aninews.in - Washington, Feb.2 (ANI): Payments made via mobile devices have reportedly increased by 55 percent over last year, amounting to19.5 percent of all transactions processed worldwide in December by Amsterdam's Adyen.
While payments made by mobile phones were mainly from smartphones, Apple iPads and iPhones were the most used devices among the lot.
According to the PC World, iPad accounted for 41 percent of mobile transactions during the busy September-December period and Apple iPhone acquired the second place with 31.6 percent of mobile-payment transactions.
Meanwhile, Android smartphones recorded 20 percent and Android tablets at just 6.6 percent, whereas, Microsoft Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices each accounted for less than 1 percent. (ANI)

pcbdesign007.com - Presenting its outlook for the African telecommunications market in 2014, International Data Corporation (IDC) today predicted a wave of growth in digital and media content over the coming 12 months as smartphone ownership explodes and African telecom users become more sophisticated in their use of mobile applications. The global research and market advisory firm also indentified the ongoing, rapid deployment of 3G networks across the continent and the fledgling expansion of LTE services as key drivers of this growth in content.
"African telecom service providers are intensifying their efforts to develop their own application stores and generate local content, with smart phone shipments up more than 40% year on year in 2013," says Spiwe Chireka, program manager for telecommunications and media at IDC Africa. "These developments, coupled with the growth in mobile data consumption through smart devices, are setting the scene for the spread and use of smartphones and mobile applications in 2014. Last year marked a turning point for LTE networks in Africa, with the number of commercial deployments in the region increasing to 20, up from 4 in 2012. As a result of this accelerated growth, services such as enterprise mobility are set to become more and more commonplace in the year ahead."
IDC's Africa Telecommunications Market Top 10 Predictions for 2014, as presented in a Webinar today by Spiwe Chireka, comprise the following:
Enterprise Mobility Holds Promise, but Strong Growth Is Yet to Materialize. Despite the publicity surrounding enterprise mobility, IDC does not expect the uptake of such services to take off significantly during 2014, at least where mobile service providers in the African market are concerned. Current IDC research indicates that the key issues affecting enterprise mobility adoption in the region relate to the cost of deploying these services and the quality of local connectivity. Despite the growth in 3G deployments and commercial LTE services in the region, the coverage of these networks is relatively limited, and the quality of networks is not up to the standards required for enterprise-grade connectivity. Furthermore, mobile data costs in Africa remain relatively high, which has created legitimate concerns around the cost of implementing enterprise mobility solutions within end-user organizations.
The Lines Between IT and Telecommunications Services Will Become Increasingly Blurred. IDC expects an increased number of African telecom providers to actively pursue IT service strategies in 2014. While several African telecom providers have taken advantage of the IT-telecom convergence trend, most have yet to introduce enterprise-related solutions beyond basic voice and data services. However, the slowing growth in consumer segment revenues, exacerbated by price wars and intense competition, has placed unprecedented pressure on the top-line revenues of telecom providers. IDC believes that the best alternative for countering this trend lies in telecom service providers enhancing their IT-telecom convergence offerings.

time.com - But will something come along to decentralize mobile?
I've been trying to figure out a better way to articulate what's been happening in the multi-screen era we have shifted to.
I say "shifting" because there are many markets where one screen still dominates most consumers' connected experiences. What is fascinating about those markets is that it's a mobile device that's the primary computing device for these consumers - not a PC with a mouse and keyboard designed to be used in a stationary setting.
I've never liked the term "post-PC," primarily because in many western markets, the mouse-and-keyboard PC is still being used in conjunction with other connected devices. The term "post-PC" carries with it a tone that de-emphasizes the role of the PC more than it should. The other term we have used, which I no longer like, is the "PC plus" era. This term emphasized that the mouse-and-keyboard PC was still relevant, but it puts too much emphasis on the mouse-and-keyboard PC for my liking.
The best way to understand the computing shift that's happening is to view the PC as having been decentralized. Prior to our smartphones and tablets, the PC was the center of our computing universe. I vividly remember Macworld in 2001 where Steve Jobs eloquently positioned the Mac as the center of consumers' digital lives. For nearly a decade, this was true for many computer users. Everything revolved around the PC and was an accessory to the PC.
This is no longer the case. Think about the last time you physically - with a wire - connected your smartphone or tablet to your PC? I honestly think it's been at least a year since I plugged my iPhone, iPad, or even my DSLR camera into my physical PC using a wire.
The decentralization of the PC has become even more evident to me in the past few years. Being that I'm the most technical person in my immediate and extended family, I'm generally the person who fixes PCs for family members. For the better part of the past decade, I can't remember a family gathering around the holidays at someone else's house where I wasn't asked to take a look at what was wrong with someone's Windows PC. Yet over the past few years, I've noticed those requests have shifted from fixing Windows notebooks or desktops to explaining how to do things with their iOS or Android devices.
What's key about this shift is that it's being led by mobility. We have noticed this shift with every advance in computing: Notebooks overtook desktops as the dominant computing form factor, and now smartphones and tablets are overtaking notebooks as the primary computing devices (in terms of a percentage of computing time for many - especially if we take a worldwide view of the market).
The center is now mobile. The mobile market is bigger than the PC market. The mobile Internet is bigger than the desktop Internet. The mobile Internet is the first-class citizen and the desktop Internet is secondary to it. The world is already mobile.
The PC will still live on and sell hundreds of millions of units annually, while mobile devices will grow and sell billions of devices annually. Each plays a role as part of a computing solution. The cloud will keep all our devices in sync, allowing us to choose any number of screen size and form factor combinations as a part of our individual computing solution.
Mobile computing devices will become more powerful and more capable. This reality will continually challenge legacy devices that require a consumer be stationary to get the full value of the product. The share of compute time is already shifting from fixed to mobile devices. This reality is upon us. The PC has been decentralized and mobile is the new center.
What's interesting to ponder is if there's another shift coming that can decentralize the smartphone.

