Windows Phone overtakes BlackBerry OS for the first time, now at third spot

Nokia accounts for 79 per cent of Windows Phone sales as Korean giant Samsung and Taiwan's HTC seem to have lost interest in the operating system.

Windows Phone has, for the first time, overtaken BlackBerry to become the third-largest operating system for smartphones in the world, latest data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) show.

Google's Android and Apple's iOS remain the largest and second-largest smartphone operating systems worldwide and together accounted for 92.3 per cent of all shipments in the January-to-March quarter of 2013.

Shipments of smartphones powered by Android and iOS jumped 59.1 per cent in the three months through March to 199.5 million units from 125.4 million units a year earlier.

Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team, said in a statement a closer look showed the demand for alternatives. "Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia's participation and BlackBerry's new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability."

Kevin Restivo, Senior Research Analyst at IDC, said Windows Phone surpassing Canadian company BlackBerry validates the direction taken by Microsoft Corp and its Finnish partner Nokia. 

"Given the relatively low volume generated, the Windows Phone camp will need to show further gains to solidify its status as an alternative to Android or iOS," he added.  

Nokia accounts for 79 per cent of Windows Phone sales as Korean giant Samsung and Taiwan's HTC seem to have lost interest in the operating system.

According to IDC, Samsung commands a 41.1 per cent market share in sales of Android-based smartphones. Apple iOS, despite its largest-ever first quarter volume, posted a year-over-year decline in market share and lower year-over-year shipment growth than the overall market. 

BlackBerry still relies on BB7 smartphones for volume, IDC said. Symbian, used mainly by Nokia, recorded the largest year-over-year decline compared to any other operating system.

Middle East youth need 46 million jobs by 2020

The region

Oil exporters: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Developing oil exporters: Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen (in the latter three civil war and/or anti-government uprisings significantly disrupted production)

Oil importers: Jordan, Lebanon, Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia

Population

377 million in 2011, up from 363 million in 2009

In Arab Spring countries, anywhere from 40 to 60 per cent of the population are estimated to be under 25, with the biggest youth bulge in Yemen and the smallest in Tunisia.

Fertility rates, while falling, drive the world’s second highest rate of population growth, of 1.8 per cent per year in 2011, compared with Europe’s 0.5 per cent.

Economy and jobs

The region’s Gross Domestic Product is almost $2.7 billion, half of that from six oil-exporting countries with just 12 per cent of the region’s population.

Economic growth averaged 4.9 per cent a year in the 2000s. It would have to reach 6 per cent a year to create 46 million jobs and reduce unemployment to the global norm of 6 per cent by 2020, according to Elena Ianchovichina, the World Bank’s lead economist in the region. — AP

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At Google I/O, expect Android, Chrome, and some privacy questions about Glass 

May 10, 2013

Google kicks off its I/O developer conference next Wednesday and if there's one thing that could steal the limelight from Android, Chrome and all the other Google projects, it's Glass.

Smartphones driving violent crime across U.S. 

May 10, 2013

On Feb. 27 in the middle of the afternoon, a 16-year-old girl was walking through San Francisco's Mission district when she was ordered at gun point to hand over her cellphone. The robbery was one of 10 serious crimes in the city that day, and they all involved cellphones. Three were stolen at gun point, three at knife point and four through brute force.

This graph, from data compiled by IDG News Service, shows the average number of cell phone thefts per hour of the day in San Francisco between November 2012 and April 2013

Wall Street Beat: Rise in markets could fuel tech M&A 

May 10, 2013

Increasing confidence in the economy and a rising stock market could lay the groundwork for a revival in tech-sector mergers and acquisitions as companies embrace cloud technology and pursue game-changing software, particularly for the mobile market.

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"IN-QUBURST" (Life style IT products) NEWS UPDATES (over all): INQ(News) Information technology

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Information technology stocks gain on Cognizant Technology's outlook

US-based Cognizant Technology Solutions impressive January-March quarter earnings number  cheered the IT stocks on Thursday that rose by up to 4 per cent in morning trade. 
Shares of TCS jumped 1.73 per cent, while Infosys climbed 0.78 per cent on the BSE. HCL Tech surged 3.92 per cent, Wipro (0.37 per cent) and Tech Mahindra (0.27 per cent).

Following the gains in these stocks, the BSE IT index was trading at 6,066.35, up nearly 1 per cent and was the top gainer among the 13 sectoral indices.

Cognizant posted 16.6 per cent rise in net profit for the January-March quarter and maintained its outlook of 17 per cent revenue growth in 2013.

Driven by strong demand from Europe, IT firm Cognizant on Wednesday posted 16.6 per cent rise in net profit at $284.2 million for the January-March quarter and maintained its outlook of 17 per cent revenue growth in 2013.

Cognizant's net profit stood at USD 243.7 million in the first quarter of 2012. The US-headquartered IT services provider follows January-December fiscal.

The US-based firm's revenues increased 18.1 per cent to $2.02 billion in the quarter from $1.71 billion in first quarter, 2012, in line with its outlook of at least $2 billion.

