04/02, 9:32am
4S still significantly more expensive than in US
Apple has lowered the prices of unlocked models of the iPhone 4 and 4S in Brazil, reports observe. The 8GB iPhone 4 has dropped from R$ 1499 ($741 US) to R$ 1099 ($544 US), while the 16 GB iPhone 4S has moved from R$ 1999 ($989 US) to R$ 1699 ($840 US). While buying either device in Brazil normally involves 12 monthly payments, paying in full over the phone can reduce prices by another 10 percent, to R$ 989 ($489 US) and R$ 1529 ($756 US), respectively.
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04/01, 1:17pm
Complaints about iPhone replacements force response
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted an open letter to Chinese customers, announcing changes to the company's warranty policies in the country. He explains that in the past couple of weeks the company has received a number of complaints, particularly in relation to the iPhone 4 and 4S. The people charged that while customers elsewhere were getting full replacements for faulty hardware, Chinese customers were only getting repairs using replacement parts.
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02/13, 9:28pm
Device relays information to and from the iPhone
Wahoo Fitness, an iPhone-powered fitness vendor for running and cycling enthusiasts, announced the RFLKT iPhone bike computer. Using Bluetooth Smart, Wahoo’s product allows cyclists to transmit cycling data from a carried iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 wirelessly to the handlebar-mounted RFLKT.
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02/11, 3:42pm
No word yet on planned Japanese Maps changes
Apple has released iOS 6.1.1 as an over-the-air update. The download is only for iPhone 4S owners, and is primarily meant to solve problems with 3G access reported in recent days. It should also solve some issues with battery drain and overheating.
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02/11, 11:36am
Glitch may prevent people from connecting to networks
(Updated with new iOS 6.1.1 rumors) Carriers Vodafone UK and 3 Austria have issued statements elaborating on problems with the iPhone 4S and iOS 6.1. "We’re aware of an issue caused by Apple iPhone 4S handsets that have been upgraded to iOS 6.1 which impacts performance on 3G. Some customers may occasionally experience difficulty in connecting to the network to make or receive calls or texts or to connect to the internet [sic]," Vodafone's notice begins.
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02/08, 3:56pm
Suggests 6.1.1 may solve 3G issues
Carrier Vodafone UK is warning iPhone 4S owners against upgrading to iOS 6.1, accounts say. "If you've not already downloaded iOS 6.1 for your iPhone 4s [sic], please hold off for the next version while Apple fixes 3G performance issues. Thanks," reads a text message being sent out to subscribers. Vodafone hasn't gone into any more detail on performance problems.
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01/16, 3:52pm
Puts video calls on iPhone 4S, supporting iPads
(Updated with Free Press intention to file a Net Neutrality complaint for unlimited data plan omission) Following up on a silent rollout, AT&T has formally announced plans to enable FaceTime calls with any tiered data plan. The carrier previously lifted a policy restricting FaceTime to Mobile Share plans, but still required a device with a tiered plan and LTE, blocking out the iPhone 4S. "We have already begun updating our systems and processes and expect to start rolling the update out to customers on an ongoing basis beginning in the next couple of weeks," reads a blog post by AT&T's senior VP for voice and data, Mark Collins.
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12/26, 10:41am
Attempts to provide alternative to dedicated sports cameras
Accessory maker Mophie has launched the OutRide, a new camera case for the iPhone 4 and 4S. The gear creates a polycarbonate housing for an iPhone with a 170-degree wide-angle lens, effectively turning an iPhone into a first-person sports camera similar to a GoPro. An included waterproof add-on lets users submerse an iPhone as far as 5 meters.
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12/14, 1:31pm
iPhone 5 price drops to $127
[Update: the sale iPad is a third-gen model, not fourth-gen] Starting today, Walmart is launching a sale on several Apple products in the US. The retailer is dropping the price of a 16GB, third-generation Wi-Fi iPad down to $399 -- the same price as the iPad 2 -- and beginning Monday, also bundling in a $30 iTunes card. The third-generation iPad was discontinued when the latest model was introduced in October, just eight months after the third-generation's debut.
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12/12, 1:50pm
Retailer cuts $50 off 5, 4S
RadioShack has announced an expansion of its holiday iPhone sale. The retailer is now offering $50 off in-store purchases of both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S. The cut applies to all carriers and capacities; RadioShack is also supplying $10 email coupons for every $50 spent through December 17th.
