Best Buy lowers iPhone 4 price to $50 on contract

If you’ve been eying the iPhone 4 for that low price point of $99 lately for the 8GB model, we have some great news. In what we are hearing is a new, permanent price drop, Best Buy is now selling Apple’s 8GB iPhone 4 for only $49 with a new 2-year contract agreement. This goes for Verizon, AT&T, and the Now Network.

Checking over at Best Buy’s website this doesn’t appear to be a sale of any sort, and is the actual price moving forward. For those that don’t need the iPhone 4S, this is a solid price and comes just in time for those back to school shoppers. This new price comes just a few days after Apple’s Q3 earnings report earlier this week. Where they stated to have sold around 27 million iPhones this quarter, which was viewed as low numbers.

We can expect sales of the older iPhone 4 to soar a little bit with the new competitive pricing, although with all the recent rumors of the iPhone 5 (or the new iPhone) some might be waiting to see what Apple has up their sleeves. If you’re eligible for an upgrade and are ready to sign a new contract, head to Best Buy and snag the iPhone 4 8GB for just $49.99 available today.

[via Tuaw]


Best Buy lowers iPhone 4 price to $50 on contract is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


Proof That the iPhone 4 Could Have Been a Sony Product—According to Apple Itself [Apple]

FWD highlights an early iPhone 4 concept design created by Apple’s designer Shin Nishibori. It unequivocally confirms what I’ve repeatedly said since the introduction of the iPhone 4: it feels like an old school Sony product. Just like the iPhone 5 design or my custom wooden iPhone 4, which feels like a 70s Betamax VCR. [FWD] More »

Apple v. Samsung court filings reveal Sony-inspired iPhone, kickstand-equipped iPad and other prototypes

There’s no telling how much more we’ll see once the big Apple vs. Samsung trial finally gets underway in a San Jose federal court next week, but today has already seen the release of a swath of new documents full of surprises. Most notably, that includes a range of previously unseen Apple prototype devices, including various renderings of both the iPhone and iPad. One standout is an iPhone 4-esque device that quite literally wears its Sony influence on its sleeve (in one instance with the logo changed to “Jony,” a la Apple’s Jony Ive). According to the filing, it was designed by Apple’s Shin Nishibori, and was apparently up against another more metallic, iPod-style device at one point (ultimately winning out despite some protestation).

But those are far from the only iPhone prototypes that have been revealed. There’s also an elongated device identified by the codename N90, seemingly with a small screen and space for a keypad or input area of some sort below, plus a device with squared off corners somewhat reminiscent of the Motorola Photon 4G. Another prototype goes in the opposite direction, with sharp corners and a slightly rounded back. As for the iPad, we’ve gotten a look at some more recent prototypes than the early 2000-era model that surfaced earlier this month. While there’s no stylus in sight, there are a couple of iPad prototypes with kickstands built into the back of the device, and a number of considerably different designs than what Apple ultimately settled on. Dive into the galleries below for a closer look at the whole lot.

Michael Gorman contributed to this report.

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Apple v. Samsung court filings reveal Sony-inspired iPhone, kickstand-equipped iPad and other prototypes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Define Failure: 26m iPhones, good or bad?

26m iPhones in a three month period. Apple’s Q3 2012 results are out, and while the huge year-on-year growth for iPad is an eye-catcher, it’s the shifting sales of the company’s flagship smartphone that have split opinion. For many – Nokia, for instance, or HTC – 26m sales would be the very definition of “a good problem to have”, but for Apple it’s not so straightforward. While the company has seen 28-percent year-on-year growth for the iPhone, its also seen a 26-percent drop quarter-on-quarter. So, is the iPhone stumbling, or is this all entirely understandable?

Let’s get the basics out of the way. It’s a huge number of phones, especially when you consider it’s made up, not of dozens of variants of devices as in Samsung’s expansive range, but of three different models with a few color and capacity choices. It’s also very lucrative; Apple’s Q3 2012 revenue hit $35bn with $8.8bn profit for the three month period.

A good question is which version, exactly, fell in popularity. Apple doesn’t break down individual iPhone sales, so we don’t know if the decline in Q3 versus Q2 was across the board of iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S versions, or biased toward one or two of those. Given the 3GS is now almost three years old, and very obviously a “previous gen” model from the aesthetics, it’s perhaps not unreasonable to assume that it would carry the brunt of the decline.

On the horizon, meanwhile, is the iPhone 5. Apple’s cyclical refresh pattern makes for a comfortable pace for the company, but it also leads consumers to expect a new model at a certain time of year. That can have a distinct impact on sales – it’s hard to recommend buying even an iPhone 4S today, when a new iPhone is likely just around the corner. Even if that expectation is limited to the rumor-tracking minority of potential iPhone owners, that’s still a chunk of sales Apple could have missed.

“The competition has raised its game”

It’s also worth remembering that product cycles are just that: cycles, with a peak of demand and then a tail-off afterwards. The iPhone in its current forms has done well to hold out to 26m sales, but there’s no denying that the competition has raised its game since we saw it arrive with Siri and a better camera in late 2011. Samsung’s Galaxy S III mustered almost Apple-degrees of pre-launch intrigue and rumormongery, while HTC has, current struggles aside, had its moment in the spotlight with the capable One X and One S.

Many have a taste for bigger touchscreens and more superlatives on their spec sheets, and Android has, in its most recent iterations, come on in leaps and bounds to close the polish gap between it and iOS. In short, the iPhone isn’t the only game in town, and opting for Android needn’t be an act just as much of masochism as intentional preference.

