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Microsoft new phones win favorable reaction
Tue, Oct 12 00:29 AM EDT
By Bill Rigby and Sinead Carew
SEATTLE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's last-ditch attempt to reclaim its prominence in the smartphone market won favorable early reviews on Monday, but it may come too late to claw back customers from Apple Inc and Google Inc.
The world's largest software company, along with network carriers and handset makers, is planning to spend more than $100 million on marketing the phones, which analysts said could compete with Apple's iPhone, but that may be a struggle.
"We are the first to admit that Microsoft is fighting for third place, not first or even second, at this point; but we believe this is a key step toward rebuilding confidence in their ability to innovate in mobile," Wells Fargo analyst Jason Maynard said in a research note.
"This isn't going to move the market share needle in the short term."
"They have phones with slide-out keyboards, larger screens, high definition outlets -- all features that the iPhone does not have," said Ross Rubin, a consumer electronics analyst at retail research firm NPD Group. "That should help Microsoft's competitive position. There will always be a segment of customers that seek out the newest devices."
The line-up of nine new phones from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, LG Electronics Inc, HTC Corp and Dell Inc will start to appear in stores later this month in Europe, and in November in the United States on AT&T Inc's network.
The handsets are much closer in look and feel to Apple's iPhone than earlier Windows phones, with colorful touch-screens and "live tiles" on the starting screen for quick access to email, the Web, music and exclusively, games on the Xbox system.
"The user interface is quite innovative because it takes advantage of those precious few seconds when eyes hit the glass and actually gives you something useful," said Al Hilwa at research firm IDC. "It will probably be copied by other platforms over time."
Microsoft said the launch will be backed by heavy television advertising in the run-up to the holiday shopping season, as it looks to vault itself back into the market.
"This is Microsoft's last chance to be a major player in the smartphone market," said analyst Jack Gold of J.Gold Associates. "Microsoft will be required to undertake a massive consumer education campaign if it wants to stand a chance of differentiating itself from iPhone and Android, which have far greater market presence."
British actor and writer Stephen Fry, an outspoken fan of Apple products, praised the phones on stage at a launch event in London.
"When I got one of these (phones) my first feeling was it's fun to play with. I have felt enormous pleasure using this phone," said Fry, who was invited, but not paid, to speak at the event. "Yes, I love Apple, but I'm not a monotheist. I want biodiversity in this market and all of us that love it should welcome that too."
LAST CHANCE
The new phones represent Microsoft's last chance to catch up in the smartphone market with rivals who overtook it in the past few years.
"I've been looking forward to this day for some time," said Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, showing off the nine phone models at a launch event in New York.
Ballmer, who has admitted his company "missed a generation" with its recent unpopular phone offerings, said the new phones would eventually be available from 60 mobile operators in 30 countries.
The first phone from AT&T, priced at $200, will be available on November 8, said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. Some phones will be available October 21 in Europe.
AT&T will give the phones ample room in its stores for promotion. "We're expecting these to be really big sellers," said Jeff Bradley, AT&T's senior vice president for Devices.
"This is a marathon, not a sprint. They are not going to change their position today or in the next month," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at research firm Gartner. "But they've established themselves as a credible player."
Microsoft did not give any sales forecasts for the new phones.
NEW FEATURES
The new phones, which are built on the Snapdragon processor made by Qualcomm Inc, represent Microsoft's best attempt yet to introduce live connections with its other products and the Web.
Users will be able to play Xbox Live games on the phones, link to Windows Office, use the Bing search engine and download and play music through its Zune music software. TV episodes are also available for download via AT&T's U-verse service. Updates from Facebook will be incorporated into a user's contacts.
Game maker Electronic Arts Inc said it will introduce a wave of games for the new phone software this holiday season. That should boost the phone's popularity among gamers, especially the 25 million subscribers to Microsoft's Xbox Live gaming network.
Microsoft has a market share of only 5 percent in the global smartphone market, according to research firm Gartner, compared with 9 percent a year ago. Google's Android system has a 17 percent market share, jumping from only 2 percent a year ago.
Gartner expects almost 270 million smartphones to be sold worldwide this year, up 56 percent from last year.
In comparison, Gartner expects only a 19 percent increase in worldwide PC sales to 368 million units this year.
