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Rumor: Apple field testing revised iPhone 4
With all of the hoopla about the alleged Verizon iPhone now being stirred up by such illustrious sources as the Wall Street Journal, it's surprising that we haven't seen much physical proof of the device turning up. Usually there are a few good leaked photos, devices are left in bars, and excited engineers spilling the beans to blogger friends. Boy Genius Report (BGR) is quoting a "solid Apple source" as saying that iPhone model 3,2 is ready for field testing. This is widely expected to be the CDMA version of the iPhone 4, and has reached the last testing stage ("AP") before retail release with finalized hardware and software that just needs minimal tweaking. The identifier 3,2 refers to a revised iPhone 4, as iPhone model 3,1 is the current iPhone 4. BGR's source stated that the new iPhone contains a SIM card, which indicates that the phone can run on GSM standard systems. Rumors earlier this month implied that the Verizon iPhone could use a dual-mode baseband chip from Qualcomm that would enable it to run on both CDMA and GSM networks. There's also speculation in the BGR post that the new model could include a fix for the "antennagate" issue. The site is also saying that the iPhone 5 (model 4,1) is now in Engineering Verification Testing for a release sometime next year. As AppleInsider pointed out, BGR has been wildly incorrect with some previous rumors. They asserted that iTunes 9 would include support for Blu-Ray, and were slapped upside the head by Apple PR after they published a set of emails allegedly sent between Steve Jobs and an unhappy customer. In other words, if you have salt, sprinkle it liberally on this rumor. [via AppleInsider]
Code shows future iOS devices currently in testing
I don't know how much of a newsflash it really is that Apple is working on brand new versions of the iPhone and iPad, but just in case you thought that the current iterations were the last, let's set the record straight. Code in the latest iOS release shows that Apple is currently working on "unreleased hardware." The code, which bypasses the required iTunes activation, assuming that you have the right hardware, tends to show up before an iPhone revision -- in other words, while the new hardware is out, about, running the iOS system, and in testing. The code then disappears as the hardware goes off to launch. The code does mention "iPhone 3,2," "iPhone 3,3," and "iProd 2,1," but those names don't tell us anything about the actual hardware, just that they'd be new versions, obviously. And we've seen these names before hidden in iOS documentation, so these aren't new developments -- whatever these versions are, Apple has been working on them for a while. Still, if you haven't been following along over the last few iterations of the iPhone, yes, we can tell you that we'll see new iOS devices at some point in the future. Maybe someone will even leave one sitting around a bar.
Steve Jobs emails 'are real' claims Boy Genius Report, says Apple PR lied to press
Earlier this week we reported on a story that had been doing the rounds -- another Steve Jobs email thread with an irate customer. Like many other stories about Jobs' emails to customers, this yarn centered around a user disappointed with his iPhone 4's service, and Steve's flippant responses. The first time we saw the story crop up, we were suspicious of its validity (and frankly, newsworthiness), and we became even more suspicious after AppleInsider ran an article claiming that the source of the supposed emails had been shopping the tale for cash (Engadget was not contacted by the source). We did eventually cover the story, but only after Apple itself responded to the tale, claiming -- first to Fortune and then to us -- that the emails were false, and the exchange had not happened. That struck us as particularly newsworthy, because in all our years of reporting on Steve Jobs' wild personal emails (of which there are many, many examples), we'd never heard Apple refute that the emails were coming from him. Now, Boy Genius Report (where the original story appeared) has fired back, emphatically claiming that the emails are real, and that the proof is in the original message headers which the site has been given access to by the source. BGR goes one step further as well, and essentially accuses Apple PR of spinning this story to news outlets to suit its needs. And let's not mince words -- the claim is that Apple PR is lying to the press. The proof which BGR offers is no more or less convincing to us than the site's previous post on the subject; email headers and timestamps can be faked. Still, it is notable that Boy Genius is pushing back on this story, and we certainly don't believe the blog would knowingly publish a false email thread. As TechCrunch points out in its take on the matter, PR reps often give vague, sugarcoated, or misleading information to news sites, but there has never been a time when Apple's PR has outright lied to major publications (that we know of). That would be a mess of epic proportions, and we can't really fathom why they would go to the trouble. The company has obviously let stuff like this slide for years -- this seems like an odd time (and a relatively minor story) to get up in arms about it. We've reached out to Apple for further statement on this, and will report back as soon as we hear something. In the meantime, take a look at the source link and see what BGR has to say on the matter.
