They may be “vibrant” and even “epic,” but will they “captivate” and “fascinate”? It’s certainly no surprise that the Galaxy S II smartphones — the successor to Samsung’s breakout cross-carrier handsets — exceed their predecessors in nearly every specification. The Galaxy S II has a newer version of Android OS, double the number of processor cores, twice the RAM, higher digital-still and video-capture resolution, a larger screen, and a thinner profile. But there are other differences in the lineup that are not so quantifiable. Read more »
As you may know from some of my previous posts, I have four sons who love to play video games. Whether I hear explosion blasts blaring from my living room speakers from a heated game of “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” or see one of my sons drop to their knees after defeat in a close tennis match of “Wii: Sports,” I’m quite familiar with the sights and sounds of console, PC, and portable device gaming. Other methods of gaming are certainly starting to gain favor in my house, and while traditional devices still reign supreme, there are instances where I take note of the growing use of these other devices. Read more »
Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility represents not the beginning of Google competing with Android licensees, but the exponential increase of it. From the time that Google launched the Nexus One, Google was signaling to its licensees that it was not afraid to stir the pot of conflicting interests. Read more »
Verizon Wireless’ decision to move to tiered data plans was the least surprising telecom move of the year. AT&T made its leap from unlimited roughly one year ago and Verizon’s decision to follow suit became a matter of when, not if. Now that Verizon has the groundswell of iPhone users and can match AT&T device-for-device, the carrier no longer needs to stand-out with a value proposition and can step back to the safety of data caps, concentrating instead on the old marketing stalwarts of quality and coverage.
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One of the advantages of Windows Phone 7 is that Microsoft maintains more control over which handsets get upgraded and when. To that end, the company has noted that all Windows Phones that have been released to-date will be upgradeable to the next major version. That will help Windows Phone efforts from stronger domestic partners such as Samsung, LG, and HTC.
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When NPD’s Mobile Phone Track became the first to report on Windows Phone 7’s U.S. market share in the fourth quarter, I noted that while Microsoft had done a good job of communicating the integration of Microsoft products and services, they were not all created equal, and that the company still had a long road ahead in terms of catching up in features and differentiating on hardware. For example, without support for 4G networks, none of the original Windows Phone 7 handsets had front-facing cameras.
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Whether you consider Android a deliverer of differentiation or a fiend of fragmentation, you could find much evidence in the diverse ways that two leading bookstore rivals have not only expanded the operating system’s ecosystem, but used it as a vehicle for digital retailing.
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A look at the most successful large-screen handsets throughout 2010 reveals that three variants of Samsung’s Galaxy S – the Fascinate (Verizon), Captivate (AT&T), and Vibrant (T-Mobile) took three of the top five spots. The Fascinate was outsold by the Droid X, and the Epic 4G by the EVO 4G, but in both cases the 4.3” device had a head start on the 4” one. (AT&T did not have a 4.3” device in 2010 and T-Mobile’s 4.3” handset ran an aging version of Windows Mobile.)
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Among the non-surprises at the launch of the new iPad was Apple keeping the “unbelievable” price points where they were for its original slate, including the opening price point of under $500. While I’d be very surprised to not see other companies – particularly HP – at least match Apple in that regard, the iPad has been able to compete on price versus even subsidized products like the Motorola Xoom that smartphone vendors have offered to their go-to channel.
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The arrival of the Kindle at AT&T stores represents more progress in the creeping distribution of Amazon’s popular e-reader. Originally, the Kindle was a 3G-only device powered by Sprint. However, the arrival of Wi-Fi-only competition from Barnes & Noble caused Amazon to respond with its own Wi-Fi-bound Kindle. Since then, far fewer consumers have opted to pay the 3G premium for either device, and Barnes & Noble decided to completely forego a cellular version of its Nook Color “reader’s tablet.” In contrast, category pioneer Sony has fallen behind as its entry-level e-reader, the Pocket Edition, lacks Wi-Fi and relies on PC sideloading.
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Consumer Technology, Wireless | Ross Rubin, Executive Director, NPD Connected Intelligence | 
September 8, 2011 2:27 pm | 
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