Want some dip with that Samsung chip? (credit: Chipworks)
When Apple announced the iPhone 5S 10 days ago, it revealed a more powerful next-gen processor was ticking along for the ride.
The 64-bit ARM A7 was a widely expected edition to the Apple SoC line-up, and some thought Apple might finally turn to a chipmaker other than arch-rival Samsung to produce the silicon in its new flagship.
Alas, Apple apparently couldn't cut the cord, as research firm Chipworks confirmed through "early analysis" that the chip is the product of Samsung's fabrication Foundry.
Through some microscopic dissection, the Chipworks crew came to the conclusion the A7 is built using the same 28-nm HKMG process as Samsung's Exynos 5410 CPU, the processor found inside the octa-core version of the Galaxy S4.
Blood is thicker than water, we suppose.
Made a break with M7
Apple is stuck relying on Samsung for its mobile CPUs it would seem, though perhaps by the time the iPhone 6 lands the company will have made a clean break.
There is, however, one third-party chip claim Apple can stake with the 5S.
Chipworks identified the M7 co-processor, which collects and processes accelerometer, gyroscope and compass data, as an NXP Semiconductors product.
BlackBerry released its preliminary second quarter financial results today, and as jargon-y as that sounds, the company dropped a few big bombshells.
We'll start with the news that will affect consumers directly: BlackBerry has decided to shift its future smartphone portfolio from six devices to four. Cost saving measures are to be expected, but there's more.
The phone maker will now focus on making "enterprise and prosumer-centric targeted devices," producing for that space two high-end devices and two entry-level devices. All-touch and QWERTY models are in the offing, but the days of BlackBerry plying phones ardently to consumers are over.
What's more, following the announcement of the BlackBerry Z30, BlackBerry will re-tier its predecessor, the disappointing Z10, making it available to "a broader, entry-level audience."
BlackBerry reiterated a special committee continues to explore strategic alternatives for the company's future, which it has stated include an all-out sale.
Money pit
Of course, BlackBerry wouldn't just up and decide to shift its attention to the enterprise space. It would have to be losing bucket loads of money. And it is.
According to the company's preliminary calculations, it expects a net operating loss of approx. $950 million to $995 million.
A huge portion of that - $930 million to $960 million - is a primarily non-cash, pre-tax inventory charge "resulting from the increasingly competitive business environment impacting BlackBerry smartphone volumes."
A pre-tax restructuring charge of $72 million is factored in there as well.
Cutting even deeper to the quick, BlackBerry's restructuring will result in the lay off of approx. 4,500 employees.
As for whatever positives there are, BlackBerry expects to pull in second quarter revenue of approx. $1.6 billion and sales of 3.7 million smartphones. It plans to chop its operating expenditures by about 50% by the end of the first 2015 fiscal quarter.
In line with yesterday’s WSJ report, BlackBerry announced that it will cut 4,500 jobs as part of a plan to reduce its operating expenditures over the next year. Furthermore, the struggling Canadian company is expected to post a loss of almost $1 billion in the fiscal Q2 of 2014.
The eye-watering loss is a result of lackluster sales of the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. The company will take a hit against inventory and supply commitments involving the failed smartphone. Going forward the device will be priced to appeal to “entry-level” audience, thus leaving the freshly announced BlackBerry Z30 as the company’s flagship.
In order to make its way out of the woods, BlackBerry will reduce its portfolio to four devices – two high-end and two entry-level ones. Future products will be focused away from the mainstream consumers, back to the company’s former stronghold – the enterprise and prosumer user base.
The latest Oppo N1 teaser surely is the most interesting one to date. Instead of focusing on the upcoming Android smartphone’s design and features, the short YouTube clip features no other, but CyanogenMod’s founder Steve Kondik.
As you can see in the latest trailer above, Steve Kondik says that he will be attending the Oppo N1 unveiling. He also promises “exciting news ahead.”
Steve Kondik’s appearance in the teaser could well be a less than subtle hint that the Oppo N1 will be getting the treatment from the newly-founded company CyanogenMod Inc. Oppo’s own love for the Android ROM flashing community points even further in this direction.
The Oppo N1 will break cover on September 23 in Beijing. We will be covering the event live from the spot, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop on the Chinese smartphone.
