T-Mobile to launch 10 LTE devices and iPhone-compatible 4G in 2013

T-Mobile will have 10 LTE devices available by the end of 2013, and it will also roll out “4G” service that is compatible with Apple's iPhone. The carrier's 4G LTE network will span across 50 markets and utilize the 10MHz spectrum to support speeds up to 72Mbps, according to SlashGear. “Our 4G network will be compatible with a broader range of devices, including the iPhone" CTO Neville Ray said on Thursday, although he wasn't clear on whether he was referring to HSPA+ “4G,” which might be compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and future iPhone handsets, or 4G LTE. The carrier will be shifting its HSPA+ network to the 1900MHz bands, however, which should increase compatibility with HSPA+ devices used on AT&T's network including the iPhone. T-Mobile reported earnings for the fourth quarter on Thursday, during which the carrier shed 802,000 contract customers, a stat the carrier blamed on Apple's iPhone.

iConfess: Why an Android fan recommends the iPhone

Just over five years ago, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone, a device that would change the world forever. The Conference & Expo keynote in 2007 is one that will go down in history. With its announcement, Apple reinvented the and put converged handsets on mainstream consumers' radar. The iPhone seamlessly integrated music, email, a phone, a camera and Internet access all into one great device. I personally never had an interest in  until the announcement, and countless others can likely make the same claim. There was just one problem, however… Apple partnered exclusively with in the U.S. for the release of the iPhone. At the time, Cingular was the biggest carrier in the U.S. with 58 million customers   - to show how rapidly the market has grown in recent years, the nation's largest carrier Verizon reported having 108.7 million subscribers at the end of 2011  - but I was in no way interested in moving to a new carrier and therefore I was forced to pass on the iPhone. the DROID. In October, the three companies teased upcoming the device with . To this day, the commercial is as iconic to me as the 1984 Mac commercial is to Apple fans… it was the beginning of a new era. Not only was the DROID an immediate hit for Verizon, I believe it is the sole reason Android is what it is today. After the lackluster Android devices that came before it, Google bet it all on Motorola's flagship phone and that bet paid off. of the DROID wasn't for me but with a Verizon iPhone nowhere in sight, I knew an Android device was in my future. Once the DROID X was released I snapped it up and quickly became an “Android .” With Google's platform, the user is in control. He or she has the option to have a keyboard, a full touchscreen, a massive display, or whatever else his or her heart may desire. As a self-described nerd, I soon plunged into the world of rooting and custom , which is an endless adventure thanks to the incredible Android developer community. or tablet as “Android.” When a user inevitably receives one of these $99 “Android” tablets for Christmas, his or her experience will be less than stellar to say the least. Most of these cheap devices don't even include the Android Market due to Google's restrictions, leaving consumers with virtually no quality applications and further tarnishing the experience. Even mainstream manufacturers make buying an Android device a hassle. Motorola released the DROID BIONIC in September, the DROID RAZR in November, and the DROID RAZR Maxx in January. To make matters worse, the company announced not long ago. A new Android device is released almost every month from major manufacturers, often leaving consumers with severe cases of buyer's remorse. Some manufacturers have at least promised to slow down in the future, but mobile technology advances too quickly to sit idle for very long. Lastly, each carrier and manufacturer is looking to out-do the competition. Rather than marketing devices and services with competitive pricing, these companies fill handsets with unnecessary bloatware and custom user interface skins. The skins are supposed to “enhance” a user's experience but more often then not, they lead to incompatibilities, error messages, forced closures, poor battery performance and lag. Switching between a Motorola device and an HTC device will give the consumer a completely different experience. Android itself has no consistent flow, although Google hopes to change that with the release of Ice Cream Sandwich. When Apple announces a device, the company also announces a release date. The carriers don't tell Apple when to release a product, Apple tells the carriers when it will release a product. Google might be well-served to find a way to gain some of this assertiveness; the company's latest flagship device, the Galaxy Nexus, was announced in October. During the event, Google announced European release date but no firm details regarding a North American launch were provided. The company said it was “coming soon” - the two most dreaded words in all of technology. Verizon then delayed the handset's launch for unknown reasons until it was released nearly two months after its unveiling. This would never happen with an Apple product. When you power on an iPhone it works, plain and simple. The iPhone has no carrier branding whatsoever, nor does it have any bloatware. In addition, it has access to the most incredible App Store in the mobile world, hands down. The device is slick, clean and stylish, which is exactly in line with Apple's image. I have seen kids as young as six to adults as old as 80 using the device… it is that simple. , , or whatever else you want, but when push comes to shove, 99% of consumers don't care about rooting, or the concept of being “open.” They just want a sleek with a wide selection of great apps that can browse the Web, check email, text and make phone calls. In this regard, the iPhone is the clear choice.

