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Tag: iphone-4s

  • Xiaomi 2 Launched in China

    Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is launching its new smartphone Xiaomi 2 today. The Chinese say that the gadget will compete with Samsung Galaxy S3, the new iPhone 5 and HTC One X+, the price being expected to be the main argument for this statement.

    In a first phase only 50,000 phones are on sale and then another 250,000 units in the second half of November.

    Officially announced in August, the phone comes with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor and 2 GB RAM. The screen is a 4.3-inch IPS LCD at 720p resolution and a density of 342ppi.

    The smartphone has two cameras, an 8-megapixel one that uses the same lens as the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S III, and a second one of 2 megapixels for video conferencing. Xiaomi 2 provides the user with a storage capacity of 16GB or 32GB, expandable, of course, using an SD card.

    In terms of connectivity, the phone features 42Mbps HSPA+ radio and supports WCDMA 850/1900/2100 MHz.

    Xiaomi 2 comes with two versions of batteries: 2000mAh and 3000mAh.

    Xiaomi Phone 2 runs Google’s Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, along with the MIUI Rom package of applications developed by the Chinese manufacturer.

    The phone is available in the Chinese market at a price of 1,999 Yuan ($320) for the 16 GB version and 2,299 Yuan ($370) for the one with 32GB storage capacity.

    Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi did not announce when or if it will begin selling the new smartphone worldwide.

  • iPhone Revenue Hits $150 Billion in 5 Years

    Apple iPhones have had a resounding success since launch, having generating huge revenues for the Cupertino-based company over the time.

    With an estimated volume of 250 million iPhones sold over 5 years, Apple rose among the most profitable and valuable companies in the world, managing to collect, with this range of products only, revenues that currently exceed $ 150 billion. However, from the equation are excluded accessories, software and other services, which together generated between 3% and 5% of quarterly revenues associated with Apple’s iPhones.

    However, the spectacular success enjoyed by Apple in the last five years is not a guarantee for the future. According to Neil Shah, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, there are already appearing signs announcing a more difficult progress for the iPhone range.

    "Some mobile operators are becoming concerned about the high level of subsidies they spend on the iPhone, while Samsung is expanding its popular Galaxy portfolio and providing Apple with more credible competition,” Shah told CNET.

    According to him, mobile operators’ concerns are based on economic reasons. Shah gave an example where an iPhone priced at $ 600, then offered through a two-year subscription contract at $ 299 or even $ 199, the difference of $ 300 – $ 400 from the original price is supported at the expense of mobile operators. Aware of the sales power they hold, those from Apple are willing to negotiate for a lower price.

    The story is radically different when it comes to popular Android terminals such as HTC One X or the Galaxy S3 from Samsung. Taking as example the Galaxy S3, with starting price set initially at $ 500 – $ 550, mobile operators have managed to negotiate discounts at $ 400 or even less, considerably shortening the time required to recover the investment in the payment of contracted subscriptions. "The Galaxy S3 subsidy is considerably lower," Shah told CNET, also adding that this might convince phone operators to think twice before working with Apple.

    However, there are some doubts about the ability of operators to make things right. Katy Huberty, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, said that most mobile operators are contractually obliged to provide certain subsidies, and these contracts will remain in force for at least several years. Even worse is that all these contracts will expire simultaneously, virtually excluding any possibility that the large operators to ally against Apple, seeking more favorable conditions for subsidizing products.

    Helped by favorable contracts and the popularity enjoyed by its products, Apple is likely to achieve record revenues in the years to come, even if the competition comes with products that are reaching a level that can be considered convincing alternatives.

  • First Parts of the New iPhone 5 Revealed

    Apple is preparing to launch this fall the new iPhone and international expert blogs already began showing more and more items coming to support the idea that the iPhone 5 or "new iPhone" will have a larger screen and will be more efficient.

    According to 9to5Mac, which publishes several files exclusively with the first parts of the new phone, iPhone 5 will have a 3.9 inch screen with a resolution of 1136 x 640.
    At least this what sources claim and they are also saying that the new phone will have a completely redesigned interface.

