Art of the iPhone

Apple to Release iPhone 5 and Cheaper Prepaid iPhone This Fall, Says Report

iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S Nano

An analyst from Deutsche Bank today released a report saying to expect two new models of iPhone this fall, one the iPhone 5, the second a lower-cost iPhone built specifically for the prepaid market. One of the biggest barriers to owning an iPhone today is not necessarily the cost of the hardware itself, which can be had for as cheap as $199 with a two-year contract, but the monthly fees from carriers, which can run around $900 a year or more, depending on plans.

Analyst Chris Whitmore says a move into the lower cost prepaid market makes sense as a strategic move for Apple:

With Nokia and RIMM struggling, the time is right for Apple to aggressively penetrate the mid range smart-phone market (i.e. $300-500 category) to dramatically expand its [total addressable market] and market share.

A strategy to sell a cheaper version of a device alongside a “premium” model has historical precedence for Apple. It wasn’t until the release of the iPod Mini, later the iPod Nano, did Apple truly dominate the digital music player market on a global scale.

Earlier this year, Apple COO Tim Cook hinted that a cheaper iPhone was on its way. Cook in February 2011 told analysts that Apple didn’t want only the affluent to have access to an iPhone. According to a report by Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein Research, Apple was taking a close look at the prepaid market, where most cheap phones are sold:

While Tim stopped short of explicitly stating that Apple would pursue a lower price iPhone, he did state that Apple was working hard to “figure out” the prepaid market and that Apple didn’t want its products to be “just for the rich,” but “for everyone”; he also stated that Apple “understood price is big factor in the prepaid market” and that the company was “not ceding any market.” Cook noted that Apple executives – including himself – had spent “huge energy” in China, noting that it is “a classic prepaid market.” He further noted that the handset distribution model was poorly constructed and that Apple would look to “innovate” and do “clever” things in addressing that market.

Apple’s acknowledgement of China’s prepaid market as a potential revenue source may help explain a recent siting of Tim Cook in China, who was reportedly there to hold discussions with China Mobile executives, the largest mobile carrier in that country. Subsequent reports claimed Cook was there to strike a deal for the iPhone 5 to work on China Mobile’s proprietary next-gen 4G TD-LTE network, but China Mobile is still building out its 3G network based on TD-SCDMA.

Both China Mobile’s 3G and 4G technologies are owned by the Chinese government, which forces China Mobile to use them to prevent the company from paying licensing fees to western companies. It’s been rumored recently that China Mobile will skip completing its slow buildout of a 3G network altogether and move straight to 4G, as in the past few years it has lost market share to its competitors China Unicom and China Telecom, who license the more-mature western technologies and who have had an easier time building out their networks.

iPhone 4S

The rumors of a low-cost iPhone go back to February 10 of this year when Bloomberg first reported that Apple was working on a “cheaper and smaller” version of the iPhone that would sell for as little $200. In his report today, analyst Chris Whitmore says he thinks the prepaid iPhone would sell for $349. A few days after Bloomberg’s report, the Wall Street Journal also said Apple was working on a cheaper version of the iPhone, code-named N97.

Prepaid markets not only dominate China, but also much of the third-world as well. Website Asymco estimates that Europe alone contains 100 million potential customers that Apple’s iPhone isn’t currently serving because it doesn’t have deals set up with local carriers. Add similar markets in Asia and Africa, and the untapped potential for an unlocked, prepaid iPhone is large.

Shared Data Plans for iPhone & iPad In the Works From AT&T and Verizon

iPhone 4 with iPad

All Things Digital is reporting that both AT&T and Verizon are working on shared data plans for the iPhone and iPad that will work much like how voice minutes currently work in Family plans. Customers will be able to purchase data in bulk that can be used across a variety of devices.

At the D9 conference in May, AT&T Wireless CEO Ralph de la Vega confirmed that shared data plans were upcoming from AT&T. “We’re working on one. It will be soon. I can’t comment on a quarter [when it will arrive], but it will be soon.” Verizon also has said it is working on “family data plans” that will allow share data across smartphones and tablets.

iPad and iPhone shared data plan UK Orange

Such pricing models are already available in Europe. For example, Orange in the UK offers a shared data plan for the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 that costs 65 Euros (around $92) for 2 GB of data. Orange in France sells 16 GB of shared data for around $141.

iPad Display Dock Used in Apple Stores Now Available for Purchase

If you’re looking to recreate the entire Apple Store experience inside your house, here’s another piece of the puzzle. Website NewPCGadgets is selling the clear acrylic iPad display docks that have recently cropped up in Apple stores. The dock costs $74.95, supports the iPhone and iPod as well, and gives access for USB docking cables to double as a charging station.

