Apple iPhone News

It may be a sign of the times because Starbucks is one of the first major corporations that is giving consumers the option of paying for their goods through their smart phones. Of course, you will need to have your iPhone 4, iPod Touch or Blackberry handy at the time of purchase. People have been shopping online with their cell phones for some time now, but normally they would visit a website and enter their credit card details. This new payment method will surely help consumers that are in a hurry as all they will need to do is scan their iPhones or other smart phones over a sensor and wait for the receipt.

Starbucks is trying out this technology in about 1,000 of their stores before launching this new smart phone payment option globally. It may be a few years before other companies start to offer this form of payment but it may not be long before you are using your iPhone to pay for groceries, doctor’s visits and even pay for meals at nearby street vendors. Because iPhones and other Apple products are one of the most frequently stolen electronics in the world, extra security measures will need to be put into place so that thieves don’t have the option of going on shopping sprees at the expense of their victims. Smart phone developers have long been talking about these ‘virtual wallet’ payment methods, and if all goes well consumers will have another reason to purchase smart phones.

You probably didn’t even know that the prepaid iPhone 4 was available on the market, but it’s been on the market in Dubai for several months. In many countries, consumers prefer to purchase smart phones while paying for minutes in advance. It’s kind of a way to avoid overage fees, but it is also very beneficial for those that travel often. The problem that Dubai was having under recently was the fact that these unlocked prepaid smart phones were being sold on the black market, with more than half of then ending up in neighboring countries. The prices that consumers were paying for the prepaid iPhone 4 was more than double that of the retail cost. As leaders in Dubai do not want the country to be known as a place where backroom trades occur, UAE telco du stepped in and banned the sales of all prepaid iPhones in response. As one of the country’s largest distributors of the prepaid iPhone 4, they feel a large responsibility when it comes to protecting the interests of consumers.

Another technology company in Dubai, Etisalat, has suspended sales as well. Sales associates at Etisalat have reportedly told shoppers that the prepaid iPhone 4 is unavailable because it is not in stock instead of telling them about the issues with price jacking. Since the iPhone 4 first became available in Dubai in September of last years, consumers have been purchasing the smart phone in droves. The temporary ban on the prepaid iPhone 4 may cause sales to slump, but hopefully these two companies can work on a plan that will help them to prepare for the release of the iPhone 5. Presently, there are no plans to compensate those who bought the prepaid iPhone 4 on the black market nor are there any plans to track down the offenders. Shop at phones4u.co.uk for the newest iPhone 4 handsets available today.

You’ve heard it before, and until Verizon and Apple announce an official date for the release of the iPhone for Verizon, you’ll hear it again and again. For months now, industry experts and enthusiastic iPhone fans have been wondering and speculating as to when they will be able to get an iPhone made especially for Verizon Wireless, but mostly they’ve been waiting. Back in late 2010, Apple placed a job advertisement on their website asking for the help of cell phone network engineers for an undisclosed project. In the last week, several domains have been gobbled up by Verizon, with all of them being related to the iPhone. Most recently, several major news outlets have suggested that the Verizon iPhone could emerge in as little as a few days or it could also be released as far away as Valentine’s Day. Whatever the case may be, it is obvious that both Apple and Verizon are gearing up for the Verizon iPhone. While both Verizon and Apple will be attending the Consumer Electronics Show, neither company is in a position to say much about the release of the iPhone for Verizon.

Although Verizon customers have been waiting over six months for an iPhone that would be carried by their network, the release of the iPhone 5 will likely change everything. As long as the iPhone has been in existence, AT&T has been the only carrier. The cell phone carrier has been heavily criticized for expensive bills and unreliable reception. Even if existing AT&T customers have to pay an early cancellation fee and pay for a new iPhone, those that are dissatisfied with their current contracts will run to Verizon. The debate has been raging on for months, but with the end in sight AT&T and Verizon will both have to deal with the fact that other popular smart phones are already out and that the iPhone alone will not enable them to dominate the market.

