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Google to invest up to $1 billion in India's second biggest carrier
After investing $4.5 billion in India's largest carrier Jio, Google is now putting up to $1 billion in Airtel, the second largest mobile operator.
Amazon follows Netflix with mobile-only video subscriptions in India
It's in recognition that more people have access to phones and want to watch Amazon's shows.
New alliance wants to improve terrible in-flight internet
The frustrations of internet access aboard commercial aircraft may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to the Seamless Air Alliance. Formed by Airbus, Delta, OneWeb, Sprint and Airtel, the group aims to improve the connectivity experience for passengers aboard aircraft by allowing mobile operators to provide internet access directly via satellite tech.
Mobile Miscellany: week of February 18th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought confirmation of Pantech's next phone for Verizon, legal battles over the airwaves in India and a new smartphone to Virgin Mobile. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 18th, 2013.
VMK preps Africa-designed Elikia smartphone with $170 price, fast track for apps
Congo-based VMK has been blazing a trail for mobile devices in Africa: its Way-C tablet proved that the continent could go its own way without leaning on Asia or Europe. The company promised several months ago to address the same gap with smartphones, and the result is here in the form of the Elikia ("Hope"). The hardware won't shake the cellular world's foundations with its 3.5-inch (and 480 x 320) display, 512MB of RAM, a 650MHz processor and both 5-megapixel rear as well as front VGA cameras, but that's not the point -- at $170 US off-contract, it's much more within the reach of Congo residents, and it even uses the unofficial Holo Launcher to bring a taste of Android 4.0 to what's really Android 2.3 underneath. There's also a minor revolution in app purchasing. As Google Play won't take Congo's credit cards, VMK has its own app store and prepaid gift cards to give the country a similar experience. You'll have to sign on to local carriers Airtel, MTN or Warid to use an Elikia in the near future, but we're hoping the phone expands its reach and levels the playing field. %Gallery-164749%
iPhone 4S sashays its way to India, up for pre-order this week
They're pumped. You're pumped. Everyone's pumped. Why? Because the iPhone 4S is coming to India, that's why. According to the Times of India, Apple's latest handset will be available on November 25th from Bharti Airtel, the country's leading carrier. The Times' report comes just a few days after rival domestic provider Aircel confirmed its own 4S launch (also slated for the 25th), with a post on its Facebook page. Neither company has announced a price yet, though Aircel will start taking pre-orders on the 18th, at the source link below. [Image courtesy of Bollysite.com]
iPhone 4S to launch in India on November 25
Airtel and Aircel, two rival wireless carriers in India, are poised to launch the iPhone 4S later this month. According to The Times of India report, Airtel has confirmed it will begin to sell the iPhone 4S starting on November 25 at midnight. Pre-orders will begin on the carrier's website starting November 18. Aircel has not provided a launch date, but the carrier announced on Facebook last week that it will begin selling the iPhone 4S soon. Since neither carrier has an exclusive agreement with Apple, it's expected that Aircel will launch on November 25, just like its competitor Airtel. No pricing has been announced, but the iPhone 4S will likely cost about the same as the iPhone 4, which sold for about 35,000 Indian Rupees (USD $650). Instead of an upfront discount on the handset, these competing carriers will offer incentives on voice plans and data plans to entice customers. [Via The Next Web]
India DTH players look to high-def to differentiate
If you've been content just focusing on sectors in your own nation, you may have missed all the DTH congestion in India. At last count, there are five different satcasters serving the country, and now some are making accelerated pushes to get high-def programming on the air in order to stand out. A recent report from New Delhi asserts that Dish TV and Sun Direct are both hoping to add high-definition content in separate tiers within "the next few months." Specifics are relatively scant, but Indians can probably expect between 10 to 15 HD stations for a modest (read: totally worthwhile) premium. Other sources have noted that Tata Sky, Big TV and Airtel should follow suit, though specific time lines weren't mentioned. Better get that HDTV soon, Indians -- you've got high-res content just around the bend.
India's Airtel claims "deadliest hackers" still can't crack its iPhone 3G
Hey, hackers! Now that we've got the attention of millions upon millions of incredibly talented individuals, here's your next challenge. India's Airtel -- which is offering Apple's iPhone 3G at a near-stratospheric price -- has claimed that "even the most deadly hackers on the planet won't be able to crack the codes that support the iPhone's Airtel applications with rival company SIMs." Just so you know, it appears that Airtel worked with Apple to develop "operator-specific iPhone applications," which is an interesting tidbit in and of itself. But let's focus on the task at hand here, and that's proving that making ridiculous claims about impenetrability always comes back to bite ya.[Image courtesy of Zedomax, thanks Akshay]
Excitement in the air as iPhone 3G goes live in India
Nothing like a major handset launch to kick off your Friday, and the last time we checked, the iPhone 3G was kind of a big deal. Congrats, Indian friends -- just keep an eye out for cracks, will ya?
iPhone 3G starting at $700 in India, lines to be nonexistent
Though we can't definitively say this will end up being the priciest iPhone 3G this side of eBay, there's a good chance it will be. Word has it that Vodafone will be offering up Apple's latest 8GB handset for a mind-boggling Rs 31,000 ($712), or Rs 36,100 ($830) for the 16 gigger. Why so serious high? Because neither Vodafone nor Airtel will subsidize the phone, and to add insult to injury, there's not even a 3G highway up and running in India. Grey market operators to capitalize in T-minus 3, 2, 1...[Via Cellpassion]
India picks up HTC Touch Diamond, 3G not included
HTC's leaving no stone unturned in making sure that its Touch Diamond reaches a global audience, and Bharti Airtel is all lined up to be the exclusive provider of the hottest thing going for Windows Mobile 6.1 (for the moment, anyway) in India. HTC chief Peter Chou himself was on hand for the announcement, saying that he'd like to sell 50,000 Touch Diamonds in India this year -- a reasonable goal, perhaps, though our excitement's tempered a bit by the fact that the local flavor of the device will apparently lack any sort of 3G radio. Pricing comes in at 27,500 rupees (about $642), so if you can bear the tortoise-like browsing on the road, this should end up being one of the best VGA values on the market.[Via Cellpassion]
Google's mobile phone in two weeks? Not likely
According to reports out of India, Google is currently in talks with country's first and third largest telecos, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar, concerning everyone's favorite mobile rumor: the Google Phone. Based on information coming from Rediff's India Abroad, an exclusive launch -- happening in a highly questionable two weeks -- is being discussed between the companies, and would tie into a simultaneous debut of the Gphone in both the US and Europe, coupled with announcements in India and other parts of the world. The only hurdle, they say, is approval from regulatory agencies (such as the FCC, we would assume). The report goes on to suggest that Google has plans to invest $7-8 billion in its telephony plot, though there has been practically zero confirmation from the company. When asked about the possibility of the Google mobile phone making an appearance soon, a spokesperson for the search-portal-giant said, "We don't comment on market rumour or speculation. However, Google is committed to providing users with access to the world's information, and mobile becomes more important to those efforts every day." So, while you can never, truly rule out a sudden showing of the Gphone, definitely don't go banking on it either.[Thanks, Binil]
