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MOGA Ace Power gamepad for the iPhone is the first with full iOS 7 support
Gaming controllers for iPhones are nothing new, but MOGA claims it's just launched the first to work with iOS 7 and its native gamepad support -- as we saw with the as-yet unreleased GameCase. The Ace Power works with the Apple's latest handsets, including the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s and fifth-gen iPod, connecting via the lightening port and locking it in place with something Moga calls "S.M.R.T. Lock technology." Like the Android model, you can charge your device while playing thanks to an 1,800mAh battery and the whole thing can be collapsed for easy toting when you're done. As for controls, you'll get dual analog sticks, L1/R1 and L2/R2 buttons, a D-pad, and four action buttons. Moga hasn't said which games will support it yet, though it believes that a "flood" of game developers will take advantage of the iOS7's new native gamepad controls soon. We're looking forward to getting our own mitts on it, but if you're willing to jump in now, you can pre-order it soon for $100 at Apple's online and retail stores, or via Moga, at the source.
US Cellular starts selling the iPhone 5s and 5c
Since the official release of the iPhone 5s and 5c this past September, the phones have been slowly rolling out across the US beyond the major carriers. As we've reported previously, today marks the release of the 5s and 5c for US Cellular customers. Chicago-based US Cellular is the fifth-largest carrier in the US, larger than some carriers that are already selling iPhone plans. However, its contract-based customers may see less price shock up front when upgrading than those people who are buying pre-paid phones through Boost Mobile (which also started selling the iPhone 5s and 5c today) or other carriers. The 5s at US Cellular starts at US$199.99 for the 16 GB model, while the 16 GB 5c starts at $99.99.
iPhone 5s, 5c repairs coming to an Apple Store near you
Surely you haven't already broken the screen of your shiny new iPhone 5c or 5s. Of course you've probably got Apple Care for your latest treasure, but currently that means Apple has to replace your phone when a problem arises. That can get expensive. But there is good news on the horizon for Apple fans. Apple will soon be repairing 5c and 5s screens in-store. That news comes according to a report from 9to5mac, who have been told by a source that Apple Stores will soon get new machinery that will allow them to replace, repair, and calibrate the delicate touchscreens. Screen replacement should run around US$149 per device. Given the cost of a new iPhone that's a steal. Apple Stores will also soon be able to fix or replace volume buttons, rear-cameras, speakers, and the vibrating motor on the 5s and 5c. 5c customers can also get their home key replaced but, due to the complicated Touch-ID option, 5s users will be out of luck if they get a broken home key. 9to5mac's sources say the screen calibration machines are already being delivered to Apple Stores along with the traning manuals for the new repairs. While the company hasn't formally announced when these new features will be available in their stores, expect to see them soon.
iPhone 5s and 5c sales reportedly off to strong start in India
When Apple introduced the iPhone 5s and 5c during its September media event, the company touted that both devices would be available in more than 100 countries by December. Since then, Apple has slowly but surely rolled out both iPhone models to an ever-growing number of countries. On October 25, Apple's new iPhones launched in 35 new countries. This past Friday saw both new iPhone models hit stores in an additional 16 countries, including India. Apple has been trying to improve sales in India for some time now, and so far it seems as if Apple's new iPhone lineup is proving to be quite the hit in the country. After launching in India this past Friday, The Economic Times this Sunday indicated that both devices have been selling extremely well: Apple has completely sold out its premium iPhone 5s in India in less than 24 hours of its retail launch, while the iPhone 5c model has become the fastest-moving model in stores and is expected to be sold-out during the weekend, the country's top multibrand cellphone retail chains said. This is the first time a new iPhone model got sold out in India in such a short span of its launch, with fresh stock of iPhone 5s available again from Wednesday. Sales of the lowerpriced colourful iPhone 5c, however, picked up pace only from Saturday with consumers buying the model since 5s was sold out, mirroring a global trend. While this is ostensibly great news, it's hard to really appreciate the significance without first being aware of what iPhone 5s and 5c supply levels were like on Friday. It's no secret, after all, that iPhone 5s supply remains rather lean even a few weeks out from launch. Nonetheless, struggling to meet demand is undoubtedly a "problem" that most other companies would love to grapple with. Further, with the iPhone currently ranked sixth in terms of smartphone sales in India, word that the iPhone 5s and 5c are off to great starts must be welcome news to the higher-ups at Apple.
