Smartphone News: Apple Inc. (AAPL), Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY), Google Inc (GOOG)

Editor’s Note: Related tickers: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG), Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) LogoApple dominates best-paid list (WashingtonPost)
Four of the five highest-paid employees at Standard & Poor’s 500 companies aren’t chief executive officers. They’re Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) senior lieutenants receiving compensation packages designed to keep management intact in an increasingly competitive industry. The four executives are Bob Mansfield, Bruce Sewell, Jeffrey Williams and Peter Oppenheimer, according to fiscal 2012 compensation figures for top earners filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. About 80 percent of S&P 500 companies had submitted their numbers as of April 12.

Microsoft Working With Suppliers on Designs for Touch-Enabled Watch Device (WSJ)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) +0.25% is working on designs for a touch-enabled watch device, executives at suppliers said, potentially joining rivals like Apple Inc. AAPL -1.09% in working on a new class of computing products. Earlier this year, Microsoft asked suppliers in Asia to ship components for a potential watch-style device, the executives said. One executive said he met with Microsoft’s research and development team at the software company’s Redmond, Wash., headquarters. But it’s unclear whether Microsoft will opt to move ahead with the watch, they said.

Foxconn Steps Up Hiring as Apple Readies New iPhone (AllThingsD)
Foxconn Technology Group has resumed hiring assembly-line workers in China after a postholiday freeze, in the latest sign that major customer Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is gearing up for production of the new iPhone. Foxconn is the trade name for Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. The Taiwanese company said Monday it has added about 10,000 assembly-line workers per week in Zhengzhou, its major production facility for iPhones, since the last week of March.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Has Filed With Patent Applications (CogoNews)
Recently Bill Campbell, an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) board member and close friend of Steve Job has gave advice about an iWatch, even an Apple competitor to Google’s high-tech Glass specs might be worth heeding. Campbell had discussion with Intuit CEO Brad Smith as Business week puts it, “things that make a product great, how managers should behave, and some of the recent highs and lows he’s seen in the technology industry and beyond. …Campbell said he couldn’t advice any specifics on future Apple products, he said they could anticipate a lot many things moving on with the application of technology to really intimate things. And calling Google Glass a “phenomenal breakthrough, he said. Wearable computing, then, seems to be on the minds in the know in Cupertino. Such gadgets struck up the buzz at this year’s CES confab. Apple is trying with wristwatch-like iOS devices that feature curved glass.

Amazon lifts executive stock awards (MoneyControl)
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) increased stock compensation for key executives in 2012 as the world’s largest Internet retailer stepped up competition with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), according to a regulatory filing on Friday. In the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Amazon added Apple to the peer group it uses to help determine how much to pay executives. The filing shows how Amazon’s business has changed in recent years, bringing it into closer competition with Apple and pushing the company to lift compensation to be more competitive, analysts and compensation experts said. An Amazon spokesman declined to comment.

Google’s offer to settle E.U. antitrust probe a ‘non-starter’ for competitors (WashingtonPost)
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s offer to settle an antitrust probe with the European Union by labeling its own services more clearly in Web search results is a “non-starter” for a group of competitors such as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Foundem and Streetmap. The companies and at least 10 other rivals that filed complaints with the EU will be able to give feedback on the remedies submitted by the Mountain View, California-based company to settle the almost three-year-old investigation.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) saluting mathematician great Leonhard Euler (ThePointDaily)
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has initiated a trend of observing significant historical dates with the help of doodles. Today the search giant has dedicated a doodle in order to celebrate the birthday of Leonhard Euler, one of the greatest mathematicians of all times. The featured individual is famous for creating and introducing the majority of the mathematical terminologies known to mankind. The most famous of them is the conceptualization of the term mathematical function, while the scientist made notable advances in the areas of calculus and graph theory. The great soul had been sent to Earth on the date of April 15, 1707. The birthplace of the great and legendary math-man had been reported to be Basel, Switzerland.

Google commissions AECOM’s Davis Langdon for its new UK Headquarters (SACommercialPropNews)
Davis Langdon is working directly for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) as cost consultant and employer’s agent. Davis Langdon is also acting in a project management support role to the development manager, Argent. The 1 million ft² (approx. 92,900 m²) building will be designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) architects. It is being developed with high quality and sustainable design concepts that will offer a flexible and dynamic working environment for employees. It is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Should Its Shareholders Panic Over Falling PC Shipments? (InsiderMonkey)
Shares of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) took investors on quite the ride this week, but even though they plummeted more than 4.42% in just one day, they still managed to end the week higher than were they began. Do investors have anything to worry about? Let’s take a look. So what happened? On Monday, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) dropped by 0.38%, after the company announced that it was selling its IPTV business to Ericsson. The terms and price of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it was estimated to sell for somewhere between $100 million and $234 million. The IPTV unit creates software that gives wireless device manufacturers the ability to deliver television signals over the Internet.

Microsoft Corporation offers SMEs a discount on Windows upgrade (SMEWeb)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is offering small and mid-sized companies (up to 249 users) a 15 per cent discount on the combined price of Windows 8 Pro and Office 2013 upgrades if they buy before the end of June 2013. Richard Edwards, principal analyst at Ovum comments: “This is good news for cash-strapped companies and for those organizations that are still trying to make the business case for the upgrade. It is also potentially good news for the Windows division at Microsoft, as it could help push Windows 8 into the business sector – a market yet to respond to the allure of Microsoft’s message of a ‘Windows remained’.

RK University, Microsoft tie up for Ed-vantage program (Business-Standard)
Rajkot based R K University and Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, US, have joined hands for the Ed-vantage program. Under this tie up, Microsoft will help the R K University students to find job in information technology sector. Moreover, the company will also support the students to start their own business in future. “We have started Ed-vantage program since last six months to provide platform that enables students realise their true potential. R K University is sixth in India and first in Gujarat with whom we have joined hand. Under this program, we will help the students to grow with Industry Connections – a Microsoft facilitated access to a web portal where eligible students may apply for available positions posted by potential employers”, said Raj Kataira, Director for geo expansion in Microsoft Corporation India.

Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) Lumia 920 most popular Windows Phone (USMarketBuzz)
Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK)’s Lumia 920 is the most popular Windows-based smartphone in the market, outstripping the Lumia 800 according to reports. The Finnish handset maker has launched the Lumia 920 last October and since then has managed to make rapid inroads in the market and at present has a share of 14 percent. From its fourth position last month the latest device from Nokia has leaped ahead to the top. Availability of stocks, which was a major problem immediately after its launch, has led to improved sales.

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) Refutes Reports About Z10 Returns (MarketNewsCall)
Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) has taken righteous umbrage at a report issued by well-known securities analyst Detwiler Fenton who has claimed that its Z10 smartphones are being returned by customers faster than they were being sold. The Canadian cellphone maker has termed the report erroneous and has also demanded an investigation into it by the Securities and Exchange Commission, suggesting that it was done with a view to manipulate the share price of the company.

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) On Top Of ‘Not Wanted’ List (USMarketBuzz)
The fresh way of surveying consumer response in the smartphone market is asking people which handset they would not use, rather than asking them, which handset they prefer to use. This discovery was made by Raymond James in a latest survey of smartphone buying intent among consumers. The survey came up with some interesting outcomes. Raymond James had asked people about the features that would make convince them to invest in an Android, a Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) or an iPhone. The options include lower price, better features and bigger screen. It also came with the choice of saying that they would never use a specific smartphone.