Author: ZenFoneBlog
| at : 1:32 AM |
Category : iPhone
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Called iMessage, the service allows you to start a cross-device conversation where you can post text messages, photos, videos, contacts and even do group messaging.
This is a massive hit to RIM, who prides itself on BBM for BlackBerry, and it is also puts the iPhone 4 in firm contention as a business phone.
Message in an iPhone
According to Apple, iMessage works both over Wi-Fi and 3G and if you want to send a message all you have to do is tap the camera icon, pic a pic and you are away.
Apple has managed to squeeze around 200 new features into iOS 5.
Unfortunately, you are in for a bit of a wait as the iOS 5 UK release date is this fall – which pegs it for a release around September.
Check out all the features of iOS 5 in this handy video from our colleagues over at T3
Author: ZenFoneBlog
| at : 1:29 AM |
Category : iPhone
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iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already.
Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? What other specs will it feature?
Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.
But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.
iPhone 5 release date
The Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it's possible we'll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year's WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.
This fits with Apple's established rhythm of iPhone releases, with new models appearing in late June or early July each year. So it's a safe bet that the iPhone 5 release date (UK and US) will also be late June or early July.
The usual July release date was mentioned by Engadget's source too in January 2011 - meaning the standard release cycle looks set to continue.
A new report from China later stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.
On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may now be September 2011 rather than June/July. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters.
On 17 May, we reported that Phones4U outed the iPhone 5 release date as 21 November 2011. We're not sure how Phones4U would know the release date at this stage, though, so take this particular snippet of information with a pinch of salt.
iPhone 5 form factor
The Wall Street Journal reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers."
This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget, which state the design will be a 'total rethink'.
Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it's possible the new iPhone won't be a total refresh and we'll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5.
An iPhone 4S looked more likely on 16 May 2011 after analyst Peter Misek wrote: "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support."
However, earlier reports from China backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards.
On 22 March 2011, China Times also reported that the iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display.
A rumour we covered on 7 March 2011 suggests that the new iPhone will do away with the glass back and opt instead for a metal back which will act as a new iPhone antenna.
And an Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011 suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen.
Rumours that we covered on 3 May 2011, suggest that there may even be two versions of the new iPhone: a 'standard' iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5 'pro'. Apparently, Apple is buying in components of differing quality, and those parts wouldn't be required for a single phone.
A cheaper, smaller iPhone 5 - an iPhone nano
A prototype version of a smaller iPhone is said to exist, built to ward off competition from cheap Android handsets.
Rumours around an iPhone nano picked up again on 13 February when the Wall Street Journal claimed that the so-called 'iPhone nano' exists and may even be on sale later this year.
Those iPhone nano rumours may hold little truth, though. As we reported on 18 February, the New York Times cites an anonymous source who says there will be no smaller iPhone from Apple. "The size of the device would not vary," says the source.
A white iPhone 5
The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone.
iPhone 5 specs
According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets - which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 - Apple's sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components.
We'd expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump - more memory, faster processor, and more storage.
The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7" instead of 3.5". The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat.
In other rumours which surfaced on 15 February 2011, Digitimes is reporting on information supposedly leaked from component suppliers that claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market."
On 23 May, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in.
We're also hearing word of a multi-core design, in keeping with the rest of the mobile world, as Apple looks to improve both battery life and performance.
The iPhone 5 will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU - this could herald true 1080p output from the new device, according to our news story on 18 January.
UPDATE: On 10 March 2011 it emerged that the A5 chip, found in the new iPad 2, looks to be headed to the iPhone 5, bringing enhanced functionality and dual-core power.
iPhone 5 digital wallet
There's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, as Techeye.net notes, "Apple has looked into NFC before" so this might not be imminent.
However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here.
UPDATE: On 24 February 2011, we reported that an Apple patent has revealed an e-wallet icon on the iPhone homescreen. This adds credence to the rumour that iPhone 5 will feature NFC.
However, on 14 March 2011, reports in The Independent cited sources from 'several of the largest mobile operators in the UK', who said that Apple told them not to expect NFC in the iPhone 5. So perhaps we'll have to wait for iPhone 6 for that.
But who to believe? On 22 March 2011 China Times reported that the new iPhone will include an NFC chip.
LTE support
At least one analyst thinks the iPhone 5 will support LTE, super-fast mobile broadband, in the US. That would make the iPhone 5G a 4G phone, which won't be confusing at all. LTE is certainly coming - AT&T plans to roll out its LTE service in 2011 - but an LTE iPhone has been rumoured for a while. USA Today floated the idea of an LTE iPhone on Verizon last year.
iPhone 5 camera
Speaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us."
Other sources have also said that the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera.
iPhone 5 price
If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag.
iPhone 5 pictures
A spurious photo of an iPhone 5 front case has been unearthed by a Chinese reseller, suggesting that the next Apple handset will feature an edge-to-edge display. We're not convinced it's a genuine Apple part, though.
On 17 March 2011, we reported on another supposed set of leaked iPhone 5 cases, this time looking remarkably similarly to iPhone 4 cases.
What do you want to see in the next iPhone? Hit the comments and share your thoughts.
Author: ZenFoneBlog
| at : 10:48 AM |
Category : iPhone
|
I originally posted this column the day after the iPhone 4 launched, which is why you see a lot of comments dating back to June of last year. At the time, I apologized for talking about the next-generation iPhone within hours of the 4's release, but I knew that a lot of iPhone 3 and 3GS owners (like me) were planning on skipping the iPhone 4 and were already looking ahead.
Back in January, we got the iPhone 4 from Verizon. Except for some small design changes, including some tweaks to the antenna design, it really wasn't different from the AT&T version and wasn't considered an incremental upgrade or iPhone 4.5.