Go Apple or go home? T-Mobile continues to flounder without the iPhone

T-Mobile USA on Thursday reported a rough holiday quarter during which the company lost a net 802,000 contract subscribers. In its earnings release, T-Mobile mentions Apple's iPhone - a device is does not sell - a total of seven times, repeatedly blaming its poor fourth-quarter performance on the absence of Apple's smartphone from its store shelves. “The sequential and year-on-year increase in customer losses is a result of intense competitive pressure from the launch of the iPhone 4S by three nationwide competitors in the fourth quarter of 2011,” the carrier said in its press release. Looking beyond the fourth quarter, however, T-Mobile said in a separate press release that it now has a “reinvigorated challenger strategy focused on making amazing 4G services affordable.” This doesn't bode well - according to T-Mobile's own statements, 4G networks and affordable service are the least of the carrier's concerns. Read on for more. T-Mobile USA CEO Phillip Humm made T-Mobile's position very clear. “Not carrying the iPhone led to a significant increase in contract deactivations in the fourth quarter of 2011,” the chief executive said in a statement. In fact, the very first line of T-Mobile's earnings release reads as follows: “Strong adjusted OIBDA and prepaid performance; contract business negatively impacted in the fourth quarter of 2011 by iPhone 4S launches by three nationwide competitors.” In a separate release, however, Humm sang a different tune. ”We want to be known for delivering the best value in wireless because of the advanced technology we deliver at an affordable price," Humm said. “Over the next two years, we're prioritizing and investing in initiatives designed to get T-Mobile back to growth in the years ahead - beginning with the transformation of our network." But wait. T-Mobile is already known as the most affordable nationwide carrier and the company just publicly stated - seven times - that the iPhone is the problem. Not 4G service and not the affordability of its plans. The iPhone. Shouldn't the company be “prioritizing and investing in initiatives designed to get” the iPhone? T-Mobile sat in limbo for the better part of the second half last year as AT&T's acquisition bid took center stage. That plan failed. Miserably. T-Mobile was sent away from the table with some new spectrum and $4 billion in its pocket, but that $4 billion will only take the carrier so far. Hate it though they may, Apple's iPhone is a carrier's best friend in the U.S. right now. Without it, they lose over 800,000 post-paid subscribers. With it, they activate 7.6 million smartphones in a single quarter. Sprint saw that, and while it will take some time for the carrier's massive iPhone bet to pay off, Sprint was willing to bank $15.5 billion on Apple's smartphones T-Mobile might not be in a position to make a similar play for the iPhone, but from the look of things, the carrier would be well-served to devote as much time and resources as possible to adding Apple's iPhone to its smartphone lineup.

“iPhone 5 testers” SMS scam now targeting Android users

Apple's iPhone 5 is one of this year's most anticipated mobile devices, so it's not surprising that some want to take unfair advantage of that. There's an iPhone 5 testers SMS scam that's been reported by iPhone users since early February (there's even a thread over at Apple Support Communities about this), and now it's targeting Android users, too. As you can see in the screenshot below (taken on a Samsung Galaxy Nexus in Canada), the SMS reads: "Apple is looking for iPhone 5 testers! The first 1000 users that go to [scam website] and enter a code will get to test & keep a new iPhone 5." Needless to say, if you get this kind of message don't reply to it, and don't click on any link it may include. Because you will certainly not get any iPhone 5 to test and keep.

