CMR Study Reveals Consumers are Prioritizing Audio Quality Over Camera in their Smartphone Purchase

 Consumer Study 

* Indians consider audio quality as one of the most important factors in their next smartphone purchase with a score of 66 out of 100, followed by battery life at 61, and camera at 60

As per a new study by CyberMedia Research (CMR), Indian Consumers are now prioritising audio quality as a key smartphone purchase driver ahead of camera and battery. In fact across all parameters one in every four users have stated audio quality as the most important factor while selecting their smartphone. For the first time ever, consumers are more tuned into ‘audio quality’, possibly driven by long hours spent alone in a homebound economy. In doing so, they are also seeking better, immersive experiences.

“Given the advancements in smartphone camera and battery, I believe consumers are mostly satisfied with industry-leading innovations therein. On the other hand, in the current homebound economy, consumers are getting more aware, and paying more heed to audio quality. As such, they are putting it on priority for the neo normal, from a communication and content consumption point of view,” said Satya Mohanty, Head-Industry Consulting Group, CMR.

According to Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, “These interesting study findings provide us with a basis to better understand evolving consumer aspirations around smartphone audio. Consumers are now seeking infinitely better and immersive listening experiences, whenever and wherever they go. Across use cases, ranging from OTT consumption to mobile gaming & even UGC, consumers seek more high-quality sound. This is where brands with industry-leading innovations, such as Dolby, will stand to shine and fulfill consumer aspirations.”

The CMR study titled “What Audio Means for Indian Smartphone users?” categorizes Indian consumers, based on their audio consumption patterns, into three broad cohorts:

* Digital Natives who spend >20 hours weekly (39%)

* Digital Dependents who spend 10-20 hours weekly (44%)

* Digital Laggards who spend < 10 hours weekly (17%)

Online content consumption – movies and music, have witnessed a tremendous growth, driven by the ubiquitous smartphones. Over the past few years, the rise of affordable and value for money smartphones has fueled content consumption, on-the-go, and at home.

India loves to binge watch on video streaming platforms, cutting across genres, including episodic content and user-generated video content on social media. In the midst of the pandemic, OTT platforms are benefiting from increased viewership, as well as new subscribers. Amongst the three cohorts, Digital Natives tend to spend more time on OTT platforms & rate audio as the most important factor considered while buying their current smartphone. 

Here are some of the most interesting study findings:

* Audio quality matters. Indians consider audio quality as one of the most important factors in their next smartphone purchase with a score of 66 out of 100, followed by Battery Life at 61, and Camera at 60. Smartphone users consume audio mostly through

* listening to music on popular audio OTT platforms (94%),

* watching video – movies, OTT content, or user-generated content on social networks (96%).

* Preferred audio accessories include wired earplugs and earbuds. 78% of the consumers prefer wired earplugs, while 65% indicate using earbuds.

* Video consumption differ with consumer personas. For instance, Digital Natives prefer videos of shorter duration (38%) whereas Digital Laggards prefer videos of longer duration (23%).

* Better audio experience means differently to different consumer personas. For instance, Digital Laggards associate better audio experience to voice and dialogue clarity (69%), whereas Digital Natives associate it to an immersive experience (61%).

* Five in every eight users (62%), use audio during gaming. 72% of those users are satisfied with it.

* Indians more tuned to audio problems. Three in every seven users face some problems in smartphone audio on a regular basis. Problems faced include

* Audio being too soft (33%)

* Audio being too loud (30%)

* Distorted audio (24%)

Note for Editors:

The CMR study titled “What Audio Means for Indian Smartphone Users?” is based on a digital survey covering 1012 respondents, across six cities of India, namely New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, covering the age groups of 18 to 40, and socio-economic levels of SEC A and B. The study was conducted in early to late July 2020.

For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size, there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3% of what they would be if the entire population had been surveyed.

To know more, and download the report, visit www.cmrindia.com/shelf

Airtel’s Exciting Independence Day Celebration Offer – Get 1000 GB Additional Data with Airtel Xstream Fiber Home Broadband Connection

As part of Independence Day celebrations, Airtel has rolled out an exciting limited period offer for customers opting for its Airtel Xstream Fiber Home Broadband. 

Airtel is giving 1000 GB FREE additional data with the purchase of a new Airtel Xstream Fiber connection. The limited period offer is applicable on all Airtel Xstream Fiber plans and is available to customers across all top cities* where Airtel provides Xstream Fiber broadband services.  

India is witnessing a massive surge in demand for quality home broadband as people work from home, children take online classes and OTT based digital entertainment grows.  

Airtel Xtream Fibre offers ultra-fast broadband with speeds upto 1Gbps and serve the requirements of multiple connected devices in today’s homes.  