    The news includes a camera / video mode, which is much larger, and a new dock connector. In addition, the images show that Apple will move the headset jack of 3.5 mm above, like iPod touch.

    According to sources, Steve Jobs worked side by side with its engineers to develop the new smartphone. Its release was delayed due to production problems. Apple launched, instead, iPhone 4S (For Steve).

    The new iPhone will be thinner and 20% higher than the last generation of iPhone 4S. According to iLounge, the phone will measure 125mm (58.5mm-7.4mm), 10mm taller and 2mm thinner. The smartphone will feature a new metallic cover, a new screen, more powerful than Retina, and Gorilla Glass 2, which will protects the screen.

    According to Digitimes, citing sources close to Apple, the new screen will use the "in-cell-touch panels", a technology that allows color display above the filter, which will increase the screen brightness and clarity.

    Until now, experts say, color display was done under filters. The innovation will enable manufacturers to make thinner displays, and the result will be seen in phone size.

    Besides the more efficient and larger screen, iPhone 5 will bring a new processor, more powerful, of 1.4 GHz, 1GB memory and will incorporate 4G LTE technology, present on the new iPad.

    In addition, it will come with a 12.8 MP camera capable of recording in 1080p HD, possibly with 3D capabilities, and the new iOS 5.2.

    In addition, the new iPhone is expected to load wireless. The phone will be available in two versions, white and black, 16 or 32 GB.

    According to the information presented by a famous portal in Japan, Apple will change, thus, the launch schedule for its smartphones. If the first iPhones were released in June or July, iPhone 4 S made its debut in October 2011.

    The new iPhone 5 will thus be released a year away from launching the previous model.

  • Your Smartphone Cameras Can Give Digital Cams A Run For Their Money

    In these need-to-feel-better times, you should feel good knowing that your smartphone cameras can save you a lot of money if you want to do a good photo-taking job and have lots of fun without having to buy yourself one of those expensive, high- end digital cameras.

    A new report by the online tech observer Appolicious said over the weekend that your smartphone cameras have one absolutely unassailable advantage over any digital camera, if you own one, and that is– your smartphone is always with you while your digital camera typically isn’t.

    In a pretty detailed analysis of the smartphone cam versus a digital camera, Appolicious pointed out what every camera bug knows by heart: the best shots in the world were those taken at exactly the right moment, that fleeting and unrepeatable moment. Only smartphones and their cameras are this poised for that moment.

    Going into details, the study said the latest smartphone camera technology are equal to that of digital systems, plus the ready availability of smart phone applications that allow the editing and sharing of photos, rendering  the need for a separate digital camera rather minimal.

    Citing just one example, the study described Apple’s latest iPhone model, the iPhone 4S as setting the standard for the best smartphone photography today.

    It noted the 4S model’s f/2.4 lens which allows a good depth of field and capable of low-light performance and the iPhone’s backside-illuminated sensor or BSI which together give the Apple smartphone its color accuracy and face-detection superiority equal to any digital camera.

    The latest iPhone likewise is fitted with greater HDR capabilities, fast performance and 1080p HD video capture.

    New photo-taking apps for the iPhone 4S from Apple’s Camera Awesome applications library further allow users, for instance, to set both exposure and focus readings from different areas  plus a selection of filters for every occasion.

  • The Year in Which the World Divided Between Samsung and Apple

    South Koreans have surpassed the U.S. in sales of smartphones in 2011, but the holidays can bring Apple into the top.

    "For Europe, the fourth quarter is not marked by the usual craziness of the holidays. Economic problems made users more demanding," said Carolina Milanesi, analyst at Gartner. In this context, difficult from the economic point of view, experts have estimated that in the last quarter of 2011 will be sold over 140 million smartphones. The absolute leaders are Samsung and Apple, while Nokia, HTC and Research in Motion are only collecting the crumbs.

    Regarding the latter, analysts are not too confident. "Basically, it’s only about the iPhone family and the Samsung Galaxy family. Only they are flying off the shelves. The rest gather what's left," said a specialist at the analysis firm Strategy Analytics.

