Getting Rid of Your Old iPhone 4S? Apple Will Pay You For It

With mere weeks until the rumored release of the iPhone 5, Apple fanboys and girls may be clamoring to rid themselves of the old to make room for the new.

Looking to offset the cost of upgrading? If you own an iPhone 4S, then you’re in luck. Through its Reuse and Recycling program, Apple will offer $345 on an Apple gift card in exchange for the old device, depending on its condition, The Next Web reports.

The online wizard lets users select the model, color and condition of your iPhone 4S, and will then provide an estimated value of the device. Naturally, its value diminishes if there are scratches, water damage and other issues.

Reuse and Recycling extends to other Apple devices, including iPads, Macs and even PC computers. If your device qualifies after being sent in for assessment, the gift card you receive can be used at any Apple retail and online store. If not, the company says it will recycle it for you at no cost.

Other third-party retailers, such as eBay, also sell the iPhone 4S. A quick look at the site shows the device going for much higher prices, often upwards of $500.

Would you sell your iPhone 4s to Apple? And would you use the earnings on a brand-new iPhone 5? Tell us in the comments below. (Mashable.com)

We Knew The iPhone Was Popular, But We Didn’t Know It Was Worth More Than All Of Microsoft

We’ve had the talk about the reported miniature iPad, we seem to have gotten over the physical Apple television set rumors and we have had our fair share of the Apple versus Samsung discussions so with the company looking likely to announce the next-generation release of their popular smartphone, it must be time to turn focus back onto the iPhone. Thanks to unprecedented interest in the possible specifications of the release, the iPhone is very rarely out of the media, which is something that has obviously paid off for Apple when you consider the staggering statistic that we are about to talk about.

Apple aren’t just the company that makes the iPhone. They also have the iPod touch, the iPad and an extremely powerful range of high-end Mac machines that are successful in their own right and classed as products that form the upper end of their individual markets. With that said, it is the iPhone that forms the basis of the amazing statistic that shows the product generates higher sales than the combined total of all of Microsoft’s products and services.

If you told me that the iPhone sales were higher than the combined sales of some other run of the mill, moderately successful company. then I wouldn’t be as surprised as I am but we are talking about Microsoft and talking about sales of Windows, the Office suite of applications, the Xbox gaming console, the emerging Windows Phone mobile operating system and the revenue that their Bing search engine provides. In fact, as Forbes points outs, we are talking about every single Microsoft product that has been created since 1975.

One Apple product, something that didn’t exist five years ago, has higher sales than everything Microsoft has to offer. More than Windows, Office, Xbox, Bing, Windows Phone, and every other product that Microsoft has created since 1975. In the quarter ended March 31, 2012, iPhone had sales of $22.7 billion; Microsoft Corporation, $17.4 billion.

It might seem a little hard to believe, but the figures speak for themselves. For the first financial quarter of 2012, the iPhone had shipped enough units to bring in total sales of $22.7 billion, with Microsoft bringing in $17.4 billion across the company. It is worth noting that it is an extremely difficult task to attempt to compare the worth of the iPhone against Microsoft as one is a product of a company and well, the other is an entire company with multiple products. Although Apple have numerous other successful products and are the worlds richest company, the bottom line is that their iPhone sales are currently more than the whole of Microsoft. Remarkable. (Remondpie.com

Deets For iOS Lets You Organize Contact Groups And Manage Relationships On The Fly

Staying permanently connected to the people around us is one of the main benefits which comes associated with owning devices like smartphones and tablets. Being able to store all of our contacts and information about friends and family in once place is an amazingly powerful thing that shouldn’t be overlooked, but what if we could head on over to the App Store and download an application which took that functionality to the next level? Maybe we can, thanks to the introduction of the deets iOS app.

The App Store information describes deets as an "on the fly, group communication tool", which in all honesty doesn’t really tell us anything about it. The main purpose of the app is to allow people to stay connected and be updated with information from their contacts automatically, to ensure everything is up-to date, with an added advantage of having built-in file sharing features on top. But again, that doesn’t really tell us much about this rather mysterious app. The development team have built a little bit of all sorts into the app, including communication-based features, contact data sync services as well as including a small element of social networking.

