Editor’s note: RCR Wireless News is getting into “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to bring back headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on those dark brown shades, set the #TBT date and enjoy the memories!
Smartphones take a toll on PDAs
STAMFORD, Connecticut — Two new studies show that the market for personal digital assistants continues to shrink as more and more users are drawn to smartphones. “By the end of 2004, smartphones in general will have a negative impact on the lower end of the PDA market, as many individual users will find smartphones’ email and personal information management capabilities acceptable,” said Todd Court, Director. Analyst in Gartner’s Global Computing Platforms Group. “These users tend to become less interested in lower-quality PDAs that offer these capabilities.” According to new PDA figures from Gartner, worldwide shipments of the devices fell 5.3 percent in 2003 to a total of 11.5 million units. Gartner said PalmOne held on to the top spot, followed by Hewlett-Packard, Sony Corp. and Research In Motion Ltd. Similar figures from rival research firm IDC confirm Gartner’s assessment. …read more
A vote to drive wireless use in 2004
NEW YORK-Deloitte Research expects wireless subscriber numbers to continue to rise through 2004, supported by continued use of traditional voice applications. Deloitte expects that mobile subscriber penetration rates will continue to rise in 2004, with voice applications continuing to dominate mobile revenue and profits. The research firm also expects color and polyphony to increase revenue. Meanwhile, the group expects mobile data growth to slow due to stagnant growth in consumer text messaging. Advances in 3G technologies will continue, but 3G will not be adopted by the masses during the year. …read more
Battle for broadband at home
Wireless operators in Cambridge, UK, are expected to battle fixed-line operators for a significant portion of the domestic broadband market, which could be worth more than $100 billion by 2008, according to a report by Analysys. Margaret Hopkins, author of the book, said: “While the largest share of the market will go to consumer electronics companies, content owners and packagers, broadband operators could generate up to $12.5 billion by providing home broadband services such as communications, entertainment, IT and services. the wish”. from the report. “These services can be delivered over the fixed broadband Internet, but many can be equally well delivered over broadcast TV networks using mobile phones to provide interactivity.” The Analysys report examines two scenarios. In one, broadband ISPs earn up to $38 per month in revenue per household, or a total of $12.5 billion in 2008. In another scenario, mobile operators and broadcasters take most of that revenue, with mobile operators adding Up to $2.26 per month consumer ARPUs, or a total of $5 billion in 2008. … Read more
“RIM’s biggest competitor is ignorance,” says the CEO.
Research In Motion Ltd. BlackBerry’s maker has its own set of drawbacks, both major and minor. But one challenge overshadows the rest, according to Mike Lazaridis, the company’s president and co-CEO. “Reem’s biggest competitor is ignorance,” said Lazaridis. “Our challenge has been and always has been to get someone to try it.” Because, as Lazaridis stresses, once you’ve tried a BlackBerry, you can’t go back. In fact, the device has earned the nickname CrackBerry from enthusiasts because legal, financial, and communications officials refuse to travel without it. BlackBerry devices (and newer versions with color screens dubbed BlueBerrys) are ubiquitous at high-tech conferences. It is a co-chairmanship of the Cellular Communications and Internet Consortium, the wireless industry’s trade organization. Even the federal government has acknowledged its addiction, as members of Congress used BlackBerry devices to stay in touch during the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Business spending is still sluggish. Profit margins are slim. But Lazaridis said the key to sales is as simple as getting a BlackBerry in the customer’s hands. Reem’s successes over the past few months make Lazaridis’ assessment difficult to dismiss. The company posted a record-breaking December quarter with revenue of more than $150 million, net income of more than $16 million, and updated forecasts for the year. Wall Street roared. After the quarterly report was released, RIM’s share price nearly doubled. News of the jump made national business headlines. It now looks like RIM stock could soon break the $100 per share mark. …read more
Huawei invests in free space optics
HONGKONG-Huawei Technologies Inc. has moved To strengthen its US business and microwave offerings with a $2 million investment in LightPointe Communications Co. , a free space optics company. Huawei joined other investors in a $17 million financing for the company. Last year, LightPointe entered into a deal with the Chinese company to supply FSO products to Huawei. …read more
Sprint says it’s getting out of the telecom-merger mania
NEW YORK-Sprint Corp. told industry analysts at an investor conference that the company plans to overcome the merger mania currently gripping the wireless industry, noting that the company will instead focus its wireless operations on growing relationships with wholesale partners and close integration with Sprint’s wired line. operations. “We are very committed to running this business on our own,” said Sprint President and CEO Len Lauer. Sprint CEO Gary Forsee added that the company expects to see benefits from customer uncertainty surrounding its competitors and … Read more
Sprint offers a video mail service
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-Sprint introduces a new video mail phone to its customers across the country. The VM4050 allows customers to take and send video and audio directly to their mobile phone anywhere on Sprint’s PC network. The PCS Vision Video Phone is manufactured by Toshiba and marketed by Audiovox Communications Corp. Sprint is offering the phone for $180 with a two-year contract. …read more
Cameramen get their own convention
MELVILLE, NY-Pulver.com, and Next Generation Ventures announce that they will launch the inaugural Cameraphone Summit: Cameraphone and Mobile Media Convergence Conference April 27-30 in Maui, Hawaii. Executives from Nokia Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Keywords, the summit will cover issues from apps to privacy to hardware. “Cameratons are definitely the next big thing for the global mobile market,” said Moses Ma, Managing Partner of Next Generation Ventures. Industry analysts estimate that 125 million phones with imaging capabilities will be shipped globally in 2005 … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News archives for more stories from the past.
English
French
Spanish