Apple iPhone 6 Rumors: Release Date In 2013, But Cheaper iPhone 5 Won't Feature A Retina Display

For months, we've been talking about two different successors to the iPhone 5, including a true sequel with all the bells and whistles -- the iPhone 5S -- and an all-new design said to aim specifically at emerging and lower-income global markets like India and China. But to build this cheaper, more affordable "iPhone 6," one analyst believes Apple (NASDAQ:APPL) will release the phone without a Retina display.

On Friday, RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani released a research note (via MacRumors) saying he believes the low-cost iPhone 6 will see its release date in June or July 2013, but the phone will not feature Apple's signature Retina display.

"Our supply-chain checks indicate that AAPL is working to launch multiple new phones in the June/July time-frame this year," Daryanani said. "Specifically, AAPL will launch the iPhone 5S and a more affordable but lower-income iPhone at the same time, in either late CYQ2 or Q3. The low-end iPhone will have the same 4" form factor as the iPhone 5 but will have plastic casing and no retina display [sic]. With a lower price-point, AAPL will be able to target a growing and important part of the Smartphone market (sub-$400 price-band)."

Several other analysts have said the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 will both be released simultaneously in 2013, but Daryanani's note about the device's Retina display conflicts with other trusted reports from analysts who have proved accurate in the past. Specifically, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who correctly predicted Apple's entire product pipeline in 2012, believes the iPhone 6 will indeed release in June or July, but will feature the same 326 ppi Retina display as the iPhone 5.

It would make little sense for Apple to introduce an inferior display in the iPhone 6. Even the iPhone 4, which is currently available for free in the U.S. (with a two-year contract), features a Retina display. If Apple wants to lower prices, reducing the screen density won't make much of a difference in overall cost. Instead, it's been reported that Apple will build the phone with different materials, opting for a "hybrid casing of fiberglass and plastic" that makes it lighter and slimmer than most plastic-encased smartphones, but certainly cheaper to make. KGI Securities' Kuo believes the iPhone 6 will still be heavier than the iPhone 5S, which will reportedly be cased in aluminum and released around the same time.

Need more reasons to believe the cheaper iPhone 6 will feature a Retina display? On Thursday, Apple officially told developers that all apps submitted to the App Store must support the Retina display resolution (326 ppi) and 4-inch screen size of the iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch starting May 1. If all developers are being forced to scale their apps to the new screen size in May, Apple will likely make a big iPhone and/or iOS-related announcement soon after -- most likely at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Why Apple Should Release The iPhone 6 In 2013

Apple is facing stiffening competition from its rivals at Samsung Electronics (KRX:005935), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), and even Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT); recently, Apple got to see Samsung release its newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, which looks to be the biggest competition to the iPhone in 2013 -- like 2012 all over again. Apple will need all the firepower it can muster in its smartphone line-up if it hopes to maintain customer interest in a tightening marketplace.

With the advent of cheaper, smaller, and more power-efficient chipsets, Apple can certainly afford to build an entry-level smartphone in addition to its current iPhone 5 (or 5S) -- either making it larger, like the Samsung Galaxy S3, or possibly a smaller iPhone Nano -- to appeal to consumers who can’t quite afford Apple’s most popular product, including many in China.

Reports of Apple's desire to build multiple iPhone models have been echoed on Wall Street. On Jan. 2, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White said the company will likely release its iPhone 5 successor in more colors and screen sizes, implying that Apple might sell an iPhone that's smaller or larger than the current iPhone 5 or even the previous-generation iPhone 4S or 4 units.

"Although Apple offers a 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5 and a 3.5-inch screen on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, the company has never offered multiple screen sizes for a single model," White said. "We believe this is about to change with the next iPhone offering different screen sizes that we believe will allow Apple to better bifurcate the market and expand its reach."

China is the biggest new market for Apple at this moment: The company is reportedly trying to strike a deal in 2013 with China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE:CHL), the largest telecommunications carrier in the world with 703 million active subscribers, to build a TD-LTE version of the iPhone 5 to work on the carrier’s high-speed networks. Apple CEO Tim Cook even visited China Mobile headquarters on Jan. 10 to meet with company Chairman Xi Guohua to discuss “matters of cooperation,” but Apple needs this deal now: The Samsung Galaxy S4 will release on TD-LTE this year, which presents an enormous opportunity for Samsung if it can release its popular smartphone unopposed.

Considering Apple’s urgency to strike a deal with China Mobile, as well as the growing competition to be compatible with China's most popular carrier, it’s likely we could see Apple release both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 this year in an attempt to dominate the growing markets in Asia.

iPhone 6 Rumors: What Features Might It Include?

iLounge editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz detailed in January what he called the "budget iPhone 5," which he said looks like the iPhone 5, but features several new design tweaks.

“Yes, it will be made substantially from plastic,” Horwitz wrote, echoing an earlier DigiTimes report that said the iPhone 5S or 6 would feature a hybrid chassis made of both plastic and metal. “No, it won’t just be a Retina- and Lightning-equipped refresh of the iPhone 3G or 3GS, Apple’s last plastic iPhones, nor will it look just like an all-plastic version of the iPhone 5. This new model is actually a cross between the iPhone 5, the fifth-generation iPod touch, and -- wait for it -- the iPod classic. Yes, really. It will have a 4-inch screen, like the iPhone 5, a bottom like the latest iPod touch and a shape that’s most similar to the iPod classic.”

The original DigiTimes report on the low-cost iPhone 6 said the new iPhone’s internal parts could “be seen from the outside through a special design." If this rumor is accurate, the finished design for the cheap iPhone 6 might look like an iPhone 5 mixed with the plastic enclosure of the iPhone 3GS from 2009 mixed with the final design for the Bondi blue iMac in 1998, which was characterized by its brightly colored, translucent plastic casing that could let users see the innards of their desktop computers for the first time.

Horwitz believes the low-cost iPhone 6 will feature specs nearly identical to those in the iPhone 5, but will be "a half-millimeter taller and a half-millimeter wider," as well as a full millimeter thicker. While these changes are minimal, Horwitz noted the biggest design change in the iPhone 6 will be the curves.

“Apple’s budget housing looks closest to the iPod classic in shape, though not in materials,” Horwitz said. “Unlike the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, which featured soft curves on all sides, the budget iPhone’s curves start and end at flat surfaces, so each side and the back are flat. This seems like a trivial change, until you realize that it allows Apple to use flat rather than curve-matched parts: The right side has a flat, centered SIM card tray just like the iPhone 5’s, while all of the buttons and ports are on flat rather than curved surfaces. A flat-backed iPhone won’t rock on a flat surface when it vibrates, either.”

The proportions of the iPhone 6 will resemble those of the latest-generation iPod touch, with similar locations for the camera, microphone and rear flash, according to Horwitz. The bottom microphone, headphone jack, Lightning dock, and speaker are in the same locations as in the iPhone 5, but the new iPhone 6 is said to have an extra microphone on the bottom, as well as four individual holes for the speaker grill, rather than the 26 speaker holes at the bottom of the iPhone 5.

