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Showing posts with label iPhone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iPhone. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2013

Apple iPhone 5C narrows 5S' lead in global activations

The number of active iPhone 5S device is now about double the number of 5Cs, not triple, according to a new report from mobile analytics firm Localytics




(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)


Apple's iPhone 5C has narrowed its gap with the iPhone 5S in terms of activations, according to a new report, but the pricier phone is still about twice as popular.


For every iPhone 5C activation in the US, there are 1.9 iPhone 5S activations, according to mobile analytics firm Localytics. Globally, the gap widens to 2.3 iPhone 5s devices per iPhone 5C. Still, the difference is much better than a couple weeks ago when Localytics found that the iPhone 5S outpaced the iPhone 5C by a factor of 3.4.


The smaller gap in the US indicates the cheaper device is more popular here than in other markets, including the much-desired developing regions, the firm said. It examined 20 million devices as part of the iPhone study.



(Credit: Localytics)


While Apple still sells a truckload of iPhones, the fate of its continued growth is a little less certain. The Cupertino, Calif., company may have invented the modern generation of touchscreen smartphones, but it faces stiff competition from companies unafraid to offer dirt-cheap, but functional, phones. While the iPhone remains king in the US, it has since ceded its leadership position elsewhere around the world. Globally, Apple has been losing market share to Android devices, particularly from Samsung.


The company also has faced more competition in tablets. Apple on Tuesday will unveil its newest iPads as it attempts to stave off competition from Android devices.


Check out CNET's live coverage of the Apple's event on Oct. 22.


iPad 2 remains Apple's most popular tablet, iPhone 5c demand growing

Apple's mid-range iPhone 5c is beginning to close the sales gap on the company's flagship iPhone 5s, while the iPad 2 commands the lion's share of the Apple tablet installed base, according to new data from mobile analytics company Localytics.



The report, which examined 20 million unique devices between Sept. 20 and Oct. 18, says that there are now 2.3 active iPhone 5s units for every iPhone 5c globally, down from 3.3 units one week after the handsets' launch. The numbers are even tighter in the United States, with the iPhone 5s-to-5c ratio dropping from 3.0 one week after launch to 1.9 today.


The iPhone 5c's apparently increasing popularity flies in the face of reports of lackluster sales and slashed production orders for the colorful device. Continually constrained iPhone 5s supplies may be contributing - Apple retail associates said in September that 'the 5C is quite good and a lot of customers who can't get the 5s haven't minded upgrading to a 5c.'



Meanwhile, Apple's iPad 2 continues to be the most popular iPad, accounting for nearly 40 percent of active units. The iPad 2's 38 percent share is more than that of the latest iPad 4 (18 percent) and iPad mini (17 percent) combined, according to the data.


The iPad 2 featured an all-new industrial design, and subsequent revisions to Apple's tablet have added higher-resolution Retina displays and incremental hardware upgrades. Localytics suggests this may be a factor in the iPad 2's continued dominance, saying it is possible that 'perceived differentiation of the latest-generation tablets is getting smaller with each new release.'


Apple is widely expected to unveil a redesigned, slimmer fifth-generation iPad on Tuesday in what one analyst called 'the most important refresh of the iPad franchise...since the first iPad went on sale.' Cupertino is also - controversially - rumored to show off a Retina display-equipped second-generation iPad mini at the event.


iPhone Demand Still Strong Leading Societe Generale To Upgrade Apple To Buy

Apple 's shares have started the week off well, up about $14 or almost 3% to $523. Societe Generale, who had downgraded the stock just a month ago, raised its rating to Buy and Counterpoint Research published a report showing significant gains for the iPhone in the U.S. My tracking of the iPhone 5s still shows strong demand worldwide just before it launches in 25 countries on Friday and tomorrow is the announcement of new iPads. (Note that my family and I own Apple shares).


Counterpoint Research has iPhone's share doubling in the U.S.

Counterpoint Research released a report that shows the iPhone increasing its U.S. market share from 17% in August to 39% in September. Apple took the most share from Samsung with it losing its number one position and share decreasing from 37% to 29% along with LG and HTC losing ground.


Counterpoint's research director Tom Kang said 'The key reason for this sudden jump in sales can be attributed to the big wave of upgrades due in this launch month from Apple's huge installed base of iPhone users. This depicts a healthy replacement cycle and user base growth trends for Apple despite the array of Android devices launching from tens of OEMs every month.'



Source: Counterpoint Research


Societe Generale raised Apple to a Buy rating

Societe Generale's Apple analyst Andy Perkins upgraded the shares from Hold to Buy this morning after downgrading them on September 23. He had downgraded them based on the strong 9 million iPhone 5c's and 5s' first weekend demand cannibalizing 4S sales and his Discounted Cash Flow analysis generating a $500 price target.


His upgrade is based on greater iPhones sales in the September quarter than he had previously projected (30 million going to 34 million) and higher gross margins. I am estimating that Apple sold 36.3 million iPhones in the quarter with a 36.8% gross margin which has some support from Verizon's 3.9 million iPhones being activated in September.


