Jordan Kahn

Analytics firm IDC just released a report covering the top five smartphone vendors by shipments and market share for Q4 2011. Apple not surprisingly takes the top position. According to IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, smartphone vendors shipped 157.8 million units in Q4 2011, and 37 million were from Apple— accounting for 23.5-percent market share in the quarter.

As for competitors, the report showed Samsung was not far behind Apple with 36 million units shipped and 22.8-percent of the market worldwide. However, while taking the top position in the market thanks to the iPhone 4S launch, Apple also set a new shipment volume record for the entire industry during the quarter. The report cited the initial delay bringing the launch closer to the holiday season and the addition of new carriers as reasons for the device’s strong demand. Despite that, Samsung was still able to come out on top for FY 2011, edging Apple out by under a million units…

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While it’s likely not for the delayed Samsung Galaxy S III, that we now know won’t debut at the Mobile World Congress later this month, Samsung has sent out invites to several French Android blogs for an event scheduled for Mar. 22, 2012. The event will take place just weeks after MWC wraps up on March 1.

Earlier this month a leaked press shot of a mystery device surfaced pointing to an unveiling in Barcelona, where MWC will be held this year. The announcement on March 22 being held in France could point to a regional announcement, but we’ll have to wait until next month to find out for sure.

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A report from GigaOM today noted Google is requesting permission from the Federal Communications Commission to test an unknown “entertainment device.” The trials will take place in the homes of Google employees, and see tests of the mystery device connecting to home electronic equipment over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to test it on home networks in real world situations. Other than that, there is not much we learned from the Google’s filing with the FCC from December (below).

We told you about one yet to be unveiled product we heard Google has in the works with our recent story about the company’s wearable glasses with a heads up display and computer interface. We will have much more on those this coming week…

Google is requesting the trials take place with up to 252 devices from Jan. 17 to July 17 in various locations including Mountain View, New York, Cambridge, Mass., and Los Angeles. Google’s description of the mystery product from the FCC filing is below:

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In a blog post on the Google Mobile Blog, Google today unveiled a new service, codenamed “Bouncer,” that will automatically scan the Android Market for potential malware. It does this “without disrupting the user experience” and without developers having to go through an app review process. Google explained Bouncer would apply not only to newly submitted apps, but also to existing Android Market apps. As a method of stopping repeat offenders, Google will also scan for malicious apps in developer’s accounts. Here is how it works:

…once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analyzing it for known malware, spyware and trojans. It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags. We actually run every application on Google’s cloud infrastructure and simulate how it will run on an Android device to look for hidden, malicious behavior.

Despite the rollout of the new tool, the blog post also noted that the Android Market witnessed a 40 percent decrease in the number of malicious downloads during 2011 and discussed Sandboxing, Permissions, and Malware removal features built into Android to “make mobile malware less disruptive.”

Vice President of Engineering on the Android team Hiroshi Lockheimer talked to Cnet about the service this morning who noted Google has been testing Bouncer for a “number of months”:

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Google announced on the Google TV blog today that Google TV users would now be able to access original content from online comedy portal “Funny Or Die” through a new app. The announcement noted “Funny Or Die” currently has more than 12 million viewers a month and was founded by Gary Sanchez Productions consisting of Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, and Chris Henchy, with Hollywood comedy producer Judd Apatow as partner. You can access the new app through the Google TV Spotlight folder under “All Apps.”

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Sprint announced today it will make the budget-friendly 7-inch ZTE Optik 3G tablet available starting Feb. 5 from Sprint Stores and online for $99.99 with the usual two-year agreement. You will also be able to grab the Android 3.2-powered tablet without a contract for $350.

If you are not familiar with the ZTE Optik, expect a 7-inch capacitive WXGA 1280-by-800 resolution display, a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), and 16 GB of onboard storage. It also packs in Bluetooth v2.1+EDR, a microSD slot, a 5-megapixel main camera, 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 4000 mAh Lithium-ion battery. The full press release from Sprint is available after the break:

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The image above of a mystery Android 4.0 device was posted by @eldarmurtazin (via BGR) with no details other than “Barcelona. Samsung. Press photo leaked.” We are obviously assuming Barcelona is pointing to the Mobile World Congress set to kick off later this month. While we would normally speculate this is Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S III, the company already confirmed that device will not be unveiled at MWC.

The device is clearly an evolution of the Galaxy S II design, and it could possibly be the S III. We will have to wait until Samsung’s press conference at MWC from Feb. 27 to March 1.

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Sprint is showing its loyal customers some appreciation in the coming weeks with SprintFeed informing us that starting Feb. 5 select customers will receive a discount up to $100. The discounts will come in $25, $50, and $100 and will be offered to select “upgrade eligible customers that are at high risk of leaving Sprint” through email and snail mail. So the deal does apply to eligible upgrades, but it will require a new two-year commitment. Yes, this is a great way to get you sorted with a less expensive iPhone.

