The Huawei Ascend P1 smartphone has now completed FCC testing. The Chinese phone-maker still hasn't revealed any official launch information for the 4.3-inch flagship, and it's missed its originally promised April reveal date. This FCC approval means the company is at least certified to sell the handset in the US.
Smartphone users on at least 48 cellular carriers may be vulnerable to traffic hijacking and phishing attacks, according to researchers from the University of Michigan. A paper to be presented this week at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy alleges that researchers were able exploit a carrier security feature to hijack connections to Facebook, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger, and the AdMob advertising network, and to spoof traffic for banks and financial institutions.
AT&T has stopped sales of the U-verse bundle for Xbox 360, citing work to “improve and enhance” the functionality, according to a message on its website. The bundle will not be up for sale again until the new functionality is added, a representative has told Multichannel.
In light of a steady decline in the cost of integrating 3G hardware, AT&T President of Emerging Devices Glenn Lurie believes tablet makers will eventually stop producing Wi-Fi only models, instead opting to make only tablets featuring both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. Speaking at the CTIA Wireless trade show, Lurie said he believes this sort of wireless consolidation would work out well for carriers, consumers, and manufacturers.
T-Mobile have taken aim against AT&T in its most recent television commercial. The new advert, continuing the makeover of brand representative Carly into an edgier motorcycle rider, pokes fun at the slow speed of the iPhone on AT&T compared to a much faster Carly on T-Mobile's 4G network.
A little war of words appears to be brewing between Google and AT&T, with representatives from each company pointing the finger at the other over the seemingly haphazard manner in which Android phones receive OS updates. In response to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson's recent statements blaming Google for the slow update pace, Google has fired back, telling 9to5 Google that perhaps Stephenson doesn't fully understand the nature of the update process.
AT&T is approaching the announcement of its long-anticipated shared data plans, hints a comment from AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega. "I'm very comfortable with the plan that will be offered to our customers," he told CNET yesterday in an interview at the ongoing CTIA trade show. The executive in fact said that the carrier knows how the plan will be structured, but declined to say when it might launch, including whether or not it will be out in the next few months and/or arrive before an expected Verizon alternative.
AT&T held a special event in New Orleans to detail its home automation and security system, however the carrier also brought along Samsung's Focus 2. Electronista had a chance to try out the company's latest Windows Phone device, which represents the third model to feature the Focus label and the carrier's first to be equipped with an LTE radio for 4G data speeds.
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.
AT&T will soon begin offering the Samsung Focus 2 handset. Powered by the Windows Phone 7 operating system, it will support AT&T's 4G LTE network and cost just $50 on a two-year contract. The phone otherwise has a 4-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen and a five-megapixel camera out back with a front VGA camera.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson shared some thoughts on his relationship with Steve Jobs, the iPhone and the way the device continues to shape his company during an on-stage interview at the Milken Institute's Global Conference earlier this week, reports The New York Times. Among the revelations was his view that the early "unlimited" data model was ultimately a bad idea, and that messaging systems like iMessage that bypass SMS plans are "disruptive."
The first image of Samsung's upcoming Windows Phone smartphone, the SGH-i667, codenamed Mandel, has shown up on Chinese forum WPXAP. While the model number is shared with the Focus S on AT&T, the Mandel supports LTE networks, as revealed by FCC testing in March. It is also likely to arrive at AT&T, though exactly when isn't known.
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.
Microsoft in a statement Monday clung to a firm stance on the proposed CISPA bill. The firm told The Hill that, despite having said it wanted to "honor the privacy" of users, it wanted the bill to continue forward. It would "look forward" to working with the Senate on the bill.
For HTC, 2011 was sometimes considered a write-off: what looked to be a promising year with an early 4G lead saw the company overwhelmed by Apple and Samsung, and even by its own at times confusing lineup with problematic phones like the Thunderbolt. The One series for 2012 is the reboot, a return to basics with an emphasis on high-end design and even stripping back the custom Sense interface layer. We'll determine in our review of the HTC One X in 4G LTE trim, and to some extent the Evo 4G LTE, whether HTC is back to being a fierce competitor for the iPhone and Galaxy roster.
In their annual meeting today, AT&T's stockholders shot down a proposal that would have seen the telecom giant commit to the principles of net neutrality. The proposal, made possible by an SEC regulation requiring that carriers allow shareholders to vote on the issue, was defeated 94 percent to six percent.
AT&T customers in Salt Lake City can expect access to the carrier's 4G LTE network some time later this year, according to an announcement from the company Friday. The network upgrade is expected to bring faster connectivity and a range of new devices.
LG on Friday grew the reach of the Optimus True HD LTE to more countries than just Germany. The 4G phone is now launching in Portugal and Sweden in a slightly larger European release as well as the headlining Asian cities of Hong Kong and Singapore. The device is an international edition of the Optimus LTE already on sale in Canada as the Optimus 4G LTE at Bell and the US as the Nitro HD at AT&T.
