iPhone 5C
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iPhone 5s and 5c sorta, kinda pass chest-level drop tests
Android Authority is in Hong Kong with both the iPhone 5s and 5c. Like it has done in the past, the blog put the two phones through their paces in a classic comparison drop test. Joshua Vergara dropped the phones from a chest-level height and sent them to the pavement in the front-first, back-first and side-first positions. In the end, the iPhone 5s fared well in the tests with only minimal scratches and dings. The iPhone 5c passed with flying colors until a front-first drop shattered the screen. Bummer. You can check out the torture test in the video below.
iPhone 5s and 5c sales kickoff worldwide with long lines, October ship dates
The iPhone 5s and 5c went on sale today with people lining up at Apple stores around the world. Lines reportedly were long in Japan, Australia and across Europe. As of the writing of this post, the lines are still forming in the US. Online orders also commenced with ship dates quickly extending out to seven to 10 days as soon as the stores went live. Though some lampooned the color, one of the more difficult iPhone models to purchase apparently is the gold iPhone 5s. Shortly after it went on sale, ship dates for that color choice slipped to October in the UK, France, Germany, Australia and the US. It is no longer available to order in Hong Kong or Singapore. The chatter from Twitter suggests many stores in Europe do not have the gold model in stock either or have limited supplies. Inventory of the iPhone 5c appears to be holding up well with the handset still showing a ship date of one to three days worldwide. Pre-orders, which kicked off last week, should land on customers doorsteps today.
UK's Three to sell iPhone 5c and 5s this Friday with unlimited 4G data
The UK's low cost mobile carrier Three has just announced that it will begin selling the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c with unlimited 4G data on Friday, September 20. The iPhone 5s will be available starting at £99 and the iPhone 5c will be available starting at £49 on a 24-month contract from Three stores. As all of Three's mobile plans come with unlimited data, that means owners who buy the latest iPhones through Three can enjoy surfing the web to their heart's content when they're out and about. Do keep in mind though that Three has not rolled out its 4G plan yet, so iPhone 5s and 5c owners will be browsing on 3G until the 4G rollout begins in London and a few other cities in the UK in December. You can check out the full PR release below. Show full PR text Three today announced it will offer iPhone 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colourful iPhone yet, beginning Friday, September 20. iPhone 5s will be available starting at £99 and iPhone 5c will be available starting at £49 on a 24-month contract from Three stores, online at three.co.uk or by calling 0800 358 1799. "We are very excited to announce that the much anticipated iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are now available on our network," said Thomas Malleschitz, marketing director at Three. "iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, along with our commitment to provide 4G at no extra cost, means that our customers can look forward to an even better network experience. We will also continue to offer all-you-can-eat data, so customers can truly enjoy the full capabilities of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c without having to worry about exceeding their data allowance." Plan Ultimate 500 Ultimate 1000 The One Plan Voice (minutes) 500 1,000 2,000 SMS 5,000 5,000 5,000 Data (MB) Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited iPhone 5s 16GB £99 upfront + £37/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £39/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £41/mo for 24 months iPhone 5s 32GB £99 upfront + £42/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £44/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £46/mo for 24 months iPhone 5s 64GB £99 upfront + £47/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £49/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £51/mo for 24 months iPhone 4s 8GB £0 upfront + £27/mo for 24 months £99 upfront + £30/mo for 24 months £0 upfront + £33/mo for 24 months
Daily Update for September 19, 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, 5s teardown by Australian repair shop
They're not due in the US until tomorrow, but it's already tomorrow somewhere in the world, and that somewhere is Australia. Well, that didn't make any sense, but the point is that some blokes at Sydney, Australia-based iExperts got their hands on some brand-new iPhones and did a teardown before the guys at iFixit were able to do the same. As usual, the devices are locked down with pentalobe screws and require the use of a suction cup to remove the screen. The team noticed that there's a special cable that connects the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s to the charging port assembly -- not sure of the reason, but I'd speculate that it's for grounding the sensor when the iPhone is docked and charging. The batteries on the new devices have higher capacities than the one on the iPhone 5 (5.45 Whr), with the iPhone 5s coming in at 5.92 Whr and the iPhone 5c at 5.73 Whr. Those batteries, according to iExperts, are made by Apple Japan, something they've never seen before on iPhone batteries. The logic boards for the new iPhones are quite compact in comparison to the one in the iPhone 5, and iExperts noted that the 5s and 5c boards share a similar design. The team also marveled at the "incredible functionality for such little circuitry" found in the Touch ID sensor on the 5s (below). If you're one of those people with an iPhone 4, iPod touch, iPod nano (sixth generation) or iPhone 5 that had a power switch failure, you'll be happy to know that the switch assembly has been changed in the new iPhones. The iExperts team will be posting more information on the chips located on the logic board later, so be sure to visit their site to get more information as the day rolls on.
