Verizon iPhone 5 won’t ever be locked, most likely due to FCC agreements

Verizon is not going to re-lock the iPhone 5, according to a report today from the AP:



NEW YORK (AP) — Verizon Wireless said Monday that it won’t prevent its version of the iPhone 5 from being used on AT&T’s network. The Verizon version of the iPhone 5, which went on sale Friday, came with an unexpected feature: it works on the network of AT&T and many other phone companies [including T-Mobile], as well as on Verizon’s. It’s the first time Verizon, the country’s largest cellphone company, has sold a phone that works on competing U.S. networks with no complicated hacking, or “unlocking,” procedures.

But, does Big Red even have that option? Verizon tends to do everything possible to lock customers in, and allowing AT&T customers to use the handset is totally against everything it stands for. A Howard Forums poster notes that when Verizon purchased its 700MHz spectrum a few years ago, which it would eventually use for LTE, the carrier told the Federal Communications Commission it would not lock phones that used this network as part of the deal.

I’ve been reading up on the open access provisions in regards to the C-Block of 700 mhz LTE spectrum. There is a very specific line saying that a licensee(Verizon) cannot configure devices to be locked against use on another network. This means that Verizon would be violating Federal law if the iPhone 5′s sim slot is even partially locked. Unlike on the iPhone 4S – these regulations mean that Verizon must even allow an AT&T sim card to be used in any Verizon iPhone 5.

The relevant law is found here in the Code of Federal Regulations
Title 47 – Telecommunication. CHAPTER I – FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED). SUBCHAPTER B – COMMON CARRIER SERVICES. PART 27 – MISCELLANEOUS WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES. Subpart B – Applications and Licenses. § 27.16Network access requirements for Block C in the 746-757 and 776-787 MHz bands.

Take a look at this : (e) Handset locking prohibited. No licensee may disable features on handsets it provides to customers, to the extent such features are compliant with the licensee’s standards pursuant to paragraph (b)of this section, nor configure handsets it provides to prohibit use of such handsets on other providers’ networks.

The one caveat is that Verizon iPhones cannot utilize LTE on AT&T’s network, but it will be able to use T-Mobile’s 2G and new 1900MHz 4G network.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

iPhone 5 on Verizon Sports LTE in NYC

It seems that Verizon is sporting LTE in NYC while AT&T is still on their HSPA+(aka 4G). I guess we now know who is over exaggerating their service. Once we get a Verizon LTE iPhone 5 we will test the speeds and post a video.






Let us know what carrier and service you are getting in your area, post a comment and email us a pic, we will post them up.

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Verizon iPhone 5 Confirmed to be Unlocked, Works on GSM 3G Network

The Verizon iPhone 5 has been confirmed to be unlocked and working on GSM 3G networks, even if the phone was sold on contract. This means that any user with a nano-sim can place his sim into the Verizon iPhone 5 and use it on a GSM carrier like AT&T.

I can confirm that the Verizon iPhone 5 is indeed GSM unlocked. Even though I bought an iPhone 5 from Verizon under contract, I was able to cut down my AT&T Micro SIM, and use it in my Verizon iPhone 5 to pick up an AT&T signal. By doing so, I was able to hop onto AT&T's HPSA+ network, or "4G" as they so ridiculously name it.

It is not possible to get AT&T LTE however, due to differences in the frequencies that the carriers operate on.

This is great news for those Verizon iPhone 5 owners who often travel the world.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Sprint and Verizon clarify iPhone 5 plans: Sprint pre-orders begin at 12:01am Sept. 14th, Verizon requires that you pay full price to keep your unlimited data plan

Earlier this afternoon AT&T announced that it will allow its customers who are on a grandfathered unlimited data plan to keep it even when paying a subsidized price for the iPhone 5. The nation’s largest carrier looks to be taking things a different way, however. A Verizon PR representative confirmed with 9to5mac this evening that customers will only be able to keep their unlimited data plan only if they pay full price for the iPhone 5 ($649 for 16GB). Furthermore, existing Verizon customers can keep their old Nationwide Usage Based plan and won’t be forced to switch to one of Verizon’s new Share Everything Plans when buying the iPhone 5 on two-year contract. New customers will be forced to go the shared data plan route.

