WebProNews

Tag: iPhone

  • iOS 6 Beta 4 Goes Out To Developers

    iOS 6 won’t be out for at least another month and that means Apple is working on the finishing touches to its new mobile operating system. Developers were invited along for the ride back at WWDC so they could start building the next generation of apps that take advantage of all the new features that iOS 6 brings to iOS devices.

    Those developers are now in for a treat as Apple has released iOS 6 beta 4 upon the Apple centric developers of the world. The update should be available now as an over-the-air update for those running the previous beta version of iOS 6. If you prefer to update via desktop over USB, Apple’s developer’s Web site also has the newest update.

    There’s nothing too noteworthy in the changelog from beta 3 to beta 4 unfortunately. The only major change is that the YouTube app is no longer available on iOS 6 beta 4. Before you freak out over the Apple/Google war going way too far, it’s only a temporary omission. Speaking to The Verge, Apple said that their license to include YouTube in iOS had ended. The YouTube app will no longer ship with iOS, but Google is working on a standalone version that people can download from the App Store.

    As for the rest of the update, you can peruse the changelog at your fancy. Besides the omission of the YouTube app, you’ll find plenty of fixes and updates to various apps and functionalities. It seems that Apple really did a number on the Apple TV app with numerous fixes being applied in beta 4. iOS 6 is shaping up to be another great release from Apple, even if it does away with Google’s software in favor of its own. But hey, at least it has built-in Facebook integration.

    [h/t: BGR]

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: The Smaller Dock Connector Isn’t Exclusive To The New iPhone

    One persistent iPhone 5 rumor that has been confirmed via multiple leaks is that the device will have a smaller dock connector. With the rumored size of the iPhone 5, it only makes sense to have a smaller dock connector. It still doesn’t make it any better that consumers will have to buy a whole new array of accessories to support this new size. A new rumor suggests that Apple isn’t stopping their miniaturization plans with the iPhone 5.

    According to sources speaking to iMore, Apple intends to reveal a smaller dock connector for all their products at the company’s all but confirmed showing in September. Alongside the iPhone 5 and its new dock connector, we can expect to see the entire lineup support the new dock connector. According to iMore, this includes the new iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPad Mini and an updated version of this year’s iPad that includes the smaller dock connector.

    The size of the iPhone 5 is what most believe the reason behind the smaller dock connector to be. The other platforms, barring the redesigned iPod Touch and iPod Nano, don’t really need a smaller dock connector. It makes sense, however, for two very important reasons.

    The first is that Apple obviously wants to standardize everything across both of their platforms. Having some devices use the smaller dock connector while others use the larger would make no sense from a design standpoint. The second can be attributed to simple business. Everybody owns all the dock connector accessories for their iPhone 4S and iPad. Why would they need to buy anymore accessories? Switching to a new size might turn off some fans, but Apple fans will generally buy up new accessories anyway. It’s smart business and it should help bolster their already massive bottom line in the current quarter.

    Once again, none of this is confirmed. We all know that the iPhone 5 is going to use a smaller dock connector, but we can’t be sure of the rest. We haven’t seen anything on the iPad Mini front and it makes little sense to release a new version of this year’s iPad with the only change being a new dock connector. We’ll find out soon enough though as Apple’s iPhone 5 event is rumored to take place on September 12.

  • iPhone 5 Rumors Jumpstart Smartphone Trade-Ins On eBay

    It’s a common phenomenon. As soon as a new iPhone is announced or close to being announced, people flock to stores to trade-in their old phones so they can get full value before price drops knock down the trade-in price for them. We’re still more than a month away from the iPhone 5’s rumored launch, but the trade-in exodus has already begun.

    According to CNET, eBay has seen a huge increase in iPhone trade-ins through their Instant Sale program. The 70 percent increase has been mostly through trade-ins of the iPhone 4S 16GB model with the 8GB iPhone 4 and 32GB iPhone 4S closely following.

    It seems kind of silly to sell your phone this early when we don’t even know if Apple is going to hold an event in September. If the rumor is true, selling it now might not even be the best course of action as you’ll be sitting on a few hundred dollars of PayPal credit for at least a month. Of course, the rumor does seem legitimate and a September launch would fit perfectly into Apple’s plans to dominate the holidays.

