AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and reportedly Sprint each stand to grab a healthy slice of the market demand for the new iPhone. But each carrier brings something different to the table, making it difficult to predict which one might benefit the most, says ComScore.

AT&T holds the dominant share of existing iPhone customers. As of July, 81.9 percent of iPhone subscribers were with AT&T, leaving only 15.1 percent for Verizon, according to the report.

Following the launch of the new phone, all current iPhone carriers will likely continue to offer the iPhone 4 at a discount. AT&T could pick up even more customers by also continuing to sell the iPhone 3GS cheap. But that advantage may be short-lived since at some point, the older model iPhone will cease production, especially if Apple launches a low-cost iPhone 4.

Though Verizon’s percentage of iPhone users may be low, its satisfaction rates continue to be high. In July, ComScore found that more than 76 percent of Verizon smartphone customers graded the carrier with a score of 8 or higher out of 10, compared with 68 percent for other carriers. Among existing iPhone users, 23 percent said that they will switch or are seriously thinking of switching to another provider, opening the door for more business to come Verizon’s way.

However, Sprint also stands to do well if it gets custody of the new iPhone as it would be the only carrier to still offer an unlimited data plan. That benefit alone could scoop up new customers and prompt current data-slurpping users to switch carriers to grab the lower-price plan. However, questions have been raised as to how long Sprint could retain its unlimited plan, especially given a flood of iPhone users gobbling up data that the network might having trouble supporting.

No matter how the carriers fare with the new iPhone, the one company certain to come out ahead is Apple, ComScore said.

“Putting the operators aside, the one clear winner so far would appear to be Apple, which stands to gain market share from the additional market sectors penetrated by Sprint and providing another device option for customers of AT&T and Verizon,” the report noted. “As the Android platform continues to grow in popularity, it will be interesting to see the role the iPhone 5 plays in the platform share race and how this will ultimately impact the operator industry.”

[Thanks: http://news.cnet.com]

Cases for both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 have appeared in AT&T stores. In addition, screenshots of AT&T’s inventory system showed iPhone 5 cases, as well, and from the major manufacturer Case-Mate, which lends credence to the existence of an iPhone 5 (we wouldn’t expect them to screw up, in other words).

With all these evidence, we’ve believed for some time of the existence of both models.

The latest evidence of an iPhone 4S comes from 9to5mac, which has found references to the iPhone 4S in the latest iTunes for Mac Beta (10.5 beta 9). In addition, the reference indicates that the iPhone 4S will be a dual-mode CDMA / GSM phone. It also clearly indicates that the iPhone 4S will be the N94 that has been referenced for months and believed to be the next-generation iPhone.

9to5mac believes this means that the iPhone 5 does not exist, saying “Today, rumors of a re-design can essentially be put to rest.”

We don’t necessarily agree.

Just because there’s a reference to the N94 linked to the iPhone 4S does not mean there is no iPhone 5. In fact, our own source, who formerly worked for Apple and still has close ties to relatively loose-lipped Apple employees, says the iPhone 4S has always existed. Apple just decided after the Verizon iPhone launch that a summer iPhone launch (with the iPhone 4S) was too near the Verizon launch and would upset too many people.

At the same time, our source says he’s see both models. It was, he noted, unclear if the iPhone 5 was complete, but upper management had been pushing engineers to finish the iPhone 5 in time for this October launch.
Meanwhile, if the iPhone 4S is still launched, it won’t have an upgraded A5 processor. Instead, it will have tweaks, such as a dual-mode CDMA / GSM model so that it can be sold without having to manufacture two models for Verizon / Sprint and one for AT&T. It will also have the Verizon antenna system, to reduce the chance of a “holding it wrong” moment.

The iPhone 5, he says, is as described (teardrop shaped, slimmer, 8MP camera, A5 processor, and more) in many places. The only possibility is that despite pushing engineers to get it done early than originally planned, it may not be ready. A second source says Apple is having problems with the beveled edge of the screen.

In terms of the iPhone 5, we believe it exists and will be delivered in the form rumored, despite our second source’s doubts. We feel the evidence, as well as moves by multiple companies (not just AT&T, but Case-Mate, Otterbox, and others) point in this direction. In addition, we don’t think Apple would make anxious iPhone fans wait 16 months for “just” a revamped iPhone 4S.

We’ll see if we’re wrong — or right — on Tuesday.

[Thanks: http://hothardware.com]

These images come via TUAW, and show placeholders for the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4S. These screenshots do not show images of either device, but offer a look at the possible specs for Apple’s new iPhone.