rfidworld.ca - While NFC technology as a chip can be incorporated into several devices, its integration into mobile phones brings to the fore a phenomenal range of possibilities for users. Given their tremendous reach, and significant penetration across the globe, mobile phones have emerged as a perfect platform for delivering a range of digital information and online services. Mobile phones have transformed into state of art devices allowing users not only to store multimedia content in their devices and share it to other devices but also to gather instant information on products and services, and perform utility based functions such as booking tickets, making payments etc., any time and at anyplace. NFC technology helps establish connectivity between two devices in a single easy step, and simplifies use of mobile devices for performing range of functions such as gaining instant access to a web page or application, making payments, gaining access to secure area, etc.
A key factor driving the usage of NFC in mobile devices is easy device pairing for hassle free sharing of information and for performing tasks such as mobile payments, automated ticketing, e-commerce services, and peer-to-peer data transfers. Another factor driving NFC adoption is its ability to enable mobile phones to be transformed into access control devices replacing identity documents such as Smart ID cards for building access control. Introduction of new Internet enabled mobile phones, emergence of high-speed mobile internet, introduction of new applications and services based on NFC, and robust demand from developing markets such as China and India will continue to add impetus to NFC integration in mobile devices.
Rise in smartphone sales augurs well for the NFC technology, as smartphone OEMs show marked preference for integration of NFC technology in their product offerings. Rapid proliferation of smartphones with high memory capacity and Wi-Fi capabilities is driving increased consumption and storage of digital content, sharing of which with other devices is driving need for NFC. NFC when integrated into smartphones enables pairing of devices and initiates Bluetooth connectivity between two devices in a simple step, thus allowing users to easily exchange stored content between their devices. Growing need to enhance social media interactions on mobile phones is also increasingly driving NFC integration in mobile phones. Additionally, growing consumer preference for multi-player gaming on mobile phones is creating increasing need for NFC capability in mobile phones. Growing integration of NFC technology in consumer electronic devices such as DVD players, refrigerators, televisions and digital cameras as well as automated vacuum cleaners, is also driving the adoption of NFC-enabled handsets for establishing connection with these devices.
As stated by the new market research report on Near Field Communication Enabled Handsets, Asia-Pacific represents the largest regional market worldwide, while Latin America is forecast to emerge as the fastest growing market. Growth in Asia-Pacific and Latin American markets will be driven by huge population, encouraging economic growth, rising disposable incomes, increasing consumer affluence, rising ownership of smartphones, growing mobile Internet subscriptions, and subsequent rise in demand for a range of services, including payments, ticketing, booking and data sharing, among others, over mobile phones.
Major players in the market include Blackberry Limited, Broadcom Corp., Motorola Mobility Inc., HTC Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Infineon Technologies AG, Lenovo Group Limited, LG Electronics, Nokia Corporation, NXP Semiconductors NV, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sony Mobile Communications, STMicroelectronics NV, and ZTE Corporation, among others.
The research report titled "Near Field Communication (NFC) Enabled Handsets: A Global Strategic Business Report" announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc., provides a comprehensive review of market trends, mergers, acquisitions and other strategic industry activities. The report provides market estimates and projections for Near Field Communication Enabled Handsets in Units for all major geographic markets including the US, Canada, Japan, Europe (France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, South Korea and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Middle East & Africa and Latin America.

mobileworldlive.com - Samsung is set to launch its Galaxy S5 smartphone at Mobile World Congress this month, having announced its "Unpacked 5" event will be held in Barcelona.
The company will hold an event on the evening of Monday 24 February, marking the first time it has unveiled a flagship device at the event since the Galaxy S2 in 2011.
It has been suggested that the launch has been brought forward due to lower than expected sales of the Galaxy S4. Bringing the new device to market more quickly will enable it to reinvigorate its performance after a tough Q4.
The new flagship is especially important for Samsung's position in the high-end smartphone market, where growth is hard to find and competition is fierce. In this space, the company has lost some momentum following Apple's latest iPhone update.
The Galaxy S5 is likely to include some physical differences to the Galaxy S4, in order to address criticism that the S4 was too similar to the Galaxy S3 - meaning it was difficult for owners and potential buyers to easily differentiate between the smartphones.
There have already been numerous reports speculating on the specifications of the S5: Mobile World Live's latest round up is here.
According to some reports, Samsung will also unveil an updated version of its Galaxy Gear smart watch.
There have previously been reports of lacklustre sales of this product, although the vendor argued that it is the "most sold" in its class.
It has already been suggested that an early 2014 refresh is likely, against a backdrop of criticism that the first iteration was "a prototype masquerading as a commercial product".
A new device is likely to feature improved standalone capabilities, and compatibility with a wider range of companion smartphones.

