iPhone 254: March 2011

Thursday, 17 March 2011

Time Warner Cable posts live cable television iPad app, Dish Networks digresses

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

DWCable TV (left) and Dish Remote Access (right)
Time Warner Cable just posted their free live TV streaming app for iPad. Dubbed TWCable TV, it lets their subscribers stream live cable television programming via a high-speed WiFi connection to an iPad, the stuff like Bravo, Food Network, CNBC news and other selected live cable TV channels. The announcement has agitated spirits, prompting rival Dish Network to argue its Dish Remote Access app was first with live television streaming, even issuing a press release to back the claim.
TWCable TV features a handy channel guide and offers a selection of 32 cherry-picked channels for live streaming, but it falls short in advanced features found in similar offerings. For example, there are no parental controls or DVR scheduling capabilities. Likewise, the remote control functionality is nowhere to be found.
On a brighter note, the TWCable TV app doesn’t require a dedicated box whereas Dish Network’s program only works in conjunction with a Sling-enabled device. However, the Dish Remote Access app can tune in to any channel and it supports DVR recordings and remote control capabilities.
Both Dish Remote Access and TWCable TV are free App Store downloads for your iPad. Unlike Time Warner Cable, Dish Network also has an iPhone version of its app).
[via 9to5mac]

Posted in: ipad Tags: CNBC, DVR, iPad, iphone, news, TV, TWCable

Algoriddim’s awesome djay app now available on iPhone and iPod touch

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

Djay for iPad was the closest thing to having a real turntable. With its realistic, low-latency turntable interface, BPM syncing, pre-cueing, cue point trigger, beat-synchronized scrubbing and a bunch of other features, it’s one of the best iPad apps available. Heck, this piece of software is more than capable of replacing the entire DJ setup (especially racks of components and piles of CDs) with an ultrathin sexy slab of tablet computing. And now it’s available on iPhone and iPod touch with the full set of controls and sporting feature-parity with the iPad version.
Djay for iPhone is optimized for background operation and multitasking, it supports live mixing and recording, in addition to iPod library access, automix mode, AirPlay support and other advanced features from the iPad version. It’s a ten bucks download from the App Store. Here’s the full list of features provided by Algoriddim.

Dual turntable multi-touch DJ interface
Exclusive portrait and landscape modes
Audio waveforms display (overview and detail)
Visual Cue Points
Customizable vinyl appearance
Double-tap slider reset
Manual fader cut
Level meter swipe for gain adjustments
Direct iPod music library access
Album cover display
Browse by playlist, song, artist, album, genre, BPM, and time
As-you-type instant library searching
Support for major audio formats like MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF
Automatic Beat & Tempo Detection
BPM-Sync
Beat-Synchronized Scrubbing
Scratching
Tempo control (up to +-75% with customizable range and fine adjust)
Pitch-Bend
3-band equalizer (-24 dB to +6 dB)
Turntable Power-Off FX
Auto-Cut Scratching
Automatic Transitions: Fade, Backspin, Brake, Reverse, Random
Auto Looping (with on-the-fly half/double)
Manual Looping (in, out, reloop)
Bounce Looping (1/16 to 2 beats)
Multiple Cue Points
Uses [aufTAKT] V3 (tempo tracking), S.R.C. V1 (sample rate conversion), and fx::pack V1 (audio effects bundle) by zplane.development
Ultra-low latency
Automix mode with automatic transition control
Pre-Cueing through headphones via stereo/mono split cable (left output channel: Master, right output channel: Monitor)
Recording (compressed AIFF files, with built-in organizer, preview player, and export to Mac/PC via iTunes file sharing)
AirPlay integration (broadcast to Apple TV, AirPort Express station, or any AirPlay-supported speaker dock, AV receiver, and stereo system)
Auto-Saving (cue points, beat-grids, BPM, wave data)
Fully optimized for iOS 4.2 multi-tasking and background audio
In-app settings

[via 9to5mac]

Posted in: iphone news Tags: AirPlay, Algoriddim, iPad, iPad version, iphone, iPod touch

Why does iOS 4.3 run home screen web apps two times slower?

