Here’s a tip on how to save money on paid apps

Have you purchased an app only to find that it has gone on sale or free a few days later? It has happened to me many times, and it’s not a nice feeling.

So here’s a simple tip that I follow that has helped me save money on paid apps.


Developers very often put their apps on sale, either during the holiday season or some other time of the year in the hope that they sell more copies, leading to a growth in net revenue. So when you’ve set your mind on a certain app, it’s likely that it might be going on sale soon. Now how do you know that?

Price history

AppShopper.com has a neat feature where it keeps a track of the price history of all apps, so you can find out if there have been price changes for an app, and how likely is it that the price will fall in the near future.

You can check the price history on their website or using their AppShopper Social app (direct iTunes link). To check the price history on the AppShopper Social app, launch the app, tap on the Search tab, and search for the app you’re looking for, then scroll down and tap on App activity.

If there have been price changes then you may want to defer your decision to buy it, and wait for the developer to drop the price of the app again.

AppShopper Wishlist

Another AppShopper.com feature is wishlists, where you can add apps you want to the wish list by tapping on the I want it option in the AppShopper Social app, and AppShopper will send you price change alerts for it, either through push notifications or via email.

You can access the settings by tapping on the gear icon in the top left corner (available from the Stream, Friends, Wish List and My Apps tabs). Tap on Push Notifications, and ensure that the toggle for push notifications for price drops has been enabled (it is enabled by default). Alternatively, you can enable email notifications by taping on the Email Notifications option.

That’s it. So the next time you’re buying an app, make sure you go to AppShopper.com or to the AppShopper Social app, and search for the app. If you see that price changes are very frequent, it might be a good idea to delay your purchase and add the app to your wish list instead.

If you’re just looking for good deals, then there are quite a few apps in the App Store to keep track of top ranked apps that have gone free or discounted, which we will cover as a follow up to this post.

You can also bookmark our App deals page or join our Facebook Fan page, follow us on Twitter, add us to your circles on Google+, subscribe to our RSS feed as we have started covering deals on popular and top rated apps.

iPhone 5C photo leaked by Pegatron employee

A quality control employee at Pegatron, Apple’s manufacturing partner, has published a photo on here Weibo profile, which appears to be a large number of iPhone 5C units in testing mode.

When we saw the photo, we initially thought that it was a knock-off, but Engadget had done some digging, and discovered that the photo was posted by none other than an employee at Pegatron’s Shanghai plant.

Engadget reports that the employee appears to have joined the quality control department in mid-July. She posted the photo, as you can see above, along with the following caption:

“The low-end iPhone 5C to be launched for Chinese consumers in September doesn’t look much different than the Xiaomi Phone 2, right?”

It seems odd that new iPhone units would be kept in such as disorganized fashion, but Engadget notes that they’ve seen similar this kind of testing setup during factory tours.

The iPhone 5C units is very similar to the leaked components and mockups, with the plastic rear casing and front black panel.

Apple is widely expected to launch iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10, followed by the launch on September 20.

More Photos of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C parts

Sonny Dickson continues to post photos of iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S parts on his website.

Earlier today he posted several photos, which he claims are of parts from Apple’s iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C directly from his sources within Apple’s supply chain.

He writes:

You’re looking at our most extensive iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C part leak yet, with a variety of ribbon cables and components, including the entire intact casings, vibration motor, audio jack, SIM trays, the front and rear cameras, the mounts to attach all of the components to the casing, and more. Nearly everything except the logic board – even the screens!

As you can see from the photo above, it appears that the rumored gold/champagne iPhone 5S will have white inlays at the top and bottom. It also seems to have the dual LED flash, which is also in line with rumors we’ve heard so far.

He has also posted side-by-side comparison photos of the black and gold iPhone 5S rear shell.

Apple is widely expected to unveil iPhone 5S and the rumored lower-cost iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10, followed by the launch on September 20.

Since iPhone 5S is going to look like the iPhone 5, we expect the gold color, which looks quite elegant, to be quite popular as it is going to be only way to tell people that you have the new iPhone. But the white inlays at the top and bottom looks quite ugly.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

If you’re interested, head over to Sony Dickson’s website to see the entire photo gallery of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C parts.

Surprise: iPhone people like their phones more than Android people like their phones

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) surveyed an untold number of people between July of last year of June of this year and they’ve made quite a startling discovery. Roughly 81% of existing iPhone owners purchased a new new iPhone during those 12 months, whereas only 68% of Android owners bought a new Android phone.

Let’s think about why this is obvious. Most Android users buy an Android phone because it’s cheaper than the iPhone. So they get an Android phone, probably one that’s either $99 or free on a two year contract, find out it’s junk, and then swear that they’ll never buy another Android phone again, so they go ahead and buy an iPhone.

And as for iPhone people buying more iPhones, well of course, if you spend tens of dollars, maybe even hundreds of dollars on apps and content for you iOS device, why would you “throw it away” to get an Android phone?

