Palm and Verizon looking to take shine off Apple and AT&T

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone

In a minefield of failed "iPhone killers" one is making some headway on fulfilling that murderous promise: the Palm Pre.

Perhaps it's no surprise: the Palm Pre was conceived by a team that includes plenty of Apple alumni, including Jon Rubenstein, who was made Palm's CEO yesterday to replace Ed Colligan. (John Gruber reminds us of one of Colligan's more famous quotes.) Rubenstein used to be the general manager of Apple's iPod division.

Not only that, but Fred Anderson, Lynn Fox, and Mike Bell are all connected (if not employed by) the re-energized Palm. Valleywag's Ryan Tate says it's no wonder, then, that the Pre syncs with iTunes right out of the box.

Competition is good, though, right? We'll see improvements to both the iPhone and the Pre because of the products' competitive relationship with each other. Look at the rivalry between Canon and Nikon: The result? Awesome cameras both. In the end, the customer wins.

This is true with carriers, too, as exclusivity agreements begin to expire. There were rumblings that the Pre would be released on the Verizon network around Christmas, but blowback from Sprint CEO Dan Hesse pushed the rumor mill's schedule back a month to January 2010, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Watercooler talk suggests that the iPhone's exclusivity agreement with AT&T expires around the same time for U.S. customers, but the Magic 8 Ball says that we might not see an iPhone for Verizon until both they and AT&T finish their LTE networks.

If you're using a Pre with your Mac, especially if you're taking advantage of the iTunes sync capability, let us know in the comments how it's going.

Palm and Verizon looking to take shine off Apple and AT&T originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Palm and Verizon looking to take shine off Apple and AT&T originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trains for iPhone: For lovers of Flight Control, except with trains

Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

I have a particular affinity for trains. My father and grandfather both worked on the railroad, presumably all the live-long day. When a train rolls by, I'll make a comment about the engine or trucks or what-have-you, and my girlfriend will madly clap her hands together and yell yay twains! in a dumb voice. I love her so much.

Anyway. ZAGG, the same people who make the unscratchable Invisible Shield films for various devices, released Trains, a game not unlike Flight Control, where you must route freight trains, drop off cargo, and avoid collisions.

Flight Control itself recently had an update, and now includes new tropical and aircraft carrier levels. Having lost hours of time to the original level, I was thrilled to have more places to land. (My high score is 103, by the way: Post yours in comments.)

Trains, on the other hand, takes the same approach, only with -- well -- trains. You must tap the switches to create a route for each train through the cargo depot of the appropriate color, and safely off the screen. You can let trains pass through without dropping their cargo, but you won't earn any points.

Of the two, I think I prefer Flight Control, only because there's more flexibility in determining where exactly the airplane goes by drawing a path with your finger. Switching train intersections accomplishes the same goal, but is somehow less satisfying than drawing a flight path freehand.

Trains, though, is good fun. It's on sale for 99 cents until June 15. After that it will be $1.99. Flight Control is also on sale for 99 cents "for a limited time." Both Trains and Flight Control are available from the App Store, and are well worth the money.

Trains for iPhone: For lovers of Flight Control, except with trains originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Trains for iPhone: For lovers of Flight Control, except with trains originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photoshop Phun: ‘iPhone 4G’ rumor pic roundup

Filed under: Rumors, iPhone

Well! Our tips line has certainly been a beehive of activity with WWDC just around the corner. We've gotten several purported iPhone 4G images, which range in quality from meh to ludicrous. Particularly interesting: the iPhone Blog's 16x9 widescreen model.

As for availability of the rumored phone, GearLive is laying it on the line for an on-sale date of Monday, immediately after the announcement. Technologizer responds with four reasons we wouldn't see the new device in stores right after the keynote.

Interested to see what everyone else has cooked up for Apple to release on Monday? Check out the gallery for pictures galore.

Thanks to everyone who sent these in!

Gallery: iPhone Rumor Image Roundup

Photoshop Phun: 'iPhone 4G' rumor pic roundup originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Photoshop Phun: 'iPhone 4G' rumor pic roundup originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, iTunes, iPhone

Yesterday, Megan noted a Fortune story saying that iTunes syncs flawlessly with the new Palm Pre. This, of course, got the water-cooler talk bubbling: "How did Palm pull it off? Will Apple allow this to happen?"