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12/10, 5:13pm
Discount available for largest carriers
Best Buy has rolled out its latest holiday promotion, slashing $50 off iPhone 5, iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 pricing. New or upgrade-eligible subscribers can now pick up a 16GB iPhone 5 for $150 with a two-year contract, while the iPhone 4S currently starts at $50. The discounts include both white and black variants connected to Verizon, Sprint and AT&T.
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12/03, 12:12pm
iPhone 4 sold out in many US locations
Although the iPhone 5 sales have been "very strong" at US carriers AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, the two older iPhone models -- the iPhone 4 and 4S -- are also doing well, says Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. The claims are based on channel checks, and moreover indicate that the iPhone 4 is actually selling out at some stores. In the US, the 4 is typically free if a person locks into a two-year carrier contract.
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11/21, 10:21am
People with iPhone 4S or unlimited plans now reporting access
In spite of earlier statements by the carrier, AT&T appears to be extending cellular FaceTime to all compatible devices on its network, note forum posters at MacRumors. It had been announced that while cellular FaceTime would no longer be restricted to Mobile Share plans, the option would still require a tiered data plan and a device with LTE. By definition that would block the iPhone 4S and/or anyone on a grandfathered unlimited plan; anything earlier than the 4S is unsupported because of Apple's own restrictions in iOS 6.
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11/07, 5:08pm
Baltimore, Houston, Washington D.C. get improvements
T-Mobile announced today that it was activating its 4G HSPA+ network in three major metropolitan areas with the goal of improving coverage and getting faster speeds for owners of unlocked iPhones. T-Mobile customers in Washington D.C. and surrounding areas, Baltimore, and Houston will now reportedly see a significant boost on T-Mobile's network. T-Mobile's internal testing reportedly showed a 70 percent download speed boost for the iPhone 4S on T-Mobile's network over AT&T's network.
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11/02, 1:40pm
Fusion Drive discussions and more
This week in the MacNN forums one Fresh-Faced Recruit was looking for a way to move photos from a camera roll to photo stream on iPhone 4S, join in here. "So I've been curious about Fusion Drive…" is how the thread titled "Fusion Drive" by Waragainstsleep began earlier this week, read more here.
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10/08, 1:34pm
Unicom allegedly preparing for December iPhone 5 launch
Shops in Hong Kong are still sold out of the iPhone 5, according to Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White. The analyst is currently touring Asia, and says that in Hong Kong all of the stores he visited were out of the new iPhone. "At Apple's retail store, the iPhone 5 can be ordered online and a lottery process determines who is eligible for pickup at the store the next day," he comments in a new investor memo. "Based on our conversations, you might have a better shot at winning the lottery than getting the iPhone 5 the next day."
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09/27, 11:46am
Apple aware of problems
Some users of the iPhone 4S and third-generation iPad are reporting ongoing wireless connectivity problems after upgrading to iOS 6, according to a thread on Apple's support forums. People may, for instance, find the option to connect to Wi-Fi grayed out. Others may be able to turn Wi-Fi on under Settings, but nevertheless be unable to connect to their LAN. Still another group is experiencing trouble with Bluetooth, which may not be able to detect or pair with devices, simply scanning for them forever.
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09/19, 9:02pm
Vulnerability exposes contacts, photos, but not SMS or email
A vulnerability in WebKit, the engine behind Mobile Safari and other iOS browsers, allowed two Dutch professional security researchers to come up with an exploit that compromised an iPhone 4S and won the pair a $30,000 cash prize at the mobile Pwn2Own contest in Amsterdam. While the finished exploit can be deployed in minutes, finding a vulnerability to use in WebKit and developing the technique took about three weeks of dedicated work, Certified Secure CEO Joost Pol told interviewers. The vulnerability is not yet patched in iOS 6, the team says.
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09/13, 3:21pm
Counters ATT push for more expensive plans
(Updated with news of device support) Sprint and Verizon are repeating earlier statements that unlike AT&T, their subscribers will be able to use FaceTime over cellular without upgrading plans. AT&T is forcing users to move to more expensive shared data plans if they want 3G/4G FaceTime, in spite of similar apps being unrestricted. The difference may be that FaceTime is integrated into iOS, making it more easy to access and thus more likely to consume bandwidth.