The promotion is running from Feb. 5 to March 18, so you might want to check if your account is flagged for the discount.

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Google just announced on the Android Google+ page that Google Docs for Android was updated with a few highly requested features. First off, the app now provides the ability to save documents for offline viewing through a “make it available offline” option and even updates the files automatically when connected to Wi-Fi. Offline documents can also be updated manually from within the new “Offline” section of the app.

Another new improvement included in the update is new features for tablet users including high-resolution versions of documents, the ability to swipe right and left between pages, and a slider at the bottom of docs to jump to a specific page.

The new Google Docs for Android is available from the Market now. You can learn everything you need to know about working with offline Docs here.

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Today Ancestry.com founder and “Google+ unofficial statistician” Paul Allen released some updated numbers on Google+ that he calculated since Larry Page announced the 90 million-user milestone earlier this month. Allen said Google+ has grown more than 10 percent since last month and he estimates a new 100.8 million total with the service adding over 750,000 new users every day since Jan. 19.

Allen explained if the growth continues to hold steady, Google+ would hit 345 million users by the end of 2012. However, he also expects Android 4.0 to steadily increase signups and usage, and therefore he is predicting the service will hit 400 million users by the end of the year. In comparison, it took Facebook over four years to hit the 100 million user milestone.

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With Google addressing concerns from Congress regarding its new privacy policy yesterday, Microsoft is taking advantage by running advertisements in major United States newspapers detailing the negative changes in Google’s new policy and simultaneously promoting its own rival services. Here is an excerpt from the ad:

“The way they’re doing it is making it harder for you to maintain control of your personal information. Why are they so interested in doing this that they would risk this kind of backlash? One logical reason: Every data point they collect and connect to you increases how valuable you are to an advertiser.”

The company announced the ad campaign, which will run in papers like USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, on The Official Microsoft Blog this morning in a post titled, “Gone Google? Got Concerns? We Have Alternatives.” The full ad (via The Verge) is after the break. PaidContent reported Google is also pushing ads of its own on WashingtonPost.com as part of its Good To Know campaign that read “We’re changing our Privacy Policy. Not your privacy controls.”

In related news, ARM CEO Warren East talked at the company’s earnings call this morning about how Windows 8 tablets could soon eat into Android’s market share. Here is what he said (via Cnet):

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oLf_jXxpyw&feature=player_embedded]

According to a new report from ReadWriteWeb, Google is prepping an overhaul of its OnePass platform for publishers sometime in “the next few weeks” based on feedback received from initial partners:

“Our engineering team is currently innovating on OnePass based on all that we’ve learned over its first year,” Google tells paidContent. “Our aim is to improve and iterate OnePass to suit the publishing industry’s needs.”

Google has been working with nearly a dozen publishing partners since the launch of the service in February 2011. Last November, French publishers, who offer content through a subscription service and iOS app known as ePresse, announced they would begin to use OnePass. Now reports from ePresse consortium member L’Express claimed the publishers have canceled their plans in anticipation of Google’s overhaul of the service in the coming weeks.

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In case you are wondering who at Google would be in charge of running Motorola once the acquisition finally closes, a report from BusinessInsider said internally Google’s SVP and Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora is rumored to get the job:

Nikesh, who ran the company’s international business for Eric Schmidt and then took over the global business when Schmidt stepped down, is thought to have been “agitating” for a CEO role. He was recently said to be on a list of candidates to become CEO of Yahoo. It’s possible that the CEO slot at Motorola was part of Google’s counter to that opportunity.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5fvL3mNtl1g]

Following the introduction of Google’s new privacy policy, late last week we reported government officials issued a statement and planned to request that the Federal Communications Commission launch a probe to investigate the changes. In response, Google has now issued its own letter to Congress addressing some of the concerns and detailing important issues that are not changing.

Before answering the questions presented in the letter from Congress, Google took some time to outline aspects of its policies that will not change. Among them: Google reminded Congress that the new policy will only apply to users signed into a Google account, while those signed in can still access the usual privacy settings like turning off search history, tailoring ads within Ads Preferences Manager, and setting Gmail chat to “off the record.”

Google noted, “The privacy policy changes don’t affect our users’ existing privacy settings. If a user has already used our privacy tools to opt out of personalized search or ads, for example,” they will remain opted out. The company also made it clear the new policy will not collect any new or additional data. Google further clarified how users will be able to access multiple accounts:

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeTj5qMGTAI&feature=channel_video_title]

We told you last week that President Obama would be joining Google+ users for a live Hangout tonight at 5:30 p.m. ET from the White House. You can tune in to the live stream of the interview and Q&A session above.

Yesterday Google’s Vic Gundotra posted on Google+ about the unusual circumstances of hosting a live hangout from the White House:

“Team is nervous tonight. A lot of unusual circumstances that make this broadcast even more challenging. (You just don’t walk into the West Wing of the +The White House and set up computer equipment!)”

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gCpDHZ6NNoY#!]

