PR: New HP Slate 2 Tablet PC for Business. Video.

WorldWide tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

HP today introduces the new slate 2 tablet  PC with expanded touch capabilities, enhanced multitasking performance and embedded security, providing added flexibility to mobile business users.

With a full-featured Microsoft Windows®⁽¹⁾ environment, the 1.5 pound⁽²⁾ HP Slate 2 Tablet PC provides professionals with the flexibility to create, edit and review content on one highly mobile and lightweight device.

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC features an 8.9-inch diagonal capacitive multitouch display for touch and pen input plus includes a new Swype keyboard. The Swype applet enhances the touch experience with comfortable and efficient data entry via one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard.

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC comes with an Intel® Atom Z670 processor with mSATA SSM technology to deliver faster boot times, improved battery life of up to six hours⁽³⁾ and increased performance for business customers.⁽⁴⁾

The optional HP Slate Bluetooth® Keyboard and Case accessory is a new sleek, stylish executive-class carrying solution that bundles the HP Slate 2, a rechargeable Bluetooth keyboard, HP Slate Digital Pen, and ID, business, or credit cards inside a single case.

Designed for mobile professionals, the HP 3115m offers up to 11.5 hours⁽³⁾ of battery life, flexible wireless capabilities,⁽⁷⁾ an 11.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD⁽⁸⁾ display, Beats Audio™ and a high-definition (HD)⁽⁸⁾ webcam for collaboration with peers. The new AMD E450 dual-core⁽⁹⁾ Fusion APU with AMD Radeon HD 6320 graphics provides greater performance than a netbook without weighing professionals down.

• The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC starts at $699 and is expected to be available worldwide later this month.
• The HP 3115m starts at $429 and is expected to be available Nov. 11 in the Americas only.

HP has expanded its business tablet PC line to provide professionals with the flexibility to create, edit and review content on one highly mobile and lightweight device, the HP Slate 2 Tablet PC.

Press Release:

HP Introduces Multitouch Slate Tablet PC for Business.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 3, 2011

HP today announced the HP Slate 2 Tablet PC with expanded touch capabilities, enhanced multitasking performance and embedded security, providing added flexibility to mobile business users.

The company also announced a new notebook PC targeting business, education and government customers.

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC provides instant deployment for business and vertical markets such as education, healthcare, government and retail, where jobs frequently take users away from a traditional desk. With a full-featured Microsoft Windows®⁽¹⁾ environment, the 1.5 pound⁽²⁾ HP Slate 2 Tablet PC provides professionals with the flexibility to create, edit and review content on one highly mobile and lightweight device.

“HP is dedicated to the tablet PC category and continues to listen to customers and improve the product in ways that best address their business needs,” said Dan Forlenza, vice president and general manager, Commercial Managed IT Segment, HP. “The HP Slate includes the right mix of rich features, support for custom-built applications, and the security and connectivity needed for today’s highly mobile and rigorous day-to-day professional environment.”

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC features an 8.9-inch diagonal capacitive multitouch display for touch and pen input plus includes a new Swype keyboard. The Swype applet enhances the touch experience with comfortable and efficient data entry via one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard.

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC comes with an Intel® Atom Z670 processor with mSATA SSM technology to deliver faster boot times, improved battery life of up to six hours⁽³⁾ and increased performance for business customers.⁽⁴⁾

“The Slate Tablet PC’s combination of an Intel Atom processor and flash memory deliver excellent performance,” said Dr. Rick LeMoine of Sharp HealthCare in San Diego. “I don’t know how they do it, but sometimes it seems to me that the Slate runs these applications faster than my desktop PC does.”

Additional hardware and software enhancements to the HP Slate 2 Tablet PC’s security and experience include:

• A TPM Embedded Security Chip protects data – from email to information on the hard drive.
• Embedded Security for HP ProtectTools provides user control and management of the TPM chip to increase secure user authentication, improved personal secure drive integrity, secure email and support protected digital certificate applications.
• BIOS support for Computrace Pro⁽⁵⁾ helps protect against data theft by allowing customers to remotely delete data at the file, directory or operating system level and keep confidential information more secure.
• Through a single user interface, HP Connection Manager offers easy control over wireless connections, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth® and optional integrated 3G Mobile Broadband⁽⁶⁾ for convenient internet and intranet access from more places around the world.