    In fact, 2011 marked a radical change of the mobile phone market, the third quarter being the one when the South Korean manufacturer Samsung has come first in top sales of smartphones. Apple responded with iPhone 4S, but the results of the final battle will appear at the beginning of 2012, when manufacturers will make the sales stock. South Koreans have counted on the two flagships – Samsung Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Nexus – while Apple has had success with the new 4S. According to Reuters, the company founded by Steve Jobs estimates the sales during the holiday season will reach almost 28 million units, an increase of 70% over the fourth quarter of last year.

    At the same time, although being leader at the total number of terminals sold, Samsung is unable to compete with the Americans in terms of individual sales. Thus, the Galaxy SII – the most valuable product of Asians – has reached this year 10 million units sold, well below iPhone’s. Holidays will be defining and stabilizing the market position of Galaxy Nexus, the first phone with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and with technical specifications far better than those seen on the iPhone 4S.

    2011 has brought Nokia’s decline

    Although has introduced new Windows phones, Nokia is not able to regain the leadership lost in the second quarter of 2011. Although still in the top with the total number of terminals sold, Finns are particularly preferred for their very cheap devices, but that do not reinforce the commercial power of the Finnish producer. According to latest data, in the UK, Nokia Lumia 800 is only the sixth most popular phone. The bad news continues: in the last quarter, Finns’ sales will fall by 31% compared to the same period last year.

  • Top Smartphones of 2011

    The year of 2011 brought a series of major changes in the telecom industry. If at the beginning of 2011 the market started to be dominated by devices with 4-inch screens, now manufacturers already impose a new trend: devices with larger screens of up to 4.3 inches, so the potential buyer gets to a point where does not know if the terminal desired is a phone or…a smaller-sized PC tablet.

    Also, in what concerns the hardware part, things have evolved incredibly in just a few months. From the 1 GHz processors used for smartphones early this year, now we can see dual-core chipsets that defy the “older” laptops.

    We have tried to create a ranking of the most interesting smartphones launched in 2011. We were unable to include them all in here, but we invite you to come with proposals.

    Samsung Galaxy S2

    Samsung Galaxy S2 is one of the most anticipated models of 2011. After the success of its predecessor – Samsung Galaxy S – Galaxy S2 proved to be a top follower, the real flagship of the South Koreans this year.

    The Samsung Galaxy S2 screen surprises through its 4.52 inches and the AMOLED technology, while the processing power is excellent (1.5 GHz Scorpion dual-core CPU, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 chipset, 1GB of RAM).

    Galaxy S2 also comes with Android OS, the 8-megapizel camera with HD filming capabilities and the 16 GB storage capacity, plus the microSD slot.

    Apple iPhone 4S

    Surely, Apple’s iPhone prepared for 2011 was the most rumored smartphone of this year. Fans’ expectations have been so high from the Cupertino company that, many months before the launch, there were weekly versions over the Internet about how the new iPhone 5 should look like.

    But, surprise, Apple has released iPhone 4S just two days before the death of Steve Jobs, a more powerful version of the 4th generation that does not differentiate esthetically with nothing from its predecessor.

    Even if it hasn’t released the iPhone 5, the “4S” aroused strong reactions of admiration from the Apple fans. iPhone 4S’s advantage is the personal assistant Siri, the first step towards adopting in daily life the Artificial Intelligence.

    Samsung Galaxy Note

    Samsung did not bring only the Galaxy S2 model this year. In fact, we believe it can be said that the South Korean company is the most prolific in the industry.

    Through the Galaxy Note release, Samsung has imposed on the market (although Dell tried it too) a new device: the tablet phone, a device having a 5.3-inch screen and being perfectly situated in between the two concepts. It’s portable almost like a phone and provides excellent ergonomics for the use as tablet.

    Tell us your opinions about which are the best smartphones launched in 2011.

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  • iPhone 4S Could Be Banned in Europe

    iPhone 4S, Apple’s latest smartphone, could be banned in Europe along with all Apple devices that have GPRS connectivity and run iOS, following a lawsuit filed in Germany by Motorola.