Turns out they already have. A tech note on Apple's website notes the two dozen or so third-party players that iTunes (for Mac OS X, at least) is compatible with, including Rio and Creative Labs Nomad MP3 players. True, many of the models listed predate the iPod, and the tech note itself was last updated a little less than a year ago. But third-party device compatibility with iTunes isn't without precedent.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber pointed to a story by Jon Lech Johansen that says Apple may block iTunes access to the Pre in a future update; Gruber himself said he "wouldn't be surprised if they did." I'm not so sure.

First, let's look at how it works. According to Johansen, a unique USB device ID allows iTunes to recognize MP3 players (including iPods) that it's compatible with. Johansen speculates that Palm is using one of these IDs when communicating with iTunes. If it's an iPod's unique ID, then it will work with iTunes for Windows, too; this is an important litmus test and we don't know the results yet.

I can understand Apple might not cotton to a Palm Pre specifically masquerading as an iPod USB device. Given that, allowing the Pre to freely communicate with iTunes isn't necessarily bad business sense, presuming Palm implements the functionality in a forthright manner (like other third-party MP3 players that iTunes already supports).

Why limit access to the Pre, aside from pure spite? If someone already uses iTunes, chances are they have some quantity of DRM-free iTunes Plus music on their computer. There's no technical reason why the music shouldn't be easily playable on the Pre. One of the upshots of removing DRM in the iTunes store is to facilitate device interoperability. Allow non-Apple devices to play iTunes music, and suddenly Apple has customers it didn't have before.

If Apple chooses to cut off just the Pre, and Palm is following the rules, Apple is unnecessarily cutting a stream of revenue. That's something I don't see Apple doing lightly.

Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm Pre takes aim at iPhone, launches days before WWDC

Filed under: iPhone

In a shot across the iPhone's bow, Palm is launching its new Palm Pre smartphone the weekend before Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. This means any iPhone announcements at WWDC will be undoubtedly compared to Palm's new platform.

The Pre handset will cost $200 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and if you sign up for a two-year contract with Sprint. The monthly service costs roughly the same as AT&T's iPhone plan but offers unlimited text messaging -- a $20 option with Ma Bell.

Electronista points out that the Pre has some small technical advantages over the iPhone as well: a three megapixel camera, an optional inductive charger, and EVDO networking. Depending on the area, EVDO can be faster than both EDGE and GPRS, but not faster than HSDPA (the latter of which AT&T is rolling out across the U.S.). In any case, AT&T is already preparing its sales staff for the looming battle.

Also, Sprint claims that having a Pre will cost $1,430 less over the two-year contract period compared to owning an iPhone for the same period.

Meanwhile, for those of us on Verizon, we'll just have to make do with calculators connected by string. Which reminds me -- you all got the notice Verizon was upgrading us to nylon cord this week, right?

[Via IGM]

Palm Pre takes aim at iPhone, launches days before WWDC originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Palm Pre takes aim at iPhone, launches days before WWDC originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An iPhone on Verizon in 2010? With LTE, it could happen

Filed under: iPhone, Jailbreak/pwnage

Now, I understand this may be a very niche subject for our dear readership, but as many of you may remember, I'm a Verizon customer. That's why this morning's news about Verizon testing its Long-Term Evolution 3GPP (LTE) service in various parts of the U.S. has me excited.

Yes, while it's amazing that Verizon is getting 60Mbps downloads using LTE in Columbus, Minneapolis, and northern New Jersey, what's exciting to me is the fact that LTE plays nicely with GSM. If you could use a GSM phone on the Verizon network -- I think you can see where I'm going with this -- you might be able to use an iPhone with Verizon service.

While it's true that Apple and AT&T have an exclusivity agreement with each other, Verizon and Apple have previously used two completely separate kinds of technology (CDMA versus GSM, respectively) -- preventing any kind of interoperability. With Verizon at least speaking the same language as iPhone handsets, the possibility of keeping my carrier and having my dream handset comes closer.

In theory, at least; it isn't as easy as flipping as switch. If it works anything like, say, the procedure for using your iPhone with T-Mobile here in the U.S., it requires unlocking the phone with QuickPwn or yellowsn0w. Apple has recently suggested that it considers jailbreaking iPhones to be a violation of DMCA. Interpreted broadly, that may include unlocking software, too.

