Items tagged with iPhone 5S
Are you rocking an older iPhone model? If so, there is a chance that Apple will cut off support for your handset when it releases iOS 13, which is expected to debut next month. Nothing is set in stone at this moment, or more precisely, this information has not been confirmed. But if the latest rumor is true, iPhone 6 and older generation handsets will be left in the dust. That is the word from a French-language website that covers Apple-related news. Citing a "developer friend" (Google translation), iPhonesoft.fr says iOS 13 will support every iPhone handset dating back to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, but not the regular iPhone 6 and earlier versions. That means the following devices will...
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Some people take “swiping” a little too seriously. A former senior manager at the Taiwanese corporation Foxconn has been indicted for stealing and selling 5,700 iPhones in China. It is estimated that the manager, identified by his family name Tsai, pocketed $50 million TWD ($1.56 million USD) during his escapades. Tsai worked in a testing department in Foxconn factory in the southern mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen. Tsai and his eight accomplices sold thousands of test iPhone 5/iPhone 5s smartphones to stores in Shenzhen between 2013 and 2014. These phones were initially supposed to be scrapped. Foxconn reported the missing phones after an internal audit last year. Tsai was questioned earlier...
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Apple would have you believe that it's iPhone devices are locked down tighter than Fort Knox, that its encryption and security schemes are so well implemented that even its own engineers would have trouble hacking a handset. But is that really the case? In a murder investigation involving an actor from The Shield, the Los Angeles Police Department made quick work of hacking an iPhone 5s model that belonged to the victim.Ironically enough, murder suspect Michael Jace is best known for playing a member of the LAPD in the popular FX drama The Shield. He stands accused of killing his wife April Jace on May 19, 2014. Early in the investigation, an Apple technician helped authorities extract information...
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Apple for years shunned the shift in the consumer market to larger-screened smartphones. The iPhone debuted with a 3.5-inch display in 2007, and upped the ante slightly with a 4-inch display with the 2012 debut of the iPhone 5. But Apple finally went after the bread and butter of the smartphone market (long after its Android competition had made the leap) in 2014 with the release of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. Needless to say, iPhone sales skyrocketed with these new larger-screened offerings. Not everyone was happy with Apple’s move to larger displays, however. Many of the Apple faithful clung to the iPhone 5/iPhone 5s form-factor, citing it as being absolutely perfect for...
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There's a weird issue that seems to be affecting certain iPhone devices. Those affected claim they're experiencing frequent and random restarts preceded by a blue screen that flashes on the display for a brief period. A blue screen of death, if you will. What's interesting is that the majority of complaints are coming from T-Mobile subscribers, and it only began occurring last night.Apple news and rumor site MacRumors says it's received "several complaints from readers," though users have also reported the issue on other destinations on the web, including Facebook, Twitter, and reddit. The issue appears to be limited to the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 5S models, but not a specific OS...
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In addition to the revised 15-inch MacBook Pro and 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina Display news from this morning, Apple has introduced a new accessory for all Lightning-equipped iPhones: the iPhone Lightning Dock. The addition of the dock is surprising for two reasons. First, why did it take so long for Apple to release a Lightning Dock compatible with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus? Secondly, is Apple out of its Vulcan mind by charging $39 for a hunk of plastic? To add insult to injury, Apple doesn’t even include an extra Lightning USB cable in the box; you’re on your own on that front. For $39, you’d expect a little extra love from Apple, but I digress. With that said, the iPhone Lightning...
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If you’ve been eying Apple’s iPhone 6 and haven’t yet taken the plunge, Wal-Mart is offering a holiday promotion that might prompt you to get off your lazy butt. The retail giant normally sells the iPhone 6 for $179 with a new two-year contract, which already represents a $20 savings over what you’d pay direct from Apple. However, starting tomorrow, Wal-Mart will discount the entry-level iPhone 6 even further to just $129 with a new, two-year contract. Likewise, the supersized iPhone 6 Plus has seen its price of entry cut from the usual $279 to $229. The price cuts extend to all members of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus families. In addition, Wal-Mart will also offer a discount on the year-old...
