Virgin Mobile USA officially launching iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 on June 29

Today, Virgin Mobile USA has confirmed that it's going to sell Apple's iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. It will do it starting June 29, hence a bit earlier than initially rumored. Virgin Mobile will become the second US pre-paid carrier to offer the iPhone, after Cricket Wireless, which is going to launch it on June 22.

Unfortunately for Virgin customers, iPhone prices will be significantly higher than on Cricket: $649 (iPhone 4S 16GB), and $549 (iPhone 4 8GB). You'll be able to choose plans starting at $30 per month.

Virgin Mobile lets you register for further details on its iPhones here.

Another smartphones that's reportedly going to be released by Virgin this month is the HTC One V. This runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and will be way cheaper than the iPhone: just $200.

Apple's iPhone 4 and 4S to be available from Virgin Mobile on June 29th

Virgin Mobile on Thursday formally announced the future availability of Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S smartphones. The 8GB iPhone 4 will retail for $549, while the newer 16GB Phone 4S will cost $649 with no contract. Both handsets will be eligible for Virgin Mobile's unlimited data and messaging plans that start as low as $30 per month. “This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.' " The two iPhone models will be available online and through RadioShack, Best Buy and select local retailers on June 29th. Virgin Mobile's press release follows below. Virgin Mobile USA to Offer iPhone on June 29 Plans as Low as $30 Per Month WARREN, N.J. - June 7, 2012 – Virgin Mobile USA announced today it will offer iPhone to its prepaid customers beginning Friday, June 29. Virgin Mobile will offer iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S with its Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans as low as $30 per-month on the Sprint® Nationwide Network. iPhone will be available without a contract and with no fees for activation or roaming. New and existing customers can purchase iPhone at www.virginmobileusa.com, RadioShack, Best Buy and select local retailers. iPhone 4S is the most amazing iPhone yet, packed with incredible features including Apple's dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all-new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. iPhone 4S comes with iOS 5.1, the world's most advanced mobile operating system, and iCloud, a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans for iPhone start at $35 per month for access to Sprint's Nationwide Network, and customers can receive a $5 per-month plan discount when they register for automatic monthly payments with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account, making iPhone available for as low as $30 per month. Customers can also use their iPhone as a mobile hotspot through Virgin Mobile for an additional $15 per month. "This month marks Virgin Mobile USA's tenth birthday," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. "And what better way to thank our fans for ten years of loyalty than by giving them exactly what they want: the perfect plan for the perfect phone. That is the essence of 'A Higher Calling.'"

iPhone arrives at nTelos and Alaska Communications on April 20, $50 cheaper than at the big carriers

No, the iPhone still isn't on T-Mobile. Also, current-gen models probably won't ever be, thanks to the simple fact that they wouldn't work with TMo's HSPA network (bands are to blame). That, however, didn't stop Apple's latest mobile darlings from making it all the way to nTelos and Alaska Communications. These are two regional carriers (the former operating in Virginia and the surrounding states) that you probably haven't heard of until now. Well, even they get to carry the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, following in the footsteps of small(ish) carrier C Spire. Neither nTelos nor Alaska Communications have anywhere near 1 million customers, but they're clearly trying to attract some attention with this iPhone play. Good for them. At this point, it really seems like T-Mobile is the only carrier in the entire US that doesn't have iPhones on offer, so that's a problem for the magenta network. Anyway, both nTelos and Alaska Communications have the same pricing listed for the iPhones (save for a one penny difference which we'll ignore). The iPhone 4S can be yours starting at $150 for the 16 GB model. Each bump in capacity is $100 more expensive, just as you'd expect. The iPhone 4 8 GB will be available for $50. The full details are available here for nTelos and here for Alaska Communications, in case you're interested.

