Prediction

Here We Go Again: A New Round of Verizon iPhone Rumors

Sébastien Page ∙ August 8, 2010

How many times have we heard this before? According to TechCrunch and "sources with knowledge of this entire situation", Apple has submitted a large order to Qualcomm for millions of units of their CDMA chipsets for a Verizon iPhone run due in December.

Yawn!

Verizon CEO is going to do the keynote for CES in January next year so it would be convenient to announce they are getting the iPhone then. But realistically, I still don't believe the hype. I still think we won't see a Verizon iPhone anytime in 2011.

What do you think?

Yet Another Verizon iPhone Rumor

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated October 23, 2016

Are you tired of the Verizon iPhone rumors yet? Or maybe you can't wait to dump the big bad awful AT&T for... well... the big bad awful Verizon. Personally I'm kinda tired of these but I always feel the need to pass the information rumors on because my goal is to keep you up-to-date.

The latest round of rumor claiming the iPhone will come to Verizon comes from Bloomberg, which was tipped by "two people familiar with the plans". According to the anonymous sources, the iPhone 4 will appear on Verizon network in January of 2011.

An odd date for the launch of a new product for Verizon as it comes right after the holidays madness. Even more odd is that Verizon spokesperson John Johnson said not even a month ago that there was no plan for Verizon to support the Apple mobile devices in the “immediate future”.

I still don't think Verizon will have the iPhone next year but hey, I might be wrong.

Thoughts?

Apple to Unveil iPhone OS 4.0 On Thursday

Sébastien Page ∙ April 5, 2010

Engadget got words that Apple announced an iPhone 4.0 event that will be held on Thursday where the company will give a "sneak peak into the future of iPhone OS".

A few months ago, I wrote about 28 features I would like to see in OS 4.0 and I'm pretty sure the big news of the event will be around:

multitasking theming ability to save attachments unified inbox better iPod library management and more...

These are just a few of my predictions. We'll see how much I'm right/wrong. I'll be staying up late here in Vietnam so I can give you a run down of the new OS as soon as it is unveiled.

In the meantime, tell us what you would like to see in iPhone OS 4.0.

I Told You So! This is How Much I Was Right About the iPad

Sébastien Page ∙ January 29, 2010

A few days ago I wrote an article about my predictions for Apple's event and the launch of the iPad. While everybody was busy spreading rumors, I preferred telling what I thought was going to happen.

In this article, I'd like to quickly go over my 5 predictions and how much I was right (or wrong in one case).

1. I was right about the name

I told you that there was no way Apple would ever call it iSlate. While I didn't say it was going to be called iPad (even though I did mention the name), I went against mainstream blogs who believed it was going to be called the iSlate.

2. I was right about the OS

People were trashing me on Twitter for being so "naive" because I didn't think we would be introduced to OS 4.0. I was right when I said that the tablet would originally run OS 3.2. Come on people, it's just good common sense! The top seller is still the iPhone and they can't spoil June's new iPhone announcement for a new product like the iPad.

3. I was right about the launch date

Unlike many people, I predicted that the tablet wouldn't be available right away. I was right when I said it wouldn't be available for a few month (I went as far as saying it would be April, although this wasn't part of the prediction). Why it makes sense? Just good marketing sense: iPhones come out in July, iPods come out in September, I don't know about that but I'm sure Apple has something going out in December, and now they have something in March/April. Every quarter they have new products coming out. Enough to keep their marketing peeps busy all year long.

4. I was almost right about the network

I am mad at myself on this one. I listened to my heart when I should have listened to my head. If you read my predictions, I was very hesitant to take a stance on this. I chose Verizon because I thought it would make sense marketing-wise. Now that I think about it, it was stupid of me not to pick AT&T because it does make lots of sense (GSM > CDMA).

5. I was right about the iPhone and AT&T

The rumors went wild that AT&T would lose the iPhone's exclusivity. Again, I went against everybody else and not only did I predict we wouldn't hear anything about the iPhone, but I also said that AT&T would remain the iPhone's exclusive carrier.

I told you that if I were right about these predictions, I would be in your face. So here I am :)

If you want more predictions from me, you may want to check my 10 predictions for the iPhone in 2010.

By the way, I expect apologies from those of you who called me stupid on Twitter. Just kidding. Call me anything you want, but don't call me wrong!

Predictions For Tomorrow’s Apple Event

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 29, 2016

I'm glad Apple will finally unveil its new iSlate, iTab, iPad, or whatever it will be called tomorrow because I cannot stand all these "rumors" and "leaks" anymore.

Within the last few weeks every Apple-related blog has been leaking some rumors that are mostly unfounded and that only serve one goal: generating traffic to their sites. I don't know if you noticed, but I didn't post such article once because I don't want to drag my lovely readers (that's you) into these pointless conversations.

These websites spreading the rumors or leaks seldom make predictions though. They don't, because predictions are your own opinions and they can be held accountable for them in case they are wrong.