Before you get too excited, these could just be placeholders put up by an expecting carrier — but even that is a telling sign. Just yesterday, we saw the Sprint iPhone 5 show up in Radio Shack’s inventory system.

You see, these screenshots appeared on the pre-paid pages of Cincinnati Bell. This is the first time we have heard about this carrier getting the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S.

The first screenshot shows the specs of an iPhone 5. This includes a larger 4″ display, up from 3.5″ on the current iPhone 4. We also see an 8MP camera listed, which is an improvement over the current 5MP iPhone 4 camera, and we also see 4G data speeds listed. While this might get your heart beating a big faster, calm down. This isn’t real 4G LTE, which delivers super fast downloads. Instead, this is HSPA+, which is only 4G in a fantasy world where marketers control definitions.

Are these the iPhone 5 Specs?

Next up, we see a screenshot of an iPhone 4S placeholder. This is the rumored low cost, tweaked iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S claims to have the current iPhone 4′s 3.5″ display and 5MP camera, but has an upgraded A5 processor. This device is notably cheaper at $99 after an instant $300 rebate.

Are these the iPhone 4S specs?

We are waiting for Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, to announce the new iPhone on October 4th at the company’s headquarters in California. We expect at least one new iPhone, but we may actually get two unique devices on Tuesday. If the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S are announced by Apple, we expect a release date of mid October on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.

Apple is also expected to announce the iOS 5 release date. iOS 5 is a new version of the software that powers the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. This new version is rumored to bring voice control in the form of a new Assistant app, only available on the new iPhone, as well as over 200 new features to the iPhone 5 and older iPhones.

This leak gives us hope that Apple may go even broader with the launch and allow regional carriers that use Verizon, AT&T or Sprint towers to get in on the iPhone 5 game.

[Thanks: http://www.gottabemobile.com]

1. Apple started out with the classic iPods, that used FireWire 400, using a power adapter called the “Apple iPod Power Adapter.” It’s model number A1003, and the output is 12 watts (12 volts x 1 amp). It’s about 6 cm. on a side, and should be used with older iPods that use FireWire 400. It looks like this.

(Original) Apple iPod Power Adapter (FireWire 400) 12W

2. The next generation of chargers, arrived when the iPods went 100 percent USB. It was called “iPod USB Power Adapter.” It’s slightly smaller than the original adapter above, being about 4.5 cm. square. The model number is A1205, and it puts out 5 watts (5 volts x 1 amp.) It’s suitable for all USB iPods and the iPhone. (It shipped with the original iPhone.) If you bought several early iPods and worked your way up through the iPhones, you probably have a few of these laying around.

iPod USB Power Adapter 5W

3. When Apple came out with the iPad in April, 2010, its larger capacity battery called for a charger with more power. It ships with the “10W USB Power Adapter” model number A1357. It’s output is 10.7 watts (5.1 volts x 2.1 amps) Unfortunately, it looks just like #2.

10W USB Power Adapter (looks just like #2) 10.7W

If you try to use the old 5 watt adapter (#2 above) with an iPad, it will work, but it’ll charge the iPad much more slowly when it’s idle and perhaps not much at all when in active use. So if you have any “#2” type chargers laying around, it’s probably a good idea to mark them as 5W so you don’t accidentally try to use it with an iPad.

Recently, we bought one of these 10W adaprers for my wife at an Apple store so she could charge her iPad at work. It’s clearly marked as 10W in the product name. When you buy that product, you also get the optional extension cable that replaces the built-in power prong. Here’s a photo (Apple.)

4. Starting with the iPhone 3G, Apple started shipping iPhones with the “Ultracompact USB Power Adapter,” although it’s too small to actually print that text on it. The model number is A1265, and it’s about 2.8 x 2.5 cm and outputs 5 watts (5 volts x 1 amp.) Being as small as it is, it naturally suggests that you should only use it with iPod touch and iPhones.

Ultracompact USB Power Adapter 5W

In September, 2008, Apple discovered that some of these Ultracompact adapters had a defect that could lead to the prongs snapping off and offered to replace them free of charge. The replacement adapters have a small green dot next to the prongs.

It’s important to note that you can use the 10W charger (#3) to charge an iPhone. Even though it’s over capacity, both #3 and #4 chargers output 5V, and the iPhone will only take as much current as it needs to charge. There’s no risk of damaging your iPhone. See my comment above about the other way around.

The type printed on the sides of these power adapters is incredibly small; it’s almost impossible to read. I am 20/15 at 12 inches, and I needed a lighted magnifying glass to read the ultra-fine print, output and model numbers. So, as I mentioned above, a permanent marker and a code, 5W or 10W, for some of your #2 and #3 chargers is a good idea.