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09/13, 10:45am
Limits for other devices not explained
The Panorama feature announced for the iPhone 5 will also work on other devices, Apple has indicated. The option is also being supported on two other devices, the iPhone 4S and the fifth-generation iPod touch. It's unknown why other camera-equipped devices, such as the iPad, are unsupported despite Panorama being built into iOS 6.
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09/12, 4:22pm
iPhone 4 goes free on contract
In the wake of the announcement of the iPhone 5, the iPhone 4 and the 4S have dropped in price. The iPhone 4S is now $99 on a two-year contract, while the iPhone 4 is free under the same terms. Only a 16GB 4S is available however, and iPhone 4 buyers are limited to an 8GB model.
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09/10, 11:38am
Could represent iPhone 5 units plus 8GB iPhone 4S
The UK branch of T-Mobile is listing four "iPhone X" models in its internal and external databases, notes 9to5Mac. The models are split into four different capacities, scaling up to 64GB. Of special interest though may be the 8GB model, since Apple isn't generally expected to introduce an 8GB iPhone 5.
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08/24, 9:04pm
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint models from $125 to $325
RadioShack announced today that it will be cutting prices on the iPhone 4S by $75. Beginning Sunday, August 26, all AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint iPhone 4S models will be available for the discounted price to new and upgrading customers at RadioShack locations nationwide. The Apple smartphone is also eligible for RadioShack's Trade & Save program, which allows customers to trade in old devices for credit toward new purchases.
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08/23, 9:20am
Joins rush to clear out phones ahead of September announcement
Walmart has announced that beginning today, it's dropping the price of the 16GB iPhone 4S to $148 at some of its US stores. The cut is $40 off Walmart's normal price, and applies to contract phones for all three national carriers: AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. Walmart hasn't produced a list of the participating stores, and is instead asking shoppers to check with local outlets.
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08/14, 9:38am
Small set of proceeds go to fight AIDS in Africa
Apple has made a rare update to its line of iPhone accessories, adding a new (PRODUCT) RED version of its Bumper case for the iPhone 4 and 4S. The case costs $29, like any other Bumper, but a small portion of the RED model's proceeds go toward fighting HIV and AIDS in Africa. Apple has been a (PRODUCT) RED supporter for some time, although lately it has produced few devices or accessories for the program.
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08/13, 9:24am
Vendors prep for impending iPhone update
Two major third-party US retailers, Best Buy and Target, have instituted new price cuts for the iPhone, notes AllThingsD. Target is now selling 16GB AT&T and Verizon models of the iPhone 4S for $179 on contract. Best Buy, meanwhile, has cut the price for the 8GB iPhone 4 for both carriers to just $50.
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08/06, 10:14pm
Trying to clear inventory ahead of alleged September event?
The third-largest US iPhone carrier, Sprint, quietly dropped the price of the iPhone 4S by $50 across almost all sizes over the weekend, with the 16GB model now starting at $150 on a two-year contract, though the base 8GB model remains at $100. The 32GB and 64GB models are also $50 off, at $250 and $350 respectively. The company is also waiving its usual activation fee, an indication that it is intent on increasing iPhone sales in the run-up to the rumored September 12 unveiling of the next model.
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07/25, 2:13am
Uses Siri to navigate taxi ride, day planning
Apple has released another ad for the iPhone 4S and its biggest selling point, the Siri voice assistant. The new commercial stars film director Martin Scorsese driving into downtown New York City for a busy day, and using Siri to help him reorganize his schedule, check on traffic, and identify the whereabouts of a friend. The ad is the first to show Apple's "Find a Friend" app in action, pointing out that Siri can leverage the program in response to a question such as "where's Rick?"
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07/24, 2:17pm
Verizon, AT&T models available on contract
Radio Shack is now offering "refreshed" and "remanufactured" iPhone 4 and 4S models at a steep discount. Customers can get the two Apple smartphones when signing up for an AT&T or Verizon contract. With a two-year contract, the iPhone 4 is available for free, and the iPhone 4S is available for $100.
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06/18, 7:31am
iPhone 4 shown to be technically capable of supporting 3D Maps app
The iOS Maps app with 3D Flyover featured as a centerpiece of Apple’s iOS 6 presentation at WWDC has been hacked on to the iPhone 4 by Anton Titkov. For reasons not made entirely clear, Apple controversially opted not to support the capability in its iOS 6 update in the slightly older iPhone with critics debating whether it was due to a hardware limitation. While the performance (of the still beta) appears acceptable, it does not load quite as quickly or smoothly as it does on the iPhone 4S as the embedded video shows.
