Virgin Mobile's Canadian division will soon carry the iPhone, according to an announcement. The company has revealed few details, except that it will sell both the 3G and 3GS, and that a launch should happen sometime "in the coming months." The device will also be the carrier's first HSPA-based phone, possible through an upgraded Bell cellular network.
Incipio and CAZE have announced new cases for the iPhone and iPod touch. Incipio's latest is the Feather, a shell for the iPhone 3G/3GS and the second-gen iPod touch. It is less than 1mm thin, and made of a light polymer. A soft matte finish is used, and bundled with the case are two surface protectors and a cleaning cloth. The Feather comes in five different Touch colors, or 14 different iPhone variants including black, turquoise, purple, yellow and green.
USBfever has released two new products in its line of iPhone and iPod accessories, the 8X Telescope with Hard Case and the Smart Stand. The telescope is designed for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and attaches via the case, offering 8X optical zoom when capturing images. A focus ring is mounted on the lens, and an included stand can be attached for stability.
Quirky has announced a new addition to its line of iPhone 3G and 3GS accessories, the Beamer. The case features a hard plastic outer shell, and a two-piece design, requiring owners to remove the base before inserting an iPhone. Giving the case its name is an LED light, which can be used either as camera flash or a standalone light. A button triggers three different functions: 10-second lighting, constant light, or simply shutting off.
SwitchEasy has extended its iPhone and iPod accessories with the CapsuleRebel M case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and the Cubes case for the fifth-gen iPod nano, which is now available in silver and metallic gold. The CapsuleRebel M is a revised version of the company’s earlier CapsuleRebel case, and features an UltraFrame hard protection system, with soft polymer for cushioning. The case is designed to protect the back and sides of an iPhone, and includes an ergonomic spine structure for better grip.
Telus this morning took its turn at launching its own HSPA+ network and new devices, including the iPhone. It sells the iPhone 3G and both the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS units at the same $100, $200 and $300 prices as at Bell and Rogers on a three-year contract. The plans are slightly different than Bell's and start with a $50 Clear Choice iPhone plan that provides 150 minutes, unlimited evenings and weekends after 9PM and 500MB of data with tethering but supplies the perk of either unlimited local calls and MMS/SMS messaging to five numbers, double the minutes, or 1,000 outbound (unlimited inbound) messages.
iSkin has released a new iPhone 3G/3GS case, the iSkin Solo FX Special Edition. The case uses an open-faced design, with a matte finish and an embossed pattern of circles. Power and volume controls are covered, while still permitting access; full openings are present for the dock connector and other ports. Color options include ice (white), onyx (black) and cosmo (pink).
Marware and IvySkin have each announced updated iPhone and iPod touch cases, the SportShell and the SmartCase. The SportShell is now available in a version for the second-generation iPod touch. It uses a three-piece hard shell, made of polycarbonate plastic with a rubberized finish. The case can operate as a flat-back or open-back case, or else clip to a belt where it can rotate 360 degrees.
Bell today launched its HSPA+ network and its first devices, including the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G. The network supports up to 21Mbps downstream on the Novatel Wireless U998 ($75) and future modems that support HSPA+ and should also supply as much as 7.2Mbps for the iPhone 3GS and other current smartphones.
OmniVision may have given signs of a large jump in iPhone 3GS production today through a leak of its production demands. Best known for making the 3.2-megapixel camera inside the Apple handset, the mini-camera designer is warning its other customers that supply will be tight until at least late November as Apple is consuming much of its stock. Other sources for DigiTimes add that iPhone 3GS orders for the holidays may have increased by as much as 17 to 20 percent.
TUNEWEAR has launched a new iPhone and iPod dock, the VisualDock. The unit is an AV-capable docking station with S-Video and line outputs. Special controls toggle simulated 3D sound, and alternating between charge or charge/sync modes when connected to a computer. The dock supports the iPhone 3G and 3GS, all iPod nanos, first- and second-generation Touches, the Classic and the older fifth-gen video iPod.
3 UK is hoping to carry the iPhone 3GS sometime in 2010, according to the carrier's CEO, Kevin Russell. Russell comments that the company has had a deficit of smartphones to date, as a result of focusing on conventional phones in order to build up a subscriber base. That should change in 2010, as the company intends to add a variety of high-end smartphones to its network. Efforts are beginning late this year with devices like the HTC Hero.
Jailbreaking indeed remains an option for the iPhone 3GS, says a member of the unofficial iPhone Dev Team. "It’s not going to be impossible to jailbreak even if the exploit we used is gone," notes Eric McDonald, responding to some media reports claiming that 3GS jailbreaks might be impossible with the closure of the 24kpwn exploit. Apple has begun shipping 3GS units with a new bootrom, rendering the hole ineffective.