Making your iPad 3G work in Canada
If today's news about Rogers' rate plans for the iPhone left you feeling a bit cold about your 3G options for an iPad in Canada, perhaps this BoyGeniusReport story will warm you up. BGR walks you through the steps necessary to make your iPad work with various providers in Canada. As the old saying goes, "Everything is easy when you know what you're doing." BGR has done the hard part for you, including figuring out the various APN settings for different carriers. The most challenging part of the process will be cutting down a SIM card to (mini) size. There are lots of instructions around to help you but in the end they're your fingers and your card, so be careful. The instructions cover Bell, Fido, Rogers, and TELUS.
Apple giving huge discounts on Black Friday? No way!
The boy geniuses over at Boy Genius Report are getting a lot of hits out of a story they ran late yesterday. Apparently, one of their contacts tipped them to a "shot of Apple's yearly Black Friday deals" that is "reported to be something Apple will email out shortly." The email (seen at right, pasted with an editorial comment from yours truly) shows alleged discounts of up to 30% on all iPods (excluding iPhone or iPod shuffle), up to 25% on all Macs, and up to 15% on all accessories, Apple software, and Apple hardware. This will only happen on November 27th and apparently "select" Apple stores will open at 6 AM. Well, most of us here at TUAW are pretty sure this is a fake. A compelling fake, mind you, but an utter fabrication. Why? First reason -- Apple almost never discounts their products, other than selling refurbished equipment on the cheap. That's part of the reason that the company is so successful and has the highest margins in the personal electronics and computing world. Discounts of "up to 25% on all Macs" are an Apple fanboy's most exciting dream (next to the iTablet, of course), but we doubt if the Cupertino Kids would discount anything more than 5%. Reason two -- Apple Stores are, for the most part, hugely popular anyway. Apple doesn't need to drag in customers on Black Friday by enticing them with wicked discounts. Let's face it, most of the Apple Stores are going to be packed on November 27th, so why would Apple want to create traffic jams and general hysteria by doing something like this? Hell, most of the Apple retail employees would probably quit during Black Friday, leaving the company in the lurch for the rest of the holiday season. Number three -- Historical precedence shows that Apple usually provides discounts on Black Friday, but not as big as BGR is indicating. In 2006, Apple provided free shipping to shoppers at the online store. Last year, Best Buy discounted up to US$150 on Macs and Apple matched that, but there was no steenkin' 25% discount. And finally, reason number four -- Apple's probably not going to send out anything with that much blank space at the top of it. They're too picky about design. They don't want someone to have to scroll down through an email to read the discounts, even if there is an Apple logo floating around at the top of the email. How sure are we that this isn't going to happen? Well, if it actually happens the way Boy Genius Report says it will, I'll wear a Boy Genius Report baseball cap (provided by BGR, of course) for four hours at Macworld Expo 2010 and give you guys some free advertising. TUAW readers -- what do you think about the discounts? Are they going to happen or not?
Motorola Droid (alias Sholes) finally gets a decent headshot
At last eluding the omnipresent Mr. Blurrycam, Motorola's Android-powered Sholes handset has finally gotten the sort of photography it deserves, apparently with an official go-to-market name of Droid -- or at least one decent photo of it. This pic, which doesn't really confirm or deny any of our suspicions about the device (Verizon was already in the bag), made a berth on the locked Twitter profile of Boy Genius, and hopefully there's more where this came from: we're getting tired of the tease. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
BGR brings the pain: ten things wrong with the iPhone
Yesterday's Boy Genius Report post citing the top ten deficiencies of the iPhone (no copy & paste, no video recording, and more) has generated more than 100 responses, some suggesting a fix for many failings (jailbreak the phone) and others hopping on the Blackberry or Palm Pre bandwagons in the hope that competition for the iPhone will spur more software innovation from Apple. While the App Store may be the hottest thing since that soldering iron you accidentally left turned on that ignited your Dad's workbench (and that's why you're not allowed in the garage anymore), even the sneakiest third-party developers can't effectively replace what Apple has failed to provide.Given the sense of pent-up frustration from some (but not all) iPhone 3G owners over a laundry list of things the phone doesn't do, or doesn't do well, here's your chance to cheer or castigate Apple in the hopes of a brighter day to come. Vote in our poll and comment below with your top priorities for improvements -- or, if you're a happy camper, your favorite feature of today's iPhone.%Poll-25419%[via Smoking Apples/Twitter]
Walmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99
Whither the cheap, low-capacity Walmart iPhone? MacRumors' Arnold Kim now anticipates that Walmart will be offering 8GB iPhones for $197, with no mention of smaller capacities or lower prices. The price is two bucks cheaper than at an AT&T retail store. MacBlogz's Aviv Hadar mentioned late last week that their sources at AT&T said a 4GB model was "simply not true." The original story, from BoyGeniusReport, was treated with a heavy dose of skepticism even from them, as the source wasn't one of their usual fonts of reliable information. In related news, the San Jose Mercury News notes that Bay Area Walmart stores may begin carrying iPhone handsets before Christmas, citing employees and managers at those stores. Otherwise, expect the devices to go on sale December 28. [Via MacDailyNews.]