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

iOS is throttling web apps that are saved and executed from home screen, according to an exclusive report by The Register. The publication found out that such home screen web apps run “roughly two to two and a half times slower” as opposed to executing them directly from the Safari browser. The issue was discovered in the recently released iOS 4.3 software which updated Safari with a speedy JavaScript engine dubbed Nitro.
The publication notes that the Nitro engine fails to kick in for home screen web apps while offline caching, asynchronous mode of execution and other HTML5 goodies are also off limits. Is Apple attempting to derail iOS web development in order to push native App Store programs?
Hard to tell. When the original iPhone came out, Apple suggested that developers use common web technologies. When the first official SDK was unleashed months later, web apps quickly took a backseat on iOS devices. On the other hand, Safari Dev Center encourages web-based iOS development and Steve Jobs stressed numerous times Apple’s support for two platforms, HTML5/CSS and the curated App Store platform. And if Apple wanted to cripple web apps, wouldn’t they also want to throttle them directly in Safari, not just from the home screen?
Of course, Apple has a vested interest in native apps due to a 30 percent cut they take from sales. I’ve argued nearly two years ago that the web is the ultimate app store and it’s true that many native apps are easily replicated with HTML/CSS, especially the stuff like news readers, social networking clients and more. Also important, web apps run on any device with a standards-complaint browser whereas their native counterparts lock you into a specific mobile platform.
On the other hand, consistent user experience has always been Apple’s top priority and web apps take away that control from them by mimicking native iOS look-and-feel via hard-coded style sheets. This is in stark contrast to native apps that go through APIs which take care of rendering the most up-to-date user interface elements.
[via 9to5mac]

Posted in: iOS 4.3 Tags: Apple, CSS, HTML5, iOS, iOS 4.3 software, iOS devices, iOS look-and-feel, JavaScript, limits, Nitro, original iPhone, SDK

Verizon iPhones Fell Back an Hour Instead of Springing Ahead

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

If you need to wake up at any specific time tomorrow, beware: It appears that some Verizon iPhones fell back an hour at midnight tonight instead of springing forward.
Daylight saving time hits tonight/tomorrow morning, which means we all lose an hour of sleep — unless you have a Verizon iPhone, in which case you’ll wake up utterly confused, as phones are currently falling back an hour.
This isn’t the first time the iPhone has been foiled by time — an alarm glitch kept many Apple users from getting to work on time back in January as well.
Apparently, however, this issue is only affecting those with Verizon iPhones. If you have such a phone, restart your device to fix the issue and get the clock back to normal.
Update: It looks like some AT&T phones were affected by the glitch as well.
[via mashable]

Posted in: iphone news Tags: AT&T, iphone, Verizon, Verizon iPhones

Springtomize: Jailbreak App Allows Users To Customize Almost All Aspects Of The iPhone

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

Student and iOS Developer, Filippo Bigarella has recently released a jailbreak app called Springtomize, which appears to be a collection of all the customization tweaks available for a jailbroken iPhone.
It allows you to customize your iPhone’s SpringBoard, look of the icons, folders, status bar, the lockscreen, customize various animations and lots more.
Here is the official description of the app:

Springtomize is the only tweak you’ll ever need to customize your device, in all of its aspects: from its capabilities to the look of your SpringBoard. You can disable elements you don’t use or that may slow down your device performances, you can customize the look of your icons, the dock, the folders and the Status Bar, or even your Lockscreen. Springtomize also allows you to save your SpringBoard layout and to restore it later, without wasting time moving icons inside folders or to their original positions!

You can also customize various animations of your SpringBoard or add nice mods to current ones, like choosing the color of the screenshot flash or to dim your device screen like an old TV when locking! Finally, in the Theming section you can choose to apply a custom dock or a transparent one; you can also make your icons transparent and set the brightness of your wallpaper, without having to edit the image with other apps!