If you shrugged off sleep, kept your track-pad finger hovering over order options at the online Apple Store, or camped out/paid someone to in front of a physical one overnight, you're helping the new iPhones get off to a rousing start.
"Demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and we are currently sold out or have limited supply of certain iPhone 5S models in some stores," an Apple representative told AllThingsD.
But you really have to look no further than the long lines and extended shipping dates to know that.
The gold iPhone 5S looks of particular interest to consumers, and Apple is reportedly preparing to give them more of what they want.
All that glitters
According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has tugged on suppliers' ears to up production of the new gold iPhone.
Apple apparently wants production to jump by another third based on the strong demand it's seeing for the champagne-colored handset. AllThingsD noted in a separate report that Apple's manufacturing partners have been asked to "significantly" up gold iPhone 5S production.
The Journal's report focused on Hong Kong demand, but in the U.S., the gold iPhone's ship time has been pushed to October on all four carriers and in all storage configurations. The white and space gray models, meanwhile, are able to ship within seven to 10 business days from any carrier in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB options.
Supplies of the iPhone 5C, meanwhile, appears to be holding steady, and will get to U.S. customers in one to three business days.
Read our review of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C to see if the phones are worth the wait.
Apple's new Touch ID fingerprint sensor might safeguard the iPhone 5S against thieves, but it wasn't much good to one poor Apple fan who had his handset robbed before leaving the Apple Store on Friday.
After queuing (probably for hours) at the flagship Apple Store on Regent Street in London, the unlucky fella unboxed his handset and placed it in his pocket, only to be pick-pocketed by a light fingered little toe-rag.
He only realised the iPhone was gone after he left the store and now cops, who were out in their droves on Friday and still managed to miss the incident, are looking at CCTV footage to determine what happened.
"It's not clear what happened, because the store is so busy," a Met police source told The Register. "This is why we draft in extra officers. There's always going to be people having their new phones nicked."
More blips!
Some more blips, with less heartbreaking iPhone thievery, can be seen here
Now that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Sony Xperia Z1 announcements are out of the way, the next big unveiling to look forward to in the mobile industry is the upcoming Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet.
The live images and the press render of the Nokia's first phablet are already out and we now have yet another leak, which shows the 6-inch smartphone very closely. The latest leak also shows the Nokia branding on the top and three capacitive touch buttons at the bottom of the phablet.
Meanwhile, the Nokia Lumia 1520 is confirmed to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and the device will feature a 20 megapixel PureView camera.
We will know more about the Nokia Lumia 1520 when the Finnish manufacturer officially announces the phablet at its upcoming press event on October 21.
Head down to the source link below to check out the image in full size.
These were sent to us by an anonymous tipster, but we are quite certain that this Gold version of the HTC One mini is a custom gold plated edition, made by a third-party jeweler, and HTC won't be offering it officially.
Apple's gold color variant of the iPhone 5s made a real splash and we are hearing rumors that HTC will following down the same route to liven up the HTC One design.
Unfortunately, there is no word on the pricing and the availability of this gold HTC One Mini.
Thanks to our anonymous tipster for sending this in!
With Vodafone and O2 launching their 4G networks to take on the increasingly speedy LTE offering from EE, we picked up a handset from each carrier (along with an 'Ultrafast' HSPA+ phone from Three) and trawled around London to see what kind of speeds consumers can really expect if they fork out the extra money for the next-generation mobile speeds.
It's very hard to give definitive speed results in any given location, but as London is one of the only places in the UK with 4G from O2, EE and Vodafone at the moment (plus one of the highest densities of masts broadcasting the signal) we considered it adequate for getting a feel for what was on offer when it came to next generation speeds.
How did we test?
We decided to go with a variety of phones all capable of connecting to the 4G signal – in the case of 3 this wasn't necessary, so we stuck with the tried and tested Samsung Galaxy S4.
(We'll be re-testing this with our double-speed 4G-enabled LG G2 in the near future, so stay tuned!)
We used the Speedtest.net app to determine ping rates and download speeds in each location, ensuring there was a 4G connection (or HSPA+ in the case of Three) wherever possible – although no matter how hard we tried, there were occasions where an LTE signal just wasn't happening.
Ping test: to determine latency (the delay) between your phone / tablet and the server. The lower the rate, the faster the connection, and the less time waiting for your data to start arriving.
