Almost 19 billion messages were sent per day on chat apps in 2012, compared with 17.6 billion SMS texts, telecom and media consultancy firm Informa said.

The shift is likely to have a big impact on mobile operators, for whom texts have been a key revenue source, BBC News reported.

Pamela Clark-Dickson of Informa said some operators were already “seeing a decline in their messaging revenues”.

According to separate estimates by research firm Ovum, more than 15 billion pounds of SMS revenue was lost in 2012 due to popularity of chat apps.

Informa said that it expected the messaging on chat apps to grow even further in the coming years.

It has projected that nearly 50 billion messages will be sent per day using these apps by 2014, compared with just over 21 billion traditional SMSs.

However, it said that despite the growing gap between the two, SMS will continue to remain a key player in the sector.

This revelation is based on a report by Android Headlines via a Japanese blog Rbmen. This report suggests that Motorola X smartphone has made an appearance on the AnTuTu Benchmark results. This smartphone carries the name Google X, which is very similar to Motorola X and hence making the blog believe that these two may actually be the same smartphone.

Another interesting fact that has been unearthed through AnTuTu Benchmark result is that this Google X smartphone will run on Android 5.0.1 (aka Android Key Lime Pie). This means that Google’s next version of Android could well be in Beta stages and on track to be launched at the Google I/O, which will be taking place in the month of May.

The alleged Google X smartphone is also reported to run on a processor that clocks up to 1.5GHz. However, it is difficult at this stage to predict whether it is Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, Snapdragon 800 or Tegra 4 that has been deployed in this smartphone. However earlier rumours had suggested that Motorola X smartphone will clock speed to the tunes of 2GHz and have a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

Given that Google X has already started popping in benchmark results is also indication that the smartphone might be launched in the near future.

As per past rumours, Motorola X smartphone will be highly customisable, will have a 4,000mAh battery and might be a water-proof device.

Earlier in the month, Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt had shared that the smartphones coming up at Motorola are “very, very impressive.” Schmidt had also remarked that, the new set of products will be phenomenal and these smartphones should not be termed as just phones, but “Phones-plus”.

While Jim Wicks, Design Chief at Motorola was heard saying that “if you like smaller form-factor devices or stock Android, you’re going to be excited.”

So for now the Motorola X – or Google X – continues to be a mystery but we are sure to get more details in due course.

Koum also noted that the messaging app now sees an average of 8 billion inbound, and 12 million outbound messages per day, and with less than 50 engineers, the highest ratio of active users per long-term employee today of any active tech company.

Twitter noted that it hit its own 200 million monthly active user count back in December, while WhatsApp noted in January that it had reached the 7 billion inbound messages per day milestone. To some extent, comparing the two is a bit like comparing apples and oranges, but recent evidence suggests that social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter are losing the attention of younger users, who are turning to platforms like WhatsApp instead.

Koum said that the company has yet to see any drop off in user numbers or engagement resulting from their recent decision to start charging $0.99 per year, which means that right now WhatsApp has a pretty ideal combination of user growth, user activity and inbound revenue. Koum is adamant that the company isn’t entertaining any acquisition offers, and with those pieces in place, there’s little reason for them to.

In a world being ruled by iOS and Android, Microsoft hopes to bring in a whiff of fresh air with Windows Phone 8 operating system. For the ones, who have'nt been paying attention to what Microsoft has been up to, Windows Phone 8 is expected to be the next major version of its mobile phone OS.

Talking about this new operating system, Stephen Baker, Vice President of Industry Analysis for NPD's Consumer Technology Market Research says, "I think Windows 8 phones definitely represent a new, strong and different competitor in the smartphone market. Not only does Microsoft take a different approach to the usage model with their tile based architecture but the ability to leverage the huge installed base of Windows PCs and Xbox game consoles should help them, over time, create a viable third path for smartphone users."

Most smartphone makers have already announced their front runners for the Windows Phone 8 operating system. The first major announcement was made by Samsung, when it unveiled its ATIV S. This smartphone has a 4.8-inch display coated with Corning "Gorilla" glass, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.

