Tag: Apple iPhone 5

Apple iPhone Could Have Been Called ‘Telepod’, ‘Tripod’ or ‘Mobi’!

Before Apple settled for iPhone, Apple considered several other names for its first smartphone. Not only was the name iPad originally in contention for the phone rather than it later being used for the company’s tablet, but it also almost went with TriPod. Really.

Considering that Apple named their desktop computer system the iMac and their portable media player the iPod, it isn’t surprising that they decided to name their mobile phone the iPhone. However that wasn’t always the case and according to former Apple marketer, Ken Segall.

Speaking to 9to5Mac, Segall said that Apple considered the names “Telepod” and “Tripod” for the smartphone at one point.

The former brand would bring “telephone” together with the iPod, while the latter would refer to the iPhone’s three core capabilities – a phone, an iPod and a device to get onto the internet.

According to Segall, Apple also evaluated the name “mobi” as a play on the word “mobile”, and could even have called the phone “iPad”. That brand was used for Apple’s tablet computer product that debuted in 2010.

But Apple co-founder Steve Jobs previously revealed that the firm actually started working on the tablet before the phone, only to end up prioritising the iPhone in its product strategy.

So yeah, looking at what names Apple might have picked for its iconic smartphone, we’re glad it chose the “iPhone” eventually. Otherwise, we would now be talking, tweeting and snapping photos using our Tripods, and that just sounds silly. Don’t you agree?

[Via 9to5Mac]

March 5, 2013
GLBenchmark Result Shows Apple iPhone 5 Running iOS 7!
A GLBenchmark result page, sent to us on Facebook by Akash Sukhija, shows the Apple iPhone 5 running on iOS 7, the next version of the Apple mobile operating system. On top of the results page, the OS tab reads “iPhone OS 7.0”.

This comes at a time when Apple is set to release its promised fix for an iOS 6.1 bug that enables intruders to by-pass a user’s passcode and access certain areas of the phone, could be released this week. The rollout of iOS 6.1 hasn’t gone as smoothly for Apple as the company would have liked and it would be eager to make sure that iOS 7 does not follow a similar path.

Running iOS 7, the iPhone 5 scores :
- 3290 Frames (29.1 Fps) in GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD C24Z16 – Offscreen (1080p)
- 4515 Frames (40.0 Fps) in GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD C24Z16 – Onscreen
- 31721 ms (35.6 Fps) in GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD Fixed Timestep – Onscreen
- 48806 ms (23.2 Fps) in GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD Fixed Timestep – Offscreen (1080p)
- 1808 MTexels/s Fill Rate
- 133 MTriangles/s Textured Triangle Throughput
Apple launched iPhone 5 in September along with iOS 6, and it has been reported that the new iPhone will be released in the middle of 2013. Reports last month suggested that Apple could unveil the next version of its iPhone and iOS 7 as early as the spring of 2013.

Back in January, App developers had found references in their usage logs to a new version of the iPhone – identified as iPhone6,1 – and to iOS 7.

This webpage all but confirms Apple’s iOS 7 testing. Thanks Akash!

You can find the webpage here.
February 17, 2013
Evasi0n Jailbreak Version 1.1 Released, Fixes Weather And Long Reboot Bugs

The untethered jailbreak tool evasi0n for iOS 6.x which has been downloaded by over four million users has seen a bit more news come out over the past 24 hours, led by an update designed to address a pair of bugs discovered in the initial version.

Available from the evasi0n Web site, version 1.1 fixes one problem of long reboot times for any jailbroken device, according to blog site iPodnn. It also squashes a bug that caused the default Weather app to crash.

Both fixes had been posted earlier on the Cydia app store for jailbreakers, the evasi0n team tweeted today. Users who’ve already jailbroken their devices can grab the fixes from Cydia rather than installing the new version of evasi0n from scratch. People trying out evasi0n for the first time can simply grab version 1.1 from the tool’s Web site.

Evasi0n is able to jailbreak all iOS 6 and 6.1 devices on the market, including the iPhone 5, the iPad Mini, the fourth-generation iPad, and the fifth-generation iPod Touch. The tool is considered simple to use, at least in comparison with other jailbreak methods.