Add to that some SIM cards that don't work with unlocking software, like some from T-Mobile. There's nothing suggesting that Verizon's new LTE SIM cards will work right out of the box. Even if they are, advanced features like Visual Voicemail won't be available, but that's something I can live without.

For me personally, I wouldn't mind either an iPhone or a Palm Pre. Maybe it's just a waiting game to see whose exclusivity agreement expires first, rather than trying to hack something together.

Then again, maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up. We've still got another year to wait before Verizon rolls out LTE service to most of the country.

[Via Electronista.]

Continue reading An iPhone on Verizon in 2010? With LTE, it could happen

An iPhone on Verizon in 2010? With LTE, it could happen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

An iPhone on Verizon in 2010? With LTE, it could happen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone refresh could be straining Apple’s flash memory suppliers

Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, iPhone

According to Ed Sutherland from Cult of Mac, three out of four Apple's NAND flash memory suppliers are feeling the strain as the company demands storage for its new line of iPhones.

Sutherland cites a research report by analyst Vijay Rakesh from ThinkEquity. Rakesh says that Samsung has set aside its inventory of NAND chips for Apple until April.

Hynix, another supplier, reported softer sales growth for its NAND chips, and Toshiba is having problems supplying customers with 56nm NAND chips. Apple's fourth supplier, Micron, wasn't mentioned in Rakesh's report.

Aside from a new iPhone handset on the way, what does this mean? Higher memory prices, for one. Rakesh said that he expects NAND spot and contract prices to rise.

Many analysts around the time of Apple's Q1 conference call said they had high hopes for a new iPhone during the first half of the year. Some rumors suggest June might be the target date for release.

Continue reading iPhone refresh could be straining Apple's flash memory suppliers

iPhone refresh could be straining Apple's flash memory suppliers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone refresh could be straining Apple's flash memory suppliers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Mobile, Android, Flash make headlines at Mobile World Congress

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone

Two of Apple's rival mobile platforms announced news this week at the 2009 Mobile World Congress, with Windows Mobile 6.5 on the way, and a new Android-based handset from HTC.

Windows Mobile has updated its user interface to more closely resemble the iPhone's. I can imagine the brainstorming session:

Developer 1: "It needs to look, work, and feel like the iPhone, but -- you know -- not be."

Developer 2: "Instead of putting the icons on a rectangular grid, let's do a (one two three four five six) hexagonal one!"

Developer 1: "Brilliant! Book it. Done."

I kid, I kid. I'm sure it was more complicated than that. Anyway, Windows Mobile will also feature two new services, a "My Phone" synchronization service, and a new marketplace that will sell mobile applications from both phones and desktops. It's like I've heard this song before, but can't remember exactly where.

Also at the conference, HTC announced the Magic, a handset to run Google's Android operating system. Unlike the G1, the Magic will not have a slide-out keyboard. It will first be available to Vodafone customers in the UK, Germany and Spain, among other European carriers. Cult of Mac's Ed Sutherland suspects T-Mobile will carry the handset in the U.S. because it can handle the phone's transmission protocols.

Both the Windows Mobile and Android platforms also announced they'll support Flash (along with Symbian and Palm's new webOS) in 2010. And what of the iPhone? No dice: Adobe lobs the ball back in Apple's court, saying during the announcement, "We would love to see it on the iPhone, too, but it's Apple's decision on when and how they support any new technology. So we will continue to work on it."

[Via Hardmac, MDN, and IGM.]

Continue reading Windows Mobile, Android, Flash make headlines at Mobile World Congress

Windows Mobile, Android, Flash make headlines at Mobile World Congress originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Windows Mobile, Android, Flash make headlines at Mobile World Congress originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ID that font on the go with WhatTheFont for iPhone

Filed under: iPhone, Graphic Design

If you're a graphic designer, hopefully you're familiar with WhatTheFont, the essential service from myfonts.com that helps identify a font from a photo or other bitmap image. Now, MyFonts is bringing that power to the iPhone.

With WhatTheFont for iPhone, you can take a picture using the iPhone's camera, and use the WhatTheFont to identify the font in the image. No more guessing -- or even waiting until you get back to the computer. WhatTheFont is even useful to iPod touch users -- the software identifies fonts in images saved from Safari, screenshots, or other images in your photo library.