Nowadays, all iPads ship with #3 and all iPhones ship with #4. (The iPod touch comes with the USB Dock Connector cable but no power adapter.) So there shouldn’t be any confusion moving forward.

Thank goodness.

[Thanks: http://www.macobserver.com]

Between now and Monday — the day before Apple announces the new iPhone — TheNextWorth says it is guaranteeing $250 for all AT&T iPhone 4s (16GB and 32GB). Traditionally, the least expensive iPhone 4 starts at $199, but that’s with a two-year contract. The unsubsidized list price of a 16GB iPhone in the U.S. is $649 (from Apple), and it’s even more expensive in other countries.

To qualify for the $250 trade-in, NextWorth says phones “must be in good working condition with no heavy scratches or cracks.”

You can learn more at NextWorth’s iPhone trade-in page. The company will lock in the price for 21 days.

Another site, Gazelle.com is offering good prices, too, with its standard 30-day price lock-in: $250 for a “flawless” AT&T iPhone 4 with 32 GB; $225 for a “flawless” AT&T 16 GB model. Verizon models of the iPhone 4 go for less — $201 for a “flawless” 32 GB model, and $180 for the 16 GB version.

A “flawless” phone, according to Gazelle, is one that has “no noticeable flaws, still in its package or looks like new,” has “zero scratches” and has “no dust under the glass.”

Why are the AT&T iPhone 4s getting top dollar over the Verizon versions?

Representatives from both sites say that’s because the AT&T iPhone uses GSM technology, which is predominant worldwide, and best for re-selling the phones. Verizon uses CDMA technology, which is primarily used in the United States by Verizon and by Sprint. An unlocked AT&T iPhone could even be used in the U.S. on the T-Mobile network.

“The best time to trade an iPhone is between right now and the day the phone’s announced,” said Anthony Scarsella, Gazelle’s “chief gadget officer. “Once the phone’s announced, prices will start to drop a little.”

Another trade-in website to consider is BuyMyTronics.com.

Buyers appear to be eager for the new iPhone — when the next iPhone launches, it will have been about 16 months since the last one came out — and that may explain the trade-in fever Scarsella says his site has seen.

“Last year, we were getting 100 iPhone (trade-ins) a day pre-announcement of the new phone, and that spiked to 2,000 per day post-announcement,” he said. “This year, we’re looking at 700 trade-ins a day in the past few weeks, with a potential spike of 20,000 post-announcement.”

On Tuesday, when Apple announced it would “talk iPhone” Oct. 4, “someone was trading an iPhone every 10 seconds,” on Gazelle, he said.

“This behavior is very unprecedented,” he said. “Gadget owners usually wait until the announcement (of a new device) itself, but this year because of all the rumors and hype, people are locking in their prices and trades early.”

[Thanks: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com]

Instead, it’s business as usual for the carrier as it just announced two new handsets slated to launch on the company’s 4G HSPA+ 42 network.

“Our research shows almost every U.S. consumer wants a smartphone,” said T-Mobile chief marketing officer Cole Brodman at the GigaOM Mobilize mobile conference this week.

To appeal to that wide market, the service provider will launch the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Amaze 4G on October 12.

T-Mobile’s 4G network is similar to the pseudo-4G network originally offered by AT&T, but the difference is T-Mobile has actually worked to strengthen the technology and offer speeds that are competitive with rivals like Sprint.

AT&T, meanwhile, is working on replacing its 4G structure entirely and building a new network based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, which has made Verizon the fastest 4G operator on the market right now.

Both the Galaxy S II and the Amaze 4G will run on Android 2.3. The latter will also be NFC compatible, allowing the phone to be used as a virtual credit card in stores.

Both phones will be in the $230-$250 range for customers who sign up for a new two-year service agreement.

It seems like the AT&T merger isn’t slowing down T-Mobile one bit. The only thing that seems uncertain as a result of the proceedings is T-Mobile’s ability to land the iPhone. With Sprint rumored to be picking up the device this year, T-Mobile will be the last major player with no iPhone love, but that may be because Apple expects it to be rolled into AT&T.

However, with the batch of lawsuits and regulatory trouble AT&T has faced over the last month, the deal seems far from an open-and-shut case.

[Thanks: http://www.tgdaily.com]

Most notable is that even as AT&T serves up discounts this week on dozens of smartphones from rivals like Samsung and HTC, not a penny has been shaved off the price of its iPhone 4. This kind of indifference has come to be expected from AT&T customers, who watched the carrier respond to its impending loss of iPhone exclusivity by eliminating popular unlimited data plans and not lifting a finger to compete with the Verizon iPhone 4 which arrived in the spring.

