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Kantar: iPhone 5 boosts Apple's US smartphone share to 53.3 percent, Android still tops in Europe
Stop us if you've heard this one before: the launch of a flagship, brand-defining smartphone gives its creator a swift leap in market share immediately afterwards. There's no surprise that the iPhone 5 will have improved Apple's standing in the US, then, but Kantar Worldpanel's market share study suggests that the lift was more than some expected. The firm estimates that Apple climbed to 53.3 percent of American smartphone share in the three months leading up to late November. The figure is both Apple's highest ever for the country as well as its first venture past the 50 percent mark. Android in this climate held on to 41.9 percent of the market, hinting that many of those market-shifting iPhone sales came after October. Kantar expects a similar story this month, although it's not predicting how well the Cupertino crew will fare beyond that. Lest anyone take the results out of context, Kantar points out that it's often a Google-friendly world. Android represents 61 percent of smartphone sales in the five largest European countries, while Apple's share in countries like Brazil and China is still small. There is an upside for Microsoft on this wider scale -- a year of Nokia Lumia sales and the early results of the Windows Phone 8 launch have reportedly pushed Redmond's platform back up to 4.7 percent in those five European nations. We're a long way from going beyond a two-horse race in the smartphone field, but there's at least hints of change on the horizon.
Porsche Design P'9981 BlackBerry gets cool matte black paint job, keeps crazy price
Is it even possible to get more exclusive than RIM and Porsche Design's P'9981 Blackberry? We're not sure, but the phone's coming back (at least to Porsche Design's boutique stores) in a matte black finish. For high-flyers with low expectations, the device packs a QWERTY keyboard in the same exotic typeface, 2.8-inch 640 x 480 touchscreen and Porsche Design's UI, running on a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor. but if you're willing to shell out around $2,350 for this particular phone, you probably don't care about any of that. The Vertu-baiting smartphone will appear in shops mid-January 2013 -- unfortunately right before RIM takes the wrappings of its new OS and new hardware.
Nokia and RIM settle 'all legal action', shake hands on new patent license agreement
Nokia and RIM have decided to make nice (at least after the BlackBerry maker lost some patent scuffles) and are withdrawing any pending legal action in the US, UK and Canada. Instead, RIM will be making both a one-off and on-going payments to Espoo. Although the exact amount it'll be costing the Canadian company is still confidential, it's something that's also likely to affect its next earnings report.
RIM's Q3 2013 earnings: $2.7 billion revenue, $114 million adjusted net loss, CIO to retire
RIM has just announced its earnings for Q3 2013 (the three months ending December 1, 2012 in non-RIM terms), including a five percent drop in revenue to $2.7 billion and an adjusted net loss of $114 million. GAAP net income from "continuing operations" was $14 million, though, or $9 million when taking into account the loss from discontinued operations, and it's also reporting a cash increase of about $600 million to $2.9 billion. In terms of devices, RIM says it shipped 6.9 million smartphones and 255,000 PlayBooks during the quarter, although it's again only talking in terms of devices "shipped," not actual sales to consumers. Along with the earnings, the company has also announced that its CIO, Robin Bienfait, has decided to retire, although RIM says she will stay on in an "advisory capacity to enable a smooth launch and seamless transition." As for BlackBerry 10, CEO Thorsten Heins unsurprisingly reiterated that the company is all set for the January 30th launch date, and noted that more than 150 now completing technical acceptance programs for the first BlackBerry 10 products. The company also says it will be "significantly increasing its marketing spending this quarter" to support the launch of BB10, which it warns will contribute to a loss for the fourth quarter, as will the likely slowdown of BlackBerry 7 product sales as consumers hold off for BB10. Update: During the company's earnings call, Heins confirmed that RIM's global subscriber base now stands at 79 million worldwide, which is a slight decline from the previous quarter but still an increase year-over-year. Not surprisingly, he says the biggest losses came from North America. RIM also confirmed on the call that its BlackBerry sell-through for the quarter was 8.4 million, or actually higher than the number of new devices shipped.
BlackBerry Z10 shown off in allegedly leaked RIM marketing materials
Curious as to what RIM's upcoming L-series BlackBerry smartphone might look like? Well, UnwiredView's obtained what appears to be marketing material for that handset -- allegedly dubbed the Z10 -- showing off its front face in both black and white versions. From the leak we can see a few already confirmed aspects of the new BB 10 platform, such as its seamless app switching, notification peeking and what looks to be a contact profile running on the candy bar-shaped touchscreen device. Apart from those known bits, there's not much else new to glean, but thankfully the lead up to the final reveal is now just a little more than a month away.
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.
Twitter for Blackberry 4.0 adds Connect tab, more modern UI
RIM may be finally ready to move on to its platform-in-waiting, BB 10, but that's doesn't mean its current user base has been forgotten. In fact, Twitter's just announced a 4.0 update to its native BlackBerry app, bringing it mostly up to par in looks and functionality with existing Android and iOS offerings. The most notable addition to this version bump is the inclusion of Connect: the "@" tab which lets rampant tweeters keep abreast of who's favoriting, following and retweeting them, as well as filter information on that feed. The Discover and Me tabs have also been expanded, with the former now featuring information on trends and suggestions for "Who to follow," while the latter neatly consolidates all of your DM, lists and favorited tweets. The update's currently available on the BlackBerry App World store, so hit up the link below to start your download.
