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Low-cost smartphones boost Android

WASHINGTON - AFP - A surge in low-cost smartphone sales, notably in emerging markets, helped the Google Android platform extend its dominance in the second quarter, a survey showed Thursday.

The report by market tracker IDC said Android phone sales were up 33 per cent over the past year to 255 million units, and accounted for 84.7 per cent of all global smartphone sales in the March-June period.

The overall market grew 25 per cent to 301 million units, IDC said, with Apple, Microsoft Windows and BlackBerry failing to keep pace.

"With many of its (manufacturing) partners focusing on the sub-$200 segments, Android has been reaping huge gains within emerging markets," says Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC.

"During the second quarter, 58.6 per cent of all Android smartphone shipments worldwide cost less than $200 off contract, making them very attractive compared to other devices."

Sales of the Apple iPhone rose to 35.2 million units in the quarter, but with growth slower than Android, Apple's market share fell to 11.7 per cent from 13 per cent last year in the same period.

Windows Phone sales meanwhile slipped more than nine per cent from a year ago to 7.4 million units, while its market share dropped to 2.5 per cent.

BlackBerry's woes deepened despite modest gains from the first quarter of 2014. On a year-to-year basis, sales fell 78 per cent and its market share dropped to 0.5 per cent.

The figures were largely in line with a similar survey last month from Strategy Analytics.

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Uncharged iPhones & iPads banned from US flights

UK travellers flying to the United States are being ordered to ensure their smartphones and tablets are fully charged before passing through airport security.

The directive has been introduced as part of a move to step up aviation security. The measures are being introduced by the US Department of Homeland Security and enforced in the UK by the Department for Transport.

The US Department of Homeland Security has not specified why the measures are being introduced, only that the move is part of its ongoing work to promote aviation security.

At the time of writing, the UK terrorist threat level is unchanged, and remains “substantial.”

In a statement, it said: “We are sharing recent and relevant information with our foreign allies and are consulting the aviation industry.

“These communications are an important part of our commitment to providing our security partners with situational awareness about the current environment and protecting the travelling public.”

As a result, travellers are being warned that – as part of the existing screening process for electronic devices – they may be asked to switch on their devices.

If the devices can’t be switched on because they have flat batteries or are defective, travellers will have to leave them behind and possibly face additional screening measures.

At present, the new rules are being introduced at a selection of airports that operate direct flights to the USA, and have prompted calls for people to give themselves even more time to pass through airport security.

At present, UK travellers preparing for long-haul flights to the United States are requested to arrive and check-in at the airport at least three hours before they are due to take-off.

The US Department of Homeland Security added that it will be working to ensure passenger disruption is kept to a minimum as a result of the new rules.

In a separate statement, the Department for Transport said it would not be commenting “in detail” on the changes, and assured passengers that the vast majority of them will not suffer “significant disruption” as a result of the move.

“The safety and security of the public is our paramount concern. The UK has some of the most robust aviation security measures and we will continue to take all the steps necessary to ensure that public safety is maintained,” it added.

Xiaomi Expected to Launch First Smartphones Exclusively on Flipkart

Following the footsteps of Motorola, Chinese handset maker Xiaomi is also teaming up with e-commerce major Flipkart to launch its handsets in India.

Touted as the 'Apple' of China, Xiaomi had launched its official website in India earlier this month, announcing its entry into the fiercely competitive Indian smartphone market in the next few weeks.

According to sources, Xiaomi is expected to bring two smartphones in partnership with Flipkart in the next 2 to 3 months. They added the agreement between the parties is in the final stages and the launch on the online market place will happen next month.

While Flipkart declined to comment, a response could not be ascertained from Xiaomi. Many handset makers like Motorola and Alcatel are partnering with e-commerce firms to launch their devices exclusively.

While Motorola has launched its Moto G, Moto X and Moto E with Flipkart, Celkon had launched its Android KitKat-powered Campus A35K exclusively with Snapdeal.

Founded in 2010 by entrepreneur Lei Jun, the Beijing-headquartered firm has become one of China's biggest electronics companies that designs, develops and sells smartphones, mobile apps and other such consumer items.

Other Chinese firms selling its handsets in India include Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, Gionee and Oppo, the latest entrant.

According to the company's website, it has already sold over 17 million handsets in China. Its portfolio includes devices like Mi 3, Redmi (Singapore dollar 169), Mi Wi-Fi and Mi Box, among others. It launched its products in Singapore in February this year.

