AnchorFree, which distributes the world’s most popular consumer virtual private network, is bringing its Hotspot Shield to iOS devices in a new app that also offers data compression to help cut down people’s mobile data usage by up to half. Read more »
Connectivity changes everything. That’s the credo driving just about every corner of our day-to-day lives. As human beings, we are now connected to one another through not just our social networks but also our cars, the books we read, the albums we download and even our own health and wellness habits (to name just a few areas). With that in mind, GigaOM Pro has singled out certain areas in the technology industry where we see this shift to constant connectivity taking place most drastically. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
How much impact does Android’s data thirst have on carriers? Sprint said it expects to get 50 percent more lifetime value from iPhone users over other smartphone users because of the network efficiency of iPhones. That suggests that Androids are putting significant strain on mobile networks. Read more »
One of Sprint’s only marketing advantages was its promise of unlimited 4G broadband. But that distinction is fading fast. Today, the carrier announced it was doing away with unlimited 4G mobile broadband for hotspots and devices and was instead instituting three new tiered data plans. Read more »
There’s a mild uproar spreading among AT&T iPhone 4S customers who are running into the apparent loss of their grandfathered unlimited data plans when upgrading to the iPhone 4S online. Don’t worry, it isn’t AT&T trying to screw you; it’s just isn’t great at UX design. Read more »
The ouster of CEO Carol Bartz last week punctuated a disappointing couple of years for Yahoo, and nowhere is that disappointment more glaring than in mobile. Yahoo’s presence has waned as the iPhone and Android have fueled a surge in mobile data consumption. Meanwhile, Yahoo’s traffic on ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Onavo, a clever free mobile application that compresses data on iOS, is now turning its eyes toward the data-hungry Android platform. Onavo Lite does not apply Onavo’s full data-compression technology, but provides some helpful data tracking and management tools that can help limit data usage. Read more »
The mobile world is witnessing an amazing feeding frenzy of patent litigation. Among other cases, Apple is hoping to slow the momentum of Google’s Android by pursuing infringement claims against HTC, Motorola and Samsung; Skyhook and Google are locked in a “location battle royale” regarding positioning ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Mobile data efficiency isn’t a sexy feature that moves a lot of apps and devices, but it’s increasingly going to be a selling point, as mobile consumers look for savings in an data-capped world. Onavo says it can save iPhone users about $1 billion a year. Read more »
Trying to keep up with mobile data costs will be a mighty challenge for network operators, who are looking at delivery costs going up by sevenfold to $370 billion by 2016, according to Juniper Research. Read more »
You know what’s cooler than a billion? A trillion! That’s exactly where the mobile industry is going, according to GSM/Wireless Intelligence, which estimates global mobile service provider revenues will be $1.1 trillion in 2012, thanks to a massive boom in the BRIC economies. Read more »
Carriers are struggling to address the gap between mobile data usage and revenues even as their networks approach capacity. Here’s how they can innovate to better monetize in the era of the ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Carriers are struggling to address the gap between mobile data usage and revenues even as their networks approach capacity. But those willing to embrace new business models and innovative services still have a chance to thrive in the era of the superphone. Read more »
The tablet market is booming as a host of new gadgets come to market, but 3G-enabled devices are gathering dust due to pricey data plans and requirements for two-year contracts. So prepaid data services could help carriers grab a slice of the pie. Read more »
Residential femtocell sales continue to lag due to overpriced hardware and the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi in the home. But opportunities still exist for femtocells in the enterprise and as a crucial component of carriers’ overall mobile networks. Read more »
LinkedIn is enjoying a banner year, but unlike Twitter and Facebook the social network doesn’t enjoy much mobile traffic. It has a chance to be a major player in the booming mobile industry, though, if it pursues a few ambitious goals. Read more »
More capable smartphones and tablets, combined with a growing number of online video services are heavily increasing mobile media consumption: Limelight’s data shows a 600-percent jump from the past year and that’s a bad sign for those hoping unlimited data plans will stick around. Read more »
At the IEEE Technology Time Machine Symposium last week I heard the world’s leading academics, engineers, executives, and government officials project what the world will look like in 2020. The future brings technology together for everything from enhancing the human experience to improving environmental sustainability. Read more »
Though smartphone users compare the relative cost of their apps by their price, the better measure now that data caps are looming may be the cost of ownership which factors in data usage, argues the maker of a news aggregation app. Read more »
