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Tag: Windows Phone 8

  • Windows Phone 8.1 Adds Cortana, Various Improvements

    Last year, Microsoft refreshed Windows 8 on PCs and tablets with the launch of Windows 8.1. It added a bunch of new features, including the return of the Start button. Widows Phone users were left without an update though with Microsoft only promising that one was on its way. At Microsoft’s annual developer conference taking place this week, the company announced that Windows Phone 8.1 is finally here.

    With Windows 8.1, Microsoft is introducing numerous updates and features to its mobile platform, including the previously rumored digital assistant Cortana. Much like Apple’s Siri, Cortana will use a search engine and natural speech recognition to assist users with everyday queries. As you might expect, Cortana does use Bing, but it’s also powered by software that will learn from users as they continue to use it. Here’s Microsoft’s take on it:

    Powered by Bing, Cortana is the only digital assistant that gets to know you, builds a relationship that you can trust, and gets better over time by asking questions based on your behavior and checking in with you before she assumes you’re interested in something. She detects and monitors the stuff you care about, looks out for you throughout the day, and helps filter out the noise so you can focus on what matters to you. Cortana will launch shortly here in the U.S. first as a “beta,” and then will launch in the US, the U.K. and China in the second half of 2014 with other countries to follow afterwards into 2015.

    Moving on, the Start screen is even more customizable in Windows Phone 8.1. Microsoft already made it so that users with devices sporting 5-inch or larger screens can have three columns on their Start Screen. They can now also use a custom image as the background that’s then broken into all the tiles that Windows Phone users have to come to know. Here’s an example:

    Windows Phone 8.1 Adds Cortana

    Just like the Start screen, the Lock screen has seen improvement as well. In Windows Phone 8.1, users will be able to select from a “wide range of interesting “Lock Screen Themes” which show all kinds of different visuals and animations.”

    As for general improvements, Windows Phone 8.1 has added what it calls the Action Center. In short, it’s a notification center that will let you receive notifications from any and all apps even if they aren’t pinned. It also added a new Word Flow keyboard that uses the swipe typing method seen in pretty much every other mobile device these days. Microsoft claims their keyboard is the fastest though and can even back it up with a kid being able to break the world record for typing really fast via Word Flow keyboards.

    Windows Phone 8.1 also features deep integration with Windows 8.1. For example, you can change the theme in Windows 8.1 and that theme will automatically be applied to your Windows Phone 8.1 device. Apps purchased on Windows 8.1 will also be downloaded automatically to your Windows Phone 8.1 device.

    There are a number of other smaller improvements and additions made to Windows Phone 8.1. To see them all, you’ll want to check out the below 15 minute demo:

    Windows Phone 8.1 will begin to roll out to existing Windows Phone 8 users in the coming months. It will also come preinstalled on new Windows Phone hardware, like the Nokia 930.

    Image via Windows Phone/YouTube

  • Windows Phone Gaining Traction in Emerging Markets

    Windows Phone Gaining Traction in Emerging Markets

    In terms of the overall smartphone market, Windows Phone holds only a tiny fraction of the world’s market share. Android and iOS continue to dominate smartphone shipments, as Apple’s brand continues to draw customers in mature markets and Samsung floods the world with smartphones of all prices and sizes.

    Microsoft did see a glimmer of hope recently in the U.S. market, where Windows Phone has now surpassed BlackBerry OS. Even so, signs point to slowing smartphone market growth, meaning that the game might end before Microsoft makes much of an impact with Windows Phone. That means emerging markets are the last best hope for Microsoft’s huge investment in mobile.

    A DigiTimes report today shows, though, that Microsoft may have picked up a few emerging market victories lately. The report’s unnamed “industry sources” claim that certain Chinese and Indian smartphone brands have recently begun to embrace Windows Phone. According to the report Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, Gionee, Lava, and Karbonn could release Windows Phone devices at some point, including a possible dual OS device.

    This shift towards Windows Phone reportedly happened due to the more entry-level-friendly policies Microsoft has adopted recently. According to DigiTimes the company has lowered the hardware specs for the Windows Phone platform and provided reference designs, making it easier for emerging market manufacturers to embrace the OS. Microsoft has also reportedly eased licensing restrictions for the OS allowing for manufacturers to develop software that might run on top of Windows Phone the way Android is currently used.