Here’s the official product description:

Now you can dock your iPad 2 and iPhone just like the professionals do at the Apple Store. The new iPad 2 Display Dock is designed out of high-quality clear acrylic and provides the optimum viewing angle for your iPad 2 while also docking your iPhone (or iPod).

The iPad 2 Display Dock is the perfect solution for combining your favorite Apple devices into one charging base. The elegant look of the Dock will compliment any office environment.

The iPad 2 Display Dock will make you the envy off all your friends who bought inferior stands. Order yours today.

Now all you’ll need to find is a hipster doofus to fix your Mac at your homemade Genius Bar.

Field & Stream Magazine Comes to the iPad

An iPad version of Field & Stream Magazine is now available in the App Store. The app is free to download and comes with a free sample issue. After that, each issue will cost $1.99, or users can sign up for a one-year subscription for $11.99 (11 issues).

If the sample issue is any indication, Field & Stream is taking a no-frills approach to its iPad version. The app features high-res images of each page of the magazine and nothing else, meaning there are no interactive features like video or a tap-and-navigate table of contents. You can, however, pinch and zoom to make the article text more readable, and the doesn’t become pixellated when you do so.

For all magazines available on the iPad, see our updated 50 Magazines for the iPad post.

Field & Stream iPad Magazine

Hipmunk Flight Search Engine Gets an iPad App

Hipmunk, a relatively new flight search engine that displays results via a special “agony” factor, has finally made an iPad-compatible version of its app (ie, it’s a universal app now). One extra feature of the iPad version is Hipmunk’s much-beloved slider, which can quickly change the filtering of results by time of day.

Other features of the app include the usual filtering of results by price and number of stops, re-running of recent searches, and emailing booked flights to friends using the app.

Hipmunk is a free download from the App Store.

After Blocking Web Access to iPad Users, the NYPost’s App Becomes Top Grossing

In the end, money talks, and that’s why a controversial move by the New York Post to block iPad users from accessing the newspaper’s website via the iPad’s browser may become a growing trend.

Starting this weekend, iPad users attempting to access NYPost.com via the iPad’s browser instead are greeted with a graphic prompting them to download the New York Post iPad app ($1.99). And despite numerous complaints, the app has quickly risen to the Top 10 Grossing iPad Apps list.

The blocking of a website to a specific device is a twist on what was originally supposed to be a useful feature: optimized versions of websites for mobile devices. Whenever a browser accesses a website, it can identify the operating system and device it’s running on to the site. Now, web publishers are using that information to delay or even block users, instead providing a landing page that prompts users to download an app. For example, movie-review site Rotten Tomatoes prompts iPad users to download the Movies by Flixster app before allowing users to pass on to the website.

And not everyone is happy about it. The Scripting News‘ Dave Winer describes it as “breaking the web” and suggests Apple change its software to no longer identify itself as an iPad to websites.

But with major newspapers struggling to stay profitable, the success of the Post’s iPad app may cause more newspapers to follow suit.

iPad users do have a way to fight back. They can simply download an alternate browser that doesn’t identify itself as running on an iPad. We highly recommend the free Terra browser app.

Average Smartphone Data Usage Increases to 435 MB Per Month

If you’re considering a data plan for a new iPhone, Nielsen’s latest study on average data usage for smartphones may help make a decision. Nielsen analyzed the cell phone bills of over 65,000 customers and found that the average data usage for smartphones is growing at rapid clip, increasing 89% year-over-year, from 230 MB per month in 2010 to 435 MB in 2011. Usage by the top 1% of data consumers grew to 4 GB a month from 1.8 GB in 2010, up 155%.

For data usage by OS type, Android phones used much more data per month, 582 MB, compared to the iPhone’s average of 492 MB.