Google+ iPhone app updated with Instant Upload and What's Hot stream

Google has updated the official Google+ app for iPhone to version 1.0.9.4278. The refreshed app brings features that are already available in the Android app, as well as on the Google+ mobile website, including: Instant Upload, What's Hot stream, and the ability to see who +1d a post The app is (of course) free, and works on devices with iOS 4.0 or later. You can download it here via App Store. The Google+ app was first released for iPhone in July 2011, and is currently available in more than 40 languages.

Your iPhone is Nasty, Clean it with a Coin. Do What?

The WipeCoin case is a specially designed iPhone 4x4S case with a built in cleaning disk that can be used to clean the gunk off your phone's display. The coin stores in the lower right corner of the case, but when you need to use it, it slides out so that you can rub the antimicrobial microfiber cloth attached to the bottom of disk all over the display. When you're done, snap it back in place. The WipeCoin is made in Germany and sells for $19.99. I think I'll save 20 bucks and stick with my tried and true cleaning method – rubbing it on my pants leg.

Apple may bring 3D gaming and eye-tracking to the iPhone, iMac

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple on Thursday that reveals a 3D eye-tracking-based interface that could be used for gaming, digital photography and videography in future iOS and iMac devices, reports PatentlyApple. The new features could work in conjunction with Apple's current 3D head tracking and ambient light technologies. The solution would utilize a variety of sensors such as an accelerometer and compass in combination with eye-tracking technology to alter the perspective of 3D graphics displayed on an iPhone. The result would be a 3D experience that constantly adjusts to the user's position and a device's position, creating a unique experience far more advanced and precise than current solutions. The patent application was originally filed in the third quarter of 2010 and it is unclear if Apple is currently experimenting with the technology.

Government agency ditches BlackBerry for iPhone, iPad

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency within the United States Department of Commerce, will stop using BlackBerry phones later this year and instead supply workers with Apple's mobile devices. In a memo relayed by Loop Insight, NOAA's Chief Information Officer and Director for High Performance Computing and Communications said that support for BlackBerry phones will cease in May of this year. Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S will replace the agency's BlackBerry handsets, and NOAA plans to adopt current and future generations of Apple's iPad tablet as well. Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones have been the U.S. government's go-to solution for wireless devices due to their enhanced security and robust messaging capabilities. Loop Insight's report did not indicate that the NOAA memo provided an explanation for the agency's decision.

