Sales of video game hardware and software in the United States plummeted last month according to new data from market research firm The NPD Group. The firm’s January figures suggest that sales of video game hardware fell 38% to $199.5 million, down from $324 million in January 2011. Video game software sales slid 38% as well in January, falling to $355.9 million, and sales of accessories in the U.S. dropped 18% year-on-year to $195.2 million. Total industry sales were down 34% to $750.6 million. “January retail performance experienced steep declines with a lack of software launches, and poor Hardware and Accessory performance partly related to bad comps from Kinect-related success in Jan’11,” NPD analyst Liam Callahan said in a statement. “Outside of new physical retail sales, we estimate that the consumer spend on other ways to acquire content including used games, full game and add-on content downloads, social network games, mobile games, rentals and subscriptions accounted for an additional $350 – $400 million in sales.” Callahan noted that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the best-selling console for the sixth consecutive month in January, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the top-selling software title. A complete list of NPD’s top-10 games for the month follows below.

Microsoft on Thursday revealed new details about Windows on ARM (WOA) on the company’s development blog. Both Windows 8 for x86 PCs and WOA are still under development, however both will be available at the same time while delivering the same experience. Windows on ARM will come preloaded with Office 15 — which has been enhanced to support touch controls — and users will have access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. To ensure that x86-based tablets and ARM-based devices are identical, WOA will feature a desktop mode, giving users access to the File Explorer, Internet Explorer 10 desktop and other Windows desktop features. Metro-style apps from the Windows Store will support both Windows on ARM and Windows for x86/64. WOA does not, however, support running, emulating or porting existing x86/64 desktop apps.

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There’s no question that Nokia is betting big on the success of Windows Phone, and we have to admit that it has already unveiled several of the best Windows Phone handsets out there. But the Finnish phone maker is reportedly so convinced that Windows Phone will succeed that it doesn’t have a backup plan of any sort. ”Plan B is that Plan A is to succeed,” Nokia manager Victor Saeijs is said to have told Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri. We know Nokia is cooking something up for its low-end phones so all of the vendor’s eggs really aren’t in one basket, but its good to see Nokia so confident in its strategy. Nokia will reportedly unveil at least one new high-end smartphone later this month at Mobile World Congress, and we’ll be on hand to bring you all the news as it breaks,

[Via Engadget]

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Contrary to a number of reports that have suggested otherwise, ARM-powered Windows 8 devices will likely be able to run full desktop applications. Microsoft had failed for some time to provide a straight answer as to whether or not ARM-powered devices would be limited to simply running Metro-style applications. However, ZDNet‘s Mary Jo Foley noticed a Microsoft post that specifically discussed power states on Windows 8 ARM devices for “both desktop and Metro style apps,” which clearly suggests that support for desktop applications will be included. Microsoft still hasn’t officially confirmed this, but as Mary Jo Foley points out, we suspect that Microsoft was diligent with its writing and that it didn’t just drop in a reference to desktop support accidentally. We’ll likely have to wait just a little longer until the official word drops, but for now it appears full desktop applications will be supported on Windows 8-powered ARM devices.

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Microsoft may be planning to launch a special bundle that includes the Nokia Lumia 800 and several accessories for $899. Citing unnamed industry sources, The Verge said the deal will kick off on February 14th and will include a Bluetooth headset, a Purity HD stereo headset and Nokia’s Play 360 wireless speaker. Microsoft will reportedly not be offering the Lumia 800 as a stand-alone product. $899 seems a bit steep to us, even considering that consumers will be getting an unlocked device and a bundle of solid accessories. After all, AT&T will be launching the sub-$100 Lumia 900 with 4G LTE support and a bigger screen just one month later.

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LG is preparing to unveil a mid-range Windows Phone code-named “Miracle” at this year’s Mobile World Congress trade show, according to PocketNow. The Mango-powered handset will feature a 4-inch WVGA display, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8GB of storage, a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of shooting 720p video and a VGA front-facing camera. Perhaps the most interesting detail is the smartphone’s purported NFC capabilities, although it is unclear how this feature will be implemented in a handset running Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango,” which doesn’t currently support NFC. The Miracle will reportedly be released sometime this spring.