A minor revision of the iPhone 3GS is now shipping with a new bootrom, preventing the use of somecurrent jailbreaking techniques, hackers claim. Phones with iBoot 359.3.2 are believed to have gone on sale last week, quietly and without explanation from Apple. The new code is said to prevent the 24kpwn exploit, however, which has been used for some time in jailbreaking tools, including those from the unofficial iPhone Dev Team.
The iPhone 3GS is essentially unavailable in Spain, reports from the country claim. The device is believed to be in short or non-existent supply from official carrier Telefonica, as well any of the company's associated third-party outlets. Some sources in the region say they have been on multiple waiting lists for weeks or months, in at least once instance going as far back as July.
USBfever has released two new products for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the Super Charger battery extender and the 360-degree Swivel Stand. The Super Charger is a lithium-powered rechargeable battery, capable of extending a phone's talk or online time up to 8.5 hours, and audio playback up to 40 hours. Video and Wi-Fi ratings are listed at 11 and 10 hours, respectively.
eNcipient has launched a new protective case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the VOi! Lorem. Designed as a hard-shell snap-fit case, the VOi! Lorem guards the back and sides of an iPhone from bumps and scratches, while still providing access to all ports and controls. Built into the back of the case is a small tether that wraps around a person's wrist, stopping an iPhone from falling if it slips out of hand.
Canadian carriers Bell and Telus have announced separate deals with Apple, ones which will let them both carry the iPhone 3G and 3GS beginning in November. The companies have published no details of their agreements, such as phone prices, subscription plans or specific release dates. The two will however have to compete with Rogers, which until now has held exclusive rights to the Canadian iPhone.
Scottish manufacturer Wolfson Microelectronics is projecting year-over-year financial declines for its fourth quarter, says the Financial Times. Revenue is expected to be between $33 and $34 million, flat relative to the second and third quarters of 2009, but down from $37.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. The trouble is attributed mainly to a broken relationship with Apple; while Wolfson chips are featured in the iPhone 3G, there are none to be found in the iPhone 3GS.
Crackers at the iPhone Dev-Team began the weekend by releasing an updated version of PwnageTool that can jailbreak the iPhone 3GS. The 3.1.3 tool works only as long as the Apple phone was jailbroken with firmware 3.0 or 3.0.1 and won't work if the phone is already at Apple's official 3.1. The second-generation iPod touch can now also be de-restricted under the same firmware limits as the 3GS.
O2's UK division has temporarily run out of the iPhone 3GS, according to the Telegraph. Both the 16 and 32GB models are no longer available from the company's online store, and most physical outlets are said to have been without phones for two weeks. Supplies of the 32GB model were only depleted on or after September 28th.
Pong Research has introduced the Pong iPhone case, said to reduce a user’s exposure to phone radiation. Designed for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, it uses a silicone skin integrated with a proprietary module claimed to redirect radiation away from a person's head. The case has been FCC certified, and allegedly reduces the specific absorption rate by approximately 60 percent, and more intense "hot spot" radiation by 85 percent.
Apple's latest iPhone, the 3GS, ranks almost squarely in the middle of smartphones in terms of radiation output, a non-profit activist organization says. The Environmental Working Group notes that according to compiled data, the 3GS produces approximately 1.19W/kg of radiation. The figure is substantially lower than the worst-case examples, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G and the Kyocera Jax S1300, which each produce 1.55W/kg.
Stone Design has launched Twittelator Pro 3.2, updating its Twitter client for the iPhone. The app has three built in themes, supports multiple accounts, can shoot, edit and tweet video on an iPhone 3GS and can record and tweet audio clips. It supports offline composing and automatically sends the tweet when back on a network. Twittelator Pro can save and reuse drafts, supports Cut/Copy/Paste/Select and Undo as well as retreating.
Apple today at its "Rock & Roll" music event launched the third-generation iPod touch. The media player now has the same processing power as the iPhone 3GS and is up to about 50 percent faster than the older model and supports the same OpenGL ES 2.0 visual effects. No mention has been made of cameras on the devices, which run iPhone OS 3.1 and still have the familiar tapered chrome back.
AT&T this morning provided more definite plans for its promised rollout of 7.2Mbps 3G on its network. Only six cities will receive the upgraded HSPA-based network this year and will focus mostly on the southern US: Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami will all see the doubled download speeds at first. Expansion in 2010 will have 25 of the 30 largest markets receive the update, while about 90 percent of AT&T's entire service will have been upgraded in 2011.