If you haven’t already jailbroken but plan to do so, just make sure you download the updated version before performing the process. If you’ve already been to the evasi0n website, you may need to clear your internet cache to see the update.

Will you jailbreak your iPhone before iOS 6.1.1? Have you even updated to iOS 6? Leave your comments below!

February 8, 2013
Analyst : Apple Shipped 52 Million iPhones In Q4 2012

Rumours of Apple’s death have been greatly exaggerated.

Last week we heard plenty of rumors about Apple having cut display orders for the new iPhone 5 due to lower than expected demand. While it has gone as far as to affect Apple’s stock prices, it may not have been entirely true. According to one analyst Apple were able to ship some 52 million iPhone units in Q4.

In other words, any cuts in display orders correspond to a predictable slide in iPhone sales for the new year. Despite a rapidly-shrinking stock price, Apple is bound by law not to comment on such things; it has to wait until January 23rd to report its Q4 earnings which will, predictably, be stellar.

According to AppleInsider, a leaked document sent to investors this week cites iPhone sales of 52 million for the quarter ending December 31st. This includes all current models being sold around the world, including the discounted iPhone 4 and 4S. iPhone 5 sales are expected to be 35 million, some nine million more than all the iPhones sold in Q3.

In other words, an almost-100% increase quarter-over-quarter, and a year-over-year gain of over 40% is not out of the cards, which will inevitably lead to the company’s highest-grossing quarter ever.

Overall, Apple is expected to have moved over 140 million smartphones in 2012, led by strong iPhone 4S shipments of some 74 million units during the first half of the year.

More than anything, these mammoth numbers from all camps speak to the rise of the smartphone in general, and the prospect of another healthy year in 2013 for all involved companies. Manufacturers like LG, Sony, HTC, Huawei, Nokia and RIM are aiming to take some market share away from Apple and Samsung in the coming months, but it’s a two horse race for the foreseeable future.

Apple is set to reveal details regarding fourth quarter shipments during the company’s quarterly conference call scheduled for Jan. 23.

Source: AppleInsider, Forbes

January 17, 2013
Apple, Samsung Patent Clash Expands To iPad mini, iPad 4, New iPod touch

Samsung Electronics has alleged that three recent products from Apple, including the iPad mini, infringe on its patents.

The South Korean company said in a filing Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose division, that the products were released by Apple after Samsung submitted its original infringement contentions on June 15, and a motion to supplement on Oct. 1 that added the iPhone 5 to products that allegedly infringe its patents.

The products included in the latest motion to amend and supplement the infringement contentions are the iPad mini and the latest versions of the iPad and iPod touch.

Samsung has also asked for clarification from the court if its original contentions properly allege infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,672,470 by three prior generations of the iPod touch, and alternatively asks leave to add these products to its infringement contentions.

[quote]On Wednesday, Samsung’s chief executive Shin Jong-kyun told The Korean Times: “Without Samsung-owned wireless patents, it’s impossible for… Apple to produce its handsets.”[/quote]

Samsung and Apple are no strangers to court battles, having been engaged in vicious patent battle that extends across four continents since April 2011. Back in August, a court awarded Apple over $1 billion in damages after upholding claims that Samsung had infringing several iPhone and iPad patents with its Galaxy S-series smartphones. Samsung has since appealed against the ruling.

But it hasn’t all been going Apple’s way, with courts in the Netherlands, the U.K. and Japan dismissing Apple’s claims of infringement by Samsung.

November 22, 2012
Diagonal Scrolling Issue Plagues iPhone 5

UK mobile game development company CMA Megacorp revealed a previously undetected bug on the iPhone 5 on Friday morning on Twitter. The issue appears while diagonally scrolling on the iPhone 5, which sometimes caused the touch screen to drop out or even freeze, according to Slash Gear.

Recombu, a gadget comparison website, decided to test out this problem to see if it was affecting other iPhone 5 units as well. The video clearly depicted the difference between the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. The former generation Apple device had no issue quickly scrolling, while the newer handset would stutter, slow down and even completely freeze at a certain point.