iPhone 4S remains best-selling U.S. smartphone in March, Samsung gains share

Apple's wildly popular iPhone 4S retained its position atop the smartphone ranks in the United States last month according to new data analyst data. Checks performed by Canaccord Genuity analyst Mike Walkley and his team found that Apple's latest iPhone was the best-selling smartphone at Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint in March, continuing a trend that began when the device first launched last October. “Our March channel checks indicated stronger sell-through trends versus February levels with sales rebounding after a slow start to 2012,” Walkley wrote in his report. “During March, our checks indicated the iPhone 4S remained the top smartphone in the U.S. market and Samsung gained share as smartphone penetration grows in U.S. prepaid channels.” Samsung's Galaxy S II smartphone was ranked No.2 at AT&T and Sprint once again, and the device was the best-selling smartphone at T-Mobile, which still doesn't offer Apple's popular phone. Motorola's DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX took the No.2 spot at Verizon, and the HTC Amaze was No.2 at T-Mobile. A table outlining Canaccord's numbers follows below.

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

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.

Camera-free iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 now on sale in Singapore

Singapore-based wireless carrier M1 began offering camera-free iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S handsets on Friday. The Singaporean government does not allow its soldiers to carry phones equipped with cameras, but requires that all men serve two years in the military. M1 no doubt wanted to address those potential customers who wanted iPhones but could not carry one with a camera. The camera-free iPhone 4 starts at $449 while the high-end iPhone 4S is priced at $974. According to CNET Asia, Singtel and StarHub are also planning to offer camera-less iPhones, although it's unclear when the device will be launched on those carriers. It is unclear if or when camera-free versions of the iPhone will become available outside Singapore.

iPhone 4S, iPad 2 untethered jailbreak almost ready for release

The uncharacteristically long wait iPhone 4S and iPad 2 owners have been forced to endure before their devices can be jailbroken is almost over. In a blog post early Friday morning, the iPhone Dev Team stated that an untethered jailbreak solution for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is almost ready for a public release. The iOS hackers wrote that it has taken the combined efforts of pod2g, the Chronic Dev Team and their own group to develop the new jailbreak, and that all technical hurdles have now been overcome. The teams are now working on making the solution as bug-free as possible ahead of general release. Once available, the new jailbreak tool dubbed “corona” will support iPhone 4S handsets running iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.0.1 as well as iPad 2 tablets running iOS 5.0.1. Users hoping to jailbreak their devices should not update to newer versions of iOS in the event Apple pushes out any software updates ahead of corona's release.

Best Buy Canada to drop prices for the 32 GB iPhone 4S and BlackBerry Bold 9900 starting tomorrow

Up in Canada, Best Buy seems to have an interesting proposition for you if you're in the market for either a 32 GB iPhone 4S or a BlackBerry Bold 9900 and don't mind signing a long-term contract with a carrier. The offer will be available starting tomorrow, January 20, until January 30. You'll be able to buy a brand new 32 GB iPhone 4S for just $199.99 with a new three-year contract from either Bell or Telus. Alternatively, if BlackBerry is more your kind of thing, the Bold 9900 could be yours for just $29.99 if you agree to sign a new three-year contract with Rogers. The iPhone's price drop is $70, and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will be $100 cheaper than it's been so far, so this will be a great opportunity for you to purchase a new smartphone.

Give Your iPhone 4x4S a New Look with MetalliCover

If you're tired of a plain black or white iPhone 4 or 4S but don't want a plastic skin, give a look to MetalliCover‘s metal skins. You'll cover both the front and back of the phone with these stainless-steel plates;  they'll add only 0.2″ thickness and 0.7 ounces to your phone.  The plates are laser etched with geometric, floral, or even animal print designs, and they are available with an optional gold plating.  A professional-grade 3M backing adhesive holds the plates securely to your phone, but they remove easily with the edge of your fingernail without leaving sticky residue behind.  You'll also receive a matching wallpaper for your iPhone with purchase of a MetalliCover.  Stainless steel designs are $25.95; gold-plated versions are $89.95.