    It’s important to note that eBay’s trade-in program runs year round. The increase isn’t any indication that the iPhone 5 is near. The real indication will come in the form of retail partners getting their trade-in programs ready. Best Buy and RadioShack have both traditionally been in the trade-in business and their participation would signal that it’s time to get excited.

    Trade-in programs aren’t the only place where old iPhones go. A study from yesterday revealed that many iPhone owners option to hand off their old iPhone to family members when they go buy the newest model. Either way, the cycle of used iPhones leading to new iPhone sales remains unbroken.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: This Is The Glass, And It’s Better [Video]

    iPhone5Parts.net claims to have gotten its hands on the glass for the iPhone 5 (or the New iPhone or whatever you want to call it).

    I’m not actually able to get to iPhone5Parts.net, but ETradeSupply (not to be confused with E*TRADE) has uploaded the video to YouTube (via 9to5Mac). It shows a comparison between the iPhone 5 glass and that of the iPhone 4S.

    If this is legitimate, it is taller than its predecessor at 90.25mm, at the same width, with a display area of 4.065 (also taller). It is slightly thicker at 1mm (compared to 0.9mm for the 4S).

    Some other highlights from ETradeSupply:

    • Transmittance: iPhone 5 is better compared with iPhone 4s
    • The camera hole of iPhone 5 glass lens moves from the left side to the right middle above the receiver.
    • The light sensor hole moves from the top to the left side of receiver. Also, it becomes very small.
    • The diameter of home button hole of iPhone 5 glass lens is narrowed 0.3mm. That is to say the iPhone 5 home button will become smaller and the iPhone 4S home button will not fit for iPhone
    • The anti-scratch ability of iPhone 5 is better than iPhone 4s

    The narrator says the component comes from “reliable sources”.

    The device is expected to be unveiled on September 12. All indications are that the release will be huge.

    More iPhone 5 coverage here.

  • iPhone 5 Release Date Is Going To Be Huge

    iPhone 5 Release Date Is Going To Be Huge

    When the iPhone 5’s rumored release date rolls around this September, what’s going to happen? Will people claw their way to the store and beat out the competition to be the first to obtain the device? Will they give up on a vacation just to afford the new iPhone? It’s looking more like all of the above and then some.

    Analytics company ListenLogic recently ran a study on the iPhone 5 and consumer perception for Apple. The company didn’t have that great of a quarter thanks to struggling iPhone sales. The reported cause is that everybody is waiting for the iPhone 5, but how much of that is true? ListenLogic started asking consumers questions about the iPhone 5 over a four- week period and analyzed six million social media conversations to come to their conclusion.

    Among the responses, some of them are actually quite surprising. Out of all those who participated in the study, 23 percent said they would postpone buying clothes, cars and paying for vacations just to afford the iPhone 5. ListenLogic says that brand loyalty is Apple’s strongest asset.

    “This willingness to sacrifice to buy Apple products may be the single biggest measure of brand loyalty and the greatest source of anxiety for the competition,” ListenLogic CEO Vincent Schiavone said. “The current data show that only Apple can unseat Apple.”

    The social media response has been staggering as well. Last year, intent to purchase the iPhone 5 based on social recommendations was only at 48 percent last year. That number has increased to 82 percent. A strong showing in social media indicates that the iPhone 5 is going to be the must have device this year.

    On a final note, what should come as a surprise to no one is that 82 percent of current iPhone owners have expressed intent to purchase the iPhone 5. What’s even better is that 29 percent of those who buy the iPhone 5 plan to hand off the older models to their kids or friends. This only serves to increase brand awareness and brand loyalty.

    I think we can all agree with Schiavone when he says that the iPhone 5 launch will be “epic.” Whether you like it or not, Apple commands the most fierce brand loyalty when it comes to phones and tablets. The iPhone 5 release is going to be huge, but I can’t wait to see how huge. Here’s hoping nobody gets trampled as people rush to the store for one.

  • A Different, Funnier Take On That Martin Scorsese Siri Commercial

    Last week, we showed you an a new iPhone 4S commercial featuring Martin Scorsese using Siri. While much tamer, we couldn’t help but be reminded of a certain uncomfortable scene in Scorsese’s Taxi Driver.

    Now, there’s a funnier take on the ad. AppJudgment has uploaded the following parody to YouTube (via 9to5Mac):

    This video is even funnier considering that a real Siri ad was recently called out for delivering bogus information.