Following a few big recent Google Apps enterprise announcements— including signing its biggest partnership ever with BBVA switching 110,000 employees to the platform— Google officially named its “Google Enterprise 2011 Partner of the Year.”  This year’s award goes to Cloud Sherpas for its work in helping over 1 million users migrate to Google Apps since 2008 with a revenue growth of more than 300 percent for the third year straight.

Google’s Head of Global Partner Programs Mark Hodgson at a Google enterprise sales event in San Francisco recently handed out the award. CEO for Cloud Sherpas Douglas Shepard said the following about the announcement:

“The Partner of the Year award from Google is important because it validates the role of the channel in helping businesses succeed in the cloud. We hear repeatedly from clients that they need the services of Google experts to fully leverage the platform, collaborate more effectively and grow their businesses. We are proud to be recognized as Google’s partner of the year, and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Google and Google Apps users in 2012.”

The full press release is after the break:

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg2kC_qKOXc&feature=player_embedded]

We got our first word that Samsung’s Galaxy Note would come to AT&T sometime in 2012 after the United States version was unveiled at CES 2012. Now, Samsung just made things official for the 5.4-inch Galaxy Note with pre-orders kicking off Feb. 5 for delivery on Feb. 17, and the device is officially landing in stores on Feb. 19. The device will be available in both carbon blue and ceramic white colors and it will run $300 on the typical two-year commitment. Beginning on Feb. 5, you will be able to preorder from AT&T, but only orders placed before Feb. 15 will arrive by Feb. 17

Continue reading past the break for the full press release…

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Following reports earlier today that U.S. District Judge Lucy H Koh would allow a lawsuit claiming Apple, Google and five other companies entered in “no-poach” agreements, now court documents made public today show in 2007 former Apple CEO Steve Jobs asked Google’s Eric Schmidt to “stop trying to recruit an Apple engineer.” Reuters reports:

The email from Jobs to Schmidt was disclosed on Friday in the course of civil litigation against Apple, Google and five other tech companies. The proposed class action, brought by five software engineers, accuses the companies of conspiring to keep employee compensation low by eliminating competition for skilled labor. 

According to excerpts of the documents posted by Reuters, Jobs wrote the following in an email to Schmidt after someone at Google tried to recruit an Apple engineer:

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Late last week we told you that the U.S. Justice Department apparently had evidence that Google, along with Apple, Adobe, Intuit, Pixar, Intel, Walt Disney and Lucasfilms, entered “no-poach” agreements as part of an antitrust investigation from 2010. U.S. District Judge Lucy H Koh made a statement yesterday at the U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., confirming the companies must face a lawsuit. According to the report from Bloomberg, Koh said she would allow plaintiffs to re-file their complaint even if an initial request by the defendants to dismiss the claims is granted.  

Judge Koh’s decision yesterday will result in Google and the other companies having to provide a detailed account of the agreements made with other companies. They must also allow lawyers to take depositions. One lawyer representing the plaintiffs, Joseph Saveri, said, “We get to see what really happened,” claiming the case could result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Google provided statements to Bloomberg claiming they have “always actively and aggressively recruited top talent,” while the others have declined to comment.

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Google just announced Android users will now be able to download all of their songs from a new version of Google Music Manager, allowing you to create a backup of both purchased music from the Google Music store and content you’ve uploaded yourself.

Google noted downloaded songs will be formatted as mp3 files at 320kbps and downloads can be initiated through “Download purchased music” or “Export your library” options within Music Manager. You won’t see the new download options until you’ve already uploaded music, however. The update will also include a new option in the dropdown menu next to track titles that will allow you to share the YouTube video for that particular song with your circles on Google+.

Music Manager allows you to download all of your purchased tracks and place them in the folder you specify. Once you’ve downloaded all of your purchased tracks, you will see a checkbox with an option to download everything since that download or to download all tracks again.

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With the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich, almost no Android devices will soon rely on the Menu button that was originally first removed in Android 3.0 Honeycomb. A post over on the Android Developers blog today called “Say Goodbye to the Menu Button” details exactly how legacy apps that used to rely on the Menu button will function under the ICS operating system, as well as the best practices for developers going forward. Google explained:

Not only should your apps stop relying on the hardware Menu button, but you should stop thinking about your activities using a “menu button” at all. Your activities should provide buttons for important user actions directly in the action bar (or elsewhere on screen). Those that can’t fit in the action bar end up in the action overflow.

The blog post explained that apps built to support versions of Android before 3.0 will not utilize a Menu button in Android 3.0 or higher, because there is not one. The button that appears in the system/navigation bar represents the action overflow for legacy apps, which reveals actions and user options that have “overflowed off the screen.” The post also noted that Android 2.3 apps have an action overflow button beside the system navigation buttons along the bottom of the screen when running on Android 4.0 (opposed to the top right). In those cases, Google is urging devs to update their apps to remove the action overflow form the bottom navigation bar.

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