UK furniture retailer DFS is offering the Trophy Cuddler Audio Sofa that has built-in speakers and a dock for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. The sofa has two speakers and a subwoofer, though their power ratings aren't being listed. Other than docking iOS devices, there is also a USB port and 3.5mm auxiliary input for other audio sources.
Research in Motion may not open up its BlackBerry Messenger service as previously thought. Rumors that the BBM service would expand to Android handsets and iPhones, as evidenced by a photo of a beta app, are in doubt following the replacement of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie by chief executive Thorsten Heins, according to an unnamed source speaking to the Wall Street Journal.
A report from China’s Sina Tech has tipped that Apple will integrate Baidu as a search engine in iOS for the Chinese iPhone. Baidu is the leading search engine in China with a massive 83.6 percent share of the market. The pairing is seen as mutually beneficial with Baidu gaining exposure on the smartphone platform with the most active on China’s mobile web, while its inclusion will be an additional selling point for the iPhone in China.
Research firm IDC has published its latest smartphone market-share report, finding Android and iOS to be responsible for eight out of 10 smartphones shipped in the first quarter of 2012. Android captured 59 percent of all sales, while iOS took 23 percent of the 152 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter. Linux phones maintained the same small share held for four quarters. Symbian and Blackberry shipments continued to drop precipitously.
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.
In a surprise, an Apple patent application for an optical stylus has turned up on the USPTO website. Steve Jobs had derided the stylus as an input method for the iPhone and the iPad once famously saying that ‘If you need a stylus, you’ve already failed.’ However, Jobs was well known for throwing the opposition a curve ball from time to time speaking out against an idea, only to have been developing a concept behind the scenes. One example was when he said that consumers liked having a separate iPod while also carrying their phone, only to reveal the ultimate convergence device in the iPhone a couple of years later.
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.
Electronics technician Ken Shirriff has completed a teardown in minute detail of the Apple iPhone charger, revealing higher-quality manufacturing techniques and parts along with more attention to detail than is normally seen in smartphone chargers. The $29 charger and cable combo costs more to make than a typical AC USB charger, but remains a highly-profitable unit despite the extra care taken. Shirriff also did a teardown on a cheaper "clone" iPhone charger, and strongly recommends that under no circumstances should they be used, calling them "tiny, cheap, and dangerous."
Researchers at the German institution Technische Universitat Darmstadt have published a paper demonstrating a technology that could eventually bring complex, physical object-based control to pico projectors. Were the technology, dubbed LightBeam, to be integrated with smartphones, it could engender a much wider array of interactions and methods of navigating data.
Apple is by far the largest buyer of all kinds of microprocessors, buying 50 percent more RAM, processor and other chips than any other company, with its appetite having tripled since 2009 due to the success of its iOS devices (and to a lesser extent its growing Mac business). At an industry conference, IHS iSuppli researcher Dale Ford said that the company will buy $27 billion worth of chips, up from $9B in 2009.
Microsoft is planning on releasing two new native iOS apps using a Metro-style interface by the end of October, an AppleInsider source claims. The first is the Outlook Web App for Exchange 2012 users, also reportedly known as the "OWA Mobile Client for iOS." The app will require both iOS 5 and an Exchange 2012 mailbox, though some offline functions will be supported. Versions for Windows Phone 7.5 and Android 4.0 are planned, but Microsoft documentation is said to list their features as "to be determined," while the iOS app is expected to provide the "best" mobile support.
Microsoft is preparing to release tablet versions of its Office suite for both Apple's iOS and Google's Android platforms, a source familiar with the software has told BGR. The company had been previously rumored to be bringing its Office suite to the iPad, and the new details, if true, will see the productivity suite arriving on tablets in November.
Google has released a major update of its Search app for iOS, v2.0.0. The iPhone side of the title has been overhauled, gaining "major" speed improvements and a redesigned interface. This includes auto fullscreen, which hides controls when scrolling down, and reveals them again when scrolling up. A special fullscreen mode is used during image search.
