Starting today, customers will be able to order the iPhone 5 on T-Mobile’s newly revamped “un-carrier” unlimited plans for a carrier-exclusive low price.
T-Mobile to update unlocked iPhones to LTE while Barclays tie up enables Apple Store $99 purchases
We told you about a jailbreak tweak last week that enables LTE at 1700mhz by loading a custom carrier firmware on an existing, unlocked AT&T iPhone 5. It was good news for T-Mobile customers interested in taking advantage of the carrier’s LTE network without updating to Apple’s new T-Mobile/AT&T iPhone 5 variant set to launch April 12, but there was no word from AT&T if an official update would also be available for existing unlocked GSM iPhone 5 owners. TmoNews got its hands on an internal document today that shows the carrier will indeed enable LTE support, along with a handful of other features previously not available through software update on April 5.
“The T-Mobile Carrier Update is a minor iOS software update that enables official iPhone support by T-Mobile. When installed, the software update enables a handful of capabilities like Visual Voicemail, MMS Settings and Network/Device optimizations that customers do not have access to today. On April 5, the software update will begin being pushed via OTA to all iPhone devices on the T-Mobile network with iOS 6.1.x or higher.”
As you can see above, the update will also enable official iPhone support for T-Mobile customers bringing Visual Voicemail, MMS Settings and Network/Device optimizations to users on April 5.
In related T-Mobile news, we learned that Apple has partnered up with Barclays and T-Mobile to offer 24 months no interest when buying a new iPhone on T-Mobile at Apple Stores. Barclays will also credit customers’ accounts $70, allowing Apple Store customers to finance the T-Mobile iPhone for the same $579 price as T-Mobile offers through its 24-month plan. Read more
Nuance launches ‘Voice Ads’ platform to bring a Siri-like experience to mobile advertising
If Nuance gets its way with the just announced ‘Voice Ads’ mobile advertising platform, soon every mobile ad could include Siri-like functionality that lets you communicate with and ask questions about the product being advertised.
Nuance, the company behind the voice recognition module now used in Apple’s Siri, today announced a new project to bring its voice recognition technology to the mobile advertising world. The basic concept of the new platform, which Nuance made available through an SDK for advertising companies, is to bring a two-way, interactive conversation to mobile ads. As highlighted by Nuance in the video above, ads that implement the Voice Ads platform will allow users to engage in a Siri-like conversation with an advertisement:
Nuance Voice Ads gives mobile advertisers and creative agencies an opportunity to go beyond the limitations of the four-inch mobile device screen and create a conversation with consumers through the power of voice recognition. Voice Ads finally creates an opportunity for brands to deepen the relationship with their consumers, with targeted interactive ads that deeply engage their core audience – much in the way that the world’s most popular mobile personal assistants have deepened consumers’ relationship with their mobile phones.
In the demo above, Nuance shows an advertisement for a fictional deodorant brand that uses a magic 8-ball theme to answer any question that users might have. The ad of course ends in a pitch for the product in question, as you might expect. Other ads could allow users to ask specific questions about a product’s release date or specs…
Read more
Progress: Apple is pushing for an iRadio summertime launch
As part of a wide-ranging music industry story by Greg Sandoval at The Verge, details on Apple’s upcoming streaming radio project seem to be clearing up.
Much has been written about Apple’s plan to launch a Pandora-esque service this year. Now multiple music industry insiders have told The Verge that significant progress has been made in the talks with two of the top labels: Universal and Warner. One of the sources said “iRadio is coming. There’s no doubt about it anymore.” Apple is pushing hard for a summertime launch.
Apple’s streaming radio project has been in the news for at least a year. We heard no shortage of rumors that Apple planned to take on the Pandoras and Spotifys of the world with its own ‘iRadio’ service, and Bloomberg predicted a Q1 2013 (current) launch. Then we heard there were some delays that appear to have pushed the release out to summer.
Perhaps most damningly, we found pay radio buttons in the iPad’s music player app code earlier this year.
Rumor: Apple to announce a game controller at upcoming event?
Update: Jim Darlymple at the Loop isn’t feeling this one (that was quick).
Apple’s Nintendo-DS like remote concept from 2010 patent
Pocketgamer today says it has heard word from mobile game developers that Apple has operated secret meetings at GDC and discussing a game controller.
Long rumoured – and hoped for – GDC 2013 has finally provided confirmation that Apple will release its own dedicated game controller. Of course, there’s no official word yet, but Apple has been active during the conference talking to developers about its plans and ensuring plenty of games will support the joypad at launch.It’s been operating a meeting room at the show, albeit booked under a pseudonym company name to avoid media attention.However, speaking anonymously, multiple developer sources have confirmed the news to PocketGamer.biz
While this report sounds a bit sketchy with details, it would be interesting to see what Apple could bring to the table in the gaming space. Pocketgamer previously reported that Apple would announce a $19.99 store for premium games that never panned out.
Apple has patented game controllers on a number of occasions and a report last year even claimed Apple was working on an internal Game controller project.
I know of an internal Apple project to bring a physical controller to market, but whether or not it will ever see the light of day remains to be seen. As smartphones and tablets come close to equalling the performance of current game consoles, I feel like the controller problem must be addressed.
Jailbreak tweak purports to let AT&T iPhone 5s jump on T-Mobile’s LTE without update
While Apple confirmed that purchasing a new AWS-enabled variant of the iPhone 5 was necessary to get on T-Mobile’s network, a new jaibreak hack claims to enable LTE at 1700mhz by loading a custom carrier firmware on an existing, unlocked AT&T iPhone 5 (A1428). Leimobile.com posted the full instructions:
Now that you have an unlocked AT&T model A1428 or an officially unlocked model A1428 you can proceed to follow the instructions below to load a custom carrier file onto your iPhone and enable LTE. This will only work on A1428 model iPhone 5′s.
To be clear, this enables LTE AWS support for T-Mobile. It won’t allow you to access HSPA+ 42Mbps on 1700mhz like Apple’s new A1428 variant…
T-Mobile officially unveiled on Tuesday its plans to carry the iPhone on its new no-contract, no-subsidy, monthly installment plans starting at $99 down for the iPhone 5. Following the announcement, Engadget confirmed with Apple that the existing A1428 model iPhone 5 for AT&T would not support the necessary AWS bands to access T-Mobile’s network. Apple said it would phase out the existing A1428 iPhone, meaning new devices would support both AT&T and T-Mobile, but it will be doing so through a firmware update at the factory. In other words, a software update for A1428 iPhone owners isn’t possible and existing AT&T iPhone 5 owners are out of luck when it comes to support on T-Mobile’s network.
The hack above, which we haven’t tested first hand, of course won’t work for the Verizon iPhone, as it does not support the correct LTE bands.