Apple sold 33.8 million iPhones this summer, but faces tough competition
In reporting its latest quarterly earnings today, Apple announced record fourth-quarter sales of iPhones -- 33.8 million, up 26 percent from 26.9 million in the same quarter last year -- along with virtually flat iPad sales of 14.1 million this quarter, up from 14 million last year. During the same period, arch-rival Samsung, which just reported its earnings last Thursday, sold 86 million smartphones, though Samsung's lineup has far more models than Apple's, including entry-level versions that don't compete directly with the iPhone. Samsung is facing its own challenges at the top of its range, and sold just 16 million of its flagship Galaxy S4 during the period, according to estimates. Apple continued to lead the tablet market, selling 14.1 million iPads in the quarter, compared to Samsung's 10.5 million -- though Samsung's tablet sales doubled from last year.
iPhone 5s and 5c now on sale in 35 more countries
If you were disappointed that your country missed out on the initial iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c launches, we have good news: you can (probably) buy the smartphones today. As promised, Apple has released both devices in 35 more countries, including Russia, South Korea and wide swaths of Europe. There hasn't been quite as much fanfare as there was in September, however. Our colleagues at Engadget Chinese covered the launch in Taiwan, and noticed that retail demand was mixed -- since many customers could pre-order their iPhones, only some stores had long queues. Those who haven't yet seen the new iPhones won't have to wait long, at least. Apple plans to ship the 5s and 5c to 16 more countries on November 1st, and the handsets should reach 100 nations by December.
iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c go on sale in another 35 countries around the world
Apple online stores in various locales around the world have begun going down in preparation for the second phase of the iPhone 5s and 5c global rollout, notes MacRumors. Just as with countries in North America and Europe in September, lines have also begun forming at Apple resellers in the 35 additional countries. Countries with the new iPhones launching today, October 25 (local time) include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, French West Indies, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Thailand. Apple will continue to global rollout of the iPhone 5s and 5c next week with another rollout on November 1 in Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. By the end of the year, the new iPhones are expected to be on sale in 100 countries.
Daily Update for October 23, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
You can now turn your iPhone 5c into an adorable Pokémon
We already knew that Siri has turned millions of iPhones into real-life Pokédexes, but now it seems that the iPhone 5c can actually become a Pokémon, too. A Pokémon fan named George Michael Brower has created a set of iPhone 5c backgrounds and sticker templates that give the colorful smartphones an undeniably adorable look. The five different iPhone 5c colors correspond almost magically to a handful of Pokémon characters -- Slowpoke, Bulbasaur, Pikachu, Squirtle and Seel, to be more specific. You can download the screen backgrounds and high-resolution sticker patterns for free via Brower's website. If you have an iPhone 5c and some adhesive printer paper on hand, you know what to do... [via Kotaku]
Engadget Giveaway: win an unlocked iPhone 5c, courtesy of Tanga!
Here's your chance to say "no" to skeuomorphism and "yes" to a colorful new iPhone. If you've been on the fence about upgrading or still haven't gotten your feet wet in the Apple ecosystem, then this is the golden bluish opportunity you've been waiting for. This handset has 16GB of storage and it's unlocked, which means you can use it on T-Mobile, AT&T and International GSM carriers. The giveaway comes courtesy of Tanga, an e-tailer with lots of tech accessory deals and for today only, it's offering Apple items at 20 percent off (code: BONUS20). So head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win this iPhone 5c! Winner: Congratulations to our winner: Russ W., Castro Valley, CA
Stats suggest plastic iPhone 5c is catching up with its prettier sibling
After a couple of high-profile reports about how the plastic iPhone isn't faring too well in the laser-cut shadow of the iPhone 5s, here's a bit of evidence to the contrary. It comes courtesy of stat collectors at an app marketing platform called Localytics, who claim they've spotted a distinct upwards trend in the number of Americans using a 5c relative to a 5s. Whereas usage of the flagship metal iPhone was 3.4x higher during the launch weekend, this ratio has drifted down to 1.9x one month later, suggesting that a secondary wave of not-so-early adopters is happy to give the cheaper model a bit more consideration. Of course, these ratios don't tell us anything about absolute sales figures for either handset -- we'll have to wait on first-hand info from carriers or from Apple itself (perhaps as part of today's event) before we know those.
