38% of recent iPhone buyers switched from Android or BlackBerry

A new survey from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners found that the number of customers switching from Android and BlackBerry handsets to the iPhone has continued to increase, Apple Insider reported. According to a previous survey, 29% of iPhone users in February had switched from an Android or BlackBerry device. The latest numbers indicate that as of April, 38% of iPhone buyers were previously Android or BlackBerry owners, and 73% purchased the iPhone 4S over an older iPhone model. The amount of users switching to Apple's smartphone is even higher than after the iPhone 4S first launched this past holiday season, when it sat at 36%. AT&T's iPhone market share has since fallen from 53% to 51% according to the study, while Sprint's share dropped from 13% to 12%. Verizon's market share among new iPhone buyers has seemingly increased from 34% to 37%.

Prepaid iPhone coming to Virgin Mobile USA

Apple's ever-popular iPhone will be coming to yet another prepaid wireless carrier this summer, according to a new Market Watch report. Citing unnamed sources, Market Watch's Thomas Gryta Tuesday reported on Tuesday that Virgin Mobile USA licensee Sprint would announce this week that Virgin Mobile subscribers will be able to use the iPhone as their device of choice for prepaid voice and data services. Gryta didn't say exactly when Virgin Mobile would start offering the prepaid iPhone but said it could start as soon as July. Earlier rumors have indicated that Sprint also plans to bring the iPhone to Boost Mobile, another of its prepaid wireless carriers. Regional carrier Cricket, owned by Leap Wireless, was the first carrier to officially offer the iPhone alongside its prepaid plans and is charging users $399.99 for the 8GB iPhone 4 and $499.99 for the 16GB iPhone 4S.

Virgin Mobile may launch the iPhone on July 1

 Interestingly, it looks like Cricket won't be the only carrier to offer the iPhone with prepaid plans in the US in the near future after all. A few days ago we told you that Cricket will be the first prepaid carrier to launch Apple's smartphone.

And according to the Wall Street Journal, Virgin Mobile is getting ready to follow suit. Sprint's prepaid arm is set to release the iPhone on July 1. That's a few days after Cricket, so that carrier won't lose the ‘first to offer the iPhone on prepaid' crown.

Pricing for the Virgin Mobile iPhone hasn't been revealed yet, and it's unclear whether Boost Mobile (Sprint's other prepaid brand) will also get to sell the Apple smartphone.

New details surrounding Apple's next iPhone emerge

If the recent flurry of rumors and reports surrounding Apple's sixth-generation iPhone add up, we can expect a top-to-bottom redesign when Apple finally unveils its next-generation smartphone later this year. Several leaked images of what is supposedly the housing for Apple's next iPhone hit the Web last week showing a taller, thinner aluminum case that could easily support a larger display. While the authenticity of the images has not been confirmed, they do support earlier claims from both The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, suggesting the next-generation iPhone will include a new display measuring at least 4 inches diagonally. Now, an analyst with a solid track record has issed a research note that paints a more complete picture of the upcoming iPhone's new display. “We expect iPhone 5 to feature a 4.08-inch in-cell IPS panel screen with a display resolution of 1,136 x 640 and 500-nit brightness,” KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote on Wednesday in a note to clients. He also stated that despite the inclusion of a new larger display, Apple's upcoming iPhone will utilize a battery that is roughly the same capacity as the one found in the iPhone 4S. According to the analyst's sources within Apple's supply chain, the new iPhone display will measure 50.9 millimeters wide by 90.3 millimeters tall, and Apple has contracted Toshiba Matsushita Display, LG Display and Sharp to supply the new panels. Kuo also reaffirmed earlier reports that the next-generation iPhone will utilize in-cell touch elements in its display. Kuo notes that Apple chose not to use a larger 4.3-inch display because it would require a larger battery and it would not support comfortable single-handed operation. The analyst also says that Apple's new iPhone housing will be thinner than the glass and aluminum case utilized by the current-generation iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4. Recent reports suggest Apple's next iPhone will launch in September or October alongside a new “iPad mini,” and BGR reported last December that Apple intends to launch a completely redesigned iPhone in the fall.