France Telecom said it is in talks with Google about offering segmented services for users, so those who want faster or more stable service can pay more. It’s part of a larger push by FT to come to some agreement with Silicon Valley companies. Read more »
Voice recognition has long failed to gain much traction in mobile thanks to technology that was overhyped and underwhelming. But Apple could once again change the way we interact with our phones by integrating the technology with its upcoming iOS 5. Read more »
Android smartphones are the most data hungry, according to new statistics from Nielsen Co., blowing past the iPhone and other smartphones. But does this indicate more usage on the part of Android users or something inherent in the platform that lends itself to more data use? Read more »
The debate over whether the future of mobile data lies in native applications vs. Web-based offerings is often depicted as a Darwinian contest where only one will survive. But the truth is much more complex than some pundits would have you believe. Read more »
There will come a time when you realize that you want to get something off of your iPhone, and yet you don’t have access to the Mac your normally sync with, or your Mac’s HD has failed. Don’t worry, you can still reach your iPhone’s data. Read more »
Mobile marketing is an emerging industry with tremendous opportunity, but it also is a space teeming with potential pitfalls. Here are some of the key mistakes to avoid for advertisers attempting to target users on their phones. Read more »
Skyfire, which has racked up millions of downloads of its mobile browser, is now poised to announce its first trials with a tier-one wireless carrier in the U.S. The test will establish how well Skyfire can help operators better manage the explosion of mobile video traffic. Read more »
While competitors have introduced smaller and cheaper mobile data plans, Sprint is increasing the price of its data plans for smartphones by $10 a month, applying a “premium data” add-on charge to all smartphones, not just devices that run on Sprint’s 4G network. Read more »
T-Mobile UK told customers its ‘unlimited’ data plan now offers just 500 MB a month of data instead of a less limited 1 GB, so perhaps it is time for networks and ISPs to finally stop faking the concept of all-you-can-eat data with marketing lingo. Read more »
The always-unpredictable mobile space enters 2011 at a particularly dynamic time. Carriers are now bringing 4G networks online, even as their definitions of “4G” vary. Meanwhile, mobile data consumption is exploding and the FCC trying to settle on policies both to regulate the industry and to ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Mobile will play a bigger role than ever during the U.S. holiday season, according to IDC, helping to drive $127 billion in sales. So it’s crucial that retailers tackle a few key challenges to effectively target consumers on their ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Crown Castle completed its $115 million acquisition of NewPath Networks last week, which builds and operates distributed antenna systems (DAS) networks. The deal underscores the increasing importance that technology will play in the future deployment of mobile services. Read more »
Sprint has begun offering femtocells on a case-by-case basis to users who complain about in-home coverage problems. With market expectations huge, that’s a long-overdue move that will further boost carrier revenues and should be mirrored by Sprint’s competitors. Read more »
Much of the data regarding how we used our handsets to keep up with the 2010 World Cup has been released. Here’s what we can take away regarding how we use our handsets and how prepared network operators are to deliver the goods. Read more »
Google’s new App Inventor could create a wave of new apps to serve as vehicles for mobile advertisements. But with Android Market already developing a Wal-Mart-like reputation, the new do-it-yourself developer kit needs to produce apps people really use — and ones advertisers will really pay ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Mobile users browsed the web and checked on scores with their handsets while World Cup soccer games were broadcast, and flocked to YouTube the day after important matches to find video footage of goals, fouls and penalty kicks, according to a new report from Allot Communications. Read more »
AT&T doesn’t want mobile data usage to slow, but it’s herding users toward new punitive mobile data plans and Wi-Fi hotspots. Today at MobileBeat, AT&T CTO of Operations John Donovan laid out plans to translate data usage into dollars. Read more »
Mobile video has the chance to take a big step forward over the next few weeks as users around the world keep up with the World Cup action on their phones, so operators looking to ramp up data revenues in the coming months had better be ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Mobile video could receive a big boost over the next few weeks as users tune in to watch the action on their phones. But carriers must be able to shoulder the data load if they’re to turn those fans into long-term viewers. Read more »
AT&T today restructured its pricing plans for mobile data, killing all-you-can-eat offerings that have long been enjoyed by users with iPhones and other high-end handsets. The move marks the beginning of the era of metered billing — which could significantly impact the world of mobile ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
