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Apple is officially discontinuing the iPhone 3GS, a spokesperson tells AllThingsD. The move was expected after the introduction of the iPhone 5, which has also seen the iPhone 4 and 4S shift to lower and middle tiers. With the phone no longer on sale, Apple is also likely to taper off support.
Apple is planning to axe the iPhone 3GS, and make the iPhone 4 the company's entry-level smartphone, retail sources tell The Telegraph. It's expected that the phone will probably be given away free on contract. The sources add that an 8GB version of the iPhone 4S could be launched, and that the iPhone 5 will come in three different storage capacities like its predecessor, shipping on the week of September 21st.
New photos depicting a front digitizer and display assembly for an alleged next-gen iPhone show similarities to the iPhone 3GS, according to RepairLabs. Specifically the site says that the new phone "looks like it has a plastic 3GS-type midframe running around the digitizer and glass LCD assembly," and has a "striking similarity to a 3GS, with the bottom screws and brackets."
Indian carrier Aircel is now selling the iPhone 3GS for less than $200, according to an official announcement. The device is now selling for about Rs. 9,999, or roughly $181. Buyers must also, however, pay for a year of unlimited data at a rate of Rs. 3,000, the equivalent of just under $55. The 3GS has been available in India for a long time, but typically at much higher prices.
Another important change in iOS 6 beta 3 is the addition of shared Photo Streams and VIP Mail filters to the iPhone 3GS, notes MacRumors. The features have been discovered by 3GS owners using the beta, and quietly confirmed by Apple via its website. The company has removed warnings on the iOS 6 preview page that previously said the features would require at least an iPhone 4 or an iPad 2.
Apple is suing Samsung over cases for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 as well as an assortment of cellphones, Bloomberg reports. At a court hearing in Sydney, Australia, Apple said it has issued a notice of infringement to Samsung, and will file a statement of claim. Samsung is accused of violating patents and registered designs; a lawyer for the company, Katrina Howard, elaborated that the cases are accused of infringing at least 10 patents.
The iPhone 3GS, now either free or $1 on contract, may put Apple in an ideal spot to compete against other smartphone makers, claims a new Credit Suisse report. The firm says that in October Apple began selling the 3GS to carriers at an average price of $325, making it possible for an iPhone to be totally subsidized on the consumer's end. A $250-400 carrier pricetag is said to put Apple in the same range as where most of its competitors operate.
The iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS held on as the US' bestselling smartphones during the third quarter of 2011, according to new NPD Group data. Following behind in the top five were two Android-based phones -- the HTC EVO 4G and the Motorola Droid 3 -- as well as the Samsung Intensity II, which NPD classifies as a smartphone even though the device is more basic than most. The updated top phone list is almost identical to one for Q2, the only difference being the Droid 3 replacing the HTC Inspire 4G.
Both Sprint and Verizon are seeing strong iPhone sales, says Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu, citing checks. Sprint has allegedly begun reversing a tide of subscriber loss to AT&T and Verizon, which was caused by simply not having the iPhone as an option until October 14th. The carrier may also be attracting people thanks to offering the only unlimited iPhone data plans in the US.
Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray believes a cavalcade of current iPhone 3GS users, who skipped the iPhone 4 for a variety of reasons, will move to the iPhone 4S by the millions over the next year, accounting for up to 18 percent of Apple's iPhone sales, AppleInsider reports. Munster believes that 18.8 million 3GS users, based on an estimated 27.6M total iPhone 3GS sales, are still available for upgrading and will likely take advantage of the new model.
While the processor inside the iPhone 4S has already been shown to have given the new phone a significant speed boost for web browsing and JavaScript benchmarks, tests on other models reveals that iOS 5 may play a significant role as well -- allowing the iPhone 4, iPod Touch and iPhone 3GS to gain a noticeable performance boost when it is released on Wednesday. In the case of the iPhone 4, initial testing has shown it catching back up to its latest rivals.
Sales of the iPhone 4 and 3GS are still doing well, even with the impending of launch of the iPhone 4S later this week, says Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. Although non-specific, the claim is said to stem from checks with US cellphone carriers. Walkely adds that preorders of the iPhone 4S appear to be doing well, something Apple itself has validated by announcing that over 1 million preorders were made in the space of a day. By comparison, just 600,000 iPhone 4s were preordered in a similar timeframe last year.
Some vendors have begun special trade-in promotions in the wake of yesterday's iPhone 4S announcement. Chief among these is eBay, which has launched an Instant Sale promotion that ends at 11:59PM Pacific time on Wednesday. The auction site is offering up to $357.50 for a 32GB AT&T iPhone 4, or $318.50 for an equivalent Verizon model. 16GB capacities can fetch as much as $325.50 or $297.75, respectively.
Although the iPhone 4S is now Apple's flagship smartphone, the company is keeping both the iPhone 4 and 3GS on sale. Like the 3GS the 4 is now restricted to 8GB of memory, although black and white tones are still available, as is the choice of going with AT&T or Verizon in the US. There prices for an iPhone 4 now start at $99 on contract; an unlocked GSM model is $549. In both cases the downgraded hardware is shipping on October 14th.
Today's Deals from DealNN include price breaks on iPhones, earphones, and more. Cowboom.com is currently featuring a pre-owned version of the 16GB iPhone 3GS with AT&T, which includes a high-quality digital camera that shoots VGA video with audio, a 3.5-inch widescreen color multitouch display, integrated voice-control functionality, and built-in maps with GPS support. Now priced at $169.99, this iPhone has dropped $430 off its original cost and is also being featured at DealNN.
3 Sweden has announced a "half-price" sale on the iPhone 3GS while stock lasts. The carrier is in fact giving away the phone; the discount applies to a two-year contract, which costs only 99 kronor per month, or about $15.42. The total cost of the phone and plan bundle is therefore only $370, which also includes unlimited data. Reduced speeds apply after 1GB though, and users pay for each voice minute or SMS message.
Shipments of the iPhone 3GS are diminishing rapidly, at least in certain regions, a report claims. Sources from "a major European iPhone carrier," for instance, say they are expecting few new units to arrive in upcoming weeks. An informant at a "major US based iPhone reseller" meanwhile claims that 3GS stock is substantially lower than normal. The person adds that in several regions in the US, no 3GS shipments are happening at all.
Long proposed by analysts, a cheaper, prepaid version of the iPhone will be available later this year, claims an "incredibly solid source" for BGR. The device will allegedly cost no more than $350 without a contract. It's suggested however that the model could be the two-year-old iPhone 3GS, which is already $49 tied to a two-year AT&T contract.
The iPhone 3GS will continue to be available this September, but will be free on a carrier contract, argues RBC Capital analyst Mike Abramsky. "While a $49 iPhone is already available (AT&T), psychologically a $0 iPhone provides a compelling offer," he writes. The same device might be $399 unsubsidized. The iPhone 4 is predicted to drop to a $99 standard price, which would follow Apple's normal policy regarding last-generation iPhones.
Apple is planning a special version of the iPhone 3GS to accommodate India, a local report claims. An 8GB unlocked version is expected to ship sometime in the near future, at a price of 19,990 rupees, or about $444 US. Initial carrier vendors are only expected to include Aircel and Bharti Airtel, but others may join later.
Apple may be planning to get back into ringtone sales, yesterday's iOS 5 keynote presentation suggests. 9to5Mac notes that in one corner of a feature list, the "iTunes Tone Store" is cited as an upcoming feature. Apple once highlighted ringtone sales on iTunes, but essentially abandoned them because of the ease of creating custom M4R files using third-party tools.
iOS 5 won't run on 2009's iPhone 3GS, claims analyst and Mobile Review editor Eldar Murtazin. "Just one comment. Apple iPhone 3Gs wont be upgradable to iOS 5.x. iPhone 4 will," he explains in a Twitter post. While there are no more statements to support the rumor, Murtazin has in the past obtained unexpectedly accurate information, such as early knowledge of the Nokia N8. Since a preview is anticipated at WWDC in early June, iOS 5 could be far enough into development for specifications to leak.