  • AT&T Orders Stores To Give Preferential Treatment To Android, Windows Phones

    AT&T Orders Stores To Give Preferential Treatment To Android, Windows Phones

    The iPhone is still ridiculously popular and stores are happy to sell it. Sure, sales might be down thanks to iPhone 5 rumors, but sales are going to pick back up again in September, right? They might not pick back up that much at AT&T stores, however, thanks to a new company directive.

    BGR spoke to anonymous sources working at AT&T stores and found that regional managers are now instructing them to sell anything but the iPhone to consumers looking for a new phone. Here’s how it all goes down: a consumer goes to the AT&T store looking for an iPhone. Instead of taking them straight to Apple’s device, the stores are now instructed to show them Android and Windows Phones so they can make “an informed decision.”

    While I think people should definitely make “an informed decision” before buying a phone, AT&T is wrong to make that choice for them. Customers can certainly ask for a store worker’s opinion, but they can’t make the decision for them. Of course, this could all be a way for AT&T to make more money. Apple has been known to charge ridiculous prices for their phones which AT&T takes the brunt of the cost by offering massive subsidies to consumers with contracts.

    What’s even stranger is that AT&T has also ordered their own employees to no longer get an iPhone as their company-owned phone. To force an Android or Windows Phone on an employee just seems kind of wrong, but that’s a decision left up to AT&T corporate. If the employee wants an iPhone, they can get one on their own dime.

    So has AT&T’s tactics worked? According to BGR’s sources, iPhones sales used to make up about 80 percent of AT&T’s smartphone sales. Now they only make up about half of all sales thanks to these decidedly underhanded tactics.

    Apple, of course, would be furious if this turned out to be true. They already have to put up with Android taking up more of their turf. For the competition to get preferential treatment at one of the largest wireless carriers in the U.S. would incur the company’s wrath in ways unseen. We’ve reached out to both Apple and AT&T for comment and will update this story if we hear back.

    UPDATE:

    An AT&T spokesperson just got back to us. Here’s their statement in full:

    “The idea that we would steer any customer away from a particular device couldn’t be more farfetched. Our reps do what it takes to align customer needs with the best device for them. iPhone remains one of our most popular devices, which doesn’t happen by steering people away from it. Our reps are encouraged to try all devices so they are more knowledgeable on our industry-leading smartphone lineup.”

  • Patents Are The Key To Victory In Apple, Samsung Case

    The most important patent trial of the year started this week. Apple and Samsung are going to duke it out in front of a jury trying to convince that one stole from the other. It’s going to get nasty, but it’s going to be one of the most interesting cases in recent years.

    Lawyers for both companies began making arguments in front of the carefully selected jury on Tuesday. That jury will decide the fate of Apple or Samsung in the coming weeks. According to AFP, the jury is made up of a wide variety of folks including an unemployed man, a homemaker and a mechanical engineer.

    What’s interesting is the choice in jury. Many prospective jurors were disqualified because they have extensive technical backgrounds. While that may seem like a bad thing, it’s plays in the favor of both companies. The lawyers will actually have to explain how their competitors’ products violate their client’s patents. It’s going to be fascinating to see the case explained in layman’s terms.

    As we reported Monday, the case doesn’t only involve Apple and Samsung. Google has a lot at stake in this trial. If Apple wins, Samsung and Google will both be put further on the defensive. Apple has always claimed that the Android operating system copies iOS, and a win against Samsung would further validate those claims.

    It’s too early to say who will win, but both sides have formidable proponents on their side. The judge in the case, US District Judge Lucy Koh, granted Apple an injunction against Samsung already. Samsung has the better legal defense, however, as they hired Quinn Emmanuel, a noted patent lawyer who has won several cases for Google in the past.

    Regardless, this is going to be a doozy of a patent case. It could very well last for a long time. We’ll keep following it and let you know of any developments. However this plays out, it’s going to affect the mobile market in significant ways.

  • New iPhone: Is This What The iPhone 5 Will Really Be Called?

    Everyone calls the forthcoming iPhone the iPhone 5. Not everyone, but that’s generally what its referred to as when any rumors or speculation about the device are reported.

    In reality, it’s very unlikely that the device will actually be called the iPhone 5. Remember the iPad 3? That was what everyone was calling the latest version fo the iPad before Apple unveiled it, and simply called it the “New iPad”.

    I’m not really sure how helpful the strategy of naming a device the “new” iPad or iPhone really is, because eventually, it will no longer be called the “new” one, but that is clearly the path Apple has taken with the iPad, and it seems only logical that the iPhone would follow a similar path.

    Gizmodo makes a pretty good case for why the device will almost certainly not be called the iPhone 5, beyond the above point. As the publication notes, the original 2G iPhone was just called the iPhone, the second one was called the iPhone 3G, the third one was called the 3GS, the fourth one was called the iPhone 4, and the fifth one was called the 4S. The major point being that the fifth generation iPhone already exists, and it’s not called the iPhone 5 (remember, that’s what everyone was calling that one too before it was unveiled).

    It could be the iPhone 6, but that seem fairly unlikely as well.

    If I was a gambling man, I’d put my money on “New iPhone” as what Apple will actually call this thing. Apple still refers to the latest iPad as “The New iPad”. You can see it that on the company’s iOS 6 page, where it shows you the devices the operating system will be compatible with.

    iOS 6

    It’s not hard to imagine “The new iPhone” being added to that image. Or maybe it will be “iPhone 6th generation”.

    What do you think?

    The device is expected to be unveiled on September 12. Here’s what’s being said about it.

  • New iPhone Rumor: Fully Assembled iPhone 5 Appears On Japanese Website

    Today must be iPhone 5 leaks day as images and video of Apple’s next iPhone are flooding in from everywhere. With a rumored late September launch, it only makes sense that Apple would be manufacturing the iPhone 5 right now. Thanks to that, we have what appears to be the first images of a fully assembled iPhone 5.

    Japanese Web site iLab Factory got their hands on the parts that make up the new iPhone. What did they do with it? They built the iPhone 5. What they found is that all the previous rumors are turning out to be true including the longer screen and the smaller dock connector.

    Here’s the front of the phone with the smaller dock connector clearly visible:

    New iPhone 5

    The back of the phone has a new finish that’s definitely smoother and sexier than the current 4S model:

    New iPhone 5

    Here’s a close up of the side with power and volume buttons looking especially nice with the new design:

    New iPhone 5

    We’ll find out if these images are a real representation of the new iPhone soon enough. Apple will reportedly be holding an event in September to announce the iPhone 5. If these images are real, Apple will undoubtedly have another hit on their hands.

    Follow our extensive coverage all of iPhone 5 news and rumors here.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: The Housing Will Look Like This [Video]

    The iPhone 5 (which may not actually be called the iPhone 5), is expected to be unveiled in September. The unveiling event is rumored to be scheduled for September 12 (when the iPad mini could be revealed as well), and there’s talk that the device would be actually released to the public a week after that.

    As is the case ahead of any major apple release, rumors have been running rampant, along with allegedly leaked photos of the device, or various elements of it. There’s now a video making the rounds from Macotakara, which claims to show off the housing, or at least what could be the housing of the device. Here’s that video:

    Obviously, there’s no way of knowing for sure that this is what it will look like, but as others have pointed out, Macotakara has a decent track record when it comes to Apple, so that could lend some sliver of credibility to the clip.

    Either way, September really isn’t that far away at this point, so we’ll all find out soon enough just what this thing is going to look like, as well as what it is actually called. The real question is: how much better will it be than its predecessors and competitors?

    To read about what’s expected of the device, peruse our iPhone 5 rumor coverage here.

  • You Can Now Get A Brand New iPhone 4 For $50 From Best Buy

    You can now buy a brand new iPhone 4 from BestBuy.com with a new 2-year contract, with either AT&T or Verizon Wireless. That would be the 8GB model in either black or white.

    The unactivated price is $599.99.

    $50 iPhone 4

    Of course the iPhone 4 is not the latest model (that would be the 4S), and there will soon be another one on the market (maybe or maybe not the iPhone 5). It will, however, support iOS 6 when it comes out this fall, so it at least those who purchase this inexpensive device will be able to run Apple’s latest operating system.

    [via 9to5Mac]

  • Apple’s New Patent Is A Little Gamey

    Let’s be honest – mobile gaming is here to stay. Platforms like iOS and Android have expanded gaming into new territories because there are a lot of people who can’t seem to wrap their head around a controller. The natural movements of their fingers are much easier to grasp and therefore more fun. Of course, that simplifies iOS games to the point where core gamers lose interest within minutes. Apple’s new patent may help remedy that.