Fifth generation iPod Touch users are also reporting the same problem, narrowing the issue to the new 4-inch Retina display and not necessarily software, as it was first thought to be.

Outside of rare cases, most users will never experience the problem in traditional apps. Games, however, stand to be tragically affected by the problem, as there are many hack-and-slash games that require constant and repeated diagonal slashes across the screen.

It will be interesting to see if and how Apple responds to this issue, which is threatening to become another “gate” after “Mapgate” swept the world earlier this year.

Are people holding it right?!

Check out the video below :

November 10, 2012
Apple Starts iOS 6.0.1 Carrier Testing, Releasing Soon To Fix Bugs

Apple is now apparently in the process of testing a minor iOS update, iOS 6.0.1, with carriers with the update likely to hit users in the coming weeks. The report comes from BGR who say that one of their Apple sources has let slip about the update and that numerous bugs will be fixed with the update, including enhanced Wi-Fi support and fixes for cellular data as well as the horizontal aberrations in iTunes when entering a password.

Users have also reported issues with the camera flash not being timed properly with the shutter, leading to accidentally dark scenes. This should be fixed in the new software version, as well as a fix for iTunes Match incorrectly using data when WiFi is in use.

Apple is also rumoured to be testing its next big iOS version, 6.1, which is expected to come by the end of the year. While one may expect the new iPad mini to come with a new version of iOS, it seems increasingly unlikely that iOS 6.1 will be ready to go by the smaller tablet’s early November release date.

October 22, 2012
Apple Pays for Swiss Railway Clock Design

Apple may be willing to spend millions in court over some copyright fights, but it has learned the lessons of history and has decided not to mess with the Swiss.

Last month, Switzerland’s railway operator SBB took Cupertino to task for stealing the design of its clock for iOS 6’s Clock app. Now the world’s favorite fondleslab manufacturer has agreed to pay up and license the design from SBB, rather than risk the wrath of the Swiss railways.

The iPad Clock app, according to an SBB spokesperson, was “an unauthorized use by apple,” and thus they needed to work out a “legal and financial” resolution to the issue in order to prevent copyright infringement. However, SBB later admitted that it was “rather proud that a brand as important as Apple is using our design,” to clarify that they weren’t simply taking money for the use of the design. SBB already does in fact license the clock’s design to other companies, including the watchmaker Mondaine, so it can be assumed that Apple did pay to use the design.

According to SBB, the railway clock, which was originally designed by Hans Hilfike in 1944 has become “a symbol of innovation and reliability.”

October 14, 2012
Rumor : Apple to Launch iPhone 5 in India with Two Year Warranty

Looks like more Apple iPhone 5 news just flew in. Apple is planning on launching the iPhone 5 in India with two year warranty considering the price factor. iGyaan had earlier reported that Apple is planning on special pricing of Apple care for iPhones in India. According to sources, the iPhone 5 will be priced slightly higher than previously mentioned. Rs. 46999 price bracket for 16 GB, but will come with 2 year warranty instead of 1 year. While we tried to approach Apple with this rumor, it appears no one is available on Saturday.

We will get you more information as we get it….

The iPhone 5 is a touchscreen-based smartphone developed by Apple and released on September 21, 2012. It is the sixth iteration in the iPhone series succeeding the iPhone 4S. The phone is a slimmer, lighter model that introduces a higher-resolution, 4-inch screen to the series and is the first to support a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. Other new features include a custom-designed ARMv7 processor called the Apple A6, an update to Apple’s mobile operating system known as iOS 6, and support for LTE. (Info via Wiki)

October 13, 2012
Apple iPhone 5 Camera Purple Flare Issue : Tweak The Angle Says Apple

Image Courtesy : LA Times

Whenever a new iPhone is released, there are always issues. Nothing is perfect, but the fans of Apple devices want them to be flawless. While some seem to be real issues (like Antennagate and Scratchgate), others do not, and thus we come to the “iPhone 5 purple flare camera issue.”

