Samsung overtakes Nokia to be top mobile company

For the first time ever, Samsung has overtaken Nokia to become the world's biggest mobile phone company.

The Korean company is expected to account for 29 percent of all mobiles shipped globally in 2012, up from 24 percent in 2011. Nokia has slipped from 30 percent last year to 24 percent in 2012. These stats are from analysts IHS.

Apple is in third place, with 10 percent of all global shipments. ZTE is fourth with 6 percent, and LG fifth with 4 percent.

Samsung has been helped by the huge success of its Galaxy S3 smartphone, which has sold over 30 million units. The Galaxy Note and Note 2 - mocked by many for their large size - have also seen impressive sales, prompting a slew of competitor products.

Analysts said 2012 was the year of the smartphone. "The competitive nature of the cellphone market in 2012 was 'live by the smartphone; die by the smartphone,'" said Wayne Lam, senior analyst for wireless communications at IHS. "Smartphones represent the fastest-growing segment of the cellphone market - and will account for nearly half of all wireless handset shipments for all of 2012.
"Samsung's successes and Nokia's struggles in the cellphone market this year were determined entirely by the two companies' divergent fortunes in the smartphone sector."

Global smartphone shipments are expected to rise by 35.5 percent this year. Smartphones should account for 47 percent of all handsets shipped, up from 35 percent in 2011, according to IHS.

iPhone 5 or Galaxy S3: which should you buy?

The smartphone battle increasingly comes down to Apple versus Samsung – but with two top-rated phones currently available, which is best for you?

Android v iOS
Samsung uses Google’s Android operating system; Apple uses its own iOS. They look very different, with Apple’s iPhone dominated by the now familiar grid of icons for apps and functions such as the web and calls. Android is infinitely customisable, with widgets that take up as much of the screen as you want sharing space with standard icons. So if you want to see your inbox on a main screen, rather than clicking through to it, you can do that on Android but not on iOS.

Equally, however, if you want a neat and friendly grid of icons on every screen, then the iPhone will do it for you with very little hassle. Both will let you put apps into folders to make things easier to navigate.

At the heart of the iOS v Android debate is the idea of a highly curated experience, iOS, where everything must match up to Apple’s strict rules, or Google’s approach which is open and different on each handset. Samsung is aware that that can make Android seem unfriendly to new users, so there is an easy screen mode which presents users with standard options, and the default is to a mixture of icons and widgets for, say, news and weather. It’s added features such as ‘Direct Call’ which mean you can phone someone automatically by lifting the device to your ear if you’re looking at their contact details.

Besides the look and feel, however, Android and iOS differ in what software developers are allowed to build to enhance your phone. Baked in to the S3 is Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube and other standard Google features such as Google Now, which aims to second-guess what you want to know and suggest it before you’ve actually searched the web for it. Think flight delays if you’ve previously searched for a flight. Apple prefers to let developers add features such as that, and its most recent foray into doing such things for itself with Maps was a disaster.

Hardware

It would be easy to say that the iPhone 5 is made of glass and aluminium, the S3 is largely plastic, and so one feels far more like a premium product than the other. But that would be a harsh, black and white view. The S3’s 4.8” screen defines the device, making it feel large and luxurious; the iPhone’s 4” equivalent is much more rectangular, and while both look lovely, they also look different.

It’s worth pointing out too that the S3 can be upgraded with removable memory cards and for wireless charging, while the iPhone is what it is.
The S3 weighs 133g to the iPhone’s 116g; the difference is noticeable but insignificant. The iPhone processor is dual core while the S3’s is quad core, but the difference isn’t noticeable. In terms of battery life, both, in my experience, last a similar period of time but the iPhone is often just ahead. Both, thankfully, now get accessories that combine a sleeve with a built-in extra battery.

