handset-makers

Backed into a corner in their own country, the leading handset makers have had no choice but to consolidate and re-enter foreign markets.

Strauss estimates it could take up to two years to get handset makers get their OS operating systems compatible with Atom.

Handset makers are also trying to exploit the popularity of social networks to boost their phones' appeal.

The way out for domestic handset makers is in seeking strategic integration and technological breakthroughs, said experts.

Meanwhile, handset makers are nothing like the companies that produce personal computers.

If sales fall, it would mark the end of almost 15 years of uninterrupted growth for handset makers.

This reflects the general trend of declining interest in Symbian among handset makers.

Most of the Indian handset makers have never made a smartphone before, so there could be glitches in their early tries.

That partly reflects margin pressure at the big handset makers, and partly the growing competence of the manufacturers.

Operators do not manufacture their own phones, and handset-makers are not operators.

Many of those handset makers, including Motorola, have been sued for patent infringement after debuting their Android devices.

The handset makers are forever customizing operating systems and software applications to suit the differing needs of mobile operators.

Findings like these can help handset-makers design new products and accessories that are appropriate to particular markets.

The rise of less-expensive smartphones could benefit Chinese mobile carriers as well as local handset makers.

Global handset makers have followed Apple's lead in creating revenues from services as handsets become increasingly commoditised.

A decade ago, handset makers needed to develop much of the electronic guts of their phones.

'The strength of Android has been its diversity, and we have 39 handset makers' that use the software, he said.

Wireless carriers and handset makers see the new devices as an opportunity to generate additional revenue.

Handset makers have always added skins and custom widgets to Android phones, some of which can affect performance and battery life.

But those apps are becoming increasingly important to the business models of social-media sites, carriers and handset makers.

Handset makers have told China's government that they won't produce phones equipped with the new technology unless they are given subsidies.

While Apple jealously guards its hardware and software, Google lets handset makers freely use and modify Android.

As a software platform, Symbian has been optimised for flexibility in customizations by handset makers and mobile operators.

Google's ownership of Mobility could undermine what has been Android's big advantage: namely, its support by multiple handset makers.

Once the software was available, Foras started pushing carriers and handset makers to install it on their phones.

'We are open to cooperating with any handset makers and companies. But they must obey china's regulations, ' Unicom President Lu Yimin said.

Until that point, the margins and brands of handset makers were controlled by the carriers.

Google insists it will continue to work with independent handset makers on Android devices.

To Nokia's credit, it anticipated the shift to software and services much earlier than other handset-makers.

Several handset-makers have released smart-phones based on it, or will do so in the next few months.

Several other handset-makers are already offering cheap smart-phone-like devices.

According to analysts, these manufacturers use numbers copied from legitimate devices or bought from other handset makers.

Building an ecosystem of handset makers for its software is exactly what Microsoft has been attempting.

The alternative is for Apple to sell iPhones through operators, as other handset-makers do.

Android is gaining broad support from handset makers, which has led many analysts to predict big gains for the software in the future.

Most mobile operators and handset-makers are searching for a platform for their mass-market phones of the future.

Google may want to use Mobility's patents to negotiate a broad settlement that covers all Android handset makers.

The group includes operators such as Telefonica, handset makers such as HTC and Motorola as well as chip makers such as Intel and Qualcomm.

It isn't the first Chinese company to pose a challenge to multinational handset makers.

Handset makers like Nokia Corp. were slow to offer phones supporting China Mobile's 3G standard.

What is more, fast-growing Chinese handset-makers, notably Huawei and ZTE, will make it into these charts soon.

This brings Apple in line with the business model used by other handset-makers, such as Nokia and Samsung.

In order to develop their own data services, Operators need to rely on handset makers, to do a range of software customization.

After reporting a $4. 2bn net loss for 2008, Motorola looks the most vulnerable of the world's top five handset makers.

Google doesn't get revenue from the sale of Android devices because it provides the software to handset makers free of charge.