Amazon’s entry is only rumored but I think the description of it is detailed enough to be credible. The day after the scoop with Amazon, Baidu announced the Yi platform. Baidu is the sixth most visited site in the world, so it’s not a bit player and it makes as much sense for Baidu to have a mobile platform as it does for Google.
Today, Google’s own Erica joy has confirmed, that the iOS app has in fact been submitted to Apple for review some time ago. It is now stuck in review and waiting for approval. Erica actually posted it to the public on the Google+ network itself:
- And the first new feature: an overhaul of notifications. At last! A new Notification Center aggregates all your, well, notifications into one and is accessible by swiping down a menu from the top of the screen. Yes, just like Android. Small X buttons alongside each note allow you to dismiss it, though there's no "clear all" option for the more decisive among us. Notifications are also making their way onto the lockscreen, where swiping across a text message takes you right into it. A little something like Samsung's TouchWiz implementation.
- Twitter integration is also coming to iOS 5, with a single sign-in allowing a multitude of apps to make use of your Twitter credentials. That includes the Camera and Photos programs, finally letting you tweet images out directly from your galleries.
- Yay, there's now a camera button right on your lockscreen! The volume-up button is also doubling up as a physical shutter release key when you're in the camera app. Pinch-to-zoom is said to be available right in the app, while holding your finger down on a particular area will lock down exposure to optimize the shot for its particular lighting. Some new in-device editing options have also been added, including cropping, rotation, red-eye reduction, and a one-click enhance option.
- Headline feature: PC Free! No more cables required for syncing. Now we're talking. Setting up and activating a new iOS device can be done right on the device itself, and syncing will be wireless too -- there'll be no need to tether to a computer anymore. Over-the-air updates are also part of the new deal, and in better news still, they'll contain only the data that's changed, meaning you won't have to re-download the entire OS every time Apple opts to make a minor tweak.
- Another pretty significant novelty: iMessage. It's a messaging service exclusively for iOS users (irrespective of which device they're rocking), which comes with delivery and read receipts, an indicator for when the other party is typing, and the ability to push messages to all your devices. Kinda, sorta like BBM. You'll be able to send messages, photos, videos, and contacts. Group messaging will also be available. It works over either WiFi or 3G and looks to be making good use of Apple's new push notifications.
- Perhaps the biggest innovation of all in iOS 5, however, will be the way iCloud affects the use of your mobile device. Hit up our overview post of the company's new cloud-syncing solution to learn all about it.
97% of Android Downloads were Free
Paid Downloads on iOS Increased 3.8%
During this past month, 97% of all Android downloads throughout its search properties were free apps, and that number has increased by 2% over March, the company says.
Android now holds a 29 percent share of the market, while both iOS and RIM’s Blackberry stand at 27 percent each. Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7 devices account for 10 percent of the U.S. smartphone market; Palm is at 4 percent; Symbian holds onto a 2% share; and finally, there’s a 1 percent “other” category, which would include OSes like the Linux-based MeeGo.
Looking further at an analysis by manufacturer shows RIM and Apple to be the winners compared to other device makers since they are the only ones creating and selling smartphones with their respective operating systems. HTC follows with 12 percent of consumer smartphone owners having an HTC Android device and 7 percent owning an HTC device running a Microsoft OS. Ten percent of consumer smartphone owners had a Motorola Android device and one percent owned a Motorola device running a Microsoft OS.
I know what you’re thinking, these are stats from only one research provider, but Android has been steadily growing and it was only a matter of time before it took the number one spot. Conflicting reports will likely surface in the near future, but the report from Nielsen is a clear indication of Android’s continued dominance.
