Without exception, CES generates a lot of exciting news for the mobile app space. Here's a quick summary of the key announcements in mobile this year.
Thinnest tablet ever
The thinnest tablet ever with a 10.1 inch screen, 0.3 inch thin and 1.2 ibs weight, has to be the Toshiba Excite X10 tablet.
Our take:
The Toshiba Excite X10 tablet is an alternative for the iPad2 and this could be Apple’s real competition. However it is unlikely that it can compete with Apple’s iPad3 which is expected in the next couple of months. .
Intel in partnership with Motorola Mobility
Being in partnership with Intel allows Motorola to use Intel's Atom processors on their mobile computing devices. This includes smartphones and tablets for consumers and businesses during the next couple of years.
My take:
Currently, Qualcomm and ARM dominate the mobile processor market and more competition is need. This should lead to more innovation in the mobile processing space including better battery life and increased processing power.
Smartphone news
LTE devices across all price points
Most of the major device manufacturers announced LTE devices together with the carriers in the US including LG, HTC, Nokia and Samsung but also Huawei, ZTE and Pantech.
My take:
Although LTE is important from a network capacity perspective an transition to GSM technology in the US the technology will not have much impact on consumers right now as 3G speeds are adequate for most smartphone usage. Nevertheless, the speed of the transition is impressive.
Nokia Lumia and Windows Phone
AT&T is launching the Nokia Lumia 900 in the US with LTE and stands firmly behind Windows Phone.
My take:
This will bring positive media echo for Nokia Luma and Windows Phone devices. Uniqueness and differentiation is good news as it shows there is still room for innovation in the OS space. Thanks to this, Apple has not been able to steal the show like they did last year.
Sony Xperia S
Sony launches the first device without the Ericsson brand as a game focused device with Android.
My take:
The device looks great with nice specs but we don't believe it's unique enough to compete against the top Android devices from Samsung and HTC.
Waterproof phones
Will waterproofing treatment make smartphones ruined by water damage history? The company HzO thinks so and announced a new technology for waterproofing that they want to license to phone manufacturers.
My take:
This is probably one of the most exciting news for consumers coming out of CES. Many of us have dropped their phone in water or gotten it ruined by rain or water splashes. If the waterproofing works without having to turn the phone into a piece of rubber like previous attempts then this could be a big trend in the future.
Apps, apps and more apps
With over 100 great apps submitted for Mobile App Showdown here are 3 of our favorites:
CIA: Operation Ajax Amazes!
An app delivering a graphic novel with interactive sounds and animations, which seems like a unique way of mobile story telling.
SkyQ
SkyQ is an easy to use astronomy application that locates and identifies virtually any celestial object visible in the night sky with portable convenience right from the palm of your hand.
Major Trends in Mobile 2011
The past year has been very thrilling for the mobile industry, in particular for everything mobile apps. Every moment there are new technologies, phones with new abilities, apps leveraging the new features, and much more.
Airport Apps: A Win-Win for the Travel Industry
Traveling can be fun..... if everything goes smoothly. But quite often, it doesn't. Airport Apps like the one made from BAA can improve the flying experience and avoid stress for passengers and employees.
