Samsung's Smart Pad likely to hit the market before Apple's IPad 5

As per some reports Samsung is planning to launch a 6.3 inch Android smartphone in next 2 to 3 months. So the space between a 5 inch smart phone and a seven inch tablet is going to be filled by a converged device "Smart pad". If rumors are to be believed this is part of Samsung's Project Möbius, the code-name for Samsung's mammoth smartphone device, which is tipped to launch as the Samsung Galaxy Mega. It is quiet possible that Samsung may launch it with Google's next in line Android operating system i.e. Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie further smoothened by Samsung's customized Touchwiz user interface. A dual-core Exynos processor, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera are likely features. You may have to wait to check for affordability!!! 

The Smart Pad is likely to be launched ahead of Apple's next generation iPad whose production is expected to start at the Chinese assembly plants in July-August 2013. The 5th-generation 9.7-inch version iPad is expected to be thinner and lighter than the fourth-generation one and will adopt a slim bezel design, similar to that of the iPad mini.

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Mobile phone market booming in India

According to a study by  market research group IDC, Mobile phone market in India grew  to 218 million units, a 16 per cent year-on-year growth from CY 2011. Smartphone in the country grew by 48 per cent to 16.3 million in 2012 against 11 million in 2011.

Local vendors have remained dominant in sub-$100 price band while they pose serious competition to the global vendors in the $100—200 price band. 

Android continues to be the dominant player in the Indian smartphone market. 

As per IDC. the mobile phone market is expected to continue its growth into 2013, driven by the stupendous growth of close to 70 per cent in the smartphone market.”

Smartphones - Market share

As per the latest reports published by the comScore Google Android continued to lead among smartphone platforms, accounting for 53.6 percent of smartphone subscribers, while Apple secured 34.3 percent. For the three-month average period ending in October, device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 26.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers (up 0.7 percentage points).

Top Mobile OEMs

	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Jul-12	Oct-12	Point Change
Samsung	25.6%	26.3%	0.7
Apple	16.3%	17.8%	1.5
LG	18.4%	17.6%	-0.8
Motorola	11.2%	11.0%	-0.2
HTC	6.4%	6.0%	-0.4

Smartphone Platform Market Share

121.3 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones (51.9 percent mobile market penetration) 

Top Smartphone Platforms

	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Jul-12	Oct-12	Point Change
Google	52.2%	53.6%	1.4
Apple	33.4%	34.3%	0.9
RIM	9.5%	7.8%	-1.7
Microsoft	3.6%	3.2%	-0.4
Symbian	0.8%	0.6%	-0.2

Mobile Content Usage

In October, the percent of mobile subscribers in USA that used various types of contents are as follows - 

text messaging - 75.9 %(up 0.3 percentage points)

Downloaded applications -  54.5 % (up 1.9 percentage points), 

Browsers - 52.7% (up 1.5 percentage points).

Social networking sites or blogs - 39.4 % (up 1.5 percentage points) 

Game-playing - 34.1 % (up 0.3 percentage points), 

Listened to music on their phones -28.7 % (up 0.4 percentage points)