AT&T is adopting the Apple philosophy with a mega retail store that focuses on the consumer and not just on selling products. Opening Saturday, the new 10,000 square-foot store is nestled along Chicago’s famed Magnificent Mile. The design of the store offers the promise of a more customer-focused experience than that found at AT&T’s usual …

China’s mobile Internet business is “relatively backward,” according to Liu Lihua, vice minister of the country’s Ministry of Industry. In a speech given at China Mobile’s International Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Lihua faulted the country’s core mobile devices, operating systems, and some of the key mobile technologies, as reported by blogging site Sina Tech. Lihua also pointed …

Android and Apple dominate the smartphone market in Japan just as they do elsewhere in the world. Looking at Japanese smartphone ownership in the three months ending June, ComScore found that Android took home the lion’s share with a 64 percent share, up almost two points from the prior three months. Apple’s iOS grabbed a 32 percent share. That left …

Skype users can now send and receive photos via the latest update to the Internet communication service’s iOS app. Available in Apple’s App Store as of today, Skype version 4.1 kicks in a few enhancements. But the most notable one is Photo Share. You can grab an existing photo from your iPhone or iPad gallery — or snap a new …

Mobile-phone owners are not just spending money on their phones and monthly subscriptions. Sales of mobile-phone accessories shot up 32 percent during the first half of 2012 compared with the same period last year, says a new report from NPD Group. Cases proved the most popular accessory, with sales soaring 70 percent over 2011 despite an average 25 percent increase …

MetroPCS may hand the major carriers some competition, with its new 4G LTE plan for budget-conscious consumers. Available as a promotion, the carrier’s new 4G LTE plan provides unlimited talk, texting, and 4G LTE data for $55 a month for a single line. Families can join in by paying $50 a month for second, third, and fourth lines. Though the …

Motorola has a new 4G smartphone up its sleeve but has turned the device’s name into a guessing game. Hinting about the device on its Facebook page, the company is asking people to identify the phone. Promising a new clue each day all week, Motorola has so far revealed that the new smartphone will support 4G LTE. The answer is …

Sprint customers in parts of the San Francisco Bay Area seem to already be getting a taste of the carrier’s LTE network. The company has been hard at work doling out LTE access to certain parts of the country. The launch has so far focused mostly on smaller markets rather than larger cities, but a rumored rollout in the San …

Amazon is offering a $40 credit to smartphone buyers who opt for any one of several Verizon phones. To qualify for the deal, customers must activate a new qualifying smartphone and choose the new Share Everything plan with unlimited voice and texting but limits on data. The $40 credit is automatically applied to your phone bill, though Amazon cautions that …

New York City smartphone users who ride MTA Metro-North trains may eventually be able to buy their tickets electronically. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad is testing a new system this summer for buying tickets via mobile devices. The Metro-North is, according to some, the busiest commuter train in the U.S. by monthly ridership. Acting as railroad riders, the MTA’s …