That leaves AT&T iPhone customers in the position of going carrier-shopping with the launch of the iPhone 5 (but not to T-Mobile, which admits it won’t have the iPhone this year), with various factors marking the pros and cons of doing so. For those iPhone 5 buyers who are looking at marking the occasion by moving to Verizon or Sprint, here’s a look the ups and downs of it.

The first factor is a financial one. Verizon’s plans cost roughly the same as that of AT&T, while Sprint offers pricing which is cheaper for most users in most instances. However, any AT&T customer who bought their last iPhone less than two years ago is looking at having to pay off the remaining portion of their early termination fee if they’re going to change carriers at the iPhone 5 launch. There are actually three groups here. The first are those whose current iPhone is more than two years old and are already post-contract: they can change carriers without regard for cost.

The second are those who are eligible for upgrade pricing (typically twelve or eighteen months after purchase) but aren’t yet out of their contract: it’s cheaper for them to remain with AT&T because the iPhone 5 will cost the same no matter who they get it from, and leaving AT&T will require an ETF payment. The third group faces a different fate: those who aren’t yet upgrade-eligible will find themselves facing a $200 surcharge for an AT&T iPhone 5, and may come out ahead by buying a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 5 at standard pricing and using the savings to pay off their AT&T ETF.

Network quality is a significant factor but one which is tricky to quantify on a local level. For those who aren’t globe trotters, less important are national network quality rankings and more important are signal strength at ones home, place or work, favorite hangouts, and routes in between. A longtime AT&T iPhone user could be living in the middle of a Verizon dead spot and not know it; switching to a Verizon iPhone 5 could then become a nightmare. The way around this is to invite friends with Sprint and Verizon phones to come visit, and then check their reception while they’re over.

Network speed is another beast entirely. Both Verizon and AT&T have embarked on 4G LTE nationwide networks, but Verizon is much further along in that regard; neither one is anywhere close to being nationwide as of yet. The iPhone 5 may or may not even support 4G LTE, which won’t be confirmed until the device launches. Sprint offers a 4G network which is nationwide, but it’s significantly slower than the 4G LTE being promised by the other two carriers. It’s not yet known whether the iPhone 5 will support Sprint’s 4G, either.

Neither Verizon nor AT&T is offering unlimited data plans to new customers. Sprint is doing so, but reserves the right to revoke it down the road. Longtime AT&T iPhone users are still on an unlimited data plan if they’ve so chosen, and would lose this plan if they move to a Verizon iPhone 5. Then again, they could eventually lose the plan if AT&T revokes it later. Unlimited data plans mean you can surf the web as much as you like; those on limited data plans are in store for sizable overage fees if they go past their monthly limit.

[Thanks: http://www.beatweek.com]

Suddenly Sprint faced the prospect of being the smallest remaining carrier and the only one without the iPhone, leaving it in a weak position to compete going forward. Option one: get sucked up by Verizon in response to the AT&T – T-Mobile merger. Option two: add a Sprint iPhone 5 to the mix, giving existing customers an extra reason to stick around while also giving Verizon and AT&T customers a reason to consider switching sides. Sprint is going with the latter.

The evidence is everywhere: Sprint subcontractors installing signal boosters around Apple Stores. Language in Sprint’s lawsuit against the T-Mobile merger pointing to a future landscape in which it feels it won’t get a fair shot at competing even with the iPhone 5 under its belt. But that may be mere posturing on Sprint’s part, as the carrier has multiple approaches for pinching competitors’ iPhone customers when it launches its own iPhone 5.

The first is Sprint’s unlimited monthly data offerings, which stand in contrast to the moves by Verizon and AT&T to assign monthly data caps for the purpose of hitting customers with massive overage charges in the same manner as they once did with text message overages. The second is that even as Verizon is diddling with 4G and AT&T is pretending to diddle with it, Sprint has a (slower) 4G network nationwide already, although it remains to be seen which 4G technologies if any the iPhone 5 serves up. Then there’s the crop of T-Mobile customers who don’t like the prospect of ending up being part of AT&T (or whoever ends up acquiring T-Mobile) and view Sprint as the top alternative thanks to the fact that A) it’s smaller than Verizon and B) it now also has the iPhone 5.

Sprint will still face challenges even with the iPhone 5 on its roster. Existing iPhone customers are locked into upgrade cycles which make it difficult to escape the two-year contract without financial penalty (essentially, you have to buy an iPhone and use it for two years without upgrading or your stuck in a contract loop forever). And someone will end up snapping up T-Mobile, leaving Sprint all alone at the bottom of the food chain in terms of U.S. carrier size. But with the iPhone 5 in hand, at least Sprint won’t be fighting with both hands behind its back.