The limited period offer of 1000 GB FREE additional data adds even more value to Airtel Xstream Fiber plans that start at just Rs 799/month and come with exciting Airtel Thanks benefits such as 12 months Amazon Prime membership and Airtel Xstream content plus Wynk Music. 

*Offer not applicable on unlimited data and prepaid broadband plans. 1000 GB additional valid for 6 months. 

Aspirational Bharat Sees 120% Spike in Work Productivity on Smartphones During COVID-19: TECNO-CMR MICI Survey

 

Survey Report

* Consumers in Aspirational Bharat are seeing a >50% spike on smartphone usage during lockdown, including 120% on productivity.

* Beyond work, consumers spent increased time on their phone for consuming content, including video OTT (70%) and audio OTT (60%), and gaming (62%).

* Fast-depleting Battery life and limited screen size were the biggest challenges that consumers faced with their smartphones.

A new Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey, conducted by CyberMedia Research (CMR) in association with TECNO Mobile, has for the first time provided a comprehensive understanding of changing consumer behaviour and smartphone usage patterns in Aspirational Bharat. The CMR MICI survey revealed that consumers of Aspirational Bharat saw a 120% spike in smartphone usage for productivity compared to pre-COVID levels.

According to Prabhu Ram, He ad- Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, “The smartphone is a key daily driver for consumers living in cities and towns beyond Tier I. We call this the Aspirational Bharat. What the survey highlights is how smartphone usage is changing, during lockdown and in the neo-normal, cutting across use cases, such as productivity, personal development, and leisure. In preparation for the neo normal, consumers in Aspirational Bharat are seeking smartphones that offer larger screen size and much better battery life.”

Echoing the sentiment from TECNO’s perspective, Mr. Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India said, “As a leading smartphone company commanding substantial presence and market share in the Aspirational Bharat’, we have iterated the growing importance of telecommuting and productivity usage of smartphone in the wake of COVID-19. In Aspirational Bharat, where affordability and utility go hand in hand, smartphones have emerged as a primary medium of work, information and entertainment. The CMR MICI Survey reinforces the fact that TECNO has the sense of the pulse of its aspirational consumers. And with our SPARK series, which focuses on battery, display, and camera in sub-10K smartphone category is a testimony to TECNO’s deep commitment of introducing products with segment-first features at a disruptive price point where the consumer is more ready to experiment with the product. We are optimistic that our latest launches Spark 6 Air smartphone and TWS Minipod M1 will be well-received by the audience and enable our consumers to find a work-leisure balance in this Neo Normal.”

(A) COVID-19 and Impact on Smartphone Usage in Aspirational Bharat during lockdown

* During COVID-19 Lockdown (March 25 - May 31), smartphone usage spiked by 50%, with smartphone usage for work surging by >100%.

* Smartphone users in Aspirational Bharat depend on their smartphone to empower their professional and personal life.

* 84% of consumers depend on their smartphones, for instance, for accessing information on government schemes, weather patterns, and market linkage information for farm produce.

* 83% of consumers use their phones for content consumption including creating and consuming short-form videos, music and videos.

* 83% feel empowered, using their smartphones for online banking, shopping, and utility bill payment, among others.

* Beyond work, consumers spent increased time on their phone for consuming content, including video OTT (70%) and audio OTT (60%), and gaming (62%).

* Around three in every seven users in Aspirational Bharat have started some new activities and hobbies during the period of lockdown. For instance, 21% of the consumers have learnt new skills, 19% have listened to music, while 18% have taken up new hobbies on their phones.

* One in every three parents depend on their smartphone for facilitating their kid’s online education during lockdown.

(B) Smartphone Usage in the Neo Normal (June onwards)

* Two in every seven users (29%) have faced some challenge while working from home.  One in every seven users (15%) faced difficulty in managing work-life-balance as well as productivity issue.

* The top three smartphone features that consumers have started relying more in the neo normal are Camera (61%), battery life (57%) and sound quality (51%).

* Some consumers faced problems with their smartphones –  phone overheating (58%), limited screen size (47%) and swift battery drainage (46%) were the top three challenges.

* When it comes to their next smartphone purchase, consumers are looking for smartphones that offer long battery life (54%) and large screen size (53%) for viewing to cope with neo normal.

About CMR – TECNO Mobile MICI Survey

The Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey by CyberMedia Research (CMR), in association with TECNO Mobile, is the first-ever, comprehensive study of changing consumer behavior on smartphones in Tier-I, Tier-II and Tier-III cities and towns of India, across three phases: pre-COVID-19, during pandemic, and neo-normal.

The CMR Mobile Industry Consumer Insights (MICI) Survey covered 1052 respondents cutting across ten study locations, including, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Surat, Indore, Guwahati and Sonipat. The study covered consumers in the age groups of 20 to 35, and socio-economic levels of SEC B & SEC C, having a affordable smartphone in the price range of INR 6000 – 10000.

