BlackBerry exchange Google for Bing…

After being on stage at the annual RIM BlackBerry show, Microsoft announced that Bing will be providing the search facilities on Blackberry devices. This will then be a new partnership for Microsoft, with the aim to help people make better decisions with Bing on Blackberry Devices, while boosting handset sales.

The partnership will include Bing as the default search provider for the search app and the browser. However, it is unclear at this point which of the blackberry devices will be defaulted to Bing. It might be the new Blackberry Bond and also the Blackberry Playbook that is due for release soon.

This is good news for some and not so good for others. The benefits are for Microsoft and their Bing search, hopefully this will boost handset sales for blackberry.  The biggest loser in this deal is Google; as they where the default search provider on the Blackberry handsets.

Bing has been in this position before, in terms of having their search facility exclusively on a produced handset. Also, you may remember that deal that was pending between Microsoft and Nokia, which did sound very similar to the Blackberry and Bing arrangement. Perhaps Microsoft is planning a worldwide domination to be the default search providers of mobiles and Smartphone’s.

Let’s assume that both Microsoft deals happen and are completed as expected, what might happen to the market share of Google against Bing? What is known is that Bing is growing fractionally month on month, 2011 has started very well for Bing. This slow but consistent pace is worrying for Google, as it has been stated if Bing’s growth was erratic it would show that its decline just as quick as it grows. Unfortunately that is not the case which is why it could be very damaging for Google.

Specifically in the mobile search, Google have a strong hold on the Android and the iPhone devices, but if Apple that make the iPhone decided to change the default search provider, Google would be in a lot of trouble and would lose a lot of crucial market share. Having said that, Microsoft and Apple are not on best of pals anyway, so the chances are remote that these two businesses will come together.

Google is not helping itself in a number of areas because of the changes that have been made to its search results and the algorithms.  Add Bing’s increasing fortunes and we could be in for an entertaining online battle for search facilities.

Spending using mobiles hits £581m

The Smartphone, Apps and the increased availability to the internet via 3G and Wi-Fi have contributed to a £581m mobile spend. Purchasing Groceries is the main contributor towards the total figure, with travel tickets and clothing in a close second and third.

The main reason for this increasing spend via mobiles from the research is purely because of convenience, 78% of the sample stated that they like shopping on the move either during their commute to work or on the high street itself.

This spend is set to increase again in the near future because of the interest in tablet computers and net book sales. These devises are not considered as mainstream internet devices but they will be in 2012, and boosting mobile spends.

Going into the numbers more specifically, the results show that £908 is spent online on groceries per year. Travel tickets are at £675 and Clothes at £565. You may expect travel tickets be in the top three but perhaps not clothing and groceries.

Tesco is the dominate supermarket reaping the rewards from the mobile users requiring their groceries. Tesco has an app for the iPhone, Android, Nokia, and Windows Phone7. This app is a transactional app that Asda, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s don’t have.

This then highlights that fact that the online and the mobile audience are making further steps into the mobile market, and importantly using their Smartphone’s and mobile devices for more every day activities.

Not having an App that includes a checkout facility will be vital as we discover new online habits.

Google’s Android mobile operating system assists Intel

Intel is the largest computer chip manufacturer and it has decided to run Google’s Android software on its tablet computers. The operating system that will be installed is called Honeycombe and Google state that it is specifically for tablet computers, originating from its very successful mobile version.

Intel has also confirmed that many of their processor chips will also be included into many Smartphone’s. This market has in the past not been a core business area as it has struggled behind its competitors including AMD.

Intel’s first quarter revenues are up by 29% – which is all down to the connections with Google, Windows, and Nokia. This is despite the slight erratic supply from Japan since the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Mr Otellini is the chief executive at Intel and he said: “results in the first quarter are outstanding. If the pace continues we will be looking at a 20% growth.”

Research shows that there is an increasing demand for computer chips to be installed into our PCs, tables and Smartphone’s. This will have a profound effect on the computer chip business.

Many top manufacturers (Dell, HP, and Samsung) had to halt their production of computers in the first quarter while the Intel chips landed at their production buildings.

The Smartphone – what can we expect in 2011?

If you have a Smartphone, ask yourselves this question – would things in your world be the same without the apps, email, MMS, and the internet on the move?

Smartphone’s are expected to be more popular than ever in 2011 and take a bit more market share. According to the International Data Corporation that tracks technology and its sales, they believe that 450 million Smartphone’s will be shipped in 2011. That is a big leap compared to the 303 million on 2010. This increased distribution then puts the Smartphone on course for a 50% growth assuming that they are all bought.

This is an intense market, including Google, Apple, Sony Ericson and Microsoft pushing their handsets into the market and trying to out promote each other during their new product announcements. It is that intense that Apple has sued HTC (that made the Google Phone) and Nokia have sued Apple, twice! One being because Apple copied their patents on their OS software.

Recently in the news – there has been more chatter about establishing more Wi-Fi points and the national replacement of copper wire for fibre optic cable, providing a more complete and quicker internet service. These changes just add more reasons to buy a Smartphone.