The application allows users to effectively create groups of contacts that can be entirely personalized depending on what type or level of information you wish to share with that particular group. As an example, rather than have a generic physical business card that contains all of a persons personal information, deets is the equivalent of having a set of business cards that contain varying degrees of info depending on who they are being handed out to. I may have a deets group for my family with whom I share everything. But I could also have a different group for my employers who only have access to my email address and mobile number.

Sounds like a fairly good concept and something which we have seen already in some form or another in some social network, but the app also has the ability to share additional non-contact based data like photographs and certain files. The main dashboard of the app is where the user can stay up to date with what is going on in their groups, with the whole app being packaged together into a very nice and intuitive user-interface. (Redmondpie.com)

Volvo Turns iPad Into X-Ray Scanner

Volvo launched an x-ray app at the Geneva Auto Show that allows users to turn their iPhones and iPads into handheld x-ray scanners.

Digital agency La Comunidad Miami created the app. Users can walk around a Volvo and see a full 360-degree x-ray view beneath its skin, with callouts to the patented, world’s first Volvo innovations inside. The augmented reality technology behind it fuels the app, enabling devices to read markers that are placed around the car.

A huge success at the Geneva Auto Show, the app will be used in other Auto Shows around the world, as well as Volvo dealers. Take a look at the video below showing how this innovative technology works.

Samsung Will Give You Up to $300 for Your Old Smartphone

Samsung is giving you another reason to choose its smartphones — a rebate of up to $300 for your old smartphone.

The program, unveiled on the brand’s Facebook Page on Monday and on samsungupgrade.com, promises a refund within 30 days for anyone who buys a new Samsung smartphone and mails in their old one. A trade-in on an iPhone 4S 64GB in perfect condition will fetch you the full $300, but the rebates fall sharply from there. For instance, a 32GB version of the same model will only get you $230 and the 16GB version will get you $215.

However, such a rebate will essentially render a new top-of-the-line Samsung smartphone free or close to it: A Samsung Galaxy S III is $199 with a new contract and a Galaxy Note costs $249 with a new contract. The push comes as Samsung’s sales far outpace Apple’s on a global basis, but, like Microsoft, is viewed these days as an underdog against the Cupertino powerhouse. The Samsung-Apple skirmish isn’t just happening in the marketplace, though: The two are in the midst of a protracted courtroom battle over Samsung’s alleged theft of Apple’s mobile phone intellectual property.

In addition, both Apple and Samsung look to be planning big announcements over the next few weeks: Samsung has a mysterious event planned for Aug. 15 that appears to be related to its Galaxy Note devices. Apple, meanwhile, is reportedly planning to introduce a new iPhone model on Sept. 12.

What do you think? Is this incentive enough to make you want to switch to Samsung? Let us know in the comments. (Mashable.com)

Purported Non-Functioning Next-Gen iPhone Appears.. In Bangkok

Depending on which report you happen to come across, we could be anywhere between six or ten weeks away from a possible Apple announcement regarding the technical details and visuals of the next-generation iPhone. Over the last few weeks, it has been widely reported that the new iPhone will launch during the month of October, exactly twelve months after the announcement of the iPhone 4S. However, recent speculation seems to be pointing towards a September 12th Apple media event where we could see a new model iPad as well as a couple of new iPods and the new iPhone.

It doesn’t really matter on which date we’ll actually see the new iPhone in person. The fact is; the release of the highly anticipated device is fast approaching us, so we need to get our wallets ready for action. Although Apple never officially showcase their releases until the actual media event itself, we somehow always manage to get a pretty decent idea of what the product might look like from piecing together various leaked parts and components.

The images of the purported device are claimed by the source to be of prototype iPhone which is used to allow manufacturers to finalize designs and production of accessories such as cases. Before we all get excited, it’s worth noting that even if this is an official prototype unit, Apple doesn’t just send out fully functional devices to any random company. The unit is non-functional and is primarily used for getting a better feel of the actual physical size.