For results based on a randomly chosen sample of this size, there is 95% confidence that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3% of what they would be if the entire population had been surveyed.

Give Wings to Your Photography Dreams with the All New Lava Z66

Indian mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, announced the launch of its new smart phone- Lava Z66. The Lava Z66 is equipped with a 13MP selfie camera with screen flash to capture stunning portraits even in low-light. It also sports a dual rear camera setup of 13MP + 5MP with LED flash which renders a superior photography experience. To enhance the user experience further, the smartphone camera has been packed with premium features like beauty mode, night mode, HDR mode, burst mode, panorama, time lapse, slow motion along with filters for every mood.

The smartphone is powered with a 1.6 GHz octa-core processor for a seamless performance and features a 6.08-inch HD+ notch display with a 2.5D curved screen & 19:9 aspect ratio. This 3GB RAM smartphone has a storage capacity of 32GB (expandable up to 128GB) for storing your precious moments and videos. Priced at Rs. 7777, Lava Z66 is currently available in three striking colour variants – Marine Blue, Berry Red and Midnight Blue. This Made in India smartphone is currently available at offline stores and will soon be available on Amazon and Flipkart.

The Lava Z66 draws power from 3950 mAh battery which provides up to 16 hours of talk time*. The smartphone runs on Stock Android OS (Android 10) and is free from pre-loaded bloatware which ensures a smooth performance and a clean Android experience. For improved device security, Lava Z66 has been equipped with a fingerprint scanner and a face-unlock feature that unlocks the phone in just 0.6 seconds*.

Commenting on the launch, Tejinder Singh, Head- Product, Lava International said, “Lava Z66 is an exceptional device in the budget segment for all the photography enthusiasts out there. This beautiful device not only lets you click the most stunning pictures but also delivers a power packed all round performance.”

The Lava Z66 comes with dual sim support (4G+4G), Bluetooth V4.2, OTG support, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The phone also has an array of sensors that includes an accelerometer, ambient light and a proximity sensor.

*under Lava testing conditions

Lava International Limited 

#ProudlyIndian

Lava International Limited is a leading Indian Mobile Handset Company with operations in 20+ countries. In the international markets the company is growing rapidly and is already among the top players in many of these countries it operates in. 

Lava has always been at the forefront of Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Lava was the first mobile brand to take a lead in support of this important nation building program and had set up a design team in India, becoming the first brand to design phones in the country. With this ‘Design in India’ initiative, Lava is now the only Mobile handset company that makes truly ‘Made In India’ phones with complete control on design and manufacturing within the country. 

With the vision to “Empower people to do more, to be more” the company was established in 2009. Lava International Limited is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company has its manufacturing facilities and a repair factory in an approximately 300,000 square feet area in Noida. The manufacturing plants have a capacity of manufacturing 40 million phones per annum.

We Make in India, We Make for India.

Home Credit India Offers Easy Smartphone Loan Options in Unlock 3.0

Smartphone Loans

* Own a smartphone sitting at home with customer-friendly schemes from Home Credit

* Customers can now process loans from their homes with the help of Home Credit’s robust online program

As the nation sees ease in lockdown, businesses have also started to open. Having been closed for business for over two months, retailers are still unsure about customer walk-ins and how to service their demand. Home Credit India, a local arm of the international consumer finance provider with operations spanning over Europe and Asia, is focused to strengthen its partnership with offline retailers. The company has been functioning business actively in Bangalore with 940 key retailers. Big retail chains like Sangeetha Mobiles, Pai International, Devi International and standalone retailers like Colors Mobiles, Hanuman Telecom, Uday Electronics etc. are now open with all the necessary precautions and adhering to govt guidelines.

The retailers have witnessed 75% footfall in comparison to pre-Covid era. Most of the customers are venturing out for key purchases only and are following social distancing guidelines

In the given times, Home Credit has also built a robust online program for customers who choose to not venture out fearing COVID-19. Customers can now own a smartphone and get their KYC/loan approval procedure executed from the ease of their home without being physically present at the retail shop. Post the formalities, the mobile phone is delivered to their doorstep. Online outreach is further supporting the retailers in their sales during these challenging times. 

On the occasion, Mr. Ankush Khosla, Chief Sales Officer, Home Credit India said; “These unprecedented times have brought in significant behavior change among customers. With the country easing lockdown with restrictions, it is time that the Corporates come forward and take innovative steps towards supporting economic revival in the country. Home Credit is extending full support to its retail partners across the country with the hope to support our customers in every possible way, to make their loan taking journey less stressful even during these anxious times.”  

