As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Thursday, June 30th 2011.
Annual Mobile App Downloads To Jump To 182.7 Billion By 2015, IDC Says
According to a new report from research firm IDC, annual mobile app downloads are expected to jump from just 10.7 billion in 2010 to 182.7 billion in 2015. The company noted that that developers should keep a close eye on in-app purchases as the primary focus for monetizing applications – a far different approach than the standard method of relying on the initial app purchase. “This shift is most evident in the free app category, where in-app purchases allow users to buy a more functional version of the app or to turn on additional features,” the report said.
BGR
Nokia Sells Off Branded Messaging Business To Synchronica
It’s not the rumoured Microsoft buyout of their mobile business division, but Nokia has announced the conditional sale of their messaging business unit to UK-based Synchronica. Pending both regulatory and shareholder approval the deal is expected to close sometime in Q3 and financial were not disclosed. Nokia’s operator-branded messaging (OBM) business has over 6 million users and provides email and IM to 10 North American carriers such as Bell, Rogers, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
MobileSyrup
How Phones Get Phished [INFOGRAPHIC]
How much do you know about protecting the computer you carry with you every day — your mobile device? As mobile gaming, mobile commerce and mobile computing in general explode, so do the opportunities for mobile exploits. Put simply, tapping the wrong link on your phone can land you in just as much trouble as clicking the wrong link from your laptop or other computer. A phishing attack — wherein a user is prompted by a seemingly legitimate page to enter certain log-in credentials such as PayPal or banking information — isn’t a sophisticated hack that programmatically sifts through your data or bricks your hardware.
Mashable
Apps Fuelling Sharp Growth For Mobile Gambling Industry
There have been great expectations for mobile gambling ever since the days when it was one of the “three G’s” expected to make big money for mobile operators from their 3G customers. The other two were games and girls (i.e. adult content). It seems mobile gambling may be doing rather better from the apps era, at least according to new figures released by bookmaker Paddy Power and betting exchange Betfair this week.
Guardian
Unlocked, SIM-Free Nokia E6 Goes Live On Amazon’s Site For $439
The Nokia E6 saw a $7 price-cut as it became available today on Amazon’s site, listed at $439 instead of its pre-order price of $446. The unlocked, SIM-free phone is available and in-stock, and shipping is free from Amazon. The unbranded Nokia E6 will work with both AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, and with a pentaband 3G radio on board, the E6 can get 4G support, too.
MobileCrunch
