When it comes to selling tablets, Apple is still the boss, but sales of Android-powered devices edged upward during the fourth quarter of 2011, according to new data from Strategy Analytics.

Apple shipped 15 million iPads worldwide during the fourth quarter, garnering Cupertino 58 percent share of the tablet market. But while Apple still holds the top spot, its share dropped 10 percentage points since the fourth quarter of 2010, according to Strategy Analytics.

Android, meanwhile, picked up steam, capturing 39 percent share of the tablet market during the quarter, up from 29 percent a year earlier. Shipments of Android tablets tripled to 10.5 million units during the fourth quarter of 2011, up from just 3.1 million a year earlier.

“Dozens of Android models distributed across multiple countries by numerous brands such as Amazon, Samsung, Asus and others have been driving volumes,” Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement. “Android is so far proving relatively popular with tablet manufacturers despite nagging concerns about fragmentation of Android’s operating system, user-interface and app store ecosystem.”

A total of 27 million tablet devices were shipped globally during the fourth quarter, an all-time-high and a 150 percent increase from 11 million shipped during the same period a year earlier. During 2011 overall, tablet shipments rose 260 percent to 67 million from 19 million in 2010.

“Demand for tablets among consumer, business and education users remains strong,” Peter King, director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement.

Microsoft, meanwhile, captured 1 percent of tablet share during the quarter.

PCMag’s mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, however, was quick to point out that Android’s global gains probably have a lot to do with the proliferation of cheap Android tablets throughout China.

September data from Gartner found that the iPad will likely dominate the tablet space until at least 2014.

For more, see PCMag’s Best Android Tablets slideshow below.

For the top stories in tech, follow us on Twitter at @PCMag.

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Article source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2399372,00.asp

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The current top paid Android app costs $14/£9.45 and has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times in the last month, according to Android Market.

That means the app, an alternative launcher skin called SPB Shell 3D, which was feature-listed inside Android Market this month, could have earned several million dollars for its developer, a subsidiary of Russian portal Yandex.

SPB’s fee is very high for a mobile app. Look across the top paid Android apps, however, and you’ll see a marked difference from the iPhone ecosystem. Aside from games, the chart is dominated by utility apps that extend Android’s core functionality.

They include keyboard replacements, alternative launchers, advanced backup utilities and even file explorers and ROM replacement tools that require root access. Imagine Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) ever letting iPhone users tinker with and re-mould iOS in this way.

This suggests multiple possible conclusions – there is a high level of dissatisfaction with pre-installed Android handset configurations, and/or the Market customer base is skewed toward techies who want to customise Android because they can.

Most of all, it shows that the healthiest part of the Android paid app economy besides games is in customisation. Nestling amongst this landscape, the most successful paid media operators are the TuneIn radio app, The Sun newspaper’s new Android edition and Shazam rival Soundhound.

The trickle of publishers finally embracing Android is now growing. Perhaps their emergence will change the nature of Android Market’s chart. But maybe these utilities will always retain greater prominence in Android Market than iTunes Store, since Android is intrinsically more customisable.

By Robert Andrews



@robertandrews

Jan 24, 2012 7:44 AM ET

Photo:
Flickr / Andrew Mason

Posted In:
Mobile, Companies, Google, Android

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Article source: http://paidcontent.org/article/419-bestsellers-androids-paid-market-is-alive-but-skews-to-techie-tweaks/

Android and iOS continued their domination of the US smartphone market through the last quarter of 2011, according to a new report.

According to the latest Nielsen Mobile Media Report, both Google and Apple jointly secured an overwhelming 88.7 percent market share during the Q4 of 2011, leaving very little for smaller rivals Windows Phone and Blackberry, reports Mobile Enterprise.

The report also stated the quantitative gap between feature phones and smartphones in the US market is reducing at an amazing rate as the latter is spreading to worldwide mobile markets faster than ever.

According to the Nielsen report, Android emerged as the most sought after smartphone OS platform during the Q4 of 2011 with a market share of over 51.7 percent. Android was followed by Apple’s iOS with a 37 percent market share.

Research In Motion’s BlackBerry came in third on the list with a mere 6 percent stake in the market during the quarter, closely followed by Microsoft’s Windows Phone in 4th place with 3.8 percent market share.

The report also claimed that 46 percent of all mobile phone owners in the US were using a smartphone.

Article source: http://www.itproportal.com/2012/01/24/androis-ios-take-lead-smartphone-sales/

ShadowGun: Leftover heading to Android Market this week

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For all those fans of the 3rd person shooter style game ShadowGun for Android we have some good news. It appears the once iOS exclusive add-on known as ShadowGun: Leftover will soon be headed to the Android Market. So soon that users that have purchased the original should see an update this week.

