Cody Lee

Cody Lee, iDownloadBlog.com’s longest-serving Editor, joined the site in 2008. He specializes in uncovering the best deals on Apple products, apps, and accessories. With years of experience in technology journalism, Cody helps readers save money while staying informed about the latest trends and updates in the Apple ecosystem. Cody’s history with smartphones goes almost as far back as he does. As the son of a Nokia employee, he was exposed early on to handsets like the N91 and the Communicator. He has since been involved in nearly every aspect of the mobile phone industry. While going to college, he worked at a Nokia factory, building handsets, and later moved on to a sales position at a major wireless carrier.

The state of the iOS 7.1 jailbreak

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

If you are a frequent reader of iDB, or simply an avid jailbreaker, you probably already know that there is not currently a public jailbreak for iOS 7.1. But since we still get dozens of questions on this per day, we figured it was time to do a post on the topic to help clear the air.

For a little background, the evad3rs released evasi0n7 late last year to jailbreak devices running iOS 7. It had a pretty good run, lasting through 6 updates, but it was finally patched by Apple in March with iOS 7.1. So those who have updated to 7.1 have begun asking: now what?

Apple now number two online retailer behind Amazon

Cody Lee ∙ May 6, 2014

According to data from e-commerce research firm Internet Retailer, Apple is now the number two online retailer in the world. Amazon, of course, still has a large lead in the number one spot, but the Cupertino firm recently surpassed Staples to take over second place.

The jump in position is due to a couple of factors. For one, Staples saw flat online sales of $10.4 billion over the past year, representing just a 1% increase over 2012. And two, Internet Retailer is accounting for both hardware and digital content sales for the first time...

Apple to host iPhone upgrade event this week

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Folks looking to purchase a new handset soon may be interested to hear that Apple is expected to host an iPhone upgrade event this week at its retail stores. The news comes from 9to5Mac, who says the company will begin emailing owners of older iPhones tomorrow, notifying them of the program.

According to the report, the move is part of a larger effort to boost handset sales and the promotion will kick-off on May 8th. The deal will be offered in a number of states across the US, and will 'blend nicely' with Apple’s retail store-based iPhone trade-in program it introduced in August of last year...

Apple’s new retail chief Angela Ahrendts awarded $68 million in stock

Cody Lee ∙ May 5, 2014

Talk about a signing bonus. After officially joining Apple last week, word got out today that Angela Ahrendts has already received 113 thousand units of restricted stock. At today's prices—remember, APPL is back up around $600—the shares would be worth roughly $68 million.

This makes the company's new SVP of retail and online stores one of the highest-paid executives in the industry, but of course, she'll have to wait to cash in. According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the full amount won't be available until 2018...

IGN names ‘The Wolf Among Us′ its Free Game of the Month

Cody Lee ∙ May 3, 2014

Great news gamers, IGN has named Telltale Game's 'The Wolf Among Us' its Free Game of the Month. We named the game one of our 'Apps of the Week' for the iPhone and iPad back in February, and it normally retails for $4.99.

For those unfamiliar with the title, The Wolf Among Us is a violent, mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. It's made by the same team behind The Walking Dead, and features similar gameplay mechanics...

Apple acquires micro-LED display maker LuxVue

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 26, 2016

Apple has acquired LuxVue Technology, a company that makes low-power displays for mobile electronics, according to TechCrunch. Citing sources close to the transaction, the site reports that the iPad-maker has added LuxVue to its hardware innovations team.

Little is known about the deal, and even less is known about the company. Other than its big $43 million in funding, LuxVue has managed to fly under the radar. Patents reveal, however, that it specializes in micro-LED tech that could be used in future iOS devices...

Don’t expect to see a new Apple TV or iWatch at WWDC

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

I don't think many folks were expecting Apple to unveil any exciting new hardware at WWDC this year. The company has rarely used the developer conference to unveil non-software related products, outside of maybe refreshed MacBooks and other Mac products.

But for those who were still holding out hope for a Jobs-like 'one more thing,' I have some bad news. According to a new report from Recode's John Paczkowski, the company has no intention of using WWDC to show off the long-rumored iWatch or revamped Apple TV...

Apple hiring ‘Buzz Marketing Manager’ to beef up its presence in Hollywood

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Historically, Apple has spent far less than Samsung and other competitors on stuff like marketing and advertising. Things like product placements and celebrity endorsements came easily for devices like the iPhone and iPad, due to their initial popularity and slight competition.

But competition has stiffened over the years, and with Samsung forking out millions of dollars to get its products into the hands of Lebron James and selfie-taking celebrities, Apple needs to step up its game. So it's looking for a new 'Buzz Marketing Manager' to give it a boost...

Images of alleged white and silver iPhone 6 dummy unit surface

Cody Lee ∙ May 2, 2014

We're adding to the stockpile of alleged 'iPhone 6' evidence this morning with a handful of new photos that purportedly show a white and silver dummy unit of the upcoming handset. The device looks very similar to the slate black unit that surfaced online earlier this week.

While the images don't really offer up much in the way of new details on the smartphone, they do help us continue to paint a picture of what it's believed to look like. Most everything we've seen thus far—from schematic drawings to case leaks—points to a homogenous design...

1Password for Mac updated with Watchtower support

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Following the update to the iOS app this week, AgileBits has posted a new version of 1Password for Mac, bringing the password manager to version 4.4. The update includes just a handful of improvements, but is notable because it adds Watchtower integration.

For those unfamiliar with it, 1Password Watchtower is a service that identifies websites that are vulnerable to known security risks, and suggest that you change your passwords. It's fairly new, emerging after last-month's 'Heartbleed' bug infected several websites...

T-Mobile looking to add iPhone to MetroPCS lineup

Cody Lee ∙ May 2, 2014

T-Mobile is looking to bring the iPhone to its MetroPCS brand in the near future, according to a report from Recode. The outlet recently spoke with the carrier's Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert, who said that they are "very interested in that," and they think that customers would be as well.

It took T-Mobile several years to officially carry Apple's flagship smartphone, due to its higher-priced subsidy and other stringent requirements. And that may prove to be even more of a challenge with Metro, as many of its subscribers many not have the money or credit to finance the device...

Apple to begin notifying users of info requests from law enforcement

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

According to a new report from The Washington Post tonight, Apple will join Google and other high-profile companies in updating their privacy policy to routinely notify users when a government or law enforcement agency requests information on them.

The move should appease user privacy rights activists, who believe it's unlawful for a government agency to have the power to access user data so discretely. The Justice Department, however, is concerned that the new routine could threaten investigations...