samsung biggest loser in smartphone market share , xiaomi top gainer in Q3 2014

In Q3 2014, Samsung has lost a considerable amount of share in the smartphone market in comparison to the last year’s Q3 (Q3 2013). In Q 3 2013 , Samsung’s smartphone market share was 32.1 percent which has declined to 24.4 percent in Q3 2014. This is not a surprise change as Samsung has actually lost the momentum of sales growth mainly due to no competition to the rapidly growing Chinese smartphone vendors like Xiaomi, Huawei, and Lenovo. These Chinese companies gained the most because in China , the biggest market for Samsung , Samsung’s smartphone sales declined 28.6 percent. Apple sales have grown y-o-y mainly because of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus launches.

Why Samsung is loosing smartphone market share ?

Well the reason seems to be – No innovation in design and features, High price of smartphones whereas same specs smartphones are available at half-price by brands such as Xiaomi. Samsung has tried to move from its plastic smartphones to the better design/build metallic smartphones with the launch of Samsung Galaxy A series smartphones (A3/A5), but their prices are so discouraging.

 Indian smartphone market 

Samsung’s market share is also nose-diving in India, one of the highest growth affordable smartphone’s market. People are buying a lot better, value for money smartphones, like Moto E, Asus Zenfone, Xiaomi Redmi Note/1S, or Android One series phones from Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice mobiles. In India too Xiaomi is the current smartphone market share growth leader, thanks to its exclusive flash sales at Flipkart.

The recent patent dispute with Ericsson has crashed Xiaomi’s dream run in India. This might be the best time for Samsung to gear up and regain the lost marketshare by launching value for money devices.

Mobile Operating system statistics

There has been not any big change in smartphone OS market share worldwide. Both Android and iOS has shown some growth. Windows phone share has declined even after Microsoft started launching self branded Lumia devices.

Worldwide Mobile Phone Sales to End Users by Vendor in 3Q14 – Total sales including feature phones

Nokia still comes at second number when total mobile phone sales are considered including the feature phones.

Samsung smartphones which will get the new Android Lollipop v5.0 update

A good news to Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung Galaxy S4 owners – the devices will get the latest Android Lollipop v5.0 update from Samsung. This has been confirmed via the official websites of Samsung insome of the Europian (Denmark, Finland) countries. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a totally unexpected name in the update list. It was launched in the year 2012 and Samsung generally support its smartphones for either 2 years or till 2 major updates, whichever completes first. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 was launched with Android Jelly Bean v4.1 . The first update was to Android v4.3 Jelly Bean. Then the second update was to the Android v4.4.2 which is currently running in the phone. Also the device is already more than 2 years old. So this Android Lollipop v5.0 update is a bonus for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 owners.

There is no timeline given for the update but of-course the latest smartphones like Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Samsung Galaxy Note Edge will get the update ahead of the others (and some are already getting it – like Samsung Galaxy S5).

Other Samsung smartphones which will get the new Android Lollipop v5.0 update are :

• Samsung Galaxy Note 2
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
• Samsung Galaxy Alpha
• Samsung Galaxy S4
• Samsung Galaxy S5
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini

Amazon Kindle Voyage

The Amazon Kindle Voyage is a new e-Reader launched by Amazon along with the upgraded version of its original Kindle e-Reader . It sports the same size (6-inch) display screen as the Kindle/Kindle Paperwhite , but the brightness and the screen resolution is quite high in comparison . The screen has a flush glass covering to make it scratch resistant and is micro-etched to diffuse light to prevent glare and reflections . According to Amazon, the texture of the glass is designed to match the texture of paper.  Along with these things , there is also a new adaptive front light sensor that can automatically dim the display over time based on your viewing environment just like human eyes do as they get used to the dark.

There is also a new feature with Kindle Voyage – PagePress . With it the pages can be changed if the user press the right or left bezels of the reader . It can be turned-off too . The Kindle Voyage is the thinnest Kindle with merely 7.6mm thickness and weighs only 180 g . It comes with wireless LAN Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity . The build quality has improved a lot . The back is of matte magnesium and the front is a chemically hardened glass.