Microsoft Needs To Get Aggressive With Windows Phone Right Now

For the past few weeks, I have been experimenting with the Windows Phone 8.1 beta on a Nokia Nokia Lumia 1520.  For those that are unfamiliar with it, the Lumia 1520 is Nokia’s current flagship “phablet” that’s packing a massive 6” FullHD, ClearBlack IPS LCD, a 20MP PureView camera, and a 2.2GHz quad-coreQualcomm QCOM +0.27% Snapdragon 800 SoC. Unlike previous-gen Windows Phones, which have generally lagged behind competing Android-based devices in terms of their hardware specifications, the Nokia Lumia 1520 can hang with the best of them. The Lumia 1520 is fast, offers great battery life, the screen and camera are excellent, and the device is generally a pleasure to use, once you get used to the Windows Phone interface, of course.

With the Windows Phone 8.1 beta installed on the Lumia 1520, however, it becomes a different—and much better—device. A number of the shortcomings of the stock Windows Phone 8 installation are addressed, which makes the phone more user-friendly. Some new features make it easier to personalize the device as well. There’s a new action center, which finally brings a proper notification shade to Windows Phone. There is also an updated keyboard, the Cortana digital assistant (similar to Siri), and new storage and data related “Sense” apps that make it easy to track things like data usage, free storage space, and Wi-Fi networks. I’m not sure if this is a feature exclusive to the Lumia 1520, but the ambient light sensor on the phone now does a much better job of detecting when the phone is being used outdoors, in direct sunlight. The contrast, color saturation, and brightness are altered on the fly when the phone is in direct sunlight, which makes the device’s screen infinitely more readable outdoors.

The point of all of these changes is to not only bring more features to the Windows Phone platform, and add some things that are already familiar to users of competing platforms like Android and iOS, e.g. the notification shade, a digital assistant, background images, the workflow keyboard, etc. In my opinion,Microsoft MSFT +1.23% is on the right track. Windows Phone 8.1 is significantly more user friendly and the platform is so fast and fluid I can’t go back to Android for my personal device. I still keep a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 around essentially for gaming, but the Nokia Lumia 1520 is now my daily driver. There are so many things I like better about Windows Phone at this point, it’s going to take an amazing device to get me to switch back to Android.

I had tried to make the switch a few times in the past, but couldn’t bring myself to do it permanently, because I felt using the Windows Phone platform meant making too many sacrifices versus Android or iOS. I no longer feel that is that case, with my particular use model.  This won’t be true for everyone, but as someone who uses his smartphone mostly for e-mail, web browsing, managing a few servers and desktop PCs, and using social networks, Windows Phone 8.1 is great. There are still far fewer apps available for the platform versus Android and iOS, but at this point, the only things I really miss are a few games, hence the reason I also keep a Note 3 on hand.

If Windows Phone was able to win me over, it should be able to convert a large number of consumers as well. And it seems to me as if now—RIGHT NOW—is a perfect time for Microsoft to get far more aggressive with their Windows Phone push. I’m sure some of you will disagree, but I get the sense that many Android loyalists aren’t quite as enthusiastic about the platform and its flagship devices as they once were. The Samsung Galaxy S 5 and HTC HTC One M8, for example, didn’t seem to generate nearly as much excitement as previous-gen flagship devices did. Apple AAPL +1.18% is also a few months off from releasing the iPhone 6 (assuming that’s the device’s name) and the perception of the iPhone 5s has gone from cutting-end, to old hat. The buzz around Amazon’s just announced Fire Phone also seems to prove the smartphone market is itching for something different.  All of these things point to an opportunity for Microsoft and it’s (select few) Windows Phone partners.

Microsoft has a golden opportunity that could generate significant momentum for Windows Phone as we move into Q4 and the holiday buying season. The company needs to get Windows Phone 8.1 onto as many current-gen devices as it can and significantly amp up its marketing efforts. Microsoft needs to get an array of Windows Phone-based devices onto every major carrier as well. And it also needs to do a better job of educating sales people on the benefits and features of Windows Phone.  Building off of the Xbox One’s momentum could help lure in younger consumers, who may find Windows Phone’s Xbox integration and Smartglass features attractive. Associating Windows Phone with the recently released Surface Pro 3 and showing off the synergies possible with Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone would be advisable as well.

There is no magic bullet that’s going to propel Windows Phone into the stratosphere, but the market conditions are right for Microsoft to make and aggressive push to gain some more traction. The time to act is now.

Android To Abandon Headphone Jack? New Audio Output In Android 5.0

Earlier this month Apple sent shockwaves through the tech sector when it released a new specification allowing it to make Lightning headphones and skip the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack entirely. Well now Google can do the same.

