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The devices that run the world’s most advanced mobile operating system

Check out our top stories on iOS Devices:

iOS devices refer to any of Apple’s hardware that runs the iOS mobile operating system which include iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 10. Here is the complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices.

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Nook goes web (and here’s how to read it on iOS)

Barnes & Noble is launching Nook for Web today—a browser-based version of its eBook platform to compliment its other native reader apps. While B&N claimed the new web reader works with any PC or Mac supported browser, it does not appear to be supported on iOS browsers by default. The native iOS Nook app might seem like a better option, however, as noted by TechCrunch, because the app still requires you to purchase books from the web. Fortunately, if you want the complete Nook web experience on your iOS device, there is a way to access it.

Using the Chrome iOS app, navigate to the Nook for Web reader (here). From the menu in Chrome, select “Request Desktop Site.” It is not an ideal solution, but it is definitely usable on the iPad. For a limited time, you will be able to get six of the platform’s best-selling books for free to celebrate the launch.

B&N’s full press release is below:

Barnes & Noble Introduces NOOK® for Web, Giving Readers Instant Access to NOOK Books™ from any Web Browser – No Sign-In, Download or NOOK Required

Get Started Today with Six FREE Bestsellers Available through July 26

New York, New York – July 17, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today introduced NOOK for Web, an innovative and free new browser experience that offers readers the ability to explore the hottest digital titles and bestselling books right from their computer – no sign-in, software download or NOOK account required to begin reading. With fast and easy access from any PC or Mac® browser, NOOK for Web seamlessly combines NOOK’s award-winning digital reading experience with access to Barnes & Noble’s expansive NOOK Store™. Now, anyone who loves to read can browse, sample and become instantly immersed in a NOOK-like reading environment from any browser, with support coming this fall for Internet-enabled tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices.

Beginning today, Barnes & Noble is offering six bestselling NOOK Books in their entirety at no charge for readers to try NOOK’s award-winning digital reading experience online. With popular summer titles the entire family will enjoy, customers can visit www.nook.com/NOOKforWeb to browse the list of complimentary titles available, including Map of Bones by James Rollins, Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell, The Vow by Kim Carpenter, The Boxcar Children Summer Special by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Brave by Tennant Redbank and Perfect Island Getaways by Patricia Schultz, instantly read the sample, and then download the entire book for free on any browser now through July 26.

“NOOK for Web makes it easier than ever for anyone – from NOOK customers to those experiencing digital content for the first time – to access and read books online,” said Jamie Iannone, President of Digital Products at Barnes & Noble. “There’s no need to download special software to access your digital library – NOOK for Web seamlessly combines Barnes & Noble’s best-in-class digital reading experience and unrivaled NOOK Store to deliver an immersive, easy-to-use solution for readers to consume millions of titles right from their Web browser.”

With NOOK for Web, it’s also now easier than ever for NOOK customers to read their NOOK Books virtually anytime, anywhere. The perfect complement to NOOK devices and free NOOK Reading Apps™, customers can simply go to www.mynook.com to pick back up from their last page read or start reading a new book using any Web browser.

NOOK for Web features the elegant, immersive digital reading experience millions of NOOK customers have come to know and love:

  • Enjoy free samples of the majority of NOOK Books and begin reading with just a click on the “Read Instantly” icon. There’s no need to sign in, create an account or download additional software in order to sample content. NOOK for Web supports all PC and Mac-supported Web browsers including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari.
  • Get lost in a great read with the realistic book-like layout, including clear page numbers at the bottom of each screen and an innovative slider allowing users to easily track the number of pages remaining in a chapter or quickly scroll to another section.
  • Customize the reading experience using the intuitive navigation bar. Choose between 8 fonts and 8 font sizes and a single or double page layout. Simply collapse the navigation bar once preferences are selected to reveal a clean, easy-to-read page.
  • Rate, review and share thoughts or recommend books via Twitter, Facebook or e-mail without even leaving the book.
  • Access more information about the book while reading, plus thousands of helpful editorial and customer reviews at your fingertips.
  • Learn what to read next with personalized recommendations from Barnes & Noble’s expert booksellers – from must-read new releases to up-and-coming authors – all in the customizable Shop window.
  • Shop from the ever-expanding NOOK Store, buy NOOK Books in seconds (the majority for $9.99 or less), and select purchases right from your personal NOOK Library™ to open and begin reading from any Web browser.

