Devices

Apple used its fiscal fourth-quarter results announcement yesterday to claim a number of record-breaking achievements for the iPhone.

Reuters reports that Walt Disney is launching free iPhone and iPod touch applications, giving fans access to Disney content and interactive features anywhere.

US operator AT&T says it activated 2.4 million iPhone 3G customers in the third-quarter - around 40 percent being new customers - but added that the costs of subsidising the device had reduced its pre-tax earnings in the quarter by US$900 million.

Shares in leading GPS makers such as Garmin and TomTom plunged yesterday following news that Google is to include a navigation application as part of its new mobile operating system, Android 2.0.

Associated Press reports that SoftBank, which runs the only Japanese mobile operator to offer the iPhone, said profit doubled in the latest quarter as its mobile business continued to expand.

Telecompaper reports that Telefonica, Motorola and Intel have rolled out WiMAX technology trials in Sao Paulo. Conducted in the Pinheiros and dos Jardins areas, the pilot project will include around 150 customers.

Samsung Electronics today declared a 46 percent (quarter-on-quarter) drop in third-quarter operating profit, down to KRW1.02 trillion (US$727 million) off total sales of KRW19.26 trillion.