businessinsider.com - Last year the number of smartphones shipped worldwide passed 1 billion for the first time, according to IDC, a research firm. In 2010 the four leading smartphone vendors, Nokia, Research In Motion (now BlackBerry), Apple and Samsung, represented four different operating systems. Nokia has since not only forgone its own operating system but sold its mobile-phones unit to Microsoft. BlackBerry is no longer among the leading makers. Samsung (the biggest supplier of phones using Google's Android operating system) and Apple are both thriving, despite disappointing results in the most recent quarter. But the fastest growth is now in cheaper Android phones, notably in China and India.

businessinsider.com - Comcast is set to buy Time Warner Cable in an all-stock deal that values Time Warner at $159 per share, CNBC's David Faber reports on Twitter.
At $159, Comcast would be paying an 18% premium to today's closing price. It would value Time Warner Cable at ~$45 billion. Comcast is valued at $146.5 billion.
This would make one gigantic cable company.
Comcast is the biggest cable provider in the U.S. with 23 million subscribers. Time Warner is the second biggest with 12 million subscribers. The next closest is Cox with 4.6 million subs. (All numbers from Wikipedia.) Satellite company DirecTV has 20 million subscribers.
Time Warner Cable has been in play for months now. Charter has been trying to merge with Time Warner Cable. It even nominated a full slate of board members.
But Charter was only offering $132.50 per share for Time Warner, which Time Warner rejected as "grossly inadequate," according to The New York Times.
Time Warner was holding out for a better deal, and it looks like it got one.
However, this is far from a done deal. It will come under heavy government scrutiny.
This would create the biggest pay-TV business by a mile. There's not exactly a ton of competition in the world of cable, but this would effectively make it nonexistent.

businessinsider.com - Microsoft has had serious trouble convincing developers to tailor their apps to its phones in a timely fashion.
It took three years for the insanely popular Instagram to make it to Windows. Short-lived viral sensation Flappy Bird never landed on Windows phones at all. It's hard for users to get excited about Microsoft's hardware when they won't be getting the apps they would see on other phones.
Well, Microsoft might be plotting a very interesting solution to this problem.
Sources familiar with Microsoft's plan tell The Verge that the company is seriously considering allowing Android apps to run on Windows phones. Because most big developers now wisely release their apps for both Android and iOS simultaneously (or with Android on the way soon after), this would keep users connected to what they want without having to wait for developers.
Of course, some people at Microsoft think that this change would lead to the death of the Windows platform (Android couldn't save BlackBerry, after all), according to The Verge. But it could be the best way to make users take its hardware seriously.
The company has some time to mull it over. Realistically, Android couldn't possibly hit Windows - likely through a third-party enabler - until Windows 9 is ready in 2015.

businessinsider.com - Here's the latest gossip on the iPhone 6.
Apple will release two new phones, one with a 4.7-inch screen, and one with a 5.5-inch screen in September, says Angela Meng at the South China Morning Post, citing "industry insiders" who have seen prototypes of the new phones.
The new iPhones will be made out of Sapphire crystal, which is a scratch resistant material that's almost as strong as diamond.
There's another report from Japan on the iPhone 6 that says it's going to have a better FaceTime camera. It also says that despite the bigger screen, the new phone will be lighter than the 4-inch iPhone 5S.
Most of this is either common sense, or a reiteration of what we've been hearing for a while now.
It's worth noting, however, because the more reports pile up about Apple doing two big iPhones, the more likely it becomes.
Apple is the only phone maker with a 4-inch screen size on its main phone. Samsung, HTC, Nokia, and just about everyone else are in the 5-inch range.
Samsung has seen some success with its Note line, which is a 6-inch phone.
Multiple analysts say those giant phones are popular in Asia, and if Apple wants to grab market share in Asia, it needs a "phablet" (phone that's almost as big as a tablet).
It's looking like analysts (and many consumers!) are getting their wish.

mobileworldlive.com - A quickening pace in mobile subscriber net additions helped the Telstra Group boost sales and profits for the first half of its 2014 fiscal year (six months ended 31 December 2013).
The number of retail net additions during the period reached 739,000, taking its total mobile customer base in Australia to 15.8 million.
Of that increase, 102,000 customers signed up to mobile broadband packages
The rise in subscriber numbers helped Telstra increase mobile revenue by 6.4 per cent, year-on-year, to AUD4.86 billion ($4.35 billion), although ARPU remained steady at AUD58.81.
Mobile makes up over a third of group revenue. Its growth helped offset a 1.5 per cent decline in fixed-line sales, to AUD3.6 billion.
Overall group turnover during H1 2014 was AUD12.56 billion, up 3.6 per cent from the same period the year before. Group net profits were up 9.7 per cent, to AUD1.74 billion.
CEO David Thodey (pictured) claimed Telstra has one of the fastest take-up of 4G services anywhere in the world.
He added that Telstra would continue to invest in "maintaining its network leadership".
The operator spent AUD650 million on mobile infrastructure during H1 2014.The investment included an upgrade of 1,500 mobile base stations to 4G. Telstra now has 3,500 4G mobile base stations across Australia. Thodey claimed Telstra, with 85 per cent population coverage, has "four times the 4G coverage area of any other company".
In terms of mobile connections, Telstra is also well ahead of its network rivals. According to GSMA Intelligence, second-placed Optus (controlled by SingTel) had an estimated 9.5 million connections by the end of 2013. Vodafone Hutchison had 5.7 million.
And Telstra's 739,000 jump in retail net additions is a big improvement on H2 2013 (649,000) and H1 2013 (608,000).
The operator said it had now sold over 4.1 million 4G devices, comprising 2.9 million handsets and over 400,000 each of dongles, Wi-Fi hotspots and tablets.
Telstra also got a boost from its international and NAS (networks and applications services) businesses.
Helped by a strong performance at Hong Kong's CSL - in which Telstra has agreed to sell its 76.4 per cent stake to HKT Limited - international revenues grew by 28.3 per cent, to AUD1.1 billion.
NAS sales grew by 29.3 per cent, to AUD821 million.
However, Telstra group operating expenses increased by 2.1 per cent in the first half, to AUD7.5 billion, largely driven by costs supporting revenue growth.
Telstra confirmed fiscal 2014 guidance of low single-digit total income and EBITDA growth, with free cash-flow between AUD4.6 billion and AUD5.1 billion.
Telstra expects accrued capital expenditure to be around 15 per cent of sales.

