This was a big week for wireless earnings and market figures, with Motorola grabbing the spotlight from Nokia in the ongoing battle between the two dominating global cell phone makers. Motorola, still milking the success of the Razr, gained significant market share in its attempts to catch up with Nokia. Strategy Analystics says in a research report today that Motorola’s market share in the second quarter of this year reached 22.1%, up from 18.1%–Nokia grew more modestly to 33.3% from 32.5%.

The companies’ earnings matched those figures. Motorola said it brought in $10.9 billion in revenue, a growth of 29% from the second quarter last year, and–even better–earned $1.38 billion in profits, up 49% from last year. Nokia said it generated $12.4 billion in revenues, with $1.4 billion in profits, up 22% and 43% respectively from the previous year. Motorola stock rose 7% on the news.

Two things come to mind from the announcements. First, that the rivalry is getting tougher between Motorola and Nokia as the companies both work on dominating both high-end 3G replacement phones and lower-end models in fast-growing markets. Both companies are opening global stores in competitive markets, rolling out design conscious models that are finding popularity and spending major money on marketing. The ultimate battle will come over China, as both companies are gaining sales in the country.

The other note is that the two companies’ strategies are both working pretty well, compared to the rest of the industry, as Motorola and Nokia increase the distance between themselves and the three trailing cell phone makers, Sony Ericsson, LG and Samsung. The market share between Motorola and the third place maker Samsung was at its largest gap since 1999, points out Strategy Analytics.

Motorola also announced a savvy partnership with Yahoo today that will embedd “Yahoo Go for Mobile” on some Motorola cell phones. A move like that could gain more of Nokia’s customers. Nokia better watch its back!

7:11:50 PM    comment   

National Grid Wireless announced as Platinum Sponsors

5:59:45 PM    comment   

It's big. Very big! -- but the Amsterdam'sInternational Broadcasting Convention (conference and exhibition) hasn't made much of one of its side-shows -- mobile -- until last year. This year, the Mobile sector has doubled in size, with Mobile TV one of the main themes -- and registration is free for those who log on before 21 August. But can I get in?

5:53:36 PM    comment   

BW’s Steve Rosenbush placed MySpace on a short list of companies large enough to create an “ecosystem” of third-party partners today (iPod being a big example of that kind of company/product). Creating this kind of a network, where developers create things for MySpace users that MySpace hasn’t, will help the site continue growing, an analyst said in the story. When News Corp. acquired MySpace last year, the social networking site claimed 17 million unique users. A year later, the site boasts 54 million unique users.
Microsoft partners with companies to develop applications for its operating system and Apple encourages third-party iPod development. Currently, MySpace users can post messages, photos, blogs, and music on their home pages. For the social networking site, a third party product would be a tool that allows users to access their home pages from a mobile phone, something Helio, jointly owned by SK Telecom and Earthlink, is currently doing. While the network is small, this is an important milestone for the site, as it tries to expand using others’ development work.

5:52:13 PM    comment   

Moto catches up on Nokia

On average, more than 2.5 million mobile phones were shipped every day during the second quarter of 2006.âo[oe]

5:27:01 PM    comment   

Digital TV too

Samsung yesterday showed off what it calls a "free folder" phone - a handset that can not only open up vertically, clamshell-fashion but can fold out horizontally the way devices like Nokia's Communicator do.âo[oe]

5:24:05 PM    comment   

The charges are all linked to regulated termination rates across Europe: For a Retail Customer making a call within a visited country: max charge = 2.6 x Termination RateFor a Retail Customer making a call outside a visited country: max charge - KeithJamesMc [TeleBusillis]
5:10:52 PM    comment