“In summary, the budget iPhone will look a lot like an iPhone 5 from the front, an iPod classic from the side, and an iPod touch 5G on the bottom -- only made from plastic rather than glass or metal,” Horwitz concluded. “It won’t make any bold departures from past Apple designs, but then, it’s supposed to be an inexpensive iPhone and achieves that goal pretty much as expected.”

Besides the form factor, Horwitz believes the next iPhone will feature a processor bump -- possibly an Apple-built A7 chip -- as well as improvements to the camera and flash, integrating a new aperture and 13-megapixel lens.

That said, most rumors about the iPhone 6 have revolved around its display, as Apple is reportedly investing a great deal of time, energy and capital on the screen for its next-gen iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.

A Jan. 3 report by the China Times said Apple might switch to a "Touch On Display" panel currently in development at one of the company's suppliers, Taiwan-based Innolux Corp. (TPE:3481), which has reportedly licensed Sharp's proprietary IGZO display technology.

Whether or not Apple taps Innolux to make screens for the next iPhone, however, the company will most likely feature Sharp's ultrathin IGZO display technology in its next iPhone -- the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or both.

In late December, Asymco analyst Horace Dediu and DigiTimes both mentioned Apple’s alleged investment in the ultrathin IGZO displays produced by Sharp, predicting the inclusion of the technology in Apple’s next batch of iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads. Dediu also pointed to Apple’s recent $2.3 billion investment in “product tooling, manufacturing process equipment, and infrastructure,” believing the cash was used to help bail out Sharp, which had been in financial straits last year. Sharp is reportedly going “all in” on IGZO technology, so it’s possible Apple saved Sharp to leverage its investment in the next generation of displays.

As noted by Tom's Hardware, the IGZO display is not only thin and tough, but also can handle even higher screen densities than Apple’s Retina display, which is visually stunning on its own. IGZO displays can reportedly handle display densities north of 330 ppi: In comparison, the new iPad 4 can only achieve 264 ppi.

One of the advantages of IGZO display technology is its lower power consumption. Most Apple products, from the iPhone 5 to the iPad 4, require cartoonishly big batteries to achieve just eight hours of power -- this is because current-gen Retina displays are extremely power-hungry. If Apple wanted its iPhone 6 not only to last longer during the day but also to charge faster when plugged in, IGZO seems to be the way to go for the next generation of iOS devices.

Apple sold 47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads in the company's fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29.

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Apple iPhone fingerprint scanner will make 'biometrics' a household name

By adding a fingerprint scanner to its newest mobile phone, Apple Inc. is offering a tantalizing glimpse of a future where your favourite gadget might become a biometric pass to the workplace, mobile commerce or real-world shopping and events.

Although Apple’s executives said at Tuesday’s launch that its Touch ID technology embedded into the iPhone 5S’ home button would only provide fingerprint access to the phone and its own online stores, analysts said Apple’s embrace of such technology, called biometrics, would be key to wider adoption.

“It really propels biometrics into the mainstream,” said specialist Alan Goode, the U.K. -based managing director of research consultancy Goode Intelligence.

Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of design, hinted of its future in a video presentation at the launch.

“Touch ID defines the next step of how you use your iPhone,” he said, “making something as important as security so effortless and so simple.”

Passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs) have long been the mainstay of access to devices, bank accounts and online services, despite their poor record. Many passwords can easily be guessed, while others can be hacked by brute-force attacks – essentially a computer program running through all possible permutations.

They also involve one too many steps for lots of users: Apple said that half of smartphone users don’t bother to password-protect their devices.

Hence the appeal of biometrics, which take something unique to the individual – a fingerprint, an iris, voice or facial features – as authentication.

Apple’s move may not have an immediate impact beyond improving the way users unlock their devices and interact with Apple services like iTunes and its App Store.

But that is itself a significant step. Apple has more than 500 million iTunes accounts. Anything that increases security and removes steps in the payment process is bound to boost online purchases.

It will also raise the comfort levels of companies supplying the content to a mobile commerce sector expected to reach $40-billion next year in the United States alone, according to Euromonitor estimates.

Users afraid of using their mobile device to make purchases online or in the real world because they fear it will be stolen or their password seen may feel liberated using a fingerprint, said Michael Chasen, CEO of SocialRadar, which is building location-based mobile applications for social networking.

For mobile commerce, he said, that could “be the missing piece.”

Beyond the web, Apple could combine the Touch ID with its existing “Passbook” app that stores coupons, tickets to events and boarding passes on an iPhone and allow event organizers and airline companies to validate those documents, said Sebastien Taveau, chief technology officer at California-based Validity Sensors, which makes sensors for other manufacturers.

“Apple wants to make deals with music and entertainment companies with very strong opinions on digital rights management,” Taveau said. The fingerprint scanner, when used in transactions with these companies, could “reassure all these industries”.

Biometric security should also appeal to enterprises nervous about allowing the personal devices of employees on the office network, analysts and industry insiders said.

“If this has been implemented right, every enterprise that enforces a password or PIN lock on the device will begin using the fingerprint sensor instead,” said Song Chuang, Singapore-based research director at Gartner.

Apple is not the first to try to make biometrics work for the consumer.

Fingerprint scanners have already found their way into laptops, external hard-drives and electronic wallets. Companies like Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., Fujitsu Ltd. and Pantech Co. Ltd. have incorporated fingerprint scanners into their mobile phones.

But none has really taken off.

Partly, that’s because of cost and partly because there’s been little in the way of an ecosystem to build support for the products.

“Biometrics have been historically viewed as a more expensive ‘nice to have’ component, rather than a ‘must have’,” said Bill Morelli, an analyst at IHS.

Also, fingerprint scanners have tended to make things harder rather than easier for users.

Chuang at Gartner said it could take users up to six swipes for a sensor to “learn” a user’s fingerprint. “This is not a great user experience,” he said.

All things, say some, that Apple was put on this earth to fix. Ben Thompson, a Taipei-based industry observer who writes a blog at stratechery.com, said Apple was focusing on the apparently trivial problem of entering a password – but one that irked users dozens of times a day.

“It’s classic Apple to expend tremendous energy on simplifying a small irritation, even if it’s not a classic feature list item.”

The badly kept secret of Apple’s biometric plans had already given the industry a boost long before Tuesday. The company has been filing patents on biometric security since at least 2009.

“Apple has been working on it for more than two years and they have extremely competent engineers,” said Validity’s Taveau.

Apple reached out two to three years ago to Microlatch, an Australian company, to license and test its peripheral fingerprint sensors. Apple asked it to build a Bluetooth connection to the phone and accompanying software, Microlatch managing director and founder Chris Burke said, so Apple could gauge user reactions and habits, particularly in e-commerce strongholds like China.

“In their roadmap it was clear there would be fingerprint scans, so they’d plot their course, rather than just trying something,” Burke said in a phone interview.

Last year Apple also paid about $350-million for AuthenTec, a key player in fingerprint sensors and until its purchase a supplier to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Co, Dell Inc, Lenovo Group Ltd and Fujitsu.

Apple’s moves have reawakened interest in the space.

