Informa Analyst Viewpoint On The Launch Of Samsung’s Galaxy S III

Malik Saadi, Principal Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media comments on the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S III.

Today, Samsung introduced the third generation of its flagship smartphone brand, the Galaxy S III.

The phone will be branded as the official 2012 Olympics phone. This device belongs to the super-phone category of smartphones which also includes HTC One X, the forthcoming iPhone 5 and LG Optimus 2X.

According to Informa Telecoms & Media, the super-phone market will generate above 50 million units in terms of sales by the end of 2012.

Galaxy S III will certainly enable Samsung to reinforce its position as the leading vendor in this market.

It will also enable the South Korean consumer electronics giant to maintain its leadership as the dominant Android manufacturer, with an estimated one-third market share by end of 2012 (see attached).

What is unique about the Galaxy S III is the level of intelligence Samsung has created around its embedded features and sensors which takes smartphone innovation into another league. The device’s features are capable of communicating with each other and sharing information, enabling it to react intuitively and automatically to an action taken by the user. For example, the phone can recognise a face in a picture taken with the camera and will associate it with a contact saved in the address book. The phone will then automatically save the picture in a relevant file (e.g. family, friends, colleagues), tag it, and suggest you should upload it to facebook or Twitter.

While the Galaxy S III will be highly desirable for enthusiastic and advanced users, Samsung will have to build on the already popular Galaxy brand and push it hard to various distribution channels before the iPhone 5 is launched. However, Samsung will find it hard to convince and educate the typical mobile phone user to adopt and use all the advanced experiences enabled by this phone. In this specific segment, Samsung Galaxy S III is unlikely to meet with great success, at least in the early stages after launch.

The casing of the Galaxy S III is another weakness, as it’s based on the usual plastic casing found in most of Samsung’s phones and doesn’t do justice to the device’s impressive features. Samsung needs to learn from the likes of Nokia and Apple which use high-quality materials and the best designs for casing their premium devices.

Galaxy S III could, potentially, also cannibalize sales of some of its popular smartphones including Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II, and Galaxy Nexus. Therefore, Samsung will have to come up with a well-structured price segmentation, where Galaxy S III addresses the premium price points while the existing Galaxy devices enter the lower price points to widen the audience of the overall Galaxy brand.

For more information, please contact Malik Saadi who will be attending the event in London on +44 (0) 775 998 2670

via Business4Media.com.

“Our customers are looking for a great way to protect, carry and work with the new iPad”, explained Adina Jacobs, STM’s co-founder. “We feel the Skinny fulfills that need and also makes a bit of a statement on their sense of style.”

The skinny 3 has an improved, sleeker design with better protection for iPad 3. The auto on-off front cover wakes up your iPad and puts it to sleep, and the lightweight, slim and protective construction allows for a comfortable and easy carry. The snap in, hard shell back with soft lining provides enhanced protection from scratches and bumps, and there is easy access to device ports and control buttons. The foldable front cover allows for both typing and viewing modes, and the loop closure provides quick and easy access.

Features:

• Auto on and off front cover wakes up the device and puts it to sleep
• Lightweight, slim and protective construction for a comfortable and easy carry
• Snap in, hard shell back with soft lining provides enhanced protection from scratches and bumps
• Easy to access device ports and control buttons
• Foldable front cover for typing or viewing modes
• Loop closure for quick and easy access
• Complete protection for the iPad 3
• Available in Blue, Pink, Berry, Mushroom and Black

RRP £39.95

Cunard Cruise Line, the luxury cruise operator, has achieved significant booking uplift via its Apple iPad app since the app’s launch in June 2011.

The Cunard app features the latest cruise brochure and includes the company’s full programme of voyages, latest fares and special offers. It additionally features videos depicting life on board, a slideshow of photos of the fleet and access to Cunard’s social media channels.

The YUDU Media-created app also allows users to book cruises, with Cunard finding its average cruise order value increasing significantly compared to transactions made solely via its website, www.cunard.co.uk.

With over 10,000 app downloads to date as well as a high opt-in registration rate, Cunard will soon expand the app to include its weddings brochure as well as its quarterly Cunarder magazine. This will allow Cunard to directly link all relevant content on its website and social media sites to create an even smoother user journey.

Cunard’s Senior New Media Executive, Laura Beasty, says: “The app has been our first real step into mobile devices and something we want to continue to build on. Our website is now far more mobile friendly and, significantly, our bookings are beginning to reflect this”.