Both record in HD, Apple’s Siri voice assistant is less imperfect than Samsung’s S Voice. The S3 also has features such as ‘Smart Stay’, which aim to keep the screen on when the front-facing camera detects you’re looking at it. It works, most of the time. 4G versions of both are available.
All in all, however, the S3 and the iPhone mimic their operating systems: the iPhone is neat, contained and elegant, perfectly formed while the S3 has more options that leave things open to consumers. You could argue that makes the S3 either harder work or more rewarding.

The App war

By general consensus, the iOS app store is slightly larger than the Android Play Store, but it’s quality rather than quantity that matters. For now, on that measure, iOS is still winning but Android is catching up. So if you want, for instance to download Jamie Oliver’s latest app, it’s in both stores. If you need to instantly access bus timetables, they’re in both too. The really luxurious applications that are popular on the iPad, such as The Orchestra, are missing from Android but that’s less of an issue on phones.
More functional things, such as banking apps, are increasingly available equally on both, and Google’s class leading maps software is finally on both platforms too.

Price

On current UK contracts, you can easily pick up an S3 free at £26 per month and an iPhone 5 for £36 per month, plus £25 up front. Both deals are via Carphone Warehouse on a two-year contract. Network prices vary, but the differential remains; free phones for both on Vodafone, for instance, make the iPhone £10 per month more expensive.

Conclusion

The iPhone has become an icon, a totem among its fans. It’s not cheap, but those fans say you get what you pay for. Others argue the S3 does more for less money and offers far greater flexibility.
There is, however, no right answer. Many argue, too, that the iPhone is an easier device for users to start with as a smartphone. But the momentum, for now at least, seems to be with Android and Samsung’s S3 is its best advert.

Manufacturers’ specifications:

Apple iPhone 5
SIM: Nano-SIM
Dimensions:123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm
Weight:112 g
Screen:640 x 1136 pixels, 4.0 inches (~326 ppi pixel density)
SD Card slot: No
Memory: 16/32/64 GB storage, 1 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP/1080p@30fps;1.2 MP/720p@30fps
CPU: Dual-core 1.2 GHz

Samsung Galaxy S3
SIM: Micro-SIM
Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm
Weight: 133 g
Screen: 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.8 inches (~306 ppi pixel density)
SD Card slot: microSD, up to 64 GB
Memory: 16/32/64 GB storage, 1 GB RAM
Camera: 8 MP/1080p@30fps; 1.9 MP/720p@30fps
CPU: Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9

App clash: Instagram shuts off Twitter feature

 

 The smartphone app Instagram turned off a feature Wednesday that allowed easier photo viewing for Twitter users, in a move that pushes the two popular tech platforms farther apart.
"Users are experiencing issues with viewing Instagram photos on Twitter," San Francisco-based Twitter said in a status update.
"This is due to Instagram disabling its Twitter cards integration, and as a result, photos are being displayed using a pre-cards experience," the message continued.
"So, when users click on Tweets with an Instagram link, photos appear cropped."
The change was evidently a move by Instagram, which has some 100 million users, to route photo viewers to its own website, where it has the potential to make money from ads or other mechanisms, instead of letting Twitter get the benefits.
Previously, Instagram pictures shared in messages "tweeted" from smartphones could be viewed unaltered at Twitter.
Instagram rose to stardom with the help of Twitter, but has distanced itself from the one-to-many text messaging service since being acquired by leading social network Facebook.
Facebook completed its acquisition of Instagram in September. The original price was pegged at $1 billion but the final value was less because of a decline in Facebook's share price.
Instagram last month was given a Facebook spin with the roll-out of online profiles that let people showcase themselves and photos they've taken with the smartphone application.
People can share their profiles with whomever they wish as well as "follow" other Instagram users, commenting on or expressing "likes" for pictures.
The main point of Instagram is to share smartphone snaps, which can be enhanced with image filters to mimic historic types of film.

Google's platform dominates worldwide market.

During the 12 weeks ending on October 28, Apple's iOS accounted for a 48.1 percent smartphone market share in the United States, with Google's Android settling for 46.7 percent.