Home Credit India has resumed its operations country wide based on Government directives. The company has its operations spread over 350 cities across 22 States in India with a strong network of around 31,500 points-of-sale (PoS) and a customer base of around 11.3 million customers. 

Airtel Unveils New Prepaid Packs with Premium Content from ZEE5

As part of its strategic alliance with ZEE5, India’s Entertainment Super-app, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) today launched new propositions for its mobile customers in India.

These prepaid propositions are designed to deliver an exciting digital entertainment experience to Airtel smartphone customers by unlocking the full ZEE5 premium content catalogue to go with generous high speed data allowance and unlimited calling benefit.  

1.      The New Rs 289 prepaid bundle offers Unlimited Calling, 1.5 GB/day, 100 SMS/day plus full access to the entire ZEE5 catalogue, which includes hits such as Ghoomketu, Chintu Ka Birthday, Rangbaaz Phirse, Lalbazaar to name a few. The bundle comes with a validity of 28 days. In addition, as part of Airtel Thanks benefits the customer also gets access to Airtel Xstream content and Wynk Music subscription [check].  

2.      The Rs 79 top-up offers subscription to the entire ZEE5 catalogue for 30 days. The convenient top up will be available to all Airtel customers through the Digital Store Section on Airtel Thanks App. 

Customers can purchase the new prepaid pack on Airtel Thanks app, www.airtel.in and at all Airtel retail stores across India.

Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharti Airtel said: “With massive surge in consumption of digital content on smartphones, Airtel’s new prepaid packs make it simpler for millions of customers to access rich content from ZEE5 without having to worry about managing separate subscription charges. Our users can enjoy this exclusive content offering on Airtel 4G, which has been consistently rated as India’s top mobile network for video by global experts.”

Manpreet Bumrah, Vice President – Business Development & Commercial Head, ZEE5 India said, “During such unprecedented times, we urge all the citizens to stay home and stay calm, while we continue to serve the best of entertainment content across languages, genres, and a spectrum of devices. Our partnership with Airtel enables us to maximise reach by appealing to a large base of Airtel consumers present across the country. With this proposition, we are enhancing our existing relationship and reach through prepaid bundle & top-up plans further democratising access to world class entertainment at consumer’s fingertip.”

About Bharti Airtel Limited

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed home broadband, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 423 million customers across its operations at the end of March 2020. 

LAVA Invites You to Design the Next #ProudlyIndian Smartphone

Indian mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, announced the launch of its ‘Design in India’ contest. Through this unique contest, Lava is inviting entries for designing the next Indian smartphone. Lava’s Design in India contest is open for B.Tech/B.E/B. Des/M.Des students/professionals. Students and professionals from Engineering (ECE/IT/CS/Mech/Industrial Design) departments can participate in this contest in groups of 1-3 members and win a chance to work for Lava’s Design-in-India team. 

Speaking about the contest, Tejinder Singh, Head- Product, Lava International said, “Our country stands at a very important juncture right now. We envision India to be the next global manufacturing hub. We have the potential to be self-reliant too. Through this unique initiative, we want to give the youth of our country a platform to play their part in this nation building process. We invite them to use their creative skills and bring fresh perspectives to our design methods.”

The registration process for this contest will be open from 2nd July- 9th July 2020.

For T&C and to register, please visit- https://www.lavamobiles.com/design-in-india-challenge/

Lava’s Design in India contest will be conducted in three parts- Ideation, creating a prototype & presentation to the jury. Lava’s Design team will mentor the contestants throughout the competition. Contestants will be judged on three parameters- Creativity, functionality & uniqueness. The judging panel will be led by Sanjeev Agarwal, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Lava International.

At the end of the competition, top three winning teams will get a pre-placement interview opportunity at Lava. They will additionally receive a cash prize of Rs. 50000, Rs. 25000 and Rs. 15000 respectively. 

Sanjeev Agarwal, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Lava International said, “Designing in India has been a very big strength for our brand over the last few years. It not only helped us translate customer insights into products but also let us build unique propositions for our customers. Being mentored by the Lava Design team can be a very meaningful opportunity for the young talent of our country.”

Lava has always been at the forefront of Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Lava was the first mobile brand to take a lead in support of this important nation building program and had set up a design team in India, becoming the first brand to design phones in the country. With this ‘Design in India’ initiative Lava is now the only Mobile handset company that makes truly ‘Made In India’ phones with complete control on design and manufacturing within the country. 

Airtel XStream App to "LIVE Stream Rath Yatra 2020" on Smartphones

Airtel mobile and broadband customers can now watch the proceedings on their smartphones and tablets by simply installing the FREE Airtel Xstream app 

As India observes social distancing norms, Airtel is bringing this year’s Rath Yatra to devotees on their smartphones in partnership with Shemaroo.

