Research In Motion (RIM) today revealed endorsements from a number of key partners who have already confirmed their excitement for the upcoming launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform.

RIM released in beta the developer toolkit for the BlackBerry 10 platform, which will allow developers to build and test their apps in preparation for the BlackBerry 10 launch expected in the latter part of 2012. The toolkit includes the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK with Cascades, which allows developers to create graphically rich, high performance native apps in C/C++ or the Qt Modelling Language (QML).

Data from mobile analyst firm Juniper Research shows Samsung and Apple trading places once again in the smartphone market, in what is increasingly becoming a two-horse race. In the first quarter of 2012 to end-March, the company estimates that nearly 60 per cent of the 139 million smartphones shipped worldwide carried either the Apple (35.1 million) or Samsung (46.9 million) brand – up from 46 per cent in the last three months of 2011. While Apple and Samsung have taken it in turns to lead the smartphone market over the last four quarters, it seems as if Samsung may now have established a firm lead in this space – shipping 11.8 million more units than Apple in Q1, according to Juniper Research.

The analyst firm believes that HTC appears to be following Nokia and Research In Motion (RIM) in taking-stock of where it’s best strategy lies. Nokia’s Lumia launches do not appear to have kick-started a revival yet, with the Finnish company shipping just 11.9 million smart devices in the first quarter – less than half the number it shipped in the same period a year previously. RIM’s recent results hinted at continuing problems for the Canadian firm. However, with Juniper forecasting that smartphone shipments will nearly double over the next five years – from nearly 600 million in 2012 to 1.1 billion by 2017 – there are still plenty of opportunities for other players to make gains in this market.

Telenor wrote-down the remaining value of its business in India, noting in a statement that if a proposed spectrum issue goes forward in its current form, “it will be almost impossible to participate in the auction for Telenor.”

India’s telecom regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently proposed that a pan-Indian licence in the reconstituted spectrum auction in the 1800MHz band should cost around Rs3,622 crore (US$680 million). The TRAI recommended a reserve price for 800MHz and 900MHz bands that will be at least double that set for the 1800MHz band, at Rs7,244 crore.

Telenor said that during the first period of the year, its Uninor venture “developed according to plan.” However, following the cancellation of its licences earlier this year – along with those of many of its peers – and recent recommendations produced by the TRAI, Telenor said that “the uncertainty has increased significantly.”

It said that it is working with the Indian authorities to “bring forward an acceptable framework for continued operations.”

Telenor has written-down the value of its Indian holding by an additional NOK3.9 billion (US$682 million). After this, it will have no further accounting exposure to India. It has already taken a charge of NOK4.1 billion related to the Indian operation.

Qtel Group reported a 7.6 per cent rise in revenues in Q112 to QAR8 billion (US$2.2 billion), though its net profit was down 12 per cent year-on-year to QAR711.4 million. The telco attributed the fall in net profit mainly to foreign exchange losses in Indosat

As of March 31, the group’s consolidated customer base stood at 84.4 million, up from 75.6 million a year earlier, representing growth in customers of 11.7 per cent.

EBITDA during the period increased 8 per cent to QAR 3.8 billion, with the telco’s margin remaining robust throughout the period at 48 per cent, the same percentage as in Q111.

China’s ZTE has reported operating revenue of US$2.96 billion in Q1 2012, an increase of 29.46 per cent over the same period last year. Net profit was US$22.99 million, an increase of 23.85 per cent over the same period last year.

ZTE’s revenue generated by carrier networks rose by 13.65 per cent compared to the same period the previous year, a reflection of an increase in revenue generated from sales of optical and data communications products. Terminal product revenues were up 27.33 per cent compared to the same period last year, driven primarily by sales of 3G handsets. The company says that it saw a large increase in sales of services and fixed terminals during the quarter.