Through Barnes & Noble’s free, stable and secure NOOK Cloud™ service, NOOK for Web now gives existing NOOK customers even more flexibility to Read What You Love, Anywhere You Like™ with seamless account integration and synchronization. Customers can read any book from their personal NOOK Library by signing in using a valid NOOK account. Sync the last page read from a NOOK tablet or Reader, multitude of computing and mobile devices with free NOOK Reading Apps and NOOK for Web, and keep reading virtually anytime, anywhere – all without losing the page. And customers can send free NOOK Book samples directly to an existing NOOK Library to automatically access new content on the go from any NOOK device or one with free NOOK Reading Apps.

NOOK for Web is now available at www.nook.com/NOOKforWeb with no download required. Simply browse for books in the NOOK Book Store and look for the “Read Instantly” icon to begin reading any book.

WSJ: Next-generation iPhone to feature improved, thinner display technology

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The Wall Street Journal has just issued an alert saying that Apple’s next-generation iPhone will sport a new screen technology. According to the publication, this new technology will make this new iPhone’s display even thinner. This will likely yield a thinner device overall, something corroborated by the numerous part leaks thus far.

The Journal‘s full story claims that Sharp, LG, and a new company called Japan Display are developing the new screen technology for the next-generation iPhone. The new, “in-cell” technology does not seperate the touch sensors from the LCD itself, making the screen thinner:

The technology integrates touch sensors into the LCD, making it unnecessary to have a separate touch-screen layer. The absence of the layer, usually about half a millimeter thick, not only makes the whole screen thinner, but the quality of displayed images would improve, said DisplaySearch analyst Hiroshi Hayase.

The report notes that dropping the additional touch sensor layer will make gearing up the supply chain for production of the new device an apparently easier task.

For Apple, the new technology would also simplify the supply chain and help cut costs as it would no longer have to buy touch panels and LCD panels from separate suppliers.

David Hsieh, also an analyst from DisplaySearch, first reported on Apple’s move to in-cell touch screen technology for the 2012 iPhone in April.

Notably, the report also says that Wintek, the supplier of the Retina Display LCD found in the iPhone 4S, is currently left out of the next-generation iPhone part supply deals.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoqiPzij26Y]

The next iPhone will likely launch in the fall, and past reports point to the new device carrying a taller, four-inch display, a redesigned, smaller dock connector, LTE network-support, and possibly support for a smaller SIM card standard.


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AT&T appears set to control and charge for FaceTime over Cellular in iOS 6

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Like it does with the iOS Personal Hotspot feature, U.S. carrier AT&T appears set to control and charge for the iOS 6 FaceTime over Cellular feature. This iOS 6 enhancement brings the formally WiFi only iOS device video calling feature into a more useful state, letting people use the feature practically anywhere they may be. AT&T provided us with the following statement:

We’re working closely with Apple on the new developer build of iOS6 and we’ll share more information with our customers as it becomes available.

We attempted to bring up the same same error message when enabling the FaceTime over Cellular feature on a Verizon iPad WiFi + Cellular, but the feature enabled without an issue. AT&T charges for a separate plan to use Personal Hotspot on its network, and the carrier appears set to replicate that process with FaceTime over Cellular.

To replicate the process of receiving the above error message, you need to restore your network settings. It is also appearing for some people who have restored to iOS 6 beta 3.

With the large amount of data that a FaceTime call over Cellular uses, it doesn’t seem like a stretch for AT&T to want to charge for the feature. At this time, other iOS device carrier-partner plans are unclear, but AT&T is the first carrier that demonstrates evidence (in iOS 6 beta 3) for a plan to charge for the feature.


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iCloud beta website updated with @icloud.com domain support

Alongside the release of iOS 6 beta 3 with support for @icloud.com iCloud Mail domains, Apple has updated its iCloud.com beta website to support the new domain option.

Apple marks the updated webmail application with a beta banner. Also, you have new alias options, below.

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It appears that users with access to the beta iCloud website can send email from the new @icloud.com email domain, but recipients are yet to be able to reply to these @icloud.com emails.

Earlier this month, Apple rolled out the iCloud.com beta website with improved Find my iPhone features, a Notes app, a Reminders app, and a tweaked Calendar web app.


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Apple seeds iOS 6 beta 3 to developers

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Three weeks after it released iOS 6 beta 2, Apple has unleashed a third-beta of the next-generation version of iOS to developers. The new beta is currently available as an over-the-air update to those running iOS 6 beta 2, and the new version should be hitting Apple’s iOS Developer Center shortly.

It is unclear what changes this new beta holds, but they likely revolve around bug fixes and performance enhancements. We’ll be going through this new beta and will update with anything new that we find. If you find anything new, you can tip us at tips@9to5mac.com. 

iOS 6 is launching to the public this fall, and it is a major release with over 200 new features. Some new features include an all-new Maps application with an Apple backend and 3D Flyover, Facebook integration, improved Siri, enhanced Phone features, improved Safari, improved Mail, and iCloud enhancements such as Shared Photo Streams.

Download sizes: 323MB/347MB delta on iPhone 4S, 424MB delta on third-generation iPad.

Here’s our post with all the changes found thus far in the beta 3 release. 

Xcode Preview 3 has now been seeded:

Rrelease notes after the break: 


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Target offering $25 gift card with new iPads, $20 on iPhones. Best Buy has everything Apple on sale.

We have seen a lot of third-gen iPad deals recently in 9to5Toys offering the entry-level 16GB model, for instance, in the neighborhood of $460 to $470, approximately $30 to $40 off the normal retail price. Those deals usually go quick, but one big retailer plans to offer a similar deal this coming week. Starting July 15, Target will offer a free $25 gift card with the purchase of any iPad 2 or new iPad. The deal will last all week until July 21, and, as always, Target REDCard users can get an additional 5 percent knocked off their purchase, giving the iPad 2 an effective price of $355. New iPads will start at $450 with the discounts. Find a location with stock here.

Target will advertise the deal in its flyer this weekend, we are told, which features a number of Apple products on its cover (pictured above). Other deals include the 16GB iPhone 4S discounted slightly to $179, a free $20 gift card for the 8GB iPod touch priced at $195, and a free $10 gift card for the 8GB iPod nano at $129.

Additionally, this week Best Buy knocks a few bucks off of just about every Apple product in its catalog.

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Swipe iPhone case features built-in screen cleaning system, tripod mount (updated)

Update: With insight and feedback from the comments on this post, Swipe Cases has pivoted its design to a less expensive model that focuses just on the swipe screen cleaning feature. Be sure to check out Swipe Case’s updated campaign.

Our attention was brought to a new Kickstarter posting for a new iPhone case called the Swipe. This case is one of the more interesting propositions floated on the site, and we see some very real-world uses out of the case. The Swipe Case features a built-in screen cleaning system. The Swipe Case is a case at heart, but when you push the top of the case down, it cleans your iPhone’s display. According to the company’s video, it works very well.

The Swipe cleaning system is patent pending, and, while it works well, it’s hidden from the user when not in use. Swipe touts the feature as making the iPhone much easier to use, as touch inputs into the iPhone display are more accurate and smooth when the display is clean. Touch screens are naturally prone to smudges and input marks from fingers, so the Swipe case offers an easy and integrated solution for that unsolvable problem (until this case launches).

Another neat trick with the Swipe Case is that it also functions as a tripod 1/4-20 mount. That feature allows users to dock the Swipe Case (and the iPhone it is protecting) into a tripod, bicycle, or other supported things with mounts. Swipe also touts that its case provides iPhones with great radio performance, while the materials appear top-notch. Swipe says its case works on the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and that the company is already planning a version for the yet-to-be-announced next-generation iPhone.


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Griffin’s MIDIConnect interface for iOS devices now available

We recently brought you a full review of Griffin’s StudioConnect audio/MIDI interface and dock for iPad, and the company is now announcing availability of the device’s little brother, the MIDIConnect. Rather than give you an almost full-fledged audio interface for the iPad, like StudioConnect, MIDIConnect simply provides standard 5-pin MIDI in and out. MIDIConnect is available through Griffin for $79, which is about half the price of the StudioConnect.

Nashville, TN – July 10, 2012Griffin Technology, one of the world’s foremost creators of innovations for everyday life, is excited to announce the availability of MIDIConnect, a MIDI in and out interface for iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

“MIDIConnect offers musicians a compact and portable solution to create and edit music on the go, at a fraction of the cost of a recording studio,” said Ethan Opelt, Line Manager of Griffin’s Audio category. “We are excited to be showcasing MIDIConnect as well as Griffin’s lineup of music products at Summer NAMM, taking place in Nashville, our home town.”

MIDIConnect adds a MIDI input and output to iOS devices. Intuitive to use, MIDIConnect allows you to plug MIDI keyboards and other MIDI-capable devices into an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. Play your MIDI instrument straight into GarageBand or other MIDI-capable apps, or download MIDI Controller apps to use the MIDI out port and your touchscreen in performance, as a MIDI controller. Both MIDI in and out ports are industry-standard 5-pin DIN connectors, compatible with most commonly available MIDI cables and connectors.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANnKDpVpzow&feature=player_embedded]

Purported ‘iPad mini’ case mold surfaces, apparently thinner than current iPad

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Following up its purported next-generation iPhone physical mockupsGottaBeMobile has posted a similar series of shots, but for the rumored smaller iPad. In this report, the site notes that the hardware seems to be case molds.

Not many unknown details are shown in these images, but the design is said to be thinner than that of the current-generation 9.7-inch iPad. Also, the rumored smaller dock connector is shown between dual speaker grills. More after the break:


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Claimed ‘iPhone 5 engineering samples’ show physical mockup of rumored next-generation iPhone design

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GottaBeMobile claims to show photos of what it is calling “iPhone 5 engineering samples.” These photos appear to be of a physical construction of the rumored next-generation iPhone design. The report calls the metal mockup (which in the end may simply be a case maker’s mold, we speculate) slightly taller than the iPhone 4/4S, yet thinner and a design with the same width…


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Google to pay $22.5M settlement in FTC’s iOS Safari privacy investigation

The last time we updated you on the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into Google’s method of bypassing the default Safari browser settings on iOS devices, reports claimed the company was facing possible fines that could reach tens of millions. Today, The Wall Street Journal said Google is close to reaching a $22.5 million settlement with the FTC, according to people close to the negotiations:

The fine is expected to be the largest penalty ever levied on a single company by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. It offers the latest sign of the FTC’s stepped-up approach to policing online privacy violations, coming just six months after The Wall Street Journal reported on Google’s practices.

While the fine likely will represent only a tiny portion of Google’s revenues—last year, the Internet giant raked in that much cash roughly every five hours or so—it counts among a series of negative reports about Google’s privacy practices that could undermine users’ trust in its services.

