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Judge rules lawsuit claiming Apple broke FaceTime can proceed
Apple was hit with a lawsuit earlier this year that claims the company purposefully broke FaceTime on iOS 6 in order to push people to upgrade to iOS 7. And as of late last week, Apple failed to get the suit dismissed as District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that iPhone 4 and 4S users can pursue claims against Apple.
Leaks, lies and the bottom line
"The iPhone 6 will be released globally on September 19th," an email in my inbox reads. I don't know who the tipster is, nor how they came across this nugget of information. The communication came from an email service called Leak, which allows anyone to send emails anonymously so the receiver can't trace it or reply to it. It could've come from Apple CEO Tim Cook himself and I'd have no way of knowing. (Though I doubt it.) Leaks like this not only show up all the time, they've increased in number over the years -- and now that it's easy to start anonymous rumors without accountability, our inboxes will simply give up. We are becoming a leak-obsessed culture. Nearly everyone wants to know about tomorrow's devices, today, and few (if any) smartphones get launched without someone spilling the beans. The next iPhone hasn't even been announced yet, but millions of people already think they know what it looks like and what it will do, thanks to images of its supposed chassis, casing and sapphire display. Even if the leaks aren't accurate, it's too late -- there are likely plenty of folks who have already (bizarrely) decided whether to buy it or not.
You can now use the iPhone for free, as long as you don't mind old gear
To date, FreedomPop's no-cost phone service has been attached to older Android phones. That's fine for many, but not exactly diverse. Your choices are a little better now that carrier has added iPhone support to its lineup, though. You can get 200 voice minutes, 500 messages and 500MB of data per month on Apple's handset without paying a dime; it costs the equivalent of $5 per month if you need unlimited calls and texting. It sounds great, so what's the catch?
Walmart to sell iPhone 5c for $79, iPhone 5s for $189
If you think that the iPhone 5c and 5s are a little too pricey, we've got good news: Walmart plans to sell both Apple smartphones at a discount from the very start. The 16GB iPhone 5c will sell for $79 on contract, or $20 less than the official price, while the 16GB iPhone 5s will be available for $189. As elsewhere, pre-orders for the 5c will start on September 13th; both of the new iPhones will ship on the 20th. Don't like contracts? You're not left out of the bargains -- Walmart plans to slash $100 off the prices of Straight Talk's iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 variants, which will respectively cost $349 and $549 as of September 14th. The savings are small when compared to the service fees you'll pay over a few years, but it's hard to object to having a little more money left in your pocket.
Apple still offering the iPhone 4 in China
With the introduction of the iPhone 5c and 5s, Apple killed off the iPhone 5 and 4 in most places, instead choosing to keep the iPhone 4S around. However, the iPhone 4 isn't quite dead yet, as the company will continue to offer it in China, reports MacRumors. This is in line with what KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted earlier this year when he said Apple would keep the iPhone 4 on sale in China. As the largest smartphone market on the planet, the ability to sell an iPhone model at the lowest price possible is paramount to Apple. With the continuation of sales of the iPhone 4 in the country, they can offer Chinese customers an iPhone for RMB 2588, or US$423, without contract. The iPhone 5c costs the equivalent of $700 in China. The iPhone 4 model that continues to be sold in China is the 8 GB version and is sold in black or white.
iPhone 4 resale value has grown since April
AppleInsider highlights a new research report from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster which found that the resale value for Apple's iPhone 4 has risen since April. Specifically, Munster and his team found that the average resale value for the iPhone on eBay increased by 10.31 percent over the past few month. In contrast, the resale values for both the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5 both dropped a bit on the popular auction site. Clearly, there's still a significant number of people who want the iPhone 4, which is rather remarkable given that the device is more than three years old at this point. Indeed, Tim Cook has stated on more than one occasion that Apple has been surprised by the consistent interest in the iPhone 4. As for the drop in resale value for the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5, that can also be interpreted as a good sign. If the resale value on Apple's most recent smartphones are dropping, it stands to reason that supply is greater than demand. Consequently, it follows that many folks are looking to dump their current iPhones ahead of the impending launch of what will likely be the iPhone 5S sometime this September. While it's also possible that these same folks are interested in Android-based devices, iPhone consumers, once in the iOS ecosystem, tend to stay there.