Swedish biometric component maker Fingerprint Cards AB, for example, has seen its share price rise 1,400 per cent in the past year. The company predicts the industry will ship up to 100 million consumer electronic devices embedded with fingerprint scanners this year, rising to more than 1 billion in 2015 as biometrics finds its way into TV remotes, gaming consoles and cameras.

There are downsides to fingerprint technology. It is not as accurate as companies touting its benefits make it sound, and PINs and passwords can be reset or changed if someone steals them.

“Fingerprint recognition is not perfect,” said Geppy Parziale, biometrics expert and CEO of Invasivecode, a firm that develops applications for Apple’s mobile devices. Then there’s the problem of the fingerprints themselves: acquiring a large enough set of them to test the accuracy of such devices is complicated by privacy and legal issues, Parziale said.

But if anyone can bring this technology into the mainstream, experts say, it’s Apple. It has, for example, embedded the scanner into the iPhone’s home button, while other mobile devices usually have it on the back, making it awkward for the user and increasing the number of failed attempts.

Samsung and fellow South Korean electronics manufacturer LG Electronics Inc. have had problems incorporating the technology into finished products.

LG’s head of domestic marketing, Ma Chang-Min, last month said the company had abandoned efforts to include a fingerprint sensor to the back cover of its flagship G2 smartphone “as we need more work to improve reliability and usability.”

That gives Apple a headstart. It can also build the sensing and security deep into its operating system and the A7 mobile chip which Apple itself designed, putting it ahead of rivals such like Google, which develops the Android mobile OS and licenses it to manufacturers like Samsung, said Taipei-based KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

But its edge may not last.

Microsoft Corp, for one, is building fingerprint recognition into the latest update of its Windows operating system and, said Taveau of Validity Sensors, “it is fair to assume that the Android community won’t be long to react.” - source

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Tepid Chinese response to new iPhone highlights Apple's challenge ahead

BEIJING -- The iPhone's magic as China's must-have smartphone is eroding.

Last year, eager buyers in Beijing waited overnight in freezing weather to buy the iPhone 4S. Pressure to get it -- and the profit to be made by reselling scarce phones -- prompted some to pelt the store with eggs when Apple, worried about the size of the crowd, postponed opening.

Just 18 months later, many Chinese gadget lovers responded with a shrug this week when Apple Inc. unveiled two new versions of the iPhone 5. Today's market is glutted with alternatives from Samsung to bargain-priced local brands.

"There was no big change, no surprise at all," said Gu Lanjun, a 29-year-old employee at a Shanghai bank. Having bought the three most recent iPhone models as soon as they were released, she said, "I won't update this time."

That lacklustre reception suggests Apple faces a struggle in defending its shrinking share of China's crowded, increasingly competitive smartphone market and its premium prices.

That matters, because China is a key part of Apple's growth plans. CEO Tim Cook told the official Xinhua News Agency in January he expects this country to pass the United States as its biggest market.

"Apple's market position in China has stagnated," said telecommunications analyst Jan Dawson of the research firm Ovum, in an email.

One problem, he said, might be that Apple's high price limits it to targeting the top market tier, and customers in that segment who want an iPhone already have one.

The two models unveiled this week "will largely be sold to existing subscribers and won't win many converts," Dawson said.

Earlier iPhones became status symbols in China even before they were formally sold here.

Buyers paid hundreds of dollars for handsets brought in from Hong Kong and modified to work on China's phone network. Companies treated them as luxury goods, buying hundreds at a time to give to important customers as Chinese New Year's gifts.

Now, Apple faces increasing competition. Samsung has made inroads into its premium market segment. For the mass market in a country with an average annual income of only about $4,000 per person, less than one-tenth the U.S. level, newcomers such as China's Xiaomi offer smartphones that run Google Inc.'s Android system for as little as 799 yuan ($125).

The rapid growth of the lower segments where Apple doesn't compete has helped to shrink its share of the overall market even as its sales grow.

Apple's share of China's smartphone market fell by nearly half, from 9.1 per cent to 4.8 per cent, over the past year, according to research firm Canalys.

Apple appeared to be trying to capture some of that lower-tier market with this week's announcement of the lower-priced 5C. But the company's website said it will start at 4,488 yuan ($712) in China, well above analysts' expectations of as little as 2,500 yuan ($400).

"People were expecting a much cheaper version to expand the market to the mid-tier segment. But that didn't happen," said analyst C.K. Lu of Gartner Inc. "We don't see much is going on in the China market with this new product launch."

Investors gave Apple's two new iPhones a similarly lukewarm reception.

Shares fell 6 per cent in U.S. trading on Wednesday following the announcement. Apple stock has fallen nearly 30 per cent since peaking at $705.07 when the last iPhone came out.

Apple also disappointed observers by failing to announce an agreement with China Mobile Ltd., the world's biggest phone company by number of subscribers, though Apple had promised no deal.

After this week's announcement that Japan's biggest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo, would support the new iPhone lineup, China Mobile is the last major holdout. A tie-up would require Apple to create an iPhone that runs on China's homegrown mobile standard but would give it a partner with 750 million subscribers.

The latest iPhone release also marks an upgrading of Apple's marketing in China. For the first time, the new model will be released in China at the same time as it debuts on Sept. 20 in the United States and other major markets such as Britain, Japan and France. In more than 100 other countries, it will not go on sale until December.

But advance orders for the iPhone 5S and 5C have been "much lower" than for previous models, according to Zhang Xue, a saleswoman for China Telecom Ltd., one of two Chinese carriers that support the iPhone.

"Customers are much calmer when they face the new iPhone lineup," Zhang said.

Apple still has plenty of fervent admirers in China, but some complained the latest iPhones offer too few technical advances.

Liu Guanlin, a junior at the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy, said he traded up from Samsung Galaxy to an iPhone because Apple's operating system seemed more stable. But he said the 5C didn't look like it would be worth the money.

"I have lots of Apple products, yet my complaint about the iPhone is it lacks innovation," said Liu. "I can't see major breakthroughs in the latest models, which is disappointing."

Others complained Apple failed to live up to its stylish design standards.

"The covers look garish. It will take people back to 10 years ago," said Gu, the Shanghai bank employee. "I would rather wait for the iPhone 6 and if there still is not much change, I will think about switching to another brand." - source

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Samsung Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5

If you’ve ever found yourself in the middle of the impossible decision of choosing between iOS and Android for the first time, you see just how exciting a time it is for the mobile industry. Samsung and Apple seem to be the heavyweights right now, and the new Galaxy S4 is more than enough to give Apple something to worry about.

Apple and Samsung both have phones that exist on nearly every network in the world, but for the purposes of this comparison we’re going to be looking at the Verizon Wireless variant of the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 just to make sure things are as fair as possible. These two LTE superphones are easily the best of their breed, but which of the two offers the best overall experience?

Are you case sensitive?

