“The more things change, the more they stay the same”. This famous quote is said to come from French novelist Alphonse Karr (1808-90), but its origin is subject to ongoing dispute. As such it offers a perfect summation of the mobile phone sector after perhaps the most tumultuous month in its history.It all began on 4 October with the launch of the controversial iPhone 4S. It was followed a day later by the tragic death of Steve Jobs, arguably the innovator behind today’s touchscreen smartphones. Next RIM announced its new BBX operating system. On 19 October Google officially unveiled the most radical overhaul of Android to date with the launch of Ice Cream Sandwich and its corresponding Galaxy Nexus hardware. This week Nokia formally announced its first Windows Phone handsets, the first Nokia Lumia 800 Phone Nokia Lumia 710, marking the start of a sea change for the 146 year old company. Then Sony topped these headlines by buying out partner Ericsson to go at the sector alone.

Meanwhile throughout the month Microsoft rolled out Windows Phone Mango, the update which gets it back into the smartphone game. Even the position of the industry’s major players was shaken up as figures yesterday revealed Samsung passed Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone maker. Further signalling this new world order ZTE continued its relentless climb becoming the fourth largest mobile phone seller and RIM drifted into the dreaded category known as “others“.

And yet… the more things change, the more they stay the same. Continue reading