As other parts of the world begin to ring in the new year, I would like to take this time to wish everyone a very happy New Year. I hope that 2012 treated you right and that 2013 will do an even better job.
As usual, rather than another 2012 list, here is another installment of our own Gadgetorama tradition: Looking at the stories we found most interesting over the last year:
- Despite the setback of having to push the launch of its BlackBerry 10 devices to 2013, Research In Motion remained in the news as the topic of numerous rumours and its own build-up to the launch of its new operating system and devices in January 2013. RIM seems to have weathered the transition better than most expected. It still has 79 million subscribers and anticipation is very high for its new devices. Will we see a RIM turnaround in 2013?
- The ongoing domination of Google and Apple in the mobile space continued in 2012 with the two accounting for over 90% of all smartphones shipped in Q3 2012 (Expect similar numbers for Q4). Can RIM, Microsoft or another player really establish a viable third player? 2013 may hold the answer for us. It’s no different in the tablet space. iOS dominates but Android is catching up fast. Meanwhile, Microsoft looks to have a steep road ahead of it with Windows RT and Windows 8.
- Google picked LG as its partner for the launch of its next smartphone, the Google Nexus 4. With a strategy to sell it unlocked at an aggressive price, the Nexus 4 could have been a real market disruptor. Instead, who would have guessed that two industry giants would so badly bungle the launch of this device? It sold out in minutes with Google Play clearly unable to cope with the “huge demand” and supply has since been “scarce and erratic.” Google may be a giant in the mobile OS space but it has a ways to go in the e-commerce space.
The stage is set for 2013 to be yet another exciting year in the world of smartphones, tablets, and other mobility gadgets. We look forward to bringing you the top stories once again. Thank you all again for your ongoing support and for making Gadgetorama a regular stop for your mobile gadget news.
Happy New Year!