Within one battle there are several more. If the Smartphone market does use and need the 450 million units, which OS platform will you choose? Perhaps the Apple OS is what you prefer, Google Android or Windows OS. So there is a battle for OS software as well as manufacturers of the handsets.

There is also the possibility of partnerships to gain an advantage in the marketing place – such as Microsoft and Nokia. The first Nokia devices running Windows OS, not the Symbian, are due to appear in 2012.

If you don’t have a Smartphone – you will be missing a lot!

Android overtake Smartphone, depending on how you wish to see it!

While the Smartphone war is still raging, early indications show that the Android OS is holding a larger market share. So is Android OS beating Apple OS 4?

The Nielson research company have confirmed that the Android OS is the more popular operating system among the Smartphone users. The Android has reached 29% of all Smartphone’s, in contrast with 27% of Apples OS 4 and 27% RIM BlackBerry editions.

However, RIM BlackBerry and Apple were leading the pack in terms of manufacturing the hardware. Plus, RIM BlackBerry and Apple OS do have an advantage because they make and release their own handsets with their own OS systems.

The Windows Phone 7 and the Android OS use third party manufacturing companies including Samsung, Motorola, HTC and HP to build phones that the their respective operating systems are installed onto. This then really boosts the number of users of the Android OS when it runs on handsets from Samsung, HTC and HP.

The Apple OS is installed on to all of the iPhone products so their marketing share will all depend upon unit sales.  In contrast, Android depends on other manufacturers sales efforts.

This does pose the question, have Android users bought a specific phone that has this OS, or did they buy Android regardless of what it was installed on to? If the latter is the reason then their market share of 29% could increase which would be bad news for Apple and RIM BlackBerry.

One operating system that has not been mentioned is the Symbian OS system that is currently managed by Nokia and has been installed onto many Nokia handsets including the N series (N95 – N80). Popularity of this OS in 2004 and 2005 was immediate. However, the Symbian software was reported to be occasionally unreliable and slow between functions. With regards to market share, it was near the top – it now holds only 2%, despite supporting great handsets like the Nokia 5320, X5 and N86.

So, does this prove that the consumers buy the OS and not the phone? The Android has the highest market share when installed into good handsets.  Nokia have always put together handsets that have been easy to use and stylish, but the OS has underperformed.

Another argument could be that Apple and RIM BlackBerry have 27% market share each because of their sales and marketing, and their OS is their own. So if the market share of their two were added together that would make 54%, more than Android.

If consumers do buy the OS, more manufacturers will want the Android on board as it boosts unit sales, so the market share of Android will also increase taking more business away from RIM BlackBerry and Apple. Having said that, the Android is supported across HTC, Motorola and Samsung, three major branded platforms where as the Apple and RIM BlackBerry only supports their own brands.

In summary, Android has more users through its branded manufactures. However, Apple and RIM BlackBerry have possibly performed better as all activities are done in house, with own handsets and OS.

So, the Handset (i.e. iPhone, BlackBerry or Samsung) or the OS (Apple, RIM or Android)? What’s it to be?

The Daily Rumoured to be going Android

The Daily, News Corp’s digital offering in the news world is rumoured to be planning implementing an Android App in the next quarter.

Earlier this month, The Daily launched their tablet offering in co-operation with Apple.

Purely because of the collaboration between Apple and News Corp, many labelled The Daily an iPad only title.  However, it’s believed that the deal between the two companies will expire in quarter two, leaving the door wide open for The Daily to give an Android offering.

The Daily subscription is 61p per week and customers can view text, audio and graphic subject matter.

News Corp were the first news company to charge users for content using the Apple digital billing service.  The service also allows data on subscribers to be collected using in-app analytics.

As mentioned, this is purely a rumour at the moment as News Corp has yet to confirm or deny its validity.

How important is the Mobile Internet and Mobile Search to your Website?

The perception is that accessing websites can only be done from a PC.  The reality of it is that the mobile world is expanding, possibly exploding and there is a list of alternative methods to searching, accessing and interacting with the internet.

The mobile internet started with WAP (wireless application protocol) and back then it was a small benefit, perhaps even a mobile toy. The bandwidths that the WAP used were very low and dial up internet was a fast connection.  These days the bandwidths are much bigger, there have been more technology advancements and more mobiles that demand a better data service. The interest in Smartphone’s, iPhones, Nokia N-Series and PDAs has kicked off a new mobile age, and businesses and their websites have to make sure that they are compliant.

The mobile internet is not for the select few, it’s available for almost all mobile phones, and sometimes is included into the line rental. The key advantage that the mobile internet has over the desktop internet is that it is mobile. The quick internet search is immediate and the results are with you in seconds, making impulse buying a bit easier, and making more sales for your business.

Marketers are aware that the internet is a very powerful tool, but do businesses? The mobile internet and the mobile search engine is an opportunity to swop email campaigns for SMS marketing, integrated media and links. There is also the facility that mobiles can be targeted within a geographical radius, informing them of a special offer, opening hours, contact details and the website URL, all to their mobile.

