Since its 2014 introduction, Android Auto has launched in 30 countries and is already supported by 40 car manufacturers and other partners. Now Google’s car entertainment OS is going live in Japan with local app support and availability on several car models and after-market head units.
After much rumor and speculation floating around over the last couple of days, Sony has now confirmed in a statement that its Z series of flagship smartphones is now dead. The Z line has “reached its culmination,” according to the Japanese company, and it’s now time for a “new chapter and evolution” in its product strategy…
Google has added Taiwan to the list of countries where its Nexus 6 smartphone is available to purchase through the Google Store. It’s also now selling the new LG Watch Urbane Android Wear smartwatch in Japan.
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HTC has today brought to the world (or just Japan, actually) the announcement of its HTC J Butterfly flagship, likely to come to other parts of the world under the Butterfly 3 moniker. The phone is a colorful new handset with a waterproof plastic build, packs some very powerful internals, and even brings with it some features that HTC left behind for its One M9 flagship…
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7lKihNI-K4]
File this one under ‘only in Japan.’ Google has posted a video to its Asia Pacific Blog of its Tokyo team connecting 300 Android smartphones and tablets in order to have them sing a hymn. The obvious thing to do, really.
300 different Androidify characters singing the same song using only the device speakers. We call it “Android Chorus”
The result is, says Google, just another illustration of how Android is about being together not the same. Ookay …
Earlier this month, Google’s Nexus Player became available from a variety of new online retailers and big-box stores, and now the company revealed the first market outside of North America in which the device will be available. In a post on its Asia Pacific Blog, Google has revealed that the Nexus Player will be available in Japan by the end of February.
Google just announced that it’s expanding its local inventory ads first launched for users in the US last fall to more countries starting today. The ads, which promote items from local nearby retailers to shoppers on Google, are now available in the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, and France.
Google said today that it will also start showing the ads to desktop users:
We have also expanded support for store-only products and campaigns to desktop devices, enabling retailers to promote stores to the right customers at the right time. For example, you can prioritize showing local products to get shoppers in your doors during the weeks and days leading up to the holidays. As items go out of stock online and last-minute shipping costs increase, retailers who can provide cost-effective, quick in-store purchase options stand out in the crowd
Retailers can get an overview on the program here and users will in the countries above should start to see the local “in store” ads appear in search results.
Google is offering a new bundle through Google Play in some countries that offers a discounted price for customers that purchase both a Nexus 5 and LG G Watch. Discounts vary with local currencies, but discounts general range from $100 in Australia to £60 in the UK.
We reached out to Google to find out where exactly the deal is available, and it offered up a full list of countries: GB, IE, FR, DE, AU, KR, JP.
You can head over to Google Play now if you’re in a participating country to take advantage of the deal.
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A mid-range phone powered by a Snapdragon 400 processor isn’t going to excite many people, but the Sharp Aquos Crystal coming later this year to Sprint does have one very appealing feature: a near-invisible bezel …
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Google is contributing to a $300 million project to develop and operate a Trans-Pacific high-speed internet cable system called “FASTER.” Other companies involved in the venture include China Mobile International, China Telecom Global, Global Transit, KDDI and SingTel, with NEC acting as the system supplier. This group effort will utilize a high-quality 6-fiber-pair cable and optical transmission technologies.
Photo: ibtimes.com
Samsung and Apple just announced that they have agreed to drop all patent suits against each other in countries outside the United States, Bloomberg reports. The two companies will drop suits against each other in Australia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Netherlands, the U.K., France and Italy. This agreement does not include any licensing agreements, though. This has no effect on United States battles either.
Image via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml1LzNFn8kc">TechSmartt</a>
According to figures released by market research company BCN, Asus sold more tablets than Apple during the first half of 2014 in Japan. Asus’ market share rose 8 percent year-over-year during the first half of 2014, the report claims, giving it a 38.9 percent portion of the tablet market in Japan. Apple, on the other hand, holds a 36.4 percent share (via Nikkei). This is the first time Asus has ever held the top spot in Japan, according to the report.
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New data from App Annie shows that revenue from apps downloaded via the Google Play store more than doubled between the first quarters of 2013 and 2014 – and that a staggering 98 percent of it comes from in-app purchases in apps that were free to download.
