Radio app iHeartRadio grows number of stations

A partnership between BCE Inc. and iHeartMedia Inc., iHeartRadio Canada announced Monday an update to its app that will allow listeners to access over 1,000 live North American radio stations and content like podcasts. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …

Government launches Smart Cities challenge in select cities

The federal government officially kicked off its Smart Cities Challenge Thursday, calling for the creation of community projects that leverage data and connected technology to benefit citizens in their communities. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

OPC looking into Uber data breach

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has requested a written breach report from ride-sharing app maker Uber Technologies Inc., it confirmed in an emailed statement on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …

CFO Tom Hearne leaving theScore

Rogers Communications Inc.’s theScore announced Tuesday that chief financial officer Tom Hearne is departing the organization, effective early next year. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

Privacy sweep finds issues with some educational apps: OPC

Some applications used by children in the classroom didn’t receive top marks on privacy in a recent global sweep, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) said in a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Amazon adds Alexa to music app

Amazon.com Inc. is making its voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant Alexa available on its Amazon Music app in some countries. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. …

CRTC role is to ‘regulate in the public interest’: new chairman

CRTC chairman Ian Scott has released his first statement since taking the helm at the regulator, pointing to consumer choice and access to quality content and internet connections as priorities for Canadians. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …

Bell introducing ‘advanced’ text messaging

BCE Inc. is launching an integrated advanced messaging function that allows subscribers to use features available on third party messaging apps. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …

RBC launching AI-based banking through app

RBC said Monday it plans to add artificial intelligence (AI) technology to its mobile banking app. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

Stingray Music hits 2M downloads

Stingray Digital Group Inc. said Monday its mobile music-streaming application has surpassed the two-million download mark. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire Report now. FREE TRIAL …

Mobile banking use up to 43%: J.D. Power

Canadians’ use of smartphones for banking activities has nearly doubled over the past three years, according to a new report by J.D. Power. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …

Interactive Ontario makes changes to board, staff

Interactive Ontario has added three new directors to its board, the industry trade association said in a press release Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …

Blue Ant buys Racat in int’l expansion move

Blue Ant Media Inc. has acquired Racat Group, with international assets that include production houses and mobile game developers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The Wire …

Telus, B.C. pledge $2M to connect youth in government care

Telus Corp. and the government of British Columbia are committing $2 million to offer subsidized smartphones to up to 1,000 youth who are currently, or were previously, in government care.

The pilot project, which will begin in the spring and was announced on the B.C. government website Friday, will provide young adults with Motorola Mobility LLC Moto G smartphones that will include monthly phone and data plan credits for up to two years. The phones will have unlimited nationwide talk and text and up to 3GB of monthly data.

Canada’s VR industry is nascent, but set for growth

Though virtual reality is still in its early days, it holds promise for Canada’s media industry — including for broadcasters as a new way to draw eyes to live events, such as sports, according to Nordicity’s Kristian Roberts.

For example, it could be used to allow a viewer to watch the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup finals from some of the best seats in the house, he suggested.

Mixed reaction to budget viewed as long on potential, short on details

For all the focus on the digital economy, there was little in Wednesday’s budget for digital content creators, broadband infrastructure enthusiasts or fans of long-term planning, according to consultants and advocacy groups.

“There’s a lot of potential there. But what is lacking right now is the policy and funding framework in the longer term,” Stuart Jack, a partner at Nordicity’s Ottawa office, said in phone interview.

Hub for Canadian radio launches

More than 400 Canadian radio stations across the country are now available on a newly launched app featuring both public and private broadcasters.

The free Radioplayer app launched Wednesday “gives radio listeners access to nearly every style of music, news, talk, and entertainment content, in both official languages, on any connected device, at any time of day, from anywhere,” a press release said.

Iristel, EBox, DHX among new lobby registrations

The start of the new year was marked by new registrations for new and not-so-new companies and groups in the federal lobbyists’ registry.

Iristel Inc. registered to lobby the federal government as of Jan. 13 with consultant Eric Rothschild, who, according to the registry filing “will discuss with CRTC staff & Commissioners and staff at Innovation, Science and Economic Development potential funding available for telecommunications infrastructure.”

Ontario interactive media companies set to expand: report

Interactive digital media companies in Ontario are set for “significant growth” within the next two years, according to a report commissioned by industry trade association Interactive Ontario.