Apple stalls launch of iPhone 4S in many China stores

Apple store employees are not used to being greeted by flying eggs launched from a rioting crowd. However, that's what happened earlier last Friday at Apple's flagship store in Beijing's Sanlitun district. A substantial number of people waited through the night in freezing temperatures, hoping to get their hands on an iPhone 4S in the morning. But when it was time to open the doors, the store management decided it could not ensure the safety of its customers and staff, and thus announced via a bullhorn that the phone would not be sold after all. For the time being, Apple said, the iPhone 4S will not be available in five retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. The crowd reportedly did not take it too well, and demanded the doors to open, yelling “liars!” Police support was required to restore order when eggs hit the windows of the store. Apple, which has mastered the art of hyping its product, was chastised by Chinese market researchers. “Everybody knows there will be massive numbers of people when Apple has this kind of a launch,” said Shaun Rein, from China Market Research Group, in a conversation with Bloomberg. “This shows very poor retail management ability.” It appears that the rollout of the phone went smoothly in most other locations. Customers are still able to order the phone via Apple's online store as well as through the carrier China Unicom.

China too eager for the iPhone 4S, Apple suspends sales

The much-anticipated release of the iPhone 4S in China stumbled out of the gate in Beijing, after unruly crowds kept the store closed on release day. Apple’s main store in the Sanlitun district of Beijing, the first of its kind to open in the country, was pelted with eggs and minor scuffles broke out after an unidentified store representative announced that the store would not be opening. Apart from the Apple Store in Hong Kong’s IFC Mall, which started selling the iPhone 4S back in November, you would assume that the largest mobile-phone market in the world would have slightly more Apple retail points than the meager two in Beijing and three in Shanghai. To avoid such incidents in the future, Apple has decided to restrict the availability of the iPhone 4S to online sales and the stores of its local carrier, China Unicom. Source | Via

Chaos at Beijing iPhone 4S launch causes sales halt

Pent up demand for Apple's latest smartphone caused the company to halt sales of its just-released iPhone 4S in Beijing, China on Friday, fearing for the safety of its sales staff. According to Chinese tech blog M.I.C. Gadget, Beijing residents eager to get their hands on Apple's iPhone 4S began to line up more than 12 hours before stores opened on Friday. A massive crowd had gathered at the Sanlitun Apple Store, and workers were forced to delay its opening. The crowd seemingly then became unruly to the point where Apple Store employees' safety could not be guaranteed, and an announcement was made that the launch had been canceled. At that point fights reportedly began to break out, several members of the crowd began to throw eggs at the Apple Store, and SWAT teams had to be called in to restore order. Apple's only comment on the matter was that the company has already sold out of its initial iPhone 4S supply in China.

Thousands line up for iPhone 4S launch in China

In eight hours, Apple's iPhone will touch down in China for the first official time. Thousands have already lined up outside of Apple Stores, and in Beijing and Shanghai locations, there are hundreds of people waiting in the hopes of getting their hands on the iPhone 4S. The image above was posted on Twitter on January 10th, three days before the highly-anticipated smartphone's launch. China Unicom is the only carrier set to offer the iPhone 4S, with both the 16GB and 32GB models free with a two and three-year agreements. In the future, the device is also expected to land on China Telecom, the nation's third largest wireless carrier.