YUDU Media’s CEO, Richard Stephenson, says: “We create iPad and iPhone apps for some of the world’s leading brands and we are not surprised by either the strength of sales originating from Cunard’s app nor the increase in order values”.

Stephenson continues, “the latest iPad has 3.1 million pixels which puts it ahead of the average HDTV resolution. This allows users to view Cunard’s app and ‘virtually’ experience what it is like to be on board, say, the Queen Elizabeth at sunset. It’s the ultimate sales tool”.

- ENDS -

For further information please call Ana Sharkey on 0207 484 2785 or email ana.sharkey@yudu.com

Notes to editors:

About YUDU Media

YUDU is an award-winning publishing support service provider, enabling professional publishers, brand owners, marketers and retailers to publish interactive, rich media content to the Web, mobile and tablet. The YUDU cloud publishing platform allows content providers to publish magazines, catalogues, brochures and books in multiple digital formats. With offices in London, Lancashire and Boston, MA, YUDU offers advanced professional publishing with Yudu.com.

About Cunard

Cunard Cruise Line is one of the world’s most recognised brand names in ocean travel with a classic British heritage and is part of Carnival Corporation & PLC. Continuing the tradition of luxury cruising that began in 1840, Cunard currently has the world’s youngest fleet.

The most recent addition to the fleet was Queen Elizabeth, named by Her Majesty The Queen in October 2010. Her sister ship, Queen Victoria, was successfully launched in December 2007 whilst Queen Mary 2 continues her scheduled transatlantic crossings, the only luxury ocean liner ship to do so. www.cunard.co.uk

Cunard app Apple Store Cunard download: http://tinyurl.com/72eewuf

Cologne, Germany – sonoro audio, the German design and engineering company of top-quality compact audio solutions, introduces cuboGo, a stylish portable radio with outstanding sound and multiple finish options. With its distinctive yet compact design and sound quality that belies its size, cuboGo is the ideal audio statement for any location – either as a great compliment to any room or as the perfect holiday entertainment system. Available now in the UK, cuboGo has a UK SRP of £129.00.

Unique to the cuboGo is its interchangeable covers (aditional covers available separately) available in black, white, red, green, purple, orange, blue and taupe, allowing users to fine-tune its aesthetics to a room setting or to make a design statement as preferred. Combined with its curved-corner shape and drip-proof ABS casing, cuboGo is a unique design accessory for kitchens, bathrooms, children’s play areas, studios, garages and outdoor patios. Standing only 192 mm (7.6”) tall by 94 mm (3.7”) wide and complete with long lasting NiMH (Nickel – metal Hydride) rechargeable batteries giving extended portable use of up to 20 hours, its compact size also make it the ideal travel companion.

A retractable telescopic antenna and volume control knob is embedded in the speaker grill while the tuning control is discretely hidden on the base of the unit, giving cuboGo a sleek, minimalist appearance while enabling a precise adjustment of FM radio frequencies. Connected via the supplied 3.5 mm stereo cable, cuboGo is compatible with all iDevices, mobile phones and MP3 players for complete flexibility and listening pleasure.

“ At sonoro, we pride ourselves on creating quality audio products that look as good as they sound – blending form, function and design with practical, easy to use technology,” said Marcell Faller, founder and CEO of sonoro audio. “That philosophy continues with cuboGo, a radio that is fun, versatile and portable.”

cuboGo is available in the UK now through select retailers with a suggested retail price of £129.00. Additional covers can be purchased for £15.99.

For more information regarding sonoro audio and its cubo and elements quality audio product lines, please visit www.sonoro-audio.com. For additional images, click here or contact us for a wide selection of lifestyle images..

iPod® not included. iPod® is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and in other countries.

For further information, interview requests, images or review products, please contact Andy Napthine of Napthine Porter on 07920 425166 / andy@napthineporter.com or Alan Porter on 07922 073208 / alan@napthineporter.com

Yamaha have launched an amazing new App for their acclaimed THR Practice amplifier range.

The new free of charge ‘Session’ App allow users to to play along with, and learn their favourite tracks by deploying the App’s cool ‘ Extraction’ feature which isolates and mutes the guitar track allowing guitarists to play along, practice and learn solos with the band and their guitar heroes .

This nifty function provides a great practice and learning tool, ideal for ‘At-Home’ rehearsals, users can practice songs and techniques quicker and more effectively than conventional methods.

Other useful functions include a ‘slow down’ function which slows tracks down without any loss of audio quality,  for those difficult moments any segment of the track can be repeated and the key changed.