 

Amazon Kindle Voyage key features :

• Slimmest & Lightest e-Reader
• 6-inch touchscreen , Adaptive light sensor , 300 ppi
• PagePress sensors with haptics
• Wi-Fi , Wi+3G variants
• 4GB in-built storage , Free Amazon cloud storage

Amazon Kindle Voyage Price in India : Around Rs.15,000 . Coming in couple of months .

What is new ?

• PagePress sensors with haptics – PagePress is a custom-designed force sensor made of carbon and silver, which reacts to a subtle increase of pressure, triggers a page-turn, and provides a haptic response only your thumb can perceive. Because PagePress has no moving parts, the haptics provide you with the most minimal indication that you have pressed the button, to reduce distraction from reading.
• Sleek yet durable designs – At only 7.6mm thin, Voyage is our thinnest Kindle ever. Kindle Voyage was designed to come one step closer to a sheet of paper, with a flush-front bezel for a clean, streamlined design. With a magnesium back and a specially-reinforced glass front, Kindle Voyage is both durable and sleek.
• An unparalleled 300 ppi display – Kindle Voyage features the brightest, highest resolution, and highest contrast display of any Kindle. The micro-etched glass display diffuses light to eliminate glare and matches the feel of paper.
• Adaptive front light – In order to more closely resemble reading on real paper, we researched and hand-tuned the optimal brightness setting for every lighting condition. The new adaptive front light automatically adjusts the brightness of the display based on your environment, and can even be fine-tuned further to your personal preferences. When reading in the dark, the adaptive front light slowly lowers the display’s brightness over time to match the way the eye responds to darkness.

Amazon Kindle Voyage detailed specifications :

• Display : Amazon’s 6″ display with Carta e-paper technology and adaptive front light that adjusts automatically, 300 ppi, optimized font technology, 16-level gray scale
• Size : 6.4″ x 4.5″ x 0.30″ (162 mm x 115 mm x 7.6 mm)
• Weight : Wi-Fi: 6.3 ounces (180 grams); Wi-Fi + 3G: 6.6 oz (188 g)
• On-Device Storage : 4 GB; holds thousands of books
• Cloud Storage : Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
• Battery : A single charge lasts up to six weeks, based on a half hour of reading per day with wireless off and the light setting at 10. Battery life will vary based on light setting and wireless usage
• Charge Time : Fully charges in approximately 3 hours from a computer via USB cable
• Wi-Fi Connectivity : Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication or Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
• Content Formats Supported : Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion
• Documentation : Quick Start Guide (included in box); Kindle Voyage User Guide (pre-installed on device) [PDF]. Additional information in multiple languages available online
• Warranty and Service : 1-year limited warranty and service included.
• Included in the Box : Kindle Voyage, USB 2.0 charging cable and Quick Start Guide

Garmin Vivofit Fitness Band

Garmin Vivofit Fitness Band is launched in India exclusively via the Flipkart.com . It keeps track of your Steps count , Calories burned , and Heart rate (with heart rate sensor module). You can set Step goals and can also use it as Sleep Monitoring device so that you how much (time) sleep you are actually getting . It is water resistant (up to 50m) , hence can be wore 24 hours a day even in shower . It can be Wireless (Bluetooth) Sync with your smartphone . It has a easy-to-read display which will show you how many steps you’ve taken, distance traveled, calories burned and time of day. It comes with 2 replaceable coin cells with battery backup up to 1+ YEAR battery of more than 1 year .

Garmin Vivofit Fitness Band key features :

• Learns your activity level and assigns a personalized daily goal
• Displays steps, calories, distance; monitors sleep
• Pairs with heart rate monitor¹ for fitness activities
• 1+ year battery life; water-resistant²
• Save, plan and share progress at Garmin Connect™

You already know the active steps you take now can improve your overall wellness today, tomorrow and well into your future. And while it seems simple to get out of that chair more often and move, making it stick is another matter. That’s where vívofit can turn good intentions into lifelong habits. It’s the only fitness band that greets you with a personalized daily goal, tracks your progress and reminds you when it’s time to move.

