Apple Launching iPhone 5S In September With Low Cost

• Apple seems to be all set to launch two iPhone versions later this year. Chinese tech blog, EMSOne claims this on the basis of speculation by Barclays Capital’s analysts, who think Apple will launch a less expensive version of the iPhone, alongside the ‘iPhone 5S’.

Apple Does Not Hold Exclusive Rights In Brazil

The Brazilian Institute of Industrial Property has ruled that Apple does not hold exclusive rights to the "iPhone" trademark in the country. According to the BBC, the decision only applies to handset devices, and won’t prevent Apple from marketing its popular smartphone under the iPhone brand unless IGB Electronica exercises its option of suing for complete, exclusive control over the trademark.

Flaw In iOS 6.1 Makes You Bypass Password-Protected Lock Screen

A security flaw recently discovered in iOS 6.1 lets anyone bypass your iPhone password lock and access some of your data after following a series of steps. The method is detailed in the YouTube video below and involves making and immediately canceling an emergency call, holding down the power button a couple of times during the process, and pushing the home button after getting into the phone’s contact list.

Once the lock is bypassed you won’t actually have full access to every app on the phone but it’s still possible to snoop around local device data. Particularly, users will be limited to the Phone app, and from there it’s possible to browse contact information, make calls, check voicemails, and look through photos (by attempting to add a photo to a contact). You can even send emails and texts through the sharing-a-contact feature.

This isn't the first time a lock screen vulnerability in iOS has become public. A very similar bug affected iOS 4.1 back in 2010 and was fixed in iOS 4.2. The company hasn’t commented on the latest loophole yet.

Here are the detailed steps:

1. Lock device.
2. Slide to unlock.
3. Tap emergency call and type in your emergency number (911, 112, ...).
4. Tap the call button and immediately cancel the call.
5. Lock device again with the sleep button and then turn it on using the home button.
6. Slide to unlock.
7. While on the lock screen hold the sleep button for three seconds and quickly tap emergency call before the switch off slider shows up. This will cause your phone’s screen to flicker and then show the phone app.

Apple Selling It's Factory Unlocked iPhone 5

Apple has finally begun selling factory-unlocked iPhone 5 smartphones in the US. As with previous releases, the move comes roughly two month after carrier locked versions went on sale in the country, whereas Canada and some European nations see both versions launch alogside each other. The unlocked phone starts at $649 for 16GB of storage, with the 32GB and 64GB models adding an extra $100 and $200, respectively.

Movie Reviews From Siri

You may or may not have noticed that sometimes Siri says crazy things. We recently noticed that Siri summarizes movies in a pretty funny way, too. Siri seems to have a distinct preference for Sci-Fi (who can blame her?), though she also has a few words to say about the classic Wizard of Oz, as well as Pixar's Toy Story.

Siri also has several different answers when you ask her about The Matrix. Sadly, she has no thoughts on Gone With the Wind, nor can she tell us which version of Blade Runner is superior.

Apple iPhone5 Starts At 54,000Rs In India

On shopping.rediff.com, the factory unlocked iPhone 5 16GB is available for Rs. 54,990. On Tradus, the factory unlocked iPhone 5 16GB is available for Rs. 59,500, the 32GB variant is available for Rs. 73,599, while the the top of the line 64GB iPhone 5 is available for Rs. 86,699.

On eBay.in, the 16GB iPhone 5 starts for as low as Rs. 54,999.

The iPhone 5 has seen heavy demand in India even before it has been officially launched in the country. If you are one who can’t wait for Apple to officially launch the iPhone in India and don't want to shop for the device online, you can pick one up from the grey market today. The first iPhone 5 was sold in Khan Market, New Delhi for a whopping 1.35 lakhs in the week of its official US launch.

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 5 in India within the next two months and the smartphone may be priced at roughly Rs. 45,000 for the 16GB variant.

