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Sony strikes broadband deals for PS4: Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin Media and more (updated)
Sony knows that high-speed internet access is vital to the PS4's success, but that level of service isn't always guaranteed in Europe. To solve this problem, the company is striking deals for PS4-friendly internet access with a slew of European providers. Ono, Orange, T-Mobile and Virgin Media are some of the first confirmed partners. Details of the partnerships are scarce at present, although the companies involved suggest that Sony's ISP agreements will at least cover bigger European countries like France, Germany, Spain and the UK. Update: Virgin Media adds that it's the only UK partner.
LG G2 confirmed to arrive on Three and O2 in the UK (updated)
Following the formal reveal of the LG G2 yesterday, UK network Three was quick to report its plan to offer the handset "soon," so we thought we'd follow up with all the other major providers to see where else you'll eventually be able to find one. O2 is also on board, although it would only commit to a vague release window of "later this year." Vodafone said it currently has no plans to offer the G2, and while EE has "nothing to announce," we couldn't get any assurance that it wouldn't show up on its 4G network, or on the Orange or T-Mobile brands. Retailer Carphone Warehouse has put a tentative October arrival date on its website, and although we're still waiting on a response from Phones 4U, you'll more than likely be able to find it there, too. So, if you've developed a particular taste for the slim bezel design and quirky button placement, you'll have at least a few options come launch time. Update: We assumed wrong -- Phones 4U has gotten back to us to say it won't be stocking the G2.
EU raids Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom and Orange offices in data probe
Woop, woop, that's the sound of the... European Commission? EU officials (figuratively) kicked in the doors of Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom and Orange's European headquarters this week. The trio are being investigated after ISP Cogent Communications alleged that they are deliberately blocking data-hungry services -- much like Cogent's earlier complaint about Comcast. The trio are pleading their innocence while the case continues, and hoping that investigators don't mess with the office furniture too much.
Facebook won't bring HTC First smartphone to the UK after all (update: due to bad feedback in the US)
After a series of rumors about the HTC First not selling too well in the States, we've now heard that the customized Facebook / Android handset won't be coming to the UK. Mobile News initially reported that UK pre-orders will be cancelled and we've just confirmed this with our own sources, who said that it was Facebook itself who made the decision, rather than HTC or either of the European carrier partners (EE and Orange). We've reached out to HTC and EE for confirmation and will update if we get a response. Update: We've just heard back from EE, who confirmed the rumor and attributed Facebook's decision to "customer feedback" that resulted in a need to improve the Facebook Home interface before spreading it to further markets: "Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customization features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision. Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future."
Orange Libon adds picture messaging to iOS app
Libon is a messaging app backed by the European cell provider Orange that's making its way over to Android today, offering free calls, messaging and visual voicemail to smartphones on that side of the platform fence. But there's important news for us iOS users as well, as the app has also added free picture and audio messaging to our version, along with a push-to-talk feature. You can find the app for free on the App Store now. Orange makes money on this one using in-app purchases, which can add premium options like extra message storage, customization options or translations of your voicemails to text or to MP3 via email. These apps have gained a nice following with their free features. Libon, WhatsApp and others have created their own messaging ecosystems unrelated to what service you're using to power your phone. You'd think that with the iPhone so ubiquitous, Apple would have unified messaging as much as possible, and iMessage was their best try so far at doing just that. But these various services are still flourishing inside of the App Store itself.
Orange brings Libon to Android, adds picture messaging to iOS version
As it promised back in November, Libon is crossing the smartphone rubicon and launching on Android, starting today. The Orange-backed WhatsApp and Viber rival brings free calls, messaging and visual voicemail to any handset running Froyo and above. And though iOS users have already had this app, they aren't being left off this round of news: the company has added free picture and audio messaging to the iPhone version, as well as push-to-talk functionality. Head on down to your respective app stores to get at the goodies.
HTC First coming to Orange and EE in Europe
The HTC First might be launching on AT&T, but that doesn't mean this built-for-Facebook device is going to be limited to the US: we just learned it will eventually arrive in Europe too, on Orange and the UK's EE network. Unfortunately, whereas AT&T came armed with pricing and availability details ($100 on April 12th), we still have no idea when, exactly, the phone will hit these other carriers. If you want to try before you buy, of course, you should be able to download the Facebook Home skin through Google Play pretty soon.
France Telecom-Orange will release Tizen 2.0 devices from Samsung this year, maybe Huawei too (updated)
Tizen's holding a posh little shindig here at Mobile World Congress to officially launch the Tizen 2.0 OS, which was recently released to developers (but not on phones you can actually buy). In addition to showcasing the operating system, which we just got hands-on with, the company announced a bit of news: France Telecom-Orange will sell Tizen 2.0 handsets this year, with devices from Samsung and possibly Huawei. Unfortunately, we don't have any more specifics to share, but we have to say, that was fast! The folks at Tizen don't play, do they? Update: While France Telecom-Orange has confirmed it will carry a Samsung device running Tizen 2.0, it has not confirmed it will sell a Huawei-made Tizen phone; the carrier has only said it is considering adding a Huawei Tizen device to its lineup.
