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Tag: iPhone 6

  • New iPhones Will Have Force Touch Tech – Report

    At this point, it doesn’t matter how hard you tap your iPhone screen – as long as it’s hard enough for the device to sense it. With the next generation of iPhone, you may have to think about just how hard you’re pressing your device because the pressure you exert may influence the action it takes.

    According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple is planning on incorporating its “Force Touch” tech into the next iPhones. Force Touch basically consists of tiny sensors in the retina display that make the device able to distinguish between a light tap and a firm press.

    Apple revealed that this feature would be coming to the new Apple Watch, the new MacBook, and the updated MacBook line.

    For the Apple Watch, Force Touch will give users access to a “Range of contextually specific controls, such as an action menu in Messages, or a mode that allows you to select different watch faces.” For the MacBook, Force Touch “enables new capabilities, like quickly looking up the definition of a word or previewing a file just by clicking and continuing to press on the trackpad.” Kind of like Apple embracing the right click – but with force as the actor.

    These new pressure-sensitive iPhones could appear this fall.

    The same report indicated that Apple is also working on a pink iPhone.

    This isn’t the first time we’ve heard reports of Apple putting Force Touch into the new set of iPhones. AppleInsider cited sources back in February who said that the new phones would gain the tech.

    Image via Apple.com

  • ‘Bendgate’ Proving Bigger Than Apple Cares to Admit?

    ‘Bendgate’ Proving Bigger Than Apple Cares to Admit?

    When people started complaining about their brand new iPhone 6s bending in their pockets, Apple was quick to play it down. Saying that warping was “extremely rare” through normal use, Apple said that only nine customers had complained about bending iPhones.

    Well, here’s 300 bent iPhones 6s.

    Bendghazi lives – and it’s a bit more serious than Apple wants to admit.

    That video comes to us from One of the Nine, a website created for the sole purpose of allowing people to upload their bent iPhones.

    “We aim to find all 9 of ’em … and maybe more,” says the site.

    As of today, they’ve currently found 327 of the 9.

    Some reports indicate that Apple may have quietly strengthened the iPhone 6 Plus in response to Bendgate. Still, it’s clear that Bendgate is a bit bigger than “extremely rare through normal use” and nine bent iPhones.

    via BGR, Image via One of the Nine (318), Twitter

  • iPhone 6 Plus Supply Issues Loom as Holidays Approach

    If you’re looking to get your hands on a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus before the holiday season is in full swing, you may want to order one sooner rather than later – especially if it’s the iPhone 6 Plus you’re after.

    Demand is outpacing supply for the new iPhone 6, and Apple CEO Tim Cook isn’t exactly sure when the latter is going to catch up.

    Speaking at Monday’s earnings call, Cook said that the iPhone 6 launch was “going great” … but …

    “That said, today demand is far outstripping supply. It’s unclear, looking at the data, when supply will catch up with demand.”

    In terms of that supply and demand, Cook added that “we’re not even on the same planet.” That doesn’t sound great.

    But it’s surely not surprising for phones that broke all-time sales records for Apple.

    For their part, you know Apple is trying its best to meet demands. It’s rumored that the reason you didn’t see the much-discussed mega-iPad (the supposed 12.9-inch one) at last week’s big press event is due to Apple going all hands on deck and throwing every bit of manufacturing focus into meeting the crazy iPhone 6 and 6 Plus demands.

    Still, moving forward, there’s uncertainty surrounding availability

    At least for now, you shouldn’t have an issue getting an iPhone 6. Shipping times are still short for the smaller of the two new phones, at about 7 – 10 days.

    As far as the iPhone 6 Plus is concerned, Apple’s shipping time is still upward of a month – and has been since just a couple hours after launch.

    Long story short – it’s possible that the iPhone 6 Plus will be particularly hard to come by as we move into the busiest shopping season of the year. That’s unless you want to spend an embarrassing amount of money on one. But you don’t want to do that. That’s ridiculous.

    Image via Apple

  • iPhone 6 Cases: Check Out The Coolest Must-Own Cases Around

    Worried about a bending iPhone?