Soon after the iPhone 5’s release, users began complaining of a purple flare or halo appearing in photos taken with the camera when it is pointed at or near bright light sources. After some tech support reps issued emails that stated the “issue” was normal, Apple decided to post a response to complaints via a support document on its site , last modified on Sunday, Oct. 7.

[quote]“Most small cameras, including those in every generation of iPhone, may exhibit some form of flare at the edge of the frame when capturing an image with out-of-scene light sources. This can happen when a light source is positioned at an angle (usually just outside the field of view) so that it causes a reflection off the surfaces inside the camera module and onto the camera sensor. Moving the camera slightly to change the position at which the bright light is entering the lens, or shielding the lens with your hand, should minimize or eliminate the effect.”[/quote]

Essentially, Apple wants you to hold the camera differently. For many, it sounds very similar to the 2010’s antenna flap when users reported low reception on their iPhone 4s when they held the device a certain way.

At one point, Steve Jobs famously responded to one user’s email by telling the person to simply hold the phone differently.

Ultimately, Apple gave a real solution for the iPhone 4’s antenna issues, but for now, it doesn’t appear Apple will further address the iPhone 5 camera’s purple flares.

October 8, 2012
Apple Starts Rolling Out Fixes For Maps On iOS 6

Credit : AppleInsider

Apple is trying to fix the problems that are dogging the new Apple Maps app by rolling out fixes. Apple launched its iPhone 5 on Sept. 12, which packed the latest iOS 6. Google Maps have been a standard feature on the iPhone since it debuted in 2007. However, Apple decided to discontinue Google Maps and introduce its own mapping service in the iOS 6.

Since the launch of iOS 6, users have reported problems with the new maps app, which lacks detailing and omits public transit directions. Moreover, Apple’s highly-touted 3D flyover feature has also received criticism as the feature displayed comically distorted images that look like major landmarks, and some structures even appeared to have been destroyed.

Several reports suggest that Apple’s quickly correcting some of its botched 3D Flyover views including the now-famous invisible Statue of Liberty. MacRumors says that imagery improvements have been reported in Honolulu, Hawaii; San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles; New York City and London. Additional 3D buildings in vector mode are also popping up. The Apple rumors website also states that users who don’t see the immediate changes will see them in the near future as “aggressive caching” is holding the roll out from hitting everyone.

Apple is reportedly prepping a program that will train retail staff employees to help report errors in cities where Apple Stores are located.

October 7, 2012
Apple Slashes iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 Prices

Apple has announced a cut in prices of the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 models. According to an Apple spokesperson, the iPhone 4S 16GB model is now available for Rs 41,400, a reduction of Rs 3,100 from its earlier price of Rs 44,500.

The big news for Apple enthusiasts is that the company has slashed the price of the iPhone 4 (8GB) by Rs 9,600. The phone, which was earlier available for Rs 37,900 is now available for Rs 28,300. Further, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 3GS.

No exact date given, although word on the street is that the iPhone 5 will be launched just ahead of diwali, with the 16GB version costing around INR 45,000. Previously there were reports that Airtel, Vodafone and Aircel have placed orders for Nano-SIM cards which are used in the iPhone 5.

October 3, 2012
Google : No Plans to Provide Google Maps for iPhone 5 yet

Google Inc has made no move to provide Google Maps for the iPhone 5 after Apple Inc dropped the application in favor of a home-grown but controversial alternative, Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said.

Apple launched its own mapping service earlier this month when it began providing the highly anticipated update to its mobile software platform iOS 6 and started selling the iPhone 5.

But users have complained that Apple’s new map service, based on Dutch navigation equipment and digital map maker TomTom NV’s data, contains glaring geographical errors and lacks features that made Google Maps so popular.

“We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?” Schmidt told a small group of reporters in Tokyo. “What were we going to do, force them not to change their mind? It’s their call.”

Schmidt said Google and Apple were in constant communication “at all kinds of levels.” But he said any decision on whether Google Maps would be accepted as an application in the Apple App Store would have to be made by Apple.

“We have not done anything yet,” he said.

Google and Apple were close partners with the original iPhone in 2007 and its inclusion of YouTube and Google Maps. But the ties between the two have been strained by the rise of Google’s Android mobile operating system, now the world’s leading platform for smartphones.

