Mobile App Roundup: Flurry, Yahoo! Japan and the Kindle Fire

Mobile Gaming Industry Outpaces DS, PSP - According to new numbers released by analytics firm Flurry, mobile gaming revenue has outpaced handheld console gaming revenue. The firm estimates that in 2011, the Nintendo DS and PSP accounted for 42% of portable game software revenues, but iOS and Android devices controlled the other 58%. According to Flurry’s numbers, iOS and Android games have nearly tripled their market share in three years. Google Accuses Microsoft of Patent Profiteering - There’s no doubt that patents are one of the most important assets in the tech industry, but Microsoft’s ability to use its patents to make money off Android devices has started to wear thin on Google. In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle this week, Google’s Tim Porter blasted Microsoft for shoring up its market position with patent revenues from other company’s products. US Population of “Gamers” Doubles - Research firm Parks Associates has released a study indicating the number of people in the US who play at least one hour of video games a month has doubled in three years, from 56 million in 2008 to 135 million in 2011. The firm credits the increase to “casual gamers” who play games on social networks and mobile devices. We're not at all surprised to hear these study results, either. Popular Kindle Fire Launching With a Very Hot Lineup of Apps - Amazon has bolstered the Amazon Appstore with many of the most popular Android apps in anticipation of next week’s launch of its Kindle Fire tablet. Apps from Netflix, Pandora, Facebook, Zynga, EA, Gameloft, PopCap and Rovio will all be available for as day one downloads. In other Kindle Fire news, TechCrunch is reporting that Amazon has increased its order for the tablets, and is now scheduled to receive 5 million units by the end of the year. GameSalad Adds Support for Android - GameSalad, makers of a free game development toolkit that allows non-coders to create mobile and social games, has added Android support their product GameSalad Creator according to Gamasutra. The tool now supports iOS, HTML5 and Android. Take-Two Raising Cash for Mobile or Social Acquisition - Industrygamers.com is reporting that publisher Take-Two Interactive issued $200 million in convertible senior notes this week, a move that industry analyst Michael Pachter thinks is a precursor to a major mobile or social gaming acquisition. Yahoo Japan to Build Its Own Android Market - The Next Web is reporting that Yahoo is creating its own Android app store especially for the Japanese market. The new store will allow Japanese app developers to bypass the official Android App market all together when it launches in 2012. Apple Sees Big Mobile Profits, Despite Shrinking Market Share - According to a report from Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley on All Things D, Apple earned more than 52% of all the profits made from mobile handsets in the third quarter, but only had a 4.2% share of the market. Walkley predicted that Apple’s profit share would grow to 60% in the fourth quarter, due to strong iPhone 4S sales. Rovio Wants the Angry Birds to Invade China - In an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt Beijing, Rovio’s Peter Vesterbacka revealed his company wants to become the leading Chinese entertainment brand. The company is planning to open a Shanghai office and Angry Birds retail stores in the country shortly, and hopes to see 100 million total Chinese downloads of Angry Birds by the end of the year. Developer Trolls Apple, Has His Credentials Revoked - The Register is reporting that after discovering a security hole that could allow an app to download malicious code, and then creating and releasing an app to do just that to prove his point, independent developer Charlie Miller has been removed from Apple’s Developer Program. Instagram Focusing on Asia, Video Sharing - Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom has revealed his company is focusing strongly on the Asian market in an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt Beijing. Systrom said that Instagram will be adding support for a variety of Japanese, Chinese and Korean social networks in the near future, and that Instragram powered video sharing was also coming. PerBlue Updates Parallel Kingdom for the Game’s Third Birthday - PerBlue has rolled out a massive content update for its location based MMORPG Parallel Kingdom, adding a variety of new features and mechanics to the game, such as the ability to become the Mayor of in-game city. PerBlue also updated the game’s iOS and Android applications with a revamped user interface. Lenco Mobile and iLoop Mobile to Merge - Mobile marketing companies Lenco Mobile and iLoop Mobile have announced they will merge, with iLoop becoming a subsidiary of Lenco Mobile. iLoop stakeholders will receive $42 million in cash and securities from the deal. New Apple Store App Lets Shoppers Skip Lines - As was heavily rumored last week, Apple has updated its official store app with features that allow shoppers to avoid the holiday rush by scanning and purchasing items with their phones while in the store. Users can also now order products online for in-store pickup with as little as a one hour turnaround time. [Launch] Humongous Games Coming to iOS - Atari owned Humongous Entertainment is bringing its popular series of educational games to iOS. The first game available will be Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo, with additional titles premiering before the end of the year. [Funding] Bitzer Mobile Gets $4.7 Million for Enterprise Security - Bitzer Mobile has raised $4.7 million in Series A funding from Acero Capital and Chevron Technology Ventures. Bitzer’s security solutions allow enterprise clients to run native and HTML5 apps on mobile devices in an isolated environment. [Funding] Medialets Raises $8.4 Million - Mobile ad platform Medialets has filed documents with the SEC indicating it has received $8.4 million in equity funding. The filing did not disclose the source of the funding. [Funding] Parse Raises $5.5 Million from Ignition Partners - Parse, a service that allows app creators to outsource the server-side development required to manage databases and features like notifications has raised $5.5 million in funding from Ignition Partners to expand its team and platform.

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Mobile App Roundup: Flurry, Yahoo! Japan and the Kindle Fire

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