Perkins points out that Hon Hai and Pegatron , Apple's two main iPhone manufacturers, showed a 20% year over year increase in sales in September and the value of handsets exported from China increased 30%. Below is a graph that shows the correlation between the value of China's handset exports and Apple's sales



He materially raised his fiscal 2014 gross margin from 42% to 44% (it was 36.9% last quarter) and to 46% in fiscal 2015. This increased his fiscal 2014 EPS estimate to $46.20 vs. the Street's $43.12 and fiscal 2015 to $48.20. His price target is now $575.


If you want a Gold iPhone 5s buy it from Vodafone Vodafone in Germany

The lead-times for the iPhone 5s have not changed much from Tuesday last week. The nine countries that Apple is selling the 5s have 2 to 3 week delivery timeframes with the Gold version still showing up as 'Currently Unavailable' in Hong Kong and Singapore.


I also surveyed the three major U.S. Carriers ( AT&T , Sprint and Verizon) and Vodafone in the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia. Here is a link to the Google Doc where I have been monitoring 5s lead-times since September 20.


Of the U.S. carriers Verizon's lead-times are the only ones that have been shortening. It has been keeping the same ship dates, which range from October 28 to November 11, as each day passes. This isn't to say that AT&T and Sprint aren't just keeping multiple week lead-times for many models to make sure they can keep their commitments to customers and ship sooner but Verizon's constant dates is one indication that 5s availability could be getting better.


Apple's iPhone 5C Is Great Marketing For The iPhone 5s

Apple is in the middle of a big marketing push phone, the iPhone 5c. San Francisco is plastered in billboards that put the new colored plastic casing on full display, with solid green, blue pink and yellow backgrounds showcasing the big aesthetic shift that sets this new line apart. 'For the Colorful,' they read.


In the past the company accomplished this by just offering the older iPhones at a reduced price, and now it wants to get out in front of that strategy and keep people buying new iPhones. But I can't help but wonder if one of the main purposes of this phone is not just that it's cheap (actually, it isn't very cheap) but that it's cheap er than the iPhone 5s. By its mere existence, it codifies the identity of the main iPhone brand. The rest of the smartphone world can not always be counted on to remind us that the iPhone 5s is a beautiful and expensive product geared towards the consumer that wants the very best, so Apple is doing that itself.


It isn't that the iPhone 5c isn't also an Apple product, and a successful one at that. As Tim Worstall and others have pointed out, rumors about the embarrassing failure of the 5c have been greatly exaggerated. But this is a vital ancillary benefit. In its attempt to segment the market and capture a slightly more cost conscious consumer, Apple actually reinforces the luxury brand it already has. Looking at the big, colorful ads for the plastic iPhone 5c, I couldn't help but picture the iPhone 5s. Sure, the iPhone 5c is colorful, fun and cheap(er), but the main line just looks more special than ever in comparison. Consider then, Apple's first iPhone 5s TV spot. It's a clear nod to the idea of the main iPhone line as an expensive, decadent product to stand in contrast to the 5c:


It's no coincidence that this is when the company decided to unveil a gold case.


For a certain kind of consumer, iPhone 5c marketing does little more than remind them of how much they like their current iPhones, and how they wouldn't dream of downgrading to something with a plastic case. It's not all consumers, but the image-conscious are probably Apple's most important demographic. People have worried that a cheaper iPhone would ultimately damage Apple's brand, but I think that in a strange way, it actually reinforces it while picking up larger market share at the same time.


Apple Product Launch: iPhone 5s and 5c

Upgrade cycle is shorter for iPad than iPhone


Many iPhone users have a simple incentive to upgrade to the latest model once their two-year contract expires: They can sell the old model for roughly the cost of the new one. Here's the surprising thing: iPad owners, who aren't on two-year contracts, and don't have the same incentives, are upgrading even more often.


Apple is launching its latest Tuesday, and many of the people offering their current models up for sale on resale sites only purchased their devices in the past 12 to 18 months, according to new research by resale sites Gazelle and NextWorth. After Apple sent out invitations to the launch, the most recent two iPad upgrades (from 2012) made up 64% of all iPad trade-ins at Gazelle. The latest iPad models released in November 2012 comprised 34% of the models traded in, while the March 2012 iPad made up less than that (30%). Last year's iPads made up 54% of all trade-ins on NextWorth, more than half of which were the iPad 4 and iPad Mini.


'Consumers are expecting a major body change,' says Anthony Scarsella, chief gadget officer at Gazelle. And while the iPad 5 may (or may not) come in gold, consumers are betting on fingerprint technology instead of having to input a code to open their tablet. Trade-ins surged over 320% on Gazelle last week, Scarsella says. What's more, people want the best of the iPad 4 and iPad Mini combined. People like the slimness and portability of the iPad Mini, he says, but want that sleek design in the larger iPad. And while the Mini is easy to read on-the-go, it doesn't have retina display.


Launched in 2010, iPads are also three years younger than iPhones. 'They are still closer to the early adoption phase then iPhones, so there is a segment of customers that will always upgrade to the latest and greatest device,' says Brian Colello, analyst with Morningstar. The iPad's relative youth makes it harder to determine how often customers will replace their tablets, he says. In Apple's third quarter, which ended in June, sales of iPads fell 27% to $6.3 billion. Apple's share of the tablet market also fell to 32% in the second quarter of 2013 from 60% a year ago, according to research firm IDC.


