Germany

Synchronoss blames poor Q1 on unlocked iPhones

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:59:54 -0400

Synchronoss reported disappointing Q1 results and slashed future sales and earning forecasts, even though the company powers the synching software that hooks every new iPhone up to the AT&T network. Synchronoss CEO Steven Waldis, however, blames the iPhone for the company's woes, which has led to speculation that more iPhones than previously thought are being purchased in the U.S., unlocked, and sold elsewhere. An unlocked iPhone would not require Synchronoss' services. Another prediction is that Synchronoss has lowered its forecast because Apple is planning on changing its authentication process for future handsets.

For more on the quarter:
- read this report from Forbes

Skype launches mobile app for 50 handsets

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:59:55 -0400

Not surprisingly, having its Carterphone petition called for dismissal by the FCC chairman is not slowing Skype's ambition in the mobile market: Skype is now offering a beta client of its VoIP calling software for some 50 handsets. The client will include Skype to Skype calling, SkypeIn, Skype out, Group chat and presence. The company is launching the service in eight initial markets--one of which is the U.K. The U.S., Australia, France and Germany, however, have been excluded from the beta launch so far.

"These are still the early days for making Skype calls on mobile phones, but we've already made great strides in this space," said Gareth O'Loughlin, GM of mobile and hardware devices at Skype.

For more:
- read this article from ITProPortal

SPOTLIGHT: Analyst: Demand for iPhones in Europe low

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:59:52 -0400

According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, the fact that T-Mobile Germany, O2 in the U.K. and now Carphone Warehouse have all slashed the price of the iPhone means that demand for iPhones in Europe is low. Article

SPOTLIGHT: Trend: Teenagers turning backs on Nokia

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:52 -0400

According to a survey conducted by Habbo across 31 countries, most teenagers agree that Nokia is the No. 1 mobile phone brand worldwide, but since the autumn of 2006 Samsung and Sony Ericsson have ranked higher than Nokia in markets like the U.K., Switzerland, Denmark and Germany. Article

Nokia to pay out $314M to German plant workers

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:59:55 -0400

Nokia has agreed to pay $314 million to compensate employees at a factory in Germany that is recently announced it would close down. The factory's shutdown was met with political outcry in the country and a subsequent flurry of media attention. Negotiators said the final figure is much higher than the $110 million that Nokia originally suggested. Each worker in the 2,300 employee base will receive an average of $126,000. Nokia announced the plant's closing in January, which sparked local trade unions to threaten to call for a boycott on Nokia phones. A prominent German politician accused the handset maker of "caravan capitalism" because it was opening a plant at a lower-cost location in Romania.

For more on the Germany Nokia plant spat:
- read this article from Financial Times

ALSO NOTED: Google Gears goes mobile; Jobs: Flash isn't good enough for iPhone; and much more...

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:59:50 -0500

> Google Gears goes mobile. Article

> Mobile advertising recall and response rising. Article

> Apple CEO Steve Jobs: Adobe Flash is not good enough for the iPhone. Article

> 4INFO plans to tip off March Madness alerts. Article

And Finally... iPhone imitator Meizu's booth is raided and shut down by police in Germany at the CeBIT conference. Article

T-Mobile's VC arm invests in femtocells

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:59:58 -0500

T-Mobile's venture arm has invested an undisclosed amount into the U.K.-based femtocell maker, Ubiquisys. Google, Accel Partners, Atlas Venture and Advent Venture Partners had previously invested in Ubiquisys. Cisco and Intel recently invested in femtocell company ip.access and Qualcomm has put money into Airvana.

T-Mobile said it plans to test Ubiquisys' femtocell technology in trials in Germany, the Netherlands and the U.K. in the coming months. Meanwhile, its U.S. subsidiary is using WiFi hotspots in the home as an alternative to a femtocell solution to improve coverage in the home.

For more on T-Mobile's investment:
- read this article from the Guardian

SPOTLIGHT: T-Mobile Germany dropping Nokia phones?

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:59:52 -0500

Despite the claims of an unsourced report in a German magazine over the weekend, T-Mobile Germany said it has no plans to drop support for five Nokia handsets just because they will enable users to access Nokia's new Ovi platform. Article

ALSO NOTED: Intel's Silverthorne processor; Lenovo embeds HSPA; and much more...

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:59:50 -0500

> Lenovo embeds HSPA into its laptops using Ericsson's modules. Article

> Intel enters low-power chips competition with Silverthorne processor. Article

> Vodafone's U.S. strategy comes under the spotlight. Article

> Rumor Mill: Is Carphone Warehouse becoming a bid target? Article

> iPhone boosts T-Mobile Germany's data traffic by 33 percent. Article

> 3G Linux phone targets emerging markets. Article

And Finally... Forget publicists--do you have an online reputation manager? Article

Nokia faces $17.7B patent suit

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Patent holding firm IP-Com has filed a $17.7 billion lawsuit against Nokia for alleged patent infringement. IP-Com is just under 50 percent owned by private equity firm Fortress Investment Group. Nokia said the patents in the suit are invalid and have not been infringed. IP-Com reportedly acquired the patents from Germany-based Bosch last year.

For more on the suit:
- read this post from Techdirt

ALSO NOTED: Broadcom's impressive Q4; China Mobile IDs prepaid subs; and much more...