First-time smartphone buyers in UK seeking iPhone 4 drive sales
A new sales report from Kantar Wordpanel ComTech for the period of May to June 2013 showed Apple enjoyed a sales surge thanks to an old friend; the iPhone 4. The company jumped 5.2 percentage points to 30.5 percent of the British smartphone market. And those sales were thanks to the iPhone 4. Kantar analyst Dominic Sunnebo pinpoints the affordability of the iPhone 4 as its major selling point for first time smartphone users. Although the flagship iPhone 5 was widely credited with boosting Apple's global results last week, much of the market share growth for iOS in Britain is thanks to the competitively priced iPhone 4 attracting first time smartphone buyers. More than a third of iPhone 4's sold were to consumers who have never owned a smartphone before, compared with just one in 10 new customers buying the iPhone 5. Even with the latest increase Android still has a considerable lead over iOS in Britain, with 56.2 percent of the market. The iPhone 4 continues to be a major player in Apple's global sales growth, despite its lower average sale price.
Big guns have Apple's back in iPhone 4 ban
What do Microsoft, Oracle, Intel and AT&T have in common? All four of the major corporations are jumping to Apple's defense against the impending iPhone 4 ban ordered by the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The Wall Street Journal reports that a trade group representing Microsoft, Oracle and Intel -- BSA -- was joined by AT&T in supporting Apple's side of the ban, which was brought about thanks to arch-rival Samsung. Samsung won a case before the ITC, and the potential ban, which still has to be approved by US Trade Representative Michael Froman before going into effect on August 4, was sought as a patent-infringement settlement. BSA argues that the use of essential industry patents to ban products should not be allowed, except under unusual circumstances. The companies are concerned, though, that the ban sets precedent. Companies must license patented technology to competitors at a reasonable rate. This is known as FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) licensing. Apple and the other companies are concerned that the ITC ruling might allow companies to demand excessive royalties by threatening a product ban on rivals if they don't open their wallets. AT&T's concern is that the ITC ruling eliminates a highly popular entry-level iPhone for AT&T customers, and they argue that a ban is "inconsistent with the president's goal of ubiquitous broadband deployment."
iPhone 4 still driving global growth
Though the iPhone 4 was released over three years ago, it remains an important driver of smartphone sales in emerging markets like India. Indeed, strong sales of the iPhone 4 helped Apple sell a lot more iPhones this past quarter than many analysts were expecting. Tim Cook even noted that the iPhone 4 remains an attractive device for first-time smartphone buyers worldwide. The Wall Street Journal reports: Not that selling older models in emerging markets is a new strategy for the company. And it has potential downsides, as lower-priced phones can squeeze gross profit margins. But Apple, despite its image as a premium player, is adopting more aggressive tactics to sell its oldest smartphone in markets where demand is growing quickly and many buyers have never purchased a smartphone before. As mentioned above, the obvious downside to Apple's reliance on the iPhone 4 as a sales driver is that the device, being three years old at this point, commands a lower price point than Apple's more recent iPhone models. The Journal notes that while the iPhone 5S costs carriers $649, the iPhone 4 costs only $450. Consequently, while the iPhone 4 -- which is often offered for free with contract -- is a great device to bring new customers in and generate sales on the cheaper end of the smartphone spectrum, it also has a discernable affect on Apple's bottom line. In the quarter gone by, for example, the average selling price of the iPhone fell to $581, a $32 drop compared to the March 2013 quarter. Nevertheless, Apple's iPhone 4 strategy appears to be working, especially because the device's lower price point is attracting first-time smartphone buyers who might otherwise be drawn to more affordable smartphones from other manufacturers. iPhone sales in India, for example, appear to be booming. This is especially important to Apple because once a user is ushered into the iOS ecosystem, they are likely to purchase other Apple products in the future. All told, the evidence is rather clear that there is a huge market for a lower cost iPhone. Again, the downside to Apple is that older devices like the iPhone 4 don't yield the same healthy margins Apple typically enjoys. To that end, there are a number of rumors which suggest that Apple this fall will release a lower cost iPhone comprised of cheaper materials. The reasoning is that this will allow Apple to target emerging markets without having to sacrifice as much in the way of margins.
