iPhone News

Apple loses appeal in major UK patent case against Samsung

Back in July, the High Court in London ruled against Apple in a patent suit against Samsung, saying that consumers were unlikely to mistake its iPad with Samsung's Galaxy Tab because it "wasn't as cool."

As a result of the ruling, Judge Colin Birss ordered Apple to run advertisements on both its UK website and in British publications stating that Samsung didn't copy the iPad to correct the damaging impression.

Well, Apple might want to start planning its marketing campaign. Because it just lost the appeal...

iPhone accounts for nearly half of smartphone web traffic

The number of models in the iPhone family is extremely small compared to the amount produced by other manufacturers. But according to a new report, which is an update to Chitika's recent iPhone 5 study, Apple's handsets still account for nearly half of all smartphone-generated internet traffic...

Apple said to be acquiring media sharing startup Color Labs

It seems like Apple's on a bit of a shopping spree this week. Hot on the heels of yesterday's revelation that the company acquired web app firm Particle, comes another scoop about an acquisition.

A new report is out tonight claiming that Apple is about to buyout Color Labs, a Palo Alto-based social startup that allows users to share photos and videos through its Android and iOS apps...

Google invites press to October 29 Android event

Google has sent out press invitations this afternoon for an Android event to take place on October 29th. The shindig will kick off at 10 a.m. EST at Basketball City in New York.

The invitation itself doesn't give many clues as to what could be announced. But given the fact that the holidays are just around the corner, we're guessing it's new hardware...

How to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 on Pre-A5 devices using backup and restore

We've been stressing how many new features were packed into the new RedSn0w, and we weren't kidding. Another under the radar feature that's been added to the new RedSn0w is the ability to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 untethered on Pre-A5 devices in A5 Non DFU style.

This is accomplished using the same method used for jailbreak tools like Absinthe, which utilizes backup and restore instead of the typical DFU ramdisk method. This is a great feature that speeds up the jailbreak process on Pre-A5 devices running iOS 5.1.1. Check inside as we give you a video demonstration and tutorial showing how it works.

FCC gives AT&T the go-ahead to use its WCS spectrum

Reports are coming in this afternoon that the Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's plan to use its dormant WCS spectrum to expand its LTE network. The carrier acquired the spectrum years ago, but has been unable to use it due to concerns that it would knock out the popular Sirius satellite radio service...

Infinity Blade Dungeons delayed until 2013, Epic Games confirms

Epic Games has been one of the most vocal supporters of gaming on Apple's iOS platform. Nobody can accuse the company of not putting its money where its mouth is: they poured millions of dollars so far into big budget releases for the iPhone and iPad. The Infinity Blade series isn't just an elegiac App Store masterpiece (exclusive to the iOS platform), it's Epic's most-profitable game ever.

More than anything, Infinity Blade games really push the iPhone and iPad hardware to its limits. Apple invited Epic developers to show off their impressive-looking work in progress, Infinity Blade Dungeons, during the unveiling of the third-generation iPad in April of this year. Eight months later, we learn that the game has been delayed and won't see light of the day until 2013.

What a bummer. By the way, the game is being developed by a team called Impossible Studios - how ironical is that?

The legendary carnage racing game Carmageddon hits iOS, free today only

Carmageddon, a classic arcade racing game inspired by the 1975 cult classic movie Death Race 2000, won many recognition and awards, earning its notoriety for graphical violence stemming from the carnage concept: the locals stay out on the streets at their peril and you run over or  smash into them with your automotive killing machine.

As you could imagine, Carmageddon was banned around the world, which only helped fuel its popularity. I was a little bit taken aback that Apple actually allowed such a title into its puritanic App Store environment (maybe because the concept calls for borderline comedy violence?). I've included a trailer, a video interview with developers and some screenies right after the break...

Foxconn’s comment on iPhone 5 production woes: “practice makes perfect”

Media reports about Scuffgate related to the widely reported quality-control issues with iPhone 5 manufacturing have subdued a bit as we head into the iPad mini press conference next Tuesday. That said, it's a tad surprising Apple's favorite contract manufacturer Foxconn would agitate spirits by explaining to The Wall Street Journal why the iPhone 5 is so difficult to manufacture.

Apple's phone, in Foxconn's words, is "the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled". Workers are assembling iPhones in two new plants they are not familiar enough with, using brand new production processes that take time to perfect. Build quality will improve over time as workers advance their skills, but only to the extent of the limitations regarding the handset's anodized coating...

Rovio teases Angry Birds Star Wars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOTpzyuPipk

Angry Birds Star Wars the game is landing on November 8 for iOS and Android and Rovio just posted a nice-looking new trailer to promote the software. It doesn't reveal much in way of details, but sure as hell appeals to fans of Star Wars.

And as part of its broader partnership with toy and board game company Hasbro, Rovio and Hasbro pledged to release Star Wars and Angry Birds-themed merchandise and various mashups, including board games, costumes, plush toys and much more...

The iPad mini doesn’t have a widescreen display?

A pair of OEM leaks thought to depict the same display appear to strongly suggests that, despite the skinnier side bezels and a smaller form-factor, the iPad mini might still incorporate the display which has an aspect ratio of 4:3, just like prior iPads and iPhones (except for the iPhone 5, of course).

This means videos played on the smaller iPad will continue to be letterboxed, at least until an iPad mini with a taller display arrives (you heard that here first!). I guess Apple had to save something for future iterations. Also leaked today: another image of a battery said to belong to the iPad mini, with the label rating it at 16.7Whr and 3.72V...

Rumor: the iPad 4 coming in mid-2013 with simpler manufacturing design

Next Tuesday will hopefully bring us a small form-factor iPad (affectionately called by the press the iPad mini), perhaps some refreshed Macs and possibly a tweaked iPad 3 with support for UK's upcoming 4G LTE network in the 1,800MHz band from carrier Everything Everywhere (currently, the iPad 3 uses the 700 and 2100MHz band). It's all part of Apple's aggressive roll out planned for 2012, but that doesn't mean the rumor-mill is standing still.

Quite the contrary, a new rumor out of Asia is claiming the company's already warned its supply chain to prepare for a fourth-generation iPad in mid-2013. Perhaps learning from the ongoing manufacturing woes plaguing the iPhone 5 and reportedly affecting the iPad mini launch volume, Apple is thought to be switching to "a simpler manufacturing design"...