Nokia soon followed to take the wraps off its Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 windows Phone devices. Nokia Lumia 920 comes with 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, Wireless charging support and 2000 mAH battery. While the Nokia Lumia 820 is a mid-range smartphone that sports a 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Clearblack display and 8GB of internal storage.

Taiwanese manufacturer, HTC too expressed its love for Windows Phone by announcing the HTC 8X and 8S The HTC 8X comes with 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display, while the HTC 8S is a mid-segment smartphone, which has 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB internal memory.

Though these were the major announcements from the big league, even Huawei has come out in support of Windows Phone 8 and is expected to launch the Ascend W1 on September 25 according to reports. The Chinese telecom company also plans to launch more devices running on Microsoft's latest OS by the end of this year.

We have already done a head-to-head comparison of these flagship smartphones from HTC, Nokia and Samsung to understand where each stands. Now we quiz the analysts in this business to understand which amongst these three has the most disruptive Windows Phone 8 line-up.

Robert Enderle, Principal Analyst at Enderle Group opines that, "Samsung currently looks the most disruptive as they have a full set of phones, tablets and PCs so they cover all use cases for the platform which is operating on a 'better together" meme". He also adds that, "They are also the most motivated to go after Apple at the moment thanks to that $1 billion judgment".

In 2007, Samsung was one of the first to get on the Android wave and its strategy on that front seems to have paid off well. Now it's trying to replicate the same with Windows Phone 8. However, the major difference now is that Samsung seems to be juggling three hats at the moment with – Windows, Android and its own Bada operating system. So, the biggest challenge confronting Samsung right now is to come out with a prefect balancing act if it plans to score in the Windows Phone 8.

John Strand, CEO of Strand Consult feels that Nokia currently has an upper hand with its Windows Phone 8 line-up. "I will say that Nokia's Windows phones are cool. Some of the specs that they are advertising are ahead of the new iPhone. Also, Nokia is 100 percent dedicated to WP8, while Samsung and HTC's focus it primarily on the Android platform." He further goes on to elaborate that, the fact that Samsung and HTC are offering Windows Phone 8 will only help Nokia. This is because Nokia and Microsoft will now have a better bargaining power with operators because if the operator does not want to stock Windows Phone devices, it will have to say no to three separate vendors.

Having said that he still feels that being a new operating system, Microsoft and Nokia have a long way to go. "From my point of view it is up hill and I think that it will be difficult for both the companies. On the brighter side, Microsoft and Nokia have the necessary resources to emerge as winners."

Baker too agrees that though Microsoft is trying to bring in a lot of differentiation in the market, it may not be smooth sailing for them. "The real issue is how aggressively they market their unified philosophy and how tightly they tie the different aspects together, and finally, of course, while the analysts and the industry likes their approach it remains to be seen if the consumer will also find the integration a valuable differentiator."

I grew up in a TV Guide household. I'd flip through the magazine each week to see what was on. Keeping track of what to watch was pretty simple with only three main networks and a new one called Fox. Cable channels showed mostly reruns and old movies.

There are a gazillion channels these days, including basic and premium cable channels with decent original series. Add to that all the content available through streaming, downloads and DVDs, and it can be challenging not to miss your favorite shows. TV Guide's printed edition doesn't bother with full listings anymore.

That's where the new TV Guide app comes in. Available for free for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices, the app gives you a clean display of what's on TV over the next two weeks. An Android version is coming this fall.

You can view listings by time or channel or search for specific shows. You can create a Watchlist of your favorite shows, movies, actors and sports teams and see what's available on demand now or on television later.

The new app is more comprehensive than the guide on a digital-video recorder because it includes shows available on such services as Hulu, iTunes and Netflix, plus on-demand offerings through Xfinity for Comcast subscribers.

But it could be much more.

You start by creating an account and picking your television provider from a list. The listings are then customized according to what's available on your cable or satellite lineup (there's an "antenna" option on the list, too). You can choose to display all channels, or create a list of favorites containing channels you watch most often.