New Apple ad: "Designed Together"
Another day, another operating system, another Apple ad. Today's ad features the iPhone 5c and jauntily demonstrates how the colors of the iPhone 5c, the Apple-designed "holy case," and iOS 7 are all in sync in terms of the use of color. It's fun, it's bouncy, and it's embedded below. Interestingly, you can see the actual song used in the ad -- Norwegian electronica duo Lemaitre's 1:18 -- visible in the Music app at about the 30 second mark.
gdgt's best deals for September 18th: Klipsch Image E1 In-Ear Headphones, Jabra Wave Bluetooth Headset
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our friends at sister site gdgt track price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Today we have not one but two headsets going for half their regular prices. The Klipsch Image E1 In-Ear Headphones are good for listening to media on the go, while the Jabra Wave Bluetooth Headset offers a less conspicuous design than most other earpieces we've seen. Also, in especially timely news, it's worth noting that Sprint is offering new customers the iPhone 5c for free and the iPhone 5s for $99.99. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Apple shares iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s availability
Apple sent out a press release today confirming the launch details for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Though much of the information was announced last week, this latest communication out of Cupertino lists the retailers that will be selling the iPhones when they launch this Friday, September 20. Besides the Apple Store and Apple's online storefront, customers can visit their local wireless carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The iPhone will also be available at Best Buy, RadioShack, Target, Walmart stores and other Apple Authorized Resellers. If you are not sure whether a retailer will be selling the iPhone, you may want to call them in the next few days, so you can plan your Friday shopping trip. Show full PR text iPhone 5s & iPhone 5c Arrive on Friday, September 20 CUPERTINO, California-September 17, 2013-Apple® today announced that iPhone® 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world and iPhone 5c, the most colorful iPhone yet, will be available to customers on Friday, September 20 at 8:00 a.m. local time at Apple retail stores and at 12:01 a.m. PDT at the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com). iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. iPhone 5s redefines the best smartphone experience in the world with amazing new features all packed into a remarkable thin and light design, including the Apple-designed A7 64-bit chip, all-new 8 megapixel iSight® camera with True Tone flash and introducing Touch ID™, an innovative way to simply and securely unlock your phone with just the touch of a finger. iPhone 5c features an all-new design, packed with features people know and love like the beautiful 4-inch Retina® display, blazing fast performance of the A6 chip, and the 8 megapixel iSight camera-all while delivering great battery life.¹ iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both offer more LTE bands² than any other smartphone in the world and include all-new FaceTime® HD cameras. iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c feature iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone, featuring a stunning new user interface, completely redesigned with an elegant color palette, distinct, functional layers and subtle motion that make it feel more alive. iOS 7 has hundreds of great new features, including Control Center, Notification Center, improved Multitasking, AirDrop®, enhanced Photos, Safari®, Siri® and introduces iTunes Radio℠, a free Internet radio service based on the music you listen to on iTunes®.³ Every customer who buys an iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store℠ and more, so they'll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store. In the US, the new iPhones will be available through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Pricing & Availability iPhone 5s comes in gold, silver or space gray, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model.⁴ iPhone 5c comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $99 (US) for the 16GB model and $199 (US) for the 32GB model.⁴ iPhone 5s cases will be available in beige, black, blue, brown, yellow and (RED) for a suggested retail price of $39 (US) through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and select Authorized Apple Resellers. iPhone 5c cases will be available in blue, green, pink, yellow, black and white for a suggested retail price of $29 (US) through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and select Authorized Apple Resellers. ¹ Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary. ² LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details. ³ iTunes Radio will be available with the launch of iOS 7 in the US. ⁴ For qualified customers. Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Pre-orders of iPhone 5s begin in China, selling out
While Apple is not offering pre-orders of the iPhone 5s in the United States or other western countries, that's not the case in China and Hong Kong, where the device has practically sold out already. As noted by MacRumors, Apple likely decided to offer pre-orders of the iPhone 5s in China to thwart scalpers, who frequently line up to buy huge numbers of iPhones which they then sell for a profit. The site also notes that while there is still an available supply of most iPhone 5c's, all but the 16 GB "Space Gray" iPhone 5s has sold out. The iPhone 5s will be available in the US and other countries on September 20 at 12:01AM local time if you are ordering from Apple.com, or at 8AM local time if you are buying it at an Apple retail store.