For the second quarter (April-June) of 2013, Cognizant expects its revenues to be "at least $2.13 billion" and has maintained its outlook for revenues to grow at 17 per cent to "at least $8.6 billion".

Meanwhile, in the stock market, the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading at 19,952.76, down 37.42 points in late morning trade.

With PT inputs

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As You Sow , So You Reap

The harvest which a farmer reaps depend upon two thing; the seeds he used and the manner in which he cultivates his land. He can get a good harvest if the seeds sown are of good quality. The proverb also shows that the result of our action depends upon the way we do them. A boy who is hard-working is sure to do well in the examination. He who takes regular exercise enjoys good health. The seeds of real success in life are industry, truthfulness, carefulness, and honesty. If we have these qualities, we will prosper in life. If we lack these qualities and do evil deeds. We will get punishment. So we reap what we sow.

How US immigration bill is delaying IT deals

BANGALORE: Certain clauses in the US Comprehensive Immigration Bill are causing confusion among customers and providers, delaying deal closures. According to the draft bill, employees on H-1 B visas may be restricted from working at customer sites. The bill also proposes to significantly increase the fees for employers who are H-1 B dependant. 

There is also confusion regarding the on-site-offshore ratio and pricing. As a result, the pipeline for Indian IT companies has a large number of uncooked deals. Leading Indian tech firms have dozens of such half-done deals as closure is taking longer than usual due to these uncertainties, say analysts. Typically, offshore-onsite ratios are decided based on many factors, including the nature of the work, criticality of contract, the amount of interaction the project demands and time zone preferences. Now, the customers are not under any undue pressure to bring down the offshore portion, say those familiar with the market. 

"Clarity on on-site offshore mix and pricing are critical issues around any deal. These are basic negotiation elements. Lack of clarity in these can obviously cause delays in deal closures," said Sanjay Dhawan, leader, technology , PWC India. 

The final bill may take many quarters to be passed. But prima facie, it is costprohibitive and burdensome for Indian tech players , saidNasscom. "There is lack of clarity in the market. There is a lot of confusion and concern over the impact of the bill in the minds of customers and providers alike," said Som Mittal, president, Nasscom. 

Pradeep Udhas, partner & head, IT/ITeS, at KPMG India, said, "Customers want to be clear about pricing and on-site-offshore ratio before they commit on deals that are of 3 to 5 years." 

Some say such delays will continue to happen till all fears around the bill are dispelled. Some even fear that it might impact the performance of IT companies in the coming quarters.

App to help you hitch rides on private jets

BlackJet is a new iPhone app that connects travelers with private jets that have extra room on their planes.

Apps turning smartphones into home monitoring system

TORONTO: Wealthy travellers wanting to fly in style can book empty seats on private planes with a new app for a jet-sharing service. 

Although there are dozens of apps for buying seats on commercial flights, BlackJet is a newiPhone app that connects travellers with private jets that have extra room on their planes. 

Flights are shared with from two to 14 other passengers, and the price is on par with a premium fare on a commercial airline, according to the San Francisco-based company. 

"We had the idea to use the existing aircraft out there and to leverage the excess capacity," said BlackJet chief executive Dean Rotchin. 

Passengers who are members of the service and pay an annual fee of $2,500 can book a seat on any of 4,000 airplanes the company has access to through partnerships. They can also buy add-on services such as meals and ground transportation. 

The service is geared primarily towards business travelers looking for convenience, time-savings and reliability, according to Rotchin. 

Travellers using the app can buy a seat in advance but they will not get a precise itinerary until the day before the flight. 

"On the day of travel the experience is completely different than at the major airports. You're basically driving right up to the plane, getting on the airplane, and within 15 minutes the airplane is leaving," he said. 

Flights booked with the app cost between $900 for a trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to $3,500 for a coast-to-coast flight. 

The company offers flights from San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and South Florida, and plans to expand service to Chicago, Washington, Boston, Dallas and Seattle. 

Since the web app was launched in October, more than 3,000 flights have been booked through it, the company said. 

Another app called PrivateFly, which is available worldwide for iPhone, iPad and Android, allows jet-setters and companies to book an entire private jet.

Infosys loses number of sales people in US

BANGALORE: Infosys seems to be witnessing an exodus of its feet-on-street sales force. Over 50 people have exited the company in the US in the last few quarters with many joining its cross-town rival Wipro. Most of the exits are thought to be in the Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector.

Sources say Infosys' sales team is under a lot of pressure from all corners. Performance pressures have increased significantly . There is also the morale issue among sales professionals , due to delay in salary increments and negative publicity about the company's unhappy performance for the last many quarters.

The exits have happened across businesses with many quitting to join Infosys' Indian rivals in new verticals. With many in leadership roles quitting Infosys, they are taking many of the juniors with them.

Sources in Wipro confirmed that many ex-Infosys sales and marketing people had indeed joined the company. Infosys spokesperson, however , declined to comment for the story saying: "We will not be offering comments on this matter."

Wipro is trying to hard to make a big impact in the US. The company is investing significantly to build a strong sales front in the US and Europe . "To be effective, we have to hunt in a pack in the client organization. We have created dedicated hunting teams. We have a separate hunting and farming focus," CEO TK Kurien had said earlier.