For remote workers, a front-facing VGA webcam enables videoconferencing, and a 3-megapixel camera on the back allows for still image and video capture. SRS Premium Sound provides optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications and an SD card slot allows for expanded storage and sharing capabilities. The HP Slate Dock provides device connection via two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port.

Flexible HP Slate solutions for business

The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC comes with optional additional accessories and business solutions including the HP Retail Mobile Point of Sale (POS) Case, which features an integrated magnetic stripe reader and barcode scanner for retailers. The case attaches to the HP Slate 2 and creates a secure portable POS solution that personalizes transactions, boosts productivity and sales, and integrates into existing application and hardware infrastructure. In addition, the HP Slate 2 helps retailers combine online and enterprise access to applications and services including task management workflows, inventory data and custom orders.

The optional HP Slate Bluetooth® Keyboard and Case accessory is a new sleek, stylish executive-class carrying solution that bundles the HP Slate 2, a rechargeable Bluetooth keyboard, HP Slate Digital Pen, and ID, business, or credit cards inside a single case.

Lightweight business notebooks

Designed for mobile professionals, the HP 3115m offers up to 11.5 hours⁽³⁾ of battery life, flexible wireless capabilities,⁽⁷⁾ an 11.6-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD⁽⁸⁾ display, Beats Audio™ and a high-definition (HD)⁽⁸⁾ webcam for collaboration with peers. The new AMD E450 dual-core⁽⁹⁾ Fusion APU with AMD Radeon HD 6320 graphics provides greater performance than a netbook without weighing professionals down.

Pricing and availability⁽¹⁰⁾

• The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC starts at $699 and is expected to be available worldwide later this month.
• The HP 3115m starts at $429 and is expected to be available Nov. 11 in the Americas only.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Source: HP

Will HP release webOS news at the CES 2012 event?

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

After hearing the last HP webcast in October 27th, 2011   , the executive staff decided to take a “couple of months” to make a decision on webOS. It means two months November and December, but the CES 2012 is ahead always for making important announcements.

I don´t think an announcement  so important might be only to say, we decided to bring webos to printers , PCs and HP cloud and maybe to give us a hope about new webos hardwares, for some time. Sort of and  just like that.  This scenario might happen at the Nov 21^st HP earnings call.

However, if HP is planning to deliver a new business model for webOS , they really need to show off some stuff, at least on the first phase of them and it could happen at the CES 2012, which is the perfect showcase place for electronics products. Maybe a partnership announcement with big names  companies for new webOS hardware or a webOS buyout from one of them? Time will tell. 

HP will be at the CES 2012 in the North Hall Meeting Rooms Booth N246. The event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Las Vegas Convention Center and World Trade Center/Las Vegas Hilton, The Venetian, in January 10-13, 2012.

Related posts: 

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Todd Bradley: Meg Whitman and Jon are working together to make a decision in a couple of months about WebOS

webOS is not shutting down.

Stephen Di Franco: HP continues to work on a better business model around webOS. PSG will continue.

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HP webOS on a HP Pavillon Notebook PC ?

PR: HP Names John Hinshaw Executive Vice President, Global Technology and Business Processes.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

HP Names John Hinshaw Executive Vice President, Global Technology and Business Processes.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 2, 2011

---

HP today announced that John Hinshaw has been appointed to the newly created position of executive vice president of Global Technology and Business Processes.

He will oversee information technology and shared and administrative services, including indirect and services procurement. Hinshaw also will be in charge of optimizing business processes across the company. 

Hinshaw, age 41, comes to HP from The Boeing Company, where he was vice president and general manager of Boeing Information Solutions. There he was responsible for running a new high-growth business, which included delivering information solutions to the U.S. government.