Apple releases first iPhone 5c commercial, "Plastic Perfected"
Apple on Monday night rolled out its first commercial for the upcoming iPhone 5c. Titled "Plastic Perfected", the commercial features colorful liquids transforming into iPhone 5c devices and ends with the tagline, "For the colorful." For all you music buffs out there, the song featured in the commercial is "Rill Rill" by Sleigh Bells. Now given that a) the iPhone is responsible for the bulk of Apple's quarterly revenue and b) that the 5c is an entirely new product, it stands to reason that we'll soon be seeing a huge marketing push for the iPhone 5c in the coming weeks. That said, it will be particularly interesting to see how Apple's iPhone advertising efforts are split between the iPhone 5c and the flagship iPhone 5s. On a final note, Apple's new iPhone 5c commercial couldn't help but remind me of a famous color-infused ad that the company released about 15 years ago.
Portenzo Alano SLIM and HardBack wallet cases for iPhone 5c/5s
I've got to admit that I've been really happy with the current trend of combining iPhone cases and wallets. They're both items that you carry around in your pockets, so why not take the functionality of an iPhone case -- protecting your iPhone -- and combine it with carrying around credit cards, IDs, and cash? Of the many wallet cases I've reviewed over the last couple of years, two of the nicest are the Alano SLIM (US$44.95 to $64.95, plus add-ons) and HardBack ($34.95, plus add-ons) from Portenzo. Let's take a look at these stylish cases, and then readers have a chance to win one from TUAW and Portenzo. The design of the Alano SLIM starts with a slim leather "booklet" that surrounds the iPhone. The cover is held closed in transit with a Moleskine-like elastic band, perfect for making sure that it's not going to flop open and expose your iPhone screen to scratches. The leather covers come in eleven different finishes, ranging from a faux antique American passport to a rich dark chocolate leather. The HardBack uses fabric on the outside instead of leather, but is just as nice -- some of the designs sport bright colors or patterns, while others are less flashy. One add-on feature of the HardBack case is the Intellistand, a way of folding the case origami-style to stand it up in landscape mode. Your iPhone isn't surrounded by plastic or wood, meaning that you have unfettered access to all ports and buttons at all times. So how does the phone stay in the Portenzo case? Simple -- there's a nanosuction GripPad (replaceable) on one side. Just align your iPhone and slap it onto the super-sticky material, and it is held in place. Need to remove your phone? No problem -- just give it a good tug and it comes off, leaving no residue. The Alano SLIM's wallet has two main pockets into which you can slide a couple of IDs, credit cards, and maybe even some cash. On the other hand, the HardBack wallet uses a "expandable folder" type of construction that can hold much more -- although you really don't want to overload it. Now, about those add-ons that are noted with the pricing. Portenzo uses a "build your own" model for these case/wallets, so the base price of the Alano SLIM cases does not include the wallet bits (that's an additional $20). The HardBack has two possible add-ons; the $20 wallet parts and the $4.95 Intellistand. That means that a decked-out Alano SLIM can cost as much as $84.90, while a fully-loaded HardBack checks in at $54.85. How do they look? Well, we received a "US Passport" model Alano Slim with all the trimmings and a Dark Blue HardBack with the Intellistand and wallet. Take a look at the images (I just placed the iPhone 5 on top of the GripPad instead of removing it) and you can see the amount of love put into the construction of the cases. Conclusion Portenzo's Alano SLIM and HardBack cases are well-built and beautiful, although somewhat