PureGear PureTek Roll-On Screen Shield Kit for iPhone 4x4S Review

We all know that a screen protector will help keep your iPhone's display as pristine as the day you bought it. But installing one can be a huge pain in the butt. First you have to make sure the screen is clean so you don't install the protector over dust particles. That's actually the easy part. The difficult part is getting it lined up correctly and bubble free. There are many screen protector brands on the market. Some require water to install and some are dry apply. But none of them are as easy to apply as the PureGear PureTek Roll-On Screen Shield Kit for iPhone 4x4S. Their install method is pure genius. Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view. First of all, this is how my iPhone 4S looked before I installed the PureGear PureTek Roll-On Screen Shield. You will notice that I have a screen protector installed (I don't recall the brand – it probably came with a case I reviewed), but there are bubbles. Those dreaded bubbles. Argh… No matter how careful you are it's almost impossible to avoid them. With the PureGear protector, bubbles are a thing of the past. The packaging is actually a fixture that has been designed to align your iPhone and the screen protector for perfect installation. Just tear the paper tab on the back and pull off the outer cover / instructions. What you're left with is a plastic tray that has the screen protector attached to it. Also included is a microfiber cloth to polish the phone's screen and a special roller. The protector lifts up to reveal a tray that holds an iPhone 4x4S. PureGear also offers versions of this kit for the Motorola Droid 4 and Motorola Droid Razr. Included with the kit is a dual roller that you use to install the protector. If you've ever installed other screen protectors, you have probably used a credit card to smooth out the protector. I like this roller a lot better. With the iPhone's screen wiped off with the microfiber cloth and firmly seated in the holder, the protector can flop back over the phone as shown above. Then all you have to do is place the special roller between the “rails” and roll it down the length of the phone. As you guide the roller, it separates the top layer as it sticks the protector to the phone. The trick is to roll it slowly without stopping. I know this because I screwed up 2 protectors in the process of writing this review. With my first try, I didn't roll it without stopping. I rolled it a few inches, snapped some pictures for the review, rolled it a bit further, took some more pictures, etc. I ended up with a protector that had several bubbles that would not go away. I knew the problem was completely my fault, so I pulled off the protector and installed a 2nd one that PureGear sent me. This time I rolled it in one continuous motion. I thought it had installed perfectly till I looked closely and noticed that t was not lined up correctly with the home button. Darn it! I emailed PureGear to tell them about my experiences and they agreed to send me another one. That is a concern that you only get one shot to get the protector installed correctly. You won't be able to peel it up and reseat it. As they say, 3rd time is the charm. My last try was a complete success. When you're done, you're left with a piece of plastic that you have to peel off. You might notice that the dual roller looks different in this picture when compared to the earlier pictures. I think the new design may be based on the fact that people were having some issues with the protector not lining up correctly like I did on my 2nd try. This 3rd time it lined up just fine though. Here is the finished product. No bubbles and perfectly lined up with the home button and the speaker at the top.The protector is slightly smaller than the display, meaning that it should work great with bummer cases. If you click the image to zoom in, you might notice a couple spots along the very top edge. They disappeared after 24hrs leaving me with a perfectly protected display. The protector is made of an industrial strength film that has self healing technology. It feels smooth and looks clear. Installing the PureGear PureTek Roll-On Screen Shield is easier and faster than any protector I've ever installed. As long as you pay attention to what you're doing and don't go too fast, you should end up with great results.

Samsung Canada Giving Away 5 Galaxy Notes, iPhone 4S Launch Sent Apple Store Sales Skyrocketing & Nokia Accidentally Reveals White Lumia 900

Samsung Canada Giving Away 5 Galaxy Notes Samsung is gearing up for the big Canadian Galaxy Note launch on February 14th - the beast of a phone/tablet will be available from TELUS, Bell and Rogers. To celebrate this momentous occasion Samsung has decided to throw a contest together and giveaway 5 Notes. MobileSyrup Nokia Accidentally Reveals White Lumia 900 Nokia accidentally revealed a white Lumia 900. The picture was soon lifted from Nokia's Conversations blog, but it remains on its Facebook page, flashing an exposed micro-USB port and front-facing camera that identifies this snow-white slab as the Lumia 900 kind. Engadget iPhone 4S Launch Sent Apple Store Sales Skyrocketing Apple Stores are often busy and with the release of new iPhones and iPads, Apple's retail locations become bombarded with waves of excited customers. According to Needham & Company analyst Charlie Wolf, the launch of the iPhone 4S sent Apple Store sales to record heights during the holiday quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2011, revenue per store reached $17.08 million, a 42.6% increase over the same quarter in 2010. BGR Halliburton Dumps RIM, Chooses iPhones For 4,500 Employees To say that RIM has had a tough time these past few months is an understatement, and today's news probably won't help raise the morale around Waterloo. According to AppleInsider, oilfield services giant Halliburton will soon be migrating their BlackBerry-toting workforce to run exclusively on a new fleet of iPhones. TechCrunch

Cellhelmet Protects Your iPhone and Insures It, Too

This is another Kickstarter project.  The cellhelmet case for iPhone 4x4S (US & Canada versions) from cellpig.com is a TPU case with a difference.  This case comes complete with a one-year insurance policy from Global Warranty Group, “one of the nation's largest and most recognized iPhone insurance administrators”, to repair or replace your iPhone if it is accidentally damaged while in the cellhelmet case.  (Water damage is excluded.)  Each case comes with two colored inserts to give your iPhone a little personality.  You'll need to pledge a minimum of $40 to get a case.  They met about 84% of their funding as of today, and they have 32 more days in the funding period – still time to get one of these cases for yourself.