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If you're looking to score the best deal on an iPhone, typically the best time to pounce is right before Apple launches a new model. When that time of year comes around, retailers inevitably slash prices on current generation models to make room for the new handsets, as Walmart is about to do with its stockpile of iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S handsets. The folks at CNET have it on good authority (a Walmart spokesperson) that Walmart's planning to reduce the price of the iPhone 5C from $29 to just $0.97 effective Thursday at 9 AM local time. Walmart is also planning to cut the price of its remaining iPhone 5S inventory, which will drop from $99 to $79. All color options are included in the price reductions....
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August may seem like the wrong time to be talking about a Christmas holiday-themed commercial, but the Television Academy doesn’t think so. The Academy announced the winners of the 2014 Creative Arts Emmys, which recognizes the efforts of the people who work behind the scenes to make your favorite TV shows and commercials come to life. That’s where Apple comes in, taking the Outstanding Commercial award for its “Misunderstood” ad, which aired during the holidays last year. Apple TV and AirPlay let you put the video that's playing on your iOS device onto your TV. The commercial kicks off with family members arriving for a family get-together that seems fun for everyone...
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Retailers have been discounting iPhone 5 smartphones heavily ahead of the anticipated launch of Apple’s next generation of iPhones in early September. Now, AT&T is running a promotion that knocks $200 off the price of an iPad or iPad mini when you buy an iPhone 5c or 5s on an AT&T Next plan. This is not an online promotion, so you’ll need to visit an AT&T brick-and-mortar to take advantage of it. The deal applies to iPads and iPad minis, but not the iPad minis that have retina displays. You’ll need to buy the iPad with a two-year AT&T wireless agreement (in addition to buying an iPhone 5c or 5s with AT&T Next) to get the $200 discount. The iPhone 5c (pictured)...
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T-Mobile is determined to live up to its self-given designation as the "Un-carrier." The latest attempt to separate itself from the competition is to allow users to take an Apple iPhone 5S handset out for a seven-day spin at no cost and with unlimited nationwide service. It's called "T-Mobile Test Drive," and it's intended to help consumers make an informed buying decision (and of course draw attention to itself). "The way this industry forces Americans to buy wireless is completely, utterly broken. I’m here to tell you there’s a better way," declared John Legere, T-Mobile CEO and President. "While the carriers ask you to buy blind, the Un-carrier gives you transparency. Our network...
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A keyboard accessory funded by Ryan Seacrest and intended for iPhone 5 and 5S devices hit a bit of a legal snag that leaves the project's future up in the air. According to multiple reports, BlackBerry won a court order barring Typo Products from selling its $99 Typo Keyboard Case after the Canadian handset maker convinced a judge that patent infringement was likely taking place. "BlackBerry has convincingly shown that BlackBerry’s keyboard designs are a key driver of demand and goodwill for BlackBerry phones. Typo’s keyboard directly targets the segment of smartphone users that prefer a physical keyboard, the market in which BlackBerry competes," U.S. District Judge William Orrick...
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With friends like T-Mobile, who needs enemies? That pretty much sums up how BlackBerry felt after T-Mobile sent an email to customers encouraging them to switch to Apple's iPhone 5S. What really set the Canadian handset maker off, however, was T-Mobile calling its $0 down promotion on iPhone 5S smartphones a "great offer for BlackBerry customers." Hello oncoming bus, meet BlackBerry. John Chen, BlackBerry's new sheriff in charge, didn't take kindly to the promotion, saying in a blog post that he was "outraged" by T-Mobile's behavior BlackBerry CEO John Chen was "outraged" over T-Mobile's iPhone 5S promotion. "Late last week, T-Mobile emailed an offer targeting BlackBerry users on its network...
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When Apple introduced the iPad Air, the company made a big deal about the tablet having a custom 64-bit System-on-Chip (SoC) inside. It's the same 64-bit part found in the iPhone 5 and the latest iPad mini. If you own any of those devices and are into benchmarking, you'll be happy to know that Futuremark's 3DMark benchmark has just been updated to include a 64-bit version for those devices. Futuremark says the iPad Air, iPhone 5S, and second generation iPad mini will all see "slightly" improved scores with the newest 3DMark (version 1.2.0). 3DMark is a popular benchmark and one that we frequently use when evaluating a range of hardware, from graphics cards to laptops and desktops. With the latest...
