If you thought paying $299 for a 16GB iPhone 3G in White was more than just pocket change, imagine how AT&T feels, paying $325 for every iPhone 3G. At least that's what Oppenheimer equity research analyst Yair Reiner has told clients. Keeping in mind that carriers generally pay a maximum of $200 per handset, Reiner [...]

While the likes of Motorola and Palm are suffering blow after financial blow to its bottom line, Windows Mobile ODM turned world-leading manufacturer HTC continues to beat financial performace expectations. With the posting of the Taiwan-based company's 1Q 2008 financial earnings report, we see that HTC earned NT$32.7 billion (US$1.08 billion) in revenue for the [...]

With Sprint still pushing hard to roll out their WiMAX-based XOHM data network (unfortunately labelled as a 3G tech ), the other big-dogs in the US wireless landscape should be worrying about possible loss of data-revenue to Sprint. But, it turns out that Verizon Communication’s President and COO, Dennis Strigl, isn’t at all worried about Sprint’s impact on Verizon’s choice of LTE as their 4G data network. Strigl reiterated at Citi’s 18th Annual Global Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications Conference that data revenue was the future greenback-maker for the wireless arm of Verizon. Apparently, only 50% of Verizon users have data-capable devices, so there’s a lot of room to grow in that sector - especially with Verizon’s plan to open their network this year . However, it seems that Strigl isn’t fazed by Sprint’s looming WiMAX network rollout in a few months (at least publicly). Trials of the 4G LTE data network are slated to kick off this year , but won’t go live for a couple more years. In that light, Verizon may be starting to feel the heat from Sprint - being first to market with a national broadband network is sure to put a dent in Verizon’s data-revenue. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - “First to market, first in our hearts.” If Sprint successfully markets their XOHM network as the must-have data network in the US, we could see slower and lower adoption rates of the LTE technologies from Verizon and AT&T . Sprint is poised to turn around their struggling business with the first national wireless broadband network, and could redefine themselves as the premier data-network in the US. Of course, we’ll be adopting whatever network serves up the best coverage and reliability at any given time, but the run-of-the-mill road warrior will likely be sticking with what they know to work - Sprint had better get it right the first time around. [Via: MocoNews ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Lebanon gets its WiMAX onVerizon's Answer to AT&T's Apple iPhone - The LG KE850 PRADA Phone?Verizon confirms LTE 4G network trials with Vodafone; to share with AT&TD-Link getting in on WiMAXNokia Readies Shipments Of WiMAX Phones For 2008

Turns out that O2’s claims of the iPhone being the fastest selling device in the carrier’s history wasn’t all marketing-talk. O2’s head honcho recently paid his Jobs-ness a visit in Cupertino, California to presumably give each other their “high-fives” over how well the iPhone is doing in the UK. Despite reports of slow-sales , O2’s Matthew Key told Steve Jobs that O2 should move around 200,000 iPhones by the end of January (we should note that other reports indicate that iPhones have been selling very well). More importantly (especially for O2), Key told Jobs that the iPhone has spurred incredibly high data-usage rates on the UK network. With 60% of iPhone users clocking more than 25MB of data per month, O2’s data revenue has gone through the roof (compared with 1.8% of O2’s general subscriber base using 25MB of data every month). With data-revenue the key money-source from O2’s iPhone customers, it’s pretty much a lock that O2 will be picking up the 3G iPhone when it launches next year. Good for you, O2. Way to meet your iPhone sales goal. [Via: MocoNews ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Apple cracking down on unlocked iPhone sales - limits iPhone purchases to 2 per credit card, no cashAT&T CEO Randall Stephenson confirms 3G iPhone for 'next year'Apple iPhone sales eclipse all other smartphones in July!European carriers commit to revenue sharing plan for Apple iPhone - T-Mobile, Orange, O2Apple to announce 5 million [...]