Vonage brings free calling and messaging to iPhone, Android

Vonage on Wednesday unveiled a new mobile app for the iPhone and Android smartphones that affords free calling and messaging along with cheap international calling rates. Vonage Mobile allows users to make free “high-definition” voice over IP calls among each other over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G data connections, and low-cost calls can also be placed through the app to any landline or cell phone globally. The New Jersey-based Telco says its international calling rates are 70% lower than rates from major carriers and 30% lower than Skype. ”Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use,” Vonage CEO Marc Lefar said in a statement. “It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use.” Vonage's full press release follows below. Vonage Launches New Mobile App Providing Free Calling and Texting to Other App Users around the World Savings of more than 70 percent on international calls to those without the app HOLMDEL, N.J., February 8, 2012 - Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG) announced the launch of Vonage Mobile When calling those who have not yet downloaded the app, Vonage Mobile provides ultra low-cost international calling with per-minute rates that are on average 70 percent less than major mobile carriers and 30 percent less than Skype™2. Users can instantly add calling credit directly from the app through iTunes Vonage Mobile uses the phone's existing mobile number and contact list, eliminating the need for unique user names and duplicate identities for contacts. Users can instantly build a free global calling and texting network using the app's multi-invite system from their existing contacts. "Vonage Mobile consolidates the best features of our prior applications, while adding important functionality, better value and improved ease of use," said Marc Lefar, CEO of Vonage. "It combines the best of free high-def voice and messaging along with incredible value for traditional international calls, all while using the existing mobile number and address book for unsurpassed ease of use." In addition, calls to any phone in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico from anywhere in the world will be free for a limited time3. Users do NOT need to be a Vonage customer to use the app. However, as an added benefit to all app users, calls to Vonage home or business lines are also free. The Vonage Mobile app can be downloaded to any iPhone or Android device for free; and it also works on the iPad®, iPod Touch® and Android™ Tablets. For more information on Vonage Mobile, please go to iTunes, Android Market or www.vonagemobile.com.

Carriers hate the iPhone

Apple's iPhone is the most profitable product offered by the most valuable company in the world. With only three iPhone models in its lineup, the Cupertino-based technology giant shipped more smartphones last quarter than any other vendor in the world. Carriers that sell Apple's sought-after smartphone enjoy huge activation figures each quarter as a result, but activations and unit sales don't necessarily paint a complete picture. In fact, according to some industry watchers, carriers hate the iPhone. Read on for more. Wireless carriers trip over themselves to offer Apple's iPhone, especially in the United States. Sprint wanted the handset so badly it was willing to guarantee Apple $15.5 billion over four years for the privilege of selling its sleek smartphone, and it certainly didn't help matters much in the fourth quarter when Sprint posted a $1.3 billion loss. T-Mobile is still sour over failed negotiations with Apple, and the carrier has resorted to offering up free microSIM cards to iPhone users willing to come aboard and forgo 3G data speeds. “A logical conclusion is that the iPhone is not good for wireless carriers,” Nomura Securities analyst Mike McCormack told CNNMoney. “When we look at the direct and indirect economics that Apple has managed to extract from the carriers, the carrier-level value destruction is quite evident.” The site notes that Verizon Wireless's EBITDA service margin has dropped from an average of 46.4% per quarter to 42.2% since the carrier added the iPhone to its lineup one year ago. But the iPhone is a necessary evil for carriers that some expect to pay off in the long run. Sprint on Wednesday reported its best quarter in more than six years for net subscriber additions thanks to the 720,000 new postpaid subscribers who came to the carrier for the iPhone. Some analysts also believe carriers will eventually raise their price points on the iPhone; despite the handset's high cost to Apple's partners, the iPhone 4S currently starts at $199 on contract to the end user while the iPhone 4 is available for $99 and the iPhone 3GS is free on contract from AT&T. Regardless of what the iPhone is doing to carriers' bottom lines, it remains the best-selling smartphone in the world and it likely will for some time. Apple is expected to launch a completely redesigned iPhone later this year that will reportedly feature a unibody aluminum case, a 4-inch display and 4G LTE connectivity.

