Phone Scoop - Apple iPhone 5 (Americas GSM) Updates

iOS Devs Can Now Add Google's Chrome Browser to their Apps

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:14:54 GMT

Google's Chrome development team is offering iOS application developers a new tool that lets them stick Chrome into their iPhone apps. The idea is to allow developers to control how web content is displayed within their own application. In many apps, clicking a web link forces iOS users out of the app they are using and into Safari. By using the new OpenInChromeController class with x-callback, clicking such links will instead open a Chrome window within the app, which also lets users go back to the main app by hitting the back button. In order for this feature to work, the Chrome browser must be installed on the iPhone in question.

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Vine Update Adds Support for User-Facing Camera

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:27:52 GMT

Vine today pushed out version 1.1 of its iPhone application. The most significant new feature is the ability to toggle between the front and rear cameras, making self-Vines easier to capture. The update also makes it easier to search for and mention other Vine users in posts, and fixes several bugs. Vine 1.1 for the iPhone is a free download from the iTunes App Store.

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Google Search 3.0 for iOS Adds Google Now

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:18:03 GMT

Google today added its Google Now service to the Google Search application for the iPhone and iPad. In order to use Google Now, iOS device owners will need to download and install the newest version of Google Search. Users can then sign into their Google account and activate Google Now, which offers personalized information, such as local weather, sports scores, and the time it will take to commute home, in a card-like format on the screen. Google Search with Google Now is free to download from the iTunes App Store.

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Yahoo's New iOS App Adds Summly Engine

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:01:07 GMT

Yahoo today made available a new version of its main Yahoo application for iOS devices. First and foremost, the application now includes Summly's recommendation technology, which Yahoo purchased just last month. The app features news and other content, and learns from user behavior over time to recommend more appealing stories. Other new features included more controls over personalized content, easier sharing with social networks, improved web search, and article summaries written by Yahoo. The app has also been given a visual overhaul. Yahoo for iOS is free to download from the iTunes App Store. Yahoo has been revising many of its Android and iOS apps in recent weeks, while at the same time cutting services, such as Yahoo Mail and Messenger for Java phones, that it feels distract from its core strengths.

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Cricket Intros New Family Plan, Revamps iPhone Plans

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:09:12 GMT

Cricket Wireless today announced two new sets of plans, one for multiple lines and another for iPhones. The new family plan offers two smartphone lines for $40 per line per month. The plan includes unlimited voice minutes and text messages, 1GB of full-speed data (throttled thereafter), and Cricket's Muve Music service. Cricket also altered its iPhone service plans to match those it offers with Android smartphones. The base iPhone plan costs $50 per month and includes unlimited talk and text (domestic), 1GB of full-speed data, and Muve Music. iPhone customers can also choose a $60 plan to get 2.5GB of full-seed data and unlimited international messaging, or a $70 plan to get 5GB of full-speed data and unlimited international messaging. All three of these plans include mobile hotspot. The new plans, which went into effect April 21, are available at Cricket stores and select retailers.

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Twitter Launching Music Discovery Service Today

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:49:27 GMT

Twitter announced on Good Morning America this morning that its new music service will become available to all users on the web beginning today. The service is meant to help Twitter users discover new music and is available online and through a dedicated iPhone application. The service works similar to Twitter.com, and is organized into tabs that offer different functions. The first two tabs focus on trends across Twitter as a whole: the Popular tab shows music that's trending across Twitter; and the Emerging tab reveals "hidden talent" that might otherwise be buried in Twitter. The second two tabs focus on the user's individual tastes: the Suggested tab recommends artists that are similar to those the user already follows on Twitter; and the #NowPlaying tab shows the songs that the user's friends are listening to or tweeting about. According to ABCNews' Joanna Stern, the iPhone application is integrated with Rdio, Spotify, and iTunes, and allows users to listen to songs without leaving the app or web page. Songs are shown in a grid, which the user can tap and then listen to complete with animated CDs spinning in circles. Rdio and Spotify users can listen to the entire song, while iTunes users can only hear a 90-second preview. Twitter is still working to forge relationships with other streaming music services to expand Twitter Music's catalog and reach. The iPhone application will reach the App Store later today; there is no Twitter Music application for Android devices.