If you are an existing customer and want to keep your Nationwide Usage Based plan, you can keep your plan, purchase the iPhone at the discounted price with a 2 yr customer agreement. If you have a Verizon Wireless unlimited data plan, you can pay full price for your iPhone 5 and keep your unlimited data plan.

Only customers who are new to Verizon Wireless will select from Share Everything Plans.

The nation’s third-largest carrier Sprint has also detailed its iPhone 5 launch this evening. In a press release, seen below the fold, Sprint says that it will begin pre-orders at 12:01am PST on Sept. 14th, and we assume that time be the same for all parties that will make the iPhone 5 available. A 12:01am pre-order time took place for the iPhone 4S last year. Also in its press release, Sprint further touted its unlimited data plan — which may be a serious draw to some customers. Pricing for the iPhone 5 remains the same across carriers: $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB — all on two-year contract. There’s also T-Mobile, who has launched a serious “save $1,200″ advertising campaign in hopes of attracting customers with unlocked iPhones.

For those who want to pick up the device in-store, Apple will be opening its retail stores at 8 am on Sept. 21st. All online orders will also be shipped that day. With pre-orders close to two days a way and information from every carrier out (except Verizon’s Facetime over 3G places) comes the serious question: which carrier will you be going with?

(Top image via Slashgear)


Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national carrier that gives customers Truly UnlimitedSM 4G LTE data, text and calling to any mobile, today announced it will offer iPhone 5 on the Sprint network beginning on Friday, September 21. New and existing customers can pre-order iPhone 5 beginning at 12:01am PT on Friday, September 14 at www.sprint.com/iPhone.

iPhone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology—all while delivering even better battery life. iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook organization and even more Siri features and languages.

“iPhone 5 is packed with amazing new features and we are proud to offer Truly Unlimited data to iPhone customers so they can enjoy everything iPhone 5 has to offer on our 4G LTE network,” said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. “Whether it’s finding a nearby restaurant with Siri, using Passbook to get organized or surfing the web, Sprint’s truly unlimited data plans provide incredible value for iPhone customers, meaning customers can make the most of iOS 6 without worrying about costly overages on their monthly bill.”

The Benefit of Unlimited Data

iPhone 5 requires activation on one of the Sprint Everything Data plans starting at just $79.99 with Truly Unlimited data, text and calling to any mobile. No throttling, no metering and no overages, all while on the Sprint network. With Sprint’s Everything Data and other plans that include Truly Unlimited data, Sprint is continuing its history of data leadership by making it easy for its customers to use data in all the ways that are useful to them, such as news, email, music, TV and GPS navigation, without worrying about data overages on their monthly bill.

Sprint 4G LTE is now available in 19 cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Waco, Texas. Sprint’s build of its 4G LTE network is underway in more than 100 additional cities within its existing nationwide 3G footprint. Major metropolitan areas in which Sprint 4G LTE is expected to be available in the coming months include Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tenn.; Miami; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; New York; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C.

By the end of 2013, Sprint expects to have largely completed the nationwide build out of its all-new 3G and 4G network, a program known as Network Vision. The project also includes significant improvement in customers’ 3G network experience, including expanded coverage, improved network reliability, better voice quality, and faster 3G data speeds. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

Committed to Customer Service

Sprint customers have access to Sprint’s Ready Now service where trained retail associates will work one-on-one with customers to personalize their iPhone and set up features like email, Web and apps before leaving the store. Customers have the choice of sitting down with a Sprint retail associate at the time of purchase or they can schedule an appointment for a later time online.

Sprint is #1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved,, across all 47 industries measured, during the last four years, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). In addition, Sprint received the highest numerical score among full-service wireless providers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Wireless Purchase Experience Satisfaction StudySM – Vol. 2.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

iPhone 5 preorders start Sept. 14 for $199, $299, $399, ships in 9 countries on Sept. 21

Apple just confirmed pricing and availability for the new iPhone 5. Preorders for the device start Sept. 14, with pricing taking over the old iPhone 4S at $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. Apple announced all models would ship Sept. 21 to the following countries: the U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. More countries will also get the device on Sept. 28, and Apple plans to ship the iPhone to 100 countries and 240 carriers by December 2012. A full list of the 22 countries getting the iPhone 5 in September includes:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The 16GB iPhone 4S will remain available for $99. As for the 8GB iPhone 4, it will become free.