  • Windows Phone 8.1 Can Be Added To Existing Android Devices

    UPDATE: As readers have pointed out in the comments below, the announcement of Windows Phone 8.1 adding support for Snapdragon 200, 400 and 400 LTE Android handsets is only for OEMs. I mistakenly assumed that Microsoft would be releasing Windows Phone 8.1 to consumers to flash to their own devices. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

    Original story below:

    Windows Phone, like iOS, is only available on select hardware. While Microsoft has licensed out Windows Phone to third-party OEMs, they have had to stick with restrictive hardware designs. With Windows 8.1, it’s getting a little less restrictive.

    At Mobile World Congress, Microsoft announced that Windows 8.1 will support more hardware in the future. That means Android device manufacturers can load Windows Phone 8.1 onto their devices without having to change the hardware. Along with the announcement, Microsoft stated that it has added support for devices sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 200, 400 and 400 LTE chipsets.

    Unfortunately, it looks like Microsoft doesn’t want you to have your cake and eat it too. It confirmed that dual-booting won’t be allowed so OEMs won’t be able to offer devices with both Android and Windows Phone. It’s a little unfortunate, but also understandable from Microsoft’s perspective as they hope those who try it out will want to stick with it.

    With this news, it’s pretty obvious that Microsoft will be aggressively targeting Android users this year. Not only is it opening the Windows Phone platform to existing Android device manufacturers, but it’s also trying to bring Android users to Windows Phone through its new Nokia X platform.

    Nokia X is a new line of smartphones that run a forked version of Android that strips out all things Google and adds Microsoft and Nokia services. It’s basically a version of Android that looks an awful lot like a Windows Phone and it’s intended for emerging markets.

    As Microsoft continues to do well with Windows Phone in emerging markets, Nokia X and Windows Phone 8.1 may just help it steal some thunder away from Android. It probably won’t be much, but it’s growth and that’s all that really matters to Microsoft at this point.

    [h/t: PC Mag]
    Image via Nokia

  • Bing Launches 3 New Windows Phone Apps

    Microsoft just announced the launch of three new Bing Apps for Windows Phone 8: Bing Food & Drink, Bing Health & Fitness and Bing Travel.

    Bing Food & Drink includes 600,000 recipes, a wine guide to 1.5 million different bottles, and a one-click “add to shopping list” feature, which roams between mobile and Windows 8.1.

    Bing Food

    The Health & Fitness app lets users browse over 1,000 exercise and workout videos, includes a nutritional and medical reference feature, and offers trackers for diet and cardio.

    Bing Travel lets users book flights and hotels, find nearby attractions and look at photography of over 2,000 destinations.

    The apps are now available in the Windows Phone Store.

    Microsoft is also releasing big updates to its other Windows Phone apps: Finance, News, Sports and Weather, which enable roaming across Windows devices.

    “Now, the personalized Bing apps preferences and settings associated with your Microsoft Account will seamlessly sync across your PC, tablet, and Windows Phone for all seven Bing apps,” a spokesperson for the company tells WebProNews.

    New Bing Apps on Windows Phone from Bing on Vimeo.

    Images via Microsoft

  • That Nokia Android Phone Might Be Unveiled This Month

    Last month, it was revealed that Nokia may be working on an Android device. The news was surprising considering Nokia’s commitment to the Windows Phone platform as well as the company now being owned by Microsoft. According to a new report, the phone, known as Normandy, is very real and will be unveiled later this month.

    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Nokia and Microsoft will be unveiling its line of Normandy devices at Mobile World Congress later this month. The low-end Android devices will run a forked version of Android that emphasizes Nokia and Microsoft services while stripping out all of Google’s services.

    If you’re just joining us, the Nokia Normandy is a rumored line of low-end Android devices that Nokia was working on before being sold to Microsoft. The devices are reportedly meant to replace Nokia’s own low-end Asha devices which run the company’s own custom software. With Normandy, the company is seemingly planning to get its own, as well as Microsoft’s services, into as many hands as possible through low-end hardware running a forked version of Google’s popular Android OS.

    So, how low-end are we talking here? Will Nokia’s Normandy be able to compete with other low-end devices, like the Moto G? According to @evleaks, the Normandy will be an even lower-end phone with a dual-core Snapdragon CPU, 4-inch display, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 5MP rear camera. In short, the Normandy is the kind of low-end intended for emerging markets, like China or India, where price is more important specs.