Schmidt said he hoped Google would remain Apple’s search partner on the iPhone but said that question was up to Apple.

“I’m not doing any predictions. We want them to be our partner. We welcome that. I’m not going to speculate at all what they’re going to do. They can answer that question as they see fit,” he said.

Google provides Android free of charge and allows developers to add applications on an open basis, betting that by cultivating a bigger pool of users – now at over 500 million globally – it can make more money by providing search functions and selling advertising.

“Apple is the exception, and the Android system is the common model, which is why our market share is so much higher,” Schmidt said, adding that success was often ignored by the media, which he said was “obsessed with Apple’s marketing events and Apple’s branding.”

“That’s great for Apple but the numbers are on our side,” he said.

At one point, Schmidt, who was in Japan to announce the launch of Google’s Nexus tablet here, used the device to show off a new function of Google Maps.

The feature allows users to shift their view of an area by moving the device in the air without touching the screen, similar to the effect of looking around.

“Take that Apple,” he said, adding quickly, “That was a joke by the way.”

[Reuters]

September 27, 2012
Foxconn Plant Closed After Riot

Image Courtesy : Engadget

About 2,000 Chinese employees of an iPhone assembly company fought a pitched battle into the early hours of Monday, forcing the huge electronics plant where they work to be shut down. Authorities in the northern city of Taiyuan sent 5,000 police to restore order after what the plant’s Taiwanese owners Foxconn Technology Group said was a personal dispute in a dormitory that erupted into a mass brawl.

The company said the incident was confined to an employee dormitory and “no production facilities or equipment have been affected.” It said the cause of the disturbance was still under investigation.

One Foxconn employee reached by telephone Monday afternoon, however, said the incident began when workers started brawling with security guards. Unconfirmed photographs and video circulated on social networking sites, purporting to be from the factory, showed smashed windows, riot police officers and large groups of workers milling around. The Foxconn plant, in the Chinese city of Taiyuan, employs about 79,000 workers.

The Chinese state-run news media said 5,000 police officers had been called in to quell the riot. The disturbance is the latest problem to hit Foxconn, which also is a key supplier to Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft. It is part of Hon Hai Group of Taiwan and has been struggling to improve labor conditions at its China factories after reports about labor abuse and work safety violations.

Apple and Foxconn have worked together in the last year to improve conditions, raise pay and improve labor standards.

September 24, 2012
Apple sells 5m iPhone 5’s in first three days

Apple has said that it’s sold more than 5 million new iPhone 5s in the three days since the latest smartphone was launched.

It said orders for the phone exceeded the initial supply it had available, something confirmed by several carriers and stores, which reported selling out over the weekend. The iPhone 5 went on sale Friday in the U.S., Australia and elsewhere.

[quote]“Demand for iPhone 5 has been incredible and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date.”[/quote]

That device was seen as a smaller technological step forward compared to the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 also had a bigger launch, going on sale in two more countries than its predecessor.

The company has aggressive rollout plans for the newest iPhone. Nine countries are now selling the iPhone 5, and that will grow to more than 100 by the end of the year.

Apple says it has shipped most of the phones that were ordered in advance. But it plans to ship many of them in October.

Check out the Press Release below :

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Apple today announced it has sold over five million of its new iPhone 5, just three days after its launch on September 21, and more than 100 million iOS devices have been updated with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system. iPhone 5 is available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK, and will be available in 22 more countries on September 28 and more than 100 countries by the end of the year. Demand for iPhone 5 exceeded the initial supply and while the majority of pre-orders have been shipped to customers, many are scheduled to be shipped in October.

“Demand for iPhone 5 has been incredible and we are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While we have sold out of our initial supply, stores continue to receive iPhone 5 shipments regularly and customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date. We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough iPhone 5s for everyone.”

iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.**

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and is 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. iPhone 5 is available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, select Best Buy, RadioShack, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4S is also available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 is available for free with a two-year contract.***

iPhone 5 will be available on September 28 in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.
** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
*** Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year rate plan, sold separately.

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

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September 24, 2012