Samsung Q3 report: Operating profits reach $7.4 billion

Samsung has released their quarterly earning figures and once again has come up with some impressive numbers. Their total revenue last quarter was 52.18 trillion won ($47.5 billion), a 26 percent increase over last year, and the operating profits were 8.12 trillion won ($7.4 billion), a 91 percent increase over last year.

Samsung's mobile communication department has seen some strong growth, contributing to 26.25 trillion won ($23.9 billion) to the overall revenue of the company. The display department also did well this time, with revenue of 8.46 trillion won ($7.7 billion) and operating profits of 1.09 trillion won ($1 billion), a 19 percent increase over last year.

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Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_q3_report_operating_profits_reach_74_billion-news-5000.php

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QR code usage up 96 per cent in Europe

Are QR codes finally taking off?

European smartphone users are scanning QR codes like nobody's business, with new figures revealing a 96 per cent increase compared with a year ago.

A report from comScore said 17.4 million users in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the UK scanned a code in the three months leading up to June 2012.

The Germans led the way with 18.6 per cent of users embracing the scannable barcodes, which often lead to restaurant menus, travel information, company websites, concert ticket sites and other special offers.

Spain was next in line, while UK users are lagging behind with only 11.4 per cent of smartphone users engaging with the codes.

Popular uses

The most popular use for the QR codes, according to the comScore report, is to find further information about a certain product. 71 per cent of scans, across Europe, were for this purpose.

31.8 per cent of people scanned to find event information, while 19.4 per cent of users were seeking special offers and 13.4 per cent of users were using the codes to download apps.

Are you a frequenter of the strange-looking square barcodes? Let us know your favourite uses in the comments section below.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/qr-code-usage-up-96-per-cent-in-europe-1101761

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Apple Maps usage down to just 4 per cent?

iOS 6 Maps has, so far, been a disaster for Apple

Only four per cent of iOS 6 users are making use of Apple's disastrous Maps app, according to new figures.

Mobile data management company Snappli, which helps people stay within their limits by compressing data and video, pulled the numbers from its iOS 6-toting users in the United States and the UK.

The company claims that 25 per cent of its users were using Google Maps on a daily basis before the switch to iOS 6.

Shortly after installing the new update 35 per cent of the 5,000 users with iOS 6 were giving Apple Maps a try each day.

In the ensuing days that number dropped to just four per cent, meaning only 1-in-25 iOS 6 users (that also use Snappli) are currently persevering with the service.

Use still dropping off

That number, gleaned a couple of days ago, is still falling according to the company.

On Friday Apple CEO Tim Cook issued a stunning apology for the malfunctioning Maps app, and openly suggested that iOS 6 users pin Nokia Maps or Google Maps to their homescreen while his troops

If iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users heed his advice, the number of people still using Apple Maps may become negligible within the next few weeks.

Of course, Snappli's data comes from only one source, so it's difficult to equate it with the entire iOS 6 community, but it does offer an interesting look at the drop-off in users Maps has experienced.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/apple-maps-usage-down-to-just-4-per-cent-1100766

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Jelly Bean user base now stands at 1.2 percent

Continuing their monthly tradition, Google has released the Android distribution figures, which lets us take a look at how the various versions of Android are doing.

Looking at the chart above we can see that Jelly Bean percentage has risen from 0.8% last month to 1.2%, disappointing but not surprising considering how few devices are running this right now. Ice Cream Sandwich has grown from 15.9% to 20.9%, which is pretty good.

Unfortunately, still a staggering 57.5% of Android users are on Gingerbread, down from 60.6% last month, and 18.3% users are on an even older version of Android.

Other stats show that a massive number of Android users still prefer devices that fall in the Normal display size, that is around the 4-inch mark, with hdpi resolution, that is between 200-300 ppi.

You can find the complete details in the link below.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/jelly_bean_user_base_now_stands_at_12_percent-news-4767.php

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