Apple Sells Five Million iPhone 5

Apple managed to sell over five million new iPhone 5 handsets during the first weekend of availability, topping the 4S’ record from last year by one million units. The phone launched in the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on September 21. Furthermore, over 100 million devices have already been updated with the recently release iOS 6.

Reports suggest Cupertino’s initial stockpile of iPhone 5 handsets sold out within one hour of being made available for pre-order. Apple’s website currently shows the handset is on backorder for 3-4 weeks regardless of color, capacity or carrier.

Users interested in the new Apple phone might have better luck shopping through their respective carrier, at a local Apple store or through third party auction sites like eBay. Recently completed listings reveal the 16GB base model is selling for around $800 on average.Demand for the iPhone 5 isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon. J.P. Morgan analyst Katy Huberty expects sales to hit 25 million for the quarter ending this month. The holiday season could see total iPhone 5 sales hit the 50 million mark and if things continue to do well next year, Apple could move 200 million iPhones in 2013.

The iPhone 5 will be released in 22 more countries on September 28 and will ultimately be offered in more than 100 countries by the end of the year. Interestingly enough, stock prices are down roughly 1.3 percent following the weekend sales announcement.

iPhone 5 To Be Jail Broken On 1st Day

With every new iPhone and version of iOS, iPhone owners dedicated to Cydia get nervous over whether Apple will patch holes needed to add an unlocked bootlocker. With iOS 6, it’s looking good–the iPhone 4 and 3GS were unlocked yesterday, and today, a few iPhone developers have taken to Twitter to claim that they’ve added Cydia to an iPhone 5. It’s not up for download yet, but if the screenshot is any indication, it should be soon.

iOS developer Grant Paul took to Twitter and posted “Taller screens like Cydia too,”  adding a screenshot that you’re seeing above. If iOS 6 on the iPhone 5 has in fact already been jailbroken, it was much faster than iOS 5, which took several months
. We’ll be monitoring the situation closely, and when you can download the iPhone 5 jailbreak, you’ll see it here.

Verizon iPhone5 Unlocked

If you’re planning to get a new Verizon iPhone 5, there might be a little bonus feature included that neither Apple nor Verizon are keen to admit. As units have started making it out of the stores, it appears that the Verizon version of the device is fully unlocked out of the box and able to connect to any GSM network.

Most phones you get these days in the US are locked to a specific carrier. If you want to put in a SIM card from another carrier, you need to get an unlock code. Not so with the new iPhone on Verizon. All you’ll have to do is get a nano-SIM to drop into the SIM slot. This might actually be the hardest part of the endeavor — most carriers aren’t offering these new, smaller cards yet. You can cut down a larger micro-SIM to fit, but you might damage it.

In the US, the Verizon iPhone will work just fine on AT&T 3G HSPA+ (although the phone will erroneously call this 4G in accordance with AT&T’s marketing). On T-Mobile, most users will get 2G service. The only exception is in areas where T-Mobile has rolled out its 1900MHz 3G bands, which were acquired from AT&T as a consolation after the merger fell through. Any and all overseas carriers should work, and the iPhone’s pentaband radio should get you 3G on most of them.

Verizon support is apparently confirming to customers that the device is unlocked. At the very least, this doesn’t appear to be a mistake. It likely has to do with the way the iPhone’s radios are designed along with the implementation of LTE on Verizon. This might make the device a little more palatable to those on the fence about upgrading, especially for anyone that travels.

iPhone 5 Earns A Poor Score

Since the iPhone 5 uses a front-to-back design, a simple suction cup is all that’s needed to remove the front display. This is great news for everyone needing to replace a broken screen down the roa, especially considering it took the team 38 steps to remove the display assembly on the 4S. Furthermore, the battery is just as easy to remove once the screen is out.

It’s not all good news for the iPhone 5, however. The fact that the front glass, digitizer and LCD are all one component means this will drive up the cost to repair a broken screen.

