iPhone 5c

326 'iPhone 5c' stories July 2013 - July 2014

Announced alongside the iPhone 5s in September 2013, the iPhone 5c ($0 on contract from the Apple Store) is currently Apple’s entry-level iPhone. Made with a plastic rear shell and a glass face, it is effectively a repackaging of the iPhone 5, seemingly designed to create differentiation with the highly similar-looking iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5c continues to use the A6 chip, 8 megapixel camera, and 4-inch Retina display found in the iPhone 5, but modestly improves the front-facing FaceTime HD camera, adds support for more LTE bands, and increases the color choices from two to five. Apple chose a basic white, as well as somewhat faded green, blue, pink, and yellow tones. Every version has a black front.

One thing that the iPhone 5c’s new shell offers is durability: the glossy plastic rear shell is not as easy to accidentally scuff or shatter as the metal and glass iPhone 5 it replaces. On the other hand, Apple only offers it now in an 8GB capacity, which is too little space to store apps, music, and video at the same time. As it’s currently sold, the iPhone 5c is designed to be a very basic phone for first-time iPhone users, as well as something to get people in the doors to choose something better. We wouldn’t recommend it over any other current-generation iPhone unless you only plan to use it for communications, very small apps, and video streaming — not storage.

Video reportedly shows iPhone 6’s flexible sapphire screen cover

Jordan Kahn Jul 7 2014 - 7:51 am PT

11 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDUeoGErJOs]

With a long list of leaks in recent months showing mock ups of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones expected for release this fall, today we get a look at what is reportedly our first at the flexibility of the iPhone 6’s new sapphire cover glass. There’s not much information surrounding this leak or confirmation that what we’re looking at is the real deal, but the sapphire material is indeed something Apple has ramped up production of in recent months at its new Arizona plant.
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iPhone 6 mockups are a ‘rough approximation’ according to report, claims antenna design will differ signifcantly

Benjamin Mayo Jun 30 2014 - 4:30 am PT

40 Comments

Japanese paper Nikkei has published a new report on their website comparing the mockups of the iPhone 6 to their supply chain sources. As translated by GforGames, the report says that while the mockups offer a good estimate of the final design, some key details are omitted.

Many of the things claimed in the report are obvious discrepancies, like button misalignment, but the report hones in on the antenna design (which has been critiqued by some readers) specifically. It says that the final iPhone 6 may not feature the ‘stripes’ at all, claiming that these simply mark out an area for glass materials to replace the aluminium frame, just like the iPhone 5s. Another possibility is that the stripe appearance is still present, but the stripes will be made out of attractive highly-polished glass.

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Apple to replace Aperture and iPhoto with Photos for OS X early next year

Benjamin Mayo Jun 27 2014 - 9:44 am PT

115 Comments

Apple has told 9to5Mac that that the company will be ceasing development of Aperture and iPhoto, offering Photos for OS X as a replacement, which was first shown at WWDC.

With the introduction of the new Photos app and iCloud Photo Library, enabling you to safely store all of your photos in iCloud and access them from anywhere, there will be no new development of Aperture. When Photos for OS X ships next year, users will be able to migrate their existing Aperture libraries to Photos for OS X.

Apple says libraries will be able to migrate across to the new application when the application ships. Apple is working with Adobe to offer a upgrade path to Lightroom. As noted by TechCrunch, Apple will offer a Yosemite compatibility update for Aperture, but otherwise development has ended.

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Walmart set to permanently discount iPhone 5s to $99, 5c to $29 tomorrow

Mike Beasley Jun 26 2014 - 6:09 pm PT

10 Comments

Engadget reports that Walmart is preparing to make significant cuts to its iPhone pricing tomorrow. According to a Walmart spokesman, the iPhone 5s will be available on a two-year contract for only $99, down from the previous price of $149. The iPhone 5c, on the other hand, will be only $29 on a contract, down $20 from the previous $49.

Both of these prices apply to the 16 GB models, but there isn’t any word on the prices for the 32 GB or 64 GB devices, though they will also see cuts. The new prices will reportedly only be available in-store, not online. It doesn’t look like any other Apple products will see similar changes, though the larger iPod touch models did just see a price drop earlier today.

How-to: Request an iTunes purchase refund if you have a legitimate reason

Jun 14 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

8 Comments

When you purchase an item from the App Store or iTunes, it is possible to obtain a refund on items purchased within the past 90 days if you have a legitimate reason. For example, you might buy the live version of a song when you meant to get the studio version. It is certainly possible to download the wrong app inadvertently, especially on an iOS device.

In this article, I will outline the process of how report a problem (and request a refund) with items purchased in the App Store or iTunes.