Apple is unlikely to turn the Apple TV into a DVR set-top, despite analyst suggestions and hints in patents, says research firm Caris & Company. Analysts from the firm are said to have met recently with Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer, who immediately tried to dispel rumors. "While some have wondered whether Apple might ultimately try to integrate traditional cable set-top box (decoding) functionality into its Apple TV product," a Caris investor note reads, "Mr. Oppenheimer pretty much killed that concept and said that it just doesn't fit Apple's business."
Sony's Walkman players overtook Apple's iPods in market share for the first time in Japan in over four years, according to a study by BCN. Although Apple held the lead as recently as a month ago, a sudden surge in the Walkman's popularity and a corresponding drop in the iPod's has led to Sony just edging out Apple with 43 percent of the market versus 42.1 percent. The upset ends an unprecedented 241-week run for Apple, which took the top spot from Sony in early 2005.
Marware has released the MicroShell for iPhone, an "ultra-thin" hardcase for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The half-shell design is 1mm thick, with a metallic sheen and a smooth rubberized finish. Six colors are available -- black, red, blue, pink, white and silver -- along with a clear version.
iPhone CAZE has announced new Swarovski crystal cases, premium versions of its Mirror Go and Love Pair iPhone 3G and 3GS cases. The Mirror Go is a hard-shell case with a mirror-like exterior, while the Love Pair features a durable, metallic-style design with a smooth matte surface. Both premium cases are decorated with over 40 Swarovski crystals around the Apple logo on the back.
China Unicom on Friday confirmed in its interim results that it had reached an agreement with Apple to carry the iPhone in China. The news supports word of finished talks and will launch the smartphone sometime in the fall. Most terms aren't available, but China Unicom has said the deal extends for three years and that two models will be involved, at least one of which is likely the 16GB iPhone 3GS.
Beating out acrossair's Nearest Tube, French company Presselite has released the first augmented reality app for the iPhone, Metro Paris Subway 3.0. Previous versions have relied on 2D maps as users navigate the Paris subway system, identifying routes and points of interest. Version 3.0 allows users to find POIs using a live video mode, on top of which the app overlays icons and distance markers.
Despite Apple's claims to the contrary, a test by a forum member at Weiphone suggests the iPhone 3GS may already have enough performance to smoothly play full HD video. By manually copying over videos using file transfer apps on a computer and the iPhone, the community member says he could play up to a 1080p (1920x1080) clip at 30 frames per second at up to a 35Mbps without any lag or stuttering. Although they don't show in the official iPod app, they work using Apple's built-in video player when called by a third-party program.
The iPhone 3GS continues to be unavailable in much of Canada, writes the Globe and Mail. Despite promises of continual shipments, Rogers says it is once again out of stock for the iPhone 3GS -- launched in June of this year -- and even the iPhone 3G, released in 2008. The carrier's sub-brand, Fido, is still said to have some 3G models in stock.
Marware has launched the CEO Premiere+, an environmentally-themed holster case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The case is made of primarily out of "eco-leather," an RoHS-compliant leather produced with a minimal use of harmful tanning chemicals and dyes. A separate hard-shell case can be used in conjunction.
Despite claims to the contrary, Apple's iPhone is ultimately hurting the carriers that have picked it up, a Strand Consult study says. The analyst group maintains that "not one" provider offering the iPhone has seen a financial or market share boost since adding it to their rosters. In many cases, these companies have either seen reduced profit from the heavy subsidies needed for the iPhone or haven't seen the surge in data revenues they expected from customers moving to more expensive smartphone plans.
Apple's third iPhone generation has ousted Japan's own phone manufacturers for the top sales spot in the country, according to market data from Gfk Japan. The 32GB iPhone 3GS was the most popular phone in Japan during July and outsold even more advanced touchscreen phones from the local market, such as the runner-up Sharp SH-06. Of the top ten, the 16GB iPhone 3GS was the only other non-Japanese phone to make the list, occupying ninth place ahead of the Sharp SH001 camera phone.
Those who bought an iPhone 3GS are much more likely to be very happy than those who bought the Palm Pre, a study by ChangeWave and RBC Capital Markets shows. At 99 percent, nearly all Apple smartphone buyers are satisfied on at least a basic level with what they bought. Of those, an extremely high 82 percent are "very" satisfied. By comparison, 87 percent of all Pre buyers are satisfied, but only 45 percent of those are very satisfied.