In related news, iMore is reporting that Apple will be able to replace broken or otherwise damaged iPhone 5 screens directly in-store instead of having to replace the entire handset. A source within Apple told the publication that repair kits are on their way to Apple stores now. Cupertino has yet to confirm this but based on iFixit’s findings, it certainly seems plausible.

Jarre Aeroskull Speakers Play Nice With The iPhone 5

If you are the flamboyant type, then you would surely fall in love with the Jarre Aeroskull speakers at first glance. These are definitely eye catching to say the least, where it will come in 11 gobsmacking colors, including purple, red, silver and blue. Each of these speakers come in the shape of a skull, and will “wear” a pair of sunglasses which behind them lie a pair of 15 Watt speakers, while the back will carry a 40 watt subwoofer to deliver the bass that underlines most musical pieces.

It will be directly compatible with the iPhone 4S, but will require an adapter if you want your spanking new iPhone 5 to rock with it. Not only that, assuming your portable device has Bluetooth connectivity, then you can always pair it up with the Jarre Aeroskull speakers. Alternatively, old school devices can also connect to this unique looking speaker via a 3.5mm jack cable. Just in time for Halloween, the Jarre Aeroskull speakers will retail for £349 a pop from October onwards.

IPhone 5 Doesn't Reach The Expectations Of The People

The Apple iPhone 5 was one of the most awaited personal technology revelations of 2012, and many of us, Apple fans or not, were looking forward to the unveiling of the latest generation smartphone from the fruity giant.

With that level of expectation for the iPhone 5, it is quite understandable that there would be some disappointment after the cat was let out of the bag. However, while Apple has followed the trend of making their products slightly slimmer and lighter through each iteration, many of us lamented the fact that this time, those seemed to be the only improvements.

To be fair, Apple did update the chipset powering the iPhone, did give it a better 8MP iSight camera, a larger display, and of course, last but not the least, a brand new dock connector! Was that enough though? iOS 6, possibly the biggest change, was announced back at WWDC, and will be coming to the iPhone 4 and 4S in its entirety – so does it really count as an iPhone 5 feature?

The iPhone 4S was only an incremental update over the iPhone 4, and that progression was reflected in the naming scheme chosen. The iPhone 5, by that same logic, should have truly been a next-generation device from the company - similar to what we saw with the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4. Instead, we have a phone that is virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor on the outside, albeit, much slimmer, at a startling 7.6mm.

The results are overwhelmingly one-sided, pointing clearly to the conclusion that most of our readers felt the device did not match up to their expectations from the fruity giant. 79%, or 570 readers, said they had expected exciting new features from the device. The remaining 21%, or 149 readers, felt the iPhone 5 was an adequate update to the iPhone family – perfecting the hardware and operating system.

iPhone 5 Breaks Preorder Record Teases Galaxy S4 Launch

Apple's iPhone 5 is already off to a record setting start, according to a press release posted this morning on the company’s website. The much anticipated handset reportedly surpassed 2 million sales in the first 24 hours it was available for preorder on September 14. That’s more than double the previous record set by the iPhone 4S nearly a year ago, and over three times the 600,000 first-day sales of the iPhone 4 in 2010.

Initial stocks were depleted after just an hour of availability, forcing Apple to change the ship date listed on its website from September 21 to "two weeks." The company says that while the majority of preorders will still be delivered to customers on September 21, many are scheduled to be delivered in October.

Market analysts are forecasting strong sales for the iPhone 5. IHS iSuppli estimates the device will help drive Apple's smartphone shipments in 2012 to 149 million units, up 60 percent from 93 million in 2011. Meanwhile, Canaccord Genuity technology analyst Michael Walkley believes the company might sell from 9 million to 10 million iPhone 5 units by September 29 to close the third quarter, upping a previous estimate of 6 million units.
AT&T also said it posted record preorders of its own, although it stopped short of providing specific figures.

