T-Mobile expected to report first postpaid subscriber gain since 2009

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T-Mobile expected to report first postpaid subscriber gain since 2009

T-Mobile's new UNcarrier intuitive may already be paying off. Analysts forecast that the carrier will soon record its first postpaid subscriber gain in more than four years. Macquarie Capital estimates that T-Mobile will add 98,000 postpaid customers in the second quarter, compared to having lost 557,000 subscribers in the same quarter in 2012. Barclays is a little more conservative with its estimates, projecting the carrier will add 50,000 postpaid customers. Roger Entner of Recon Analytics, per Investors.com, noted that a majority of T-Mobile's success can be attributed to the iPhone, on top of the carrier's unique payment plans.

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BlackBerry’s risky pricing strategy has backfired

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BlackBerry’s risky pricing strategy has backfired

So BlackBerry missed the BlackBerry 10 volume expectation by about 800,000 units over the last quarter. It shipped 2.7 million and the consensus was probably around 3.5 million. There are many possible reasons for the miss, ranging from the app ecosystem to brand perception. One of the most likely problems is the one that it's too late for BlackBerry to fix: pricing. Both the Z10 and the Q10 were priced very close to iPhone 5, smack in the middle of the luxury segment. BlackBerry rolled the dice and opted to cling to luxury status the brand used to enjoy back in 2010. This decision reverberates right down to the BlackBerry Q5, which is priced about 40% below the Q10. This means that the "budget" Blackberry costs more than $400 without subsidies.

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Apple iOS 7 beta 3 scheduled for release on July 8th

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Apple iOS 7 beta 3 scheduled for release on July 8th

Apple seems to be sticking to the company's two-week cycle for iOS 7 beta releases, a sign that it is making good progress ahead of the software's public release this fall. BGR has been informed by trusted sources that iOS 7 beta 3 is currently scheduled to be made available to carriers for testing on July 8th. These are the same sources who accurately foretold the release timing of Apple's last iOS 7 beta, and just like iOS 7 beta 2, it is likely that the new software will be released to developers on the same day it reaches carriers. Apple finally began supporting the iPad in iOS 7 beta 2, so we should see beta 3 made available for all iOS devices at the same time, including compatible iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and even Apple TV models. We are told Apple is still working on refining iOS 7's design in order to make it cohesive across the entire OS, and we should see further refinements in beta 3.

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BlackBerry is back from the dead

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BlackBerry is back from the dead

BlackBerry has been a source of contention in recent months, as the company struggles back to regain some of its former luster in the ever-changing smartphone industry. With shares up more than 25% year-to-date, it looks like BlackBerry is on its way back, though it still undoubtedly faces an uphill battle.

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Samsung earns a small victory over Apple in Japan

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Samsung earns a small victory over Apple in Japan

Japan's Intellectual Property High Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of Samsung in a patent infringement case with Apple, Bloomberg reported. The court upheld an earlier ruling from the Tokyo District Court, which dismissed Apple's claims that Samsung had infringed its technology relating to synchronizing music and video data in Galaxy devices to external servers. The small victory comes just a few days after a Tokyo court found Samsung guilty of infringing Apple’s "rubber-band" patent. Both companies have emerged victorious in various patent disputes against one another around the world, and no end is in sight. Apple and Samsung remain at odds and are currently engaged in patent disputes in 10 countries across four continents.

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CNN calls Samsung’s Galaxy S4 line ‘gadget spam’

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CNN calls Samsung’s Galaxy S4 line ‘gadget spam’

Samsung's smartphone strategy has always involved launching a wide range of handsets that span various sizes and price points. The company's efforts are clearly working — Samsung earned $6.4 billion in profit last quarter alone — but a number of pundits refer to Samsung's strategy as "spray and pray," suggesting the company simply launches as many devices as it can and hopes that some connect. As harsh as that may be, CNN has an even less flattering term it uses to describe Samsung's most recent efforts: "gadget spam."