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Apple says some European iPhone USB adapters ‘may pose a safety risk’, announces free replacement program

Benjamin Mayo Jun 13 2014 - 1:51 am PT

8 Comments

Apple has today announced a replacement program for some European iPhone USB adapters. The company says that it has identified that some USB adapters bundled with iPhones (as well as sold separately) may overheat and ‘pose a safety risk’. The adapter shipped with European models of the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s from October 2009 to September 2012.

Affected adapters feature the Model ‘A1300’ designation, found on the bottom of the unit as pictured above. Apple will replace the power adapters for free at its dedicated replacement portal website. A full country list is below.

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More pictures of the iPhone 6’s front and back appear online as Apple ramps production

Benjamin Mayo Jun 11 2014 - 2:38 am PT

79 Comments

On Weibo, user dreamerJimmy has posted more shots of the supposed iPhone 6 design, which has shown up in photos time and time again in recent weeks. The new images are of reasonable quality, though and indicate how the larger phone would compare physically with the current iPhone 5s. The user has a good reputation for leaks, posting accurate images of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c months before their unveiling.

In the first image, the much thinner bezels of the supposed new device can be clearly seen, to maximise the screen space on the front side. The distance between the Home Button and the display has also been shortened.

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Review: VoiceSnap allows you to control your iOS camera remotely with voice commands [giveaway]

May 31 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

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VoiceSnap, a new app from MocaApps LLC, allows you to take photos using voice commands on an iPhone or other iOS device. Rich in features, the app is very customizable and includes the settings needed to make it an effective solution for taking photos.

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RadioShack offers $79 iPhone 5s on contract, $30 iPhone 5c, or free with trade-in

Jordan Kahn May 30 2014 - 8:51 am PT

2 Comments

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RadioShack is offering one of the best discounts you’ll find on a new iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c on contract. These are in-store prices, but for just $79 (Reg. $199) you’ll be able to get a 16GB iPhone 5s on new or upgraded two-year contract. That includes AT&T, Verizon and Sprint and you can even slash that price further from $79 to $0 by taking advantage of RadioShack’s trade-in offers for the iPhone 4s.

RadioShack is also offering a similar discount on the iPhone 5c. The entry-level 16GB model (Reg. $99) is available for just $29 (or for free with an eligible trade-in). That deal is also available on all three carriers including AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. Both of these deals are approximately $20 under the best deals we see pop up from time to time through various retailers.
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IDC lowers tablet shipment forecast, expects a 5.5-inch iPhone could cannibalize iPad sales

Jordan Kahn May 29 2014 - 9:50 am PT

4 Comments

Tablet-Market-Forecast Yet another lowered forecast for tablet shipments this year comes today from IDC following a similar move from Morgan Stanley earlier this month. IDC announced today that it’s lowering its tablet shipment 245.4 million units down from a total 260.9 million units, which is around 12.1% year-over-year growth for the category vs the 51.8% growth last year. We’ve seen how much growth potential there is for tablets vs PCs and smartphones, but IDC’s report notes that tablets might see increased competition from the phablet category this year. The report classifies phablets as smartphones with 5.5-inch to 7-inches and IDC thinks Apple’s new larger iPhone could eat into some of its iPad sales:

“Two major issues are causing the tablet market to slow down. First, consumers are keeping their tablets, especially higher-cost models from major vendors, far longer than originally anticipated. And when they do buy a new one they are often passing their existing tablet off to another member of the family,” said Tom Mainelli, Program Vice President, Devices & Displays at IDC. “Second, the rise of phablets – smartphones with 5.5-inch and larger screens – are causing many people to second-guess tablet purchases as the larger screens on these phones are often adequate for tasks once reserved for tablets.”

IDC notes that the share of smartphone shipments captured by so called phablets doubled from 4.3% in Q1 of 2013 to 10.5% in Q1 of this year. representing 30.1 million units shipped. “As large phones clearly impact near-term tablet growth, IDC expects the market to rebound by shifting its focus back toward larger-screened devices.”

How will iPhone 6 display compare to the competition? LG says Apple’s 300ppi Retina definition is industry misconception

Jordan Kahn May 27 2014 - 11:13 am PT

71 Comments

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When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4, he also introduced us to Apple’s definition of a Retina display. “There’s a magic number right around 300 pixels per inch, that when you hold something around 10 or 12 inches away from your eyes, is the limit of the human retina to differentiate the pixels… text looks like you’ve seen it in a fine printed book.” That Retina branding has become an industry misconception according to LG, and the company made a point of it during its G3 smartphone unveiling earlier today.