Redesigned Mophie Juice Pack Air Snap Case for iPhone 4 Now Available

Mophie has introduced a redesigned version of their lightweight Juice Pack Air case battery for the iPhone 4, available for $79.95 from the Apple online store. This new version adds only a few minor tweaks from its predecessor, mainly an open top design for better accessibility to the iPhone’s headphone port, as well as a “bottom cap” snap design to allow for the iPhone 4 to be docked while still in the case.

The Juice Pack Air is one of the more popular iPhone 4 battery cases, mainly because it’s one of the smaller and lighter battery solutions for the iPhone. Mophie’s press release says the new Juice Pack Air maintains the 1500mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery available in the previous iteration, which adds up to 6 hours of 3G talk time, 36 hours of audio playback, and 9 hours of video playback.

Other nice touches are 4 LED lights that indicate the battery’s status, a pass-through USB that lets you charge the Air’s battery and sync your iPhone at the same time, and a standby/charging switch so you only use the Air’s battery when you need it.

Currently, the Juick Pack Air is only available on Apple’s online store or directly from Mophie’s website for $79.95.

iPhone 5 Enters Final Testing Stage

The rumored iPhone 5 with slightly larger, edge-to-edge screen.

Website 9to5Mac is citing a “previously accurate Apple source” in stating that the iPhone 5 has entered the final testing stage before it’s approved for mass production and release in the fall of this year. In April 2011, Reuters cited sources in claiming the next iPhone would go into production in July, then go on sale in September. Reuters also claimed the iPhone 5 would come with a faster processor, likely Apple’s A5 chip that is in the iPad 2, which 9to5Mac confirms.

9to5Mac also discovered hidden references for two new models of iPhone in the recently released iOS 5 SDK. The two new models were labeled “N94” and “N93.” Apple previously labeled the original iPhone 4 “N90” and the Verizon CDMA version “N92.” The use of two models instead of one is a bit of mystery in itself, as Apple had been rumored to be combining the separate GSM (AT&T) and CDMA (Verizon) iPhones into one using a new universal chipset. Could the second model be the smaller, cheaper iPhone that the Wall Street Journal reported back in February?

Digging around some more inside the SDK, 9to5Mac also discovered that the next iPhone will keep the same 5-megapixel camera sensor as the current iPhone. Previous rumors had the iPhone 5 receiving an upgraded 8 megapixel camera.

The 25 Best iPad Apps for Kids

1. Goosed Up Rhymes

Goosed Up Rhymes ($3.99) features 8 classic kids stories made fully animated and interactive in a silly, fun way. In addition to the interactive stories, the app features 4 interactive games and a “collect the acorns” goal where kids must find the acorns hidden in the stories.

The included classic stories are:

  • Humpty Dumpty
  • Little Miss Muffet
  • Old Mother Hubbard
  • The Crooked Man
  • Jack and Jill
  • Hey Diddle Diddle
  • The Three Blind Mice
  • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

The app features over 70 animated interactions and lots of humor. Parents will like it as much as the kids. There’s a free lite version to try it out.

2. The Three Little Pigs – Nosy Crow

The Three Little Pigs – Nosy Crow ($5.99) is a brilliantly animated interactive book that tells the classic tale of the wolf and the three little pigs. Two reading modes allow you to follow along with a narrator or read the book on your own. The book is filled with hundreds of interactive surprises. Touch the various characters to get extra dialogue and animations. Each character gets their own special musical soundtrack as well.

Other cool interactive features include a game to help the pigs build their houses, blowing on the screen to help blow the pigs’ houses down, and tilting the iPad to create movement and a subtle shift in perspective.

The app was chosen as one of the 10 Best Children’s Books by the New York Times.

3. The Monster at the End of This Book

The Monster at the End of This Book ($3.99) is the classic children’s book from Sesame Street updated and animated for the iPad. The book stars Grover, who is trying to keep readers from turning the pages and finding the monster at the end of the book. Each page is filled with fun interactive animations that respond to a child’s touch.

The book features voice narration from Grover himself. Words are highlighted as they are read to help build early reading skills. It’s a funny, classic story that kids will laugh at and read over and over.

4. Dr. Seuss the Cat in the Hat

Dr. Seuss the Cat in the Hat ($3.99) is the classic Seuss book in a new interactive form. It uses the original artwork and adds professional narration, background sound effects, and numerous touch-activated interactive features. The app is a universal app, so buy once and use on both the iPad and iPhone.

