iPhone 5 hit the market.
However, with Samsung and HTC embracing larger standards at 5 and 4.7 inches, respectively — and Google‘s Android continuing to run away with the market — Apple can’t ignore the call for wireless devices with larger screens.
The iPad recognized the market demand for smaller tablets by rolling out the wildly successful iPad Mini. Now it’s time to realize that the even the bigger iPhone 5 may not be big enough.
Analysts have been disappointed to see iPhone buyers flock to the older iPhone 4 and 4S models, but wireless customers aren’t going that route because they want smaller screens. They’re merely being won over by the notion of saving $100 or $200 on their phones.
BlackBerry‘s Z10 is off to a slow start this year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the smartphone pioneer suffer another sequential dip in subscribers this quarter. Nokia flooded the market with Lumia phones, and even Microsoft‘s marketing muscle to push the Windows Phone-fueled devices failed to slow Android’s momentum.
Against this backdrop we have Samsung’s 5-inch Galaxy S4 coming out later this month, and there’s plenty of chatter of Samsung introducing devices with 5.5-inch and 6.3-inch screens later this year. This would naturally be phablet territory, and Samsung has already fared well there with the Galaxy Note line. If Apple is going to go bigger than the iPhone’s 4-inch screen — and if it is introducing …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance