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Kantar: discounts help Android pass iOS in US smartphone sales

Ed Sutherland ∙ February 25, 2013

Oh, what a difference a month makes. That could be the message from new research giving Android the lead in U.S. smartphone sales during the three-month period ending in January 2012.

Apple's iOS had held the U.S. smartphones sales lead up through December. The new data gives Android 49.9 percent of domestic smartphone sales, with iOS taking second place with 45.9 percent.

The new standings means Google's mobile software added 6.4 percent of U.S. sales, compared to a year ago. Meanwhile, the lock on U.S. smartphone sales fell 4.7 percent from the same period in 2011. The flip-flop on the No. 1 and No. 2 spots was linked to a Sprint price cut for Samsung's Galaxy S3 during the final three months of 2012...

Facebook launches free or discounted Messenger access in 14 countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2013

Facebook on Sunday announced a new promotion that will allow users of Messenger for iOS and Android to exchange instant messages for free or at heavily discounted data rates in select international markets. Partnering with more than eighteen operators in fourteen international markets, the social networking giant said Facebook for Every Phone, basically a bare-bone service for feature phones that is now optimized for chat, is also included in this promotion.

The move arrives just after the company flipped the switch on the in-app VoIP calling feature in its mobile client for iOS and Android devices. Facebook first rolled out VoIP calling in Canada earlier this year, and some parts of the US, via the Messenger app...

Mophie announces new, thinner Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Fans of Mophie's popular Juice Pack Air line will be happy to hear that the company has just announced a new, thinner model for Apple's latest handset. This is the first significant update to the line in two years.

Aside from the prestige of its highly-regarded creators, the major selling point for the new Air is its size—it's both thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring in at just 0.63-inches thick...

Apple’s camera supplier sees sharp production drop ahead of the next iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Here’s another indication that Apple is on the verge of ramping up iPhone 5S manufacturing. According to a new report by a Korean newspaper, Apple’s camera supplier LG Innotek is said to have put on hold as much as 80 percent of its camera module output.

The paper claims the change is a result of “weak iPhone 5 sales”, but that's an incorrect assumption because the iPhone 5's back and front camera is made by Sony and Omnivision, respectively.

LG Innotek is still listed as the official Apple supplier as it makes the iPhone 4 camera, but its name doesn't come up in teardown analysis of any of Apple's latest mobile products...

Quick Key, a game-changing app for educators

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

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

Walter Duncan is a classroom teacher with fourteen year experience who dared to think different when it comes to grading papers. Looking beyond the tedious manual process, he came up with an app which scans grade papers using the iPhone's camera and then immediately turns pictures into numbers and logs that data with any major electronic grade system such as PowerSchool, for example.

This saves a hell of a lot time compared to manually entering the results and if the video above is an indication, the software does scan as quickly as he can move the papers. This game-changing app for educators isn't ready for prime time yet as they're looking for testers over at Power2Teach...

Unpower tweak alerts you when your device gets unplugged

Cody Lee ∙ February 23, 2013

Have you ever noticed that, by default, your iPhone and iPad give you an audible alert when you plug them in, but not when you unplug them? Why is that? It seems like it would serve a similar purpose--letting you know if your device is plugged in or not.

Well whatever the reason is, it's not something you have to worry about anymore. At least, not if you're jailbroken. There's a new tweak out in Cydia this week called 'Unpower,' and its one function in life is to alert you when your device gets unplugged...

NYPD creates ‘iTheft’ unit for catching iPhone and iPad thieves

Cody Lee ∙ February 22, 2013

We've reported on a number of stolen iPhone and iPad cases on iDB over the years. Apple's gadgets are both popular and expensive, making them the perfect targets for thieves looking for a quick score.

But those thieves better watch out if they ever find themselves on the streets of New York. The city's police department has assigned a team of cops to work directly with Apple to put a stop to these thefts...

Facebook app updated with new button design and free in-app calling

Cody Lee ∙ February 22, 2013

Facebook just posted a nice little update for its official iOS app, bringing it to version 5.5. This is the app's third update in as many months, as the social network continues to improve its mobile experience.

The change log for today's release includes a new button design, which makes it easier to comment on, like and share stories from your News Feed, and support for Facebook's free in-app calling feature...

Here’s your math behind a budget iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2013

After meeting with Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer recently, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty issued a report proclaiming so-called budget iPhone a no-brainer. Huberty joins what is now a growing list of analysts calling for such a device so Apple could better target emerging markets where cash-strapped folks mostly buy unlocked sub-$200 handsets - unlike the United States where carriers subsidize smartphones handsomely.

Thanks to these generous subsidies, US consumers don't pay full price for the hardware - provided they agree to a long-term service agreement, of course. Now, with the penetration level for the iPhone approaching a limit in the high-end segment, the untapped low-end represents an estimated $135 billion opportunity.

Even with Apple's margins peaking, an iPhone mini - as the media dubbed it - should triple Apple's addressable market in China and add nearly $2.4 billion to its handset business...

iPhones found to be 300% more reliable than Samsung handsets

Cody Lee ∙ February 22, 2013

Earlier this week, research firm Strategy Analytics issued a report showing that the iPhone 5 and 4S are the two most popular smartphones in the world. The 5 alone accounts for 13% of all smartphones shipped globally.

Today, crowd-sourced trouble-shooting website FixYa shared its own findings on the smartphone space. And according to its data, Apple's handset isn't just the best-selling in the world. It's also [by far] the most reliable...

LG teaches Apple how panorama should be done

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh-2_Nt8Wac#!

So LG is advertising the expanded panoramic and camera capabilities of its Optimus G Pro smartphone. At first blush, the commercial looks like a blatant ripoff of Apple's iPhone 5 ad titled "Cheese", down to the kids on the white background and the elongated "Cheeeeese".

On closer inspection, it has a nice twist to it, watch what happens after mark 0:30. Their VR Panorama obviously out-innovates Apple in how amazingly it stitches the photos together to produce a nearly 360-degree image. Apple better come up with some expanded panorama features in iOS 7...

Millennial: tablet use skyrockets, led by iPad mini and Kindle Fire

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Millennial Media becomes the latest to release research showing 2012 was a year of rising adoption of tablets and smartphones. Apple continues to lead the charge in tablets - particularly the iPad mini - while Samsung has become the popular face for the family of Android alternatives.

Apple held on to its tablet lead with 58 percent of the market. About a half-dozen Amazon tablets helped Google's mobile operating system capture 41 percent of tablets, with Samsung the most significant player...