iPhone News

How Steve Jobs imposed limitations on Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 12, 2013

I clearly remember September 2008 when the HTC G1 debuted in partnership with Google and T-Mobile. Google's first usable Android-driven handset arrived some fifteen months after the iPhone had gone on sale in June 2007 and tech die-hards were startled that it didn't incorporate the pinch-zoom gesture.

Android would be deployed across lots more handsets before eventually implementing not only pinch-zooming, but other familiar iPhone features as well. There was an unconfirmed rumor at the time that Google removed multitouch gestures from initial Android builds at Apple's request.

In all honesty, the notion seemed a bit crazy. Why would Google take the iPhone head on and yet cave in to Apple's demands? According to a new 272-page book titled Dogfight: How Apple And Google Went To War And Started a Revolution by Fred Vogelstein, Apple's then CEO Steve Jobs imposed that choice on Google's Android head Andy Rubin by sheer willpower...

Actually, it was Samsung who sub-contracted GlobalFoundries to build Apple chips

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 12, 2013

Yesterday, the unconfirmed news broke out about a surprise tie-in between Apple and GlobalFoundries, the world's top semiconductor foundry second only to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) which counts Nvidia, Broadcom, Qualcomm and AMD as its clients.

The Albany Times Union newspaper asserted that GlobalFoundries will build Apple's A-series chips for iOS devices at a new $6 billion facility in upstate New York. The development has led some folks to conjure up that Apple could be finally ditching Samsung for semiconductor manufacture, but that's not really the case at all. Read on...

Walk-in Retina iPad mini purchases unavailable, Apple ‘working hard’ to meet demand

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 12, 2013

Those of you who just woke up needn't worry, there's nothing wrong with the Internet today - Apple's iPad mini with Retina display has indeed made a surprise debut. As Cody told you, the highly anticipated tablet has unexpectedly been available as of midnight Pacific Time on November 12, arriving without too much noise on Apple's part aside from a quiet website update and a press release.

It would appear that the combination of pent-up demand and production issues prompted Apple to limit launch availability to online orders or Personal Pickup in the case of retail stores, implying you can't just waltz inside your nearest Apple Store and buy a Retina iPad mini...

Apple establishes Philippine Typhoon Relief donations via iTunes

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 12, 2013

Thousands of lives were lost after Typhoon Haiyan made landfall and ripped through the Philippines last Friday. As you could imagine, companies and organizations around the world are banding together and contributing to the relief efforts with donations. This includes Apple, which on Tuesday activated Red Cross donations through iTunes to help with relief efforts.

Apple normally takes its customary 30 percent cut on iTunes proceeds, but the company surrendered the commission for the relief effort. You can donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 or $200 and Apple will transfer 100 percent of your donation to the American Red Cross in the region, to help distribute food and relief supplies to survivors and help with search and rescue efforts...

Viber 4.0 arrives with push-to-talk, Viber Out, Sticker Market, tweaks and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 12, 2013

Viber today released a brand new version of its iOS and Android application which now includes the Viber Sticker Market, the new background gallery, the ability to send push-to-talk voice messages, forward messages, add more participants to group conversations than ever before and additional tweaks.

What's really interesting is that Sticker Market allows Viber users to put their own creations on sale and make a profit when others buy their work from the palm of their hand.

The full breakdown follows after the break...

Jony Ive talks designing for Sotheby’s (RED) charity

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 31, 2017

Apple's SVP of all design, Jony Ive, recently contributed to a couple unique items conceived specifically for Sotheby's (RED) charity auction. These include, among other objects of affection, a one-off red-colored Mac Pro, a unique aluminum-clad desk and an awesome retro-looking Leica M camera.

Ive already talked about creating that camera and working with influential industrial designer, Australia-born Marc Newson, and now we get to see the two men discuss the intricacies of working with Sotheby's on making these nice auction items a reality...

Infographic shows how the iPhone has grown over the years

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

The iPhone has come a long way since it was first introduced in 2007. Now generating more than 30 million sales per quarter, the popular handset has become a large part (over half) of Apple's business.

With that in mind, we found this infographic of how the iPhone has grown over the years very interesting. Not only does it show the hardware and software changes it's undergone, but also its increase in sales...

Video of Eddy Cue as he accepts Steve Jobs’ Bay Area Business HOF award

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Apple's VP of Internet software and services Eddy Cue tweeted out a link to a YouTube video last night, with the caption "an honor, a privilege and truly from my heart to Steve." The video was of Cue giving a speech at a banquet.

More specifically, Cue was accepting an award on Steve Jobs' behalf. He was [posthumously] inducted into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame last Thursday, and the clip shows a montage of keynotes, interviews and other gems...

Apple support site now allows customers to initiate screen-sharing

Cody Lee ∙ November 12, 2013

Apple has updated its support site this week with a new feature allowing users to initiate screen-sharing with AppleCare representatives when receiving Mac help via phone call. This option was previously reserved for reps only.

But enabling customers to initiate screen-sharing with a support tech will one, give them more control over their overall support experience, and two, help facilitate quicker, more accurate responses from Apple's support staff...

Good news, you can now snag an iPhone 5s in 1-2 weeks

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It's been an awfully tough task trying to come up with an iPhone 5s. Since launch, the device has been about as elusive as any Apple product in recent memory. For instance, Sebastien is still waiting on his Gold iPhone, even though I believe he's due to get it any day now.

The good news is that Apple's shipping estimates for the iPhone 5s are now down to 1-2 weeks, as pointed out by MacRumors. These estimate apply to all colors; so yes, if you're still after a Gold iPhone, you can have one in relatively short turnaround time.

Google has lost significant mobile maps traffic to Apple since last year

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 26, 2018

Despite all of the user complaints and negative PR Apple encountered when it replaced Google Maps with its own in-house software in iOS 6 last year, the app has turned out to be quite a hit with US iPhone and iPad users.

According to research data from comScore, more than 35 million US iPhone owners used Apple's Maps app in September 2013. That's significantly more than the 6 million or so that used Google's standalone iOS Maps app...

Curved-glass full-on Apple television concept

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

A report by DisplaySearch may have dashed hopes for an imminent Apple television introduction as Apple turns its attention to wearables, but there's no stopping prolific 3D artist Martin Hajek from imagining what a full-on television set with the Apple logo could/should look like, all over again.

Taking cues from Bloomberg's report which calls for curved-glass iPhones in 2014, Hajek is now seemingly torn between a flat and curved-glass iTV variant. I know which one I'd take in a heartbeat, but how about you?