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Mailbox Cans Wait List, Makes App Available to All

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:03:07 GMT

Mailbox today got rid of the reservation system it had in place to control the number of people who downloaded its email application. There is no longer a wait list for the app, which is free and can be downloaded immediately by anyone who wants to try it. Mailbox is an iOS application that makes managing Gmail easier. In addition to the dropped wait list, Mailbox updated the app with several new features, including more granular control over "snoozes" based on the time of day; faster swiping gestures; user interface improvements, such as double-tapping to see an email address; and general bug fixes. Mailbox is available to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

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Released for T-Mobile

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Apple iPhone 5 (Americas GSM) is now available for T-Mobile.

Foursquare 6.0 for iPhone Focuses on Search

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:43:14 GMT

Foursquare today released a new version of its iPhone application that makes big changes to the way it recommends nearby places. According to Foursquare, it is taking better advantage of the data created by billions of user check-ins to offer instant, personalized recommendations when the app is opened. Foursquare 6.0 prioritizes search by placing the Explore function prominently in the app. The Explore search tool works directly with venue names, as well as with various types of key words to help find nearby places. Further, Foursquare will automatically provide lists of top attractions in any given area as soon as the app is opened. Foursquare 6.0 for iOS is a free download from the iTunes App Store. Foursquare did not indicate if similar updates will be made available to its Android and Windows Phone apps.

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T-Mobile Announces iPhone Trade-In Deal

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:27:47 GMT

T-Mobile USA today announced a new program that's meant to further entice potential iPhone customers. Beginning April 12, and running through June 16, T-Mobile will offer new customers the iPhone 5 for $0 down when they trade in an old iPhone 4S or iPhone 4. The program offers additional account credits of up to $120 depending on the final value of the traded-in iPhone. Customers will still be responsible for making monthly payments on the remaining value of the iPhone 5. The T-Mobile iPhone 5 supports T-Mobile's brand new LTE network, in addition to HSPA+ in the 1700MHz AWS and 1900MHz spectrum bands. It also offers HD Voice calling. Customers who do not have an old iPhone to trade can still purchase the iPhone 5 for $99 down and then make 24 monthly payments of $20 on top of the cost of T-Mobile's new Simple Choice plans.

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Google's iOS Search App Is Better at Listening

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:23:29 GMT

Google today updated its Google Search application for iPhones and iPads. The revised app makes significant improvements to the voice recognition feature, and now streams words on the fly as they are spoken. Google then performs web searches based on the spoken words. Google Search for iOS is free to download from iTunes.

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Google Drive Adds Landscape Editing for iPhone

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:46:25 GMT

Google has updated its Drive application for the iOS platform. The revised app now lets iPhone users edit documents and spreadsheets in landscape orientation. It also opens faster, and received minor bug fixes. The update is free to download from iTunes.

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Vine Makes Sharing Easier By Enabling Web Embeds

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:22:30 GMT

Vine today pushed out a minor update to its iPhone video application that should make it easier to share Vine videos across the web. Vine videos can now be embedded within Tweets, in Facebook posts, and on the web with new sharing tools in the app. The update also resolves several small bugs. Vine allows iPhone owners to piece together short video clips, or use a single clip, to create and publish six-second videos. It works similar to Instagram in that people follow other users to see their Vines.

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TeleNav's Scout App for iPhone Gains Calendar Sync

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:08:56 GMT

TeleNav today provided an update to its Scout navigation app for the iPhone. Among the several new features added is the ability to sync Scout with the native iPhone calendar. The device owner can then go straight from calendar appointments to voice-guided navigation to the appointment from their current location. Scout also adds a feature called OnMyWay, which can be used to automatically send messages to family/friends with an estimated time of arrival when the user is navigating. The updated version of Scout also has a new dashboard for in-app navigation and more free car icons. Scout for iPhone is free to download and use.

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Flipboard 2.0 Brings Editing Powers to iPhone

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:15:46 GMT

Flipboard has overhauled its application for the iOS platform, and the app is chock full of new features. Flipboard 2.0 offers Etsy integration, which means when users perform searches, the app will use the results to create a digital magazine on the fly. The new app also lets users collect content that's interesting to them from various sources, such as articles, videos, and photos, and create their own, unique magazine in which to view them. The individually created magazines can then be shared with others. Other features of Flipboard 2.0 include a new content guide, more interactive commenting, more personalized recommended reading, easier navigation within specific sources, and integration with Facebook Open Graph search. Flipboard 2.0 is available to the iPhone and iPad. A revised version will be available for Android in the near future.

