A new report from Reuters, citing anonymous sources, says that Google's new Nexus 7 tablet will be released in July and could be priced at the low-low price of $149. This would be $50 better than the current version, which was the best small tablet until the arrival of the iPad Mini. It's still the best for its price point and better generally than Amazon's Kindle line of tablets. Reducing the price by $50 for the entry level Nexus 7 would not only drive more sales but put enormous pressure on Google rival Amazon, which has generally been selling Kindle Fires at break even. The repor [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iPad | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus

There's always been a kind of paradox at the heart of the Android ecosystem: it's the dominant smartphone OS, but its users don't dominate the mobile Internet. Mobile browser and Internet usage numbers don't line up with handset market share. Google has always promoted its raw Android activation numbers as a way to show momentum (and boast vs. Apple). However, now that it has essentially won the market share contest, it's starting to focus on different metrics that are more meaningful -- a substantial percentage of Android users are relatively "passive" when it comes to apps and the mobile [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Mobile | Statistics: Popularity & Usage

Facebook is announcing big news next Thursday at its Menlo Park headquarters. Invitations to attend a product announcement invited media professionals to  "Come see our new home on Android." Will it be a Facebook phone? Speculation is that this might be the long-rumored Facebook phone. 9to5Google reported that Facebook joined forces with HTC and has been working on a major marketing campaign to support the upcoming product launch. Marketing Land will be on site during the event with live blogging to cover the product announcement as it happens next Thursday, and updates here and on our [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Facebook | Facebook: Apps & App Center | Facebook: Business Issues | Facebook: Mobile | Google: Android | Top News

Since the announcement of Google Reader closing shop July 1, Feedly has taken the lead for top news app on Androids, iPhones and iPads. After winning the No. 1 spot for news apps on Google Play and U.S. iTunes App Store last week, Feedly showed up No. 2 on Google Play and No. 4 on the U.S. App Store for both iPhones and iPads as of March 24. While a slight drop from last week's rankings, Feedly continues to out-rank other mobile Google Reader alternatives like NewsBlur, a favorite of our corresponding editor, Gary Price. Earlier this month, more than 500,000 Google Readers  transitio [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iPad | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Google Reader

What did Andy Rubin do the day it was announced he was moving on from Android to a "new chapter" at Google? He made a nostalgic post not on Twitter, not on Google+ but rather on Facebook, where he's suddenly been busy. I know Rubin has had his Facebook account for at least several months, if not longer, because I've followed him there for some time. He just wasn't active. That all changed on March 5, about a week before the news of his shift away from Android was announced. On that day, he updated his profile picture: That same day, he also added information to his Facebook Timeli [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Top News

Google's early fantasy about mobile was that apps would eventually lose favor in favor of HTML5 and the browser. This is consistent with Google's outlook and competitive history vs. Microsoft and Apple: the Internet and the cloud vs. proprietary operating systems and software. Yet, to date, apps have largely won out over the mobile Web. According to Nielsen, US mobile users spend just under 80 percent of their time with mobile apps vs. the mobile Web. And, comScore has said that "four out of five" mobile minutes (roughly the same amount) are spent in mobile apps. Last week, we discovered [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile

[caption id="attachment_36725" align="alignright" width="324"] The Pebble[/caption] Consumers have only recently gotten used to smartphones and barely integrated tablets into their routines. Soon they'll be presented with yet another mobile device: wearable computers (watches) from both Apple and Samsung. There are other companies offering or developing versions of a "smartwatch" as well. One such device is the Pebble smartwatch (pictured at right), which raised a record $10 million through kickstarter. It integrates with the iPhone and Android smartphones. The anticipated Apple iWatc [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Apple: Siri | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Features & Analysis | Google: Android | Google: Glass | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing

At a Broadway-style premiere this evening at New York's Radio City Musical Hall, Samsung unveiled its heavily anticipated Galaxy S4 handset. The event had the hype and production values of an Apple product launch. But, what barely seemed in attendance was any idea that the S4 is an Android phone or contains Google services. Samsung obviously spent a great deal of money on the show. Parts of it were awkward and many of the scripted jokes fell flat. But, the phone is sure to be a hit. The new S4 looks very much like the Galaxy S III (I watched the live stream and haven't held it in my hand [...]

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Local | Gadgets | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Maps | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus | Samsung | Top News

Samsung formally unveiled the latest in its Galaxy S line-up of smartphones, the Galaxy S4 (or officially, the Galaxy S 4). The phone features a 5" screen without getting larger than the Galaxy S3 plus an array of features that seemingly put Samsung's own brand ahead of Google and Android. For more about the lack of Google in today's announcement, see our separate story: Samsung Introduces Galaxy S4 With Nary A Mention Of Android Or Google. As for the phone itself, you'll find the formal rundown below. Even further below, you'll find our live blogging coverage. The Specs Samsung said [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Features & Analysis | Gadgets | Google: Android | Samsung

[caption id="attachment_36064" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Andy Rubin, left; Sundar Pichai, right.[/caption] Andy Rubin, who has lead Google's Android operating system efforts, will now be replaced by Sundar Pichai. Google says the move today will leave Rubin time to work on a "new chapter" with the company. Google shared the news on its official blog today, saying: Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google. Andy, more moonshots please! Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and App [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Features & Analysis | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Top News