USB Audio Headphones

Google brushed over the feature during its I/O 2014 keynote yesterday, but in a slide from its presentation (pictured below) it quietly announced Android L would bring support for ‘USB audio’. And just like Apple’s proposed use of the Lightning connector, audio over USB has potential upsides.

Most notable is the potential to increase performance. How this would work is USB (and Lightning) headphones would be able to bypass a handset’s (typically poor) digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) and allow higher quality powered DACs to be integrated directly into headphones.

Up until now DACs have previously been of interest primarily to audiophiles, but with significant power able to be sent over these standards the moves from Apple and Google could change that. Similarly the Lightning and USB ports could be used to power headphones with noise cancellation allowing for slimmer, lighter form factors.

There is also the potential for app integration effectively creating ‘smart headphones’. The fruits of this will be down to developers’ imagination, but examples could include triggering specific apps when headphones are connected and tying that app launch to different locations.

There are also health implications with headphones potentially able to fit sensors and monitor heart rate, perspiration and even electrical signals from the brain. Then again this functionality could be duplicated with existing wireless technology.

Money Driven?

By contrast, cynics would argue the move by both Apple and Google is motivated by the desire to trigger significant growth in the headphone sector. Apple has a clearer motivation for this with its purchase of Beats, but Google may be tempted to enter the sector itself.

Conversely while Apple could rake in millions from Lightning port licensing fees, Google’s use of microUSB (and soon the reversible micro USB 3.1 standard – below) would likely preclude that and is therefore more likely to be motivated by a desire to drive another area of ‘smart’ technology.

So is Google just copying Apple? Actually no. From a product roadmap perspective it would be virtually impossible for Google to react so quickly to Apple’s specification submission earlier this month. Furthermore the Nexus 5already supports USB audio.

Practicalities

But how practical is this? A common question when Apple’s Lightning headphone specification was announced was: how you do simultaneously listen to headphones and charge your device? Neither company has spoken up on the topic, but the key may lie in the past.

When headphone jacks on phones were still largely proprietary Sony addressed this by allowing headphones to plug into the back of the connector on its chargers. An elegant variant of this would seem likely.

Of course what is unavoidable is fragmentation. Many users have a combination of iOS, Mac, Android and Windows devices and needing to have different headphones for each (especially if Microsoft joins the fray) will be infuriating and, potentially, expensive. It is also likely to lock users tighter into specific ecosystems as a consequence.

In my opinion it also feels totally unnecessary. The future for headphones and earphones is being wire-free and there are a number of open, smart wireless standards where it would make more sense to focus time and resources. Fragmenting the wired standard when it is only likely to last another 5-10 years in any case seems needlessly disruptive.

 Don’t Panic

But if all this has you hot under the collar don’t panic. For those tied to their headphones I wouldn’t expect either company to ditch the trusty headphone jack from its devices any time soon.

For Google in particular it has to rely on handset manufacturers having the confidence to make the jump. And even then I would only envisage the headphone jack being dropped should customers have shown enough willing to switch and Lightning/USB headphone sales had gained enough traction.

Despite these caveats it is clear both companies are now actively looking for alternatives to the oldest universal technology standard still in use and given most users have no complaints with the 3.5mm jack they will face a battle to succeed.

No-contract Windows Phone 8.1 Nokia Lumia 635 for AT&T and T-Mobile available for pre-order from Microsoft

Microsoft has begun taking pre-orders for the AT&T and T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 635. The budget smartphone is one of the first Windows Phone smartphones to ship with Windows Phone 8.1.

Nokia's entry-level Lumia 520/521 has been the most successful Windows Phone smartphone. The budget handset is offered pre-paid from carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S. The handset can be purchased for well below $100 and offers users a Windows Phone smartphone that offers some impressive specs and features at a very affordable price and no contract.

The smartphone can also be upgraded to the upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 OS; we created a guide in case you're looking to try out Windows Phone 8.1 on your current Windows Phone 8 smartphone.

If you were interested in what is sure to be another big hit for Nokia, the Microsoft Store is now taking pre-orders for the T-Mobile and AT&T Nokia Lumia 635. Microsoft hasn't revealed just when those pre-orders will ship, but considering Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to be released in the coming weeks, an official launch can't be far off.

The Nokia Lumia 635 features a 4.5-inch 480 x 854 Gorilla Glass 3 ClearBlack display with a pixel density of  218 pixels per inch (ppi). It's powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, Adreno 305 GPU (graphics processing unit), and 512 MB of RAM. It has 8 GB of internal storage.