Please note that there are still some known issues, which the developer is working hard to fix. He has just submitted a new version (v1.1), which fixes some of the issues.
You can checkout the demo video of the app in the action below:
Springtomize is available on Cydia for $2.99.
What do you think about Springtomize? Let us know in the comments below.
[via Filippo’s blog]

Posted in: iphone Jailbreak Tags: Cydia, iphone, iPhone’s springboard, jailbreak, jailbreak app, jailbroken iPhone

Apple Won’t Include NFC Technology For Mobile Payments In iPhone 5, Most Likely In iPhone 6

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

It was speculated that Apple will build NFC chips into iPad 2 and iPhone 5. NFC is a short range wireless technology that enables devices to communicate with each other to perform simple transactions. This technology has been in use in countries like Japan and South Korea – but is yet to take off in the West.
When Apple unveiled iPad 2, it did not mention it and even the iPad 2 teardown has not indicated any possibility of Apple magically enabling the NFC feature in the future.
It looks like even iPhone 5, which is probably more ideal than iPad 2 for the “wave and pay” system may not get the NFC feature.
The Independent reports:

One source close to the discussions said: “The new iPhone will not have NFC, Apple told the operators it was concerned by the lack of a clear standard across the industry.” Yet Apple is understood to be working on its own NFC proposition, which would link payments through iTunes.

Apple is apparently working to bring the NFC technology to iOS devices next year (2012), which would mean that it will be introduced in iPhone 6.
Do you like the idea of turning your iPhone and iPad in to an easy payment system while on the move? Please share your views in the comments section below.
[via The Independent]

Posted in: iPhone 5

Breaking News: iPad 2 Jailbroken

March 15, 2011 admin No comments

Comex, developer of popular jailbreaking tools like Spirit and JailbreakMe has successfully jailbroken iPad 2 that was launched on Friday.
That was quick, especially since Apple has patched the limera1n and the SHAtter exploit in iPad 2.
Comex broke the news via the following tweets and was also congratulated by the iPhone Dev team:

chpwn: by @comex: http://t.co/osP6lz comex: would’ve had it yesterday if I didn’t have to spend 1.5 days looking for a replacement exploit (which came from a most unexpected place…) iphone_dev: Congrats to @comex for jailbreaking yet another brand new device (iPad2) while 2500 miles away from it!

You can checkout the photo of an iPad 2 running Cydia, the unofficial App Store for jailbreak apps.

There is currently no ETA on when it will be released. As always, we’ll let you know as soon as we’ve any further updates so stay tuned here at iPhone Hacks or follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our RSS feed.
[via Twitter (Comex)]

Posted in: ipad Tags: iPad 2, iPad 2 running Cydia, iphone, iPhone Dev team, jailbreak, jailbreak apps, jailbreaking tools, JailbreakMe, jailbroken iPad 2

Friday, 11 March 2011

iOS 4.3 spotlight: Personal Hotspot

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Perhaps the biggest feature available in the iOS 4.3 update today is the Personal Hotspot — Verizon iPhone users have had access to the feature before now, but as of iOS 4.3, AT&T users can find the hotspot feature under the Network tab, inside the General Settings app on the iPhone. Note that while Personal Hotspot makes it possible for you to share a network connection with a computer, either over Bluetooth, a USB connection, or now over Wi-Fi, there is an extra charge on AT&T, and your phone will ask you to sign up for that service if you haven’t yet.
AT&T calls the service DataPro with Tethering, and it will cost you an extra $45 a month, allowing up to 4 GB of bandwidth, and extra charges beyond that for more. That’s not cheap, but if you are often in places where you have to depend on your phone for an internet connection, it could be worth it.
To use the service itself, you just jump into that Settings screen, set up a password, and then connect from your computer as you would any other Wi-Fi network. The hotspot works with up to three connections via Wi-Fi at a time, so you and two friends can access the internet from anywhere, right through your iPhone.
[via tuaw]

Posted in: iOS 4.3 Tags: AT&T users, DataPro, iOS 4.3, iOS 4.3 update, iphone, Personal Hotspot, Verizon iPhone users, Wi-Fi