Prior to that role he was global chief information officer responsible for the global IT strategy, operations, process and people. Prior to Boeing, Hinshaw was senior vice president and chief information officer at Verizon Wireless. Earlier in his career he also served as a consultant with Accenture.

Hinshaw will join HP as a member of its executive council on Nov. 15, reporting to Meg Whitman, president and chief executive officer, HP.

“John has an outstanding track record of process excellence and leading large, complex organizations,” said Whitman. “I am confident that he will help position HP for the future through best-in-class IT and shared services administration.”

HP also announced that Craig Flower has been promoted to senior vice president and chief information officer. Flower will be responsible for data management, application architecture, global business intelligence, sales, and product development and engineering applications. Flower has held a wide range of IT management positions within HP since 1984 spanning e-business, customer and sales operations, the Personal Systems Group and marketing. He will report to Hinshaw.

“Craig is a leader who has proven that he can simultaneously deliver more value to the business while achieving significant cost reductions,” said Whitman. “His wide experience at HP will be key in driving new levels of business functionality.”

Source: HP

HP webOS 3.0.5 update on the way. ?

WorldWide Tech & SCience. Francisco De Jesús

Version webOS 3.0.5 was detected today logs applications Programme TV and Lithium Benchmark. In logs application Prigramme TV Cyril Morales one learns this version 3.0.5 is  detected on one TouchPad featuring chip 3G operator AT & T but except a  TouchPad GB .. To Lithium BenchMark a user posted his performance index with sharing  function twitter of applicaition, showing also version number 3.0.5 and  one performance index (the lower the better) impressive 73, maximum  with webOS 3.0.4 one reaches 75-76 to 1.8GHz (by cons, no way know  settings frequency CPU machine in question). Would imply therefore still performance optimization program for  next update OTA of TouchPad towards 3.0.5. Remains whether  this version be issued quickly all TouchPad or then repelled benefit  of a major update 3.1.0. Source: webOS France

Zeebox the 'Facebook of TV' ? Videos.

WorldWideTech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Below video Transcript:

A new service has launched in the UK which aims to dramatically change the experience of watching television.

Anthony Rose, Zeebox CTO and co-founder  explained it:  "Okay I've got Zeebox at my side and I'm looking at the program guide..." Built by the architect of BBC successful iPlayer, Anthony Rose, Zeebox provides TV viewers with a new way to interact with the medium.

"You can sort the guide by regular channel order, or you can say show me the most popular programs right now. Or you can say, show me the programs my friends are watching." TV viewers who want a collective experience can tune in to what their friends are watching or invite friends to watch the same program. Hook it up to a connected TV, and the channel changes automatically. And that's just the beginning.

"What we do is analyze second by second what's playing on television. They're talking about Tom Hanks. I click on Tom Hanks and there's information on Tom Hanks, I can look at the Tweet stream on Tom Hanks, I've got news programs about Tom Hanks and so everything comes out as a neat overlay so you stay within the application. Everything's just one click away." For instance, movies and music featuring - who else, Tom Hanks

"I think the aim for the platform is really to be the Facebook of television. So in the same way Facebook has a website but has APIs where you can put 'like' buttons and can use it to log in and so on, we would like to have a great app but take all the pieces of the app and make them available. So imagine you're a broadcaster and you have this morning show, you could take the stream of what's playing second by second, or the friends who are watching it or the commercial things and put it into your website." Zeebox  users who're not keen to expose the TV viewing habits, can switch on private viewing mode. There are plans to bring Zeebox to additional platforms and territories, including the U.S. in 2012.

The BBC iPlayer and before that Kazaa, , technical driving force behind them , Anthony Rose , this week returns with Zeebox, an iPad app designed to tap the growing trend for “dual screening”.

Zeebox.- What can do users with Zeebox.-?

At the same time:

As watching live TV, you can chat to your friends on Twitter and Facebook, see what they are watching, pull up extra information about a show’s participants or topics, and buy related items.

