Without any prior announcement or even a press release, the largest worldwide specialty video game retailer in GameStop has launched its own branded MVNO in GameStop Mobile. The new MVNO is a departure for the video game focused retailer as it is only the second national SIM-only virtual operator to launch in the US after the relative success of T-Mobile powered Simple Mobile, which was acquired by Tracfone parent America Movil earlier this month.

The GameStop Mobile service consists of a slate of service plans that start at $20 per month for full PAYG access with no additional daily fees and goes all the way up to $55 a month for unlimited voice and text with 500MB of monthly data access, with additional 500MB buckets available for an extra $5. Of note, the service also offers at data-only service plan for the same monthly rate that offers a 1GB monthly allowance with the same additional 500MB buckets offered at $5 if the initial 1GB allowance is used before the month is over. Airtime is available in the following denominations: $5 / $10 / $20 / $30 / $35 / $45 / $50 / $55

With GameStop looking to diversify its service offerings outside of its core used games market, the decision to launch an MVNO is being seen by many as a misstep, as the plan offerings offer little in the way of competitive advantage in comparison to the services offered by carriers such as T-Mobile and more established MVNOs such as Simple Mobile and TracFone/Straight Talk. The retailer has also taken to offering trade-ins for electronics, including cellphones as well as the ever popular iPhone with mixed results along with selling Android tablets bundled with generic Bluetooth controllers for gaming.

With more MVNOs adopting the SIM-only service model, the key advantages for GameStop include the ubiquity of the chain with many locations in shopping malls and low rates for customers looking for voice and text only, especially international tourists, as the lowest rates start at $20 for PAYG voice/data and unlimited voice/text service starts at $35 with data at a rather expensive $0.30/MB. Other SIM-only services from MVNOs aren’t easily available over the counter.

For GameStop Mobile to be successful, it needs to address the monthly data allotment for its data-only and smartphone plans, as data access is becoming more important to its core customer base rather than voice. Had it launched with data rates equivalent to or better than AT&T for smartphones and data-only devices, it would have been a viable alternative to T-Mobile for prepaid data service with an equivalent nationwide reach to Walmart. As it stands, there are much better values for BYOD service, but this does signal a new wave of competition in the virtual operator space.

[GameStop Mobile]

In the past week that saw HTC’s own flagship Android smartphones get embargoed at Customs thanks to a 2011 decision handed down via the ITC that found in favor of one of Apple’s patents, another decision is set to mark the same precedent as Microsoft has earned an injunction against Motorola for the same type of overly broad patent, this one centering on the calendar functionality and the scheduling of meetings.

The above is standard functionality in any calendar implementation on any smartphone, yet Motorola is the only Android OEM to not enter into a broad patent licensing agreement with Microsoft and has so far decided to take its chances in court instead of entering into such an agreement, while other OEMs, such as HTC have inked such deals and have escaped such injunctions, preferring to pick its fights with Apple.

It should be said that Microsoft currently makes the majority of its mobile revenue from the Android licensing agreements while it continues to pump millions of dollars into Windows Phone with Nokia as its flagship partner. although the platform still remains stagnant, to the point that Nokia reversed course on offering new Symbian and MeeGo devices in the US, thanks to millions in losses that simultaneously forced the board of directors to rethink its stance on Windows Phone only devices in the US and the rapidly declining share price it faces while scrambling to find a way to make Windows Phone attractive in regions where Symbian was the dominant platform.

For its part, Motorola has reacted to the import ban by stating that it will not affect its short-term plans, nor will the ban affect any other major operations. The company, which is still transitioning into Google’s ownership is currently preparing to roll out Ice Cream Sandwich and is currently in the process of releasing new devices in the wake of the decision. Motorola plans to appeal the ban, but is otherwise forced to pay $0.33 on the dollar for each device per day as a penalty while the company goes through the appeals process.

“Although we are disappointed by the commission’s ruling that certain Motorola Mobility products violated one patent, we look forward to reading the full opinion to understand its reasoning,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We will explore all options including appeal.”

