Apple expanding to tier II and tier III markets in India

The iPhone manufacturer is eyeing smaller markets as a possible source of increasing sales in the country.

India is a market that is sold largely based on the sheer volume of consumers here. Most manufacturers have bought into the idea, advertising their products even in the nooks of the country. A report by the Economic Times suggests that Apple might be joining the party albeit a bit a late.

The iPhone has always been looked up at with lust among the Indian phone buyers. The steep price tag coming with the phone has contributed to it becoming a status symbol. But it looks like that Apple has realised that it needs to look beyond the metros to generate a substantial growth in sales.

Apple’s future plans in India seem to indicate that the company will be reaching out to smaller towns and focussing on them as well. The new marketing strategy got detailed at a meeting between Apple India’s top honchos and senior executives of the country’s leading multi-brand telecom chains.

The company’s method of expansion involves adding markets to its Indian portfolio. It plans to enter the top 50 tier II and tier III cities in India by selling its products, including iPhone, iPad and iPod, in an exclusive Apple corner at retail outlets. Additionally, Apple also plans to open 100 exclusive standalone stores in smaller markets. It should be noted that Apple hasn’t opened any Apple Store in India yet instead operating through the franchise model.

Apple’s plans might sound a little ambitious owing to their price tag. The iPhone 5 currently sells for Rs. 45,000 in India which is amongst the highest price demanded for a generation old handset in the country.

Apple is yet to give any details about the pricing of the iPhone 5C and the iPhone 5S in India.

Nokia Asha 503 images leak before launch

Images of yet another high end feature phone from Nokia, Asha 503 make their way to the web.

Nokia is one of the finest and immensely popular makers of mobile phones in the world market. The Finnish company is well known for its top notch quality feature phones, smartphones, phablets and tablets but has been struggling off late.

The company’s strongest forte has always been the feature phone department and it is looking to make a comeback in the feature phone market. After Asha 501 launch, now the images of the Asha 503 have leaked on to the internet.

Let us have a look at some of rumored specifications of this device:

• The Nokia Asha 503 has been reported to carry a polycarbonate and glass design which is very elegant and sleek in appearance.
• This feature phone is likely to carry a touch display of 3.0 to 3.2 inches.
• This device is expected to be equipped with a processor of 1 to 1.5 Giga Hertz and a good GPU.
• This gadget will work on the latest version of Series 40 feature phone platform. This platform has recently been optimized for touch and has incorporated some MeeGo borrowed elements.
• Nokia Asha 503 will purportedly carry a RAM of 128 to 512 MB.
• This is a dual SIM feature phone.
• It will offer 3G connectivity as well.
• For the first time ever, a mobile from Asha series will be equipped with a 5 mega pixel rear camera with LED flash.
• Nokia Asha 503 will be available in the market in white, black, cyan, red, yellow and green color variants.

More detailed information regarding the other features of Nokia Asha 503, its launch and availability date has not surfaced yet. However, it is expected to be disclosed soon.

Most likely, within the next two weeks, this device will be announced officially. Since Nokia Asha 503 carries pretty amazing features and is expected to offer a wide range of services, it is likely to experience good sales, especially since the festive season is approaching. Potential buyers can look for the photographs of Nokia Asha 503 over internet.

Apple's iPad event to clash with Nokia's Lumia event

Apple is launching the iPad on the day which happens to be the one Nokia chose for the Nokia World Event. Apple is yet to unveil its latest range of iPads this year. While previous reports have suggested that Apple might be holding an event on 15th October, AllThingsD is saying that the unveiling will take place on October 22.

The event will also see Apple announcing the new Mac Pro and OSX Mavericks. AllThingsD has an excellent track record on Apple event dates and we can safely assume that the keynote will indeed happen on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Apple’s chosen date clashes with two other major events planned for the month. Nokia’s Nokia World event is also scheduled for the same day in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, October 22nd is also the date when Microsoft starts selling its Surface 2 tablets. If history is anything to go by, Apple doesn’t have a thing to worry about. Popular interest is always trained on Apple events and Nokia can expect to be out of the limelight.