Interactive digital media [IDM] companies create digital content that engages users in a “rich interactive” experience, such as video games and apps. There are 877 such companies in Ontario, 86 per cent of which were founded since 2000 and 46 per cent since 2010, according to the report.

5G to make up 0.2% of connections by 2021: Cisco

Despite a projected 1,000-per-cent increase in 5G connections between 2020 and 2021, less than half a per cent of all devices and connections will have 5G capability in that same time period, according to a new Cisco Systems Inc. report.

Build voice and data support at same time in NG911 system: Freedom

GATINEAU, Que. — There are unique considerations for wireless carriers when contemplating the switch to next-generation 911 (NG911) services, a CRTC panel was told on the penultimate day of a public hearing on improvements to the 911 network, including the fact they can offer more services for 911 users more quickly.

Bell offering IBM enterprise apps

BCE Inc.’s business customers now have access to IBM Corp.’s MobileFirst enterprise apps for devices running on Apple Inc.’s iOS operating system.

Canadians don’t want CanCon funding passed down to subscribers: report

A report prepared for the Privy Council Office found Canadians were generally in favour of increasing contributions to Canadian content, but don’t believe those increases should be passed down to customers.

Sasktel ties for fastest LTE speeds in the world: OpenSignal

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp.’s LTE download speeds are among the fastest in the world, according to a new OpenSignal Inc. report.

“In the fourth quarter, Singapore had the fastest networks by far, averaging 37 Mbps, and two of its operators [Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.] and [StarHub Ltd.] joined Canada’s SaskTel in vying for the title of world’s fastest operator,” the report, released Nov. 10, said.

Corus launches History OTT service

Corus Entertainment Inc. has launched History Vault, a subscription over-the-top (OTT) service featuring programming from its History channel.

The service, which costs $5.49 a month, “features hundreds of hours of content within the [History] library, including series, documentaries, and specials,” Corus said in a Thursday press release.

iHeartRadio launches in Canada

iHeartMedia Inc.'s free digital radio and music streaming service is now available in Canada, according to a press release from BCE Inc.’s media division.

The free app, iHeartRadio, is available on a preview basis ahead of its official launch on Oct. 10.

500 Canadian radio stations to be available through app

Radio stations from some of Canada’s biggest broadcasters—including Rogers Communications Inc., Cogeco Inc., Newcap Inc., and Corus Entertainment Inc., among others—will soon be available through an app.

Most health devices don’t explain personal info collection: OPC

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner said Thursday that 62 per cent of the health devices it examined as part of a global sweep didn’t “adequately explain how personal information is collected, used and disclosed.”

Rogers launches small business app portal

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Wednesday a new platform for businesses to manage cloud applications.

The Rogers Business App Market is billed as an online portal “where small business can purchase, manage and get expert tech support to run best-in-class business applications for their business,” Rogers said in a press release.

According to Rogers, Canadian small businesses manage about five cloud applications at once, such as email, payroll, accounting and scheduling.

Rio Olympics draws 32M viewers: CBC

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were the most-watched Summer Games in Canadian history, CBC/Radio-Canada said Tuesday of the two-week event that wrapped up Sunday night.

In a press release, the public broadcaster said that between Aug. 5 and Aug. 21, 32.1 million people tuned into Olympic coverage.

Dan Beer named You.i TV COO

Burgeoning Ottawa-based TV app maker You.i TV has hired its first chief operating officer, the company announced this week.

In a Tuesday press release, the company said Dan Beer’s appointment was made “in order to fuel the company’s continued rapid growth and global adoption of its enabling technology for transformative user interfaces and applications.”

Stingray hires Rick Bergan to head U.S. distribution

Stingray Digital Group Inc. is expanding its management team with the appointment of a head of content distribution in the United States.

Set-top box retailer involved in software development, BDUs claim

A trio of telecom companies are doubling down on their assertion that preloaded set-top box retailers are complicit in TV piracy, according to new court documents filed in their ongoing fight to permanently end the sale of the devices loaded with software they say allows users to access their content for free.

The Shopping Channel introduces Apple TV app

The Shopping Channel (TSC) has launched an app for Apple Inc.’s Apple TV platform.

Rogers Communications Inc., which owns the Mississauga-based retailer, announced the ShopTSC app in a Thursday press release.

The app will allow “customers to stream both live and pre-recorded broadcasts, browse exclusive items,” and buy items “directly from their TVs.”