Orange's Europe-bound trio of branded phones includes its first 4G handset
At this rate, there won't be anything left to announce when MWC actually opens its doors. Today's premature launcher is Orange Europe, which is launching a trio of Jelly Bean-running smartphones that are destined for the continent. First up, the Lumo is the company's first 4G smartphone, packing a 4.5-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera. If you prefer your devices to be on the skinny side, then the 4.7-inch San Remo comes with an 8.2mm thick body and similarly equipped imaging sensor. Finally, the budget-focused Nivo offers a 4-inch display and a 5-megapixel camera. Orange has already told us that it won't be coming to the UK, but should arrive in Romania, Slovakia and Spain across the first half of the year -- unless someone's lawyers decide that the Lumo name's a bit too close for comfort.
Spotify signs deal with Orange Switzerland to bundle music with youth plans
Spotify has been getting comfortable with providers to various degrees, whether it's just carrier billing or direct deals. Today, however, it's getting extra-cozy. Orange Switzerland has started bundling Spotify Premium with its Orange Young plans: those 27 and younger can pay between 29 to 79 francs ($31 to $85) per month and, on top of the usual service, get a year's worth of streaming music access that won't count against their bandwidth caps. Older customers aren't left out, either, as they can pay 13 francs ($14) a month with the same data exemption. There's no word of whether or not the Orange pact will spread to other countries, but we hope it does -- having unlimited streaming access could easily make up for Spotify's retreat from downloads.
EE closing 78 overly cozy stores, keeps related staff
Merging two carriers' efforts invariably creates at least some kind of redundancy, no matter how much the two sides try to avoid it. In EE's case, it led to stores that were suddenly too close to each other -- so close that some were very literally next door. Rather than perpetuate the inadvertent comedy, EE says it's shuttering 78 stores that it believes are just wasting space. The provider doesn't want to put added strain on the remaining shops, however. It plans to move all affected staff to existing locations, and it's hoping to repurpose managers rather than oust them. The scaled-back retail operations theoretically "maintain momentum" while keeping customers and workers happy, EE tells us. When we see genuinely absurd situations like the photo above, we're inclined to agree. [Image credit: Lazygamer, Flickr]
Baidu and Orange launch mobile browser for Africa, Middle East
Not content to dominate internet search in China alone, Baidu and France Telecom's Orange are partnering to capitalize on African and Middle Eastern markets as well. Today they launched a co-branded version of Baidu's browser on France Telecom's Egyptian operator MobiNil -- it's essentially the same as the one released last year for the Chinese market but in English / Arabic instead (a French version is also coming). The browser is a pre-installed app on carrier-sold smartphones and features bookmarks for Orange and Baidu services. According to Orange, smartphone adoption in the region has become widespread due to the increased availability of 3G networks -- demand apparently doubled in Egypt in the second half of 2012 alone. With nearly 80 million potential customers at hand, Baidu could certainly give Google a run for its money yet again. You can peek at the full PR after the break.
DLNA already in use by TV providers, but not exactly what we had in mind
Comcast, Cox, DirecTV, Orange and Time Warner Cable are already using DLNA to deliver premium content around your house, but perhaps not exactly the way you had in mind. The dream that DLNA promises has never really lived up to expectations, but we still can't help but hold on to the dream of accessing our favorite shows on every device in the home. The DLNA premium content guidelines announced last year at CES seemed to be the most promising yet, but a year has passed and evidently we didn't notice. According to the press release issued by the DLNA, the aforementioned TV providers have already deployed products implementing the guidelines. Unfortunately, those implementations haven't made the content universally accessible in our home -- yet. There is hope however, in the FCC IP interface requirement intended to facilitate such access. For example, Steve Necessary, VP of Cox Communications expects "more than 500,000 subscribers (will) have DLNA premium content functionality" through its Trio guide within the next year. How useful that access will really be, though, remains to be seen.
Faulty iPhone reportedly generated £19,000 bill
According to a report by the BBC, a faulty iPhone is to blame for a £19,000 (US$30,000) bill sent to UK resident Chris Bovis over the holiday season. Bovis claims Orange sent him the whopping bill for his usage during the months of October and November. Bovis said his regular bill is "about £43 a month." He brought his iPhone 4S to the Apple store at Lakeside Shopping Centre, and store employees supposedly confirmed the iPhone was the cause of this excessive data use. The man contacted Orange with this information and the carrier allegedly wanted him to pay £400 ($640) while they investigated his claim. Bovis, who also lost his job as a builder right before the holidays, told the BBS that he was upset by his experience. "Their service is abysmal and I've lost too much sleep worrying about it." After some back and forth, Orange apologized and eventually agreed to remove the errant charges. "We would like to sincerely apologize to Mr. Bovis for any distress caused by receiving this unusually high phone bill," an Orange spokesperson told the BBC.
