Budget iPhone thought to borrow colors from iPhone 4 bumpers

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 13, 2013

Just as Reuters ran a story this morning claiming Apple is planning to release two phablets next year and build  a budget iPhone in variety of colors in 2013, the reliable Japanese blog Macotakara piggy-backs with its own story asserting that Apple’s inexpensive iPhone will actually borrow colors from those iPhone 4 bumpers.

This apparently means such color choices as black, white, pink, orange and blue. The story goes on to note that Apple is shooting for a September launch of the budget iPhone… Read More

 

Hacked T-Mobile carrier update brings HD Voice to the iPhone 4S

By Cody Lee on Jun 12, 2013

Folks with an iPhone on T-Mobile might be interested to hear that there’s a new hacked carrier update available that promises a number of enhancements. It was created by the same folks who brought you hacks for Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.

This time around, the developers say that the modded update is good for more than just speed improvements. For iPhone 5 users, it adds a 4G toggle so you can switch it off to conserve battery life. And for 4S users, it adds HD Voice support… Read More

 

Show off your jailbreak spirit with a WWJC iCarbons iPhone skin

By Cody Lee on Jun 7, 2013

I can’t believe it’s already June. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about the possibility of an April iPad event, and now we’re less than a week away from WWDC, and two months away from WWJC.

This year’s World Wide Jailbreak Conference will be a 2-day affair, hosted at the Raddison Hotel in New Rochelle, New York. And whether you plan on attending or not, you can show off your jailbreak spirit with these Limited Edition WWJC 2013 iCarbons skins… Read More

 

Best Buy $150 trade-in program could net you a free iPhone 5

By Christian Zibreg on May 31, 2013

In another sign that Best Buy could be clearing stock (or simply enticing customers to pick up an Apple handset), CNET reports the retailer will trade-in your working iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S on Sunday for a $150 credit, which can be redeemed against the purchase of a new iPhone. Given that Best Buy normally sells the entry-level iPhone 5 on a two-year contract for $150, the promotion lets you trade-in your old iPhone and purchase Apple’s latest and greatest handset without paying a dime – of course, excluding the obligatory carrier activation fee and any applicable sales tax… Read More

 

New pricing tactics is working: iPhone sales in India surge 400 percent

By Ed Sutherland on May 31, 2013

India has become Apple’s test bed for emerging markets, with the company rolling out a series of discounts and payment plans in order to entice purchases and improve its market standing in the 1.24 billion people market.

These efforts are paying off as iPhone sales have risen 400 percent over the past four months.

That’s a dramatic increase over prior iPhone numbers in India, where sales only reached a meager 70,000 to 80,000 handsets a month. The key to such a notable jump: Apple has “figured out” the Indian market, which until now has viewed the iPhone as out of the reach of most of that nation’s consumers… Read More

 

Best Buy taking $50 off every iPhone in 4-week promo beginning this Sunday

By Christian Zibreg on May 24, 2013

U.S. retailer Best Buy is set to shave $50 off every iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 sold with a two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T or Sprint in a four-week promotion that kicks off on Sunday, reports AllThingsD. The retailer has previously discounted Apple’s iPhone 5 a few times in time-limited promotions, along with other retailers such as Walmart which last December discounted the device to as low as $127… Read More

 

Inteliscope mounts an iPhone to your favorite tactical firearm

By Jim Gresham on May 22, 2013

Yes, you read the headline correctly. The Inteliscope will link technology with the firearms industry in mid-June. If there was ever a time you wished to use an iPhone as a scope, get excited because your weird and strange wish is now granted.

When I first received word from the InteliScope marketing relations team, I spent a while trying to determine what exactly this product is designed to do. Is it a game? Does it come with a fake gun? Is there a Bluetooth connection to the trigger for some type of modern Duck Hunt experience?

