Apple is the leading OEM in the US smartphone market, 40% of U.S. Smartphone Users Carry an iOS Device while Apple’s board wakes up and tells CEO Tim Cook to speed up

comScore have published the latest figures regarding smartphone subscriber market share in the US over a period of three months ending in June 2013.

According to these figures, Apple is the leading smartphone OEM with a 39.9% share of the market. In second place is Samsung with 23.7% and then comes HTC with 8.5%. Apple experienced a growth of 0.9% from March 2013 whereas Samsung saw 2% growth over the same period. HTC, meanwhile, had its share drop by 0.5%.

That was for the hardware. In terms of software, Android is at the top with 52% of the market. iOS is at second place with 39.9% and BlackBerry a distant third at 4.4%. Android saw no growth since March whereas iOS gained by 0.9%. BlackBerry dropped by 0.8%.

The US market currently has 149 million smartphone users with 59% mobile market penetration.

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Apple is once again the most-used smartphone brand in the United States, according to research from Nielsen.

The data reports an even 40% of American smartphone users are carrying around iOS mobile devices. Android devices, which utilize the same operating system over a number of physical phone providers, are second in popularity. Some highlights: 24.7% are using Android-operated Samsung phones; 9.4% have HTCs; and 9% Motorola.

See the rest of the breakdown in Statista's chart, below. It's based on each smartphone manufacturer's market share for the second quarter of 2013.

Which type of smartphone do you own? Do these results surprise you?

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A report from Fox Business reporter and former Wall Street Journal scribe Charlie Gasparino, says that Apples board is beginning to worry about the company's "dry spell" in producing innovative productsThe latest report on Apple says the company's board is putting pressure on CEO Tim Cook because the lack of innovation in Apple's latest (and probably upcoming) products.

The Fox Business reporter Charlie Gasparino says Apple's board wants the company to come forward with some changes without further delays. He also says despite the board is pressuring Tim Cook, his job in the company is safe.

The countless rumors we saw throughout the past weeks confirm Apple is already breaking the product pattern and will be releasing a low-cost model of iPhone called 5C. We saw various live pictures of its all-plastic body and we suspect this is probably the first of those changes that the board wants. The iPhone 5C is rumored to pack the same hardware as the current iPhone 5 flagship but to drop the premium aluminum shell in favor of an all-plastic panel.

The next iPhone 5S on the other hand is rumored to bring improved camera and flash as well as a fingerprint sensor. We considered the latter an already dead piece of technology in the mobile phones, but Apple may reinvent this in some new way.The next iteration of the full-priced Apple iPhone, dubbed the Apple iPhone 5S, is supposed to offer an improved camera sensor in order to compete with camera centric models like the Nokia Lumia 1020, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and the upcoming Sony i1 Honami. The iPhone 5S is also expected to have an improved battery and a fingerprint sensor. These new models are expected to launch in September along with a new Apple iPad mini sequel, possibly with a Retina display, and a 5th generation iPad.

And of course, there is the rumored Apple iWatch smartwatch. Now pushed back to 2014, the smartwatch will face competition from almost every major tech manufacturer. With a rumored September 4th unveiling of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch, Apple might not be first to market with the new generation of wristwatch. Something like that could make Apple's board very unhappy, looking for a scapegoat. Remember, the Apple Maps failure also came under Cook's tenure as CEO.

Anyway, it was about time those kind of reports start popping up. Let's face it, Apple has definitely lost some of its magic after the iPhone 4S and the innovation was pushed back in favor of slowly milking existing hardware and waging patent crusades against its rivals. Maybe the board is right to ask for changes.Apple hasnt added a new device in years, the last one was the iPad Mini

In a first: North Korean Smartphone

North Korea, has unveiled what it says is a domestically-produced smartphone. 

North Korea has many problems, including restricted Internet access. The North Korean government has worked hard to keep smartphone technology out of the hands of its people; North Koreans have had to illegally import technology from China if they wished to own a smartphone. Now, North Korea will release its own smartphone, created for the North Korean people. This smartphone called the AS1201 Arirang, after a folk song, is designed to be more accessible, because of both affordability and government approval.

The Korean Central News Agency (which is state run) reports that the device will be in high demand, but a press release with specifications has not been released. For all the regime's efforts, the information barrier erected around North Korea has, in recent years, begun to lose some of its prophylactic power. Smuggled Chinese mobile phones allow people near the border to connect with Chinese servers and make international calls, while re-wired TVs allow access to outside broadcasting. The KCNA report on Kim's factory visit noted that the young leader praised the "Arirang's" developers for coming up with a product that "provides the best convenience to the users while strictly guaranteeing security".