You then start browsing the listings. If you see that "SpongeBob SquarePants" is on at 5 p.m. on Channel 6, you can set a reminder for the iPad (or iPhone) to notify you five, 10, 30 or 60 minutes before the show starts. You can have the iPad do that for all episodes or just new ones -or just that particular showing. By hitting "I'll Watch," you can make that known on a social network such as Facebook or Twitter.

Or you can add the show to your Watchlist.

The Watchlist is the best part of the new app. I can set it up for quick access to Mets games listings or anything on television starring Natalie Portman.

That's also where you can find out whether any of your favorites are available on DVD through Netflix. It doesn't tell you about online streaming choices on Netflix (that's coming), but it does for Hulu, HBO, Cinemax, the CW, ABC, ABC Family and Sony's online streaming service, Crackle. Others are expected soon. The Watchlist also shows the episodes you can buy and download from Apple's iTunes store.

On my Watchlist, I saw that a handful of "Revenge" episodes were available for free on ABC. Clicking on one took me right to ABC's app for viewing.

Through another tab, called New Tonight, you can see which of your favorites are on television that night. You can see what's popular based on how many users have clicked "I'll Watch." With that feature, I learned of a show about a food truck competition on the Food Network.

Beyond that, the app has news, photos and video on television and celebrities. There were also special features, such as the fall television schedule at a glance and the Emmy nominees in key categories.

Unfortunately, the app was stingy when it came to giving me information on shows. I clicked on "666 Park Avenue," hoping to get a description of the new ABC show. All I got was an option to add it to my Watchlist.

And that show about the food trucks? I had to go to the TV Guide website on a computer to find out more.

As for the main listings, clicking on any program gets you a brief description, the kind you get in newspaper television guides or old printed editions of TV Guide magazine. You can add it to your Watchlist, request an alert or post it on a social network. That's it.

One feature TV Guide might consider adding: The ability to click on a link to get all the other episodes of that show, including those on streaming or DVDs, as well as the other times that particular episode would be repeated on TV. I'd also like to see a list of each show's key actors in the episode description, along with links to find out what other shows they appear in over the next two weeks.

Those features are available on TV Guide's website, but not on the app.

TV Guide plans to add some of these features to its app at some point. To get it ready for the fall TV season, TV Guide says it had to focus on the features most requested, the ones most used on its website and those that might help it sell ads.

The TV Guide app beats checking static listings in a newspaper or the TV Guide Network on television. In many respects, it also beats the TV Guide website, as it doesn't force me to get off my couch to find out what's on. I can have the iPad right there, next to my remote control.

But it needs more to work as a personalized television guide.

The New Tonight section comes closest to offering that, but shows I said "I'll Watch" don't appear there, unless I've added them to my Watchlist as well. Same goes for shows I've requested alerts for. It's also limited to a few hours that night not during the day, not the next night, not next weekend. There also isn't a way to check off episodes I'd already watched, either on television or through streaming.

The TV Guide app is worth checking out, particularly for the way it brings together all aspects of television the traditional channels, online streaming and episodes on DVDs. It can certainly help to organize your television life. Just don't expect it to take control quite yet.

It seems to be a season of phablets. First, we had Samsung announce a sequel to its Galaxy Note in the form Galaxy Note II at IFA and now LG too has got its contender in the market with LG Optimus Vu II. LG had sent out feelers about this device at IFA and now the company had made it official in Korea.

LG Optimus Vu II sports a 5-inch screen and runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Just like the original Optimus Vu device, the Optimus Vu II has an unusual aspect ratio of 4:3. There is a Qualcomm 1.5Ghz dual-core processor on board with 2GB RAM. For imaging needs, it comes with an 8-megapixel autofocus rear shooter and a 1.3 megapixel front camera. LG Optimus Vu II also has a 2150mAh battery and 3 GB of internal storage. It is available in three colour options – white, black and pink.

When compared to its predecessor, LG Optimus Vu II has slimmer bezels that make this device 7mm shorter and 5mm wider.

Not only has LG tweaked the design of the new Optimus Vu II, but also brought a few changes to its "Rubberdium Pen 2.0" stylus. The Pen of the Optimus Vu II has a slimmer nib, which LG feels will facilitate more accurate handwriting.