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06/01, 10:09am
$50 unlimited plan may or may not carry over
Boost Mobile will start carrying prepaid iPhones in early September, a TechnoBuffalo source claims. Both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are expected to be available, but it's unknown if the carrier will apply its $50 unlimited plan to the devices. This not only offers unlimited voice, texting, and data, but also the possibility of a reduction in the monthly bill in $5 increments, down to $35.
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05/31, 9:47am
Apple takes first step into US prepaid market
Cricket Wireless will start carrying the iPhone on June 22nd, the carrier has announced. The move will make it the first mainland US carrier to offer the iPhone as a prepaid device instead of on contract. An 8GB iPhone 4 will cost $400, while a 16GB iPhone 4S will be $500. A $55 monthly fee will get people "unlimited" voice, texting, and data, though data is throttled after reaching 2.3GB.
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05/29, 4:35pm
OtterBox Armor should protect against water, hard impacts
Accessory maker OtterBox has announced a new case for the iPhone 4 and 4S, the Armor. Unlike most iPhone cases, the Armor is claimed to be not only drop-proof but dust-, water-, and crush-proof. Few other details are being made public, but the case is set to go on sale June 24th.
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05/24, 9:08am
Microsoft retreats from previous sales claims
In a pair of related developments, Microsoft has retreated from earlier claims that its phone OS was more popular in China than iOS just as new figures for the first quarter of 2011 show that Apple has nearly tripled its sales of iPhones in the country and raised its share from eight to 19 percent, mostly due to the launch of the iPhone 4S, which was launched with two of China's major carriers in January to great demand and some crowd issues.
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05/24, 2:37am
New ad reveals the meaning of life
Apple has released two new televisions commercials featuring the iPhone 4S, its Siri voice capability and a celebrity in need of company. Like the first two ads in the series, a famous actor (in this case thespian and director John Malkovich) is inside a white house alone, making conversation with Siri. Unlike the previous commercials, Malkovich never leaves his chair, and gets two distinct ads -- one of which reveals the meaning of life.
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05/18, 7:30pm
Oklahoma, Puerto Rico latest additions
Continuing with a string of recent arrivals on US regional carriers, the iPhone has arrived to two news that cover northwest Oklahoma and Puerto Rico, respectively. Open Mobile, the Puerto Rico carrier, may be the first exclusively no-contract carrier in the US to offer iPhones. Oklahoma-based Pioneer Cellular is carrying only the iPhone 4S, while Open Mobile has both the 4 and 4S at various capacities.
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05/17, 12:46pm
Trade-in offer expected to begin May 18th
Beginning tomorrow, Sprint is planning to offer "at least" $100 for older iPhones traded in towards an iPhone 4S, a leak claims. A graphic provided by a source identifies the promotion as running through June 30th, and also requiring the activation of a new line of service. What it might take to get more than $100 for an old iPhone has not been mentioned.
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05/15, 10:36pm
Apple claims Siri works fine, user error and opportunism
Apple has filed to dismiss a range of lawsuits filed against it over the performance of Siri, the digital assistant featured on the iPhone 4S. Apple contends in its motion that the plaintiffs in the case lack standing to pursue their case, have improperly interpreted Apple's advertising of Siri, and have failed to pursue other means of redress beyond litigation.
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05/14, 11:36am
Reverses upgrades to iOS 5.1.1
The unofficial iPhone Dev Team has released a new version of redsn0w, its jailbreaking utility for iOS devices. The v0.9.11b4 update lets users restore old IPSW files to A5-based Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S, third-generation iPad, and iPad 2; previously, only devices prior to the iPad 2 could be downgraded, thanks to the limera1n exploit. The update means that A5 devices can now be downgraded from iOS 5.1.1 or 5.1 to 5.0.1.
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05/10, 9:28pm
RadioShack follows Targets lead, discounts iPhones
Yesterday, RadioShack's Twitter feed carried word of a new discount on the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S. The retailer will, for a limited time, let customers save $50 instantly on the two most recent models of iPhone. The discount follows a similar move by Target. Earlier this week, Target announced it would discount the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S by $50 with a two-year contract.