While many consumers still appear eager to upgrade, analysts say Apple needs to make sure that the flashy new features of the iPad 5 will boost sales-and push more trade-ins of previous models. As iPad saturation increases, it will get tougher to persuade customers to buy new ones. Some 60% of teenagers already own an iPad, according to a recent survey of over 8,640 respondents by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, and 52% intended to buy a new iPad within the next six months. However, only 8% own an iPad Mini and just 12% say they intend to buy the new iPad Mini when it's released.


For now, the resale market for iPads is still robust, says Yung Trang, president of TechBargains.com, a deal aggregator, even though it's easier to trade in old iPhones. Unlike iPhones, consumers can't buy subsidized iPads on two-year contracts and actually make a profit when they upgrade to the latest model, but used 32 gigabyte iPad 4s are currently selling on eBay for approximately $450 versus $599 for a new version. 'That's a great incentive to upgrade to the new model when it comes out,' Trang says. (Gazelle offers $275 for a mint condition 32GB iPad 4.)


Also see: How to get the new iPhone for free


Best Buy On A High In iPhone Retailer Stakes

Buzz for Best Buy versus smartphone retailer competitors

As tech journalists are buzzing about the latest iPhone models, consumer attention has turned to the retailers with the best smartphone deals.


Best Buy appears to be doing well out of US smartphone retailers - as the store's limited-time $100 trade in deal for iPhone 5C buyers gets underway, YouGov BrandIndex metrics among smartphone owners are showing the brand is above an average of its competitors in Buzz and Purchase Consideration.


We measured how smartphone users view Best Buy against an average of its main competitors, including Costco, Gamestop, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Sears, Target and Walmart.


While Buzz measured what smartphone-savvy consumers have heard about each brand - through news, advertising and by word of mouth - Purchase Consideration asked Americans with a smartphone if they would consider buying from each retailer next time they're in the market.


By performing consistently above its competitors, Best Buy could be gaining a share of the estimated 9m iPhones that have been sold in the third quarter. These sales figures from YouGov's BrandIndex CategoryView data were calculated ahead of time for networks AT&T , Verizon, Sprint and T- Mobile. BrandIndex CategoryView worked out the sales prediction by asking thousands of consumers about their technology awareness, historical purchases and intended purchases in this space. This predicted sales figure is slightly down from Q2 2013, when apple sold 9.9m iPhones were sold in the US - BrandIndex CategoryView predicted before Q2 2013 Apple would sell 9.6m units through the Quarter.


Best Buy's latest Buzz score, based on a 1-week average of responses from US smartphone users, is at 14 out of a possible -100 to +100. Its competitors have a Buzz score of 11. Consideration for Best Buy is 55% out of 0% to 100% and 36% for its competitors.


Since announcing its trade-in offer on October 10, that ran for a week from October 13, Buzz among smartphone users rose to 14 on Tuesday October 15 from 12 on October 10.


Back in September, Walmart offered its own smartphone trade-in that let customers swap one of 100 different phones for a new model. RadioShack meanwhile has been hot on the heels of Best Buy's iPhone promotion with its own deal of handing out $50 gift cards to iPhone 5C buyers, which ended in early October.


This post was written by Ted Marzilli. He is senior vice president and managing director of BrandIndex.


Image: Getty

Apple 'Masters Metal' in New iPhone 5s TV Ad


If only one could melt down one's iPhone and score a fairly sizeable cash payment for all that gold.


Or, at least, that's kind of what Apple's latest – and first – television advertisement for the iPhone 5S makes us think. We also wish that Apple could have somehow acquired the rights to, or somehow incorporated, the 'Goldfinger' theme from the James Bond films into its ad. It's only fitting for a device that one pokes with one's digits, right?


Unfortunately, Apple is instead taking the easier way out in its ' Metal Mastered' advertisement, which officially debuted today. In the ad, the company makes considerable use of Goldfrapp's 'Ooh La La' song – a pretty little tune, but we bet Apple could have done even better with its precious metal-themed song selection.


That said, we do give Apple's animators (or whoever's constructing these ads) some major credit, especially since we're bit fans of the classic '90s action flick, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The ad's introduction reminds us of the process by which the good ol' T-1000 forms up – that liquid metal (or whatever fancy future technology it happens to be) forming up into a tangible, cool-looking product.


And, no, that's not us being Apple fanboys; we're just commenting on the construction-themed focus of the ad, featuring plenty of imagery of close-up gold slowly pouring, combining, and refining itself into the very shape of an iPhone 5S.


Of course, Apple can't help but show off just a few features of the iPhone 5S within the ad. Among these includes the device's TouchID fingerprint sensor – assuming the finger in the picture is just gently pressing itself against the Home button, instead of poking it – as well as a quick shot of the standard iOS 7 Homescreen. That's it, however; a ton of gold and a little bit of software.


So, why is Apple taking the airwaves now? The Verge's Ellis Hamburger has a few ideas, including the oft-rumored suggestion that the iPhone 5C isn't selling as well as Apple (or analysts) might expect, hence the company wanting to put a little bit more advertising oomph into its flagship phone.


Of course, it's also possible that Apple is simply continuing the standard marketing plan it had in mind for the device, so don't jump to conclusions too quickly about the strength of Apple's iPhone sales. As Carl Howe, Yankee Group analyst, said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, 'The real answer is that nobody outside of Apple really knows' – in reference to Apple's iPhone 5C sales, at least.


That said, a number of analysts have put total sales of the iPhone 5S at anywhere from double to nearly quadruple the sales of the iPhone 5C. Take that, as always, with however many grains of salt you'd like.


Sunday, October 20, 2013

iPhone 5s vs. Galaxy S4 Sales: Apple Inc.'s iPhone 5s Outselling iPhone 5c ...


The Samsung Galaxy S4. (Photo : Michael Oleaga)


Apple's iPhone 5s are reportedly outselling the iPhone 5c and Samsung's latest smartphone across the top four mobile carriers in the United States (U.S.).


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As Latinos Post reported, Canaccord Genuity revealed the top three best-selling mobile phones in AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless for the month of September 2013.


Should there be concern for Apple?


Follow the Latest Tech News on Twitter: @LatinosPostTech


While the iPhone 5s secured the top spot across the four aforementioned mobile carriers, the iPhone 5c and Samsung Galaxy S4 battled for second place.


With mobile carriers AT&T and Sprint, the colorful iPhone 5c secured second place while the Galaxy S4 rested on third. In August, the Galaxy S4 was at first place with Sprint and second at AT&T.


T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless saw the Galaxy S4 as the second best-selling smartphone while the iPhone 5c ranked third. Although the Samsung device managed to beat the iPhone 5c, the Galaxy S4 previously held first place during August 2013 at both T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.


'While there no denying that the iPhone 5c is a new handset, it isn't a flagship handset, and with so much attention focused on the iPhone 5s, does this make the iPhone 5c seems a lesser, inferior, second best purchase?' wrote ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, on whether the iPhone 5c might be a flop for the Cupertino-based organization.


He added the device's prices and color options as other reasons why the iPhone 5c hasn't resonated with consumers.


As Latinos Post reported, nine million units of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were sold during its first weekend on Sept. 20. Apple, however, didn't reveal specific numbers for the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c, respectively. The nine million units for both phones were four million units more than the first-weekend sales of the iPhone 5 in September 2012, which sold 5 million units.


The sales for the latest Apple smartphones could see an increase worldwide as the iPhones are set to launch with prepaid wireless service Cricket in the U.S. on Oct. 25 along with over 30 countries including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, French West Indies, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion Island, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Thailand.


__ For the latest updates, follow Latinos Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO Related Apple Article: - iPhone 5s vs. iPhone 5c Sales: Apple Inc. (APPL) Cutting iPhone 5c Production, Increases iPhone 5s Due to Demand [Report]

© 2013 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


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Selling gold: Apple debuts its first iPhone 5S TV spot


Just a few days after Apple rolled out its first print ads for the iPhone 5S on the back of several magazines, the company has debuted the first TV commercial for its flagship device during a football broadcast on FOX. The spot is set to 'Ooh La La' by Goldfrapp, a music choice that shows Apple isn't afraid of puns, and shows liquid gold spilling across the screen, T-1000 style. The gold eventually takes the shape of an iPhone, which a person unlocks using their pointer finger. The clip seems to be a shortened version of the video Apple showed at its iPhone 5S / 5C keynote in mid-September.


Apple has thus far put most of its marketing efforts behind the 5C - a less expensive, plastic update on last year's iPhone 5. Rumors seem to point to iPhone 5C sales being weaker than expected - one reason Apple might be ramping up ads for the 5S - or this just could've been the plan all along. Other reports stated that Apple hadn't advertised its flagship device as much as in past years because it was in short supply.


Either way, get ready for that festive time of the year where every other TV ad is an Apple ad.


iPhone 6: A Look At The Mistakes

Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) has had a lot on its plate this week. Reports emerged a few days ago that the company was lowering its production order for the iPhone 5c by anything up to 50%. Apple clearly fumbled the launch of the phone, and though there is a chance it will recover, it doesn't seem likely if the company is already cutting supply. Those following iPhone 6 rumors are wondering what it means.



The iPhone 6 may not follow the new Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) trend of splitting its device lines into two. The iPhone 6c, a hypothetical cheap iPhone 6, could not afford to be the second smart phone to fail in a little over a year. Apple will need to learn from its mistakes in order to make a smart phone that people will buy.


iPhone 6 release date

The release date of the iPhone 5c may have been one of the biggest problems with the phone. The device missed a key Chinese holiday, and it had to compete with its big brother, the iPhone 5s, for attention. With the iPhone 6 Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) will want to avoid these mistakes. The company should release the iPhone 6c after the iPhone 6.


If the firm releases a cheaper version of the iPhone 6 halfway through its production cycle, it may spur extra demand in the traditionally depressed period before a new iPhone is released. It will still offer a cheaper option to some customers, while allowing everyone else to opt for the more expensive premium model.


Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) needs to figure out what to do with the iPhone 6 before it puts it on sale. The iPhone 5c is probably the first failure the company has had among its smart phones. Investors need to be convinced that Apple has not become a bumbling tech colossus like Sony.


iPhone 6 features

In order to keep the iPhone 6 fresh and sell more iPhones next year, Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) seems to be planning on making the device very different from the iPhone 5s. A big screen is likely to be included, as is a faster processor and a new form factor.


Apple Inc. ( NASDAQ:AAPL) knows how to make a smart phone, and the iPhoen 6 will be the best device the company has ever released. There are lessons for the company to learn before it does that, however.


I Was Wrong, The iPhone 5S's Fingerprint Sensor Is Badass (For Now)

AppleBack in August, I wrote an article with the following headline, ' Assuming The Fingerprint Sensor In Apple's Next iPhone Is Real, It Could Be A Total Gimmick. '


But for the last week or so, I've been using the new fingerprint sensor, known as Touch ID, on the iPhone 5S mostly without a hitch.


Touch ID is a new feature exclusively for the iPhone 5S that lets you use your finger as a password. You can simply place your finger on the Home button to unlock your phone and make purchases in the Apple iTunes store, App store, and iBooks store.


On any given day, I may have one or two Touch ID-related issues. For example, it's sometimes problematic when my thumb is particularly sweaty. But in that case, I'll try my luck with my other thumb, which usually works. That's another cool feature of Touch ID. You can program several fingerprints, instead of having to rely on just one.


For the most part, Touch ID makes for a much smoother experience. It's faster than typing in a four digit password, and is also much more secure. With Touch ID, you don't have to worry about someone looking over your shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of your password.


Though, we will have to wait to see if the fingerprint sensor lasts over time. S weat, dirty pockets, hot and cold environments, and other factors could affect the sensitivity and working conditions of the sensor surface.


SEE ALSO: GOLD IPHONE 5S PHOTOS


Your iPhone Is Now Officially A Pokédex

Last week, Wolfram Alpha, the 'answer engine' that can solve calculus problems or tell you how many people live in Manhattan with a few keystrokes, updated its database to include all 649 known Pokémon.


Why does this matter? Siri frequently pulls information from Wolfram Alpha when trying to answer queries. That means that your iPhone, if you own one, just became a full-fledged Pokédex.


OK, let's try a really basic question. OMG, it worked. Does it know types? It knows types. Success! How detailed does this thing get? OoO

Stop it. Just stop.



*slam head against Charizard's foot*


BRB, need to plan a career change. Gonna be the very best.


[ h/t The Unofficial Apple Weblog]


Moto X takes Round 2 against iPhone 5S

The Moto X's display proves that OLED technology has made big strides in the last year or so.




(Credit: Motorola)


The Moto X and its gorgeous display take Round 2 against the iPhone 5S.


A couple of weeks back, I wrote that the iPhone 5S bested the Moto X on physical design.


This week I'm writing about the display. Mostly because I'm wondering why Apple hasn't switched to AMOLED displays.


After using the X's AMOLED display for the last few weeks and comparing it with the 5S' LCD, I think it may be time for Apple to consider AMOLED, as the technology has improved a lot over the last 12 months or so.


The colors on the X's AMOLED displays are more vibrant, richer, with higher image contrast than the 5S' LCD. And the range of colors -- or color gamut -- is greater.


And there's no such thing as viewing-angle image degradation. That is, the image on the X's AMOLED looks virtually the same no matter what angle you view it from.


But Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, makes a good case as to why Apple hasn't gone with OLEDs, above and beyond Tim Cook's panning of the technology earlier this year.


Soneira has stated in the past that a too-large color gamut can, in some cases, hurt color reproduction -- making the LCD's narrower gamut more accurate.


And, in response to my e-mail queries, Soneira states three basic reasons why he believes Apple has yet to go with an OLED display.


One, OLED displays cost considerably more than LCDs. Two, the power efficiency of OLEDs has been improving rapidly, but LCDs still have better overall power efficiency. And, three, getting OLED displays in the volumes that Apple demands could be problematic (because one supplier, Samsung, tends to dominate production).


And Soneira throws the following into the mix of reasons why OLEDs, in the past, have sometimes fallen short in reviews.


OLEDs are a lot harder to properly integrate, engineer, and calibrate into a device, and most smartphone manufacturers do not have the knowledge or expertise to do it well, so OLED smartphones frequently perform well below their capability. Most other manufacturers engineer OLEDs as if they were LCDs and wind up with a number of performance problems as a result.

But I still believe Apple would be stupid not to use the display technology down the road, as the Moto X's display is just too good to ignore.


And Samsung is making strides with its displays. 'We measured an impressive 26 percent improvement in power efficiency between the Galaxy Note 3 and Note 2,' Soneira said.


'OLED is a new technology and it is just now getting really good,' he added.


That should be reason enough for Apple.



Saturday, October 19, 2013

At Apple, gold iPhone 5S is known as 'the Kardashian phone'

No, it didn't merely have some secret code name with numbers and letters. Apparently, the (relatively) blingiest of the iPhones was associated from the beginning with, well, a lack of taste.




(Credit: Kim Kardashian/Twitter )


Apple employees are often accused of excessive reverence for the brand and even for themselves.


They are said to distort reality, as if it is one more element to be merely designed and presented.