iOS 4.3 spotlight: Message alerts options

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Aside from major features like Personal Hotspot and iTunes Home Sharing, iOS 4.3 also brings some subtle changes to the way message alerts work. The settings for the Messages app now allow you to have alert tones repeat up to ten times at two minute intervals, which will come in handy if you’re away from your iPhone for awhile and miss a text.
Most of the 17 new (iPhone 4-only) text tones introduced in iOS 4.2 have been retooled. These new tones were quite lengthy before iOS 4.3, with some of them seeming more suited to a ringtone than a text message alert. 11 of the tones have been dramatically shortened and/or sped up — including Noir, which I thought was short enough to begin with — while six tones remain at roughly the same length they were before iOS 4.3.
Most tones are now less than a second long, and they sound much less overdriven, too; several of the new tones were so loud in iOS 4.2 that they sounded distorted through the iPhone 4′s speaker. That’s no longer an issue now as far as I can tell.
Another subtle change that you might not even notice at first: vibration alerts for messages have been changed up. Before, new messages had the same, brief vibration as the new mail alert. As of iOS 4.3, new text messages will instead give two sharp and quite noticeable vibratory pulses.
We’re unsure if the new tones have made it to the iPhone 3GS as of iOS 4.3; they weren’t available on the older iPhone in iOS 4.2, so chances are they’re still iPhone 4-only.
[via tuaw]

Posted in: iOS 4.3 Tags: iOS 4.2, iOS 4.2 have been retooled, iOS 4.3, iphone, iphone 3gs, iphone 4, iPhone 4's speaker, new text messages will instead give two sharp, quite lengthy before iOS 4.3, the older iPhone in iOS 4.2

White iPhone 4 available in April?

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

After a delay of almost one year, people will soon be able to get their hands on the white iPhone 4, according to Concord Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo told AppleInsider that Apple will begin production of the white iPhone 4 en masse this month with a scheduled early-April ship date.
After a long series of problems and delays with the white paint used on the iPhone 4 in 2010, Apple went back to the drawing board and partnered with a Japanese manufacturer to create a new type of paint that allowed for greater control of the thickness of it when applied to a material.
While analyst-generated rumors often fall short, Kuo’s assertion of the white iPhone 4 seems to be believable as Apple has previously said the white iPhone 4 will finally ship in the spring of 2011 and the fact that Apple is shipping white iPad 2s starting on Friday.
Kuo notes that the white iPhone 4 April ship date only applies to GSM iPhones (or AT&T ones if you are in the US). Kou had no word on when the white CDMA (Verizon) iPhone 4 would ship.
[via tuaw]

Posted in: iphone 4 Tags: AT&T, CDMA, GSM iPhones, iphone 4, iPhone 4 in 2010, Verizon, white iPad 2s starting on Friday, white iPhone 4, white iPhone 4 April ship date, white iPhone 4 en masse this month, white iPhone 4 seems to be believable, white iPhone 4 will finally ship in the spring of 2011

iOS 4.3 spotlight: iTunes Home Sharing

iOS 4.3 is now available

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Apple has released iOS 4.3 just a day after BGR’s rumored release schedule, but right on the nose for Jim Dalrymple’s prediction. This is a big update for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Changes include improve AirPlay support, the Nitro JavaScript engine for faster web browsing, personal hot spot and iTunes Home Sharing, which lets users stream iTunes media to their devices. We can’t wait to play with that! You’ll find the details on iOS 4.3 here.
To get the update, connect your device to iTunes and click Check for Update. We’ll have more coverage on the new features throughout the week. Go get it and have fun!
Update: Direct links to the update downloads are listed below (thanks to MacStories)

[via tuaw]

Posted in: iOS 4.3 Tags: Apple, Apple TV, details on iOS 4.3 here, iOS 4.3, iPad, iphone, iphone 3gs, iphone 4, iPod touch, iPod Touch 3rd generation, iPod Touch 4th generation, iTunes Home Sharing

TUAW’s Daily App: Geo Walk

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Geo Walk is an interesting title from Vito Technology, the folks behind the popular Star Walk and Solar Walk apps. They originally released Geo Walk a little less than a year ago, but the app wasn’t quite as developed as their other titles (and presumably didn’t do as well as those either). So Vito went back to the drawing board, revamped the app completely, and the new version is now available on the App Store, at 99 cents for the iPhone, or $2.99 for the iPad.
The new app is still an educational title focusing on giving information about various places, people, and plants and animals from different areas all over the world, and rather than just a 3D globe, there are now a few different views, including a new card view to check out. There’s also a new quiz mode, which asks questions based on the information on the cards, letting you quiz yourself or others about the various facts.
It’s an interesting app, and if nothing else, it’s a good example of just how flexible the App Store can be — if an app doesn’t work the first time around, a developer can go back and try again. If you’ve already downloaded Geo Walk, the big update is free, and well worth checking out.
[via tuaw]

Posted in: iphone news Tags: 3D, App Store, Geo Walk, iPad, iphone, Solar Walk apps, views, Vito Technology

Rumor: iPhone 5 to have 64 GB?

