Verizon Backing Microsoft In Smartphone War

Verizon Backing Microsoft In Smartphone War
by Emily Price on Mashable

Verizon is publicly getting behind Microsoft in the smartphone war. During the company’s earnings conference call Thursday Verizon CFO Fran Shammo suggested that the carrier wants to help Windows Phone become more of a contender in the smartphone market.

“It is important that there is a third ecosystem that is brought into the mix here, and we are fully supportive of that with Microsoft,” Shammo said.

Carriers are currently dependent on Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS to drive most of their product sales. Carriers are traditionally responsible for paying the full retail price for any smartphones they sell. The iphone has a retail price starting at $600, which means the carrier is taking a huge hit when it sells you that phone for a mere $199 – something it then makes up for in hefty data charges.

Adding a third player into the mix would fuel competition amongst the handset makers which could ultimately lead to better devices as well as lower costs for both consumers and carriers.

Shammo noted that Verizon played a key role in growth of Android into the “incredible platform” it is today, and is “looking to do the same thing with a third ecosystem.” While T-Mobile was the first carrier to offer an Android device, it was Verizon who pushed the ecosystem into popularity. The “Droid” name –which was always a Verizon exclusive – has become a household name.

If it really threw it’s weight behind the platform, Verizon could potentially have a similar effect on Windows Phone. The platform has gotten off to a slow start. However, with the release of Windows Phone 8 –codenamed Apollo – later this year, the platform may be able to better keep up with Android and Apple’s high-resolution screens and faster data speeds.

While Android handsets have been running on LTE for some time. The first LTE Windows Phones –the Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II – were released earlier this month. Apple is also expected to release an LTE iPhone late this year.

What do you think about Windows Phone? Do you think we need a third ecosystem, or is Apple and Android enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

iphone 4 images

iphone 4

post by
M Usman Arshad

iphone 4 logo

iphone 4 logo

post by

M Usman Arshad

Apple

Apple


Apple designs and creates iPod and iTunes, Mac laptop and desktop computers, the OS X operating system, and the revolutionary iPhone and iPad

Apple logo

apple iphone

The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple and designed byJonathan Ive. The first iPhone was unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007. The 5th generation iPhone is expected to be globally released in Q3 2011 inline with the release of iOS 5.0, the Apple operating system for handheld devices.

An iPhone can function as a video camera (video recording was not a standard feature until the iPhone 3GS was released), a camera phone, aportable media player, and an Internet client with email and web browsing capabilities, can send texts and receive visual voicemail, and has both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard rather than a physical one. Third-party as well as Apple application software is available from the App Store, which launched in mid-2008 and now has over 425,000 "apps" approved by Apple. These apps have diverse functions, including games, reference, GPS navigation, social networking, security and advertising for television shows, films, and celebrities.

There are four generations of iPhone models, each accompanied by one of the four major releases of iOS (formerly iPhone OS). The original iPhone was a GSM phone that established design precedents like screen size and button placement that have persisted through all models. The iPhone 3G added 3G cellular network capabilities and A-GPS location. The iPhone 3GS added a compass, faster processor, and higher resolution camera, including video recording at 480p. The iPhone 4 has a rear facing camera (720p video) and a front facing camera (at a lower resolution) for FaceTime video calling and for use in other apps like Skype. The phone also featured a higher-resolution display; it was released on June 24, 2010. In the U.S., AT&T was the only authorized carrier until February 10, 2011, when a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 launched for Verizon.

apple ipad

The iPad is a line of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc. and designed by Jonathan Ive primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. Its size and weight falls between those of contemporary smartphones and laptop computers. The iPad runs the same operating system as the iPod Touch and iPhone—and can run its own applications as well as iPhone applications. Without modification, the iPad will only run programs approved by Apple and distributed via the Apple App Store (with the exception of programs that run inside the iPad'sweb browser).

ipad 2

Like iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad is controlled by a multitouch display—a departure from most previous tablet computers, which used a pressure-triggered stylus—as well as a virtual onscreen keyboard in lieu of a physical keyboard. The iPad uses a wireless local area network ("Wi-Fi") connection to access local area networks and the Internet. Some models also have a 3G wireless network interface which can connect to HSPA or EV-DO data networks and on to the Internet. The device is managed and synced by iTunes running on a personal computer via USB cable.

Apple released the first iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in 80 days. During 2010, Apple sold 14.8 million iPads worldwide, representing 75 percent of tablet PC sales at the end of 2010

By the release of the iPad 2 in March 2011, more than 15 million iPads had been sold – selling more than all other tablet PCs combined since the iPad's release In 2011, it is expected to take 83 percent of the tablet computing market share in the United States.

information from

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone
Post by
M Usman Arshad