We’ve reached a point where smartphone manufacturers are unable to sell a smartphone solely using its spec sheet. The experience offered by the operating system, the app ecosystem, and whatever exclusive features are what drives competition today. That doesn’t mean that specs don’t matter at all, especially when you are looking for a phone to perform well throughout a whole day, offer superior functionality on a WiFi or mobile network, or be able to function with the current and next generation of accessories. Out of context, a spec sheet isn’t helpful anymore. When you compare phones that are able to offer similar features, however, the spec sheet could be what acts as the final push to choose one over the other.

If you are looking for the best phone to fit in your pocket (or in your hand if you’ve got small hands) the iPhone 5 is undoubtedly better than the Galaxy S4. It’s lighter, thinner, and the display just over an inch smaller overall on the diagonal. The iPhone 5 was the first 4-inch phone Apple released, even though the rest of the mobile industry has been leaning towards larger and larger phones. The Galaxy S4′s 4.99-inch screen makes the whole phone noticeably larger than the iPhone 5, but it is also just slightly thicker.

The Apple’s case features an aluminum body with a slightly textured coating, while Samsung’s is a glossy plastic, again with a slight texture. These handsets both look and feel very different — Apple’s glass-and-metal mix vs. Samsung’s high-tech polycarbonate.

Specs absolutely matter

Under the hood, Samsung and Apple are nothing alike. Apple’s dual-core A6 processor clocked at 1.2GHz certainly feels like more than enough for the handheld computer, but Samsung’s 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 is an incredibly powerful chip capable of much more. Samsung also includes twice the RAM as the iPhone, while the GPUs offer a comparable experience in daily usage. Both of these phones also offer the highest quality mobile radios, capable of a diverse collection of network types. Their Bluetooth and storage options are identical, though the Galaxy S4 allows for an additional 64GB of storage.

The only other area on the spec sheet Samsung and Apple differ is the inclusion of an IR blaster and the availability of 802.11AC for the S4.

More than Retina, for what it’s worth

The screen is typically the most important part of a smartphone, and in this area Samsung and Apple have always been different. Apple’s LED-backlit IPS LCD and Samsung’s Super AMOLED displays each offer an amazing experience, but nothing ever really looks exactly the same on these displays. Apple’s LCD technology washes out in direct sunlight, but offers an unparalleled experience in terms of viewing angles. Samsung’s screens are amazing in direct sunlight, and their rich colors and deep blacks offer a great viewing experience, but their use of the PenTile display matrix is often off-putting for many.

Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5

Whatever your thoughts on the screen technology, there’s no arguing which is the more impressive experience. The iPhone 5′s 1136 x 640 resolution Retina display offers 326 ppi. On that 4-inch screen, Apple’s software makes everything look amazing despite the low resolution. Samsung’s latest display is 1920×1080 (that’s 1080p) at 441 ppi, which is a significant increase over any display currently being used by Apple. The Super AMOLED display in the Galaxy S4 is the first of its kind, and stands proud next to the iPhone 5′s smaller display.

The more powerful processor, and larger screen size undoubtedly takes its toll when it comes to battery life. Apple’s phones aren’t exactly known for being able to get you through a whole day without the need to charge, the iPhone 5′s 1440mAh battery is more capable than most. Samsung’s 2600mAh battery is a bump from last year’s model, but there’s still a lot going on that can drain the battery. Fortunately for S4 owners the battery is removable, and a larger battery can be installed. In contrast, Apple’s phones are sealed, which helps the design, but means you’re on your own when the battery gets low.

Ecosystem and Apps: It’s all about preference

Access to apps is incredibly important, but we’ve pretty much reached a point where Apple and Google are able to offer the same app experience. Both of their stores are growing at an exponential rate, and most companies release apps for both platforms on the same day. There are a few outliers, and depending on what you do that may make all the difference in the world, but most people can pick up either an Android phone or an iPhone and get by pretty easily.

What makes both the iPhone and the Galaxy S4 unique are the experiences that only they offer. Apple’s exclusives are pretty well known. If you get roped into iTunes, iCloud, Siri, or any of Apple’s exclusive apps, you’ll have a hard time finding anything like them on another platform. Samsung’s exclusives are pretty new, and not really all that well known. The Dual Camera modes offer one of a kind photography and video experience, making it possible to use both the front and the rear camera simultaneously. If you’ve got multiple people using Galaxy S4s, you can link them all together and play the same song simultaneously. All these small features might not sound like much on their own, but in combination Samsung has built a powerful array of software into this smartphone.

Both phones offer a wireless streaming system, and while Miracast and Allshare are more functional than Airplay, Samsung can’t compete with how easy it is to set up Apple’s offering.

In the end, the experience you create on these phones is all about choice. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is clearly the more powerful phone, and the hardware is clearly designed to remain relevant for quite a while. The iPhone 5 is just barely 6 months old, and Apple is already far behind in the hardware game — Samsung’s previous model, the Galaxy S3 , was enough to compete with the iPhone 5. As long as you aren’t tied to the Apple ecosystem already, the Galaxy S4 will be able to offer you much more than the iPhone is capable of.

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Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, debuted September 19

At a Glance

Apple recently introduced the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Both devices launched on September 19 in the first wave of countries. The first reviews describe the units as "thin and sexy", "bigger and better", with impressive battery life.

Specs

• 4.7-inch iPhone 6 features a 1334 x 750 display
• 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus features a 1920 x 1080 display
• 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB
• $199, $299, and $399 / $299, $399, and $499

Apple has launched two new iPhones, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Along with larger screens and a completely new iPad-style design with an ultra thin body and rounded corners, the two new phones offer faster processors, better cameras, and Apple's new Apple Pay payment system.

Apple's new iPhones are available in Gold, Silver, and Space Gray, and are available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities. The iPhone 6 pricing starts at $199 on contract, while the iPhone 6 Plus pricing starts at $299.

While both models include the same 64-bit A8 chip and the same general design, there are several differences between the two phones. The iPhone 6 measures in at 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus is slightly thicker at 7.1mm. Apple's iPhone 6 Plus also has three major differentiating factors: optical image stabilization for the camera, and a longer battery life, and an iPad-style landscape mode that displays more content on the screen.

Though the iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization, both phones got some major camera improvements in form of sensor upgrades, improved tone mapping, better noise reduction, and new "Focus Pixel" technology, which improves the phone's ability to select autofocus points. For videos, there's a new 240fps slo-mo option, along with support for shooting in 1080p at 60fps. The front-facing camera was also upgraded, with an f/2.2 aperture that lets in more light and new burst mode capabilities.

Both phones have an impressive new "Retina HD Display," with the iPhone 6 featuring a resolution of 1334 x 750 (326 ppi) and the iPhone 6 Plus featuring a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (401 ppi).

Design wise, the phones more closely resemble the iPad and the iPod touch than the iPhone 5s. Both models have soft, rounded corners and a curved glass screen that melds smoothly into the thin metal body of the device. The volume buttons on the left side of the device are now pill-shaped, and the power button is located on the right side of the device for easier one-handed use.

How to Buy

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus launched on September 19 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Singapore, following pre-orders that began on Friday, September 12. On Friday, September 26, Apple expanded iPhone 6 and 6 Plus availability to more than 20 additional countries, including New Zealand, Italy, Denmark, and Taiwan, and on October 17, the two devices became available in China, India and Monaco. Later in the month of October, Apple expanded availability to 33 additional countries.

