Several rumors surrounding Apple’s next-generation iPhone handsets tend to resurface each year, and the imminent launch of an entry-level “iPhone nano” is one that we have seen regularly since Apple first launched the iPhone in 2007. China Times is among the first to bring purported news of a low-cost iPhone in the works this year, citing unnamed sources within Apple’s supply chain with its report. Apple is looking to expand expand its position in the low-end smartphone market according to China Times, and its $375 iPhone 3GS is too pricey to compete with entry-level Android smartphones. As such, the company is planning to launch a new low-end model later this year, possibly at or around the same time the sixth-generation flagship iPhone hits the market. More likely is the possibility that Apple will retool a current iPhone model in an effort to cut costs, but as we have learned in the past — and as we may soon see again with the possible introduction of an “iPad mini” later this year — the “iPhone nano” is rumor until it’s not.

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Sprint on Wednesday announced the “family-friendly” Android-powered ZTE Fury. This entry-level handset features a 3.5-inch capacitive display with a 1GHz single-core processor and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Fury is equipped with a 5-megapixel rear camera, a microSD slot, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM and the usual suite of preloaded Sprint apps. “We realize that there are a lot of choices in the market when it comes to choosing the right cell phone that fits the needs of both a working parent and their family,” said David Owens, Sprint’s vice president-Product Development. “Providing affordable, Android-powered devices, like ZTE Fury, in our lineup helps give families the tools and information to better manage their wireless usage while still providing the style and functionality they need to keep up with their busy lives.” The ZTE Fury will be available on March 11th for $19.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Read on for Sprint’s press release.

Families Stay Connected with ZTE Fury Smartphone from Sprint

Priced at less than $20, new Android phone takes the worry out of choosing the ideal phone for kids and parents alike

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and RICHARDSON, Texas – March 9, 2012 – Recognizing the importance of providing a wide variety of devices to fit the needs of families with children, Sprint (NYSE: S), and ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) today announced the upcoming availability of ZTE FuryTM, a family-friendly Android-powered device that doesn’t skimp on features and comes matched with the only truly unlimited data pricing plans on all phones from a national wireless carrier. Beginning March 11, the full-featured Android-based ZTE Fury will be available for just $19.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 and a new two-year service agreement (excludes taxes and surcharges) in all Sprint retail channels including www.sprint.com and 1-800-Sprint1.

The value-priced ZTE Fury comes equipped with all the apps and functionality busy parents and their children want, including a 3.5-inch capacitive display, 5 MP camera with LED flash and 3G hotspot capabilities. The device is also compatible with Sprint’s family services that give parents the tools to encourage good habits and responsible phone use. Family-ready devices like ZTE Fury give parents piece of mind with easy-to-load apps, such as:

• Sprint Family Locator: Allows parents to quickly and easily locate their family members on an interactive map and to set up “safety checks” to ensure their children make it to school safely and on time. Sprint Family Locator costs $5 per month to locate up to four phones. Additional information can be found at www.sprint.com/familylocator.
• Sprint Mobile Controls: Gives parents the opportunity to clearly understand their child’s talk, text and app use habits. The app gives parents the ability to lock their child’s phone on-demand or to schedule locks – like during dinner, during school or late at night, and to browse their child’s contacts and apps downloaded to the phone. Sprint Mobile Controls is available on all Sprint CDMA Android-powered smartphones for $4.99 per month, per line. Parents can sign up and learn more about Sprint Mobile Controls by visiting www.sprint.com/mobilecontrols.
• Sprint Drive First: An app from Sprint that automatically locks the phone when traveling more than 10 MPH and unlocks when the car has stopped driving. The app directs incoming calls to voicemail and silences distracting alerts while driving. Sprint Drive First is available on all Sprint CDMA Android-powered smartphones for $2 per month, per line. Visit www.sprint.com/drivefirst for more information.