I like to make predictions. Unlike most major iPhone blogs out there, I don't have an editor watching over my shoulder and I can say whatever I want. If I am wrong, well, I'm wrong. The world doesn't stop! If I'm right though (which I usually am), then no big deal either; I'll just be in your face saying "I told you so" ;)

I made 10 predictions for the iPhone in 2010 at the beginning of the month and I stand behind these. Today, I'd like to make 5 predictions for tomorrow's Apple event.

1. The Tablet Name

First things first. The name of this tablet. The rumors call it the iSlate. I really think iSlate is a terrible name. It just doesn't sound right. To me it sounds like some torture instrument used by Iraqi insurgents. I have no idea what it could be called but my prediction is that it will not be called the iSlate. Apple has much more class than that.

2. The OS

Everyone is excited about OS 4.0. See, the iPhone OS and the tablet OS are pretty much the same so releasing OS 4.0 for the tablet tomorrow would mean releasing OS 4.0 for the iPhone too. Then what would Apple have to unveil for the iPhone in June? Just new hardware? No! I predict that the tablet will run OS 3.2. OS 4.0 will not be available until June or July of this year, when Apple announces the new iPhone.

3. The Launch Date

Don't expect to get yourself a tablet anytime for the next few months. While many people think the tablet will be available for sale right away, I predict it won't be available for a few months. If I had to give a date, I would say April 2010.

4. The Network

I'm really not sure about this one but I think Apple will go with Verizon. My heart tells me Apple will choose Verizon, but my head tells me they want to stick with AT&T. Which one should I listen to? Ok, I have to make a decision, I say Verizon!

5. AT&T's iPhone Exclusivity

There has been many rumors saying that AT&T will lose the iPhone exclusivity tomorrow. I don't think so. I believe this event is about the tablet, not the iPhone. Even if Apple chooses Verizon for the tablet, it doesn't mean it will drop AT&T for the iPhone. I believe that after tomorrow, AT&T will remain the exclusive iPhone carrier in the US.

Enough with that I think. Now I want to hear what YOU think. If you think I'm wrong, please explain why. If you have more predictions to make, please feel free to share with us by leaving a comment below.

10 Predictions For The iPhone In 2010

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

With a new year always comes lots of new resolutions. The beginning of the year is also a great opportunity to make predictions on what's going to happen. I am no Nostradamus but I'd like to share with you a few of my predictions for the iPhone in 2010.

Apple will not divorce AT&T

I know we all want the iPhone to be offered on more than just one network in the US (Verizon anyone?) but I doubt it will. As I said before, Apple has an exclusive agreement with AT&T and breaking it would cost too much.

Fierce competition from Android

Android will kick ass in 2010! I believe so much in Android that I am starting an Android blog soon. Oh and I am also getting the Nexus One as soon as I get back in the States. Apple knows that Google will give it all in this new phone, which is why Apple will have to step up its game.

Improved battery life

Let's be honest, the iPhone battery sucks. We know it. Apple knows it and they know they have to come up with a better battery for the next model.

A 5MP camera

There has been rumors that the next iPhone will be equipped with a 5MP camera. I believe this rumor is true. 5MP is still below the industry standards but it's still better than the poor 2MP camera we have now.

64GB of storage

This one is a no brainer. The next iPhone will come in either 32GB or 64GB of storage. That's just normal evolution of things.

A louder speaker

What did you say? I said the new iPhone will have a LOUDER SPEAKER. Seriously, the sound on my iPhone is just pathetic. Once again, Apple knows it and will fix this.

New design

Let's face it, the iPhone 3GS is just an intermediate product between the iPhone 3G and the next generation iPhone. Apple didn't even bother giving the 3GS a facelift. I think 2010 will change. Be ready to see a breathtaking design for the new iPhone.

No 4G for you!

The name of the new iPhone will not be iPhone 4G. The iPhone will also not be 4G ready. Only a few markets offer a 4G cellular data network and it wouldn't make sense for Apple to implement this at this time.

300,000 apps in the App Store

It took a year and a half for the App Store to reach 100,000 apps. I predict it will take less than a year to reach 300,000. Everyone and your mom is developing iPhone apps now.

Apps running in the background

Just like they did with copy/paste, Apple will wait the last minute to give us this basic feature. They have to because all other major smartphones do it. I also predict Apple will rip off ProSwitcher and implement a very similar functionality in iphone 4.0.

What are your predictions for the new iPhone in 2010?

Is The iPhone Coming To Verizon In 2010?

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

AT&T has been under fire lately for many reasons, but mostly because their network can't really handle the data monster that is the iPhone. A couple weeks ago, AT&T even went as far as mentioning that it may charge iPhone users on a per-byte basis in the near future. I predict that this will happen sooner than later.

In the meantime, Verizon seems to prepping up its network for the iPhone. According to BusinessWeek:

Verizon Wireless has even made upgrades that would make its network more capable of handling extra traffic that would be generated by the iPhone, Verizon Wireless Chief Technology Officer Anthony Melone says in an interview.