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T-Mobile's iPhone Is Unique Variant of AT&T's Model

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:03:04 GMT

T-Mobile's version of the iPhone 5 has the same model number (A1428) as the one sold by AT&T, yet has unique tweaks that make it compatible with T-Mobile's WCDMA/HSPA+ network in the 1700 MHz AWS band. Unlocked A1428 iPhone 5s sold by AT&T and Apple will be able to work with T-Mobile's LTE 1700 and WCDMA/HSPA+ 1900 networks with a minor software update, but will never work with T-Mobile's WCDMA/HSPA+ 1700 network, according to an Apple product manager at today's T-Mobile event. That means only iPhone 5s sold by T-Mobile will have full high-speed data coverage from day one. Unlocked iPhone 5s used with T-Mobile will have limited high-speed data coverage at first, improving as T-Mobile makes progress with its network modernization this year.

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T-Mobile to Offer Apple iPhone

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:58:34 GMT

T-Mobile USA today revealed that it will offer customers the Apple iPhone 5, 4S, and 4. Preorders for the iPhone 5 begin April 5, and the device will be in stores April 12. The Apple iPhone 4S and 4 will be available in select markets later. The iPhone 5, for example, will require a $100 downpayment, with $20 monthly installments added to the customer's bill. The customer can also choose to pay full price for the device. The iPhone 4S will require a $70 downpayment and $20 in monthly payments, and the iPhone 4 will require a $15 downpayment and $15 in monthly payments. According to T-Mobile, Apple customized the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile's network. It supports T-Mobile's LTE network, in addition to HSPA+ in the 1700 and 1900 MHz spectrum. T-Mobile is also the only U.S. carrier to support the iPhone 5's wideband audio capability, which T-Mobile calls HD Voice. The iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 will not be customized for T-Mobile's LTE network, but can access its HSPA+ service in the 1900MHz band.

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Apple to Cease Accepting Apps that Access UDIDs

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:33:07 GMT

Apple recently indicated via its developer portal that it will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. The UDID (unique device identifier) is a code that refers to each iOS device and can be tied back to the owner's identity. The UDID was originally accessed by advertisers in their apps, but Apple began restricting access to UDIDs in 2011. It replaced the functionality of the UDID with anonymous Vendor and Advertising identifiers when it introduced iOS 6 in 2012. Beginning May 1, any app that attempts to access UDIDs won't be allowed. The measure is being taken to improve the privacy of iOS device owners. Apple is also mandating that all apps submitted to the App Store support Retina Displays, and the iPhone 5's 4-inch display. Apps not optimized for the iPhone 5's display float in the middle of the screen with black bars above and below the app. This policy change also goes into effect May 1.

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THX Sues Apple Over iPhone and iPad Speaker Design

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 13:29:01 GMT

THX has filed a lawsuit against Apple that claims the iPhone maker is violating its intellectual property. According to the complaint, THX holds a patent granted in 2008 for "narrow profile speaker configuration and systems" that pertains to boosting audio output in small speaker designs. THX says the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5, as well as all iPads and newer iMacs violate this patent. THX is seeking damages for lost royalties/sales and a fair licensing agreement for its technology moving forward. THX Ltd. was formerly part of Lucasfilm, founded by George Lucas of Star Wars fame. The company was spun off as an independent entity in 2002.

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Solavei Now Offering Nano SIM Card for iPhone 5

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:02:54 GMT

Solavei today announced the availability of a nano SIM card that is compatible with the Apple iPhone 5. The card, which costs $9, is being offered with the same $49 service plan that Solavei offers to other devices. Solavei's low monthly fee includes unlimited voice, messaging, and data. iPhone 5 owners interested in Solavei's service will need to have an unlocked device. Unlocked iPhones can be purchased directly from Apple starting at $649 for the 16GB model. According to Solavei, it now offers full-size SIM cards, micro SIM cards, and nano SIM cards, which allows most any device to be used with its service. Solavei is an MVNO that uses T-Mobile USA's network. It cautions that high-speed HSPA+ service is only available to the iPhone 5 in select markets.

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