Apple is selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both online and in its retail stores. Though supplies were initially constrained, stock of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus appears to be improving in the United States and other countries around the world. In the U.S., new orders of both devices ship in just 1 business day for 16 and 64GB models and 3 to 5 business days for 128GB models.

In store supply of both devices is also improving, with retail stores receiving shipments on a near-daily basis. The iStockNow tracking tool can be used to see which models of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are currently in stock at a variety of stores, including Apple's retail stores.>

According to an Apple representative, response to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus was "incredible," setting a new record for pre-orders, and sales topped 10 million during the phone's launch weekend. While it remains uncertain whether consumers preferred the smaller iPhone 6 or the larger iPhone 6 Plus, early analysis suggests buyers favored the iPhone 6 3:1 over the iPhone 6 Plus.

Apple's iPhone 6 is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities, priced at $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities and will be priced $100 higher at $299, $399, and $499, respectively. Both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus are available in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver.

Issues

"Bendgate"

Shortly after the iPhone 6 Plus was released on September 19, reports of the device bending when placed in a pocket began to surface. One user, for example, reported slight bending after the iPhone was in a pocket for approximately 18 hours, and after that, several other reports trickled in.

Inspired by the reports of bending, a YouTuber created a video depicting him bending the iPhone 6 Plus with his hands, causing significant damage to the device. The video went viral, and began people worrying about bending the iPhone 6 Plus in their pockets.

It is important to note when watching the video above that the amount of pressure placed on the device is unlikely to be replicated in daily usage. While images have depicted slight bending, there has been no extreme warpage in the casing due to carrying the device in a pocket.

Affected users have reported that Apple has replaced devices that have bent. As shown in another video, the iPhone 6 Plus is less vulnerable to bending when placed in a rigid case, and users can also avoid bending the iPhone by removing it from a pocket before sitting down.

A followup bending video featuring the iPhone 6 demonstrated that the smaller-screened device is much harder to bend and therefore likely less vulnerable to bending when placed inside of a pocket.

In response to all of the media attention that the iPhone 6 Plus bending issues garnered, Apple released a statement to several different sites saying that with normal use, bending in the iPhone is "extremely rare." The company said that only nine customers had complained about a bent iPhone 6 Plus.

In addition to releasing a statement, Apple also invited several reporters to visit its the facility where the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are subjected to several different tests to ensure strength and durability. As described in reports, the iPhones go through five different tests, including pressure point cycling, three-point bend tests, torsion testing, sit tests, and real-life testing scenarios where Apple employees use the devices.

According to Apple's head engineer Dan Riccio, the iPhone 6 was "the most tested product" Apple's ever created. The company reportedly conducted 15,000 tests on the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Apple's head of marketing Phil Schiller said that bending was extremely rare, and that the company had "designed the product to be incredibly reliable throughout all your real world use."

Consumer reports went on to test the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus after reports of bending, and found that the two devices are not quite as bendable as the media has suggested. In a three-point flexural test, the iPhone 6 Plus withstood 90 pounds of force before bending, while the iPhone 6 withstood 70 pounds of force, which is more force than the two devices are likely to be subjected to during daily use.

According to Consumer Reports, though the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are not indestructible, they "should stand up to typical use."

Crashing Issues

Some 128GB iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units have reportedly been having crashing and boot loop issues, which could potentially be a hardware issue related to the NAND flash in the devices.

Reviews

Initial impressions on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are gathered below to highlight the general release reactions to the two new devices.

Apple's two new devices are essentially identical in design aside from the difference in screen size and the battery life/optical image stabilization in the iPhone 6 Plus. One notable improvement in both devices is the longer battery life afforded by the larger batteries. The iPhone 6 Plus is said to last up to 2 days, while the iPhone 6 may last a day and a half.

Brad Molen, Engadget:

Both iPhones are thinner than their predecessor. Whereas the 5s was 7.6mm thick, the 6 comes in at 6.9mm, with the 6 Plus measuring a hair thicker at 7.1mm. I don't always subscribe to the "thinner is better" mantra, but it's a benefit in this case because larger iPhones wouldn't feel as comfortable if they had the same shape as the 5s. If I had to choose based on in-hand feel alone, I'd pick the 6 over the Plus. I can still wrap my fingers around the 6 just as easily as I could with the 5s (and its curved sides don't cut as sharply as the edges on the 5s), but the large-screened 6 Plus is... well, it's manageable.

David Pierce/Nilay Patel (iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus), The Verge:

Huge phones get to have huge batteries, and the iPhone 6 Plus is a huge phone with a huge battery: I consistently got about two days of battery life from the 6 Plus in regular daily use -- slightly more than the day and half we got from the iPhone 6, and basically the same as the Note 3.

Walt Mossberg/Lauren Goode (iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus), Re/code:

In my tests, I found the iPhone 6's Wi-Fi speeds -- both downstream and upstream -- were roughly double those of the 5s, and about 25 percent faster than those of the Samsung Galaxy S5. But I saw little difference in LTE speeds, either on Verizon or AT&T.

Jim Dalrymple, The Loop:

The 6 Plus was awkward for me to use at first--it was kind of like using a smaller version of the iPad mini, but it was a phone. I had a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of using it on an ongoing basis, but the larger screen eventually won me over.

In More Detail

Design

Measuring in at 4.7 and 5.5-inches, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus dwarf previous iPhone models, but at the same time, the two phones are Apple's thinnest yet, measuring in at 6.9 and 7.1mm, respectively. For comparison's sake, the iPhone 5s was 7.6mm thick.

According to Apple, the thinner profile was made possible by the company's "thinnest display yet," which is made of slightly curved glass designed to flow seamlessly into the body of the device to highlight the "Retina HD" screen of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Both devices include prominent antenna bands on the back enclosure, along with a protruding rear lens. The volume buttons are pill-shaped, much like the buttons on the iPad Air, and the power button has been relocated to the right side of the device.

The iPhone 6 measures in at 5.44 inches long and 2.64 inches wide, and weighs 4.55 ounces. The iPhone 6 measures in at 6.22 inches long and 3.06 wide, weighing 6.07 ounces. In comparison, the iPhone 5s is 4.87 inches long, 2.31 inches wide, and it weighs 3.95 ounces.

Retina HD Display

iPhone 6 rumors largely suggested Apple would use a sapphire display cover in the device, but that turned out to be false. Instead, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus use "ion-strengthened" glass with an improved polarizer (for better outdoor viewing), a photo aligned IPS liquid crystal display, and a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.

The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display with a "2x" resolution of 1334 x 740 (326 ppi) while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch "3x" resolution of 1920 x 1080 (401 ppi). Both phones are said to offer higher contrast, better brightness, and improved white balance.

According to a test conducted by DisplayMate, the iPhone 6 Plus display is the "best smartphone LCD ever tested." The iPhone 6 display also received high marks.

Apple has implemented several "Reachability" features to improve the viewing experience on its larger devices, including Display Zoom and landscape view (iPhone 6 Plus only). Display Zoom lets users zoom in to get a closer view at their apps, while standard zoom displays more content on the screen.