The book features three reading modes: Read to Me to hear the story from a professional narrator with the words highlighted as they are read, Read It Myself to read in traditional form, and Auto Play to have pages automatically turned for you.

The app’s interactive features help kids learn word association by touching words and objects, hearing the objects and words named, and seeing them zoom forward.

5. Interactive Alphabet – ABC Flash Cards

Interactive Alphabet – ABC Flash Cards ($2.99) turns each letter of the alphabet into an interactive toy. Kids are shown the entire alphabet, and when they tap any letter, a corresponding toy or interactive picture is shown. Kids can then tap the screen to interact in a fun way.

The app has a kid-friendly interface, including a baby mode that keeps the screen moving every 15 seconds. It features fun background music, with an original rendition of the alphabet song. Both uppercase and lowercase letters are shown. The app is universal, so buy once to play it on both iPad and iPhone.

6. Monkey Preschool Lunchbox

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($0.99) is a collection of 7 simple games for young kids (ages 2 to 5) to play. An animated monkey guides kids through each of their tasks using voice narration. The 7 included game types include color selection, matching, counting, letters, puzzle, spot the difference, and shapes.

Kids are rewarded with animated stickers when they give the correct answer. Designed for unlimited play, as each game flows right into the next one.

7. The Going to Bed Book for iPad

The Going to Bed Book for iPad ($2.99) is a soothing interactive book that will teach children about getting ready to go bed, including tasks like brushing your teeth and turning off the lights. Each page has simple interactive elements for children to explore, like touching the faucet to turn the water on and off, and drawing on the screen to remove steam.

A soothing narrator guides children through the book, and words are highlighted as they are read to teach word association. The app was selected by Apple as an iPad App of the Week.

8. Itsy Bitsy Spider HD – by Duck Duck

Itsy Bitsy Spider HD – by Duck Duck ($1.99) is a series of interactive environments for kids to explore and adventure through. The scenes are based on the classic Itsy Bitsy Spider song. Kids can touch the various elements on-screen to be rewarded with animations, sounds, and mini-games and navigate back and forth through the environments.

Touching just about anything initiates a response in the game. A friendly narrator guides children through the world. The game’s simple, kid-friendly interface means frustration-free play for young children.

9. Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails

Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails ($4.99) is an interactive storybook featuring everyone’s favorite train. After a race against Spencer lands Thomas in the bushes, he discovers an abandoned train engine named Hiro who needs some fixing. Thomas must figure out a way to fix Hiro, complete his tasks, and keep out of the way of Spencer.

In addition to the book, the app contains games, puzzles, and a coloring book. The story features professional voice narration, or parents and kids can choose an option to read the book themselves. Children can touch the graphics to reveal special interactive surprises.

10. Where’s Waldo? HD – In Hollywood

Where’s Waldo? HD – In Hollywood ($0.99) is the popular search and find franchise on the iPad. Search for Waldo and other objects in 10 detailed scenes. Zoom in and out to explore the tiny details of the images. Subtle animations and encouraging audio narrations give the game a highly polished feel.

Each scene is from a Hollywood-themed movies set, including Robin Hood, The Three Musketeers, The Wild West, and more. Each scene can be revisited with multiple ways to play and different objects to find upon replay, which means the app supplies tons of play time.

11. First Words: At Home

First Words: At Home ($1.99) is simple app designed for toddlers that features 50 familiar items from around the house with accompanying sound effects and original artwork. Kids can touch letters and objects, drag letters around to form words, hear them spoken aloud, and be rewarded with fun animations.

A simple, trial-and-error, kid-proof interface makes it perfect for the young children. First Words: At Home is a universal app, so buy once and use on both the iPhone and iPad.

12. Pop Out! The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Pop Out! The Tale of Peter Rabbit ($3.99) may be one of the most beautiful apps for children available. The interactive storybook lets you relive Beatrix Potter’s classic tale of a mischievous rabbit’s journey through a farmer’s field update with fun interactive features like pull-tabs, spin-wheels, and spring-mounted elements. In addition to the beautiful graphics, professional voice narration, background piano music, sound effects make it pleasure to listen to as well.