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HP seriously just unveiled a 21.5-inch Android tablet

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HP seriously just unveiled a 21.5-inch Android tablet

In effort to reverse eroding PC sales, HP on Monday announced a new 21.5-inch Android tablet that will be marketed as an all-in-one desktop. The Slate 21 AIO is equipped with a full HD IPS display, a quad-core Tegra 4 processor and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The device is compatible with a mouse and keyboard, and also includes a kickstand that allows it to be propped up at a 30-degree angle. HP did not disclose pricing information or availability details, although the Slate 21 AIO is expected to launch later this year. The company's press release follows below.

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U.K. issues Google yet another privacy ultimatum

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U.K. issues Google yet another privacy ultimatum

France isn't the only European country that's tired of asking Google to clean up its privacy act. BBC News reports that the United Kingdom Information Commissioner's Office has given Google just over a month to delete all the data that it collected from users through its Street View initiative. It's been nearly a year since Google admitted to U.K. regulators that it had neglected to delete thousands of emails and passwords that employees had swept up from Wi-Fi hotspots while driving through various neighborhoods in Google Street View cars. Google was originally ordered to delete all the data collected through Street View back in 2010 and U.K regulators are now threatening to charge the company with a criminal offense if it doesn't comply within the next 35 days.

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Sony to issue PlayStation 3 fix on June 27th

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Sony to issue PlayStation 3 fix on June 27th

Earlier this week, Sony issued a system update for its PlayStation 3 gaming console. The patch was meant to fix preexisting problems, however it was found to be doing the exact opposite for some owners who found their consoles unusable after the update was installed. Sony was forced to pull the 4.45 system update, but not before leaving a "small number" of users with broken systems. The company on Friday revealed that it has identified the problem and plans to issue a new update that will fix the issue on June 27th. The statement came from Sony's European PlayStation Twitter account and it remains unclear if the patch will be available to owners worldwide or only in select regions.

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NVIDIA slashes Shield price, but Nintendo and Sony will still crush it

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NVIDIA slashes Shield price, but Nintendo and Sony will still crush it

NVIDIA on Thursday slashed the price of its Shield portable gaming console to $299 from $349 a week before its launch. The Android-powered system has impressive hardware that makes it one of the best portable gaming machines on the market. The Shield features a 5-inch 720p display, a quad-core Tegra 4 processor, a 72-core GPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD slot and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The device is even capable of streaming PC games from a GeForce GTX GPU-powered computer. Despite some of the best portable specs to date, however, the Shield still has a difficult road ahead of it.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S4 isn’t shaping up to be the smash hit most expected

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Samsung’s Galaxy S4 isn’t shaping up to be the smash hit most expected

Reviewers and critics fawned over Samsung's Galaxy S4 when it debuted earlier this year. While Samsung undoubtedly has a fantastic flagship smartphone on its hands, some argued that it is an iterative update packed with gimmicky features that might not prompt current Galaxy phone owners to upgrade. The phone quickly became Samsung's fastest-selling handset as the company flooded distribution channels with inventory, but now Samsung's stock is plummeting on reports that end-user sales haven't kept pace with shipments. In the latest twist in the Galaxy S4 saga, a new report claims slowing Galaxy S4 sales have caused Samsung to cut its component orders for the first time since the company began making smartphones.

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Samsung reportedly rejects Zuckerberg’s ‘Facebook Phone’ overtures

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Samsung reportedly rejects Zuckerberg’s ‘Facebook Phone’ overtures

It's hard to believe, but Samsung doesn't want to follow in the footsteps of HTC and release a Facebook-centric "Galaxy First." The Korea Herald reports that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg broached the subject of creating a "Facebook-friendly" smartphone with Samsung during his meeting with the company on Tuesday and was promptly rejected. Given that the Facebook-centric HTC First has been one of the biggest duds of the year so far, it's not surprising that Samsung has little interest in going along with Zuckerberg's plans. One of The Korea Herald's sources also notes that Samsung doesn't particularly want to help Facebook in its quest to become the next Google since it doesn't want to contend with any additional rivals in the mobile world.