New iWatch Concept features flexible touchscreen display, runs iOS 7

It has been widely speculated that Apple is working on an iOS-based smartwatch, unofficially dubbed iWatch, which could be launched as soon as this year.

We’ve already seen patents and concepts that have given us a glimpse of what an iWatch may look like.


Folks at Ciccarese Design (via 9to5Mac) introduce us to a new iWatch concept created by a team of Italian designers and IT engineers.

Here’s our version of iWatch and the image you see we wanted to realize style and functions, in typical Apple design that so fascinates us.

In our shell from the futuristic design, we enclosed ideally, the latest version of the operating system for mobile devices iOS7.We have also started prototyping and we have already made the first two copies, one white and the other black, to verify the ergonomics as well as the attractiveness of the object when worn.

Apple’s cool new patent for a touchless gesture-based UI to control 3D objects

he U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today granted Apple a patent for a method to create and manipulate 3D objects using gestures made above a touchscreen’s surface.

The patent titled ”Working with 3D objects” covers methods to represent 3D objects on a touchscreen, and subsequently update an object’s representation based on user input, which can either be through touch or using air-gestures. A simplified claim from the patent says:

Detecting a gesture input that comprises a movement of a finger in proximity to a surface of the display, measuring a distance between the finger and the surface of the display; modifying the 3D object according to the gesture input; and displaying the updated representation of the 3D object on the touchscreen.

Normal touch screens can recognise 2D gestures made on the display, but a proximity sensor, in combination with the existing capacitive touch sensors, adds an extra dimension altogether, letting the user make gestures in 3D space.

Having all three dimensions to sense user input enables all sorts of interesting possibilities like creating 3D objects using 2D objects as the base:

A first user input identifying a 2D object presented in a user interface can be detected, and a second 3D gesture input that includes a movement in proximity to a surface can be detected. A 3D object can be generated based on the 2D object according to the first and second user inputs, and the 3D object can be presented in the user interface where the 3D object can be manipulated by the user.

The simplest example of the idea described here is the creation of a cylinder — users draw a 2D circle on the screen, and then pull their finger(s) away from the screen to give the circle a third dimension of height.

This idea can be taken forward to add more complexity and let users “sculpt” objects, as Apple describes in its patent:

A “sculpting” mode in which 3D objects have properties as if made of clay, and finger movements are interpreted as sculpting 3D clay objects. The user may adjust properties of the clay, such as softness, during the sculpting process.

Depending on the finger movements, indentations may be formed in the object and portions of the object may be squeezed smaller while other portions may be enlarged (as if the clay material were squeezed from one region to another). When the pinch-and-pull gesture input is applied to an object having clay-like properties, pulling a portion of the object for a distance beyond a threshold may cause the portion to break off from the main body, just like pulling a portion off a lump of clay. A “pinch-twist-and-pull” gesture input can also be used to twist and break off a portion from the main body of an object.

As Apple describes, 3D gestures could spawn a whole new category of content creation apps for artists, designers, architects etc.

The air-gesture idea described in the patent can already be seen in the Microsoft Kinect and the Leap Motion controller, though the inner workings of the two might be different than what’s described in the patent.

Tell us what you think about 3D gestures in the comments below. Samsung already has a few air gestures in its latest smartphone and they’ve been labelled “gimmicky.”

Also see: Demo of Kinect-like touchless gesture interface for iPad

iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C launch date: September 20?

Japanese business newspaper Nikkei (via CNET) reports that Apple will launch iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C exactly a month from today, on Friday, September 20 and ten days after the devices are unveiled at a media event on September 10.

New iPhones will arrive in Japan on September 20 with a gold iPhone 5S option in tow, Japan’s Nikkei reported Wednesday.

SoftBank and KDDI will handle sales of the iPhone 5S and 5C, according to Japan’s largest business daily. NTT Docomo is not expected to sell the new iPhones, Nikkei added. [..]

[..] In addition to the conventional black and white models, a new “champagne gold” will be offered, the newspaper said. This reinforces widely-reported rumors about that color option for the iPhone 5S. 

The 5S is expected to come with an upgraded processor and camera as well as fingerprint reader integrated into the home button, according to the report. Again, echoing recent reports. 

Apple usually launches the iPhone first in the U.S. and several other countries, so if September 20th is the launch date in Japan, then it will be launch date in U.S. as well. We had also predicted September 20th as the release date for iPhone 5S based on the release schedule followed by Apple for the last couple of years.

iPhone 5 was launched in 9 countries including US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Germany and UK. We expect Apple to launch iPhone 5S in more than 9 countries this year.

I can’t wait to get my hands on iPhone 5S. What about you? Do you plan to buy or upgrade to iPhone 5S? Or Will you buy iPhone 5C?

Apple may release iOS 7 for iPad with new hardware, iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor details revealed

Well-connected Apple blogger, Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac, has shared some interesting details about iOS 7, iOS 8 and the iPhone 5S with fingerprint sensor.

iOS 7

Apple will most likely release iOS 7 publicly right around the time the iPhone 5S goes on sale, but the iPad version still seems to be buggy, as developers have noted, since it went into development after the iPhone version. The late start was evident when Apple waited until iOS 7 beta 2 to add support for the iPad:

While iOS 7.0 for iPhone is locked for the iPhone 5S launch in mid-September, there’s chatter inside Apple about the potential of holding back the iPad version for an iOS 7.0.1 release between late September and October; potentially alongside fresh new iPad hardware.

An added benefit of rolling out iOS 7 in phases is that Apple can better prepare users for the radical changes coming to the iPad’s interface, thanks to some familiarity on the iPhone running iOS 7. The company’s investigating significant resources to develop training sessions for iOS 7 for users who might be overwhelmed with the changes.

9to5Mac also says that Apple realises the limited capabilities of the iPhone 4′s three-year old hardware, and is working on ensuring that iOS 7 performs well on the device. Given that iPhone 4 is the oldest device running iOS 7, it’s quite possible that this is the last major software update it receives.

iOS 8

What’s on Apple’s roadmap after pushing iOS 7 to customers? Lots of interesting things, according to 9to5Mac:

Details are currently slim on what functionality iOS 8 will bring, but we’ve heard some chatter about projects in development within Apple’s iOS engineering division. We’ve heard that a Siri API, with restrictions to certain app categories (like weather, information, and news apps), has been considered in the past. Also in the works are advancements to iOS in the Car that could tie in an iPhone’s camera to provide the car improved information about current road conditions. This could help with re-routing vehicles via the iOS Maps app. Unfortunately, neither of these potential iOS additions have been discussed in tandem with the iOS 8 release, so it’s unclear if they have anything to do with the 2014 version of iOS, or if they are just possibilities for even further down the road.

A Siri API has been a feature developers have been looking forward to ever since Siri’s original release two years back, and it seems like the feature’s due to come in the next major release of iOS. It also makes sense that Apple’s doubling down on iOS in the Car given its importance to Apple’s ecosystem.

iPhone 5S with Fingerprint sensor

9to5Mac also says that a fingerprint sensor in the next iPhone is all but confirmed, but contrary to rumors, it won’t have a convex home button.

Also contrary to recent talk, the new Home button’s design will not be noticeably convex. Perhaps the shape has changed, but the tweaked button is nothing distinct enough for the iPhone 5S to be identified as anything but an iPhone 5 by the untrained eye. There’s the possibility, however, that the etching and border of the Home button could become more shiny and look slightly different.

He however notes that Apple doesn’t plan to use fingerprint sensor for payments, at least at the time of the launch, and users will have the capabilities to enable or disable the fingerprint sensor via the Settings app.

Apple is widely expected to unveil iPhone 5S with fingerprint sensor at a media event on September 10, with a possible release on September 20. Based on last year’s release schedule, Apple may release iOS 7 on September 18th.

Oh look, the iPad 5 leaked.

It’s unofficially been “confirmed” that Apple will hold an event on September 10th to announce the new iPhone. Whether or not they also unveil a new iPad there too remains to be seen, though everyone pretty much expects a new iPad to come out this year. So what’s it going to look like?

Like a 9.7 inch iPad mini. Both the front and back of the iPad 5 have leaked numerous times, and this latest leak doesn’t really show us anything new. The fact that these leaks are occurring more and more frequently seem to suggest that not only an announcement is soon due.

Besides being lighter and less narrow than previous iPads, what else will the new iPad have? It’s Apple, so you know it’ll be a bit faster, it’ll have a better camera, and it’ll probably have more RAM too.

Charge your devices on the go with The Portable Power Bank [Deals Hub]

Whether you’re on a long flight or simply out all day, having enough battery life is always a concern. This iPhone Hacks Deals offer is the perfect travel companion for you, giving you all the energy you’ll need while on the go.

The Portable Power Bank from A ViiQ is a portable charger that works great, is built to last, and is only $34.99 during this limited time offer. (And this sale price includes the cost of shipping to anywhere in the continental USA.)

Here are the top features of this device:

Dual USB outputs

4 LED status indicators

Discharge of up to 2 amps

Overcharge, discharge, and short-circuit protection

Aluminum casing

Micro USB to Standard USB cable included

This tiny charger packs a serious punch. With its 2 amp discharge and dual USB outputs, the Power Bank can rapidly recharge two devices at once when an outlet isn’t in reach.

You don’t have long to get this device at a price this low, so head to the iPhone Hacks Deals Hub now and grab it for $34.99 while you can!

Analyst: iPhone 5C to be priced at $400-$500, to replace iPhone 5

Mingchi Kuo, analyst at KGI Securities, has released a new research update to his clients where he has provided some interesting details about Apple’s rumored budget iPhone.

While Apple analysts are dime a dozen, Kuo has a good track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s product plans based on his supply chain sources, so we generally pay attention to what he has to say.

Here are some of highlights from his research report:

He expects iPhone 5C to support China Mobile’s TDD-LTE network, which suggests that Apple may have finally clinched the deal with the world’s largest carrier.

He speculates that iPhone 5C will replace iPhone  5 and not iPhone 4S due to the feature set overlap and $400-$500 price range. Not surprisingly, he expects Apple to discontinue iPhone 4.