iPhone 4S owners consume almost twice as much data as iPhone 4 users

iPhone 4S users consume nearly twice the amount of data as iPhone 4 owners according to a new study. Research from Arieso suggests the phone consumes more than 3x the data of the original iPad 3G, too. “I use the iPhone 4 myself and when I first heard of the iPhone 4S features I was not compelled to rush out and get one,” Arieso's chief technology officer Michael Flanagan said. “However, the data usage numbers I am seeing make me wonder what I am missing.” Apple's virtual assistant Siri is likely responsible for the added data consumption, although Arieso didn't specifically say that in its report. In addition, Arieso said just 1% of data users consume half of all downlink data. "While the report provides general trends, the studies on which they're based demonstrate the importance to operators of understanding the increased consumption each type of smartphone brings,” Flanagan said. “Despite stark industry warnings, mobile operators are still playing 'Guess Who?' with their subscribers.” Arieso's press release follows after the break. Arieso reveals latest trends in smartphone data use 06 January 2012  Study reveals explosive growth in mobile data demand iPhone 4S users are the "hungriest" data consumers, demanding twice as much data as iPhone 4 users and three times as much as iPhone 3G users Just 1% of all users now consume HALF of the entire downlink data Fuelled by new smartphones, apps and services consumer demand for mobile data is accelerating beyond expectations, finds a new report from Arieso. Following a similar study in 2010, Arieso's new analysis reveals that so-called 'extreme' users are becoming even more extreme, with 1% of subscribers now consuming HALF of all downloaded data. One thing is clear: the capacity issues plaguing mobile operators around the world will worsen in 2012. The Arieso study, "Recent Smartphone Trends & the Extreme Data User", compares data usage across a variety of smartphones and connected devices. It finds that users of the iPhone 4S demand three times as much data as iPhone 3G users and twice as much as iPhone 4 users, who were identified as the most demanding in the 2010 study. In a finding consistent with 2010 results, it also shows that Google Nexus One users make twice as many data calls as iPhone 3G users. "The introduction of increasingly sophisticated devices, coupled with growing consumer demand, is creating unrelenting pressure on mobile networks. The capacity crunch is still a very real threat for mobile operators, and it looks set to only get harder in 2012," commented Dr. Michael Flanagan, CTO, Arieso and study author. "The mobile industry needs new investment and new approaches to boost network performance and manage the customer experience". Top Line Results The Arieso analysis compares the data consumption of users of the latest smartphones against the iPhone3G as a "normalised benchmark". The study found that different users and different devices exhibit very different demands on the network. The most significant change in consumer behaviour between 2010 and 2011 data has been catalysed by the introduction of the iPhone 4S. iPhone 4S users download 2.76 times as much data as users of the iPhone 3G. And while an Android-powered device maintains last year's position at the top of the table for uplink data volumes, with HTC Desire S users typically uploading 3.23 times as much data as iPhone 3G users, the iPhone 4S falls just behind in this category with a typical 3.20 times as much data uploaded. There are some very hungry handset users, even compared to the iPhone 3G benchmark (iPhone 3G = 100%): Data calls per subscriber: HTC Google Nexus One: 221% Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i: 157% HTC Desire: 156% Uplink data volumes: 3G Modems (various): 2654% HTC Desire S: 323% iPhone 4S: 320% Downlink data volumes: 3G Modems (various): 2432% iPhone 4S: 276% Samsung Galaxy S: 199% "While the report provides general trends, the studies on which they're based demonstrate the importance to operators of understanding the increased consumption each type of smartphone brings. Despite stark industry warnings, mobile operators are still playing 'Guess Who?' with their subscribers," continued Flanagan. "Without adequately preparing networks to support the new generation of smart devices, operators risk spiralling and misplaced operational expenditure and delivering a sub-par quality of experience to customers. It's critical that operators redouble their efforts to limit the impact of this inevitable squeeze." Arieso has published the detailed findings of its latest studies, conducted using ariesoGEO, together with in-depth analysis in its report "Recent Smartphone Trends & the Extreme Data User" which is available upon request.