Microsoft shares closed up 2 cents at $24.59 on Nasdaq. AT&T shares rose 10 cents to $28.32 on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Bill Rigby and Sinead Carew; Additional reporting by Paul Sandle in London; Editing by Andre Grenon, Maureen Bavdek and Richard Chang)
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Apple in talks on fee-based music service: report
Fri, Oct 08 08:36 AM EDT
(Reuters) - Apple is in talks with major record labels to provide a subscription-based music service, allowing unlimited access to songs for a monthly fee, the New York Post said, citing unnamed sources.
A few weeks ago, Apple iTunes boss Eddy Cue discussed with music labels how they could implement this plan, the Post said.
The service could have tiered pricing ranging from $10 to $15, depending on much music would be included and how long consumers would be able to access the content, one source told the Post.
Apple could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.
(Reporting by Mansi Dutta in Bangalore; Editing by Erica Billingham)
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Apple in talks on fee-based music service: report
Fri, Oct 08 08:36 AM EDT
(Reuters) - Apple is in talks with major record labels to provide a subscription-based music service, allowing unlimited access to songs for a monthly fee, the New York Post said, citing unnamed sources.
A few weeks ago, Apple iTunes boss Eddy Cue discussed with music labels how they could implement this plan, the Post said.
The service could have tiered pricing ranging from $10 to $15, depending on much music would be included and how long consumers would be able to access the content, one source told the Post.
Apple could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.
(Reporting by Mansi Dutta in Bangalore; Editing by Erica Billingham)
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Google getting larger in Apple's rearview mirror
Fri, Oct 08 17:11 PM EDT
By Gabriel Madway
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - It seemed Android smartphones was all anyone at a telecoms industry pow-wow in California talked about this week.
After years alone in the limelight, Apple Inc's iPhone now shares it with a slew of devices built on Google's operating system.
At the CTIA wireless industry show in San Francisco, Android smartphones, such as Motorola's Droid, Samsung's Galaxy S and HTC's Evo, dominated displays and conversations.
Sales of the iPhone are still growing at a healthy clip and its annual smartphone launches generate hype that rivals only dream of matching. In addition, Apple could get another boost if Verizon Wireless gets the iPhone on its network next year, as many expect.
But Android is giving Apple a run for its money in the consumer market, according to research data. Android was the most popular platform among U.S. customers who bought smartphones in the past six months, despite the launch of the iPhone 4 in June, Nielsen reported.
"Anybody who watches it with a keen eye would be crazy to assume that Android wouldn't gain more share than Apple over time," Pacific Crest Securities analyst Andy Hargreaves said.
"They've got more devices, they're going to be on more networks across a wider spectrum of price points."
Android has effectively expanded the smartphone market, which had been dominated by Apple in the consumer space and Research in Motion in the business world.
ComScore said Android gained 6.6 percentage points of U.S. market share from May through August, while Apple remained essentially flat and Research in Motion -- which makes the BlackBerry -- shed 4.1 percentage points.
ComScore put Apple's U.S. smartphone market share at 24.2 percent and Android's at 19.6 percent.
FREE TO AIR
Hargreaves said that because Android software is free for handset makers to license, it means Apple could have a tougher time generating higher margins on the iPhone than its rivals can on their smartphones.
Analysts estimate Apple sold about 12 million iPhones in the September quarter, which would translate into roughly 60 percent growth from last year.
That's despite reports of a faulty antenna on the device.
But rivals are nipping at its heels. Motorola on Tuesday announced what it called the single largest launch of Android devices at any one time. It also unveiled the Droid Pro, as it aims to make inroads in the enterprise market.
"The Motorola phones are pretty good. The HTC phones are pretty good," said Sterne, Agee & Leach analyst Vijay Rakesh.
But Rakesh said much of Android's growth has come because of heavy promotion at Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile provider, which is owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc.
Rakesh expects Android growth to slow next year if Verizon begins to offer the iPhone, as many analysts expect.
"The only thing Verizon could push was Android. Next year, if Apple gets on Verizon, that should slow," he said.
The developer community has also increased its support for Android. Apple launched the craze for mobile applications when it opened the App Store in 2008.