Airtel Xstream app will be LIVE streaming Rath Yatra 2020 from Puri enabling users to catch the proceedings on their smartphones or tablets, wherever they are. The LIVE stream will be available on an exclusive channel on the home page of the app. Users can also rewind and replay the LIVE stream as per their convenience.

1st July 2020 (8:00AM to 6:00PM) - Bahuda Yatra & Hari Sayana Ekadasi

2nd July 2020 (3:00PM – 11:00PM) - Sunabesa

3rd July 2020 (7:00PM – 10:00PM) - Adharpana Ritual

4th July 2020 (2:00PM – 10:00PM) - Niladri Bije 

Airtel Xstream, an india-first video network for premium digital content, is available to all Airtel customers as a FREE download on Playstore and App store.

The app offers over 10,000 movie and shows from India and across the world along with over 400 TV channels. Airtel Thanks customers can also access premium content from top content producers on Airtel Xstream app.        

YES BANK Launches Yuva Pay - Digital Wallet for Smart Phone, Feature Phone in Partnership with UDMA Technologies

YES BANK announced the launch of ‘Yuva Pay’, a unique digital wallet in partnership with UDMA Technologies to enable contactless payments. This collaboration is in line with YES BANK’s fast-track innovation efforts of enabling communities to experience the convenience of digital banking services – as the nation slowly begins to unlock after the COVID-19 lockdown.  This innovation is a digital wallet issued under minimum KYC regulations, combined with bill payments via Bharat Bill Pay and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Through the app, utility bills like municipal, house, water tax, electricity, LPG, DTH, Mobile bill, license fees, Windmill & Solar park fees, building sanction fees and billboard taxes can be paid along with insurance renewal, fastag recharge, EMI payment, school fees and use at retail outlets. The first live program of the solution will be implemented by State Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department, Karnataka and the first phase will cover 158 gram panchayats with 238 villages. Subsequently, this program will be rolled out to 6200 gram panchayats covering 12 million households across 29,000 villages in the second phase.

Speaking on the launch, Anita Pai, Chief Operating Officer, YES BANK, said, “This unique endeavour is yet another step taken by YES BANK towards achieving the Government’s vision of Digital India by converting all paper transactions into paperless digital transactions. The program also aims to make the low income groups transition to digital and contactless transactions by enabling wider access to secure electronic payment services.”

Prashanth Naik, CEO, UDMA Technologies, said “We envisage a long lasting business relationship. YES BANK is one of India’s leading digital payments facilitator and we intend to replicate this solution across the country, specifically in the rural segment where internet connections maybe an issue and feature phone is prevalent. Together, we now offer India’s strongest offline wallet solution that not only brings the world’s best payments experience to Indian Citizens, but is an important step towards eventually having cashless transformation in India.”

To activate the unique feature, customers need to follow a simple process:

Feature Phone Users

Users to visit the nearest ‘Yuva Mitra’ associate to complete minimum or full KYC verification process. Once the verification is complete, the wallet is activated and users can start using their services through Interactive Voice Response Services (IVRS) wherein all transactions are processed securely via OTP & T-PIN authentication.

Smart phone Users

Users can download the ‘Yuva Pay’ mobile application from Android play store, complete the minimum KYC requirements and add money to their wallet. As per RBI guidelines, the user will need to complete biometric based KYC process within 24 months after wallet activation. If internet connection is available, users can start using the services online while in case of no internet connection, the payment and collection request is converted into an encrypted SMS and the transaction is completed in offline mode.

Lava Pledges to Contribute Rs. 40 Lacs for LAC Martyrs’ Families

Indian Mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, has pledged to contribute Rs.40 lacs to the families of brave martyrs of LAC. This contribution will be made for the welfare of the bereaved families of soldiers who lost their lives protecting our country during a faceoff with the Chinese soldiers at Galwan valley recently. Lava plans to raise this amount through its July month’s sales. 

As per media reports, 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives on the night of 15th/16th June at Galwan district in Ladakh in a brutal skirmish at the Line of Actual Control. Lava intends to contribute Rs. 2 lacs for each of these 20 families. The contribution will be made to the Army Battle Casualties Welfare Fund at South Block, New Delhi.

Sunil Raina, President & Business Head, Lava international said- “As an Indian brand, we salute the Patriotism of our brave soldiers who fought hard at the LAC and gave their lives protecting our Motherland. As a nation, it is our collective responsibility to stand united against any threat to our nation and do our bit for the country. Being an Indian Brand, we salute the valour of our soldiers and this small contribution is our humble gratitude to the supreme sacrifice our soldiers make at the battlefield.” 

The contribution will be raised from Lava’s July sales, so every time you buy a Lava phone, you have a chance to contribute to India’s Brave martyrs. 