But news reaches me that there might be an inner core of magical, revolutionary realism that permeates the walls of Cupertino.


For, as The New York Times' Nick Bilton tweeted on Friday, the gold iPhone 5S, from its very inception, had an extremely down-to-earth nickname at home.


No, it's wasn't known as 'The Fifth Wonder of the Telephonic World.' Nor was it referred to as 'The Glittering Prize,' 'The Golden Child,' or 'Goldfingerprint ID.'


Instead, all through the design process it was apparently referred to as 'the Kardashian Phone.'


I feel sure that America's great icon of discernment will rush out a press release, a YouTube video, and perhaps a whole episode of 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' to celebrate Apple's elevation of its gadget to her level of stardom.


Some, though, will wonder whether Apple employees felt a certain snootiness with respect to this step toward the nightclub VIP section.


It's been theorized that the gold iPhone 5S was primarily targeted at parts of the world where expressions of bling are seen as quite the thing. Indeed, Conan was moved to suggest that this phone was designed not in California, but in Miami.


But one can't avoid the notion that some at Apple feared that, with this marginally garish device, Apple was stooping to pander, rather than to conquer.


The ultimate product is a little more muted than your average Miami bauble. But the impression associated with the word 'gold' cannot be ignored.


La Kardashian has this week been deeply involved in creating brand new selfies, in order to show that her body has returned to its core voluptuousness.


In the most moving of them, she is holding a phone, but I cannot be sure it's a gold iPhone 5S.


However, a little research shows that Kardashian does already have a gold iPhone 5. For last December she tweeted: 'I love my gold iPhone 5 by http://anostyle.com -- thanks @boygenius http://twitpic.com/bjwynt.'


A true style icon is always ahead of her time.


Apple's iPad Business Unexpectedly Fell Off A Cliff Last Quarter, So It Needs ...

Business InsiderOn Tuesday, Apple is hosting a big media event where it's expected to reveal a new line of iPads.

The bigger iPad, which has had the same look since 2011, is expected to get a major redesign, making it thinner and lighter. The iPad Mini may or may not get a better screen. Reporters seem to think it gets a sharper screen, but analysts are skeptical.


The iPad refresh can't come soon enough for Apple.


Last quarter Apple sold 14.6 million iPads, which was well short of expectations. Analysts were calling for 18 million units to be sold. The 14.6 million iPads represented a 14% year-over-year drop for Apple.


It's possible Apple will post another drop in iPad unit growth this quarter. Morgan Stanley is calling for 13 million iPads to be sold, which would be a 7% drop on a year-over-year basis.


This would be a surprising turn of events for Apple and the iPad business. The iPhone has never had a year-over-year decline in unit growth.


When the iPad was still new, people like Mary Meeker were posting charts showing its crazy growth. It led a lot of people to believe that sales would continue to skyrocket.


Sales are not skyrocketing, they're cooling.


Business InsiderAnonymous Apple pundit Sammy The Walrus IV noted this on Twitter, saying, 'The iPad simply should not be having yoy unit sales declines this early in life. No other way around it. Too much success early on?'

That makes some sense. On a unit basis, the iPad blew away the iPhone in its early days.


Perhaps everyone that wanted one rushed out to buy it, leaving fewer buyers today. Or, maybe the iPad doesn't operate on the same upgrade cycle as an iPhone. Perhaps people buy a new iPad every three or four years instead of every two. Or maybe the iPhone is so good that it replaces the iPad for most users.


Whatever the case may be, Apple better figure it out. The iPad is a key part of its business. In 2012, it was 20% of the company's revenue.


Mark Glassman at Bloomberg Businessweek argues that i Pad revenue is perhaps more important for the company's stock than the iPhone. 'Quarterly iPad revenue has a 68 percent correlation with Apple's share price. That's higher than the stock's correlations to iPhone revenue (62 percent) or Mac revenue (40 percent).' (Correlation isn't causation, of course, but still interesting.)


When Apple is rolls out new iPads on Tuesday, it better have something to get unit sales growing again.


Why I Returned My iPhone 5s


(click image for larger view)


After using the iPhone 5s for 25 days, I returned it to Apple. Apple graciously accepted the return with no trouble, as I was just within the 30-day limit. I liked the iPhone 5s, but I had several reasons for sending it back.


I recently described what it was like to live with the iPhone 5s for a week. Those observations haven't changed. I stand by all those statements.


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Some background: I paid full price for the iPhone 5s because I didn't want to extend my contract. That means I spent more than $900 on the device including Apple Care and an upgrade to the 32-GB model. That's a lot of money. I already own an iPhone 5, which I purchased last year. The iPhone 5 runs iOS 7, which is the same operating system on the 5s.


The biggest reason I returned the iPhone 5s is because it didn't offer a different experience from the iPhone 5. Aside from the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, there was no obvious change in how the device performed. Sure, the 5s has a slightly better camera and faster processor, but the difference in performance is hardly noticeable. If you look at it from this angle, I spent $900 to get a fingerprint sensor. Let me tell you something: I don't need a fingerprint sensor on my smartphone. At least, not right now.


