Month: September 2012

iOS 6 adoption rate twice as fast as iOS 5 after two days

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Despite claims by some that iOS 6 is less than a stellar update, it seems Apple's latest release of its mobile operating system is being adopted quickly by users of iPhones, iPads and iPod touches.

New figures released to Techcrunch by analytics firm Apsalar, show that iOS 6 is proving more and more popular as time progresses, with the adoption rate after two full days of availability being a healthy 20%. That's up 5 points from after day one.

Perhaps more telling is the fact that iOS 6 sees an adoption rate of double that seen by iOS 5 after the same period...

Our iPhone 5 launch day wrap-up

Cody Lee ∙ September 21, 2012

Well, that's all folks. It's about 10pm PST here in the United States, meaning most retail stores are closed, or closing, and the long-awaited iPhone 5 launch day has finally come to an end.

A lot went on over the past 14 hours, as we saw everything from unboxings, to comparison tests, to jailbreaks. So in case you missed anything, we put together this wrap-up of today's events...

Apple posts 4 new iPhone 5 ads: Thumbs, Cheese, Physics and Ears

Cody Lee ∙ September 21, 2012

Now that the iPhone 5 launch has come and gone, it's time for Apple to start spreading the word about its new handset to the general public. And what better way to do that, then with new TV spots?

Four new TV ads have appeared on Apple's website tonight that highlight its latest smartphone and its features like a larger display, its new Panoramic camera mode, and its slimmer profile...

iPhone 4S vs iPhone 5 video quality

Cody Lee ∙ September 21, 2012

It's been a big day so far, but we're not finished yet. Continuing on with our iPhone 5 coverage, we've come across a new clip that compares the video quality of the new handset with its predecessor.

Now, since the 5 uses the same 8MP camera sensor as the 4S, you'd think that video quality would be the same. But just as we discovered with still photos, there is a noticeable difference between the two...

The iPhone 5 lets you put 16 apps inside a folder

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 21, 2012

We knew ahead of the iPhone 5 keynote that iOS 6 would take advantage of extra pixels on the iPhone 5 (640-by-1136) in order to render an additional, fifth row of icons. What we didn't know (but kinda expected) back then was that the per-folder app limit in iOS 6 running on the iPhone 5 would be raised from twelve to sixteen apps.

Strangely enough, even though Forstall and Schiller made a passing mention of this improvement during the unveiling, Apple's iPhone/iOS pages and the official 155-page iPhone 5 User Guide never detail it.

Now, I'm sure there are better ways to take advantage of those 176 extra lines, but if you're managing the home screen madness by organizing apps into folders, you'll quickly learn to appreciate this little nice-to-have which helps reduce the home screen clutter on your device...

The iPhone 5: super-glued on one of the busiest squares in Amsterdam

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 21, 2012

Human nature is generally tricky, sometimes odd and quite often hard to fathom. One of the more awesome ways of observing us mammals and our peculiar interest in valuable objects is the classic dollar-bill-on-a-string trick.

Surely you remember this one from your childhood: some joker attaches a string to the underside of a dollar bill and hides behind a corner. Then, when you reach down for it, the person yanks it away. But that's so last century.

A more contemporary take on that classic formula: stick an iPhone 5 to the pavement in one of Amsterdam’s busiest squares and watch what happens…

iPhone 5 jailbroken

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2012

It looks like Grant Paul, aka Chpwn, is in possession of a jailbroken iPhone 5.

We can't really say much more, other than the fact that he posted a screenshot of Cydia running on the iPhone 5 a few moments ago. More details of the exciting news inside...

The iPhone 5 Weather app can function as a world clock

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2012

Hmm, what to do with all of that extra screen real estate? How about adding a clock?

For every city you have added to the Weather app, you can now quickly tell the time in that location, courtesy of a new clock positioned right beneath the name of said location.

There are some other subtle differences between the Weather app on the iPhone 5, and previous iPhones as well. Take a look inside as we break it down for you...

And here comes Mapgate

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 11, 2018

Here, in case you've been wondering why Apple shipped buggy iOS Maps... Come on, you knew this was coming. I'd bet my shirt that Conan O'Brien will be next to diss Apple's crappy maps. Can you say Mapgate?

The iPhone 5 camera’s low-light ability is pretty amazing

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2012

At first glance, it may appear that your photos look the same when taken with either the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 4S. It may even lead you to believe that there is no difference at all between the two cameras.

But try taking a photo in a low-light situation, and one thing becomes readily apparent; the iPhone 5 is far superior when it comes to snapping photos in low-light. Take a look inside, as we compare the iPhone 4S with the iPhone 5's low-light photo taking capabilities...

T-Mobile’s iPhone-friendly 42 Mbps HSPA+ coming to Las Vegas on Monday

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest carrier and the sole major U.S. telco without Apple's iPhone, announced at the GigaOm Mobilize conference that it will be rolling out its iPhone-compatible HSPA+ network in Las Vegas on Monday, September 24, 2012.

The carrier's HSPA+ network runs in the much more common 1900MHz spectrum, allowing unlocked iPhone owners to finally access the fastest 3G network in the country, T-Mobile's dual-carrier HSPA+...

Lightning Connector chip policies against third-party alternatives

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple apparently has gone to great length and expense to ensure consumers purchase only its version of the Lightning connector. The connector, which debuted with the iPhone 5, includes a chip which serves to prevent third-party alternatives, according to a report.

The authentication chip is located between the cable's V+ contact and power pin, according to Double Helix Cables, which took the new cable apart, sharing its results with AppleInsider. Because the chip appears only in Apple's Lightening cable, third-party alternatives offered by places like Alibaba.com won't work, the company claims...