Apple may release iOS 5.1 on March 9th according to iPhone operator profiles

Apple recently published eleven new profiles for various iPhone-operators that point to a potential iOS 5.1 release date, according to YourDailyMac. The files include references to iOS 5.1, and they mention an update launch date of March 9th, indicating an iOS update could be released around the same time for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The profiles are intended for operators in Japan, France, Greece, Finland and Sweden, and will ensure network connectivity after an update is downloaded. There is also speculation that Apple could release iOS 5.1 along with the announcement of the next-generation iPad, which is rumored for to be unveiled sometime next month. Hit the break for an screenshot of an iOS 5.1 mention with the code of an operator profile.

Popular ‘Path' app revealed to secretly upload all iPhone contacts to its servers

Path, the popular social network that competes with the likes of Instagram, may be uploading your iPhone's entire address book up to its servers. Arun Thampi from mclov.in noticed the Path app's steal data dump while trying to create a Mac OS X application for the social network during a hackathon. “Upon inspecting closer, I noticed that my entire address book (including full names, emails and phone numbers) was being sent as a plist to Path,” Thampi said, noting that Path didn't ever ask for permission to do so. It's unclear why Path is uploading the iPhone's entire address book, but Thampi noticed that the social network performs the action during an API call with basic HTTP authentication. It remains unclear if Path's Android application is also guilty of uploading personal information. Thampi has instructions on how to catch Path in the action on his blog. UPDATE: A response from Path's CEO follows after the break. Arun, thanks for pointing this out. We actually think this is an important conversation and take this very seriously. We upload the address book to our servers in order to help the user find and connect to their friends and family on Path quickly and effeciently as well as to notify them when friends and family join Path. Nothing more. We believe that this type of friend finding & matching is important to the industry and that it is important that users clearly understand it, so we proactively rolled out an opt-in for this on our Android client a few weeks ago and are rolling out the opt-in for this in 2.0.6 of our iOS Client, pending App Store approval. Dave Morin Co-Founder and CEO of Path

