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Tag: iPhone

  • Possible Outcomes Of The iPhone Becoming A Non-AT&T Exclusive

    The folks at Apple just need to wake of in the morning to create news of all sorts that could shape the online world in many ways. First, there’s the talk about some profits in Q1 that would make any company happy (The company posted revenue of $15.68 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share). There’s all the hubbub about the announcement of their new tablet device on Wednesday which is apparently the worst kept secret in quite some time.

    Now comes the rumor that in the next 18 months the iPhone should be available on most major carriers thus breaking away from its AT&T exclusivity contract (read: stranglehold) that has been the bane of many iPhone users existence. If this is truly the case then there may be some considerable change on the Verizon, oops, I meant horizon.

    This makes sense for Apple since the other rumors are that Android devices are a real threat to the iPhone dynasty. eWeek reports

    Is Jan. 27 the day Apple introduces its anticipated tablet — and AT&T’s exclusive relationship with Apple’s iPhone comes to an end?

    According to Hot Hardware, which cites an “inside source,” the latter is seeming likely — though news of which additional carrier or carriers will gain access to the iPhone is still unknown.

    Verizon Wireless has been rumored for some time to be on line for an iPhone — a scenario that analyst have called a positive one for Apple — while others have said that Verizon may also be first in line for the Apple tablet.

    The move would entail Apple releasing either a CDMA-based version of the iPhone, or a single, updated iPhone that could run on both networks.

    No matter what the scenarios that are played out there are plenty of people who are right on the edge of moving to some Android device but have been holding off in hopes of the iPhone escaping the bondage of its AT&T deal. Everyone wants to see it happen except, of course, AT&T. Whether the network criticisms of AT&T are real or not there could be an exodus to other networks if the iPhone can be had someplace else.

    For me this may delay my plans to move away from the BlackBerry to an Android device on Verizon. This kind of a result could be just as much of a reason for Apple to make this happen than anything else. If they could slow the adoption rate of the Android smartphones with just the prospect of the iPhone showing up on other networks then that in and of itself is a victory.

    So if you are an iPhone user would you jump ship to get on another network if the iPhone were there? And for you folks like me who are not currently an iPhone user what are your plans for the next smartphone you purchase?

    If this happens then this should be very interesting for everyone from users to marketers. Your take?

    Comments

  • Google Voice Makes Way to iPhone, Palm WebOS

    Google is launching the Google Voice app for both the iPhone and Palm WebOS. It is an HTML5 app, which the company says provides users with a "fast and versatile" mobile experience, because of its use of the latest advancements in web technologies.

    "For example, AppCache lets you interact with web apps without a network connection and local databases allow you to store data locally on the device, so you don’t lose data even when you close the browser," explains Google in a post to its Mobile blog.

    Google Voice App

    "For quick access to the most important features like ‘Dialer’, ‘Compose SMS’, ‘Inbox’ or ‘Contacts,’ you can add shortcuts to your iPhone home screen or Palm Launcher — so cheap calls and messaging will be just a single click away. And because the Google Voice web app uses advanced features of modern HTML5 browsers, it offers native app-like performance and speed," Google adds.

    Users can not only access a streamlined version of their Google Voice inbox, but with the new app, they can display their Google Voice number as the outbound caller ID, so return calls come back to that number. It can also be used to send and receive text messages for free, and place international calls at Google Voice’s rates.

    Users have to have a Google Voice account and a voice plan on their phones to place calls with the app. At this point, accounts are still available only on an invitation basis, although invites can be requested.


    Related Articles:

    > Google Voice Gets New Free VoIP Service

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    > You Don’t Need A Google Number To Use Google Voice

  • Android Tops iPhone In Mobile Trends Report

    Myxer, which is behind an eponymous mobile entertainment destination, issued the first of what’s supposed to become a monthly report this week, and its stats favor Android.  Indeed, the Android operating system apparently showed up the iPhone in several respects.

    According to the report (which is called BoomBox), Android pulled far ahead of the iPhone in terms of traffic this year.  "Visits from users on the Android operating system grew almost 350% from December 2008 to December 2009, compared to iPhone visits which grew 170%," it stated.