Apple sparked something of an industry-upheaval with their iPhone business model. Never before had a manufacturer demanded revenue kickbacks from carriers in exchange for handset exclusivity. And, with every single iPhone carrier doling out the big bucks back to Cupertino based on all iPhone revenue, the planet’s largest mobile phone manufacturer wants to follow suit.  “Interviewed by the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung , chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo confirmed the company had an eye on network operators’ charges for new data-based services,” according to Monsters and Critics. But, Nokia isn’t looking for kickbacks based on handsets - they’ll be seeking revenue kickbacks for “new services.” Services like the new “ Comes with Music ” and “ Ovi ” music services are just the kind of money-makers that Nokia wants to use on a revenue-sharing model. Of course, that’s assuming that the services are popular enough to convince wireless operators that revenue sharing is in their best interest - maybe services like those based on Nokia’s recent acquisition of Navteq can be used to leverage revenue kickbacks. [Via: MocoNews ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:AT&T probably kicking Apple back some serious change as part of iPhone revenue sharing dealUnlocked iPhones under fire in Singapore - Apple threatens legal action against unlocked iPhone retailersEuropean carriers commit to revenue sharing plan for Apple iPhone - T-Mobile, Orange, O2China Mobile negotiating with Apple to carry iPhoneApple iPhone Rebate / [...]

Sometimes a changing of the guard is exactly what the corporate-doctor ordered. With the recent announcement that CEO Ed Zander will be taking off on January 1st, and CTO Warrior’s abrupt resignation , Motorola’s future is starting to take on a shimmer - a profitable glow, if you will. Motorola has announced that they are expecting a positive fourth-quarter for 2007. In an effort to calm investor worries over the recent management shake-up, Chief Financial Officer Tom Meredith confirmed operating revenues of 12 to 14 cents per share - which can be attributed to Motorola’s shift in focus from market-share growth to profitable growth. Nokia and Samsung have been eating away at Motorola’s market-share, and it seems that Motorola’s focus on making money rather than recapturing lost market-share has been a positive move. Good for you, Moto. We’re looking forward to all those new handsets that you claimed were on the way for 2008. [Via: Reuters ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:Deutsche Telekom posts 8.6% revenue growth for T-Mobile, 42% data revenue growthMotorola's Sidekick Slide fleet has critical slide-mechanism flawMotorola announces business reorganization plan - struggles to cut costs amid massive lay-offsMotorola Ming coming to US with Windows Mobile!Motorola launches Motorola RAZR2 V8 "Luxury Edition"

Following on last week’s launch of the iPhone in the UK , O2’s CEO Peter Erskine told The Times Online that the iPhone is “the fastest selling device we have ever seen.” As Erskine previously mentioned, O2 has been selling tens of thousands of iPhones since last Friday’s launch - and it seems that Brits are still snatching up iPhones at an impressive pace. We’re not looking for O2 and T-Mobile to break the US iPhone sales record, but if this kind of demand keeps up, it’s not entirely impossible. Either way, we’re sure O2 is ecstatic about these iPhone numbers. It’s just too bad they have to give some of their iPhone revenue back to Apple . [Via: World of Apple ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:iPhone starts selling in UK this Friday; Set to become the fastest selling handset ever?Carphone Warehouse hopes to sell 10,000 iPhones on launchO2's iPhone activation system buckling under pressureApple iPhone is 4th top-selling mobile phone in USWhat would you do?

T-Mobile sure is doing well for themselves. Deutsche Telekom, parent company to T-Mobile, has posted a quarter of positive growth in their mobile venture. T-Mobile has seen a 8.6% year-on-year revenue growth to 8,875 million euros (US$13 billion), with data revenue increasing 42%. Interestingly, it seems that T-Mobile’s German subscriber-base was the only market to miss the mark, failing to post positive growth. The decline in German mobile revenue could be attributed to the mandated reduction of the roaming charges in the EU. Either way, T-Mobile looks like it’s going to keep on keeping on, if you know what we mean. With the launch of the iPhone tomorrow , we’re sure T-Mobile will have an even better quarter Q4. We’re just waiting on T-Mobile USA to go live with its 3G network already - actually, the molasses that is governmental bureaucracy still has to vacate the frequencies that T-mobile intends to use as a 3G band (T-Mobile is most likely ready and rearing to go). [Via: MocoNews ] ---Related Articles at IntoMobile:T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom trademarks the color Magenta!Apple taps T-Mobile as German iPhone carrierDeutsche Telekom snatches up entire DVB-H spectrum in GermanyMobile video set for growth; 46 million subscribers by 2010T-mobile USA reports strong Q2 for 2007