Devices & Platforms

Windows Phone devices will soon be launching across the Middle East and Africa following the announcement of a partnership between Microsoft Middle East & Africa and wireless distributor Brightpoint...

Research conducted by Deloitte has demonstrated that sales of mobile phones saw a significant boost in Kenya after the African country’s government scrapped value added tax on handsets in 2009...

With the stated goal of reaching the ‘next billion’ consumers, Nokia is pitching its most affordable phones ever squarely at emerging markets...

Technology giant Apple could be looking to make headway into emerging markets, with reports indicating that the firm could be prepping a low-cost iPhone 4 for launch in Asia...

The acquisition of Motorola by Google took the tech industry by surprise, and the deal’s ramifications will doubtless be felt going forward. Already, theories are flying round regarding the motivation behind the deal, and the steps that competitors may take to accommodate the acquisition...

A new device launching across South Africa will provide users with high speed mobile internet without the need for an inflexible contract...

Since its launch in April 2008, handset provider Mi-Fone has been catering to mass market sectors in emerging markets, providing affordable handsets with in-demand functionality – and all the while making sure to invest back into the markets that have made it profitable. Developing Telecoms editor James Barton recently had the opportunity to catch up with Alpesh Patel, founder and CEO of Mi-Fone...

A new tuneable MIMO antenna designed for multimode, multiband handsets in LTE deployments has been unveiled by the China Mobile Research Institute in partnership with SkyCross...

A new range of devices launching in India is aiming to provide smartphone-like capabilities for a far lower price than traditional smartphones. The OGO devices are now being offered by Bright Telecom’s Wynncom arm...

With smartphones increasingly prevalent in developed markets, demand for the services they offer is rising in emerging markets too – but pricing can be prohibitively expensive. Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO of messaging software firm Synchronica, believes it’s not specific devices that are coveted, but their functionality – and this is why feature phones are on the rise in emerging markets. Developing Telecoms editor James Barton caught up with Carsten Brinkschulte to discuss this trend...

The chairman of China Mobile has detailed the operator’s plans in the smartphone arena, stating that the firm aims to increase its range of devices based on its Ophone operating system...

The global Average Selling Price (ASP) for approximately 70% (4.8 billion) of active mobile phones will fall under USD 100 by 2015...

A leading wireless communications provider in the Philippines has unveiled a new smartphone designed specifically for emerging markets...

Vodafone has unveiled three own-brand handsets aimed at extending access to a range of mobile and data services in emerging markets, including money transfer, the mobile internet and a localised content offering...

A unique new device from Vodafone named the Webbox has the potential to revolutionise internet access in emerging markets. The first device of its kind, the Webbox is a keyboard which, once plugged into any television set, provides affordable internet access...

The handset manufacturer Mi-Fone  has launched the Mi-Q200 family of devices, which are bundled with Synchronica's Mobile Gateway next-generation mobile messaging technology...

The designer of China Mobile’s Ophone operating system is reportedly planning on bringing future versions more closely in line with Google’s Android, the platform on which Ophone is based...

India will soon witness the launch of a new device which purports to deliver fast broadband via 3G mobile infrastructure, even in areas with weak 3G signal...

The GSMA has announced the formation of a task force of mobile operators to explore the development of an embedded SIM that can be remotely activated. The move is expected to enable the design of exciting new form factors for mobile communications. It will also speed the development of M2M services by making it easier to bring mobile broadband to non-traditional devices such as cameras, MP3 players, navigation devices and e-Readers, as well as smart meters...

The handset market in India has attracted another major player in the form of Sharp, the Japanese electronics firm. With an aggressive expansion strategy that will see it launch four devices in India before the end of the year, Sharp has stated its aim of “becoming a leader in the mobility market in India”...

 India’s burgeoning telecommunications market appears to have attracted the attention of two industry giants, with both Google and Apple reportedly looking to expand their presence in the subcontinent...

In anticipation of the expected explosion in the variety and volumes of products incorporating embedded 3GPP wireless modules, the Global Certification Forum (GCF) has launched a streamlined certification process for new categories of connected device...

 The Chinese vendor ZTE has announced a new tablet computer powered by the Android 2.1 operating system...

Demand for Apple’s iPhone 4 has been greater than expected in China, where the newest iteration of the smartphone recently launched...

Chinese consumers will soon be able to purchase Android-powered handsets, with both Motorola and Sony Ericsson confirming that they will release new TD-SCDMA-based devices as exclusives for various Chinese operators...

China Unicom will reportedly launch a WiFi-capable version of the Apple iPhone – a significant step in the heavily regulated Chinese market...

The second quarter of 2010 saw global smartphone shipments increase by 64%, according to the research firm Canalys, with Android devices demonstrating a very respectable 886% year-on-year growth rate...

Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC will soon roll out its first own-branded handsets in China, among them two models designed exclusively for China Mobile...

Global economic downturn has not affected the smartphone market, which is experiencing robust growth...

Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, much has been written about the Apple smartphone, its features and its overwhelming success in the market. But, a little known fact is that the original iPhone and its predecessors have created a huge grey market, where iPhones are bought and sold in bulk internationally outside of official distribution channels...

As part of its C-series range, Nokia has released four new low-cost handsets which are being targeted at emerging markets...

Acer has unveiled two new handsets in its beTouch line which are compatible with the Android operating system. The Acer beTouch E120 and beTouch E130 are fully-featured smartphones claimed to be ideal for newcomers to the world of intelligent phones, and offered at an affordable price...

Global mobile handset shipments totaled approximately 1.15 billion in 2009, with enhanced phones and smartphones capturing approximately 81% of all handset shipments, according to the latest data from ABI research...