The iPhone 5 will officially hit stores in a total of 9 countries this Friday, September 21. Another 22 countries will follow suit a week later, while a total of  240 carriers in 100 countries should have it available by December.

But Samsung is not standing still as the new iPhone grabs all the headlines, though. A report from the Korea Times -- one that seems purposely well timed to try and slow down the iPhone 5’s momentum -- quotes an unnamed Samsung official saying the firm is ready to unveil the Galaxy S4 at February’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The next-gen Galaxy handset would reportedly go on sale as early as March 2013.Not many details are available at this time except that the Galaxy S4 would sport a 5-inch OLED display, surpassing the already quite large 4.8-inch screen on the S3, along a few external design changes.

Secret Behind The iPhone 5

When it comes to secrecy, Apple isn't so much doubling down as it is multiplying by zero. The iPhone 5 is a handset of many firsts for the Cupertino company — it moves to a larger screen, an all-new Lightning dock connector, and in-cell touchscreen technology, among other innovations. But it's also the first device to bear the name iPhone whose spec sheet we knew almost in full ahead of its unveiling.


Initially, we learned about the 4-inch display. That came from The Wall Street Journal on May 16th, got reaffirmed by Reuters on May 17th, and was reiterated by Bloomberg on May 18th. By May 19th, even if you had a legitimate mole inside Apple's supply chain, it simply wasn't worth "leaking" the screen size of the next iPhone. It was as close to fact as you could get after three of the most scrupulous news sources reported it as such.
The redesigned dock connector, repositioned headphone jack, aluminum backplate, and front panel for the iPhone 5 all made appearances over the following weeks, culminating in a number of fully assembled mockups for the device showing up on sites like 9to5Mac. We didn't just know what would be in the next iPhone, we even knew what would be missing. Case manufacturers were so bullish about the design that they were showing off covers for the next iPhone before Apple had even scheduled its next iPhone event.
When Apple did finally send out invitations to its September 12th gathering (a date that had also leaked ahead of time), it removed any lingering doubt about the upcoming phone's name by refashioning the 12's shadow into a 5. This self-aware act of feigned concealment was a playful little hint for Apple's eager fans, though the subsequent Apple.com slip-up revealing the new devices on the day of the event won't have aroused the good humor of anyone at Cupertino. Least of all Tim Cook.

Apple's comprehensive failure to keep the iPhone 5 under wraps is embarrassing for its CEO, who recently promised a renewed emphasis on product secrecy, but it wasn't altogether unpredictable. While Cook has kept the reins at the top as tight as Steve Jobs ever did, exerting that same control over partners is a considerably thornier problem.
Samsung is still Apple's main contractor for producing the A-series processors inside iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and it's to the Korean company's credit that the A6 SoC upgrade for the iPhone 5 remained a secret until the official reveal. At least when it comes to discretion, we can say that Samsung is winning where Apple is failing.

Whatever the cause, Apple's secrecy slippage is not something the company can tolerate. Its record-breaking product sales are built on a foundation of quality and ease of use, but they also rely on a certain glamor and swagger that the Cupertino company projects. The invulnerability of Apple's stock price, the impenetrability of its product plans, the aloofness of its former CEO — these seemingly extraneous factors have all contributed to the image of a tech company that's somehow separate and exceptional from its industry. The unsurprising iPhone 5, as shiny and desirable as it may look, puts a chink in that glorious armor. Now it's up to Tim Cook to keep his promise and mend it.

iPhone 5 Bill Of Materials ApproximatedTo Be $167.50

The new iPhone 5 has all the bells and whistles that consumers were clamoring for last year, but has that extra year saved Apple some money? According of a provisional estimate of pricing from UBM TechInsights, the new iPhone has a bill of materials totaling $167.50. That’s not bad when you consider the iPhone 4S $649.00 at Apple Store was estimated to cost $188 at launch.