The app looks something like a real-time TV guide, with the ability to order channels according to popularity, and can also act as a remote control for internet-connected TVs.

Zeebox is already in the App Store’s top five most popular downloads after launching on Friday.

An accompanying website and HTML5 web app go live on Tuesday.

Zeebox  initially launches at the UK market.

Mr Rose co-founded Zeebox in April with Ernesto Schmitt, a serial entrepreneur who has also worked at EMI, DSG and Tesco.

The company raised £5m in venture funding from undisclosed investors.

Zeebox sees a shift for the former iPlayer CTO (who also had a brief stint at British internet-TV venture YouView) from catch-up to live TV.

In spite of the advent of iPlayer, YouTube and digital video recorders such as Virgin Media’s

Tivo and Sky+, the majority of television is still watched at the time of broadcast.

“We expect entertainment to be socially connected, transaction-enabled so we can buy things, information-augmented so we can dig deeper, participatory and interactive,” says Mr Schmitt. “The one place where we consume the vast majority of entertainment – the living room – remains unchanged.”

Many of the biggest shows – from highbrow political slots such as BBC Question Time to  eality-TV hits like X-Factor and even Downton Abbey’s period drama –are already subject to feverish discussion on Facebook and Twitter.

Through hashtags and other semantic smarts, Zeebox will pull this chatter into its app.

Tweeting from the app comes with a link back to the Zeebox site, attracting other

users.

Of course, for many shows there are already dedicated apps for social media, and Twitter and Facebook themselves are doing a pretty good job at working directly with TV companies to drive online discussion and “engagement”.

But Zeebox provides other goodies too. Its servers are constantly processing a live broadcast feed to pull out keywords of what’s being discussed on a show; these are shown on each programme’s page in real-time, to provide extra information from places like Wikipedia, iTunes or Amazon links and relevant ads.

All this, Rose and Schmitt claim, is just making easier what already happens on sofas around the country, citing research that 30 per cent of all internet usage in the UK is done while watching TV; more than half of viewers have one eye on the big screen, but another on the laptop or tablet as they browse the web or send emails.

Although over-35s are not such avid social networkers during shows, the Zeebox app is designed to serve up other kinds of information too.

Rose and Schmitt hope that Zeebox will eventually become a platform for broadcasters’ and programme-makers accompanying apps, as it can provide a new level of detailed data about who is watching their shows.

Ambitious vision to watch.

Source: FT and Reuters.

CES 2012: Pantech SKY Vega 4G LTE smartphone with gestures sensor . Works by wave of the hand.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

CES 2012: Pantech SKY Vega LTE  Android smartphone with gestures sensor . Works by wave of the hand.

Pantech SKY Vega LTE   Android  smartphone ,  1280 x 800 resolution, 4.5-inch display, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, 16GB of internal storage and 1830mAh battery.

Through wave-like sweeps across the phone display, the smartphone user can answer calls, switch songs or move across a photo gallery. The phone’s front camera acts as sensor for the user’s gestures.

Yesterday’s launch announcement was made jointly by Pantech and eyeSight; the latter are developers of the technology that permits the hand-waving. The software works in the same way that gamers control the interface of the Xbox thanks to Kinect.

The Israel-based company’s Hand Gesture Recognition Technology is paired with the Pantech phone but is also software that could run on a tablet with front-facing camera.

Beyond the Pantech alliance, the company has touch-free-software applicable for a range of consumer electronics products--PCs, gaming systems, and navigation systems.

Last month Hisense Group, a Chinese manufacturer of consumer electronics, was reportedly teaming up with eyeSight to integrate the Hand Gesture Recognition Technology in Android-based smart TVs. (Smart TVs allow the user to access the Internet.) The TV construct calls for a 2-D camera on the front that recognizes the hand gestures the user makes for controlling the TV, similar to the way the smartphone operates. There was no word at the time of the announcement when and if the TVs would be available elsewhere than China.

In January, eyeSight will showcase technology under its banner at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Association (CES) show in Las Vegas.