Zero Chroma Teatro-S for iPhone 4x4S Review

I reviewed an iPad 2 case from Zero Chroma yesterday, and here's a companion case for your iPhone.  The Teatro-S for iPhone 4x4S case incorporates the rotating theater stand used in the Vario-SC case for the iPad 2. How does it stack up against its big brother? The Teatro-S is designed for iPhone 4 or 4S and fits models from AT&T or Verizon.  It's made of a hard plastic, and it's available in black, white, or pink.  The case is a hard shell that snaps over the back.  The corners of the iPhone are covered to protect against damage.  The interior is lined with felt to prevent scratches on the iPhone's back. The case is 4.5″ X 2.25″ X 0.45″ thick.  It weighs 0.85 ounce.  It doesn't add much bulk to the iPhone, and it doesn't change how the iPhone feels in hand very much.  I usually use the Bumper case, so the iPhone 4 feels a bit smaller and a bit slipperier to me in the Teatro-S case than in the Bumper. You'll notice two holes at the bottom of the case (left side of photo).  These holes allow you to attach a wrist strap.  The Zero Chroma website says a wrist strap is included with web orders, but I didn't receive one. The shiny, circular area is the rotating theater stand. The edges of the case wrap to the front of the iPhone.  This will lift the front glass off the table if you lay your phone facedown, but it doesn't interfere with the touchscreen operation.  It leaves the front camera, the ambient light and proximity sensors, and the home button completely open. The headphone jack, top microphone, and sleep/wake button are completely open.  I had no trouble using them. The mute and volume buttons are easy to use.  Note that there's a slight hump added to the back of the iPhone to make room for the rotating theater stand.  It's about 1x16″ thicker than the area at the top of the case. The speaker, bottom microphone, and docking connector are all completely exposed.  I had no trouble charging my phone while it was in the case. The back camera and flash have a very large opening.  The Teatro-S caused no problems when taking pictures. This picture also gives you a good view of the rotating theater stand in the closed position. These two views show the stand pulled out and ready for use.  The stand ratchets open, and Zero Chroma says there are 14 angles you can achieve with the stand.  It also rotates 360 degrees, with stops at 12-3-6-9.  The foot has an anti-slip rubber strip to prevent the iPhone from sliding around on the table. Here are examples of both portrait and landscape orientations.  Both were very stable.  No matter your height or the height of the table, you should be able to select an angle that's comfortable for watching videos or hands-free reading. Zero Chroma says this low angle is good for gaming, but I think it would also work for typing in the landscape orientation. I like the Zero Chroma Teatro-S case for my iPhone 4.  It doesn't feel much different in my hand than the caseless iPhone 4.  It offers protection without obscuring any of the ports or controls, and it gives me a stand that works for almost any position I could imagine without having to lug around a separate stand.  That sounds like a bargain to me.

iPhone 4S will be available in China and other countries on January 13

Apple has just announced that the iPhone 4S will become available in China and some other countries on January 13 – in nine short days from now. That's excellent timing by Apple (well, maybe except for the fact that it's a Friday the 13th), especially considering the Chinese New Year which falls on January 23 in 2012. The run-up to that day is in China akin to the famous ‘holiday shopping season' in the ‘Western' world, and many Chinese will surely choose an iPhone 4S as the item to gift this year. Apple certainly needed to do all it could not to miss this huge sales opportunity. And now it won't. So expect the worldwide sales numbers for the iPhone 4S in the first quarter of 2012 to be heavily influenced by the Chinese launch.

The iPhone 4S comes to 22 new markets, January 13th

On January 13th, the iPhone 4S will touch down in a number of new markets including the likes of China, Jamaica and Kenya along with 19 others, across the globe. Apple's CEO Tim Cook has a lot to smile about, especially with a yet untapped market like China (with regards to the iPhone 4S at least). Tim states that, “Customer response to our products in China has been off the charts. With the launch in China next week, iPhone 4S will be available in over 90 countries making this our fastest iPhone rollout ever.” What's more, Chinese New Year hits on January 23rd with sales events not too dissimilar to that of the US's Black Friday. As such, Apple can expect very healthy figures once the shoppers hit the stores in coming weeks. Here's the full list of new markets about to receive the iPhone 4S from Apple's official press release: Beginning Friday, January 13, iPhone 4S will be available in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda. Are you planning on picking one up? Let us know in the comments. Source | Via

Motorola Droid 4 pictured next to iPhone 4S. Accessories show up in non-Verizon stores

Expected to be launched by Verizon in about a month, the Motorola Droid 4 still hasn't been announced, although we know pretty much all there is to know about it. Until the handset gets to be officially introduced, maybe you're curious to see what it looks like when standing next to the iPhone 4S. TechnoBuffalo has managed to get a Droid 4 demo unit, and photographed it alongside Apple's smartphone. As expected, the new Droid's sliding keyboard makes the device thicker than the iPhone 4S. The Droid 4 is also taller, since it has a 4 inch display, not just a 3.5 inch one like the iPhone.