Ed Sutherland

Analyst: iPad mini suppliers ‘frustrated’ by Apple’s product requirements

Ed Sutherland ∙ October 4, 2012

Get ready for delays when first purchasing Apple's still-unannounced but highly-expected iPad mini. That's the word from one Wall Street analyst who tells investors today that suppliers are frustrated by Apple's specifications for the 7.85-inch tablet. The concerns will likely create "supply constraints" which blunt the device's full potential with consumers.

According to Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, building the smaller iPad design to respond to rival 7-inch tablets powered by Google's Android operating system is "no walk in the park for suppliers." Despite the grumbling, the new iPad will "blow away what competitors are offering in this smaller form-factor tablet market," he writes...

T-Mobile and MetroPCS to grab Sprint’s prepaid market share

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Sprint executives must be consuming antacids by the barrel about now. Not only is the carrier a mere footnote when U.S. wireless providers are mentioned, but today's agreement between T-Mobile and MetroPCS could put on life-support Sprint Nextel's only real market: inexpensive prepaid cell service.

Until today, when the two carriers announced they'd merge, T-Mobile was known as the carrier without an iPhone and was left at the altar after a marriage to AT&T was derailed by federal regulatory concerns. As for Metro-PCS, it was a regional carrier barely on anyone's radar. Now, however, the combined companies (if the merger is approved) will boast 43 million subscribers, closing in on Sprint's 56 million...

Most iPhones not sold by Apple Stores

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

When it comes to sales of Apple products, the much-publicized Apple Stores are like a cruise ship captain: lots of glitz and glamour, but having little connection to the mostly-hidden work which keeps the boat steaming along. That's the view of new research finding Apple's retail partners sold more iPhones than Apple's physical stores...

Lawsuit against Apple’s Passbook is Lodsys redux

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple is again in the sights of a company with patents and an itchy trigger finger. The iPhone's Passbook feature, which allows consumers to store tickets, loyalty cards, coupons and such digitally, is the target of San Diego-based Ameranth. The company is seeking triple damages, claiming in the lawsuit that the Cupertino, Calif. technology giant willfully infringed on Ameranth patents on wireless mobile payments.

The company has already sued the likes of Hilton, Marriott and Ticketmaster and gotten 14 other companies to ink licensing pacts. TechCrunch spoke to the CEO of one of the companies who'd rather pay than suffer some long drawn-out legal fight. The interview is enough to send cold shivers up Apple developers who survived the 2011 patent uproar from Lodsys...

Study: Android tablets catching up on the iPad

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

We can deride the quality and culture of Android tablets, but the once ginormous lead Apple's iPad had is shrinking amid the rise of tweener tablets.

In a bit of a two-edge sword, a new study finds 25 percent of Americans own a tablet, with Apple's device claiming just over half of the US tablet market. A year ago, more than 8 out of 10 tablets purchased bore the Apple logo...

Cook calls 2012 an ‘incredibly successful’ year for Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

In his email to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook describes 2012 as an "incredibly successful year" which continues "to show Apple's unrivaled leadership in this post-PC era".

And in order to mark the company's accomplishment, Cook announced Thanksgiving vacations will be extended for employees...

Survey: nearly 60 percent of iPhone owners have already adopted iOS 6

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple's iOS 6 has been out for just over one week and already almost 60 percent of iPhone owners and more than 41 percent of iPad users are using the updated software. The figures from Onswipe are just the latest showing the new version of Apple's mobile software is being adopted at a record pace.

A survey of 100,000 visitors to website's using Onswipe's touch-friendly conversion service indicates that 59.43 percent of the iPhone users are on iOS 6, while 41.3 percent of iPad owners are using the recently-released software. By comparison, it took iOS 5 four weeks to gain 38 percent adoption...

Sony/ATV reportedly nixed Apple’s music-streaming plan

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 8, 2016

It isn't news that Apple wanted to create a streaming-music service that would compete against Pandora. But now we are learning the back-story of why the idea was nixed - and it is a familiar refrain. According to a Friday morning news report, music publisher Sony/ATV wanted larger royalties for its songs...

Study finds the iPhone 5 costs $0.41 a year to charge

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Okay, so you have your new iPhone 5. Although Apple claims its new handset's battery can last around 8 hours, there will come a time when you have to recharge.

The new iPhone will cost you more to charge, but by only pennies, a new study finds. Keeping your four-inch iPhone 5 fully charged will cost you $0.41 cents per year, or $0.03 more than the iPhone 4...

China approves WCDMA and CDMA iPhone 5

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The iPhone 5 has overcome its last significant regulatory hurdle for approval in China. Two models of the new iPhone received approval from the China Compulsory Certificate (or 3C), allowing China Unicom and China Telecom to sell the Apple smartphone by the end of 2012, CNET reports...

Survey: iOS 6 leading to increased iPhone customer dissatisfaction

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

For the first time, an iOS upgrade is leaving a bad taste in consumers' mouths. While it's usually the case that upgrades are viewed as improving the iPhone experience, a new survey finds iOS 6 actually hurt Apple's sterling customer service reputation. Apple's decision to replace Google Maps with its own service appears to be the root cause, say researchers.

"We have always seen an increase in device satisfaction as consumers upgrade their mobile operating system from one version to another," On Device DEO Alistair Hill told TechCrunch. While the rating for the upgrade from iOS 4 to iOS 5 received high marks, the move to iOS 6 saw ratings decrease to 7.65 from 7.75. On Device surveyed nearly 16,000 U.S. iPhone owners...

Report: the iPhone 5 may be headed to China Mobile

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 8, 2016

Outside of North America, China may be Apple's largest market. Although the iPhone 5 is set to be introduced by China Unicom and China Telecom during the first three months that the new smartphone is available, the biggest audience is still China Mobile's 700 million subscribers.

Now Apple watchers believe new technology quietly added to the iPhone 5 could improve the chances the iconic handset could soon be sold by the world's largest mobile carrier.

According to The Wall Street Journal, TD-SCDMA is supported in a Qualcomm chip found in the iPhone 5 when the phone was torn down by the folks at iFixit. The transmission technology is China Mobile's version of 3G and a clue that Apple wants the carrier as its third partner in the Asian giant. It's intriguing then that Apple doesn't mention TD-SCDMA in its technical specifications of the iPhone 5.