BGR: Walmart to sell $99 iPhone?
Your source for all iPhone-slash-Walmart news, BoyGeniusReport, has a whopper for you: Walmart might offer the 4GB iPhone for $99 when they start selling the handsets after Christmas. Even they're skeptical, though: Their tipster isn't one of their regulars, and so they can't say with any certainty that it will come to pass. The discount makes sense, in a way. Selling the low-end iPhone at a ridiculous price will turn it into the new Motorola RAZR. Apple would love everyone in the country to own one, I'm sure. It's not clear who will eat the discount, though -- Apple, AT&T, or Walmart -- but my guess is that it's mostly Apple. Apple has other revenue streams for the iPhone, such as the App Store and iTunes, and AT&T still has its spendy two-year contract. If this is what Apple needs to do to make this the ubiquitous handset to have, then it may be worth the cost to them. On the other hand, as many commenters at BGR have pointed out, with ubiquity comes rejection. Suddenly, the iPhone isn't the cool status symbol to have anymore. This doesn't bother me one bit, but to some people -- for whatever reason -- it's important to them. (I have special names for those people.) Nevertheless -- will it impact sales? How much is the "hip" coefficient driving purchases? In any event, consider this one of those situations where the Internet is writing checks that Walmart's butt might not be able to cash. But pretty sweet if it does.
BGR: Walmart to carry iPhone 3G for Black Friday
The Boy Genius Report claims that they received a report saying Walmart may become the second independent retailer in the U.S. to carry the iPhone. The big box retailer is expected to begin selling the iPhone about two weeks before Black Friday, on November 15. Walmart already carries a range of cases and accessories for iPhones, and sells a variety of iPods. Radio Shack was also rumored to carry the handset, but its unclear if negotiations stalled, or the news about Walmart is just stealing its thunder, as BGR speculates. Best Buy already carries the iPhone 3G, which you must activate before leaving the store. It stands to reason that Walmart will employ a similar process. [Via AppleInsider.]
AT&T decides some employees shouldn't see the future, changes mind
Remember, carriers: you can't stop leaks, nor can you hope to contain them, and therefore any effort you put into dealing with them should be used to spin 'em to your advantage. That's a simple reality that sites like the very one you're presently reading have proven time and time again over the years. Alas, AT&T suddenly (and briefly) decided that most -- but not all -- of its employees shouldn't be clued into what's coming down the pike, blocking Boy Genius Report from its intranet for all but senior-level folks who presumably want to see what sort of scoops du jour have made their way into the public domain. That's really awesome, guys; good plan, because your sales force obviously has no other way to reach the internet, Boy Genius Report's scoops are never reposted elsewhere on unblocked sites, and clearly, it's in the best interest of the company for them to be as uninformed about your roadmap (and those of your competitors) as possible. Fortunately, it seems the decision was reversed almost as quickly as it was made to start with, so no harm, no foul. We guess.
Hands-on with iPhone 3G, more unboxing photos
BoyGeniusReport (BGR) somehow managed to get their hands on the new iPhone 3G a little earlier than anyone else. They have uploaded several high-quality pictures to show the comparisons between the 1st generation iPhone and the iPhone 3G. In addition, Paul Thurrott posted some iPhone 2.0 firmware upgrade screenshots to show the upgrade process and some of the new iTunes 7.7 and iPhone 2.0 features. [via MacRumors]
US iPhone 3G gets unboxed and handled
Continuing this day of iPhone 3G impropriety, the Boy Genius has somehow secured himself a brand-spanking-new iPhone 3G, and has unboxed it for all the world to see. First off, our condolences to the AT&T or Apple employee who will probably lose their job over this one, and then a tip of the hat to BGR for pulling off such a daring stunt. The pictures, however, should be less exciting (since we've been seeing a lot of these today) -- still, nice to know what you're about to get into! We've included a few more shots after the break.