    If you take the initiative to protect your new smartphone it won’t be a problem.

    Depending on your budget, a good case will probably run you an average of $30.

    Given how many hundreds of dollars the iPhone is worth, this is practically a bargain. It will certainly save you time and tears in terms of protecting your iPhone from harm!

    There are a variety of cases out there to choose from that will keep your phone safe and allow you to show off your unique style.

    If you’re having trouble deciding, here are some really cool cases to consider!

    Speck CandyShell Card Case

    This “ultra-durable” case comes in three colors and has space for you to store money and cards.

    Price: $45.00

    Instamatic Mint Green Camera

    This is one of those iPhone 6 cases that speaks to lovers of all things vintage. Available for both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus!

    Price: $16.00

    Monoprice Ultra-Thin Shatter-Proof Case

    If you want to protect your phone from harm without breaking the bank, look no further than this.

    It’s thin enough to make out the Apple logo, but strong enough to guard the back and sides of your iPhone against significant damage.

    Price: Around $6.00

    Sherlock’s Home Address

    This Sherlock-themed iPhone case is a silent nod that only other fans of the Sir Arthur Canon Doyle character will likely get.

    Price: $16.00

    Ted Baker iPhone Cases

    There are simply too many of these stylish cases to choose from. If you’re an aspiring fashionista, these cases belong on your “must have” list!

    A personal favorite would be the women’s fall/winter collection.

    Price: $40.00

    Icipio Performance Armband

    Whether you’re a runner or simply always on the run, this light-weight water-resistant armband will help keep you mobile.

    Price: $30.00


    More Issues Than Vogue

    This is one of those iPhone cases that one sends to the drama queen in their life as a Christmas or birthday present. It may be the ideal case for when you’re feeling a bit self-depreciating.

    Price: $9.00

    Any cool cases to recommend? Link them below!

    Images via afterimages, fancase, and PressedFlowerCases

  • iPhone 6 Lands in China October 17

    Apple has announced that the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus will be available to purchase in China on October 17. Pre-orders will kick off on October 10.

    “We are thrilled to bring iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to our customers in China on all three carriers at launch,” said Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. “With support for TD-LTE and FDD-LTE, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers will have access to high-speed mobile networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for an incredible experience.”

    The announcement comes after a long approval process, in which the Chinese government thoroughly scrutinized the new technology to make sure the “smartphones did not have security ‘backdoors’ through which U.S. agencies can access users’ data,” according to Reuters.

    The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology just issued the license for the two new phones to operate on Chinese cellular networks.

    Last Friday, both of the new iPhone 6s made their way to 22 more countries. The phones are now available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

    Demand should be high, as Apple recently revealed record sales for the new phones during their first weekend on the market. In just three days, Apple sold over 10 million iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Pluses.

    Image via Apple

  • Tim Cook In Hot Water For Bending iPhone And Botched OS Updates

    Tim Cook In Hot Water For Bending iPhone And Botched OS Updates

    Apple’s CEO Tim Cook is taking the heat for the recent publicity stumbles his company has made. Bending iPhones and botched OS updates are causing users to rethink their commitment to the company.

    “I just wish that Tim Cook had a better handle on things,” Mac customer Jason Nochimson told Bloomberg News. Nochimson discovered that the latest OS update left him without cell phone service on his iPhone 6. He spent two and a half hours talking to customer service. “I was worried that my daughter’s school was going to call me today and I wasn’t going to be able to get them,” he said. When Nochimson finally reached a representative, “he told me that he was not made aware that Apple was releasing 8.0.1 today. It was a shock to him that that happened. He said typically when they do software updates they know about it days in advance so they’re ready for it.”

    In response, Apple has released a statement: “We apologize for the great inconvenience experienced by users.”

    “Hey, Tim, we have an idea: Get your shit together,” a MacDailyNews editorial retorted, “Apologies are nice, but they only go so far. Fix the problem(s), Apple.”