huffingtonpost.com - According to the Pew Research Center, 91 percent of Americans own cell phones, 56 percent of which are smartphones. As a physician and president of the Aetna Foundation, I have witnessed this rapid increase in technology usage firsthand. I've been encouraged by both patients and their family members using mobile technology to track their health behaviors. In my experience, it was as simple as a young girl from Baltimore looking up her grandmother's heart condition on her iPhone and downloading an evidence-based fitness application to track their daily walks. When they returned to my office, the young girl had a new wealth of knowledge and her grandmother was incorporating exercise into her daily life. For my patients and their caregivers, like all of us, ease of use and access can make all the difference.
Bridging the Health Divide
Most of us are aware that racial and ethnic minorities experience disparities in health and health care services. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that heart disease and diabetes are two of the top 10 leading causes of death for African Americans. And, even though African American adults are 4 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are 10 percent less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to have their blood pressure under control. Additionally, the American Heart Association reports that Hispanics who have experienced a stroke exhibit blood pressure that is six percent higher than non-Hispanic whites. In my view, there is a clear need for innovative solutions that can empower these underserved populations with information and tools that allow them to take charge of their own health.
However, promising research shows that African Americans and Hispanics use their mobile devices for non-voice functions to a greater extent than white mobile phone users, indicating a level of comfort with the technology. In fact, cell phone owners who are Latino, African American or between the ages of 18 and 49 are more likely than other groups to gather health information from their phones. This increase in mobile device usage offers enormous potential to transform the way that we manage our health and wellness and enables minority communities to regularly monitor behaviors that may be impacting their health. I'm encouraged that vulnerable and underserved populations can gain significant health and wellness benefits from these advances.
Recognizing Innovation Happening Today
Health care organizations, regional hospitals and grassroots intervention programs across the country are already experimenting with ways to leverage mobile technology to impact public health. This work is reaching people within the context of their daily lives -- in their schools, among their church communities and in their neighborhoods -- to make a real-world difference. At the Aetna Foundation, we are supporting these efforts with more than $1.2 million in grants to 23 local organizations across 13 states that are impacting health and wellness in their communities through the innovative use of technology.
One organization we are supporting in Cleveland, Ohio, the Institute for eHealth Equity, is reaching African American women ages 19 to 55 through a two-way text faith-based messaging campaign with local health ministers. By meeting these women where they are, three different communities will kick-start healthier lifestyles, increase access and improve overall health and wellness with actionable exercise, wellness, disease prevention and lifestyle change-related messaging tailored to both their culture and individual needs.
To further our commitment, over the next three years, the Aetna Foundation will provide a total of $4 million to programs like these as a part of our larger Digital Health Initiative.

itproportal.com - Mobile technology is being used at all levels of the public sector, according to a new study.
The new iGov survey, commissioned by HP, looked at the adoption of services designed to work on mobile devices within the public sector.
In total, 261 organisations completed the survey which represented a broad cross section of public authorities from local government (43 per cent), central government (18 per cent), NHS (27 per cent) and universities (12 per cent).
In contrast to a lot of recent reports in the media, the public sector is increasingly coming to terms with the large-scale shifts taking place as a result of the rapid adoption of mobile technology.
Some 73 per cent of those surveyed said that they use mobile technology to deliver services to employees and the public. A further 30 per cent of those surveyed said that either they or their departments intend to offer up to 49 per cent of their services via mobile technology over the next 18 months.
In fact, mobile has already gained a surprising amount of traction among public sector employees, with 60 per cent of respondents reporting that they were already using it to enable staff to work flexibly and more productively, for instance when working remotely (30 per cent) or as a day-to-day tool for staff in the field (26 per cent).
A third of those surveyed also indicated that allowing staff to bring mobile technology to the workplace had freed up time for delivering services and increased productivity.
The main barrier to mobile technology being adopted is still the concern over security, with 23 per cent citing it as a major concern.
Back in March 2013, Tom Loosemore, the deputy director at the government digital service argued that "People should be able to use digital services wherever they are, on the device of their choosing," adding that "We're confident that for government services, the mobile web is a winner, both from a user and a cost perspective".
Time will tell whether this advice will be adopted to the fullest possible extent, but one thing's for sure: mobile technology is here in the public sector, and it's here to stay.

