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Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts

Friday, May 18, 2012

Stock News 2012: Globe's postpaid business sustains growth momentum in 1st qtr

The old Globe corporate logo.The old Globe corporate logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Globe Telecom’s postpaid business sustained its growth momentum as it posted a 17 percent increase in service revenues to P748 million in the first quarter of the year, the company said in a statement.

Postpaid service revenues now accounts for 32 percent of Globe’s total mobile revenues, up from 29 percent compared to the same period last year, making it a key driver in the increase in service revenues for the period against the seasonally strong fourth quarter and has accelerated the overall growth of Globe’s mobile business.

Domestic voice calls, mobile browsing and international services are also higher year-on-year while direct mobile browsing revenues was at P669 million, up 33 percent year-on-year.

Globe said the robust take-up for postpaid plans was a result of the warm reception to the customizable plans that continue to attract new and old subscribers, alongside the success of the Apple iPhone 4S launch.   In fact, for the first quarter, subscriber acquisition costs were higher due to strong demand for iPhone 4S.

“Investments in postpaid subsidies which are fully-funded by rise in revenues, set up the business for sustained top-line growth in 2012. The growth in customer volumes and handset subsidies are also driving the increase in total marketing and subsidy. We now have an improved customer mix with 45 percent of postpaid net additions signing up for the mid-to high-end plans from only 16 percent last year,” Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu said.

Total mobile revenues increased six percent year-on-year from P15.6 billion to about P16.6 billion despite intense competition and continued price pressures. Globe Prepaid and TM delivered combined a two percent revenue growth, driven by new brand campaigns and a boost in service offerings.

Globe Postpaid ended the quarter with 1.5 million subscribers, up 34 percent year-on-year while the combined Globe Prepaid and TM subscriber base has reached 29.5 million, 13 percent higher than 2011. As of March 31, Globe has a total of 31 million mobile subscribers, up 14 percent from the same period last year.

Amid the strong performance of its mobile business, Globe still further pushed efforts for its prepaid and TM services in a bid to keep its loyal subscribers and draw new customers.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=807661&publicationSubCategoryId=66

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Sunday, May 13, 2012

Stock News 2012: Smartphones power surge in mobile Internet use

Image of Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica mobile phoneImage of Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica mobile phone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Mobile Internet usage in the Philippines is growing rapidly, due to a surge in attractive smartphone offers bundled with mobile data, a top telecom executive said.

First quarter mobile Internet revenues of leading wireless operator Smart Communications, for example, rose 71 percent, as reported by parent company Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

According to Smart chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea, the explosive increase in mobile Internet usage among Smart’s subscribers was driven in the first quarter mainly by a “solid portfolio of postpaid data plans bundled with best-in-class smartphones”.

Smart launched in the first quarter its limited-edition Data Plan 1000, which bundled free calls, SMS and mobile Internet, with a choice from a slew of ‘power’ smartphones from all the top manufacturers, at discounted and amortized prices.

These developments follow the rapid growth of the worldwide smartphone market.

According to the International Data Corp. (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker released last week, the worldwide smartphone market grew 42.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012.

The report also cited manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple, Nokia, Research in Motion, and HTC shipping an estimated 144.9 million smartphones just within the period.

Banking on the massive popularity of smartphones, Smart is further stepping up efforts to promote smartphone adoption and usage. The telco leader is set to offer the hotly-anticipated, third-generation Samsung Galaxy S III.

Samsung, which moved 42.2 million smartphones and made a new record for the most number of smartphones shipped in a single quarter according to the IDC report, pumped the Galaxy S III’s superior hardware with intuitive technology.

It features a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, an 8-MP camera and a 1.9-MP front camera, and a host of other features, powered by a snappy Quad Core Processor and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) for its OS.

Among its unique features are ‘Smart Stay’, which tracks the user’s eyes, so as long as they are looking at it, the display won’t dim or turn off. Another feature is called ‘Pop Up Play’, which allows the user to play stored videos in a window on any homescreen, while they are writing a text message, email, playing games or while using virtually any other mobile application.

The Samsung Galaxy S III will be available from Smart bundled with Unli Data Plans that all come with unlimited mobile Internet, plus free SMS and call minutes. The device will also be available under Smart’s All-In Plans. Pre-orders will be accepted starting May 23, 2012, via www.smart.com.ph/galaxys3.

“We are very excited that Smart subscribers will be among the first to enjoy our flagship device Samsung Galaxy S III, and benefit greatlyfrom its superior hardware and enhanced smartphone usability,” according to Michael Cheon, business advisor for Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp.