And in the interests of fairness, we ran the test at least three times on each phone, giving an average score at the end to ensure we didn't get caught out with an anomalous result during the testing.
We gave each network a score out of four for each test to help us determine TechRadar's utterly unofficial Best 4G network.
So how did each network get on? Does Three's claim that its Ultrafast network can be a good stopgap before it brings 4G later in the year hold water? Does EE's double-speed 4G network actually allow users to get much faster speeds (which would be unlikely, given no phones on the market can actually use the connection as yet)?
And can one man walk around London holding nearly £2000-worth of telephony and not get mugged several times?
TechRadar Towers – Balcombe St – 15.54 (indoors)
To kick off our test, we decided to start at home – right in TechRadar's offices. Checking the coverage maps showed that we were supposed to get good indoor coverage with O2, Three and EE, while Vodafone was outdoors only.
Colour us as surprised as a leopard that realises it looks better in pinstripes to find that not only did O2 and EE not manage to get anywhere near the expected speeds (O2 not even finding a 4G signal) but Vodafone defied its own maps to provide blistering speeds time and time again.
Vodafone – 4pts
EE – 3
O2 – 2
Three - 1
London Bridge – 20.15
Next up, a stop at the Shard later in the evening provided a great chance to test connection speeds. With loads of people milling around and a number of offices and homes within reach, this would surely test the signal in a new way, with all networks promising good coverage – and achieving it too for the most part.
EE fans will be pleased to note that once the indoor shackles were off, it leapt to the top of the leaderboard. Vodafone did not fare as well with a 4G signal hard to come by, while O2 and Three sailed through the test.
EE – 4pts
O2 – 3
Three - 2
Vodafone - 1
St Albans – 07.50
Now here's an odd one: while neither O2 nor Vodafone confirmed the outlying parts of London as towns or cities imbued with 4G, several of them were actually able to connect to the service, according to the coverage trackers.
St Albans station was apparently covered with good outdoor 4G signal according to the coverage maps, but only EE managed to get such a thing while waiting for the train, with many other commuters playing with their smartphones at the same time (although few were likely running 4G speeds).
Sadly, Vodafone didn't even manage to connect to the Speedtest.net app, despite multiple attempts, so scored nil points in this test. Three was once again a creditable distance behind the 4G rivals.
EE – 4pts
O2 – 3
Three – 2
Vodafone - 0
St Pancras – 08.25
Now we hit the big leagues – outside one of the busiest stations in London at rush hour. With all networks promising good indoor and outdoor coverage, which would leap to the top of the leaderboard?
Vodafone and O2 were the front runners in this test, with EE a close third and Three some way behind. The latency was a little slower than expected, but it seems the congestion from thousands of phones emerging blinking into signal all at once wasn't helping things.
Fresh from its previous two disasters, Vodafone narrowly missed out on top spot – another excellent showing from the new boy O2.
O2 – 4pts
Vodafone – 3
EE – 2
Three - 1
South Kensington – 10.25
So to quieter locations: in a more affluent area of London, would 4G speeds be slower?
It seems not, as all four networks raised their game in this location. EE really began to flex its muscle in this more open space, while O2 kicked it up a gear once more. Three suddenly remembered that it could pump some pretty whizzy speeds over HSPA+, and even managed to beat the 4G-connected Vodafone into fourth place.
EE – 4pts
O2 – 3
Three – 2
Vodafone - 1
Buckingham Palace – 10.55
For our final test, we wanted to ask the question everyone has been dying to know since the launch of the 4G networks: can the Queen get a 4G signal in Buckingham Palace?
With 4G signals promised once more – and this time delivered promptly and powerfully – this was going to be the test that sorted the 4G men from the GPRS boys.
Three bowed out early on, with a meagre result given its fine showing in Kensington. However, with many tourists thronging around and a number of businesses close by, its 3G networks may have been taxed rather heavily, while its unlikely foreign visitors would be paying up for 4G signal.
Vodafone managed to finally get another one over on its launch rival, boasting speeds just faster than O2, which will please some lovers of the Big Red Network.
However, EE showed that it knows what it's doing with 4G, bringing nearly double the download speed with the lowest ping rate. So if you can't decide whether you want to download an HD movie or watch guards changing at the Queen's London digs, then it looks like EE may be your best bet.