“We realize that there are a lot of choices in the market when it comes to choosing the right cell phone that fits the needs of both a working parent and their family,” said David Owens, Sprint vice president-Product Development. “Providing affordable, Android-powered devices, like ZTE Fury, in our lineup helps give families the tools and information to better manage their wireless usage while still providing the style and functionality they need to keep up with their busy lives.”

ZTE Fury also comes preloaded with Sprint ID, a unique feature that enables customers to have a fully personalized experience with a few simple clicks. Customers can download and switch among five self-selected ID packs filled with ringtones, wallpapers, widgets and applications that are tailored to an individual’s lifestyle and interests.

Additional features of ZTE Fury include:
• 3G hotspot functionality2 that allows up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices to share one network connection, an ideal solution for gatherings and travel
• 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 processor
• 4GB internal memory and an expandable memory slot supporting up to 32GB
• Using Sprint’s nationwide 3G network, customers can stay connected with their friends, family, business and community through more than 400,000 applications available in the Android Market™.

“ZTE Fury continues ZTE’s legacy of offering a large customer base an entry point to highly sought-after mobile data services. In particular, we know the youth market desires the latest technology but has special requirements for cost and functionality,” said Lixin Cheng, CEO, ZTE USA, and president, North America Region, ZTE. “We are privileged to partner with Sprint to offer customers of all ages productivity, entertainment and connectedness on the go with ZTE Fury.”

ZTE Fury requires activation on a Sprint Everything Data plan for smartphones3 and families that purchase ZTE Fury can rest assured that their monthly data charges won’t be out of control as Sprint offers the only truly unlimited data pricing plans on all phones from a national wireless carrier. Sprint customers who purchase ZTE Fury can take advantage of Sprint Everything Data Family Plans with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM starting at $129.99 per month for two lines, plus the required $10 per month, per line Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Additional lines (lines three to five) are $19.99 per month plus the $10 per month, per line Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones.

While technology enthusiasts look forward to a number of high-end smartphone announcements vendors are preparing for Mobile World Congress next month, 2012 will see entry-level smartphones become more popular than ever. Market research firm Deloitte estimates that the number of sub-$100 smartphones in use globally will surpass 500 million this year, and by the end of 2012 there will be 200 million NFC-equipped devices in the hands of consumers. The firm also sees apps continuing to play a huge role in the mobile market, with the number of available apps set to top 2 million later this year. ”The number of apps available reached one million in December 2011 and will double again by the end of 2012,” Deloitte TMT analyst Jolyon Barker said in a statement. ”However, the proportion that are paid for remains small. Only a fifth of downloaded apps sell more than 1,000 copies and only a tiny proportion of unpromoted apps will ever become successful.” The firm’s full press release follows below.

Deloitte analyses top trends for the telecoms industry for 2012

17 January 2012

• The number of £65 “smartphones” in use will reach 500 million.
• The number of apps available will surpass two million by year-end 2012, double the total as of December 2011.
• The volume of data sent between devices via short-range wireless connections, bypassing the Web, will double in 2012.

The Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice at Deloitte today announces its predictions for the telecoms sector in 2012, forecasting that the over half a billion low-cost smartphones (costing less than $100, or £65) will be in use by the end of 2012.

Jolyon Barker, global lead for Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry, comments: “This year’s predictions cover a range of topics, including the future for apps, demand for data and the rise of devices with near-field communications technology.

“The number of apps available reached one million in December 2011 and will double again by the end of 2012. However, the proportion that are paid for remains small. Only a fifth of downloaded apps sell more than 1,000 copies and only a tiny proportion of unpromoted apps will ever become successful.”

Simon Kerton-Johnson, lead telecoms partner at Deloitte, adds: “The number of devices with embedded near-field communications technology is set to soar to 200 million by the end of 2012. NFC – the transfer of small amounts of data over a very short distance – has been dominated by the ‘wave and pay’ notion of embedding a credit card into a mobile phone but the application of the technology is likely to have a wider reach.”

