Category: I-phone

Apple’s share price has dropped dramatically after today’s announcement of the iPhone 4S. At 3:07 PM EDT, AAPL was down over $16 per share to $358.51, although it could recover before today’s market close.

While this doesn’t look good for Wall Street’s enthusiasm for the new device, the stock drop is actually quite normal for the day of an Apple announcement. We’ve seen similar results after announcements of most new Apple devices, with the stock usually recovering or rising the next day.

The stock price for new US iPhone carrier Sprint doesn’t seem to be reacting much in one way or another to the announcement. At press time, the company’s stock was selling at $2.68 a share, down $0.06 for the day. Shares in Verizon and AT&T were relatively steady as well.

Of course, most of the responsibility for the lackluster stock price for Apple could be tied to the world economic news today. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s comment that “The economic recovery is close to faltering” has resulted in an overall decline on the markets, with the Dow-Jones Industrial Average down 162, S&P 500 down 12, and NASDAQ down 17 at press time.

AAPL takes a hit despite iPhone 4S news originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iOS 5 is almost here, boys and girls, and Apple has just given the green light for firmware-specific App Store submissions.

This happens before each major release, where developers can begin to submit software using the gold master SDK. Until that time, App Store forbids submissions using beta SDK development tools.

Reviewers are typically overwhelmed once the notice is given, although they appear to work overtime to get material reviewed in a timely fashion. This is one of those times you really see Apple bending over backwards to help developers get ready for launch.

Developers have been building tools all summer, waiting (but dreading) this moment. In a way, it’s always too long to wait. In another, it’s always too short a time period to get everything done. But that’s the way Apple and App Store work, and you have to ride the wave.

Once iOS 5 goes live, expect to see some of the shiniest examples of the new batch of software get featured on App Store. And also watch for TUAW’s full coverage of the new iOS features. Until then, pre-release TUAW iOS 5 coverage — researched and written by our non-NDA staffers — is available here.

Happy developing everyone! Thanks, everyone who tipped us.

App Store begins accepting iOS 5 submissions originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The store is back up. US customers can now place orders for the updated iPod nano and iPod touch and the reduced-priced iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. Starting at $129 for the iPod nano and $199 for the iPod touch, Apple is reporting that all models of the black iPod touch and the iPod nano are in stock as of today. The white iPod touch will ship by October 12.

Those interested in the iPhone 4S can pre-order those October 7 with an expected release of October 14.

The Apple Store is getting hit pretty hard with traffic right now, and if you’re encountering site errors, you’ll want to try back later.

Refreshed iPod touch and iPod nano now available at Apple Store originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Following the announcement of the iPhone 4S, Apple.com has experienced some loading issues with visitors getting “access denied” pages at times. Those who can access the site will find that it’s been updated to promote the iPhone 4S, iOS5, iCloud and the refreshes iPod nano and iPod touch.

Apple.com experiencing site issues post-iPhone 4S announcement originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The iOS 5 Gold Master! Finally! Feels like we’ve been waiting all Summer and a bit of Autumn for this to happen — of course, that’s exactly how long it’s been since WWDC.

The release candidate SDK is now available for download by paid devs at the iOS developer site.

As with the pre-RC betas, you’ll also find all the other items that continue to be synchronously updated to support the beta. Sign in with your developer credentials to gain access to the updated SDK.

Now that the Gold Master has dropped, non-developers can look forward to the full version which will arrive on October 12. The update to iOS 5 will be free.

Please stay current with the GM’s release notes. There are often final details that need sorting out. Let Beta 7’s fauxbrickage serve as a motivational inspiration for why.

Installation alerts usually appear in a big yellow box on the main iOS dev page. Important update notices also appear on the developer forums. If you run into troubles installing updates, please check the dev site and forums first.

The gold master remains under the terms of Apple’s NDA except for items announced by Apple at their event and on their website. For that reason, specific enhancements, APIs and features are not listed within this post. Once the firmware goes live, you’ll see plenty of iOS 5 coverage here at TUAW.

Pre-release TUAW iOS 5 coverage — researched and written by our non-NDA staffers — is available here.