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05/08, 1:40pm
Each to offer discounted iPhone prices
Three more regional US carriers will begin carrying the iPhone on May 18th, according to separate announcements. These include Kentucky's Bluegrass Cellular, California's Golden State Cellular, and finally Kansas' Nex-Tech Wireless. Following in the footsteps of other regionals, the companies will be offering iPhones at discounted prices; this includes $149, $249, and $349 tiers for the 16, 32, and 64GB iPhone 4S, and a $49 pricetag for the 8GB iPhone 4.
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05/07, 7:05pm
iPhone discounted in Target for a week
Target, which just recently announced it would expand its Apple Store-Within-A-Store (SWAS) program, is now discounting new iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S unite by $50 with a two-year contract, reports 9to5Mac. The new prices in-store offer the iPhone 4 8GB at $50 and the 4S 16GB at $150 with either AT&T or Verizon.
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05/07, 8:31am
Apple legal claim a confirmation of iPhone 5 name?
Apple has filed to gain control of the iphone5.com domain with the World Intellectual Property Organization, reports Fusible. With the next iPhone often referred to as the iPhone 5, the move has garnered a lot of attention, although it does not necessarily amount to a smoking gun. It was thought that the iPhone 4S would carry that name; if it is called the 5, the next iPhone will nevertheless be a sixth-generation device.
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05/04, 1:28pm
Discounts apply on store-to-store basis
(Updated with Walmart statement) The reported Walmart discounts on iPhones aren't in effect across the entire Walmart chain, reports observe. The Verge notes that it managed to find a Walmart in Austin with the same bargain, but four other US outlets had regular prices. 9to5Mac says it called 17 Walmarts around the US, none of which were offering discounts. Separate of these, though, one out of two Austin Walmarts was offering the deal, as well as one out of two stores in Edmond, though the Frontage Road location said the iPhone 4S was "$114 this morning, for a little while."
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05/04, 10:00am
Parts shipments could slip up to 20 percent in current quarter
Two of Apple's touch panel suppliers, TPK and Wintek, wiil see shipments to drop by 15 to 20 percent in the current quarter because of the transition from the iPhone 4S to the next-generation iPhone, industry sources tell DigiTimes. The 4S is described as "moving into the final stage of its product life cycle," and TPK has previously stated that it expects revenues to fall 10 percent sequentially in Q2 as a result of iPhone 4S stockpiling and people holding off on buying an iPhone.
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05/04, 2:30am
Savings up to $74 are possible
At least one Walmart store has slashed prices on its AT&T iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S prices without prior associate notice. The 8GB iPhone 4 now sells for $34 with a two-year contract, down from Walmart's already-discounted $88 price. The 16GB iPhone 4S, in either white or black, is now offered with the same contract for $114, down from the $188 original store price. The Verizon iPhone models are not affected by the price cut, reports Cult of Mac, and its not yet clear if the sale is fully nationwide.
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04/27, 11:00pm
Can toggle slow-motion live or in editing
A new, free app from the App Store has promised users a long-desired feature for retaining high quality HD even when using slow motion for things like acrobatic stunts. SloPro says it can use the camera in a variety of recent iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models, but the 60 frames per second recording that is its main selling point remains exclusive to the iPhone 4S for now. A $2 "pro upgrade" allows users to save the raw footage to iTunes for third-party editing.
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04/26, 11:10am
iPad almost totally dominates
The iPhone 4S was far and away the most-activated device during the March quarter by Good Technology enterprise customers, a new study by the firm says. The phone represented 37 percent of activations, roughly four times the amount of any other device. The iPad 2 took home second place at 17.7 percent; the third-gen iPad came in fourth at 4.3 percent, but was only available for less than one month in the quarter, and nevertheless accounted for 12.1 percent of all of the March activations Good tracked.
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04/23, 8:35pm
Deliberations begin July 5
Judge Janis Sammartino has scheduled July 5th as the date for deliberations on the latest chapter in the legal maneuvering between Apple and Motorola. Apple filed the countersuit in question in February with the intention of gaining declaratory and injunctive financial awards as a result of Motorola's short-lived injunction against the iPhone 4S in Germany. The July 5 hearing is likely to not be open to the public.
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04/20, 10:00am
iPad comes to 12 more countries
This Friday marks another set of expansions for iPhone and iPad sales. The iPhone 4S is now available through another five regional US carriers, including Alaska Communications, Appalachian Wireless, GCL, Cellcom, and nTelos. The first regional carrier to get the iPhone was C Spire, which joined national options AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.
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