ibamag.com - Big data technology, in the form of analytics and mobile, are the biggest tech priorities for insurers this year, a January report from Strategy Meets Action (SMA) reveals.
Deb Smallwood, SMA's founder and one of the authors of the report, said the research reflects changes in the IT budgets of property and casualty and life and annuity insurers in North America. Insurers surveyed for the report plan on spending roughly 3% more on technology in 2014, she said, while 69% say they will increase IT spending through 2017.
The desire for greater technological capabilities is driven largely by a desire to improve the experience of a carrier's broker partners, along with business growth in current lines.
"Our research highlights an unmistakable trend in the insurance industry-IT initiatives are having a broader impact on companies than ever before," Smallwood said. "Five years ago, only 13% of insurers told us that their companies were in transformation mode. Now 32% say they are transforming, largely enabled by major IT initiatives."
P/C insurers are especially eager to ramp up the technological capabilities of their core systems, with 36% planning to replace their policy systems in 2014 and another 36% planning "major enhancements."
Personal lines insurers also on the ball, saying improving agent/broker portals is among their top priorities.
This tech focus is on mark with the priorities of independents themselves. A December survey from the Real Time/Download Campaign found that improving agent/broker experience through increased real-time capabilities should be among carriers' "top priorities."
This is especially important to producers working in the personal lines space, said Real Time co-chair Joyce Sigler.
"The consumer is pushing agencies a lot more," Sigler said. "The world is app driven-it's instantaneous for the most part. Industries similar to ours, like banking, healthcare or medical, are governed by the same time and are able to react quickly. Consumers wonder, why can't we?"