Lava International Limited is a leading Indian Mobile Handset Company with operations in 20+ countries. Right from its inception Lava has been at the forefront of building a strong ecosystem of design and manufacturing of mobile handsets. In line with Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, Lava has taken a lead in support of this important nation building program and has set up a design team in India, becoming the first brand to do so in the country. With this ‘Design in India’ initiative Lava is now the only Mobile handset company that makes truly ‘Made In India’ phones with complete control on design and manufacturing within India.

RIM now gets double attack from Microsoft, Nokia

Microsoft Corp and Nokia announced an alliance on Wednesday to bring business software to smartphones and counter the dominance
Apple of Research in Motion Ltd's BlackBerry.

The alliance between the world's largest software company and cellphone maker means the latest versions of Microsoft's Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and messaging, will be available on a range of Nokia cellphones, which make up 45 per cent of the global smartphone market.

The two companies, at one time fierce rivals in the mobile telecommunications business, expect to offer Nokia phones running Office sometime next year.

"This is giving some of our competitors -- let's spell it out, RIM -- a run for their money," said Nokia Executive Vice President Robert Andersson, in a telephone interview. "I don't think BlackBerry has seen the kind of competition we can provide them now."

Research in Motion's BlackBerry created the market for mobile e-mail, and its dominant position in the corporate sector, especially in North America, has protected it from Nokia's attempts to crack the market in recent years.

"RIM should be reasonably safe in the near-term because Nokia's presence in the US is relatively small," said Neil Mawston from research firm Strategy Analytics. "Partnering more closely with Microsoft will help to raise Nokia's profile in the US"

The alliance also aims to counter Google Inc's recent move into free online software, targeted at Microsoft's business customers, and the growing popularity of Apple Inc's iPhone device.

"It's clear that Nokia and Microsoft are both facing competitive challenges, most notably from Google," said John Jackson, an analyst at wireless research firm CCS Insight. "It makes sense for these two companies to work together to see if they can pool their competitive strengths to try and counter some of this pressure."

The alliance means Microsoft's new Office suite of applications could be available to a much wider audience than the users of Windows Mobile phones, which make up 9 per cent of the smartphone market.

"We see this as a great opportunity to deliver Office Mobile to 200 million Nokia smartphone customers," said Takeshi Numoto, an executive at Microsoft's Office business.

Analysts said Microsoft is clearly looking at the largest possible audience with the Nokia deal.

"The deal is a good win for Microsoft and it will surely now be hoping to upsell the Microsoft suite of operating systems
into Nokia's possible portfolios of smartphones, mobile Internet devices and netbooks over the next couple of years," said Strategy Analytics' Mawston.

The two companies stressed that the new venture will not affect the future of Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Nokia's Symbian operating systems for smartphones. Executives said Nokia has no plans to make a Windows Mobile device.

"We are extremely committed to Symbian," said Andersson. "This is very clear. This is a multi-year collaboration building on Symbian. We are as committed as before, if not more," he said.

Microsoft shares rose 2.1 per cent to $23.62 on Nasdaq while Nokia rose less than 1 per cent to 9.30 euros in Helsinki. Shares in RIM were 0.5 per cent lower in Toronto.

Agencies

Has Intel completed Wind River acquisition?

Intel has completed its purchase of Wind River, which builds software for smartphones and other devices.

The acquisition is costing Intel $11.50 a share in cash for a total price tag of around $884 million, Intel said Friday. Wind River is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel, reporting to the chipmaker's Software and Services Group.

By scooping up Wind River, Intel hopes to carve out a greater chunk of the mobile device market. Wind River designs operating systems and other software for cell phones, portable Internet devices, consumer electronics, and in-car "infotainment" systems. With such diverse customers as Sony, Verizon, Motorola, Boeing, and NASA, Wind River has its hooks in the automotive, aerospace, and telecommunications industries.

"The acquisition will deliver to Intel robust software capabilities in embedded systems and mobile devices, both important growth areas for the company," said Renee James, an Intel vice president and general manager of the company's Software and Services Group.

The purchase of Wind River also moves Intel further into software as an added source of revenue.

Though now owned by Intel, Wind River said it will continue to develop applications for its current customers. The company expects to pick up sales and new customers with access to Intel's technology, brand, and global sales force.

Intel first announced its decision to buy Wind River on June 4.

CNET.com

Now get your Mobile Web report from Opera

Opera’s popular mobile browser Opera Mini claims to enhance the mobile internet experience. The software organization has now broadcasted its State of the Mobile Web report that further ascends the browser. This report presents some fascinating data that offers a detailed description about the evolution of Web browsing on mobile phones.