7.9mm iPhone 5 to come with 4.1' screen, 1136 x 640 resolution

A familiar rumor is back - the new confirmation coming from KGI analyst Mingchi Kuo, who is said to have sources close to Apple's supply chain. The next incarnation of the Apple iPhone could turn up with a 4.08-inch display of 1136 x 640 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and a brightness of 500 nits (matching the iPhone 4S). This, despite not technically being HD worthy, would result in a density of good 319 pixels per inch, preserving the Retina moniker, and moving away from the familiar 3:2 aspect. Mingchi Kuo also has info on the cameras and thickness of the iPhone 5, saying that the front-facing camera will be HD-capable, making those FaceTime calls all the sweeter, and that the camera will be moved from the left side of the earpiece to the center (much like on the iPod Touch). The back camera will reportedly have 8 MP sensor and a 5 element lens similar to the 4S but with a larger aperture of f/2.2 (currently f/2.4). That would allow more light to reach the sensor and improve the low-light performance. As for the profile, Kuo claims that the next iPhone will measure the impressively thin 7.9 mm, which is a huge improvement over the iPhone 4S's 9.3 mm. The bigger display bit is probably the most persistent of all iPhone 5 rumors, only this time the said screen size isn't 3.9" but 4.08". However, altering the screen aspect ratio might lead to poor backwards compatibility with apps, which have been developed for the 3:2 aspect ratio of all iPhones to date. Still the width of the screen, if this rumor turns out true, will remain 640 pixels, which is the same as the current iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, meaning apps could run just fine with blank bars on each side until their developers get round to adapting them. The next iPhone, or iPhone 5, is rumored to arrive in the fall, in either September, or as was the case last time, October. As always there are a bunch of rumors surrounding it, one pointing at an aluminium back and larger screen. We're less than a week away from finding out what this year's WWDC conference in San Francisco and iOS 6 will bring. There might be some clues for the specs of the upcoming iPhone 5. Source | Via

Apple's new iPhone 5 could be only 7.9mm thin, HD front-facing camera rumored

A new report from Taiwanese firm KGI suggests that Apple's sixth-generation iPhone - possibly called iPhone 5 - will be significantly thinner than the previous model (iPhone 4S, released in October 2011, and measuring 9.3mm). In a table that shows the iPhone 5's cameras specifications, KGI mentions the device's thickness, too. Reportedly, that's of only 7.9 millimeters. This would make the new iPhone thinner than both the Samsung Galaxy S III, and HTC One X (which are two of its main competitors). It looks like Apple will keep the 8MP Sony sensor for the rear camera of the iPhone 5, but plans to upgrade the front-facing camera with an HD-capable sensor. According to Apple Insider, the Taiwanese firm also seems to confirm that the next iPhone will have a 4 inch display (4.08 inches, to be exact) with a 1136 x 640 pixel resolution – for a 16:9 aspect ratio. By all means, increasing the screen size and resolution of its new smartphone is an important thing for Apple to do, if it wants to keep selling tens of millions of units. We still don't know exactly when the new iPhone will be officially announced. If production starts in late Q2 / early Q3, as rumored recently, the smartphone will likely not be unveiled in the next few months. We'll let you know when new details about this appear.