[Thanks: http://www.beatweek.com]

Previously, orders of the iPhone 4 for both AT&T and Verizon shipped within 24 hours. That fast turnaround applied to both black and white models, in capacities of 16GB and 32GB on both carriers.

But as of Thursday, AppleInsider discovered that the iPhone 4 now takes one to three days to ship direct from Apple, for all colors, capacities and carriers.

Similarly, the $49, 8GB iPhone 3GS, only available through AT&T in the U.S., also takes one to three business days to ship. The same applies for those who want to buy the unlocked GSM iPhone 4.

Lengthening shipping times are often an indication that Apple is running low on inventory ahead of a product refresh. For example, in February MacBook Pro shipments slipped to three to five days immediately before new models were introduced.

However, while shipping times for the iPhone 4 have slowed in the U.S., abroad they still have a 24-hour turnaround time. For example, in the U.K. and France, new orders still ship within a day of being placed.

Last year, the iPhone 4 debuted in the U.S., France, the U.K., Germany and Japan, before quickly expanding to other countries. In its first three days of availability, the iPhone 4 sold 1.7 million units.

This year’s introduction of a fifth-generation iPhone will come with a later-than-usual launch date, as Apple in years past has released a new iPhone in the months of June or July. Apple is widely expected to host an event in the coming weeks to introduce the so-called “iPhone 5″ ahead of an anticipated October launch.

The updated handset is expected to include a new, higher resolution 8 megapixel camera, as well as the high-speed A5 mobile processor currently found in the iPad 2. Rumors have been split as to whether the fifth-generation iPhone will sport an all-new design or one similar to the iPhone 4.

[Thanks: http://www.appleinsider.com]

No longer will target devices need to have Adobe Flash-playing capability in order to display video broadcast by Adobe Flash Media Server, which was updated to version 4.5 today. But that was just one of several new technologies being unveiled or demonstrated by Adobe today, however. Others include Flash Access 3.0, Open Source Media Framework (OSMF), and Adobe Pass.

In addition to the added iOS device support, Flash Media Server 4.5 will simplify deployment of advertising-supported online video. It will also let content providers far more easily offer on-demand streaming of a single video source to multiple target devices.

Flash Access is a studio-level content protection and monetization system that has been updated to support delivery to mobile devices. The new version lets content providers use a single back-end workflow to deliver content to multiple targets, including Android tablets and phones, connected TVs and Blu-Ray players. This, however, will require the upcoming Flash Player 11 or AIR 3, which should be available this quarter. The new system will allow users to create a personal video locker accessible from any of their screens, large or small.

Adobe Pass is a mechanism that enables cable networks to directly offer “TV Everywhere” pay content to their subscribers. Pass lets viewers sign in once to access content from multiple sources. For the provider, it offers easy integration, an open framework, and security. Ninety percent of pay TV households now have access to Adobe Pass providers, which include networks like AMC, Fox, IFC, CNN, TNT and A&E. Cable carriers that have signed on include Comcast, DirecTV, AT&T, Time Warner, and Verizon.

OSMF is an open-source framework for building video players and apps. The new version 1.6 adds Stage Video support with hardware-accelerated video, which means lower battery consumption on mobile devices. It also now supports multiple languages, home-and-away options, and multiple audio tracks for accessibility needs. A new DVR-like feature will require Flash Media Server 4.5, and HTTP streaming has been improved for higher-quality video playback.

PCMag.com spoke with Ashley Still, Adobe director of product management, last week about the company’s new streaming video offerings. When asked what they meant for consumers, Still said, “Flash Media Server 4.5 is really about delivering broadcast-quality content. The biggest impact to consumers is that they can get premium content online, pay once and they don’t have to think about where they’re going to watch. It doesn’t have to be just on the TV, but can be on tablets (including the iPad now), mobile phones, and even Internet-connected Blu-ray players. And it’s on-demand.”

As for broadcasters, “it makes sense to add support for new devices, and they won’t have to lose revenue they’re already getting,” she said.

Prices broadcasters will pay for the products haven’t changed from previous versions, with Flash Media Streaming Server 4.5 starting at $995, the Interactive Server edition costing $4,500, and the Enterprise Server going for $45,000. It’s also available as a service from various partners and CDNs, such as Amazon and Akamai. Flash Access is priced by CPM or unit, while Open Source Media Framework is a free download.

[Thanks: http://www.pcmag.com]