BARCELONA — What a difference a year makes. Maybe.

Nokia was in dire straights this time last year. Having just announced a nearly universal reset of its business and betting its future on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, the company’s future was bleak but at least it had a new plan and operating system that could turn back the tide.

Today, Nokia continues to talk about its strategy and deep partnership with Microsoft, but only one of the two devices introduced here at Mobile World Congress are running on Microsoft’s OS. The other device is the 808 PureView, which features a hard-to-fathom 41-megapixel sensor, Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia’s pixel over-sampling technology. The 808 PureView runs on the latest version of Symbian, a software with a future so narrow that Nokia dumped it (and 3,000 related employees) on Accenture last April. Read more

One of the more positive developments to hit the mobile industry of late is the immense media exposure being placed on the working conditions of those who build the devices that delight us and infuriate us. Media interest in this topic has been gaining for years, but it seems to have hit a new crescendo in the last couple months.

Device makers of every kind operate with virtual impunity. And yet we hear stories of mass suicides, debilitating ailments and poisoning — all a direct result of building the products we can’t get enough of. Not only has it become more difficult for journalists and consumers to ignore this reality, but also Apple and hopefully many companies to come. We all know that buying products built in China and other countries that treat millions of workers like modern-day slaves comes at a price that lingers well beyond the cash register. We vote with our pocketbooks, the saying goes, and this is what our money supports. Read more

Apple fired a rare miss last quarter with slowed growth, declining iPhone sales and a drop in profit. iPhone sales were pointedly down in the second half of the quarter after iOS 5 was announced and speculation of a new iPhone intensified.

As always, Apple is playing the slip off in a typically calm, cool and collected manner. The drop in iPhone sales was less than expected, according to executives, and CEO Tim Cook said he is “confident that (Apple) will set an all-time record for iPhone this quarter.”

iPhone sales were up 21% year-over-year to 17.07 million units, but down from the previous two quarters. Year-over-year iPad sales shot up 166% to a new high of 11.12 million, Mac sales jumped 26% to 4.89 million and iPod sales declined 27% to 6.62 million. Read more

Apple broke more records over the weekend, selling more than four million of its new iPhone 4S in its first three days on the market. The company also announced that more than 25 million customers are using iOS 5 five days after its release and more than 20 million customers have signed up for its iCloud service.

Apple served up more than 1 million pre-orders for the iPhone 4S in the first 24 hours and went on sell four times that amount over opening weekend.

Sales numbers did not disappoint, despite the issues Apple faced over the weekend as an untold number of users reported errors with the device’s new voice-activated service, Siri. Read more

Millions of BlackBerry users spanning at least four continents are without service for a third consecutive day. An untold number of customers, not all however, are unable to send messages, emails or browse the web in parts of North and South America, Africa, Middle East and Europe.

A little more than an hour ago, Research In Motion admitted that it’s still working to resolve the “service issue that many of our BlackBerry customers are experiencing.”

The early outages occurred Monday in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, but as of this morning they have reached the Americas — and they are ongoing. Read more

iPads generate more mobile traffic than all other iOS devices combined

Mobile devices comprised 6.8% of all online traffic in August 2011. Nearly two-thirds of that traffic came from mobile phones while tablets accounted for the remainder, according to a new report from comScore.

The number of U.S. subscribers consuming mobile media grew 19% in the past year to 116 million people. While the growth is noteworthy, it also highlights the large untapped market for mobile data that still exists. Read more

Apple hit a new record last Friday, surpassing 1 million pre-orders for the new iPhone 4S in the first 24 hours. The previous one-day record, held by the iPhone 4, was 600,000 pre-orders.

The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone available at more than one U.S. carrier at launch. Apple has greater reach now with AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. None of the carriers broke down pre-order sales figures, though more details should come after the iPhone 4S is available for purchase (and begins shipping) this Friday.

Following its pre-order run, it appears all but certain that Apple will break all other previously established records with the iPhone 4S at launch and going forward. Volume totals are likely to be shared by Apple and the carriers when each of the companies release their quarterly earnings in the coming weeks. Read more

The world lost one of the great ones today in Steve Jobs. Apple confirmed that Jobs died today at the age of 56.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.

“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.”

A tribute at Apple’s site reads: “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.” Read more

It’s what’s inside that counts. That’s the statement Apple Inc. is making with the new iPhone 4S.

It may look exactly the same as the iPhone 4, but the new iPhone 4S is rocking a re-engineered interior that Apple hopes will keep the iOS train humming along well through the next product cycle.

Apple is taking a gamble, albeit a safe and proven one, by not changing the design of the new iPhone. After the longest break yet between new iPhone releases (almost 16 months), public and industry expectations were set for an iPhone 5 — in other words, an iPhone that looks different and works different.

The iPhone 4S is coming to AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless and for the first time, Sprint Nextel Corp. It goes up for pre-sale Friday and hits store shelves on Oct. 14. iOS 5 will be available as a free upgrade on Oct. 12. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

When I think of Steve Jobs, feelings of wonder and absolute awe rush over me. Jobs is without a doubt, the most iconoclastic creative mind of the modern age. If that makes me a fanboy, so be it. If liking Apple Inc. products makes me a fanboy, I’m fine with that too.

Jobs is in a league of his own. No one has done more to disrupt mobile technology, consumer electronics and entertainment in such a short span of time. His personality, brilliant mind and business acumen commands respect, fear and unbridled attention. When Jobs says something or does something, it matters. People take note and react. Read more