EE – 4 pts
Vodafone – 3
O2 – 2
Three - 1
The results
There's no doubt there's a large gap between Three's 3G Ultrafast network and the next generation speeds on offer. However, there were times when the distance was narrower, so if you're able to hold on until December with speeds hovering around 4-5Mbps on average, then you might just be in for a 4G treat.
EE has definitely got the most robust network on offer, with the fastest speeds shown in most locations, and more often than not far exceeding the competition.
EE – 21 pts
O2 – 17 pts
Vodafone – 11 pts
Three – 9 pts
O2, with less spectrum on offer than its rivals, surprised us in this test by often providing fast and impressive results – however, with a high price plan it will be interesting to see if consumers pay up.
Vodafone looks like it needs to do some more work, but with the red network promising to turn on a mast every 30 minutes in London, perhaps it won't be too long before its coverage map actually mimics real life usage.
We'll be running the same tests again in two weeks' time to see if anything has improved, so stay tuned to see if EE can hold on to its impressive lead.
Want to know if you should really care about 4G? Well, luckily we've spent ages putting together everything you need to know.
It looks like Nestle Germany has let the chocolate out the wrapper after it appeared to confirm that Android KitKat would be launched in October this year.
Replying to a user on its German KitKat Facebook wall, the translated message reads: "Hi Tim, Android 4.4 KIT KAT is available in October".
There have been rumours circulating that Google is planning an event on October 14, at which the search giant is expected to announce details on the next iteration of its mobile platform.
Nexus 5?
We could see KitKat arrive alongside the new Nexus 5, which is also be touted for the event and it could be the flagship smartphone for Android 4.4.
If Android KitKat does arrive in October you can expect Google's Nexus devices to be first in line for the free software upgrade, including the new Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and Nexus 10.
Of course Nestle might just be messing with us - could it instead be referring to the launch of a KitKat in the shape of an Android? We'll wait and see...
Nokia's upcoming phablet, the Lumia 1520 has been doing its rounds in the rumorland for quite some time now. We've only had rumors to rely on when it comes to the topic of what's packed under the hood of the 6-inch beast.
Now, it's all but certain that the Lumia 1520 will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, according to a tweet from Qualcomm. It looks like the chipset manufacturer (accidentally) revealed the details while responding to a tweet.
As one can expect, the company has since retracted its statement, but not before we all got to know what's powering the upcoming Lumia 1520 phablet.
Nokia Lumia 1520, which was formerly known as Bandit will feature a 20 megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss lens. The newest addition to the phablet club is expected to make its formal entry on October 21.
US ratings service Nielsen has announced that it will be adding watching live TV on a mobile device to its show ratings, bringing it kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
The television monitoring service has slowly but surely been playing catch up with the modern age. Earlier in the year it announced that it would be throwing streaming services such as Netflix and Xbox into its statistical mix and now it has revealed that TV watching on a phone and tablet will also be counted.
There are a number of caveats, though. At the moment it will only be linear television that is counted. So, if you are in the US and are watching live content through apps such as the WatchABC service, then your view counts.
If you are watching through catch-up then this still won't be noted by Nielsen's system.
According to Variety, which broke the story, this new way to analyse TV viewing has been the culmination of three years' work and will help advertisers figure out where people are watching what.
App viewing
It's certainly not a perfect system, though. If a network wants to be part of the Digital Program Ratings system then their app will have to have a special code embedded that will track data for Nielsen.
So far, a pilot of the scheme, has seen ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, A&E, CW, Discovery, Univision and AOL all sign up.
Given the changing ways the world is watching television, giving advertisers the best knowledge on how shows are watched is essential. Netflix and Lovefilm have always kept their numbers a secret but there are some areas of the TV world where mobile watching is known.
In the UK, iPlayer offers up a monthly update on how many people are watching on tablets and smartphones but this is because it is a publicly funded service.
Nielsen's Digital Programs Ratings system is set to launch in 2014, but it already has a rival. ESPN has been pushing its own ratings service called Project Blueprint.
For those who don't 'get' the whole concept of being a tech addict, the thought of queuing up outside an Apple store on launch day is alien.
I get that. I don't understand why people queue up for the January sales. They're crazy. Total oddballs!
