Alibaba takes on Google and Apple

29 July 2011 Last updated at 06:57 GMT Alibaba operates some of China's biggest e-commerce websites China's Alibaba has taken on established players such as Google and Apple in the mobile operating system market.

It has launched its own operating system, Alyun OS, in a bid to capture the fast-growing Chinese market.

The launch comes as sales of smartphones in China, the world's largest mobile handset market, are expected to grow rapidly.

Alibaba is one the world's biggest internet conglomerates.

The company said the operating system will feature services such as email, internet search and support web-based applications.

"Mobile users want a more open and convenient mobile operating system (OS), one that allows them to truly enjoy all that the internet has to offer, right in the palm of their hand," said Wang Jian, president of Alibaba Cloud Computing.

"The cloud OS, with its use of cloud-based applications, will provide that," he added.

Hardware Continue reading the main story

We are not responsible for selling the phone, we just provide the system, so there is no hard number”

End Quote Wang Jian Alibaba Cloud Computing Alibaba also launched K-Touch, the first smartphone to run the OS. The phone will be manufactured by handset maker Tianyu.

The company said it was also in talks to with phone manufacturers to develop low-end mobile phones that will run the operating system.

However, Alibaba said it has no plans to enter the phone manufacturing sector on its own.

"We shouldn't make a phone. We're not in that ecosystem," said Mr Wang.

He also added that the company is concentrating only on developing the operating system and was not focussing too much on the sales of mobile phones that will use the software.

"We are not responsible for selling the phone, we just provide the system, so there is no hard number," he said.

Alibaba said it plans to launch a tablet PC running on the software by the end of this year.

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Apple takes on HTC in patent war

12 July 2011 Last updated at 14:52 GMT Sales of HTC's smartphones have surged making it a big player in the industry Apple has accused the smartphone maker HTC of infringing its patents, in the latest phase of the legal battle between phone and tablet PC makers.

Apple has filed a complaint against the US International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking an inquiry by the panel into the matter.

The news comes just weeks after Apple and Samsung accused each other of copying designs and technology.

HTC is the world's third-biggest mobile phone maker, by stock market value.

However, HTC has denied Apple's allegations.

"HTC is dismayed that Apple has resorted to competition in the courts rather than the market place," said Grace Lei, HTC's general counsel.

Growing rivalry

The launch of products such as iPhone and iPad saw Apple become one of the market leaders in the global smartphone market, and the biggest seller of tablet PCs.

Apple's success in quickly securing a large slice of the market, with fashionable products enjoying good demand from consumers, prompted several rivals to launch their own gadgets hoping to win a share of the fast-growing market.

However, that resulted in relations between Apple and its rivals souring as the competition grew.

Last year the American technology company filed a similar complaint against HTC accusing it of infringing as many as 20 of its patents.

That prompted HTC to launch a counter attack, claiming that Apple was guilty of infringing patents held by the Taiwanese company.

HTC went to the extent of seeking a ban on sales of iPhones, iPads and iPods in the United States.

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Sony boss Stringer takes pay cut

29 June 2011 Last updated at 11:21 GMT Howard Stringer praised PlayStation network gamers for coming back after hacking attacks Sony boss Howard Stringer took a 16% pay cut last year, the electronics and media giant announced at a shareholder meeting on Tuesday.

His salary and bonuses fell to 345m yen (?2.7m) - a drop from 408m yen a year earlier.

The fiscal year, which ended on 31 March, is Sony's third year of losses.

The company is still recovering from the damage to its factories, hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami, and from a series of security breaches.

Speaking at Sony's annual meeting in a Tokyo hotel, Mr Stringer praised PlayStation network gamers for coming back after the hacking attacks.

He said that up to 90% of subscribers have remained loyal to the network.

Despite the chief executive's apology for the hacks, some shareholders appeared frustrated, with one person asking for Mr Stringer to step down.

The data breaches have made the company's stock price slide by 30% this year.

Hacker group Lulz Security claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Global leader? The company is still recovering from a series of security breaches

But Mr Stringer seemed positive about the firm's future.

"Our brand perception, you'll be happy to know, is clearly improving again," he said.

"My foremost responsibility to the board and all of you is to further advance the transformation process, firmly establish Sony's position as a global product, content and service leader in the networked digital era and ensure our continued development and growth," he added.

According to the company's estimates, the attacks will cost it 14bn yen (?108m) in increased customer support costs, welcome-back packages, legal fees, lower sales and measures to strengthen security.

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LulzSec 'takes down' CIA website

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