Apple Introduces iPhone 5

Thinnest, Lightest iPhone Ever Features All-New Aluminum Design, Stunning 4-Inch Retina Display, A6 Chip & Ultrafast Wireless
SAN FRANCISCO—September 12, 2012—Apple® today announced iPhone® 5, the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.** iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook® organization; and even more Siri® features and languages.

“iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast A6 chip, ultrafast wireless, even longer battery life; and we think customers are going to love it.”

iPhone 5 is the thinnest smartphone in the world, with an all-new 7.6 mm anodized aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S. Designed with an unprecedented level of precision, iPhone 5 combines an anodized aluminum body with diamond cut chamfered edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish.

The new 4-inch Retina display on iPhone 5 delivers even more pixels than iPhone 4S, making the already incredible Retina display even better. By making the screen taller, not wider, iPhone 5 is just as easy to use with one hand so you can tap, type and scroll the same way you always have, while enjoying even more of your content including amazing apps optimized for the larger Retina display, widescreen HD video, a full five days of your Calendar and more of every web page.

iPhone 5 supports ultrafast wireless standards including LTE and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content even faster. To support the latest LTE technology, Apple has pioneered a unique single-radio LTE solution that provides blazing fast speeds while fitting perfectly into the new remarkably thin design. iPhone 5 features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps.***

The all-new A6 chip was designed by Apple to maximize performance and power efficiency to support all the incredible new features in iPhone 5, including the stunning new 4-inch Retina display—all while delivering even better battery life. With up to twice the CPU and graphics performance, almost everything you do on iPhone 5 is blazing fast for launching apps, loading web pages and downloading email attachments.

The 8 megapixel iSight® camera is the most popular camera in the world and with iPhone 5, it’s even better. The new camera is completely redesigned with incredible optical performance, yet amazingly it’s 25 percent smaller than the camera in iPhone 4S. The new iSight camera in iPhone 5 features a sapphire crystal lens cover that is thinner and more durable than standard glass with the ability to provide crystal clear images. The new panorama feature lets you capture jaw-dropping panorama images of up to 28 megapixels by simply moving the camera across a scene in one smooth motion. New video features include improved stabilization, video face detection for up to 10 faces and the ability to take still photos as you record. A new FaceTime® HD front facing camera makes FaceTime calls incredibly clear and can also be used for self portraits and recording 720p HD video. iPhone 5 also allows you to share photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPhone 5 features the new Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the previous connector. The all-digital Lightning connector features an adaptive interface that uses only the signals that each accessory requires, and it’s reversible so you can instantly connect to your accessories. The Lightning-to-30-pin Adapter is also available to connect iPhone 5 to legacy 30-pin accessories.****

iPhone 5 introduces new enhanced audio features including a new beam-forming, directional microphone system for higher quality sound, while background noise fades away with new noise canceling technology. iPhone 5 now includes support for cellular wideband audio for crisper word clarity and more natural sounding speech. Wideband audio will be supported by over 20 carriers worldwide at launch. iPhone 5 comes with the new Apple EarPods™ featuring a breakthrough design for a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.

iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new user features including: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover™ view; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center; Passbook, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place; new Siri features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings;***** Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari® and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud®.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5 beginning Friday, September 14. iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract.****** iOS 6 software will be available on Wednesday, September 19 as a free software update.

iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.
** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
*** Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
**** Sold separately.
***** Not all features are supported in all countries.
****** Availability varies by carrier.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

BREAKING T-Mobile unveils its big Sept. 12 plans for iPhone: ‘Bring your unlocked iPhone and save $1200 vs. AT&T’

T-Mobile announced a huge new “unlimited and unlocked iPhone” initiative today that will launch Sept. 12—a date that should ring a bell. The nation’s fourth-largest carrier does not and will not officially carry the iPhone, but its parent company carries the iPhone all over Europe and was even the original carrier in its home Germany. The biggest issue with T-Mobile USA and the iPhone is that T-Mobile’s 3G/4G bands are incompatible with Apple’s iPhone hardware. Therefore, a million plus iPhone users are kept to EDGE 2.5G speeds, which seemed to work O.K. for the original iPhone, but five years have passed since it first launched and expectations have largely risen.