WhatTheFont requires internet access to work, since it connects with myfonts.com to perform the image analysis. It's free, and available in the App Store.

[Via Swissmiss.]

Gallery: WhatTheFont

ID that font on the go with WhatTheFont for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ID that font on the go with WhatTheFont for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talks with China Mobile fail over who can sell apps

Filed under: Rumors, iPhone

Talks with Apple to sell the iPhone in the Chinese market have stalled again, according to Interfax -- this time over the fact that China Mobile wanted to sell iPhone apps directly to customers, rather than through the App Store.

A source in the Interfax story said that China Mobile CEO Wang Jianzhou said that buying extras for mobile phones is different for Chinese customers, since many are accustomed to using prepaid credits rather than a credit card. Wang said that China Mobile would have to play some part in providing apps to customers, if only to fulfill this payment scheme.

China Mobile's "application shop," announced in November, would have sold apps for not only iPhones, but for Symbian- and Linux-based phones, too. Apple obviously wanted to sell iPhone apps through iTunes, as it does now all over the world.

Wang declared to Apple that "China Mobile should operate the application store itself in order to maintain its advantage."

It's unclear what this means for the future of the iPhone in China. China has other carriers, like China Unicom, and the lengths that Apple has gone to to please China Mobile might be reason enough to look for another partner. Rumors last year suggested China Mobile demanded an iPhone with a reduced feature set that some analysts later predicted could be the iPhone nano.

[Via MacDailyNews.]

Talks with China Mobile fail over who can sell apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Talks with China Mobile fail over who can sell apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone rumor roundup: New handsets in June, background tasks, and more

Filed under: Rumors, iPhone

Possibly thanks to a chatty Emirates Telecom/Etisalat executive, we have some more details about when we might see a new iPhone handset: June. While not directly attributed to Mark Davis, iPhone program director at Etisalat, a quote in the report reads that the "next version of the device, which is due out in June, will be launched in the UAE at the same time." Analysts had been hoping for a new iPhone handset sometime during the first half of the year. [Via AppleInsider.]

Nokia is apparently readying smartphones that contain touch technology, advanced 3G connectivity, and multimedia functions in a bid to regain control of the mobile phone market. The devices, so far named "IP08" and "Eitri" will have touch capability, but it's unclear if either device will raise Apple's ire when it comes to protecting its intellectual property surrounding multi-touch gestures. The "Eitri" model will allegedly feature haptic feedback, as well. [Via Electronista.]

Finally, MacRumors.com has some tidbits about what Apple is doing to replace the so-far-missing Push Notification System that Mike mentioned this morning. Instead, Arnold Kim hears that Apple may allow one or two "user-selectable background processes" on current hardware with a software update, and more processes on new hardware (thanks to hardware improvements). [Via MacRumors.]

iPhone rumor roundup: New handsets in June, background tasks, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone rumor roundup: New handsets in June, background tasks, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple wins comprehensive patent for iPhone, bares teeth at Palm

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Odds and ends, iPhone

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Apple patent number 7,479,949 covering key aspects of the iPhone's multi-touch user interface.

The filing, with 358 pages of drawings and Steve Jobs as its first author, comprehensively describes the iPhone operating system's interface, and how hardware on the phone interprets finger movements and taps as instructions for the software. The filing makes liberal use of the word "heuristics" -- a trial-and-error-based engineering technique that reduces the calculations necessary to arrive at a solution to a problem. Heuristics may not always be correct, but good heuristics result in something at least close to the right answer.

This patent, combined with Tim Cook's statement about protecting Apple's intellectual property during their first-quarter conference call, is a shot across the bow for Palm and their new Pre smartphone. Cook said that Apple would aggressively defend their IP, and a patent covering that IP is an important shield for Apple.

AppleInsider also notes that the patent covers features not seen on the iPhone, but interestingly are critical features of the Palm Pre. For example, Apple's patent mentions a touch-sensitive area that does not display visual output: a dead-ringer for the Pre's gesture area, separate from the touch screen.

The Pre uses multi-touch gestures as part of its webOS interface. If the technologies in Palm's devices are found to infringe on Apple's patents, Palm will either have to change the way the device works, or license the technology from Apple. The likelihood of Apple granting Palm a license is slim to none.