pricy -- especially for the Alano SLIM. Pros Unique designs, especially for the Alano SLIM line Quality construction Easy to remove and re-install the iPhone HardBack's Intellistand works well to hold the iPhone in a landscape orientation HardBack's wallet expands to hold a lot of cards and cash Cons Alano SLIM is quite pricy once the wallet feature is added on Who is it for? The person who wants to ditch the wallet and do it in style Now it's your turn to have a chance to win one of these two cases. Note that the review cases are compatible with the iPhone 5 and 5c; the model for the iPhone 5s might need a slightly larger camera cutout on the back to house the True Tone flash. 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 September 20, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a Portenzo Alano SLIM wallet case valued at $84.90, while the other gets a Portenzo HardBack wallet case valued at $54.85 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
China Unicom new iPhone reservations pass 100K
The impending launch of the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s marks the first time that the iPhone will go on sale in China the same day it launches in the US. That being the case, Bloomberg is reporting that pre-orders for Apple's upcoming iPhones on China Unicom have surpassed 100,000 units. China Unicom, the nation's second-largest wireless carrier, said online reservations for Apple Inc.'s new iPhone 5C and 5S have passed 100,000 units since the devices were unveiled last week. China Unicom, which announced the volume of registrations on its official account with Sina Corp.'s Weibo microblog, hasn't disclosed pricing plans for the handsets which are due to go on sale Sept. 20. That's all well and good, but the larger story as it pertains to China is whether or not Apple will soon strike a deal with China Mobile, the world's largest carrier with over 700 million subscribers. Just a few days ago, we reported that Apple recently received a regulatory license to carry the iPhone on China Mobile's network, but no official world of an agreement has been made yet. Meanwhile, pre-orders for Apple's new iPhones in the US are currently limited to the iPhone 5c.
X-Doria's iPhone 5c/5s cases: First look and giveaway
As you can probably imagine, iPhone case manufacturers have been jumping all over tech bloggers since before the iPhone 5c and 5s were even announced. One of the first to actually ship us hardware was X-Doria, with four new cases designed for the new phones. Take a look at what X-Doria has to offer, and then enter for a chance to win one of the cases for your new iPhone 5c. Defense 720° The $34.99 Defense 720° provides a hard injected protective shield to completely cover the screen while still giving your fingertips full control of the screen. There's a translucent plastic back to show off the colors of your favorite iPhone while still offering protection, and a rubber-like patterned edge as a defense against drops. The screen shield includes a hole that will be perfect for using Touch ID on the 5s to unlock the device. For the iPhone 5 and 5s, the Defense 720° comes in blue, purple and black. If you have an iPhone 5c, there are bright red, blue and yellow cases in addition to gray. Rapt For only $24.99, the Rapt is made of two different materials in two different colors. Polycarbonate and thermoplastic urethane keep your iPhone 5/5c/5s protected from drops while looking good at the same time. There are three flavors of the Rapt; black/grey, dark blue/light blue, and pink/fuschia. It's available for both the iPhone 5/5s and the 5c. Scene For good, inexpensive protection of your iPhone 5c without covering up the Apple logo or bright colors, the $24.99 Scene is perfect. It has rigid clear polycarbonate all around that is protected from drops around the sides with a rubbery material. It's available in red, grey,blue and yellow, but only works with the iPhone 5c. Scene Plus The iPhone 5c and 5/5s both get the $29.99 Scene Plus, which has a patterned translucent back. It uses the same hard polycarbonate / rubber exterior and side design as several of the other X-Doria entries, and the patterns are quite eye-opening. For the iPhone 5 and 5s, the designs are Black Prism, Pink Bubbles, and Blurry Dots Blue. The iPhone 5c gets Bubbles, Tribal HB, and Stripes. Giveaway Now it's your turn to grab one of these new cases for your sleek and colorful iPhone 5c. 