This analysis is being done before the device has landed in the hands of anyone reckless enough to take it apart, mind you. UBM used the announced specs and chip branding, along with previous bills of materials to work out what the components are likely to cost. Some of the more pricey parts include the processor ($28), the radios ($25), and the display ($18).
When compared to the current cost of building the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 is quite a bit more expensive. The 4S bill of materials is down to $132 after a year of price reductions. All these analyses were done assuming a 16GB version of the device by the way.

When the device is released, firms like iSupply will surely crack the phone open to get a closer look at the exact chips being used. At that time, we’ll have a more exact estimate of the component cost. The 16GB iPhone 5 is going to be selling for $200 with a new 2-year contract, just like past iPhones have done. However, that’s not the full retail value. Unsubsidized iPhones start at $649.99. Even when you factor in manufacturing costs, that’s still quite a markup.

iPhone 5 Official video

How To Buy The iPhone5

If you're upgrading rather than signing up for a new line of service, the first thing you'll want to do is check to confirm whether you're eligible for upgrade pricing. To do that:

On AT&T, you can dial *639# to get a text message with your current upgrade status. You can also go here.

On Verizon, go here.

On Sprint, text the word "upgrade" to 1311 or go here.

On Cricket, it doesn't matter — there are no contracts. If you want an iPhone 5, you'll be paying full price (and Cricket hasn't yet announced what those prices will be).
In brief, you'll pay slightly less on Sprint than on Verizon and AT&T but at the detriment of LTE coverage and 3G data speed; Cricket will be the cheapest, but you'll pay much more for the phone upfront since there's no contract involved. Keep in mind AT&T's FaceTime controversy, which requires that you be signed up for one of the carrier's new Mobile Share plans in order to use the video calling service over cellular — neither Verizon nor Sprint are restricting it. Then again, only the AT&T model will support simultaneous voice over data, so that's something to think about as well.

You may also want to consider data buckets: Verizon and AT&T no longer offer unlimited plans (unless you're grandfathered in), whereas Sprint remains both unlimited and unthrottled. Cricket's plans are unlimited, though they throttle down to a crawl once you've hit a limit ranging from 1GB to 5GB depending on your specific plan.

On AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, you'll pay $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB, and $399 for the 64GB on a new contract or extension (if you're eligible). Without a contract, you'll pay $649, $749, and $849, respectively — a $450 premium
The online Apple Store begins accepting pre-orders at 12:01AM Pacific Time on September 14th, which is 3:01AM Eastern Time. You can also pre-order from your carrier of choice at the exact same time — AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. Cricket hasn't announced a pre-order program, but it's also not launching on the same day as the others; it comes a week later on the 28th.

You'll also be able to try your hand at walking into a store on launch day, September 21st. Apple Stores will be open at 8AM local time, but naturally, you'll want to get there very early if you want to be assured a phone and don't want to spend forever in a line that wraps around the building. Some carrier stores may open early on the 21st as well, but you'll want to call ahead to find out details from your location of choice.

Finally, the usual host of third-party retailers will be offering iPhone pre-orders and launch day sales, including Best Buy, RadioShack, and Walmart. Notably, Walmart will offer it at a $9.03 discount, taking $25 pre-orders at 8AM on September 14th and selling units at the same time the following week, September 21st

iPhone 5 Latest Features

The new iPhone is finally official. Apple has named its sixth-generation smartphone the iPhone 5 and Phil Schiller has detailed its full set of features, specs, and release details. Measuring 7.6mm in thickness and 112 grams in weight, this is the thinnest and lightest iPhone that Apple has ever made, and is constructed "entirely" out of glass and aluminum. The new iPhone looks pretty much identical to all the leaks and mockups we've seen in the past few weeks — evidently Apple wasn't able to keep a lid on its most anticipated product, after all.
It has a 4-inch display! The new screen resolution is the oft-rumored 1136 x 640, meaning the display of the iPhone 4 and 4S has simply been elongated, both physically and in terms of pixel rows. To quote Phil, "you see, we're able to add a fifth row of icons." All of Apple's own software has been updated for the new resolution and screen size, while third-party apps will be letterboxed where necessary. Also in line with pre-launch rumors, the new iPhone's display features in-cell touchscreen technology, integrating the touch sensors right into the display itself. This should make for a thinner panel overall, though Apple also touts it as "the most accurate display in the industry."
There's also LTE connectivity, with a single chip, single radio, and what Apple describes as a "dynamic" antenna. Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T LTE flavors will all be supported by the iPhone 5. Apple rates this new handset's battery life at 8 hours of LTE web browsing.