As for Pantech, the new SKY Vega LTE brings the handset maker greater recognition in what’s considered as a next phase of mobile technologies. That next wave is exploring motion as a way of device control. The phone, however, is so far for the Korean market. There were no details at the time of this writing about if and when it will be made available in the U.S.

Summary:

A smartphone that can be controlled touch-free with a wave of the hand in the air is due for the Korean market this month. South Korean mobile phone manufacturers Pantech yesterday announced the launch of a high end smartphone with gesture-recognition technology developed by eyeSight Mobile Technologies. Video demos circulating over the Internet suggest the new smartphone will not only be seen by gadget-hungry buyers as cool but by many phone users as useful.

Neil Harbisson el primer cyborg del mundo. (the first worlds human cyborg)

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Neil Harbisson el  primer cyborg del mundo. (You can read this post also in English after the video which is in Spanish)

Neil Harbisson visitó Quito capital del Ecuador, Sur América para una conferencia y explico el funcionamiento del eyeborg  , el dispositivo que le permite a él escuchar los colores . Neil tiene una condición visual llamada acromatopsia , él no puede más que distinguir blanco y negro  dentro de su visión. Sin embargo este dispositivo le permite captar una infinidad de colores que ningún otro humano puede captar .

“ Yo tengo un ojo electrónico o sea es un sensor  de frecuencias de luz  o sea cada color tiene una frecuencia de luz , esta frecuencia va en un chip . Este chip traspone esta frecuencia hasta que se convierte en audible . Entonces yo puedo escuchar los colores que tengo delante “

Cómo va conectado eso a tú cráneo que es el que transmite a ti sistema auditivo?

“ El sistema que ahora llevo es una instalación permanente , va a presión con la piel y el hueso , entonces los colores y los sonidos en vez de escucharlos por los oídos y a auriculares, yo lo que uso es el hueso , a presión. Como el hueso es ya un amplificador , puede transmitir el sonido y yo lo oigo”

“ Me costó como unas cinco semanas adaptarme  y a escuchar frecuencias de colores . Al principio sólo empezamos con seis colores. Luego mi cuerpo se acostumbró a escucharlos.  Ahora puedo escuchar 360 tonos que van del rojo al rojo, es como un círculo cromático y además puedo escuchar el infra-rojo que es un color que sobrepasa la visión humana .

El diseño del eyeborg empezó my básico con una cámara , unos auriculares y un ordenador  . Entonces yo iba con una mochila y un ordenador  detrás que pesaba 5 kilos , lo pasamos a un ordenador más pequeño , después usamos el wi-fi , después llegó el chip y se comezó a convertir en un ojo más portátil . Ahora es un implante permanente e irreversible , e incrustado en el cráneo .

De momento la batería dura de 14 , 16 , a veces 18 horas , dependiendo de si hay mucho o poco color . El hecho de que surgiera este nuevo sentido , me ha hecho cambiar la percepción del mundo  de forma positiva o sea , ahora para mi la música tiene una calidad más y además tiene color . Todo lo que suena tiene color .

Los colores que suene y que los pueda percibir me ha hecho  entender mucho más el entorno y me da la sensación de que ya no me pierdo nada “

Para saber más sobre el eyeborg puede ingresar a www.eyeb.org.  Le recomiendo utilize Google Chrome ya que la página está en catalán. Con  Google Chrome usted puede traducirla al Español o al Inglés.

ENGLISH: 

Neil Harbisson the first cyborg in the world.

Neil Harbisson visited Quito ,Ecuador, South America for a conference and explained  the operation of the eyeborg, the device that allows him to hear colors. Neil has a condition called visual  achromatopsia, he can only distinguish black and white in his vision. However, this device allows you to capture a myriad of colors that no human can grasp.

"I have an electronic eye or sensor is a light frequency that  every color has, a frequency of light, this frequency is in a. This chip transposes this frequency until it becomes audible. Then I can hear the colors that I have in front of  me"

How will you connect that to the skull that is the audible system transmiter to you?

