| This week's sponsor is Kaltura. |  | Webinar: CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success
Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
Learn from an elaborate case study and see how leading companies implemented this cutting edge solution to reap the benefits of video in the enterprise. Experts from Oracle, Akamai, and Kaltura will explain the many possibilities of deploying a CorporateTube for your organization. Register Today! |
Today's Top Stories
1. Google splits with Apple on WebKit, launches Blink browser project
2. Report: BlackBerry pulls the plug on BBM Music
3. Mozilla, Samsung team on Servo browser engine for Android
4. Apple adds age rating tags to App Store descriptions
5. Twitter overhauls Android app for more native experience Editor's Corner: Voice interaction looks to quiet mobile advertising's critics Also Noted: Spotlight On... Apple's iMessage encryption thwarts DEA wiretaps
Viddy co-founder Ovitz reduces role; Nokia Music app update adds Live Tile and much more...  The 10 highest paid executives in wireless in 2012
During the past several weeks, publicly traded companies in the wireless industry revealed how much they pay their CEOs. These numbers, from 2012, include several changes from last year's list. For example, in 2012 operators dominate the list, not vendors. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is the highest-paid executive. The following lists the highest-paid CEOs in wireless for 2012. The data comes from filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Special Report
 6 reasons the mobile music industry is changing
The digital music industry, which relies heavily on the mobile channel, is already a fractured and intensely competitive market. There are established players like Apple and Amazon, which provide devices and music libraries; streaming music services from Pandora, Spotify and Rdio; operator-run initiatives like Leap Wireless subsidiary Cricket's Muve Music; and device-specific initiatives such as Samsung Hub and Nokia Music. As the market continues to grow, it's worth taking a look at the key issues that are hounding the development of the market and the dynamics that could affect both existing players and new entrants: Special Report
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Voice interaction looks to quiet mobile advertising's critics
Mobile advertising's proponents remain bullish on the medium's future. A new BIA/Kelsey report projects total U.S. mobile ad spending will surge from $3.2 billion in 2012 to $16.8 billion in 2017, fueled in part by the growth of the mobile local advertising segment, which is expected to increase from revenues of $1.2 billion a year ago to $9.1 billion by the end of the forecast period, representing a compound annual growth rate of 49.3 percent. The report adds that search advertising will continue to outpace other mobile ad formats, especially within the local space, citing the high correlation between search and user intent: According to BIA/Kelsey, search spending will leap from $704 million in 2012 to $5.7 billion in 2017, followed by display ($379 million to $2.7 billion), commercial SMS ($101 million to $162 million) and video ($38 million to $515 million). But not everyone is sold on mobile advertising's potential. This week, Viber CEO Talmon Marco said his company's popular free voice and messaging app will soon roll out value-added services designed to monetize its platform. Marco did not reveal what kinds of premium services and features Viber plans to introduce, but he did make it clear that advertising subsidization is out of the question. "The problem with advertising… is that [devices] don't have that much screen real estate," Marco explained. "You take up some of it with an ad, you have even less. It just doesn't look good. There are better ways to make money." Assuming screens aren't going to get significantly larger, it's time to reduce the size of their role in the mobile advertising paradigm. That's the idea behind Nuance Communications' new Voice Ads format, introduced earlier this week. Expanding on voice and natural language technologies powering Nuance products like Dragon NaturallySpeaking and Dragon Mobile Assistant, Voice Ads enable consumers to interact directly with campaigns by speaking into their smartphones, leveraging core mobile device capabilities like location awareness and voice input to deliver targeted ads that prompt the consumer to ask questions. Nuance is releasing a Voice Ads software development kit that enables mobile ad platform and network providers as well as creative agencies to integrate the technology into new and existing mobile campaigns. Nuance is additionally partnering with mobile ad firms Millennial Media (NYSE:MM), Jumptap and Opera Mediaworks as well as... continued Read the full column on the Web Read more about: Mobile Advertising
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| Sponsor: Ooyala, Verimatrix, Irdeto and IneoQuest FierceLive! Webinars > CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success- Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
Events > Only 1 Week Left to Register: Exclusive Executive Breakfast at the 2013 NAB Show! - April 9, 2013 | Las Vegas, NV - Sponsored by: Comcast Media Center, Elemental Technologies, and Irdeto
> Mobile Payments Conference - April 10-11, 2013 - New York, NY
> Competitive Carriers Global Expo - April 17-19 - New Orleans
> BlackBerry Jam for Developers - May 14-16 - Orlando, Florida
> Andrew Seybold Wireless University at CTIA 2013 - May 20, 2013 - Las Vegas, Nevada
> The App Summit - May 21, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV
> World of Tablets at CTIA 2013 - May 22, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV
> Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand
Marketplace > Whitepaper: Monetizing Networks in the Cloud Era
> eBook: Smarter Service: The Contract Center of the Future
> eBook: How to Get a Return on Knowledge in a Big Data World
> Whitepaper: VoLTE: Why, When and How?