Personalized Daily Goals

vívofit learns your current activity level, then assigns an attainable daily goal. As you meet your milestones, vívofit will adjust your goal for the next day, gradually nudging you toward a healthier lifestyle. At Garmin Connect™, our free online fitness community, you can earn virtual badges and view your progress.

Tells Time and “Time to Move”

Research shows prolonged periods of inactivity such as sitting at a desk decreases your body’s production of fat-burning enzymes. You can reverse that effect by taking frequent, short walk breaks throughout your day. And while you might lose track of time and forget to move, vívofit knows. A red move bar appears on the display after 1 hour of inactivity and builds when you’ve been sitting too long. Just walk for a couple of minutes to reset the move bar.

Keep Moving

When you’re ready to take the next steps toward better health, vívofit has additional features to keep you motivated. Use a heart rate monitor¹ with vívofit to record your heart rate and zone data and get more accurate calorie burn information for any fitness activity, such as a run or a cardio class at the gym. At Garmin Connect, you can join online challenges with other vívofit users or start your own competition with friends to compete for virtual badges and bragging rights.

Always On

vívofit follows your progress 24/7, and it can stay on for more than a year without a battery change. Set the sleep mode when you go to bed and vívofit will monitor your rest. At Garmin Connect, you can see your total sleep hours as well as periods of movement and restful sleep. The vívofit band is water-resistant , so you can shower or get caught in the rain, worry-free.

Get Connected

With the touch of one button, you can wirelessly sync vívofit with Garmin Connect to see a complete picture of your progress, join online challenges and earn virtual badges for extra motivation. It’s so simple to get started. After you are set up, access our free online community from your computer or on your compatible mobile device³ with the Garmin Connect™ Mobile app.

Garmin Vivofit Fitness Band specifications :

• Unit Dimensions: 21 mm wide x 10.5 mm thick (length varies based on band size (small and large))
• Band sizes: 4.7-6.9”/120-175 mm (small); 6.0-8.3”/152-210 mm (large)
• Display size (WxH): 25.5 mm x 10 mm
• Weight: 25.5 g
• Battery: Two replaceable CR1632 coin cells
• Battery life: More than 1 year
• GPS-enabled: no
• Water resistant: yes (up to 50 m)
• History: Stores up to 3 weeks of 24/7 activity data on device between syncs, or up to 2 weeks if a heart rate monitor is used 1 hr/day.
• Heart rate monitor compatible: yes
• Wireless sync: yes (USB ANT™ Stick or Bluetooth® Smart technology) – Your smartphone will be compatible if it is loaded with any of the following – Apple iOS 7.0 and above , Android 4.3 OS and above , Bluetooth 4.0 capable
• Garmin Connect™ compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data): yes
• Customizable screen(s): yes
• On-device data fields/screens: Daily step count, goal countdown, distance, calories, time of day, heart rate and heart rate zone (heart rate and heart rate zone available when used with an ANT+ heart rate monitor)
• vivofit Bundle : vivofit with large and small band , Heart rate monitor , USB ANT Stick , Manual

 Garmin Vivofit Price in India : Rs.6,999

Moto Turbo XT1225

 Motorola has launched its flagship smartphone in India – Moto Turbo XT1225 (It is also known as Motorola Droid Turbo or Moto Maxx). It sports a 5.2-inch Quad HD (QHD) AMOLED display with huge 565 ppi and is loaded with the latest Android v5.0 Lollipop OS. It is powered by 2.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 Quad Core Processor and 3GB RAM. It sports a 21MP auto-focus rear camera with dual LED flash and 4K video recording and a basic 2MP front camera. It is a single SIM phone with 3G and 2G network support. It does have 4G support but not to Indian 4G LTE band 40 (2300 MHz). It supports Wi-Fi ac and NFC connectivity options.

