iPhone News

Poll: would iPhone 6 be worth $300 to you?

iPhone 6 rumors are heating up as we inch closer to Apple's summer developers conference and an assumed Fall launch of a 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek recently claimed in a note to clients that Apple is negotiating with wireless carriers to raise the iPhone 6 price by $100, because the handset will be "the only headline-worthy high-end phone launched this year.

The price hike would make the larger-screened iPhone retail for $299 after a two-year contract with a  carrier versus the usual $199 starting price of latest on-contract iPhones. Interestingly enough, a recent study has found that one-third of iPhone shoppers would indeed pay more to  get an iPhone with a screen larger than four inches.

What about you?

Concept: Hold2Speak – answer a phone call directly in speaker mode

Every now and then I stumble upon a feature that I would like to have on the iPhone, but usually I end up forgetting about it, or just stashing it away for later. Sometimes, though, I get enough gumption to push for an idea to be brought to fruition. TypeStatus was a good example of that, and it turned out pretty well. Others haven't turned out so well, but it doesn't hurt to keep trying.

This latest concept is something that I've been marinating on for quite some time. It's called Hold2Speak, and it allows you to answer a call directly in speaker phone mode by tapping and holding the Answer button. Normal taps on the Answer button would still use the headset as a means of communicating with the other party.

I've created a video walkthrough for the Hold2Speak concept. Would you consider using something like this? If the demand is high enough, perhaps one of the community's developers wouldn't mind taking on such a project. Check inside for the video and details.

New speech synthesizing action added to latest Activator beta

As usual, Ryan Petrich has been on quite the tear with updates to the Activator beta. The latest update, which comes in at version 1.8.4 beta 11, adds a new speech synthesis feature to the fray.

What does speech synthesis do? We've created a video that shows you step-by-step how to use this new feature. Check it out after the break.

Convergance: a complete Lock screen replacement for the iPhone

Unless you've been living in an underground bunker in Siberia for the last month or so, you've likely heard of Convergance. It's the newly released jailbreak tweak that acts as a complete Lock screen replacement for iOS.

Along with the redesigned Lock screen interface comes widgets, quick shortcuts, custom themes, and HTML support for even deeper custom Lock screen features. Oh, and did I mention that there's an API for developers to extend Convergance's features?

Needless to say, Convergance is one of the most hyped tweaks of 2014. Does it live up to the hype? Have a look inside for the details.

This week on iDB: the powerful iPhone 5s

Like every Sunday, we bring you the stories that were the most popular on iDB during this past week. Whether it is a news piece, an editorial, a tutorial, a new jailbreak tweak, or an accessory review, we sum it all up in one convenient place.

If you like what you're reading, please make sure to spread the love by sharing our posts on your favorite social network.

We're usually hanging out a lot on Twitter and Facebook, more rarely on Google+.

The best email apps for iPhone iOS 7: the ultimate iTunes Store guide Apps of the week: Up Next, Third Eye Crime, birdStepper, and more Wallpapers of last week: action shots Apple posts iOS 7.1.1 with additional Touch ID fixes Some users seeing significant battery life improvement with iOS 7.1.1 Apple airs new ‘Powerful’ iPhone 5s ad Apple lists apps from new iPhone 5s ‘Powerful’ ad Apple offers resolution for FaceTime woes but you may not like it ‘BetterPowerDown’ adds iOS 7.1 power-down slider to iOS 7.0 How to add wallpaper to Control Center How to set up Parental Control on iTunes New iOS 8 concept shows what Healthbook and other rumored features may look like Leo’s Fortune is the best platformer we’ve played in a while

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ComiXology launches new read-only app following Amazon acquisition

ComiXology, the leading digital comics platform, has launched a new application for iOS today. The company sent out an email to customers this morning announcing that the old app is being retired, and a new one is now available. The biggest difference between the two, it seems, is that the new app does't allow in-app purchases.

The change is noteworthy, as the ComiXology app has long been one of the top-grossing iPad titles in the App Store, and it comes shortly after Amazon acquired the comics platform. It's not surprising though, as it's the same strategy the e-commerce giant takes with its Kindle iOS app, in an effort to circumvent Apple's 30% cut...

iOS 7: the ultimate iTunes Store guide

Interested in making a digital media purchase on your iPhone? The iTunes Store app is your primary portal for doing so. The iTunes Store app is a stock application that is installed by default on every iOS device. It allows you to make digital media purchases for a variety of media types.

The iTunes Store app works in tandem with the stock Music app and the stock Videos app to provide users with a rich digital media experience. Check inside for details covering the ins and outs of this long running stock application.

Case maker’s iPhone 6 renderings show thin design, rear antenna cutouts

A new set of alleged 'iPhone 6' renderings surfaced online yesterday. The images come from Ukrainian website UkrainianiPhone, and the device depicted in them matches up with most everything we've seen thus far on the handset, including its relocated Sleep/Week button and circular iSight flash.

There is one noticeable difference, though, between this iPhone 6 model and the ones that we've seen in the past, and it has to do with the rear shell. Up until now, all of the renderings we've seen have shown a solid back cover. But these new shots suggest that Apple is leaving breaks for the antenna...

New iOS 8 concept shows what Healthbook and other rumored features may look like

Tech site Tech Radar is out with a new iOS 8 concept video this afternoon, depicting what it thinks the new firmware could look like. We actually know, or think we know, quite a bit about Apple's next mobile OS thanks to a number of reports, and this clip helps visualize all of that information.

The video covers most of everything we've heard thus far. It shows a revamped Notification Center, with a new easy-to-read layout, and the oft-rumored Healthbook app connecting to an iWatch. It also suggests how Siri could use Shazam's tech, and how CarPlay could help keep drivers safe...

Apple launches replacement program for iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake button

Apple announced a new replacement program today for folks having issues with the Sleep/Wake button on their iPhone 5. The program allows for the replacement of the button on select iPhone 5 models where it has either stopped working completely, or only works intermittently.

The Cupertino firm says that it will offer the service free of charge to iPhone 5 customers with models that exhibit this issue, and have a qualifying serial number. It has set up a website with all of the details on the program for the 'small percentage' of people that have been affected...

TapToUnlock7: unlock iOS 7 devices with just a tap

No more sliding! Just Tapping. That's the headline for the description for TapToUnlock7 in Cydia, and I have to say, it's apt. TapToUnlock7 is a tweak that gets rid of the "slide to unlock" action and replaces it with a simple tap.

TapToUnlock7 works with both passcode enabled devices and unsecured devices. When you have a passcode enabled, a tap will activate the passcode screen, and when you have the passcode disabled, you'll be whisked away right to iOS' Home screen.

The tweak features a variety of customization options to change up the look and feel of the tap to unlock button on the Lock screen. Have a look inside as we explore various facets of this brand new release.

Nike CEO talks new focus on software for wearables, excited about future with Apple

Following the news last week that Nike is gearing up to shutter its wearable hardware efforts, CEO Mark Parker appeared on CNBC today to talk about the new direction. Parker says the company's goal is to expand the FuelBand system, and that software and strategic partnerships will help them with that.

Obviously, he couldn't say anything directly about the rumors that Nike is teaming up with Apple on a product, but Parker did note that the two companies have been working together for a long time. And when pressed about the speculation, he said that [Nike] is 'excited' about the future of the relationship...