Surprisingly, he expects Apple to continue to offer iPhone 4S in the $300-$400 price range. There have been speculations that Apple will discontinue iPhone 4S with the launch of iPhone 5S.

According to his sources, Apple is ready to ramp up production in August and September, and may begin manufacturing iPhone 5C earlier than expected in August.

Even though iPhone 5C will come at a lower price range, he expects iPhone 5S to outsell iPhone 5C.

He expects Apple to sell 5.2 million iPhone 5C units and 8.4 million iPhone 5S units in Q3 2013, and 28.0 million units and 18.7M units respectively in Q4 2014.

If it is indeed priced at $400-$500, iPhone 5C would be too costly to be called the budget iPhone. I thought iPhone 5C with mostly iPhone 4S components will the new entry level model and will be available in the $300-$350 price range, so that it can compete with lower-priced Android smartphones. It also made sense to discontinue iPhone 4S as it has a 3.5-inch display and the legacy 30-pin dock connector. So I am a little skeptical of Kuo’s latest predictions, but he has access to a lot more insider information than we do, so can’t rule it out.

Apple is widely expected to unveil iPhone 5S, and perhaps iPhone 5C at the media event on September 10.

WSJ: Apple to launch a new high-end and low-end iPhone in September

Wall Street Journal has just confirmed that Apple will launch two new iPhones in September.

The report claims that according to their sources, Apple will launch a new high-end iPhone, which is dubbed iPhone 5S, and a new low-end iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5C in September.

From WSJ:

Apple has asked assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. to begin shipping both a new high-end and low-end iPhone in early September, people familiar with the matter said.

The shipping plans suggest that two new iPhone models could be launched as soon as next month, pointing to a strategy shift as Apple attempts to regain its momentum in the smartphone market. The company hasn’t previously announced different iPhone models around the same time.

The report notes that mass production of components for iPhone 5S with metal casing and the lower-cost iPhone started in June.

Apple is widely expected to unveil iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10. WSJ however isn’t sure if Apple will launch both iPhones on the same day.

If we go by previous release schedules, Apple should launch the new iPhones on September 20.

AllThingsD confirms Apple will release gold iPhone 5S

after several component leaks, rumors and speculations, we’ve finally started getting confirmation about the existence of the golden iPhone. Following TechCrunch and iMore, AllThingsD too is confirming a gold-tone iPhone 5S.

John Paczkowski of AllThingsD reports:

Sources in position to know tell AllThingsD that Apple, after years of offering the iPhone in either black and white, will soon offer it in a gold tone as well.

The new color option was described to AllThingsD as an “elegant” gold tone. “Think champagne, not ingot,” a source said, confirming what not seems to be some spot-on speculation from iMore last week. Sources say that the gold iPhone will feature a white face, with a gold-tone back plate and chamfered edging.

The golden tone will reportedly be similar to the yellow iPod touch 5G in color, except that it’ll be a bit lighter in shade.

Apple is widely expected to unveil iPhone 5S, and perhaps iPhone 5C at the media event on September 10.

Rumor: Apple to release iOS 7 beta 7 today

BGR reports that according to its sources, Apple will release the seventh beta version of iOS 7 today.

BGR has accurately reported the release dates for previous beta versions.


BGR reports:

We are told by our trusted sources that Apple has once again seeded a new build of iOS 7 to partners, and that it should be released to developers later today. We can confirm the build number is much higher than the previous beta, and we would assume that iOS 7 beta 7 should be distributed and made available for developers around 1:00 p.m. EDT, as usual.

The site had also reported that Apple will release iOS 7 beta 6 sometime this week, but Apple unexpectedly released iOS 7 beta 6 on August 16. However, it seemed to be an emergency fix for an issue with iTunes in the Cloud. So it is possible that Apple had not originally planned to release iOS 7 beta 6.

Last week, BGR had also claimed that iOS 7 beta 6 (now beta 7) will be the final beta version for developers, before it releases the golden master build. Apple is expected to seed iOS 7 golden master to internal groups and carrier partners from September 5, and will most likely release it to developers on September 10, the same day as iPhone media event.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, we expect iPhone 5S to go on sale on September 20, and if Apple follows the iOS 6 release timetable, then iOS 7 could be released on September 18.

Here are some of the changes we’ve discovered in each of beta versions of iOS 7:

http://ios7beta2download.blogspot.dk/

Apple releases iOS 7 beta 6 to developers

Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to sell 35 million iPhone 5S units in 2013 as long as fingerprint reader manufacturers can meet the demand. That number doesn’t include iPhone previous generation models and the low-cost iPhone 5C.

We’ve been conflicting reports about the amount of RAM and iPhone 5S’ camera. Vietnamese site Tinhte has claimed the new A7 chip will come with 2GB RAM and there have been reports that iPhone 5S will feature a 12-megapixel camera.

Apple will reportedly launch the next generation iPhone and perhaps even the rumored budget iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10.