Now the iPhone 5 rumors are flying fast and furious, with June, the typical launch window for next-generation iPhones, quickly approaching. Will the iPhone 5 have a completely new design or just be a slightly modified version of the iPhone 4 with enhanced parts and various tweaks? Will the launch be delayed until fall, as several reports are now suggesting? Will there be a smaller, lower-cost iPhone?
All is unknown. But that hasn't stopped me from updating this list of most-wanted features with information gleaned from the arrival of the iPad 2, as well as other new products and services.
As a reminder, the 20 items in the list are ordered from least to most important in a reverse countdown. I've also included what I think are the odds of Apple actually implementing each request. As always, feel free to agree or disagree with me and make your own suggestions (and to post your own ordered wish list). Perhaps Apple's listening.
Author: ZenFoneBlog
| at : 10:46 AM |
Category : iPhone
|
iPhone 4
While the last iPhone – the 3GS – hung its hat on the speed improvements it offered over previous models, for the iPhone 4, it’s all about the visuals.
From the phone’s groundbreaking Retina Display screen to its 5-megapixel camera, from HD video recording to FaceTime video calls, the iPhone 4’s top features are all visual. Despite the improvements the iPhone 4 offers, it’s not a big enough step forward to be a must-have upgrade.
Screens and Cameras
Apple touts its Retina Display screen as having the same resolution as the human eye. I’m not qualified to take on the human-eye statement, but this is easily the best screen I’ve seen on a smartphone.
The screen uses a denser pixel arrangement – though they have the same size screen, the iPhone 4 is 960 x 480, the 3GS is 480 x 320 – to create more-detailed images and text. As a result, text is sharper and easier to read than on any other phone I’ve seen. You’ll notice the improved text quality most when reading emails, websites, or books via apps like Kindle or iBooks. Reading on the relatively small screen of the smartphone is now much more pleasant.
While the screen is a breakthrough, the iPhone 4 also adds some long-desired camera features, including a 5-megapixel camera and camera flash, which produce great-looking images.
Beyond those additions, Apple equipped the iPhone 4 with two cameras. The back camera records 720p HD video, while the user-facing camera is used with the FaceTime video chat feature. FaceTime’s limitations make it more for show than daily use right now, but it’s pretty neat.
With the improved camera, and the ability to edit video via the included app or Apple’s iMovie app, the iPhone is a much more appealing photo- and video-creation tool.
Given that users can shoot HD video on the phone, though, the 32GB memory limit is a disappointment. 32GB will fill up fast with HD video. Hopefully we'll soon see a revision offering 64GB of storage.
Faster, Faster
While the visual changes are the biggest, the iPhone 4 gets some nice under-the-hood improvements that produce speedier performance, too.
This is the first iPhone to employ Apple’s A4 processor, which was introduced in the iPad. Generally, the new processor provides a moderate speed increase over the iPhone 3GS. In testing the 4 and 3GS side by side, the iPhone 4 is clearly a step or two faster in launching apps.
The biggest speed improvement comes in the iPhone 4’s web operations. To compare the 4 and 3GS, I tested how long it took each to load three popular websites over the 3G network and WiFi. In both cases the iPhone 4 came out the clear winner.
Over 3G, with the iPhone 4 listed first below, the times were:
CNN.com: 9 seconds vs. 17 seconds
ESPN.com: 11 seconds vs. 15 seconds
Apple.com: 12 seconds vs. 17 seconds.
The 4 didn’t blow the 3GS away over the 3G network, but it’s certainly faster. WiFi, however, shows real improvements. The times there were:
CNN.com: 4 seconds vs. 11 seconds
ESPN.com: 5 seconds vs. 15 seconds
Apple.com: 6 seconds vs. 13 seconds.
As you can see, the iPhone 4 is much faster on the web than its predecessor, making for a much more pleasant experience.
Steadily Improving Battery
While it’s never been a battery powerhouse, Apple has steadily improved the iPhone battery with every new model. That continues to be true with the iPhone 4. In my testing, I was able to get 35 consecutive hours of music playback out of the iPhone 4, a testing period that included phone calls, email, and other regular uses.
This is definitely better than the iPhone 3GS, which I found to have a battery that would give roughly a day or day and a half of life before needing a recharge.
Nagging Reception Issues
Perhaps the most well-known problem with the iPhone 4 are the reception issues that can be caused by placing a hand or finger over the antenna on the left-hand side of the phone.
Despite claims by Apple that this is primarily a cosmetic issue, not a functional one, testing by many parties has concluded that the issue is in fact a flaw in the phone. Signal strength does seem to drop when touched by skin, though it only seems to become a real problem if you’re already in a low-signal-strength area. I haven’t been able to reproduce the problem, which seems to suggest that not all phones are affected.
Still, covering the antenna with tape or a case can go a long way towards reducing the seriousness of the problem. This problem may not be completely fixed until there’s a revision to the iPhone 4, or maybe even the next-generation iPhone, but we’ll see.
The Bottom Line
The iPhone 4 is a terrific package. It offers major upgrades over the 3GS in the areas of display, camera, speed, and battery. If you don’t have an iPhone, or have the original iPhone or iPhone 3G, this is probably a must-have upgrade – especially since it runs iOS 4 and takes advantage of its many excellent features.
However, if you’ve got a 3GS, I’m not sure you need to upgrade unless you love gadgets and want the latest and greatest. The 3GS runs iOS 4, too, so you get those benefits. Unless you’ve got eyesight that will benefit from the new screen or are itchy to make mobile video, this is an optional upgrade.