iPhone 5c, 5s coming to Boost Mobile on November 8
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, considering that just about every other regional and/or prepaid mobile carrier in the US has announced that they'll soon have (or already have) the new iPhones. Today's addition to the long list of carriers is Boost Mobile, a prepaid mobile virtual network operator hosted on the Sprint network. The company will begin offering the iPhone 5s and 5c on November 8, and existing or potential Boost Mobile customers can get more information here. Show full PR text Boost Mobile to Offer iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8 IRVINE, Calif. – October 21, 2013 – Boost Mobile, a leader in the no-contract wireless industry with its exclusive Monthly Unlimited plan with Shrinking Payments, today announced it will offer iPhone 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colorful iPhone yet, to customers beginning on November 8. For more information please visit: www.boostmobile.com/shop/iphone. For more information on iPhone, please visit: www.apple.com/iphone. About Boost Mobile Boost Mobile, recently recognized by J.D. Power as "Highest Satisfaction with the Purchase Experience among Non-Contract Wireless Providers," offers wireless phones and services with no long-term contracts. Boost Mobile redefines value for wireless consumers with its Monthly Unlimited with Shrinking Payments no-contract service, where the longer you stay the less you pay with on-time payments for unlimited voice, text and data[1]. Boost Mobile offers nationwide voice service on the Nationwide Sprint Network, reaching more than 278 million people, with no long-distance fees. Boost Mobile offers a selection of quality handsets from BlackBerry, HTC, Kyocera, LG, Motorola and Samsung, ranging from entry-level to Android™ smartphone devices available nationwide at nearly 20,000 major retail stores, including Best Buy, RadioShack, Target, Walgreens and Walmart, Sprint retail stores, independent wireless dealer locations, and on HSN, a leading TV home shopping network. Re-Boost® Cards are available at approximately 100,000 locations throughout the United States. Experience Boost Mobile on the Web at Facebook and Twitter; and purchase products at www.boostmobile.com. # # # [1] Monthly plans include 2.5GB of high-speed data and video streaming limited to 3G speeds.
iPhone 5s and 5c coming to Boost Mobile on November 8th
Apple and the Sprint-owned Boost Mobile aren't the best of buddies, but that's all set to change on November 8th. The carrier has announced that it'll be offering the iPhone 5c and 5s starting the second week of next month, confirming the leaks we saw back in September. You'll be able to snag the devices on Boost's shrinking payments plans, which gives you unlimited talk and text with 2.5GB data for $55 a month.
US Cellular finally gets the iPhone 5c and 5s on November 8th
If you've loyally stuck by US Cellular in the hopes of getting an iPhone 5c or iPhone 5s, your patience is about to pay off. On November 8th, the regional carrier will start selling Apple's incredibly popular new phones. The company didn't say for how much or what colors will be available, but we've reached out to the carrier and will of course let you know if we hear back.