Let us know what you think of the specs. Will you buy or upgrade to iPhone 5S?We’ve just got the news that Apple has seeded the sixth beta version of iOS 7 (build 11A4449d) to developers of iOS Developer Program.

This comes as a surprise as we were expecting Apple to release the next beta version sometime next week, and it has been just over week since it seeded iOS 7 beta 5.

Apple had seeded the first beta version of iOS 7 immediately after the WWDC 2013 Keynote on June 10th, iOS 7 beta 2 on June 24th, iOS 7 beta 3 on July 8th,  iOS 7 beta 4 on July 29th and iOS 7 beta 5 on August 6th.

A report earlier today claimed that iOS 7 beta 6 will be the final beta version, before Apple seeds iOS 7 golden master build to developers.

iOS 7 beta 6 (13.5MB on iPhone 5) seems to be available via OTA update currently. It is available for the following iOS devices:

iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4

iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2 and iPad mini

iPod touch 5

Update 1:

We’ve just got the news that iOS 7 beta 6 is also available for download in iOS Dev Center. Direct download links for iOS 7 beta 6 (please note you need to be a register developer):

iPad (4th generation Model A1458)

iPad (4th generation Model A1459)

iPad (4th generation Model A1460)

iPad mini (Model A1432)

iPad mini (Model A1454)

iPad mini (Model A1455)

iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation)

iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for ATT)

iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (model for Verizon)

iPad 2 Wi-Fi (Rev A)

iPad 2 Wi-Fi

iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (GSM)

iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G (CDMA)

iPhone 5 (Model A1428)

iPhone 5 (Model A1429)

iPhone 4S

iPhone 4 (GSM Rev A)

iPhone 4 (GSM)

iphone 4 (CDMA)

iPod touch (5th generation)

Update 2:

It looks like the update includes an emergency fix for an issue with iTunes in the Cloud, where some purchases may download or play unexpected items. Thanks Alan for the tip!

This update addresses an issue with iTunes in the Cloud, where some purchases may download or play unexpected items. If you have any devices running previous versions of iOS 7 beta, you must:

1. Install iOS 7 beta 6

2. Install the ResetMusicAndVideosLibraries configuration profile

3. From Settings > Music, tap the Reset Media Library button

4. Restart the device

Update 3:

We’ve receive multiple tips that Safari seems a lot snappier, and boot up time is a lot better.

And in case you’re working, there is still no sound while unlocking the device, which was removed in beta 6. Thanks Jason!

If you find anything new that hasn’t been mentioned here then please send us an email to tips@iphonehacks.com or post them in the comments below.

We’ll let you know if we get information on any interesting new features in the new beta, so stay tuned here at iPhone Hacks or join our Facebook Fan page or follow us on Twitter or add us to your circles on Google+ or subscribe to our RSS feed.

iPhone 5S Specs: New A7 chip with 1GB RAM, 8MP Camera with F/2.0 Aperture, Fingerprint sensor, 128GB model, Gold color option [Analyst]

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report to clients where he has updated his predictions for the iPhone 5S.

Ming-Chi Kuo has a good track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s product plans.


Here are some of the highlights from his latest research note.

He claims that iPhone 5S will be powered by a new A7 chip with 1GB LPDDR3 RAM, a sapphire Home button with fingerprint sensor.
He also expects it to feature an 8-megapixel camera like the iPhone 5, but with larger f/2.0 aperature, which should improve low-light performance.
He also claims that iPhone 5S will be available in new gold color.
He also expects Apple to offer a high-end 128GB storage option.
He doesn’t expect iPhone 5S to come with NFC capabilities.
He had this to say about 1GB RAM (which would be the same as iPhone 5):

We reckon A7 will upgrade memory bandwidth spec to LPDDR3 from LPDDR2 adapted by A6, in an effort to improve system performance. Since Apple is in charge of both hardware  and OS design, it is capable of minimalizing memory capacity at an optimized state. Therefore, A7’s RAM will likely be unchanged at 1GB.

Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to sell 35 million iPhone 5S units in 2013 as long as fingerprint reader manufacturers can meet the demand. That number doesn’t include iPhone previous generation models and the low-cost iPhone 5C.

We’ve been conflicting reports about the amount of RAM and iPhone 5S’ camera. Vietnamese site Tinhte has claimed the new A7 chip will come with 2GB RAM and there have been reports that iPhone 5S will feature a 12-megapixel camera.

Apple will reportedly launch the next generation iPhone and perhaps even the rumored budget iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10.

Let us know what you think of the specs. Will you buy or upgrade to iPhone 5S?

Facts About An Average Jailbreak User! [Infographic]

Reddit user ” spiceman54j”  has conducted a survey among a group of jailbreakers who frequently visit Reddit. It has revealed some interesting facts, see them below!

iPhone 5S To Enter In Mass-Production Next Month

Whenever Apple scheduled to launch new iPhone model in public, it have to go through the production scale earlier, and earlier from the launch dates to made the upcoming iPhone model more stable and accurate for the public launch. Apple always seen grounded by technical problems in the production of iPhone / iPad devices due to their higher demands, and high quality components production. There are no doubts that Apple works closer with component suppliers over the production time-phase.

iPhone 5S is already expected to come this fall as a next-flagship iPhone device. Apple is already betting number of its sources on display component suppliers to get IPS LCD panels ready till this summer to get ready the iPhone 5S for fall launch. Apple has reportedly cut-off its business with Samsung over the LCD production of iPhone 5S, and therefore Cupertino company is indeed in look for more component suppliers.

