iPhone 5C
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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.
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.
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.
iPhone 5s and 5c approved for China Mobile, the world's biggest carrier (updated)
Apple's mission to bring the iPhone to the world's largest mobile operator has apparently dragged on since 2007. Now, however, it finally looks as if Tim Cook's latest round of secret negotiations has paid off. TENAA, China's equivalent to the FCC, has released documents clearing a pair of iPhones packing GSM-enabled TD-LTE radios. Considering that China's other two carriers (Telecom and Unicom) use the more common CDMA2000 or WCDMA, this is a very hefty hint that the iPhone 5s and 5c will shortly be available to China Mobile's 740-million plus subscribers. Update: Looks like these variants were actually first made public on TENAA back in September, according to our friends over at The Next Web, but a tease can only last for so long. China will just have to hurry up with its official TD-LTE roll-out, which is rumored to take place later this year.
Change the look of your iPhone 5c case with CaseCollage app
With the iPhone 5c, Apple for the first time introduced color to its iPhone lineup. What's more, Apple upped the color ante by concurrently releasing perforated iPhone 5c cases in an assortment of colors. While some folks seem to enjoy the tremendous number of color options afforded by the 5c and the accompanying cases, not everyone shares that enthusiasm. The solution? A new app called CaseCollage that allows users to create and print iPhone 5c backings to fill up the circular openings which result from the iPhone 5c case. The app description reads: CaseCollage for iPhone 5c provides an interactive way to add personality and design for the new 5c case. Use the case holes as frames for your artwork, friends, and interests. Merely create and print for endless custom cases. Features: • Add and arrange photos from your phone, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, or Picasa • 250+ colors, letters, patterns, and clipart • 35 circle-spaces to arrange and create your design • Share your CaseCollage with friends and family • Print a copy for your own case or for others The app is free and provides a neat way for users to really customize their 5c device to their liking. Check out a video demo of the app in action below.
Target discounting iPhone 5c to $49.99... or less
Target has joined the parade of retailers who are discounting Apple's colorful iPhone 5c. Earlier this week, TUAW reported that Walmart and RadioShack were selling the 5c for just US$45 with a two-year contract; now Target has announced that they will sell the 16 GB version of the phones for $49.99 or less. That "or less" has a caveat attached to it, of course. An extra 5 percent discount is available for those who happen to have a Target REDcard, bringing the price tag down to $47.50. The prices are for a phone equipped with a new two-year contract with the carrier of your choice, and appear to be available only in stores and not online.
Dutch telco KPN's 4G network is ready for iPhone 5c, 5s
Later this month, on October 25, Apple's latest smartphones will land in the Netherlands, and if you're a customer of KPN, one of the country's wireless providers, you'll be happy to hear that its network will indeed support 4G on both the iPhone 5s and 5c. KPN is currently leading the way in 4G in the Netherlands, using a variety of bands for its network, which should cover roughly 80 percent of the country by the end of the year. While 4G compatibility is typically a given in many countries, KPN's 4G network originally wasn't compatible with the iPhone 5 due to its use of an unsupported band. Now that the iPhone 5s and 5c have launched with support of KPN's 800MHz band, the groundwork is set for plenty of high-speed iPhone fun. [via ZDNet]
Apple receives clearance to sell iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in Brazil
Apple yesterday announced that both the iPhone 5s and 5c will be launching in more than 25 countries on Friday, October 25. Just one week later, more than a dozen additional countries will be getting the iPhone treatment as well. You can check out a full list of those countries over here. While the list includes countries from all across the globe, from Albania to Moldova and everything in between, one country conspicuously missing from the iPhone launch festivities is Brazil. That, however, may soon change. ZDNet is reporting that the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) recently granted the requisite authorization for Apple to sell its new iPhone lineup in the country. The new Apple devices will be compatible with the 4G technology available in Brazil and work at the frequency adopted locally, which is 2600 MHz. The previous iPhone and iPad sold in Brazil operated in the 700 MHz band. According to Anatel, the iPhones will be manufactured by Foxconn in the company's factory in São Paulo, in the countryside town of Jundiaí. However, the company is yet to announce the release date and the price of the devices. While no release date has yet been announced, both the iPhone 4s and iPhone 5 launched in Brazil in December of their respective release years. So, perhaps, the 5s and 5c will see similar launch windows.
