According to recent data from The Nielsen Co., 29 percent of BlackBerry users and 21 percent of Android users have contemplated switching to an iPhone. Nearly 90 percent of iPhone owners plan to purchase another iPhone for their next mobile device, while 71 percent of Android users plan to continue using their current device, and only 42 percent of BlackBerry users want another one.
Inside these posts: BlackBerry
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iPhone most wanted in Nielsen survey
Saudi-BlackBerry fix deadline passes
A deadline Saudi Arabia has fixed for BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion Ltd and local mobile phone operators to address security concerns has lapsed, but the handset’s services continue to operate normally.
The Communications and Information Telecommunications Commission (CITC) on Saturday gave the kingdom’s three mobile firms until Monday before it proceeds with a threat to cut the BlackBerry’s Messenger function for some 700,000 users in the kingdom, a threat which it had already delayed last week. Get the full story »
As ban looms, some Saudis sell off BlackBerrys
Some Saudis are trying to sell their BlackBerrys ahead of a ban on the smart phone’s messenger service in the kingdom. The Saudi telecoms regulatory agency said this week the service would be halted Friday. By mid-afternoon, it was still operating.
Clinton: U.S. to talk to UAE about BlackBerry ban
The United States will hold technical talks with the United Arab Emirates and other countries on the pending ban on the BlackBerry Messenger, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday. Get the full story »
RIM’s BlackBerry Torch to take on iPhone
See more photos of the BlackBerry Torch here.
Research In Motion unveiled a new BlackBerry smartphone with a touchscreen and slideout keyboard, hoping to raise its consumer appeal and fend off competition from Apple’s iPhone.
The BlackBerry Torch will go on sale in the United States on Aug. 12 for $199.99 with a two-year contract with AT&T Inc. The device uses a new operating system and has a faster and easier-to-use Web browser, RIM said on Tuesday. Get the full story »
BlackBerry may make concessions in govt. talks
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion may be considering concessions to governments who have voiced concerns about the tight security that makes its devices so popular, newspapers said on Tuesday.
India’s Economic Times newspaper reported that RIM had agreed to allow security authorities in the country to monitor BlackBerry services after pressure from governments worried about national security.
Separately Kuwaiti daily al-Jarida, quoting a source it did not identify by name, said RIM had given “initial approval” to block 3,000 porn sites at the request of Kuwait’s communications ministry. It said security was also a concern. Get the full story »
RIM looks to reassure users after UAE spat
Research In Motion pledged to satisfy the security needs of customers and governments, a day after the United Arab Emirates threatened to cut off some BlackBerry services because authorities could not access encrypted messaging data.
In the latest of several disputes over BlackBerry security, the UAE said over the weekend that it would suspend BlackBerry Messenger, email and Web browser services from Oct. 11 until it could access encrypted messages. Get the full story »
Android phones outsell iPhone in first half of 2010
Google Inc.’s Android has overtaken Apple Inc.’s iPhone in the high-profile smartphone sweepstakes, according to one market research firm.
New smartphone subscribers choosing Android handsets accounted for 27 percent of U.S. smartphone sales in the first half of the year, surpassing the 23 percent share held by Apple’s wildly popular phones, the Nielsen Company said Monday. Get the full story »
U.S.: UAE BlackBerry block ‘dangerous’
The United States said it was disappointed that the United Arab Emirates planned to cut off key BlackBerry services and said the Gulf nation was setting a dangerous precedent in limiting freedom of information.
“We are committed to promoting the free flow of information,” said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. “We think it’s integral to an innovative economy.” Get the full story »
Verizon phone users gobble more data than AT&T’s
Thought your iPhone-toting friends were always buried in their phones? Seems Droid users are even more active Web surfers, according to a report released this week.
The average Verizon Wireless smart-phone owner gobbles up more of the network’s wireless data each month than AT&T customers, according to a survey of 20,000 cell phone bills by Validas. Get the full story »
American joins mobile flight info club
American Airlines launched a free mobile application Monday to let iPhone and iPod Touch users track flight details, monitor standby lists, track frequent-flier accounts and check in for flights.
American is among a growing number of airlines and travel companies taking advantage of Apple’s developer-friendly architecture to create new bells and whistles to help travelers wile away hours in airports, hunt for bargains or get the biggest bang from their frequent-flier miles. Get the full story »
UAE seeks to reduce BlackBerry ‘threat’ to security
The BlackBerry, made by Canada’s Research In Motion, is open to misuse that poses security risks to the United Arab Emirates, which said it would seek to safeguard its consumers and laws.
Gulf state Bahrain in April warned against the use of BlackBerry Messenger software to distribute local news, drawing criticism from media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders, which called it an act of censorship. Get the full story »
Apple shares fall on iPhone 4 quality concerns
Shares of Apple Inc slid more than 4 percent Tuesday after a poor review for its iPhone 4 from an influential consumer guide underpinned mounting complaints about the hot-selling device’s reception.
Consumer Reports said Monday that it could not recommend the iPhone 4 — which sold 1.7 million units worldwide in its first three days — after its tests confirmed concerns about signal loss when the device is held in a certain way. Get the full story »
BlackBerry maker RIM in push to tap China market
Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry smartphone, said it is preparing to launch an applications store and consumer Internet services in China as part of its push into the world’s top mobile market. The upcoming Chinese App World applications store would follow RIM’s May launch of BlackBerry service in China through China Telecom, one of China’s three major carriers. RIM is also developing service for the homegrown third-generation (3G) mobile standard used by leading Chinese carrier China Mobile. Get the full story »