It is reported that Apple has ordered Sharp to start the mass-production of IPS LCD panels for the iPhone 5S device in June, and to get ready all the display panels, they are in talk with LG Display’s and Japan Display as well. Indeed but truth, iPhone 5S going to be the next-flagship device and Apple needs to get ready millions of LCD display panels ready for the launch. A new report coming from Japanese publication hints that Apple is beginning the mass production with collaboration of Sharp, LG Display and Japan Display to completely cut-off Samsung’s access over the Apple’s business.

On the other side, there is a little update to rumors that are suggesting for summer launch. Tim Cook made it clear that no iPhone / iPad device is coming this summer, and therefore iPhone 5S will come in fall. Budget-iPhone model is also slated to come along iPhone 5S in fall, or more accurately in September 2013.

Leaks Suggests Next iPhone To Be Called iPhone 6

On the launch of sixth-generation iPhone, there was a lot of debate on the name of iPhone, whether it will be called iPhone 5 or iPhone 6. But Apple seems to be comes out with theory of calling it iPhone 5. Earlier this year, the same thing happened once again, and everyone said that seventh-generation iPhone will be called as iPhone 5S – following the Apple theory, while there were reports that Apple may called it iPhone 6. Till this morning, we had no record of iPhone 6 on any system or from any source.

The debate is once again begins in the industry, and many people appeared to be going with iPhone 5S. Because, Apple is pretty interested in following “S” in their hardware only updates to iPhone devices. However, this morning a slight evidence makes it way to the publications that suggests Apple will be calling the next-generation iPhone as iPhone 6.

The report comes from the carrier inventory, which lists seventh-generation iPhone as “4G iPhone 6” in their system. Vodafone UK’s store initiated the fire in industry with listing the next-generation iPhone as iPhone 6. Well, before you start sharing it everyone! Let us remind you that people at carrier inventories don’t have any kind of secret information about the upcoming products. So just take this name hint as a grain of salt in sand. While the other side, inventories listing are the most accurate things that leaks lot of information about upcoming devices.

 While the ‘S’ naming scheme is still mysterious to us. Some suggests it is just for ‘Siri’ on iPhone, and some suggests that it is for speed or specification boost in the upcoming device. Apple is also expected to be delivering the Budget iPhone this year at iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 launch.

iPhone 5S Enters Production With Aim To Reach Market In October

iPhone 5S is said to be entering in mass production phase at the end of this month to reach the final production mark till the end of September. Apple is rumored once again to be preparing next-generation iPhone 5S launch in mid-October. The iPhone 5S production reports are claiming that device will be launched in market with 50 to 55 million stock at start, and then later stocks will be pushed to new heights.

The report comes from non-other than Peter Misek, Analyst of Jefferies & Co. He claims that Apple is confirming the suppliers to start iPhone 5S production in the end of this month, and to follow up with production demands till the end of September. The iPhone 5S launch is speculated for late September to mid-October timeframe. The report also claims that Apple is almost reaching the production mark with suppliers for cheap (Budget-iPhone) model, and increasing orders for iPhone 5S production to launch the device in the market on time.

If you are following up with the iPhone 5S launch rumors, then you must be aware of Misek’s name, and his credible work for everyone in the market. He is known for his hit & miss reports about the upcoming iOS devices. However, he is completely aware of iOS market and can come true sometimes with his words. Analysts across the world are just pushing out series of dates to their clients for the next-launch of iPhone 5S, and the rise in stocks.

On the other hand, Apple is also gearing up iOS 7 development with developers and launching upcoming iOS 7 Beta 4 on July 22nd or 23rd. The iOS 7 Beta development is already going in full speed at Apple, and around the developer’s forums. We are seeing heavy bug fixes, and improvements in the time period of every 15 days.

Well, the iPhone 5S is coming in the fall, and will be running the latest iOS 7 on the board. We can easily guess the iPhone 5S launch date with iOS 7 beta release pattern.

Analyst: iPhone 6 With Larger Screen To Come In 2014

Even Apple has announced its flagship iPhone device with larger 4-inch display screen, the company got lot of negative feedback from around the world on their taller screen size decision. Despite the fact that Apple has made it clear that no upcoming device will be carrying a larger screen, many people believes that company will release the next-generation iPhone with a larger display screen not a taller screen.

In a recent earnings call conference, we able to learn more about the Apple views on larger screen resolution. Apple CEO, Tim Cook kills all the swirling rumors that were pointing the larger screen iPhone launch this fall, and said that Apple will again serve the next-generation iPhone with similar screen size. However, the reports from analysts are claiming that Apple will launch the bigger screen size iPhone 6 next year with complete components availability from its suppliers.