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Recently-revealed engineering samples of iPhone 4s have been found to have 64 GB of memory — see picture above from Unwire, and this M.I.C. Gadget story — showing that there’s no physical reason why the iPhone 5 couldn’t have this much memory.
The iPad 2 has already been criticised for sticking with the earlier version’s 64 GB limit, and releasing an iPhone 5 with the earlier model’s 32 GB limit would be bound to increase the complaints. Previous speculation about the 32 GB limitation on the iPhone’s memory capacity centered on lack of physical space, production capacity and cost. With capacity due to almost double this year and prices falling, it looks like the third barrier may now have fallen if Apple can secure enough supplies.
The 64 GB engineering samples are very similar to the (in)famous Gizmodo iPhone 4 from last year (with a similar serial number) and appear to date to early 2010, showing that it was indeed constraints other than physical ones which kept Apple from releasing an increased-capacity iPhone 4. It was apparently obtained from sources at Apple manufacturer Foxconn rather than on the Hong Kong grey markets – you can watch a video of it in action here.
Update: Engadget spotted a 64 GB iPhone prototype in Hong Kong’s Sin Tak shopping mall. Upon investigation it appears as though it was made in 2010 but the serial numbers were invalid. Perhaps if prices on memory drop the iPhone 5 could still sport a higher capacity.
[via MacRumors]

Posted in: iPhone 5 Tags: 64 GB iPhone prototype, an increased-capacity iPhone 4, Gizmodo iPhone 4, iPad 2, iphone, iPhone 4s, iphone 5, iPhone 5 could still sport a higher capacity, iPhone 5 couldn't have this much memory, iPhone's memory capacity

64 GB metal iPhone 5 with 4G could shift upgrade balance of power

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Here we are talking about the iPhone 5, when the iPhone 4 is still the current model being bought by people as we speak – and today I saw a guy using an original iPhone from circa 2007. Often lost in the ponderance over how the new iPhone will contend with competing phones is the query of whether the iPhone 5 will be able to compete favorably enough with the current and previous iPhones so as to motivate folks to ditch the one they have. Different corners have the iPhone 5 pegged as offering sixty-four gigabytes of storage, or being made of aluminum metal, or offering access to the nascent 4G networks of its two U.S. carriers. Here’s a look at how each of these possibilities is likely to impact current iPhone users’ willingness to upgrade to the iPhone 5 when the time comes.
Space: The iPhone 4 maxes out at half the storage of either the iPad 2 (understandable) or even the current iPod touch (a bizarre feat, four years running. which Apple still has yet to explain away). Those who were able to fill even a 60 GB classic iPod back in the day are currently stuck not being able to get all of that content onto their iPhone, meaning they either must carry an iPod classic in their other pocket or settle for only having a portion of their content with them on their iPhone, and that’s before making room for iPhone-era goodies such as apps. Getting the iPhone 5 would solve one of the more common complaints about the iPhone over the years – it just doesn’t hold enough to be the all-in-wonder Apple claims it is – and could trigger significant upgrades.
Metallica: The original iPhone was mostly metal, and yet somehow it was metal which scratched and dented easily. Assuming Apple has now figured out how to make metal in such a way that it’s as durable as, well, metal, the change of pace could be an intriguing one. The glass body of the iPhone 4 seemingly never had a chance, as even though it’s by far the most durable iPhone to ever come to market, quite a few people haven’t been able to get past the “but it’s made of glass!” initial reaction. Hey, people get stupid when it comes to consumer technology. And it doesn’t help that as long as Apple keeps using the iPhone 4 body styling, the jackasses who started the phone “iPhone 4 antenna has issues” nonsense will keep getting their way. Because, again, people will believe anything when it comes to consumer technology. So a metal iPhone 5 would, if nothing else, convince iPhone 3GS and 3G laggards to go ahead and upgrade if they skipped the iPhone 4 for stupid and/or imaginary reasons.
Fourth gen: The fifth generation iPhone having fourth generation networking would manage to confuse an impressive number of people. But “4G” will be the buzz this year, as Verizon and AT&T join the already current chorus of Sprint and T-Mobile proclaiming that 4G networking is the future and the future is now. Nevermind that 4G still doesn’t exist in most places (at least when it comes the two biggest carriers), advertising will convince the public that they must own a phone with 4G built in. And most of them will just assume they are using 4G, even if they live in a place which doesn’t even yet have 3G. Don’t believe me? Check all the folks who bought an HD TV and never have figured out that they’re not watching the HD channels. So a “4G iPhone 5″ would go a long way in the marketing department, and motivate a lot of existing iPhone users to upgrade (with the exception of those current iPhone 4 users who mistakenly believe they’re already on 4G because their iPhone has a “4″ in its name – and I encounter those types all the time). Nevermind that most of them wouldn’t be able to put the 4G feature to use anyway; they’ll want it. Here’s more on the iPhone 5.
[apple insider]

