[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd7taHnHzcg]
If you’re trying to make your iPhone 4S buying decision based on network speeds, here’s a helpful comparison video (above). The test shows the loading of websites and also runs the speed test application on all three networks.
Remember, this was done at one fixed location so you’re mileage most certainly will vary.
As the iPhone 4S launched worldwide today, Apple’s stock just closed at $422 a share — an all-time high for the company. Pretty amazing for a phone “that only has a better camera”, right?
We are getting a lot of reports that those big lines are clearing and Apple Stores actually have some stock of iPhone 4S left over (the shot above is from Naples, Florida). While the lines are much larger than iPhone 4 lines were during the Verizon launch, they aren’t as big as the iPhone 4 launch lines according to a few reports.
Why? Apple now has more points of sale (+Verizon and Sprint Stores, Sam’s Club, etc). Plus, online pre-orders have been popular with 1 million being sold this year in the first 24 hours on 100 carriers (vs. 5 countries last year). Some analysts are predicting up to 4 million unit sales in the first weekend alone.
From our knowledge of the situation, we’ve heard that Apple has thought ahead this time and ramped up production well ahead of the release. In fact, Apple could have released the iPhone 4S hardware much earlier if the iOS 5 software had been ready.
But that’s good news for those who are trying to get in early on the iPhone 4S but didn’t want to camp out or pre-order.
The bad news? AT&T activation servers seem to be taking some time to activate phones with some users reporting 5-15 minute wait times.
What’s the word on the street out there?
It’s been long time coming and it’s finally here. The U.K. online Apple Store now lists the Apple iPhone Micro USB Adapter, available for £8.00 and shipping October 14. From Apple:
The Apple iPhone Micro USB Adapter allows you to use third-party micro USB cables and chargers to sync or charge your iPhone. Simply connect your iPhone to the Micro USB Adapter, then connect a micro USB cable or charger to the Micro USB Adapter
Standards bodies in Europe had agreed last year that all mobile phones sold in Europe should drop proprietary connectors in favor of standard USB jacks. Apple’s been ignoring the initiative up to the point when some watchers questioned whether the European Union should fine the Cupertino, California-based gadget maker.
As it turns out, Apple has elegantly addressed those concerns with this dongle. What it does for Apple is it lets them follow the letter of the law without redesigning the iPhone or, worse, risk incompatibility problems with a billion dollar ecosystem of accessories that take advantage of Apple’s 30-pin dock connector.
Bluetooth 4.0 theoretically allows iPhone 4S devices to connect to the new MacBook Airs (And other BT 4.0 devices) at an extremely low power mode up to 50 meters away.
Do you know what time it is? It is one hour before this iPhone event – and Apple is updating its Store. That means new toys obviously. You ready already?
Remember when we brought you news way back in June that AT&T would be increasing its premiums on iPhone insurance on October 4th? This was the very first indication that Apple’s iPhone launch event would be on October 4th.
Deductible: A tiered deductible per the terms of your Mobile Insurance Coverage Certificate, will apply as follows:
Now that is out in the open. Prices for iPhones will increase from $4.99 to $6.99. Such an arbitrary date may signal that the new iPhones may be ready sooner rather than later after the announcement. Perhaps as early as October 7th. See new screenie below
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What’s most interesting about these fake iPhones is that they were made from real iPhone parts. The assumption is that the companies that made supplies for Apple would make additional parts and sell them to third parties who would somehow assemble a Frankenstein of iPhone and non-iPhone parts together and sell them at double the cost.
The cost to make one fake iPhone, which used some genuine parts, was around 2,000 yuan ($313). It was sold on unauthorized markets and on the Internet for around 4,000 yuan, only a few hundred yuan cheaper than the real iPhone, the newspaper said.
The fake iPhones had the same functions as the genuine ones but had a shorter battery life, it quoted the police as saying.
It would be interesting and surprising if they got iOS working on these. I’m guessing a flavor of Android with a iOS-like skin was used. Apple would have a big problem on their hands if iOS was being pirated.
Updated with video of one of these fakes:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZFNi9SLFkU]
Not, “put this on my iPhone now” good but “wow, that’s interesting and must’ve taken a lot of hard work” good. Lifehacker explains:
You can now grab the theme via an app on Theme Outlet. Here’s how. (And make sure you have Dreamboard installed, as this is a Dreamboard theme and requires it.)
Unwire.hk (via MacRumors) shows what they indicate may be screen protectors for the new iPhone 5. Interestingly, the screen protectors here show a wide home button (above) and when compared to the current iPhone 4, show a wider screen area (below).