The devices Microsoft has asked to be barred from sale include the following: The Atrix, Backflip, Bravo, Charm, Cliq, Cliq 2, Cliq XT, Defy, Devour, Droid 2, Droid 2 Global, Droid Pro, Droid X, Droid X2, Flipout, Flipside, Spice and the Xoom tablet, the majority of which have already been discontinued in some form or close to being put on carrier End of Life lists.

Microsoft has released its own statement:

“We hope that now Motorola will be willing to join the vast majority of Android device makers selling phones in the US by taking a license to our patents”

[Reuters]

T-Mobile has announced a new slate of prepaid mobile broadband passes with more reasonable rates for its slate of tablets and modems. The new plans are geared towards short-term and mid-term use and are as follows:

• 300MB 1-week pass for $15
• 1.5GB 1-month pass for $25
  
• 3.5GB 1-month pass for $35
• 5GB 1-month pass for $50

Interestingly, Walmart will be launching the following plans on the next day, but these will be limited to devices directly sold by the retailer with its own device block, although in practice, such plans were also available with online or phone activation:

T-Mobile $35 Prepaid Mobile Broadband Pass, 3.5GB, 60-Day:

Provides 3.5GB of data usage
Good for 60 days
No activation fee, annual contract, credit check or overages
Works with any T-Mobile Internet device

T-Mobile $25 Prepaid Mobile Broadband Pass, 1.5GB, 30-Day:

Provides 1.5GB of data usage
Good for 30 days
No activation fee, annual contract, credit check or overages
Works with any T-Mobile Internet device

T-Mobile $15 Prepaid Mobile Broadband Pass, 300MB, 7-Day:

Provides 300MB of data usage
Good for 7 days
No activation fee, annual contract, credit check or overages
Works with any T-Mobile Internet device

As T-Mobile continues to struggle with losing postpaid subscribers, it is now turning to prepaid services to shore up the losses from those subscribers, especially by offering better mobile broadband offerings than the competition and Walmart’s own offerings remain even more competitive for those savvy enough to consider the retailer as a purchase option for the service.

According to a late-breaking report within the last hour, Sprint is making preparations to launch the currently delayed EVO 4G LTE next Wednesday on the 23rd, with pre-orders set to go out earlier in the week after being held by Customs in order to ensure that the phone’s software meets the conditions of an ITC import restriction placed on it and the AT&T HTC One X related to a software patent owned by Apple, which HTC was found to be violating and subsequently led to infringement claims.

Separately, in another discovery this morning, the changes made to both the HTC EVO 4G LTE and the AT&T HTC One X in terms of software may mean that the embargo may be lifted as soon as next week which explains the new date, simply by removing one context menu found in ICS for a generic menu:

Old menu (left) New Menu (right)

Additionally, those that have pre-ordered their HTC EVO 4G LTE phones at Best Buy are now receiving email confirmations that the phone will now be available for pickup on 5/23 with pre-orders to be shipped out sooner, adding to the certainty of the new date. Currently, Sprint Store employees are refusing to answer questions on why the phone is delayed, only stating that it is delayed and that they are being told to not elaborate on why the phone is delayed, which has been angering some customers that find out about the delay to confirm with their local stores for any new information on pre-order status.

Following up on the previous report of the HTC Sensation 4G receiving its Android 4.0 update, T-Mobile has now issued the update timeline for the Amaze 4G and will begin the rollout on May 21st. The update is detailed as follows:

Version

• Android version 4.0.3 / Software version 2.14.531.3710RD
• Approved 5/21/2012

New Features

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
• Data usage controls.
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life

Improvements

• Improved text input and spell checking
• Improved menu structure

Prerequisites

• OTA or Manual update
• Device is running Android version 2.3.4 / Software version 1.43.531.3, 1.36.531.5, or 1.36.531.6
• Device software is not rooted
• More than 50% battery life
• Data or Wi-Fi connection

The update will push the device to Android version 4.0.3.

Following yesterday’s comments by Verizon Wireless CFO Fran Shammo on the carrier’s plans to make substantial changes to its data plans to eliminate grandfathered unlimited data, Verizon Wireless PR has released their own statement on the issue primarily to ease fears that the changes would happen overnight:

As we have stated publicly, Verizon Wireless has been evaluating its data pricing structure for some time. Customers have told us that they want to share data, similar to how they share minutes today. We are working on plans to provide customers with that option later this year. 