[Via AppleInsider.]

Apple wins comprehensive patent for iPhone, bares teeth at Palm originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple wins comprehensive patent for iPhone, bares teeth at Palm originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Analyst Roundup: Bullish on the iPhone

Filed under: Apple Financial, iPhone

UBS analyst Maynard Um says that Apple could sell 7 million iPhones in the first quarter of the year if they sell a low-cost, 4GB model, according to Electronista.

Citing "checks" with industry partners, Um claims a 4GB model is in the works, though it's unclear if it will be a regular iPhone at a lower price point, or a smaller iPhone nano device rumored to be in development. While it may cannibalize sales from the current low-end 8GB model, a significantly lower price could add 1.5 million more sales for the quarter.

Generator Research's Andrew Sheehy goes even further, projecting that Apple could sell 77 million iPhones by 2013, according to Philip Elmer-DeWitt. Sheehy has three reasons why Apple will dominate the smartphone business:

• Apple's ability to combine hardware and software, making it easy for users to consume
• The App Store's vertical platform model leads the market so far
• Smartphones are the only kind of phone that Apple makes, unlike other handset manufacturers like Nokia.

Sheehy says that, among other recommendations, Apple must broaden its offering to include higher- and lower-end units, including tablets and entry-level smartphones: All with access to the App Store.

He also says that Apple will capitalize on the paralysis brought on by a weak global economy, and use its cash to get "one or two design cycles ahead of the competition."

"When rivals start spending again, they may discover that Apple has built an unassailable lead," Sheehy writes.

Analyst Roundup: Bullish on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Analyst Roundup: Bullish on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone nano rumors piling up

Filed under: Rumors, iPhone

Rumor sites are abuzz this morning with news from the Far East noting that two Taiwanese chip manufacturers will likely receive orders for a new "iPhone nano."

Taiwan's Economic Daily News ran a story suggesting that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and United Microelectronics Corporation will win contracts for iPhone nano components.

MacRumors suggests that the device might not be headed for the United States, either: this device could be released first in China. American Technology Research analyst Brian Marshall says that the device is not being tested by AT&T. In September, rumors suggested that China Mobile asked Apple for a limited version of the iPhone, omitting Wi-Fi and 3G networking.

This comes on the heels of a screenshot sent in by tipster John, which shows a device labeled "iPhone nano" appearing in the iTunes Connect service used by App Store developers. Earlier, drawings of protective cases surfaced inside China's manufacturing community.

Shaking the magic eight-ball, all signs point to yes. While clearly not ready for Macworld last week, the same Economic Daily News report notes that a new iPhone device might be slated for a June release at the earliest.

iPhone nano rumors piling up originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone nano rumors piling up originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walmart to test iPhone sales with employees starting today

Filed under: Retail, iPhone

Engadget is featuring an image allegedly showing details of Walmart's "soft launch" for the iPhone, scheduled to go on sale at 9 a.m. on December 28.

The note indicates that 488 Walmart stores were chosen for a "pilot" exercise, whereby each store will be given five iPhones to sell to Walmart employees between now and the 28th.

Associates will be able to purchase the phones for "full contract price and a two-year service agreement," but they can take advantage of a 15 percent discount on the contract as employees.

The purpose of the pilot program is to sort out any issues with the sales or activation process prior to the public launch date. If anything, it will make for a happy holiday for 2,440 Walmart associates.

Walmart to test iPhone sales with employees starting today originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walmart to test iPhone sales with employees starting today originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In France, Apple must let other carriers sell iPhone

Filed under: Apple Corporate, iPhone

The French government's competition watchdog told Apple that it must allow other carriers besides Orange to offer the iPhone. Orange is a subsidiary of France Telecom.

In September, Orange competitor Bouygues Telecom SA filed a complaint with the Competition Council about the exclusivity agreement. While a decision hasn't been reached on the merit of Bouygues' argument, today's order was a "protective measure" as the Council continues its investigation, likely to take a year or more.

Both SFR (the second-largest carrier in France) and Bouygues Telecom (the third largest) hope to begin selling the handsets soon.

In a statement, the Competition Council said that the Apple-Orange agreement posed a "serious and immediate threat" to competition among carriers, and higher costs for customers.

France Telecom plans to appeal the decision.

[Via BusinessWeek and Reuters.]