LG has also announced a couple of interesting accessories along with this new device. These include a wireless charging pad and a waterproof One Key remote. The One Key remote will help you find your device at a mere touch of a button and its multicolour LED flashes to show calls, messages, charging status and other alerts.

For now, this device is available only in Korea for 966,900 won ($864) and there is no official word on its availability and pricing in India.

Key Specs

    Size – 132.2 * 85.6 * 9.4
    Weight  – 159g
    Colour options – Illusion Black / Illusion White / Illusion Pink
    Display – 5.0-inch IPS display (1024 * 768)
    Camera – Rear 8 megapixel and front 1.3-megapixel
    Processor – 1.5Ghz dual-core,
    RAM – 2GB RAM memory ,
    Operating system – Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
    Battery  – 2,150 mAh

Apple has released the iOS 6 update earlier today. The update is available for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, new iPad, iPad 2, iPod Touch 4th generation and iPod Touch 5th generation. According to the Cupertino-based company, the new OS brings over 200 new features to iOS devices.

The new features range from brand-new maps, Facebook integration to Passbook and FaceTime over cellular. Here's a look at 10 new features that you will get as part of iOS 6.

1. Maps
Perhaps the biggest change for a normal iOS user. Apple has ditched Google provided maps in iOS 6 and has introduced its own maps. The maps bring turn-by-turn navigation, 3D maps, real-time traffic information and more, however not all the maps features will be available in every market.

One of the interesting features of new maps app on iOS 6 is Flyover. With Flyover you can see select major metro areas from the air with photo-realistic, interactive 3D views.
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2. Improved Siri
Siri has been on iPhone 4S for last one year, but now it is reaching more devices and with more features. With iOS 6, Siri understand more languages and can give answers to your movie, sports and restaurants related queries as well. It can also now post to your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

A new interesting addition to Siri is Eyes free, Apple is working with car manufacturers to integrate Siri into select voice control systems. Through the voice command button on your steering wheel, you'll be able to ask Siri questions without taking your eyes off the road.
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3. Facebook Integration
Similar to the Twitter integration in iOS, Apple has also Facebook in iOS 6. With this integration in place, you will be able share a photo to Facebook right from camera app or post your location directly from maps. Facebook events also get integrated to your device calendar and same is the case with contact information from Facebook.

You will have sign in Facebook only once and then you can use also these features and more from any app without signing in again.

4. Shared Photo Streams
With shared photo streams, you can selectively share photos with a bunch of people. All you have to do is select photos from Photos app, tap the Share button, choose the people with whom you want to share these photos and you are done. If your friends and family are using Photos app or iPhoto, they will get the shared photos instantly in the apps, while the non-iOS/ Mac device users will be able to see them on web.

5. FaceTime over cellular
Along with Wi-Fi networks, you can also use FaceTime over cellular networks now. You can also make and receive FaceTime calls on your iPad using your phone number.

Apple has enhanced FaceTime so that you can receive FaceTime alerts across all of your devices. That means you can use FaceTime wherever you are, on any device. And never miss another FaceTime call.
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6. Safari & Mail improvements
Apple has further enhanced the web browsing experience on iOS devices with iOS 6. A new feature called iCloud Tab keeps track of which web pages you have open on your devices, so even you if switch devices, you can just pick up from where you left on the other device. Safari can also save the full web pages now for reading later or offline access. The full screen support is finally present, all you have to do is turn your iOS device in landscape mode and just tap the full-screen button. Safari also gets the ability to upload photos via a form.

Mail is also improved with new features like VIP lists. You can now designate certain contacts as VIPs and chose to be notified when they email, even when email notifications are off. The VIP lists are cloud-enabled, so your boss or mom will still be VIP no matter which iCloud-enabled device you are using. Also included is swipe to refresh and an improved way to add videos or photos to email messages.

7. Panoramic photos
iOS 6 users using iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, or iPod touch (5th gen.) will benefit from the all new camera app that adds a panorama view. Until now you had to use third-party apps to get panoramic photos, but now with one simple motion you can shoot up to 240 degrees of view and watch the software weave its magic.

