iPhone News

Apple’s Forstall says iPhone 5 keyboard flickering is a software glitch, promises fix

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

If a growing thread on Apple's discussion forum is anything to go by, a bunch of iPhone 5 owners continue to complain about an annoying flickering thing which apparently manifests itself when the software keyboard pops up on the App Store password entry dialog box.

A report out this morning first suggested that an incremental iOS 6.0.1 update, said to have entered testing, will fix this and other issues plaguing the iOS 6 software. iDB has now received another confirmation that a fix is in the works, via an alleged email exchange between a reader and Apple's SVP Scott Forstall who's in charge of the iOS platform...

More headache for Apple and MFi partners as multiple clones of Lightning design emerge

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple has replaced its decade-old 30-pin connector with a brand new 9-pin Lightning plug in its latest round of iPhone and iPod refreshes last month. Per teardown, the new Lightning I/O has also brought with it an authentication chip that along with tightened ‘MFi’ terms is meant to prevent third parties from making unapproved accessories.

Adding insult to injury, it's also been suggested that cracked chips which bypass its authentication functions are now available. Today, BGR posted images of several claimed third party authentication chips for Lightning USB cables.

Of course, the chips are not officially approved by Apple and present an ample opportunity for shady Chinese firms to manufacture Lightning cables, adapters and other accessories that should easily work with Lightning-equipped iOS devices while costing far less than Apple's overpriced alternatives....

Mosaic lets you create beautiful photo books from your iPhone

Sébastien Page ∙ October 22, 2012

It's funny how things happen in life. A couple weeks ago, I was telling my wife that I would like to start putting together photo books of our daughter on a monthly basis, right from my iPhone, but without spending hours putting them up together. At the time, I told my wife that to my knowledge, there was no such app that would allow me to publish photo books in just a few minutes.

Then, as if they had heard me, the fine folks at Mosaic emailed me to let me know about their upcoming app and printing service, which lets you create beautiful printable photo books in a matter of minutes. I was definitely sold on the idea, but I still had to try it for myself.

I was sent an early release of the app, as well as a coupon code worth $26.50, which equals to $20 for the photo album, and $6.50 for shipping charges. With this loaded on my iPhone, I was really excited about the opportunity to try on this new service...

Paid iBooks go live in a slew of new countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

With less than 24 hours away until Apple's media event that will serve as a launchpad for the mini iPad and rumored new educational initiatives, Apple has rolled out paid iBookstore content in a slew of new countries. Paid electronic books first surfaced this morning over in the New Zealand iBookstore, but subsequent reports confirmed that paid content is now live - or in the process of going live - in as much as seventeen Latin American markets...

Galaxy Note II TV ad sold me on the stylus thing

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NNNHLjMc9I

Pundits are holding their breath as Apple is prepping to unleash the iPad mini upon the world, but over at Samsung it's business as usual. The company's mobile arm this morning posted to its official YouTube channel an interesting television commercial for the massive 5.55-inch Galaxy Note II phablet.

Now, it's true the media slammed Samsung over its stylus thing called S-Pen, but I'll be the first to admit this 30-second ad effectively makes the case for a stylus-based tablet computing. A team of people is seen collaborating on ideas while on the go, using the stylus and apps optimized for it.

It's not likely Apple will release a stylus-based device in the near future. Remember, Steve Jobs once said, "if you see a stylus, they blew it". Samsung hardly blew it with the Note: by August, it sold ten million units worldwide. Somebody out there must be loving a stylus on their tablet...

Can a smaller iPad up the cool quotient in education?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

As Apple dresses up San Jose's California Theatre for Tuesday's big event, rumors multiply suggesting a strong K-12 push for the iPad mini. The Next Web was first to report of this, providing a screenshot depicting an e-book listing on the iTunes Store which inadvertently mentioned Apple's iBooks 3.0, which hasn't been released yet.

Today, Bloomberg confirms the iPad mini's focus on education and expands on existing reports by writing that Apple expects the forthcoming device to widen its lead in education over Amazon and Google, whose respective seven-inch tablets start at just $199. Eve with the smaller iPad expected to command a premium, possibly starting as high as $329 (or $249 if Barclays Plc is right and this leak is legit), Apple certainly will offer discounts to educational institutions which buy devices in bulk.

We're also expecting interesting back-to-school promos centered around the iPad mini, much in the same way the company's been doing for years with MacBooks, iPods, iTunes Gift Cards and other gear...

A Smart Cover case for the iPad mini could cost $39

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

Apple could also offer some smart protection for its smaller iPad when it launches tomorrow, a new report alleges. As you're aware, Apple is currently offering polyurethane and leather Smart Cover cases for the current 9.7-inch iPad 3 and iPad 2, priced at $39 for the polyurethane version. If you want leather, that'll be a $30 extra. Per this new price list which surfaced this morning, Apple-branded covers for the iPad mini should also retail at $39. Part numbers also indicate a possible brand new iPad protection product...

Apple reportedly readying iOS 6.0.1, iOS 6.1 due post-holidays

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

Apple has allegedly begun testing iOS 6.0.1, a maintenance release that should address the annoying screen flicker which some users reported as happening when the iPhone 5 keyboard pops up. The release should also fix another issue with the camera’s flash not going off. Apple is also working on iOS 6.1, the first so-called dot update to its mobile operating system powering iPhones, iPads and iPods. This release is not expected until after holidays, indicating that the upcoming iPad mini will initially run the current iOS version...

Apple to pony up for stricter iPhone 5 quality control

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2012

Apple will reportedly pay up to "partially absorb costs" related to stricter quality control in iPhone 5 manufacturing, according to Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu. Faced with numerous complaints from early adopters who noticed their handset is far more prone to scratches and nicks which Apple initially attempted to dismiss as "normal" wear and tear, the company is now ready to take a hit on its near-term gross margins to improve production quality of the iPhone 5. Specifically, the analyst projects the iPhone maker's gross margins to be between 40.5 percent and 41.5 percent versus Wall Street's consensus between 42 percent and 43 percent...

Apple sued over software lock on AT&T iPhones

Cody Lee ∙ October 22, 2012

Apple has become the target of a new lawsuit this weekend. iPhone owners Zach Ward and Thomas Buchar filed a putative class action lawsuit against the company on Friday over the handset's software lock.

The two plaintiffs are claiming that Apple violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and Digital Millennium Copyright Act by not obtaining customers' permission to have their iPhones locked to AT&T's network...

Apple readies California Theatre for Tuesday event

Cody Lee ∙ October 22, 2012

Last week, Apple sent out invitations for a media event to take place on Tuesday, October 23. It's widely believed that the company is going to use the presser to unveil its long-rumored iPad mini tablet, and a few other new products.

The event will be held in the California Theatre located in downtown San Jose, California. And as you can see, Apple has already started prepping the building...

Google’s October 29 agenda outed: Nexus 10 aiming squarely at the iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

Google's Android event is scheduled to take place on October 29 in New York, but the company's planned product launches have apparently been outed by The Next Web. In addition to a 32GB version of the seven-inch Nexus 7 tablet (which has already turned up in U.S. stores) and the long-expected cellular version of the device, Google is said to take Apple on the high-end with the introduction of a ten-inch Nexus tablet thought to incorporate a 2,560-by-1,600 pixel screen with a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch versus the iPad 3's Retina display which tops the 264 pixels per inch on its 9.7-inch 2,048-by-1,536 Retina display...