Posted in: iPhone 5 Tags: 4G iPhone 5, AT&T, classic iPod, iPad 2, iphone, iphone 3gs, iphone 4, iPhone 4 antenna has issues, iPhone 4 body styling, iPhone 4 is still the current model, iPhone 4 seemingly never had a chance, iPhone 4 users, iphone 5, iPhone 5 pegged as offering sixty-four gigabytes of storage, iPhone 5 would solve one of the more common complaints, iPhone users, iPhone-era goodies, iPod touch, metal iPhone 5, more on the iPhone 5, new iPhone, original iPhone, the most durable iPhone to ever come to market, upgrade to the iPhone 5 when the time comes, Verizon

iPhone 5 set to bury Verizon customers’ newfound inferiority complex

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Ahead of the iPhone 5, Verizon customers should feel like they’ve won. They stood their ground, waited years for the iPhone to come to their preferred carrier, and finally got the notoriously stubborn Apple to give in and give them what they were demanding. It only took four generations. But instead, the Verizon iPhone 4 has managed to arrive in a manner which has left many Verizon customers feeling they’re still waiting on champagne delays, or worse, developing an inferiority complex toward their existing iPhone 4-toting brethren.
The problems are easily identifiable enough: the “Verizon iPhone” happened in the middle of an iPhone generation and turned out to be nothing more than an eight month old iPhone 4 with some buttons shifted around and a Verizon-compatible antenna built in. Apple thought low enough of its prospects that it let Verizon handle the product introduction, something it never allows, and Apple even went on to run a TV ad insinuating that the two iPhone 4 flavors were exactly the same. Talk about a blueprint for getting Verizon customers to feel less than excellent about the idea of buying one: “Hey guys, it’s literally last year’s iPhone but now it’s on your network. Enjoy!”
That inferiority complex isn’t going away until something changes. And that change will of course come with the iPhone 5. It’ll be the first iPhone to launch on both carriers at the same time. It’ll be the first time Verizon customers get a shot at an iPhone model the same year in which it came into existence. And it’ll bury the collective inferiority complex which has been brewing on the Verizon side of the fence among iPhone lusters, first because they didn’t have access to it at all, and now because they’re left wondering whether the Verizon iPhone 4 is the real thing. But give it til this summer, and the AT&T-Verizon iPhone 5 should finally have all iPhone users feeling like they have a true shot at equality – even though they technically have it now with the iPhone 4. It just doesn’t feel that way. Here’s more on the iPhone 5.
[via beatweek]

Posted in: iPhone 5 Tags: AT&T-Verizon iPhone 5, change will of course come with the iPhone 5, existing iPhone 4-toting brethren, iphone, iphone 4, iphone 5, iPhone generation, iPhone lusters, iPhone model, iPhone users, more on the iPhone 5, old iPhone 4, the first iPhone to launch on both carriers, two iPhone 4 flavors were exactly the same, Verizon iPhone, Verizon iPhone 4

Apple to begin production of white iPhone 4 this month, ship by April, says analyst