"We have put things in place already," Melone tells Bloomberg BusinessWeek. "We are prepared to support that traffic."

It's interesting to note that a few weeks ago, Verizon ridiculized AT&T andApple's iPhone with their ad campaign called "there's a map for that", but now they expect to get the iPhone...

Even though Verizon appears to be a more reliable network than AT&T, I really doubt the iPhone will go to them next year. The main reason is that Verizon is a CDMA network while pretty much the rest of the world operates on the GSM network. This is just a hardware issue but I don't think Apple will make the necessary changes just to catter to Verizon specifications.

Besides, Apple has a 5 year exclusive agreement with AT&T and this contract is supposed to expire in 2012. Now of course they could cancel this agreement but I believe it would cost Apple lots of this money it makes from the iPhone.

If anything, I think the iPhone would go to T-Mobile, but this is pure speculation and I don't have any proof to back this up. It's just a gut feeling.

Do you think the iPhone will go to Verizon next year? Would you make the switch from AT&T to Verizon if that was the case?

Image: Momentum Of Failure

iPhone In-App Purchase: You Are the Big Loser

Sébastien Page ∙ October 19, 2009

Last week Apple started authorizing in-app purchase for free iPhone apps. This move was very well welcome by developers who see in this a better way to fight app piracy. I personally don't think in-app purchase will change much to app piracy, but I might be wrong.

I am sure of one thing though: you, the buyer will ultimately be the big loser in this game. Let's take the example of an iPhone game. Before in-app purchase, you would buy the game for let's say $2.99. You own the game and the 40 levels it includes. If there are new updates to the game (ie. new levels), you get them for free. It's all good.

Now with in-app purchase, most developers will give you the same game for free, except it only has 2 levels. If you want 10 more levels, it will cost you $0.99. Another 10 more levels is another $0.99. Another 10 more levels is another $0.99, etc...

So instead of paying $2.99 for the full game, you now have to pay $0.99 at a time to get the upgrades or newer levels. In the end, the full game will end up costing you more than you would have paid if you had purchased the game in one shot.

I understand not all developers will go that way but I'm pretty sure a lot of them will.

What do you think about in-app purchase? Do you think that ultimately, the buyer will benefit from this? I look forward to hearing your thoughts...

Action Menu Considerably Improves Your iPhone Copy/Paste Experience

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 19, 2010

Action Menu is one of those mods that once you try it, you simply can't live without it anymore. I've had the opportunity to use Action Menu for about a month now, and it has quickly become my favorite Cydia app. So what does Action Menu does?

Action Menu takes a stab at enhancing the copy/paste function of your iPhone by adding a bunch of add-ons to it. The lite version is free but for $2.99, you can get the full-featured app, which I think is well worth the money (even though I have to admit I didn't pay for it since the dev gave me a promo code).

In addition to the stock cut/copy/paste functionality, the app has many features that are very useful, such as:

Select all - select all the text at once Dial - dials any number that you select To top - scroll all the way up the page To bottom - scroll all the way down the page

Very helpful but not "ground breaking" features, right? Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg because Action Menu also comes with some very useful features that I use every day:

History - all your copied or cut text is saved to a clipboard for easy access. You can edit the clipboard to delete them and move them up and down the list, just like hClipBoard and Clippy used to do. Favorites - this is my top fav of them all. If there is text that you have to paste on a regular basis, just add it to your favorites for quick and easy access. That favorite text could be an email signature for example, a phone number, a website URL, etc... I currently have 6 favorites. I use this all the time. Lookup - don't know what this word means? Want to know how to translate this word in French? Just select a word or sentence and hit the "lookup" button. You will have the ability to search this word in Google, Wikipedia, dictionary, or even translate it in the language of your choice. Very handy, especially for a Frenchman like me... Tweet - Select some text and hit the "Tweet" button. It will open your favorite Twitter app and copy the text into it.

Action Menu is available from Cydia and if your iPhone is jailbroken, I really suggest you at least try the free version. I bet you won't be able to live without it anymore after trying it.

I also bet you that Apple noticed this application and they will implement these features in the next 4.0 OS next year. Take that as a prediction.

What are you still doing here reading this? Launch Cydia and download Action Menu now! Then come back here and tell us what you think about this application :)

Prediction: MMS Coming to the iPhone Within Two Weeks

Sébastien Page ∙ August 26, 2009

I am no psychic but if you read this blog on a daily basis, you should know that I am usually right when it comes to making predictions on future events or features coming to the iPhone.

My latest prediction is that within 2 weeks, Apple will release firmware 3.1. This is actually pretty obvious as they are about to unveil a new line of iPod Touch at an Apple even on September 7.

I also predict that this new 3.1 firmware will come with some type of carrier update that will allow AT&T users to finally be able to send and receive MMS through their iPhones.

As usual, as a measure of precaution, I want to say that I might be completely wrong and that Apple won't unveil a new iPod Touch, and that there won't be any 3.1 firmware or MMS for a while, but someone something tells me otherwise ;)