Siri, the voice command system on the iPhone 4S, is being blocked on IBM's internal networks, the company's CIO has revealed. Jeanette Horan mentioned the fact in an interview with MIT's Technology Review this week. The core issue involves the way Siri translates speech; rather than performing the task on a phone, it uploads recordings to Apple servers, where the speech is deciphered before results are sent back. Accompanying this is user data, such as the names of people in Contacts, since the information is needed to interpret some requests.
Apple design guru Jonathan Ive has revealed to The Telegraph that Apple’s current projects are ‘the most important and the best work’ that his team at Apple has ever done. In the UK to formally receive his knighthood from the Queen, Ive said that it will likely be this work that will be his legacy. Ive’s comments, while revealing nothing specific, are likely to set speculation alight ahead of expected revamps of key Apple products as well the rumored Apple TV.
Meta Watch has officially released a new smartwatch development system with Bluetooth 4.0, capable of integrating with both iOS and Android devices. A previous beta was limited to Android only. In iOS, an app pushes basic notifications to the watch for things like calls and messages. Developers have access to an API, though, which will let their own apps push virtually any information.
Aggregator and reading service Readability has rolled out a new feature for its platform, one that allows users to share their own reading lists with others in a variety of ways. The new Readlist feature works as a sort of mixtape for reading, bundling content that users save from the web into a package deliverable to Kindles, iPads, and smartphones.
Images have leaked of what is allegedly a part for the next-generation iPod touch, according to a MacRumors source. In particular, the images show a front panel produced by an unidentified supplier. Noticeably it has room for a much larger display, which the supplier claims should measure 4.1 inches.
Video service Hulu has released a major update of Hulu Plus for iOS, v2.5. Most of the focus of the update is on iPad support, since it adds compatibility with the third-generation iPad's Retina display, and also enhances the native interface. Hulu has moreover improved AirPlay mirroring and HDMI output, which should also work when an iPad is in operating in split view mode. Users must have at least an iPad 2 or an iPhone 4S.
TiVo has announced early details of a new service, TiVo Stream. The platform will allow owners of Premiere or Premiere Q DVRs to access content on an iPhone or iPad. More importantly however, people will be able to stream or download shows to multiple devices simultaneously without interrupting playback on a TV. Users should in fact be able to "quickly transfer shows to their mobile device for viewing outside the home," though few other details have been made public.
More details have emerged about the new 4-inch display that Apple is rumored to be testing for the next iPhone with 9to5 Mac claiming its sources have confirmed that Apple is currently testing an iPhone with a 3.95-inch display. The new display is also expected to retain a Retina Display level of pixel density, maintain the same width as the current display (1.94-inches), but be stretched to 16:9 ratio at 3.45-inches tall. If accurate, this would permit a 16:9 movie to play in its native aspect ratio using the full display sans the black bars while even potentially retaining the same overall phone size.
The US International Trade Commission has ruled that a patent involved in Kodak's lawsuit against Apple and Research in Motion is invalid, according to AppleInsider. In particular an administrative law judge has quashed the 6,292,218 patent, Method for Live View Display and Digital Camera Using Same, on the basis of claim 15 in the document. Kodak will reportedly appeal the decision to the full commission, a necessary step if it intends to continue suing Apple and RIM for infringing the patent.
Sony has released its promised Music Unlimited client for iOS devices. Although the app is not yet in the US App Store, it should already be available in countries like Canada and New Zealand. The Music Unlimited service itself is accessible in 14 countries so far; other examples include Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the UK. Other supported platforms include Android, Sony Blu-ray players, and the PlayStation 3.
Apple may be preparing to enable its FaceTime video-chat service to be used over 3G networks. The company has yet to confirm such plans, however Romanian Apple website iDevice has reportedly observed new warnings in iOS 5.1.1 that appear to be geared for FaceTime calls placed over 3G networks rather than Wi-Fi.