Games continue to dominate the charts, accounting for 40 percent of all downloads but 90 percent of revenues, up from 80 percent last year …
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In order to take the world by storm, Google has to expand the Chromecast’s availability and that’s what the company appears to be doing. The media dongle recently became available in South Korea and tomorrow it’ll officially go on sale in Japan for ¥4,200 (around $41). Local content providers such as Docomo will provide support for Chromecast, as well as Google’s in-house brands like YouTube and Google Play. to prepare Japanese customers for the Chromecast experience, Mountain View has released a promo video showing off some of its media stick’s capabilities. Here’s a look at what will be available in Japan starting tomorrow.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWG5-ZfoxXI]
(via Google)
This slim-bezel smartphone we have here, is said to be the LG isai FL headed to Japan at some point in the future. The press shots surfaced on Twitter via @evleaks and may hint at LG’s design philosophy for 2014.
This could indicate a possible design format for the Nexus 6 or LG G3. The isai FL features the same backside volume rocker design that was first introduced on the LG G2, but has a body style similar to the Nexus 5. Either way, there’s no way to ignore those beautiful slim bezels.
TrendForce is predicting that total worldwide smartphone sales will fall by around five percent in the first quarter of this year. If so, this will be the first fall in two years.
It doesn’t mean demand for smartphones is actually dropping, but rather than the upward trend has slowed to the point that the seasonal effect – people buying smartphones as holiday gifts – is now bigger than the overall growth rate.
Samsung and Apple of course maintain their lead, though Sony saw significant growth in its home territory of Japan, and LG’s share grew 57 percent year-on-year to a 4.2 percent market share thanks largely to sales of the Nexus handsets it makes for Google.
Amazon announced today in a press release that it is lowering the price of its the largest tablet in the U.S., the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″. The price of the entry level WiFi only model drops from $299 to $269, while the 4G variant will now sell for $399 (down from $499 previously). In addition, the company is also rolling out the device to a handful of new countries including: the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Italy.
The 8.9-inch tablet includes a1920x1200, 254 ppi display, TI OMAP4470 processor, 1GB of RAM, Custom Dolby audio and dual stereo speakers, 10 hours of battery life, and of course access to Amazon’s ecosystem of content.
You can already find the updated pricing for the both the entry level $269 model and the $399 4G model on Amazon.
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LG is out with its Q3 earnings today, and it is reporting what it called “solid third-quarter performance” thanks to strong handset sales. The company took in $138.57M in net profit for the quarter, while recording 19.42 million operating profit for its mobile business:
LG Mobile Communications Company improved significantly in the 2012 third quarter, recording operating profit of KRW 22 billion (USD 19.42 million) due in large part to healthy sales of LTE smartphones in Korea, Japan and the United States. In addition, Optimus L-Series continued to expand into 3G markets, contributing to the sales increase. Revenues increased by 5 percent quarter-to-quarter to KRW 2.45 trillion (USD 2.16 billion) as shipments exceeded 14 million units, an increase of 9 percent from the previous quarter. The company expects to further increase its shipments and revenue in the fourth quarter with the global launch of the Optimus G superphone and sales of Optimus Vu: 2 in Korea.
LG’s full press release below:
LG ANNOUNCES THIRD-QUARTER 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS
Company Reports Third Consecutive Quarter of Solid Net Income
SEOUL, Oct. 24, 2012 –- LG Electronics (LG) today reported a solid third-quarter performance with the third consecutive quarter of positive net income and all four companies recording strong operating profits. Better-than-expected performance in the mobile and home appliance businesses helped offset a slight decline in overall year-over-year sales for the third quarter.
Third-quarter net profit of KRW 157 billion (USD 138.57 million) with operating profit recording KRW 221 billion (USD 195.06 million) showed significant improvements from the loss in the same period last year. Third-quarter revenues fell 4 percent year-over-year to KRW 12.38 trillion (USD 10.93 billion) due to the continuing decline of feature phone sales and overall weak demand.