Apple's store now boasts more than a quarter of a million apps for purchase. The Android Market is smaller, with more than 80,000 apps, but can still offer its growing user base access to many of the most popular mobile programs. (Editing by Edwin Chan, Gary Hill)
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Hulu prepares IPO amid battle with Netflix
Fri, Oct 08 14:24 PM EDT
By Clare Baldwin and Nadia Damouni
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Popular U.S. Web video service Hulu is prepared to raise as much as $300 million in an initial public offering likely to be led by Morgan Stanley, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Hulu is ready to raise $200 million to $300 million in a deal valuing the company at about $2 billion, and could file a prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission before the end of the year, one source said.
Tapping public markets is one of several options under consideration as Hulu, which offers shows such as "Glee" and "Modern Family" over the Web, girds for battle against fast-moving rival Netflix, and better financed big technology companies Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc.
Other options include attracting other media companies to contribute new programing or raising more money from existing partners, another source said.
A decision could come by November, the source said, adding that the offering is contingent on the renewal of rights to carry shows, some of which expire in a year.
The online video service, backed by General Electric Co's NBC Universal, Walt Disney Co, News Corp and private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, was launched three years ago as an ambitious attempt to harness the explosive growth in online video viewing.
The worldwide online video market is expected to hit $16.1 billion through paid and ad-supported services by 2012, according to ABI Research, which tracks media trends.
Hulu is now the second-largest Web video service behind Google's YouTube in the United States.
But with fresh assaults from Google, which secured content deals with Time Warner for its new Google TV service, and Amazon.com, which is considering a subscription video service of its own, Hulu has found itself racing to fill up its coffers to pay for more content.
Apple Inc, which views the television business as a "hobby," considered launching a lower-cost subscription TV service, but faced resistance from program owners. It launched a $99 Apple TV device that lets customers rent videos instead.
Hulu has operated a free service, but began testing a subscription video service that offers more shows for mobile devices, game consoles and TV sets in June.
Hulu was not immediately available for comment.
News Corp, Walt Disney, NBCU, Morgan Stanley and Providence declined to comment.
IPO TIMING
Filing by the end of the year gives Hulu the flexibility to push an IPO out in January or February if the new issue market improves, but also lays the groundwork for an offering in April or May, after first quarter results have given it more time to gauge its financial health and the market, people familiar with the plan said.
Banks including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and JPMorgan in August pitched to lead the offering.
It is unclear if any banks have officially been mandated, but several people said that Morgan Stanley, at least unofficially, has been given the nod for the lead slot.
It has not yet been decided how many IPO shares will be new and how many will be sold by current stakeholders.
The offering is too small to provide much liquidity to shareholders, one source said. Proceeds from the offering are expected to be used to bring new shows to the subscription service, a separate source added.
(Reporting by Clare Baldwin, Nadia Damouni and Jennifer Saba. Additional reporting by Megan Davies, Paul Thomasch, Sue Zeidler and Yinka Adegoke. Editing by Kenneth Li)
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Social gaming sector braces for deal wave
Sun, Oct 10 12:57 PM EDT
By Alex Dobuzinskis
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Gentlemen, start your engines: the fledgling social gaming industry is revving up for a new wave of acquisitions and consolidation this coming year.
Among those eyeing the likes of Zynga or Crowdstar are Web powerhouses seeking to shore up their social networking credentials such as Google Inc and media giants such as News Corp or Viacom Inc seeking new marketing avenues, industry executives and analysts say.
As online gaming continues to grow at double-digits -- it became the No. 2 online activity in June -- a growing number of corporations hoping to boost their Web presence have begun to take a serious look at the biggest players in social gaming, including oft-cited targets such as Crowdstar and Kabam.
"The truth is everybody is talking to everybody, every potential buyer is probably talking to just about every social game company out there," said Tim Chang, principal with Norwest Venture Partners, whose firm invested in Playdom.
Microsoft Corp could buy a social gaming company to enhance its Web-connected Xbox console platform and an Asian company such as Tencent Holdings Ltd could see a chance to gain U.S. market share, industry executives say.
And gaming executives may want to reduce their reliance on a single platform -- especially since Facebook tightened privacy constraints this year that make it difficult for users to publicize their in-game exploits.
That may have made companies such as Playdom, sold to Walt Disney Co for over $563 million, more approachable.
BEACHED WHALE
Google's supposed foray into social gaming is the subject of much speculation. Like other Internet leaders such as Microsoft or Yahoo Inc, it is keen to build a social network, but is struggling to find the right touch.
A popular social game may help by pooling millions of users into a ready-made community -- the first step.