The Nokia Lumia 635's camera capabilities include a 5-megapixel rear camera that can record 720p HD video. Its removable 1830 mAh battery will provide up to 14 hours of talk time and up to 648 hours of standby time. The  dimensions of the 635 are 129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2 mm, 78.5 cc (5.10 x 2.63 x 0.36 in) and it weighs 134 g (4.73 oz).

The Nokia Lumia 635 also benefits from having a 4G LTE radio, which will allow users to access AT&T and T-Mobile's 4G networks.

Interested customers can pre-order the no-contract AT&T Nokia Lumia 635 from Microsoft for $99, while the T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 635 is priced a little higher at $129. We'll keep you updated once we hear any information on an expected ship date.

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Google will implement new ‘kill switch’ feature in next version of Android

Say what you want about the iPhone, one of the phone’s single greatest features is the ability to prevent the device from being factory reset and used by another party as their own (without permission, of course). But in a statement issued today by Google, the search giant will finally be implementing a similar feature for the next major Android release.

But Google isn’t the only one. Microsoft will also be joining Google in offering this “factory reset protection solution.” It’s unclear whether the new security feature will join existing ones found in the Android Device Manager, but we’re sure to learn more during Google I/O kicking off in a few more days.

This is all in an effort to curb smartphone thefts and couldn’t have come at a better time. A recent reports showed a 19% drop off in iPhone thefts from 2013 to 2014 thanks to Apple’s kill switch feature on their devices. Don’t forget, a new bill introduced in February is looking to require all phones sold in the US to include kill switch functionality. Senators believe that this is the only way to truly prevent smartphone thefts, making it common knowledge that would-be smartphone thieves are getting little more than a shiny new brick.

While we weren’t expecting to see “the next version of Android” debut until later this year (for Android Silver or another Nexus device), Android 4.4.4 made a surprise appearance today on Nexus/Google Play edition devices. It’s possible the kill switch could arrive in yet another version of KitKat, or in the next major Android release (Android 5.0 Lollipop or whatever you wanna call it). We’ll have to wait until we hear more from Google.

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Smartphones: Have They Become an Addiction?

From the moment people wake up in the morning, they are attached to their phones. They are constantly surfing the web sharing videos, posting pictures, texting and updating their status on social media. According to International Digital Times, a report from Locket; an app that gives users a personalized lockscreen according to their habits and interests, individuals check their smartphones more than 100 times a day, and many of them will accept that they are addicted to their phones.

Smartphones are mostly used for checking social media and texting, not making calls. According to Tech Radar, making calls on these cellphones is the fifth most popular use of the device. The need to be connected through social media is very important, especially among teenagers and young adults. Users of smartphones feel socially disconnected if they cannot relate to topics talked about over Facebook and Twitter accounts. People constantly share videos that go viral, trending memes and hashtags over the internet.

Smartphones have also become an addiction because they give people what they need right in the palms of their hands. Many individuals’ use their phones as an alarm clock, making it the first object that they use it the morning and the last one that is seen before heading to bed. Many users download applications to get notifications on the latest news, stay up to date on what their friends are doing, and even share their location. Users also use it as their primary navigation system, and many do not even own a watch anymore as their phone can give them the time with just a swipe or click of a button.

In addition, smartphones have trained people’s brains. A person can set their social media accounts to make a noise or vibrate every time someone comments, or likes a picture or status. Emails are constantly popping up on the screen, and even a small light blinks when there is a notification pending. This is similar to Pavlov’s dog experiment. The scientist noticed how his dogs salivated every time they saw food, and conditioned them to learn that every time he wore a lab coat or rang a bell, food would be on its way. This is comparable to how smartphones are constantly giving people the satisfaction that if it blinks or makes a noise, something is waiting and they must check it.

People are also stimulated by the likes and comments other users make on their social media accounts. It gives them a sense of gratification that others are interested in their daily lives. This makes users want to constantly check their phones and get involved through social networks. In a mini questionnaire to users of smartphones given through Facebook, replies were seen posted within the first hour. Individuals expressed how they use their cellphones within just a few minutes of waking up to check text messages and social media accounts. Smartphones have become such an addicting device that many people cannot even fathom that thought of not having theirs with them at all times. Antonio Marquez, a Galaxy S3 owner, even expressed that his smartphone is his truly companion in life. The dependency people have on their smartphones truly shows how addicting these devices have become.

Android 4.4 KitKat Update Arrives For Verizon Galaxy Note 2

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 powered by Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is the latest Galaxy model to receive the Android 4.4 KitKat update.