The Tale Of An iPhone Fanboy Who Fell In Love With The Galaxy Note

You may remember a short time ago we gave you our thorough and incredibly comprehensive review on the Samsung Galaxy Note. Well, I was cruising by our sister site, iSource today, and an article caught my eye. Apparently, one of the writers on iSource decided to do the unthinkable and review the Samsung Galaxy Note. “I know exactly how this is going to turn out,” I thought to myself. “This guy is going to talk about how awful the Note is, and how it didn't even hold a candle to the iPhone,” but boy was I wrong. Turns out the writer, Brandon, really gave the Galaxy Note a fair shot, living with the device for a full week. To his credit, he not only provided valid points on the Note's shortcomings, but also gave it praise when it was due. Mainly, the Note's S Pen and size, the device's killer features. Towards the end of his review, he actually talks about how he went back to the AT&T store to return the Note after a defect, and back to his beloved iPhone. No surprise there. It's been often said that iPhone fanboys are blinded by their love for all things Apple. But, in a stunning twist of events, after returning to his iPhone, Brandon discovered that the teeny, tiny little phone just didn't cut it anymore. The Galaxy Note spoiled him with it's huge 5.3-inch display (an entire iPhone — case and all — couldn't even match it's size) and handy stylus. He went back to the store once again, and switched back to the Galaxy Note. Bet you didn't see that one coming, huh? Now, I guess you could say Brandon isn't a true “Android convert.” He simply fell in love with the Note's hardware and will most likely be returning to iOS if/when they can slap a bigger screen on it. But after reading his review, I'm starting to wonder if maybe iOS fans don't really “hate” Android at all. It seems, for the most part, they merely prefer iOS and some of its polish over Android. Something I've noticed lately is that when it comes to Android fans, more than often we're the ones defined by our hatred of all things Apple/iOS and not necessarily our love of Android. Maybe, just maybe, if we put down the pitch forks and stop insulting iPhone users, simply encouraging them to give Android a try… Who knows. Maybe then we'd have more people who are actually willing to give Android a shot?

Panasonic KX-TG7740 and KX-TG7730 cordless phones feature Link2Cell, iPhone ringtone integration

Sure, you may have long ditched the landline, but you could still be in the market for a cordless phone. Two such rigs from Panasonic let you tap your mob for a voice connection, with Link2Cell. The KX-TG7740 and KX-TG7730 can both sync up with Bluetooth-enabled phones, letting you make calls through your smartphone as it charges in another room. You can also transfer up to 3,050 address book entries to the household system, while this year's models add an extra layer of iPhone integration, enabling ringtone matching and transfer - you'll now be able to hear that iOS jingle through any connected handset. Both models also include the standard gamut of features, including talking caller ID, call block for pre-programed numbers and a handset locator. The 7730 series ships with three handsets for $100 (TG-7733S), two handsets for $80 (7732S) or a single handset for $60 (7731S). Likewise, the 7740 adds a dial pad to the base, and is available with five handsets for $150 (7745S), three for $110 (7743S), two for $90 (7742S) or one for $70 (7741S).

Is the iPhone fragmented? iOS adoption measured against Android

The iPhone's unprecedented success stems from the combination of multiple factors, not the least of which are Apple's industry-leading design prowess and its ability to make software that appeals to enthusiasts and mass-market users alike. The culture and hype surrounding Apple products doesn't hurt either, of course. Where the overall experience is concerned, Apple wisely created a scenario that gives it control of both hardware and software, removing carriers from the equation to an extent and ensuring the end user enjoys the experience Apple envisions without any substantial impediments. Despite this ideal scenario, some industry watchers maintain that fragmentation is unavoidable to some degree, and this issue exists in the iOS ecosystem just as it does with Android. In the case of Google's mobile operating system, a number of factors cause fragmentation. For one thing, Android is open source and key partners such as Samsung, HTC and LG modify the OS in a number of ways. While proprietary OS enhancements do not necessarily have a direct impact where fragmentation is concerned, they do slow the development process at the vendor level, thus increasing the amount of time users must wait to receive updates. Industrial and graphic designer Chris Sauve recently published an in-depth analysis of Android fragmentation, and he determined that while Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was unveiled in late 2011 and Android 5.0 Jelly Bean is coming later this year, 2012 is actually the year of Gingerbread, which was unveiled 15 months ago in late 2010. Conversations surrounding whether or not iOS is fragmented date back several years and persist to this day, and Sauve revisited the issue of fragmentation in March. This time, however, he looked at the issue as it may or may not apply to Apple's mobile platform. Using data points obtained from 50 different mobile software developers, Sauve analyzed iOS version adoption over the past 21 months since iOS 3.0 was introduced. He also looked at iOS adoption relative to each version's launch to see how quickly each build was adopted by end users. Finally, this data was plotted against Sauve's earlier Android adoption data. Complaints of fragmentation in Apple's mobile ecosystem were most prominent in 2010, and iOS 3.0′s adoption rate shows us why. Since then, however, the adoption rate of Apple's major new OS builds has been remarkable. “iOS 5 captured approximately 75% of all iOS users in the same amount of time it took Gingerbread to get 4% of all Android users,” Sauve wrote in his analysis on pxldot. “Even more astounding is that 15 weeks after launch iOS 4 was at 70% and iOS 5 was at 60% while Ice Cream Sandwich got to just 1% share at the same age. If there were any question as to whether iOS had a less fragmented ecosystem than Android, the past two charts provide a fairly definitive answer.” Sauve continued, “iOS devices have, on average, reached 10% version share 300 times faster than Android versions, 30% share 19 times faster, and 50% share 7 times faster.” The adoption rate of future major iOS builds will likely be even more impressive thanks to the introduction of an over-the-air update mechanism Apple added in iOS 5. With iCloud backing up data, on-device notifications when updates become available, and the requirement of connecting to a PC to update no longer a factor, the major barriers standing between mass-market users and software updates have been eliminated. This ensures that users have access to the most current iOS features as quickly as possible, and it also means developers don't need to worry about old iOS versions as much while they shift focus to new builds.

