Mobiles reviews - financial

Verizon CEO refuses to believe wireles carriers are doomed to be dumb-pipes

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:09:45 +0000

In a recent interview, Verizon's CEO proclaimed that not only will Verizon Wireless succeed in capturing a significant portion of US customers looking to get in on the mobile internet boom, but that wireless carriers will have the power to control emerging wireless service business models. Rather than coming to terms with his company's, as well [...]

Palm posts $43 million Q4 loss despite increased revenue

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:34:42 +0000

This sounds all too familiar. Like Helio's inability to turn a profit despite increasing their cash inflow, Palm has posted their Q4 earnings to disappointing effect. Palm highlighted the fact that their revenue was up 29%, based on smartphones sales of 968,000 units totaling $296.2 million. But, it wasn't enough to hide the fact that the [...]

Virgin Mobile USA to acquire Helio in $39 million deal

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:11:39 +0000

Not completely unexpected, Virgin Mobile USA has today announced that it will indeed be taking over Helio. The MVNO joint-venture between SK Telecom and Earthlink has struggled to find even a modicum of success in a competitive and cut-throat US wireless market. And, it seems that Helio's financial troubles have finally come to a head with [...]

Worldwide Mobile gaming revenue to hit $4.5bn this year

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:36:36 +0000

Well they are, according to Gartner at least! I am just going to pull some very brief highlights here: Mobile game revenues will reach $6.3 billion in 2011 North America will pull ahead of Western Europe over the next few years and be a larger market as Americans adopt more data services in general Asia is big opportunity: The [...]

EU legislation plans 70% cut in MTRs

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:57:34 +0000

Only yesterday did I report on the somewhat confusing statement from the European Commissioner regarding RPP (receiving party pays), but now we have more TLAs (three letter abbreviations) flying at us - now it's MTRs, or Mobile Termination Rates… read on to see why although a 70% cut sounds good, it could actually mean [...]

Sprint sees record sales of Samsung Instinct

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:55:54 +0000

We all knew Sprint's Apple iPhone-fighting Samsung Instinct would sell quite well, but it turns out that's a gross overstatement. Toting features like EVDO Rev. A, GPS, 2 megapixel camera, WiFi, and full-body touchscreen with haptic feedback (via device vibration), the Sprint Samsung Instinct has the distinction of being the iPhone 3G's most competent rival. And, [...]

UK OpCos refuse to charge to take calls

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:35:45 +0000

I am sure you might be wondering (maybe in fact you know) who this woman is? Well, this is European Commissioner Viviane Reding, who recently commented (during an interview with the FT) that she would not oppose MNOs that wanted to charge users to terminate calls - potentially paving the way for UK OpCos at [...]

O2 offering iPhone 3G on 'Pay and Go' plans

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:37:01 +0000

Yesterday we got word that O2 would be offering their UK iPhone 3G customers the option to go pre-paid with the next-generation iPhone 3G. The UK O2 website indicated that the 8GB iPhone 3G would be available for £299.99 (about $600) without contract, while the 16GB iPhone 3G would command a £359.99 (about $700) price-tag [...]

Virgin Mobile USA to take over Helio

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:41:49 +0000

While no official announcement has yet been made, the Financial Times is reporting that a source close to the situation has indicated that a tentative agreement has been struck between Virgin Mobile USA and Helio. The deal would have Helio essentially being absorbed within Virgin Mobile USA's larger wireless network. Virgin Mobile USA and Helio have [...]

Virgin Mobile USA announces 'Totally Unlimited' calling plan - unlimited calling for $80

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:37:45 +0000

Virgin Mobile USA, determined to increase its marketshare in the face of unlimited calling plans from all the major US wireless carriers, has announced its own unlimited calling plan. And, as the joint venture between Sprint and Virgin Group is poised to become the sole MVNO (they're something of a pseudo-MVNO, like Boost Mobile) to [...]

New business model paves way for Apple to move 23 million iPhone 3G handsets in 12 months

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:57:45 +0000

By now it's obvious that Apple is planning to hit the global smartphone market hard with the next-generation iPhone 3G priced at just $199 for the 8GB base-model. And, we already know that the iPhone 3G will be selling like Botox treatments in Beverly Hills. But, just how many iPhone 3G units will Apple sell through [...]

iPhone 3G costs Apple $173 in parts, and how Apple saved $53 over the original iPhone

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:10:41 +0000

Following on previous estimates that the iPhone 3G totaled up a BOM (bill of materials) in the neighborhood of $100, iSuppli, the supply analysis experts have come out with their own estimation of how much the iPhone 3G costs Apple to make. iSuppli puts Apple's parts out-go at $173 for the iPhone 3G, compared to $226 [...]

Apple named in touchscreen device patent lawsuit over iPhone's touchscreen

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:46:39 +0000

We've already seen iPhone related lawsuits cropping up from legitimate patent holders as well as frivolous settlement-hunters. And, with the iPhone 3G set to go live on July 11, we're seeing another round of iPhone lawsuits start to surface. Typhoon Touch Technologies has just named Apple, in their multi-defendant lawsuit, for violating two patents regarding a [...]

Analyst: Prepay iPhone 3G for $600?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:41:32 +0000

If there's one thing Apple does well, it's designing slick products and pushing brand awareness (with relatively little marketing). Okay, that was two things. But, Apple's just as fallible as any other company. The iPhone is a great example of a device that was poised to bring about a revolution in the way that the US [...]

AT&T paying Apple $325 for every iPhone 3G?

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:59:47 +0000

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 [...]