A recent patent award reveals plans for further improvement in iOS cameras, allowing for two or more different zones of an image to be selected for focus and other settings, with the camera selecting a compromise point automatically if there is too much difference in the selected zones. The patent application also suggests that future iPhones might incorporate a dedicated image processor for photos and video.
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.
The burgeoning Chinese smartphone market stands to earn companies billions of dollars in coming years. Though this has not been independently confirmed, Microsoft now claims that Windows Phone has edged out the iPhone with a seven percent share compared to Apple's six percent, despite Apple's emphasis on the emerging market.
Before his death, Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs allegedly worked on a redesigned, next-generation iPhone that features a larger screen and LTE compatibility, Bloomberg reports. Three sources have confirmed that the company has ordered larger screens for the next iPhone, but did not indicate exactly what size the new device would use. Current rumors have Apple favoring a four-inch (measured diagonally) screen.
On the heels of similar offers from Target and Radio Shack, chains Best Buy, Sam's Club, and Sprint have succumbed to peer pressure. Best Buy and Sam's Club have reduced the price of the iPhone 4 8GB model to $50 with a new two-year contract. As reported earlier, Sprint is offering "at least" $100 off a new contract on an iPhone 4S with the exchange of any prior iPhone.
Accessory maker iHome announced a new product in its growing line of home audio accessories. The new iP76 is a LED color changing tower stereo speaker system. Audio sources can be provided by an iOS device, other wireless devices with Bluetooth version 1.2 compatibility, or any device with a line out jack.
The Video Standards Council has become the UK's sole statutory video-games regulator, administering the PEGI rating system. The changes now mean age checking for the sale of any game rated PEGI 12, 16 or 18 would become enforceable under UK law. Previously, the system was in an advisory capacity and not legally enforceable, with PEGI games rated 15 or higher also being rated by the BBFC for content.
Recosoft has launched the next major version of PDF2OFfice Professional, which now includes support for Windows XPS files and the OmniGraffle v5.x format. PDF3Office allows users to convert PDF and XPS files into editable Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OmniGraffle formats by recreating the intended construction and layout of the document. Version 6.0 introduces a new hybrid 64-bit PDF/XPS conversion core, as well as an option for optimizing files for editing and viewing on iOS devices. Customers who purchased a PDF2Office Professional v5.x license on or after April 1, 2012 are entitled to a free upgrade, while a full license costs $99.
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.
Apple has managed to win the contested rights to iphone5.com, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization website. The case has been updated to "Terminated," and visiting iphone5.com currently displays a blank page, rather than a forum that used to be in place. Apple applied to take control of the domain earlier this month, hoping to wrest it away from a protection agency identified as the Corporation Service Company.
Data from research analysis firm Gartner has revealed that Apple has managed to capture almost eight percent of the global market for mobile phones of all types -- both feature phones and smartphones combined, The Mac Observer reports. This makes the company the third-largest mobile phone maker in the world, behind Nokia and Samsung. Apple has doubled its share of the global cell phone market in only a year.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has released its latest findings on the state of US consumer satisfaction in the areas of cellphone manufacturers and wireless carriers. For the former, there was one runaway winner -- Apple. For the latter, Sprint was able to score a win among a tight field. Overall satisfaction was up an incremental 0.1 percent to a 75.9 score out of a possible 100.
Recently MacNN had a chance to test out the Bamboo Stylus duo, a newer version of Wacom's popular stylus for the iPad -- and by extension, other capacitive touchscreen devices. The duo adds an ink pen into the mix, occupying the tip opposite a rubber one meant for touchscreens. This may make the stylus more practical for some people, since it means always having a pen handy for writing checks or quick notes, or at least one less pen sitting in your bag.
