iPhone 5c

327 'iPhone 5c' stories July 2013 - February 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.

Next iPhone reportedly sports a larger screen and sapphire crystal display

Mike Beasley Feb 11 2014 - 8:52 pm PT

101 Comments

Apple is preparing to release not one, but two new versions of the iPhone in September, according to the South China Morning Post. Each version will ship with a larger display than the iPhone 5s, coming in at a whopping 4.7″ and 5.5″, respectively. The displays are said to have a pixel density of 441ppi, much higher than the current 326ppi found in the iPhone 5 and later.

The report also states that both displays will be made from sapphire crystal, which fits with recent reports that Apple is planning to have its latest sapphire plant in Mesa, AZ operational in February for a “critical” product component. The displays will also be flat, not curved, the Post says.

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Flappy Bird developer ‘It was just too addictive’, felt guilty for people wasting time

Benjamin Mayo Feb 11 2014 - 4:03 am PT

8 Comments

Getty Images

Dong Nguyen made waves at the weekend after announcing Flappy Bird would be removed from the App Store. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Nguyen explains his — unorthodox — reasoning.

“It was just too addictive,” Mr. Dong said. He says he didn’t intend for people to play the game for hours at a time, as many gamers appear to have done.

“That was the main negative. So I decided to take it down,” he said.

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Tim Cook discusses Google selling Motorola, says iPhone hasn’t hit a ceiling, and more from full WSJ interview

Benjamin Mayo Feb 7 2014 - 12:10 pm PT

10 Comments

After posting excerpts last night, in which Tim Cook announced Apple’s share buyback of $14 billion in the last two weeks, The Wall Street Journal has now published the full interview with Apple’s CEO.

The interview repeats many of the comments Cook has made to investors in the past, reaffirming that new product categories under development, but does contain some new, interesting tidbits. For instance, Wakabayashi asked Cook about Google’s disposal of Motorola. Cook says he “wasn’t surprised” that Google sold it off, saying that software and hardware integration is what makes Apple unique as a company.

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Apple announces first Apple Store in Brazil to open on February 15th

Benjamin Mayo Feb 6 2014 - 2:37 am PT

1 Comment

After teasing the store last month, Apple has confirmed on its website (as noted by MacMagazine) that the store will launch on the 15th of February, in just over a week. The store will launch at 11am local time (ATZ) in the luxurious Rio de Janeiro VillageMall, marking Apple’s debut entrance into the country.

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Google Maps for iOS now notifies drivers of alternative, faster routes while driving

Benjamin Mayo Feb 4 2014 - 4:23 am PT

4 Comments

Google continues to push its Maps product on iOS in the latest update, version 2.6. The app now alerts the driver when faster routes become available when navigating. This reflects functionality found in dedicated sat navs. Rather than simply offering several routing options at the beginning of your journey, Google will keep aware of traffic and road conditions in case a faster route appears later.

Theoretically, this means you are always on the fastest route possible when navigating. As always, the app is free.

14yo schoolgirl receives 2nd-degree burns when iPhone 5c reportedly catches fire in her pocket

Ben Lovejoy Feb 3 2014 - 5:56 am PT

29 Comments

The remains of what was once the child’s green iPhone 5c

A 14-year-old schoolgirl from Kennebunk, Maine, has been treated in hospital for second-degree burns after her iPhone 5c caught fire in her pocket whilst at school, reports the Morning Sentinel.

The 14-year-old girl had sat down just before her first-period French class Friday morning when she and her friends sitting nearby heard a pop from the Apple iPhone 5C she had been given by her mother two months earlier.

“Immediately, smoke starts billowing from around the student,” said Jeff Rodman, principal of the Middle School of the Kennebunks. “She knew right away something was wrong and, in a panic, knew her pants were on fire caused by the cellphone.”

The girl – who has not been named – was said to have had the presence of mind to “stop, drop and roll,” at which point the phone fell from her pocket but her pants were still on fire. Classmates and a teacher at the Middle School of the Kennebunks helped the girl remove the pants, wrapping her in a blanket until rescue workers arrived.

The girl was treated for her injuries at the Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford, and released around 45 minutes later.

She asked to return to class, her mother said, but school officials and health care workers encouraged her to go home.

iPhones contain lithium-ion batteries, faults in which can, in very extreme cases, lead to a fire. A local repair shop owner, Andrew Rosenstein, stressed the rarity of these events.

These batteries installed in Apple products in particular are extremely safe. It’s an extremely rare incident.

Update: One unconfirmed report says that the phone made a ‘popping’ sound when she sat down, suggesting the student may have crushed the phone by sitting on it.

UK watchdog finalizes rules for free-to-play games, requires compliance by April 1st

Benjamin Mayo Jan 30 2014 - 4:57 am PT

2 Comments

The UK’s Office of Fair Trading has today published its final “principles” for free-to-play games, after starting an investigation back in April last year. Publishers have until April 1st to comply to the regulations or their titles breach UK consumer law and may result in legal action …
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iCloud.com glitch suggests iCloud Bookmarks viewer coming to website

Benjamin Mayo Jan 29 2014 - 10:48 am PT

8 Comments

A glitch on iCloud.com suggests that Apple will soon add a way to view iCloud Bookmarks on the iCloud.com portal. The screen, shown above, appears briefly at this URL when users try to install the Chrome extension from the iCloud Control Panel for Windows.

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Tim Cook: iPhone 5c popular among first-time iPhone buyers, but not as popular as expected

Mike Beasley Jan 27 2014 - 5:10 pm PT

47 Comments

During today’s earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that the iPhone 5c was the most popular choice among new iPhone users. However, the colorful new lower-end device did not meet the company’s expectations in sales. Despite the fact that iPhone 5s sales came in above Apple’s target, the iPhone category overall significantly missed analysts’ projected sales mark of 55 million units.

It’s likely that Apple misjudged the low-end smartphone market here, believing that users would jump at the chance for a “new” iPhone at a lower price than usual. Smartphone shoppers don’t seem to be taking the bait, instead opting for the more expensive, more “premium” 5s or going elsewhere. It’s hard to say they’re making the wrong call, considering that the iPhone 5c is actually much closer in specs to the previous generation than it is to the latest model, which seems to be more than worth its $100 premium.

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Live blog: Apple’s Q1 2014 earnings call

Mark Gurman Jan 27 2014 - 1:36 pm PT

1 Comment

Credit: <a href="http://9to5mac.com/author/michaelsteeber/" target="_blank">Michael Steeber</a>

As we mentioned earlier this month, Apple is scheduled to hold a conference call to discuss its earnings and sales figures from the previous quarter it reported today: including 51 million iPhones, 26 million iPads, and 4.8 million Macs. The company also reported $57.6 billion in revenue for the previous quarter. We’ll be listening in on the conference call and updating you on key developments as they play out, so follow along at 5pm EST.
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Dark Sky update brings iOS 7 design, beautiful 3D radar maps and more detailed forecasts

Benjamin Mayo Jan 27 2014 - 10:05 am PT

3 Comments

The Forecast team today released their iOS 7 update for Dark Sky ($3.99), the ‘down-to-the-minute’ weather app. The update strips back the bevels and gloss to fit the iOS 7 aesthetic. The new design puts the most important information — the current weather conditions — front and center. A graph plot of upcoming precipitation is also available at a glance on the main page of the app.

Blurring has also been used to great effect, with the forecast information superimposed on a blurred view of the global radar maps. These maps are beautifully rendered; the radar patterns smoothly transition over time. In addition to the radically new design, version 4 also brings much forecasts that span longer into the future. The next 24 hours is prioritised, but 7-day outlooks are available with a swipe. The day-by-day breakdowns offer a lot of information, more so than most weather reports will provide.

From the developers’ blog:

Completely rewritten from scratch, it sets aside the limitations of the web to become the weather app we’ve always wanted — and always wanted to build. It’s the culmination of over two years of work in figuring out how to display and organize weather data the right way. And it’s a full featured weather app — something we swore we’d never do — but it still remains true to its original focus on what’s happening right now, where you’re standing.

The developers say the app is a complete rewrite, which makes the fact they are not charging for the update impressive. For new customers, Dark Sky is available for $3.99 on the App Store. Note that Dark Sky coverage currently encompasses the United States, the UK and Ireland. The developers have said that they are actively working on adding data for more regions.

WSJ says two larger screened iPhone models due this year, plastic 5c to be scrapped

Mark Gurman Jan 23 2014 - 9:03 am PT

27 Comments

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is planning to release two distinct iPhone models with larger displays later this year. This corroborates a report from Bloomberg News published late last year, so this is not entirely new information. The first new iPhone is claimed to have a screen between 4.5 and 5-inches while the second model will go beyond 5-inches in size:

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Foxconn execs charged with taking bribes to award iPhone supply contracts

Ben Lovejoy Jan 23 2014 - 4:49 am PT

0 Comments

Photo: Thomson Reuters

Several former execs at Foxconn have been charged with taking bribes from companies supplying the company with iPhone components, reports the WSJ.

Following a year of investigation, prosecutors said Thursday they have detained a former Foxconn general manager for allegedly taking kickbacks from supply chain partners. Prosecutors said three other former Foxconn employees were released on bail [after being charged] …
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Beats Music streaming service launches on iPhone for $9.99 a month

Benjamin Mayo Jan 21 2014 - 2:37 am PT

4 Comments

Beats Music is now available for iPhone on the App Store, after being originally announced back in October. The app is a very stylised adaption of a typical music streaming service app, with Beats heavily pushing the idea of customisation and curation to distance it from its many competitors.

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Review: Tick is a clever, colorful way to manage your to-do list on iOS 7

Jan 18 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

5 Comments

Tick is a simple, highly customizable to-do list app that effectively uses color and animation to deliver a fun and motivating experience. Developed by Taphive, Tick was created for iOS 7 and recently updated to be more customizable, have better integration with the Reminders app, and include more animations.

I generally don’t like or use to-do apps because I consider them redundant when paired with apps like Reminders and Calendar. However, I find the fun and utterly simple design of this app makes me more motivated to use to-do lists to manage tasks.

Tick’s main interface features a set of colorful square panels. Each panel represents a list of to-dos. To create a new list, you just tap on the + button, type a name for the list, choose any one of the 64 available icons, assign a color, and tap Save. Then you click the + sign icon at the bottom of the screen to add to-dos to the list you just created.

Clever animations and transitions are present throughout the app, whether you’re checking off a completed item or moving back to the main screen. You’ll even see a special animation when you manage to complete all of the tasks on any given list.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBESskDWBTs&hd=1]

Clicking the share icon at the bottom of a list reveals options to print or share your tasks via text or iMessage, email or AirDrop. Sliding from left to right on the main screen reveals a summary with the total number of Lists and To-Dos, and allows you to access the app’s settings.

In settings, you can choose to display the name of each list or just the icon. The app also features a night mode that can be toggled manually or set to automatically switch on at a specific time. The overall appearance of the app is so bright that I actually prefer to leave it in night mode throughout the day.

Settings has numerous other features like the ability to choose from numerous fonts, whether to vibrate or not when you trigger certain functions, and a myriad of choices regarding the app’s home screen badge.

Even the About section of Settings has a number of handy features.

I especially like the fact that the app works with the Dynamic Text accessibility feature found in iOS 7.

Additionally, Tick completely integrates with your existing Reminders app. This allows you to use Siri to add entries to your Tick lists, and keeps your lists synced across all of your devices with iCloud.

I highly recommend Tick to anyone looking for a fresh approach to getting the necessary tasks in their life and work organized. Tick is available for $1.99 on the iOS App Store.

China Mobile iPhone launch could lead to subsidy wars, say analysts

Ben Lovejoy Jan 17 2014 - 4:45 am PT

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Image: thenextweb.com

Analysts say that the official launch of the iPhone on China Mobile could lead to subsidy wars as Chinese carriers compete to attract buyers. The predictions, quoted by Business Insider, follow price cuts by rival carriers China Unicom and China Telecom as China Mobile reports 1.2 million pre-orders.

China Mobile is currently offering the iPhone 5s free with a 24-month contract costing the equivalent of $98 a month. A 30-month contract on China Unicom costs $63 a month.

I do think you’re going to see a subsidy war coming,” said Michael Clendenin, managing director of Shanghai-based RedTech Advisors. “China Mobile, if they’re not making their targets on sales for these phones, they’re going to increase the subsidies […] It’s like airlines: the other guys will fall like dominoes, so China Unicom will do it and China Telecom will do it” …
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Horizon for iPhone always records landscape video, independent of device orientation

Benjamin Mayo Jan 14 2014 - 2:07 pm PT

6 Comments

Horizon is a new app for the iPhone (currently on sale for just $1) making the rounds today that attempts to eliminate a major annoyance of modern society — portrait videos.

Horizon uses the iPhone’s motion sensors (the accelerometer and gyroscope) to automatically scale and rotate input from the camera to generate videos that are always in landscape, no matter how the phone is actually being held.

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CES 2014: Otterbox announces new ‘Symmetry’ cases for iPhone 5s and 5c

Benjamin Mayo Jan 7 2014 - 11:07 am PT

4 Comments

At CES, Otterbox has unveiled its new range of iPhone cases called the ‘Symmetry’ series. According to Otterbox, these cases are a “fusion of protection and style”.

The protective cases are thin, combining two materials into a single piece. Otterbox calls the series one of the slimmest, most protective cases in its class. They have a raised edge on the front to protect the touchscreen glass and use synthetic rubber in a honeycomb coring on the back to absorb shock to defend against drop damage.

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Apple announces App Store sales top $10 billion in 2013, $1 billion in December alone

Benjamin Mayo Jan 7 2014 - 5:42 am PT

5 Comments

Today, Apple has announced that App Store sales topped $10 billion in 2013. In December alone, customers spent over $1 billion in the store, a record-breaking figure — the most successful month in App Store history. In total, developers for iOS and OS X have now earned $15 billion on the App Store.

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Best Buy offering 16GB iPhone 5s for $125, 5c for free on all carriers for a limited time

Jordan Kahn Jan 2 2014 - 8:48 am PT

2 Comments

Best Buy just sent over word that it will be holding a special New Year’s sale this weekend on a number of products including significant discounts on iPhones. The retailer is dropping the cost of the 16GB iPhone 5s down to $124.99 from its usual $199 and the 16GB iPhone 5c will be available to pick up for free, both available through all major carriers. The sale lasts through Jan. 4 both in-store and online, and the prices for the discounted iPhones are already available through at least Best Buy online.
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How to spend your iTunes credit this holiday season — the best apps and games for iPhone and iPad

Benjamin Mayo Dec 25 2013 - 7:30 am PT

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Whether you are just unwrapping a new iPhone or iPad or have received stacks of iTunes gift cards this holiday season, you are undoubtedly on the hunt for the best apps to fill up your shiny iOS devices. Read on for my recommendations of the best apps and games for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch for 2013.

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AAPL stock more than 3 percent up on China Mobile news

Ben Lovejoy Dec 23 2013 - 7:32 am PT

1 Comment

After the fall in Apple’s stock value when the China Mobile failed to materialise as expected on 18th December, yesterday’s news that the deal had finally been concluded sent the stock shooting back up again, having climbed more than 3 percent at the time of writing (it was up 4% in pre-market trading but has settled).

With the WSJ having reported that 18th December was the day, the market was clearly jittery when nothing materialized. Everything had appeared to be in place: regulatory approval, Apple putting the handsets on sale in China on the opening weekend, China Mobile posters, a pre-order website, in-store displays – and 4G service up-and-running on schedule …
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Delayed China Mobile iPhone launch may be due to renegotiations based on 5c vs 5s sales

Ben Lovejoy Dec 20 2013 - 4:30 am PT

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Photo: arstechnica.net

KGI’s Mingchi Kuo has suggested in a note to investors that the mystery of the apparent delay in the iPhone launching on the world’s largest carrier, China Mobile, may be due to last-minute renegotiations with Apple on volume discounts across the two new models.

We believe weak sales of iPhone 5C may trigger a re-negotiation of the Apple-China Mobile partnership. While previously we estimated that Apple originally planned the TD-LTE version would account for 30% of total iPhone 5C shipments, our latest survey indicates that demand for the TD-LTE iPhone 5C has declined dramatically due to 5S being far more popular than 5C among China Mobile subscribers […]

We believe this would necessitate a re-negotiation of the Apple-China Mobile deal and therefore defer its finalization …

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Yahoo Weather goes universal, brings same award-winning design to the iPad

Benjamin Mayo Dec 16 2013 - 5:17 am PT

5 Comments

At WWDC, Yahoo received an Apple Design Award for Yahoo Weather. This coincided with the unveiling of iOS 7 and its Weather app, which displayed striking similarities to Yahoo’s effort.

With the latest update to the app, Yahoo has brought the same award-winning design to the iPad. The full-bleed imagery from Flickr really shines on a larger display. The layout for iPad is largely a port of the iPhone design with upgraded icons and assets but refinements have been made for the iPad where necessary. For example, forecast information can be much larger because of the additional real-estate.

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