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Google settles lawsuit over planned stock split

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Google settles lawsuit over planned stock split

Google has settled a lawsuit brought on by shareholders after the company announced plans for a stock split earlier this year, Reuters reported. Investors were initially upset with Google and claimed the split would give founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin more control of the company. Google announced plans to issue a new class of nonvoting stock that would be issued as a dividend to investors, that would be used for future acquisitions and that would not take away from Page and Brin's control of the company. Google's current setup gives Class A shares one vote, while Class B shares, such as those owned by Page and Brin, carry 10 votes each. The settlement will give Class C stock holders a cash or stock payment if the stock's value differs by more than 1% from the value of Class A shares.

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U.K. government accused of spying on G20 delegates’ BlackBerry phones

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U.K. government accused of spying on G20 delegates’ BlackBerry phones

Spying claims are spreading and escalating across the globe, from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom. The latest big Guardian exposé claims that the U.K. government spied on G20 summit meeting guests in London using various methods. These reportedly included penetrating the security of BlackBerry phones and setting up internet cafes with key-logging software. The report actually shows a purported government document excerpt: "What are our recent successes? BlackBerry at G20 - delivered messages to analysts during the G20 in near real-time." It's a little eerie to see super spies adopt startup pitch language and tone.

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Apple now adding half a million new iTunes accounts each day

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Apple now adding half a million new iTunes accounts each day

Apple revealed earlier this week that its iTunes music store is now home to 575 million users. Horace Dediu of Asymco noted that the company is adding roughly a half-million new accounts on average per day. At its current rate, Apple will add another 100 million iTunes accounts by the end of 2013. The analyst found that while more consumers are using the service, revenue per account has actually decreased over the past few years. He explained that each of the 575 million accounts generates about half as much revenue, or $3.20 per month, as Apple's 100 million iTunes accounts did in 2009. Dediu doesn't think Apple is in trouble, however. He notes that customer satisfaction and loyalty is still high, and the number of new customers is increasing at higher rate than the decline in spending.

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Q10 could give BlackBerry a huge boost

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Q10 could give BlackBerry a huge boost

Shares of BlackBerry received another small boost on Friday following an upbeat report about the company's latest smartphone. Maynard Um of Walls Fargo, per AllThingsD, claims that sales of the BlackBerry Q10 are better than expected and could help the company beat Wall Street's expectations for the fiscal first quarter. The analyst noted that "channel checks" reveal that the Q10 is off to a good start in the United States and is already outpacing the BlackBerry Z10's launch. He cites the 76 million worldwide loyal BlackBerry users as the key demographic for the smartphone, adding that it "presents a strong upgrade opportunity.” Societe Generale analyst Andy Perkins issued a similar note on Thursday, suggesting sales of the BlackBerry's new smartphones were higher than expected. The analyst upgraded BlackBerry from a “Sell” rating to a “Buy” with a target price of $17 per share.

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New iPhone 5S parts leak, again pointing to internal overhaul

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New iPhone 5S parts leak, again pointing to internal overhaul

We already know Apple's next-generation iPhone 5S is getting an extensive internal overhaul following BGR's exclusive report from last month, and now new purported components have leaked that once again show several internal design changes. Mobile accessory and component retailer TVC-Mall on Friday posted images and details surrounding two new parts it claims are included in Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S.

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Reuters: Apple testing not one, but two iPhones with huge screens for 2014

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Reuters: Apple testing not one, but two iPhones with huge screens for 2014

Apple fans who have been clamoring for a smartphone with a larger display may finally get their wish next year. According to a new report from Reuters, Apple is developing not one but two new iPhones with much larger displays for 2014 debuts. The report claims that Apple is testing one new iPhone model with a 4.7-inch display and a second with a massive 5.7-inch screen. Reuters' unnamed sources in Apple's Asian supply chain said Apple has been discussing the new phones with its supply partners preliminarily, but the company's plans are always changing so it is unclear if Apple's new iPhones for 2014 will actually launch with the screen sizes currently being considered.