LG-G3-Event-03 Jobs also said that the Retina display was a first for a display on a phone, but that might not be the case for Apple’s new iPhone 6. Since the iPhone 4, Android manufacturers have one-upped Apple with higher resolution and larger displays. LG’s comments aren’t just relevant when comparing current iPhone models, but also when thinking about what’s planned for iPhone 6. It didn’t mention Apple by name, but it was clear LG was referring to the iPhone and Apple’s 300ppi Retina definition:
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Review: Traditional handmade BUKcase for iPad and iPhone beat expectations

Sarah Guarino May 24 2014 - 1:00 pm PT

4 Comments

BUKcase creates handmade cases for Apple products. Each of their products is made-to-order by local master bookbinders in Manchester, England, who use local materials and traditional machinery. Each product comes with a unique personal ID number and a birthday.

To make its products more unique, BUKcase even offer custom engraving options. Since appearing on the television show Dragons’ Den, (the British version of Shark Tank), the company has had tremendous sales growth despite the lack of funding. We had the opportunity to review several of their products below…

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How-to: Conserve battery power on your iOS devices

May 24 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

19 Comments

Since the introduction of smart devices, battery power has been and still remains a precious commodity. In this article we will review many of the features and settings of iOS devices that impact battery life, and make recommendations about how to conserve power.

One important thing to keep in mind is that battery life is complex, and the impact of one setting for a specific user may not always reflect the impact of that same feature on another user’s device. It’s also important to note that after you make any changes, be sure to charge your iOS device on a wall charger overnight. This full charge is often needed before any changes will be effective.

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Apple expands cheaper 8GB iPhone 5c availability to India

Zac Hall May 23 2014 - 7:33 am PT

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After introducing the iPhone 5c last fall in 16GB and 32GB variants at launch, Apple later added a cheaper and admittedly space-constrained version in a number of non-US markets around the globe. Apple’s position on the device’s purpose was that it offers a more attractive price while still offering LTE (unlike the iPhone 4s) in markets where the faster network is well desired.

A few weeks ago, The Times of India reported that Apple was poised to introduce the 8GB variant of the iPhone 5c to iPhone buyers in India, and today The Times is reporting that Apple has indeed introduced that cheaper version of the colorful iPhone as was rumored and expected.

While the phone’s MRP is Rs 37,500, Apple is offering a cash discount of Rs 4,000. This brings down the phone’s price to Rs 33,500.

Apple is also giving a case worth Rs 2,000 with the phone. However, Apple informs that it’s a limited period offer.

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Apple formally acknowledges iMessage issue, says bug fix coming in a ‘future software update’

Benjamin Mayo May 22 2014 - 4:18 am PT

15 Comments

In a statement to Re/code, Apple has acknowledged the iMessage issue which affects customers who switch away from the iPhone, without disabling iMessage. This means that texts to these users are never delivered, as iPhone devices continue to use the iMessage protocol on the phone number that is no longer associated with an iPhone. Aside from a second-hand report by an AppleCare representative, this is Apple’s first official response to the recent criticism.

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iPhone market share in Japan climbs from a quarter to more than a third of all phones sold

Ben Lovejoy May 14 2014 - 4:24 am PT

1 Comment

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Apple’s deal with Japan’s largest carrier, DoCoMo, saw the iPhone’s market share in the country climb from 25.5 percent last year to 36.6 percent in the year ending March of this year, reports Bloomberg. This full-year figure underestimates the current position, as it reflects only six months of sales through DoCoMo.

Japanese companies Sharp and Sony took second and third places, with 13 and 12.3 percent respectively, while Samsung was in sixth place at just 5.7 percent.

Apple’s market share in Japan hit almost 70 percent when the iPhone 5S and 5C were made available on DoCoMo, as pent up demand was first unleashed. Since then it settled back to just under 50 percent last quarter, and we’re likely to see a similar number in the full-year figures in six months time.

Apple to introduce 8GB iPhone 5c in India by early next month following end of iPhone 4 sales

Zac Hall May 12 2014 - 6:40 am PT

3 Comments

iphone-5c-deal-9to5toys

Apple will continue to experiment with its iPhone lineup in India after both reintroducing and re-retiring its iPhone 4 in the country this year. That’s according to a new report by The Times of India, which says Apple is poised to introduce the cheaper iPhone 5c 8GB model in India by early next month.
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Target replacing employee PDAs with iPod touch this summer

Jordan Kahn May 8 2014 - 9:04 pm PT

3 Comments

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Target is in the process of switching its sales floor staff away from the old PDA and LPDA systems they previously carried to Apple’s iPod touch. The new iPod touch-based system is set to roll out to Target stores later this year, according to an internal newsletter the company sent out to employees.

