Mobile/Insights/2011 Week36

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  • Opera launched an HTML5 app store aimed at TV and home entertainment devices
  • Dolphin introduced Dolphin user accounts with version 6.2 of Dolphin HD, which are used for bookmark syncing
  • Net Applications puts Safari as the top mobile browser, followed by Opera Mini. Stats Counter reports differently
  • Baidu announced the release of an Android-based mobile OS, called Baidu Yi
  • Asia-Pacific leads the world in smartphone use, reveals a survey by Google and Ipsos




Opera launched a trial version of the Opera TV Store, a HTML5 based store solution that runs on TVs, set-top boxes or TV media players. Running on top of the Opera engine, the Opera TV Store supports HTML5, SVG, Canvas, CE-HTML and OIPF based applications. Several content providers have already developed applications for the store, including Vimeo, Funspot, CineTrailer and DriveCast. Opera's TV devices installed base is 10 million. Opera also has a mobile app store, which it launched in March 2011 and which currently serves over 1.6 million downloads a day on a variety of mobile OSs. Read more

Dolphin HD was updated to version 6.2, which introduces Dolphin user accounts, which can be used for online bookmark syncing using the Dolphin Bookmark Sync add-on, currently in beta. Other features include Webzine landscape view and the ability to share webzine content directly to Facebook or Twitter. Read more

Net Applications has released refined data on mobile browsing for August which points to Safari as the most used browser with 53% of page views, followed by Opera Mini with 21%, the Android browser with 16% and Symbian with 6%. StatsCounter, which also measures the mobile browser market, states that Opera (Mini) is the most used one, with 21%, followed by the Android browser with 19%, Symbian with 17% and Safari with 15%. Both vendors agree, however, on the share of mobile browsing as part of all browsing: 7%. Read more

Baidu announced the release of a mobile OS, called Baidu Yi, based on Android, but customized with Baidu's cloud-based applications: Baidu Maps, Yue (reader app), Shen Bian (a Places app), Ting (online music service). The search engine company is talking to Qualcomm to produce handsets featuring Yi, which would play in the low-end spectrum of the market. There have also been indications that Baidu is partnering with Dell to produce a tablet running its newly launched OS. Read more & more


The acquisition of Motorola by Google, as well as the IP lawsuits against Android OEMs, are fueling public and private discussions on the long-term strategies of smartphone vendors, such as Samsung and HTC, and their options regarding alternative mobile platforms, such as Samsung's Bada, HP's Web OS and Intel's Meego. While there are plenty of rumours surfacing and pitches being made, there haven't been announced any strategic shifts. This week announcements continued as usual, with Samsung revealing 2 new Android devices and HTC 2 Windows Phone ones.

Asia-Pacific leads the world in smartphone use, reveals a survey by Google and Ipsos. Asia-Pacific markets have the highest penetration of mobile phones in the world. Asian users of mobile phones tend to interact more with their phones and more of them find their smartphones more interesting than watching TV than their counterparts in the much further developed regions like Europe and the United States. Read more


More details regarding Amazon's upcoming Android tablet have been revealed: the 7-inch screen device will probably be arriving end of November and cost $250. It will include all of Amazon's services, such as Amazon's Android app store, a Kindle reader app, its cloud music player and Instant Video player. Read more

A class action lawsuit was filed against Microsoft, claiming that Windows Phone is collecting user data without their consent. Information is collected when the camera application is used and includes the device ID, time and location of the device. Microsoft denies the allegations, saying that the data cannot be correlated to a specific user. When Apple was facing a similar lawsuit concerning iOS, Microsoft sent a letter to Congress stating that Windows Phone 7 will not store any location data without user permission. Read more & more