In France, Apple must let other carriers sell iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In France, Apple must let other carriers sell iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Case manufacturer drawings show smaller iPhone ‘nano’?

Filed under: Macworld, Rumors, iPhone

Our sister site Engadget notes that iDealsChina found this rendering of a silicone case for a new iPhone-like device with a smaller form factor.

iDealsChina says the case is "in production," and has many 3D images of a variety of angles. The device may be unveiled during Macworld Expo next month. The site also claims the "iPhone nano" will have three "sensors," a camera, a "mirror screen" and no 3G. The device will allegedly start production on December 20th at a rate of 60,000 to 80,000 units a day.

This falls in line with unsourced rumors of a wireless product slated for announcement at Macworld. It could wind up being the magic $99 Walmart iPhone that we've heard so much about.

The look of the new iPod nanos was leaked (famously by Kevin Rose) earlier this year as a result of a supplier showing off renderings of new cases for the device. According to iDealsChina, "...once one company starts making a mold their information is passed onto other mold companies or accessory companies through a China underground network."

Rumor: Case manufacturer drawings show smaller iPhone 'nano'? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: Case manufacturer drawings show smaller iPhone 'nano'? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99

Filed under: Retail, Rumors, iPhone

Whither the cheap, low-capacity Walmart iPhone? MacRumors' Arnold Kim now anticipates that Walmart will be offering 8GB iPhones for $197, with no mention of smaller capacities or lower prices. The price is two bucks cheaper than at an AT&T retail store.

MacBlogz's Aviv Hadar mentioned late last week that their sources at AT&T said a 4GB model was "simply not true."

The original story, from BoyGeniusReport, was treated with a heavy dose of skepticism even from them, as the source wasn't one of their usual fonts of reliable information.

In related news, the San Jose Mercury News notes that Bay Area Walmart stores may begin carrying iPhone handsets before Christmas, citing employees and managers at those stores.

Otherwise, expect the devices to go on sale December 28.

[Via MacDailyNews.]

Walmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Walmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone triples market share in Q3 2008

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone

Apple saw the iPhone's market share triple over the past year, capturing 12.9 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, according to a new Gartner analysis.

For the quarter ending September 30, iPhones accounted for 3.4 percent of the market in 2007. That figure was more than 3x higher on the same day in 2008.

Nokia is the leader worldwide in smartphone sales, with 42.4 percent of the market. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion comes in third with 15.9 percent. In North America, Apple is in second place behind RIM, with iPhones accounting for over a quarter of all smartphones.

Gartner analyst Roberta Cozza also noted that this quarter marked the first time iPhone sales exceeded those of Windows Mobile devices; that's pretty astonishing when you consider how many flavors of WM handsets are out there.

[Via Macworld.]

iPhone triples market share in Q3 2008 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone triples market share in Q3 2008 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BGR: Walmart to sell $99 iPhone?

Filed under: Retail, Rumors, iPhone

Your source for all iPhone-slash-Walmart news, BoyGeniusReport, has a whopper for you: Walmart might offer the 4GB iPhone for $99 when they start selling the handsets after Christmas.

Even they're skeptical, though: Their tipster isn't one of their regulars, and so they can't say with any certainty that it will come to pass.

The discount makes sense, in a way. Selling the low-end iPhone at a ridiculous price will turn it into the new Motorola RAZR. Apple would love everyone in the country to own one, I'm sure. It's not clear who will eat the discount, though -- Apple, AT&T, or Walmart -- but my guess is that it's mostly Apple. Apple has other revenue streams for the iPhone, such as the App Store and iTunes, and AT&T still has its spendy two-year contract. If this is what Apple needs to do to make this the ubiquitous handset to have, then it may be worth the cost to them.

On the other hand, as many commenters at BGR have pointed out, with ubiquity comes rejection. Suddenly, the iPhone isn't the cool status symbol to have anymore. This doesn't bother me one bit, but to some people -- for whatever reason -- it's important to them. (I have special names for those people.) Nevertheless -- will it impact sales? How much is the "hip" coefficient driving purchases?

In any event, consider this one of those situations where the Internet is writing checks that Walmart's butt might not be able to cash. But pretty sweet if it does.

BGR: Walmart to sell $99 iPhone? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BGR: Walmart to sell $99 iPhone? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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