iPhone 5s and 5c will be available in more countries on Oct. 25
Apple has announced that the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available in 35 additional countries starting October 25, including 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. In addition, the iPhone 5s and 5c will debut in the following countries on Friday, November 1: Albania, Armenia, Bahrain, Colombia, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, India, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UAE. Happy shopping, folks. We look forward to your stories and photos from the Apple Store near you.
Apple bringing iPhone 5s and 5c to more than 35 countries by November 1st
Apple appears to have weathered its iPhone supply issues because its newest smartphones are set to go on a world tour. The company announced today that it will launch the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in Italy, Russia, Spain and over 25 new markets on October 25th, heading to further ten new markets by November 1st. As always, the new iPhones will available through Apple retail stores, online and select Apple Authorized Resellers. You can find the full list of countries just after the break.
Booq offers Complete Protection Kit for iPhone 5s and 5c
Booq is best known for its stylish protective bags for iPads and MacBooks, but last week they surprised the iPhone accessory market by announcing the Complete Protection Kit for iPhone 5s and 5c (both US$34.95). Booq's unique idea is to keep the focus on Apple's amazing product designs, and as such they've created extremely thin snap cases (one black, one clear) that are protective, but somewhat understated. According Booq's lead designer S. Kema Subsomboon, "We've heard so many people say that they wish they didn't have to have a case on their phone because they love the iPhone the way it is. That was the thought process behind the kit; thinking about the beauty of the iPhone and the complete protection it deserves in an intelligent and simple way." In addition, each kit comes with a tempered glass screen protector. For the 5c, you can take advantage of covers that adhere to the home button and offer even more protection. The clear case is perfect for those who want to show off the sleek silver, gold or space gray finish of the iPhone 5s, or for people who want to protect their iPhone 5c, but want to keep the colorful shell of the device in front of the public. We hope to get one of the Complete Protection Kits for iPhone 5s soon and will have a full review at that time.
Daily Update for October 7, 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
iPhone 5c now just $45 with contract at both Walmart and Radio Shack
If you're looking to pick up an iPhone 5c sometime soon, you'd be hard-pressed to find better deals than what's currently being offered at Walmart and RadioShack. Both retail outlets this weekend slashed pricing on the iPhone 5c from US$99 to $45, provided, of course, you sign up for a two-year contract. That translates into a solid 55 percent price drop for a brand-new device that has received nothing but glowing reviews since being released two weeks ago. Here are deal particulars to be aware of: The iPhone 5c price cut at RadioShack will run through November 2 while Walmart's deal will run through the holiday season. Keep in mind that Best Buy is also offering special iPhone 5c savings through Monday. We recently reported that iPhone 5c purchasers at Best Buy locations will receive a $50 gift card that can be used on other store items, though notably not towards the iPhone 5c purchase itself.
Apple posts tips and tricks guide for the iPhone 5s and 5c
Apple today posted new pages to its website highlighting a number iOS 7 tips and tricks for iPhone 5s, 5c, and 4s users. Truthfully, I'm surprised Apple hasn't done something like this before given that there's so much power in iOS that the general public is often unaware of. While the tips listed by Apple may, on the whole, be familiar to anyone who keeps up with Apple-centric blogs, Apple's new webpages provide a nice resource for users new to iOS and even for seasoned users who haven't yet experienced the full power of iOS. The new pages put up by Apple are even more timely given the recent release of iOS 7 which, as has been said time and time again, marks the biggest change to iOS since the 2007 release of the original iPhone. The tips are broken up by categories which include Photography, Swipe Gestures, Maps, Siri, Safari and more. It's well worth checking out. Speaking of tips, don't forget to check out our series of TUAW video tips for iOS 7. via MacRumors