[ More iPhone shopping advice: 5 Questions To Ask Before Buying A New iPhone. ]


Also, the iPhone 5 offers several things the 5s does not. For starters, it is free of bugs. iOS 7 runs flawlessly on the iPhone 5. iOS 7 on the 5s was a bug-ridden mess. Apps crashed constantly, and the 5s was prone to random reboots. Reboots are rather inconvenient when you're speaking to someone on the phone. Speaking of the phone, the call quality on the iPhone 5 is slightly better than on the 5s. It has a warmer sound that I prefer over the 5s.


Another gripe I have is Apple's entire concept of keeping the same design for its smartphones for two years. The 5s is identical to the iPhone 5 in size, shape and basic appearance, save for the color. The iPhone 4 and 4S were identical, as were the iPhone 3G and 3GS. I find this approach to be lazy. Don't get me wrong -- I fully appreciate how much work goes into designing smartphones and all the engineering needed to make everything fit into such a tiny space. One look at Apple's competitors, however, and it's hard for me to digest Apple's strategy.


Samsung brings dozens of new smartphones to the market each year, all of which have their own design. Samsung makes iterative updates to its products too, but when you look at the progression of hardware such as the Galaxy Note, Note 2 and Note 3, you see marked improvements year over year. Same with the GS4 and other Samsung devices. The same can be said of LG, Motorola, Nokia, HTC and other phone makers.


Surely Apple could create a unique phone each year. It simply chooses not to. I understand its thinking and strategy here, but as a consumer and as a tech journalist, I want to see Apple do more.


If I am going to pay between $500 and $900 for a smartphone each year, I want it to be different from the one I had before. With the iPhone 5s, there simply isn't enough of a difference for it to be worth the money. If you're upgrading from an iPhone 4s, it's a big step up. If you're coming from an iPhone 5, it's more of the same. If Apple decides to make an iPhone with a bigger screen or some other major alteration to the hardware, then perhaps I'll buy it and stick with it. From now on, however, I plan to skip Apple's 'S' years.


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US Cellular Gets The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8th


U.S. Cellular, the 5th largest wireless network in the US, has announced today that it will get the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8th. Subscribers on the network have been champing at the bit for the announcement and Twitter is full of folks complaining that they still hadn't announced a date that the device would come to the carrier for the first time ever.


The iPhone 5s and 5c launched essentially simultaneously on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, and has been rolling out to smaller carriers ever since. November 8th marks a delay of over a month from the initial release, though Virgin Mobile and other regional carriers have had it since early October.


@panzer My aunt has been waiting for this! No other network reaches her house up in the mountains of Virginia.


- Eric Leamen (@ericleamen) October 18, 2013


U.S. Cellular tells us that it does not yet have any pricing or plan details to share, but it seems likely they'll be very similar to the majors. Some retailers like Best Buy have been slicing the sticker price of the iPhone 5c by around $50 to boost early sales.


The carrier recently joined the bigs by offering shared data plans and eliminating its unlimited data tier for new subscribers.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Apple iPhone 5s: The TechSpot Review


The oft predictable Apple mixed things up a bit this year by releasing not one, but two handsets: the iPhone 5s and the 5c. As an incremental update, the flagship 5s borrows heavily from its predecessor which in theory would encourage many to play the waiting game for one more year to see what sort of new design Cupertino comes up with for the iPhone 6.


You wouldn't know it's an incremental update based on early sales figures, however. Apple managed to move more than nine million iPhones during launch weekend a few weeks ago and early reports suggest the 5s was the top-selling phone at all four major US carriers in September -- surprisingly, it's the cheaper 5c that is not doing as well. That said, there is some new technology inside the 5s that is partly responsible for its early success, namely the all-new 64-bit A7 processor and the Touch ID fingerprint reader built into the phone's Home button.


Hardware & Design

Only a couple of subtle design changes clue you in as to whether you're looking at a 5s versus last year's model. The new phone retains the same two-tone aluminum and glass construction, the same 4-inch Retina display operating at 1,136 x 640 pixels (326 ppi) and identical button placement.


The display looks as good as ever (although perhaps a tiny bit warmer than the iPhone 5) and while the 4-inch phone fits nicely in my smallish hand, I really would like to have seen something larger from Apple. I suspect this will come with next year's iPhone 6 as Cupertino has likely held onto the idea of a small, pocketable phone for about as long as they can. Something in the 5-inch range seems plausible as virtually every Android on the market now ships with a screen size in this range or larger.



If you're coming from a 4s or a different brand of phone altogether, you'll likely immediately notice how lightweight the iPhone 5s feels in the hand. It weighs just 112 grams yet given the superb glass and aluminum construction, it feels very solid although its squared-off edges aren't the most comfortable when holding for a long period of time.


The headphone jack is still positioned on the bottom of the phone which may seem like an odd choice until you realize that whenever you put your phone into your pocket, you naturally do so with the top facing down. This would make listing to music with the included EarPods much more convenient although at other times, it could be a nuisance.


Only the redesigned Home button with embedded Touch ID sensor and the addition of a second LED flash on the rear of the phone indicate this is a new iPhone model. On one hand, this is a good thing as existing iPhone 5 accessories like cases will still work with the 5s, but at the same time, you aren't getting a flashy new handset that will grab attention like a completely redesigned phone might.