As mentioned earlier, it really is impossible to determine whether or not this is a legitimate resource or just an elaborate fake to look and mimic the upcoming iPhone. If it is the latter, then the creator has done a pretty impressive job of knocking up a shell that looks extremely convincing. The device in the images show the smaller 19-pin dock connector which we are pretty sure will be on the new iPhone, as well as the new speaker grills and the 9mm audio socket relocated to the bottom rim of the device. I for one hope that this is an exact representation of what is to come as it looks pretty stunning. (Redmondpie.com)

iPhone catches fire in 17-year-old’s pocket

Just a week after we reported that an iPhone had overheated, melting a mat, video footage has emerged of an iPhone allegedly exploding in a 17-year-old’s pocket.

Finnish news site Kauppalehti has obtained security camera footage of Henri Helminen leaving a van and walking calmly away as smoke billows from his back pocket, he eventually pulls the smouldering device out of his pocket and throws it to the floor.

Helminen told Kauppalehti: “The phone was working perfectly” before the incident.

These kinds of overheating incidents are frequently the result of a previous knock or liquid intrusion, either of which can disrupt the internal circuitry and cause short-circuits. Ivanov has said she dropped the iPhone 3GS into a swimming pool more than a year before it overheated, but thought she’s solved the problem by leaving the iPhone in a bowl of rice for a few days. (http://www.macworld.com.au)

Apple's rivals swoop as iPhone China sales flag

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's disappointing China sales suggest that its customers will not always wait for the next iPhone when rivals such as Samsung have plenty of flashy new models available now, analysts and resellers said on Wednesday.

China is Apple's second-largest market, and its rabid fans have been known to seek out smugglers just to get their hands on the latest gadgets before they officially go on sale in Beijing and Shanghai stores.

But an iPad 3 launch in China last week did not generate the normal buying frenzy, and lackluster April-to-June sales of the iPhone 4S have some analysts questioning whether Apple products are losing their status as the must-have accessory for China's hip and affluent.

"The (iPhone 4S) model is a little bit too long in the tooth when compared to other phones with better specs," said TZ Chuang, a Beijing-based analyst from research firm IDC.

"To put it plainly, consumers are getting a little bit tired of the look of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S."

Apple's sales from greater China, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, totaled $5.7 billion for its third quarter ended June, an unexpectedly steep drop of $2.2 billion from the January-March period.

Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, told analysts that about half of the quarter-to-quarter decline stemmed from "changes in the inventory channel" rather than weak sales of its iPhone 4S, which analysts took to mean that Apple had built up excess inventory in the first three months of the year.

That extra inventory meant resellers did not need to buy as many iPhones in the April-June period. The iPhone 5 is expected to be released later this year, with enhanced Chinese language capabilities, so that likely contributed to resellers' slower orders of the 4S as well.

Cook also pointed out that iPhone 4S sales were very strong in China over the first three months of this year, so there was probably some drop-off in demand after that period.

SIRI LEARNS MANDARIN

Consumers in China, which has the world's largest number of mobile subscribers, were spoilt for choice with a slew of new phones available over the past few months from brands such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and HTC Corp.

Samsung, which flagged a record quarterly profit of $5.9 billion earlier this month, saw stronger-than-expected demand for its latest Galaxy S III model, while HTC's One X also gained popularity among phone users globally, including the greater China region.

"The S III and One X are outselling the iPhone now because people like their wider screens, better cameras and the apps are pretty good," said a salesperson at an electronics store in Hong Kong that carries phones from Apple, Samsung, HTC and Nokia Ojy.

New smartphones made by China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, ZTE Corp and Xiaomi were also hot sells, in part because the price was right. They are heavily subsidized by China's three telecom carriers.

Apple is expected to release its next iPhone around October, according to sources, about a year after the launch of the 4S, which was a hot seller in the first three months of 2012 and helped to drive Apple's stellar earnings in that period.

There was one hitch for Chinese consumers, however: Siri, the voice-activated personal assistant program that was a popular selling point globally for the 4S, does not speak Mandarin or Cantonese, which are widely spoken in mainland China and Hong Kong.

The iPhone 5 version of Siri will have those language skills, according to sales staff in an Apple store in Shanghai's Pudong financial district, which a Reuters reporter visited on Wednesday. That is one more reason for Chinese customers to hold off until the new phone is available.

