Research firm IDC has raised its forecast for smartphone shipments this year by 10 percent due to greater-than-expected demand and a slew of new devices.

LG Electronics moved further toward its aim of improving its performance in the smartphone market, by announcing new technologies and features which will be used in devices expected to reach the market before the end of 2010.

The strategy behind Samsung’s home-grown smartphone platform looks less compelling with Android in the mix

US video game manufacturers Gameloft and Electronic Arts are the leading producers of multi-platform mobile apps, according to the latest figures from Distimo.

Mobile browser company Skyfire has submitted a mobile browser to Apple’s App Store which it says is “capable of playing Flash video while adhering to all Apple’s guidelines regarding HTML5 open-video standards on Apple devices”.

Mobile music discovery provider Shazam has strengthened ties with Apple’s App Store by updating its services for iPhone and iPod touch owners.

ZTE trumpeted a 40 percent year-on-year growth in handset shipments during the first half of 2010, with a total of 28 million devices reaching the market globally. This was attributed to “increasing market demands from international markets, as well as a spike in 3G usage in China and smartphone popularity worldwide.”

Microsoft announced the “release to manufacturing” of its Windows Phone 7 smartphone platform.

Google’s Android Market is far and away the app store with the largest share of free applications according to the latest report from app store analytic company Distimo.

Alcatel-Lucent has acquired OpenPlug, a developer of mobile software and applications development tools, as part of its strategy to become the application development enabler of choice among its primary customer base – service providers.