Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Thursday that it will cede most consumer markets after failing to compete with flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple's iPhone and models that run Google's Android software, reports The Associated Press.

Instead, RIM said it will return to its roots and focus on business customers, many of whom prefer BlackBerrys for their security. RIM has had limited success trying to enter consumer markets in recent years, and RIM CEO, Thorsten Heins said a turnaround required "substantial change."

Nokia design chief Marko Ahtisaari is spending a third of his time on creating a tablet for the cellphone maker, which would stand out among hundreds of iPad challengers, he said in an interview with Finnish magazine Kauppalehti Optio.

"We are working on it," he was quoted as saying.

New Delhi: Nokia will close down Nokia Money, a financial service it runs in India, as it continues to narrow its focus on its phone business and location-based services.

"The mobile financial services business is not core to Nokia so we plan to exit the business," said a spokesman for the company.

Apple has won a patent dispute against Motorola Mobility regarding a "slide-to-unlock" feature on smartphones.

The judgement marks Apple's first patent victory over Motorola in any part of the world.

Patent consultant Florian Mueller said the ruling could affect patent disputes involving Android device makers worldwide.

Efforts by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to revive the  ailing fixed line segment of Nigeria’s highly competitive telecommunications market, are headed in the right direction, industry watchers say.

Over 1.9 million fixed lines have become inactive according to 2011 reports. The NCC’s subscriber data shows that there are 2.7 million fixed wired/wireless telephone lines in the country out of which the 1.9 million are not in use.

A Nigerian court has ruled that Bharti Airtel's ownership of its subsidiary Airtel Nigeria is "null and void" because co-founder and 5 percent shareholder Econet Wireless was not consulted on the transfer, according to a judgement seen by Reuters on Monday.

South Africa-based Econet Wireless is disputing the Indian carrier's ownership of one of its most important Africa operations, company founder Strive Masiyiwa told Reuters by telephone.

A UK-based Nigerian telecom provider, Afrimobile Limited, said on Tuesday that it was targeting nearly 45 million subscribers from members of the ethnic communities including Nigerians resident in the UK.

Afrimobile is a new virtual network operator which seeks to provide mobile telephone services, including electronic money transfer and digital e-wallet services to subscribers.

Airtel Nigeria has announced a special SMS offer to help its customers connect with their family members, friends, and business associates during the current difficult period.

Under the terms of the offer announced, Airtel customers can send SMS for only N1 per SMS to other Airtel lines within Nigeria.

The offer commenced on Thursday and ran through Friday night.