Happy developing everyone! Thanks, everyone who tipped us.

iOS 5 Gold Master ready for download originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good news Sprint customers, the iPhone 4S is a worldphone and is now available on your carrier. Late-breaking rumors from the Wall Street Journal hinted that the iPhone was heading to Sprint and now it’s officially official.

Just like the Verizon and AT&T iPhone, the Sprint version will be available for pre-order on October 7 and available October 14. Pricing with a two-year contract will be $199 for 16 GB, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB.

iPhone 4S officially lands on Sprint originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the announcement of the new iPhone 4S today, Apple has also dropped the price on the previous versions of the iPhone. The iPhone 3GS version with 8 GB of memory is now down to the low, low price of absolutely free (as long as you’re willing to sign up on a two-year contract with the cellphone service providers), so you’ve really got no excuse to join the rest of us in the smartphone future.

The iPhone 4 has had a price drop as well — the 8 GB version is now just $99. Apple’s iPhone is cheaper than ever, and while yes, you won’t be able to run some of the sexiest new features with these older phones, they’re still excellent devices.

8 GB iPhone 3GS now free with contract, iPhone 4 price dropped originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As expected, The developer site has just gone off-line. Big day today!

Are you a dev? Looking forward to the new SDK update? Drop a note in the comments with your thoughts — and don’t forget to send us a tip when the devsite goes back up.

Thanks, everyone who tipped us

The iOS Developer site is down — and back up! originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple picked up mobile assistant app Siri quite a while ago, but only at today’s event did we finally see why. The company is relaunching the app as official, though it will keep the name Siri. To access it, all you’ll have to do is hold down the home button, and then a little purple mic will pop up, listening in to whatever question you ask. From your question, Siri will then find any and all pertinent information, including data about the weather, stock and clock information, and even searches for local restaurants and businesses. You can ask for directions and get them right away, or even get messages read off to you via Bluetooth, and create calendar appointments and replies right inside the Siri system.

The whole thing is very impressive, and if it works as well as Siri did, Apple’s phone has yet another killer feature on it. Unfortunately, Apple said that Siri is “the coolest feature of the new iPhone 4S,” so presumably you’ll need the new handset to make use of the feature. We’ll double-check on that going forward, but all indications are that Siri will be 4S-only.

Apple (re)introduces Siri as iPhone voice control assistant for iPhone 4S originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has announced the next-generation iPhone, the iPhone 4S. Although externally it appears identical to the iPhone 4, internally it’s seen many changes. It includes the same dual-core A5 processor that debuted in the iPad 2. Its graphics processor, which is also dual-core, provides up to 7 times the graphical performance of the iPhone 4’s A4 chip.

The iPhone 4S has improved battery life over its predecessor, and it now allows for 8 hours 3G talktime, 14 hours 2G talktime, and 6 hours of 3G web browsing.

The iPhone 4S’s wireless system has also been tweaked; the handset will now intelligently switch between antennas for optimal performance. This not only improves signal reliability, it also doubles the theoretical maximum speed from 7.2 Mbps on the iPhone 4 to 14.4 Mbps on the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S is also now a true “world phone” with integrated chipsets for both GSM and CDMA networks. This will simplify Apple’s product lineup and consumer buying decisions, as there will be only one “model” of iPhone 4S that should work on virtually any carrier in the world.

The iPhone 4S has a much-improved 8 megapixel camera that can shoot up to 3264 x 2448 images. Its backside-illuminated sensor allows it to capture 73 percent more light per pixel than the iPhone 4, and a five-element lens leads to photos that are up to 30 percent sharper than those on the iPhone 4. A new signal processor enables face detection and 26 percent better white balance. The camera also works much faster than on previous models; Apple claims it takes only 1.1 seconds to take the first photo, with subsequent shots having a delay of only half a second. The improved camera also features true 1080p HD video recording and video stabilization, a first for the iPhone.

Like the iPad 2, the iPhone 4 can now mirror its screen via AirPlay or a cable connected to the dock.

Perhaps the most anticipated feature of the iPhone 4S is its support for Siri, an “intelligent assistant” that enables recognition of voice queries and commands. We have further information on Siri itself available in a standalone post.