online.wsj.com - Intel Corporation President Renee James today detailed the company's expanding portfolio of computing and communications assets for the smallest of devices to the most complex mobile networks. The product portfolio is designed to compete in today's mobile ecosystem and shape the next era of computing, the Internet of Things (IoT).
At an Intel news conference, James introduced two Intel(R) Atom(TM) processors, an LTE-Advanced communications platform, and announced multiyear agreements with Lenovo, ASUS and Foxconn to expand the availability of Intel-based mobile devices. With the explosion of mobile and connected devices in the IoT, she also highlighted how Intel is re-architecting the network infrastructure to reduce costs and make it easier for service providers to deliver improved customer experiences and new services by extracting business value from the vast amounts of data.
"The continued growth of the mobile ecosystem depends on solving tough computing challenges -- unlocking data's potential while securely and reliably connecting billions of devices with leading edge computing and communications technologies," said James. "Today we are announcing leading communications products as well as new computing platforms. As a result, Intel is well-positioned to shape the future of mobile computing and the Internet of Things."
New Intel(R) Atom(TM) Processors and LTE-Advanced Communications Platform
Intel launched the 2.13GHz Intel Atom processor Z3480 ("Merrifield") that offers the ideal combination of fast, smart performance and long battery life for Android smartphones and tablets. The 64-bit ready SoC delivers best-in-class compute performance for the mainstream and performance segments, and solidly outperforms the competition in compute-intensive application, web application and light media editing performance.(1) Merrifield also delivers best-in-class battery life.(2)
Based on Intel's 22nm Silvermont microarchitecture, the new processor also features a PowerVR* Series 6 Graphics IP core from Imagination Technologies* and is designed for simple pairing with the Intel(R) XMM(TM) 7160 LTE platform. Merrifield is the first Intel Atom SoC to feature the new Intel(R) Integrated Sensor Solution, which efficiently manages sensor data to keep applications smart and contextually aware even when the device is in a low-power state. Intel expects Merrifield-based devices from multiple OEMs to launch beginning in the second quarter.
James noted that all Intel Atom processors today support a 64-bit computing experience. "Sixty-four bit computing is moving from the desktop to the mobile device," James said. "Intel knows 64-bit computing, and we're the only company currently shipping 64-bit processors supporting multiple operating systems today, and capable of supporting 64-bit Android when it is available." Intel has also delivered 64-bit kernels across operating systems, so customers who choose Intel Atom have a ready foundation for a 64-bit experience as the operating system and applications evolve.
Intel also disclosed new details on its next-generation 64-bit Intel Atom processor, code-named "Moorefield" for devices expected to be available in the second half of the year. Building on the Merrifield feature set, Moorefield adds two additional Intel architecture (IA) cores for up to 2.3GHz of compute performance, an enhanced GPU and support for faster memory. Moorefield is optimized for Intel's 2014 LTE platform, the Intel(R) XMM(TM) 7260, which the company also introduced today.
The Intel XMM 7260 delivers competitive LTE-Advanced capabilities including carrier aggregation (supporting 23 CA combinations in a single chip), category 6 speeds and support for TDD LTE and TD-SCDMA, which expands the addressable market. At Mobile World Congress, Intel is demonstrating the 7260 achieving peak LTE-Advanced Category 6 data rates of simultaneous 300Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink with carrier aggregation technology. The 7260 builds on Intel's competitive Intel(R) XMM(TM) 7160 platform introduced in 2013.
Now certified to run on 70 percent of LTE networks worldwide, the 7160 is expanding to connect a range of products spanning smartphones, tablets, 2 in 1s, Ultrabook(TM) systems and more. Customers currently shipping or planning to launch devices featuring Intel's LTE platforms include Acer*, ASUS*, Dell*, Lenovo* and Samsung*, among others.
"We are entering 2014 with a very competitive mobile portfolio spanning application processors and communications platforms that will only get stronger," said Hermann Eul, vice president and general manager of Intel's Mobile and Communications Group, during the press conference. "Our new Atom processors for Android smartphones and tablets offer leading 64-bit performance and battery life, and the new 7260 platform gives the ecosystem a compelling LTE-Advanced experience."
Securing the Mobile Experience and Expanding Availability of Android Apps on IA
James said Intel is leading the effort to guard today's mobile devices with unique data and device protection solutions from Intel Security and McAfee. Notably, Intel(R) Device Protection Technology (Intel DPT) proactively protects consumers against malware and allows enterprise customers to separate personal and corporate data on Intel-based Android devices. Leading mobile device management providers including AirWatch*, Citrix* and McAfee will provide manageability extensions for devices with Intel DPT later this year. Intel expects tablets featuring Intel DPT will begin shipping later this year from leading OEMs including Dell*.
James also revealed the features of the free, full-featured McAfee Mobile Security offering for Android devices now available. It includes enhanced protection features and, for the first time, unlocks security extensions for Intel-based mobile devices, making it the most comprehensive, free mobile solution for consumers on the market. Specifically, the free McAfee Mobile Security includes anti-virus, app protection, web protection, and call/SMS filter, in addition to anti-theft and contact back-up.
In an effort to accelerate development and availability of applications for Intel-based devices, James announced the Intel(R) Integrated Native Developer Experience (Intel INDE), a beta productivity suite for devices running on both Android* and Microsoft Windows*. Intel also introduced the Intel(R) System Studio 2014 for embedded and systems development and the Intel(R) XDK developer tool for HTML5-based apps to enable developers to simplify and accelerate time-to-market development of innovative web and hybrid content mobile apps that run faster and better.
Expanded Customer Engagements to Accelerate Availability of Intel-Based Mobile Devices
Signaling the expanding availability of tablets and smartphones powered by Intel Atom processors and connected by Intel communications, James announced three new multiyear agreements with leading device manufacturers for Intel-based mobile devices.
Intel and Lenovo announced plans to introduce new Intel-based mobile devices this year. Both companies will dedicate engineering resources to deliver unique experiences across a variety of smartphone and tablet form factors spanning value to performance market segments. Lenovo also said it plans to incorporate Intel LTE connectivity into some Ultrabook(TM) and multimode designs.
"We have a strong history of working with Intel to bring compelling, computing experiences to market with products like our K900 smartphone, Yoga line of multimode laptops, MIIX 2 and ThinkPad 8 tablets," said Peter Hortensius, chief technology officer, Lenovo. "We look forward to an even stronger future together -- delivering exciting mobile experiences from stylish smartphones to high-performance tablets with Intel inside."
Additionally, ASUS announced it will bring a full portfolio of Intel-based smartphones and tablets to market this year. The company recently introduced its ZenFone line of smartphones and the unique PadFone mini, both of which feature Intel processors and communications platforms. At Mobile World Congress, ASUS unveiled the ASUS Fonepad 7 LTE (ME3762CL) featuring an Intel Atom processor and Intel LTE connectivity.
Dell and Intel are expanding the long-standing collaboration between the two companies to include a range of innovative tablets that started with the introduction of the Dell Venue line in fall of last year. Intel-based products from Dell will span Android and Windows solutions.
Finally, Foxconn and Intel are teaming up to drive the broader, global availability of high-quality, affordable Intel-based Android tablets. Intel will provide Intel Atom processors and communications platforms for a range of Foxconn products, beginning with tablets, this year.
Transforming Wireless Networks, Fueling Internet of Things
The explosion of mobile devices and rapid growth in the Internet of Things is driving transformation of the network infrastructure to meet increasing demand for more connectivity and real-time data. Intel is enabling this transformation by delivering standardized hardware and software that apply open standards and high-volume economics to help reduce costs, while accelerating the delivery of new services, capabilities and revenue models for service providers.
In an effort to bring the benefits of a standards-based approach to communications networks consistent with Intel's work in data centers and the cloud, James announced expanded relationships with Alcatel-Lucent* and Cisco* to accelerate network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined network (SDN) technologies. By working to optimize these technologies on IA, service providers will be offered a faster and more flexible network that enables them to quickly scale new services.
James also highlighted numerous Intel-based trials with global operators including China Mobile*, SK Telecom* and Telefonica* that are demonstrating the benefits of NFV and SDN for enabling personalized and contextually aware services, improving asset utilization, and simplifying installations and upgrades.
For additional details on Intel's presence at Mobile World Congress 2014 and to view a replay of the press conference, visit: www.intel.com/newsroom/mwc.