While we wait for ShadowGun: DeadZone and all the multiplayer action to hit this will have to hold us over. Don’t worry because this brings new levels, games, enemies, bosses and more to keep everyone entertained — and shooting at everything that moves. The new Leftover’s version will bring plenty of new stuff while retaining everything we love about the original.

If you’ve not tried ShadowGun yet we’d highly recommend it as it’s one of our favorite games here at Android Community. If you already play and love the Gears of War type game for Android then check out below for what is coming soon.

Update will include:

– The story directly follows the events of original Shadowgun
– Free for all original Shadowgun owners
– 4 new levels
– New enemy creature
– New gun
– New type of gaming interaction
– New soundtrack
– Lot of new graphics, animations and cut-scenes
– New and improved content in general (also affects the original Shadowgun)
– New effects such as camera shakes or bullet trails
– New element in the control – Roll (player can now perform rolls)
– Tuned difficulty, weapons and enemies
– Better, more intensive gaming experience

You can pick up ShadowGun from the Android Market link below for $4.99 and if you already own the game expect an update to hit sometime this week — giving you plenty of fun things to enjoy and new enemies to shoot. Aim for the head!

Market Link

[via Droid Gamers]

Article source: http://androidcommunity.com/shadowgun-leftover-heading-to-android-market-this-week-20120123/

PRLog (Press Release) – Jan 21, 2012 –
New application that allows users to watch their weekly video horoscope on their Android mobile phones has been released by Webelinx. This application has more than 1700 video clips at the moment, and the new ones are added every week.

“Weekly Video Horoscope” gives users weekly advice and predictions on love, life, money, career and relationships. By means of this application users will find out what to expect in these fields in the current week and what they should do to improve their chances for success and happiness. This application also allows users to discover something more about their personality traits according to their Zodiac sign and to discover something about the personality traits of somebody they are interested in according to his/her Zodiac sign. This application can be downloaded from Android Market.

Link to android market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.weekly.video.horoscope

Webelinx LLC, based in Nis, Serbia, is a prospective company for high-quality and adequate development of applications for mobile devices. Webelinx also offers wide variety of services from web design to marketing solutions.

For more information about Webelinx team and its products, please visit the company’s web site at http://www.webelinx.com.

If you would like to know more about Weekly Video Horoscope app call us at (+381) 63 407 221 or e-mail us at admin at webelinx dot com.

Article source: http://www.prlog.org/11778183-weekly-video-horoscope-android-application-that-allows-users-to-watch-their-weekly-horoscope.html

The Apple iPhone 4S is a hit, if the new numbers from market research firm Nielsen are any indication. During the final three months of 2011, 44.5 percent of respondents purchased an iPhone 4S. That’s up from just 25.1 percent who went with an iPhone in October. This boost in sales helped Apple steal market share from the still-dominant Android during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Android sales, as of October, were at about 61.6 percent of all new smartphone customers. With the release of the iPhone 4S in mid-October, Android sales fell markedly to just 48.7 percent by November, with total iPhone sales at nearly 39 percent. By December, the two camps were almost equal, with 46.9 percent of new buyers going with Android, and 44.5 percent going with Apple’s handsets.

Despite the iPhone’s gains, Android still remains the most-popular operating system. Out of all smartphone users, an average of 46.3 percent own an Android-based device, while 30 percent own an iPhone.

The good news for both Android and Apple is that more and more people appear to be jumping on the smartphone bandwagon. In the fourth quarter of 2011, an average of 46 percent of mobile customers owned a smartphone. Among recent mobile customers, however, 60 percent went with a smartphone instead of a feature phone.

The biggest loser in this trend is, not surprisingly, Research In Motion. RIM’s BlackBerry devices became even less popular in the past three months, falling from 7.7 percent in October to just 4.5 percent in December. That said, RIM still holds onto an average of about 6 percent of the smartphone market — more than all other remaining OS devices’ combined.

It will be interesting to see whether the iPhone 4S’ upward swing will continue during the coming months. Given that iPhone sales jumped directly following the release of a new iPhone, which only happens once a year, it’s really no surprise that people waited until then to jump into the smartphone ring. If the iPhone does continue to steal market share from Android, then something is seriously wrong with that market, given the fact that most new Android devices have better hardware specs, most notably the ability to connect to much faster 4G LTE networks.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-iphone-4s-sales-cut-android-market-share-151812264.html

An Android developer is looking to provide a home for apps that are otherwise verboten on the Android Market. Independent software engineer Koushik Dutta is in the final stages of developing such an app repository, recent posts on Google+ indicate. He first detailed his plans earlier this month.

Dutta is one of the developers behind CyanogenMod, replacement firmware for Android devices based on the Gingerbread OS. Over one million Android users have already downloaded his firmware with about 8,000 new installs every day. Obviously he has a vested interest in these types of apps, and having an integrated app store will help attract consumers considering rooting their devices. The question now is: does Android need an app store for rooted apps?