Well, no, it is nothing like that. This is not a game. In fact, one of the advantages of this accessory system, according to the company, is the ability to “shoot around corners with no head exposure.” Creepy. Get the details past the fold… Read More

 

Apple offers iPhone discount to India’s students

By Ed Sutherland on May 20, 2013

In yet another attempt to capture the nascent smartphone market in India, Apple is now promoting discounts for students. Students can receive $144 on an iPhone when they trade in their old smartphones. Apple and Samsung have engaged in a marketing struggle, both rolling out installment plans to encourage Indian buyers of rival smartphones.

The iPhone maker also announced a cash-back deal when Indian consumers use American Express to purchase an iPhone 4, 4S or 5 before June 10, according to a Monday report… Read More

 

Virgin Mobile taking 15% off prepaid iPhone 4 and 4S

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

Apple is widely expected to unveil a new smartphone in the coming months, so it’s no surprise that we’re starting to see a flurry of specials on its older models. Verizon is knocking $100 off the iPhone 5, and T-Mobile will give you one for $0 with a trade-in.

In a similar fashion, prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile USA is hosting a promotion right now that will knock 15% off the price of the iPhone 4/4S. Now that may not seem like a very big discount, but it’s big enough to land you a no-contract iPhone for under $300… Read More

 

Apple’s China sales neared 7M as iPhone 4 fuels demand

By Ed Sutherland on May 15, 2013

When seeking increased sales of mobile phones, observers need to look east. That’s the word from one large analyst firm, noting more than half of all mobile phones sold during the first quarter of 2013 were in the Asia/Pacific market. For Apple, its sales in mainland China alone neared seven million units during the period, largely credited to the lower-priced iPhone 4. Worldwide, the California-based smartphone maker saw its share of mobile phone sales rise… Read More

 

New class action lawsuit claims iPhone 4 has faulty power button

By Cody Lee on May 15, 2013

In a class action lawsuit filed in San Jose, California last week, Florida resident Debra Hilton claims that Apple was aware of a flaw in the flex cable that controls the power button on the iPhone 4, but chose to stay quiet about it to sell more handsets.

Hilton is seeking more than $5 million in damages from the Cupertino company on behalf of thousands of iPhone 4 owners she believes bought devices with defective power buttons. Allegedly, Apple knew about the issue, but did nothing to fix it… Read More

 

How the iPhone camera has improved over the years

By Cody Lee on May 10, 2013

The iPhone may be one of the most popular cameras in the world today, but it hasn’t always been like that. The original iPhone (and the iPhone 3G) had just a 2MP camera, with no flash, putting the handset well behind the competition in terms of photo-taking.

Since the 3G, however, Apple has made sure to update the phone’s camera with ever iteration. It went from a 3.2MP sensor to a 5, and then to 8. And wouldn’t you know it, someone has created an image showing its improvement in picture quality over the years… Read More

 

Apple v Samsung fight for mobile profits intensifies

By Ed Sutherland on May 8, 2013

For some time, whenever Android proponents argued for the platform’s dominance based on handsets shipped, Apple fans would counter by pointing out the iPhone was tops in profits.

Indeed, a new report shows Apple had more than half of all mobile profits during the first quarter of 2013, leading Android handset rival Samsung.

According to Canaccord Genuity, the iPhone maker came away from this year’s first period with 57 percent of mobile phone profits, despite having just eight percent of the worldwide handset market share.

By contrast, South Korea’s Samsung – which leads in market share – earned just 43 percent of the share of profits. However, the two companies could soon switch positions. The analyst firm claims iPhone sales will be weak in the upcoming June quarter, overshadowed by profits fueled by Samsung’s new Galaxy S4… Read More

 

iPhone 4 owners begin receiving ‘antennagate’ settlement checks

By Cody Lee on Apr 23, 2013

Ah, who could forget the infamous iPhone 4 ‘Antennagate‘ debacle? It had barely been a month since Apple had introduced its newly-redesigned handset, when users began to complain of severe signal attenuation when holding the device a certain way.