    Still, it’s an interesting prospect – Microsoft may soon be selling an Android phone if these reports are accurate. While Microsoft won’t be offering any Google services on its device, it will still be using the OS that Windows Phone directly competes with. In this case, Microsoft may be taking “if you can’t beat them, join them” stance with a long-term goal of converting those Normandy users into Windows Phone users once the markets mature.

    Image via @evleaks/Twitter

  • New Nokia Phones Rumored For Mobile World Congress

    This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was filled with a wide array of tablet, smartphone, and TV announcements and reveals. Manufacturers will get a second world stage to debut products at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, and it seems that Microsoft will be using the event to announce its new Nokia devices.

    A new DigiTimes report today states that Nokia is rumored to be preparing a line of Windows Phone 8.1 devices for announcement at MWC. According to the report’s unnamed “sources in Taiwan’s handset supply chain,” at least three different Nokia smartphones are set to debut at the event, with offerings for both the high and low end of the smartphone market. All three have the Lumia branding that Nokia has worked so hard to create over the past two years.

    One of the rumored devices is the Lumia 1820, a with a 5.2-inch display. The 1820 supposedly will have a Snapdragon 805 CPU and a 3400mAh battery.

    Another of the devices could be the Lumia 1520V, a smaller budget version of Nokia’s Lumia 1520. The 1520V is rumored to have a 4.45-inch display and a 14MP rear camera, both of which are pared down from the 1520’s 6-inch display and 20MP rear camera.

    The third device is rumored to be named the Lumia 1525. DigiTimes’ sources described the 1525 as having a 6-inch display, though nothing else about its hardware was revealed.

    Despite Windows Phone’s small chunk of the smartphone market, Nokia and Microsoft have continued to pump out Lumia devices with hardware that competes with the best smartphones available (especially when it comes to camera technology). With a software revision in Windows Phone 8.1, Nokia’s latest offerings could expand Microsoft’s mobile ecosystem and help the platform gain even more market share.

    Image via Nokia

  • Bing Translator App Updated With Speech Input

    Here’s a scenario – you find yourself in Rome after a week long party across Europe that has left you lost and alone. You can book a room for the night, but you don’t know any Italian. Good thing you have your Windows Phone on your person with an updated Bing Translator app.

    Bing announced on Wednesday that it has updated its Bing Translator App with a new speech input function. The new feature allows you to speak into the mic of your phone and have the phone instantly translate what you said into the language of the locals. It will even play back the translated words in a native accent. Of course, this works in reverse as well for when you need to know what the other person in saying.

    Here’s what it will look like:

    Bing Translator App Updated With Speech Input

    On top of speech input, the Bing Translator App can now translate the printed word. It works in both portrait and landscape mode. You just need to scan the text and the app will automatically translate it.

    The final update is exclusively for Windows Phone 8 and it lets users download language packs for offline use. You never know when you’ll be stuck in Italy without an Internet connection so it’s probably best to download the language pack directly to your phone today.

    You can grab the latest Bing Translator app for Windows Phone 8 here and Windows 8.1 here.

    Image via Windows Store

  • Windows Phone 8 Gets Xbox Video, Xbox Music Today

    Are you a Windows Phone 8 user that desperately needs official Microsoft apps for everything in your life? Well, the last two holdouts – video and music – are finally getting official apps.

    Microsoft announced today that Xbox Video is finally available on Windows Phone 8. Like the app on PC and Xbox One, Xbox Video for Windows Phone 8 allows users to stream or download any number of movies and TV shows to their device. The app also pulls Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic ratings for those who just aren’t sure if they would like Pacific Rim (Spoilers: You will).

    As for TV shows on Xbox Video, Microsoft touts the ability for users to purchase a season pass. This allows to pay a single upfront fee and download each new episode of a TV series as soon as it airs.

    Finally, Xbox Video for Windows Phone 8 offers SmartGlass functionality with Xbox 360 and Xbox One. You can use the app as a remote or to pull information about the film while watching it on your TV via your console.

    Xbox Video isn’t the only app hitting Windows Phone 8 today as a preview of Xbox Music will also be made available to Xbox Music Pass subscribers. The current offering is strictly a preview as the app won’t be ready until 2014, but it will give you a taste of the Xbox Music experience Microsoft is building for Windows Phone 8 devices. The app is available in all 22 markets that Xbox Music is currently available in.

    If you need the above apps in your life, you can find the Xbox Video app here and the Xbox Music app here.