The iPhone 4S is available in capacities ranging from 16 all the way up to 64 GB (finally!) and pricing with a two-year contract goes from US$199 for 16 GB to $399 for 64 GB. Pre-orders begin on October 7, with the launch taking place on October 14. No mention yet on any pricing for possible unlocked models, but hopefully they will be available for those of us who don’t want to or can’t commit to a two-year contract.

iPhone 4S will launch on all major US carriers except T-Mobile — Sprint is getting it — and it will launch in US, Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany, and Japan on October 14. 22 more countries get the phone on the 28th, with 70 more by the end of the year.

Completely MIA from the event: the supposed iPhone 5 with a redesigned exterior. If you were waiting for a major redesign, keep waiting, because the iPhone 4S is the only thing new under the sun today.

Apple announces the iPhone 4S originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Capp from Epic Games has taken the stage at Apple’s iPhone event in Cupertino today to show off Infinity Blade 2, the upcoming sequel to one of the most popular games on iOS (a game, incidentally, that Epic says it’s made $20 million from already). The new game will reportedly take full advantage of the newly announced iPhone 4S’ A5 graphics chip, and even implement “some graphics techniques that aren’t even available on home gaming consoles.” The demo shown was of course beautiful, featuring lots of reflections and shadows, and even in-world details like koi swimming in a pond and fireflies in the air.

The game is essentially the same kind of swordfight gameplay, though in this version, the player will be going after the creator of the Infinity Blade itself. Dual wielding, with one sword in each hand, will be possible as well.

No price yet, but Infinity Blade 2 is set to come out on December 1. There’s no word whether it will require an iPhone 4S to run (hope not), but Apple did say that it would only run at its best on the new version of the iPhone.

Epic Games announces Infinity Blade 2, coming 12/1 on iPhone 4S originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phil Schiller has announced that the iPod touch is not only the most popular iPod, it’s also now the most popular portable gaming device in the world. But as expected, Apple didn’t announce many new changes to the iPod touch line. Now the iPod touch comes in both white and black models, but the same storage sizes as before: 16, 32, and 64 GB. Notably, Apple dropped the price of the entry-level iPod touch from $229 to $199. The 32 GB and 64 GB models are $299 and $399, respectively.

Apple refreshes iPod touch lineup with new colors originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple announced a new iPod Nano today. The compact mp3 player wil have a multi-touch interface with larger icons to make it easier to navigate. It’ll keep its boxy good looks and have built-in support for all your fitness needs. To let you wear it as a watch, the Nano will also ship with 16 new clock faces. Pair it with a watch band and you’ll be able to keep track of time in style.

The new iPod Nano be available in 7 colors and two capacities, 8 GB and 16 GB. It’s available today for $129 and $149, respectively.

Apple refreshes iPod nano, lowers price originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has announced that the long-awaited iCloud service will finally go live on October 12. The service will be free for Lion and iOS 5 users (the new mobile OS releases on the same day), and will enable cloud sharing of user contacts, pictures, and other pertinent user data across all of your Mac and iOS devices.

Apple also went over iTunes Match functionality again, which will work in tandem with iCloud to deliver music to you directly from the iTunes store. For an extra fee ($24.99 a year), you can “match” any music in your library up to the tracks on iTunes servers, and then re-download those tracks as if you really owned them to any of your Mac or iOS devices. iTunes Match is set to go live with iCloud in the US on October 12, and then show up in the rest of the world later on this year.

It’s been a long wait, but Apple’s full entry into the cloud is finally coming. Next week, we’ll finally see for ourselves what iCloud has to offer.

iCloud going live on October 12 originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has announced the much-rumored Find My Friends app. The app allows you to quickly see the location of friends who have opted to share their location with you. The app will offer deep levels of customization, such as letting users set a time window when they share their information. Also, at the end of the day, location sharing stops automatically and a person’s location won’t be shared again until they re-enable it.

As to be expected with such a service, Apple has built in a number of privacy controls and parental restrictions. Find My Friends will work through Apple’s iCloud service.

Apple announces Find My Friends service originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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