    The number of lawsuits in which the company in Cupertino is involved grows with every passing day. After last week a court in Australia has unanimously decided to withdraw a preliminary decision prohibiting Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be sold in Australia, Apple faces a new threat from Motorola.

    The company, acquired this year by Google, has won in Germany a preliminary injunction through which obtained prohibiting the sale of Apple devices that have the GPRS  technology, namely iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G, in Europe.

    The case represents a huge loss for Apple in the patents war that they are carrying with the Asian manufacturers of Android devices in several countries worldwide.

    “We will appeal the decision immediately. German consumers who want to buy an iPhone or an iPad for the holidays should not have troubles finding them,” said Apple representatives shortly after the decision.

    In the light of recent events, the Motorola Mobility purchase by Google, recorded this summer, seems a natural one. Market specialists have speculated even since those times that Google has paid $12.5 billion for the U.S. company only for its patent portfolio in the telecom area, and only in order to defend Android, the mobile platform that develops, by the trials filed by Apple against several manufacturers.

    Legal conflict between Apple and Android manufacturers has a long history, most of the lawsuits being filed by the U.S. company against the South Koreans from Samsung.

    Apple accuses them of copying the design and functionality of the iPhone and iPad smartphones and tablets of the Galaxy series models. In response, Samsung accuses Apple of violating several patents in the telecommunications area.

    Currently, between Apple and Samsung are opened 23 lawsuits in countries like France, Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United States.

  • Samsung and Google Launch Galaxy Nexus

    Samsung and Google, have launched the Galaxy Nexus, the world's first smartphone equipped with Android Ice Cream Sandwich and HD screen Super AMOLED.

    Galaxy Nexus has a 1.2 GHz processor, compared to only 800 MHz in the iPhone 4S, 4.65-inch HD screen Super AMOLED with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, while the iPhone 4S has a screen of only 3.5 inches, with a resolution of 960 x 640 pixels and a density of 326 ppi.

    Galaxy Nexus is over iPhone 4S when it comes to memory too, having 1GB RAM, double than the iPhone 4S. In addition, Galaxy Nexus comes with the NFC technology, which allows the user to use its phone as a digital wallet.

    With a thickness of 8.94mm and with a frame of 4.29mm, Galaxy Nexus offers a greater portability.

    The first smartphone equipped with Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. "Ice Cream Sandwich proves that the Android platform went further with the innovations by launching a version that works on phones and tablets. Features like Android Beam and Face Unlock show our team's innovative work and Galaxy Nexus demonstrates the power behind the Ice Cream Sandwich," said Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President at Mobile for Google.

    Ice Cream Sandwich brings a completely and entirely new appearance to the Android platform. It has a redesigned interface with improved multitasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC support and an improved web experience.

    Galaxy Nexus presents software navigation buttons for the first time on smartphones with Android. Locking the screen, the home screen, phone applications and all other elements have been rethought and redesigned to make the Android platform simple, attractive and useful.

    Also, Ice Cream Sandwich comes with a new application, called People, which allows interacting with friends, family and colleagues, viewing their photos at high resolution, and following the latest updates on the statuses on Google+ and other social networks.

    Galaxy Nexus offers the possibility of synchronizing the e-mail, contacts and other data on all devices owned. Users have access to more than 300,000 applications and games on Android Market or, in some countries, they can buy and read e-books, rent movies or play movies. In the USA, users can also download music into Cloud using Music Beta from Google.

    Ice Cream Sandwich introduces innovations such as Face Unlock, which uses the face recognition function to unlock the phone. Using NFC technology, Android Beam allows users to share quickly with friends and family web pages and video applications on YouTube by simply joining the phones together.

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  • HTC Sensation XL with Audio Beats

    After the HTC Sensation XE, here is another model produced by the Taiwanese manufacturer that comes with Beats Audio. We are talking about HTC Sensation XL, the smartphone everyone says is the Android Gingerbread version of HTC Titan. Its huge 4.7-inch touchscreen has a S-LCD matrix of 480×800 pixels.

    We are presenting you a list of specifications for the new HTC Sensation XL.