The Apps Google bans are Legal

“We need an app store for root apps”, Dutta says in a past post. “We also need an app store for apps that are getting shut down for no good reason, other than carrier, or some random corporation doesn’t like it”. While the apps he believes will fit in with his plans may not necessarily be “banned” in a sense, the subject matter may be unpalatable to carrier and manufacturer partners.

Rooting apps are frowned upon by Google as they may open up functionality within Android that carriers may have locked out, and the same goes for tethering and visual voicemail apps. Emulator apps have also been given the boot for copyright infringement claims by gaming manufactuers. But Dutta says that these apps need a home.

“These are all completely legal”, he argues. “Nintendo emulators are fine, ROMs are NOT, there is a distinction”.

CyanogenMod users hailed Dutta’s work. “I’d love this and I’m sure so would many other users, Android should be open, apps should be available to all android users, carries should not be able to remove apps for no reason”, commenter Aaron Reider opined. Others were more cautious. “I support the idea, so long as it’s well executed”, Burkan Mustafa added. “I’m just worried about it becoming a breeding-ground for malicious apps”.

A Security Issue in the Making?

Mustafa will not need to worry as Dutta and the team are adding additional levels to prevent this from occurring. “We are adding more security to Superuser, and apps that use Superuser permissions need to have developers whitelisted/approved by us”, Dutta tells BetaNews.

For those not familiar with Android and rooting, the Superuser is essentially the same as the Administrator on a desktop computer OS. When a user gains this access — to the root of the phone’s OS — they are given access to all features available to the operating system. Dutta’s comments suggest that any application needing such access will be vetted first. While the Cyanogen App Store will certainly give more freedom to developers, it by no means will become a free-for-all.

Of course just like jailbreaking and unlocking an iPhone, the user understands they’re on their own if anything goes wrong. Buyer beware as they say.

Google did not respond to requests for comment as of press time. Its Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement does seem to suggest however that it is the carriers that are calling the shots. Among the apps prohibited are those “that interfere with, disrupt, damage, or access in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator”.

Article source: http://betanews.com/2012/01/20/we-need-an-app-store-for-root-apps/

Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry smartphones, is moving into touchscreen territory in a bid to tap young buyers and regain market share lost to Android and Apple’s iPhone.

Yoong: Price cuts and new models will help

The move is aimed at boosting RIM’s portion of the Thai market, the second largest in Southeast Asia.

“2012 will be our largest spending year in the past few years,” said Nick Yoong, senior manager of RIM Thailand.

BlackBerry is scheduled to open its representative office in Thailand by June. The company plans to expand its local retail outlets upcountry.

Mr Yoong said the company is in talks with a few state agencies to promote the use of BlackBerry devices in provincial communities, particularly in the education market.

BlackBerry is preparing to introduce new touchscreen handset models targeting entry-level users next month.

The company will roll out the BlackBerry Curve 9380, the first touchscreen model of the Curve family, priced at 10,900 baht.

The model targets young people and first-jobbers, with a price lower than previous models that averaged 12,900 baht.

Mr Yoong said BlackBerry is also on the verge of refreshing the group’s product roadmap.

The company plans to use a price-cutting approach for the Thai market, reducing the price of its Torch model by 15% to 15,900 baht.

The Playbook tablet’s price will be cut in half for the 16-gigabyte model, to 9,900 baht.

Nicholas Horton, RIM’s vice-president for Indochina, pointed to fierce competition in the Thai smartphone market due to various mobile operating systems and availability.

The research firm Canalys said Thailand’s smartphone shipments accounted for 17% of the mobile market last year and will reach 49.6% by 2015.

Globally, RIM had 70 million subscribers last year.

Attaphon Satidkanitkul, research manager at IDC Thailand, said BlackBerry lost market share to Apple’s iPhone in last year’s fourth quarter.IDC says Android smartphones will dominate the market this year, followed by iPhone and BlackBerry.

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Writer: Suchit Leesa-nguansuk
Position: Reporter

Article source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/275939/rim-lays-out-new-blackberry-strategy-to-grab-market-share

While connected devices and their apps are rapidly gaining popularity, they don’t fully enable the mobile, multimedia and social lifestyle that people want. Instead of today’s fractured and frustrating experience, people need intuitive, personalized and integrated apps and services for their netbooks, e-books, tablets and other connected devices.

Service providers can capitalize on their high-value network capabilities to become expe- rience providers, using intuitive apps and services to enable the lifestyle people want and to bridge the gaps in today’s connected device experience. With this approach and the right partner, they will be well positioned to capture the connected device opportunity and increase revenue.

Article source: http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2012/01/apples-iphone-strategy-cutting.php