    Discovered by Game Revolution, a patent was recently granted to Apple that covers a game controller. The controller, as you can see above, is pretty much ripped straight from Sony’s DualShock design for the PSone through the PS3.

    What’s interesting is that the controller would connect to iOS devices via NFC. The new iPhone that’s supposedly launching in September will be the first iPhone to feature the communication frequency. That would be a perfect time for Apple to launch the controller to bring core gamers into the iOS flock. It might work too.

    Of course, playing a game on a phone with a controller that’s bigger than it makes little sense. That’s why the patent mentions that the controller will be used in conjunction with an iPhone/iPad and the Apple TV. With AirPlay, games can be streamed onto a TV via the iPhone. With a controller, Apple will have themselves a game console that could potentially shake up the market just like the Ouya promises to do.

    There’s no doubt that Apple wants to become a major player in gaming. There’s too much money in it for them not to be interested. The only problem is that this controller is not built for the legion of Apple gamers who are only interested in simple, quick mini-games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja. This controller has to get core gamers to switch to something’s technologically inferior to the consoles and PCs of today.

    Such a challenge hasn’t phased the Android counterpart – Ouya – at all and it obviously won’t phase Apple. We’ll have to see how gamers react to such a move if, and when, such a controller is launched. Gaming is in a transitionary stage at the moment and anybody with a bold enough idea has a chance to change the industry. Will Apple bring a revolution? Probably not, but it’s still a step in the right direction.

  • iPhone 5 Could Be Bigger Hit Than Predecessors In China

    As previously reported, Apple’s Q3 earnings reveal that the company is doing pretty well in the Chinese market. Half of the company’s revenue comes from international markets, and China is no doubt high on the list.

    CEO Tim Cook says revenue from the country was $5.7 billion in Q3, accounting for a whopping 48% increase year-over-year. Things may soon get even better for Apple in China, despite increased smartphone competition in the region.

    Siri does not currently support Mandarin Chinese, which is widely spoken in China and in Hong Kong. A report from Reuters reminded us today that this is about to change this fall.

    Update: Wording has been adjusted to reflect that (as a reader pointed out) Mandarin was previously announced as a supported language in iOS 6, which will also come to other versions of the iPhone.

    Currently, Siri works in English (United States, United Kingdom and Australia), French (France), German (Germany), and Japanese (Japan). On Apple’s Siri FAQ page, it says that Siri will support addition languages, including Chinese, Korean, Italian and Spanish, in 2012.

    Siri can be used in any country in the supported languages, but it’s designed to recognize specific accents and dialects of its supported countries. Clearly, Siri has a great deal of room for growth in that department, and given that Siri has become one of Apple’s main selling points for the iPhone, more language support should have a significant impact on iPhone sales, which haven’t been as great as they have been in previous quarters (though Apple still managed to sell 26 million of them in the quarter).

    Of course, Google has added a Siri competitor to its Android operating system, so Apple may also find Siri to become less of a selling point as time goes on.

    The iPhone 5 (if that is its real name) is expected to be released in either September or October, depending on which reports you believe. The aforementioned Reuters report is sticking with October, but otherwise, the latest rumor is leaning more towards September.

  • Apple’s Q3 Results Reveal That They Are Dominating In China

    Apple confirmed that they still make a lot of money during their Q3 earnings results yesterday. One point of interest in said earnings, however, was that over half of its revenue was coming from overseas markets. It would appear that China is probably the biggest of those markets.

    During the earnings call yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that revenue in China was at $5.7 billion in Q3, which is a 48 percent increase over last year. To make that sound even more impressive, Apple has made about $12.4 billion in China so far this year. They made $13.3 billion in total in China last year. With one more quarter to go, Apple is on target to smash last year’s revenue.

    With the global economic climate finally affecting China, however, Apple does stand to lose a bit of their momentum in the country. Mac sales were down in the region from last year and revenue growth is slowing down. It would appear that device sales are actually growing though. Cook said that iPhone sales are growing in China by 100 percent year-on-year. Unfortunately, the new iPad launch couldn’t be counted into their Q3 results for the country. We’ll be able to see next quarter if the iPad makes any discernable gain in China.

    It should be noted that Apple isn’t doing bad anywhere, especially China. The effects of the global economic crisis have definitely taken their toll, but Apple is still making a lot of money. To hopefully combat that, Apple will be launching China-specific services in iOS 6 to increase sales in China. You may recall that Apple announced at WWDC that Siri would soon be speaking Chinese and that Chinese search engine, Baidu, would be providing search for Apple devices going forward.

