Just in time for the holidays, the mobile companies Nokia, Microsoft, Motorola, Apple and RIM are announcing new phones or operating systems.
Nokia is hoping their two new Windows 8 smartphones, which is launched in partnership with Microsoft, will boost sales. The new Lumina will charge wirelessly when near new wireless charging stations at places like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The larger Lumia 920 has a camera with very high megapixels and a new curved glass display.
Also trying to stay ahead of Apple’s expected Sept. 12 iPhone 5 announcement, Motorola Mobility, a division of Google, announced the release three new Razr smartphones available for the Verizon 4G network. A common trend in the mobile realm, all three smartphones, Droid Razr HD, Razr M (with a 4.7-inch screen) and Razr Maxx HD, have larger screens than the iPhone. The new iPhone 5 is expected to be larger than the current one.
Last week, Samsung launched a Windows 8 smartphone, the Samsung Ativ S. Samsung says the battery life will power the 4.8-inch screen for an entire day. They also announced the Samsung Galaxy Note II with a 5.5-inch screen and both front and rear-facing cameras. The Galaxy Note includes a re-designed S Pen for better writing and editing.
Research in Motion (RIM) is gearing up for the Blackberry 10 platform and guaranteeing developers $10,000 for each app as long as it pulls-in at least $1,000 in actual revenue during the first year of release. There are a couple catches, which are outlined here.