Unfortunately for Nokia, the event at Abu Dhabi is not a minor event. Nokia is expected to launch six new devices including its first phablet and first tablet. With such hot devices lined up for being released, Nokia would have expected to be in the news at least for a day.

We already have a pretty clear idea of what the new iPads are expected to look like. It is clear that the larger version will adopt the design of the original iPad Mini sporting a thinner design and more angled edges. The iPad Mini 2 is expected to get a bump in internals and might be getting Retina Display. Leaks have also indicated that the iPads might come with Apple’s new TouchID sensor, found on the iPhone 5S. It is a little doubtful at the moment but can’t be ruled out entirely.

It would be interesting to see how Apple decides to compete with the low-cost tablets flooding the market.

Galaxy S4 Mini sales disappoint Samsung

Industry sources reveal dissapointing Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini sales figure; Samsung may revise 'Mini' series strategy

Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant has been one of the foremost manufacturers of exceptionally brilliant mobile devices. It incorporated excellent, latest technology and coupled it with great array of features, services and applications. This makes their devices one of a kind. Samsung has been coming up with a wide range of smartphones and phablets in order to cater to a larger segment of the population.

Another agenda behind this move was to strengthen its portfolio and maintain its position as the largest vendor in the Indian market.

However, the second quarter of this year has not been working as smooth for Samsung as they might have hoped. If the reports are true, then the company is planning to organize a strategic conference on 6th November this year. The main issue of discussion at this conference will be the 13% drop in shares since April, 2013.

As per the reports, sales of smartphones and feature phones constitute about two thirds of the company’s profit, thus, disappointing sales of Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini smartphone is one of the major reasons behind these losses. Though no official statement has been made, we have seen that Galaxy S4 Mini has had its price reduced by over Rs 5,000 since its Indian launch.

It has failed to capitalize on its flagship smartphone. Another Samsung product, Galaxy Gear, has failed to impress the customers. Another agenda of the conference is to discuss and communicate the company’s long term business plan, their newest strategies and vision for 2020.

The November 6 conference will be the company’s first major conference and will see about 400 investors and analysts.

We hope Samsung will re-emerge with some well thought and better strategies.

Sony Xperia Z1f rumours, specs, features, release date and price in India

GMG rounds up everything you need to know about Sony’s miniaturized Xperia Z1, the phone christened Xperia Z1f. Sony’s Xperia Z1 is a formidable smartphone by most standards and it has a new appeal for those who prefer smaller handsets. Sony has designed a ‘mini’ version of its popular handset and packed it with a host of the same sophisticated features. Also referred to as the Xperia Z1 Mini, the handset is officially named Xperia Z1f.

The Xperia Z1f is powered by a 2300mAh battery and a 2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974 chipset. It offers users 2 GB of RAM along with 16 GB of internal memory. Support for external memory expansion increases the handset’s storage capacity by another 64 GB. The phone runs on Android’s 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.

Connectivity options on Sony’s latest offering include 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi and NFC. Those who enjoy photography on the go will specially appreciate the Xperia Z1f’s camera. Sony has built its handset with a 20.7-megapixel EXMOR sensor, complete with its G Lens. Those who are on the lookout for a handset with a smaller display will enjoy the phone’s 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen and its 1280 x 720 pixel HD resolution.

The Xperia Z1f weighs in at 140g and boasts of durability thanks to its water proof features. Glass and aluminum give the phone a superior build quality.

Though Sony has already unveiled the handset in the Japanese market, it has not as yet sent out feelers about the phone’s global release. Since India is an important market for Sony, we expect the handset to release in the subcontinent and to do so sooner than later.

There is no word out about the pricing of the Xperia Z1f either, but given its specs and features, is likely to compete with the Mini versions of other flagship smartphones in the market including the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the HTC One Mini. Keeping its competition in mind, the Xperia Z1f is likely to be priced around the Rs. 35,000 mark.

We will be on the lookout for more information about Sony’s small and powerful offering. Stay tuned.