A newly proposed Congressional bill on Thursday would set the terms to shift government frequencies to the private world. Known as the Efficient Use of Government Spectrum Act, it would demand that the FCC include airwaves between 1,755MHz and 1,780MHz in the same auction as one covering the 2,155MHz to 2,180MHz space. If passed, the bill would give the related government agencies five years to get their equipment off the network.
The Federal Communications Commission has now approved the AT&T AWS spectrum transfer to T-Mobile. The handover was the result of conditions AT&T agreed to after it abandoned its T-Mobile buyout following opposition from the FCC and the Department of Justice. The new approval means T-Mobile will get AWS mobile spectrum in 128 cellular regions, including 12 of the top 20 markets.
Nokia's emphasis on color for the Lumia 900 may be driving strong sales at the company along with leading to more colors. Both online checks at AT&T and new verifications by CNET on the retail situation have confirmed that, while all examples were in high demand, the cyan and new white versions were "especially difficult to find," according to an AT&T spokesperson. Shipments were going out daily, but AT&T couldn't say when it would have consistent supply.
AT&T posted results for its first quarter of 2012 that showed it still being defined by the iPhone. The carrier sold 5.5 million smartphones and noted that it activated 4.3 million iPhones, roughly a quarter more than Verizon's 3.2 million. While AT&T sold 5.5 million smartphones, the actual ratio of new iPhone sales wouldn't be definite, as a small number of iPhone activations would have come from older phones being switched to new users.
Canada has slightly beaten the US to the punch and is getting the 4G LTE version of the HTC One X on Rogers ahead of AT&T's May 6 date. We have our test unit on hand and have been giving it an early shakedown in advance of a fuller review. Read ahead for our initial impressions.
A proposed privacy law requiring police to obtain warrants for handset tracking has been criticized by a trade association respresenting AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, CNET has reported. CTIA - The Wireless Association wrote that the California law would "create greater confusion for wireless providers when responding to legitimate law enforcement requests."
Samsung may be readying a version of the Galaxy Note for T-Mobile. A discovery of a browser user agent string for a previously unseen SGH-T879 device by TmoNews both has the characteristic Txx9 naming of a Samsung-made T-Mobile device and the 1280x800 resolution of the 5.3-inch Note. While a small chance exists that it's a tablet, the naming scheme, user agent, and listings both at the Bluetooth SIG and the Wi-Fi Alliance (PDF) suggest a smartphone like the Note instead.
White models of the Nokia Lumia 900 are now available in AT&T stores, according to photos posted by Mobility Digest . The white version of Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 7 smartphone, previously revealed in an accidental post on the company's Facebook page, arrives two days prior to that model's intended April 22 release.
AT&T is aiming to bring speech recognition technology to a greater array of devices, and the company is turning to outside developers to realize that aim. The telecom giant is opening up the speech APIs for its Watson technology to the developer community.
AT&T is continuing to expand its 4G LTE network offerings this year, now bringing the network to Akron and Canton in Ohio, as well as Lafayette, Indiana. The promised upgrade now leaves six more cities on the upgrade map of 12 that's due to be finished by the summer. Compared to 3G networks, speeds are said to be up to ten times faster on the 4G network.
Verizon has just expanded its global data plan offerings with a new, $25/100MB monthly plan that allows them to access the web in 120 countries outside the US. The new plan goes into effect on Monday, April 23, and replaces the previous, $30/50MB, $75/150MB and $125/300MB options. If roaming users go over the 100MB cap, they will automatically get another 100MB for the same $25, being notified of it through text.
AT&T has changed up its GoPhone prepaid data plan offerings on Wednesday. It has at least doubled the data in all three tiers, with the new packages going into effect on April 22. Customers will then get 50MB of data for $5, 200MB for $15, and 1GB for $25 per month.
Rumors abound regarding Spotify's future plans and workings as the music streaming service continues to grow in popularity. Now, with a major press conference scheduled for later in the day, news emerges that Spotify has inked advertising deals with AT&T, McDonalds, Intel, and Reebok, as well as a worldwide ad deal with Coca-Cola.
The AT&T version of the HTC One X received its official launch details on Wednesday. The LTE-equipped Android 4.0 hardware should be in stores on May 6 and will be priced aggressively for an LTE phone, at $200 on a contract. Pre-orders start April 22.
Sprint might have more than just the six initial cities for its LTE-based 4G rollout in mid-year. A leak of internal documentation to TechnoBuffalo has shown that the LTE version of Sprint's Network Vision consolidation has been in progress in several other major cities since December. Akron, Chicago, Fort Worth, Nashville, New York, Rialto and Stockton are listed along with the known LTE upgrade cities.
Motorola might be making a fundamental shift from its loyalty to TI if an inadvertent GLBenchmark test run posting is an indicator. A phone known as the MB886, codenamed Qinara and possibly a reference to the Dinara has shown up using Qualcomm's MSM8960, or the same 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 chip as found in phones like HTC's One S. Motorola has used TI's OMAP and occasionally NVIDIA's Tegra 2 in its Android phones, suggesting a new direction in chip options.