Microsoft buying LinkedIn for $26B

Microsoft Corp. announced Monday that it has entered into an agreement to buy LinkedIn Corp.’s social networking site for $26.2 billion US.

The companies said in a press release Monday that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner will stay on as head of the company, reporting to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

“LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand, culture and independence,” the release said.

Wearable adoption slow, app use declining: study

The adoption of wearable devices is sluggish in Canada, with only 10 per cent of Canadians indicating they own one, suggest the results of a new Catalyst study.

“While the advent of wearables, particularly the Apple Watch, made headlines in 2015, the overall adoption rate was less than anticipated,” the digital marketing agency said in the report released Thursday.

TheScore launches Facebook Messaging bot for sports updates

TheScore Inc. launched its chatbot for Facebook Inc.’s Messenger on Wednesday, making it one of the first sports media companies to build a messaging bot to update users on sports developments.

The bot allows Facebook Messenger users to receive automated and up-to-date information on teams they follow, the company said in a press release.

WhatsApp to encrypt all traffic

Facebook Inc.’s WhatsApp will automatically encrypt all communications going through its service, the company announced.

“From now on when you and your contacts use the latest version of the app, every call you make, and every message, photo, video, file, and voice message you send, is end-to-end encrypted by default, including group chats,” it said in a blog post Tuesday.

That means messages can only be read by recipients and no one else, including hackers, governments, or even the company itself, it added.

WhatsApp won’t be available on BlackBerry by end of year

Facebook Inc.’s WhatsApp will stop supporting its messenger app on most BlackBerry Inc. devices by the end of the year, the company said in a blog post Friday.

BlackBerry launches new mobile security software

BlackBerry Ltd. announced Tuesday the release of a new suite of mobile security software for businesses.

It said in a press release that the new software, called Good Secure EMM Suites, is "a comprehensive set of mobile security, management, productivity and collaboration offerings."

CIRA adds $1M to community investment program

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) said Wednesday that it has committed another $1 million to its community investment program, which helps fund projects that improve Internet access and knowledge about digital issues.

CIRA said in a press release that, since 2014, it has invested $2.2 million in more than 50 projects.

Bell to bring iHeartRadio to Canada

BCE Inc. announced Wednesday it has signed a partnership deal with iHeartMedia Inc. in order to bring iHeartRadio, the free digital radio and music streaming service based in the U.S., to Canada this year.

It said in a press release that iHeartRadio will provide customers “instant access to the live radio feature,” and will showcase content from Bell’s broadcast and digital-only radio stations across mobile, auto dashes, tablets, smartphones, gaming consoles and wearables.  

Netflix says new process will waste less bandwidth

Netflix Inc. is re-encoding its entire library of content in order to provide customers with a better experience for watching content while using less bandwidth to process it. 

The company said in a blog Monday that the process is called per-title encoding, in which an analysis of every title that is available was conducted in order to determine the quality and the amount of bandwidth required for it to be streamed.

Bell adds Netflix link to IPTV services

BCE Inc. announced Monday that subscribers of Bell’s Fibe TV and Bell Alliant’s FibreOP TV will have access to their Netflix Inc. account directly from their TV receivers.

It said in the release that all Fibe TV receivers have been upgraded to access the video streaming service, and added that customers have to press the apps button on their Fibe or Fibre OP TV remote.

Yahoo launches mobile app in U.S. to find OTT content

Yahoo Inc. announced Thursday the launch of its Yahoo Video Guide mobile app for customers in the United States to search for video content across multiple services they have installed on their devices.

The company said in a blog that customers will be able to “quickly and seamlessly search” for content in order to find out which over-the-top content provider is streaming programming they want to watch. The post added that customers can click on the content and will be redirected to the app where that content is available.

Wearable shipments up almost 200% in Q3: IDC

Worldwide wearable shipments rose 197.6 per cent with 21 million units shipped in the third quarter this year, up from 7.1 million units in the same period a year earlier, according to a new report released Thursday by International Data Corp.

Shaw provides better public WiFi for premium plans

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Wednesday that all customers who are subscribed to its Internet 30, or any broadband Internet plan above that, will have access to download speeds six times faster when connected to any of the 75,000 Shaw Go WiFi hotspot across Western Canada.

Google launches YouTube Kids in Canada

Google Inc. announced Wednesday it is launching in Canada its YouTube app for children. 