Pradeep Udhas, partner & head IT/ITES in KPMG India said, "Most Indian IT companies have drastically increased their focus on sales. Organizations are investing to scale up their sales engines in the US market."

Sanjay Dhawan, leader, technology, PwC India said, "There is quite a lot of traction in hiring for sales people. There is also this phenomenon of one person leaving taking many others in the team. Therefore companies are challenged with huge exodus. Also direct poaching is also being seen in the tech sales space."

P&G may cut IT outsourcing work from India

MUMBAI: One of the world's biggest technology spenders is having an outsourcing rethink that may result in some work moving back inhouse when contracts come up for renewal this year. Any decision by Procter & Gamble not to entrust a part of its information technology requirement to software services companies is bound to cause nervousness among Indian and multinational outsourcers. 

P&G, whose products include Tide detergent and Duracell batteries, is contemplating the shape and size of the $3-billion (Rs 16,000-crore) contracts that it awarded in 2003 to EDS, which is now owned by HP. People familiar with the US-based company's plans said the reason for P&G's rethink is that it wants to have direct control over crucial portions of the technology piece with implications for its competitive positioning. 

While P&G's move does not indicate a trend against outsourcing, the fact that a major technology spender is considering such a move is not good news for India's IT industry, which is forecast to grow just 12-14% in 2013-14. 

So far, the part US government-owned General Motors and credit card company American Express are the only other big MNCs that have taken outsourced work back inhouse. 

P&G's decision to explore the possibility of reducing outsourcing comes at a time India's $76-billion (Rs 4-lakh crore) IT exports sector is facing uncertainties in the US, its biggest market that contributes about 60% of revenues. 

Amount of work to be shifted undecided
"P&G relies on a global network of strategic partnerships. The work evolves regularly to best meet the needs of our business, and ultimately, our consumers. Given the vast and varied relationships, we do not comment or speculate on specific partner contracts or negotiations," a P&G spokeswoman told ET.

A person familiar with the ongoing contract renewal negotiations - Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Wipro are in the running for deals - said the final percentage of work to be shifted inhouse is yet to be determined. Only a small portion of finance and accounting-related BPO work had been awarded so far, to EDS.

Contracts worth nearly $100 billion (nearly Rs 5,40,000 crore) are up for renewal this year, according to outsourcing consultancy Everest Group, and companies such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant and HCL Technologies are hoping to wrest away chunks of the deals from multinational incumbents, including HP, IBM and Accenture.

A senior sourcing advisory executive said that as the multi-billion dollar technology contracts outsourced in 2000-03 come up for renewal, some companies are not averse to revisiting the 'build versus buy' proposition, especially as enterprise technology is changing rapidly and external service providers too are going through a learning curve.

"General Motors did it. And now P&G is considering it. There is a rise in this kind of job patriotism over there (in the US). This is the shape of things to come," said a person familiar with the developments through conversations with senior Indian IT industry executives. He spoke on the condition of anonymity.

General Motors said in January it would hire 10,000 IT professionals over 3-5 years. The company had previously relied heavily on outsourcing, signing about $7 billion worth of contracts in 2003.

There is a fundamental change underway in the nature of the Indian IT services industry, said Kumar Parakala, head of IT advisory at consulting firm KPMG. To be able to make more persuasive offers to clients, Indian IT companies would need more local presence in the US, he observed.

"If Indian companies want to tap into work that is going to be done inhouse, they need more onshore presence. They need to ramp up teams within the markets and establish themselves as a strong local presence," Parakala said.

FBI says arrest in Minn. disrupted 'terror attack' Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY

The agency says the suspect's mobile home was stocked with firearms and pipe bombs.

The FBI said Monday that a "terror attack was disrupted" by the arrest of a man whose mobile home in western Minnesota was allegedly stocked with firearms, suspected pipe bombs and gasoline bombs.

Buford Rogers, 24, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He remains in federal custody; it was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.

The FBI says a alleged attack was in its "planning stages" and the target was believed to be in the state of Minnesota. The agency said in a statement that it believes their operation potentially saved the lives of several local residents.

FBI spokesman Kyle Loven wouldn't elaborate Monday on the nature or target of the alleged plot, but says authorities believe there "would have been a localized terror attack, and that's why law enforcement moved quickly."

According to a federal affidavit obtained by the Associated Press, FBI agents from the domestic terrorism squad searched the property at the mobile home park in Montevideo and discovered the gasoline bombs, suspected pipe bombs and firearms.

The affidavit said Rogers was there at the time of the search, and one firearm recovered from his residence was a Romanian AKM assault rifle.

In an interview with authorities, Rogers admitted firing the weapon on two separate occasions at a gun range in Granite Falls, Minn., the affidavit said. Rogers has a past conviction for felony burglary and is not allowed to have a firearm.

Rogers' 2011 felony burglary conviction stems from an incident in Lac qui Parle County. He also has a 2009 misdemeanor conviction for dangerous handling of a weapon in Hennepin County, as well as other criminal violations, according to online court records.

Contributing: Associated Press

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