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If the current aspect ratio is preserved, the new size would indicate that the screen extended further toward the top and bottom of the device.
Another closeup image, below:
Martin Fichter, the acting president of HTC America, has a daughter down at Steve Jobs’ alma mater, Reed College, where he conducted the very scientific focus group:
On the iPhone 5 hype: “Apple is innovating. Samsung is innovating. We are innovating. Everybody is innovating. And everybody is doing different things for the end consumers. I brought my daughter back to college — she’s down in Portland at Reed — and I talked to a few of the kids on her floor. And none of them has an iPhone because they told me: ‘My dad has an iPhone.’ There’s an interesting thing that’s going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was. They were carrying HTCs. They were carrying Samsungs. They were even carrying some Chinese manufacture’s devices. If you look at a college campus, Mac Book Airs are cool. iPhones are not that cool anymore. We here are using iPhones, but our kids don’t find them that cool anymore.”
They also have no interest in dad’s Porsche.
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iFixyouri iPhone repair shops have just received a limited order of color iPad 2 front glass customized replacements in blue, green, yellow and pink. We’re told that if you use code “9to5mac” at checkout you’ll get 10% off the $200 iPad customization (yes, that’s pretty steep but we have a feeling there is a pretty big market for these).
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What’s interesting here is that the button isn’t wider as originally prognosticated. In this scenario,it is actually shorter to make room for the bigger screen.
Earlier today we broke the news that an iPhone icon in the Photo Stream beta software had some new dimensions including a more edge to edge screen and an elongated button, which coincidentally matched the earlier rumors. One obviously possibility is that this device is a larger-screened iPhone 5. However, we’ve received word that of the two new iPhones coming out from Apple, this device might actually be the smaller, cheaper iPhone that is set for release at the same time.
One was called the “upgraded one, the iPhone 5” and the other, “a new smaller one”.
To that end, we’ve got a mock up of what something like that would look like using current iPhone sizes, and the dimensions offered up by the icon (above) if it is a smaller device. If it is the bigger device, or at least bigger-screened device, It could look like the below:
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This would be a nearly 4+ inch screen, nearly the size of the Galaxy S line.
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Apple’s latest Photo Stream beta has an interesting icon that seems to look like the rumored iPhone 5s with extended screen and elongated home button (we count 4 pixels by 2 pixels – close up below the fold and actual icon, right). What do you think? Coincidence? (Thanks Steve and Olivier!)
We initially detailled what developers were calling an ‘iPhone 4S’ way back in April. It was essentially an iPhone 4 with an upgraded processor. Then an iPhone that was supposed to be running on T-Mobile USA’s 3G network turned up shortly thereafter with an interesting antenna design.
Today, iPatchiPods.com and MacRumors stumbled upon some of what they think might be ‘iPhone 4S’ bodies. Both sides of the frame are shown above and feature a slightly different antenna design than the iPhone 4 with the only breaks being at the bottom of the phone.
Interestingly, the frame also deviates from the iPhone 4 in where the home button lies (below), leaving them to speculate that there might not be a home button, there could be a capacitative home button or some sort of other redesign.
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Our German is more than a little rusty (and so is Google’s) but it appears that five devices that are suspected of being either iPhone 5s or knockoffs were confiscated at the Munster-Osnabruck airport on July 21st.
It still isn’t certain if they were real or fake but it is newsworthy that Germans are confiscating iPhones, real or fake, at the Airports since there are so many fake iPhones coming out of China, India and Sears these days. Maybe they were just Samsung Galaxies?
The men in possession of the devices were coming from Turkey.
It appears that the customs officials are working with Apple to determine the origin of the devices.
Benm.at has the story
Here’s another version of the story.
Update: Reader Till translated the important bits, below:
The customs officers weren’t sure if the smartphones were a rip-off, but a comparison with the so-called “E-Agent” made it seem possible. Of course, the appearance of an iPhone 5 was more spectacular. “We can neither confirm nor deny if it is a real device and consequently industry spying”.
Apple was informed about the found. “We are waiting for a response of the manufacturer that tells us what to do.” Photos of the found won’t be published until then. “It could be industry spying, so you have to handle such picture with special sensibility”, said the spokeswoman.