"The system we now carry is a permanent installation, will pressure the skin and bone, then the colors and sounds instead of listening through the ears and headphones that I use is the bone pressure. As the bone is already an amplifier, it can transmit sound and I hear "

"It took me about five weeks and listen to adapt  me to the color frequencies. At first I just started with six colors. Then my body got used to listen. Now I can hear 360 colors ranging from red to red, is like a color wheel and I can also hear the infra-red is a color that goes beyond human vision.

The design of my basic eyeborg began with a camera, a headset and a computer. So I went with a backpack and a computer behind weighing 5 kilos, we had a smaller computer, then use the wi-fi, then came the chip and become a more portable eye. It is now a permanent implant and irreversible, and embedded in the skull.

So far the battery lasts 14, 16, sometimes 18 hours depending on whether much or little color. The fact that this new sense emerged,  has changed me the perception of the world in a positive way , now  my music has a higher quality and also has color. All that sounds have color.

The colors and sounds can be perceived that made me understand much more the environment and gives me the feeling that I do not lose anything "

To learn more about the eyeborg visit  www.eyeb.org. I recommend using Google Chrome since the page is in Catalan, a spanish dialect. With Google Chrome you can translate it into Spanish or English.

3Q2011: HTC is number one smartphone vendor in the USA

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

3Q2011: HTC is number one smartphone vendor in the USA.

According to Canalys , HTC has become number one smatphone vendor in the USA for the first time with 5,7 millions units shipped this last quarter 3Q 2011 as well as an estimated 70,000 units under the T-Mobile brand.

Samsung is second with 4,9 millions units shipped in the same quarter and Apple is third with 4,7 million shipments.

In the same quarter Samsung is the number one vendor worldwide with 27,8 million units shipped, Apple second with 17,1 million and Nokia third with 16,8 million shipments

Press Release:

HTC takes the lead in the US smart phone market

- A steller performance from Samsung sees it become the world's number one vendor

Palo Alto, Shanghai, Singapore and Reading (UK) – Monday, 31 October 2011

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Canalys today released its Q3 2011 country-level smart phone shipment estimates to clients, revealing that HTC has taken the top spot in the US market. At the same time, a particularly strong performance from Samsung saw it become the world’s number one smart phone vendor. Overall, the worldwide market grew substantially: 49% year-on-year to 120.4 million units.

With phenomenal year-on-year and sequential growth of 252% and 60% respectively, Samsung shipped 27.3 million smart phones under its own brand to capture a 23% share, becoming the number one vendor in APAC, Western Europe and Latin America, ahead of Nokia, Apple and RIM respectively. 

With well-regarded products, such as the Galaxy S II, and significant marketing campaigns, the vendor registered the second highest quarterly shipment total in the market’s history, behind only Nokia’s Q4 2010 performance. In addition, Samsung shipped an estimated 500,000 units worldwide under the Google and T-Mobile brands.

In the United States, the world’s largest smart phone market, HTC shone in Q3 2011, edging out Apple and Samsung to become the leading vendor. HTC shipped 5.7 million smart phones in the US under its own brand, giving it almost a quarter of the market, as well as an estimated 70,000 units under the T-Mobile brand. ‘However you count it, HTC has become a deserved leader in the US smart phone market,’ said Palo Alto-based Canalys Vice President and Principal Analyst, Chris Jones. 

 ‘This is an awesome achievement for HTC, which has built a premium brand in a highly competitive market in just a few short years. It now has a strong range of 4G Android products, with devices ranged by each of the major carriers, and offers some of the most compelling and differentiated products found on the platform today.’

Samsung pushed Apple into third place in the US market, with shipments of its own-brand devices reaching 4.9 million units. Apple’s US smart phone shipments totaled 4.6 million in the quarter and it was affected around the world by consumers waiting for the launch of the next-generation iPhone.

‘Apple did not stir the usual excitement levels in the industry with the announcement of the iPhone 4S, but that was never likely to dampen volumes, due to pent up demand from the later than expected launch and the addition of Sprint as a third carrier,’ said Jones. ‘Early iPhone 4S sales have shown this is the case, and we expect to see a strong Q4 for Apple.’