Major Twitter for iPhone update incoming: more interactive, enhanced notifications

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iOS 6’s redesigned App Store has leaked a major forthcoming update to Twitter’s official iPhone application in its update history section. Twitter, in recent months, has come under fire due to potential new changes to its mobile application API and the lack of power-user features in its official mobile device apps. It appears that this controversy may change in the coming days, as leaked release notes show some impressive new changes. Twitter for iPhone 4.3 is incoming and it brings several new features focusing on interactivity, enhanced notifications, searching, performance, and more. You can find all of the new features – summarized from Twitter’s release notes – after the break:
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Apple’s rumored curved-glass wrist computer mocked up

Federico Ciccarese has done many iPhone and Apple product design mockups in the past, and today he gave us his take on Apple’s rumored wearable, curved-glass iOS device. In August 2011, we made the case for a wearable, Bluetooth 4.0-powered iPod nano. In December, The New York Times reported a small group of people at Apple had been “conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices.” One concept described in the report was a “curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist.” Below is a video rendering of the mockup from Ciccarese Design:

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How long does an iOS beta period last?

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Click to enlarge

Ever wondered how long a new version of iOS is in beta stage? Well, Will Hains did (via iPhoneClub). He used the available data from Wikipedia to create bar charts, revealing some interesting information.

The fastest release was iPhone OS 2.1 in 2008 (iPhone OS was later renamed to “iOS”), with a total of 50 days in beta spread over four developer versions. iOS 5.0, which released Oct. 12, 2011, spread over eight beta versions with a record-holding total of 128 days.


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iOS web marketshare rises past 65 percent in June

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NetMarketShare is out with new numbers this morning that portray iOS’ continuing dominance over web marketshare. The firm found that in the month of June, iOS web marketshare rose almost 3 percent, pushing it past 65 percent, which is an almost 15 percent increase year-over-year. Compared to the competition, iOS is blowing 0thers out of the water. Android currently sits at 1 percent, with the dying BlackBerry just under 2 percent…ouch.

With Android leading in total OS marketshare, it is definitely interesting that Apple continues to kill with its Safari sword. Android currently sits at over 50 percent of total OS marketshare, according to April numbers, with Apple at 30.2-percent. Android has a comfortable lead in total marketshare. So, why is Apple leading in web marketshare?

It is no secret that Apple’s Internet browser offering, Safari, is one of the best and easiest mobile browsers to use. I do not care what any Mozilla engineer has to say. It is fast and sleek, and it gets the simple, daily browsing done. That being said, I think iOS numbers are so high because iOS users can comfortably browse. Sure, that could all change with Google Chrome on both iOS and Android, but I seriously doubt it will make that big of an impact.

As for the almost 15 percent year-over-year increase, I would contribute that to huge sales of iOS devices—particularly the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S saw a great start in Apple’s fiscal Q1 by selling a record 37 million devices. Combine that with sales of the new iPad, we are talking about a sizable amount of customers using iOS for the first time and contributing to web marketshare numbers. Moreover, I think we will see a bigger jump as iOS 6 and the launch of the new iPhone come about this fall. Perhaps an even bigger jump will come about if Apple launches a 7-inch iPad, giving users a completely different type of mobile consumption.Check out the full graph below:


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How to add a USB Blu-ray player to your Mac for $42

With 1080P hitting the new iPad and Apple TV a few months ago, and the new Retina MacBook Pros now reaching people’s hands, some of you are perhaps now looking to send your Blu-ray collection over to Apple devices.

Here is the easy part: Buy a Toshiba Lightscribe Blu-ray Player for just $42 with free shipping (via 9to5Toys) in white or black. It also burns DVDs, and Lightscribe media will even do some art on the cover. Oh, and it is USB bus-powered, so it is nice and portable.

Toshiba advertises it as “Mac compatible,” but we all knew that the late and great Steve Jobs viewed Blu-ray as a “bag of hurt” from the “mafia.”

So, the hard part is getting Blu-rays to your Mac…


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Mini review/hands-on: LunaTik alloy and polymer stylus/pen combo

LunaTik, the creators of the famously well-funded TikTok iPod nano watch band, have launched a pair of well-designed and well-functioning styluses, optimized for iOS devices.