It comes with a huge 3900 mAh capacity battery, one of the highest capacity in a smartphone. Its Motorola Turbo Charger gives you up to 8 additional hours of power with just 15 minutes of charging. It has premium/rugged build quality with optional metalized glass (Kevlar) fiber or premium ballistic nylon back panel and water-repellent coating.

Overall, this phone is a huge upgrade over the Motorola’s Moto X, be it better display, better build quality, better camera, better performance, and better battery (backup might be same due to higher screen resolution in Moto Turbo). Check the detailed comparison here – Moto Turbo Vs Moto X. The only drawback in this smartphone seems to be the lack of 4G LTE band support in India. You can also check the detailed comparison with other key competitors – Moto Turbo Vs Google Nexus 6 Vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

Moto Turbo XT1225 key specs:

• 5.2-inch Quad HD (QHD) AMOLED display, 565 ppi
• Android v5.0 Lollipop OS
• 2.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 Quad Core Processor, 3GB RAM
• 21MP auto-focus rear camera, dual LED flash, 4K video recording, 2MP front camera
• Single SIM, 3G/2G network support,Wi-Fi ac, NFC
• 3900 mAh capacity battery, Turbo Charger
• 64 GB in-built storage, no microSD card slot
• Premium/rugged build quality

Moto Turbo Price in India : Rs.41,999. It is exclusively launched on Flipkart.

Moto Turbo – Lightning speed and butter-smooth performance, an amazing display and a powerful battery – the new Moto Turbo is here to woo you with its bold style and impressive features.

Display – Experience one of the sharpest displays on this Motorola smartphone. Everything just looks perfect in 565 ppi on the captivating 5.2″ Quad HD screen.

Camera – Launch the 21 MP rear camera with just a flick of your wrist and start clicking crisp, vivid pictures and videos. Now you can click amazing low-light situations with the f2.0 aperture and dual LED flash. You can also take selfies with a voice command and capture 4K videos too. This Moto device comes with a 2 MP front camera.

Processor – Experience a powerful and fast performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor which clocks at 2.7 GHz. Paired with 3 GB of RAM, this sleek Moto smartphone has enough oomph to take on everything that comes its way. Multitask seamlessly and play graphics-rich games smoothly on this device.

Power – Housing a 3900 mAh capacity battery, this Moto device can run for long without running out of juice. The Motorola Turbo Charger gives you up to 8 additional hours of power with just 15 minutes of charging.

Design – This Moto handset features a rear cover which is made of metalized glass fiber for a durable, smooth and glossy finish. The water-repellent nanocoating protects the Moto Turbo from accidental water spills or an unexpected drizzle.

Operating System – This Moto smartphone comes with the smart and beautiful Android Lollipop. Get an improved system performance with this intuitive and user-friendly OS.

Voice & Gesture Interaction – Interact with your Moto Turbo easily using your voice or simple gestures. Ask questions and perform tasks by speaking to it, or respond to it using simple gestures.

Noise Cancellation – Enjoy loud and clear conversations with your loud ones, thanks to Motorola’s advanced noise cancellation technology. This technology attenuates background noise, leading to better call quality and voice recognition.

Connectivity – Use micro USB, NFC or Bluetooth to share files with other devices. Stay connected and updated via Wi-Fi on this smart device.

Sensors – The Moto Turbo comes with a variety of sensors, including an accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, a gyroscope, a hall effect sensor, a proximity sensor, and infrared.

Huawei Honor 4X

Best Price - Rs.10,499

Huawei Honor 4X Features:

• Display : 5.5-inch HD IPS
• OS : Android KitKat, EMUI 3.0
• Performance: Quad core Snapdragon 410, 2GB RAM
• Connectivity: Dual SIM 4G+3G+2G, GPS, WiFi The new Huawei Honor 4X is a 5.5-inch HD display smartphone loaded with Android KitKat OS v4.4 along with Huawei’s EMUI 3.0. It is powered by quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB RAM. It is a dual SIM phone with support of 4G/3G/2G networks in both the SIMs. It comes with 8 GB of in-built storage out of which 4GB is available to the user. It has a micro SD card slot with up to 32 GB expandable storage.
  