However, elsewhere, iOS isn't as popular as its fellow ecosystem. According to research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, Android was running on 73.9 percent of all smartphones in Germany during the period in question. Android dominated in Spain as well with a 81.7 percent share.

Apple's success in the U.S., meanwhile, was due to the iPhone 5, Kantar said. The company noted that the last time iOS had a higher market share than Android was when the iPhone 4S launched last year.

While other reports suggest otherwise, Apple has benefited greatly from customer loyalty. Kantar said 92 percent of consumers who own an iPhone will upgrade to another Apple smartphone.

As for overall worldwide share in the smartphone market, Android accounts for 75 percent (90 percent in China), while iOS settles for 14.9 percent.

There may be trouble ahead...for us!!!

Of course eveyone has seen the never-ending saga of the o/s wars that seem to have a life of their own. One company says that they own the system the other company is using and one company says the other is using something with out a license and blah blah blah ad nauseum.

But did you ever stop and consider that while all these companies are busy spending time getting "jiggy" with their lawyers the "free" privacy-anti-theft  software that came with your phone on the o/s in question is actually part of this fight!? Who will end up in control and where will your data be? Who knows?
This is why you should have your own data protection system, controlled by you and totally seperate from the "Big Boys".
This is why MOVESECURE offers a complete solution that is totally controlled by you. Better option-leave them out of your life.

Apple ordered to share HTC deal details with Samsung

A US judge has ordered Apple to disclose details of its patent-sharing deal with HTC to its rival, Samsung.

Apple and HTC signed a 10-year licence agreement earlier this month, but did not make the details public.
Samsung, which is also involved in various patent disputes with Apple, asked the courts to tell Apple to furnish the information.
It said it was "almost certain" the deal covered some of the patents at the centre of its dispute with Apple.
The court ordered Apple to produce a full copy of the settlement agreement "without delay", subject to an "attorneys' eyes only" designation, meaning it will not be made public.
The deal between Apple and HTC saw the two firms settle all their outstanding disputes over patents, ending a fight that began in March 2010.
According to some reports, the two companies were fighting almost 20 cases across the globe.
Legal advantage
While that fight has ended, Apple is still involved in legal tussles with Samsung.

“Start Quote

It is clearly a very smart move from Samsung”

Andrew Milroy Frost & Sullivan

The two rivals have filed cases against each other in more than 10 countries, each accusing the other of violating its patents.

Earlier this year, a Californian court awarded Apple $1.05bn (£652m) in damages against Samsung, after ruling that several of its software and design technologies had been infringed.
However, the South Korean firm has appealed against the ruling and has called for a retrial.
Some analysts said that the latest decision by the court, giving Samsung access to Apple's deal with HTC, may have a big impact on Samsung's legal battle with Apple.
"It is clearly a very smart move from Samsung - because the general feeling is that a lot of its patent disputes with Apple are very likely to be similar to those between HTC and Apple," Andrew Milroy of consultancy Frost & Sullivan told the BBC.
"And if there are similarities, it gives Samsung an advantage in any future legal issues and negotiations with Apple."
'Bad time'
The decision is the latest setback for Apple in its various legal clashes with rivals.
Last month, Apple lost its appeal against a UK ruling that Samsung had not infringed its design rights.

A UK judge ruled Samsung's product did not infringe Apple's design rights

In a further blow, the US technology firm was asked by a UK High Court to publish a statement on its website admitting that Samsung had not infringed its designs.
Sales bans sought by Apple against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in the US were also lifted in October.
Then, earlier this month, a judge in the US dismissed a case brought by Apple alleging that Google's Motorola unit was seeking excessive royalty payments for patents.
"Apple has been having a really bad time of late in its legal battles," said Mr Milroy. "They are going to have to re-examine the legal approach they take from here on."

Antivirus for mobile

Most Android anti-virus products don't work, tests find

Of 41 solutions tested, 34 scanners detected less than 65 percent of 618 types of malware

An independent IT security firm deemed nearly two-thirds of Android anti-virus scanning software "not yet suitable for use as reliable products."

Out of 41 different Android anti-virus solutions tested last month, the German-based security institute AV-Test found that 34 scanners detected less than 65 percent of 618 different types of Android-specific malware.
Software from companies including AVG, Bitdefender, ESET, Norton and Trend Micro detected between 65 and 90 percent of malware. In the second bracket of solutions, detecting only 40 to 65 percent of malware, fell products from BullGuard, Comodo, McAfee, NQ, Total Defense and G Data, leading AV-Test to conclude that "these vendors may not yet have a sufficient infrastructure to collect a broad range of malware or they focus on a local market."
Av-Test recommended choosing Android anti-virus software and considering mobile security solutions that offer backup and anti-theft protection as well. To add a much-needed layer of security

Telegraph.co.uk

Is anti-virus software needed for my Android smart phone?

Conrad Eades, by email

There’s no need to panic, yet… Android is based on the Linux operating system, which is very secure, however, viruses, trojans and spyware do exist. Android has an effective safeguard against infections and users have to give permission for apps to install files or access information so when installing an app check for suspicious requests. For example, there is no good reason why a simple game or compass utility, say, would need to access your messages or contacts.
Note from Movesecure: Protection against infection is recommended as you see from independent sources. Protection for you data and Privacy is also recommended BUT NOT covered by most all software makers. MOVESECURE


In the Android (Droid) Marketplace, you will come across dozens of internet security options for the Droid. Some of the apps are free, some of them cost money and all of them are from companies from around the world. This massive selection can be confusing, but the real question is: As an Android user, do you really need antivirus software in the first place?
The Antivirus Debate
Most people know that computers need protection from spyware, Trojans and other types of malware, but are smartphones susceptible to the same attacks? Smartphones like Androids are connected to the internet, which is the number one source for most attacks. They are also used to open email and questionable websites, which are all common points of attack for hackers and scammers. So, you would think that an Android smartphone would need to be protected just like a personal computer.
The problem with this logic is that most viruses are programmed to attack Windows or Mac operating systems. Android phones use a completely different operating system. This means that, essentially, a virus designed for a Windows operating system wouldn't know how to harm an Android phone, even if it was deep in the CPU.
The biggest threats to Android smartphones are infected apps. Infected apps can steal information from phones or disable them completely. Currently, there are only a few dozen infected apps known that target Droid operating systems.
Newer Droid operating systems are often unaffected by infected apps because they are so changed from the original system that malicious apps don't know how to infiltrated the newer version. If you have a phone with an older system, you can avoid infection by not downloading apps from untested providers.
What Should I Know About Security Apps?
Even with this diminutive threat, some people may feel more secure using security apps for the Droid. Before downloading any type of security software from the Android Marketplace, though, understand that most apps are made by independent publishers. This means that the app could be just as malicious as the viruses you are trying to protect your phone from. Always purchase** your app from a reputable company that you have researched using sites like this one.
The Downsides to Android Protection
While virus protection may be an important Android add-on, it does have some major drawbacks. Most importantly, virus-protection software operates constantly, running down your battery. Energy hemorrhaging can hamper even casual smartphone users.
Slow processing speed is another drawback to internet security software for the Android. If you like to play games or cruise the internet while using your phone, you may find your favorite tasks hindered considerably after a security software download.
Unless you download questionable material from the internet on a regular basis using your Android phone, there is really no need to install antivirus apps. They can slow down your system, drain your phone's battery and may even have hidden viruses. The best way to defend your phone from infection is to avoid downloading dubious apps, opening suspicious emails and visiting unverified websites.
Note from Movesecure:
** Remember, you get what you pay for. "Free" apps and software are often malicious and very often just looking to "harvest" personal info (i.e. e-mail address, phone #, address.....) Also, the "Free" app you have downloaded can stop working at any time leaving you completely unprotected. BEWARE OF FREE APPS**