Though the device is claimed to have been built with “indigenous technology,” the photos clearly show it running a stock build of Android.  It also looks like their reports that the device is being built inside a North Korean factory may be false, as the factory Kim Jong Un visited showed no signs of manufacturing. It is speculated that the devices come from China and are just packaged in that factory. Whatever it is , it will be the first North Korea smartphone. Let us all just appriciate the work :)

Some things you didnt know about smartphones !

Today, you don’t literally have to carry your laptop or sit the entire day facing your desktop computer to perform all the tasks that you need to do. You need not have a wired telephone to do international calls either. With the constant technological innovations, almost everything is made possible with the use of a single, handy smart phone. But do you have even the slightest idea why these are called smart-phones? What makes smartphones smart? And what can one do with these types of phones?

Let’s begin with the definition of smartphones. Smartphones are high end cellphones that are most basically distinguished from traditional ones due to its more advanced features. The earliest smartphones combine the feature of a personal digital assistant (PDA) and camera. You can perform outgoing calls and receive incoming calls, send and receive messages and take pictures with this kind of smartphones. But as time passes by, developers continuously adapt to the needs of the users and integrate the latest technologies to these smartphones so other functions can be done as well. Along with the smart phones, tablets are also gaining popularity. Most of these tablets utilize the similar operating systems being used by the smart phones. The only difference of these tablets is that they have more features to offer and quite similar to having a miniature laptop.

But what makes these smartphones smart? The primary reason why it is called that way is because it enables users to do a lot of things with it. Smartphones are smart because of the operating system (OS) it carries.

What are these operating systems? These are a series of programs managing computer hardware and software resources to provide specific services. It is the core, the brain, and the most important part of a computer or any other device such as smartphones. No user can run any application without the presence of an operating system. An operating system makes computers and smartphones work.

The most common smartphone operating systems are Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS, Microsoft’s Windows Phone, Nokia’s Symbian, RIM’s BlackBerry OS, and Linux. The operating system with the highest market share to date is the Symbian with 51%. But this OS is forecasted to be taken over by another operating system in due time. Nowadays, sales figures in application stores show a change of OS preference. Apple App Store, Blackberry App World, Nokia Ovi Store, and Google Android Market ranks accordingly. Users now prefer more advanced operating systems, exploring the complicated yet amazing features that such OS have. Due to the increase of smart phone and tablet users, apps are now being sought after, thus you can have various types of applications built either of ecommerce, games and location based.

What can users do with their smart-phones?

• Make task or to-do lists
• Monitor appointments and set reminders
• Save contact information
• Use the built-in calculator for simple math
• Send or receive e-mail
• Play games
• Get information (news, entertainment, stock quotes) from the Internet
• Watch TV
• Send and receive text messages
• Integrate other devices such as PDAs, MP3 players and GPS receivers
• Take pictures
• Record voice messages
• Record videos
• Transfer and receive files using Bluetooth, GPRS or other forms of technology

With the above-mentioned things that one can do with his smartphone, it is no wonder that conventional or traditional cellphones that only have the calling and text messaging capabilities have now been drastically replaced by continually-evolving and improving smartphones. But unlike the earliest days when smartphones were first introduced in the market, these kinds of phones are not only becoming more user friendly but budget friendly as well. Even the average-income earner can now have a wide array of smartphone choices that he or she can afford within his or her budget limits. Various brands like Samsung, Nokia, iPhone, Blackberry and others come in updated models, styles and operating systems.You being on a tech blog know this already but what many of you might not know is that apart from making calls and the things that you do, your smartphone can aslo : 

Via : Unlockthatphone.com

A smartphone in honour of NaMo(NarendraModi) by NaMo, SmartNaMo(Next generation Android Mobile Odyssey

A China based handset company, SmartNaMo(Next generation Android Mobile Odyssey), started by a group Guajarati businessmen, will be launching a smartphone in honour of Narenmdra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat, by August end.

Sources in the SmartNaMo said to The Mobile Indian, "SmartNaMo is giving finishing touches to a smartphone which will be launched in order to show appreciation to Narendra Modi for the work he has done in Gujarat."

Sources further added, "In the next couple of week SmartNaMo team will present the smartphone to Narendra Modi and request him to grant permission to use his signature in all the NaMo branded smartphone."