On the other side, Tim Cook spilled beans on the availability of larger screen iPhone devices in the market. He cleared that there will no larger screen iPhone device coming, till display suppliers for iPhone device didn’t get any Apple’s required display screens. While many believes that Apple is also curious to launch a larger screen iPhone, but the company is holding back their plans due to non-availability of the high quality display screens for iPhone devices.

Apple already left a big impression on the market with the announcement of Retina Display in the iPhone devices, and now according to sources, Apple is looking for something ground breaking within its supply chain to again rule the market with flagship iPhone device.

Rumor: Apple to release iOS 7 beta 6 next week, iOS 7 GM on September 10

BGR reports that according to its sources, Apple will release the sixth beta version of iOS 7 sometime next week, roughly two weeks after the release of iOS 7 beta 5 to developers.

BGR has accurately reported the release dates for previous beta versions.


BGR also claims that iOS 7 beta 6 will be the final beta version for developers, before it releases the golden master build. Apple is expected to seed iOS 7 golden master to internal groups and carrier partners from September 5, and will most likely release it to developers on September 10, the same day as iPhone media event.

After iOS 7 beta 6, Apple will be seeding a GM (gold master) version for its employees and partners to test starting around September 5th. This will mostly likely be the software that is released to the public later on in the month of September, barring any major bugs or problems that might be discovered.

After Apple and its partners are comfortable with the gold master build, the company will release it to developers on September 10th, the day of the company’s iPhone event where we should see the new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C make their first appearances — and they will of course be the first devices to run iOS 7 out of the box.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, we expect iPhone 5S to go on sale on September 20, and if Apple follows the iOS 6 release timetable, then iOS 7 could be released on September 18.

Here are some of the changes there have ben discovered in each of beta versions of iOS 7:

• IOS 7 beta 5
• IOS 7 beta 4
• IOS beta 3
• IOS beta 2
• IOS beta 

Best Buy offering $200 for iPhone 4S, $100 for iPhone 4 towards purchase of iPhone 5

Best Buy has launched a new “trade-in to trade-up to iPhone 5″ offer today.

9to5Mac reports that the new trade-in program is available from today through Sunday.


The iPhone trade-in programs have been very successful for Best Buy so it doesn’t come as a surprise.

Best Buy is offering a minimum of $200 gift card for an iPhone 4S and a minimum of $100 gift card for an iPhone 4 in working condition. The Best Buy gift cards can be used to buy an iPhone 5 with a two-year contract.

The offer is applicable only on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint iPhones (not T-Mobile) and will be exclusively available in Best Buy stores.

Trade-in offer FAQ:

My iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S has a cracked screen, can I still trade it for an iPhone 5?

Devices with cracked screens are not eligible for this promotion but we would be happy to recycle your phone for free.

My iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S has water damage, can I still trade it in for an iPhone 5?

Water-damaged devices are not eligible for this promotion but we would be happy to recycle your phone for free.

I would like to trade in a non-iPhone smartphone for the iPhone 5, can I?

You can check the value of your smartphone on our trade-in site and trade in your device at a Best Buy store and use that gift card toward an iPhone 5.

What will be the trade-in value of my phone?

We have to see it in store before determining the value. You can get an estimate online.

Best Buy offers a hassle-free experience, but with a little more effort, you might be able to get more cash for your iPhone, and can probably use it to buy iPhone 5S which is expected to be released in the next few weeks.

This may be the best time to sell your iPhone if you want to buy iPhone 5S

Every year, before the new iPhone releases, current users rush to trade-in their existing devices to fund their new purchase. Apple products have a very good resale value compared to other gadgets, but if you want to get the most you can for your device, the best time to sell it is now. September 10th is less than a month away, and with each passing day from now to then, your iPhone will start losing its value.


There are various channels through which you can resell your device, with NextWorth and Gazelle being two of the most popular ones. The two companies specialise in buying used gadgets, and although they might not offer you the best price, they let you ship your iPhone for free and even erase all personal data from the device. Another benefit of their trade-in program is that they let you lock-in your price 30 days in advance, so you don’t have to part with your iPhone right away.

Amazon offers great resale value for your used iPhones, the catch being that you’d be paid in Amazon.com gift cards rather than cash.

Apple’s resale program is a part of its environment friendly recycle process. The trade-in prices are comparable to what NextWorth or Gazelle would offer for a used iPhone, with the exception being that in this case you’d be paid in Apple Gift Cards. Best Buy works similarly, handing out Best Buy E-Gift Cards upon trading-in your used iPhone.

Gamestop, RadioShack, Verizon all offer similar trade-in programs. Gamestop gives you a lot more value for your iPhone if you’re willing to accept in-store credit rather than cash.

The chart below compares the trade-in prices being offered by these companies, assuming that your iPhone is in a good state with its accessories intact. Note that the prices listed are for the black AT&T variant. Prices for other models with same capacity might vary.