But I can't quite apply that logic to my own behaviour. And so, on a rather chilly morning in late September 2013, I found myself standing in the middle of Cambridge, having gotten up at the kind of time that would make reasonable people wince, just to buy an iPhone 5S.
I was in the city the night before for work – and being from the big smoke, I did that whole 'London' thing of thinking I'd be stealing the march by getting my iPhone from a smaller city.
"No-one's gonna queue in Cambridge! They're all either in bed (students) or in work (rich folk)," I laughed to myself.
I'm not laughing now. And yet I can't stop wanting one.
It just doesn't work
6am, I arrived. Two hours prior to opening. That is late, late, LATE by Apple launch standards. I was practically being chased along by a white rabbit in a dinner jacket, waving a stopwatch.
And what a waste of time it was. More than 1500 people stood outside chatting – and 1400 of them turned away at 8am because stock was sold out.
I didn't get it – in fact, I don't get several things.
Firstly, what is Apple playing at? How can you globally launch a product with such a rubbish amount of stock? There is NO justification. The company was not ready for the launch. Pure and iSimple.
But the other thing I don't get is my own behaviour. My own determination to get one. That need, that hunger.
Soft launch
The launch wasn't that spectacular. I've spent the last week waving my Galaxy S4 around, telling iSheep to just bore off. But the sad fact is, I really want a 5S. I've not been true to myself. I'm a fraud.
The sad thing is – I don't know why. I mean, it's not as if the iPhone 5S is ultra amazing. It has a smaller screen than my S4, the processor may be enough to power a hydraulic dam, but really – do we need one that powerful in a phone?
I suppose there is the fingerprint scanner. Actually, that bit is cool. Really cool. I'm gonna be wearing that out from day one! When I get my hands on the flaming thing.
Apple has a mean marketing machine. The worrying thing is that I KNOW I've been brainwashed. Even going into a shop and playing with one after the launch, mentally torturing my empty hand, I was lusting. It's the capability of genius – make that desire come alive.
I wouldn't mind but I love Android. I love its openness, its customisation abilities and all the rest of it. Sometimes, it can be a little rough around the edges and I hate the adverts you are stuck with on some apps, but it's a trade off.
Yet all I can think of now is getting my face firmly nestled once again in Mother Apple's warm eco-busom. And I dread to think when that's going to happen.
So far, I've looked at eBay (what do you mean "wait ten days?" That just isn't an option!) and the one I want (Gold 64GB) is going for around £1400! It's the old story of supply and demand. And the fact is that loads of these beauties went to people who queued up for hours, days even, not because they wanted one. But because they wanted to sell them for a profit to mugs like me!
It'll probably be months before I get one. But that hasn't diminished my lust for an iPhone 5S. I still long for the days when I can finger the Touch ID sensor, pressing down to enter. And every time I do, the Android-lover in me will shudder.
But I can't help it. Damn you, Apple.
I've reviewed dozens of phones and tablets for TechRadar over the years – each time putting them through their paces in the most unbiased, rigorous way possible.
But as well as being a professional, I have a love/hate relationship with tech, and that's what these columns are all about: the passionate howlings of a true fanboy. Tell me why I'm right, wrong or a hopeless idiot in the comments below or by tweeting @techradar or @phillavelle.
Soon to be ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has admitted that his greatest regret while in charge of the Redmond firm was missing out on the early days of the smartphone.
Speaking at an analyst meeting in Washington, Ballmer opened up about his time in charge of Microsoft and what happened when smartphones first entered the fray.
"I regret that there was a period in the early 2000s when we were so focused on what we had to do around Windows that we weren't able to redeploy talent to the new device form factor called the phone," he explained.
As iOS and Android begun to take off, Microsoft was still focussing on its PC business. It did have its Windows Mobile platform, but that was never capable of challenging the new offerings from Apple and Google.
Better for Windows
"That is the thing I'd tell you I regret the most, because the time we missed was about the time we were working away on Vista and I now wish we had our resources slightly differently deployed during that time.
"It would have been better for Windows and better for our success in other form factors."
Windows Phone wasn't launched until late 2010, several years after its rivals, putting Microsoft on the back foot immediately and since then we've witnessed it struggle to get a solid foot hold in the market.
