Year: 2012

iOS 5.1 brings back the “Enable 3G” switch for some

Oliver Haslam ∙ March 9, 2012

When Apple removed the "Enable 3G" switch in iOS 5, the decision was universally met with confusion, even anger by those of us that used it to save battery life in areas where 3G was flaky. By removing the option to disable it, Apple caused us all a headache we could do without.

Now, with iOS 5.1, Apple has reinstated the option quietly, once again giving us iPhone owners a little control over the speed at which our handsets connect to the internet. It may not seem like much, but this little switch is a big deal to many.

It's perhaps fitting that Apple has brought a power saving feature back in a release of iOS which is meant to increase battery life in the power-hungry iPhone 4S, too...

Apple has stopped signing iOS 5.0.1

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 19, 2017

If your iOS device (or devices) is jailbroken, we hope you heeded our warnings not to update to iOS 5.1. As expected, the latest software update for Apple's mobile OS breaks both the Corona untether and the Absinthe exploit in one fell swoop.

Even though Apple released iOS 5.1 on Wednesday, alongside the announcement of its new iPad, it continued to sign 5.0.1 firmware over the last 48 hours or so. Well, now it looks like that window has closed...

Guess what the top selling smartphone in Japan is

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Yes, you guessed it even before reading the end of the title. According to Electronista:

Apple now has the top-selling cellphone of any kind in Japan, IDC Japan determined late Thursday. The iPhone 4S launch helped Apple claim 26.6 percent of all cellphone shipments in the country this fall. It may have been the first non-Japanese company to top local ranks, ending a longstanding emphasis on local makers.

New iPad pre-orders sold out across all models

Cody Lee ∙ March 9, 2012

Well that didn't take long. Apple has now sold out of all new iPad models (here in the US at least) that were allotted for pre-order sales.

Yesterday, we pointed out that shipping times were slipping to March 19th on some models of Apple's latest tablet. But now it appears that all versions are seeing the delay...

Is the BBC planning to go head-to-head with iTunes?

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated May 30, 2017

Content is king in the online media world, and while Apple currently has a lock on music and video distribution via iTunes, it seems one of the planet's oldest media companies may be set to mount a challenge.

The BBC, according to reports, is currently working on something it dubs "Project Barcelona" which, should it come to fruition, could see a huge amount of BBC content find its way to users via a download-to-own business model.

Currently, the BBC only allows streams content via its own iPlayer apps, but Project Barcelona would see an iTunes-like model, where viewers would pay a fee to keep a digital version of their favorite shows...

NCAA March Madness app now available for iOS

Cody Lee ∙ March 9, 2012

It's that time of year again. The top college basketball teams from around the country are about to square off in a grueling two week, 67-game tournament to determine who is the best of the best.

Still trying to figure out how to follow the action when you're away from your TV set? Look no further than the official NCAA March Madness Live application for iOS...

Apple to spend $304 million to create 3,600 new jobs in Austin, TX

Oliver Haslam ∙ March 9, 2012

Apple may be on the end of bad press regarding its manufacturing processes of late, but it is set to bring thousands of new jobs to the United states and more specifically, in Austin, Texas.

The state announced today that Apple plans to invest $304 million to bring around 3,600 jobs to the area as part of the expansion of its existing facilities there.

The news will possibly go some way to improving the iPad maker's reputation, with news of poor working conditions in Chinese factories causing more than a few headaches for those in Cupertino...

How to activate hidden debug settings in iOS

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 20, 2016

There are a couple of a reasons why someone would want to activate the hidden debug settings in iOS. Perhaps you're a budding hacker or developer, and are looking for more elements in iOS to tinker with.

Or maybe you don't know about any of that stuff and you just want to do it to further "hack" your device. Regardless of why you want want to do it, the real question is: how do you do it? Keep reading and we'll show you...

Is this what Siri on the Apple TV will look like?

Sébastien Page ∙ March 9, 2012

[tube]Fzo_5q_dhIM[/tube]

Could it be what Siri on the Apple TV will look like? I certainly hope not, but it's pretty fun to watch nonetheless.

China Telecom begins selling the iPhone 4S after receiving 200,000 pre-orders

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

The iPhone 4S is popular everywhere it is sold, and China is certainly no different. While previously only available to buy from China Unicom, China Telecom is now also offering Apple's latest smartphone for sale.

Available through any one of the 2,850 China Telecom stores across the country or via Apple's online store, the iPhone 4S is proving hugely popular amongst punters, just as it has elsewhere.

The release has been so popular, breaking China Unicom's 18-month stranglehold on iPhone availability in China, that China Telecom has announced that it received over 200,000 pre-orders for the device. This almost two months after the device was made available through China Unicom. Demand, it seems, has not slowed.

Now there's a shock...

Taking over the world: Apple hiring for new London, Ontario store

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Not content with reporting huge sales at its existing 360-plus retail stores across the globe, Apple is constantly seeking to expand its vast empire of knock-out retail locations at which we can all hand over our hard-earned cash.

The latest store that could be set to open appears to be in London, Ontario. Yes, those lucky Canadians are set to get another Apple Store in their midst. Masonville Place is to be the home of the unannounced Apple Store, according to a job listing.

The job listing shows that Apple is currently recruiting for the new store, with Geniuses and Inventory Specialists required, amongst others...

Some eager beavers already seeing iPad shipment notifications

Oliver Haslam ∙ March 9, 2012

If you were particularly swift at getting your new iPad order in when the online Apple Store finally came back to life, then you may soon be receiving a shipping confirmation email in your inbox.

One AppleInsider reader has shared an email he received, which shows that his 16GB WiFi iPad (notice the 3rd Generation moniker, too?) is already winging its way to him via FedEx. Other similar reports are also being received, with UPS apparently also being used for iPad shipments by Apple.

Of course, items being shipped and items actually arriving are two very different things...