mobile

The last week of 2012 saw a significant surge in the number of apps downloaded by iOS and Android users, according to new data from research firm Flurry Analytics.

From December 25 through December 31, 1.76 billion applications were downloaded by iOS and Android users, up 65 percent compared with the weekly average of 1.07 billion between December 4 and December 17. On Christmas Day alone, 328 million applications were downloaded across iOS and Android.

Flurry's data was taken from analysis it performed on more than 260,000 applications available on iOS and Android. The company claims … Read more

Apple's A6X processor, which is found in the company's fourth-generation iPad, might soon see its producer switched from Samsung to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

Apple has agreed with TSMC to initiate trial production of its A6X processor during the first quarter, Taiwan-based Commercial Times is reporting, according to the AFP. The trial period could decide whether TSMC will be given the entire A6X order.

Samsung, Apple's arch-rival in the mobile market, is currently producing the company's A6X processor. However, with their legal and competitive struggles increasingly weighing on their business relationship, reports have suggested that Apple … Read more

Wireless trade group CTIA said today that it will go from two shows a year to a single conference in the fall starting in 2014.

The group, which is primarily focused on the U.S. wireless industry and includes carriers, handset manufacturers, and other related companies, has traditionally held two shows each year: a larger main show in the spring and a smaller, more business-focused event in the fall called MobileCon. The group will continue to hold both events this year.

Pressured by competing trade shows and its own members, CTIA will merge the conferences into a single "super … Read more

According to the Japanese mobile news site Blog of Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is sporting two new colors: red and brown.

However, the version colors officially go by the name Ruby Wine (pictured above on the left) and Amber Brown (right).

Because the new looks were discovered in a South Korean publication, it'll be a while before these models reach the United States, assuming it'll even reach our shores at all.

Currently, the 5.5-inch phone/tablet hybrid (or "phablet") is available here in Marble White and Titanium Gray.

Considering that the Samsung Galaxy S3 … Read more

Mobile is key for any organization that wants to capture the attention of Americans -- even for an institution that seems as antiquated as the public library system.

The number of Americans using mobile devices to access library Web sites has more than doubled in the last three years, according to a Pew Research Center report released today.

Based on a survey of 2,300 people in October and November, Pew determined that 13 percent of Americans ages 16 and older go to a library Web site using a mobile device. That's substantially more than the meager number of … Read more

It definitely has been a busy week for ZTE and T-Mobile.

Another device slated for the carrier has appeared under FCC listings.

According to the paperwork, the phone's model name is F555, but it also goes by the label "Wombat." The device looks to be a simple feature phone with a candy bar construction.

External pictures also reveal branding from T-Mobile and an onboard four-row keyboard.

Other features include a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera, a shortcut camera key, a 1,000mAh battery, and microSD card slot.

In addition, the handset comes with Bluetooth, a native music player, and … Read more

In case you needed more clues that RIM's latest handsets based on the long-awaited BlackBerry 10 software are really just around the corner, you've got it. A new device, referred to as model RFH121LW, has now shown up within the FCC's official database. Tech site Engadget noticed RIM's mysterious gadget, along with another product called the RFF91LW which reportedly is cleared to operate on AT&T's LTE and GSM airwaves. … Read more

Android and iOS devices were apparently popular gifts this Christmas -- more popular than ever before.

Device activations soared from their daily December average of 4 million to 17.4 million on Christmas Day, a 332 percent increase, according to analytics firm Flurry. That's more than double the 6.8 million devices activated on Christmas last year, the previous single-day record holder. And in a first, more tablets were activated on Christmas this year than phones. Apple tablets dominated the category, but the Kindle Fire HD 7-inch made its strongest showing ever.

iPhone and iPad app downloads jumped 87 percent … Read more

The past 12 months have seen a lot of action in the mobile market.

Google Android and its biggest device partner, Samsung, had a very good year as they surged ahead of Apple and the iPhone. Meanwhile other players in the mobile market, such as Microsoft, Nokia, and Research In Motion, still struggled to make a dent against Google and Apple. And the impending "spectrum crunch" has driven a bevvy of wheeling and dealing on the carrier side.

What will 2013 bring? I suspect Android will continue to get stronger. But we'll finally see whether a true &… Read more