The recent takeover of Nokia by Microsoft signals intent from the firm that it's taking mobile seriously and it will look to cement its third place in the mobile market - although it's still some way off the top two.
The iPhone 5s is launching today in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK.
The device can be bough from Apple's own retail stores in the US with a plan for Sprint, Verizon or AT&T or from T-Mobile (although T-Mo iPhones are expected to ship between 7 and 10 business days).
The cost in the US is the usual - 16GB for $199, 32 GB for $299 or 64GB for $399 with a contract. We seriously urge you to get at least the 32GB option as the available user storage on the 16GB version is less than 14GB with no option to expand that later.
As for European prices you can get the iPhone 5s in Germany SIM-free for €699, €799 and €899 for either 16/32/64GB and £549, £629 and £709 for the 16/32/64GB in the UK.
The iPhone 5s numbers are reportedly low so unless you're first in line you may not be able to grab one off the shelf today. The same goes for the Apple's online stores, where the device has already been back-ordered.
You saw the fancy videos, but how does the iPhone 5S stand up in the real world? Is it the best phone ever, or just the best iPhone ever? There's only one name to call, and that name begins with "G" and ends with "areth Beavis". Our smartphone supremo is all over the 5S like a finger on a Touch ID sensor.
As he rightly points out, a minor price hike means that the iPhone 5S is "one of the most expensive smartphones out there, even on 3G price plans." The smartphone world is very different these days, and the iPhone has some very credible rivals. Is it still worth the extra cost?
The 5S looks the luxe part, but we're not sure if it's insides seal the deal
The short answer is "hmmm". It's a 'tweener model - the S iPhones are always relatively minor improvements, with the big changes happening when the phones get a brand new number - but nevertheless it's "one of the most cutting-edge smartphones around, imbued with a top-end camera and a really innovative feature with Touch ID." Touch ID is going to be a very big deal, we suspect, and that M7 motion processor is interesting too.
That's the good. The bad? Price, the relatively small screen, price and price. It's a lovely thing, but "we can't see what lives in the iPhone 5S to justify being the most expensive phone on the market." That said, if you like this sort of thing then this is the sort of thing you will like.
Plastic surgery
The 5C marks Apples first bid for the budget market
That doesn't bode well for the iPhone 5C, which is essentially a plastic iPhone 5. It wasn't as cheap as many hoped, so is this a cheap iPhone or just a cheaper iPhone? It's an important distinction. Over to Mr Beavis, who favours "cheaper" over "cheap": the iPhone 5C is "slightly more affordable. Slightly being the key word."
The whole thing leaves Beavis rather puzzled. As a device it's nice enough, but "its price tag, overall design and lack of glass-based, premium feel leaves a slightly unpleasant taste." Apple hasn't gone downmarket to slug it out with no-name cheapies, but the price isn't that much lower for a device that "lacks that premium feeling we've become accustomed to from iPhones... does it feel like it's worth the money you're paying? In all honesty, no."
The iPhone 5C may be cheaper than the iPhone 5S, but it's more expensive than the HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Nokia Lumia 925. We can't help thinking that where previous iPhones were all about the devices, the 5C is all about the marketing.
Operational issues
Both the iPhone 5S and 5C run iOS 7, the latest and possibly greatest version of Apple's mobile operating system. So if you're thinking of upgrading, just how different is it really? We've put together a quick list of the major differences between iOS 7 and iOS 6, so you can see whether your favourite features have been affected. Not all of its goodies are immediately obvious, though, so we've also provided you with a list of our favourite iOS 7 tips and tricks too.
As you'd expect, we've also looked at it in great detail and posted our thoughts online. "While previous iOS updates were largely a case of install-and-get-on-with-it, iOS 7 takes a bit more getting used to" - but "Apple isn't hurling babies out with the bathwater here. The iOS we know and largely love is still there, but it's been given one hell of a makeover."
The visual changes are largely effective - although the Music app is pretty hideous and the new look is sometimes just too bright: "using Safari on an iPad in a dark room after a long day is really quite unpleasant." But the most important changes are functional.
iOS 7 has learned a lot of tricks from elsewhere, but what matters is how it works
The new Control Center makes it much easier to access key features such as Bluetooth and Airplane Mode, the new Notification Center is handy, Safari and Mail are much better and the whole thing feels much more modern and efficient. Many of the changes owe obvious debts to Android, WebOS and - yikes! - even Windows Vista, but the important issue isn't who thought of them first but whether they make your life happier, and in iOS 7 they do.