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 September 17 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected. One receives an X-Doria Scene valued at $24.99, one receives an X-Doria Scene Plus valued at $29.99, one gets an X-Doria Rapt valued at $24.99, and one takes home an X-Doria Defense 720° valued at $34.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Daily Update for September 13, 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
The iPhone 5c is cheap for Apple, not for you
Shares of Apple took a mighty plunge this week following Apple's new iPhone announcement. Apparently investors weren't thrilled with the pricing on the iPhone 5c, a device which was, without any evidence whatsoever, pre-emptively touted as a low-cost iPhone. In truth, the iPhone 5c, while mildly cheaper than the iPhone 5s, is nowhere close to being cheap. On Apple's website, an unsubsidized 16 GB iPhone 5c retails for US$549, while the 32 GB model goes for $649. So what gives? Why did Apple go through the trouble of developing the iPhone 5c if not to make it cheaper for the masses? Simple. Apple doesn't view amassing market share for bragging rights as a worthy pursuit. Apple is not, nor has it ever been, in the business of flooding the market with cheap products in an effort to build its customer base, which is why it's no coincidence that Apple has over $100 billion in the bank. That said, the iPhone 5c is not, and presumably never was, positioned to be the extremely low-cost iPhone for the masses. If you want an affordable iPhone, the iPhone 4s is still alive and kicking. The iPhone 5c, meanwhile, is all about padding Apple's margins. Instead of making the iPhone 5 available for $99, Apple completely repackaged the device into what we now know as the iPhone 5c. By all accounts, the iPhone 5c is a re-purposed iPhone 5 with cheaper, and yet still high-quality, materials. Apple recognizes that not everyone needs or can afford the latest and greatest iPhone. So why not maximize profits for the demographic not willing to shell out a minimum of $199 for the iPhone 5s? It's a smart business strategy, compounded by the fact that Apple has now introduced colors into the mix. And sure, it's easy to scoff at that, but if history is any indication, the iPhone 5c, with its assortment of colors, will be a huge hit amongst consumers. What's more, there's a psychological component to what Apple is doing as well. If Apple simply made the iPhone 5 available for $99 with contract, it would have the aura of a last-generation device sold on the cheap. Old hat. The iPhone 5c, though really just a souped-up iPhone 5, seems, feels and appears like a completely new product. The 5c shifts the iPhone-purchasing debate from "new iPhone vs. old iPhone" to "new iPhone with bells and whistles vs. new iPhone with color and more affordable price point." Psychologically, I think this will help make the iPhone 5c extremely popular, though we'll have to wait for earnings season to see how this all plays out. Either way, Apple is sitting pretty. The company already controls the lion's share of profits in the industry and it now stands poised to take even more. Apple's flagship iPhone will always be a cash cow, but with the iPhone 5c, they've turned what was previously a slight margin liability into a more profitable product.