iOS 7 Beta 3 gets benchmarked on iPhone 4 and 5
As we inch our way towards the public release of iOS 7, we are treated to a rather interesting benchmarking video courtesy of YouTube user adrianisen. The clip showcases two different benchmark tools running on iOS 7 Beta 3 on both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5. It's not clear why the tester chose the standard iPhone 4 as opposed to the more powerful 4S, but it certainly makes the performance difference between the two handsets remarkably apparent. An interesting note: Using Geekbench 2, the iPhone 5 used in the test scores a 1,672 with iOS 7 Beta 3, while my own iPhone 5 running iOS 6.1.4 tops out at 1,664 consistently. It's a small increase, sure, but a promising result regardless. The iPhone 4, on the other hand, doesn't even break the 400-point barrier.
Apple asks ITC to stop impending ban on iPhones and iPads
The International Trade Commission (ITC) a few weeks ago issued an order banning the import of older generation iPhones and iPads to the extent they infringe upon Samsung owned patents. With the ban scheduled to go into effect on August 5th, Gigaom today is reporting that Apple filed a motion with the ITC asking for a stay on the impending ban until an appeals court weighs in on the ruling. Apple writes that the ban will "sweep away an entire segment of Apple's product offerings" and that they will suffer irreparable harm if a stay is not granted. If the Orders go into effect, Apple will lose not only sales of its iPhone 4 (GSM) and iPad 2 3G (GSM) products but also the opportunity to gain new smartphone and tablet customers who otherwise would have purchased these entry-level devices. Should the Commission's decision be reversed or modified on appeal, Apple will have no recourse to redress this harm. Apple further points out that if a stay is granted and the appeal process ultimately proves fruitless, Samsung will have recourse to the extent they can seek compensation for any potential loss of FRAND royalties. The iPhone 4, Apple writes, was the fourth-best selling smartphone in the US in 2012. In a separate appeal filed with the United States Trade Representative about two weeks ago, Apple argued that upholding the ban would make the ITC an "outlier internationally and domestically." Apple's most recent motion can be read below. Apple ITC Request for Stay
Daily Update for June 26, 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
Brian Hogan, the man who sold the iPhone 4 to Gizmodo, speaks up
Back in April 2010, the tech world was all aflutter when Gizmodo managed to get its hands on and post photos of what would later be called the iPhone 4. For a company that prides itself on secrecy, the pre-release photos of Apple's iPhone 4 were a major embarrassment. If you recall, an Apple engineer mistakenly left an iPhone 4 device he was testing at a bar whereupon it came into the possession of a 21-year-old named Brian Hogan who attempted to hock the device to any tech blog that was willing to pay for it. Gizmodo turned out to be the "lucky" winner, paying Hogan $5,000 for the device. Yesterday, Hogan started an Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread on Reddit where he answered user-submitted questions about a wide range of topics. Some quick points of interest from the AMA include: Hogan spent more than $5,000 in legal fees. Crime really doesn't pay. Gizmodo promised to pay Hogan an additional $3,000 after the story aired, but didn't. Again, crime doesn't pay! Hogan was charged with a misdemeanor misappropriation of lost property and had to pay a $125 fine. Hogan says he didn't turn over the phone to the bar owners because he was 21, drunk and "didn't think about that at the time." The AMA is still ongoing, so hop on over to Reddit if you have a burning question you want to ask the man who helped create quite the Apple scandal a few years back.
iOS 7 phases out the iPhone 3GS and the original iPad; some features will be iPhone 5 only
Apple on Monday took the wraps off of iOS 7, its highly anticipated next-gen mobile OS for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Apple said that iOS 7 will be available as a free download this fall and will run on the following devices: iPhone 4 and above iPad 2 and above iPad mini iPod touch, fifth generation So with iOS 7, Apple is phasing out the iPhone 3GS. The original iPad was phased out with iOS 6 (thanks, Ben!) I'd be surprised, though, if there are a significant percentage of iOS users using the aforementioned device. All in all, Apple does do a decent job of keeping iOS users running years-old hardware in the mix. Aside from which devices will run iOS 7, it's equally important to consider which features from iOS 7 will run on which device. To that end, here's how some of the device-specific iOS 7 features break down. Panorama -- The photo feature Apple introduced last year will be available on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and fifth-gen iPod touch. iPad users are out of luck here. Square/Video formats and swipe to capture -- These features will be available on the iPhone 4 and above, the third-generation iPad and above, the iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod touch. Filters in Camera - This Instagram-inspired feature will only be available for the iPhone 5 and the fifth-generation iPod touch. Filters in Photos - This will be available on the iPhone 4 and above, the third-generation iPad and above, the iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod touch. AirDrop - AirDrop in iOS 7 will only work on the iPhone 5, the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini and the iPod touch. Siri - Siri in iOS 7 has new voices, a new interface and a whole lot more functionality. Users trying to take advantage of the latest and greatest from Siri can run it on the iPhone 4S and above, the iPad with Retina display, the iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod touch. iTunes Radio - Apple's long-rumored music streaming and recommendation service will run on any iOS 7-compatible device.
