MWC Roundup: Day Two

blackberry leapBlackBerry Rolls Out the Leap for Young Mobile Professionals

Troubled smartphone manufacturer BlackBerry has introduced a new touch-screen smartphone targeted at a younger audience than its standard models, but retaining its focus on business use.

“In todays mobile world – influenced by trends like BYOD – where personal and corporate data are frequently under attack from hackers, companies and everyday consumers are finding out the hard way that mobile security is paramount,” said Ron Louks, president of devices and emerging solutions for BlackBerry. “BlackBerry Leap was built specifically for mobile professionals who see their smartphone device as a powerful and durable productivity tool that also safeguards sensitive communications at all times.”

Qualcomm Looks Forward to Self-aware Processors and Ultrasonic Fingerprints

Chip manufacturer Qualcomms Snapdragon 810 has only just made it into handsets, but the firm is already looking ahead to the 820, which it announced will be inside smartphones in the second half of the year.

The 820 will support Qualcomms Zeroth platform, which aims to give mobile devices a new level of intelligence and personalisation, capable of learning from users preferences and environment.

The firm also introduced the mobile industrys first ultrasonic biometric platform, the Snapdragon Sense ID 3D fingerprint technology, which captures three-dimensional acoustic detail within the outer layers of skin for a more accurate reading that can be taken through materials like glass, plastic and certain metals.

yi pet mountXiaomi Action Cam Beats GoPro Specs for only £40

Budget-priced mobile maker Xiaomi has introduced its first action camera, the Yi, which outperforms GoPros Hero model and costs almost half the price, at only ¥399 (£41).

The Yi features a 16MP camera which shoots 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second. The device, which uses a Sony image sensor, can be used underwater at a depth of up to 40m, and comes with 64GB of storage. The Yi will be released with a variety of accompanying apps and accessories, including a pet mount.

Bango Grid Promises Easy Carrier Billing for App Stores

Mobile payments firm Bango announced its new carrier billing solution, Bango Grid, which offers frictionless charge-to-bill payment for app stores and mobile operators. Carrier billing is predicted to grow by 46 per cent year-on-year for the next two years, and take an increasing share of mobile digital sales.

“Bango Grid is rocket fuel for app stores, providing the only way to increase carrier billing activations at scale,” said Ray Anderson, CEO of Bango. “For the first time, the tools required to activate hundreds of markets are all in one place, through one integrated system. Backed-up by the Bango Payments Platform, app stores can now make carrier-billed payment a reality for every customer.”

Huawei Plans Push into the US Market with Phones and Wearables

We covered Huaweis smartwatch launch yesterday, and according to Reuters, it may soon be available in the US, as the Chinese manufacturer prepares to introduce several of its smartphones and wearables to the American market.

The firm has made marketing efforts in the US over the previous year, including a billboard in Times Square and has plans for expanded efforts including online and physical advertising as well as sports team sponsorships. Huawei intends to appeal directly to consumers, rather than rely on deals with carriers to get its devices into the hands of US customers.

Flash Networks and Nokia Sign Deal for Mobile Monetisation

Mobile internet optimisation firm Flash Networks has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nokia Networks to provide its Layer8 monetisation solution to mobile carriers around the world.

The solution has already been selected by seven Tier One mobile operators across the globe, and is expected to reach up to 200m subscribers by the end of the year. Layer8 appears as a visual layer on users browsers, delivering relevant content and operator-owned ad space through a rich media banner.

You can keep up to date with all our coverage from Mobile World Congress 2015 here.