It said in a blogpost that the YouTube Kids app will be a “safer version of YouTube, a family-friendly place for kids to explore their imagination and curiosity.” It added that parents and kids will be able to browse through channels and playlists that are separated into four categories: shows, music, learning and explore.

Apple Pay launches in Canada

American Express Co. announced Tuesday that Apple Inc.’s Apple Pay is now available for its eligible customers and small businesses in Canada.

American Express said that once customers add their American Express card to their Apple Pay account they will be able to pay at select participating merchcants.

It added that customers will also have access to real-time notifications of details on all purchases made and easy connection to the American Express mobile app to have more detailed account monitoring.

Pandora to acquire assets of Rdio for $75M US

Pandora Media Inc. announced Monday it will be acquiring key assets from music streaming service Rdio Inc. for $75 million US.

It said in a press release that it will be acquiring technology and intellectual property, as well as hiring some employees, from Rdio and plans to expand Pandora’s listening experience by late 2016.

Cellular data to grow 10 times by 2021: Ericsson

The amount of data flowing through cellular networks, both in North America and around the world, will increase almost 10 times over the next six years as growth in smartphone adoption continues and video consumption becomes more popular, according to reports released by Ericsson AB on Tuesday.

Ericsson said global mobile data this year is expected to average 5.3 exabytes a month and rise to 51 EB by 2021, as it increases by an average of 45 per cent a year over that time. (One exabyte is equal to about one billion gigabytes.)

MTS to offer CTV, TSN TV-everywhere apps

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. said Thursday that all of its TV customers will have access to BCE Inc.’s TSN GO and CTV GO mobile apps for free.

MTS said in a press release that the apps are available through Apple Inc.’s iTunes or Google Inc.’s Google Play Store, and said that its customers can also log in through a web browser to get access.

Verizon launches $2 US daily roaming in Canada

Verizon Communications Inc. said Thursday it has introduced a new roaming service plan for U.S. subscribers that allows them to use their existing talk, messaging and data plans in Canada and Mexico for an extra $2 US a day.

It said in a press release that customers can sign up for the service, called TravelPass, and activate it either on their online account or via their Verizon app.

Apple Music available on Android

Apple Inc. has made its music-streaming app available for Android devices.

The Apple Music website now includes a link, that takes users to the Google Play store, to download what it calls a "beta" version of the app for Google Inc.'s Android operating system.

Napster launches music subscription service to Canadians

Rhapsody International Inc.’s music subscription service, Napster, announced Monday that its subscription service is now available in Canada.

It said in a press release that, for a limited time, Canadians can subscribe to the service and get the first three months for $1, after which it will be $9.99 per month.

Apple drives 500% increase in smartwatch shipments: report

Global smartwatch shipments were up 510 per cent in this year's third quarter from a year earlier, with 6.1 million units shipped compared to one million during the same period the previous year, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics released Wednesday.

Smartphone shipments up 8.4% in Q3: Juniper

Juniper Research Ltd. said Thursday that global smartphone shipments in this year's third quarter totalled 342.5 million, representing growth of 8.4 per cent.

It said in the press release that Apple Inc.’s iPhones shipped 48 million units compared to 39 million during the same period the previous year, and noted that much of its growth comes from China.

Smartphone shipments rise 6.8% in Q3: IDC

Worldwide smartphone shipments grew 6.8 per cent from a year earlier in the third quarter to 355.2 million units, up from 332.6 million units in the same period the previous year, according to a new report from International Data Corp.

Apple Pay coming to Canada, with Amex

Apple Inc.'s mobile payment system is coming to Canada but will be, at least initially, limited to holders of credit cards from American Express Co.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, during a conference call Tuesday to discuss the company's fourth-quarter earnings, announced that Apple Pay would be in Canada and Australia this year for American Express customers, and Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong would follow next year.

Apple Pay is currently operational only in the United States and United Kingdom.

Bell Media launches Discovery GO

BCE Inc.’s media division has launched a TV-everywhere app for five Discovery Canada channels, and said Discovery GO would soon begin offering 4K content.

The company said in a press release Monday that programming from Discovery, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, and Discovery Velocity will be available “live and on demand on smartphones, tablets, computers, and television set-top boxes.”

Youtube to launch paid video subscription service

Google Inc.’s Youtube announced Wednesday it will launch a new paid video subscription service that will have ad-free original content.