The Verge is now reporting that Google's virtual assistant Google Now is coming to the Chrome browser and Chromebooks. Google Now will apparently be part of a new notification center in the Chrome OS. There's no question that Google Now is a compelling product. Whether we call it a "virtual assistant" or "predictive search" or "ambient search," it is to Android what Siri is to the iPhone -- a differentiator. Last year, it won the "innovation of the year" award from Popular Science. It's not entirely clear how Google Now on PCs would manifest, perhaps a notification box or pop-up i [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus

The US smartphone story has been pretty consistent for well over a year: Android is now on more than 50 percent of US smartphones, followed by iOS. All others are losing share. Samsung and Apple continue to battle for the top two OEM positions in the market (and around the world). January data from comScore largely repeat and affirm this story line. According to comScore's survey data Android had a 52.3 percent market share in January. However the Google operating system slipped a bit (1.3 points) as the iPhone gained. Apple’s share grew 3.5 percent to 37.8 percent. The US is proba [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Market Share | Statistics: Mobile Marketing

While Google's PC search market share may be hovering below 5 percent, Android is the overwhelmingly dominant smartphone operating system in the world's largest mobile market. As a result China may be preparing to take some sort of regulatory action against it. According to a Reuters report the Chinese government released a white paper, through its state-controlled China Academy of Telecommunication Research, that expresses concern about Android's domestic market share. According to figures cited by Reuters Android is on about 90 percent of Chinese smartphones, while iOS has less than 5 [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iOS | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Critics | Google: Mobile | Legal: Antitrust | Mobile Marketing | Social Media Marketing | Top News

Google has tried to walk a fine line with Android. While trying to be true to its "openness" rhetoric about the platform, it has also tried to prevent increasing fragmentation. In addition, it has also sought to prevent any single partner or third party from having too much sway over Android. Google's challenges on both fronts are illustrated by cases involving a rival and a close partner: Yandex (the rival) and Samsung (the partner). At the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain, Google rival Yandex formally introduced its own Android app store. (The Yandex Store was first ann [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Mobile | Samsung | Top News

Here's more stuff for Google to sell through its forthcoming retail stores: touchscreen Chromebooks. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google and unnamed hardware partners are developing new Chromebooks with touchscreens: Google Inc. has developed the first touchscreen laptops powered by its Chrome operating system to be sold later this year, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Internet giant tries to go toe-to-toe with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows operating system. Interestingly, the new Chrome devices also would compete with devices powered by Google's other operati [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Content Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Chrome | Google: Mobile | Google: Nexus

According to ad network Chitika's latest traffic study, Samsung's Galaxy S3 has caught the iPhone 5 in terms of the amount of Internet traffic it generates. The findings are drawn from "tens of millions of U.S. and Canadian smartphone mobile ad impressions" this month. Chitika said that in October 2012, Apple's latest iPhone enjoyed an 8-point lead in Web traffic share over Samsung's Galaxy. Now, it's down to one point, according to the ad network. The chart below reflects the comparative shares of the Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 5 when looking only at traffic coming from the two devices. [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Samsung | Statistics: Market Share | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Popularity & Usage

Woe be to any mobile phone maker that isn't named Apple or Samsung. Numbers out today from IDC show the two combining for a staggering 87.6 percent of all smartphones "shipped" in 2012 on a global basis. In Q4, according to IDC, the two companies' products constituted 91 percent of all smartphones shipped. Shipped is actually a false market share metric. That's because shipments don't always equal sales or usage. However, in the case of Apple and Samsung these data are a reasonable proxy for actual sales. According to IDC, Samsung controlled 42 percent "of all Android smartphone shipment [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Microsoft: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Samsung | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Popularity & Usage | Top News

Google (and Motorola Mobility) have counter-sued the UK's BT Group (British Telecom) for patent infringement in the US and UK. This follows a 2011 patent lawsuit filing by BT against Google. Google has probably asserted its patents in an effort to provide some negotiating leverage against BT in any future settlement discussions. The patents at issue concern IP telephony, data management, networking and mobile technology. BT claims that several of Google's services infringe its patents, including aspects of Android. By contrast Google says that BT has infringed its patents with the latter's [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: International | Google: Legal | Google: Mobile | Legal: Patents

Oracle has filed an appeal in its unsuccessful copyright and patent case against Google involving the Java programming language (specifically Java APIs). Oracle acquired Java when it bought Sun Microsystems several years ago. At trial, Oracle was basically shut out on all its claims. It appears that Oracle is only appealing the copyright portion of the case. The jury originally did find copyright infringement by Google, but also found that Google's selective use of Java in the Android OS constituted "fair use." Fair use is a defense against infringement. The judge in the case, William Al [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Industry | Google: Android | Google: Business Issues | Google: Critics | Google: Legal | Legal: Copyright & Trademark | Legal: Patents

People are starting to shun conventional mobile phones also known as "feature phones." But sales of smartphones continue to grow. According to sales data compiled by Gartner, global mobile handset sales in 2012 hit 1.75 billion units. However that was a nearly 2 percent (1.7 percent) drop from the previous year. According to the firm, "Demand for feature phones remained weak in 2012 and in the fourth quarter." Indeed, feature phone sales were off over 19 percent in Q4. By contrast demand for smartphones continues. As already widely documented Samsung and Apple were the two dominant smartpho [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iOS | Apple: iPhone | Channel: Mobile Marketing | Google: Android | Microsoft: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Popularity & Usage | Top News