    Reuters reported the blunders have left the company with a 25 billion dollar loss in stocks. Howevere, the public image of the company is arguably the biggest casualty of the blunders. Social media is mocking Apple and the bending iPhone 6 relentlessly:

    Still, the first three days have resulted in 10 million iPhone 6 sales, according to Reuters. The #bendgate scandal has yet to affect sales.

  • iPhone 6: Should You Get Insurance?

    iPhone 6: Should You Get Insurance?

    iPhone 6 fever is fading as most of those who stood in line for hours and pre-ordered their new toy now have it.

    The next thing new owners of an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus will deal with is what to do if (or when, for some of us) it gets dropped, cracked, drowned, or in this case, bent.

    Should everyone get insurance for their phone?

    That is a personal decision and likely depends on how careful you are with your phones and the financial impact that replacing an iPhone 6 would have for your situation, according to NBC.

    If you’re like me and have a history of killing phones with carelessness, like a 15 minute soak in a hot tub or a swim in a tall glass of sweet tea, perhaps insurance is the way to go.

    There are many options out there if you choose to insure your new iPhone 6. Apple offers the AppleCare warranty that has limited coverage for a year and 90 days of customer support.

    You could also buy their AppleCare+ extended warranty, which costs an extra $99. This warranty will cover limited damage, replace the iPhone 6 two times, and bump it up to two years of customer service.

    The down side is, you are subject to a $79 service fee for each incident in which you use the warranty.

    There are other options, so no pressure to buy AppleCare for your new iPhone 6. You can even get insurance from many insurance carriers and retailers. However, these generally require deductibles and can tout hefty premiums.

    Some carriers like Verizon, AT&T and T–Mobile offer insurance, but they also are prone to high deductibles and aren’t great with covering repairs.

    You could also go with an independent local repair service, which might not carry the hefty premiums and deductibles, but while they are usually cheaper, they may be limited in what they can provide for the iPhone 6.

    The other option is just to forget it. Don’t buy any insurance.

    This is the advice given by some consumer watchdogs.

    Bob Hunter, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America, says, “Insurance should cover big events that really harm your family’s economic situation. Phones, I think, are not usually worth insuring. Just make sure the contents you have are backed up on the cloud or somewhere.”

    Good advice for new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners! Just try to have a back-up plan in place, like the folks at Consumer Reports suggest in their smart phone buying guide.

    “A better idea: Keep your old phone until the new phone’s contract ends,” the buying guide suggests. “If you lose or break the new phone, reactivate the old one and use it until you qualify for a free or low-cost phone.”

    What do you think? Is smartphone insurance for your new iPhone 6 a good idea or not? Why?

  • iPhone 6, Plus Bend Their Way into More Countries

    Last Friday, Apple’s new smartphone lineup, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, launched in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK.

    Today, add 22 more countries to the list of places where people can buy the new devices. The new iPhones have just launched in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates

    Demand is sure to be high, as Apple recently revealed record sales for the new phones during their first weekend on the market. In three days, Apple sold over 10 million iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Pluses.

    That’s not to say that the launch hasn’t been fraught with complications and headaches for the Cupertino-based company. Not only has the rollout of iOS 8 been a mild disaster thanks to flawed updates, but Apple has been dealing with bending iPhones, now known across the internet as ‘Bendgate.”

    Word got around that some users were complaining that their brand new, giant iPhone 6 Pluses were actually bending in their pockets. The whole thing snowballed into an outright PR crisis, even though Apple claims that only a handful of actual iPhone 6 owners have complained about this problem.

    Image via Apple

  • iPhone 6 Owners Adapt to Larger, Bendier Devices

    It seems that iPhone fans always find a nit to pick with every new edition of the world’s most popular smartphone. Most years these gripes are minor, requiring no acknowledgement from Apple. Others are significant enough (like the iPhone 4’s antenna problems) to cause class action lawsuits and push Apple to give away free peripherals. This year’s big iPhone 6 problem is beginning to look like one of the latter.

    The trouble began early this week when some iPhone 6 owners began reporting that their new smartphones were beginning to bend. iPhones have never been the most durable high-end smartphones – but they’ve also never bent from normal smartphone usage.