It's not all good, though. Maps is good but not great and definitely not as good as Google, Siri alternates between being absolutely wonderful and utterly infuriating, and as with iOS 6 you shouldn't expect all-day battery life if you actually plan to use your device for anything other than the odd email check.
If you're a die-hard Android fan there's nothing here that's going to make you reconsider your life choices and jump aboard the Apple train. If you're already an iOS user, though, it "will make your device feel brand new all over again. We think you'll like it a lot." Are we right? Let us know in the comments.
The Nokia Lumia 1020 has been available in the US for some time now, and has even had its on-contract price slashed already. In China, the phone has been available for over a month now with a price of $980 for an unlocked device.
In Europe, however, Nokia fans haven't been so lucky with the availability of the Lumia 1020. Thankfully, these last couple of days we've been getting reports about its availability from all over the place, including the UK, Poland, Italy and Bulgaria. Nokia's latest Windows Phones is already in stock at those places and possibly, elsewhere too.
In the UK, the phone has been up for pre-order for more than a week already. It's still not available everywhere, but there are some online stores that have it in stock for a price tag of £599.99. This pretty much matches the price of the phone in China, so it's not really overpriced. The phone is available in yellow or black, but a recent report pointed at a red version hitting Italy soon.
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with any of these stores and we do not endorse purchasing through any of them. We are merely researching the most popular options and these are not necessarily the best deals available. By all means, shop around before you commit to buying your Nokia Lumia 1020.
Windows RT tablets haven't exactly set the world alight, and with the full Windows 8 slates faring better in the market it's left Microsoft with a little bit of a problem.
All is not lost however, as Microsoft's Terry Myerson explains the merging of smartphones and tablets will mean the ARM-based Windows RT software will raise its head again, and hopefully provide users with a better app experience.
Speaking at a Microsoft financial analysts meeting Myerson said: "The ARM devices in particular in phones have incredible share given their battery life and the connectivity options available with the system-on-a-chip ecosystem.
"Windows RT was our first ARM tablet. And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, and Windows ARM tablets in the future."
APPetite for success
Microsoft is also looking to unify its application offering across devices, with the aim of having one app which is available on smartphones, tablets and computers.
"We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices," Myerson explained.
One of the strong selling points of Apple's ecosystem is its library of applications that work seamlessly on both iPhone and iPod as well as the bigger screened iPad - and it's clearly something Microsoft is attempting to mimic.
With applications which play nicely with both the Windows Phone 8 based smartphones as well as the new tablets, it may spark interest in the Windows RT brand after all - and about time too.
What's all the fuss about RT? Take a peek at our in depth Windows RT review and find out.
Just two days after the launch of the new iPhones, Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with Bloomberg Businessweek for a frank discussion regarding the new product launches, company strategy and talking about rival companies. He was also joined by the Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi and Senior Vice President of Design, Jony Ive.
In the interview, Cook address a key topics, starting with the pricing of the iPhone 5c. Everyone expected Apple to come up with a cheap iPhone but Apple instead went for a slightly lower priced model while maintaining all the key features of last year’s iPhone 5.
On this, Cook had to say, “There’s always a large junk part of the market. We’re not in the junk business” talking about the low-end devices. He went on to say “We never had an objective to sell a low-cost phone. Our primary objective is to sell a great phone and provide a great experience, and we figured out a way to do it at a lower cost.”
Apple has always maintained the strategy of going after high price, high profit markets. We have seen them do this with the Mac range before, where Apple never really made a cheap MacBook as such, even when people expected them to. The low-end is not a market where Apple prefers to play and they made this clear once again with the iPhone 5c.
Meanwhile, Federighi and Ive, have worked closely in the past to come up with the new iPhones. regarding this, Ive said “I don’t think we ever talked about our roles. We talked about how can we most effectively extend the collaboration that always existed.”
Speaking of features and claims of Apple not innovating enough, Ive said “We didn’t start opportunistically with 10 bits of technology that we could try to find a use for to add to our features list.” hinting at rivals such as Samsung who have often loaded up their devices with features that most people never actually use.
