Uncool Mobility

MacWorld still more interesting than CES?

With the economy melting down around us it's been a dull year innovation-wise at the first two big trade shows of 2009. Here is a fun take on MacWorld still generating more buzz than CES.

Apparently Ballmer's keynote about Windows 7 wasn't enough to sway the Twitter crowd (at almost 1.5 hours I wonder how many people made it through the whole thing?).

iTunes goes DRM free

The big news out of Macworld today is Apple's decision to remove copy restrictions on iTunes content.

For consumers this will cement iTunes as the dominant music store and service/device ecosystem. For Apple competitors the basic requirements of content distribution have changed again making it even more difficult for Amazon, Microsoft, and especially Real to maintain relevancy in music.

From a mobile perspective this lends a big tailwind to the App Store and the iPhone in general amongst consumers who have a PC.

BlackBerry vs. iPhone

Informative post from Changewave asking the most critical question of Q1 09 for the mobile services market share: "But is the new RIM lineup of consumer products strong enough to take full advantage of their increased demand?"

"The smart phone market is now dominated by two companies - Apple and Research In Motion. According to our survey results, the Apple iPhone trails the RIM BlackBerry in terms of current market share - but the iPhone has experienced strong growth since its inception and explosive growth since the release of the 3G model in July 2008.

Going forward, RIM is showing a surge in momentum due to its slew of new product launches - and appears capable of giving Apple a strong challenge in 2009. But the real test in a cutthroat market is how satisfied consumers actually are with their new models."

BlackBerry vs. iPhone - The Smart Phone Battle Rages On.

99 Cent iPhone Apps Not Significantly More Popular

99 Cent iPhone Apps Not Significantly More Popular.

This is a fantastic post because it offers commentary based on data. The data intrepretation can be argued--some good comments on this--but it's a great approach.

Google brings AdWords to iPhone

Google has tailored its AdWords program for mobile and is now allowing advertisers to purchase platform-specific ads. This increases Apple's value as a platform to developers as well as content and ISVs.

Device and service vendors competing with Apple will have to respond to the value Apple is creating with its market ecosystem and get beyond launching touchscreens or announcing plans to add an icon enabling application downloads. Apple is remaking this market without serious responses from any of the incumbents.

Apple App Store tribute page shows all 10k apps

Fun eye candy showing all apps, the distribution of pricing, and the pace of publication (by submission month).

10,000 Apps! - Presented by 148Apps.com :: 10,000 iPhone and iPod Touch applications in the iTunes App Store.

The NPD Group: iPhone 3G Leads U.S. Consumer phone purchases

I never would have picked the iPhone, an expensive smartphone sold at a single carrier, to surpass the ubiquitious RAZR. Yet here we are, the RAZR is dethroned as the best selling mobile device in the US for the first time in years--and it's by the iPhone.

The NPD Group: iPhone 3G Leads U.S. Consumer Mobile Phone Purchases in the Third Quarter of 2008.

Android Market Shows Steady Growth

The NYT notes a Medialets report on Android Application Market uptake. It's frustrating how little solid information is available about Apple's App Store and Google's Android Market.

Android Market Shows Steady Growth - NYTimes.com.

If this information is accurate then the G1 appears to be doing well--especially if you compare the demand generation spend relative to the iPhone 3G launch. Medialets reports the Android Market growing at about a third the pace of Apple's App Store, while Android device uptake is likely growing even more slowly in comparison (not saying it is an unsuccessful launch).

Global Cellphone Sales Declined In Typically Busy Q3, Marking The Slowest Growth Rate Since 2002 | mocoNews.net

Apple and RIM's recent growth is especially impressive given the overall market segment is flat. Motorola continues its slide, plummeting out of the top three in market share for the first time.

Global Cellphone Sales Declined In Typically Busy Q3, Marking The Slowest Growth Rate Since 2002 | mocoNews.net.

BlackBerry launching Application Center?

Exclusive: First Look at the BlackBerry Application Center! | CrackBerry.com.

The blogs are lighting up with this report showing an app center to come from Blackberry. From the conversations I had with RIM people at CTIA Wireless (things they wouldn't say or answer) I'd guess this is legit and coming two quarter faster than I had thought.

If this report has it right RIM is continuing a very friendly operator go-to-market with the app store serving operator-hosted apps. It will be interesting to see how this can keep up with Apple's store. Developers have been whining like crazy over Apple's policies, wait until they try certifying and releasing apps on a Verizon or similar!