    Image via Xbox Wire

  • Finance App Mint Comes To Windows 8

    Finance App Mint Comes To Windows 8

    For those of who are too lazy to keep track of our finances, Mint was a godsend when it hit iOS and Android. Now Windows 8 users can finally keep track of their finances the easy way as well.

    Mint announced today that its personal finance app is now available on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 starting today. Much like the apps on iOS and Android, you’ll be able to connect Mint with your bank account to keep track of all your purchases. It’s also handy at chastising you for spending more money on video games than on food.

    “More than 13 million users rely on Mint to help them save toward their financial goals and guide them to a better financial future,” said Vince Maniago, group product manager for Mint. “By expanding our mobile personal finance offerings, we’re providing Windows and Windows Phone users with a custom-built Mint experience that helps them take control and manage their money anywhere, anytime.”

    Here’s what the app on Windows 8 looks like:

    Finance App Mint Finally Available On Windows 8

    Aside from the basic app functionality that you will find in any version of Mint, the app on Windows 8 supports unique Windows functionality, like LiveTiles. That means you’ll be able to see select financial information from the app on your homescreen without ever having to open said app.

    You can grab Mint from the Windows store and Windows Phone store today.

    [Image: Windows Store]

  • Windows Phone Could Find Growth in Enterprise

    With BlackBerry now struggling to finance itself while in the midst of a major executive and board transition, Other smartphone brands are now eyeing the lucrative enterprise market that BlackBerry once led.

    Samsung is diving into Android security software with its KNOX offering, while Apple is also beginning to court businesses with new security features in its latest iPhone, the iPhone 5S. Still, the failure of BlackBerry could help Microsoft most of all, as it is well-positioned in other enterprise markets to make Windows Phone 8 a major part of its enterprise offerings and ecosystem.

    Market research firm ABI Research today predicted that as the consumer smartphone segment in established markets begins to saturate, manufacturers will begin including software and features in their to lure enterprise sales. More specifically, Apple’s recent expansion of VPP control, EMM/MDM, and application management in its new iOS 7 mobile operating system will spur the industry on, though Apple itself is not predicted to increase its share of the enterprise smartphone market.

    “There was a lot of excitement with the release of iOS 7, especially in the enterprise where Apple included features enterprises were longing for,” said Jason McNicol, senior analyst at ABI. “Some of those features, however, were not terribly innovative when compared to the services offered by the EMM/MDM market, while other enhancements have relatively limited functionality. Despite the positive market buzz, iOS7 enterprise features are unlikely to increase its enterprise presence. Plenty of market opportunity remains, especially for a company like Microsoft.”

    ABI predicts that Apple will maintain its 18% smartphone market share “for the foreseeable future.” Meanwhile, Microsoft is seen growing Windows Phone to 6% of the smartphone market within the next five years. Microsoft’s platform growth is likely to be led by Europe and enterprise customers are expected to follow.

    “Surprisingly, there are quite a few similarities between Apple and Microsoft allowing for a good comparison of the two platforms,” said Dan Shey, practice director at ABI. “While Apple has a significant lead over Microsoft, Microsoft is learning from Apple. If Microsoft keeps its promises for enterprise features expansion, we expect it to gain market share among mobile business customers.”

  • Upcoming Windows Phone 8 Update Paves The Way For Phablets

    As Android devices like the Galaxy Note have proven, smartphone consumers love phablets. As Android devices get bigger and bigger, however, iOS and Windows Phone device displays remain below 5-inches. Microsoft will be changing that with its next software update.

    Microsoft announced this morning that it will be rolling out its third Windows Phone 8 update over the next new few months. The Windows Phone team says the update will seek to accomplish three goals:

  • Enable incredible new Windows Phone devices.
  • Enhance the platform with new capabilities for current users and partners.
  • Improve overall quality.

    • For new hardware, the latest Windows Phone 8 update will provide support for larger displays. The team specifically says 5- and 6-inch full 1080p displays will be coming to Windows Phone 8. These larger displays will bring with them larger Start screens so users can fit even more Live Tiles on the screen – up to six across.

    Such large screens will require even more powerful hardware, and the Windows Phone team already has that covered. It says that its latest Windows Phone 8 update will bring with it support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 CPU.

    As for new capabilities, the Windows Phone team is working on a new Driving Mode for Windows Phone 8. As its name implies, Driving Mode will limit what your phone can do while you’re on the road. For example, you can have your phone send off automatic text messages to those who call you while you’re driving.