8. Better App Store
Apple has revamped the App Store interface on iOS devices. You will now have access to more information about each app and you will no longer have to enter a password for the free app updates. The company has also made changes to way the search results and Genius recommendations are displayed.
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9. Phone & DND
What is a smartphone without a phone and in order to make calling cooler, Apple has made some changes in the Phone app in iOS6. Now when you decline an incoming call on iPhone, you can instantly reply with a text message or set a call-back reminder. With iOS 6, you will also be able to turn on Do Not Disturb to suppress all incoming calls and notifications except for the VIP contacts.

10. Passbook
If you are tired of managing all the passes or loyalty cards, Apple's new Passbook is to your rescue. With Passbook, you can store your boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and more in one place. With the app, you will be able to just scan your iPhone or iPod touch to check in for a flight, get into a movie, and redeem a coupon. Apart from all this, Passbook will tell you when your coupons are expiring or balance left on your cards.

While Apple has introduced some really nice features in iOS 6, not all users will be able benefit as some of them don't work in all markets. Read our previous report on which iOS 6 feature work and don't work in India.

Moving in the high-end tablet market, Amazon revealed its first full-HD tablet Kindle Fire HD 8.9" on Thursday. Featuring some of industry leading features, Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is going to compete with the likes of Apple's new iPad, Samsung's recently launched Galaxy Note 10.1, Microsoft Surface with Windows RT.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD not only improves on the display, but also comes with the latest generation dual-core processor from Texas Instruments. Amazon CEO claims that the TI OMAP 4470 processor outperforms NVIDIA's Tegra 3 quad-core processor.

Company is releasing two variants of the tablet – Wi-Fi only and 4G LTE. Both are scheduled to go on sale starting November 20th. But, will be able to take on the existing tablets? We did quick specs comparison to find out how it stacks up against the competitors.

Also see: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" vs Google Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Kindle Fire

If you were taking a college course called iPhone 101, your professor might identify three factors that have made Apple's smartphone a mega-success.

First, design. A single company, known for its obsession over details, produces both the hardware and the software. The result is a single, coherently designed whole.

Second, superior components. As the world's largest tech company, Apple can call the shots with its part suppliers. It can often incorporate new technologies – scratch-resistant Gorilla glass, say, or the supersharp Retina screen – before its rivals can.

Third, compatibility. The iPhone's ubiquity has led to a universe of accessories that fit it. Walk into a hotel room, and there's probably an iPhone connector built into the alarm clock.

If you had to write a term paper for this course, you might open with this argument: that in creating the new iPhone 5 ($200 with contract), Apple strengthened its first two advantages – but handed its rivals the third one on a silver platter.

Let's start with design. The new phone, in all black or white, is beautiful. Especially the black one, whose gleaming, black-on-black, glass-and-aluminum body carries the design cues of a Stealth bomber. The rumors ran rampant that the iPhone 5 would have a larger screen. Would it be huge, like many Android phones? Those giant screens are thudding slabs in your pocket, but they're fantastic for maps, books, Web sites, photos and movies.

As it turns out, the new iPhone's updated footprint (handprint?) is nothing like the Imax size of its rivals. It's the same 2.3 inches wide, but its screen has grown taller by half an inch – 176 very tiny pixels.

It's a nice but not life-changing change. You gain an extra row of icons on the Home screen, more messages in e-mail lists, wider keyboard keys in landscape mode and a more expansive view of all the other built-in apps. (Non-Apple apps can be written to exploit the bigger screen. Until then, they sit in the center of the larger screen, flanked by unnoticeable slim black bars.)

At 0.3 inch, the phone is thinner than before, startlingly so – the thinnest in the world, Apple says. It's also lighter, just under four ounces; it disappears completely in your pocket. This iPhone is so light, tall and flat, it's well on its way to becoming a bookmark.

Second advantage: components. There's no breakthrough feature this time, no Retina screen or Siri. (Thought recognition will have to wait for the iPhone 13.)

Even so, nearly every feature has been upgraded, with a focus on what counts: screen, sound, camera, speed.