Verizon has launched a second and more ambitious Buy One Get One promo to help move BlackBerries in what's likely a sign of a new wave of devices, a tip today reveals. Now called BOGA (possibly Buy One Get Anything), the BGR-discovered deal will let anyone buying a BlackBerry get a free device that would normally cost as much or less; unlike the older promo, this can include not only BlackBerries but non-rival devices like 3G modems or subsidized netbooks. It's unclear if this is already active, but the discounts would end October 10th.
Despite official denials, an 8GB iPhone 3GS remains in Rogers databases, according to reports. The Canadian carrier has disavowed or refused to comment on several previous leaks, which have hinted that current 16 and 32GB phones could be joined by a cheaper model. The new 3GS would allegedly replace the $99 iPhone 3G once stocks of the latter are depleted.
A business based in Austin, Texas has filed a new lawsuit through a US District Court, targeting Apple, Sony and Nintendo. Bandspeed accuses the three other companies of violating its Wi-Fi patents, specifically a pair related to choosing a Wi-Fi channel according to signal strength. These are titled Approach for selecting communications channels based on performance, and Approach for managing communications channels based on performance.
Game maker Mad Monkey Studio has announced plans to go into iPhone development. The company has in the past worked on minor titles for multiple platforms, including the PS2, Wii and DS. In terms of the iPhone, however, development will exclusively target the iPhone 3GS, as a result of the performance difference over the 3G. A demonstration video shows a 3D flythrough running four times faster on a 3GS. No other project details have been announced.
A number of positives and negatives are likely to affect Apple's gross profits in the near future, notes UBS analyst Maynard Um. Among the negatives is argued to be the possibility of an 8GB iPhone 3GS. If real the device would at least be carried by Canada's Rogers, where it would cost $99. It is believed that most iPhone buyers are opting for the $199 and $299 3GS models, rather than the $99 iPhone 3G; in putting out a $99 3GS, Um contends, Apple could leave little incentive to buy the most expensive products.
T-Mobile's US division took a minor blow on Thursday with word of muted results for its just-finished spring quarter. The cell carrier's growth slowed to add just 325,000 total customers, less than half the gains of 668,000 a year ago. Its churn rate, or the number of old customers replaced with new ones, also climbed from 1.9 percent in spring 2008 to 2.2 percent today. Most of the shortfall is pinned on a higher number of subscription customers leaving T-Mobile and fewer signing on.
(Updated with Rogers statement) A rumor suggests that Rogers, if not more carriers, may be replacing the 8GB iPhone 3G with a 3GS equivalent. Screen caps of what appears to be an internal website for the Canadian provider have it already launching the more advanced but lower capacity phone and deliberately bleeding stock of the old model until their supplies run dry. According to the BGR tip, stores are under strict orders not to sell new models in advance even if they arrive before the older phones disappear.
Griffin Technology has introduced its newest iPhone 3GS case, the Elan Form Etch. The new case is a polycarbonate inner shell bonded to a soft leather outer shell. The new case features an intricate etched pattern on the brown leather shell. The case allows for easy connection to docking stations, without requiring the case's removal.
AGF has expanded its line of iPhone accessories with the new Precision HSD case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The flip-style design guards both the front and back of the device, pairing a hard outer shell with a soft microfiber lining. The case does not latch to the phone, enabling users to orient the device with the screen facing either in or out.
Canadian carrier Rogers has extended a number of key iPhone 3GS promotions -- originally set to expire today -- until September 15th, both under its own branding and that of Fido. A $500 subsidy is available to people who bought an iPhone 3G between July 11th and September 30th of last year, and also spend at least $100 per month. Eligible shoppers are penalized with a one-year contract extension.
Speck has added to its line of CandyShell hard-cases for the iPhone with the release of five new two-tone color combos. Each CandyShell case features a light-weight design with a hard shell outside and a rubberized interior, to offer extra shock absorption while protecting against scraps and scratches from everyday use. With the new color combos users can now choose from BubbleMaker Pink, BatWing Black, AquaBerry Blue, WaxStick White and JamJar Purple.
A report from the Kaufman Bros. research firm is said to indicate a sales shift towards higher-end iPhone models, including the iPhone 3GS, and specifically the $299 32GB model. While this should be beneficial to Apple's revenue, gross margin and EPS, the analyst suggests that the company may have expected users to be more enticed by the lower price of the iPhone 3G, and deliberately held back on 3GS production until the trend was noticed. The results conflict with predicted effects in the current recession, and indicate that buyers are willing to pay a premium for a faster processor, video recording, extra storage, and other features of the 3GS.