Leaked BlackBerry 10 screenshots reveal new UI, Siri-like voice interface
It's a little over a month until BlackBerry 10's official introduction, but that hasn't stopped leaked screenshots of the OS from circulating on the web. Some folks on the Tinhte Vietnamese forums, which also revealed hands-on video and gallery of the BlackBerry 10 L-Series, have just released pictures of RIM's revamped phone UI. Most notably, the images provide a sneak peek at a new "BlackBerry Hub" all-in-one message center along with an intriguing voice interface that reminds us a lot of Siri. We also get a preview of how apps like Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare will look; unsurprisingly, they seem pretty similar to their Android and iOS cousins. It certainly looks as if the redesign is a complete overhaul rather than just a quick paint job, but we won't know the full details until we see it for ourselves early next year. Until then, head on over to the source to get an early look at what could be RIM's savior.
RIM will unveil BlackBerry 10 on January 30th in New York
Just a few weeks until CES, and just under a month and half until we see BlackBerry 10 in its final, finished form. Invites to the US event have now been sent out, with calendars being circled for January 30th at a location somewhere in New York. Not only will we get the full details of RIM's new software, but those first devices that the new OS will arrive on. We'll be on hand ready to see exactly how the phone-maker plans to reverse its fortunes.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency planning to test BB10
Thorsten Heins' tearful late-night calls to the head of the US Customs and Enforcement Agency (ICE) seems to have done the trick. While the well-named bureau won't confirm if BlackBerry 10 has convinced it to abandon its well-publicized switch to the iPhone, it has admitted that it'll test RIM's new offering when it launches next year. Perhaps those forgetful G-Persons had their heads turned when they saw how deeply Evernote was baked into the new operating system.
Blackberry 10 SDK reveals tight Evernote integration
The Blackberry 10 gold SDK release has revealed an interesting tidbit for Evernote partakers: the memory-prodding app seems to be tightly enmeshed with RIM's upcoming OS. It's one of the so-called Notebook options listed under the "App Integration" heading, which let you organize "actionable and non-actionable items into separate folders or topics." Evernote is listed as one of those options, and will let you sync up and access your account with Blackberry 10 devices, according to the documentation. That app is already available across all other major platforms, letting you organize documents with audio, video, photos, websites and, um, text -- then sync everything up in the cloud. Considering Evernote's recent foray into the business side of things, having the app built-in might be a nice pitch to RIM's core userbase when the new OS is finally launched.
BlackBerry 10 L-Series shown off in detailed hands-on video
It's not the first time we've seen it on video, but the folks from Tinhte.vn have now followed up their hands-on look at the BlackBerry 10 L-Series with what's certainly the most detailed video of the smartphone to date. That includes a comparison with the somewhat bulkier Dev Alpha B device (as well as an iPhone 5), a quick run through of the BB10 OS itself and a look at the removable back (which reveals a replaceable battery). Head on past the break to check it out for yourself.
BlackBerry 10 L-Series resurfaces, this time in Vietnam
Keep in mind that nothing is set in stone until the official unveiling of BlackBerry 10 on January 30th, but it seems that a lucky soul in Vietnam has captured the clearest look yet of the device that'll "reinstall faith in RIM." These seemingly legitimate snapshots of the L-Series reveal an attractive touchscreen slab that features a removable back cover -- complete with an NFC antenna -- which also provides access to the phone's micro-SIM and microSD slots, along with a removable 1,800mAh battery. Fans of the unique play / pause toggle will find it happily sitting within the metallic volume rocker, and you'll also notice micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports occupying the left-hand side. With such a clean design, we can only hope that RIM can keep the carrier's requests for customization at bay -- some of 'em straight up don't have a knack for aesthetics. Be sure to follow the break for a couple extra peeks of this oft-leaked device, or hit up the source link for the full gallery. [Thanks, Me]
RIM releases 'gold' build of its BB 10 SDK toolkit
RIM's reached yet another milestone in the slow-going march to its big January 30th BB 10 reveal: its SDK toolkit has gone 'gold'. Now, developers that've been courted by the Waterloo-based company at one of many BB Jam conferences around the globe can start building apps for the next-gen BlackBerry platform using final versions of APIs. As we learned back in May, devs interested in BB 10 will have the option to code natively for the unreleased OS using the Cascades framework, create HTML5-based "rich web applications" with WebWorks, or use the included toolset for Adobe AIR apps or Android ports. And just in case you were questioning industry support, RIM's also included stats in its associated PR (furnished by Five Points Research) that paint a positive picture, claiming 58-percent of those surveyed would "recommend BlackBerry 10 as a development platform." While it's nice to have those numbers as backup for its bravado, the company still has a ways to go turning the tide of consumer perception and elbowing past that other third place platform. Windows Phone 8, we're looking at you.
