iPhone News

Former Apple exec advised Nokia to fire Elop, drop everything and go Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2012

Jean-Louis Gassée, a former Apple executive (1981-1990), the founder of the BeOS computer operating system and former PalmSource chairman, had a word of advice for Nokia, the struggling Finnish cellphone vendor. Hiring Stephen Elop as its CEO was an expensive mistake, he argued, as this former Microsoftie has basically destroyed Nokia's software platforms before new devices reached the marketplace. At the rate of cash bleeding going on at Nokia, I wonder how long the company can afford to ignore its cardinal mistake and keep Elop on board...

WSJ: suppliers gearing up for mass production of iPad mini in September

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2012

Following yesterday's report by Bloomberg that Apple is planning to debut a smaller, inexpensive iPad by year-end, The Wall Street Journal (an unofficial Apple mouthpiece) on Wednesday cited the obligatory "people familiar with the matter", reporting that Apple's component suppliers in Asia are preparing for mass production of the iPad mini in September. Get your sandpapers ready!

UK Judge rules HTC phones don’t infringe Apple patents, including slide-to-unlock

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

A judge in London has ruled that HTC phones don't infringe upon Apple's prized smartphone patents, Bloomberg reported this morning. The ruling includes Apple's patented slide-to-unlock feature which famously drew the most 'oohs' and 'ahs' at the original iPhone introduction five years ago, but also other features such as flipping through a bunch of photos...

Apple’s risky retail gamble in China: one store per 216 million customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

In China, each of Apple's retail stores serves on average 216 million customers. Therein lies the catch to its expansion in the 1.33 billion people market - Apple needs way more stores in this huge country than it can possibly build, and it needs them yesterday.

China is important not just because it has recently displaced the United States as the world's leading smartphone market, but also because it now contributes to one-fifth of Apple's total revenue. Also, Apple says China stores have become its highest trafficked and among the highest revenue stores.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently toured China, talking greater investments with local officials and paying a visit to Foxconn's new manufacturing plant in Zhengzhou. It was a telling acknowledgment of the importance of China at the highest level, but barely enough to change the fact that the iPhone maker is in serious danger of becoming a victim of its own success in China...

Former Apple employee sheds light on app review process

Cody Lee ∙ July 4, 2012

Apple's app review team takes a lot of heat from the iOS community. Their decisions on which apps are let into the App Store, and which ones get rejected, are often criticized for being either too strict or too lenient.

One reason why there's so much grievance is that fact that people don't quite understand the process or what it's like to be an app reviewer. So a former Apple employee decided to clear things up...

Apple gains ownership of iPad3.com without a fight

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2012

Wow, that was fast! Just a week following a complaint Apple lodged with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the original owner of the domain has transferred ownership to Apple's legal team, reports The Next Web.

It's interesting that the WIPO case was still filed as active at post time, meaning the organization hasn't even reached an official ruling, which could indicate that Apple's legal sharks scared the hell out of the domain owner. Who's this guy, anyway?

Galaxy Nexus pulled from Google Play Store in wake of Apple injunction

Cody Lee ∙ July 4, 2012

That didn't take long. Less than 12 hours after Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung's request to stay the Galaxy Nexus injunction, the handset disappears from Google Play Stores.

Last week, Apple was able to convince Koh that the Nexus was infringing on its patents — enough to warrant a preliminary ban. And it looks like that ban is already in effect...

How to easily search iDB directly from Notification Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

iDB-SearchNC is a new jailbreak widget that allows you to easily search the contents of iDownloadBlog directly from Notification Center. That's right, all of Christian's in-depth reporting, countless witty one-liners from Cody, and all of Sebastien's reviews and giveaways, right from the convenience of Notification Center.

We know, it almost sounds too good to be true, but alas, it is. Take a look inside as we give iDB-Search NC the proper video walkthrough...

How to add animations to the Lock screen, Home screen, and Notification Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

Are you looking to take Lock screen boot logo animations to the next level? If so, then AnimateAll is a new tweak that's worthy of your attention.

AnimateAll is a follow-up (an actual outright replacement) to a tweak that we covered in the past called AnimateLockscreen. The prior tweak only allowed you to add boot logo animations to your Lock screen, while AnimateAll goes the extra mile and adds the Home screen and Notification Center into the mix as well.

Judge denies Samsung’s request to lift Galaxy Nexus ban

Cody Lee ∙ July 3, 2012

Just 24 hours after denying Samsung's motion to stay the Galaxy Tab injunction, Judge Lucy Koh has rejected the company's request to lift the ban on the Galaxy Nexus.

As it stands, Samsung will be forced to stop selling both the tablet and handset in the United States, unless the Court of Appeals steps in. But Google has a plan...

Is Apple readying answer to Google’s augmented reality head-mounted display?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 6, 2018

Wearable computing is coming your way in a big way and will be here to stay, or so would Google have us believe. You must have seen a spectacular demo of the search giant's Minority Report-like wearable computer glasses (if not, I urge you to see the clip right after the break).

Google's strong Project Glass push has given wearable computing lots more credibility, but it might take Apple to mainstream the technology. iShades, anyone?

California governor fast-tracks new Apple campus

Cody Lee ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

Apple shouldn't have any more problems meeting its 2015 deadline for the opening of its new Cupertino-based 'spaceship' campus. According to a new report, the project has just been fast-tracked by California state Governor Jerry Brown...