    The Windows Phone team is also adding a screen reader to help make Windows Phone 8 more friendly for the blind and visually impaired. The screen reader will work with phone calls, text messages, Web browsing, Skype, and notifications.

    All of the above will be coming to Windows Phone 8 devices over the next few months, but developers can get it today through the newly announced Developer Preview program. To get Windows Phone 8 Update 3, developers only need to meet three conditions: have a “developer-unlocked” device, be a registered Windows Phone Store developer, and be a registered Windows Phone App Studio developer. You can find out more here.

    [Image: Nokia]

  • Microsoft Wants To Put Windows Phone On Android Handsets [Report]

    I think we can all agree that Nokia’s Windows Phone hardware is great. It’s the Samsung and HTC Windows Phones that are debatable. Microsoft wants to change that.

    Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft is currently in talks with HTC to get its Windows Phone 8 operating system on the OEM’s Android handsets. In other words, Microsoft wants to see an HTC One with Windows Phone 8.

    Interestingly enough, the report says that Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft’s operating systems unit, asked HTC to offer Windows Phone alongside Android on the manufacturer’s flagship devices. It’s not known at this point if he wants HTC to offer consumers an option of which OS they want, or if Microsoft wants a dual-boot device. HTC would probably prefer the former, but Microsoft would probably love the option of a dual-boot device.

    Even if Microsoft can’t convince HTC to put Windows Phone on the One, it at least still has HTC as a partner. The same can’t be said of other OEMs who have exclusively stuck with Android over the past few years. Microsoft is reportedly trying to change that too as reports say Steve Ballmer met with handset manufacturers in Beijing last week to talk about making Windows Phones.

    The reported focus of the meeting was to assure handset manufacturers that Microsoft wouldn’t be locking out OEMs after its acquisition of Nokia. In fact, Microsoft is seemingly more aggressive than ever in signing on more OEMs to make Windows Phones with the company even offering to waive licensing fees. In doing so, Windows Phone 8 could become just like Android – a free OS that anybody can use. Of course, Microsoft would still exert some control over how it’s used unlike Google’s hands-off approach to Android.

    Still, it’s an interesting concept. Instead of having OEMs make separate devices for Android and Windows Phone 8, they could make one device while allowing consumers to choose whichever OS they want. A dual-boot option would be incredible, but for now, I think we’ll probably see a few test runs to see if Windows Phone 8 sees an uptick in adoption based solely on the availability of new hardware.

    [Image: HTC/YouTube]

  • Skype Will No Longer Update Its Windows Phone 7 App

    Are you still rockin’ a Windows Phone 7 device? Do you regularly use Skype? If so, you might want to consider upgrading.

    Skype announced this morning that it has stopped development of Skype for Windows Phone 7. The decision was made after it decided to focus all of its efforts on Windows Phone 8 for the foreseeable future. It also probably has something to do with the fact that there aren’t many Windows Phone 7 users out in the wild anymore.

    Here’s the full statement:

    Earlier this year we outlined Skype’s Mobile Future, where our work on Windows Phone has been leading the way in a number of key areas. Skype for Windows Phone was the first Skype mobile app to have HD Video Calling, the new Modern user interface and be always on and power efficient. The Windows Phone 8 platform is gaining good momentum in the marketplace and at Skype the vast majority of our Windows Phone base and usage is on Windows Phone 8.

    Just recently we released Video Messaging for our Windows Phone 8 app, enabling you to record and share messages, even when friends and loved ones are not available for a call. As we look ahead to the future, we are focusing all our efforts to bring great experiences and improved performance to Windows Phone 8, building on the capabilities of the platform. As a result we are not planning to release further updates to Skype for Windows Phone 7. However the Windows Phone 7 app will remain available to download in the Windows Phone Store, so users can still keep using the core Skype experiences, such as Chat, Voice and Video Calls.

    So, it’s all not bad, right? Windows Phone 7 users can still use Skype. They’re just not going to get any new features. If new features are all that important to you, you might just want to upgrade to Windows Phone 8. Microsoft just bought Nokia’s devices and services division, and will probably be pumping out some pretty good hardware in the near future. It’s as good of time as any to upgrade for the devoted Windows Phone fan.

    [Image: Skype]

  • Windows Phone Sales Rising in Europe

    Windows Phone Sales Rising in Europe

    Though the announcement that Microsoft will be buying Nokia’s devices and services unit was not surprising, the move is now placing pressure on other smartphone manufacturers. It is expected that Windows Phone will become an exclusive Microsoft platform, changing little in the Windows Phone market, but perhaps creating demand for other smartphone operating systems.