"Since iPhone 5 will come out soon, operators don't want to buy in any more iPhone 4S as they will add to the inventory," said Ming Chi Kuo, an analyst from KGI Securities.

(Reporting by Lee Chyen Yee in HONG KONG, Clare Jim in TAIPEI and Melanie Lee in SHANGHAI; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Alex Richardson)

What's up dock? Apple to shrink connector for iPhone 5

TAIPEI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Apple Inc's (NSQ:AAPL - News) new iPhone will drop the wide dock connector used in the company's gadgets for the best part of a decade in favour of a smaller one, a change likely to annoy the Apple faithful but which could be a boon for accessory makers.

The iPhone 5, Apple's next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port "to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom", two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

That would mean the new phone would not connect with the myriad of accessories such as speakers and power chargers that form part of the ecosystem around iPods, iPads and iPhones, without an adaptor.

That means new business, analysts say.

"It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors," said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys. "The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected."

Apple did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Tech blogs have long speculated on the demise of the 30-pin connector, which at 21 mm wide takes up a chunk of space, especially as the latest technologies such as microUSB offer more power in less space.

They say that a smaller connector would give Apple more scope for new product designs or a bigger battery, or simply to make ever smaller products.

Switzerland's Logitech (VTX:LOGN.VX - News), one of the biggest makers of Apple speakers, declined to comment.

But some enterprising vendors in China have already begun offering cases for the new phone, complete with earphone socket on the bottom and a "guarantee" the dimensions are correct.

For some in the peripherals industry, the change could open doors to new business.

"iPod docking speaker sales have been declining for one or two years," said an employee of a Hong Kong-based company that designs speakers especially for Apple products.

"My previous factory is a lucky one. They shifted the focus to Bluetooth speakers, which proved a wise decision now," the employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"It looks like while iPod speaker sales are going down, Bluetooth speaker sales are going up."

HAPPY TO UPGRADE?

Apple has already said that some users of older models of its Macbook computers won't be able to use the latest operating system to be announced soon, but analysts think it will be kinder to mobile gadget users.

"Apple needs to find a solution not to disappoint their current clients who want to upgrade to the new iPhone but are tied to an expensive accessory that have bought," said Franciso Jeronimo, London-based analyst at technology research firm IDC.

"I believe Apple will come up with some sort of adaptor so the new iPhone can be used with previous connectors."

It could be a difficult change for Apple to manage, even with an adaptor.

"With a smaller connector, what am I going to do with my loudspeaker at home and the fitness pack that I use when I go to the gym? That's the question," said 24-year old Travis Tam, who owns an iPhone 4 and works as an account executive at a social networking company in Hong Kong.

"I feel that the premium gap between the next iPhone 5 and newest Android models is getting much smaller these days. That will mean that details such as having a smaller connector will mean more in whether I will continue to use an iPhone and switch to other Android phones."

A salesman surnamed Chan at an Apple reseller in Hong Kong thought a smaller connector would be a "pain", and would spoil the clean lines and seamless connectivity that is Apple's trademark.

"There are ways around it as some of the speakers have an audio input point that can be connected directly to any iPhone with a earphone jack. It's not a very elegant way of doing things, but it's an alternative," he said.

In the end though, Apple fans are Apple fans.

"I don't think it will stop Apple consumers from buying the new gadgets," said C.K. Lu, Taipei-based analyst at research firm Gartner. "Many companies are interested in developing accessories for Apple because Apple users are more open and willing to buy accessories." (Additional reporting by Tarmo Virki in HELSINKI and Caroline Copley in ZURICH; Writing by Jonathan Standing; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Source: Yahoo!

iPhone 5 release date rumors in September with quad-core processor, 4-inch front panel and in-cell tech

More rumors about the launch, components and others specs for Apple’s next flagship device have surfaced recently.

Gizmodo came up with a list of the benefits and drawbacks that such a 16:9 resolution could bring.

The site sees a 16:9 display as the “format of the future,” with HD videos, TV shows, home videos standing as proofs and also more pixels and more information added on the screen of the next iPhone.