Steve Jobs and company held a press conference to defend their product, but it wasn’t enough to keep the lawsuits at bay. Apple was forced to offer free bumpers, or $15 in cash, to iPhone 4 owners. And now, 3 years later, the checks are finally on their way… Read More

 

Apple vs Samsung price war in India

By Ed Sutherland on Apr 17, 2013

In another era, Apple and Samsung would be competing gasoline retailers, locked in a war to entice more automobiles to the pump. Update the picture to the 21st century, replace gas with smartphones and you have the modern-day equivalent of a price war playing out in India, according to a Wednesday report.

Android-based Samsung smartphones initially had the majority of the India market to itself. However, now Apple is shaking things up by offering discounts on its iPhone 4 – a move fueling the company’s challenge of rival Samsung.

The South Korean company has responded with discounts on its Galaxy family of products – on top of the current payment plan. Both companies are jockeying to control a market full of potential smartphone buyers… Read More

 

iPhone 4 discount triples India sales in under a week

By Ed Sutherland on Apr 12, 2013

More positive feedback on Apple’s efforts to reshape practices in the face of emerging markets. Sales of the iPhone 4 in India tripled in only five days, following a trade-in program. The program is viewed by some as a “disguised discount” but the results are obvious for Apple and its plans to compete in a nation where smartphone sales are just taking off.

Although India does not have a subsidy program to soften the blow of a full-priced iPhone, Apple has found a way to reduce the sticker shock by sharing the handset’s cost with a growing network of India’s retailers… Read More

 

Tim Cook issues open letter apologizing for warranty issues in China

By Cody Lee on Apr 1, 2013

If you’ve been reading the news lately, you’ve probably heard that Apple’s been having some major difficulties in China. Over the last few weeks, it’s been getting bashed by the state-run CCTV network and Chinese celebrities over its warranty policies.

The main issue is that some folks believe Apple provides customers in China with worse after-purchase service than it does in other countries, with reports claiming it replaces their goods with recycled components instead of new ones like in the US.

Apple has been fairly quiet on the criticism, until today… Read More

 

iPad mini sales overtaking full-size iPad faster than Apple envisioned

By Ed Sutherland on Mar 1, 2013

Yesterday came more evidence that the 7.9-inch iPad mini is outselling Apple’s larger tablet. The findings show increasing sales of the iPad mini amid declining demand for the 9.7-inch iPad. Between December and January, shipments of 9.7-inch panels (such as the iPad) fell from 7.4 million to 1.3 million units. In contrast, shipments of 7.9-inch display panels rose to more than five million units, according to the findings by hardware research firm NPD DisplaySearch that echo recent supply chain chatter.

The changing levels of demand suggests consumers prefer the smaller footprint of smaller tablets. However, this faster adoption of the iPad mini over its big brother is causing analysts to revise expectations for 2013 tablet sales… Read More

 

Apple’s camera supplier sees sharp production drop ahead of the next iPhone

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 24, 2013

Here’s another indication that Apple is on the verge of ramping up iPhone 5S manufacturing. According to a new report by a Korean newspaper, Apple’s camera supplier LG Innotek is said to have put on hold as much as 80 percent of its camera module output.

The paper claims the change is a result of “weak iPhone 5 sales”, but that’s an incorrect assumption because the iPhone 5′s back and front camera is made by Sony and Omnivision, respectively.

LG Innotek is still listed as the official Apple supplier as it makes the iPhone 4 camera, but its name doesn’t come up in teardown analysis of any of Apple’s latest mobile products… Read More

 

How to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4

By Jeff Benjamin on Feb 19, 2013

Evasion 1.4 was just released with support for the recently released iOS 6.1.2, and we’ve got the details on how to use it to jailbreak your iDevice of choice. Although iOS 6.1.2 doesn’t bring any new features to the table, there is a bug fix that makes the upgrade worth it.

Take a look inside as we show you how to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4. This tutorial is for the Mac, but the same principal applies across all computing platforms. Read More

 
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