About 30 percent of Facebook's users now play casual games such as Farmville or Mafia Wars, which unlike traditional video games require interacting with fellow gamers on a network.
Together, they power a $1.6 billion annual market for "virtual goods" -- goods and services sold in-game, such as a $20 tractor in Zynga's Farmville or $224 for 1,000 experience points in Mafia Wars -- expected to hit $2.1 billion in 2011.
According to Nielsen, online gaming displaced email as the second-most popular activity among U.S. Web surfers in June.
Others see media companies, trying to reach new audiences and offset flagging growth in traditional income such as DVDs and advertising, on the acquisition trail.
Last November, Electronic Arts Inc bought Playfish in a deal valued at up to $400 million.
Media companies see a chance to put the characters and content they created for television or film in social gaming, said Attul Bagga, an analyst with Think Equity.
"These guys were hit a couple years ago by a huge dip in advertising across the board," said Maha Ibrahim, a partner with Canaan Partners. "Diversifying away from that to businesses not dependent on ads, that are dependent on virtual goods and in some cases subscription models, is very attractive."
Question is, with some of the biggest players snapped up, who would remain viable targets. Some experts see smaller deals in the year to come.
Zynga's price tag -- valued by analysts at between $3 billion to over $5 billion -- is discouraging. Investors await its much-touted IPO, although that could be a while away.
Others farther down the food chain that have been talked about as targets, include RockYou! and Hong Kong-based 6waves.
After Zynga, the social gaming company with the highest number of users is Crowdstar, but there is a big gap. Zynga has 223 million monthly average users, while Crowdstar sees 58 million monthly, according to tracking firm Inside Network.
And Zynga has a revenue run-rate of over $600 million, compared with more than $50 million for Crowdstar, said Lou Kerner, an analyst with Wedbush Securities.
Peter Relan, the chairman of Crowdstar who owns the company with founders Suren Markosian and Jeff Tseng, would not address speculation Microsoft and other companies had approached him, but said he felt no pressure to sell.
"With Playfish and Playdom gone, Zynga being unbuyable, we're on the downside of that slope," said Don Rainey, a partner at Grotech Ventures. "We're through the big moves and into the small moves."
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; additional reporting by Clare Baldwin in New York; editing by Edwin Chan and Andre Grenon)
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Facebook movie underscores cultural phenomenon
Fri, Oct 01 18:25 PM EDT
By Alexei Oreskovic
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook now counts one of every two Americans as a user, would rank behind only China and India in population if it were a country and has an estimated value of more than $30 billion, larger than that of Starbucks.
What could possibly be next for a website that was created in a Harvard dorm room six years ago? Try a Hollywood film, "The Social Network," that opens nationally on Friday and is already prompting discussion of Academy Awards.
Many of the film's details are contested. But the very notion that average moviegoers will go to a film built around the history of a tech company underscores the extent to which Facebook has become a cultural mainstay.
"Facebook is more than just a geek phenomenon. It's very mainstream," said Dave McClure, a former executive at Web payment company PayPal and now an investor in tech start-ups.
The world's largest social network, Facebook allows people to connect with their real-world friends and acquaintances online and do everything from sharing baby photos and personal news to playing electronic versions of Scrabble.
Grandmothers, politicians and rock stars are among the more than 500 million people using the service worldwide. That helped it surpass Google Inc as the website on which Americans spend the most time every month.
Facebook taps into a basic need that people have to connect with each other, said David Weinberger, a researcher at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.
"Humans are an innately social species," said Weinberger. "We flock to social networking sites as it if was natural, because it is natural."
Under the direction of Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's 26-year-old co-founder, the company has grown from a service available only to college students into a Web powerhouse, navigating a series of sticky privacy issues along the way.
It has become so big and popular, say industry analysts, that it poses a financial threat to established Internet businesses like Google and Yahoo Inc.
Still privately held, the company will not sell stock to the public any sooner than 2012, Facebook board member Peter Thiel said recently. A brisk market in private shares of Facebook already exists, with the company valued at more than $30 billion, according to recent trades on Sharespost, one such secondary market.
Thiel believes the new movie -- which he said "contains a lot of inaccuracies and petty lies and distortions" -- will nonetheless add to Facebook's influence.
"It is actually going to encourage young Americans to move to Silicon Valley and to try to start great new companies. So I think the movie will do a lot more good than evil," he said.
(Reporting by Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Peter Cooney)
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