Samsung wins ITC ban of AT&T compatible iPhones and iPads due to patent infringement
Samsung got a big win in the International Trade Commission today, as the ITC handed down a final ruling finding that several models of AT&T-compatible iPhones and iPads infringe a Samsung patent, and issued an exclusion order preventing them from being imported, sold or distributed in the US. This final ruling comes months after an ALJ determined that Apple did not infringe any of Samsung's IP, but clearly, the commission felt differently upon its review. This final determination holds that AT&T models of the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G, plus AT&T iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G models infringe four claims of Samsung's patent number 7,706,348 for encoding mobile communications. The ITC reversed the ALJ's ruling in part based upon modified construction of several key terms in the claims at issue, but upheld the prior decision regarding the other three patents Samsung asserted in the action. So, what does this mean for Apple? Not a tremendous amount, truthfully, as the newly banned devices are no longer Cupertino's standard bearers and account for little of the company's massive profits. Plus, Apple will, no doubt appeal the decision in court. Still, Samsung's bound to feel pretty good about the victory, and every little bit helps in its quest to remain atop the smartphone heap, right?
Apple's Retina display aids accessibility
Macworld blogger Steven Aquino wrote a fascinating piece today on how Apple's Retina display technology has helped him -- a legally blind individual with extremely low vision -- to be able to enjoy Apple's products as if he had no vision limitations at all. Aquino says that he had used the original iPhone and iPad successfully with their displays set to full brightness, but "seeing my iPhone 4's Retina screen was a total game-changer." The high pixel density -- 326 pixels per inch -- and turning the screen brightness all the way up made it so "even the smallest text was readable, and I was able to spot details in images that were previously indistinguishable." How much of a difference does a Retina display make to Aquino? "Simply put, I will no longer use an iPhone or iPad that doesn't feature a Retina display. Having used a Retina display, I can't go back to something that makes using my devices that much more difficult." Of course, he admits that having the screen brightness turned all the way up does eat up his battery charge quickly, so much so that a Mophie Powerstation Duo is in his favorite device bag at all times.
Apple sued over faulty power button on iPhone 4
Florida woman Debra Hilton filed a class action suit against Apple alleging that the power button on the iPhone 4 sports a manufacturing defect that Apple is well aware of and chose not to fix. The suit specifically claims that the iPhone 4's flex cable is defective and designed to cause the power button to malfunction shortly after the one-year warranty on the device expires, thereby forcing users to either get it repaired for US$149 or spring for an entirely new device. The complaint reads in part: The Apple iPhone 4 is plagued by a latent defect that causes its Power Button to fail, usually shortly after the 1 year warranty covering the device has expired, thereby rendering the phone unusable. Apple knew when it manufactured, marketed, and sold the device that this defect existed, but failed to disclose it, instead touting the purported superior attributes of the telephone in Apple's various advertisements and marketing campaigns. To support her claim that Apple was well aware of what she deems to be a problem affecting thousands of consumers, Hilton's suit points out that Apple's community support forum is filled with hundreds of complaints from users experiencing similar power button failure issues. She further points out that said complaints have been viewed more than 720,000 times and that a YouTube video featuring solutions to fixing the iPhone 4's faulty power button have been viewed more than 1 million times. The class action suit was filed under RICO (a federal Racketeering Act) and seeks $5 million in damages.