In terms of disadvantages, the site believes that the battery life of the iPhone would be greatly affected because of the increase in graphic power demands, pixel activation, and backlighting.

Developers would have to redesign their apps for the new screen, and in addition, the idea of a 16:9 ratio was not approved of by Steve Jobs, who believed that such a change didn’t make sense in terms of design of the smartphone.

Adding to the recent iPhone 5 release date rumors was a note by Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White who estimates that the handset will hit the market in September this year.

White claims that Apple is likely to come up with a competitive iPhone that would be sold in tens of millions of copies by the end of the year in order to face up to competition with the next Samsung Galaxy Note and the possible release of the Microsoft Surface tablets.

The analyst also wrote that Chinese news website Sina.com reports that the company producing the battery for the iPhone 5 is having trouble meeting Apple’s standards in terms of batteries.

“If there is a battery challenge, we trust that Apple will be able to figure it out in time for a September launch,” White wrote, according to AppleInsider.

The same analyst also reported about a recent drop in sales at Wintek, Apple’s supply chain partner involved in production of display touch panels, and speculated that this decrease could be related to the implementation of in-cell panels for the iPhone 5.

White believes that Wintek’s role in Apple’s supply chain is fading as the company moves to new technologies.

As for specs of the iPhone 5, the device is also rumored to come with a quad-core processor, similar to the Samsung Series 4 Exynos.

In addition, Chinese technology blog MyDrivers posted a leaked picture of a larger, 4-inch front panel for the next iPhone, apparently from supply chain sources.

Insiders claim that in-cell technology was used in order to allow the introduction of touch sensors directly into the screen, which would help make the device thinner.

The first image presents the panel of the future iPhone, while the second one displays the iPhone 4/4S panel.

Source: InRumor.com

iPhone 5 rumors: battery challenges in the next iPhone

In a guest post written for Forbes, Noam Kedem, VP of marketing for Leyden Energy, a Fremont, California-based company that makes batteries for consumer electronics, electric vehicles and storage applications, speculates on the possible challenges Apple might face in building the battery of the next iPhone.

Kedem starts by writing about the problems the company faced before launching the latest iPad.

As Apple had to keep a balance between feature set, form factor and battery life with the tablet, questions have appeared regarding Cupertino’s strategy for the next iPhone.

4G LTE, Retina Display and an A5 processor with more powerful 3D graphics are some of the features of the device that will likely drain more power and generate more heat.

Kedem believes that the battery issues are caused by two aspects: energy density and thermal sensitivity.

In his opinion, increased packaging efficiency could help in getting higher energy density.

This could be possible, he argues, by eliminating the protective casing needed for user-replaceable batteries as is the case with the non-removable Li-ion pouch cells now used in most smartphones on the market.

In addition, the manner in which the battery is placed could also lead to packaging efficiency.

Kedem describes the two ways in which a battery can be positioned inside a smartphone.

One method by integrating two layers of electronics, namely screen and circuitry, with a space “carved out” for the battery, which was used for the iPhone 4S.

The second one uses three layers: screen, circuitry, and battery. As the battery in the carve-out approach gets narrower, higher energy density is ensured.

As for the thermal sensitivity, a two-layer design would help keep a distance between the hottest parts of the device and the battery, an aspect Apple is likely to take advantage of, Kedem believes.

Source: http://www.inrumor.com

FLASHr acts as notification case for iPhone 4/4S

The feature acts as a notification light for calls, text messages and emails.

FLASHr is a case built for the iPhone 4/4S, powered by the smartphone’s LED camera flash, and the iOS built in “LED Flash Alerts”.

Several sides of the case are illuminated with the LED flash.

By turning on “LED Flash Alerts” in Accessibility settings, the device’s LED camera flash lights up for calls, texts, emails, and for Push Notifications.

According to Kickstarter, the authors of this project, the case is made of three layers.

Light rays coming from the camera flash are reflected onto the Glow Frame and then bounced internally, which produces the effect of a glowing case.

Each of the three layers is available in five colors which guarantee 125 possible color combinations.

Pledge $35 for one of six color combinations or $50 for a special edition of a clearer outer frame.