LG Home Entertainment Company third-quarter 2012 sales of KRW 5.49 trillion (USD 4.84 billion) were led by an increase in LCD TV sales, offsetting sluggish global demand. Percentage sales attributed to 3D TVs and LED TVs increased quarter-on-quarter with unit sales growing in most regions. IT products led by IPS monitors and monitor TVs also increased from the previous quarter. Operating profit of KRW 89 billion (USD 78.55 million) was unchanged from third quarter 2011. In the fourth quarter, the company plans to increase sales of LCD TVs by expanding marketing of CINEMA 3D Smart TVs and enhancing its premium brand positioning with the new Ultra HD TV.
LG Mobile Communications Company improved significantly in the 2012 third quarter, recording operating profit of KRW 22 billion (USD 19.42 million) due in large part to healthy sales of LTE smartphones in Korea, Japan and the United States. In addition, Optimus L-Series continued to expand into 3G markets, contributing to the sales increase. Revenues increased by 5 percent quarter-to-quarter to KRW 2.45 trillion (USD 2.16 billion) as shipments exceeded 14 million units, an increase of 9 percent from the previous quarter. The company expects to further increase its shipments and revenue in the fourth quarter with the global launch of the Optimus G superphone and sales of Optimus Vu: 2 in Korea.
LG Home Appliance Company reported improved sales and operating profit from the same quarter last year. Revenue increased 6.4 percent year-over-year to KRW 2.87 trillion (USD 2.53 billion) and operating profit of KRW 129 billion (USD 113.86 million) reflected strong sales in the United States as well as emerging markets. With global appliance demand stagnant, the fourth quarter will be challenging but additional marketing promotions and new model launches should help offset the situation.
LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company posted a 3 percent year-over-year sales decline to KRW 974 billion (USD 859.66 million) while profitability increased slightly from the same period the previous year. The company expects worldwide demand to remain sluggish but the trend toward more energy efficient products should help drive demand in its commercial air conditioning systems business.
2012 3Q Exchange Rates Explained
LG Electronics’ unaudited quarterly earnings results are based on IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for the three-month period ending September 30, 2012. Amounts in Korean Won (KRW) are translated into U.S. Dollars (USD) at the average rate of the three-month period in each corresponding quarter: KRW 1,133 per USD (2012 3Q) and KRW 1,082 per USD (2011 3Q).
Earnings Conference and Conference Call
LG Electronics will hold a Korean language earnings news conference on October 24, 2012 at 16:00 Korea Standard Time at the LG Twin Tower Auditorium (B1 East Tower, 20 Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea). An English language conference call will follow on October 25, 2012 at 10:00 Korea Standard Time (01:00 GMT/UTC). Participants are instructed to call +82 31 810 3069 and enter the passcode 9084#.
The corresponding presentation file will be available for download at the LG Electronics website
(www.lg.com/global/ir/reports/earning-release.jsp) at 13:30 on October 24, 2012.
Please visit http://pin.teletogether.com/eng/ and pre-register with the passcode provided. For those unable to participate, an audio recording of the news conference will be available for a period of 30 days after the conclusion of the call. To access the recording, dial +82 31 931 3100 and enter the passcode 142670# when prompted.
We have heard a ton of rumors regarding a 32GB version of the Nexus 7. Earlier reports pointed to an Oct. 24 launch, and we even saw a 32GB unit allegedly ship to a customer in Japan. Today, the 32GB variant has once again appeared online—this time on the Staples Advantage website for business customers. AndroidPolice linked us to the listing that currently has the 32GB Nexus 7 listed for $250. It also has an availability date of Oct. 18, although, that could likely be just a placeholder at this point. The pricing is slightly less than the current 16GB model that Google is selling, indicating the 32GB model might replace the 16 entirely—including taking over its pricing.
According to a report from Nikkei (via Bloomberg), Japan’s Softbank, the third-largest mobile carrier in the country, is currently seeking to acquire two-thirds of U.S.-based Sprint Nextel Corp. The price is rumored at roughly $19 billion USD and would make AT&T the last fully U.S.-based carrier:
Softbank Corp. (9984), Japan’s third- largest mobile-phone company, is in talks to buy control ofSprint Nextel Corp. (S), according to two people familiar with the matter…The deal would give Softbank a base for entering the U.S. market with a compatible carrier that uses similar equipment made by Sweden’s Ericsson AB, the Nikkei reported.