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There is a standalone of iOS 5 beta 5 build 9A5288d as well as a new delta update available via OTA which weighs in at 128mb. Xcode and iTunes also received updates today as well. Interestingly, to do the OTA, Apple says you’ll need to do a hard reset (though we’re hearing that is optional)
To install iOS 5 beta 5 using over the air software update, you must first erase all content and settings on your device by choosing Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Over the air software update can be initiated on devices running iOS 5 beta 3 and later by choosing Settings > General > Software Update.
Monster release notes and changes, below:
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MacRumors is reporting a plastic white iPhone found on Tinhte.vn may be the next value iPhone.
We only have 3 issues with these pictures:
1. It is running Cydia which is unlikely to be an easy install on a new prototype iPhone with a new cellular chip, internal hardware and firmware. It is doubtful Apple is testing Cydia and it isn’t a cakewalk to jailbreak an entirely new device.
2. Probably most damning, it has the tell-tale old white speaker grill at the top which was phased out as the white iPhone was improved over the past year and a half. It looks like the poster may have tried to blur it as well. It is doubtful that Apple would go back to this flawed design.
3. Plastic?
Some other information that you want to transfer to you is that this machine seems to run faster than the iPhone 4, lighter weight and two glass front and back seem to have been replaced by two plastic sheets, type of sensation and cry other than the iPhone 4.
It is unlikely that Apple would ever replace the glass front with plastic. Even the $229 iPod touch is glass. Can you imagine Apple doing plastic face? Not possible.
More likely there is a matte overlay on the front of it.
Otherwise, this phone has a plastic back which would decrease the weight and cost and increase the durability. Which actually makes some sense – though the $229 iPod touch gets by with stainless steel. We were throwing this device around yesterday and concluded it was probably an iPhone 4 prototype that was brought back up to the surface – there is no shortage of those in Asia. Two more shots below.
Apple has just released iOS 4.3.5 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This update comes just days after the iOS 4.3.4 release and it resolves a “security issue” which has been resolved with certificate verification.
Standalone downloads and geeky specifics below:
We loved his iPhone 5 mockups, now Guilherme Schasiepen’s wows us with his iPad 2HD/Plus/HD, via MacMagazine.br.
More below:
As Apple gears up to announce earnings tomorrow after the bell, the stock has hit an all time high each of the last two trading sessions. Today AAPL is up about 2.5% to just north of $373. Market cap is now just shy of and incredible $350B. (Exxon is at $409B) Great earnings are expected from AAPL as tech has found a footing following Google’s quarterly results last week that shot the stock up over 12%.
In addition to expected stellar earnings, news that Apple is close to inking a deal with China Mobile has given the iPhone maker a boost. This deal would potentially give Apple access to China Mobile’s 600m subscriber base. Stay tuned tomorrow for the exact earnings release.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op4t3h10vMU]
iPhone Download Blog posts a nice video of Swype on Jailbroken iOS
Swype is a keyboard system for touch mobile devices that enables users to type faster in some instances because it doesn’t require as much ‘tapping’. Apple has shown little interest in putting Swype on iOS devices however.
That’s where the jailbreaking community comes in. Andrew Liu (@WyndWarrior) is working on porting Swype to iOS. With the recent Jailbreakme.com, making it incredibly easy to jailbreak your phone, many others will try it (remember it is in beta).
If you are the adventurous type:
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We’re in love with Guilherme Schasiepen’s iPhone 5 mockups (via MacMagazine.br).
More below:
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This is my next runs this story based on unnamed sources who claim that come this Fall tablet fans will have a choice between iPad 2 and an-all new high-end iPad aimed at creative pros, apparently dubbed ‘iPad HD’:
Our sources are saying that not only will there be a newly designed iPhone coming in the fall, but there is going to be a new entry into the iPad family as well. As hard as it might be to believe, the new tablet is said to sport a double resolution screen (2048 x 1536), and will be dubbed the “iPad HD.” The idea behind the product is apparently that it will be a “pro” device aimed at a higher end market — folks who work in video and photo production possibly — and will be introduced alongside something like an iPad version of Final Cut or Aperture. This product is specifically said to not be the iPad 3, rather a complimentary piece of the iPad 2 line. Think MacBook and MacBook Pro.
As for Final Cut Pro/Aperture, it would perhaps explain why Apple made such a drastic change in its X product, but the extra pixels don’t exactly make a professional video editor. A bigger screen could, however :D.
Overall, we love the idea of an iPad HD and all of the previous evidence points to it (below from the iS 5 SDK). But why wait until the Fall? Perhaps the screens just weren’t ready yet at price points that made sense. That is a lot of pixels to throw on a 9.7-inch display.
Also interesting:
