Smartphone

249 'Smartphone' stories December 2010 - August 2014

Ralph Lauren introduces iPhone-connected ‘Polo Tech’ fitness tracking shirt

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 1:36 pm PT

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

Ralph Lauren has announced it’s about to introduce a new iPhone-connected, sensor-filled Polo shirt capable of tracking and sending biometric data directly to your smartphone.

The Ralph Lauren Polo Tech shirt features sensors knitted into the core of the product to read biological and physiological information. With Ralph Lauren’s leadership in the design community, the compression shirt also has a sleek look in black with a signature yellow Polo Player logo. The second-skin fit enhances comfort and agility.

The company described a bit about how the technology it’s using from Canadian company OMsignal works:

With OMsignal, the data collected by the shirt is stored by a “black box,” which includes an accelerometer and gyroscope, which capture movement and direction. That ”black box” transmits the data into the cloud, where it is plugged into a number of algorithms that gauge important performance-oriented biometrics, including heartbeat and respiration, as well as some psychometrics, such as stress level and energy output.

While you can’t buy one yet, the product will be making its debut on ball boys and players during the US Open where Ralph Lauren is an official outfitter for the event. There’s no word on when exactly you’ll be able to get one for yourself, but Ralph Lauren is taking sign-ups for those interested in learning more when it officially launches next year.

California governor signs bill requiring all smartphones to have remote killswitches by July 2015

Mike Beasley Aug 25 2014 - 3:53 pm PT

32 Comments

As we’ve previously covered, the state of California has been in the process of passing a bill that would require all smartphones sold within the state to come with a remote killswitch option to deter thieves. The bill was passed by the state legislature earlier this year, and today it was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, as noted by CNET.

The law goes into effect in July 2015, and will require all smartphones sold within the state to include an option for remotely disabling a stolen device. Apple has already met the requirements of this law with its Activation Lock and Find My iPhone services, but now such features will be required by law on Android, Windows Phone, and other handsets.

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Kickstarter campaign begins for iPhone-controlled Bluetooth padlock

Ben Lovejoy Aug 18 2014 - 4:34 am PT

16 Comments

Locks always struck me as the perfect application for Bluetooth LE: walk up to the lock, it detects the phone in your pocket or bag, checks the code and unlocks. If you need to let someone else in, you authorize their app on a one-off or permanent basis. Simple, secure, convenient.

There are a bunch of Bluetooth door locks on the way, and you can even lock and unlock your Mac via Bluetooth, so why not a Bluetooth padlock too? Noke is a Kickstarter campaign for a $59 lock where you simply click the hasp to unlock. Provided your phone is with you, and the app code matches the lock, it opens without key or combination.

Cleverly, you can also program the padlock with a Morse code-style pattern that you can click to open the lock if your phone battery is dead.

The campaign has an ambitious $100,000 target, so it’s by no means certain it’ll get funded, but as with all Kickstarter campaigns you lose nothing if it doesn’t make it. $59 is the Kickstarter price, with a planned retail price of $99.

The campaign doesn’t say anything about the security credentials of the lock, so it’s probably best considered something for relatively low-security applications like gym lockers and ‘cafe locks’ for bikes (ones you use just to stop someone hopping on and riding off while your bike is within sight).

Android gains marketshare from iOS in Q2 as 60% of its shipments hit under $200 off-contract

Jordan Kahn Aug 14 2014 - 1:05 pm PT

24 Comments

IDC released its second quarter report for worldwide smartphone shipments by operating system today and in it noted iOS and Android accounted for 96% of the global market. That number, however, comes only as Android grew on the strength of higher sales of low-cost devices abroad.
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OECD data reveals one mobile Internet connection for every person in the U.S.

Ben Lovejoy Jul 25 2014 - 4:54 am PT

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Data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reveals that there are now as many mobile Internet connections as there are people in the USA. While not everyone has a mobile data SIM or dongle, those with multiple devices make up for those left out, taking the average to a fraction over 100 percent.

Six other countries also manage to have more mobile data subscriptions than people, Finland topping the list with an average of 1.25 connections per person. The overall average across the 34 countries within the OECD grouping was 72.4 percent.

(via The Register)

Market share of iPhone may increase as U.S. smartphone growth tails off, predicts analyst

Ben Lovejoy Jul 8 2014 - 5:22 am PT

3 Comments

There are early signs that Apple’s market share of the U.S. smartphone market may increase as we move through the ‘Late Majority’ phase and into ‘Laggards’, suggests Asymco’s Horace Dediu.

For those who weren’t paying attention in economics classes in school, new products tend to experience an S-curve pattern to their growth. In the tech sector, Innovators are pretty much synonymous with techies.

Innovators (first 2.5%) need to be sold on the premise of novelty itself. Early adopters (next 13.5%) seek status and exclusivity. Early majority (34%) seek acceptance and Late Majority (34%) seek pragmatic productivity. Laggards (last 16%) seek safety.

If those percentages appear rather random, it’s because they are derived from the shape of the curve – the typical points at which it gets steeper or shallower.

With U.S. smartphone penetration now at 70 percent, we’re about two years into the Late Majority stage, with around two further years of growth to come. What Dediu’s analysis suggests is that iPhone growth has a steadier pattern to it than Android growth, which appears to be more closely driven by product launches and promotions. The more mature a market, the fewer product launches and promotions there are designed to drive adoption.

Why, when we are in a late stage of the market, does the iPhone do well when users are not incentivized to adopt? As we crossed 70% adoption, 1.4 million more users adopted the iPhone than Android.

Even if we look out to the last six months, iPhone added 15.5 million late majority users while Android added 14.2 million. If promotions decrease for the “late late majority” and laggards then would the iPhone do even better relative to Android?

Dediu points to the featurephone market as support for his hypothesis: at the tail-end of the curve, before smartphones took over, the most popular phone in the U.S. was the RAZR – a premium handset.

Chinese media get specific on iPhone 6 battery capacity, appears that Apple ‘thinnovation’ will exact a toll

Ben Lovejoy Jul 7 2014 - 7:31 am PT

47 Comments

Much as we may love our iPhones, battery-life has never been one of its strengths (ask Samsung). But if you were hoping that the larger size of the iPhone 6 would mean a much bigger battery, some Chinese media reports spotted by GforGames suggest that we might be disappointed.

The reports claim that the battery in the 4.7-inch model will be in the 1800-1900mAh range – only around 20 percent more than in the iPhone 5s. Factor in the increased power requirement of the larger screen and corresponding increase in resolution, and we might not see a significant boost increase in battery-life …
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These iPhone 6 renders show design details that physical mockups ignore [Gallery]

Mark Gurman Jul 2 2014 - 3:42 pm PT

91 Comments

For months, physical mockups, display components, front covers, and schematics for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 have leaked on the web. However, the physical reconstructions and diagrams simply do not do the potential design of the redesigned smartphone justice. Based on recent reports and earlier part leaks, designer Mark Pelin has created a set of iPhone 6 design renders that might just be the clearest and nicest looking view of the potential phone. You can see the full image gallery below from Pelin:

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Why won’t Microsoft give iOS users access to their Skype voice messages? (Updated)

Ben Lovejoy Jun 23 2014 - 6:10 am PT

16 Comments

Skype may have recently launched a major update to its Skype for iPhone app, but one rather basic feature went missing – the ability to listen to voice messages. A subsequent update to Skype for iPhone 5.1 still hasn’t fixed the problem.

In a support thread on the Skype site, community manager Claudius provided what must qualify as one of the most unhelpful response ever to complaints by users:

Voice message playback is not supported in Skype 5.0 for iPhone. Please use Skype on another platform to listen to your voice messages …

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New high-res shots of likely iPhone 6 ultra-thin metal frame surface

Mark Gurman Jun 8 2014 - 12:27 pm PT

92 Comments

Some new shots of a purported iPhone 6 metal chassis have appeared on the web today. The images line up with previously leaked iPhone 6 design schematics, a blurry picture of a frame, dummy models, cases, and manufacturing components. Shots of the sides below:

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Dutch appeals court upholds ban on Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Ace

Mike Beasley May 20 2014 - 5:56 pm PT

5 Comments

A Dutch appeals court today upheld a 2011 decision that banned the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy S II and Galaxy Ace phones, as noted by Re/code. The devices in question were found to have infringed on Apple’s design in an earlier ruling and blocked from sale.

Apple’s original intent was to get an injunction against all Galaxy devices, but the company was forced to settle instead for just the two devices listed above.

Even though Apple and Google recently decided to settle their differences, thus halting the “thermonuclear warfare” instigated by former CEO Steve Jobs, there’s no indication that Apple plans to stop going after Samsung or other manufacturers directly any time soon. In fact, Samsung was recently found to have infringed on Apple’s design yet again with some of its newer devices and order to pay nearly $120 million in damages.

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Crude 3D-printed mockup compares size of monster 5.5-inch iPhone 6 to iPhone 5S

Ben Lovejoy May 14 2014 - 7:20 am PT

19 Comments

We’ve seen a lot of images, renders, schematics, and videos of the expected 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6, but relatively little on its rumored larger brother, a 5.5-inch model.

This crude 3D-printed mockup posted to RocketNews24 makes no claims to be anything more than an illustration of what a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 would look like in terms of size, both in the hand and compared to an iPhone 5S, but does do a good job of turning the abstract dimension into something concrete.

Based on claimed design drawings, the mockup measures 157mm long, 77mm wide and 6.7mm thick.

Check out the full gallery below.

In a previous poll, 30 percent of you planned to buy the larger model, while 60 percent were more interested in the 4.7-inch version. Now you have a sense of what the size could translate to in the hand, do your plans remain the same? Let us know in the comments.

Via Nowhereelse

Taiwanese media claims 5.5inch iPhone 6 to be very thin, special battery components causing delays

Benjamin Mayo Apr 22 2014 - 4:04 am PT

39 Comments

Via GforGames, the Commercial Times is reporting that the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 (the larger brother of the expected ~4.7 inch model) is currently facing delays due to yield issues with special battery components.

According to the report, Apple wants the 5.5 inch device to be incredibly thin requiring battery cells that are only 2mm in depth. Normal battery components are usually closer to 3mm.

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iPhone 6 renders based on recent case leaks show off rumored edge-to-edge screen

Benjamin Mayo Apr 18 2014 - 4:23 am PT

20 Comments

Nowhereelse.fr has commissioned designer Martin Hajek to mockup the iPhone 6, using the most recent leaks about the upcoming device.

The renders, shown above, use the supposed iPhone cases pictured on Wednesday and leaked schematics from late March to envisage the look of the future iPhone. Naturally, the most striking change is the display, stretching almost edge-to-edge.

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Alleged iPhone 6 cases reflect rumored design changes, repositioned power button

Dom Esposito Apr 16 2014 - 3:17 am PT

45 Comments

We’re still months away from Apple’s expected announcement of the iPhone 6, but ambitious manufactures are already designing accessories based on current rumors. Additional silicon cases rumored to fit the iPhone 6 were recently published on NoWhereElse and provide a closer look at some of the device’s possible design changes.

The case pictured above has slightly rounded edges, similar to the 5th generation iPod touch or iPhone 5c, and are consistent with previous rumors. As we’ve seen in recent accessory leaks, the case also features a repositioned power button and thin oblong volume buttons similar to an iPod touch. It has also been rumored that Apple’s iPhone 6 will feature a larger 4.7-inch display.

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Sketchy photo of an iPhone 6 front panel appears on Chinese forum (Update: additional photos)

Benjamin Mayo Apr 15 2014 - 2:17 am PT

43 Comments

A picture claiming to be of an “iPhone 6” front panel has surfaced on a Chinese forum after being posted without context on Weibo. Details surrounding the image are not clear, but the forum poster claims that it originates from within an iPhone ‘factory’. The image was first found by iphon.fr.

Compared to the iPhone 5s, as shown above, the screen size is noticeably larger. It appears to feature a screen approximately 4.7 inches diagonally, as previously rumored.

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Amazon reportedly announcing first smartphone in June, will feature glasses-free 3D

Mike Beasley Apr 11 2014 - 2:08 pm PT

18 Comments

The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon is planning to announce its first entry to the smartphone market in June. The possibility of an Amazon phone has been a long-running rumor, but recently sources claimed that the company had partnered with HTC to finally produce the device.

Following the launch of the Fire TV earlier this month, the Amazon phone will mark the second of Apple’s product categories the online retailer hopes to invade in 2014. With its Kindle Fire tablets, Amazon has been attempting to position itself to compete with the iPad for a few years.

The Amazon device will reportedly feature a display capable of creating 3D images without the need for glasses, according to the WSJ report:

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More North American consumers than ever planning to buy the iPhone 6, says survey

Ben Lovejoy Apr 10 2014 - 4:25 am PT

15 Comments

A large-scale survey from 451 Research that tracks North American consumer purchase intentions shows that the percentage of those likely to buy the iPhone 6 is markedly higher than was the case for both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. In all three cases, the survey tracked intentions prior to any official announcement by Apple, providing a like-for-like comparison.

A total of 40 percent of the 4,109 consumers question said that they were likely to buy the iPhone 6, compared to 33 percent for the iPhone 5 and 26 percent for the iPhone 5s …
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Chinese smartphone vendors disappointed by 5s but eagerly awaiting iPhone 6, says analyst

Ben Lovejoy Apr 4 2014 - 6:29 am PT

11 Comments

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White, quoted in Business Insider, had both bad news and good for Apple in his talks with smartphone vendors during a tour of China and Taiwan, claiming disappointment with sales of the iPhone 5s but big hopes for the iPhone 6.

In the near term, we sensed disappointment around demand for the iPhone 5s.

That said, we heard great enthusiasm around the potential for Apple to introduce a larger iPhone form factor in China this year with the iPhone 6. In our view, the iPhone 6 with a larger screen (e.g., 4.7-inch, 5.5-inch) has the potential to meaningfully accelerate Apple’s growth trajectory in China during 2H:14. We have not heard this type of excitement in China around the iPhone in at least two years and thus we believe this could be a very special iPhone launch for Apple.

White doesn’t have the greatest record of reliability (he’s the guy who told us the Apple television set was launching last year, with an iRing controller), but lower than anticipated iPhone 5s sales does seem consistent with the rather muted comments made by China Mobile chairman Xi Guohua last month.

Want to upgrade your iPhone 5s camera to 2k video? All you need is this app …

Ben Lovejoy Mar 31 2014 - 5:41 am PT

21 Comments

[vimeo 90202587 w=800 h=451]

If you like to use your iPhone to shoot video and Apple offered to upgrade your iPhone 5s from 1080p HD to 2k video for just $7, the decision wouldn’t require much thought. That’s exactly the trick Ultrakam has pulled off with its new iPhone app.

If you’re wondering how a mere app can convert your camera to a higher resolution, it doesn’t: it simply allows the software to use more of the hardware capabilities of your camera. Apple may say that your iPhone 5s has a 1080p HD videocamera, but that’s not quite true: the camera hardware itself is capable of anything up to 3264×2448, it’s just that the software can’t process that many pixels at a sensible frame-rate …
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Google’s new Photowall app turns your Chromecast-connected TV into an interactive photo frame

Zac Hall Mar 24 2014 - 6:46 am PT

9 Comments

Adding to the capabilities of the Chromecast HDMI streaming stick, Google is out with a new app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users called Photowall that lets you turn your Chromecast-connected TV into a live, interactive photo frame.

Google’s Photowall app allows you alone or a group of Photowall users to beam not just one photo, but an entire collage of images to your TV through your Chromecast. The app includes the ability to doodle or annotate images before beaming to your big display as well.

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Apple reportedly pushing to automate iPhone battery production, reducing reliance on labor

Benjamin Mayo Mar 24 2014 - 3:05 am PT

5 Comments

<a href="http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+5s+Teardown/17383">iFixit</a>: iPhone 5s battery

Digitimes is reporting that Apple is looking to transition iPhone battery production from labor-intensive processes to fully-automatic machine production lines in 2014.

Although the reliability of Digitimes’ reporting is often poor, in this case the trustworthiness of the report is much more likely to be solid. Unlike some of their previous stories in recent memory, automating battery production is a direct matter of the supply chain — which is Digitimes’ area of expertise.

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Is this iPhone & iPad screen-protector made from bulletproof glass actually bulletproof? [Video]

Ben Lovejoy Mar 19 2014 - 5:19 am PT

13 Comments

You can always count on an Ars Technica review being thorough. So if a company is foolish enough to pitch an iPhone and iPad screen protector as being made from bulletproof glass, well …

I couldn’t let a “bulletproof” claim stand without challenge. Al Trug and the Clear Creek Gun Range graciously agreed to let me come in before regular hours on a weekday morning and mount the second Holy Grail review sample up on one of their targets, this time affixed to my friend Matt’s old iPhone 4.

‘Second’ sample because the company sent two, and reviewer Lee Hutchison had already attacked the first one with a screwdriver and ran it over with his car. As you do. You can see the second video on the Ars Technica site.

iPhone owners 46 percent less likely to need to replace their phone

Ben Lovejoy Mar 7 2014 - 4:23 am PT

18 Comments

Image: iosguides.net

Figures from insurance company ProtectCell show that iPhone owners are 46 percent less likely to need a replacement than owners of other smartphones, and 11 percent less likely to need a repair.

While iPhones seemingly have higher build quality than other phones (or perhaps more careful owners), it comes as no surprise to see they are more desirable to thieves, with iPhone thefts 65 percent higher than those of other smartphones. A number that will hopefully fall when word reaches the criminal world about Activation Lock.

Update: ProtectCELL emailed us to say their press release contained the wrong figure (reading 54 percent instead of 46 percent). We have updated with the correct one.