The AT&T version of the HTC One X may get its final release window very soon. Rumors emerging from BGR have an announcement due as soon as Tuesday, with shipping coming "within five to seven days" of that date. Pricing itself wasn't given out, but it's expected to come in at $250 to $300 given AT&T's past 4G phone pricing.
Nokia gave a surprise for the weekend with word that its promised data fix for the Lumia 900 was already available. The new update solves a problem where all cellular data would stop working after the phone was restarted, requiring an extensive trick to get it back. Nokia had previously pinned the flaw on a memory management hiccup.
RIM could be getting close to releasing a pair of major projects based on a pair of tentative rumors in mid-week. One possible sighting emerging from TechnoBuffalo had BlackBerry Messenger being run on an Android device for testing purposes. The lone shot had few extra details, but conspicuously showed an "iPhone test" contact entry, suggesting RIM was developing for both platforms.
Large brands will be releasing their own Spotify apps in the next few months. According to Ad Age, brands like AT&T, Intel, and Reebok are in line to provide and promote their apps on the music streaming service.
RIM's former co-CEO Jim Balsillie had proposed using BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) servers to provide data for non-BlackBerry hardware shortly before he resigned his position, new leaks uncovered on Friday. The method outlined to Reuters would have let carriers offer Android and iPhone devices with cheaper data plans that limited Internet access to chat (possibly BlackBerry Messenger) and social networks, much like entry BlackBerry plans do today. RIM would presumably have made money from leasing access to carriers eager to get more smartphone customers and offload some of their bandwidth needs.
AT&T showed early clues that the Nokia Lumia 900 may be selling well enough to be positive for the company. Retail president Paul Roth in remarks late Wednesday asserted to the Wall Street Journal that sales had 'exceeded expectations.' At least some stores had sold out, most often of the more distinctive cyan model, by Tuesday night.
AT&T faces a class action lawsuit with accusations that the network helps cellphone thieves by reactivating stolen phones and telling customers that the calls to and from the handsets cannot be blocked. This comes after an agreement by the FCC and major carriers to form a stolen phone database in an attempt to prevent this happening in future.
A preliminary estimate by IHS iSuppli puts the base manufactured cost of the new Nokia Lumia 900 at $217. This would translate to a reasonable margin for AT&T if it were to sell it for its listed $450 non-contract price, but a significant loss at its planned contract price is $100.
AT&T has reportedly promised to catch up with several of Microsoft's Windows Phone updates, rather than skipping the 8107 build that resolves several widespread bugs. In a forum post, an AT&T representative announced that the carrier plans to offer a Windows Phone update that will bring the 8107 bug fixes "and more."
Early investigations have suggested that Nokia and AT&T attempts to have staff use the Lumia 900 may not be having an impact on actual recommendations in the short term. A tour by CNET of five Manhattan-area AT&T stores just after launch showed that staff not only didn't know much about the Windows Phone flagship but were actively steering users to the iPhone. A companion check by IDC researcher Ramon Llamas in Massachusetts showed one Windows Phone recommendation, but most recommended Android hardware like the Galaxy Note.
Verizon underscored competitive problems in the US cellular marketplace on Wednesday by instituting a $30 device upgrade fee. Starting April 22, customers will have to pay the premium as existing subscribers if they want to get a device subsidized on a two-year plan. Spokeswoman Brenda Raney claimed the fee was needed to keep providing "level of service and support they have come to expect."
AT&T has expanded its LTE network to cover Staten Island, New York; and St. Louis, Missouri continuing its planned 12 city roll-out until the summer. This follows on from their activations last Sunday in Texas' Bryan-College Station as well as Munice and Bloomington in Indiana.
Nokia in a statement said it would temporarily cut the price of the Lumia 900 even further. The firm told AllThingsD that it would compensate buyers hit by the disappearing data bug on the Windows Phone by either giving them a retroactive credit or with the purchase. The deal will last until April 21.
A graphic on Sprint's homepage as of Tuesday evening may have unintentionally spoiled, or at least hinted at, plans for its own version of the Samsung Galaxy Note. A "Take Control" image expands to show a woman standing next to an oversized rendering of what's clearly Samsung's 5.3-inch Android device, with the Samsung logo just above the controls. Sprint's current main Samsung Phone, the Epic 4G Touch, is conspicuously different.
AT&T is quietly extending its iPhone unlocking efforts to deployed US military personnel, regardless of their contract status, a report says. Unlocking normally requires an iPhone to be off-contract. Carriers are legally required to suspend service to deployed military members without penalty, but the unlocking appears to be a voluntary action on AT&T's part, letting military staff use their iPhones with foreign networks.
The FCC as well as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon have reached an agreement to potentially improve tracking down stolen cellphones. A common database will register phones and their IMEIs that were marked as stolen or lost and deny them voice or data until they're considered safe. The effort will start with individual databases in half a year, followed by a united pool in the year and a half following that point.
