Tag: iPhone

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It’s a trap, or is it?

One that is pretty obvious, firstname@apple.com never mentioned the specifics of upcoming Apple product. It has always been:

  • the next iPhone
  • the next iPad

Back in March 2011, I was told about “the next iPhone” but not iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S. Just like December 2011 when I was told about “the next iPad”.

Apple is that kind of company who would not call the next iPad by the name iPad 3.  Jokingly, I said that Apple should call the next iPad by the name iPad 2x because it features 2x pixel density. Almost everyone expect the next iPad to be called iPad 3. I personally think that Apple could have called it something different.

In addition to all that, firstname@apple.com did mention the double pixel density of the next iPad but never once mentioned “Retina Display”. I tend to believe that Apple will not call the next iPad display as “Retina Display”; for it is purely a marketing term.

All that I heard about the next iPad were carefully worded, leaving no traceable specifics.

We all will find out what it really is on March 7th, 2012.

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The Siri on iPad Debate.

The conversation I had back in December 2011 with the ever reliable source on Apple covered the possibilities of Siri on the next iPad. When Apple first unveiled iPhone 4S and Siri, just like many I wanted Siri on iPad 2. I didn’t go as far as accusing Apple purposely limiting Siri to iPhone 4S to boost sales. Apple says Siri is still in Beta phase and I accept that as we all should. One can hope one day Siri would be on more devices in addition to iPhone 4S.

There are reasons why the next iPad will not have Siri. We all would assume that Apple would release two distinct models of the next iPad: Wi-Fi only and the mobile network ready. A lot of people including myself opted buying iPad 2 with 3G with actually having it enabled at all time. I only pay for the no contract 30-day-data-plan whenever I was travelling. As we all have learned, Siri relies on network connection to fully function. Any queries to Siri are sent to Apple’s server for processing. Basically the current incarnation of Siri is useless without persistent network connection. Having said that, Apple is likely not to include Siri in the next iPad.

It is likely that Apple is working on improving Siri such as “Offline Mode” in iOS 6. One could only hope it is true.

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Is this covered under AppleCare?

Imagine the conversations at Apple Genius Bar.

Genius: How may I help you?
Customer: My iPhone headset is broken.
Genius: When did you buy the phone? Do you have AppleCare for it?
Customer: Oh yes I do have AppleCare.
Genius: Let me see the headset.
Customer: Here it is, as you can see…….
Genius: Well, to be honest AppleCare does not cover this kind of damage.
Customer: Well, I found out the headset is not chew-proof. I have a puppy.
Genius: Well, I’ll replace it anyway. Just don’t give it to your puppy.
Customer: Oh, thanks. Thanks a lot.
Genius: Glad I can help. Here you go. Have a good day.

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Path updates iOS App, address book upload is now opt-in.

The headline: Path Uploads Your Entire iPhone Address Book to Its Servers

Path‘s response: We are sorry

We made a mistake. Over the last couple of days users brought to light an issue concerning how we handle your personal information on Path, specifically the transmission and storage of your phone contacts.

…….

In Path 2.0.6, released to the App Store today, you are prompted to opt in or out of sharing your phone’s contacts with our servers in order to find your friends and family on Path. If you accept and later decide you would like to revoke this access, please send an email to service@path.com and we will promptly see to it that your contact information is removed.

Path iOS App version 2.0.6 now warns users before uploading the content of Address Book.

That’s a proper response from Path.

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Goodbye Path, for now.

The headline: Path Uploads Your Entire iPhone Address Book to Its Servers

The reactions: Delete Path from iPhone (iOS device)

Email service@path.com and request to delete your Address Book data from Path servers.

Hi (First Name of Path User),

Thanks for getting in touch with us! I have erased your contacts and their information from our servers.

On behalf of the team, I’d like to apologize for any privacy concerns that you may have had. Our current release of Path for Android requests permission to access your address book. In the next iOS release, we will have this same permission request added.

Until the update is released for iOS, selecting “Add Friends” will display the names of contacts that you have stored on your phone. But now that you’ve opted out of contact uploading, we will never re-store this data on our servers.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help you. I’m more than happy to address any further questions or concerns that you may have.

Best,
(First Name of Path Service Personnel)

That’s simple enough.

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Safe bet, isn’t it?

So when would the next iPhone be released?

When you say “next iPhone” it must be “iPhone 5”, right?
Well, Apple must be naming it “iPhone 5” since everyone expecting iPhone 4S to be called iPhone 5. This must be a sure thing. “iPhone 5” it is!

iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 were announced at WWDC. Well, the original iPhone was introduced at MacWorld but it was announced to go on sale at WWDC. So this “iPhone 5” must be announced at WDDC 2012.

Not so fast.

iPhone 4S was introduced and released in Fall 2011 instead of WWDC time. Despite of what many analysts, journalists and pseudo-journalists believed, Apple did not plan to announce iPhone 4S at WWDC. The form factor was already decided long before the rumors of bigger screen, tapered edges, teardrop shaped, curved glass, and many others surfaced.

In due time when Apple starts seeding iOS 6, you may speculate again. In the meantime your guesses are as good as the analysts, journalists and pseudo-journalists.