The Boy Genius Report: AT&T gets Vu in January, K850i in March
Field tidbits from Engadget's mobile insider, The Boy Genius.Remember way back when we caught wind that AT&T was eying Sony Ericsson's initial American 3G efforts -- the Z750 and K850 -- for release? Well, it's looking good! This slide, imploring employees to focus on "exclusives," shows us that AT&T has locked onto launching a version of the K850 as the "Ansel" (seriously?) come next March. Seems like an awfully long time to wait, but in the meantime, we can check out the MediaFLO-equipped LG Vu in January. Why must you make it so hard on us, LG -- Voyager or Vu? Decisions, decisions!
A look at Sprint's summer fashions
Sprint's "3 Month View" spreadsheet makes for some absolutely fascinating reading -- as long as it proves to be nonfiction, anyway. The document gives us an in-depth look at Sprint's (and Nextel's) launches for the months of April, May, and June, and needless to say, we're liking what we're seeing. Starting with standard phones, the Samsung M300 should make its grand entrance next month in silver alongside the Sanyo 3200 -- which replaces the 3100 -- in black, blue, and pink (the latter will run $200; no pricing on the former yet). Moving upmarket, the Samsung M510 replaces the M500 in May for an as-yet-undetermined price. In PDA land, no surprises here; the HTC Titan launches in PPC-6800 guise next month (sorry, no price here either), as does the Palm Treo 755p in blue and burgundy. Nextel users get the ic502 in black with an extended battery bundled (whooptie doo) for $270 next month, and if you wait until June, you'll get a crack at the ic902. Finally, road warriors will be pleased to hear that the Rev. A ExpressCard AC595E from Sierra Wireless gets launched in May, though a price remains to be set.[Thanks, Terry]
Boy Genius exclusive with the BlackBerry 8800!
We knew our pal Boy Genius would be able to get his hands on the much anticipated BlackBerry 8800, and sure enough, he did. BG was able to obtain the svelte new RIM device by any means necessary through completely legitimate channels for preview. From the initial pictures, the 8800 is thicker than we anticipated, only beating the current 8700 by a marginal amount. This device is setup for Wi-Fi, so it only makes sense that T-mobile might be getting this version. We should know more when the device launches later on this month on the orange splat. Check out some more pics after the break!
Boy Genius exclusive with the Motorola MAXX Ve
First we were teased with the marketing photos, then there was the instruction manual, now our good friend Boy Genius gives us a hands-on with the Motorola MAXX Ve for Verizon Wireless. From the pics of the larger outside display to the redesigned keypad, it's looking so svelte. Let's not forget the lovely Verizon UI and the 2 megapixel shooter with auto focus. Too bad The Network and Motorola left out VCAST TV because we'd love to watch it on this QVGA!
The Boy Genius Report: Cingular's BlackBerry 8800c accessories!
Cingular's latest accessory price sheet, which covers the period from January 21 to March 31, reassuringly makes copious mention of RIM's upcoming BlackBerry 8800 (in familiar "c" trim for Cingular, of course) -- and seeing how this is an accessory sheet, it's given us some insight into what sorts of goodies the store clerk will be able to pack in that goody bag of ours on launch day for a little extra coin. $30 ($29.99 to be exact, but you get the drift) will net you a leather pouch, sure to stave off the inevitable marring of your baby's casing for a few minutes, days, or -- who knows? -- weeks. The 8800's section also lists a wired stereo headset for $30 and Aliph's highly-praised Bluetooth Jawbone headset for a stiff $120. Throw in a $50 spare battery to boot and the phone's out-the-door list price is starting to look a little misleading, isn't it?
More HTC Vox pics leaked, still no word on 3G
Have you ever heard the saying, "You can't have too much of a good thing?" We wholeheartedly believe that was well and find it as our duty to bring you more photos of the S710, aka the HTC Vox. Striking a close resemblance to the HTC Libra, the Vox has been updated to sport a 4-way directional key and the space bar was pushed closer to the center for what should be a better user experience. Still no word on whether or not this will have any UMTS loving for us yanks, but we have to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.[Via Boy Genius Report]
The Boy Genius Report: Verizon 8703 spec sheet
Field report tidbits from Engadget's mobile insider, the Boy Genius.Boy Genius apparently won't be satisfied with the BlackBerry news, so we've no choice but to give the public what the public wants. We received technical specs and a brochure on the BlackBerry 8703e on Verizon, which we couldn't post until today without compromising our source. Yep, it confirms everything. Nothing really new and exciting, except if you're one of those CrackBerry addicts that's been waiting impatiently on this for almost a year now.Download [PDF]