    Now if only Apple could stop every Chinese company from suing them, they could operate in the nation unscathed. Settling with Proview may have made sense at the time, but now it’s opened the floodgate of litigation. Every Chinese company will be wanting a piece of them now. It will be interesting to see how the company handles all of these lawsuits while still trying to grow their already sizable market in the country.

    [h/t: TechCrunch]

  • Apple Apparently Thinks People Still Buy iPod Touches

    Apple is very successful at what they do. They are able to single-handedly convince people to hand over large amounts of money for iPhones and iPads. The company thinks that this tactic also works for their other products like the iPod line. It used to work, but I don’t see much point in trying to sell people what is essentially an iPhone without the phone.

    Apple sees a point, however, with rumors from 9to5Mac pointing to a new iPod Touch to be released alongside the new iPhone this September. Continuing in the fine tradition of nerfing the iPod Touch to be one generation behind the current iPhone, the new iPod Touch will be more like a iPhone 4S.

    The rumors point to the new iPod Touch at least having one thing that its newer contemporary has – a larger screen. Leaked front frame images show that that iPod Touch will get a slightly larger four-inch display. That’s where the similarities end, however, as the new iPod Touch is reportedly getting the current gen A5 chip and an iPad inspired shell.

    It still remains to be seen if the new iPod Touch will be running on iOS6. The iOS5 for iPod Touch page features a teaser for iOS6 near the bottom, so it seems likely.

    It’s a little disappointing to see the iPod Touch get increasingly ignored over the last few years. It would be nice if Apple would bring it up to par with the curent iPhone builds. Some of us just want an iPod Touch and it would be nice if we could be on equal footing with our iPhone toting brethren.

  • iPhone 5 and iPad Mini Should Be Available This September

    iPhone 5 and iPad nerds, get your wallets and bank accounts ready. According to Plugged-in KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, an individual who is no stranger to Apple rumors, both the iPhone 5 and the smaller incarnation of the iPad should be available to consumers this September. Hopefully you’ll have enough scratch left in your bank account following all of your glamorous summer vacations to afford two new gadgets from a company that excels at making gadgets.

    “iPhone 5 to debut in September,” Ming-Chi wrote in a letter to clients. “But due to in-cell touch panel and casing yield rate limits, ability to offset older models’ shipments decrease will be moderate. Though shipments of iPad mini’s components will start in August, the new iPad line will end production, ready for transition to a modified New iPad line. As such, component shipments will drop in August as iPad mini’s components shipments growth will be offset.”

    Unfortunately, a concrete date for the release has not been officially issued, though rumor has it the new iPhone will hit shelves on September 21st. Regardless, news that the iPhone 5 is (finally) coming down the proverbial pipeline later this year is sure to cause Apple geeks to salivate in anticipation. I know several people who will no doubt line up extra early to get their hands on the latest offering from their technological Lord and Savior. Do keep in mind, however, that release dates are always subject to change. Now it’s September, tomorrow it could be October.

    The iPad mini, which features a thin 7.85-inch display, will set you back between $249 and $299. As far as the iPhone 5 is concerned, a price has not been quoted, though I’m sure it’s going to be a little on the expensive side. They generally are.

    During a recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer said speculation surrounding the iPhone 5 has resulted in a decline in sales. Since the latest version of the popular smartphone is just around the corner, most people are waiting for its release before investing in a new device.

    Care to read some Twitter posts from folks who are freaking out about the iPhone 5’s September release date? If so, you’re in luck. Take a moment to peruse some of the reactions below. As you can tell, a lot of people are pretty jazzed about getting their hands on one.

  • This New Martin Scorsese Siri Commercial Is A Lot Tamer Than Taxi Driver

    Apple has put out a new iPhone/Siri commercial featuring famed director Martin Scorsese. This follows ads featuring Samuel L. Jackson, John Malkovich and Zooey Deschanel.

    Watching the new one, I can’t help but think about a classic scene from Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, where he is also riding in the back of a cab talking like Martin Scorsese. The biggest difference is that in the Taxi Driver clip he is playing a homicidal racist talking about murdering his wife with some pretty disturbing dialogue.