NPD: iPhone dominated in Q4, Android popularity grows among first-time buyers

Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the United States last quarter according to new data released on Monday. A new report from market research firm The NPD Group suggests that the three best-selling smartphones in America last quarter were all iPhones. Apple's new iPhone 4S was deemed the top-selling smartphone this past holiday quarter, followed by the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS, which is now free on contract from AT&T. Two versions of Samsung's Galaxy S II smartphone rounded out the top-5. Read on for more. “Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4,” NPD analyst Ross Rubin said in a statement. “The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75 percent, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.” Apple reported last month that it sold more than 37 million iPhones into channels last quarter. While Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the U.S. last quarter, Android maintained its operating system share lead according to NPD's data. 48% of smartphone buyers opted for an Android device during the holiday quarter, while 43% chose iOS. The discrepancy was even greater among first-time smartphone buyers - 57% chose an Android device compared to an estimated 34% who chose an iPhone. “Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company's wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin noted. “Android's support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier's fastest network.” The NPD Group's full press release follows below. The NPD Group: Apple Leads Mobile Handsets in Q4 2011, But Android Attracts More First-Time Smartphone Buyers PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, February 6, 2012 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, Apple leaped past Samsung and LG to become the best-selling U.S. handset brand in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2011. In a quarter that featured the launch of the iPhone 4S and the addition of Sprint, Apple's three available models combined to capture 43 percent of the U.S. smartphone market in Q4. “Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4,” said Ross Rubin, executive director, Connected Intelligence for The NPD Group. “The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75 percent, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.” Together, Android and iPhone accounted for over 90 percent of smartphone sales, with Android holding on to 48 percent of the smartphone market during the quarter; however, Android devices performed better among first-time smartphone buyers.  Based on the latest data from The NPD Group's monthly Smartphone Track service, among the first-time smartphone buyers in Q4, 57 percent purchased Android phones compared to just 34 percent who purchased iPhones. “Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company's wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin said. “Android's support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier's fastest network.” The overall share of mobile phone sales that are smartphones continued to climb in Q4 2011, reaching 68 percent of the total mobile phone market, which is an increase of 18 percentage points since Q4 2010. Based on the latest data from NPD's monthly Mobile Phone Track service, average selling prices for smartphones increased eight dollars over the prior quarter, reaching $143 in Q4 2011, which is still below average price of $149 in Q4 2010. Led by continued steady sales for Apple's iPhones, the top five best-selling mobile phone handsets in Q4 were as follows: 1. Apple iPhone 4S 2. Apple iPhone 4x3. Apple iPhone 3GS 4. Samsung GALAXY S II 5. Samsung GALAXY S 4G Information this press release is from Mobile Phone Track and Smartphone Track, both of which report on the activities of U.S. consumers, age 18 and older, who reported purchasing a mobile phone or smartphone. NPD does not track corporate/enterprise mobile phone purchases.

Damn You Autocorrect founder posts 25 favorite iPhone auto-correct fails of all time

The founder of popular website Damn You Autocorrect has published a list of her 25 favorite auto-correct fails of all time. For those who somehow missed the phenomenon, Damn You Autocorrect allows users to upload screenshots of text message conversations that contain hilarious (and often raunchy) errors caused by Apple's problematic auto-correct functionality. Jillian Madison, who founded the site after sending a text message with an unfortunate error to a friend thanks to auto-correct, compiled a list of her all-time favorites and posted them on the site this past Friday. The list contains plenty of NSFW language but they're mostly hilarious, as is often the case with highlights from the site. Hit the break for a link to Madison's top-25 auto-correct fails of all time.

Apple could sell as many as 40 million iPhones in China next year

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty believes Apple will partner up with both China Telecom and China Mobile over the next year, and will eventually make the iPhone available on all three Chinese carriers, reports Apple Insider. The move could bring sales of the popular handset to as many as 40 million units in 2013 alone. The iPhone is currently only offered by China Unicom, the nation's second largest carrier. Through this partnership, Huberty believes Apple can only reach 10% of the 150 million “high-end Chinese subscribers” in the country. China Mobile, the world's largest mobile carrier, holds the majority of the country's high-end subscribers with an estimated 120 million customers, with the final 10% of high-end subscribers carried by China Telecom, the third-largest carrier in China. Huberty also believes Apple's sixth-generation iPhone is likely to be compatible with China Mobile's upcoming 4G TD-LTE network, although she notes it is “still too early to know for sure.” Morgan Stanley expects the next-generation iPhone to launch in the third quarter this year - BGR reported last month that Apple will launch a redesigned iPhone this fall - and the firm believes China Mobile will release the new iPhone in late 2012 or early 2013.

