July 31, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 31:

• John Fletcher and Sharon Armbrust at SNL Kagan about Wireless Data Revenue To Increase At A 16% Annual Rate Over The Next Decade
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about T-Mobile Hits Market with New Services Targeted Towards Parents
• Thomas Husson at JupiterResearch about Declining prices for mobile banner ads
• Thomas Husson at JupiterResearch about EA/Gameloft mobile revenues
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Why the obsession with monthly billing for mobile services?
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Latency in mobile - more needs to be done
• Andreas Constantinou at VisionMobile about Announcing the Mobile Industry Atlas
• Ross Rubin at NPD Group about There are 2m Centros out there and they’re going online
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about Dude, You’re Getting a Dell DJ!
• Rick Doherty at Envisioneering Group and Rob Enderle at the Enderle Group via WSJ.com about Dell Tests Player to Renew iPod Battle
• Geoff Blaber and Ben Woods at CCS Insight, Caroline Milanesi at Gartner and Ed Snyder at Charter Equity Research via Times Online about Nokia fights for market share with 10% cuts
• Phillip Redman at Gartner, Craig Mathias at Farpoint Group and independent analyst Jeffrey Kagan via Computerworld about Motorola shows drop in mobile phone sales, recommits to mobile unit spin-off
• Pablo Perez-Fernandez at Global Crown Capital LLC, Michael Walkley at Piper Jaffray & Co., Raimundo Archibold at Kaufman Brothers LP and Morgan Keegan & Co. analyst Tavis McCourt via Bloomberg.com about Motorola May Be No. 4 in Phones After Losing to LG
• Yankee Group analyst Linda Barrabee via Los Angeles Times about Watch the X Games on your phone! Available on six handsets nationwide
• David Hallden at Cheuvreux and Ben Wood at CCS Insight via InformationWeek about Nokia Cuts Phone Prices, Pressuring Rivals

July 28, 2008 Roundup

Just realized that Mobile Analyst Watch has been around for three years now. Scary. Analysts in the news for July 28:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about Taking a peek at Peek
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about Facebook Connect - Simplifying Mobile Use Cases
• Philippe Winthrop at Strategy Analytics about Crack and Enterprise Mobility Just Don't Mix
• RBC Capital’s Mike Abramsky and Morgan Keegan’s Tavis McCourt via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about Palm: Could FY Q1 Hold An Upside Surprise?

First week with the iPhone 3G

Picked up my 16GB white iPhone 3G last Saturday after waiting a week and my anger towards AT&T is now a faint memory. I've retired my Samsung Blackjack to emergency standby status and here's a quick take on my likes, dislikes and the apps I'm currently rocking on the new handset:

LIKES/COOL

• Exchange sync - I can now easily access my company's global address book and all my email folders. Managing email is easier too.
  
• App Store/iTunes ecosystem
  
• Ease of use
• Wi-Fi
• Internet Browsing
• Pandora - works well even over EDGE network
  
• Auto correct keyboard - I type faster than on the Blackjack's QWERTY keyboard
  
• VPN although having trouble accessing company SharePoint site with Safari
  

DISLIKES

• Can't make calls from Calendar
• Can't customize which email folders sync (currently syncs all)
• Battery life - increased functionality/usability= more use and battery drain
  
• No App Store demos to try before buy

APPS I LIKE

• AIM
• Pandora
• Bloomberg
• HoldEm
• eBay
• Remote
• Facebook
• Google

WAITING FOR

• Turn by turn navigation
• Ilium eWallet - app is available but waiting for PC desktop and/or Mac version so I can sync my records from Blackjack
• Exchange sync enhancements
• More apps
  

July 24, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 24:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about Blackberry Media Sync - First Take
• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about Zune Phone? Not Likely
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about AdMob iPhone Ad Units
• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about Chocolate 3 Review
• Ed Kountz at JupiterResearch about India's Mobile Market Growth Gives RBI Pause
• Vinita Jakhanwal at iSuppli about eBooks Turn the Page
• Ben Wood at CCS Insight about Wireless Peace in Our Time?
• Andrew Jaquith at Yankee Group about Rampaging Consumers Overrun Corporate IT
• Jack Gold at J.Gold Associates via Unstrung about Nokia's CDMA Renaissance?
• Michael King at Gartner via The Associated Press about Nokia, Qualcomm settle long-running dispute
• Ben Wood at CCS Insight, Mark McKechni at American Technology Research and Richard Windsor at Nomura via BusinessWeek about Why Qualcomm Folded to Nokia
• Charter Equity Research analyst Ed Snyder and IAG Research analyst Roger Entner via Fortune about Nokia strikes sweet Qualcomm deal

July 23, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 23:

• Dr Windsor Holden at Juniper Research about forecasts Indian Sub Continent mobile data revenues to hit $8.3 billion by 2013, driven by music, games and browsing
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about Impact of iPhone on AT&T's ARPU
• David Card at JupiterResearch about NYTimes' iPhone App Does the Job
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Mobile widgets - who wants them?
• Ross Rubin at NPD Group about Peek pitches mobile e-mail to the parental female
• Ross Rubin at NPD Group about Dear Slacker, Please write an iPhone app
• Robert Caunt at CCS Insight about Having a Party on the QR
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about Apple’s Mystery Machine Rides Again
• Craig Moffett at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company and Roger Entner at Nielsen IAG via NYTimes.com about phone Giants Fight to Keep Subscribers
• Ben Wood at CCS Insight via PC World about Nokia Claims Victory Over Qualcomm in Ongoing Patent Battle

July 21, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 21:

• Tim Bajarin at Creative Strategies via PC Magazine about Where Are the Smartphone Standards?
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Thoughts on smartphone usage - Nokia E71
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Mobile Wallet? Whose money is it?
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Great article on Web vs. Native mobile apps
• Andreas Constantinou at VisionMobile about The 7 centres of gravity in mobile
• Philippe Winthrop at Strategy Analytics about Opening a New Chapter
• Jack Gold at J.Gold Associates via Unstrung about RIM's Four Aces
• Carolina Milanesi at Gartner via FT.com about Sony Ericsson to reduce workforce by up to 17%
• Andy Hargreaves at Pacific Crest Securities, Kathryn Huberty at Morgan Stanley, Toni Sacconaghi at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. and Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray & Co. via Bloomberg.com about Apple Profit Climbs 31%; Forecast Misses Estimates
• Goldman Sachs’ Simona Jankowski and Nomura’s Richard Windsor via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about Motorola: Get Ready For Another Grim Quarter
• Tony Carbone at RCM Capital Management, Peter Misek at Canaccord Adams, Joseph Parnes at Technomart Investment Advisors and Roger Entner at Nielsen IAG via Bloomberg.com about Research In Motion Rebound Rides on Bolder BlackBerry

So Close Yet So Far - AT&T Makes Me Wait Another Day For iPhone 3G

Sorry for the venting but as a long time AT&T customer, I was going to give them a pass regarding iPhone 3G order fulfillment since a lot of their issues probably rested in the hands of Apple. But after this evening, I wonder if maybe AT&T is equally to blame.

A little background. My Samsung Blackjack Windows Mobile phone is nearing the end of its time and I've wanted to replace it with an iPhone 3G as it has Wi-Fi and could sync with my work's MS Exchange server.

Last Saturday morning I went to my local AT&T store in Lafayette, CA, and waited on line for 20 minutes. Unfortunately the store had only 10 iPhones to sell and I missed out by two people from getting the last one.

I was given the option to place a direct fulfillment (DF) order and was told it would take 7-10 business days for the store to receive it. I didn't want to chase around for an iPhone 3G so I handed over my credit card and ordered a white 16GB model.

This past week I constantly checked the status of my order online and anxiously read the HoFo and AT&T customer forums for any news on the fate of those who went the DF route.

Amidst the endless threads filled with frustration, anguish, complaints and vitriol hurled at AT&T and Apple, I tried to remain patient in hopes my 16GB white iPhone 3G would soon ship. The days slowly passed and my patience was wearing thin but finally on Thursday the online order status changed.

The iPhone 3G was shipped next day air via Fedex and tracking showed it arrived at the Lafayette store in the early afternoon. Soon after I received an email that I would receive a call when I could pick it up.

Late in the afternoon AT&T called with an automated message that said I could pick up my phone so I swung by the store after work in the early evening. I was finally going to get my hands on an iPhone 3G after waiting all week.

Unfortunately AT&T decided to sucker punch me when I least expected it. When I told one of the sales reps I was there to get my phone, she asked my name, looked at my receipt and then told me to return tomorrow. What? After waiting all week I was crestfallen.

It seems the store manager had left for the day, locking all the iPhones in her office, and no one else was authorized to give them to customers! So even though the store still open for business for another hour anyone coming to pick up their ordered iPhone 3Gs were out of luck.

I started to complain but realized the staff were just as frazzled from a long week of dealing with disgruntled iPhone fanatics. It was also quite obvious they thought the AT&T store manager was just as big of an idiot as I did.

It's only another day but what a complete letdown. I was so close and then AT&T dropped the ball. I hope the manager is in tomorrow morning when I go again, but odds are it won't even register with her how poorly this reflects on AT&T.

I guess all the complaints on the forums about AT&T not caring about their customers might have some validity after all...