Opera conducted a study of vital factors that influence the mobile Web globally and publishes it as the State of the Mobile Web, monthly. The report provides information about the most regularly visited sites. Moreover it also includes key data metrics from Opera Mini and a picture of a particular development selected by the analysis team for that month.

The company had introduced the Opera Mini and Opera Mobile which are premium software for mobile Web browsing on both feature phones and smartphones. Opera Mini offers faster Web services on the handset. Moreover even the page is viewed just as it appears on the desktop browser. The Opera Zoom feature articulates the contents so as to enhance the readability and interaction. Additionally, it also incorporates Opera Link that facilitates users to synchronize their bookmarks for free. It also offers a Speed Dial option and personal bar between all the Web browsers.

The report reveals that 25.4 million Opera Mini users have browsed over 9.6 billion pages, as per the records in the month of May, 2009. Further it claims that since April, 2009, page-views have risen by 11.0% and increased by a remarkable 227% from May, 2008. It also illustrates that users generated almost 160 million MB of data for global operators in May, 2009.

The content analysis is based on an assessment of the top 100 sites ranked based on page views in every country. The designation of sites to particular kind was devised by local content professionals by following Opera’s guidelines to exemplify each site.

Additionally, demographic data was also gathered from voluntary user surveys. The data was then provided to a random subset of Opera Mini users through their handsets, in English, Russian, Chinese, German and Polish. Survey responses were accumulated between February to June, 2008.

Agencies

Intel & Nokia to jointly work on mobile devices

Intel Corp announced a technology partnership with Nokia that could potentially give the chip maker the breakthrough it as been looking for into the mobile market.

The companies said on Tuesday they would work together on a new class of mobile computing devices, but would not say when they would come to market or give details on the kind of wireless products they hoped to develop together.

Analysts saw the pact as strategically important for Intel in the long term because it gains the world's top cellphone maker as a potential client. But given the lack of details, analysts said it could take one or two years for products to come to market, and it remained to be seen if they would find favor with consumers,

"Intel at least has its foot in the door. It's an important and strategic customer," said Gartner analyst Jon Erensen, who sees the partnership as a way for Intel to get into the market for advanced phones known as smartphones.

However, he added, "You're probably talking about something like 2011 before you get down to the power consumption and integration (levels) you'd need for that kind of device."

Analysts said the deal gives Intel a chance to take on leading cellphone chip makers Qualcomm Inc and Texas Instruments Inc, a big Nokia supplier.

It could also mean stiffer competition for ARM Holdings Plc, which supplies core cellphone processors to both Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, and whose customers rely in part on software from Wind River Systems Inc.

Intel said earlier this month that it would buy Wind River, whose software speeds up and connects devices made by Samsung Electronics, Apple Inc, Hewlett-Packard Co and Motorola Inc.

Intel, whose microprocessors are found in eight out of 10 personal computers, already works with LG Electronics on mobile devices. The agreement with Finland's Nokia, the world's largest cellphone maker, is a bigger step.

Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini has said that the handheld, embedded and netbook markets would be as important for the company as the PC market in the near future.

NEW MOBILE PLATFORM

Under the agreement, Intel will buy intellectual property from Nokia related to high-speed wireless technology. They also plan to collaborate on open-source mobile Linux software projects, which some analysts say will compete with Google's Android software in the netbook and mobile Internet device (MID) market.

Intel and Nokia said they aimed to define "a new mobile platform beyond today's smartphones, notebooks and netbooks" for hardware, software and mobile Internet services. They stressed the pact was about their technology collaboration and not about specific products.

Until the companies give more detail about their plans, the news is unlikely to provide much of a boost to share prices, analysts said.

Intel's shares rose 0.83 per cent to $15.81 while Nokia shares fell 0.78 per cent to 10.21 euros.

Intel already sells Atom chips for netbooks - small, no-frills computers
good for Web surfing - and Nokia has said it would look into the possibly of expanding beyond phones to develop netbooks.

The pact may help Nokia compete with rivals such as iPhone from Apple Inc and BlackBerry from Research In Motion, as well as Pre from Palm Inc.

J. Gold Associates analyst Jack Gold wrote in a research note that he expects the first Nokia-Intel devices to be Atom-based and to hit the market in early to mid 2010. Within two to three years, Intel could ship tens of millions of units annually, he said.

Gold wrote on Tuesday that he expects to see Intel enter into more deals and alliances in new markets.


Agencies

Is Apple developing a touchscreen PC?

Apple will take third-quarter delivery of newly developed 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan, a source said on Wednesday, amid talk the US firm is developing a touchscreen PC.

Taiwan touchscreen specialist Wintek already makes small screens for Apple iPhones, and has received orders for the larger ones that are roughly the same size as those used in mini PCs, said the source close to the Taiwan firm. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

He added that he did not know what the final product would be, or who would make it.