We’ve been using the LunaTik Stylus and the performance of the stylus is very precise. Our tests were conducted by playing around the iPad operating system, but the true results come via an app like Paper.

This precise stylus also doubles a real ink pen, making it versatile. The pen, itself, works like your standard ink pen. It’s nothing too special alone, but the cool part is that it’s not only your physical paper pen, but your virtual paper pen.

The creators of the stylus explain the technology and history behind the product on their Kickstarter page.

LunaTik’s stylus comes in both an alloy configuration ($39.95) and a polymer version ($19.95). The alloy comes in a silvery color and the polymer comes in several colors.

See our full image gallery below:


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Siri vs Google search in 1600-question street test, speed test

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDsOtdRtG0Q&start=23]

As noted by Phillip Elmer-DeWitt at Fortune, Apple analyst Gene Munster published a note to clients today that contained the results of a Siri vs. Google search 1600-question showdown.

While it is not exactly a test of how well the companies’ various voice services stack up against one another (since Google Search queries were typed-in and not spoken), but it is a good indication of just how viable Siri is as an everyday mobile search product and alternative to Google. In the test, both Google and Siri were asked 800 questions in a quiet location. Another 800 questions were asked among the loud street traffic in Minneapolis. The results, according to Fortune:
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iOS 6 Apple TV beta 2 lets you reorganize icons with wiggle mode

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4XlSrc4Xuk&feature=player_embedded]

We told you the other day that Apple began seeding the iOS 6.0 Beta 2 OTA update to developers with an update to Apple TV beta 2. One new feature of the Apple TV update spotted by MacMagazine.com.br (via MacRumors) is the ability to reorganize icons on the main UI. Much like the wiggling animation when reordering icons on iOS devices, holding the Select button will allow you to move icons while others reorder automatically the same as on iPhone and iPad. The feature, unlike on other iOS devices, only activates the mode for the currently selected icons, opposed to sending all icons into “wiggle mode”, and does not yet allow icons to be deleted.

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Five years after launch: Apple sold 250M iPhones, accounting for $150B in revenue

According to a report from research firm Strategy Analytics, covering its Global Handset Shipments Forecast for Q2 2012, the company provided insight about the number of iPhones Apple has sold since the device’s launch five years ago on June 29, 2007. The report estimated that Apple sold 250 million iPhones, which accounts for $150 billion in revenue:

“The iPhone portfolio has become a huge generator of cash and profit for Apple. A quarter of a billion iPhones have been shipped cumulatively worldwide in the first five years since launch and Apple reaches its fifth birthday at the top of its game. However, there are emerging signs that the iPhone’s next five years could get tougher. Some mobile operators are becoming concerned about the high level of subsidies they spend on the iPhone, while Samsung is expanding its popular Galaxy portfolio and providing Apple with more credible competition.”

At its Q2 earnings report, Apple announced it sold 35.1 million iPhones during the last quarter, with 365 million iOS device sales to date.

(via The Globe and Mail)

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Google attempts to block US iPhone & iPad shipments over 3G patents

[tweet https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/217362407469748224]

Update: A report from Bloomberg Businessweek confirmed with some clarification. As we reported in April, the ITC will have to review Judge Pender’s previous ruling that Apple infringed on one Motorola patent related to industry standard 3G and wireless technologies. The date for that hearing is now scheduled for August 24 and could result on a block of iOS devices from Asia to the United States:

The U.S. International Trade Commission said it will review ITC Judge Thomas Pender’s findings that Apple was violating one of four Motorola Mobility patents. The commission is scheduled to issue a final decision on Aug. 24, and has the power to block devices made in Asia from entering the U.S.

According to several tweets from financial analyst @zerohedge, Google is apparently attempting to block shipments of the iPhone and iPad in the U.S. related to 3G patents. We do not have any more information at the moment, but we will keep you updated as the story unfolds…

[tweet https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/217362478374457345]

CNBC reported a Reuters story of the same nature.

[tweet https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/217364425290686464]

(Developing)
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