Landscape view on the iPhone 6 Plus is designed to make the most of the 5.5-inch screen and to help users be more productive. When in landscape mode, the device will display apps like Mail, Calendar, and Stocks in a wider view similar to the way they're displayed on the iPad.

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus take advantage of dual domain pixels, which improves viewing angles. AnandTech has given an in-depth overview of dual domain pixels, explaining that the technology alludes to the fact that the electrodes in the pixels are not all aligned. Instead, the pixels are "skewed when viewed from the perspective of the lines defined by the rectangular edges of the display," allowing them to compensate for uneven lighting.

Battery Life

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus both offer improved battery life, but due to the larger size of iPhone 6 Plus, it is able to accommodate a larger battery. The iPhone 6 has an 1,810 mAh battery, while the iPhone 6 Plus has a battery capacity of 2,915 mAh.

Because it has a bigger battery, the iPhone 6 Plus has a longer battery life than the smaller iPhone 6. 3G talk time for the iPhone 6 Plus is at 24 hours, compared to just 14 hours in the iPhone 6, for example, while HD video playback is at 14 hours for the iPhone 6 Plus and 11 hours for the iPhone 6.

Reviews of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have suggested that the iPhone 6 can last up to a day and a half on average, while the iPhone 6 Plus can last up to two days on a single charge. A battery life test conducted by AnandTech showed the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus beat out many competing Android devices, lasting longer than the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. The iPhone 6 Plus had the second longest battery life of any device tested, coming in behind the Huawei Ascend Mate 2.

Despite shipping with a 1A/5W battery, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are capable of drawing up to 2.1A/12W of power, which means that iPhone users can likely obtain a faster charging time using an iPad adapter. According to early testing, charging with a 12W iPad adapter charges the iPhone 6 Plus in approximately two hours.

A8 Chip and M8 Motion Coprocessor

Both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus have a new 64-bit A8 processor built on an advanced 20-nanometer process by TSMC. Not only is the chip smaller than the A7 in the iPhone 5s, it's also able to deliver 25 percent faster CPU performance while being 50 percent more energy efficient.

The A8 takes full advantage of Metal, Apple's gaming technology that lets developers create console-style games on the iPhone. According to Apple, Metal is designed to let the GPU and CPU work together to provide detailed graphics and complex visual effects, which means gaming on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is going to be better than ever.

Alongside the A8, there's also a new M8 motion coprocessor, which is the successor to the M7 motion coprocessor introduced in the iPhone 5s. The M8 measures data from the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope, along with a barometer, which is new to the iPhone 6.

With the addition of the barometer, the M8 motion coprocessor can measure elevation in addition to steps taken and distance traveled.

AnandTech has published an analysis of the A8 processor that points towards significant GPU enhancements and an enhanced Cyclone CPU at 1.4Ghz.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have topped CPU benchmarking tests (compared to competing Android devices and the iPhone 5s), but the iPhone 6 Plus lags slightly in graphics performance due to the device's larger screen.

Camera Improvements

The iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus continue to sport an 8-megapixel f/2.2 rear camera, but the addition of several new features will result in vastly improved picture quality. Continuing to offer improved camera capabilities has always been a priority for Apple, with the company even opting to include a protruding lens design to avoid making image quality sacrifices for the sake of the thin design of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

The first major new feature, "Focus Pixels," are designed to speed up autofocusing by providing the sensor with more information about an image, while improved auto image stabilization will compensate for slight amounts of motion blur and hand shakiness. Focus Pixels will vastly speed up autofocusing times and improve autofocusing in low light situations, as demonstrated in a review of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cameras.

Both phones also have improved face detection capabilities and more control over exposure, and the Panorama feature now supports high-resolution panoramic photos of up to 43 megapixels.

Video options have been improved in the two devices, and it's now possible to capture 1080p HD video at 60fps. There's also a new 240fps slo-mo mode, and time-lapse video, which was introduced with iOS 8.

The iPhone 6 Plus has one slight advantage when it comes to the camera, however, as it takes advantage of the M8 motion coprocessor to offer optical image stabilization. Optical image stabilization better compensates for hand shake and slight movements in low light than standard auto image stabilization techniques. As a result, it's likely the iPhone 6 Plus will be able to deliver higher quality low-light photos than the iPhone 6.

Along with rear camera improvements, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus have improved front-facing FaceTime HD cameras with a new sensor and an f/2.2 aperture. With these improvements, Apple says the front-facing camera can capture 81 percent more light, resulting in much better low-light photos. There's also a new burst mode for the front-facing camera, which will let users take burst mode selfies for the first time.

In the DxOMark tests from reputable camera testers DxO Labs, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both scored an 82, overtaking the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z2 as the best smartphone cameras in both the photo and video categories.

According to the testing, both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus performed similarly, with the site noting that both had "very good, generally reliable auto-exposure" in a range of lighting conditions and fast, accurate autofocus.

The optical image stabilization in the iPhone 6 Plus, which is the differentiating factor between the two devices, resulted in better noise performance and less ghosting on HDR images, but it did create a video stabilization artifact that ultimately led to a better score for the iPhone 6 in the video category.

Connectivity Improvements

Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus both offer faster LTE with support for LTE Advanced networks, reaching speeds of up to 150 Mbps, and they offer 20 LTE bands for better connectivity when traveling. A real world speed test has shown some impressive speed gains between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5s when LTE Advanced is available.

The devices also include support for Voice over LTE (VoLTE) which allows users to make higher-quality phone calls over LTE. VoLTE will also allow users on CDMA networks like Verizon to use voice and data simultaneously for the first time. VoLTE requires support from both Apple and carriers, and several carriers have pledged to roll out support for the service.

In addition to cellular improvements, the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus are the first of Apple's iOS devices to offer support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi. 802.11ac Wi-Fi is able to offer connection speeds that are up to 3 times faster than existing 802.11n networks. The speed improvements possible going from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 Plus can be seen in the video below.

Finally, the iPhone 6 supports calls over Wi-Fi, which can result in higher-quality calls, especially in situations where a cellular connection is low. Calling over Wi-Fi is another feature that requires carrier support, but again, some carriers, like T-Mobile, have already pledged support.

Memory

iPhone 6 and 6 Plus teardowns have revealed that both devices continue to offer the same 1GB of RAM found in the iPhone 5s.

Other Features

Like the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus continue to offer Touch ID, Apple's fingerprint-based security system. With iOS 8, which ships on the iPhone 6/6 Plus, Touch ID will become even more powerful, thanks to third-party Touch ID integration.

Touch ID is also an integral part of Apple's new Apple Pay mobile payments initiative, as is the Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna built into every iPhone 6. Apple Pay is designed to allow users to pay for purchases at thousands of retail stores with just a fingerprint.

Operating System

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus ship with iOS 8, Apple's newest mobile operating system. iOS 8's main goal is to improve integration between Apple devices, both mobile and desktop, through the use of "Continuity."

This article "Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, debuted September 19" is originally posted at macrumors.com and was posted by guest blogger.