It said in a blog post that the service, called Youtube Red, will be available on all platforms and devices and will be priced at $9.99 US per month. It added that users will be able to save videos and watch them offline and that early next year users will get to watch new original shows from some of Youtube’s content creators.

Few Canadians using mobile-payment apps: survey

Forty per cent of Canadians are aware of mobile-payment methods, up from 35 per cent a year earlier, but only 10 per cent are using their mobile phones to make payments on a weekly basis, according to survey results released Tuesday by consulting firm Accenture Inc.

Yellow Pages links Canadian business information to Apple Maps

Yellow Pages Ltd. announced Monday that data from its online digital platform that provides information on Canadian businesses will be directly linked and offered on Apple Inc.’s Apple Maps.

It said in a press release that data provided will include information of about 1.8 million Canadian business' addresses, phone numbers, website URLs, hours of operation, photos, ratings and reviews.

Are apps the future of TV?

In the past 18 months, Ottawa-based TV app-maker You.i TV has grown from 20 employees to 130, and the company expects that kind of expansion to continue in the next year, according to Matt Nelson, You.i TV’s director of marketing.

CMF teams with Screen Australia to fund digital projects

The Canada Media Fund and the Australian government, through the Screen Australia agency, are investing $800,000 into an initiative for digital interactive projects.

“With 50 film and television co-productions between Canada and Australia, it’s a natural fit to build on this relationship and create an incentive for interactive digital media co-production,” CMF president Valerie Creighton said in a joint press release Wednesday.

Countdown on for global Internet governance transition

OTTAWA — When people think about the Internet, they often associate it with applications, social networks, streamed video, megabits per second or data caps, without realizing that the structure that lies underneath is overseen by the United States government.

iPhone users more likely to stream: MTM

Apple Inc.’s iPhone owners stream audio and video content more than any other device owners, according to a new report released by Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

The report said that among anglophone iPhone owners, 55 per cent stream audio and 68 per cent stream video. It said that of all anglophones that own any type of smartphone, 37 per cent are audio streamers and 46 per cent are video streamers. 

Canadian wearable shipments to rise 55% this year: IDC

The Canadian wearable market is expected to get shipments of 1.4 million units by the end of 2015, up almost 55 per cent from 905,000 last year, according to International Data Corp. 

Rogers launches first Canadian music radio app for Apple Watch

Rogers Communications Inc. announced Monday that its KiSS 92.5 in Toronto is the first Canadian music radio station to launch an app for Apple Inc.’s Apple Watch.

It said in a press release that the app will allow users to instantly listen to a live stream of the station, along with scrolling through new playlists to see what is trending on the station.

Weekend iPhone sales set new record

Apple Inc. said Monday that more than 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices have been sold in their first three days of availability, setting a new company record.

“Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first-weekend sales results in Apple’s history,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release.

Will ad blocking destroy digital advertising?

Technology that’s been around for years, which allows individuals to use services like apps and browser extensions to avoid seeing online advertising, has been causing new controversy in the past few weeks.

According to Randall Rotherberg, president and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau in the United States, the practice is “robbery, plain and simple.”

Ad blocking is “a potentially existential threat to the industry,” he argued in a Sept. 22 opinion piece in Ad Age.

Kik adds Jae Kim, Alim Dhanji

Kik Interactive Inc., the Waterloo, Ont.-based mobile messaging company, said Tuesday it has added two new executives.

One is Jae Kim, who will be head of strategy and partnerships, Kik said in a press release. Kim was formerly head of strategy and operations at the U.S headquarters of Line Corp., another messaging company.

Mobile messaging grows, monetization remains the challenge

Mobile-messaging through apps in Canada and globally is on the rise as it attracts users wanting a convenient interface that can help them be included in social circles, though the steep growth in users is not yet being matched in dollars generated.

Desjardins releases mobile payments for small business

Financial services cooperative Desjardins Group announced on Wednesday new applications to allow small business, self-employed workers and "merchants on the go" to collect card payments with portable tools.

Starbucks app allows advance orders by smartphone

Starbucks Coffee Co. said Thursday it has now implemented advance orders through smartphones at more than 7,400 of its locations in the United States, and it will start trying the idea in Canada next month.

The coffee-chain operation said in a press release that users of Apple Inc.'s iPhone or devices running on Google Inc.'s Android operating system can now use the Starbucks app to place orders and pay for them remotely in advance of picking them up at locations across the U.S.

