UK operator EE has launched what it claims to be the world’s largest mobile data plan, offering a petabyte (PB) of data.

The PB plan, according to the operator, is aimed at media, film, entertainment and CCTV security industries that transfer large amounts of data over 4G while on the move.

Smartphone manufacturers must optimise both hardware and software configurations to improve battery life, according to new research.

The report, compiled by research firm Yankee Group, analysed correlating features of more than 850 smartphones introduced between 2009 and 2013 with measured battery life.

“Many consumers and smartphone salespeople obsess about the size of smartphone screens, the speed of their processors, and the technology behind their radios,” said Carl Howe, Vice President of Yankee Group and author of the report.

Google has launched a new update to its Android mobile operating system, including a new platform for secure Near Field Communication (NFC) transactions using Host Card Emulation (HCE) that negates the need for a secure embedded element.

The new HCE function on Android 4.4 KitKat will allow any Android app to emulate an NFC smart card, so users can tap their smartphones to initiate transactions with the app of their choice.

UK operator EE has today launched what it claims is the world’s fastest 4G network in London’s Tech City.

The new network will offer up to 300 Mbps speeds using LTE-Advanced carrier aggregation technology provided by Huawei to bring together 20MHz of 1800 MHz spectrum and 20MHz of 2.6 GHz spectrum.

Swisscom has teamed up with vendors LEGIC and Kaba to provide a new mobile ecosystem that will use Near Field Communications (NFC) to provide access control as well as “time and attendance recording” for a wide number of payment and authorisation applications.

The largest Swiss mobile operator, Swisscom has been working on a new NFC services platform it calls “Tapit” (nothing to do with Australian NFC vendor Tapit Media – read: Three launches NFC marketing campaign in Stockholm subway carriage), which will enable different card issuers to come together and offer NFC services.

Vodafone is the only operator not to live up to its obligation to provide 3G mobile data coverage to 90 percent of the UK, according to Ofcom.

Spanish Wi-Fi provider Gowex is seeking to expand its footprint by starting a new initiative to merge public access and private access Wi-Fi networks from both operators and businesses together, in a bid to achieve seamless mobile data coverage.

We-2 will be launched in New York next month with an initial network consisting of over 2,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in five boroughs, as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s drive to turn NYC into a “technology hub”.

Carrier aggregation might be a long way off in Europe, but as some markets begin to mature and operators start looking to acquire more blocks of spectrum for their 4G LTE networks, efficient spectrum utilisation will soon be coming into vogue in Western Europe.

North America, often a model for European operators to follow, is finally making progress with LTE-Advanced.

The global millimetre wave equipment market has been dominated by EMEA region this year, with significant growth coming from the UK, Germany, and Russia.

According to Infonetics’ latest report, 61 percent of the overall market revenue in the first half of 2013 came from EMEA region. The market revenue, which increased by 45 percent from the second half of 2012, amounted to €47 million.