Combining these methods with PPC and SEO will improve traffic to website. Designing a mobile friendly site is also vital. When users click on a preferred result from a search engine,the site needs to load promptly before the user decides to select their second result, and if the search is on a PPC search, it’s chargeable.

You might be thinking from a business point of view that the explosion has already happened. However, with the increase in Smartphone sales, tablet computers, and even the Microsoft Windows 7 phone, it’s a serious avenue to ignore. Mobile search and internet won’t replace the stationary desktop method, but it is showing growth, and it’s not a saturated market either.

In a way the mobile internet has freed up the internet for more innovations and new brand names, it has not been taken over by Google or by anybody else. A technical manager, webmaster or even an in house marketing team would need to be very brave to ignore this potential traffic.

Internet Video Calling is on the Rise

When watching cartoons, science fiction movies or even reading a comic, you may have noticed these characters using video gadgets that show the person that they are calling, perhaps on a watch or a handheld device. Police detective Dick Tracy has a video calling device that was mounted on his watch, supporting video calls. So, back in the days of Mr Tracy, the video call was an idea but how available and useful is it to the people of today?  

Well, the video calling services can be found on an Apple iPhone (called FaceTime), on Skype and Fring. These services have really come alive since their invention and there is now mass demand for Smartphone’s, quicker wireless networks and a booming age social networking. The growth of video calling started as a business solution, when hosting a meeting with people that aren’t all together, possibly in different countries. Things have moved on and the video calling is now aimed more towards the individual, potentially replacing the voice call for a video call.

Skype was the pioneer of internet calling, and their App for the Apple iPhone set a new benchmark. When the app was released on Jan the 1st 2011 for the iPhone, it resulted in one million video calls on that day, just from mobile phones. Following on from that, the number of Skype calls from PC’s and laptops increased by 40%, an estimated 70 billion minutes were used between users.

There will be a change in the way that video calling will replace voice calling as the smartphone market increases. Also, 10 million people downloaded the Skype Free iPhone app at the beginning of this year. So, the figures are stacking up in favour of video over voice.

There is a small minority of people that will not be influenced by this new opportunity; a traditional voice call is enough and a video call may be deemed as to intrusive. The stats show that while the video call is proving very popular it won’t be a total replacement of the voice call.

Skype is supported in the US by Verizon Wireless, concreting the service and delivering the best communication to its members. The video calling will work on the Apple iPhone 4, Google Android, and Nokia’s Symbian OS mobiles.  The service is used a lot in the US and Europe but channels are also opening in Russia, India and South Africa.

Even when using the Skype service via a PC, there are phone handsets on the market that connect to the PC’s USB port that replicate a traditional landline handset, if the video call does not suit you at that time.

The Skype calls are free as long as all parties on the call are registered with Skype, making those conference calls and international calls more attractive. All calls have to be made with a Wi-Fi connection with an enabled mobile phone, and the appropriate app. That is the only real criteria. Compare that with a mobile call to a destination inside and outside the UK that would be chargeable, Skype is a very good solution.  Building up a Skype directory could be the new social networking craze.

So, internet calling could save you money and a video call will add some quality.

Mobile Twitter posts up by 15%

Twitter CEO, Dick Costolo this week advised us that over 40% of the tweets posted on the website are posted via a mobile phone.

Whilst being interviewed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, Costolo confirmed that the figure has increased from 25% at the same time last year.

Costolo attributed the increase to the launch of Twitter apps for mobiles using the iPhone, Android and BlackBerry operating platforms.

He went on to advise that TV shows are currently the most popular subjects for Tweeting.

 “It’s definitely the case that network TV people like Twitter because it gives them feedback, like they’re in the theatre watching how the shows play out,” he said. “When [the TV show] Glee starts, tweets per second for Glee shoot up and stay up 100 times that level until the show ends, then they drop.”

Costolo also revealed that the company has been in discussions with TV networks about creating products purpose built for this trend.

Google Team Up With Carphone Warehouse To Release 2nd Smartphone

Recent reports have suggested that Google has plans to launch its second smartphone.  However, according to reports, the handset will only be exclusively available through Carphone Warehouse.

Google’s first smartphone handset, the Nexus One was release at the start of 2010.  We have no details of the name of the new mobile phone from Google.  We just understand that Samsung are the manufacturer and it’s in the final phase of development ready to release towards the end of the year.

Let’s make no mistake, it’s no coincidence that Google are choosing to release it just before Christmas.  Google has been keen to become a recognised force in the smartphone battle and this exclusive deal between them and Carphone Warehouse certainly should help them.

Symbian currently head the mobile phone operating system leaderboard with two key players jostling for position behind them.  The Android operating system is becoming more and more popular and has recently overtaken Apple to jump into second spot with an 18% share of the market compared to Apple’s 15%.

A report has predicted that Android will have increased their share to 22.2% by the end of 2011.

Google and Carphone Warehouse have made no comments about the reports to date.