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Apple has edged out IBM to become the top brand of 2011, according to an annual list from marketing strategy firm Davis Brand Capital. The Cupertino-based company ousted IBM, which topped the list in 2009 and 2010. Apple was previously ranked No.12 in 2009 and No.7 in 2010. Davis evaluates the top 25 brands annually using five categories that go beyond traditional marketing functions. “The annual 2011 Davis Brand Capital 25 ranking evaluates companies’ abilities to manage and balance the five key intangible categories that comprise brand capital: brand value; competitive performance; innovation strength; company culture; and social impact,” the company said in a press release. “The ranking does not aim to place a financial value on the brand capital of the companies. Rather, the list reveals the comparative strength and breadth of the companies’ brand capital.” As in previous years, the rankings were dominated by technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, HP, Cisco, Intel and Samsung. Read on for the complete list of Davis Brand Capital top 25.

Davis Names Top-25 Companies with Most Brand Capital in 2011
Top-performing Brand Capital Managers Best S&P 500 in 2011; Apple Takes #1 Spot on List Dominated by Tech Leaders; Toyota Reappears at #20 After Precipitous Fall

ATLANTA, Feb 06, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Davis Brand Capital today released the 2011 Davis Brand Capital 25 ranking, which evaluates brand beyond its traditional marketing function and considers it as a blend of key intangibles. It is the only annual ranking of companies demonstrating comprehensive and balanced approaches to managing the full spectrum of brand capital, which provides an indication of the strength and effectiveness of an entire business.

The top-performing companies on the Davis Brand Capital 25 outpaced the S&P 500 in 2011. A hypothetical stock portfolio consisting of these companies, with holdings proportionately allocated according to each company’s position in the ranking, outperformed the S&P 500 by 9.32 percent.

The annual 2011 Davis Brand Capital 25 ranking evaluates companies’ abilities to manage and balance the five key intangible categories that comprise brand capital: brand value; competitive performance; innovation strength; company culture; and social impact. The ranking does not aim to place a financial value on the brand capital of the companies. Rather, the list reveals the comparative strength and breadth of the companies’ brand capital.

“Brand now functions as the primary container of intangible value. Factors once viewed only internally by company management, such as company culture and innovation strength, are now broadcast to customers regularly through brand,” said Patrick T. Davis, chief executive officer of Davis Brand Capital, based in Atlanta. Studies by the Federal Reserve place yearly investment in intangibles by U.S. companies at more than $1 trillion. “We believe it is increasingly important to track the companies excelling in the management of these intangibles,” said Davis.

Apple (AAPL) tops the list for the first time, moving up from #12 in ’09 and #7 in ’10. The company’s rise in this year’s rankings was driven largely by its competitive performance and added brand value. Customers and investors alike continue to reward Apple for the transformative innovations it brings to the world through its marketing and business prowess.

IBM (IBM) ranks second this year, after holding the top spot for two consecutive years. Google (GOOG) enjoyed a meteoric rise from #11 in ’09 to #4 in this year’s ranking. Rounding out the top five, Microsoft (MSFT) remained at #3 again this year, and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) dropped from the #2 spot in ’10 to #5.

As in prior years, the ranking is dominated by technology leaders, which comprise nearly 30 percent of the ranked companies. Intel (INTC) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) also make the 2011 ranking, placing #8 and #10 respectively.

“Technology is the infrastructure of our daily lives now, and these companies are exceptional at delivering value, building trust and creating culture. They also tend to be more transparent and use their technologies to convey their strengths,” said Davis.

Automakers also are well represented on this year’s rankings. Toyota Motor Corporation (TM) reappears at #20, signifying a rebound in consumer trust and financial performance after a wave of high-profile product recalls and related controversy. Last year, the company dropped from the ’10 ranking entirely, despite having a strong showing in ’09 at #8. BMW (BMW-DE) moves up one position to #11 this year, and Daimler (DAI-DE) debuts on the ranking at #15. Volkswagen (VOW-DE) moves down four spots this year from #21 to #17. Both Ford (F) and Honda (HMC) drop from the ’11 rankings after holding the #23 and #18 spots respectively in ’10.