People who have been boycotting AT&T but love iPhones are one step closer to being able to talk on another network. Just recently, Apple posted a want ad on their official website seeking the services of engineers that knew how to program smart phones for the Verizon network. After months of hinting and unsubstantiated rumors, this newest development makes it nearly official that the iPhone 5 will be available for at least one other network besides AT&T.

With the economy the way it is in the US, Apple shouldn’t have any problem finding out of engineers with plenty of experience with cellular carrier networks. The job advertisement on Apple’s website is also open to hiring engineers who have experience working on any other kind of cell phone network. It appears that the good news may be growing. While iPhone fans have been waiting for the day that Verizon will be offered as a carrier, but it is also possible that other network may be considered as well.

While a furious debate has been waged for months whether or not Apple will end their exclusive iPhone contract with AT&T, this development may help to squash it. It will probably be another few months before Apple makes an official announcement about which cell phone companies will carry the iPhone, probably near the same time that they announce when the iPhone 5 will be available. Fans have already been patient enough, so this latest piece of iPhone news will make many of then happy this Christmas season.

European smart phone lovers seem to be even more fond of the iPhone 4 than US owners. The Blackberry and Android have very few fans, especially in Germany. Perhaps because the phone is made by a US based company and was released in North America first, many US iPhone 4 users are usually surprised to learn that it is actually accessible at all for non-English speaking audiences. Although European iPhone users don’t exactly mimic the sentiment, they were very concerned to learn that Apple was considering the use of sims cards a little while ago. The move would have made Europe’s cell phone carriers angry enough to cause the price of the soon to be released iPhone 5 to skyrocket and cell phone coverage to degrade.

US iPhone users stand to learn a lot about how Apple differs in the way they do business within the foreign market. As of now, US iPhone 4 owners can only get coverage through AT&T, with whom they must sign a 2 year contract with. Apple has all but denied the rumors that they would partner with Verizon sometime in the future, and it doesn’t even look like Verizon has a real shot at being a carrier for the iPhone 5. By contrast, there are 3 cell phone service providers in Europe that can support the iPhone 4, and Apple seems at least open to the possibility of allowing a 4th carrier. European customers are usually required to sign contracts as well, but there far less rules and stipulations involved. Maybe US iPhone users should take a cue from the European counterparts and start demanding that Apple add more carriers.

In terms of worker productivity, the iPhone has not typically been hailed as the ideal corporate solution for business work force needs. This has traditionally been awarded to Canada’s Research in Motion, the makers of the Blackberry mobile device line. However, things appear to be changing in a big way across the smart phone market as recent news has shown that the often RIM device is now slipping in terms of its popularity. Busy executives have a lot more options in terms of smart phones these days and that means that they are starting to diversify in terms of what they choose. With Google’s Android phones making headway in the market, the Blackberry has fallen a notch and the Android has usurped its position. While media heavy iPhone 4 from Apple is not what many analysts had expected to be a top choice for business grade users, things are indeed changing and the iPhone is catching up thanks to its ability to handle conference calls by offering video features which work well for certain business environments, providing a smaller alternative for executives and teams that want to be able to video conferencing without having to haul a laptop computer with them on the go.

The stumble for RIM is costing the Blackberry quite a bit of market share and when combined with the ever expanding list of business level apps for the iPhone it has become clear to critics that Apple may end up taking the top prize among corporate users if it continues to promote work productivity apps that has traditionally been the domain of the more productivity angled RIM device line up. Another factor helping the iPhone to be able to muscle past its competition is its versatility which means it is a cost effective choice for many corporate users who can use it for both work and personal purposes more easily than the more limited competitor smart phones on the market right now. With global smart phone sales having doubled from the middle of 2009 to the middle of 2010, Apple is seeing a lot of growth where many thought it had already saturated its primary market that critics had believed was mainly upscale hipsters.

Businesses are always looking for a new ways to be able to attract and hold customer attention and many times, they are looking to be able to leverage hi tech means in order to do that. The potency of online advertising, the power of games as advertising platforms and many other examples all showcase this basic concept, but something new is emerging in the world of business cards that is evolving them into something beyond what they have been for years. The beauty of it, say business owners, is that they are not having to go out and buy digital business cards or invest heavily to purchase these new hi tech business cards – they are still the same cards that we have seen for years, only smaller.