The 5s is available in three different colors: Space Grey, Gold and Silver. Everything else – from the dimensions and the weight of the phone to the speaker grill layout – is identical to the iPhone 5.


The Touch ID fingerprint reader is built into the Home button. A metallic ring encircles the Home button which is a bit less concave and no longer has an icon printed on it. This sensor can be used to unlock the phone, thus eliminating the need to enter in a passcode each time you want to unlock the device (you do use a passcode, right?). Additionally, Touch ID can authorize iTunes purchases with a single tap.


My past experiences with fingerprint readers like the ones that shipped with notebooks for a spell had led me to the conclusion that they were little more than a gimmick. Touch ID has changed my mind. It is far and away my favorite feature on the 5s and is extremely convenient if you need to access your phone multiple times a day.



The initial setup process takes a minute or two to complete. You are asked to place a finger on the sensor and hold it for a moment then lift and repeat. During this time, the sensor is scanning the complex contours of your fingerprint and once complete, you'll be able to use that digit to unlock the device and authorize purchases.


You can add up to five fingerprints – either all yours or the prints of someone you wish to share the phone with. The system is nearly flawless in its implementation as it will recognize a finger even if it is turned completely upside-down. I had several friends try to unlock the phone using their prints; all failed. The only time the system didn't recognize my own print was if my finger was damp. Otherwise, it worked every time.


As we've learned in recent weeks, there are methods to circumvent the sensor but given the complexity of those measures, it's not likely that it'd be worth the time and effort to do. And the good thing about fingerprints is that you can't forget them like a passcode. What's more, those concerned that Apple is building a database full of iPhone 5s users' fingerprints don't have to worry as all prints are encrypted and stored locally on the device in a secure area of the CPU.



The only shortcoming I've discovered is that Apple forces you to select either Touch ID security or a passcode, but not both. For the uber-security conscious users out there, two-factor authentication could have added a bit more peace of mind.


Meanwhile, the other recognizable new hardware feature is the dual-LED flash that is part of a system Apple calls True Tone. Apple claims the added amber/warm light flash can be used to produce more accurate skin tones when snapping photos using the flash. It sits just below the original flash in a vertical orientation – the phone evaluates lighting conditions in real time and flashes each one at varying intensities for the best possible results.


First Magazine Advertisement for iPhone 5s Appears, Highlights Touch ID Sensor

Apple has started a new print advertising campaign for the iPhone 5s. The first spot, running on the back of this week's issue of The New Yorker, showcases the Touch ID-equipped home button of the new gold iPhone 5s.


Your finger is the password. Touch ID was created not only to protect all the important and personal information on your phone, but to be so easy to use, you'll actually use it. Its state-of-the-art technology learns your unique fingerprint, so you can unlock your phone or even authorize purchases with just a simple touch. Touch ID. Only on iPhone 5s.

The spot in our image includes T-Mobile branding, but Apple's iPhone TV ads have traditionally rotated branding between all the carriers that carry the iPhone, likely as part of a co-marketing agreement.


Apple has been heavily advertising the iPhone 5c on television in recent weeks, but we have seen relatively little about the 5s, likely because of tight supplies. The print ads mention 'limited availability' of the iPhone 5s in fine print.


Update: Entertainment Weekly and Sports Illustrated are running the same ad but with Sprint co-branding, while Rolling Stone is running it with Verizon co-branding and TIME is running it with AT&T co-branding.


Apple Employees Jokingly Referred To Gold iPhone 5s As 'The Kardashian Phone'


Internally, the gold iPhone 5s was jokingly referred to as 'The Kardashian Phone' by some Apple employees. This fact was tweeted out by the NYT's Nick Bilton today and we confirmed the nickname with our sources. Yes, we asked this question of our sources.


Apparently this was not a serious 'code name' or anything, just an internal joke. Kim Kardashian, of course, has a well-known love for Gold iPhones. The reality star actually had her iPhone 5 anodized gold long before Apple's 'champagne' device hit the market, as you can see in the image below.


The thing is, it's a joke right? I'm sure that people in Apple know Kim loves a gold iPhone just as much as the rest of us. It was a fairly unpopular stance for quite a while to say that the gold iPhone might actually be... pretty hot.


But the fact is that the gold iPhone was easily the most sought-after model at launch. Before launch, everyone laughed about the thought of a glossy, sickly gold iPhone 5s. After launch, the opinions were almost universally the opposite; even those that didn't necessarily love the gold acknowledged that it wasn't bad after all.


I love my gold iPhone 5 by http://t.co/x14clif7 - thanks @boygenius http://t.co/4wxmwb7T


- Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 7, 2012


At this point, we don't know if Kim actually has a new gold 5s, they're still in fairly short supply. It's possible that Kim is using a gold iPhone 5s inside a black case in the famous bathing suit image above. We'll leave it for a site in tune with the celebrity iPhone news to decipher. BGR perhaps? Stay tuned as we bring you the latest in Kim Kardashian iPhone news.


Image Credit: Kim Kardashian.


@kimkardashian Do you own a gold iPhone 5s?


- Alexia Tsotsis (@alexia) October 18, 2013