Coca-Cola continues its steady climb up the rankings, moving from #16 in ’09 to #14 in ’10 and landing at #9 on this year’s ranking. Arch-rival PepsiCo narrows Coca-Cola’s lead in ’11 with its #12 ranking, moving up from #24 in ’09 (not ranked in ’10) and representing the largest two-year gain of any brand on the list.

After improving its ranking from #10 in ’09 to #5 in ’10, discount retailer Wal-Mart (WMT) drops the most of any other company in ’11 both in terms of its two-year and year-over-year performance, ranking #24. Samsung Electronics has the second-largest drop in year-over-year performance, falling from #8 in ’10 to #23 in ’11.

Though still dealing with the aftermath of the global economic crisis and forward-looking financial anxiety, several financial services companies do appear on the ’11 ranking. Citigroup makes its debut on this year’s list at #16. Wells Fargo also debuts on the ’11 rankings at #25, and Goldman Sachs drops two spots from #16 in ’10 to #18. Financial services firms JPMorgan and HSBC drop from this year’s rankings entirely, after holding the #11 and #22 spots respectively in ’10.

This year, the Davis Brand Capital Scores have a much tighter range than previous years’ rankings, indicating collectively stronger performance for the 25 brands included on the list. “More than ever, companies are realizing the importance of proactively managing their collection of intangibles,” said Davis. “The companies listed on the 2011 Davis Brand Capital 25 represent the best-of-the-best globally, and inclusion anywhere on the list is testament to their exceptional power and far-reaching influence.”

Many major consumer and packaged goods brands are notably absent from the list. “Excellence in traditional product brand management alone is no longer enough,” said Davis. “Big consumer brands build great value in the marketplace and with the consumer, but that is only one component of brand capital. And it does not necessarily mean the brands represent companies that excel in managing broader intangibles. A more holistic approach is needed to earn a place among the extraordinary companies on this list.”

The 2011 Davis Brand Capital 25 ranking is based on a study of 10 distinct data sets. It is a compilation and analysis of annual performance rankings published in industry-leading and specialized annual lists, plus Davis Brand Capital’s proprietary processes and analysis. Each of the five key areas of brand capital is given equal importance to achieve an integrated, balanced evaluation.

Prior to the Davis Brand Capital 25, annual brand performance rankings were not evaluated and aggregated to reveal the comparative strength of companies’ brand capital. “It is essential now for senior executives to understand that brand capital reflects a collection of key intangible attributes determining systemic success. Well-managed brand capital signals the overall health and effectiveness of a business today,” said Davis.

The ranking will be updated yearly, with the 2012 Davis Brand Capital 25 released in January, 2013.

Barnes & Noble on Monday received some potentially good news following the rejection of its antitrust suit against Microsoft earlier this month. Microsoft is looking to halt the import of the bookseller’s Nook slates, claiming the devices infringe three Microsoft patents. Barnes & Noble argued that the patents in question are invalid because they do not cover new inventions, and the company has a new ally. Jeff Hsu, a staff attorney at the U.S. International Trade Commission, told Bloomberg he recommended that ITC Judge Theodore Essex rule that there is no violation by Barnes & Noble. Microsoft said the recommendation was made before evidence was presented, and it believes Hsu’s opinion may change once the trial gets underway. Bloomberg notes, however, that the ITC staff acts as a third party in the case and there’s no requirement that the judge follow any recommendations. Microsoft claims the Android operating system found on Barnes & Noble’s Nook eReader utilizes its protected technology, and the software giant has signed agreements with roughly 70% of Android vendors in the United States to license the technology in question. Judge Essex is expected to release his findings on April 27th.