telegraph.co.uk - Nokia, the Finnish mobile phone giant that will soon be owned by Microsoft, has confirmed that it will make a mobile phone running Google's Android software.
Introducing the product, Nokia's Senior Vice President and former CEO said the device was about "Introducing the next billion people to Microsoft. We will win customers hearts and minds with strong Nokia attributes and popular Microsoft experiences."
The much-rumoured move, which Microsoft has already referred to as one of Nokia's tactics that it is "a little less excited about", means the Windows maker will face the prospect of selling devices that run on the platform that has powered Google to dominance of the mobile phone sector when it completes the transaction later this year.
Mr Elop stressed that "Nokia X becomes a feeder system" for the main Lumia platform, which runs Windows Phone. "Nokia X together with Lumia will deliver value to the widest possible population. Lumia remains our primary smartphone platform."
He added, however, that the new models combined two strong platforms. "We benefit from the Android app and hardware ecosystem but we have differentiated," said Mr Elop. "We are introducing new customers around the world to popular Microsoft services; the Nokia X takes people to Microsoft cloud and Microsoft will be able to reach new audiences around the world."
Windows Phone has struggled to convince manufacturers other than Nokia of its chances of success. The most popular devices have been the cheapest in its range, leading Microsoft and Nokia to concentrate on more affordable phones that appeal to developing markets. Unable to put Windows Phone on such devices, Nokia will now Android to encourage users to services such as Skype and Outlook.com, as well as search engine Bing.
The Nokia X will be available initially in developing markets, but the company has not ruled out selling it in Western Europe.
Tony Cripps, Principal Analyst at Ovum, said "The Nokia X series will provide a considerable boost to the adoption and use of Microsoft and Nokia pre-loaded services. Nokia's retained strength in developing markets will be a major catalyst for the rapid growth in Nokia X, which brings a level of design and build quality to the low-price smartphone segment that is largely lacking today."
The device, which will initially be available in three models, uses the Android Open Source Project, which means it does not have access to the full range of Google services such as Maps and its app store. Users will however have access to the vast majority of the Android app ecosystem and any changes for developers will be limited.
Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Mr Elop also highlighted Nokia's "Continued leadership in affordable mobile phones", announcing new models aimed at the developing world users who are hoping to purchase their first mobile phones. He claimed the €29 Nokia 220 was "the most affordable internet ready phone".
It is the "affordable smartphone market", however, that is expected to provide higher margins in the near future, growing at four times the speed of the increasingly saturated premium sector.
Sony also used the Barcelona show to announce updates to its popular Xperia smartphone and tablet range, the Xperia Z2 mobile and tablet. Improvements to camera and screen quality were however greeted as significant for a brand whose popularity is growing among users and network operators.
Nick Dillon, senior analyst at Ovum, said "The Xperia Z2 and Tablet Z2 are modest updates to Sony's flagship smartphone and tablet devices, but their importance in helping to re-establish Sony's brand and design credentials should not be discounted. The flagship devices are an embodiment of the "One Sony" vision set out by president and CEO Kazuo Hirai two years ago, which combines technology from Sony's TV, audio, camera, and gaming divisions and content from its media business. Mr Hirai has finally managed to make Sony worth more than the sum of its parts."

cbsnews.com - Sony unveiled a new waterproof phone that can take ultra-high-definition video. Nokia introduced three Android smartphones aimed at emerging markets. And Lenovo announced one with an all-glass exterior.
Yet most of the attention will be on Samsung, which on Monday is expected to announce a successor to its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone. That's bad news for all the other phone makers trying to get noticed at the Mobile World Congress wireless show, which opened Monday in Barcelona, Spain.
"It's increasingly difficult to get attention for your mobile device in a very crowded marketplace," said Dan Hays, U.S. wireless advisory leader at the consulting firm PwC.
It's even more difficult when one of the competing devices comes from Samsung Electronics Co., which already announced two new computerized smartwatches on Sunday. Apple is the only company that might be able to overshadow Samsung, but it isn't attending or announcing anything at the show.
Samsung is "going to take the oxygen out of the room," said Roger Entner, an analyst with the Recon Analytics research firm in Boston.
Entner said the S4 and its predecessor, the Galaxy S III, were both blockbuster phones and have helped Samsung surpass iPhone maker Apple Inc. as the world's largest smartphone maker. According to Gartner, Samsung had a 31 percent market share last year, compared with 16 percent for Apple. No other company had more than 5 percent.
More important than having well-made phones, however, "is that they are spending a significant amount on advertising," Entner said.
Samsung spent nearly $4.3 billion in advertising in the 12 months through September, about four times the $1.1 billion Apple spent in the same period, the latest for which figures were available. Although Samsung also makes TVs, refrigerators and other products, analysts believe much of the marketing is for newer products such as phones.
In a November interview with The Associated Press, Motorola Mobility CEO Dennis Woodside said Samsung has shown "that marketing can really create a product and create a phenomenon. We're never going to have the money that they have to market our products."
The only other company that comes close to matching Samsung's muscle is Apple. The iPhone's debut in 2007 showed the world that phones can do much more than calls and messages. Since then, each new iPhone release has taken on an aura of a rock concert, with the most devoted Apple fans lining up at stores for hours or days to buy one.
Apple typically skips trade shows, however, and prefers holding its own events.
In fact, Samsung also typically holds its own events.
Last year's Galaxy S4 announcement came in New York a few weeks after the Barcelona show. But timing this year's unveiling to the show is a good opportunity for Samsung to make deals with wireless carriers and other partners.
Sony Mobile President Kunimasa Suzuki said that with Apple and Samsung so dominant, the real battle is for No. 3. He said that means marketing that is focused by country and product line.
"It doesn't mean we just directly compete with the big giants," he said in an interview Monday.
Despite all the marketing power, Samsung will have to give people a reason to upgrade. It must shatter the notion that phone improvements these days are incremental rather than innovative, said Will Stofega, program director for mobile phones with research firm IDC.
In the past, Samsung has tried to appear innovative by packing its Android phones with a slew of features, such as automatic scrolling of content when the phone or user's head is tilted. But these features don't always work as promised and come across as disjointed from one another.
People will be looking for Samsung to "really redesign and create an experience that feels less packed," Stofega said.
Samsung also has been updating phones by making their screens larger. The S4's display measures 5 inches diagonally, compared with 4.8 inches on the S III and 4 inches on the original S from 2010. The iPhone's screen has stayed steady at 4 inches since 2012.
Meanwhile, Sony Corp. said its new Xperia Z2 smartphone will have noise-cancelling technology that works with an in-ear headset sold separately. It will be able to capture video in the emerging 4K resolution, which offers four times the details as current high-definition video. Sony also announced a companion tablet and a cheaper, mid-range smartphone.
Nokia Corp. is targeting emerging markets with its Nokia X line of phones, starting at 89 euros ($122). It uses Google's Android operating system rather than the Windows Phone software from Microsoft, which is about to buy Nokia's handset business. But Nokia will replace many Google services on Android with Microsoft services and a Windows-like home screen.
Lenovo Group Ltd. announced three new smartphones, including the $269 glass-exterior S850 targeted at "fashion-conscious users." The other two phones promise longer battery life.
But even phones with spectacular features and designs might still go unnoticed if they aren't from Apple or Samsung.
"We've got really two companies that capture the lion's share of revenue and profit," Hays said. "There's lots of attention lavished on them because they have the most to lose."