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Apple is expected to begin production of its long-awaited iPhone 4 sometime this month, with shipments no later than early April, according to one analyst’s checks.
Manufacturers will initiate production of the GSM-based iPhone 4 version in white enclosures and begin dispatching them to Apple ahead of general availability planned for next month, Concord Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told AppleInsider. Apple has made changes the “film material to solve the full-lamination problem that [was] the reason why white iPhones [were] delayed,” he added. The handset was first scheduled to debut last June. Kuo did not provide a timeframe for a white CDMA-based iPhone.
With the introduction of the CDMA iPhone, iOS 4.3 set to become available this week and an anticipated launch of the white iPhone 4, Kuo sees Apple selling a record 18 million iPhones in the first quarter of calendar 2010. That would easily best the 16.2 million phones Apple sold in the holiday sales period to end 2010.
More evidence that Apple has solved its white paint mixture woes came last week with the unveiling of the iPad 2. The new touchscreen tablet will come in both black and white, and Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said both models will ship on the March 11 launch date — a statement that drew laughter from the audience at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
AppleInsider reported in January that Apple had made strides in developing a new material that would allow it to successfully manufacture a white iPhone 4 that meets the company’s high level of standards. Using earlier painting methods, Apple’s attempts to manufacture the white iPhone 4 apparently resulted in a “huge” number of defective handsets.
Unable to produce the white iPhone 4 in 2010, Apple allegedly partnered with a Japanese company that crafted a new paint material. The new material apparently allows for greater control and precision in setting the thickness of the paint layer.

Apple was forced to delay the white iPhone 4 numerous times in 2010 citing manufacturing issues. The most recent delay was announced by Apple in October, when the company said the device would not go on sale until spring, or about 9 months after the iPhone 4 first went on sale.
Some impatient iPhone 4 owners have been able to purchase unauthorized white iPhone 4 models custom-built using leaked parts from Apple’s overseas suppliers. Among those with a white model is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who said in January that the official model would ship “soon.” He also said that the camera flash was problematic with his custom-built model.
[apple insider]

Posted in: iphone 4 Tags: 18 million iPhones, a white CDMA-based iPhone, Apple, April, CDMA iPhone, GSM-based iPhone 4 version, iOS 4.3, iPad 2, iphone, long-awaited iPhone 4 sometime this month, white iPhone 4, white iPhone 4 apparently resulted in a "huge" number, white iPhone 4 in 2010, white iPhone 4 models custom-built, white iPhones

Purported Foxconn leak reveals 64GB iPhone 4 prototype

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

An unconfirmed report claims to have access to an engineering prototype of the iPhone 4 with 64GB of storage that was reportedly leaked from Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn.
Earlier this week, a Hong Kong-based website posted photos of a purported iPhone prototype with 64GB of storage. Apple currently only sells iPhone 4 models in 16GB and 32GB configurations.Late Tuesday, MIC Gadget posted a number of photos and a hands-on video of the device, which the site claims was “definitely leaked from Foxconn’s factory in Shenzhen.” Photos of the prototype reveal striking similarities to a prototype iPhone 4 that was purchased by Gizmodo last year after being left in a bar by an Apple engineer.
Such similarities appear to suggest that the prototype is also from the Device Verification Test phase, which takes place right before production.
The device is running an official build of iOS 4.1, which was released in September of last year. Though the phone’s settings list the model number as 995-6049LL, the back of the device designates the model simply as XXXXX.

It should be noted that the prototype, even if authentic, does not guarantee that Apple plans to release a 64GB iPhone 4. Some reports have speculated that the Cupertino, Calif., iPhone maker tested the prototype but ultimately decided not to mass produce and sell a 64GB version because of cost limitations.
Still others have taken the purported leak to mean that Apple will introduce only incremental upgrades, such as a storage boost, when the company releases a new version of the device this summer. It has been suggested that the addition of minor features of the next iPhone would more closely resemble the transition from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS than the jump from the 3GS to the iPhone 4.
On the other hand, a rumor from earlier this week claimed that Apple plans to abandon the glass back design of the iPhone 4 in favor of an aluminum back. Reports have also suggested that Apple will redesign the steel outer frame of the iPhone 4 that caused a controversy last summer.
[apple insider]