The App is available now for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4/4S, iPod Touch and iPad

The app can be viewed here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kLOQSLr7fQ

TASCAM, the brand synonymous with professional recording products, today introduced the iU2 premium sound-quality audio interface for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. 

Now users can make use of all of the features of TASCAM’s best-selling USB audio interfaces (including MIDI Interface and a pair of great-sounding microphone inputs) and easily connect directly to their iDevice.  iU2 is available now with an SRP of £149.00

Connection via Apple’s iOS 30 pin connector or USB for Mac/PC, the iU2 featuresmicrophone inputs that have phantom power for use with high-quality condenser microphones. 

These feed an onboard microphone preamp and A/D converter for better sound performance than those built into iPhone and iPad – true stereo recording with low noise and less tendency to distort. The inputs also accept line-level signals or you can plug a guitar or bass directly into your device.

In addition to compatibility with iOS devices, the iU2 also works with Mac and Windows computers. A zero-latency monitoring path allows musicians to hear themselves directly through the unit, without any distracting delay. MIDI in and out is provided to interface withsynths and drum machines and a digital output connects to digital mixers or recorders.

Features:

• Audio/MIDI Interface for Mac, Windows and iOS devices
• Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
• Two XLR mic inputs with phantom power
• Two balanced line inputs
• Instrument-level input for guitar or bass
• MIDI in and out
• Onboard A/D conversion for low-noise and distortion when recording with iOSdevices
• Zero-latency direct monitoring
• S/PDIF Digital Output
• Powered through the iPad 32 pin apple plug
• Includes USB cable, iOS dock connection cable, XLR to ¼” conversion cables

Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4G, iPad, iPad 2, New iPad

* Apple, iPhone, iPad and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc.

The TASCAM iU2 is available in the UK now and has an SRP of £149.00.

To download PDF of press release, click here - http://www.napthineporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/TASCAM-iU2-Press-Release-Final-Email1.pdf

TEAC UK Ltd

Suites 19 & 20, Building 6

Hatters Lane

Croxley Green Business Park

Watford

Hertfordshire

WD18 8TE

Tel:      0845 1302511

Email:  info@tascam.co.uk

http://www.tascam.co.uk

Notes for Editors

TASCAM is the professional audio division of TEAC Corporation and has been developing and manufacturing professional recording products since the early 1970’s.  Today, TASCAM’s model line up includes recording devices (both portable and static), mixers and interfaces for the professional recording and broadcasting world.  In addition, TASCAM continue to develop its range of semi-pro and home-recording products dubbed Portastudio – the iconic portable recording device that has been synonymous with musicians the world over since the mid 1970’s.

For further information, interview requests, images or review products for both TEAC and TASCAM, please contact Andy Napthine of Napthine Porter on 07920 425166 /andy@napthineporter.com or Alan Porter on 07922 073208 / alan@napthineporter.com

If it’s portable music you’re after for a wide variety of listening tastes, you can’t find anything more useful than the Apple MC584LL/A 4th Generation iPod Shuffle.

It features 2GB of memory, allowing you to store hundreds of songs for playback, which you can arrange through various playlists.

According to Apple’s Mar 2012 Keynote over 315 million iOS devices have been sold worldwide along with an inaccurately adopted notion that these post-PC devices were free from the security risks posed by their seemingly more exposed predecessors. As news of iOS security breaches and privacy issues become commonplace Rookie Systems launch TrustR, an iOS app that scans installed applications for security and privacy issues and notifies users of risks along with qualified and comprehensible information to aid resolution.

Reported security issues range from vulnerabilities due to coding, insecure sharing of user credentials or information, privacy violations, address book theft and even deliberately malicious features and attempted virus distribution. With a large amount of data stored on the average iOS device, keeping that data protected from these risks is a priority for every iOS user and TrustR connects to an ever-updating database of expert identified risks to inform users of identified problems along with proposed solutions.

TrustR has so far identified risks in 1,000s of applications including; PayPal, Skype, Path, iFileExplorer and Meeps, and similar to traditional virus scanning software on a PC TrustR offers users both peace-of-mind as well as actionable information should a security risk be found. TrustR can be installed on any iOS device to help protect it’s contents and also supports jailbroken devices – where root access dramatically increases possible risks and the need to operate only trusted software.