    Another way in which Android proved popular relates to ringtones, wallpapers, videos, games, and applications.  In short, Android users seemed significantly more interested in them.  The report claimed, "Myxer delivered seven times more total downloads to Android devices than iPhone devices in Q4 2009."

    Apple fans will no doubt argue that Myxer’s visitors aren’t typical; given how many more iPhones there are in the world than Android devices, these ratios couldn’t hold up on a large scale.

    Still, whatever ifs, ands, and buts can be attached to Myxer’s findings, it’d be difficult to interpret these numbers as anything other than good news for Android.

    Related Articles:

    > Motorola Slates 20-30 Android Phones For 2010 Release

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    > Google Tries To Carve Out Its Place In Mobile

  • White House Releases iPhone App, Mobile Site on the Way

    The White House has announced the release of the official White House iPhone app, as well as a plan to launch a mobile version of WhiteHouse.gov. With the app, iPhone and iPod touch users can access content from WhiteHouse.gov.

    Content that is accessible includes live video streaming of events such as the President’s upcoming State of the Union address scheduled for next Wednesday. Also accessible via the app are the White House blog and briefing room site.

    White House iPhone app"Mobile internet access is an important way Americans are staying informed. Mobile web usage grew over 100% in the last year in the United States and higher worldwide," writes Dave Cole on the WhiteHouse.gov blog. "As part of President Obama’s commitment to an open and transparent government, the White House App makes getting all the latest news and media from the White House easier than ever. And of course, we’ll continue to look for new and emerging technologies to engage the American people and make information about the President and his administration easily available."

    It seems like the White House’s move toward mobile is a bit late, considering the website was changed nearly a year ago, but mobile accessibility is of growing importance to websites in general as more and more people spend less of their Internet time on their PCs and more on their phones.

    There is no word from the White House on if they intend to release apps for Android, BlackBerry or other devices.

    Related Articles:

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  • Bing Might Replace Google As iPhone Search Engine

    Allow us to save you a couple of moments by verifying that today isn’t April 1st and that pigs haven’t taken to the sky.  Now, there’s little left to do aside from break the news: Apple and Microsoft are supposed to be in talks to make Bing the iPhone’s default search engine.

    Bing logoBusinessWeek’s Peter Burrows and Cliff Edwards spoke to "two people familiar with the matter," and found out that Google might get bumped from its position as default provider.

    The pair reported, "The talks have been under way for weeks, say the people, who asked not to be named because the details have not been made public."

    Assuming this is true, it’s likely that the increasing popularity of Android is one of the biggest factors to influence Apple’s decision.  Microsoft, which spent at least $100 million launching Bing and has Google beat by $90 billion in terms of market caps, probably offered Apple more money, too.

    Still, even the unnamed sources of this rumor haven’t declared that a new arrangement is far from a sure thing.  So for the time being, we’ll just have to watch, wait, and hope that a deal between Apple and Microsoft wouldn’t be a sign of the apocalypse.

    Related Articles:

    > Bing Improves Its Autosuggest Feature

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  • Google Tailors Mobile Search Suggestions to Location

    Google has launched search suggestions based on geographical location for iPhone and Android devices. This is currently only available in the United States.

    "Typing a query into the search box on a phone can often be slow and difficult," says Google’s Mobile Engineering Team. "For this reason, relevant search suggestions that match your intended query can meaningfully reduce the time and effort it takes to submit a search."

    "For example, when users in the Boston metro area begin typing ‘Muse’, suggestions such as ‘museum of science boston’ and ‘museum of fine arts boston’ are provided because people near Boston frequently look for these very popular museums," the team explains. "On the other hand, users in San Francisco who begin their query with ‘Muse’ will see suggestions for museums in the San Francisco area. By using the device’s current or most recent location, Google is able to offer even better, more useful suggestions than ever before."

    Geo Suggestions on Google

    Users can simply go to Google.com on their phone’s browser and start typing a query to see the suggestions, although they may have to refresh the page first. Users also must have "save recent locations" and "allow use of device location" turned on in the settings.