The $100 (£65) “smartphone” reaches its first half billion

Smartphones are typically considered high-end devices; yet by year-end 2012, at least 500 million $100 (£65) “smartphones” will be in use. These devices will have the look and feel of smartphones, sporting touch screens or full qwerty keyboards. $100 smartphones will have weaker processors, less memory, slower connectivity options, lower resolution cameras – but purchasers of these devices will be happy to trade off lower specifications for lower price. The rise of the $100 (£65) smartphone is comparable to the growth of the netbook, which offered a low-cost and low-powered alternative to standard laptops. The biggest demand for $100 smartphones is likely to be in emerging markets where Internet access is low but the desire for communication and information services is growing. Yet, the $100 (£65) smartphone could also appeal to users in mature markets where it could become a perfect teenage ‘starter’ phone. This will put pressure on the supply chain to cut the price of components but also presents a challenge for app developers as low-cost smartphone owners are less likely to want to pay for downloads.

So many apps – so little to download

The demands on the developer are increasing as the variety of smartphones and tablets increases. To reach a global target market, a developer may have to make 360 different variants which has almost called time on the part-time app developer. With so much choice on offer, app-store providers should consider ways to improve and assure the quality of the products on offer. Stores should look to differentiate by considering subscription models focused on different genres, or selected by editors, that would create ‘app bundles’. As smartphones go truly mass market, there will be a growing demand for local language, local content apps.

Web Bypass: delivering connectivity without the internet

The strain on networks, both fixed and mobile, is set to force more people to turn to short-range wireless connections to transfer data. Such technology has been pervasive before in the form of infrared and Bluetooth connectivity and is set for a resurgence in the form of web bypass – cutting out the need to connect to the internet at all – as the need for the quick transfer of data between devices and users grows. Roughly one per cent of all wireless data exchanged in 2012 will be between devices rather than routed over the internet, double the level of 2011. With telecoms companies balancing the need to invest in network improvement with the demands of customers for data capacity, web bypass will emerge as a third network option alongside fixed broadband and mobile for transferring information.

NFC and mobile devices: payments and more!

Many people remain uncomfortable with the notion of using a phone to pay for items and consumer perception about the security and battery-draining aspects of NFC need to be overcome. Even if 2012 turns out to be no more than a “transitional year” for mobile payments, the NFC chips will not go to waste. There are thousands of applications of NFC – from gambling, to games to healthcare – that could build up a head of steam over the course of the year, even if the media continues to focus on the ‘digital wallet.’

Apple reportedly has plans to launch two new iPad models next year according to a recent report. Set to be unveiled at a press conference in January, the two new iPads will join Apple’s iPad 2 to create an iPhone like tablet lineup. The iPad 2 will remain available at an entry-level price point, DigiTimes claimed citing unnamed industry sources, while new mid-range and high-end iPad models will launch early in 2012. Both new iPads will feature dual-LED backlit 9.7-inch displays with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 pixels. It is unclear what features might distinguish the new mid-range iPad from the high-end model. The report also claims that Apple’s rumored 7.85-inch iPad will not be among the models to launch early next year. Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair recently said in a note to investors that Apple would continue to sell the iPad 2 at a lower price point following the launch of its next-generation tablet model.

UPDATE: Loop Insight’s Jim Dalrymple noted that according to his sources, Apple has no plans to unveil an iPad 3 at the iWorld expo in January as noted in DigiTimes’s report.

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Global shipments of low-cost Android smartphones are expected to explode over the next four years. A new report from market intelligence firm In-Stat suggests that annual shipments of sub-$150 Android phones will reach 339 million units in 2015. In-Stat says that consumers in the market for smartphones with such a low unsubsidized cost only have one option — Android — leaving current (Symbian) and future (Nokia’s secret new OS) platforms high and dry. Even in 2013, however, In-Stat views fragmentation as an issue and says the spec requirements of newer Android builds like Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will keep it off low-end phones. Read on for more.