Corus releases two kids’ TV-everywhere apps

Corus Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday it is launching the YTVGo and NickGO TV-everywhere apps, which will be available to subscribers of its YTV and Nickelodeon channels.

“These apps give kids and families access to live YTV and Nickelodeon network streams along with an extensive offering of their favourite on-demand episodes,” the company said in a press release Tuesday.

Almost three-quarters of companies using or deploying IoT: IDC

International Data Corp. said Tuesday that 73 per cent of enterprises it polled in a recent survey are using Internet of Things (IoT) technology or plan to do so over the next year.

“IoT awareness is gaining traction in the retail and manufacturing industries with 56% and 53% of respondents (respectively) showing high awareness of the IoT,” the company said in a press release.

In comparison, the government sector “lags behind in overall awareness and often needs clarification around the IoT basics,” it added.

Battery life top complaint of Apple Watch owners: survey

A new survey from research company 451 Research LLC. indicates high consumer satisfaction ratings with Apple Inc.’s Apple Watch, noting 54 per cent of consumers studied were very satisfied.

451 Research said in a press release Tuesday that, of those studied, 49 per cent said they liked the notifications best, followed by 41 per cent liking its health and fitness monitoring capabilities, and 30 per cent liking the esthetics and design.

Rover to power mobile app for Pittsburgh Penguins

Rover Labs Inc., a Toronto-based maker of mobile engagement technology, announced Tuesday it is partnering with the Pittsburgh Penguins to bring fans exclusive content to their mobile devices at games through a new app.

The company said in a press release that fans attending games at Consol Energy Centre in Pittsburgh will be greeted with content such as concession offers and discounts to enhance “the fan experience.”

You.i TV gets $15M in funding

You.i TV, an Ottawa-based company making software for video applications, said Monday it has secured $15 million in funding, led by Los Angeles-based private-equity group Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors LP.

Wearable shipments more than doubling this year: IDC

International Data Corp. said Monday that wearable shipments will reach 76.1 million units this year, up 163.6 per cent from the 28.9 million units shipped in 2014.

It said in a press release that total shipments of basic and smart wearables will reach 173.4 million units by 2019, resulting in a five-year average growth rate of 22.9 per cent.

Google rolls out Android Pay

Google Inc. announced Thursday on its official Android blog it has launched Android Pay.

The blog post said that, after downloading the app onto any NFC-enabled Android device, users can use it for payments at more than a million locations across the United States. It added that Android Pay will store gift cards, loyalty cards, special offers, as well as credit and debit cards from American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

Telus IoT platform goes global

Telus Corp. announced Wednesday it is expanding its Internet of Things (IoT) platform globally to nearly every country around the world.

It said in a press release that the new platform, called Telus Global IoT Connectivity Platform, has partnered with more than 70 carriers and offers a global SIM card for simplified billing across more than 200 networks.

Data costs limit mobile-video consumption: Ericsson

A new report from Ericsson AB shows that while people are increasingly consuming video on mobile devices, the cost of data limits many from taking advantage of what the technology makes possible.

The report released Thursday from Ericsson's ConsumerLab division — based on research involving more than 22,500 people in 20 countries including Canada and the United States — said there has been a 71 per cent increase in the number of people viewing video on smartphones since 2011.

Sony unveils first 4K smartphone

Sony Corp. announced Wednesday at IFA Berlin, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics trade shows in Europe, the release of the world’s first 4K smartphone.

Sony said in a press release that the Xperia Z5 Premium’s 4K display has “four times the resolution of full HD,” and will allow users to watch any 4K content, including from Netflix Inc. and Google Inc.'s YouTube.

Privacy commish says children’s websites short on safeguards

A majority of websites and mobile applications targeted to or popular with children were found recently to collect personal information from minors and share it with third parties, the Office of the Privacy Commission said Wednesday. 

Amazon adds download option for Prime customers

Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime Video members in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Austria will now be able to download movies and TV shows for easy offline viewing at no additional cost, the company said in a press release Tuesday.

Amazon said that its over-the-top subscription streaming service will be the first ever to offer the option to download videos for both Apple Inc.’s iOS and Google Inc.’s Android platforms.

Net-neutrality advocates cry foul over Videotron music service

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron is giving itself an undue preference with a new service that allows its mobile customers to listen to music streaming without it counting against their data caps, net neutrality advocates say.