    While Nokia has taken much criticism for its strategy of being number one in the smaller Windows Phone market while ignoring the crowded Android sector, the strategy seems to have paid off for the company. In addition to its acquisition, Nokia’s Lumia smartphones seem to have attracted a growing number of smartphone users.

    Kantar Worldpanel this weekend revealed sales numbers showing that Windows Phone sales are actually rising throughout Europe. Numbers for the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, and Italy show that Windows Phone market share has risen to a full 8.2% of the smartphone market. Windows Phone is also making waves in Mexico, where Kantar says it captured 11.6% of smartphone sales during the past three months.

    The Kantar report states that most of the growth in Windows Phone sales is coming from first-time smartphone buyers. Also, low-priced handsets from Nokia are predicted to go over well in emerging markets, where other analysts have predicted major smartphone growth in the coming years.

    “Windows Phone’s success has been in convincing first time smartphone buyers to choose one of its devices with 42% of sales over the past year coming from existing featurephone owners,” said Dominic Sunnebo, a strategic insight director at Kantar. “This is a much higher proportion than Android and iOS. The Lumia 520 is hitting a sweet spot, offering the price and quality that new smartphone buyers are looking for.

    “Feature phone owners present a huge opportunity, representing more than half of all mobile users globally and this will be the new battleground over the next year. With the iPhone 4 and lower-end or older Samsung Galaxy models selling well among first time smartphone owners, there is plenty of competition for these customers. The brands that win in this segment will be those that understand and address the needs of consumers in terms of price, content, and quality.”

  • Windows Phone Could Become a Closed Platform [RUMOR]

    Microsoft decided not to take the long holiday weekend off, ironing out a deal to buy Nokia’s devices and services division for upwards of $5 billion. The acquisition makes sense due to the tight relationship the two companies have had over the Windows Phone 8 platform during the past two years. Though smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung and HTC have released Windows Phone 8 smartphones over the past year, Nokia has consistently dominated Windows Phone sales with its lineup of Lumia smartphones.

    The acquisition also fits perfectly into Microsoft’s recent narrative of transition to a devices and services company. Now that Microsoft has its very own mobile hardware company, speculation is centering on the future of the Windows Phone 8 OS itself.

    DigiTimes today reported that the Windows Phone OS is “likely” to become a closed platform, used only by Microsoft itself. The report cites unnamed “industry sources” as saying smartphone manufacturers will shy away from the OS to avoid competing with Microsoft on its own turf.

    The report speculates that this shift will mean an even greater dependence on Android by smartphone manufacturers. In addition, the move could mean a greater focus on the development of competing smartphone operating systems, such as Firefox OS or the Samsung-led Tizen project.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • Microsoft’s Antitrust Lawyer Has Some Words For Google About The Windows Phone YouTube App

    Microsoft and Google are still fighting about the Windows Phone YouTube app. This has been going on for months, with no apparent resolution on the way.

    Back in May, Google sent Microsoft a cease and desist letter for building a native YouTube app, claiming that it violated its terms of service in three areas. It allowed users to download videos, it prevented the display of ads in YouTube video playbacks and it played videos that Google’s partners had restricted from playback on certain platforms (like mobile devices).

    “These features directly harm our content creators and clearly violate our Terms of Service,” Google said.

    Since then, the two companies have actually been working together to deliver a suitable app that would both please Windows Phone users (and Microsoft) and meet Google’s conditions. Microsoft thought they had reached that point. Earlier this week, it released its new YouTube app, after addressing the aforementioned issues. Then, Google blocked it.

    The Verge quotes a Microsoft spokesperson before the app was blocked:

    We’ve released an updated YouTube app for Windows Phone that provides the great experience our consumers expect while addressing the concerns Google expressed in May, including the addition of ads,” says a spokesperson. Microsoft says it appreciates “Google’s support in ensuring that Windows Phones customers have a quality YouTube experience and look forward to continuing the collaboration.”

    Then it quotes a Google spokesperson, and again a Microsoft spokesperson after the app was blocked:

    “Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service,” says a Google spokesperson. “It has been disabled. We value our broad developer community and therefore ask everyone to adhere to the same guidelines.”

    ..

    Microsoft says it’s working on resolving the issue with its updated YouTube app. “Google is blocking our updated YouTube app for Windows Phone,” says a Microsoft spokesperson. “We are working with them to resolve the issue.”