J.P. Morgan increases Q1 iPhone and iPad estimates

J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz has made “significant increases” to both his iPhone and iPad sales projections for the first quarter of 2012, raising his price target on Apple stock from $625 to $715, Apple Insider reported on Tuesday. The analyst previously estimated that Apple would ship 28.1 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2012, however he now believes shipments will reach 31.1 million units. Full-year iPhone shipments for 2012 are now expected to total 138.2 million units. Moskowitz thinks Apple's next-generation smartphone will launch in the second half of 2012 and include a “thinner body and LTE capability.” He projects iPad shipments to reach 13.8 million in the first quarter, up from his earlier estimate of 10.1 million units, and his full-year shipment estimate was raised to 69.6 million tablets, up from 59.8 million. Apple will also “refresh its MacBook portfolio, including the Air, in the next three months,” Moskowitz wrote in his note to investors. He continued by saying that the company needs to improve its specifications and features while introducing lower price points to stay ahead of the “Ultrabook crowd.”

Wealthy smartphone users more likely to own an iPhone, study finds

Wealthy smartphone users are more likely to own an Apple iPhone and less likely to play games or post on Twitter than average users. According to research from The Luxury Institute, 62% of U.S. consumers earning at least $150,000 per year own a smartphone. 45% of people falling to that category own an iPhone, 35% use an Android-powered device and 25% have a BlackBerry. More than 80% of wealthy smartphone owners download mobile apps, with the most popular categories being weather (63%), news (51%), travel (42%), business/finance (39%) and sports (34%). Facebook, Angry Birds and Words With Friends are the most popular apps, however higher-income consumers use far less entertainment apps than the average smartphone user. “As you get older and have family and significant others, aging parents, and a lot more assets and investments, you're going to need apps for far more relevant things than playing games and chatting with your peers,” The Luxury Institute CEO Milton Pedraza noted.