“Most users assume that their iOS devices are 100% secure, however recent developments have highlighted a series of vulnerabilities, privacy issues and hidden malicious functionality within certain apps.” commented Nicklas Wolff of Rookie Systems, creators of TrustR. “TrustR scans the installed apps on a device and identifies security and privacy risks, allowing users to take the necessary action – install an update or remove the offending app – to keep their device secure.”

TrustR, the new security solution for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is available now in the App Store at: http://itunes.apple.com/app/trustr/id466918294?mt=8.

For more information or media inquiries, contact Mark Johnson of appshout! on behalf of Rookie Systems at +1-408-757-0156 or press(at)myappshout(dot)com.

The Future of Mobile Phones in Apple?

The results of a new study by In-Stat, a firm which undertakes research into mobile technology has indicated that, should sales off the various mobile devices produced by Apple – including the iPhone – continue to increase at the current rate the company will have surpassed Intel as the leading mobile processor by the end of 2012.

These results are based on evidence which shows that, by the end of last year, Apple had sold more than 176 million of its mobile processors across the world, a number which gives the company a market share of 13.5 percent and sees them just 5 million behind Intel in sales – a difference which adds up to just 0.4 percent difference in the share of the market.

The research study by In-Stat factored in the processors contained in a variety of mobile devices – including the iPhone variants, the iPod touch, e-reading devices and handheld gaming systems, like the Vita, and the Playstation manufactured by Sony – but did not include desktop computers or servers in its findings.

The prediction by analysts is that the market for mobile tablet computers – which, it is estimated by some, will hit 326 million sales by 2015 – will ultimately surpass that for PC computers, the market for which is dropping off.

The fact that the A-series ARM-based processors manufactured by Apple are currently featured in all of the company’s iDevices, while Intel is only now beginning to incorporate its own Atom chip processors into its mobile devices, gives Apple a clear head start in this area.

“Apple’s continued success of the iPhone and iPad, as well as the stronger growth rates of the smartphone and tablet markets than PCs, will help the company catch Intel,” the chief technology strategist for In-Stat, Jim McGregor, stated.

If you’re looking for some great value cheap mobile phones then visit Dialaphone.

They have some great offers available on the different Apple iPhone models.

Cases for the new iPad, iPad2 and MacBook Air were announced by Atlanta based, accessory manufacturer Enki USA, Inc. (Enki). Enki also launched a new site design for enkigear.com with a unique Made in America category featuring domestic designed and manufactured products. Enki launched in 2011 a week after the release of the iPad2 with their first product the Genius Case for iPad2. The first Genius Case provided polycarbonate protection for the back of the iPad with openings compatible with Apple Smart Cover. Beyond the innovation of the Genius Case for iPad2 was the unique distinction of being 100% designed and Made in America.

Today Enki launched new product offerings for the new iPad, iPad2, MacBook Air 11” and 13”. With an eye on the success of Apple’s latest release of the new iPad, Enki announced the Color Sync Genius Case, a lightweight case compatible with the new iPad and iPad2. The Color Sync Genius Case is made of lightweight ABS Plastic with a smooth finish and is available in four colors; white, black, powder blue and red and comes with a screen protector and cleaning cloth. The Color Sync cases are also designed and Made in America.

“We make quality cases and accessories for devices that people have deep connections with like the new iPad, iPad2 and MacBook Air,” said Richard Jones, Vice President of Business and Product Development. “Our goal at Enki is to develop great accessories that protect, enhance and expand the users experience with the device. 2012 has already been a landmark year for technology with the release of the new iPad and a new iPhone on the way. We’re looking forward to it.”

Also released today for iPad2, the Enki Genius Case Signature series that bundles a premium frosted polycarbonate case with a balanced premium ergonomic Mermaid Graffiti Stylus. The Signature Series Genius Case is available in Clear, Blue and Pink (stylus colors match case colors).

Enki also unveiled their expansion into cases for the Apple MacBook Air. The new ultra-light AIRshell cases are available for MacBook Air 13” and 11” models. Made of lightweight frosted polycarbonate, every AIRshell case comes with a silicone keyboard cover. The AIRshell snaps to fit and adds protection and style to Apple’s ultra portable MacBook Air and is available in Blue, Clear, Pink and Smoke.

“The iPad and MacBook Air are ground breaking devices that have redefined portability of computers and devices globally,” said Edward Cates, Chief Operating Officer of Enki from their offices South of Atlanta. “We’re proud to have a mix of products Made in America and around the world. Visitors to enkigear.com can make a choice to buy cases Made in America or any of our other great products. We launched a year ago and we’re excited about what this year has in store.”