China Unicom said it has reached a three-year deal with Apple to sell the touchscreen smartphone in the fourth quarter. The companies did not specify which models would be sold or how much they would cost, but the Chinese iPhone will lack Wi-Fi to comply with government regulations. The handset will be 3G-capable, and the carrier said it will be subsidizing the smartphone.
Apple has been trying to get the iPhone into China for more than a year, and the iPhone's release should coincide with China Unicom's rollout of 3G networks. The wireless operator plans to have 3G coverage in 335 cities by the end of the year, and Apple's device could be a key driver of mobile data adoption.
source: unstrung
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
India sets floor price for 3G, Wimax auctions
India has set the floor price for its long-awaited 3G spectrum auction, placing the minimum bid at 35 billion rupees ($717.5 million). The ministers have also set the Wimax auction floor price at 17.50 billion rupees. The government has also set a target of completing both the 3G and Wimax auctions within 90 days.
The group of ministers which set the prices has also declared that only five players will be allowed to offer 3G services in each of India's 22 telecom circles. Of these, one slot will be reserved for state-owned operators BSNL or MTNL. Initially up to seven 3G players would have been allowed to operate in each circle, but spectrum remains tight in several of the most populous circles.
source: telecomasia.net
The group of ministers which set the prices has also declared that only five players will be allowed to offer 3G services in each of India's 22 telecom circles. Of these, one slot will be reserved for state-owned operators BSNL or MTNL. Initially up to seven 3G players would have been allowed to operate in each circle, but spectrum remains tight in several of the most populous circles.
source: telecomasia.net
Shares rise in Alcatel-Lucent on Chinese whispers
Shares in the French/US vendor were up 16 percent on the Euronext exchange in Paris and up 11 percent on the NYSE, while Natixis - an analyst firm - lifted its rating on Alcatel-Lucent to 'buy' from 'reduce.' An Alcatel-Lucent spokesperson declined to comment on the developments. Chinese equipment vendors Huawei or ZTE are considered the most likely buyers.
source: GMBB
source: GMBB
Sony takes on Kindle with wireless reader
Japan's Sony has unveiled its first electronic reader with wireless connectivity in a bid to take on Amazon's popular Kindle device, reports Reuters. The Sony 'Daily Edition' will go on sale in the US in December and will use AT&T's 3G network for connectivity. It will cost US$399, US$100 more than Amazon's basic version of the Kindle.
Amazon's Kindle was launched in 2007 - a year after Sony's first reader - but has enjoyed a considerably higher profile. The device costs US$299 for the basic version and US$489 for a large screen version geared toward newspaper reading.
Sony is hoping that adding wireless connectivity to its readers will give it parity with Kindle, which works with Sprint's network. Users of earlier Sony readers have had to plug their device into a computer when it comes time to download content.
source: GMBB
Microsoft unveils apps service for low-end phones
Microsoft OneApp will allow feature phones to run mobile apps like Facebook, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger, and other popular applications and games. It is targeted at users in emerging markets that use feature phones that can connect to basic data services and install applications but have limited memory and processing capability.
OneApp uses 'cloud' services to help shift processing and storage weight from the phone to the Internet, which means is has a small 'on-phone' footprint of just 150KB.
source: GMBB
OneApp uses 'cloud' services to help shift processing and storage weight from the phone to the Internet, which means is has a small 'on-phone' footprint of just 150KB.
source: GMBB
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