Today’s mobile news roundup features the teenager who sold his kidney for an iPhone and iPad, Sony cutting their workforce, and AT&T’s new theme.

Kid sells kidney for iPhone and iPad

Apple is a household name, along with its popular device, the iPad.  People now refer to tablet computers as iPads.  And that’s how one kid traded his kidney for the said device.

In April last year, a 17-year old teenager with the surname Wang, sold his kidney in order to purchase an Apple iPhone and iPad.  He now suffers from renal failure – his remaining kidney is not able to filter the toxins and waste products from his body.  Xinhua News Agency reported that five people, the surgeon and the medical staff, were charged with intentional injury.

According to reports, the person who arranged the transplant received 220,000 yuan (about $35,000), while 22,000 yuan was given to Wang, leaving the rest of the money to be split amongst the team.  Wang used the money to buy an iPhone and iPad, very popular and sought after devices in China where prices are quite high: iPhones start at 3,988 yuan ($633) and the iPad at 2,988 yuan ($474).

Wang’s health is deteriorating.

In other Apple news, Concord Keystone just launched the Keystone ECO MarineCase, a fully submersible case for iPhone 4S/4 that keeps it 100% dry and safe at depths of up to 20 ft/6m underwater.  The MarineCase caters to people who love to swim but have separation anxiety with their beloved iPhones.  It comes in black or white, a neckstrap and is suited for salt, fresh, and pool or chlorinated water.  And it’s not just a protective case, it’s a fully functioning protective case so you can still capture photos and videos underwater and share them with your friends instantly because of the clear protective silicon cover that supports full iPhone screen and call functionality.  The Keystone ECO MarineCase is priced at $39.

Sony is downsizing

As part of Sony Corp.’s CEO Kazuo Hirai’s restructuring plan, the company will cut their workforce by 6% or laying off 10,000 workers.  The layoffs will be announced in a corporate strategy meeting on Thursday.

Sony’s electronic business, which established them as a brand known for innovative products, is now in its fourth year of losses as it continually fails to keep up with Apple and Samsung products.

Sony already entered into two deals in an effort help the company: they agreed to sell their chemical products business to the Development Bank of Japan, and they spun off their small-to medium-sized liquid crystal display operations to Japan Display Inc. – a newly formed venture, backed by the government, Sony, Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd.

AT&T’s new theme to show off Lumia 900

In 2010, AT&T adopted the “Rethink possible” theme in hopes of marketing without having to focus on a single brand.  Unfortunately, consumers were overwhelemed by their new scheme, and now, in time for the Nokia Lumia 900 launch, they’re adopting a new advertising theme.  It will include commercials on television and online, and a robust presence in social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

“We did a lot of insight research about how people live with technology,” said Esther Lee, senior vice president for brand marketing, advertising and sponsorship at AT&T in Dallas, which included “ethnographies, shop-alongs and spending time in people’s living rooms.”

It’s AT&T’s chance to regain some of the customers they’ve lost to Verizon and other carriers these past two years, now that the iPhone is no longer exclusive to Ma Bell.  This is a strategy that relies heavily on Microsoft’s mobile OS and Nokia’s hardware, which have both suffered losses in recent years and have teamed up to win back some market share as well.