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Overshadowed by Microsoft's long anticipated Xbox One console launch today is the availability of unlocked iPhone 5S handsets. By "available," we mean that Apple is now accepting orders for SIM-free iPhone 5S devices to customers living in the United States, though new orders won't actually ship out for 1-2 weeks, according to Apple's website. Other than shipping without a SIM card, there's nothing different about these handsets from a physical standpoint. Some people opt to go the unlocked route to avoid being locked into a long-term service contract with a wireless carrier. These devices also come in handy if you frequently travel abroad, as you can hook up with a local carrier and avoid exorbitant...
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One of the hallmark features of Google's Nexus 5 flagship smartphone by LG isn't its bodaciously big and beautiful 5-inch HD display, its 8MP camera, or its "OK Google" voice command / personal assistant feature. Frankly, that's all been done before. What does stand out about the Nexus 5 is Google's new Android 4.4 Kit Kat operating system and LG's smartphone SoC (System on Chip) processor of choice, namely Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 quad-core. Qualcomm is known for licensing ARM core technology and making it their own within their Krait architecture, and Qualcomm's latest Krait 400 with Adreno 330 GPU that comprises the Snapdragon 800, is a powerful beast. Furthermore, Google has taken...
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One of the features Apple touted when unveiling the iPhone 5S was that the battery life is supposed to be much improved compared to previous models. However, the Cupertino company has now confirmed that a "limited number" of iPhone 5S models may peter out prematurely due to a manufacturing defect in the device's battery. "We recently discovered a manufacturing issue affecting a very limited number of iPhone 5S devices that could cause the battery to take longer to charge or result in reduced battery life," Apple spokeswoman Teresa Brewer told The New York Times. "We are reaching out to customers with affected phones and will provide them with a replacement phone." It's not clear how many phones...
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It's been a long time since we've seen a dreaded "blue screen of death" (BSoD), but it's back and in the in the unlikeliest of places. Oddly enough, some Apple iPhone 5S owners are reporting BSoD errors, though they're a little different from the ones you may remember seeing on Windows desktops. Rather than spit out an obscure error code with a generic description, some iPhone 5S devices are suddenly turning blue before automatically restarting. The Numbers app in Apple's iWork suite, a free program with new iPhones, seems to be the primary cause, though BSoD behavior has also been observed in other applications, according to complaints in Apple's support forum. Here's a demonstration of the...
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Even after listing fees and various commissions are factored in, eBay user "papakar" just scored a big payday, assuming the buyer of his unlocked Gold iPhone 5S 16GB ponies up the cash. The winning bid came out to $10,000 plus an additional $44.95 for one-day shipping (seems like at that price, the seller could foot the bill for shipping, but whatever). Why so much? One explanation is that the winner bidder is full of bologna. However, out of the 51 bids the seller received, the winning bidder is one of just a few with feedback well above zero. The winning bidder, shown only as "y***9" to protect his identity, has a feedback score of 226, which seemingly indicates he's not a new account holder...
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The iPhone 5c is little more than a repackaged iPhone 5; the internals are essentially the same as those found in last year's flagship, while the rear is constructed from plastic instead of aluminum. The iPhone 5s, on the other hand, cements a consistent pattern for Apple. The company has shown no intentions of reinventing the wheel (or, the phone) every year. Instead, they seem content doing so every other year, with the in-between years offering up an enhanced "s" version of last year's phone to tide consumers over. It's almost akin to Intel's "Tick-Tock" manufacturing model actually, though semiconductor architecture is a whole different ball of wax versus mobile consumer products, obviously....
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For a time, Apple's annual tradition involved the unveiling of a new iPhone at WWDC. Then, things changed, and the iPhone's annual coming-out party began to happen a lot closer to the all-important holiday shopping season. But perhaps the most interesting change of late is how the iPhone line is evolving. At this year's gala, two new iPhone handsets were unveiled, marking the first event where more than a single new device was given the spotlight. The first weekend that they were available, Apple saw record sales, proving that the fire is still burning bright within their customer base. The iPhone 5c is little more than a repackaged iPhone 5; the internals are essentially the same as those found...
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Even though Apple didn't increase the screen size on the iPhone 5S like many hoped it would, the device along with its polycarbonate sibling, iPhone 5C, sold like gangbusters over the weekend to the tune of over 9 million units, Apple announced today. On top of that, more than 200 million iOS devices are now running iOS 7, making it the fastest software update in history. "This is our best iPhone launch yet?more than nine million new iPhones sold?a new record for first weekend sales," said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. "The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5S, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly....
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