Posted in: iphone 4 Tags: 64GB iPhone 4, Foxconn, iOS 4.1, iphone, iphone 3g, iphone 4, iPhone 4 in favor of an aluminum back, iPhone 4 models in 16GB and 32GB configurations, iPhone 4 with 64GB, iPhone prototype, next iPhone, outer frame of the iPhone 4

Apple’s iPhone 4 coming to Korea’s SK Telecom on March 16 [u]

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

Korean carrier SK Telecom announced earlier this week that it will launch Apple’s iPhone 4 on March 16, though reports vary on whether the company will offer the CDMA or GSM version of the handset.
In an official press release on Monday, Korea’s largest wireless carrier announced that preorders of Apple’s latest smartphone would begin on March 9 before launching one week later on March 16. Pricing details on the handset and related plans are as yet unavailable.
With the launch of the iPhone 4, SK Telecom is poised to recapture market share from rival Korean network KT Corp. Second-place carrier KT Corp. has enjoyed exclusive access to the iPhone since it began selling the iPhone 3GS in late 2009.
Despite intense competition from local electronics giants Samsung and LG, Apple has managed to make inroads into the Korean market. According to one report, KT Corp. sold 60,000 units on the iPhone 3GS launch day. Sales of the device eventual reached more than 1 million units.
Last year, preorders of the iPhone 4 reached 130,000 handsets, overwhelming KT Corp.’s servers.
Update:Though several reports have suggested that SK Telecom will offer the CDMA iPhone 4, it is more likely that the carrier will launch the GSM version, as the network operates an HSPA overlay similar to providers in Canada and Mexico.
However, several other Asian wireless carriers are rumored to begin selling a CDMA iPhone sometime this year. In February, Chinese news outlets claimed that China Telecom is planning a limited Beijing launch of a CDMA-capable iPhone in June. Wall Street analysts expect Indian carrier Reliance to also begin carrying the CDMA iPhone 4 later this year.
Verizon was the first to begin carrying the CDMA iPhone 4. Though some reports had interpreted short launch day lines to mean a muted launch of the handset, Verizon CEO Dan Mead revealed that online sales of the iPhone 4 made it the most successful launch in the company’s history.
[apple insider]

Posted in: iphone 4 Tags: 000 handsets, Apple, Apple's iPhone 4, CDMA, CDMA iPhone, CDMA iPhone 4, CDMA iPhone 4 later, CDMA-capable iPhone in June, China Telecom, GSM, iphone, iphone 3gs, iPhone 3GS launch day, iphone 4, iPhone 4 reached 130, LG, online sales of the iPhone 4, Samsung, Telecom

Apple rumored to unveil iOS 5, new MobileMe at media event in early April

March 10, 2011 admin No comments Edit This

A new rumor claims Apple will hold its annual iOS roadmap event in early April to show off iOS 5 as expected, but also states the company will also unveil an updated MobileMe service. Citing a “confident” source, German site Macerkopf.de reported Tuesday (via Google Translate) that the event will be held in early April at the company’s Cupertino, Calif., campus. The timing would not be a surprise, as last year’s iOS 4 preview event was held in early April. But the inclusion of MobileMe in the annual event would be new, and could signal that anticipated changes to the cloud-based service will be heavily integrated into the next major release of Apple’s mobile operating system for the iPhone and iPad. In February, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple plans to improve MobileMe by having the service act as a “locker” to hold personal data such as photos, music and videos. It was also said that Apple is considering making the service, which currently costs $99 per year, free. Corroborating that information, The New York Times separately reported that Apple plans to roll out an enhanced MobileMe this year. It was said that Apple is working on improved “voice navigation” on the iPhone, allowing users to operate the device through voice commands without the need to rely on a virtual keyboard. Further evidence of planned changes to MobileMe came as Apple discontinued the sale of retail boxes for the service last month. It has also been rumored that the new MobileMe will rely on self-storage from a home computer for streaming, rather than remotely saved files hosted by Apple.
[apple insider]

Posted in: iphone news Tags: Apple, iOS, iOS 4, iOS 5, iPad, iphone, MobileMe, The New York Times

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