    Now, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Litigation & Antitrust, has put out a scathing blog post about Google, suggesting that Google is just making excuses for blocking the app because it doesn’t want it on devices that don’t use Google as the default search provider like Android and the iPhone.

    He writes, “Google’s objections to our app are not only inconsistent with Google’s own commitment of openness, but also involve requirements for a Windows Phone app that it doesn’t impose on its own platform or Apple’s (both of which use Google as the default search engine, of course).”

    He later writes:

    Google asked us to transition our app to a new coding language – HTML5. This was an odd request since neither YouTube’s iPhone app nor its Android app are built on HTML5. Nevertheless, we dedicated significant engineering resources to examine the possibility. At the end of the day, experts from both companies recognized that building a YouTube app based on HTML5 would be technically difficult and time consuming, which is why we assume YouTube has not yet made the conversion for its iPhone and Android apps.

    For this reason, we made a decision this week to publish our non-HTML5 app while committing to work with Google long-term on an app based on HTML5. We believe this approach delivers our customers a short term experience on par with the other platforms while putting us in the same position as Android and iOS in enabling an eventual transition to new technology. Google, however, has decided to block our mutual customers from accessing our new app.

    It seems to us that Google’s reasons for blocking our app are manufactured so that we can’t give our users the same experience Android and iPhone users are getting. The roadblocks Google has set up are impossible to overcome, and they know it.

    You can read the whole thing here.

    As far as Microsoft is concerned, it has done everything Google wanted, Google is being unfair, and the ball is in Google’s court.

    We have yet to see Google’s rebuttal to Microsoft’s post.

  • HTC “Likely” to Drop Windows Phone [RUMOR]

    HTC “Likely” to Drop Windows Phone [RUMOR]

    It’s clear that Nokia won’t be abandoning Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 anytime soon. The company’s strategy of having a huge portion of a small market, rather than a tiny portion of the Android market, may or may not pay off – but at least it’s a coherent plan. HTC, on the other hand, is flailing all over the place. The company’s financials have been dismal, despite releasing its well-reviewed HTC One Android smartphone. It’s not clear that even Tony Stark himself can save the brand from obscurity.

    DigiTimes today reported that HTC may soon abandon Windows Phone 8. The company currently manufactures its 8X and 8S line of Windows Phone 8 smartphones. The report’s unnamed “industry sources” cite a familiar cause for HTC’s woes: Samsung.

    While Nokia reportedly has around four-fifths of the Windows Phone 8 market, HTC has now seen its share fall to below 5%. This comes at the same time Samsung has now raised its shipments of Windows Phone 8 devices to be come second in the market behind Nokia.

    It appears that HTC focused much of its engineering and marketing resources to competing with Samsung for the high-end Android smartphone market. Slightly ironic, as Samsung has now overtaken it in the Windows Phone 8 arena. With analysts stating that mid- and low-priced phones in developing countries are the next growth markets for smartphones, HTC will have to reorganize much of its operation to compete. Continuing to push uphill toward the high-end market is a poor plan, as both Palm and BlackBerry have learned.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • Android Almost Reaches 80 Percent Global Market Share In Q2

    Android Almost Reaches 80 Percent Global Market Share In Q2

    Android has been rather aggressive as of late in capturing smartphone market share that was previously held by Apple. It was a while ago that Android had surpassed iOS in global market share, but now it looks like it’s an unstoppable juggernaut.

    In its latest report, IDC shared total smartphone shipments from the second quarter of this year. Android came out way ahead of the competition with 187.4 million units shipped last quarter for 79.3 percent of the global market share. Apple’s iOS was in second place with 31.2 million units shipped for 13.2 percent of the global marketshare.

    As for the other guys, Windows Phone came in a respectable third place with 8.7 million units shipped for 3.7 percent of the global market share. BlackBerry OS brought up the rear with 6.8 million units shipped for 2.9 percent of the global market share.

    Android Almost Reaches 80 Percent Global Market Share In Q2

    So, what’s up with Apple? IDC argues that we’ll see iOS device shipments come back in force later this year when Apple launches the iPhone 5S:

    “The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone,” says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. “Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple’s market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share.”

    As for Android device manufacturers, IDC reports that Samsung reigns supreme with 73.3 million units shipped for 39.1 percent of the global Android market share in the second quarter. The closest competitor is LG with 12.1 million units shipped, and it can be assumed that most of those are Nexus 4 devices for Google. Chinese manufacturers like Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE round out the major players.