Today’s announcement is a big one for T-Mobile and will be accompanied by a large marketing push. T-Mobile claims —and the math seems to work— that it will save users $50 a month over similar AT&T plans. The total savings amount equals $1,200 over the life of a two-year contract.

T-Mobile will have a store-within-a-store for iPhone users who want to make the hop. Trained T-Mobile salespeople will be able to instruct users on unlocking, but they will not physically open the devices. This is an unprecedented move…especially for a device that T-Mobile does not officially carry.

Getting your hands on an unlocked device is pretty easy and will probably get a lot easier over the next weeks as the new iPhone is announced. Apple has offered the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S unlocked almost since it released last year and you can currently snap up a new one at eBay for about $580.

T-Mobile has some more good news for prospective iPhone customers today: Remember the iPhone-compatible 1900MHz network it demo’ed at WWDC? That same 1900MHz 4G network is rolling out in Seattle, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and the New York metro area currently (readers? sightings?).

Even better: T-Mobile’s tests of unlocked iPhone 4S devices running over 4G (HSPA+) on its 1900 band have recorded 70 percent faster average download speeds than iPhone 4S on AT&T’s network. We will wait for neutral parties to review before judging and, obviously, LTE is coming for the iPhone 5, which T-Mobile expects will run on its network.

However, the best part might be the company behind the network. T-Mobile allows its customers to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi when there is no network on their smartphones. The iPhone is no exception. T-Mobile has the Bobsled app for iPhone for making calls. This is fantastic not only when in low -service areas but also when travelling abroad. T-Mobile will release other apps soon for things like live TV, account management and visual voicemail.

We’re also developing iOS versions of helpful T-Mobile applications like T-Mobile myAccount, T-MobileVisual Voicemail and T-Mobile TV (we already offer an iOS version of our popular Bobsled application).

For those thinking about making the jump, remember that T-Mobile is not an official carrier and things like the following may apply:




Also, AT&T offers customers a chance to request a device unlock for their iPhone. The main requirements are that the device is an AT&T iPhone and all contract and term commitments are satisfied before submitting a request. The carrier can take up to a week to process a request, and it ”reserves the right to deny any unlock request that it concludes would result in an abuse of this policy or is part of an effort to defraud AT&T or its customers.” AT&T further said it could “alter this unlocking policy at its discretion without advance notice.”

Check out AT&T’s Customer Device Unlock page for more information.

The full press release follows:



T-Mobile Steps Up “Bring your own iPhone” Efforts

Suzanne Lowry, vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA

T-Mobile has been a champion of “bring your own device” wireless with our affordable Value plans that separate the cost of wireless service from the purchase of a new phone. This means there are a lot of devices running on our network that we don’t sell in our stores, including more than 1M iPhones. We see a big opportunity to make the experience of bringing an unlocked iPhone to T-Mobile even better for customers.

That’s why, beginning September 12th, we’re stepping up our efforts to attract customers with unlocked iPhones to T-Mobile. Each of our retail stores will have an iPhone 4s demo unit and our sales staff will be trained to help customers set up their compatible iPhone. We’re also developing iOS versions of helpful T-Mobile applications like T-Mobile myAccount, T-MobileVisual Voicemail and T-Mobile TV (we already offer an iOS version of our popular Bobsled application). Finally, we’ll begin testing incentive offers in select markets and (in all markets) marketing the benefits of bringing an unlocked iPhone to T-Mobile, including:

· Unlimited data: T-Mobile offers worry-free, unlimited nationwide data.
· Cost Savings: Customers with unlocked iPhones can save $50/month compared to AT&T*.
· Nationwide coverage that’s only getting better: T-Mobile’s voice network reaches 96% of all Americans, and later this year, as we transform our network, introducing 4G (HSPA+) service in our iPhone-compatible spectrum, these unlocked iPhones will get a significant speed boost where these improvements are available.
As new equipment is in place, we’re already starting to turn up 4G HSPA+ service in our 1900 MHz spectrum. With sites live in cities like Seattle, Las Vegas, Washington, DC and the New York metro area, don’t be surprised to hear reports of iPhone speed sightings. In fact, our internal tests of unlocked iPhone 4S devices running over 4G (HSPA+) on our 1900 band recorded 70% faster average download speeds than iPhone 4S on AT&T’s network. We expect to have these improvements broadly deployed in a large number of markets later this year.