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Innovation is still in Apple’s core

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Innovation is still in Apple’s core

"Can't innovate anymore, my ass." Those were some pretty powerful words from Apple's senior vice president of marketing, Phil Schiller, as he showed off a product that's coming later this year, the new Mac Pro. The concern that Apple can't innovate anymore has clearly gotten to the technology giant, evidenced not only by the 17.8% drop in the share price year-to-date, but also by recent commentary. For Apple to show off a new product that isn't close to shipping is extremely rare. It's clear Apple is now on the defensive, and that's something that may scare other companies.

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Smartphone, tablet and PC shipments to surpass 1.7 billion in 2014

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Smartphone, tablet and PC shipments to surpass 1.7 billion in 2014

Emerging markets are expected to greatly contribute to the continued growth of smartphones, tablets and PCs over the next few years. Research firm IDC projects shipments of "smart connect devices" will grow to 1.7 billion units in 2014, roughly 1 billion of which will be shipped to emerging markets. China, India, Brazil, and Russia are expected to generate shipments of 662 million units valued at more than $206 billion, while the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan will account for more than 650 million units valued at $204 billion. Tablets and smartphones are expected to make up a bulk of the shipments, accounting for more than 1.4 billion units worth around $500 billion. The PC industry will likely continue to suffer, only seeing shipments of 300 million units valued at less than $200 billion.



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How to watch live streaming video of Microsoft’s Xbox One press conference at E3

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How to watch live streaming video of Microsoft’s Xbox One press conference at E3

Monday is a busy, busy day. Apple is drawing much of the attention thanks to its WWDC 2013 keynote, which is set to stream live beginning at 1:00 p.m. EDT, 10:00 a.m. PDT, but Microsoft and Sony will also be continuing the stories of their respective next-generation video game consoles. Microsoft is set to kick off this crazy day at 12:30 p.m. EDT, 9:30 a.m. PDT with its Xbox One press conference from E3 in Los Angeles, California. Gaming fans will be looking for new details on several remaining question marks, including the Xbox One used games policy and maybe even information on pricing. There will also be plenty of gameplay demos shown off at the show, and Xbox fans won't want to miss a moment. Luckily, Microsoft is streaming the entire event via Xbox Live and on Xbox.com, and a link to the live feed follows below in the source section.

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BlueStacks’ GamePop console promises to bring iOS games to HDTVs

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BlueStacks’ GamePop console promises to bring iOS games to HDTVs

BlueStacks, the Silicon Valley-based startup known for its Android app player for Mac and PC, recently announced a new gaming console that will launch later this year. GamePop is similar to the Ouya console and is designed to play Android games, however instead of paying for individual titles, BlueStacks charges a monthly subscription fee of $6.99 for access to a library of more than 500 titles. The company on Friday made the console even more appealing by announcing that it will support games designed for Apple's iPhone and iPad in addition to Android games. BlueStacks will utilize a virtualization tool known as Looking Glass to enable iOS games to be played on TV screens. The GamePop console can be preordered now for $129 and is scheduled to be released later this year.

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After spiking in May, HTC One sales expected to be flat June

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After spiking in May, HTC One sales expected to be flat June

HTC came out of the gate swinging with its latest flagship smartphone. The HTC One has been well received by consumers and critics, recently racking up sales of 5 million units. HTC reported that revenue in May grew 48% sequentially as the HTC One helped sales reach their highest level in 11 months. In fact, Kevin Chang of Citigroup Global Markets believes that the HTC One accounted for half of the company's sales, the Taipei Times reported. He estimates that shipments may have doubled from April to reach 1.2 million units. Sales of the smartphone are not expected to improve again this month, however. The analyst believes that shipments of the HTC One may have peaked and because sales of other models remain weak, and he notes that the company's revenue is likely to be flat in June.

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