Google has updated its Books app experience on Android, which already features over 4 million books in the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, Italy, France, Korea, Spain, and Japan. The latest version of the app introduces a number of new features including: highlighting, dictionary, notes, and new “Places” info cards.
In addition to including dictionary definitions when tapping on words, Google highlighted some of the new features in a post on its official Android blog:
Starting today, when you come across an unfamiliar geographic location—a faraway city or distant mountain range—you can tap on the location to learn more about it. You’ll see an info card with a Google Map and the option to get more information by searching on Google or Wikipedia.
Also in the update is the ability to translate words and phrases to a number of currently supported languages. Other features include:
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LG ANNOUNCES GLOBAL AVAILABILITY OF OPTIMUS VU:
Largest LG Smartphone to Be Launched in
Europe, Asia, Middle East/Africa and Latin America
SEOUL, Aug. 20, 2012 – On the heels of its successful debut in Korea and Japan, the Optimus Vu: will make its global debut starting in select markets in Europe, Asia, Middle East/Africa and Latin America starting in September. With the world’s first 5-inch 4:3 aspect ratio display, the Optimus Vu: blurs the line between traditional tablets and smartphones for a truly unique smart device experience.
Since its March debut in Korea, the Optimus Vu: has sold over 500,000 units, demonstrating public acceptance of its form-factor. The reception the device received in Korea prompted LG to launch the Optimus Vu: in Japan this month, where it has also been received positively by Japanese consumers.
For the global roll-out, the Optimus Vu: will be equipped with NVIDIA? Tegra? 3 mobile processor, the super 4-PLUS-1™ quad-core with 5th battery-saver core, that offers a superb balance of performance and power requirements. 4 cores are used for high performance tasks such as games and multitasking. For voice call, email, music and video playback, only 5th battery-saver core is enabled and it consumes very less power.
When paired with the high-resolution 5-inch, 4:3 ratio IPS display, the Optimus Vu: becomes something special – a device that’s both pocketable and spacious. The Optimus Vu: will come with an upgraded version of QuickMemo™ and Notebook, two features which make great use of the large display real estate.
“The different form factor makes Optimus Vu: unique even in the 5-inch smartphone category which we expect will catch on once they become more widely available,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.
Key Specifications:
Operating System Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Network 3G
Display 5.0-inch 4:3 ratio XGA IPS with 768 x 1024 pixels
Memory 32GB
Cameras 8.0MP rear / 1.3MP front
Size 139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5mm
Weight 168g
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CvgdBTmon8]
OUYA, the Android-powered alternative gaming console that raised millions of dollars in mere days on Kickstarter, just revealed that it partnered with Square Enix to release Final Fantasy III as its launch title.
Check out the announcement below.
Kickstarter [via Engadget]
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Japan-based DeNA announced that its “Rage of Bahamut” app became the No. 1 grossing game on both Android and iOS yesterday, while earning roughly the same revenue per day from each mobile platform.
The game’s success pokes holes in recent findings from Flurry, which claimed revenue generated per active user is four times greater on iOS than Android. The analytics firm noted that for every $1 earned on iOS, a developer could expect to earn about 24-cents on Android.
“Contrary to what we read, we’ve been very happy with Android monetization. There is not a big discrepancy between the two now,” said DeNa Director Neil Young to TechCrunch.
Rage of Bahamut is a free trading card game that lets users battle either through a live single or multiplayer action mode against a “database of battle hungry foes.” It is on the Google Play Store and boasts a 4-star rating on nearly 11,000 reviews as of press time.
TechCrunch further elaborated:
The game had the top slot on both platforms yesterday, but Kabam’s Kingdoms of Camelot took back the #1 iOS slot in the U.S. this morning. […]Young says Rage of Bahamut is seeing some impressive revenue numbers per day per user. In casual games, you usually see an average revenue per daily active user of a couple cents to 10 cents per day on mobile. The better games can get to 15 to 25 cents per day per daily active user. But Young says Rage of Bahamut has been able to do 4 or 5 times that. He didn’t say how much revenue overall the title is earning, but we’ve seen dual platform hits like Draw Something earn anywhere between $5 and 10 million per month through in-app purchases and advertising.
Those numbers are welcomed news for developers with growing concerns about mobile platforms lacking solid business models that encourage monetization.
