The Tech News Blog
Apple Rolls Out iOS 6.1.1 to Fix iPhone 4S Bugs
Apple today released an iOS update for the iPhone 4S that fixes a connectivity problem users were experiencing.
The iOS 6.1.1 update "fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S," Apple said.
The 86.8MB update comes after Vodafone warned iPhone 4S users not to update to iOS 6.1 because of battery and connectivity problems.
"Some customers may occasionally experience difficulty in connecting to the network to make or receive calls or texts or to connect to the Internet," Vodafone said in a statement. "Apple is working on a solution to their software issue. These connection problems are intermittent."
That solution is now ready for download. To check if your iPhone 4S is ready to update, select Settings > General > Software Update or connect your phone to your PC and check via iTunes. At PCMag, the update had rolled out to co-workers with the iPhone 4S; iPhone 5 users did not receive any updates.
Apple released iOS 6.1 on Jan. 28, which added LTE support for more carriers and the ability to purchase Fandango movie tickets via Siri, among other things.
Walmart to Offer iPhone 5 Via Straight Talk Pre-Paid Plan
Walmart announced today that it will offer the unlocked iPhone 5 and iPhone 4 via its Straight Talk wireless service.
Starting Jan. 11, shoppers in more than 2,000 Walmart stores can pick up one of the Apple smartphones and get unlimited talk, text, and data starting at $45 per month without a contract.
Walmart will sell the 16GB version of the iPhone 5 in black and white for $649 and the 8GB version of the iPhone 4 in black and white for $449. Those who use a Walmart credit card can pay for the smartphone in installments of $25 per month.
"We believe customers shouldn't have to choose between saving money and having the latest technology," Seong Ohm, senior vice president of Entertainment for Walmart U.S., said in a statement. "Now customers can have the coveted iPhone with unlimited talk, text and data without a contract for $70 a month thanks to our exclusive Straight Talk plan and industry first financing offer."
Straight Talk plans include: a $45 monthly no contract plan for unlimited talk, text, and data; and a $60 no contract plan that adds unlimited international calling to more than 1,000 destinations in Mexico, Canada, India, and other countries.
iPhone 5, 4S Get $50 Price Cut at Best Buy
Just in time for some last-minute holiday shopping, Best Buy has shaved $50 off the price of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S.
According to the store's website, consumers can save $50 on any iPhone 5 or 4S with a two-year agreement.
For the technophile in your family, pick up an Apple smartphone for $49.99 to $349.99, depending on generation, carrier, and size. The devices are available from the big three — Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T, all with a new two-year contract.
A 16GB iPhone 5, for example, is on sale now for $149.99, down from $199. The 32GB is $249.99 and the 64GB is on sale for $349.99.
The iPhone 4S, meanwhile, can be had for as little as $49.99 (16GB), with the 32GB running $149.99 and the 64GB available for $199.99.
Though free shipping is tossed into the package, not all phones are eligible for transport via snail mail; some must be picked up at a brick-and-mortar store.
The deal is valid through Jan. 5, with a limit of two devices per person, according to a spokeswoman.
Galaxy S III Sales Top iPhone 4S in August
The iPhone 4S lost ground to Samsung's Galaxy S III last month, marking the first time that the Apple smartphone was not the top-selling smartphone in the U.S. since its launch, according to Tuesday data from Canaccord Genuity.
The stats, however, aren't all that shocking, since most Apple fans are likely waiting for the next-gen iPhone instead of buying the now 10-month-old iPhone 4S. Apple today sent out invites for a Sept. 12 press event, which is expected to include the launch of the next-gen iPhone.
Those iPhone sales losses were Samsung's gain. The Samsung Galaxy S III was a top-selling phone at all four U.S. carriers, followed by the iPhone 4SÂ , the HTC One, the Samsung Galaxy S IIÂ , and the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, Canaccord analyst T. Michael Walkley wrote in a note to investors.
Walkley cited "channel checks" in his report. "Overall, September quarter smartphone sales are tracking in line with our expectations for modestly improved sequential global sales growth," he wrote.
Apple Offers up to $345 for Used iPhone 4S
For those Apple fanatics who wholeheartedly believe in the rumors that a new iPhone will hit shelves within a month, ditching their iPhone 4S is a priority. And Apple is happy to help with the process.
Through its Reuse and Recycle program, Apple allows phone holders to turn in their iPhone (original, 3G, 3GS, 4, or 4S) for a rebate up to $345 – for a 64GB iPhone 4S in amazing condition.
Using the online wizard to input your phone series and model, just answer a few questions about the condition of your device, and the site will spit out a price that it believes your product is worth. Different models will be valued at different prices.
Even a completely wrecked 16GB iPhone 4Â can earn you $50, plus free shipping and packaging.
By throwing the power cable into your package, Apple's recycling partners will return to you a gift certificate that can be redeemed with any new purchase in the online store. The actual value of each gift card will be determined once Apple's partner PowerON receives and evaluates your device.