  It has a good build quality with criss-cross pattern on the back panel for style plus good grip. It is a slim phone with 8.7mm thickness and the sides are chiselled+rounded for convenient handling and elegant design. It sports a 13 MP auto-focus rear camera with LED flash and a 5 MP front camera.

  Huawei Honor 4X key specs :

  • 5.5-inch HD display
  • Android KitKat OS v4.4, EMUI 3.0
  • 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB RAM
  • Dual SIM (micro) 4G+3G+2G networks support, 4G support in both SIM card slots, Indian 4G band support
  • 8 GB of in-built storage, up to 32 GB expandable
  • 13 MP main camera with Auto-focus & LED flash, 5 MP front camera
  • GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

  Huawei Honor 4X Price in India : Rs.10,499

  Preview : It is a good value for money smartphone mainly due to 4G connectivity(India), large good resolution display, latest Qualcomm’s quad core processor, 2GB RAM, and good cameras. Few concerns although are no Android Lollipop upgrade promised (although EMUI will be updated regularly) and the available in-built storage is quite less.

  Huawei Honor 4X features :

  • Strong and stable 4G network connections
    • 4G – Strong and stable 4G network connections reduce the chance to fallback to 3g
    • 4G Blind-mate – Dual card dual standby
    • 1050 LTE/EPC Patents that take up 16% around the globe
  • 5.5-inch 720p black waterfall, fully laminated IPS screen
    • Full lamination Technology
    • 1280×720 pixels HD
    • OTP Calibration Technology
  • Smart Image 2.5+Sony/OV second generation BSI 13 MP rear camera
    
    • 13MPRear Camera
    • f2.0Large Aperture
    • 27mm Wide Angle
  • The 64-bit Quad-core 4G smartphone. Faster than Fast
    • 64 BitQuad-core CPU
    • Adreno 306 GPU processor
    • Qualcomm MSM 8916 processor
  • 3000 mAh battery+ SmartPower 2.5, 72 hours of continued use
    • 3000mAhBattery
    • 2.5 Smart Power
    • 72 h Light User
  • EMUI 3.0 designed to create an easy, elegant, enjoyable, and efficient experience, simple is beauty
    • User-oriented audio and video resource deployment
    • Messages, call logs, notifications, reminders, gallery, itinerary, and notes recorded on a timeline
  • Audio Plus sound, BOX integrated sound chamber, dual noise reduction Mic
    • BOX integrated sound chamber + side of the sound design creates an experience like never before.
    • Audio Plus audio processing, set realistic cinema-style surround sound, stable volume and clarity of voice in one of the ultimate audio experience
  
  
  
  
  
  

Microsoft Lumia 640 XL

 Best Price - Rs.14,990

Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Features:

• Display : 5.7" HD IPS ClearBlack
• OS : Windows Phone 8.1
• Connectivity : Dual SIM 4G, 3G, NFC,DLNA, NFC
• Camera: 13MP AF ZEISS optics, 5 MP front
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  Microsoft Lumia 640 XL key specs :
  •  5.7-inch HD IPS ClearBlack display, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
  • Windows Phone 8.1 OS with Lumia Denim update, upgrade to Windows 10
  • Dual SIM (micro SIM), Dual Standby
  • 4G LTE(optional), 3G HSPA+, NFC, Wi-Fi, GPS, DLNA
  • 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad core processor, 1GB RAM
  • 13MP auto-focus rear camera with ZEISS optics, 5 MP fixed-focus, wide angle front camera
  • 8GB in-built storage, up to 128 GB expandable storage
  • Exchangeable back cover
  • Free One Year Office 365, 30GB free OneDrive storage
  • Long battery backup, Up to 35 days standby time
  Microsoft Lumia 640 XL Price in India : Around Rs.14,990. Coming soon.
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