Today, we don’t sell the iPhone, but we do have something worth selling to people who have one. Our message to iPhone customers is simple: bring your unlocked iPhone to T-Mobile and save.

* Savings based on comparison of T-Mobile $69.99/mo Unlimited Talk, Text and Data plan against AT&T Unlimited Talk, Text, and 5GB Smartphone Data plan. Does not include taxes, fees, or promotional offers. Plan features and limitations vary.

Verizon and Sprint iPhones will not work on our network; other iPhones may have limited functionality. See stores for details. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

If AT&T throttles you, are you entitled to $850?

In a decision that will inevitably lead to similar cases in the future, Associated Press reported a judge in California awarded an iPhone user $850 in a small claims case filed against AT&T that found the carrier guilty of throttling data speeds on the iPhone 4′s unlimited data plan. According to the iPhone user, who was grandfathered in to the unlimited data plan, his data was throttled after reaching between 1.5GB to 2GB of data in any given billing cycle:



Pro-tem Judge Russell Nadel found in favor of Matt Spaccarelli in Ventura Superior Court in Simi Valley. Spaccarelli filed a small claims case against AT&T last month, arguing the communications giant unfairly slows speeds on his iPhone 4′s unlimited data plan…Nadel’s ruling could pave the way for others to follow suit. AT&T has some 17 million customers with “unlimited data” plans that can be subject to throttling, representing just under half of the company’s smartphone users.
When asked for comment, AT&T said:

“This is a small claims matter. We are evaluating next steps, including appeal. But at the end of the day, our contract governs our relationship with our customers.”
There is a possibility AT&T will appeal the judge’s decision. AP said AT&T Area Sales Manager Peter Hartlove “argued in court that his employer has the right to modify or cancel customers’ contracts if their data usage adversely affects the network.”

As of October 2011, AT&T officially began throttling data speeds of the top 5 percent of heavy data users and told us last month “throttling only applies to top users with grandfathered unlimited plans.” At that time, an AT&T spokesperson provided us with the following explanation:

For AT&T, throttling only applies to top users with grandfathered unlimited plans. As we said last summer, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage puts them in the top five percent of our heaviest data users. We will continue to send reminders and communicate with these customers ahead of time as their usage approaches the top five percent.





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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Untethered Jailbreak Completed for iPhone 4/3GS, iPod Touch 4G/3G, iPad 1, ATV 2 iPhone 4s and iPad 2 I in te works

Pod2g has announced the completion of an untethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak of the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod 4G, iPod 3G, iPad 1, and Apple TV 2 (4.4.3).

Previously, pod2g said that he would work on jailbreaking the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 after finishing the jailbreaks for the above devices.

Tons of questions from my nice followers. Too early to answer. Will work on iOS 5.0.1, will try iPad 2 and 4S after others are ready.

Let's hope he is successful with the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 as well. Stay tuned to Limerain on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for news on when jailbreak will be released.



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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Unlock Your iPhone 4S Without Jailbreaking?

A new unlock method has surfaced today which claims to work without the need of any software, hardware or jailbreak.

A bug in iOS 5 discovered by Michael Capozzi theoretically allows any iPhone 4S to be unlocked to any GSM carrier. However, Capozzi says he was only able to test with T-Mobile.

We are currently working towards independent confirmation of his method. It does require you to have an active T-Mobile SIM card (with data working). Remember it must be cut to micro-SIM size to fit the iPhone 4S.

The Steps:
● Insert original carrier AT&T SIM card
● Dial 611 for AT&T customer service hotline and drop the call
● Turn on Airplane Mode
● Take out AT&T SIM card
● Insert T-Mobile SIM card
● Make sure WiFi is off ( also tap on 'Forget this Network" to make sure it doesn't connect automatically later)
● Switch off Airplane Mode and iPhone will search for network. This is followed by the Apple splash screen appearing.
● Activation Required will be displayed on the screen
● EDGE network will activate automatically – notice the 'E' on the top left corner of the screen
● Wait for about 20-30 seconds and turn off the phone
● Turn on iPhone and the same Activation Required screen will be displayed
● When you see one signal bar, tap on Use Cellular Connection
● Eject SIM card
● Activation Required screen will be displayed the second time
● Insert SIM card
● Unlocked!