“The low-cost Android handset segment will cause some fragmentation in the Android platform,” said In-Stat Research Director Allen Nogee in a statement. “Most low-cost Android smartphones are likely to be released with Android 2.2 or 2.3, since these versions are a good blend of features with modest memory and processor usage. The Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) step-up in memory and processor demands makes this release less attractive for low-cost Android devices.”

In-Stat’s Less is More: The Worldwide Emergence of Low-Cost Android Smartphones report notes that this segment of the smartphone market will generally stick to EDGE networks in the coming years, and processors speeds are likely to remain at 600MHz or less, as processors in this range can be purchased from chip manufacturers for less than $10. The firm also notes that smaller smartphone vendors may also purchase components from the “gray market” to save on costs associated with the licensing fees, royalties and taxes larger manufacturers pay on their products.

Nokia on Tuesday unveiled its first two Windows Phones, a sleek high-end smartphone dubbed Lumia 800 and an affordable model called the Lumia 710. The latter is a mid-level handset that will retail for €270 abroad before taxes and subsidies. While it doesn’t have the sleek unibody architecture of the 800, it certainly packs a fair amount of bang for the buck. Starting things off, the Lumia 710 features a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor that makes navigating the UI a fantastic experience. That’s right, a €270 smartphone with a 1.4GHz Snapdragon. Read on for more and be sure to check out our hands-on gallery below.

The construction of the case is nothing to write home about but the materials felt nice and solid, and the interchangeable case-backs available in a variety of colors are a nice touch. The display is a 3.7-inch ClearBlack panel that is impressive for a high-end phone, let alone a mid-range device; colors pop and the blacks are remarkably deep.

In the end, this isn’t a phone that will knock any socks off, but it’s not meant to be. This is definitely a phone that can resonate among less demanding smartphone owners, and subsidized pricing will be beyond attainable. Let’s just hope Nokia decides to put a significant marketing effort behind the handset — something that other manufacturers seemingly haven’t been willing to do with their Windows Phones.

Apple is preparing to launch a new, less expensive iPhone 4 model that will become available at the end of September alongside the iPhone 5, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Citing multiple anonymous sources, the news organization says that the retooled iPhone 4 will feature a smaller 8GB flash drive manufactured by an unnamed South Korean company. Apple has sourced flash drives for its current iPhone models from Toshiba and Samsung. Reuters also contradicts recent reports that the iPhone 5 will launch in early October, writing instead that Apple is “targeting an end-September launch for the next-generation iPhone 5.” The report restates numerous others that claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger display, a new antenna design and an 8-megapixel camera.

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VIZIO on Monday evening announced that its affordable 8-inch VIZIO Tablet is now available from numerous retailers nationwide. The Gingerbread-powered device is VIZIO’s first foray into the tablet space, and while the slate’s specs aren’t cutting edge, it’s unsubsidized $299 price tag makes it a great option for tablet buyers on a budget. Spec highlights include an 8-inch 1024 x 768-pixel display, Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread, 2GB of storage and support for up to 32GB of removable storage, a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and a front-facing VGA camera for video chats. “VIZIO set out to build an innovative tablet that breaks new ground and addresses the gaps in current offerings in the market,” said VIZIO CTO Matt McRae in a statement. “The VIZIO Tablet offers a superior multimedia experience with its three speaker design, home theater integration with IR, and a perfect size for typing, eBooks, gaming and portability. These innovations and our ground breaking price push the category forward and deliver on our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All.” VIZIO’s 8-inch tablet is now available at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, Amazon and other VIZIO retailers across the country for under $300. VIZIO’s full press release follows below.