The iPhone 5 is now a 4G LTE phone, meaning that in certain lucky cities, you get wicked-fast Internet connections. (Verizon has by far the most LTE cities, with AT&T a distant second and Sprint at the rear.)

The phone itself runs faster, too. Its new processor runs twice as fast, says Apple. Few people complained about the old phone's speed, but this one certainly zips.

The screen now has better color reproduction. The front-facing camera captures high-definition video now (720p). The battery offers the same talk time as before (eight hours), but adds two more hours of Web browsing (eight hours), even on LTE networks. In practical terms, you encounter fewer days when the battery dies by dinnertime – a frequent occurrence with 4G phones.

The camera is among the best ever put into a phone. Its lowlight shots blow away the same efforts from an iPhone 4S. Its shot-to-shot times have been improved by 40 percent. And you can take stills even while recording video (1080p hi-def, of course).

So far, so good. But now, the third point, about universal compatibility.

These days, that decade-old iPhone/iPad/iPod charging connector is everywhere: cars, clocks, speakers, docks, even medical devices. But the new iPhone won't fit any of them.

Apple calls its replacement the Lightning connector. It's much sturdier than the old jack, and much smaller – 0.31 inch wide instead of 0.83. And there's no right side up – you can insert it either way. It clicks satisfyingly into place, yet you can remove it easily. It's the very model of a modern major connector.

Well, great. But it doesn't fit any existing accessories, docks or chargers. Apple sells an adapter plug for $30 (or $40 with an eight-inch cable "tail"). If you have a few accessories, you could easily pay $150 in adapters for a $200 phone. That's not just a slap in the face to loyal customers – it's a jab in the eye.

Even with the adapter, not all accessories work with the Lightning, and not all the features of the old connector are available; for example, you can't send the iPhone's video out to a TV cable.

Apple says that a change was inevitable – that old connector, after 10 years, desperately needed an update. Still, Apple has just given away one of its greatest competitive advantages.

The phone comes with new software, iOS 6, bristling with large and small improvements – and it's a free download that also runs on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S.

The chief attractions of iOS 6 are a completely new GPS/maps app (Apple ditched Google Maps and wrote its own app); new talents for Siri, the voice-activated assistant (she now answers questions about current movies, sports and restaurants); and one-tap canned responses to incoming calls (like "I'm driving – call you later").

There's a new panorama mode for the camera, too, that comes in handy more often than you might expect. As you swing the phone around you, it stitches many shots together into a seamless, ultra-wide-angle, 28-megapixel photo. Unlike other apps and phones with panorama modes, this one is fully automated and offers a preview of the panorama that materializes as you're taking it.

Should you get the new iPhone, when the best Windows Phone and Android phones offer similarly impressive speed, beauty and features?

The iPhone 5 does nothing to change the pros and cons in that discussion. Windows Phones offer brilliant design, but lag badly in apps and accessories.

Android phones shine in choice: you can get a huge screen, for example, a memory-card slot or N.F.C. chips (near-field communication – you can exchange files with other N.F.C. phones, or buy things in certain stores, with a tap). But Android is, on the whole, buggier, more chaotic and more fragmented – you can't always upgrade your phone's software when there's a new version.

IPhones don't offer as much choice or customization. But they're more polished and consistently designed, with a heavily regulated but better stocked app catalog. They offer Siri voice control and the best music/movie/TV store, and the phone's size and weight have boiled away to almost nothing.

If you have an iPhone 4S, getting an iPhone 5 would mean breaking your two-year carrier contract and paying a painful penalty; maybe not worth it for the 5's collection of nips and tucks. But if you've had the discipline to sit out a couple of iPhone generations – wow, are you in for a treat.

It's just too bad about that connector change. Doesn't Apple worry about losing customer loyalty and sales?

Actually, Apple has a long history of killing off technologies, inconveniently and expensively, that the public had come to love – even those that Apple had originally developed and promoted. Somehow, life goes on, and Apple gets even bigger.

So if you wanted to conclude your term paper by projecting the new connector's impact on the iPhone's popularity, you'd be smart to write, "very little (sigh)." When you really think about it, we've all taken this class before.

Copyright 2012, The New York Times News Service