Source: http://www.inrumor.com

Next iPhone Reportedly Confirmed To Use Nano-SIM Card, Carrier Testing Already Underway

Earlier on this week, we learned European carriers were stockpiling nano-SIM cards in anticipation for the launch of the next-generation iPhone. For those who missed the previous report, the nano-SIM removes all needless plastic from the micro-SIM, saving those precious extra millimeters within a mobile device for more important hardware.

Following on from that initial report, another has cropped up stating the new cards are currently being tested by mobile networks. BGR, a blog which seems very in the loop with regards to the next iPhone after yesterday confirming NFC, 4G LTE, and present production stage, has once again provided the scoop, and reckons carriers throughout Europe are now testing the minuscule SIM.

The BGR report cites numerous carrier sources, and apparently, Apple is supplying nano-SIMs with specially-suited adapters (as was the case with micro-SIM), which enables carrier partners to test and ensure the network runs smoothly on the new, smaller SIM before committing to implementing a nano-SIM tray on devices.

With BGR stating mass production of the next iPhone was not yet in motion, it could be that Apple plans to introduce the new SIM with the unannounced device. The Cupertino outfit has received approval for the new smaller SIM, and with the “iPhone 5″ rumored to be the thinnest to date, it would make sense for the company to take all the necessary steps in deploying this technology as soon as possible.

Having a little extra space within the device could prove invaluable to Apple, but I’m sure consumers will be a little aggrieved to see a new SIM standard so quickly after the micro-SIM arrived with the iPhone 4. Swapping SIMs between devices with different size trays can be a major pain in the backside, and I’m sure many of you will have been using Sellotape and scissors in order to get your SIM working properly on your devices in the past.

How To Change The Color Of The Lock Screen Clock In iOS

When it comes to the world of jailbreaking and the associated tweaks that are housed within Cydia, history has shown us that small and easy to use packages can sometimes be the best and most fun to use and interact with. There are always exceptions to this and there might come an instance when a little depth is required, but the tweaks that offer a quick and fun solution to something generally have a lot of mileage in them.

One good example of this is a tweak that is sure to notch up a lot of downloads is the ColorClock package that has recently found its way onto Cydia, thanks to developer Yakir Hazan. You don’t need to be an expert to work out exactly what this little offering does, but I am pretty sure that it will bring a much-needed customization option to those users who are willing to spice up their theming habits.

After installation, ClockColors doesn’t install any additional home screen icons, with users being able to manually control the look of the clock through the dedicate settings panel that comes with the package. I am always an advocate for developers who include an on or off toggle within the tweak’s settings, and thankfully, Hazan has included this with his latest creation.

Changing the color is as simple as entering the preferences panel through the native Settings app and then choosing a new color from the predefined list. It is worth noting that after a new color has been chosen, the device will need to undergo a respring or reboot before the change takes effect. Aside from the fact that this package does exactly as promised, it also does offer a nice visual change to the lock screen for those who might be a little bored of the default white clock. Unfortunately, the developer hasn’t included any localized English strings with the tweak, meaning that the options are only in his native language. With that said, the options are simple enough to be understood and worked around with.

ColorClock is available as a free of charge download from the MacCiti repository with no iOS version requirements being given.

Source: Redmondpie.com

Latest Leaked Images Suggest a 4-Inch iPhone 5

Another day, another set of iPhone 5 rumors. Images released over the weekend of the purported iPhone 5 are the latest in a long list of speculations on the upcoming Apple device. Every year since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, we’ve been subject to a constant flow of rumors between releases. This year’s been no different, with consistent buzz that the famously tight-lipped tech giant will be altering the design of its signature product to include a larger display and other tweaks.

Blog Apple.Pro released images of what it claims are the front face plate of the new device on Sunday. The images show minor alterations to the current iPhone 4S design, with the camera shifting position and a slightly longer body to make room for a 4-inch display. The Wall St Journal has previously reported that the Cupertino-based company will bump the iPhone’s display size half an inch.

Apple prognosticators expect the company will release the sixth-iteration of the iPhone this fall but until then expect more rumors about what’s in store for the company’s signature device.

Do you believe these images show the real iPhone 5? Tell us what you’re expecting from Apple’s new iPhone in the comments.

Source: Mashable