Week in review: Movement on mobile front


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AT&T this week overhauled smartphone pricing as we know it, while bigwigs at a prominent tech conference focused on phones, tablets, and everything in between. All this came amid buzz about the new iPhone Apple’s Steve Jobs is expected to unveil during a keynote speech Monday at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

AT&T, which is still the only U.S. wireless provider offering Apple’s iPhone, caught some industry watchers off guard Wednesday by announcing it is doing away with unlimited wireless data starting Monday–yes, the same day as the Jobs keynote. AT&T will now offer two-tiered data plan pricing.

The move has some praising the carrier for offering a plan that aligns costs with customer data usage and helps brings smartphones to the masses, while others are calling AT&T greedy and criticize it for potentially stifling future mobile application usage and innovation.

The shift affects new AT&T smartphone subscribers who sign up for service on or after Monday. Current smartphone subscribers, including iPhone and iPad customers who have already signed up for the $30 unlimited data plans, are grandfathered in. They can continue to use those unlimited plans until their contracts run out. But if they want to switch their plans to the new $15 and $25 plans they can.

See our FAQ for details on the new pricing structure and a clearer explanation of what it means to wireless customers.

Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless operator in the U.S. and AT&T’s chief rival, wouldn’t comment on AT&T’s new pricing plans. But if history is any indication, it won’t take long before Verizon begins offering tiered service for its smartphones, as well.

Meanwhile, at the D: All Things Digital this week, it was all things mobile andall hail the iPad, especially following the opening speech by Jobs. The Apple CEO said the day is approaching when not everyone will need a traditional computer. He also talked Google, Windows, iPhonegate, AT&T, and more.

Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie (left) and CEO Steve Ballmer speak at D: All Thing Digital Thursday.
Ina Fried/CNET

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• AOL eyeing new search deal
• Live blog: Ballmer and Ozzie speak at D8

• FCC chair: We have a plan for better broadband

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Kazaa founders give music another try

Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis are launching a subscription music service, coming into a sector at a time when music fans have rejected all-you-can-eat models.

HP to cut 9,000 jobs, take $1 billion charge

New $1 billion restructuring plan is designed to streamline enterprise services, but the initiative will result in job cuts for 9,000 people.
• HP: Palm buy not about smartphones

European regulators to get Google Wi-Fi data

Personal data collected as part of Google’s Street View project will be turned over to authorities in four European countries and Google plans to publish a review of how the mess happened.

• FAQ: Deciphering Google’s Wi-Fi headache
• Google.com now ready for custom photos
• Google buys display ad auctioneer Invite Media
• Google tackles VP8 video quality question
• Report: Google moving away from Windows
• Google’s Android favored for phones, tablets
• Chrome continues usage gains over rivals

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• China’s Hanwang unveils new e-book reader

House panel presses Facebook, Google on privacy

Another congressional committee signals interest in looking into Facebook’s and Google’s privacy practices, which have been the subject of recent criticism.
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Also of note
• Augmented reality edges closer to mainstream
• Court examines Gizmodo devices for iPhone info

• Study: Developers would rather do taxes than test software
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• Social networking heats up on browsing phones

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