This week in mobility – 22nd May 2015
Another week, another dip into the mobility pond! Google is on the hunt for a manufacturer to develop its next generation of Nexus smartphones and it’s looking like it may go for a China based company. Lenovo, Xiaomi Technology, Huawei and LG are just some of the vendors that have thrown their names into the hat to work with Google. Following a turbulent history over censorship, could a new Chinese partnership be the bridge to a better relationship? Time will tell.
Firmly on the edge of your seat? Excellent. There’s more where that came from:
- Navigating with a trolley in a supermarket can be difficult, but for those who lack supreme shopping GPS help is at hand. Philips have announced a new system, using LED lights to pinpoint shopper locations in stores in France. Customers can then be guided to through their shopping list, so you’ll never have to worry about finding the milk or eggs again, which is egg-cellent news (sorry, not sorry).
- With a new plan to make its new Windows phone a hit, Microsoft has made it easier for software developers to design apps for Windows, based on the apps that currently run on Android and Apple. But developers are said to be ‘uninterested’ as many don’t see a need to develop apps for Windows, since so few people use the phone. If developers don’t embrace Microsoft’s new platform, it could damage the software company’s dream of powering one billion devices in the next couple of years.
- WhatsApp could soon see businesses sending consumers messages, according to Facebook’s chief financial officer David Wehner. Whilst WhatsApp has a large user base it has struggled to turn its 800 million monthly users into profit. Ultimately, all Social Media channels existing to be monetised. But timing is everything. How will its users react to this – Too soon? It’s a risky one…
That’s it from me this week – but don’t forget to let me know what you think of this week’s mobility roundup. Are you a Windows phone user? Will you tolerate WhatsApp adverts yet? Let me know by leaving a comment here or by tweeting @GrahamFranklin or @CiscoUKI. See you next week!
