Android overtakes iOS for web browsing in America, but still lags in world
New data from Chitika Analytics says that Android browsing, including Amazon devices, overtook Apple's iOS in the US and Canada in December, though other figures show Apple holding on to world share. Android devices overtook Apple's iOS for web browsing at the end of December in North America, according to new data from an American analytics company, Chitika Analytics.
The Guardian

iPhone 4S is as data hungry as three iPhone 3Gs
The typical Apple iPhone 4S user is equivalent to two iPhone 4 users and three iPhone 3G users in terms of data demand, according to a report released Friday. Network optimisation firm Arieso, reported the findings in a research paper following a similar study carried out by the firm in 2010. The company’s CTO, Michael Flanagan, who briefed telecoms.com on the report expressed some surprise at the headline finding that the iPhone 4S is the hungriest handset on the market especially given the rise of Android over the past 12 months.
Telecoms.com

2012 to become emerging market smartphone battleground
GfK Boutique Research business director Steve Bambridge took to the stage with the Consumer Electronic Assocation's Steve Koenig to reassure the world that the consumer technology industry is doing quite well. Overall growth is slowing following 2011's devices boom, but not in emerging markets. Before the event opened its doors officially, the two told a number of hacks that global technology device spending will race past the $1 trillion mark over the course of this year. Despite the downturn, the growth on consumer electronics sales is steady - in 2010 it was 12 percent, in 2011 it was eight percent.
Tech Eye

Nokia Acquires Feature Phone Provider, Smartphone
Smartphone, a Scandinavian tech outfit that makes operating system software for feature phones, has been acquired by Nokia. Smartphone's main goal is to provide feature phone users a smartphone experience - the company has already made quite a reputation for itself through its unique offerings in the market despite the fact the company made its entry into the competitive OS market a short while ago.
IT Pro Portal

Mobile Payments Under the Spotlight
Portio Research has released Mobile Payments 2012-2016, which offers analysis and forecasts for the worldwide market for mobile payment services, including Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. In 2011, there were 197.8m mobile banking users worldwide. This number is forecast to cross 1bn by the end of 2016. At the same time, in 2011, there were 158.1m mobile payment users worldwide, and this number is also forecast to break 1bn by end-2016. Mobile payment volumes, which denote the face value of purchases and transactions through mobile handsets, stood at USD 159.3bn in 2011, and are projected to comfortably cross $1 Trillion by end-2016.
Mobile Marketing

Vodafone using 'partners' to help it penetrate global markets
Vodafone is increasingly adopting local partners, rather than buying up local operators, to push its brand and services into new markets around the world. The company isn't new to partnerships; today marks 10 years since the company's creation of a special division for such agreements, and an increasing focus on partnerships as a way into new markets. the types of partnership Voda enters into vary quite a bit: some take the Vodafone brand and become indistinguishable from the parent, while other partners simply share roaming agreements and expert services with the telco giant. But overall, the partnership strategy allows Vodafone to expand internationally with minimal risk.
The Register

Broadband operators are at risk of becoming dumb - pipe providers
Dr. Imad Hoballah, Acting Chairman and CEO of Lebanon’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, talks about major developments in the broadband industry in the MEA region over the past 12 months. LTE is rapidly gaining momentum in the Middle Eastern region. With new LTE deployments and commercial network launches that took place in Saudi Arabia from Zain Saudi, STC, Mobily, and the UAE from Etisalat, LTE subscriptions will grow at an average annual growth rate of 200 per cent. Global LTE subscriptions are racing ahead of initial expectations. They have already passed 3.7 million in the third quarter of 2011, spanning over 36 worldwide networks.
Telecoms.com

Cellcom Israel to upgrade network to 4G
Israeli wireless operator has selected Ericsson and NSN to upgrade countrywide network to 4G. Cellcom Israel has picked Ericsson to upgrade half its network to 4G. The remaining half will be upgraded by NSN, according to Israeli news agency Globes. Ericsson will be responsible for upgrading the company’s network in southern Israel, while NSN will upgrade the north.
The upgrade is part of Cellcom’s plans to offer faster network speeds across the country. The operator has started offering new internet packages that focuses on customisation instead of speed in an attempt to tap the rising demand for tablets and smartphones.
Global Telecom Business

Apple's Cook gets $378m in compensation
Tech firm also recommends Tim Cook and Robert Iger should be elected to board. Apple Inc. said Monday it gave Chief Executive Tim Cook compensation worth nearly $378 million last year, drawing a sharp contrast to the $1 salary traditionally earned by former CEO Steve Jobs as the company gears up for its first annual shareholder meeting since Jobs's death in October.
Total Telecom

Spreadtrum shows its TD-LTE hand with single-chip baseband modem
Spreadtrum, a Chinese fabless semiconductor designer has unveiled its first LTE enabled design. The SC9610 is a baseband modem based on TD-LTE, set to become the predominant LTE technology in China. The SC9610 is CMOS silicon based and manufactured on a 40nm process and demonstrates the evolution of LTE chipset design by combining multiband TD-LTE along with TD-SCDMA 3G, and EDGE/GPRS and GSM.
Telecoms.com