RIM teases upcoming BB 10 hardware ahead of January reveal
Lest you forget there's another mobile player hedging its bets on a big comeback, RIM's released a tiny teaser of its upcoming BB 10 handset via its site. The image, which appears alongside a tag promising a "Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented." experience, is part of a registration campaign for news updates on the unreleased platform. There's really not much to glimpse from the enshrouded peek Waterloo's offering up, but with the abundance of leaks that've sprung up over the past few months, we have a pretty decent idea what that hardware might look like. The big BB 10 reveal's set for January 30th -- a little more than one month away -- so you won't have to wait much longer to witness the full monty.
BBM 7 leaves beta, brings WiFi voice calls into the mix (video)
RIM moves quickly: it was just a few weeks ago that BlackBerry Messenger 7 was in beta, and today we're seeing a finished version roll out to BlackBerry App World. As we saw in mid-November, the revamp lets chatters switch to free VoIP chat on WiFi without having to drop text messaging or photo sharing in mid-session. That's not the only upgrade; there's also direct BBM profile syncing through a BlackBerry ID as well as in-app notifications for future software versions. RIM warns that the BBM 7 upgrade may take as long as a day to show up in the store, so don't be disappointed if it's not immediately available; do, however, expect inter-BlackBerry voice calls to get that much cheaper.
Facebook for BlackBerry v3.3 now integrates BBM
It's a red letter day for BlackBerry-owning Facebookers, as version 3.3 of the platform's native app has arrived. BBM has been woven deep into the update, enabling you to initiate chats and find friends using your pin contacts. Of course, if you do that, you might find yourself friending too many people who share the minutiae of their lives -- so the Zuck has also added easy un-friending to the mix as well. You can snag the update from the BlackBerry App World, which we've thoughtfully added for you down at the source link.
BBM Money to launch in Indonesia, allows peer-to-peer fund transfers
RIM might be struggling for market share here in the US, but the BlackBerry name still enjoys quite a bit of popularity elsewhere in the world. Take Indonesia for example, where the company will launch BBM Money, a transactional service that'll allow money transfers between BlackBerry owners. Apparently BBM is already a popular way to set up peer-to-peer transactions in the Southeast Asian country, so the service essentially closes the loop. With Android usage on the rise over there -- around 52 percent market share according to a recent IDC report -- RIM is likely trying anything it can to retain its stronghold. We're not sure when exactly BBM Money will go live, though RIM has said it's to come "shortly," perhaps along with the launch of BlackBerry 10 in 2013.
ComScore: Android's US share kept growing in October, Apple passed LG in all cellphones
We've been wondering how much the first full month of iPhone 5 sales would skew US market share in October. The answer is... not much, if you ask ComScore. Android kept growing to 53.6 percent of American smartphones on the back of the Droid RAZR M, Galaxy Note II and other devices, but the iPhone's market share just managed to remain steady at the same 34.3 percent as in September. Apple could mostly be glad that it wasn't in the position of its older rivals: the BlackBerry dipped below 8 percent share, while the wait for a Windows Phone 8 turnaround may have triggered a sharp drop in Microsoft's stake to 3.2 percent. There was a symbolic (if anticipated) changing of the guard for the wider American market, however. After months of closing in, Apple just barely edged out LG to become the second-largest cellphone maker of any kind on the US stage at 17.8 percent. A familiar scenario elsewhere kept Samsung once again on top at 26.3 percent, while Motorola and HTC remained on a downward slide. We'll be keeping a close eye on how the November results alter the status quo -- between Windows Phone, LG's Optimus G and a cavalcade of multi-device launches, there's been potential for more than one tidal shift in the mobile world in the past few weeks.
RIM renames App World to BlackBerry World, opens reg for $10k guarantee and offers a QWERTY dev unit
There's no question that RIM knows how key attracting as much developer support as possible will be to its upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform, and that's where its focus seems to be at the BlackBerry Jam Asia event in Bangkok. CrackBerry's live blog notes that RIM has announced a new name for its store, going from BlackBerry App World to just BlackBerry World (likely due to its dedicated sections for music, movies and TV shows) as well as a number of regional partners pledging support for the platform like Baidu, Kantana and Fox Sports. Another feature shown off at the event was the ability of its keyboard handle multiple languages and prediction within a single conversation. It also celebrated the success of a recent port-a-thon event, continuing to tout the ease with which devs can bring their projects from iOS and Android to BlackBerry 10. The SDK gold release is scheduled for December 11th with all the APIs necessary, and developers can register for that $10,000 Built For BlackBerry incentive guarantee starting today ahead of the January 21st deadline. While you're signing up for that, BlackBerry app makers who want to try out the new hotness on a device with a physical keyboard should sign up for a Dev Alpha C unit. After passing out 7,500 Dev Alpha units since May, its promising these to the top 1,500 people who sign up, have submitted two apps or more and are ranked by score based on certain other developer activities. Also, those original 7,500 can sign up to swap their Dev Alpha for Limited Edition BlackBerry 10 hardware after launch. Counting 60 million active BBM customers in Asia and claiming it's both the largest and fastest growing segment there we expect to see continued focus from RIM there, as of now we're only a couple months away from finding out how the world reacts to BlackBerry 10.
