The latest mobile news
Wow October’s over already? That went quick. As we roll on towards the end of the year, weeks and months are starting to speed on by, and things are also starting to speed up in the world of mobile technology, mobile marketing and smartphone innovation.
It’s certainly a hard task to keep up with all things from the mobile and smartphone spectrum. That’s why we have put together a round-up of a few new developments that hit the news this October from around the global. Stories you may or may not have missed in your daily browsing for all things mobile news related.
Watch Mobile Ads, Get Free Data
October saw Melbourne start-up Unlockd premium a new ‘freemium’ model for Australian mobile users, offering them the option of receiving free data in exchange for watching ads on their device. They’ve already inked a deal with the Lebara network to trial the scheme. Read on.
Kogan Mobile Back From The Dead
We also saw a few changes in the local mobile market with Kogan Mobile re-launching its prepaid mobile service in partnership with Vodafone, after its first foray into the market ended disastrously following the collapse of Telstra reseller ISPone. Read on.
IAB Nielson Mobile Report
October also saw the launch of the IAB Nielson Mobile Report, for the first time ever, detailed statistics showing how Australians use their mobile devices, and what online content they consume will be available for marketers each month. Read on.
Roaming Charges Abolished
Elsewhere, roaming charges will soon be a thing of the past in Europe after EU lawmakers voted through new rules scrapping increased charges for call and data roaming. Charging excessive roaming and interconnect fees has always been an easy source of revenue for telcos worldwide, and it remains to be seen whether other countries follow suit in reining this in. Read on.
Mobile-Only ATMs
Out of the US, we’re also seeing public testing of the first ‘mobile-only’ ATMs, where customers wave their mobile phones in front of a screenless & cardless ATM prototype to withdraw funds. Read on.
Facebook Messenger Re-Booted
On the online front, Facebook announced the roll-out of a new mobile notification tab this month, aimed at increasing the stickiness of their Messages app. The new version, which heavily features location-based notifications, has also raised a few privacy concerns. Read on.
Nintendo Jumps Into Mobile Gaming
Nintendo has announced it will be releasing its first mobile title early next year, with up to five additional games also in the pipeline. The first game in the in the series is titled ‘Miitomo,’ and allows users to create avatars called ‘Mii’ and use them to socialise with other users. No word yet on whether Mario will make an appearance in a future game. Read on.