iPhone 5c available for pre-order now; iPhone 5s ordering and sales details announced
It's Friday the 13th, and that can mean only one thing... it's time to pre-order your iPhone 5c! The pre-order button is working on the Apple iPhone 5c page, meaning that you can pick your color, your carrier and all of the other details in preparation for delivery to your door next Friday, September 20. MacRumors is reporting that iPhone 5c ship dates have already slipped to one to two weeks for customers in Hong Kong, with other countries showing delivery on September 20. However, if you have the hots for a bright yellow 5c, you'll have to wait a bit. It appears that at least one model -- the 16 GB Yellow (GSM) Unlocked iPhone 5c -- is showing a delay until September 25 for delivery. Holding out for an iPhone 5s? You'll have to wait until 12:01 AM PDT / 3:01 AM EDT on September 20 to put in your order. Apple Stores will reportedly open at 8 AM local time on September 20 for those of you who wish to get your hands on that sleek gold iPhone first thing in the morning. While that means that we won't have to wait in line all day in front of an Apple Store to buy a 5s, it also sadly means that we'll be in lines all night... [via BGR]
Apple ups battery capacity on iPhone 5c and 5s compared to iPhone 5
Over the past few years, Apple has demonstrated an uncanny ability to enhance performance with each successive iteration of the iPhone while simultaneously maintaining, and sometimes increasing, battery life. The recently unveiled iPhone 5s and 5c are no different. Anandtech recently dug through some FCC documentation and found that the advertised battery capacity on the iPhone 5s is nearly 10 percent larger than on the iPhone 5. Meanwhile, battery capacity on the iPhone 5c is approximately 5 percent larger than on the iPhone 5. It turns out that there are in fact some battery size increases for both the 5S and 5C if the FCC disclosure is to be believed. While I'm somewhat skeptical sometimes of the accuracy of battery capacities as reported in FCC disclosures (which I noted about the battery size for the Nexus 5), these numbers seem credible given what I've heard, the statement Apple made during the keynote about the 5C battery size going up, and what I'd expect with some board re-layout for the 5S. The iPhone 5S ends up getting an almost 10 percent increase in size versus the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C goes up around 5 percent versus the iPhone 5. As for how this affects real-world usage, Apple noted during its keynote earlier this week that 3G talk time and LTE browsing time on both phones check in at an impressive 10 hours, marking a 25 percent increase from the iPhone 5. Also of note, standby time on both devices have been upped from 225 hours to 250 hours when measured against the iPhone 5. As we've noted before, battery life may not be the sexiest of specs to advertise, but it's something that enhances the user experience greatly and yet is quizzically overlooked by critics.
Belkin TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protector covers your glass... with glass
Belkin will soon be shipping a new product for your favorite Apple device that should be perfect for protecting that new iPhone 5c or 5s from scratches and breakage from day one. The new TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protectors (US$39.99 for iPhone 5) don't use plastic like competing products. Instead, they're made of a flexible glass that's only 0.2mm thick. Belkin says that the TrueClear InvisiGlass protector is nine times stronger than the plastic competition, yet is 2.5 times smoother. It won't stand in the way of protecting the rest of your investment with a case, and the company includes a cleaning wipe and dust-removal film to make sure that no lint or dust gets between your screen and the protector. The TrueClear InvisiGlass protectors are available for the iPhone 4 / 4S and the iPhone 5. Since the iPhone 5, 5c and 5s share the same 4-inch diagonal screen, your new phone can get the same level of protection. While Belkin's website still shows the TrueClear InvisiGlass Screen Protector as "coming soon," TUAW and Belkin are giving one away. 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 September 16, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Belkin TrueClear InvisiGlass screen protector for iPhone 5 valued at $39.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Who said the iPhone 5c was meant to be cheap?
iMore's Peter Cohen took down the complaints about the iPhone 5c's price before I got to publish my own thoughts on the matter. Go and read it. Still, I will say this: Why are people chiding Apple because the iPhone 5c "isn't cheap" and "won't benefit emerging markets"? Did Apple ever say, "The iPhone 5c will be inexpensive and is meant for lower-income customers in emerging markets"? No. Did bloggers and analysts invent this motivation and business plan WEEKS before the press event? Yes. So now they're berating Apple for not adhering to a business plan it never adopted. Awesome.
iPhone 5c preorders begin Friday at 12:01 AM PT, 3 AM ET
Verizon and Sprint have both announced that pre-orders for the new iPhone 5c will begin at 12:01 AM PT / 3 AM ET on Friday, September 13. On its launch, Apple announced the iPhone 5c would begin pre-order sales on the 13th, but it has yet to announce at what time those pre-orders will begin. With the announcements from Sprint and Verizon, it's very likely that pre-orders of the device will begin at the same time from Apple and all other major carriers. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5c will commence outside of the United States on September 13 as well in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK, though it's not clear yet what time the pre-orders will go live in those countries. Interestingly, the iPhone 5c is the only model of the iPhone made available to pre-order this year. The new iPhone 5s will forego pre-orders and instead go directly on sale on September 20.