Nokia Lumia tablet leaks again, this time it’s dressed in cyan

Nokia Lumia 2520 is doing the rounds of the internet with a bright blue casing in tow

October 22 is just around the corner and so is the expected release of Nokia’s first Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520. As the big day gets closer and closer, leaks and rumours about the slate get clearer and clearer. The most recent in a long line of leaks shows off the Lumia 2520 in a cyan casing.

Phone Arena came across the latest leaked snapshot of Nokia’s tablet. The photo was tweeted by none other than Evleaks, a source known for its accurate leaks. The Lumia 2520 has earlier leaked in a red casing.

Nokia’s tablet is believed to be powered by Microsoft’s Windows RT operating system and like the tech giant’s Surface tablet, ship with a kickstand. The Lumia 2520 reportedly sports a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

The word around the tech world is that Nokia’s slate comes equipped with a 10.1-inch screen. It is supposedly powered by a Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and a RAM of 2 GB. Nokia is said to have built its slate with 32 GB of internal memory and given it support for external memory expansion via a microSD card. The tablet reportedly comes with a Micro HDMI connector and a Micro USB port.

The camera set-up on the new slate is believed to include a 6 megapixel rear snapper and a 2-megapixel front facer. Keeping in line with tradition, Nokia’s tablet looks like an extension of its smartphone range, with its straight lines and bright coloured polycarbonate casings.

Apparently, the Lumia 2520 is quite a modern device, with a body that is thinner and lighter than the current iPad and a battery life of 10 hours. The 4G LTE tablet will work with a keyboard which will, besides making typing convenient, also include a battery pack for charging.

We will be following the release of the Nokia Lumia 2520 closely. Stay tuned.

Pure TalkUSA First to Offer Calling Plans with Data Rollover

Pure TalkUSA, a leading provider of affordable, no-contract mobile phone service, today announced new plans and pricing that features a first in the U.S.: rollover data.
Pure TalkUSA is now offering 150MB of data and 200 MMS (Multi-Media Messages) for $9.95 per month as an option to customers enrolled in the company's budget-minded Flex calling plan. Any data that is unused at the end of each month will roll over to the next month and never expire.


The rollover plan is geared for light-to-moderate data users, as well as those who tend to connect to wi-fi when it's available and don't need large data packages.

"Our data rollover plan is perfect for customers who want an affordable way to check their email, access social media, and do light web surfing on the go," said R.P. McFarland, president of Pure TalkUSA. "We're excited to be the first company to offer data rollover. It's a terrific feature that provides unmatched value."

Customers who run through their data allotment will have the option of purchasing an additional 150 MB of data and 200 MMS for $10.

The budget-minded Flex plan starts at $10 a month for 130 minutes of calling time. Additional blocks of time may be added in $10 increments, and customers are able to set monthly spending caps.

Other new Pure TalkUSA plans, to be available starting the week of Oct. 14, include Simple 50, which offers 50 minutes of calling time for $5 a month. This voice-only plan provides a measure of safety and security at our most affordable price. The new Simple 750 plan offers 750 minutes of calling time for $21.95 a month.

Customers of Pure TalkUSA's Unlimited Talk & Text plan will now receive 100 MB of data and 200 MMS, for the same price of $34.95 per month.

Aircel launches new mobile Internet tariff plans

Private telecom operator Aircel on Friday launched a new set of mobile Internet tariff for its pan-India subscribers, which offers a complete flexibility to its customers to use 2G/3G services in the same pack.
With the introduction of unified Internet tariff, Aircel will also be introducing 7 days unlimited Internet pack at Rs 28 and 1 GB of Internet access (2G/3G) for Rs 129 per month, a company release said.

Aircel customers on 2G network will avail the benefits of these data packs at 2G speed, while the customers on 3G network with 3G supported handsets will be able to browse Internet on 3G or 2G, the release said.

"We have launched our new unified data tariffs, which will enable us to disrupt the data market and increase mobile Internet penetration," Aircel western region business head Harish Sharma said.