> Research: How to Unlock Knowledge from Big, Unstructured Data to Improve Customer Service
> eBook: The Promise of VoLTE
> Whitepaper: Cisco Small Cell Solution: Reduce Costs, Improve Coverage
Jobs > Instructional Developer II - Denver, CO - Cricket Communications
> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs
* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here | Today's Top News 1. Google splits with Apple on WebKit, launches Blink browser project
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) is launching Blink, an open-source rendering engine spinning out of WebKit, the engine powering browsers including the company's own Chrome as well as archrival Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) Safari. Google and Apple have collaborated on WebKit for years, each contributing to the same open-source codebase. With the decision to fork WebKit into Blink, that cooperation will end: Moving forward, Google and Apple will each work separately to introduce new browser features and enhancements. According to Google, the Blink fork is designed to accelerate the pace of innovation. The Chromium browser project leverages a different multi-process architecture from other WebKit-based browsers, and supporting multiple architectures has become increasingly problematic. "This was not an easy decision," said Google software engineer Adam Barth. "We know that the introduction of a new rendering engine can have significant implications for the Web. Nevertheless, we believe that having multiple rendering engines--similar to having multiple browsers--will spur innovation and over time improve the health of the entire open Web ecosystem." CNet reports that Blink and WebKit will be identical in the short term, but will quickly diverge as Google begins making internal architectural improvements and simplifying the codebase. "Over time they'll evolve in different directions, which will make it harder to share code," said Alex Komoroske, product manager for Google's Open Web Platform team. "It'll be increasingly difficult to share a straightforward patch." Google vowed it will work closely with other browser vendors throughout the transition from WebKit to Blink. Opera Software, which earlier this year scrapped its Presto rendering engine in favor of WebKit, has already confirmed it will contribute to Blink. "Its architecture allows for greater speed--something that Opera and Google have long focused on," said Opera Web evangelist Bruce Lawson. "When browsers are fast and interoperable, using the Web as a platform becomes more competitive against native app development." Other companies leveraging the WebKit engine, including BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Samsung Electronics, have not yet revealed whether they will contribute to Blink's development. Google introduced Chrome in 2008 and expanded the browser to its Android mobile operating system and Apple's iOS last year. Chrome for mobile touts many of the same features as its desktop counterpart, and it enables users to port bookmarks and saved tabs from PCs to smartphones and tablets. For more:
- read this Chromium Blog entry
- read this CNet article
- read this InfoWorld article Related articles:
Google opens Chrome for Android Beta channel
Google refreshes Chrome browser for Android Ice Cream Sandwich
Google brings Chrome Web browser to Android
Google Chrome for iOS adds Apple Passbook support
Google adds Facebook, Twitter sharing to Chrome browser for iOS Read more about: Blink
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2. Report: BlackBerry pulls the plug on BBM Music
BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) will shutter its cloud-based BBM Music service in June, less than two years after the music discovery initiative rolled out to consumers.  | | BBM Music allows users to share songs with BBM contacts. | "BBM Music service will be discontinued as of June 2, 2013," reads an email sent by BlackBerry to users Wednesday. "For paying customers, April is the last month that you will be billed. In May, as your BBM contacts stop using the service, songs in your playlists will begin to turn grey and will no longer be available. Though BBM Music is going away, you can still listen to great music on your BlackBerry. We're giving you a 30-day pass to Rdio, which gives you unlimited, on-demand access to more than 18 million songs, including the latest hits and classic albums." Priced at $4.99 per month, BBM Music launched in beta trials in August 2011, featuring millions of songs from partners including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. The service enabled BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging users to build personal music profiles featuring 50 of their favorite songs, with the flexibility to swap out as many as 25 tracks each month; as BlackBerry Messenger contacts joined the user's BBM Music Community, music from each new profile became available to other community members, meaning a BlackBerry owner with 25 BBM Music friends could expand his library to as many as 1,300 full-length songs. BlackBerry has not yet responded to requests to explain its decision to scrap BBM Music, but the service's days have appeared numbered since earlier this year, when the device maker expanded its BlackBerry World digital storefront to offer DRM-free premium music downloads from a host of label partners. BBM Music also faced mounting competition from rival streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iHeartRadio, which collectively account for 23 percent of average weekly music listening time among U.S. consumers between the ages of 13 and 35 according to NPD Group data issued earlier this week. For more:
- read this CrackBerry.com article
- read this MobileSyrup article Related articles:
RIM's BBM Music adds Intelligent Shuffle, 'imaginary friend' features
RIM launches cloud-based BBM Music on BlackBerry App World
RIM reveals music, video partners ahead of BlackBerry 10 premiere
RIM launches rebranded BlackBerry World, music and video coming soon
NPD: Half of smartphone owners use their device for music listening Read more about: Mobile Messagaing
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3. Mozilla, Samsung team on Servo browser engine for Android
Mozilla is collaborating with Samsung Electronics to build Servo, an experimental Web browser optimized for mobile devices running Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system and ARM processors. "Servo is an attempt to rebuild the Web browser from the ground up on modern hardware, rethinking old assumptions along the way," writes Mozilla CTO Brendan Eich. "This means addressing the causes of security vulnerabilities while designing a platform that can fully utilize the performance of tomorrow's massively parallel hardware to enable new and richer experiences on the Web." Servo is written in Rust, a new systems language developed by Mozilla over the course of several years. Rust, which reached version 0.6 this week, "is intended to fill many of the same niches that C++ has over the past decades, with efficient high-level, multi-paradigm abstractions, and offers precise control over hardware resources," Eich notes. "But beyond that, it is safe by default, preventing entire classes of memory management errors that lead to crashes and security vulnerabilities." Mozilla will work to complete the first major revision of Rust by year's end, with an emphasis on cleaning up, expanding and documenting the libraries, developing tools to enhance the user experience and improving performance. Samsung has already contributed both an ARM backend to Rust and the build infrastructure necessary to cross-compile to Android, Eich adds. Mozilla currently offers a mobile version of its Firefox browser for Android smartphones and tablets. In mid-2012, the open-source software development initiative revealed it is also working on Junior, a browser optimized for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad that is designed to replace the bestselling tablet's native Safari browser. Mozilla is additionally putting the finishing touches on its Firefox mobile operating system, slated for commercial release later this year. Firefox OS (formerly Boot to Gecko) promises a new phone architecture that relies entirely on the Web to enable HTML5 applications with complete access to core device APIs. Telefónica is scheduled to sell Firefox-powered smartphones in Brazil through its Vivo unit. Firefox handsets will be priced in the same range as feature phones; Mozilla is collaborating with ZTE to build the first wave of Firefox devices. For more:
- read this Mozilla Blog post Related articles:
Mozilla: No Firefox for iOS until Apple loosens browser restrictions
Mozilla unveils first Firefox OS developer preview phones
Forecast: Firefox OS will power just 1 percent of smartphones shipped in 2013
ZTE to launch Firefox OS smartphones in shift away from Android
Sprint vows support for Mozilla's Firefox mobile OS Read more about: Servo
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4. Apple adds age rating tags to App Store descriptions
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has introduced age-rating notification boxes below each iOS application's developer credits, a move that could assuage consumers and watchdog groups calling for greater transparency around the App Store shopping experience.  | | WhatsApp and other apps now feature an age rating such as 4+. | iPhone and iPad users will now see the application's age rating prominently featured on its download screen, immediately below the app's name and developer designation and just above its App Store user rating. The scale itself has not changed, but these new boxes simply make the ratings more prominent and transparent. The Next Web points out that the age-rating box is not present among details included in App Store download rankings or in search results. The new rating tags also follow roughly a month after Apple agreed to pay out more than $100 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by parents whose children purchased virtual goods and enhancements sold inside iPhone and iPad apps without permission. The suit, filed in 2011 on behalf of "other parents and guardians who permitted their minor children to download a free application and then incurred charges for game-related voidable purchases that the minor was induced by Apple to make," contended that iOS games like Bakery Story, Tap Zoo and Sundae Maker generated millions of dollars by selling "Game Currency" to children. Calling the freemium model "unlawful exploitation in the extreme," the suit stated "These games are highly addictive, designed deliberately so, and tend to compel children playing them to purchase large quantities of Game Currency, amounting to as much as $100 per purchase or more." The settlement prompted Apple to add a line of text to freemium download pages, alerting users when an iOS title supports in-app purchases. Apple also came under fire following reports that photo and video sharing applications including Twitter's Vine and 500px contained sexually explicit content. Those apps and others including Tumblr were eventually updated to classifications of 17+, the App Store's highest age rating. In 2011, when CTIA-The Wireless Association and the Entertainment Software Rating Board unveiled the CTIA Mobile Application Rating System, both Apple and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) declined to participate in the program, opting for their own existing app store submission and rating processes. Google Play has its own rating scale, but instead of numeric ratings the scale ranges from "Everyone" to "High Maturity." For more:
- read this Next Web article Related articles:
Twitter's Vine updates App Store age rating to 17+ after content controversy
Twitter's Vine loses Apple's Editors' Choice designation amid porn concerns
500px returns to Apple's App Store with 'report' button, 17+ rating
Apple agrees to $100 million settlement over kids' in-app purchases
Apple boots AppShopper for violating new App Store guidelines Read more about: iOS, App Store
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5. Twitter overhauls Android app for more native experience
Twitter is rolling out a revamped version of its Android application, promising users a more native experience crafted in line with the design principles Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) introduced with the release of its Android 4.0 OS update. According to Twitter's Android technical lead Jonathan Le, the overhauled app features wider and taller timelines that fill the mobile device screen, a flat navigation bar and tap-and-hold functionality for quicker actions. "You can now quickly navigate between tabs by swiping across your screen," Le notes. "And as you type your tweet or search, you'll see username and hashtag suggestions, making it easier to connect with friends and join conversations." Twitter is also releasing updated applications for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and the mobile Web, introducing expanded tweets featuring more content like photo galleries, apps and product listings. "You'll also see a new link right below content that is shared from another mobile app, such as foursquare or Path," Le states. "The link lets you open or download the app right from the tweet, depending on whether or not you have it installed. As an example, if you expand a tweet to view a photo from Flickr, you can tap the link to open the photo in Flickr. If you don't yet have the Flickr app on your phone, you can tap to install it from the tweet." Twitter passed the 200 million monthly active user milestone in late 2012. Research firm comScore reports that 53.6 percent of unique Twitter users access the platform via mobile device. For more:
- read this Twitter Blog post Related articles:
eMarketer: Twitter mobile ad revenues to eclipse $300 million in 2013
Twitter overhauls iPhone, Android apps to improve content discovery
Twitter fills Instagram void with in-house photo filters
Twitter triumphs on Election Night
Twitter issues controversial API, gives developers six months to comply
Twitter developers urge FTC to probe new restrictions on third-party apps Read more about: Mobile Social Networking
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Also Noted SPOTLIGHT ON... Apple's iMessage encryption thwarts DEA wiretaps Apple has encrypted its iMessage platform so securely that not even federal drug enforcement can crack it open, stymieing their efforts to eavesdrop on suspects' conversations. According to an internal Drug Enforcement Administration document obtained by CNet, agents warn that "it is impossible to intercept iMessages between two Apple devices," even with a court order approved by a federal judge. Messages sent as traditional text messages are easier for the DEA to obtain, though the agency admitted it "seems to be more successful if the intercept is placed on [a] non-Apple device." Apple introduced iMessage in mid-2011. The service lets consumers send free text messages, photos and videos between all iOS devices and poses a mounting threat to conventional operator SMS offerings. Users now transmit more than 2 billion messages per day via the iMessage platform. Article Quick news from around the Web @FierceMobiCo: Survey: 78% of developers targeting real-time Web, data communication platforms, http://bit.ly/YYNYnF via sister site @FierceDeveloper Article | Follow @FierceMobiCo > Viddy co-founder Chris Ovitz reduces role. Article > Nokia Music app update adds Live Tile, listening history. Blog Wireless News > Samsung to open 1,400 mini-stores within Best Buy, challenging Apple. Article > Verizon's McAdam leaves door open to dropping wireless contracts. Article Broadband Wireless News > Rumor Mill: Google's next Nexus 7 arriving in July with LTE. Article > AT&T, MetroPCS, Sprint and Verizon sign onto Barclays Center DAS. Article European Wireless News > Vodafone breakup dismissed despite analysts' enthusiasm. Article > Cisco strengthens small cell portfolio with $310 million deal for Ubiquisys. Article And finally… Florida woman finds religious symbol on Goldfish cracker. Article > CorporateTube - The Next Step for Enterprise Success- Thursday, April 18th, 2pm ET/ 11am PT Learn from an elaborate case study and see how leading companies implemented this cutting edge solution to reap the benefits of video in the enterprise. Experts from Oracle, Akamai, and Kaltura will explain the many possibilities of deploying a CorporateTube for your organization. Register Today.