We are getting some confirmation reports. If you are able to test this, please let us know your results. Remember this method may unlock your device; however, it will not last through a reboot. So while not practical for day to day use. It may benefit those traveling abroad.

Update:
Gizmodo is claiming some confirmation as well.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

iPhone 4S pre-orders hit one million in 24 hours

Apple has just issued a press release confirming they have topped one million pre-orders for the iPhone 4S in 24 hours. This surpasses the previous single day pre-order record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4. It also comes after AT&T on Friday confirmed processing over 200,000 preorders in the first 12 hours alone. Apple quoted its worldwide marketing honcho Phil Schiller in the release:

We are blown away with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S. The first day pre-orders for iPhone 4S have been the most for any new product that Apple has ever launched and we are thrilled that customers love iPhone 4S as much as we do.
Full press release:

iPhone 4S Pre-Orders Top One Million in First 24 Hours

CUPERTINO, California—October 10, 2011—Apple® today announced pre-orders of its iPhone® 4S have topped one million in a single day, surpassing the previous single day pre-order record of 600,000 held by iPhone 4. iPhone 4S is the most amazing iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri™, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking.

“We are blown away with the incredible customer response to iPhone 4S,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The first day pre-orders for iPhone 4S have been the most for any new product that Apple has ever launched and we are thrilled that customers love iPhone 4S as much as we do.”

iPhone 4S will be available at all 245 Apple retail stores in the US beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, October 14. Every customer who buys an iPhone 4S at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup service, helping them customize their iPhone 4S by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store™ and more, so they’ll be up and running with their new iPhone before they leave the store.

iPhone 4S includes iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features, and iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the new 64GB model.* iPhone 4S will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and select Best Buy, Target and Walmart stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4 is available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 3GS is available for free with a two year contract.

iPhone 4S will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries by the end of October including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

*Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year rate plan, sold separately.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.


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AT&T has 200,000 iPhone 4S pre-orders in just first 12 hours of sales Updated

Apple’s long term carrier parter AT&T has announced that they have processed 200,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4S, making the new Apple smartphone the most successfully launched iPhone yet. These 200,000 orders only come during the first 12 hours of sales, which started around midnight. Notably, these are just AT&T’s numbers and don’t include Apple’s own online pre-orders or the orders through Apple’s other U.S. carrier partners, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

AT&T has seen extraordinary demand for iPhone 4S with more than 200,000 preorders in the first 12 hours alone, the most successful iPhone launch we’ve ever had. It’s obvious customers like AT&T’s 4G network, which is the only one that lets their iPhone download twice as fast and talk and surf simultaneously.
The iPhone 4S officially launches on Friday, October 14th and features a substantial internal upgrade from the iPhone 4. This includes the dual-core A5 processor from the iPad 2, a re-designed camera system with an eight megapixel back sensor and an improved optics system, improved battery life, and of course the headlining integration of Siri artificial intelligence technology. This 200,000 pre-order number for AT&T can be compared to 600,000 total pre-orders (on all carriers) on day one of iPhone 4 pre-orders last year.

Update: Sprint has sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S.

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iPhone 4S will be faster only on AT&T, unlimited on Sprint, but maybe not interchangeable

Today’s iPhone 4S launch, while bringing a consolidated single phone to three US carriers, also presents some complexities. Some observations:

Probably obvious to some: The 14.4 speed increase is only on AT&T where that speed is actually available. Verizon and Sprint will continue to be at their same 3G speeds. They will also continue to have other CDMA limitations like being cut off of data when talking.
If you buy a Verizon iPhone 4S, you may not be able to head across the street to Sprint with your phone. And vice versa. Phone companies lock their devices so that you can’t move carriers as easy and it appears at first glance that the iPhone 4S won’t be an exception.
IF you have a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4S, you likely will still be able to stick an international SIM card in your phone while travelling. However, will AT&T work in a VZ or Sprint iPhone? Unlikely.
Sprint is also getting the iPhone 4 but AT&T still has an exclusive on the iPhone 3GS in the US. If you factor in the costs of owning a phone for two years, the $100-200 saved up front is a drop in the bucket.
Sprint is the only US carrier offering truly unlimited data plans. From personal experience, Sprint offers great data connectivity, especially in big cities. It will be interesting to see how that network holds up as 30 million iPhones get onto Sprint’s network over the next four years.

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Please fill in your choice of carrier for your new iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s on the right hand side tab.