A new 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a hybrid IR filter will be present on the iPhone 5, with a promise of improved low light performance and 40 percent faster photo capture. The sensor is backside-illuminated. Catching up with the competition, Apple is also adding in a new Panorama mode to its camera software. Much like with HTC's ImageSense, the new iPhone 5 camera will allow you to also take still photos while recording video, which maxes out at 1080p resolution.
The iPhone 5's processor has been upgraded to Apple's A6 SoC, which Apple suggests will result in double the CPU performance and two times faster graphics. There are three microphones in the iPhone 5, which will support HD voice and also includes a redesigned loudspeaker that's 20 percent smaller than before. The headphone jack has, as anticipated, been repositioned to the bottom of the phone.
Pricing is set at the usual $199 for the 16GB iPhone 5 on a two-year contract, $299 for 32GB, or $399 for the 64GB version. Pre-orders are opening on September 14th, with shipping starting on September 21st. The first countries to get the new handset will be the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. More will then follow from September 28th onwards.

iPhone 5 Released

On Wednesday, Apple is expected to reveal the new iPhone 5 and The Verge will be live on the scene covering the event from every angle. Our live blog begins at 10AM PT / 1PM ET and we will be rounding up all the important details right here in this Story Stream. The new iPhone rumors all point to a taller design with LTE and iOS 6, but Apple likely has a few surprises up its sleeve.

07:00AM - Hawaii

09:00AM - Alaska

10:00AM - Pacific

11:00AM - Mountain

12:00PM - Central

01:00PM - Eastern

02:00PM - São Paulo

06:00PM - London

07:00PM - Paris

09:00PM - Moscow

02:00AM - Tokyo (September 13th)

03:00AM - Sydney (September 13th)

Apple To Be Sued By Samsung

The courtroom battle between Apple and Samsung seems to be far from over, and come tomorrow Apple is in for a major headache as soon as it makes the iPhone 5 official. That’s because Samsung is poised to sue the company over patents it owns relating to the LTE connectivity the new smartphone is expected to use.

All Samsung needs to confirm is that the iPhone 5 is shipping with 4G LTE and it can then apparently set its lawyers into action. As is typical with these patent lawsuits, Samsung will most likely seek an import ban meaning the iPhone 5 may not be able to leave its manufacturing plants and make it to the US to fulfill pre-orders. If such a thing ruling was made, Apple would most likely do a deal that meant it no longer pursued Samsung product bans, and might even forget about that billion dollar payout.

Facing Samsung in court again may not phase Apple even though the shoe will firmly be on the other foot this time. However, there’s two other companies set to try and block sales of the new iPhone. The first is the company behind the GooPhone i5, which successfully managed to patent the design of its phone in China that just happens to look like the leaked shots we have seen of the iPhone 5. If the two phones do indeed look the same, expect a lawsuit.

Apple may easily get that case thrown out on a prior art claim, but then there’s HTC to deal with. Apple is attempting to get two HTC patents relating to data transmission invalidated, but the comments of a US trade judge recently make that seem unlikely. If Apple doesn’t succeed, then it either has to settle with HTC or face both an iPad and iPhone 5 ban.

The iPhone 5 launch event is happening tomorrow, that is for certain. Whether Apple will have any iPhone 5 stock available to fulfill preorders in a few weeks is becoming increasingly uncertain.