New patent reveals rumored iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor could be built into the display

According to rumors, iPhone 5S will come with a fingerprint sensor, which will be the key differentiator from the iPhone 5.

It has been widely speculated that the fingerprint sensor will be part of the Home button, which will reportedly be touch sensitive and covered with sapphire crystal.

But it looks like that’s not the only solution Apple is working on. A new patent application published by the The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday, reveals that Apple is also working on a solution, which involves including the fingerprint sensor in the display.

The patent describes a technology in which a sensor is used to trace a person’s finger and fingerprint and determine, based on that, if they have proper credentials. Apple’s patent application doesn’t go as far as including the security features that might come with it on the software side, but it’s clear what the technology is designed to do. [..]

[..] Apple’s technology is slightly different than those embodiments. Rather than use an attached hardware sensor, like most PCs do, Apple’s patent application allows users to place their fingers on a touch display. The company’s technology then analyzes the finger on a pixel-by-pixel basis to determine if it’s a match with the owner’s.

So it is quite possible that in the future, we will be able to unlock our iOS devices by simply swiping on the display, and the fingerprint sensor doing its magic in the background to ensure we don’t have to enter the passcode.

Interestingly, the redesigned Lock screen in iOS 7 seems to be a step in that direction as it allows you to unlock the device by swiping anywhere on the screen instead of swiping on the iconic “slide to unlock” slide button.

We’ve been a little apprehensive of fingerprint sensors in iOS devices, based on our experience with such sensors in laptops, so let’s hope that Apple’s comes up with a solution that just works, and doesn’t end up annoying us.

iPhone 5S part leak hints at fingerprint sensor built into home button Posted by Jason on Aug 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Till now we’ve seen several indications of a fingerprint sensor being built into the iPhone 5S, right from Apple acquiring Authentec to hidden code references in an iOS 7 beta release. Today, a new component leak further corroborates rumors of a fingerprint sensor being a part of the next iPhone.

iMore obtained images of what appears to be an iPhone 5S home button cable, which is quite different from the one found in the current iPhone. From iMore:

The interesting part is the amount of pins on the connector for the Home button assembly. There seem to be ten pins total shown in the photo and from what we know about past models, there’s no need for an iPhone Home button to have that many pins unless it’s performing some other type of function current iterations aren’t capable of.

A report from earlier this week suggests that the fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S would be placed under a convex sapphire home button, which of course explains the additional pins in the leaked cable and is consistent with the code references found in iOS 7 beta.

As we approach closer to September 10th, it seems clear that the fingerprint sensor and the improved camera would be the key differentiators from the iPhone 5, just like Siri was on the iPhone 4S.

Do you think these two features, along with an A7 chip, would be convincing enough for potential smartphone buyers to choose the iPhone 5S rather than the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5C or an Android phone?

WinterBoard Themes Bring iOS 7-style Dynamic Wallpapers with Parallax effect to iPhone Lock screen

One of the cool things about iOS 7 is the dynamic wallpapers with the parallax effect on the Home and Lock screen.  Well, if you’re jailbroken you don’t have to wait any longer.

2 themes have just been released on Cydia that allow you to do just that (at least on the Lock screen).




The two themes that I’ll be covering are iOS7 Accelerometer Slideshow Lockscreens and iOS7 Bubble Weather Ani Lockscreen Pack (names are quite a mouthful), both of which are developed by Simon.

First, let’s talk about iOS7 Accelerometer Slideshow Lockscreens.  This theme brings you 5 different packs of 20 different wallpapers, so if you do the math, it has 100 wallpapers included.  Each pack of 20 wallpapers have a specific theme which are Cityscapes, Close up, Nature, Night Sky, and 3D Abstract. All 5 packs bring you great looking wallpapers that have that parallax effect like in iOS 7.  The theme will automatically rotate through the 20 Wallpapers in each pack like a slideshow, which is quite a neat feature. Before you choose a theme in WinterBoard (WinterBoard -> Select Themes) and respring your device, you may want to download a tweak that will hide your native Lock screen clock because this theme includes an iOS 7 style clock as well.  You can hide your clock with Lock screen Clock Hide (free) or with Springtomize ($2.99).  Once the clock is hidden you can enjoy the theme to it’s full potential.  If you tap on the Lock screen it also displays weather information.  Your local weather can be changed by inputting your weather code using iFi

                                              Check out the video walkthrough below:

Next up is iOS7 Bubble Ani Lockscreen Pack.  This theme allows you to set iOS 7-style dynamic bubble wallpaper with parallax in 14 different colors. It also has the themed clock so you will need to use either Springtomize or Lock screen Clock Hide to hide the native clock.  When using this theme you’ll notice that even if your device isn’t moving, the bubbles in the background continue to move, which makes it look really nice.  With the various different colors to choose from, you’re sure to find something that you like and to match your theme of your device.  Again, this tweak has the weather widget if you tap on the lock screen, which can be customized to your local weather using iFile.

                                             Check out the video walkthrough below:

You can download both of these tweaks from the modmyi repo for $1.29 each.

Let us know how it goes in the comments below!