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

AT&T plans a “4G upgrade” for the iPhone in name only

Perhaps looking to differentiate its service from the other two US carriers, AT&T is working with Apple to get a “4G” icon on the iPhone 4S when it hits its HSPA+ network according to The Verge.

The move would seem to try to further differentiate AT&T’s network which is already significantly faster than Sprint or Verizon’s (and theoretically double the iPhone 4 speed).

If you are in the US, which network will you be getting an iPhone 4S on, vote on our poll on the side panel...

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

AT&T Begins Throttling Unlimited Data Plan Users

As planned, AT&T has started to throttle users on the unlimited plans who place in the top 5% of data usage for that month.

Although originally planned to start October 1, many users are reporting that their data usage is already being throttled. No word on the exact speeds yet.

Starting October 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage in a billing cycle reaches the level that puts them among the top 5 percent of heaviest data users. These customers can still use unlimited data and their speeds will be restored with the start of the next billing cycle. Before you are affected, we will provide multiple notices, including a grace period.

Verizon has too been throttling data for unlimited customers starting a few weeks back.

Remember that this only applies to unlimited data customers using a smartphone. Users reported that they received the message on throttling at or around 10GB.




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Apple confirms October 4 event: Let’s talk iPhone

The Loop reports that Apple has finally confirmed the long-awaited media event. The wait will soon be over: Apple has scheduled a press conference next Tuesday, October 4. The event will take place at Apple’s home turf, its Cupertino campus in California at 10am PT, as rumored. If an email invitation is any indication, this will definitely be an iPhone-focused media event. AllThingsD has it on good authority that Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver the presentation, a first for Cook in his new CEO role.

As 9to5Mac reported yesterday, Apple’s next iPhone will sport a dual-core A5 chip from iPad 2 with nine times faster graphics, giving the handset a leg up over the latest Android phones in the graphics department and gaming. The processor will pack in 1GB of RAM, twice as much as the iPhone 4′s A4 chip or iPad 2′s A5 processor.

Camera on the back will be upgraded to eight megapixels and will sport a backlit sensor that takes incredibly high-resolution and clear shots, even in low light conditions. The camera app might support panorama photography. Other treats include a Qualcomm Gobi baseband chip so a single hardware SKU should address both GSM and CDMA networks.

The biggest selling point is understood to be a voice activated feature called Assistant, stemming from Apple’s acquisition of Siri, a search intelligence startup. The “Let’s talk iPhone” tagline on the invitation could be deciphered as a subtle hint at Assistant.

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

White “iPhone 4s” apparently shows up in AT&T internal system

Engadget says that a white “iPhone 4s” – note the lowercase status of the “s” – has appeared in an internal AT&T system. “4s” is of course close to the “iPhone 4S” nomenclature we coined within our story about Apple seeding A5-equipped iPhones – with iPhone 4 designs – to developers earlier this year. The system that Engadget is calling an “inventory system” is not actually the one used in stores, and based on the accompanying text fields, that system looks to actually have to do with customer care. Additionally, the iPhone 3GS appears with a capital S in AT&T’s inventory systems.



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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple to Hold iPhone 5 Press Conference on October 5th?

Apple will reportedly hold its iPhone 5 press conference on October 5th, according to a PocketGamer source.

Our inside source says there will be a press conference announcing the new hardware on October 5th, with retail release occurring a week later. This broadly fits with the movement of recent rumours, which peaked with a - since proven erroneous - 21st October release date, bought forward to a October 15th date, according to Orange CEO Stephane Richard.

The symbolism works well too: iPhone 5, iOS 5, October 5.

The currently rumored iPhone 5 release dates have been October 7th, 14th, and 15th.




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In my opinion it would be more reasonable that Apple would make the 5th it's release date.

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New York Times: iPhone announcement in weeks. Yes, we have more.

We passed up the New York Times iPhone story earlier because it didn’t really contain any new product information. We’ve been hearing early October for awhile now in terms of when the iPhone gets released. Therefore, the announcement in ‘weeks’ isn’t news either.

Neither is the 8MP camera which I was on hand to hear Sony CEO Howard Stringer reveal earlier this year. Nor the A5 processor which isn’t even a small stretch. And the best bit:

two people with knowledge of the inner workings of Apple’s next-generation iPhones say either the iPhone 5 or iPhone 6 will include a new chip that is made by Qualcomm.
Helpful.