    IDC also took a look at Windows Phone shipments in the second quarter, and found that Nokia rules that particular roost. The Finnish phone manufacturer shipped 7.1 million Windows Phone devices last quarter for 81.6 percent of the global Windows Phone marketshare. The closest competitor was Samsung with only 1 million devices shipped.

    “Last quarter we witnessed Windows Phone shipments surpassing BlackBerry and the trend has continued into the second quarter,” said Ryan Reith, Program Manager with IDC’s Mobility Tracker Programs. “Nokia has clearly been the driving force behind the Windows Phone platform, and we expect that to continue. However, as more and more vendors enter the smartphone market using the Android platform, we expect Windows Phone to become a more attractive differentiator in this very competitive market segment.”

    In short, Android and iOS are still dominating the smartphone market and that’s not going to change anytime soon. What will change is how Windows Phone 8 fits into the market as it continues to mature into an attractive alternative option for those seeking something different.

  • Bing’s Windows Apps Hit Windows Phone 8

    Bing’s specialized apps that were previously released on Windows 8 (News, Sports, Weather and Finance) are now being launched for Windows Phone 8.

    “The new apps will share the comprehensive, customizable and visually immersive experiences powered by Bing in Windows 8, and allow people to conveniently track and prioritize what’s important to them across the Windows family of devices,” a spokesperson for Microsoft tells WebProNews.

    The News app gives the user personalized news based on particular story categories, topics or news sources. Bing has also partnered with news organizations like the AP, Reuters, Gizmodo and The Guardian, in addition to local and regional sources.

    The app also takes advantage of Live Tiles on Windows Phone.

    Bing News

    The Sports app also brings personalization features enabling you to follow your favorite sports and teams.

    Bing Sports

    The Weather app provides dynamic maps for the cities/regions of your choosing, and includes satellite, temperature, precipitation, cloud cover and radar.

    Bing Weather

    The Finance app includes financial news, market info, currency conversions and US stock updates with customizable charts.

    Bing Finance

    Earlier this week, Microsoft announced a new look and features for Bing itself on Windows Phone. More on those here.

  • Nokia Announces Larger Lumia 625 Windows Phone

    Just two weeks ago, Nokia announced its new flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone, the Lumia 1020. That device’s big feature is a 41MP camera and the software to take advantage of it. Now, Nokia has announced a mid-priced Windows Phone 8 smartphone that’s big feature is being big.

    Nokia today announced the Lumia 625, the manufacturer’s largest Windoes PHone 8 smartphone to date. The device has a 4.7-inch screen, comparable to the size of Samsung’s newer Galaxy S smartphones. The 625 also has a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, 512MB of memory, and 8GB of storage. It does not sport the high-end camera of the 1020, instead having a 5-megapixel rear camera.

    Nokia is hoping to position the 625 as a mid-priced smartphone for Europe, Asia, India, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Nokia did not mention a North American launch in its announcement. The device will be available some time during Nokia’s third fiscal quarter and will retail for €220. As is customary for Nokia’s devices, the 625 will launch in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, green, white, and black. The device also includes shells in these colors for an easily changeable appearance.

  • Halo: Spartan Assault Is Now Out On Windows 8 Devices

    Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would be bringing an entirely new Halo title to Windows 8 devices. The game – Halo: Spartan Assault – would be set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4, and feature an entirely new story set within the Halo universe.

    Here’s the official synopsis:

    The game takes place between Halo 3 and Halo 4 with the first missions of the Spartan Ops program – diving deeper into the backstory of Human-Covenant wars. You play as either Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis stationed aboard the UNSC Infinity and you battle against Covenant forces with 25 missions (as part of 5 operations with 5 missions each).

    As for the gameplay, it’s a twin-stick top-down shooter. Think of it like Geometry Wars, but with an actual plot. It will also probably be a bit easier. On most devices, you will control it via digital analog sticks, but you can also use a mouse and keyboard on PCs and tablets that support them.

    As an added bonus, Halo: Spartan Assault connects with your Halo 4 career. By playing the mobile title, you can earn up to 50,000 XP in Halo 4 as well as a unique emblem. You can also earn bonus content in the upcoming Halo 4 Champions Bundle DLC.

    If you want to see it in action, here’s the launch trailer for Halo: Spartan Assault:

    Halo: Spartan Assault is now available for your Windows 8 phone, tablet or PC. It will set you back $6.99.