Study: iPhone retains value better than top Galaxy models
The next time your Samsung Galaxy-toting friends try to annoy you, here's a piece of information you can throw back at them. According to a study published yesterday by investment bank Piper Jaffray, iPhones depreciate at less than half the rate of similar Android devices from Samsung. Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray referred to the new index as "a pulse on what consumers are willing to pay for unsubsidized phones in the US." The index compares US eBay auction ending prices for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II over a rolling eight weeks to create a trend on resale prices. "The key takeaway from eight weeks of data is that the iPhone is holding slightly more of its value compared to the top two Galaxy phones," according to Munster. The iPhone 5's eBay auction ending value dropped about 11.2 percent in the last eight weeks, while the comparable Samsung Galaxy S III dropped 13.7 percent in value. The iPhone 4S kept its value the best, dropping only 7 percent during the same time period. The Galaxy Note II did the worst job of retaining its value, dropping a full 15 percent in just eight weeks. Munster expects iPhone aftermarket prices to drop as the release of the next model of iPhone draws nearer.
iOS 6 obtains FIPS 140-2 certification, opening door to more government use
Close on the heels of last week's announcement that US Department of Defense approval of iOS 6 devices was imminent comes word from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that a cryptographic module in iOS 6 has achieved FIPS 140-2 certification (Level 1). This has, to quote our tipster, "huge implications for government use of iOS (and eventually Macs)." Apple iOS CoreCrypto Kernel Module v3.0, when operated in FIPS mode, "generates cryptographic keys whose strengths are modified by available entropy." CoreCrypto is described as "a software cryptographic module running on a multi-chip standalone mobile device and provides services intended to protect data in transit and at rest." The module met Level 1 of FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2. Level 1 provides the lowest level of security, as no physical security mechanisms are required beyond the basic requirement for production-grade components. CoreCrypto uses FIPS-approved algorithms including Triple-DES, AES, SHS and an additional alphabet soup of acronyms. The module was tested on an iPhone 4, an iPhone 4S and an iPad (single-user mode) running iOS 6.0. It is unknown if the certification is specific to these devices or if it also extends to newer devices like the iPhone 5. A tip of the hat to Allan for letting us know about the certification.
Win a collector's item: a Behringer iNuke Boom Junior speaker dock
I'm usually very good about turning around reviews; usually within a week or two of receiving a review device or accessory I've had a chance to try it out, take photos, and write it up. But there are two things that have been sitting in my office unopened for a few months, and I finally decided to get going on them. One item is a Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 that I'll be writing up shortly now that the weather in Colorado is cooperating (except for the winter storm hitting tomorrow...), but today's focus is on what's in the big box in the corner of my office -- the Behringer iNuke Boom Junior iPod/iPhone speaker dock. Sometimes procrastination is a good thing. I found out pretty quickly while starting to do research for this review that Behringer is no longer making this speaker dock, which was designed to be an affordable mini version of the 10,000-watt, 700 pound, US$30,000 monster that made a splash at CES 2012. The company gave away a bunch of these smaller speaker docks last autumn with a promotion with the one reseller for the product, Costco. Since the iNuke Boom Junior is no longer in production, I'm not going to write a review. Instead, we're going straight to the giveaway. Here are the features of the iNuke Boom Junior: Three-Way Active Design – Stunning concert-quality sound at home Integrated Subwoofer – Powerful, Deep Lows without Distortion Made for iPod, iPhone and iPad – Dock to play or charge your device Auxiliary Audio Input – Works with Android devices and other music players Wireless Remote Control – Controls audio and most iOS devices Master Volume and Bass Contour controls – Tailor the sound to your liking Video Output Connection – Play movies right from your Apple devices to TV Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPad and any Android® phone or music player with 1/8" (3.5mm) headphone output I was able to test the iNuke Boom Junior with an iPhone 5 using an Apple Lightning to 30-pin adapter ($29, not included), and it worked fine. There's a small Lucite prop that holds up the iPhone 5, but I would not recommend trying a 4th-generation iPad on the adapter as it's just too unwieldy. An iPad mini worked just fine with the adapter. The sound on this thing is great! Seriously, the built-in subwoofer really does produce quite the boom if you're listening to music with a lot of bass. Surprisingly, though, it also handles the treble end quite well and was perfect for listening to the broad freqency and dynamic range of classical music. And with that short description of the iNuke Boom Junior, it's now time to give this unique device to one of our readers. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before May 5, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Behringer iNuke Boom Junior speaker dock valued at $179.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
