Regarding Android vs. iPhone market share

According to NPD, more smartphones were sold in the US that run Android than smartphones than run iPhone OS in Q1 2010. BlackBerry remains in the number one spot. According to NPD. Apple isn’t a fan of the metrics being used:

“This is a very limited report on 150,000 US consumers responding to an online survey and does not account for the more than 85 million iPhone and iPod touch customers worldwide,” Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison, told The Loop. “IDC figures show that iPhone has 16.1 percent of the smartphone market and growing, far outselling Android on a worldwide basis. We had a record quarter with iPhone sales growing by 131 percent and with our new iPhone OS 4.0 software coming this summer, we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”

Since Android can be found in a variety of form factors on all four US carriers, and since Verizon offers it as part of their BOGO (buy one, get one free) promotions, just like the BlackBerry, even if the NPD numbers hold up they’re not surprising.

That the iPhone’s market share is so high in the US, given they’re on one carrier with one form factor, is actually more surprising — only that it happens so often now we’ve stopped being surprised, especially after Apple’s last financial results statement.

And yes, we’re tired of beating that old horse as much as you’re tired of watching it get beaten, but Apple cares only about market share as much as it amplifies profit share. Google isn’t making direct money off of Android (though they do off monetizing services like search, which they also monetize on the iPhone) and on the low-margin, BOGO devices that give BlackBerry its lead, they’re not making Apple-sized margins either (they likely do better on Bold-class devices).

Needless to say, Apple’s not letting AT&T do BOGO for iPhone. For Apple, the iPhone is a premium product and they’d much rather maintain their huge lead in profit share than line discount bins for the sake of per-unit OS market share.

[Android Central, the Loop]

Regarding Android vs. iPhone market share is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple Plans To Fix iPad Wi-Fi Issues With Software Update

Original AT&T iPhone exclusivity was a 5 year deal

The original iPhone exclusivity agreement between Apple and AT&T was for a 5-year period running from 2007 to 2012. Confirmation of this comes by way of court documents from 2008, however, and 2 years is an eternity in corporate contract-dom.

In other words, anything from AT&T’s service levels (or lack thereof in New York and San Francisco) to their deal for iPad 3G data plans could have led to renegotiations, extensions, or new contracts entirely since then.

So file this away under iPhone trivia unless and until a Verizon iPhone shows up… sometime.

[Engadget]

Original AT&T iPhone exclusivity was a 5 year deal is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Why Sprint and Verizon nixed the Nexus One

Sprint is following in the footsteps of Verizon, by backing out on its promise to carry the Google Nexus One on its network.

Managing your 250MB iPad 3G plan

We've already shown you how far 250MB can go. Now, Glenn Fleishman has some tips for wringing every last megabyte out of your monthly iPad plan with AT&T.

Apple, AT&T struck five-year deal in 2007; now, who knows?

Recently unsealed court documents shed light on Apple and AT&T's exclusive deal--circa 2007. But where the contract stands now, nobody has any clue.

Review: N.O.V.A. HD for iPad

NOVA HD preserves everything that worked for the iPhone version and brings with it higher resolution graphics and a few control tweaks.

Verizon iPhone Ad Campaign in Works?

Crunchgear claims that a company called Landor Associates is already working on an ad campaign for Verizon's upcoming iPhone launch.

Ladnor has been working on Verizon branding since 2007 and is, accordin...

Apple addressing iPad Wi-Fi issues in software update

Apple has updated the support document that details iPad Wi_fi connection issues, adding that a software fix is indeed in the works. Two of the main Wi-Fi issues include a weak signal and forgotten passwords.

While waiting for Apple, if you happen to be part of the “very small number” of iPad users suffering from these iPad Wi-Fi issues, you can try some of the following workarounds:

• Update your Wi-Fi router firmware
• Use WPA or WPA2 for your wireless security
• Adjusting screen brightness
• Renew your IP address

Any of these solutions work for you? Still having issues? Let us know in the comments below!

[Apple via Mac Rumors]

Apple addressing iPad Wi-Fi issues in software update is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple hints at upcoming fix for iPad connectivity issues

Is your iPad still having Wi-Fi connectivity issues? An updated knowledge base article offers some new possible solutions and hints at fixes to come.

MaxNick Debuts iCurling 1.0 for iPhone – Olympic Curling

MaxNick today is pleased to announce the introduction of iCurling 1.0.1, their new 1 or 2 player game for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game comes in the wake of the excitement of the 2010 Winter Olympics, where the sport of curling generated world-wide enthusiasm. Similar to shuffleboard on ice, the game is played [...]

Square Mobile Payments Now Available for iPhone

Square has updated their app to provide universal support for both iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch devices. Square is an interesting mobile payment processing application for Apple's mobile devices that allows anyone to accept credit card payments. Whi...

LG Innotek supplying iPhone HD 5MP camera as OmniVision shunned?

OmniVision are Apple’s current camera sensor suppliers for the iPhone 3GS, and a report in December last year suggested that they’d won the contract for the new, higher-resolution chip this time around. That was followed up with OmniVision executives apparently hinting earlier this month that a deal was in place. Whichever supplier is [...]

