Apple said today that its iPhone 4S will hit stores in China and 21 other countries on January 13, marking the expanded availability of the blockbuster smartphone. The additional countries come at a time when Apple is trying to hang on to its leadership position in the smartphone world even as the Android operating system …

MetroPCS said today it is partnering with a consortium of broadcasters to bring live local television to its wireless customers later this year. The prepaid mobile service provider is working with Mobile Content Venture, a group of companies with a string of local broadcast networks, to bring the content through a service called Dyle Mobile TV. Samsung Electronics will make …

Verizon had a happy holiday thanks to the Apple iPhone. The company’s wireless unit sold 4.2 million iPhones in the fourth quarter, Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said during an investor conference. The figure was more than double the number of iPhones sold in the previous quarter. The figure underscores the enduring popularity of the phone and the importance of …

commentary OK, so I’ve been as hard as anyone on Research In Motion. But it’s not all bad. Sure, the company is burdened with a bloated management structure, leaders who in recent months just can’t do anything right, and a trajectory that only seems to be headed further south. It’s in the doghouse with investors after losing more than three …

LightSquared today appointed Marc Montagner, a veteran of major telecommunications deals, to the role of chief financial officer. Montagner’s appointment may signal LightSquared’s willingness to strike a deal or partnership. One of Montagner’s prior roles was the head of merger-and-acquisition activities for Sprint, helping to usher in the $70 billion merger with Nextel back in 2005. He was also co-head …

Research In Motion may be gearing up for an overhaul in its leadership. RIM co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie Co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie are preparing to relinquish their titles as co-chairmen, possibly giving way to independent director Barbara Stymiest, according to a report by the Financial Post. Stymiest is the leading candidate to replace the two, the …

RIM just can’t get its act together. The company’s best hope for a recovery, its next-generation BlackBerry 10 platform, has been pushed back to late next year. While executives blamed the later release of a new chip, Boy Genius Report said the real reason for the delay is the inability for RIM to get its core email and messenger services …

Here’s a friendly warning to all technology companies eyeing Research In Motion: Back away slowly. Apparently, RIM drew its fair share of suitors over the last few months, with companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and Nokia weighing potential offers for the BlackBerry maker. The talks, however, never got serious enough to warrant a formal proposal. It’s clear why any company would …

It’s been a whirlwind year for the mobile-devices business, and next year promises to be even more exciting. Just as 2011 saw the rise in dominance of Android, Apple basically opening fire on every Android device through lawsuits, and a flood of tablets and 4G devices, 2012 should see similar shake-ups in the industry. Below are five predictions for what …

Apple scored a legal victory yesterday over HTC, albeit a limited one. The International Trade Commission, a federal agency with the power to enforce bans on products shipping to the U.S., ruled that HTC infringed upon one of Apple’s patents. While clearly a win for the company, it could have gone a lot better; Apple originally accused HTC of violating …