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ComScore released its most recent U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share report for the three-month period ending in December, 2011. The research firm found that Samsung remained the top mobile phone vendor in the fourth quarter with a 25.3% market share — the same share as it held in the third quarter. LG’s market share dropped 0.6 percentage points to a 20% share for second place followed by Motorola, which fell 0.5 percentage points to 13.3%. Apple had the fourth largest share with a 12.4% market share, up 2.2 percentage points, and RIM fell 0.4 points to a 6.7% share. Read on for more.

Android remains the most used smartphone operating system in the United States with a 47.3% share of the market, up 2.5 percentage points from the last report. Android is followed by iOS, which grew 2.2 points to a 29.6% share, BlackBerry OS, which fell 2.9 points to a 16% share, Microsoft’s mobile Windows platform (4.7%, down 0.9 percentage points) and Symbian (1.4%, down 0.4 percentage points). ComScore did not distinguish whether or not Microsoft’s share represented Windows Phone, Windows Mobile or both.

ComScore said that 97.9 million U.S. residents owned a smartphone during the three months ended December 2011, which represents 40% of all mobile subscribers. The firm also said 234 million Americans aged 13 and older own a mobile device. The company’s full press release follows below.

comScore Reports December 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

Smartphone Penetration Climbs Over 40 Percent during December Holiday Shopping Season

RESTON, VA, February 2, 2012 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending December 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.3 percent market share. Google Android strengthened its lead in the smartphone market to reach 47.3 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three-month average period ending in December, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20 percent share and Motorola with 13.3 percent share. Apple continued to gain ground in the OEM market with 12.4 percent share of total mobile subscribers (up 2.2 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.7 percent share.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	25.3%	25.3%	0.0
LG	20.6%	20.0%	-0.6
Motorola	13.8%	13.3%	-0.5
Apple	10.2%	12.4%	2.2
RIM	7.1%	6.7%	-0.4

Smartphone Platform Market Share

97.9 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in December, representing 40 percent of all mobile subscribers. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 47.3 percent market share, up 2.5 percentage points from September. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 2.2 percentage points to 29.6 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 16 percent share, followed by Microsoft (4.7 percent) and Symbian (1.4 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	44.8%	47.3%	2.5
Apple	27.4%	29.6%	2.2
RIM	18.9%	16.0%	-2.9
Microsoft	5.6%	4.7%	-0.9
Symbian	1.8%	1.4%	-0.4

Mobile Content Usage

In December, 74.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 3.2 percentage points. Downloaded applications were used by 47.6 percent of subscribers (up 5.1 percentage points), while browsers were used by 47.5 percent (up 4.6 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 3.8 percentage points to 35.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 31.4 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.6 percentage points), while 23.8 percent listened to music on their phones (up 2.9 percentage points).

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	71.1%	74.3%	3.2
Used downloaded apps	42.5%	47.6%	5.1
Used browser	42.9%	47.5%	4.6
Accessed social networking site or blog	31.5%	35.3%	3.8
Played Games	28.8%	31.4%	2.6
Listened to music on mobile phone	20.9%	23.8%	2.9

We’re still waiting for Microsoft to launch Windows Phone “Tango,” but supposed details have already emerged surrounding the next major Windows Phone release code-named “Apollo.” According to Pocketnow, which claims to have obtained a video of Windows Phone manager Joe Belfiore that was intended to be viewed only by Nokia employees, Apollo will launch as Windows Phone 8. Read on for more.

Reportedly, Microsoft’s theme for the launch is “scale and choice,” and Apollo will add support for four different screen resolutions, multi-core processors, removable microSD cards and near-field communications (NFC) for mobile payments. Belfiore is said to have discussed Windows Phone 8′s “wallet experience,” and how the operating system will use NFC chips built into the phone itself or into SIM cards. Windows Phone 8 owners may also be able to tap their phone to an NFC-equipped computer running Windows 8 to share media, a feature HP tried to bring to the masses with its TouchPad tablet and Pre 3 smartphone.