Square mobile payment system goes live on iPhone, iPad, and Android this week (video)

We've been intrigued by the Square Payment System since it first ditched its Squirrel costume back in 2009, and now it appears we're on the eve (or eve of the eve, or pretty close anyway) to its release for not only the iPhone, but for the iPad and for Android as well. The software is said to be hitting App Stores and Markets this week, working with a sugar cube-sized card reader that pops into the 3.5mm headphone jack, a device that the company is giving away for free to those who sign up. Using it will not be free, with retailers paying fees starting at 2.75 percent plus a 15 cent surcharge, but that's considerably cheaper than many other options out there (which often require costly hardware to boot). There's another new video after the break, and we can't wait for these things to start showing up at the farmer's market. No more early morning ATM runs!

Update: Apps for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices are now live in their respective download abodes. None will require that you enter a single digit of your credit card.

[Thanks, Ed]

Continue reading Square mobile payment system goes live on iPhone, iPad, and Android this week (video)

Square mobile payment system goes live on iPhone, iPad, and Android this week (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotusLive Meetings comes to the iPhone

IBM is now offering an iPhone app that lets people join LotusLive Web casts from their phones.

TUAW’s Daily App: The Iron Horse

Filed under: iPhone

David Crane is the founder of Activision, which is currently the 800-lb gorilla of video gaming; it's a huge company with the biggest releases in the world. However, the industry pioneer is getting back to the small stuff. Along with partner Gerry Kitchen, he's started up AppStar Games, and they are working on much smaller titles for the iPhone and iPod touch. Their first title is The Iron Horse for iPhone and iPad, and while it is super simple, the game's metaphor and surprisingly strong atmosphere make it a pretty effective title.

It's about trains (which in and of itself probably appeals to a few of us), and the goal is to hook up train cars to a train as it's moving by tapping on hooks at exactly the right time. The gameplay's simple: you just tap on the hooks when they line up about every five seconds or so. The graphics and sounds really fill in the background, though. The trains are designed on real cars, they move through various beautiful backgrounds, and the sounds of click-clacking on the tracks and the trains hooking up really get you in the mood. OpenFeint integration and special bonus levels can up the ante as well.

There are a few graphical quirks. For example, they went with 2D models for the trains, so when they turn, it breaks the illusion a bit. Iron Horse is far more fun than it has any right to be, though, especially if you're a fan of trains. The full game is US $1.99, and there's a free version to try out on the iPad.

TUAW's Daily App: The Iron Horse originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW's Daily App: The Iron Horse originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 11 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Camera One for iPhone

If you like to take pictures with your iPhone, you're sure to get some use out of this app and the eight features it adds to the phone's built-in camera.

Could Apple’s MobileMe be going free?

There’s a rumor making the rounds that Apple’s MobileMe service could be going free “sooner than later… depends on certain facilities going operational.” (Perhaps a reference to the massive server facility Apple’s building in North Carolina.)

Introduced alongside iPhone 2.0 at WWDC 2008 to replace the previous .Mac, the current price tag is $99 for a single user and provides push email, calendar, contacts, iDisk, Galleries, and Find my iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad for mobile users along with Back to my Mac remote file access and screen sharing, iChat accounts, and a host of sync services for Mac users. It’s enjoyed almost entirely incremental updates since then.

Competitors ranging from Google and Microsoft down to DropBox and Box.net offer similar services in whole or in part, and are either free or have basic levels that are free with optional payments for more storage or other premium services. And it’s very hard to compete with free.

It makes a lot of sense — from where we’re sitting at least — for Apple to adopt the same model. Give everyone the basic email, calendar, contacts, iDisk (though we’d prefer you just rip and replace it with DropBox), etc. for free.

And, hey, if that iPhone HD/iPhone 4G just happens to ship with a front-facing camera, and the new free version of MobileMe just happens to come with Mobile iChat accounts, maybe iPhone owners will finally have something that makes BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) users jealous…

Again, just a rumor so keep renewing your MobileMe until Steve Jobs or Phil Schiller tells you it’s going free and Apple sends you a credit.

[MacDailyNews via TUAW]

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Steve Jobs back in full swing at Apple — one year later

Not only is Steve Jobs back at Apple, but he’s back to being the Steve Jobs at Apple — as if there was any doubt following the 1 million-selling iPad debuting, Flash-smashing letter writing, sent from my iPad/iPhone customer service satisfying, tear he’s been on lately.

Still, Businessweek assures us:

“Except for the fact that he’s lost a lot of weight, he’s the Steve Jobs of old,” said Tim Bajarin, who has followed Apple for more than two decades as founder of technology consulting firm Creative Strategies in Campbell, California. “At the visionary level, technology and design level, he seems to be working at the same level as he was before he was sick. If I was an investor, I’d be thrilled.”

Forget that — as technologists and futurists, we should all be thrilled. The man jumpstarted the smartphone industry, took a break to see to his health, then came back and made the tablet category viable. Oh, and that was after the Apple II, Mac, iTunes, iPod, Pixar, Apple Retail, etc.

“People like Steve Jobs have a different operating system from you and me,” said Guy Kawasaki, a former Apple employee who helped promote the Mac when it was released in 1984. “In his eyes, I don’t think anything is impossible.”

Good thing too. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

[Businessweek via 9to5Mac, thanks Robert for the tip]

Steve Jobs back in full swing at Apple — one year later is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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