    It appears that the issue is due to the larger size of the new iPhone models. Despite years of perfecting their carefully-machined case designs, materials science has only come so far. Aluminium is a relatively malleable metal and the larger size of the iPhone 6 Plus, combined with its thinner profile, is making that fact more apparent.

    With the bending issue now known, Apple could respond to the scandal in a couple of different ways. The company could go the iPhone 4 route and give away free cases to consumers, which could presumably prevent bending. Or, Apple could simply tell customers that the iPhone habits they’ve developed over the years (such as keeping the device in tight pants pockets) won’t work for the iPhone 6.

    Some Apple fans in the MacRumors forum thread where the bending issue was first raised are already defending the company, blaming iPhone 6 owners’ habits or bodies for the problem.

    In the future, Apple will have to carefully consider whether aluminium is the right metal to use for larger iPhones – or whether metal should be used at all. Samsung, Apple’s closest competitor, has been using tough plastics for its Galaxy smartphones for years. Apple itself used a polycarbonate plastic in its less-expensive iPhone 5C models, and industry analysts have already predicted that plastics are the future of the smartphone industry.

  • iPhone 6 Plus Is NOT A Phone For Pockets Say Unhappy Customers

    This is probably one of the more bizarre complaints about the new iPhone 6 Plus (we’ll get to the old standbys in a minute), but according to some unhappy Apple customers the newest phone fails in a unique way.

    Allegedly the Plus phone bends if you put the device in your pocket.

    Before you get confused, it’s not a matter of less than savvy individuals stuffing a cellphone into their back pockets and then sitting on their brand new iPhones.

    Instead the problem is caused by placing the iPhone 6 Plus in one’s front pocket.

    There is no distinction given between standing or sitting as what causes this specific issue; it seems that simple the act of carrying the phone around in a front pocket will supposedly result in a bent product.

    This rumor led to an investigation by Lewis Hilsenteger over at Unbox Therapy.

    The results? Well, see for yourself:

    After applying quite a bit of pressure, the iPhone 6 Plus did bend significantly. As the host pointed out, the phone’s body is made of mainly aluminium. Hisenteger shared that aluminum happens to be “one of the more malleable metals” around.

    He also mentioned that in order to see a significant bend in your Plus phone, the “tightness of the pants” you choose to wear will likely represent a huge factor.

    So if you’re a fan of skinny jeans, this means you probably don’t want your iPhone anywhere near your pockets.

    There are other durability issues, such as whether or not the iPhone 6 and Plus are waterproof.

    The short answer is absolutely not, but apparently there’s a case for that.

    The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus also seemed to fail the drop test administered by PhoneBuff:

    Judging by the above, you probably want to hope like heck that you drop your phones on their back with minor scuffing as the only outcome.

    This isn’t good news for Apple, which has been dogged by Samsung and their customers happily pointing out that what’s “new” to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers is quite “old” to their brand.

    The question now is if durability and originality issues will drive Apple back to the drawing board for the iPhone 7?

  • Apple Is Really Proud of How ‘Huge’ the New iPhone Is

    In 2010, Steve Jobs famously said that nobody wants to buy a huge phone.

    Well, in so many words. Here’s what he actually said, via Engadget:

    In response to a question at its press conference today about whether Apple could’ve done anything to avoid its antenna issues with the iPhone 4, Steve took the opportunity to rip on bigger rivals, saying that making a phone so big “you can’t get your hand around it” helps, but that “no one’s going to buy that.”

    So, pretty much. Plus, we have anecdotes about Jobs’ reluctance to make an iPhone with a display larger than 3.5 inches – even though the competition was moving in that direction.

    Oh how things have changed…

    That’s the latest Apple ad, aptly titled “Huge”.

    The difference between Apple’s current crop of new iPhones and the thoughts of its late co-founder are not lost on its rivals.

    The funny things is – Steve Jobs was wrong. Really, really wrong.

    Image via Apple, YouTube screenshot

  • iPhone 6 And 6 Plus Sales Set New Record

    Apple revealed that it sold over 10 million new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models during the first three days of availability. This probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but that’s a record breaking opening weekend for iPhones.

