Google's Android Ice Cream Sandwich out on Nov. 17

To all the big fans of Google's Android, Samsung Electronics will begin shipping its new Galaxy Nexus Android smartphone Nov. 17. The device is the first to run Google's long-awaited Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich") operating system overhaul.

A Samsung Mobile tweet confirms the manufacturer will begin rolling out the Galaxy Nexus to European consumers on Nov. 17. Mashable reports the smartphone is slated for a November release in the U.S., Canada and Asia as well.

Android 4.0 delivers the tablet-optimized innovations introduced in Google's Android 3.0 Honeycomb update to all devices in an effort to reduce platform fragmentation. Google first confirmed Ice Cream Sandwich's forthcoming launch during its annual I/O developer conference in May. The company promised, at that time, that moving forward, the same version of Android will run across all devices, regardless of screen size.

Highlights of Android 4.0 include an evolved user interface making common actions more visible, enabling users to navigate using simplified, more intuitive gestures. A new typeface optimized for high-resolution screens touts enhanced readability and new animations and feedback support for more compelling interactions. Android 4.0 also touts new System Bar virtual buttons bringing instant navigation to Back, Home and Recent Apps, as well as more visual multitasking and more interactive notifications.

Android dominates 43.7 percent of the U.S. smartphone market according to data issued earlier this month by research firm comScore. Android-powered tablets lag far behind Apple's pacesetting iPad, however: Researcher IDC reports that Apple's iOS commands 68.3 percent of the worldwide tablet market as of the second quarter of 2011, with Android trailing at 26.8 percent

Google Mobile Ad Revenue is on track to hit $2.5 Billion per annum

Google confirmed in its recent Q3 earning that its ad revenues via mobile devices had grown by two-and-half times over the last year and was on track to hit US$2.5 billion per annum. This is up from the US$1 billion figure Google cited a year ago, which was the first time it had attributed a dollar value to its mobile business.

190 million devices had now been activated globally and Google is upbeat on the platform’s future roadmap. Revenue growth continues to accelerate driven primarily by mobile search. This growth is driven both by the underlying expansion of Android devices and tablets.

In Q3, Google reported that total revenues grew by a third year-on-year to US$9.7 billion, while net profit was up by a quarter to US$2.7 billion. The results were above most analysts’ expectations. Google also used its earnings to announce that its Google+ social network had passed 40 million users.

Apple's iOS platform driving 55% of worldwide mobile internet traffic

Apple's iOS operating system now accounts for 54.65 percent of worldwide mobile web traffic, more than three times Google's Android, according to new data published by Net Applications. In fact, at 16.26 percent global market share across mobile phones and tablets, Android net traffic even trails Java ME (18.52 percent). Symbian follows at 6.12 percent, trailed by Research In Motion's (NASDAQ:RIMM) BlackBerry at 3.29 percent.

The iOS platform's dominance over the mobile net landscape is somewhat surprising given that Android controls 48 percent of the worldwide smartphone market according to recent Canalys data, far ahead of iOS at 19 percent.

Apple's iPad continues to own the worldwide tablet market, increasing to 68.3 percent global market share during the second quarter, up from 65.7 percent a quarter ago. At the same time, Android's tablet market share slipped from 34.0 percent in the first quarter to 26.8 percent, due both to Apple's dominance and the introduction of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, which captured 4.9 percent market share.

By 2015, more U.S. Internet users will access the web via mobile devices than PCs or other wireline channels according to a forecast issued last month by research firm IDC. The number of mobile net users is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.6 percent between 2010 and 2015, thanks to the increasing smartphone penetration and sales of tablets like the iPad. IDC had predicted that PC-based web access across the U.S. will first stagnate then slowly decline, with Western Europe and Japan following the same trend.

Good Bye Steve Jobs

Today is the passing of Steve Jobs, a great visionary who brought us the world largest company, Apple, the most powerful mobile devices, iPhone and iPad. He will always be remembered the Father of Mobility. RIP.

This is a powerful video to honor him. Its a speech by Steve at Stanford Uni in 2005 and the most powerful speech that i had watched over and over again. It sure did inspire me and changed the way i looked at life, i am sure you will find it inspiring. You got to figure out what you love and do what you love.

Forecast: U.S. mobile ad spending expected to reach $1.23B in 2011

Advertisers are on pace to spend close to $1.23 billion on mobile campaigns in 2011, up from $743 million a year ago (65% year on year growth), according to a new forecast published by eMarketer. Mobile ad spending which includes display ads (e.g., banners, rich media and video), search and messaging-based campaigns and encompasses promotions viewed on both mobile phones and tablets is expected to climb to almost $4.4 billion a year by 2015, thanks to the increased smartphone penetration and surging mobile web access.

Messaging-based formats remain the primary vehicle for mobile ad campaigns, representing 36.1 percent ($442.6 million) of spending this year. As of 2012, banners and rich media efforts will pull even with search, with each bringing in 33 percent of spending (or $594.8 million), while messaging slips to 28.2 percent. By 2015, search will lead with 40.2 percent of mobile ad spending, followed by banners/rich media (36.4 percent), messaging (14.4 percent) and video (9 percent).

Video is the fastest-growing mobile ad format but comes from the smallest base, eMarketer notes. Mobile video ads will account for 4.7 percent of spending in 2011, or $57.6 million. Video is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 69 percent between 2010 and 2015, with advertiser spending set to reach $395.6 million by the middle of the decade.

Only iPhone 4S, no iPhone 5 as many had expected

Its the news that many of you been waiting for but unfortunately the news came short with the launch of only an iPhone 4S. The new iPhone will go on sale on Oct 14 and with only minor improvements, I dont expect overnight campers to stay up all night to get their hands on a brand new iPhone 4S.

On a brighter note, the new iPhone 4S still pack a punch. It will  boast a dual core A5 processor that will allow for 7X faster graphics, an 8 MP camera that will work in conjunction with the new iOS 5 features to capture pictures faster, and enhanced battery life.

The device will also support GSM and CDMA networks, making it a true world phone for the first time ever allowing many of you who are on on CDMA network to keep your existing numbers and upgrade to a new iPhone.

In addition to these features the unit also has a voice assistant that will allow users to enter commands into the phone simply by talking. The “Siri” assistant was developed by a company acquired by Apply earlier this year, and will enable more intuitive control over all aspects of your device.

What was interesting was the announcement with the continuation of the iPhone 3GS, which is now available for free on contract with many carriers, and which now represents Apple’s low-cost strategy for emerging markets and smartphone laggards. Rather than making a new lower-functionality, lower cost device for such markets, Apple simply continues to sell a more than two-year old device which was market-leading at the time it launched.

For a company which prides itself on the quality of its products, this strategy has always made more sense than producing a new, sub-standard device for such markets. The strategy should also keep iPhone shipment numbers growing as ever more first-time iPhone users join the back of the ranks while more savvy and trendy users will always be chasing for the latest models.

What CEO Tim Cook and others showed the press during the 95-minute presentation this morning is very symbolic of what Apple is trying to do to keep standing out ie, pay very close attention to the little things, which help make a product great. Dont be deceived by the same physical look as many had expected a whole new new look and feel to the new iPhone. The iPhone 4 is a great phone and people are still buying by the truck loads even though the iphone is more than a year old so it’s not like Apple had to go back to the drawing board or do a major overhaul. Dont forget, its not how it looks but how it performs!