But here’s some real info: We’ve heard that there are indeed two different models of iPhone coming out next month (announced this month?) We still think October 7th is the scheduled release date give or take any delays. We’ve heard the low-end model, which is essentially an iPhone 4 look-alike (glass front and back), is rolling off the assembly line in big numbers right now. Apple expects to have 10+ million of these things on hand for launch and full ramped production into the holiday shopping season. These will be priced aggressively and be everywhere.

They will also be offered in both prepaid and post paid plans (this is a big deal – more to come on that).

But there is some bad news…



It appears that the tear-drop shaped iPhone 5 with larger screen and thinner, rounder body is seeing continued design and production delays, at least on one assembly line (Apple has multiple production sources – Pegatron, Foxconn, etc). We therefore think that iPhone 5 will be delayed slightly at the very least and may see shortages all the way into 2012.

The iPhone 5 itself is a sight to behold, we’ve been told. It is impossibly light, yet much firmer than Samsung Galaxy phones which are backed in plastic. The camera rivals point and shoot cameras and will be a major marketing point for this device.

As you probably know, information comes fast and furious in the run up to announcements. We’ll have lots more coming soon.

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Samsung Galaxy S II clocks the fastest GPU in any current smartphone, but it likely won’t be a match for iPhone 5

Image courtesy of Anandtech

Anandtech has published some interesting findings based on their extensive Samsung Galaxy S II review. It’s the first smartphone to use the graphics processing unit based on the Mali-400 core from ARM Holdings, a fables chip maker from the UK. In fact, Samsung has engineered and manufactured its own system-on-a-chip solution for the handset.

They call it the Exynos 4210 and it combines a dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU core and the aforementioned Mali-400 GPU sporting four cores. The resulting performance, says Anandtech, is comparable to Texas Instruments OMAP 4 chip that incorporates Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR SGX540 GPU core. However, the quad-core 1.2GHz Exynos 4210 probably won’t hold a candle to iPhone 5, which will likely carry the same dual-core processor-GPU combo as the iPad 2′s 1GHz A5 chip:

Samsung implemented a 4-core version of the Mali-400 in the 4210 and its resulting performance is staggering as you can see above. Although it’s still not as fast as the PowerVR SGX 543MP2 found in the iPad 2, it’s anywhere from 1.7 – 4x faster than anything that’s shipping in a smartphone today.
Interestingly, and per the GL Benchmark included below, the Exynos 4210 is more than twice as fast compared to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 that runs Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip and nearly four times speedier than iPhone 4′s 800 MHz A4 chip that sports the PowerVT SGX535 GPU core. However, the 4210 falls short in the triangle throughput department, a big disadvantage over the iPad 2′s A5 processor that clocks nine times the graphics performance of the original iPad’s A4 chip.

Triangle throughput is important in graphics-intensive games and will become key in “future games that may scale along that vector rather than simply increasing pixel shader complexity”. The video of Anandtech’s Samsung Galaxy S II review below..





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Cross posted on 24/7Droid.com

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AT&T Files Response to Department of Justice Lawsuit

AT&T has filed a response to the Department of Justice lawsuit to prevent its acquisition of T-Mobile, reports Physorg.com.

AT&T claims the DOJ's analysis reflects a misunderstanding of the market. They say T-Mobile isn't a significant competitive threat to AT&T and has been losing market share in recent years, a trend which will discourage Deutsche Telekom from investing further in the carrier.

In contrast, AT&T says it spent more than $30 billion in network upgrades from 2008 through 2010, yet still can't keep up with customers' growing demand to transfer data over phones and other wireless devices, according to the court documents. But if it can snap up T-Mobile, AT&T believes the added capacity will put it in a better position to deliver better services. AT&T already has pledged to invest at least $8 billion and transfer 5,000 jobs currently in overseas call centers back to the U.S. if the T-Mobile purchase goes through.

The company also says that, "Without this merger, AT&T will continue to experience capacity constraints, millions of customers will be deprived of faster and higher quality service, and innovation and infrastructure will be stunted. If this transaction does not close due to Plaintiff's lawsuit, wireless consumers will, as the FCC Chairman predicts, increasingly face higher prices and lower quality."




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- Posted using my iPhone 4