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Apple iPhone 5C and 5S launch gives China hang up over high price

Chinese analysts and consumers at Apple press event in Beijing say plastic 5C model is not low-end as publicity had suggested.

China's Apple fans tend to meet the company's product releases with the same anticipation and reverence as their western counterparts. Yet in Cupertino, the California-based company's unveiling of two new iPhone models on Tuesday night left some of them scratching their heads.

On Wednesday morning Apple showed taped footage of its Silicon Valley product release to about 80 reporters at a swish Beijing hotel. It was the company's first-ever media event in China, leading many analysts to believe that one of the new models would be specifically aimed at capturing the Chinese smartphone market, currently the largest in the world.

Many China tech analysts predicted that one of the new models – the iPhone 5C, a slightly less expensive, plastic-backed version of the iPhone 5 – would cost 3,000 yuan (£310), giving it an edge over low-cost competitors. Yet on Wednesday, the company announced that a 5C with 16GB of memory would cost 4,488 yuan (£465), roughly the same cost as the iPhone 5. The other model, the iPhone 5S – which features faster hardware and a fingerprint reader beneath the home button – will sell for 5,288 yuan (£547).

Nicole Zhou, a 30-year-old employee at a state-owned enterprise, bought herself a Samsung S4 phone on Wednesday afternoon, hours after the announcement. "I didn't know the price was going to be 5,000 yuan," she said. "I don't see any really big difference between this and the other new iPhone."

Users of China's most popular microblogging service Sina Weibo chimed in as well. "The C stands for costly," was one common refrain. The "S" in 5S, some users surmised, may stand for "superfluous" or "super-expensive".

Other users compared the 5C's colourful plastic shell to a potato peeler. "Every family in Britain could use an iPhone 5C … because you need something in the kitchen to take care of all those potatoes," wrote a user calling themselves A-Chuan Wants to Rest.

Apple stores in China will begin selling the handsets on 20 September, the same day as they hit shelves in the US.

"Even though Apple has a lower-end iPhone now, its price is still considered mid-end in China and not low-end," Sandy Shen, a Shanghai-based analyst for Gartner, told Reuters. "Considering Apple's old rival Samsung and domestic players such as Huawei, Lenovo and Coolpad all have phones in that category, Apple will still lose out in market share in these key segments."

China is Apple's biggest market outside of the US and Europe, but its market share has declined precipitously over the past year, as international competitors such as Samsung and local brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi introduce comparable phones at lower costs. Apple is currently ranked seventh in the country in terms of sales.

While Apple has lost much of its market share, it has not lost its prestige. "It's like, all of my colleagues were watching the media release really closely," said Chen Xin, 23, a human resources employee at a five-star hotel in Beijing. "For them, the price means nothing compared with the prestige of the brand. Everybody thinks that Apple products are really cool."

Chen used an iPhone 4S until last year, when she bought a Samsung phone. She doesn't plan on switching back to Apple. "It's just too expensive," she said. - source

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Chinese site exploits Apple's own tools to distribute pirated apps without jailbreaking

Chinese pirate site 7659.com is exploiting Apple's bulk enterprise licensing tools to distribute free versions of paid App Store applications. Bulk enterprise licensing is supposed to let businesses send in-house apps to employees without dealing with Apple's App Store. It works via a developer provisioning profile, which facilitates "sideloading" of sorts without jailbreaking.

The site is only open to users in China, but that restriction can be circumvented via proxy server. According to VentureBeat, 7659 is full of apps that would otherwise cost money. Those include our best new app last week, Badland, which is usually $3.99, and Final Fantasy V, priced at $15.99 in the App Store. In a statement on its site, Kuaiyong, the company that appears to run 7659, explains its reasoning behind offering the apps:

"First of all, we would like to thank all Apple users around the world and your support for Kuaiyong.

Statistics have shown that a significant amount of Apple users are Chinese based. However, the fact is that in China, a large number of Apple users are not very familiar with the iTunes system and how to effectively manage it.

In order for Chinese Apple fans to download applications securely, Kuaiyong developed its own method of giving users access to thousands of free apps without having to jailbreak their devices. Kuaiyong offers detailed descriptions of apps, free app download trial, IOS device management and visual and audio file backup system. IOS system backup and recovery features will also be released in the very near future.

Our goal has always been about bringing Chinese Apple users with quick, convenient and pleasant IOS experience. Since the introduce of Kuaiyong, the proportion of jailbreak in China has declined dramatically from 60% to around 30%. Kuaiyong will hold on to this goal in the future and we would like to see more support for Apple as well as Kuaiyong."

Kuaiyong's justification for providing pirate apps — that navigating the App Store is difficult for Chinese users — is laughable at best. It would appear that Apple won't have a particularly tough time putting a stop to this, though, as all of the apps are provisioned with the same developer profile. Apple just needs to find a way to cut 7659's profile off. Of course, there's always the chance that the same organization could use another developing profile to achieve the same thing, and it's not clear if Apple is able to remove apps remotely from users' phones. VentureBeat says it asked Apple for comment on the matter "multiple times" without response, but we've also reached out to ask how it plans to deal with 7659.com. - source

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Samsung Is Crushing Apple in Smartphone Sales

Apple announced earlier this week that its smartphone sales have continued to rise, growing 6.6 percent year-over-year to 37.4 million this past quarter. That might sound like good news for Cupertino—until you look at the comparable figures for Samsung. Reuters cites an IDC report showing that the South Korean giant's sales leapt from 60 million to 70.7 million phones over the same period, more than Apple and its next three largest competitors combined. And of the top five smartphone makers by volume, Apple is the only one that has lost market share over the past year.

Apple can still point to its healthy profit margins, though they're less healthy than they used to be. The iPhone is a top-end device, whereas Samsung boosts its volume by selling cheaper models alongside its flagship offerings. But quantity matters too. That's because Apple is not just competing with Samsung for customers, it's competing with Samsung and all the other Android-phone manufacturers for the attention of app developers. If the current trend holds, Samsung's market share will soon double Apple's. Eventually, more developers will start to wonder whether it's worth it to build apps for two different operating systems if one is clearly establishing dominance.

There are some bright spots for Apple. iPhone users still use their phones more heavily than their Android counterparts. And AllThingsD's John Paczkowski cites a Yankee Group survey that finds iPhone customers significantly more loyal to their brand than Android owners, which opens the door for Apple to turn things around with the right product. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Apple is already working on a less-expensive iPhone that could launch later this year. That seems like the right move. But it also highlights once more how Apple is no longer the sole agenda-setter in the smartphone market. For once, it is the company playing catch-up.

Worldwide smartphone sales and market share in the first quarter of 2013, via IDC and the Associated Press.

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Is Apple iPhone 5C Best Than 5S ?

Now that Apple has officially announced the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, a new question has probably come to mind for anyone in the market for a new phone: Which one should you buy? The iPhone 5S is Apple’s high-end, luxury smartphone, with the aluminum build, fingerprint sensor, and 64-bit architecture to prove it. The iPhone 5C meanwhile, comes clad in five fun plastic colors, and starts at $100 less than the iPhone 5S.