    This feature is just the latest in Google’s frequent upgrades that may have a direct impact on local businesses. This week, Google also made its Place Pages for businesses more useful by letting businesses update them in real-time.
     

    Related Articles:

    > Google Simplifies Finding Nearby Businesses from Your Phone

    > Critical Local Search Factors To Pay Attention To

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  • Realtor.com Launches iPhone App

    Realtor.com Launches iPhone App

    Realtor.com, the website for the National Association of Realtors, has launched a Real Estate Search iPhone app.

    Users can search for every property listed on Realtor.com by price, location, property type, MLS ID number, square foot, lot size, open house events, distance from a user’s current location and age.

    The real estate iPhone app allows users to send a link of a specific property via email, Twitter or Facebook to family, friends or a realtor.

    "The Realtor.com iPhone app places the power of Realtor.com in the hands of millions of highly mobile consumers that depend on us to deliver the largest collection of properties with the freshest and most accurate information available on the market," said Errol Samuelson, president of Realtor.com.

    "By combining our unmatched search power with the ability to instantly share listings and feedback by email, Twitter or Facebook from an iPhone, millions now have mobile access to a phenomenal property search experience superior to other apps already on the market. We expect Realtors and their clients will appreciate the ease and convenience that our app brings to their experience as they work together to find the ideal property."
     

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  • Google Simplifies Finding Nearby Businesses from Your Phone

    Google has released what is called the "Near me Now" feature for the iPhone and Android browser. The feature shows nearby businesses by category based on the user’s location.

    "’Near me now’ was designed to address two user problems," explains Google’s Mobile team. "First, we wanted to make it fast and easy to find out more about a place in your immediate vicinity, whether you’re standing right in front of a business or if it’s just a short walk away. For example, you may want to know what other customers think about a restaurant before you go inside (see quick video below) or what they have been raving about on the menu before you order. By selecting the ‘Explore right here’ option, you can find out more about a place ‘right here’ with just a few clicks."

    The restaurant example is illustrated in the following clip:

    "Second, we wanted to make searching for popular categories of nearby places really simple," the team adds. "Imagine that you emerge from the subway station and you want to grab a coffee, but you don’t see a coffee shop around you. You can simply search for all nearby coffee shops by using ‘Near me now’. To search other categories of places not shown, ‘Browse more categories’ provides access to our local search product with more category choices."

    Near me Now

    The feature is available in the US only at this point. It works for iPhone (OS 3.x) or Android-powered devices with version 2.0.1 and up. Users have to enable their location for the feature to even appear.

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  • Zillow Grows More Than 50% In 2009

    Zillow Grows More Than 50% In 2009

    Real estate website Zillow.com said today it broke multiple records for site traffic and user activity in 2009.

    An average of 8.2 million unique users visited Zillow each month during 2009, which is an increase of 57 percent year-over-year.

    "2009 was a wild year for real estate, with continued home value declines, government intervention, record low mortgage rates, and an enormous amount of consumer uncertainty about what the future holds," said Spencer Rascoff, Zillow’s chief operating officer.

    Spencer-Rascoff "As a result, people flocked to Zillow for information and advice. Uncertainty always benefits information providers, and 2009 was the year that Zillow solidified its place as a clear leader in providing millions of people with real estate information."

    Other highlights include:

    • 37 percent year-over-year growth in page views
    • 3.9 million for-sale, rental and Make Me Move listings are posted on Zillow currently, up 43 percent-year-over-year.
    • The Zillow iPhone App has proved to be popular with more than 870,000 downloads since its launch in April 2009. Over 2 million homes are viewed on the app each month.
    • 171 U.S. newspapers began using Zillow’s search and listings technology to power their real estate websites in 2009.

    "It’s clear to us that more and more people want Zillow’s real estate information on location, while touring neighborhoods and homes, and we expect this trend to magnify in 2010," Rascoff said.
     

    Related Articles:

    > Zillow, Newspapers Form Huge Advertising Network

    > Zillow.com Reducing Staff By 25%

    >Google Maps Offers Real Estate Listings