Stating that a recent study suggests that mobile Internet users are set to grow 4-5 times by 2020, and one of the drivers for the data proliferation are innovative data plans by the operators, Sharma said: "Therefore, we firmly believe that the launch of our new data tariffs will trigger an explosion of data consumption in the industry."

The Rs 28 pack offers unlimited 2G/3G data to the customers with a validity of 7 days and this data tariff is ideally suited for customers who use mobile Internet for social networking, browsing, getting news updates, checking mails, etc, the release said.

Similarly, the Rs 129 pack offers Aircel 2G and 3G customers 1.5 GB data with a validity of 30 days.

This data tariff is aimed at customers who use their data for downloading music, playing HD games, mobile applications, live streaming of videos and other high data usage content, Aircel said in the release. 

T-Mobile cancels all Galaxy Gear orders that used 30 percent discount coupon

When T-Mobile launched the Galaxy Gear, there was a nice little coupon code that let people get a 30 percent discount on the smartwatch, which naturally prompted many to take advantage as the standard price of the Gear isn’t exactly what you would call sensible. However, the deal might have been a bit too much for the carrier to fulfill, so it’s now cancelling all orders that used the coupon code. No, I’m not kidding.

T-Mobile has sent an email to all those who ordered using the coupon code, saying that the Gear was listed at “an incorrect price,” which is basically a way of saying that the price was listed correctly, but the carrier doesn’t really care. Here’s the message in its entirety:

Dear T-Mobile Customer,

Our apologies. You recently ordered an item that was listed at an incorrect price: the Samsung Galaxy Gear™. We are unable to fulfill this transaction. Rest assured, your credit card has not been charged.

You can reorder the Samsung Galaxy Gear at the correct price here.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.  Thank you for being a T-Mobile customer.  We truly appreciate your business.

Thank you,

T-Mobile Customer Care

Well, what do you think? Will you be trusting T-Mobile and its coupon codes again?

Android overtakes Apple's iPad in tablet marketshare, approaches in revenue earned

Apple's iPad and iPad mini are still the most popular tablets in the world, but Android-powered tablets are grabbing an increasing share of the market and are collectively approaching the iPad in terms of revenue, according to a new study from ABI Research.

During the second quarter of 2013, Android-powered tablets as a collective overtook the iPad and iPad mini in terms of market share, according to ABI's Media Tablets, Ultrabooks and eReaders Research Service. The figures mirror previous findings from other market research firms. 

Perhaps more importantly, ABI's research found that tablets running Android are finally approaching Apple's offerings in terms of revenue generated. The overall tablet market for the second quarter of 2013 reached $12.7 billion in value. Of that, the iPad represented 50 percent of worldwide end-user revenues, the first time that has happened, according to ABI.

The firm also found that the average sale price (ASP) for iPads is "rapidly approaching" the average of the rest of the market. iPad ASP dropped 17 percent last quarter, while ASP for Android-powered tablets rose 17 percent over the same period. 

This finding, according to ABI, stems from the popularity of the iPad mini, which the research firm says accounts for 60 percent of Apple's total shipments, as well as 49 percent of the company's tablet revenues. Apple does not break down iPad sales by device, but the iPad mini, with its smaller, more portable form factor, has proved remarkably popular in the months since its release. 

Apple's smaller tablet offering is the most popular device in what is proving to be the most popular segment of the tablet market. ABI found that 7-inch class tablets made up the majority of shipments for the first time in the second quarter of 2013. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook has already acknowledged how important the tablet segment is to the Cupertino, Calif.-based company. Speaking earlier this year, Cook called the tablet market "the mother of all markets" and expressed faith in Apple's ability to compete effectively. 

ABI's most recent figures reflect tablet shipments, and therefore do not necessarily show an accurate representation of the number of tablets bought and in the hands of consumers. Cook has previously expressed skepticism on the reliability of such figures, pointing to other studies showing the iPad with amassive usage lead over other devices. 

"iPad accounts for 84 percent of the web traffic from tablet," Cook said in July, "which is absolutely incredible. So if there are lots of other tablets selling, I don't know what they are being used for."