July 17, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 17:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about 3G Phone Battery Life
• Ed Kountz at JupiterResearch about AmEx Introduces Text MyAmEx
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about HSUPA stalling?
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about BT's Fibre announcement - initial thoughts on impact on mobile
• Howard Wilcox at Juniper Research about Mobile Phones Equipped with Near Field Communications (NFC) to Generate $75bn worth of Payment Transactions Within 5 Years
• Andrew Rassweiler at iSuppli about Seeking Mass Market Acceptance, Apple Stresses Cost Reduction for iPhone 3G
• Tom Byrd at CCS Insight about Bone-Conducting Bluetooth Earpieces Set to Revolutionise Hands-Free Experience
• Nomura analyst Richard Windsor, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi and Daniel Longfield at Frost & Sullivan via Reuters about Nokia Q2 results in line, optimistic for year
• Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray & Co. via Computerworld about iPhone 3G shortage to last two to four weeks, analyst says
• Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about RIMM: Canaccord Ups Ests; Sees No iPhone Impact
• IAG Research analyst Roger Entner and Citigroup analyst David Hamburger via Fortune about Verizon under pressure as iPhone takes off

July 14, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 14:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about My favorite iPhone Apps... so far
• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about 1 million served...
• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about iPhone 3G and 2.0 Upgrade - First Thoughts
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about The upside-down pyramid of mobile broadband
• Ross Rubin at NPD Group about iPhone 3G drives big numbers for little applications
• Ross Rubin at NPD Group about Apple blows out the iPhone’s opening weekend
• Robert Caunt at CCS Insight about An Industry in So Many Words
• Carl Howe at Yankee Group about Activation problems don’t stop iPhone from being largest CE launch in history
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about 1 Million iPhones and Counting
• Carl Howe at Yankee Group about Boston iPhone line still long as of noon
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about 3G-Day Has Arrived: Photos

July 10, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 10:

• Hwai Lin Khor at ABI Research via BusinessWeek about Chinese Telecom: Who Wins, Who Loses?
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about Short Line in SF at the Apple Store
• Julie Ask at JupiterResearch about Apple's Apps
• Thomas Husson at JupiterResearch about Digital Dividend: the golden spectrum fight
• Ian Fogg at JupiterResearch about iPhone 3G Strategy and Prospects
• Rob Enderle at Enderle Group via Technology Pundits about Looking Ahead To the 3rd Generation iPhone
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about Take a Breath, the iTunes Apps store is open & we have some suggestions
• Ken Dulaney at Gartner via WSJ.com about iPhone Calls On Software Developers
• Eric Kainer at ThinkPanmure via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about Apple: Will Tomorrow Bring iPhone Activation Chaos?
• Nomura’s Richard Windsor via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about RIMM Reportedly Has Issues With Thunder Touch Screen

July 9, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 9:

• Dr Windsor Holden at Juniper Research about annual Africa & Middle East mobile revenues of $107 billion by 2013, driven by data service growth
• Allen Nogee at In-Stat about China, India, Africa Lead Cellular Subscription Growth
• Joshua Martin at Yankee Group about Do you hear me now, Rogers?
• Tony Cripps at Ovum and Carolina Milanesi at Gartner via BusinessWeek about The Improved iPhone Tackles Europe
• Richard Doherty at Envisioneering Group via FORTUNE about How the iPhone 3G is changing the wireless game
• Michael Gartenberg at Jupiter Research via FT.com about Apple’s 3G iPhone aims to dominate smartphones

July 8, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 8:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about Defining mobile.me for the "rest of us"
• Steve Entwistle and Stuart Robinson at Strategy Analytics about 120% Annual Growth in Cellphone Removable Memory Card Capacities, Reaching 26GB by 2012
• Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray via Bloomberg.com about Apple Expects 15-Minute Setup Process for New iPhone
• Roger Entner at IAG via NYTimes.com about Bedeviled by the Churn, Sprint Tries to Win Back Disgruntled Customers

July 7, 2008 Roundup

Analyst in the news for July 7:

• Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch about iPhone week begins...
• Thomas Husson at JupiterResearch about Together we can do more
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Nokia Series 40 6th Edition - featurephone market direction

July 3, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 3:

• Mark Mulligan at JupiterResearch about And then there were three
• Dean Bubley at Disruptive Analysis about Mobile Web 2.0 and Power Management
• Andrew Jaquith at Yankee Group about Setting the Record Straight on Mobile Security

July 1, 2008 Roundup

Analysts in the news for July 1:

• Andreas Constantinou at VisionMobile about Purple Labs + Openwave: the open source battleground intensifies
• Howard Wilcox at Juniper Research about Mobile Payment Transaction Values for Digital and Physical Goods to Exceed $300bn Globally Within 5 Years
• NPD analyst Ross Rubin via San Jose Mercury News about Hands-free law brings out the shoppers
• Michael Walkley at Piper Jaffray & Co., Ping Zhao at CreditSights and John Krause at Thrivent Asset Management via RCR Wireless News about Moto rewires exec lineup
• Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about Apple: Bernstein Ups Target; Boosts iPhone Unit Forecast
• Standard & Poor’s analyst Todd Rosenbluth via Barron’s Online Tech Trader Daily about Palm: S&P Upgrades To Hold From Sell On Valuation
• Shaun Collins at CCS Insight via Telegraph about New tag to brighten future Orange ads