VIZIO’s New 8″ Tablet Delivers Knock Out Video, Audio and App-Based Entertainment at Sub-$300 Price Point

• VIZIO Tablet to shake up the marketplace by offering intuitive tablet experience at a price point that extends availability to the masses
• Unique three-speaker design delivers stereo audio in both landscape and portrait modes
• Control Your Entire Home Theater with the VIZIO Tablet’s built-in universal remote control app
• Built-in 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth® capabilities offer optimum connectivity with multiple devices

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – VIZIO, America’s #1 LCD HDTV company, announced today the new VIZIO 8″ Tablet with WiFi is arriving at retailers nationwide.  As part of VIZIO’s continued commitment to deliver great technology at a superior value, the sleek, feature-filled, Android-powered VIZIO Tablet is now available at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and other VIZIO retailers at a breakthrough price of $299.

The VIZIO Tablet features VIZIO Internet Apps® Plus which combines the latest technologies with a unified, easy-to-use and fun user interface across select future VIZIO HDTV’s, Blu-ray® players and other devices — further differentiating the sleek VIZIO Tablet.  In addition, the new Tablet is able to control nearly every element of a user’s home theater with a universal remote app and includes a built-in HDMI port with HDCP support for content protected HD playback on the big screen.

“We are excited that VIZIO is listening, once again, to what the marketplace is asking for with a high performance sub $300 Tablet,” said Tim Farmer, Costco.  ”VIZIO’s reputation is built on affordable technology and entertainment and this product is expected to generate a strong consumer response.”

By offering cutting edge technology and exceptional features at a competitive category price, the VIZIO Tablet is ideal for a wide range of users.  With support for Adobe® Flash®, casual gamers, movie, TV and music enthusiasts are able to enjoy rich content and applications on the go.  It also comes equipped with a unique three-speaker configuration, strategically placed for stereo sound in landscape or portrait mode.

Additionally, parents looking to entertain their children on-the-go can quickly access the Android Market™ which gives access to hundreds of thousands of apps, including educational programs, games and eBooks.**

With back-to-school season in full swing, students will also find the sleek VIZIO Tablet an ideal and fun compliment to a busy year as it makes checking email, news and social networks as simple as ever.  Multiple storage options make saving assignments and downloading music a breeze with a MicroSD™ slot that allows consumers the freedom to expand memory up to 32GB for optimal organization and entertainment.

“VIZIO set out to build an innovative tablet that breaks new ground and addresses the gaps in current offerings in the market,” said Matt McRae, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “The VIZIO Tablet offers a superior multimedia experience with its three speaker design, home theater integration with IR, and a perfect size for typing, eBooks, gaming and portability.  These innovations and our ground breaking price push the category forward and deliver on our brand promise of Entertainment Freedom for All.”

Apple has quietly launched a new entry-level iMac that targets education. The new model features a 21.5-inch display like the current base iMac, but the specs are dialed down in order to push pricing to a slightly more attainable starting point. Highlights include a 3.1GHz Intel Core i3 dual-core processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 250GB hard drive and an AMD Radeon HD 6750 GPU. Pricing starts at $999, 11% higher than the last iMac aimed at the education market, and the new model is available immediately to education customers on Apple’s website.

While the Daytona 500 kicks off a race to the top each year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Nokia 500 is a race to the bottom. Nokia on Monday announced a new Symbian-powered smartphone that will aggressively attack emerging markets and smartphone users on a budget. The €150 ($217) Nokia 500 costs about what most popular smartphones do after subsidies, and it features specs we’re not used to seeing on entry-level devices. Highlights include a 1GHz processor, a 3.2-inch 640 x 360-pixel touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, 2GB of storage and HSPA data. It also weighs just 93 grams, making it the lightest Symbian smartphone to date. As attractive as this handset could be in the low-end market, it begs the question: how long will it be until Nokia can attack young demographics and emerging markets this aggressively with entry-level smartphones powered by Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS? Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has said on numerous occasions that Nokia will be able to push affordable Windows Phones out to market very quickly, but €150 before subsidies is not an easy price point to hit. Nokia did not specify a launch date for the Nokia 500, saying only that it will be available before the end of the year. A pair of videos showcasing the new Nokia 500 follow below.

