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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...

Analyst thinks the iPad mini will be the priciest seven-incher

Ed Sutherland ∙ October 22, 2012

Is Apple's upcoming iPad mini aimed at consumers looking for an inexpensive tablet or folks seeking an Apple tablet that can be popped into a jacket pocket?

That's the real question facing observers as the Cupertino, California company prepares to introduce its 7.8-inch product tomorrow. The answer, of course, will tell us just who Apple thinks its rivals are in this space...

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...

FaceTime preview window now reflects aspect ratio of the caller’s device

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

In addition to the big ones in iOS 6 and a host of lesser-known but otherwise welcome enhancements, every now and then a small tweak surfaces, capturing our imagination and delighting us with simplicity. More often than not, these little nuggets clearly prove Apple remains as obsessed with agonizing over every little aspect of its products as it's ever been. For example, the FaceTime preview window where a live video stream of the person you're calling is displayed now indicates their device's aspect ratio...

Apps Apple personally tested now appear in App Store’s Categories menu

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 21, 2012

In its never-ending quest to improve app discovery, Apple with iOS 6 added to its App Store on the iPad, iPhone and Mac something called App Collections, a curated section which lists apps that the company personally tested. As of recently, App Collections are now prominently featured on iOS devices and Macs via a dedicated section nested within the Categories menu of the App Store and iTunes. All of the apps featured in App Collections are basically recommendations by Apple's editorial team...

Test finds that Sprint iPhone 5 has the best call quality

Cody Lee ∙ October 21, 2012

According to Apple, the iPhone 5 has much better call quality than its predecessor thanks to its new wideband audio technology. Unfortunately, no US carrier supports this feature yet.

This means that call quality on your iPhone 5 still greatly depends on your location and who your service provider is. And according to a new report, Sprint is the one to beat in this category...

Apple Stores now carrying iPhone 5 cases

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Accessories for Apple's latest smartphone are extremely hard to find right now. Not only does the iPhone 5 have a different dock connector, but it's also larger than its predecessor, making most cases and add-ons obsolete.

But we have some good news today, at least for the folks looking for a cover to protect their new handset. Reports are coming in this weekend that Apple has started stocking its retail stores with iPhone 5 cases...

The iDownloadBlog top 10 news stories of the week

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 24, 2017

A new week is coming, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on what happened last week. If you think you may have missed a few of the top stories from last week, don't sweat it, we've got you covered.

We've gathered the top 10+ most popular stories from iDB last week for you to check out. As always, make sure that you're friends with us on Facebook, Google+, and that you are following us on Twitter...