| > Only 1 Week Left to Register: Exclusive Executive Breakfast at the 2013 NAB Show! - April 9, 2013 | Las Vegas, NV - Sponsored by: Comcast Media Center, Elemental Technologies, and Irdeto Executives from NBCUniversal, ONE World Sports, MobiTV, Inc., and Comcast Media Center explore the impact that the battle for multiscreen viewers is having on content owners, broadcasters, cable operators, and over-the-top video players. Join FierceCable Editor Steve Donohue for this exclusive breakfast event at the NAB Show, April 9, in Las Vegas. Sponsored by Comcast Media Center, Elemental Technologies, and Irdeto. ACT NOW: REGISTER TODAY! > Mobile Payments Conference - April 10-11, 2013 - New York, NY Sponsored by Mobile Marketing & Technology, a leading news outlet on mobile payment and marketing developments, the Spring Mobile Payments Conference will bring together high level executives to learn about the latest in the mobile marketing, mobile wallet and mobile payments ecosystem. Click here. > Competitive Carriers Global Expo - April 17-19 - New Orleans CCA is the premier trade show and conference for the competitive mobile ecosystem and brings together decision-makers for networking, learning and sharing best practices. CCA is the nation's leading association for competitive wireless providers. To register www.ccaevents.org. > BlackBerry Jam for Developers - May 14-16 - Orlando, Florida Ready to create innovative social experiences or engaging, in-demand mobile apps? BlackBerry® Jam Americas at BlackBerry Live™ is your opportunity to gain valuable knowledge direct from BlackBerry experts. Take your development platform to the next level. Register today! > Andrew Seybold Wireless University at CTIA 2013 - May 20, 2013 - Las Vegas, Nevada LTE worldwide broadband standard is changing wireless forever. Delve into the technologies, spectrum, deployments, ecosystems, and devices. Understand the implications. More information at www.andrewseybold.com > The App Summit - May 21, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV The annual international conference on multi-platform apps. Join us for our seventh event in Las Vegas as we bring together the top companies from around the globe that will help shape the future of applications and mobile web. Official Partner event of CTIA 2013 www.theappsummit.net. > World of Tablets at CTIA 2013 - May 22, 2013 - Las Vegas, NV Don't miss the longest running event dedicated to tablet strategies for the consumer and enterprise. The World of Tablets has consistently lead the tablet revolution by bringing together industry thought leaders. Visit www.tabletsevent.com. > Fierce Innovation Awards 2012 Live Announcement of this Year's Winners - Now Available On-Demand Please join Jason Nelson, Publisher of FierceWireless, FierceTelecom, and FierceCable as we announce the winners of the Fierce Innovation Awards 2012. Click here to RSVP today.
| > Whitepaper: Monetizing Networks in the Cloud Era Enterprises are increasingly adopting cloud services for an enhanced IT experience while maintaining or reducing costs. This paper explains how providers can address these challenges and opportunities to more efficiently monetize their network and human assets. Download Today. > eBook: Smarter Service: The Contract Center of the Future This eBook explores the challenges facing traditional contact centers and the benefits of deploying the contact center of the future. You'll find links to further resources on the final page. Download today. > eBook: How to Get a Return on Knowledge in a Big Data World Learn how to get put your organization's collective knowledge in the hands of your service reps using advanced enterprise search technology - and watch your service performance improve and customer satisfaction soar. Download Now For Free! > Whitepaper: VoLTE: Why, When and How? This whitepaper will argue that VoLTE creates a significant opportunity for operators, but warns that the evolution from existing voice services will place before them a number of serious challenges. Read More. > Research: How to Unlock Knowledge from Big, Unstructured Data to Improve Customer Service Learn how to unlock knowledge trapped in silos and systems and read how advanced enterprise search technology can put your organization's collective knowledge in the hands of your service reps. Watch your service performance improve and customer satisfaction soar. Download Now! > eBook: The Promise of VoLTE While operators are hesitant to move to VoLTE at the moment, experts predict that all operators will eventually move their services over. FierceWireless analyzes when the VoLTE switch will likely occur and how. Download for free today. > Whitepaper: Cisco Small Cell Solution: Reduce Costs, Improve Coverage Address the challenge of mobile service coverage and expand network capacity with the Cisco Licensed Small Cell Solution. Using small cells, service providers extend voice and data services to mobile subscribers while offloading traffic. Read this whitepaper today.
| > Instructional Developer II - Denver, CO - Cricket Communications Cricket Communications, a subsidiary of Leap Wireless, is the pioneer and leader in delivering innovative value-rich prepaid wireless with no long-term contracts. Responsibilities include developing eLearning content and managing all training rollouts. 5 years' experience in eLearning and training content development required. Telecommunications experience preferred...Learn More. > Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs | |
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