    Here’s the new Apple ad:

    Here’s the Taxi Driver clip (contains NSFW language):

    People have been pretty fond of Apple’s other celebrity Siri ads for the most part. People apparently really liked the Zooey Deschanel one in particular.

    What do you think of the new Marty ad?

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: It Won’t Work With Many Of Your Existing iPhone Accessories

    Rumor has it that the next version of the iPhone, which may or may not be called the iPhone 5 (but for all intents and purposes, we’ll refer to as the iPhone 5), will come with a smaller dock connector, rendering it incompatible with many existing iPhone accessories.

    This news comes not from some random Apple blog, but from Reuters, who cites “two sources familiar with the matter”. These sources reportedly indicate that the iPhone 5 will feature a 19-pin connector port, as opposed to the 30-pin model that Apple has used for years.

    As Reuters implies, this could mean big sales for accessory makers, even if it pisses off a lot of current iPhone users, who wish to upgrade when the device becomes available.

    The iPhone 5 is said to be currently in the manufacturing stage, and it’s expected to be launched in either September or October (the Reuters report says October).

    More iPhone 5 rumors here.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: It’s Being Made Right Now

    The iPhone 5 rumors have been going on since well before the iPhone 4S came out. When Apple comes out with its next iPhone (most likely later this year), they may continue, with the next version very possibly not even being called the iPhone 5. We’ll just have to wait and see.

    Either way, one of the latest rumors about the next device in the insanely popular iPhone line is that it has entered the manufacturing stage. According to a report from Digitimes, Pegatron has begun production at its Shanghai factory. The publication cites “industry sources in Taiwan”.

    Last week, images of a white front panel surfaced, perhaps indicating that desires for a white iPhone 5 (or whatever it may be called) will be sated sooner rather than later.

    No matter which color users are interested in, they may be getting a quad core processor underneath the casing.

    It’s worth noting that DigiTimes (also where the quad core processor rumor appears to have originated) has not always been accurate with these rumors, but a rumor is just a rumor, and they’re careful enough not to report any of this as fact, but relaying info from sources.

    The Wall Street Journal did report last week that the device is in production, but they’re not always right either.

    As with any rumor, they should all be taken with their respective grains of salt.

    The device is expected to launch in September or October of 2012.

    For a round-up of all the iPhone 5 rumors, keep an eye on our coverage here.

  • Socialcam Is The Latest App Success Story

    Socialcam Is The Latest App Success Story

    There is no better time than the present to build an app. If it can get popular, some larger company is going to buy it for a lot more than you ever invested in it. Instagram may be the biggest success story of them all, but popular mobile app Socialcam is no slouch.

    Autodesk, creators of fine visual effects and game development software, just announced their acquisition of Socialcam for $60 million. If you aren’t familiar with Socialcam, it’s a simple video recording and editing software that allows people to easily share their creations with friends. A review on the app store from TechCrunch that says it’s “Instagram for video” is not far from the truth.

    So what does Autodesk, a company that develops sophisticated software for movies and games, want to do with a simple social app like Socialcam? It’s all about branching out with Autodesk wanting to offer their services to everyday people alongside the industry professionals. In a post on the Socialcam blog, the team describes it best:

    If you haven’t heard of Autodesk, that’s probably because the company is best known for its professional tools for design and visualization. But their mission is to help everybody imagine, design and create a better world. Autodesk has a proven track record of acquiring and scaling fast-growing, early stage consumer businesses while staying true to their core audience and vision. Recently, with products like SketchBook and Pixlr, they’re making their award winning technology accessible to millions of people around the world through intuitive web, mobile and social platforms. We fit in right there–helping people around the world capture, create, view and share video in real time, wherever they are. We hope you’re as excited as we are about the good things in store for Socialcam as a result of this news!

    The team promises that Socialcam won’t change one bit and they’ll only be improving from here on out. Considering that Autodesk has some impressive video editing software of their own, it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to think it would find its way into Socialcam at some point in the future. The concept of being able to produce a professional film on your phone is a pretty exciting concept.

    So now that Instagram and Socialcam have been bought up, what else is next? I’m personally waiting until somebody creates the “Instagram of music” that gets bought up by a company like Spotify. You can’t apply a sepia tone to a deep bass track, but that doesn’t preclude developers from trying.

    If you want to try out Socialcam and find out for yourself why it’s worth $60 million, check out the app on both iOS and Android.