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Images of what is claimed to be an entry-level iPhone 4 prototype have surfaced online courtesy of a site called Tinthe. The same site in the past published photos of an engineering sample white iPhone that featured what is said to have been a very early test build of iOS 4, in addition to having the white plastic MacBook before announcement and release. The iPhone this time around appears to be an iPhone 4-like device, except the user that uploaded the photos claims it’s more of an “iPhone 4 lite” with plastic casing on the front and rear opposed to the glass exterior the current model features. From the photos however, this to me looks like a pre-production white iPhone 4 at best, and at the very worst, an aftermarket conversion kit commonly found on the streets of China and online. Additionally, the phone looks like it’s jailbroken which wouldn’t make much sense. Lastly, we exclusively reported that Apple would be selling its least expensive iPhone product, the iPhone 3GS, alongside the iPhone 4 and soon-to-be introduced iPhone 5. Why would Apple want to have a lower-cost iPhone 4 that looked like the company’s now high-end — and soon to be mid-end — iPhone 4? If you’re still not convinced that this product is either not ever being released, or is an aftermarket creation, there are a few more photos after the break for you.

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Apple has inked deals with numerous additional parts suppliers for its upcoming iPad refresh according to a new report from DigiTimes, further supporting the notion that the tech giant plans to unveil a new version of its market-leading tablet later this year. Citing industry sources, the report claims Taiwan-based component manufacturers including Novatek Microelectronics, Richtek Technology, Capella Microsystems and Integrated Memory Logic have been awarded contracts to supply integrated circuits for the iPad 3. Contrary to previous speculation that Apple’s next iPad would be a high-end “Pro” model, DigiTimes states that Apple is seeking to utilize lower cost parts from Taiwanese suppliers in order to “compete with an array of tablet PCs to be launched by rivals in the second half of 2011.” A more likely scenario, however, is that Apple may simply be looking to offset the added expense of the upcoming iPad’s Retina Display with cheaper circuits. Such a move could allow the Cupertino-based company to launch its next-generation iPad at the iPad 2′s current price points. Apple is expected to unveil its new iPad this fall alongside the iPhone 5.

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Samsung’s newest budget Android phone is now available in the U.S. from T-Mobile. The Samsung Dart is a Froyo phone that sports a 3.14-inch QVGA display, a 3-megapixel camera with video capture support, 512MB of internal memory, microSDHC support up to 32GB and a 1,200 mAh battery. The specs clearly seem a bit dated, but for the low price of free on contract, this is a great budget Android phone for teens and first-time smartphone buyers.

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Budget Android handsets are poised to takeoff in 2011, a new report from Digitimes suggests. The firm states that it expects 20 million to 25 million entry-level Android handsets  – defined as devices priced below $150 – will be sold globally in 2011. That figure is up from the 2.5 million to 3 million that were sold in 2010. Digitimes suggests that chips designed in China and Taiwan will drive white box OEMs to create budget-conscious handsets that will be attractive in emerging markets. An estimated 10 million to 13 million of those handsets are expected to be sold in China alone. Digitimes is known for having a mixed track record, but we do know that Android handsets — such as LG’s Optimus — were priced in the $100 range on many U.S. carriers. Similarly, last night Boost Mobile announced its new $179.99 Samsung Galaxy Prevail handset, which will be an attractive option for prepaid buyers.

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We know, we know — how can we possibly get excited about an upcoming Symbian smartphone from Nokia when the OS is currently sitting on death row awaiting execution? The answer, unfortunately, is that we can’t. Typical consumers likely won’t share the same sentiment, however — especially those looking for entry-level smartphones on the cheap. For the budget-conscious crowd that isn’t at all OS-conscious, we offer up your first look at the Nokia C5-04. Little is known about the upcoming c5-04, but the listing on the Bluetooth SIG site notes that it is headed to the North American market. Add to that the unmistakable presence of a T-Mobile logo on the face of the phone and it’s pretty safe to say it’s destined for T-Mobile USA. Specs are expected to be in line with the C5-03, which is anything but impressive but very affordable.

Thanks, Rajat

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