    Before the devices became available, Apple had already set a record with pre-orders.

    “Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible.”

    The devices are currently available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK, and will be available in over 20 more countries on September 26.

    The company is telling potential customers to keep checking back at the Apple Store or online for updates on availability and estimated delivery dates. Or you could just spend a ridiculous amount of money and buy a new iPhone on eBay.

    Here’s a closer look at the new devices and iOS 8.

    Image via Apple

  • iPhone 6 Plus Going for Embarrassing Amount of Money on eBay

    No.

    Nope.

    Naaaaaaah.

    I know there’s no iPhone 6 Plus stock left and the phone is so cool that even dead people are singing its praises.

    But no. Just wait a couple weeks. Read a book. Go fly a kite. Take LSD. Do literally anything other than pay $5,000 for a new iPhone.

  • iPhone 6 Is So Awesome Joan Rivers Is Shilling It from the Grave

    If you want to know just how incredible the new iPhone 6 is, just ask Joan Rivers.

    The celebrity comedian and fashion critic is raving about the new device on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, calling it “beautiful” and a “great achievement in design”.

    Of course. You’re right. Joan Rivers died two weeks ago. Still…

    The posts have since been deleted, but as you already know, nothing that ever sees the light of day online (no matter how fleeting), ever really disappears.

    It’s pretty clear what happened here – an obvious advertising deal and a scheduled post that someone forgot about.

    Still, it serves as yet another example of how social media, while it seems more personal than a TV ad, is still an advertising medium.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • First Guy to Buy an iPhone 6 Is a Huge Butterfingers

    Today’s the day for Apple fanatics. Those who chose not to pre-order the new iPhones are have been standing in lines across the world for hours – oftentimes overnight – just to get their hands on the coveted devices on launch day.

    In Perth, a man named Jack Cooksey was the first person in the city to buy one. And when interviewed about it on live television, Jack got nervous. Jack got clumsy. And Jack dropped his brand new iPhone on the ground.

    Oh shit indeed!

    Luckily for Jack, it appears the phone survived.

    “As soon as I knew I’d dropped it I thought someone was going to make a meme or something out of this but I didn’t expect it to go as big as it’s gone I mean, it’s in the UK now,” he told Australia’s 9NEWS.

    Sorry man. When you spend the whole night waiting to buy a phone and subsequently drop said phone on the sidewalk, well, you’re going to make the internet rounds.

    Image via YouTube screenshot

  • iPhone 6 Release Day Arrives, and You Better Hope You Pre-Ordered the 6 Plus

    It’s iPhone 6 release day, and as is the case with many Apple product launches, people are lining up at stores around the world to get their hands on the new devices.

    Of course, if you pre-ordered your new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus you can just sit back and wait for it to arrive in the mail. It all depends on when you placed you order, however, when it comes to when you’ll get your iPhone 6 Plus.

    Apple still has plenty of stock of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus is another story. Last Friday, when both phones became available for pre-order, customers bought out the iPhone 6 Plus stock rather quickly. Within hours, shipping times on the iPhone 6 Plus – both from Apple itself and the various carriers – had been pushed back to three to four weeks. In some cases, carriers said they wouldn’t be able to ship the iPhone 6 Plus until mid-to-late October.

    Apple soon announced that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus had set a new record for pre-orders, with over four million in the first 24 hours.

    So, long story short, if you pre-ordered an iPhone 6 you’re in good shape to receive it on time. If you pre-ordered an iPhone 6 Plus, it all depends on if you ordered it when stock was still available.

    Not everyone pre-ordered, however, and customers have lined up around the world to purchase the new phones.

    If you’re looking for the iPhone 6 Plus, you’ll be unlikely to find it in retail stores today.

    “We are told that stores have been receiving shipments all throughout the day, and out of all the new iPhone 6 models received, typically only about 2-3% are iPhone 6 Plus units, and in only one color,” reports BGR . “Sources also said there are no 16GB iPhone 6 Plus devices to be found.”

    In other words, you have a better chance of spotting a unicorn dressed as Steve Jobs than finding an iPhone 6 Plus at Best Buy today.