We will share specific details of the plans and any related policy changes well in advance of their introduction, so customers will have time to evaluate their choices and make the best decisions for their wireless service. It is our goal and commitment to continue to provide customers with the same high value service they have come to expect from Verizon Wireless.

While the statement is primarily meant to give customers some measure of reassurance about what exactly the changes will entail and reaffirm Shammo’s statements about the shift to shared data plans later this Summer, it makes no mention of what customers with grandfathered unlimited data plans can expect in terms of changes if upgrading now, making many with such unlimited data plans nervous about how Verizon will go about transitioning customers away from those plans outside of previous statements.

As Verizon is now pushing to transition customers to its 4G LTE network by expanding it as quickly as possible, it’s also trying to avoid repeating the mistakes that it did with its 3G network, such as eliminating the idea of unlimited data access and doing so as quickly as possible, since it became the linchpin for the rise in popularity of smartphones within the past 3 years at the expense of network reliability and proved to be more expensive than expected in terms of network maintenance and other costs.

With a good number of customers still on some sort of unlimited data plan, Verizon will have to tread carefully and develop these new shared plans with the reality that what Verizon is taking away for the majority of customers is peace of mind and replacing it with tedious monthly data management, the only advantage being that more than one device can be added to the account. For some customers, that’s not enough of an incentive to pay more.

Update: Verizon PR conveniently sent out this clarification to the New York Times, in what seems to be an attempt to reclaim control of perception and is infinitely more useful than the above statement from this morning. The statement is reproduced in full below.

– Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans. If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so.
– When we introduce our new shared data plans, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing.
– Customers who purchase phones at full retail price and are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan.
– The same pricing and policies will be applied to all 3G and 4G LTE smartphones.

Speaking at the 40th J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo stated that as these 3G unlimited data plan customers move to 4G LTE devices, they will have to purchase the company’s yet to be announced shared data plans which Verizon plans to launch in mid-summer.

The move is meant to force everyone moving to LTE devices in the future away from unlimited data plans, as Verizon currently allows those with unlimited data plans to keep those plans when upgrading to 4G smartphones, albeit with grit teeth as the carrier wants to avoid the congestion issues that led to its implementation of tiered data within the past couple of years on its older 3G network as a result of the rise in smartphone adoption.

While the move to shared data plans is not new information from the carrier, the move to force customers off of unlimited data plans with the requirement of shared data plans for 4G devices is a new development and will only serve to speed up adoption of 4G devices until those plans are launched. However, the statement taken at face value may mean that Verizon will also make moves to actively force all customers off of unlimited data plans and onto shared data plans regardless of device, which would understandably anger those customers that want to keep that feature for as long as possible.

With Verizon actively taking a stand against unlimited data access on 4G LTE, the new shared data plans are meant to spur increased adoption of data with multiple devices, rather than the older model of dedicated plans per device, which drove many customers away due to the high costs of each data plan per device, whereas with the new shared data plans, the plan covers multiple devices on one account, at the expense of being tied to one fixed amount of data per month and is being targeted towards families.

Time will tell whether Verizon will continue to tolerate current unlimited data users on 4G LTE smartphones, as many of those with such plans are able to take advantage of such features as unlimited mobile hotspot access on the new iPad as well as on LTE mobile hotspots. With this latest move, Verizon looks to stamp that out as soon as possible and is doing so with extreme prejudice.

[FierceWireless]

Last night in a press note HTC sent the following statement out regarding a new delay in shipping both the AT&T HTC One X and the Sprint version in the HTC EVO 4G LTE:

The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.

The ITC exclusion order being cited is the one handed down by the regulator last year and references previous litigation between Apple and HTC regarding design elements between HTC’s Android smartphones and Apple’s iPhone. As a result of the ITC ruling on the matter last year, which saw it favor Apple, HTC’s future devices were to face being excluded from sale beginning on April 18th of this year in the US and the One X/EVO 4G LTE launches have now been affected as a result.