    • Screen: 4.7”, 480×800, S-LCD
    • Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8255
    • CPU: 1.5 MHz, single core
    • RAM: 768 MB
    • Internal memory: 16 GB
    • Expandable memory: No
    • Operating system: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
    • Interface: HTC Sense UI 3.5
    • Photo camera: 8 megapixels, BSI sensor, 28 mm, autofocus, LED
    • Shooting: 720p
    • Front camera: 1,3 megapixels
    • 3G Connectivity: HSDPA 14,4 Mbps
    • Battery: 1600 mAh
    • Dimensions: 132.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm
    • Weight: 162.5 g

    Big phones are not for everyone, and HTC Sensation XL is definitely a big and relatively heavy smartphone. We expected to find the 540×960 pixels resolution on this phone, but the manufacturer has chosen a slightly smaller one. After reading the specifications we noticed they are very similar to another recently announced smartphone, iPhone 4S. The new Sensation has a similar 8 MP Backlit sensor (BSI) and the lens offers an equivalent opening of 28mm.

    HTC Sensation XL was especially created for music enthusiasts. The phone has audio output as well as support from Beats Audio. It also comes with a pair of headphones especially designed for it, called UrBeats. Interestingly, when a pair of UrBeats headphones is connected, the phone recognizes and activates a special audio profile.

    The manufacturer will include the HTC Watch application that allows downloading or streaming thousands of movies and TV shows.

    HTC Sensation XL will be available on the European market starting from November.

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  • iPhone 5 Arrives Today!

    Today is the day when the long-awaited launch of iPhone 5 will take place, during the “Let’s Talk iPhone” event held in Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, at 10:00am PDT.

    The new smartphone is expected to be presented by the new Apple's CEO Tim Cook, but it’s possible that Apple’s founder and former CEO, Steve Jobs, will make his appearance at this much-coveted event.

    Apple hopes to produce five, maybe six million units in October, and by the end of the year to reach the impressive number of 22 million.

    According to sources inside the company, cited these days by international media, the new iPhone 5 would feature a 4-inch retina display, with a resolution of 960×640 pixels, 1 GB RAM and a new A5 Dual Core processor of 1.4 GHz, 60% faster than the one used on iPhone 4. Apple’s new product is expected to have an 8-megapixel camera, capable of HD recording in 1080p.

    The new smartphone would also include the iCloud technology, which allows user to store music, movies and other files, that can be accessed remotely. In addition, the new iPhone 5 would have the possibility of being charged wirelessly.

    The same sources said that iPhone 5 will be available in only two versions, black and white, of 16 and 32 GB respectively. The pricing would start from $639, according to a screen capture that represents a mock-up post which “came to surface” on the telecom operator’s website, Cincinnati Bell.

    Interestingly, Apple representatives might launch today a cheaper version too, called iPhone 4S, which will cost only $99. This one will have a 3.5-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera and A5 Dual Core processor, according to the rumors.

    What the market expects and what Apple has to win

    Brian White, analyst at the financial intermediation company Ticonderoga, believes the demand will be so big that Apple might establish a new sales record by launching iPhone 5, after its predecessor has sold in 1.7 million units in the first three days of presence in stores. The analyst also said that he expects the new model to have a casing similar with MacBook and that Apple will need to upgrade the speed of its processor in order to face the competition with Samsung Galaxy S II.

    Apple has become in the second quarter of this year the producer with the biggest sales of smartphones worldwide. Thus, the company sold 20.34 million units in the second quarter, surpassing Nokia, which was leader in smartphones sales in the first quarter with over 24 million units.

    Even though Apple became leader, the most significant increase in units sold was recorded by Samsung, by selling 19.5 million smartphones in the second quarter. Apple has sold only with about 2 million units extra in the second quarter, while taking the leadership was also caused by the huge loss of Nokia.

    We think that after today’s launch and by enlarging the supply chain, Apple will definitely maintain its leading position. We also expect the launch of the new generation of iPhones to stimulate the sales of the previous Apple’s models by putting them on sale.

    You may also want to read:
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