SmartNaMo will also be establishing an assembly unit in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) where the NaMo branded smartphones and feature phones will be assembled.

The smartphone, according to our sources, will be the first Android based handset of NaMo and will come with a 5 inch IPS panel display with full HD (1920x 1080) pixels) resolution. The display also comes with Gorilla Glass 2 coating that would provide it protection from scratches. Besides, it will have a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM and 32 GB inbuilt memory. The smartphone also supports a micro SD card of up to 32 GB

Indian govt planning to launch $100 smartphones for the poorer after the lowest tablet Aakash plan

The Government of India is planning to make smartphones priced below $100 or Rs 5,000 approximately to drive country's broadband push, according to a report of The Economic Times.

"The government is exploring ways to encourage the biggest handset makers to produce sub- $100 advanced smartphones on a large scale that will come pre-loaded with the latest entertainment applications and also support mobile banking, telemedicine, education to even farming applications like e-krishi," according to the report.

Currently, many Indian as well as Chinese manufacturers are selling their Android smartphones for as low as Rs 2,800. So government has to offer really something very lucrative to lure people. In 2011, the government had come out with the low cost Aakash tablet which was slammed for both its poor features as well as unavailability. Hopefully, the Indian government would not repeat the same mistake.

According to a report by Economic Times, the proposal was discussed on July 29 during the first meeting of the joint working group on broadband that is co-chaired by the department of telecommunication's (DoT) additional secretary, Rita Teotia, and ex-Nasscom chief, Kiran Karnik, who currently heads the Confederations of India's Industry's telecom advisory cell. But would the move work in favour of the government? Would it be able to impact the lives of billions who find themselves below poverty line, let alone afford a smartphone? Without the availability of local content and availability of application in local languages, would the masses be able to make good use of the power of these smartphones? The questions are countless but the government has very few answers, as usual!

Lenovo X910 to pack Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset

Lenovo is not restricted to PCs, but at the same slowly and gradually making its smartphone portfolio strong. The Chinese major sent right signals during the announcement of K900, a solid piece of hardware with Intel Atom processor inside. Since then, Lenovo hasn't announced any new high-end device. Of course, IFA Berlin is nearby and surely this tech vendor wants to showcase its upcoming handsets in Germany. Industry insiders have now started to say that Lenovo could announce a successor to K900 in September at IFA. In the meantime, a report by GForgames has come with an exclusive information about Lenovo's next big ticket handset. Lenovo X910 Tipped for Launch at IFA Berlin with Snapdragon 800 The phone is said to be the flagship device and based on Antutu benchmarks - it will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. Currently codenamed - Lenovo X910, the handset has been tested in China. Indeed the benchmark results are exceptionally great. The Lenovo X910 is said to be powered by Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and has managed to achieve 29231 points, based on Antutu benchmarks. Now the big question is the original K900 comes with Intel Atom processor, while this very version has Snapdragon 800 processor. This could mean that either Lenovo is planning to launch a new version of K900 packaged with Qualcomm chipset. Or its time to see a brand new handset that is will be available globally. The critical success of K900 might be the reason, why Lenovo is looking to crush biggies like Samsung and Sony with its forthcoming X910 handset. At this year's IFA tech show, Lenovo is not alone who will announce a smartphone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. The South Korean giant Samsung is also planning to announce a re-charged version of Galaxy S4 with Snapdragon 800 processor. The Japanese titan Sony is also believed to announce Honami i1 and Honami i1 Mini, with new age processor. The makers behind PlayStation Vita have already announced Xperia Z Ultra with Snapdragon 800 processor. Even HTC is prepping HTC One Max with ultra fast chipset. When Lenovo announced K900 in the Indian market, GizBot got a chance to interact with Nick Reynolds, Executive Director, and Worldwide Product Launch - Consumer at Lenovo. When specifically asked about company's upcoming smartphones, the executive told us "Wait for IFA Berlin". Now we may think that why Mr. Reynolds was so confident with the future of Lenovo. Lenovo had introduced K900 in India and surprised everyone with its large screen and performance. But now the company is making even a better smartphone, if a report of GforGames blog is to believed. Actually the blog claimed to have spotted a listing of Lenovo X910 device running Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 800 chipset. This is a powerful chipset targetted at the premium and top level smartphones.

As per the blog, the Lenovo X910 was listed at the AnTuTu Benchmark listing with the score of 27931 and the Snapdragon 800 chipset was clocked at 2.2 GHz . No other details about the handset were available apart from the fact that the device was running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update. Lenovo X910 smartphone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean can be expected sometime later this year. Hopefully, this device is made available in India too.