    Image via Apple

  • Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 6 – Which is Better?

    Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 6 – Which is Better?

    This year’s new iPhone models will hit stores tomorrow. Pre-orders of the devices have already broken Apple’s previous records, meaning sales are likely to set new records as well. The only question remaining is, given the relatively incremental improvements seen in this year’s model, is the iPhone still the best smartphone on the market?

    Looking at those pre-order figures, it’s clear that Apple fans have already made their decision. However, millions of consumers are now carrying around devices manufactured by Apple’s closest competitor, Samsung. With this context, the Wall Street Journal‘s new review of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus directly compares the devices to Samsung’s Galaxy S5.

    The Journal begins its review by addressing the most obvious change the iPhone 6’s have brought Apple fans – larger screen sizes. Though Steve Jobs may have once criticized the usability of larger smartphones, it’s clear now that consumers do want larger displays.

    The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 resolution display that, while smaller than the Galaxy S5’s 5.1-inch display, places the device firmly into a size category comparable to high-end smartphones from the likes of Samsung, Sony, and LG. The iPhone 6 Plus tops the Galaxy S5 with a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution screen, though it doesn’t quite hit the Galaxy Note 4’s massive 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 resolution display.

    The Journal‘s review also claims that the new iPhones have better cameras than the Galaxy S5, despite providing only 8MP images compared to the Galaxy’s 16MP camera. Once again it appears that by focusing on quality lenses and sensors Apple’s smartphones remain some of the best picture-taking devices on the market.

    One area that the new iPhones don’t quite match the competition is battery life. The Journal‘s tests showed that the iPhone 6’s battery can only power the phone at full brightness as long as the iPhone 5S. The iPhone 6 Plus suffers from the same issue, with its battery lasting only 15 percent longer than the iPhone 6. The Galaxy S5’s battery beat both devices in Journal tests, lasting as much as 50 percent as long as the iPhone 6’s battery.

    In a turnabout that could only happen in the fast-moving tech world, Apple seems to have taken cues from Samsung (such as the power button being moved to the side) in designing the iPhone 6. Apple fans will still argue the iPhone 6 is the best smartphone in the world, but one thing is now clear: smartphone designs are becoming homogenized and the iPhone is beginning to look more like Apple’s past than its future.

  • iPhone 6, 6 Plus Reviews Overwhelmingly Positive

    Apple’s new iPhones – the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus – are getting rave reviews from the tech media, as expected. The tech media loves its iPhones, and these are after all the “biggest advancement in the history of the iPhone,” as Tim Cook put it.

    Everyone and their mothers are voicing their opinions on the devices now, and they don’t even become available until Friday. You might want to hold out until the common folk get a chance to use them for a while before you sink your hundreds into them, but so far all indications are that these are great iDevices.

    The iPhone 6 is a “thin, sexy phone with a killer camera,” says noted tech journalist David Pogue.

    The device is “the best smartphone you can buy,” according to Walt Mossberg at Re/code.

    “The iPhone 6 is a great upgrade for current iPhone owners, or for anyone, really. It manages to provide a much larger display in a phone that’s still small enough to handle easily,’ he writes.

    The sentiments are echoed throughout the…echo chamber. Most have just about the same amount of praise for the iPhone 6 Plus, but some do find it to be just too big.

    John Gruber, who is perhaps the most well-known blogger of all things Apple, says, “If you simply want a bigger iPhone, get the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. That’s what it feels like: a bigger iPhone. If you want something bigger than an iPhone, get the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. It feels more like a new device — a hybrid device class that is bigger than an iPhone but smaller than an iPad Mini — than it feels like a bigger iPhone.”

    He adds, “If you don’t want a bigger iPhone — and in recent weeks I’ve heard from numerous readers who still pine for the 3.5-inch display iPhones — you might be disappointed by this year’s iPhone lineup, and should consider sticking with the iPhone 5-class models.”

    iOS 8 will hit the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s today, so if you have (or want) any of those, you’re about to get a new phone anyway, for all intents and purposes. Here’s what’s different about the OS.