Apple taking NFC payments mainstream with iPhone 5

Ed McLaughlin, MasterCard's head of emerging payments, sat down with Austin Carr of Fast Company to discuss the future of credit cards. “We're rapidly moving to a world beyond plastic,” said McLaughlin. “In many ways, plastic is just convenient packaging.” The future of on-the-go payments may lie in the hands of near-field communication but unfortunately, adoption and availability have been extremely slow and limited. While NFC technology has been featured in a number of Android devices, MasterCard seems to think it won't go mainstream until an iPhone is equipped with the mobile payment solution. Read on for more. “The timeline is always as rapid as it makes sense for consumers,” McLaughlin said. “That's a combination of having a critical mass of the merchants, which is what you're seeing right now, and getting devices into the hands of consumers. I don't know of a handset manufacturer that isn't in process of making sure their stuff is PayPass ready.” When asked specifically if Apple was one of these manufacturers, McLaughlin stuttered. “Um, there are…like I say, any handset maker out there,” he said. “Now, when we have discussions with our partners, and they ask us not to disclose them, we don't.” Apple has repeatedly shown that it is one of the few consumer electronics companies right now with the ability to transform and create entire industries. Prior to iTunes and the iPod, virtually no one paid for digital music, and media tablets were a non-factor until the iPad. Does the mobile payment industry need Apple to become a mainstream phenomenon? “Well, anytime someone with a major base moves forward, it advances what you're doing. So of course,” McLaughlin said. “I think as merchants provide these better interfaces for consumers–a better way of transacting–I think any consumer-focused technology provider would want to take advantage of it.”

iPhone 4S (CDMA) to be launched by China Telecom in February or March

The iPhone 4S has been available in China since late last month. That said, you can only officially get it in Apple stores or from China Unicom, which has always been the only carrier to sell the iPhone in China. At first it was a simple matter of network tech used. One of the other big Chinese carriers is China Mobile, which uses TD-SCDMA for its 3G network, a standard that isn't used anywhere else in the world and, needless to say, no iPhone has supported so far. The other big gun in China is China Telecom, which uses the CDMA standard which may be familiar to you because it's also what Verizon and Sprint use for 3G in the States. So now that Verizon got its iPhone, it would seem logical that China Telecom would want in on the action. After all, it would be selling the same SKU as Big Red. And indeed, China Telecom and Apple have agreed on the carrier starting sales of the iPhone 4S. However, one last hurdle remained: to be able to sell that device in China, three different operating licenses were required. In mid-January, Apple received the last of them, so now it's all up to China Telecom. The carrier is apparently doing some preparatory work for the launch of the iPhone 4S (whatever that may mean). The Apple smartphone is expected to arrive in China Telecom stores in February or early March at the latest. Unfortunately we don't have any pricing details yet. However, having the iPhone on two different carriers for the first time may spur some competition in China. And if China Telecom wants to gain customers fast it will surely undercut China Unicom's pricing for the iPhone. Anyway, if you're in China and haven't bought an iPhone 4S yet, perhaps you should wait a month or so tops and see what China Telecom has to offer before you go and buy from China Unicom.

Apple taking NFC payments mainstream with iPhone 5

Ed McLaughlin, MasterCard's head of emerging payments, sat down with Austin Carr of Fast Company to discuss the future of credit cards. “We're rapidly moving to a world beyond plastic,” said McLaughlin. “In many ways, plastic is just convenient packaging.” The future of on-the-go payments may lie in the hands of near-field communication but unfortunately, adoption and availability have been extremely slow and limited. While NFC technology has been featured in a number of Android devices, MasterCard seems to think it won't go mainstream until an iPhone is equipped with the mobile payment solution. Read on for more. “The timeline is always as rapid as it makes sense for consumers,” McLaughlin said. “That's a combination of having a critical mass of the merchants, which is what you're seeing right now, and getting devices into the hands of consumers. I don't know of a handset manufacturer that isn't in process of making sure their stuff is PayPass ready.” When asked specifically if Apple was one of these manufacturers, McLaughlin stuttered. “Um, there are…like I say, any handset maker out there,” he said. “Now, when we have discussions with our partners, and they ask us not to disclose them, we don't.” Apple has repeatedly shown that it is one of the few consumer electronics companies right now with the ability to transform and create entire industries. Prior to iTunes and the iPod, virtually no one paid for digital music, and media tablets were a non-factor until the iPad. Does the mobile payment industry need Apple to become a mainstream phenomenon? “Well, anytime someone with a major base moves forward, it advances what you're doing. So of course,” McLaughlin said. “I think as merchants provide these better interfaces for consumers–a better way of transacting–I think any consumer-focused technology provider would want to take advantage of it.”