Pocketnow said it is possible that Microsoft will ditch the Zune client and will instead offer a new and improved syncing interface, as well as flushed out Xbox LIVE support. Other features include DataSmart data management, BitLocker encryption, a new integrated Skype client and more. Microsoft also apparently said it hopes its Windows Phone Marketplace will be home to more than 100,000 applications by the time it launches Windows Phone 8.

It remains unclear when Windows Phone 8 might become available on current Windows Phone smartphones or on new devices.

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Apple has hired a former marketing executive from Microsoft to help promote the App Store and iTunes in Europe, MCV reports. Robin Burrowes, former head of Xbox LIVE marketing in the EMEA region for Microsoft, joined Apple in January according to his LinkedIn profile. His formal duties at Apple remain unclear — Burrowes’s profile only states that his role involves “App Store Marketing” — but the executive’s background suggests gaming will be a strong focus. Apple has hired a number of executives with experience in the gaming market recently, including Nintendo’s former head of public relations Robert Saunders and former Activision, EA and Xbox PR head Nick Grange. The video game industry finds itself among a number of businesses that have been disrupted by Apple’s iOS lineup, and the company’s recent hires suggest that Apple intends to continue pushing the gaming capabilities of its mobile device lineup.

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At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, Steve Ballmer announced Microsoft would ship the Kinect for Windows on February 1st. The company has delivered on its promise and on Wednesday, version 1.0 of the Kinect for Windows SDK and runtime were made available for download. The software giant’s distribution partners across the globe have also begun to ship Kinect for Windows hardware. The device will retail for $249, with a special discounted academic price of $149 for “Qualified Educational Users” that will come later this year.

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Barnes & Noble and Microsoft are currently tied up in two separate legal battles, one being heard by the Department of Justice and the other by the International Trade Commission. In March 2011, like previous Android vendors, Microsoft accused Barnes & Noble’s NOOK and NOOK Color of infringing on the company’s patents. The software giant, which takes in roughly $450 million a year through Android royalties, was looking to license the infringed patents to the bookseller, but the company fired back with claims that Microsoft was creating an abusive monopoly. It is now being suggested by patent expert Florian Muller of FOSS Patents that the ITC is likely to reject Barnes & Noble’s antitrust complaint against Microsoft, however. The complete order is not publicly available, but an administrative law judge has reportedly dismissed Barnes & Noble’s patent misuse defense against Microsoft . The judge issued a detailed order that has not yet been made public, but the headline reads, “Initial Determination Granting Microsoft’s Motion for Summary Determination of Respondents’ First Affirmative Defense of Patent Misuse.” The ITC evidentiary hearing will begin on Monday, February 6th.

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Microsoft has started to run anti-Google newspaper ads in a clear effort to sway people from using Google’s services. On Monday, Google announced that it was combining its individual privacy policies to make privacy “more intuitive” for its users. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee was worried that Google was actually collecting more information under its new rules, but Google responded to those claims and said it was not actually collecting more data. Microsoft isn’t convinced. “To be clear, there’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to improve the quality of an advertising product,” Microsoft said in a newspaper ad. “But, that effort needs to be balanced with continuing to meet the needs and interests of users. Every business finds its own balance and attracts users who share those priorities. Google’s new changes have upset that balance, with users’ priorities being de-prioritized. That’s why people are concerned and looking for alternatives… If these changes rub you the wrong way, please consider using our portfolio of award-winning products and services.” The ad also tells newspaper readers that “every data point Google collects and connects to you increases how valuable you are to an advertiser.” Microsoft is currently running the advertisements in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

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Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) currently offers support for 35 different languages, however Microsoft may be planning to add an additional 85 languages in the next Windows Phone Tango update. The new version of Windows Phone, codenamed Tango, is expected to better cater to emerging markets, which will help Microsoft and its Windows Phone partners expand the platform globally. WPSauce, the source of the rumor, said that Microsoft announced the added language support during an event in India where the company also noted that future Windows Phone updates will support C++. It remains unclear when the Redmond-based company plans to release Windows Phone Tango.

[Via Pocketnow]

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