At an event earlier today Motorola, a Google company unveiled its latest ‘budget’ smartphone called “Moto G”. The theme of the entire event and the ideology behind the product was to make premium features available at a non-premium price.

While announcing the new Moto G product Motorola executives mentioned Apple’s iPhone 5s, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and HTC a few times. Moto G features 4.5 inch high resolution screen with 329 ppi and 720p. The executives were quick to point out that the screen has better quality than Apple’s flagship iPhone 5s. Moto G runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 clocked at 1.2 GHz, 1GB RAM, and offers “all-day” battery life with around 14 hours of talk time on 3G networks. In comparison, iPhone 5s according to Apple offers 10 hours of battery life on 3G.

After unveiling the hardware features and sharing the idea behind creating a budget phone Punit Soni who is responsible for software product management for Moto G took the stage to talk about software. Soni mentioned the three main tenets of their software strategy for Moto G. The first being build on pure foundation of Android, second build experiences that compliment Google services and not compete with them and lastly ensure that the software can give value back to the users.

If you’ve ever seen any Android device in the market manufactured by Samsung, HTC or Sony among many others you will immediately realise that all these companies have two things in common. They add a layer of their own software to the stock OS and bundle services that compete with Google’s software services.

Soni began to elaborate on the three main tenets by saying:

In today’s ecosystem mobile manufactures have a very confused relationship with Android they build on top of it but then they add all of these custom skins which detract from the user experience and hogs resources then they go ahead and put duplicative software on top of it which basically compete with Google services.

He goes on to mention that devices bundled with multiple mail apps, app stores, video players and music players results in “non-intuitive” and “cluttered” user interface.

At the time of purchase of Motorola by Google for a record  $12.5 billion the search giant claimed that they bought the company to secure Android’s position in future by acquiring key patents. Even though Google claims to treat all Android partners equally, at today’s event Soni was sending an indirect yet strong message to ‘other’ Android device manufacturers.

While referencing to the custom skins the slide Soni used had TouchWiz, Sense UI and Xperia UI. Clearly, targeting the top three Android manufacturers to convey that Moto G’s software strategy is superior to other Android partners. So, in essence Motorola a company owned by Google called Samsung, Sony and HTC “confused”.

Soni then goes on to advocate the use of “pure Android” in mobile devices and says:

A device that’s built on pure Android with minor optimisations is gonna have an incredible high performance

Here again Soni is sending out a clear message that any device with custom UI layers may be missing out on high performance as other non-stock apps and skins may hog more resources than required.

This could have a long term effect on customer mindset when they buy Android devices. Users could soon start associating “real” Android experience with Motorola (since Google owns Motorola) and “spinoff” experience with other smartphone manufacturers.

When it comes to smartphones most devices are beginning to look quite similar in terms of hardware so ultimately manufacturers try to differentiate their products with custom skins and other software services. However, at today’s event it appears that Google might have used the announcement of Moto G as an opportunity to convey Google’s stand on device manufacturers trying to add custom layers.

If this wasn’t enough, Motorola went on to compare performance of Moto G in terms of answering calls, making calls, launching browser, returning home and booting to Samsung Galaxy S4 to show how stock Android OS was clearly the winner.

This is the best validation of a strategy which involves disciplined software which focuses on optimisation that creates value for the user

In his attempt to bring attention to stock Android experience Soni suggests that software strategy being followed by other Android device manufacturers is rather indisciplined.

So, in conclusion on one hand Google’s Motorola tried to highlight the features of its new low-priced smartphone but on the other it clearly didn’t fall short of ridiculing Google’s Android partners.

It will be interesting to see how Samsung, HTC and Sony respond to Motorola claiming that their devices are non-intuitive, have cluttered interface and custom skins that hog resources.

China Mobile is looking to make its mark in the LTE market, with an announcement from the company noting that it is planning a major LTE push to improve its network and implement it more broadly.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the company is looking to spend $7 billion in order to improve its LTE network, setting up a structure to support the iPhone 5. Currently, China Mobile’s data speeds aren’t known to be the fastest and despite the company not offering the iPhone, there are a number of devices in use on the network.

This is similar to T-Mobile USA which does not officially offer the iPhone but allows users to unlock them and operate them on its network. Although recent reports have been suggesting that China Mobile will, in fact, offer the iPhone 5, the company did come out and say that there has been “no progress” on negotiations with Apple.

While China Mobile has been in talks with Apple for years over a potential deal to offer the iPhone, Chief Executive Li Yue said that there had been “no progress” to report. In January, Mr. Xi met Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook in Beijing and discussed cooperation, raising expectations that China Mobile would soon begin offering the iPhone.

China Mobile would be a key partner for Apple, which faces fierce competition from Samsung Electronics and other rivals offering smartphones powered by Google Inc.’s Android operating system.

It is unlikely that the iPhone 5 will remain off of China Mobile’s network for long, as it is common that Apple will eventually strike deals with major carriers that could potentially benefit them. China has been a major source of revenue for Apple, with the company experiencing heavy sales of its products in the region. Just last month, an analytics report suggested that iOS and Android devices were expected to hit 246 million units in the one month alone.

{Via MacRumors}

According to Japanese site Macotakara, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is changing its original launch timeframe for a cheaper iPhone and is looking to introduce a polycarbonate iPhone with a 4.5 inch display. This would make the device slightly larger than the current 4 inch display on the iPhone 5. AAPL is expected to be working on two new iPhones, one which is expected to arrive this year, and the other in 2014.

This year’s iPhone is expected to be a follow-up to the current iPhone 5 and is dubbed the ‘iPhone 5S’. The 5S is rumored to include a dual-flash LED module on the back side of the iPhone to aid in picture taking and will likely retain the same design as the iPhone 5.