In the memo sent out to staff, Target explains that its old PDAs and LPDAs that employees are currently using have “reached the end of their lifespans— and they’re running a crazy quilt of dozens of applications that have been patched together over the years.” The company notes that its Store Operations team ran tests to find the best solution and ultimately settled on the iPod touch:
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Apple reportedly ends iPhone 4 sales in India after relaunching it earlier this year

Benjamin Mayo May 7 2014 - 8:05 am PT

4 Comments

After introducing the phone to the Indian market in January this year, The Times of India is reporting that Apple has reversed this decision, once more discontinuing the product which was originally released in June 2010.

The paper says that new supplies of the iPhone 4 have been terminated at three leading trade partners in the country. It is weird for Apple to reverse plans so soon, but it was also uncharacteristic of the company to bring back the iPhone 4 in the first place.

Apple may have decided that the iPhone 4s and 8 GB iPhone 5c fills the gap well enough that it no longer needs to keep the iPhone 4 around. Despite expanding the availability of the SKU to more countries in mid-April, however, the device is not actually offered in India just yet. It is possible that the transition is still taking place.

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Sketchy report claims Pegatron has received 15% of orders for Apple’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6

Dom Esposito May 7 2014 - 2:21 am PT

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At this point, we’ve seen just above every rumored schematic, mockup, and render of Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6. Rumors suggest that Apple will launch its next generation flagship smartphone in 4.7-inch and possibly 5.5-inch variations later this year.

According to the Industrial and Commercial Times (via Macotakara), Apple’s supplier Pegatron has recently received 15 percent of the orders to manufacture the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. The report goes on to note that in total, Pegatron has plans to produce 50 million iPhones throughout the year. This contradicts an equally-sketchy rumor from January, which claimed Pegatron was set to handle half of the production for the iPhone 6.
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Alleged iPhone 6 dummy molds appear online, reflecting thin design seen in previous leaks

Benjamin Mayo Apr 29 2014 - 4:06 pm PT

54 Comments

New images from Nowwhereelse.fr show some sort of physical mockup of the alleged ‘iPhone 6’ design we have seen from many sources in the past few days.

The purpose of this mockup model is not clear. At first glance, it seems like some sort of dummy model, that could be used by case manufacturers to validate and refine case designs. This is what the site has to say on the matter, via Google Translate:

Published by a member of a well-known Chinese forum indiscretions cabbage lovers, the three photos that I propose to examine in this article are meant to introduce the physical model of one of the two future iPhone rumored ad with a lot of leaks for several months already. Prototype for reference molding to prop in mobile telephony.

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Apple & Samsung slip below 50% in global smartphone marketshare for Q1 2014

Jordan Kahn Apr 29 2014 - 7:00 am PT

6 Comments

Both Samsung and Apple have slipped in smartphone marketshare globally during the first quarter of 2014 according to the latest numbers from research firm Strategy Analytics. While global smartphone shipments grew 33 percent to 285 million units in Q1 compared to 213.9 million in the same quarter last year, Apple and Samsung collectively dropped from over 50 percent of the market to 47 percent. The report cites strong growth of “second-tier smartphone brands” such as Huwaei and Lenovo and lack of entry-level devices in markets abroad from Apple as the main contributors to slowed growth for Samsung and Apple. As for Apple on its own:
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Analyst suggests iPhone 6 will favor thin design over optical image stabilization, camera will be flush in chassis

Benjamin Mayo Apr 29 2014 - 2:44 am PT

14 Comments

A post on Weibo from a Chinese analyst (via GforGames) suggests that the new iPhone design will not feature a protruding camera, which would have seemingly enabled optical image stablization, as Apple has instead opted to focus on a super-thin profile for the new device.

Apple’s current line of iPhones take advantage of the embedded SoC’s processing power to enable software-based image stabilization. Whilst optical image stabilization is generally considered to be superior, it also requires the camera components to be physically much larger. According to this report, Apple does not seem to have wanted to make this tradeoff.

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Re/code conference will feature interviews w/ Apple execs Craig Federighi and Eddy Cue

Benjamin Mayo Apr 28 2014 - 11:37 am PT

6 Comments

Re/code have just announced that their upcoming Code Conference will feature interviews with Apple’s SVP’s Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, and Eddy Cue, lead of Internet Software and Services. This will take place on the second day of the event, May 28th.

9to5Mac will be live there to cover the event. Re/code will also be posting videos of the interviews throughout the conference. The equivalent conference (the D conference) has historically had a strong Apple presence. The show hosted interviews with Steve Jobs sporadically over his career and played host to Tim Cook for the last two years.

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