How would you change the Orange San Diego?
Orange's £200 ($308) San Diego was one of the first Intel-powered Android devices to hit the market. Despite its budget price, it packed a Medfield-based 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU that the company promised would deliver more performance and battery life than its pricier rivals. It almost achieved it too, with benchmarks that stood equal to the Galaxy S III and more than 24-hours of standby life. The problem, was that our reviewer couldn't find a compelling reason to buy one of these over a last-gen Android flagship -- but was that the case for you? If you bought one, how has the ownership experience been, so tell us what did you love, what did you hate and what would you change?
Movea gesture control coming to Orange's Livebox Play TV system, launches next month
In a bid to spruce up its hardware, European mobile operator Orange has drafted in Movea to bring gesture controls to its new set-top box. Running the SmartMotion server, movements will be picked up by Movea's MEMS motion-sensing remote, with gestures for volume control, web browsing and even gamepad and joystick commands. The new Livebox Play will pick up ten "contextually aware" movements, with a 'check' gesture aimed to avoid the frustration at selecting items on a distant screen, while there's also a close function embedded into the TV remote. Alongside gestures, the LiveBox Play service will offer the obligatory internet, social network and VOD bells and whistles, as well as access to games and apps on your big screen. Sick of buttons? The device is available on pre-order (for now, in France) and launches next month -- we've embedded a quick demo of the remote's precision after the break as a quick refresher.
Major UK networks confirm they'll carry BlackBerry 10 wares in early 2013
While our immediate attention is focused on the fast approaching tech-fest that is CES, let us not forget another important event taking place in January -- the eagerly awaited launch of BlackBerry 10. We don't know if its success will equal RIM's expectations, but just this morning all major UK carriers emailed us confirmation they'll be stocking BB10 handsets. Three and EE (Orange and T-Mobile included) announced availability next year, but nothing more specific; O2 told us BB10 gear will land on its network "in early 2013"; and retailer Phones4u, which covers all the carriers, specified a Q1 2013 window. Vodafone implied that it'll be offering handsets immediately after launch, but we've been in contact the network's PR folks just to confirm that's true and not confused wording. We'll update you with their response as soon as we hear back.
EE's 4G network to be available in 35 locations by the end of March 2013
Potential 4G adopters in the UK not only need to consider the price of EE's plans, but also the thin coverage currently available. This is slowly being fattened up, however, and today the company has announced that by March 2013, it plans to extend its high-speed network to an additional 17 areas (to make a grand total of 35). Those 17 towns and cities don't include last week's stealthy activations in Derby, Newcastle and Nottingham, or the planned switch-flipping in Belfast, Hull, Maidenhead and Slough before the end of the year. As well as gracing new locations with 4G and bolstering network density, EE is also upgrading its 3G network to support dual-channel HSPA+ (DC-HSPA+ for short). This is expected to be available across 40 percent of EE's network by year's end, and will also be enjoyed by customers signed up with Orange or T-Mobile. So, enough of the suspense -- head past the break for the full list of locales getting 4G early next year.
Orange launches Libon, offers HD VoIP calls, messages and visual voicemail (video)
Libon is a new VoIP client with surprising roots -- it was developed by the R&D arm of one of Europe's largest mobile networks, Orange. Of course, you could argue that such apps are bad for carriers, because it encourages people to gobble up pricey data capacity -- so why build one? We spoke to Valeé chief Giles Corbett and spent a few days testing it out ahead of its launch to find out more.
EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36
We've seen the speeds, we know the handsets and now we know how much it'll cost you to be among the first to try 4G in the UK. EE has outlined its contract and handset pricing from October 30th, with all of the bundles including unlimited calls and texts. Yep, the new carrier is breaking it down by data, with its entry-level 500MB bundle starting at £36 for 24 months. You'll have to make an initial payment for most handsets, although the Ascend P1 will be free from the 1GB bundle upwards. Data allowances go up to 8GB for £56 per month, although users can add even more, with an extra 50MB costing £3, or up to 4GB for £20. Now, if you're looking to get Apple's latest on 4G, it'll set you back at least £20 on the highest data plan. Already got your LTE-ready iPhone 5? Then you'll have to wait until 9th November, when the network will start offering SIM-only 12-month plans priced from £21. The 4G network will also offer its phones on 12 month contracts for an additional £10 on top of the prices shown above. EE will let users who bought comparable non-4G versions in the last six months (like the One X or Galaxy S III) to exchange their devices for a one-off payment of £100. Alongside the all these pricing details, the Orange/ T-Mobile team-up also spilled the beans on some service features for its new customers -- and we've got it all covered after the break, including a quick hands-on with its Film store service.