With advanced, always-connected smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S III rapidly gaining popularity among Filipino users, Smart expectsmobile Internet to remain a bright spot for the company.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=806339&publicationSubCategoryId=66

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

International News 2011: Steve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO

Thanks, Steve.Image by Kansir via Flickr
Apple’s legendary co-founder and top ideas man Steve Jobs resigned as chief executive Wednesday in a move long expected after he began a dramatic fight with cancer.

In a written statement, Apple, the world’s second most valuable company by market capitalization, announced that chief operating officer Tim Cook would take over as CEO but that Jobs would stay on as chairman of the board.

Jobs is seen as the heart and soul of Apple, with analysts and investors repeatedly expressing concern over how the Cupertino, California-based company will fare without the figure seen as its driving force.

“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” board member Art Levinson said in a statement.

Apple stock price slid more than five percent to $356.32 in trading that followed news of Jobs’s resignation and it remained to be seen what the market has in store for the company with the opening bell on Thursday.

Gartner analyst Van Baker saw no reason for investors to panic.

“My suspicion is that Apple will do just fine,” Baker told AFP. “There are so many talented people there and Steve’s attention to detail is baked into the culture.”

Jobs will still be around as chairman of the Apple board and the company has product plans mapped, according to the analyst. Apple is expected to launch a fifth-generation iPhone in September or October.

“Apple is an execution monster, and that includes products, supply chain and marketing,” Baker said.
“Their roadmap is in place; I’m sure they are already working on the next iPad.”



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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Stock News 2011: Smart, HTC forge smartphone partnership

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 04:  Models show...Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and leading smartphone manufacturer HTC Corporation (HTC) announced their exclusive partnership last week, with the country’s biggest mobile operator set to offer the latter’s most advanced devices to the Philippine market.

The partnership was an aggressive move on the part of the two industry leaders to drive the Philippine smartphone ‘revolution’ in a worldwide market estimated to grow 55% year-on-year this 2011.

Recently, Smart reported a 102% jump in the number of smartphone users in its network from February to May 2011, particularly those using handsets that run on Google’s Android operating system (OS).

“Our alliance with HTC is key to our smartphone strategy of providing the best network, complemented by the best plans, to power the best devices – in order to create the best customer experience,” says Orlando Vea, co-founder and Chief Wireless Advisor of Smart.

For its part, HTC has sold about 9.7 million smartphones worldwide – an increase of 192% year-on-year – a feat which it wants to repeat locally.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/326419/smart-htc-forge-smartphone-partnership


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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Stock News 2011: Apple fights fake anti-virus software vendors

Image representing Apple as depicted in CrunchBaseImage via CrunchBase
Apple Inc is fighting what security experts say may be the most pernicious types of computer virus to ever target its line of Mac computers.

The company has issued a security advisory warning to customers about a recent scam that infects Macs with malicious software that wrongly tells them their computer is infected with a virus. The ultimate goal is to get credit card numbers and other valuable personal information.

It is one of the first major campaigns that cyber crooks have launched against Mac users. To date, criminals have focused on writing malicious software for machines running Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system, which inhabits more than nine of every 10 personal computers.

But as Macs have grown in number, they have become more attractive targets.

The fake anti-virus malware is downloaded when people click on links from tainted search engine results for popular queries, according to anti-virus software maker McAfee Inc. It also spreads when users click on links to malicious sites that might be included in emails, Tweets or Facebook messages.

http://mb.com.ph/node/320003/apple-fight


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Sunday, October 31, 2010

International News 2010: Apple beats Blackberry maker in smartphone sales

SmartPhone BlackBerry 8707v VodafoneImage via Wikipedia
SINGAPORE (AFP) – Apple has for the first time outpaced Blackberry-maker Research in Motion in global smartphone sales thanks to the success of its iPhone 4, a report said Friday.

Industry tracker IDC said Apple sold 14.1 million iPhone units in the third quarter while Canada's Research in Motion shipped 12.4 million Blackberry devices.

"The company's record shipment performance can be attributed to the introduction of the iPhone 4 in 17 new countries last quarter," said the International Data Corporation (IDC).

"The record performance came despite 'Antennagate,' the name used to describe the controversy around alleged iPhone reception problems, in July."

Global mobile phone sales surged 14.6 percent to 340.5 million units in the third quarter from a year earlier, driven mainly by the strong appetite for smartphones, IDC said.

Apple ranked as the fourth largest mobile phone vendor in the third quarter with Research in Motion one place behind the US giant, according to IDC's quarterly tracker of the industry.

IDC said Apple's rise to the top five showed the growth potential of smartphones.

"The entrance of Apple to the top five vendor ranking underscores the increased importance of smartphones to the overall market," said Kevin Restivo, a senior research analyst with IDC.

"Moreover, the mobile phone makers that are delivering popular smartphone models are among the fastest growing firms.... Vendors that aren't developing a strong portfolio of smartphones will be challenged to maintain and grow market share in the future."


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