iPhone again takes top spot in J.D. Power satisfaction survey

For the seventh consecutive time, Apple has ranked highest among smartphone manufacturers in customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Associates. The Cupertino-based company achieved a rating of 839 out of 1,000 possible points; the iPhone's ease of use, features, physical design and battery life propelled the handset to the top spot. HTC, again, followed Apple with a score of 798, with Samsung (769) and Motorola (758) falling in the No.3 and No.4 spots, respectively. According to the survey, smartphone users who were more satisfied with the battery performance of their device were more likely to repurchase the same brand compared to owners who were less satisfied. “Both carriers and manufacturers recognize the fact that battery life needs to be improved,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, the study uncovers the need for a greater sense of urgency–short battery life can result in perceived phone problems, higher rates of merchandise returns and customer defections.” Read on for J.D. Power and Associates' press release. J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Smartphone Battery Life has Become a Significant Drain on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty Apple Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Smartphone Manufacturers, While LG and Sanyo Rank Highest in a Tie among Traditional Mobile Phone Manufacturers WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 15 March 2012 — As smartphone users place increasingly complex demands on the functionality of their devices, satisfaction with battery performance is becoming a critical factor in overall satisfaction as well as brand loyalty, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 1 and the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 1, both released today. Satisfaction with smartphones is greatly impacted by battery performance, particularly the length of battery life before recharging is required. In addition, the study finds that satisfaction with battery performance is by far the least satisfying aspect of smartphones, and satisfaction in this area is one of only a few attributes that have declined significantly, compared with Volume 2 of the 2011 study (6.7 in 2012, compared with 6.9 in September 2011). Satisfaction levels with battery performance differ widely between owners of 3G- and 4G-enabled smartphones. Among owners of 4G-enabled smartphones, battery performance ratings average 6.1 on a 10-point scale–considerably lower than satisfaction among owners of 3G smartphones (6.7). Part of this difference stems from the fact that new 4G smartphones use substantial battery life searching for next-generation network signals, which tend to be scarcer than 3G signals. In addition, owners of 4G-enabled smartphones use their device more extensively–they talk, text, email, and surf the Web more often than do customers with 3G smartphones or traditional handsets–which puts a significantly higher demand on the battery. “Both carriers and manufacturers recognize the fact that battery life needs to be improved,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, the study uncovers the need for a greater sense of urgency–short battery life can result in perceived phone problems, higher rates of merchandise returns and customer defections.” According to Parsons, smartphone owners who are highly satisfied with their device's battery life are more likely to repurchase the same brand of smartphone, compared with owners who are less satisfied. Approximately 25 percent of 4G-enabled smartphone owners are highly satisfied with their battery (ratings of 10 on a 10-point scale) and say they “definitely will” repurchase a device from the same manufacturer. In comparison, among owners who are less satisfied with their battery (ratings of 7-9 on a 10-point scale), only 13 percent say the same. The two studies measure customer satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets and smartphones among owners who have used their current mobile device for less than one year. Satisfaction is measured in several key factors. In order of importance, the key factors of overall satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets are: performance (31%); ease of operation (24%); physical design (24%); and features (20%). For smartphones, the key factors are: performance (35%); ease of operation (24%); features (21%); and physical design (20%). For a seventh consecutive time, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer satisfaction. Apple achieves a score of 839 on a 1,000-point scale and performs well in all factors, particularly in ease of operation and features. HTC (798) follows Apple in the smartphone rankings. LG and Sanyo rank highest in overall customer satisfaction with traditional handsets, in a tie (716 each). LG performs well in all four factors, while Sanyo performs particularly well in ease of operation. Sony Ericsson (712) and Samsung (703) follow in the traditional handset rankings. The studies also find the following key wireless handset usage patterns: The price of a traditional wireless mobile phone continues to decline and averaged $66 between July and December 2011, compared with an average of $81 during the same time period in 2010. The decline is primarily due to discounts provided by handset providers and wireless service carriers to incentivize sales. Currently, 44 percent of owners report having received a free mobile phone when subscribing to a wireless service. Mobile applications continue to enhance the smartphone user experience. Seventy percent of smartphone owners say they have accessed social networking sites using their device. Nearly three in four (72%) say they have the ability to download and/or view video and movies, while 59 percent indicate having voice recognition and/or command dialing applications. This indicates that smartphone owners are continuing to integrate their device usage into both their business and personal lives. Two in 10 current smartphone owners report experiencing a software or device malfunction (21%). These problems have an impact on overall satisfaction, as there is a satisfaction gap of 77 points between customers who experience software malfunctions and those who do not. Satisfaction among customers who indicate their device's software crashes at least once a week averages only 691. The 2012 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study–Volume 1 and the 2012 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study–Volume 1 are based on experiences reported by 7,080 smartphone owners and 8,335 traditional mobile phone owners. Both studies were fielded between July and December 2011.

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.

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.

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.