South Korea smartphone ownership triples in 2 years , highest in world

The latest figures coming out of Asia indicate that South Korea has continued its dominance as the country with the highest global smartphone ownership, with some 73% of users polled owning smartphones.

This is close to triple the number in 2011, when the country had just 27% smartphone penetration.

This is the second year in a row where the country leads in this sector, where some 67.6% of mobile consumers owned smartphones last year. This is quite impressive considering the global average is just 14.8% and even most developed markets sit at just over 50%.

Besides showing the fastest growth amongst surveyed countries, some 72% and 43% use their smartphones for surfing the web and watching videos, respectively, with the average number of apps installed coming in at 40.1.

South Korea’s growth in this sector can undoubtedly be attributed to its status as the backyard of tech giants like LG and Samsung, who have had significant impacts on the country’s’ landscape and economy through their advances in mobile technology over the past couple of years.
via GSM Arena

Samsung Galaxy S IV with Snapdragon 800 processor AnTuTu benchmark leak, Samsung Galaxy S IV dual-sim at 27990 inr

Not content with just two versions of its Galaxy S4 flagship (Active, mini, zoom aside), Samsung created a third version - a South Korea-exclusive S4 with Snapdragon 800. We’re getting more and more indications that there will be an international version of that phone. First there were some pretty impressive AnTuTu benchmark scores, now there are screenshots from another AnTuTu run. The total score is lower than the previous leak, lower than even the Korean Galaxy S4 LTE-A benchmarks. The GPU score is close to the 9000+ points Adreno 330 usually scores - high above the 5000+ of Adreno 320 and above even the 8000+ of PowerVR SGX 544MP3 in the Exynos 5 Octa version. Anyway, the screenshots confirm the I9506 model number, 2.3GHz Krait 400 CPU and Adreno 330 GPU. Those are all the ingredients of a Snapdragon 800 chipset, which has LTE-Advanced (Cat. 4) connectivity or 150Mbps downlink speed. The phone was running Android 4.2.2, same as the current Galaxy S4. The software is most likely unfinished, which explains the inconsistent scores. Unfortunately, all the rumors so far have failed to deliver a believable announcement date - the upcoming IFA event is a possible target, but historically it’s when Samsung announces the Galaxy Note. Unfortunately, the leaks or benchmarks don't tell us anything about the launch dates! Currently the Samsung Galaxy S4 is available with either a Snapdragon 600 or an Exynos 5 chip onboard, but a third processor configuration could soon be available as well.

Last week we reported on the Galaxy S4 SHV-E330S, powered by a Snapdragon 800 and featuring LTE-Advanced support. Now the device has appeared again in AnTuTu, breaking all existing records.

Why the big jump now? Honestly, there are many possible reasons. First, every time you run a benchmark, you are likely to get a slightly different result. The reason for this is that sometimes different resources and background processes may be running that could effect the result. Additionally, the Snapdragon 800-powered Galaxy S4 might not have been properly optimized at the time of the first test. Keep in mind that there is still the possibility that the SHV-E330S is a fake. That said, the same handset number has already passed Wi-Fi and DLNA certification, so it is seemingly more and more likely that the SHV-E330S is real. The biggest remaining question is where and when the handset might emerge. Currently all evidence points to the Snapdragon 800-powered S4 coming exclusively to Korea, though again – nothing is official until Sammy says it is. If the Snapdragon 800 model of the Samsung Galaxy S4 does make its way outside of Korea, would you be interested in picking it up?

The single SIM version of Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has been available on the market for a few weeks now, but its dual-SIM counterpart has hit shelves only recently. The good news is that Samsung I9192 Galaxy S4 mini is not limited to only a few markets, as the South Korean company has decided to globally roll out the device. According to GSMArena, the dual-SIM version of Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is now available for purchase in the US via Amazon, Cells4U and a few more online retailers. The cheapest is up for grabs at Cells4U at only $470/€360 off contract, while Amazon offers the smartphone for $483/€368. Android fans in India will be happy to know that both white and black versions of dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy S4 mini are now available for pre-order via Flipkart for Rs 27,990 outright, which is about $470 or €360. The handset is expected to arrive in other countries such as Mexic, Spain and Egypt, but no details on the exact release date have been disclosed yet. Aside from the fact that it comes with dual-SIM support, Samsung I9192 is no different from its single-SIM brother. It runs the same Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system and packs a similar 1.7 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400 processor. The smartphone also features an Adreno 305 graphics processing unit, along with 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory that can be further expanded up to 64GB via microSD memory card. Samsung Galaxy S4 mini sports a more than decent 4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution and features Corning Gorilla Glass coating. On the back, it boasts an improved 8-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, while in the front, there’s a secondary 1.9-megapixel camera for video calls.