While there is no concrete pricing information for the alleged iPhone 5, an extra $285 (for a 16GB iPhone 4S) or $345 could potentially go a long way toward the purchase of a new Apple smartphone.
Sprint Cuts iPhone 4S Price by $50
Sprint has discounted the iPhone 4S by $50, with pricing for the Apple smartphone now starting at $149.99.
On its homepage, the carrier is pushing the 16GB version of the iPhone 4S, which is now $149.99 with a two-year contract. But click around a bit and you'll find that the other versions of the device also got a $50 price cut. The 32GB iPhone 4S is now $249.99, while the 64GB is $349.99.
The 8GB iPhone 4 is still $99.99.
Sprint is offering free activation when purchased online, which will save buyers $36.
A Sprint spokesman had no comment on the price change. These types of price drops, however, often indicate that a new phone is on the horizon. Rumors suggest that Apple might unveil its next-gen iPhone at an event on Sept. 12, so Sprint might want to clear out its iPhone 4S inventory before the "iPhone 5" arrives.
Apple's iPhone 4S was released in October 2011, at which point Sprint was also added as a U.S. carrier.
AT&T and Verizon are still selling the 16GB iPhone 4S for $199.99. A Verizon spokeswoman declined to comment on the company's pricing strategies or future plans. AT&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
AT&T Activates 4.3 Million iPhones in Q1
AT&T said today that it activated 4.3 million iPhones during the first quarter, with 5.5 million smartphones sold overall.
About 21 percent of iPhone activations were for customers new to AT&T, the company said during a earnings call with analysts this morning. Last week, rival Verizon said it sold 3.2 million iPhones during the quarter.
AT&T's numbers are a bit of a drop from last quarter, when it sold 7.6 million iPhones, but that coincided with the release of the Apple iPhone 4S.
Overall, AT&T sold 5.5 million smartphones during the quarter, 78 percent of which were for post-paid customers. At this point, 59.3 percent, or 41.2 million, post-paid AT&T customers have smartphones, up from 46.2 percent last year.
AT&T didn't break out Android sales, except to say they were "strong." Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility, also made a point to mention Windows Phone and the new Lumia 900, which debuted on AT&T earlier this month.
Most Users Satisfied With Apple’s Siri, Are You?
When Apple introduced the iPhone 4S last fall, Siri was advertised as its killer feature. But how do users feel about the phone's voice assistant?
According to a new report from Parks Associates, more than 50 percent of iPhone 4S owners are "very satisfied" with Siri. Another 21 percent are "satisfied" with the feature.
About 37 percent of Siri users favor a version of Siri for their TVs, but 20 percent are not enthused.
"Siri is clearly a hit among the initial iPhone user base," John Barrett, director of Consumer Analytics at Parks Associates, said in a statement. "Consumers like Siri because it's convenient, easy to use, and helpful for remembering important information (e.g., birthdays) and its hands-free capability makes it easy to send texts, emails, and phone calls. However, I would have expected more owners to want Siri for their TV set. These are the folks that rushed out to get the new iPhone 4S."
Say It Ain’t Siri: Apple to Boot Siri Lookalike, ‘Evi’, From App Store
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but Apple doesn't like flattery.
An app released earlier this year, Evi, debuted as a direct competitor to the Siri virtual assistant built into Apple's iPhone 4S. With more than one billion facts at the ready – claimed developer True Knowledge at the time – Evi could perform the same kinds of speech-based search-and-lookup functions that iPhone users were used to yelling at (and receiving from) Siri.
But, to paraphrase Steve Jobs, there were a few more things as well. While Evi couldn't become a part of one's iPhone in the sense that it lacked the ability to create reminders or add elements to one's calendar via voice, to name a few examples, it was able to tap into a number of extensions that Siri wouldn't touch. To borrow the example detailed by TechCrunch's Mike Butcher, asking Evi about making an apple pie would result in a recipe: Ask Siri, and one would just receive the option to perform a web search about apple pies.
iPhone 4S Impacted iPad Market Share More Than Kindle Fire
Amazon's Kindle Fire helped take a bite out of Apple's fourth quarter tablet market share, but it was Cupertino's own iPhone 4S that most affected iPad sales, according to a new report from IHS iSuppli.
Apple ended the fourth quarter with 57 percent of the global tablet market, down slightly from 64 percent in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter, however, saw the release of the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook tablets. According to iSuppli, Amazon sold approximately 3.9 million Fire tablets during the quarter, while Barnes & Noble moved 1.9 million Nook tablets, for 14 percent and 7 percent of the market, respectively.
Samsung sold about 2.1 million of its Galaxy Tab tablets during the quarter and 6 million during the entire year.
Apple, meanwhile, shipped 15.4 million iPads, an increase from the 11.1 million it sold in the third quarter. But while Amazon and Barnes & Noble nabbed some tablet market share, iSuppli said that Apple didn't really lose out to either retailer. Instead, the long-awaited release of the iPhone 4S had more of an impact on iPad sales than the Fire or Nook Tablet.