The ‘iPhone 6’ expected in 2014 is rumored to be entirely different than any iPhone generation seen before and will carry a polycarbonate body, the same material as the discontinued white MacBooks. The new device will also reportedly have a larger 4.5 inch display, which will allow users to choose from a range of different screen sizes.

By using the thicker material, Apple will immensely increase the durability of the iPhone. However, the polycarbonate material will also cause the finished product to be thicker than the current iPhone 5. Apple has also been rumored to match the price point of the new iPhone with that of the iPad mini, selling both devices for a retail price of $330.

It is not surprising that Apple is looking to release iPhones with different screen sizes, as competition from many companies stiffens, particularly Samsung which sells Android devices in a range of different screen sizes for as cheap as $100. By introducing the iPhone with different screen sizes, Apple will retain its iconic price points and design ethic, while offering users an option to choose their screen size as it fits with their needs.

{Via AppleInsider}

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is looking to increase sales of its products in India, which is quickly becoming one of the larger markets in the world. The report notes that AAPL is ‘making moves’ to increase sales, meaning that the company is starting to build a larger presence by increasing the number of employees and is going around wireless carriers to control majority of its marketing efforts. Recently, Apple launched the iTunes Store in India, followed by the Apple TV earlier this month.

Apple is sidestepping wireless carriers to seize greater control over marketing in India and offering no-interest loans to lure lower-income consumers. The company has also boosted staff in India by 30% to 170 employees in the past six months. And it is ramping up the introduction of other products, with the Apple TV video-streaming gadget expected to reach stores in coming weeks, people familiar with the matter say.

The result is that Apple shipped more than 252,000 iPhones to India in the quarter through December, more than triple the number in the previous three months, according to research firm Canalys.

Many reports have even suggested that Apple is looking into bringing its retail stores to the subcontinent, and is likely laying the groundwork to do so. India is ideal for Apple’s entrance into emerging markets, with recent reports suggesting that Apple is looking into building a cheaper iPhone. Samsung, which has become a major competitor for Apple has seen success with its line of Galaxy S devices, as well as cheaper Android devices that sell for around $100.

If Apple were to introduce a cheaper iPhone, it would make sense to introduce it in India, where demand for the company’s products is increasing and where smartphones are not subsidized and operate on prepaid plans. With retail stores in India coupled with the online store, Apple would be able to sell more units of its products and as a result, increase its revenue in the region. China has become one of Apple’s largest sources of revenue, so it is not surprising that India is also beginning to see a demand for Apple products.

China is quickly becoming the focal point of the smartphone market, with the country slated to surpass the United States and become the world’s largest smart device market in the world. According to mobile analytics platform, Flurry, China has the most active Android and iOS tablets and smartphones. China has been in close competition with the United States since last year, with a user base of 222 million in the United States and 221 million in China.

The report also notes that China will surpass the US with an estimated 246 million devices as opposed to the 230 million devices in the United States. In the first fiscal quarter of 2013, Apple reported a 67 percent revenue increase in China, coming out to about $6.8 billion. During past earnings reports, CEO Tim Cook mentioned that China is a major growth opportunity for Apple as it is the second largest region and a large part of the company’s revenue comes from the country.

Apple has continued to expand in China, adding over 10 retail locations and focusing on making the country among the first to receive new product releases. China has continued to add more smart devices, with over 150 million additions in the year of 2012 in comparison to the 55 million in the United States.

China also has massive influence in the manufacturing of these products, as it is the location of major companies such as Foxconn which builds devices for Apple and many other companies in the United States. Other markets trailing China and the US include the U.K with 43 million smart devices, South Korea with 30 million, and Japan with 29 million devices.

{Via MacRumors}

On Thursday of last week Rovio released its most recent installment in it’s mega hit game, Angry Birds. The game has been an instant hit, netting 10 million downloads over by Monday of this week. Insane numbers, even by Angry Birds standards. Angry Birds Space takes the fun out of the atmosphere utilizing new physics.

Angry Birds Space was release for Apple iOS, Android devices, PC and Mac. Specific details on the number of downloads were not released. I found it interesting that there was not a free version on iOS when released, iOS being one of Angry Birds’ most prominent platforms for the game.

Peter Farago, vice president of marketing at the mobile analytics firm Flurry said “The closest success story I can think of is OMGPOP’s Draw Something, which racked up 20 million total downloads in five weeks.” So 5 weeks compared to 4 days is the closest comparison. Whether you like the game or not you have to admit that is pretty amazing.

Overall, this installment of Angry Birds changes things by altering a world class physics machine. There is something to be said for the depth of Angry Birds. I admit, its a simple pick up and play game but how many clones have you seen that haven’t gotten it right? Certainly didn’t do 10 million downloads over a weekend. I’ll continue to play my Angry Birds and agree to disagree with the haters. Download it and try it out, $0.99 isn’t bad and 10 million downloads can’t be wrong.

Here is the text from their post related to these new features…

We’re launching new cloud-powered capabilities: two-step verification to help enhance security and soon, mobile editing in Google Docs on Android and the iPad™. ..today we demonstrated new mobile editing capabilities for Google Docs on the Android platform and the iPad. In the next few weeks, co-workers around the world will soon be able to co-edit files simultaneously from an even wider array of devices. Only cloud computing is able to deliver the whole package of productivity-enhancing collaboration, superior reliability and virtually unlimited scale at a price that’s affordable for any size organization. Our Atmosphere event is a nice opportunity to step back and fully appreciate the power of the cloud with customers and future customers alike.

If you use Google Docs, either in the office, or as a team management tool for small projects or a home business you’ll be psyched about this.

Is Google Docs coming to an iPad near you a big deal, or just a meh moment? Have your say in the comments…