Federighi says it much simply: “New? New is easy. Right is hard.”
Speaking of the Android dominance in the market, Cook said “Does a unit of market share matter if it’s not being used? For us, it matters that people use our products. We really want to enrich people’s lives, and you can’t enrich somebody’s life if the product is in the drawer.” Cook pointed out that more people actually use Apple’s devices daily and that they have a higher customer satisfaction compared to their rivals.
As for Android fragmentation and claims of it being a non-issue anymore, Cook said “It will show up in developers. It will show up for people that no longer have access to certain apps. It will show up in security issues because if you’re not moving your customer base to the latest version, then you have to go back and plug holes in all of this old stuff, and people don’t really do that to a great degree.”
Cook also had things to say about Microsoft and their acquisition of Nokia. Regarding Microsoft, Cook feels that they are copying Apple’s strategy of vertical integration by now starting to make their own hardware. Cook said “Everybody is trying to adopt Apple’s strategy. We’re not looking for external validation of our strategy, but I think it does suggest that there’s a lot of copying, kind of, on the strategy and that people have recognized that importance.”
Lastly, regarding Nokia, Cook said that the lack of innovation is what lead to their death as a company. “I think [Nokia] is a reminder to everyone in business that you have to keep innovating and that to not innovate is to die.”
You can read the interview in its entirety in the link below.
In a rare interview, Apple's Jony Ive has spoken to USA Today about his thoughts behind iOS 7 and has revealed that it was a liberating experience to rid the operating system of skeuomorphism.
Speaking alongside Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, Ive explained his thought processes behind iOS 7 and how there was no need to refer back to the real world in its OS as consumers have finally become accustomed to touchscreen phones.
"When we sat down last November [to work on iOS 7], we understood that people had already become comfortable with touching glass, they didn't need physical buttons, they understood the benefits," said Ive.
"So there was an incredible liberty in not having to reference the physical world so literally. We were trying to create an environment that was less specific. It got design out of the way."
Ive been speaking a lot
Explaining a bit more about how he came up with the design for iOS 7, it seems that Ive distilled what what was needed on the system to just the essentials.
"I think a lot of people see simplicity as the lack of clutter. And that's not the case at all," said Ive.
"True simplicity is, well, you just keep on going and going until you get to the point where you go, 'Yeah, well, of course.' Where there's no rational alternative."
Although Ive gave nothing away about what Apple was working on next – he even went as far to say "I'd lose my job" if he did – he did note that the addition of something such as Touch ID to the iPhone 5S was perfect Apple behavior as it showed how the company can integrate complicated technology into its products in a seamless way.
"This right here is what I love about Apple, this incredibly sophisticated powerful technology that you're almost not aware of, it absolutely blows me away," said Ive.
"You can't get this without working cross-functionally."
He also reveals the non-tech product he would like to redesign the most. And it is... the humble cup.
Read the full and fascinating interview at USA Today.
Want to know more about iOS 7? Check out or in depth iOS 7 review.
The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have officially touched down in the UK, and you can expect droves of people to descend on Apple Stores, high street retailers and networks as they clamour for the latest goodies from the Cupertino firm.
If you're looking for the latest, premium offering from Apple then you'll want to check out the iPhone 5S with an upgraded A7 processor, enhanced camera and nifty fingerprint scanner hidden under the iconic home button.
For those of you who fancy a bit more colour in your life then you'll want to check out the 5C, which arrives in five different shades - although be warned there's no metal on display here with a distinctly plastic body and the same specs as last year's iPhone 5.
Both handsets do arrive running iOS 7, arguably the biggest overhaul Apple has given its mobile platform since its inception in 2007 with a whole new colour palette, redesigned icons and a raft of new features.
A word of warning if you're planning to swing by O2 at some point to pick up a shiny new iPhone 5S though - the bubbly network doesn't actually have any in stock yet.
The announcement was made via the carrier's Twitter account yesterday and read: "Nearly #O2iPhone Friday! Get 5C in store & order 5S online & on phone. No 5S in stores but they'll order for you and say when it's in."
Of course if all this is a bit too fruity for your likely then there are plenty of other top end smartphones for you to choose from including the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and Nokia Lumia 925.
Want to know more about the phones before you part with your cash? Then check out our in-depth iPhone 5S review and iPhone 5C review