Pre-orders for both phones start on Friday, so you’ve got a little bit of time to figure out which one you want. I’ve compared some of the specs and features for each phone to help you decide which one should end up in your shopping cart.

Siblings, or at least cousins

Let’s start with the similarities, as there are quite a few. The iPhone 5C basically contains the same guts as the iPhone 5, and many of these features carry over to the iPhone 5S. Both phones, for instance, feature a 4-inch retina display. Battery life should be about equal for each device, and each phone has an 8-megapixel camera (though I’ll get to some camera differences in a bit). Also, both phones ship running iOS 7, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

Aluminum? Or plastic fantastic?

So what makes them different? The first, most noticeable difference between the two phones lies in the design. The iPhone 5S features the same aluminum build as the iPhone 5, though Apple is offering it in three colors this time around: gold, gray and silver. The iPhone 5C brings a completely different look to the party. Made of a hard-coated polycarbonate body with a reinforced steel frame, the iPhone 5c comes in five bright colors, which is a big change for Apple.

Compared to the industrial, steely iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C is like a breath of fresh air. It’s also probably going to sell like hotcakes among smartphone-carrying tweens, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to bring it into the boardroom. Also note that it’s a bit heavier. While both phones measure nearly the same size, the iPhone 5c weighs 4.65 ounces compared to the 3.95-ounce iPhone 5S. It’s not a big difference, but it’s worth considering.

64-bit or bust

The next major disparity lies in the processing power of each device. Though Apple keeps the specific details of its chips under wraps, the iPhone 5S is the first smartphone in the world to be powered by a 64-bit A7 system-on-a-chip. Additionally, Apple has added an M7 motion coprocessor, which handles all of the data from the accelerometer, compass and gyroscope. This should offload some of the work from the A7 and improve power efficiency. It also opens up new doors for more advanced wearable fitness trackers. And according to Apple, these changes make for performance that’s twice as fast as the A6 chip in the iPhone 5C. So if you’re a gamer, a fitness nut, or you just want the fastest iPhone possible, the iPhone 5S represents a significant step up in power.

Two killer cameras

As I mentioned earlier, both phones have an 8-megapixel camera, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. The iPhone 5C basically uses the same camera as the iPhone 5, which is a good thing—the iPhone 5 still has one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. But the 5S takes that camera and makes it even better.

The iPhone 5S features an f/2.2 camera as opposed to the 5C’s f/2.4. It also features a larger sensor and uses bigger 1.5-micron pixels, which should make for better sensitivity and low-light performance. The iPhone 5S camera has a new burst mode, as well as the ability to record 120fps 720 slow motion videos.

But perhaps the best new feature is the True Tone flash. The 5S features two different color lights for flash—the traditional bright white along with a new amber light—and automatically combines the two to make for a more natural-looking flash. Would-be photographers, take note: the iPhone 5S is the phone to get.

Say goodbye to swipe-to-unlock

One feature that doesn’t quite fit on the spec chart is the new fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S, which Apple calls Touch ID. This allows you to unlock your phone by simply placing your finger on the home button, rather than entering in an unlock code or swiping to unlock the phone. Better yet, it allows you to enable purchases (like in the App Store) without having to enter a password—just place your fingerprint on the home button and buy away. This makes using the iPhone easier than ever.

Pricing it out

The iPhone 5C comes in 16 or 32GB storage options, while the iPhone 5S adds a 64GB option to the equation. You’ll pay for it, though. A 64GB iPhone 5S costs a whopping $399 with a two-year contract.

But when it comes down to it, the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C are really only $100 apart. You can buy a 16GB iPhone 5C for $99 or you can get a 16GB iPhone 5S for $199 (both of those price are with a two-year contract). Similarly, an unlocked iPhone 5C will cost you $549, while an unlocked iPhone 5S costs $649.

All things considered, I think the iPhone 5S is the better buy here. Think about how much money you spend over the length of a two-year phone contract. If you just have one line, it’s probably close to something like $100. Over the course of two years that’s $2,400, and when you look at it in context, it pays to throw down an extra $100 for a boatload of new and improved features. After all you’re getting a faster processor and a better camera, as well as Touch ID.

Chances are you’ll be carrying this phone for the next two years. So unless you really love the look of brightly colored plastic, I say splurge a bit on the iPhone 5S. That way when Apple announces in the iPhone 6 in a year from now, it won’t burn quite as big a hole in your pocket, begging you to trade it in.

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New Tablets Expected on 2013

Last year we have seen a bunch of new tach gadgets that we’ve never seen them before, and the same we can expect from this year too. This year too will give us a lot of new tech gadgets with some amazing new technology and lots more with this. Here we are going to share about the upcoming Tablets which are going to hit the market in this new year. We’ve compiled a list of the upcoming expected Tablets with some of its key features. Let’s grab them.

Tablets to be expected on 2013 :

1. iPad Mini with Retina Display :

Last year was tremendously good for the giant Apple. Apple has launched some of the coolest devices of it, unveiled some features debut with these devices and an all new advanced os , iOS 6. And Apple stepped in in to the Tablet range with its new member Apple iPad Mini in the last year. This year Apple has the same strategy to unleash such devices with some updations.

Apple to unleash the new iPad Mini with Retina Display in this new year. Well, rumors suggesting so and thus a lot of people start expecting the new iPad Mini with Retina display. If all goes the same this Apple iPad 2 Gen-2 would have 2058 by 1536 resolution and 326ppi display with more resolution, 9.7-inch with two LED light bars on both the sides of it. This next generation iPad would be more lighter and thinner than the first generation iPad Mini.

2. Acer Tablet :

There are a lot of people expecting Tablets between the range below $ 150. This year would praised us all with such amazing new tablets which cost below the expected price. Acer’s new Tablet would be unleashed in this year for $ 99 only. Acer to reveal this Tablet in the very first quarter of the coming year. Acer plan to launch this Tablet in the Asia first than after the other regions of the whole world. There is no signs from Acer to launch it in the US first.

Apple’s iPad might to costly for many consumers and hence Acer thought to launch this low cost Tablet in the very first quarter. Acer Iconia B1 tablet, it might be called as. This Tablet would have a 7-inch display with 1024 x 600 resolution screen and 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor. This Tablet would have a better battery life than the other Tablets and Acer have done some good job to make people happy with this device.

3. HTC Windows 8 Tablet :

Surprised? Yes, HTC to launch the very first device and would start the new range with its first Tablet named as HTC Windows 8 Tablet. Rumors suggest that HTC to launch this Tablet with 7 inch Tablet which is runs on Windows 8 operating system and enough to beat the Apple iPad Mini’s new generation. HTC plans to unleash this Tablet in the fall of the current year. Sounds like too late! HTC Windows 8 Tablet made by Nvidia and it also makes ARM chips for Windows RT tablets, including for Microsoft’s Surface RT device.

About Author: David Work for robustbuy which is largest China Wholesaler web store where you can find everything from Windows Tablets to Windows smart phones and wide range of accessories for digital cameras, iPod, iPad, Android devices and for PC.

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