Untethered jailbreaking and carrier unlocking is now available for iOS 4.3.3, the unofficial iPhone Dev Team says. redsn0w and PwnageTool have been updated to support jailbreaking the firmware, which was released by Apple on May 4th. Unlocking requires ultrasn0w, and carefully avoiding certain pitfalls. Only certain iPhone 4, 3G and 3GS basebands are supported for example, and people must skip using redsn0w, turning instead to a custom IPSW file to update to iOS 4.3.3 while preserving a compatible baseband.
iOS 4.3.1 is already in the works, and it should be ready for the public in as little as one to two weeks, a report claims. The release is said to be a minor one, fixing issues such as a problem with Springboard and/or third-party apps failing to detect the gyroscope on the iPad 2. Also in the firing line are memory corruption when reading large files in the USIM filesystem, and a glitch with NTLM authentication in apps and on websites.
GPS maker Navigon is now shipping an official Car Kit for the iPhone. Included in the package is a specialized windshield mount, as well as a USB car charger and a five-foot USB adapter cable. Distinguishing Navigon's approach is the mount's design, which uses a smooth arching arm rather than one that simply juts straight out.
Apple has followed suit with AT&T and dropped the price of the iPhone 3GS from $99 to $49. AT&T made the change last Friday, but despite promising Apple's participation, the latter did not immediately make the switchover. In either case, the $49 option is only available with a two-year AT&T contract.
Beginning on Friday, the US price for the iPhone 3GS will drop to $49, AT&T has announced. The option will apply at the carrier's online and retail stores, and for upgrade customers as well as new ones. Apple will also be offering the cheaper price tag, according to AT&T.
China Unicom has begun selling a contract-free version of the iPhone 3GS. An 8GB model -- the only 3GS currently produced by Apple -- is priced at 3,999 yuan, or about $603. Buyers can nevertheless sign up for a two-year service plan with between 33 and 58 yuan in free phone expenses per month, depending on the monthly fee package chosen.
Warehouse retailer Sam's Club is planning to offer the iPhone 4 for as low as $147 this week, a leaked memo indicates. The deal is restricted to members, and also requires that a phone be tied to a two-year AT&T contract. Under a similar arrangement, the iPhone 3GS is being sold for $47. Both discounts should expire after Christmas Eve.
The unofficial iPhone Dev Team has released a new version of PwnageTool, one of its hacking utilities for iOS devices. The updated software promises to unlock some models of the iPhone 3G and 3GS for unsupported carriers when using iOS 4.2.1. It works because the original iPad firmware, iOS 3.2.2, has been discovered to contain the v06.15.00 baseband, which is still vulnerable to an old exploit.
Apple is now selling unlocked versions of the iPhone 4 and 3GS in its German retail and online stores. An 8GB 3GS is €519, while 16 and 32GB iPhone 4s are €629 and €739, respectively. Although a 3GS should ship in one to two weeks, both iPhone 4 models have a minimum two-week wait, in contrast with the US.
As promised, Applidium has released a new version of VLC Media Player at the App Store. The app is now universal, supporting iOS devices beyond the iPad. Only the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and "recent" iPod touches are actually compatible, however.
A Mac version of greenpois0n has been released, just a few days after the initial Windows and Linux launches. The hack is iOS 4.1-compatible, and jailbreaks the iPad, iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, as well as the third- or fourth-generation iPod touch. Both the Mac and Windows editions are now listed as RC4 versions.
Following swiftly after the launch of Limera1n, a second iOS 4.1-compatible jailbreak has been released, greenpois0n. Users can open up the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and third- or fourth-generation iPod touch to unofficial apps and customization. An RC2 version of the hack was initially posted before being pulled and replaced with RC3.
A new jailbreaking tool has been released for iOS devices, dubbed Limera1n. The software is capable of jailbreaking most devices running iOS 4.0 or later, including the iPad, the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, and the third- and fourth-generation iPod touch. The Apple TV is also "technically supported," though there no apps available for it, whether officially sanctioned or otherwise.
Camera-oriented gadget site fosfor.com has published a multi-part iPhone camera shootout that compares photos taken in a variety of situations, showcasing the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4. The results are not unexpected, but the differences between the cameras can be surprising.
Despite newer hardware launches, the iPad is still the fastest iOS device when it comes to booting from a cold start, a Czech site notes. A video demonstration shows the tablet reaching its lock screen in 19.04 seconds, as compared to 26.4 seconds for the fourth-generation iPod touch. The iPhone 4 takes 28.64 seconds, while the iPhone 3GS is even slower, clocking in at 32.8.
Confirming rumors from earlier today, Apple has begun seeding iOS 4.0.1 through iTunes. The update makes just a single major change, that being improved accuracy in iPhone signal display. The company recently promised a software fix in light of reception issues, though it's now believed the problem is traceable to hardware. The download is only available for the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is either unaware of battery drain caused by upgrading older handhelds to iOS 4, or dismissive of it, information from a Norwegian journalist suggests. Jarle Aasland explains that he recently sent e-mail to Jobs complaining about the battery performance of his iPhone 3GS. "Any reason battery performance on a 3GS running iOS4 should be worse than it was running OS3?" Aasland wrote. "Nope," reads Jobs' reply.
The broadly reported reception issues with the iPhone 4 can all be traced back to the way iOS reports signal, Apple now claims. "Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong," part of a new PR statement reads. "Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars."
Canadian carrier Fido, a subsidiary of Rogers, has dropped prices on the iPhone 3G and 3GS. As the 3G is being phased out entirely, a refreshed 8GB model can be had for $29 under a three-year contract. A new 8GB 3G is $49, and a 16GB version is $149. The pricing of the latter is incongruous though, as a 16GB 3GS is now $99, and the 32GB option is $149.
Long-time UK iPhone carrier O2 has announced its device costs for the iPhone 4 and 8GB iPhone 3GS, both due to launch in the region on June 24th. Unusually, phones are cheaper under the lowest tier when opting for an 18-month contract instead of a two-year one. A 16GB iPhone 4 is £209 with an 18-month term, for instance, while a two-year agreement raises the price to £279. This is offset by monthly fees, which are higher with a shorter contract. A 32GB model is £299 with an 18-month contract and £323 over two years.
A new version of ultrasn0w has been released, allowing some iPhone 3GS owners with the iOS 4 gold master to unlock the device for use with unofficial carriers. The main limitation is that users must have the v04.26.08 baseband, retained through earlier hacks. ultrasn0w will thus not be (immediately) useful for newer 3GS models.
Canadian carrier Telus has cut some of its contract prices for the iPhone ahead of launching the iPhone 4. A brand new 32GB 3GS can now be had for $149, while a refurbished version of the same unit costs $99. Similarly, a new 16GB 3GS is $99, and a refurbished model is $49. An iPhone 3G can be had for free alongside a subscription.
AT&T has "temporarily suspended" iPhone 4 and 8GB iPhone 3GS pre-orders, according to a message on the carrier's website. The company has been unable to cope with the demand so far, resulting in many web requests timing out. On top of this it has received numerous complaints of privacy leaks, which involved the wrong person's information being displayed after logging into an account.
When the iPhone 4 and 8GB iPhone 3GS launch in the country in July, Canada will finally get its first unlocked iPhones, an Apple FAQ confirms. Although people can already buy iPhones there from multiple carriers, including Bell, Rogers, Telus and Virgin Mobile, models have so far been limited to ones locked to their original vendors. The unlocked option will be available through Apple's online store.
Apple and carriers in several countries have opened up pre-orders for the iPhone 4, due to ship on June 24th. In the United States, online pre-orders can be made through the Apple Store or via AT&T. A 16GB phone costs $199 with a two-year contract, while a 32GB phone is $299. Also up for pre-order is an 8GB iPhone 3GS, priced at $99.
AT&T will only be offering black iPhone 4s at launch, and when it begins taking pre-orders tomorrow, a leaked memo suggests. The document mentions just two iPhone 4 SKUs for the above timeframes, differentiated by 16 or 32GB of storage. The $99 iPhone 3GS option -- scaled down to 8GB -- is mentioned as being permanently restricted to black.
AT&T has cemented a pair of new details regarding its iPhone 4 plans, leaked memos and flyers show. The most important of these actually involves the iPhone 3GS, which recently had the cost of 16 and 32GB models lowered to $149 and $199 (from $199 and $299), and will soon be available only as a $99 8GB model. Because people may have recently bought a 3GS at one of the old prices, AT&T is said to be offering a "one-time Customer Price Protection" plan, giving credit for the difference.
Only one day after Apple released the Gold Master seed of iOS 4, formerly known as iPhone OS 4, the firmware has already been jailbroken. The hack appears to use PwnageTool bundles modified for the GM, which reportedly allows users to preserve the baseband for