iPhone 5s and 5c set to hit US Cellular on November 8
US Cellular announced today that it will begin selling both the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c in stores beginning on November 8. A regional carrier based out of Chicago, US Cellular is the fifth-largest carrier in the US and serves many more subscribers than some of the other regional carriers that already carry the iPhone. Interestingly enough, US Cellular had a chance to carry the iPhone as far back as 2011, but decided not to due to economic reasons. In short, US Cellular at the time wasn't particularly enamored with Apple's contract terms. FierceWireless reported on the matter back in 2011: U.S. Cellular turned down Apple's iPhone because it did not make sense for the company economically, CEO Mary Dillon said on the company's third-quarter earnings conference call. Dillon said that the carrier had the opportunity to sell the iPhone but that Apple's "terms were unacceptable from a risk and profitability standpoint." Dillon added that the potential strain on the company's network was not a factor in the decision, and that U.S. Cellular remains open to carrying the iPhone in the future. I suppose you can only hold out so long, something that a number of carriers around the globe have also discovered in the face of high subscriber churn. As for iPhone pricing and contract terms, those details have yet to be disclosed. A US Cellular spokesperson indicated via email that users should check the US Cellular website for more information. At the time of this writing, there is no mention of the iPhone on the US Cellular website but we'll keep you updated when more information begins to roll in.
Get lost! iPhone compass app struggles in tests
Before you start thinking about relying on the iPhone compass app for your next hiking trip, you might want to read the results of tests performed by TechHive. While some believe that the compass issues are limited to the new iPhone 5s and 5c, the tests showed that the problems go well beyond those two models. The TechHive team used the Compass app in both iOS 6 and iOS 7 on a range of phones from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 5s and 5c. All phones were re-calibrated several times, and the testers found that the results varied greatly regardless of location (inside or outside). The expensive phones were tested against a reliable and cheap -- US$15 -- Suunto A-10 compass. Tests with an iPhone 5s showed a variation of 10 to 22 degrees, while a 5c showed more consistent results of 9 to 12 degrees off. The iPhone 4s showed an average of 14.5 degrees variation. TechHive found that the worst deviations came from the last year's iPhone 5, with one phone showing anywhere from a 15- to 28-degree deviation. By the way, TechHive took on the testing initially as a way of verifying Gizmodo's claim that the iPhone 5s "level sensor" is out of whack. TechHive found that to work just fine, but noticed that the direction-finding capability was horribly wrong. It should be noted that the test results are associated with the Compass app, not the iPhone's GPS capabilities. However, it's worth considering the purchase of an inexpensive -- and much more accurate -- traditional magnetic compass if you're heading for the deep woods.
Wall Street Journal: Apple cutting iPhone 5c orders (Updated)
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has told two of its manufacturing partners to ramp down production on the iPhone 5c. Apple told its two assemblers, Taiwan-based Pegatron Corp. and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., that it would cut this quarter's orders for the iPhone 5C, the people familiar with the situation said. Pegatron, which analysts said assembles two-thirds of iPhone 5Cs, was told the order would be cut by less than 20%, a person familiar with the matter said. Hon Hai, which assembles the remaining 5Cs, was told the order would be cut by a third, two people familiar with the matter said. What's more, a component supplier was told that orders for iPhone 5c parts would be cut in half. At the same time, orders for the iPhone 5s have reportedly increased. So what are we to make of all this? Well, it's hard to say. Now assuming that Apple has, in fact, slashed orders for the iPhone 5c, we have no way of knowing if this is due to lower than expected demand, or perhaps, the result of Apple initially ramping up production to account for iPhone 5s shortages. Speaking of, the iPhone 5s is another wildcard to consider. A recent survey found that the iPhone 5s is outselling the iPhone 5c by a factor of two to one. And though the iPhone 5s launched about three weeks ago, Apple is still struggling to keep up with demand. So for all we know, perhaps weaker-than-expected demand for the iPhone 5c is the result of stronger-than-expected demand for the iPhone 5s. Remember that it's always dangerous to read too much into reports detailing alleged iPhone and component orders. Tim Cook even addressed this point himself during Apple's earnings conference call last January. I suggest its good to question the accuracy of any kind of rumor about build plans. Even if a particular data point were factual, it would be impossible to interpret that data point as to what it meant to our business. The supply chain is very complex and we have multiple sources for things. Yields can vary, supplier performance can vary. There is an inordinate long list of things that can make any single data point not a great proxy for what is going on. What will really be telling is how many iPhones Apple shipped for the entirety of the current quarter. Apple's next earnings release date is on Monday, October 28 so we won't have to wait long. While Apple, if history is any indication, will not break down sales figures across various iPhone models, the cold hard data will be a much better indicator of Apple's success than rumors that portray, at best, an incomplete picture. Update: The Journal has toned down its initial story, changing the title from "Apple Cuts iPhone 5C Orders" to "Apple's Dual iPhone Strategy in Doubt." The revised story also contains a quote from an executive at Orange that contradicts the initial story. AppleInsider has a detailed look at what's changed in the Journal piece over the last 24 hours.