    Read Gruber’s take for probably the most comprehensive review of the devices out there so far.

    Image via Apple

  • New iPhones to Drive Record Smartphone Shipments

    New iPhones to Drive Record Smartphone Shipments

    The incredible smartphone market growth seen over the past seven years has begun to slow, but sales of the devices are still increasing. Major tech manufacturers are still relying on the segment for a significant portion of their device sales, though smartphone prices are dropping and the quality of high-end devices is improving at a slower rate.

    Market research firm Juniper Research this week released new estimates for smartphone shipments in 2014. It predicts that unit shipments will reach nearly 1.2 billion by the end of the year, a 19 percent increase over the estimated 985 million smartphones shipped in 2013.

    Samsung and Apple are expected to continue leading the high-end smartphone market around the world. Juniper predicts that these two companies will account for around 45% of smartphone shipments in 2014. The firm also believes that the new iPhone 6 Plus will put pressure on Samsung and other manufacturers that had taken advantage of a market for larger smartphones free of Apple products.

    Apple last week announced this year’s new iPhone – or iPhones to be exact. The iPhone 6 will have a 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 resolution display and the iPhone 6 Plus will have a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 resolution display.

    Other than the new screen sizes, the new iPhones offer only a few significant upgrades from the iPhone 5. Both versions of the iPhone 6 will feature Apple’s new 64-bit A8 processor, said by the company to be 25 percent faster than the A7.

    Juniper also predicts that the smartphone market trends seen over the past two years will continue.

    Chinese manufactureers are expected to see continued success selling low-priced smartphones in emerging markets such as China and India. Google’s new Android One initiative could also help these smaller manufacturers pack better hardware and software into their smartphones.

    The largest growth markets for the smartphone industry will be seen in these emerging markets, which Juniper refers to as “vital” for the continued success of smartphones. Sales of smartphones priced at $150 and under are expected to rise, pushing the average sale price of smartphones down to just $274 by the year 2019.

  • Apple Pay Will Be the Only Use for Your Shiny New iPhone’s NFC

    Although Near Field Communication (NFC) has plenty of uses, from sharing data to pairing and operating apps and household objects, the only function of NFC that you’re going to be able to utilize with your shiny new iPhone 6 is Apple Pay.

    The company confirmed to Cult of Mac that the NFC chip in the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will only work with Apple Pay, Apple’s new payment solution. While this shouldn’t come as a shock, it’s still disappointing for those who had hoped Apple was finally adopting NFC on a larger scale.

    It’s not impossible that Apple would open things up a bit in the future – the chip itself is capable of performing other NFC functions other than operating Apple Pay – but for now that’s all it’ll be good for.

    Apple announced Apple Pay at their press event last week. It uses NFC to allow people to pay for goods and services with their new iPhones. American Express, MasterCard, and Visa are all on board and Apple has partnered with Citi, Bank of America, Capital One, Wells Fargo, and Chase. An impressive 220,000 retail locations have also signed on the participate in Apple Pay, including Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Walgreens, Subway, McDonald’s, Duane Reade, Whole Foods, Staples, Disney, PetCo, and Panera.

    It is missing the cooperation of a couple of big retailers, however – like Walmart and Best Buy.

    No word on whether or not you’ll have to be currently listening to the new U2 album in order to use the NFC.

  • iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus Top 4 Million Pre-Orders On First Day

    Apple announced that it saw a record first day of iPhone pre-orders for the 6 and 6 Plus, getting four million of them in the first twenty-four hours.

    The company actually told Re/code on Friday that it saw a record number of pre-orders on the first day (they went on sale at 3:01 AM Eastern), but they didn’t give the actual number until now.

    The devices quickly sold out, and Apple updated the shipping times to 3-4 weeks.

    CEO TIm Cook said, “iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do. Pre-orders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can’t wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday.”

    Both devices, Apple says, will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 19th. They’ll hit the following countries on Friday, September 26th: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

    The Apple Watch, which was announced alongside the new iPhone models, won’t be available until the Spring. Here are some of the things people are saying about that device.

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