Should both devices fail the exclusion examination being conducted by Customs under the guidance of the ITC, Sprint and AT&T face being left without their flagship Android devices for the year and face even larger economic losses as a result of of millions of dollars in R&D and development along with HTC until the devices can be brought into compliance, which would then require further certification and approval.

As of this morning, Sprint has scrubbed all references to the previous May 18th  launch date as a result of the delay and have stopped taking pre-orders with no word on the status of pre-orders already taken. Sprint and AT&T also have yet to issue a statement regarding the situation since HTC’s statement was issued last night, and representatives may be overwhelmed to the point that instead of issuing individual comments to the media, may be holding off  to issue official statements on the matter later today.

Update: HTC has released an additional statement regarding the Sprint launch of the HTC EVO 4G -

We can confirm that the product will not be in stores this Friday. Products for pre-order are on hold. We’ll provide a ship date as soon as we’re able. HTC will work with Sprint to maintain the promise for pre-order customers so they will be among the first to receive their HTC EVO 4G LTE units when available.

According to a new report filed by the Wall Street Journal, Google will be abandoning the model used for previous Nexus devices and is instead planning an entire lineup of Nexus devices with multiple manufacturers as a result of its currently ongoing acquisition of Motorola Mobility, which was purchased last year and has yet to be completed.

The idea behind the shift in strategy is to ensure that current participants in the OHA, the committee that steers the direction of Android has access to the latest versions of Android, as one of the biggest issues affecting Android device manufacturers at the moment is timely access to the latest versions of Android, which is crucial to providing updates as quickly as possible, with Ice Cream Sandwich being the latest update that has yet to really reach mass adoption due to handset manufacturers and carriers struggling with the transition from Gingerbread to the universal platform that is Android 4.0.

Five devices are planned from multiple manufacturers under the new Nexus umbrella of devices with no concrete details on which manufacturers are involved, and more information is expected to be revealed during Google’s I/O developer conference later this month. As for the release of the new Nexus line, the release is planned for Thanksgiving of this year in order to take advantage of Black Friday and the holiday season, according to sources named by the paper.

The goal of the new initiative is also to sell the devices direct to consumers in multiple regions and preliminary plans cited also call for Google to sell the devices direct to consumers in the same way as it is currently selling the Galaxy Nexus, but the only difference being that more devices will be offered instead of one device from one preferred partner. Google is also expected to announce its first Nexus tablet this Summer.

A detailed piece of code discovered by security researchers has been making the rounds across the internet that confirms that three of ZTE’s own Android phones and possibly more are being shipped with a backdoor that would theoretically allow any knowledgeable developer root access to the filesystem on the affected phones and consequently, allow the same access to malware disguised as legitimate applications that are often found within and outside of Google Play. The two models sold  that are affected so far are the Score M and the European Skate.

The backdoor has also raised legitimate concerns about ZTE’s own competence in regards to shipping devices with such a backdoor. While it makes rooting the devices easier for modders and developers for tinkering and additional device development, it is not just a mere coincidence that these devices are being shipped out and being actively sold on carriers without any acknowledgement. ZTE has yet to officially release a response to the evidence presented.

What makes it so effective is that it uses a hardcoded and easily deciphered password that can work on all devices and is not device-specific, being more of a universal password to gain root access to every device affected and as many people do not look at the permissions for what each app requests when downloading apps to an affected phone, downloading the wrong app could spell trouble. The actual discovery as found on Pastebin is pasted below for context:

The ZTE Score M is an Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) phone available in the United States on MetroPCS, made by Chinese telecom ZTE Corporation.

There is a setuid-root application at /system/bin/sync_agent that serves no function besides providing a root shell backdoor on the device.  Just give the magic, hard-coded password to get a root shell:

$ sync_agent ztex1609523
# id
uid=0(root) gid=0(root)

Nice backdoor, ZTE.

Since the revelation was first discovered, the backdoor has also been discovered on European ZTE handsets, as the ZTE Skate sold by the UK branch of the French carrier Orange is also affected, with more research being done to see if other units are affected.

[via XDA Developers]