Verizon announced the update on its software support page on Wednesday. The Galaxy Note 2 I605VRUFND7 build software is available over the air. Users can also manually prompt the update by accessing Settings > General > About Device > Software update on their handsets; they will want to have their devices charged at least 50 percent before proceeding with the Android 4.4 installation.

Verizon details a full change log, which includes a number of bug fixes in addition to enhancements to Google Drive, Photos, Play Newsstand and the Emergency Alert app. The Verizon Galaxy Note 2 is also now compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 companion device as of the Android 4.4 update. Other enhancements associated with the Android 4.4 KitKat update include enhanced music access, easy camera access on the lock screen, an integrated location menu, and new sound controls.

The Galaxy Note is among 14 Galaxy devices that Samsung Electronics Co. (KRX: 005930) confirmed will receive the Android 4.4 KitKat update. The manufacturer says each carrier will determine its own rollout dates for the Galaxy devices they support.

Users have long awaited the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S3. So far the Sprint (NYSE:S) Galaxy Note 2 model has updated to Android 4.4.  

Users should keep in mind that the Verizon Galaxy Note 2 is receiving the version Android 4.4.2 and not the recently released Android 4.4.3 version of KitKat.

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SoftBank to cut smartphone charges in Japan

SoftBank Corp, Japan's No.3 mobile carrier, will cut its smartphone charges in Japan with a flat rate for unlimited voice calling and cheaper data plans, in a sign that price competition may be starting to pick up in Japan's mobile market. 

The lower rates, to take effect next month, are similar to reductions this month by rival NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan's largest wireless provider. Regulators have grown increasingly critical of the three dominant carriers, blaming them for high smartphone fees and oligopolistic practices. 

The authorities' complaints came at an awkward time for SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, as he tries to convince US regulators that a proposed acquisition by his Sprint Corp, the No.3 US mobile carrier, of No.4 T-Mobile US Inc would boost competition in the US market, by giving the top two carriers more of a run for their money. 

In addition to flat-fee unlimited voice calling, SoftBank will offer options allowing users to roll over unused data communications to the next month or to share them with family members. 

It also will launch special offers or discounts for family plans, long-term users and subscribers aged 25 and under. 

A voice-only smartphone service will be priced at 2,700 yen ($26.33) per month, while data plans will run from 3,500 yen per month for 2GB up to 22,500 yen for 30GB. 

Japan's wireless carriers had typically offered only high-end smartphone plans with minimum charges of 5,700 yen per month for 7GB of data communications. The communications ministry has charged that the uniformly high fees showed there was insufficient competition in the industry. KDDI Corp, the second-largest carrier, is also considering offering flat-rate, unlimited calling, sources familiar with the matter have said.

Android owners still face risk of Heartbleed bug

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THE Heartbleed bug that has been causing security nightmares for IT professionals — and may have been used by the National Security Agency to enable snooping — is present on specific versions of the Android operating system, according to Google.

ISSUES: Heartbleed bug causes serious woes

In a blog post, Google product manager Matthew O’Connor details the Google services that are susceptible to the Heartbleed bug, which allows malicious interception of encrypted user data.

The good news is that the vast majority of Google services you probably use every day — mail, maps and search — are either immune to the bug or have already been patched.

Warning ... if you have an old Android phone, Google says you could be at risk of the Heartbleed bug.

The bad news is that there’s a version of Android that’s specifically still vulnerable to the bug. If you’re running a handset on Android 4.1.1, it needs patching to overcome the issue.

O’Connor notes that “patching information for Android 4.1.1 is being distributed to Android partners”, but there’s a significant issue here for Australian Android users.

Still at risk ... here’s a version of Android phone that’s specifically still vulnerable to the heartbleed bug. Source:Supplied

If you are on an older Android handset running Android 4.1.1, it’s not a matter of being able to download the patch yourself. It would have to pass certification from both the handset manufacturer and the carrier in order to ensure that the patch doesn’t break other functionality or adversely affect the network it’s running on.

That’s typically a very slow process, and one that historically hasn’t been followed up for many Android handsets in Australia which are left to linger on older Android versions.

While outside the power user set you’re not likely to run a server on your Android handset, it’s still a significant worry, because a handset could be sent to a web site running malicious code, and through that give away personal data.

Google’s own statistics suggest that around 34 per cent of Android handsets are on “Android 4.1.x”, but it doesn’t differentiate between the potentially compromised 4.1.1 version and the safe 4.1.2 release.