iPhone 4S

AT&T reportedly unlocking under-contract iPhones

Earlier this year, AT&T started unlocking iPhones for subscribers that were out of contract. Prior to that, users had to be jailbroken, or utilize third-party services to unlock their handsets.

Well, good news for folks with AT&T iPhones that aren't quite out of contract yet. According to a new report, the carrier has started unlocking iPhones that are still under commitment...

Apple to reportedly drop iPhone 3GS, add 8GB iPhone 4S next week

Apple is all set to unveil its new smartphone next week, and according to the rumor mill, it's going to be quite the upgrade — larger display, thinner profile, and LTE compatibility are all on the menu.

In addition to the new handset, it'll be interesting to see what Apple does with the rest of its iPhone lineup. A lot of folks think the 3GS is on the way out, but what about the other models?

AT&T expands 4G LTE network ahead of new iPhone launch

With just days before Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone, AT&T Thursday announced its 4G LTE network is expanding into nine new US markets. The carrier also said it expects to add 43 more markets for the high-speed network by the end of 2012.

Although Apple's not talking ahead of the Sept. 12 media event, observers expect the Cupertino, Calif. company to introduce a new iPhone that supports the faster LTE networks. The new iPhone would join the latest iPad as two iOS devices compatible with LTE.

Casio announces new iPhone-compatible G-Shock watch

One of the latest accessory crazes to hit the mobile industry are smartwatches — wearable computers that share data with smartphones. There's the Pebble, the Meta Watch, and now Casio has one.

Casio announced a new addition to its G-Shock line today — arguably one of the most recognizable wristwatch lines in the world. It has built-in Bluetooth, and can talk directly to the iPhone...

Shocker: iPhone 5 almost identical in design to your iPhone 4/4S

There's been a lot of hoopla in the weeks building up to the next Wednesday's massive event that Apple's next iPhone won't be radically different to the existing iPhone 4/4S form factor, much to the delight of fans the world over (or horror, depending on where you're standing).

Our own little poll suggested that people continue to be torn over the issue of the iPhone 5 design. Nearly 55 percent of respondents voted for the leaked design featuring an all-metal backplate with plastic bands at the top and bottom for wireless and cellular antenna, in addition to the relocated headphone jack and a miniaturized dock connector. The remaining 45 percent said the design looked fugly as hell.

If you've been keeping your fingers crossed for a last-minute surprise from Apple, here comes a shocker: a new credible report reaffirms claims that the next iPhone won't look a whole lot different to the iPhone 4/4S form factor, sans a couple cosmetic changes and the two-tone thing on the back...

Looking to sell? Amazon offers top dollar for iPhone trade-ins

Apple sent out media invites this morning for a September 12 event where many believe it will unveil the new iPhone. The handset is expected to become available for pre-order the same day, and launch in stores the following week.

The news has kickstarted the pre-announcement ritual of folks looking to sell off their old Apple gear to help pay for the new stuff. And if you're looking to do the same, Amazon appears to be offering top dollar for old iPhones...

Analyst guesstimates the Galaxy S III outsold the iPhone 4S in the US

Citing "channel checks", one analyst estimated that Samsung's three-month-old Galaxy S III smartphone has manage to outsell Apple's iPhone 4S in the United States during the month of August. Take it with a grain of salt as Apple doesn't break down iPhone numbers by model and Samsung stopped reporting phone and tablet sales for competitive reasons a year ago.

If true, this isn't terribly surprising given that the iPhone 4S is now almost a year old and especially knowing folks have been withholding their purchases in anticipation of the next iPhone...

The new iPhone looks really thin compared to the 4S and 3GS

Thanks to new in-cell display panels, a smaller dock connector and other modifications, the new iPhone is going to be thinner than ever before. How thin? The casing for the handset has been measured at 7.6mm.

While that doesn't sound like a very big difference — just 1.7mm thinner than the 9.3mm 4S — it's certainly noticeable. Just look at these two comparison photos showing the new iPhone, the 4S and the 3GS...

Sprint expands LTE into four more US cities

Sprint has added four more US cities to its 4G LTE network. Baltimore, Gainsville, Ga., Manhattan/Junction City, Kan., and Sedalia, Mo. were added to the high-speed network the carrier launched on July 15. Baltimore residents gain not only LTE, but an upgrade to 3G, Sprint announced.

"As consumers all over the country are becoming more dependent on their smartphones, network quality is becoming more important," according to a statement. Sprint's LTE network began by introducing LTE in 15 cities. The carrier hopes to complete its LTE build-out by the end of 2013.

Latest iPhone 5 hint: Apple paying to recycle your 4S

Most are confident we'll see the iPhone 5 in mid or late-September. Because Apple isn't a blabbermouth about such things, its fans are left reading tea leaves looking for hints to divine Cupertino's exact intentions. The latest signal comes from the mothership itself. Apple will pay up to $345 for your old iPhone 4S.

The Apple Store is making the offer as part of its support for recycling old technology. Your gently-used 64GB white iPhone 4S could net you a $345 Apple Store gift card, while a 16GB black 4S will recycle $285 into your pocket. Apparently, Apple is hoping you'll use your windfall to buy the new iPhone 5.

T-Mobile preparing “Bring your iPhone to T-Mobile” campaign

It's starting to look more and more likely that T-Mobile will once again not be receiving an iPhone nod from Apple this year, making it the last major carrier in the US without the handset.

But it's not going to take this lying down. Recently-leaked flyers show that the carrier is about to launch a "Bring Your iPhone to T-Mobile" campaign, with an emphasis on plan price."

How I factory unlocked my iPhone 4S in 10 minutes

Recently, I've been interested in factory unlocking my still on-contract iPhone 4S. I'd heard of various services over the past few months, but never really investigated them until recently.

After asking around on Twitter, I stumbled upon Cellular Medic — one of many services available online that claims to be able to factory unlock the iPhone for a fee.

I was pleasantly surprised that the entire unlock process took a mere 10 minutes. I went from an iPhone 4S locked to AT&T, to a permanently unlocked iPhone 4S that's usable on virtually any GSM carrier. Take a look inside for a video walkthrough documenting the experience...