| From maps to books, the mobile phone is replacing more objects than ever. MWC-2012 will see another assault by mobile device makers on computers, laptops and satnavs. The four-day event is expected to cover both how the mobile networks of the future will evolve as well as how phones will change. The mobile market may not be profitable, but it’s expanding 47% year-on-year.
On the first day, it became clear that manufacturers increasingly opted for newer, quad-core processors, with only Sony continuing to use older, dual-core models. Chinese giant Huawei announced what it called the world’s fastest smartphone, the Ascend D Quad, which it claimed was able to perform better than both Apple’s iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.
Asus is set to announce the launch of its ‘Padfone’ which sees a mobile literally slot inside a larger screen - it is another response to the challenge of smaller devices now being able to stream and play media that looks equally at home on the giant screen.
LG’s new flagship, the Optimus 4X HD, offers a four-core processor and a high definition screen, as well as a 4G receiver for territories such as America where the technology is available. The firm emphasised that the phone could be used for intensive gaming, and some officials claimed that in normal use the device could last for two days without needing to be recharged. The Optimus 4X HD will run Google’s latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and will feature a 4.7” screen with a 1.5GHz processor. The firm is also producing a small tablet, called the Vu, for the American market.
Sony also announced an expansion to its Xperia line of phones, the first the company has made since the end of the Sony Ericsson joint venture. The P and U Xperia models mark an attempt to sell the brand at more mid-range prices. Sony emphasised its task was as much to continue to try to integrate its music, video games and movies into phones as it was to improve devices. Improved displays would form a key part of the new strategy.
HTC, however, focussed primarily on devices rather than on content. Although the Taiwanese manufacturer announced an improvement to its Dropbox tie-up, allowing enhanced back-up and synchronisation of files, the new ‘One’ range focused on improving photography and design.
Mobile phone companies are hoping the Near-Field Communications (NFC) technology will help turn your phone into your wallet. When it comes to the devices themselves, however, phones are increasingly more purse-size than wallet. The Samsung Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Nexus have done well at sizes at least an inch bigger than the iPhone, and a number of five-inch screens are set to be marketed as phones rather than tablets - if your mobile is to stay in your pocket, you might need bigger pockets.
And deeper pockets could come in handy too: mid-priced smartphones are apparently now less profitable than any other type, which means it’s more cost-effective for a network to sell you an upgrade either to something very expensive, such as an iPhone, or something very cheap and out of date, rather than anything in between.
Chip-maker Intel, it is said, can achieve ultra-modern performance with one “core” processor where others require four. By the way, Apple
does not go to the MWC, and Samsung is staying away this year, and will launch new
gadgets at its own event later. It remains to be seen if others at the MWC will their dominance. Matt Warman Daily Telegraph DNA 120228 |
No comments:
Post a Comment