War of chipset makers benefits Smartphone buyers

There was a time when interesting and powerful specification was for high end smartphones only but not anymore. The war between chip makers like Mediatek, Qualcomm and to some extent Intel and Nvidia will benefit the end consumer as these chipmakers try to bring more powerful and yet fully integrated chipsets to the market at cut throat pricing. A glimpse of the same is already reflects in the fact that handset makers now have managed to launch quad core processor based phones for even less than Rs 9,000.

But the war isn't showing any signs of letup as many chipset makers have made a slew of announcements that points to smartphones with specifications that not so long ago was equated with laptops only.

Here is a look at all the chipmakers portfolio to know what is already being planned with few launches already happening and what is store for you in next few months from smartphones brands. Though we warn you that if you are in an urgent need of buying a phone you should not read the story as you might want to delay your purchase for few more days.

Galaxy Ace 3 up for sale in US and UK

The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 was unveiled last month. It's the successor of one of the most popular mid-range droids, but represents a pretty minor update over it. Built around a 4.0" WVGA TFT display and running Android 4.2.2, the Galaxy Ace 3 comes in three flavors - 3G (S7270), LTE (S7275) and dual-SIM (S7272). Depending on which one you choose you get either 1 or 1.2GHz dual-core CPU. Samsung was expected to launch the Galaxy Ace 3 in this quarter and it seems various USA retailers have already got the Ace 3 in stock. You can have the unlocked 3G version at about $300 from Popular Electronics.Negri Electronics is expecting to re-stock the Ace 3 soon and is offering it a bit cheaper at $281.50. It’s also available through Overseas Electronics, but is way more expensive there. There is a nice unboxing video on its page though. The Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 will be hitting the UK this September. The LTE model costs £240 at Cloveand you can already book yours. Both black and white paintjobs will be available. Expansys also has it on pre-order, but it cost about £70 more there.

Incase you have forgotten

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions
	3G Network	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - GT-S7270, GT-S7272
		HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 - GT-S7275
	4G Network	LTE 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2600 - GT-S7275
	SIM	Optional Dual SIM (Mini-SIM)
	Announced	2013, June
	Status	Available. Released 2013, July

BODY	Dimensions	121.2 x 62.7 x 9.8 mm (3G) / 121.2 x 62.7 x 10 mm (LTE)
	Weight	115 g (3G) / 119.5 g (LTE) (4.06 oz)

DISPLAY	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	480 x 800 pixels, 4.0 inches (~233 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 64 GB
	Internal	4 GB (3G) / 8 GB (LTE), 1 GB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	Speed	HSDPA, 14.4 Mbps (3G) / 42.2 Mbps (LTE); HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
	Bluetooth	Yes, v4.0 with A2DP
	NFC	Yes (LTE model only)
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Features	Geo-tagging, face and smile detection
	Video	Yes, 720p@30fps
	Secondary	Yes, VGA

FEATURES	OS	Android OS, v4.2 (Jelly Bean)
	CPU	Dual-core 1 GHz (3G) / Dual-core 1.2 GHz (LTE)
	Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	HTML5
	Radio	Stereo FM radio with RDS
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
	Colors	Black
		- MP4/H.264/H.263 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player - Organizer - Document viewer - Image editor - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input (Swype)

Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 is a dual sim smartphone with 2G 3G and 4G support. It is expected to come in Q3 of 2013 (any time now or in couple of months). The 3G version of the device weighs 115g and the LTE version weighs 119.5g. The device adorns a 4.0 inch display. The internal memory is 8GB(3G)/16GB(LTE) and has a 1GB RAM. It has WiFi Bluetooth and USB connectivity facilities. The LTE model also supports NFC. The device has a 5MP camera and a secondary VGA camera and can record HD videos. The smartphone runs on Android v4.2 Jelly Bean. The CPU is 1GHZ (3G) / 1.2Ghz(LTE). This device is estimated to be around 20k inr. MY TAKE: The internal memory is insufficient for heavy users ( The RAM). The camera is also poor for the price. The video player is quite good. The device is a excellent fusion. But is it worth the price? The biggest contender for it will be the Micromax Canvas4 

 SOURCE & VIA : GSM Arena