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:59:50 -0500

> Broadcom's Q4 earnings beat expectations. Release

> China Mobile may start requiring IDs for previously anonymous prepaid users. Article

> Broadcom founders cited in court. Article

> Sony Ericsson targets the Indian market with two new handsets. Article

And Finally... Nokia to offer workers from Germany plant new jobs in Romania. Article

Nokia: We have achieved 40% market share

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Nokia reported a strong fourth quarter as it reached 40 percent market share and increased net profits by 44 percent to $2.6 billion. The handset maker's net sales grew 34 percent during the fourth quarter. Nokia sold 133 million handsets during the period, which was up 27 percent from 2006's fourth quarter. The strong showing is a contrast to Motorola's weak fourth quarter, which saw a 84 percent drop in net profits for the company.

For more on Nokia's big Q4:
- read this press release

Related:
It's not all rosy. Read about Nokia's problems in Germany. Article

Orange: 20% of iPhones sold unlocked

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 06:59:55 -0500

France Telecom subsidiary Orange has announced that about 20 percent of the iPhones it has sold to customers have been unlocked. The carrier said it sold about 30,000 iPhones during the first five days of sales, and 48 percent of the buyers were new subscribers to Orange. Orange sells the unlocked version of the iPhone for about $964 or for $590 with a contract. T-Mobile Germany just stopped selling its $1500 unlocked iPhone after it won a suit that Vodafone brought against it regarding its "monopoly" over the iPhone in Germany.

For more on the unlocked iPhone sales in Europe:
- read this article from the BBC

Related Articles:
Orange's iPhone launch is in jeopardy Article
iPhone European plans unravel Article
As expected, Orange gets iPhone Article
Nordic operators pursue iPhone deals Article

SPOTLIGHT: Vodafone loses court case over iPhone

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:52 -0500

A German court overturned a temporary injunction which forced T-Mobile Germany to sell iPhones without a contract. Article

Orange sells unlocked iPhones for $964 apiece

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

France's Orange announced that it will sell unlocked iPhones for about $964, much less than the $1500 that T-Mobile Germany is charging for the unlocked devices. iPhone buyers that also sign up for a one-year contract with Orange can get the handset for about $590. Orange offers four different pricing plans, which all include free access to the iPhone's visual voicemail service, "unlimited" access to email and the Internet. PC World, however, noted that the pricing plans forbid reading newsgroups, making VoIP (voice over IP) calls, sharing files over peer-to-peer services or using the iPhone as a modem with a notebook PC.

For more on the unlocked iPhone in France:
- read this article from PC World

France Telecom to sell 100K iPhones in 2007

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:59:55 -0500

France Telecom's Orange subsidiary plans to sell a little less than 100,000 iPhones in 2007 and also plans to offer an unlocked version of the handset for a price that is well below T-Mobile Germany's $1500, according to Orange CEO Didier Lombard. Analysts estimate that Orange has to move about 3,000 iPhones a day to make the goal of nearly 100,000 iPhones by year-end.

T-Mobile Germany rival Debitel also announced that it would provide a $890 rebate for iPhone users who buy an unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile Germany for $1500 and activate it on Debitel's network.

For more on the iPhone in Europe:
- read this article about Orange's plans from AppleInsider
- read this article from Gizmodo about Debitel

Apple uses iTunes to unlock iPhone in Germany

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:56 -0500

According to early reports out of Germany, those iPhone buyers who spend the $1500 for an unlocked iPhone in Germany have the iPhone unlocked when they sync it up with iTunes. Apple has always used iTunes to activate iPhones, but using (software-based) iTunes instead of a hardware-based solution to unlock the phone has surprised some.

T-Mobile Germany is offering an unlocked iPhone to appease rival Vodafone Germany, which filed a suit against T-Mobile for requiring a two-year contract for iPhone buyers, by offering the handset with no contract: For about $1500. The device will retail for about $590 with a two-year contract.

Vodafone won a temporary injunction against T-Mobile Germany after claiming that the terms of its Apple deal are uncompetitive according to German law. A Hamburg court is set to hear the case in two weeks. Vodafone claimed that its aim is not to halt T-Mobile's iPhone sales, but to allow consumers to have the freedom to select their own network provider.

For more on the unlocking reports:
- read this article from MacRumors

T-Mobile Germany offers iPhone for $1500

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

T-Mobile Germany looked to appease rival Vodafone Germany, which filed a suit against T-Mobile for requiring a two-year contract for iPhone buyers, by offering the handset with no contract: For aboutÃ‚Â $1500. The device will retail for about $590 with a two-year contract.

For more on the iPhone launch in Germany:
- read this article from the BBC

ALSO NOTED: Google SMS search in China; Nokia handset patent; and much more...

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:59:50 -0500

> Google launches SMS search in China. Article

> Samsung launches Black and Gold U600. Photo and Article

> Nokia's handset patent looks a lot like the SideKick. Image

And Finally... Scientists find man-sized sea scorpion in Germany. Article

Vodafone Germany makes trouble for iPhone

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Vodafone Germany is making some trouble for T-Mobile Germany's exclusive iPhone deal, which requires iPhone buyers to commit to a two-year T-Mobile service contract. Vodafone won a temporary injunction against the carrier after claiming that the terms of the Apple deal are uncompetitive according to German law. A Hamburg court is set to hear the case in two weeks. Vodafone claimed that its aim is not to halt T-Mobile's iPhone sales, but to allow consumers to have the freedom to select their own network provider. "We believe that T-Mobile has breached a local law in Germany," a Vodafone spokesman told the BBC.

For more on the Vodafone/T-Mobile squabble:
- read this BBC News article

Related Articles:
China Mobile in talks for iPhone deal? Article
Three European carriers get iPhone deals? Article
T-Mobile Germany's iPhone deal confirmed Article