The iPhone certainly looks weaker this quarter than it did the period before. But rivals should be wary of reading too much into Q3 figures. If the rumors are true, Apple is readying itself for the “revolutionary” phase of its biannual revolution/evolution pattern: a new phone as different from the iPhone 4S as that handset was similar to its predecessor. Factor in the iPhone 4 being the new free-on-contract option, the iPhone 4S getting a price cut to $99, and a glistening new flagship, and the Android army can expect a fight once more.


Define Failure: 26m iPhones, good or bad? is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.


iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater

iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater

Not quite ready to leave wandering the briny depths up to robots, but still crave some undersea tech? The freshly released iGills Smart Diving System can help. With a polycarbonate housing and free companion app, the setup turns your iPhone into a fully featured recreational dive computer and logbook that can plunge up to 130 feet into the drink. Once connected to the waterproof case’s 30-pin dock, handsets gain access to depth and temperature sensors in addition to six buttons for in-app navigation. Not only does the software provide vital dive information, it also allows users to take stills and videos of their underwater excursions through a glass camera port. If you’re pining for an iOS-assisted diving experience, the iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S-compatible rig will set you back $330. Check out a quick clip of the accessory, complete with requisite rock music, after the break.

Continue reading iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater

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iGills accessory turns iPhone into a dive computer, lets you film underwater originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Binder Clip Case Boosts Your iPhone’s Note Taking Capabilities [Cases]

Not even Siri’s voice-recognition capabilities can match the efficiency of jotting down a quick note on a piece of paper. So we like this simple binder clip adorned iPhone case that keeps a small stack of paper close at hand. More »

FreedomPop jumping from WiMAX to LTE by year’s end, iPhone sleeves intact

FreedomPop

Followers of FreedomPop’s saga have seen the fledgling data-only provider make a few audacious claims: providing free bandwidth, for one, and basing its 4G device lineup as much on iPhone sleeve cases as on traditional access points. Add another one to the list — the MVNO is planning to switch from Clearwire’s WiMAX network to Sprint’s LTE before 2012 is over. While FreedomPop is still planning to go forward with WiMAX for the initial deployment, it’s now looking to use tri-mode EV-DO, LTE and WiMAX modems and phone cases just months later. We’ll see if that leads to existing iPhone 4 and 4S owners getting an LTE fix without having to spring for a new phone; marketing VP Tony Miller wouldn’t tell GigaOM more. Either way, it’s a mixed blessing for data addicts that might find themselves crashing that much faster through the 500MB regular cap on free data.

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FreedomPop jumping from WiMAX to LTE by year’s end, iPhone sleeves intact originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over sound reduction patent, files lawsuit to match

Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over noise reduction patent, files lawsuit to match

Apple faces litigation claiming that it’s using patented technology all the time, often from small patent holding companies with dollar signs in their eyes. Noise Free Wireless has just filed a patent lawsuit against Apple whose allegations are considerably, well, louder. The firm maintains that it had been pitching its patented noise cancellation to Apple in periodic meetings between 2007 and 2010, only to watch as 1 Infinite Loop used Audience’s technology for the iPhone 4 instead — and supposedly handed some of Noise Free’s work to a competitor. An Apple patent filed the same year borrows some of that work, Noise Free insists, in addition to the iPhone in question. Neither side is talking about the details to outlets like Macworld, although we’d be cautious about accepting either company’s position at face value. However much Apple may protest its innocence regardless of circumstances, Noise Free certainly has a vested interest in retribution after losing out on such a big contract.

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Noise Free Wireless alleges Apple is tone deaf over sound reduction patent, files lawsuit to match originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple’s prepaid sphere grows a little larger

nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple's prepaid sphere grows a little larger

Virginia’s nTelos was part of a big regional carrier push for the iPhone in April. At the time, though, the only real option at the carrier was to spring for one of the company’s full-fledged smartphone plans, usually on-contract — not a bad value at $80, but a tougher case to make when there’s Cricket and Virgin Mobile iPhones available with a cheaper rate. As of today, nTelos is offering a much sweeter deal for the commitment-phobic. If the $550-plus full price of an iPhone 4 or 4S stays palatable, the option is now open to go prepaid at $55 a month for unlimited voice, messaging and data with nTelos’ FRAWG Nationwide Unlimited Everything plan. You’ll still want to reside in the state for nTelos to truly make sense, but if you regularly cheer the Hokies with pride, going the Apple route just got a lot more flexible.

[Thanks, Garrett]

nTelos starts selling iPhone without contract, Apple’s prepaid sphere grows a little larger originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visualized: The iPhone five years after launch

Visualized The iPhone five years after launch

In case you somehow missed it, today is an important milestone in technology nostalgia: it’s the fifth anniversary of the original iPhone’s launch. We’ll let you explore the memories of that insane day on your own terms, but ComScore has produced a visual breakdown of just how ownership has grown and shifted over the years. It’s not hard to see that adoption has been on an accelerating curve, especially after the 2010 launch of the Retina display-toting iPhone 4: as of this past May, about three quarters of owners have either the iPhone 4 or the iPhone 4S. And the 2007 edition? Only two percent of all iPhone owners are still actively holding on to the aluminum-clad debut model, which suggests most would rather have Siri than reminisce. Whether you’re a fan or have since moved on to a competitor, the chart is a reminder of just how far one of Steve Jobs’ biggest projects has come.

Visualized: The iPhone five years after launch originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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