‘Next week marks the two-year anniversary of Verizon Wireless’s DROID launch, the tremendously successful family of Android-based smart phones in the United States,’ said Jones. ‘Customers who bought early will see their loyalty tested in the coming weeks as their contracts come to an end.’

After a slow start in 2010, AT&T has over-delivered on the number of Android devices it promised to launch in 2011, including the Impulse 4G, supplied by Huawei but AT&T-branded, sold at an aggressive $30 with a contract to target first-time smart phone buyers. Android holds nearly 70% of the platform share in the United States, compared with 57% worldwide.

RIM had another tough quarter in its largest market, where its volumes declined 58% from a year ago and its US market share slipped from 24% in Q3 2010 to just 9% in Q3 2011. It continues to face unfavorable press there and its volumes have dropped significantly despite a refreshed product line that includes its flagship BlackBerry Bold 9900.

‘RIM’s market share has fallen below 10% for the first time, and the current outlook for it in the US is certainly bleak,’ said UK-based Canalys Senior Analyst, Tim Shepherd. ‘While Apple can for now get away with not having a 4G smart phone, no other vendor in the US can. RIM must deliver a competitive high-end 4G smart phone in early 2012.’

‘The picture for RIM in other parts of the world is clearly more positive. It grew 59% in EMEA and 56% in APAC over a year ago, largely driven by the continued popularity of BBM, its BlackBerry Messenger service. The Middle East and Africa and Southeast Asia were particular bright spots, and while October’s outage, focused on EMEA particularly, has hurt RIM’s reputation for reliability we do not expect it to have a substantial impact and expect a decent Q4 performance there.’

‘But undoubtedly RIM needs to deliver new, fresh, exciting products to the market and increase its pace of innovation and execution if it is going to have any chance of reasserting its position in North America. It badly needs to deliver on its potential with its new BBX platform,’ said Shepherd.

Canalys’ research also revealed huge growth in the smart phone market in mainland China, where shipments in Q3 2011 increased by an impressive 160% on a year ago to 23.2 million units. While maintaining very high growth potential, just over 200,000 fewer smart phones shipped in China than in the United States, leaving it a hair’s breadth away from being the world’s largest smart phone market.

‘The Chinese smart phone market is seeing explosive growth, not least from domestic vendors Huawei and ZTE,’ said Shanghai-based Canalys Research Director for China, Nicole Peng. ‘Both vendors are delivering good-quality, attractive smart phones on the Android platform for both the domestic and foreign markets, and their aggressive pricing strategies are enabling them to ship large volumes. They will continue to be an increasingly disruptive force in the global market in the coming quarters.’

Nokia retained its lead in the Chinese smart phone market, though echoing a picture seen around the world, it lost significant ground. Its share declined from 75% in Q3 2010 to 28% in Q3 2011.

‘Nokia has several tough quarters still ahead of it, even in its traditionally strong markets in APAC, such as China,’ said Peng. ‘The recent announcement of its first two Windows Phone devices, however, gives cause for some optimism, and shows that Nokia can still produce innovative and well-designed products. While China is not on Nokia’s initial list of launch countries for its Lumia products, Canalys understands that the market is a key priority for the vendor and expects to see Nokia Windows Phone devices there in the first half of 2012.’

Apple and Samsung also grew significantly in China this quarter, each enjoying growth of 710% and 805% year-on-year respectively.

About Canalys

Canalys delivers smart market insights to IT, channel, and service provider professionals around the world. Our customer-driven analysis and consulting services empower businesses to make informed decisions and generate sales. We stake our reputation on the quality of our data, our innovative use of technology, and our high level of customer service. 

Receiving updates

To receive press releases directly, or for more information about our services or custom research and consulting capabilities, please complete the contact form on the Canalys web site.

For more information:
e-mail press@canalys.com
or call +44 118 984 0520

Source: Canalys

Related post: 

Official: 3Q2011: Samsung confirmed as smartphone number one. Chart.