news.sky.com - Some 75,000 people will be in Spain this week to attend Barcelona's Mobile World Congress - the world's largest mobile phone show.
With 18,000 exhibitors and government delegations attending from 160 countries, the whole of the technology world is in town.
New devices from Samsung, HTC, Microsoft and Huawei are being unveiled.
Sky News can also reveal the new Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone will be announced, featuring what's expected to be the world's first 4k video recording technology on a mobile phone.
Speaking to Sky News, Michael O'Hara, chief marketing officer at the GSMA, the organisation behind the congress, explained why it will be a busy week for breaking technology stories.
"Leaders of the industry and governments of the world come to meet here and make the deals that you'll hear about for the rest of the year," he revealed.
Some 240 speakers are scheduled to give talks. Among the most high-profile are Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Virginia Rometty from IBM.
"Obviously the Cloud and how your data is stored is very important, and I think Ginny joining us is a big thing for the show," Michael explained.
It's likely that Zuckerberg will talk about connecting the unconnected. Facebook's creator wants to bring internet access to millions more people around the world
Wearable technology is likely to be a key theme of the Mobile Congress, taking the technology beyond the smart watches seen at previous shows.
Shirts embedded with mobile technology which can measure the wearer's temperature and pulse rate through the material are going to be demonstrated.
The Congress runs until Thursday February 27.

macrumors.com - iOS devices accounted for 73 percent of all enterprise mobile device activations and grabbed the top ten spots for most popular devices in the fourth quarter of 2013, reports Good Technology in its Mobility Index Report for Q4 2013.
From a device perspective, we continued to see an increase in iOS activations this quarter, which we can attribute to two new iPhone models coming to market just before the start of the quarter. The overall number of device activations has increased 34 percent from Q1 to Q4 of this year, indicating strong, continued growth and adoption of the Good Secure Mobility Solution. As many organizations are migrating away from BlackBerry to meet end user demand and embrace newer platforms like iOS and Android, they are deploying Good's cross-platform solution to secure both their data and devices.
Good obtains this data from its customers that use the company's Good Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform. Its customer base includes many Fortune 500 companies in commercial banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, and government. The device usage report from these enterprise users shows that the iPhone made up 54 percent of total device activations, while Android smartphones followed with just over 20 percent.
The iPad maintains a strong hold on tablet activations, claiming 91.4 percent of enterprise tablet activations in Q4 2013, while Android accounted for the remaining 8.6 percent. The iPad was most popular in Financial Services and in Business and Professional Services, with the two sectors accounting for 60 percent of all Q4 iPad activations.
Apple routinely highlights corporate adoption of iOS devices during press events and earning conference calls. During Apple's recent quarterly earnings conference call, CEO Tim Cook confirmed "the enterprise area has huge potential" and said he expects Apple "would have more and more payback in the future" due to the company's investment in this area.

macrumors.com - iOS devices accounted for 73 percent of all enterprise mobile device activations and grabbed the top ten spots for most popular devices in the fourth quarter of 2013, reports Good Technology in its Mobility Index Report for Q4 2013.
From a device perspective, we continued to see an increase in iOS activations this quarter, which we can attribute to two new iPhone models coming to market just before the start of the quarter. The overall number of device activations has increased 34 percent from Q1 to Q4 of this year, indicating strong, continued growth and adoption of the Good Secure Mobility Solution. As many organizations are migrating away from BlackBerry to meet end user demand and embrace newer platforms like iOS and Android, they are deploying Good's cross-platform solution to secure both their data and devices.
Good obtains this data from its customers that use the company's Good Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform. Its customer base includes many Fortune 500 companies in commercial banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, and government. The device usage report from these enterprise users shows that the iPhone made up 54 percent of total device activations, while Android smartphones followed with just over 20 percent.
The iPad maintains a strong hold on tablet activations, claiming 91.4 percent of enterprise tablet activations in Q4 2013, while Android accounted for the remaining 8.6 percent. The iPad was most popular in Financial Services and in Business and Professional Services, with the two sectors accounting for 60 percent of all Q4 iPad activations.
Apple routinely highlights corporate adoption of iOS devices during press events and earning conference calls. During Apple's recent quarterly earnings conference call, CEO Tim Cook confirmed "the enterprise area has huge potential" and said he expects Apple "would have more and more payback in the future" due to the company's investment in this area.