Sprint's deal with Apple for the iPhone will ultimately prove "quite profitable" for the carrier, said CEO Dan Hesse during a company shareholder meeting on Tuesday. The pact will end up costing $15.5 billion by the end of 2015, which has prompted some worried shareholders to challenge it. Hesse in fact recently returned $3.25 million in personal compensation back to Sprint when it was pointed out that the company hadn't factored in the impact of the iPhone before tallying worker bonuses.
Sources for Reuters are supporting Wall Street Journal claims that Apple is using 4-inch displays for the next iPhone, and has already begun to place orders for the new parts. As with the earlier report, Reuters says that LG Display, Sharp, and Japan Display are handling production, which is allegedly in early stages; full production orders could begin in June. iPhone assembly could start as soon as August, if Apple follows normal patterns. One source comments that it's still uncertain what share of display production each supplier will have.
The latest version of Flipboard, 1.9, now includes an Audio category, its developer has announced. The content is available through the Content Guide, and includes clips from NPR and PRI shows, as well as recommendations from SoundCloud. This includes access to lists and followed users, as well as highlighted content. Once audio is playing a person can continue reading other sections of Flipboard without it being interrupted; a menu option lets users control playback.
China Mobile is in talks with Apple to offer the iPhone, confirms Mobile chairman Xi Guohua. The executive made the statement on Wednesday at a shareholder meeting in Hong Kong, his first since replacing Wang Jianzhou, who retired in March. Apple has refused to comment, and Xi didn't elaborate much further at the meeting, saying he couldn't predict if a deal would be reached this year. "China Mobile and Apple both have the will to strengthen cooperation," he commented. "When there is more specific news, we will disclose it."
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has placed orders for iPhone displays measuring ‘at least 4-inches diagonally’ for its sixth generation iPhone expected in October. Citing ‘people familiar with the situation’ production on the new displays is set to begin next month. Apple is said to be working with LG, Sharp and Japan Display (a newly formed partnership between Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba) on the new screens, which can be expected to be Retina Display-class.
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.
An unnamed app developer informed 9to5Mac earlier today that users accessing its software had been identified as running iOS 6 by analytics. Other unidentified developers polled have also been seeing the hallmarks of the new iOS version since late April. Versions of iOS 5 appeared prior to the 2011 Apple World Wide Developer's Conference in the same manner.
A new line of iPhone-controlled RC Cars has been launched by iHelicopters.net. Models include a range of popular Audi and BMW cars such as the Audi Q7, Audi R8, BMW X6, and BMW 5 Series. Each car includes a RF transmitter that connects to an iOS device via the headphone jack and allows users to control the car from up to 20 meters away. The new BMW and Audi models are set at $60 each including free worldwide shipping.
The coming years could see bending, twisting, and even wearable iPhones and other devices, if The Korea Times is right in its interpretation of one Samsung executive's remarks. Samsung reports sizable offerings for its bendable OLED displays, and analysts believe the quantities on order could signal that Apple is interested in bringing the technology to future devices.
Sparrow has released a new version of its iPhone email client, bringing it up to 1.2. The release makes several important changes, for instance allowing landscape composition for the first time, and navigating between messages by swiping up or down. Users can now edit or create labels and folders, and the app has been localized for nine languages in total: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Russian, and Chinese.
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.
Owners of the iPhone 4S and Lumia 800 can get solid advice on just about anything, thanks to the voice-recognition technology built into the phones' digital assistant software; but it turns out that if they ask for advice on smartphones, they may wind up with a bit of buyer's remorse. As The Next Web found out through experimentation, the two phones give conflicting and complementary answers when you ask each what is the best smartphone.
Intel CEO Paul Otellini has made it clear to investors and reporters that the company will continue to angle for more business from Apple in mobile devices, saying his mission was to "ensure our silicon is so compelling [that] they can't ignore us." Intel is already responsible for the chips in all of Apple's desktop and notebook products, but has longed to replace ARM-based processors as the heart of its mobile lineup, Forbes reports.