The concept is quite clear cut and it involves taking a smaller form of the business card that is noticed more easily due to the small size, which many say is also more Earth friendly since it uses less paper. These smaller ‘calling card’ style cards are being used by businesses and those who rely on social connections for the work they do. The unique size of these mini business cards is helping them get noticed more easily since they clearly stand out visually from other similar cards. This is key in an item designed to attract consumer attention. Further, the cards contain an element that is becoming increasingly more prevalent in society today: 2d barcodes.

By making use of the printed barcodes on the card, more information can be delivered to the recipient of the card. By taking a device such as the Apple iPhone which, with a downloaded app, can use its camera as a barcode scanner, the card can convey far more information. The scanner of the barcode can be lead to a web site where they can learn more information about the person or business from whom they got the card. This allows the cards to connect with all sorts of other sites and offer a much stronger value tot hose who are investing in them as a means of not just advertising, but building more genuine social relationships with potential customers. So far, the trend appears to be taking strong hold among those who need a budget conscious solution for advertising in a non-confrontational way that is fun and gives value back to the consumer.

Consumers are proving to enjoy the barcodes because it allows them to get additional information and is a more exciting way to interact with a card since there is an element of mystery similar to solving a puzzle. Of course, using an iPhone the puzzle can be quickly solved so there’s no frustration in learning what the barcode leads to or represents. Additionally, the codes can be printed on the mini cards at no additional charge which means that businesses are not having to spend anything extra to be able to take their card to the next level and offer a unique experience for those they would like to have as customers.

New research has come out that indicates there may be some very big shake ups in the world of media as we know it today. In the past, consumers have favored larger and more impressive TVs as a way to watch their favorite TV shows, enjoy movies in a home setting and play their favorite console system video games. However, this latest research from Nielsen TV, a crucial media services rating firm, is showing that it appears that iPhone apps and games are changing things in a big way for the world of entertainment. Now it looks though the televisions of the world may be reserved for the more impressive movies and games that are filled with large scale special effects rather than for smaller entertainments. Tech experts suggest that this evolution in entertainment oriented technology was to be expected and that portable devices such as the iPhone were seen as a way to let consumers diversify their entertainment options. While the iPhone is certainly not likely to eliminate TV watching in households around the world any time soon, it is definitely impressing ad industry professionals with its 19 million strong owner base who now regularly connect for at least 22 minutes to apps and games. That figure happens to be the length of a typical prime time TV show, not including the commercials.

If the iPhone fan base continues to increase its audience for games and other apps at this place it could easily begin to boast far larger audiences than major TV series get in terms of concurrent viewers. Of course, some critics point out that this data is slightly skewed since TV shows tend to be watched at set times where as games and apps are generally enjoyed at unscheduled intervals. Still, the iPhone boasts some serious power when it comes to convincing consumers to choose it for their entertainment needs.

A recent study that shocked users of the Apple iPhone 4 has been called into question after it claimed that the latest Apple iPhone was far more likely to suffer physical damage than the previous incarnation, the iPhone 3GS. The study was released by a company called SquareTrade which sells warranties for devices such as the iPhone and according to that study, more iPhone 4 users had been experiencing glass damage to their phone than those who had owned an iPhone 3GS ended up reporting to the company. Because of this, the company stated that 1 in 6 iPhone 4 users will end up reporting a problem to SquareTrade within the very first year of owning the new device. While the figures released by the company show that 82 percent more instances of broken or cracked glass have been cited for the iPhone 4 as compared with the 3GS model, critics have cried foul and said that the real issue comes down to the fact that the new version of the iPhone actually contains twice as much glass. Because of this fact, say critics, the numbers look far more dramatic than they actually are.

Also called into question was the motivation of a company that sells warranties for such devices since it could benefit if users of the iPhone 4 believed their smart phone device was likely to suffer damage so soon. While foul play is not at all suggested, what critics are looking to remind the public is that often research does not offer a comprehensive look at situation so it is in consumers’ best interest to think outside the box and look at the situation from as many angles as possible before simply swallowing so-called facts.