WSJ reports Apple cutting orders for the iPhone 5c, invites you to speculate
Apple broke routine when it launched not one, but two new iPhones at its last event. Analysts, media and consumers alike have been quick to offer opinion on how that's working out for the firm. Not least because -- despite being pitched as a cheaper alternative -- Cupertino still priced the iPhone 5c in the upper reaches of many people's budgets. So, fresh reports from The Wall Street Journal today, then, that Pegatron and Hon Hai (the two firms that assemble the iPhone 5c) have been told to cut back on production has triggered new waves of speculation. And speculation it is. The WSJ's sources suggest that orders will be cut by between 20 and 30 percent, which analysts are quick to confirm points to a slump in demand. What's not mentioned is that the same thing happened with the iPhone 5 not long after its release. Not to mention the potential impact of high demand for the iPhone 5s in its gold variant (and iPhone 5s generally, as the WSJ also notes). Or that Apple might very well have just got their stock right for the first wave of orders -- including inventory for the next round of countries to get it. We'll perhaps get a better idea from the firm's forthcoming financial reports, but for now we're left navigating passage through the bandwagons.
iPhone 5s, 5c debuting on prepaid carrier Cricket October 25
It ended up taking almost no time at all for a prepaid wireless carrier to announce that it will begin selling the iPhone 5s and 5c, with Virgin Mobile jumping on the new phones at the beginning of October. Now competitor Cricket Wireless has announced that both of the newest iPhones will be available on the prepaid network starting October 25. Cricket hasn't announced what pricing will be like for the phones. At the present time, they sell the 16 GB iPhone 5 for US$600, the 16 GB iPhone 4S for $500, and the 8 GB iPhone 4 for $400. The company uses an installment plan to sell the phones, with an iPhone 5 going for $25 down and 23 payments of $25 -- similar plans with smaller down and monthly payments are available for the other phones. The Cricket network currently serves 6.2 million customers in the US, offering 4G LTE connectivity in some metropolitan areas. The company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on phone purchases.
iPhone 5s reportedly outselling the iPhone 5c by two to one
In the months leading up to the iPhone 5s and 5c unveiling, there were no shortage of analysts quick to declare that the iPhone had peaked. Everyone who wanted an iPhone, these analysts claimed, most likely already had one. Consequently, the narrative went, Apple's days of impressive iPhone growth were a thing of the past. Of course, reality told a much different story. During launch weekend, Apple sold 9 million new iPhones, setting a launch weekend record in the process. While Apple doesn't break down sales figures on a model by model basis, a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) relays that the iPhone 5s is outselling the 5c by a factor of two to one. All Things D reports: According to CIRP's survey of consumers who purchased Apple's latest iPhones during the last days of September, the 5s accounted for 64 percent of total iPhone sales following its launch that month. Meanwhile, the the 5c accounted for 27 percent, with the legacy iPhone 4S making up the remaining 9 percent. So not only is the 5s outselling the 5c, it's outselling it more than two to one. This is good news for Apple on a number of fronts. First, Apple likely enjoys healthier margins on the 5s model, so the more of those they can sell the better. Second, it's proof positive that as long as Apple continues to deliver innovative new iPhone models, the masses will willingly and gladly fork over their hard earned money for a first-rate smartphone experience. Indeed, we're a few weeks out from the iPhone 5s launch and the device is still in short supply. While some handset manufacturers can't seem to give their devices away, Apple is still struggling to manufacture enough devices to keep up with demand.