Wintek spokesman James Chen confirmed Apple was a major client of his company, but declined to comment on any new product development.

Taiwan media reported this week that Apple, which has brought touchscreens to the forefront with the success of its iPhones, is currently developing a touchscreen PC, as lines begin to blur between sophisticated smartphones and traditional PCs.

Some of those reports have said that Taiwan's Quanta Computer, the world's top contract laptop PC maker, would manufacture the actual PCs for Apple.

Apple's Hong Kong spokeswoman, Jill Tan, said the company did not comment on market speculation, while a Quanta spokeswoman also declined to comment.

Agencies

Yahoo offers iPhone-like Web for masses

Yahoo announced a new mobile service on Tuesday that will deliver an iPhone-like experience for people who cannot or will not splash out for the iconic but pricey Apple device as times get hard.

Yahoo Mobile will launch at the end of March in a form downloadable to any phone with a Web browser and from May in custom versions for hundreds of smartphones.

"There is a growing number of consumers out there who are not Apple iPhone users but want a rich starting experience," Marco Boerries, the head of Yahoo's mobile division, told the media in an interview.

Yahoo will also launch a version of Yahoo Mobile, designed to be a starting point for users to access the Internet, for the iPhone itself at the end of March. A test version for a limited number of public users is going live this week.

Yahoo Mobile offers a front page with colorful, boxy icons resembling the iPhone's for launching popular applications such as a Web browser, mail, news, weather and social network sites like Facebook.

Users also have the option to easily add any software or Web sites they choose to download on their phones.

The company plans in coming months to promote Yahoo Mobile via a series of 70 major operator partnerships it has struck to reach 850 million mobile subscribers around the globe.

Fifty of those partnerships already offer Yahoo services and the company expects the rest to adopt Yahoo Mobile in coming months, Boerries said.

Yahoo has developed versions that work on hundreds of mid-range and high-end mobile phones from BlackBerry maker RIM, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Motorola, as well as phones running Microsoft Windows.

Boerries defines the universe of phones that can effectively run Yahoo Mobile as "every phone that's shipped in the last two years that has a decent HTML-capable browser." He added: "We don't want to make lowest common denominator stuff."

A more general version of the service downloadable from the Web will also work on older phones but will not be tailored to those phones' specifications. Boerries demonstrated it on an old Sony Ericsson model.

Boerries said last year's on-again off-again talks with would-be buyer Microsoft had not significantly distracted his team, and said he had kept his key staff together for years.

After some prior delays in introducing services such as Yahoo Go, Boerries professed relief that his fuller vision of putting the Web on phones had arrived on time: "It is really, for me, making it all come together."

"This is like the uber-replacement of Yahoo Go."

Agencies

Financial crisis hits mobile phone market

According to IDC, third quarter shipment growth drops to 3.2 percent The worldwide mobile phone industry felt the impact of the global financial crisis in the third quarter of 2008 (3Q08) as total handset shipments were down significantly over previous quarters.

Mobile phone manufacturers shipped a total of 299.0 million handsets in 3Q08, up 3.2 percent from last year, and down -0.4 percent over 2Q08. The third quarter of the year has historically been a ramp-up quarter as manufacturers load their sales channels with handsets in preparation for the holiday season, producing year-over-year growth rates as high as 20 percent as a result.

This year has not witnessed a similar ramp up, largely due to the current economic situation.
Ryan Reith, senior research analyst, IDC's Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said: "Handset vendors felt the pressures of the dismal economy in the third quarter of 2008, and as a result, shipments and revenues were down almost across the board. There were two signs of hope from two major players during third quarter earnings. First, as highly anticipated and now confirmed, Apple reported an extremely successful quarter and noted it is on pace to surpass its initial 2008 shipment estimates. Second Nokia's CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo announced a positive outlook for 2008 despite a tough third quarter. This offers reassurance to all industry players as Nokia has been a clear leader in the mobile phone space for quite some time."

Looking forward to the holiday season, mobile phone average selling prices have already begun to drop and marketing campaigns are ramping up, and competition for buyers will remain high as spending will be a concern to consumers. IDC expects tight economic conditions will make 2009 slower and more competitive as well.

Ramon T. Llamas, senior research analyst, IDC's Mobile Devices Technology and Trends, said: "While the overall mobile phone market registered small growth compared to last year, the market for converged mobile devices (commonly known as smartphones) posted strong gains. The worldwide release of the Apple iPhone 3G earlier this summer marked a major step not only for Apple, but also raised the profile of converged mobile devices as a whole."

"Add on top of that the attention generated by the Google-powered G1, and the converged mobile device suddenly finds itself as the device sought by both seasoned and first-time users," he adds.