The book features over 50 pages of illustrations and two reading modes: Read to Me and Free Read. The app highlights words as they are read to help early readers learn word association. You can also tap any word on the page to hear it read aloud. Pop Out! The Tale of Peter Rabbit is one of the iPad’s more highly rated kids apps by critics. From the same series, check out Pop Out! The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, also from Beatrix Potter.

13. Jack and the Beanstalk Children’s Interactive Storybook

Jack and the Beanstalk Children’s Interactive Storybook ($3.99) tells the classic tale of Jack and his magic beans. The book features 32 pages of story, each filled with interactive surprises. Tilt the iPad to see the sun go down. Touch the magic beans to begin a matching game. Finger paint the entire black-and-white page to get an animated surprise. Tap a shy Jack multiple times to get him to sing.

The book features beautifully illustrated artwork that is perfect for kids. It’s a universal app, so buy once and use it on both your iPad and iPhone.

14. Dora’s Ballet Aventures HD

Dora’s Ballet Adventure HD ($3.99) is an interactive book with a fun story that girls will love. Dora’s ballet class is getting ready for a recital, but things go awry when the Delivery Duck delivers scuba flippers to Dora instead of ballet slippers. Dora and Boots must find the slippers before the recital.

The book features both a Read to Me mode (featuring Dora’s voice) and a Read It Yourself mode. In addition to the story, the app includes several interactive activities and mini-games designed for preschoolers. The book supports reading and listening comprehension and Spanish vocabulary.

15. Elmo Loves ABCS for iPad

Elmo Loves ABCS for iPad ($4.99) helps kids learns their letters through fun and interactive elements like finger tracing, sounds, and games. The app is chock full of Sesame Street material, including 80 classic Sesame Street clips, 75 Sesame Street coloring book pages, and 4 different hide and seek games.

The app features 4 different versions of the classic alphabet song that will have kids learning their letters in no time. Letter tracing features both uppercase and lowercase letters.

16. Zoo Train

Zoo Train ($1.99) is a fun and educational collection of games for toddlers and preschoolers. The app includes 5 games that teach letters and the alphabet, word construction, musical notes, and image matching. A sticker reward system will keep kids motivated along the way.

The app features colorful, bold graphics that are perfect for kids. It also features fun music, sound effects, and friendly narration with positive reinforcement. Zoo Train is a universal app that will work on both the iPad and iPhone.

17. How To Train Your Dragon- Kids Book HD

How To Train Your Dragon- Kids Book HD ($2.99) is a book based on the popular movie designed for kids 2-years and up. The book features narration and character audio from the movie. Auto page turning and navigation make it simple to use. Text is highlighted to help kids learn word associations.

Pages can be turned automatically or manually depending on the age and preference of the user. How to Train Your Dragon is a universal app that will work on both the iPad and iPhone.

18. Talking Lila the Fairy for iPad

Talking Lila the Fairy for iPad ($2.99) is a simple interactive character that you can talk to, and then have your words repeated back to you by Lila in an animated manner. You can also interact with Lila by tapping, poking, and swiping, and she will cast spells, sing songs, and perform other silly and entertaining actions.

The app has a simply interface and enough surprises to keep kids entertained indefinitely.

19. Bartleby’s Book of Buttons Vol. 1: The Far Away Island

Bartleby’s Book of Buttons (free) is an interactive book that presents a series of puzzles designed for young kids (ages 4-10) to solve. Flip switches, press buttons, and slide sliders to solve the puzzles and move the adventure along.

The book is a completely original story written for the iPad. It’s filled with professional sound effects, beautiful animations, and many surprises.

20. My First Puzzles HD

My First Puzzles HD ($1.99) is a collection of 14 super simple jigsaw puzzles perfect for young children to solve. The app features nice, kid-friendly sound effects and beautiful graphics. Dragging the pieces around and solving the puzzles will help kids learn motor skills.

To start over and replay the puzzle, simply give the iPad a shake.

21. Sound Touch

Sound Touch ($2.99) is a simple app for young children that features 360 tappable images and accompanying sound effects of household items, animals, vehicles, and musical instruments.

Tap any of the 12 illustrated items on each page to open up a real photograph of that item as well as an accompanying sound effect. Tap the photo, and it disappears and goes back to the previous screen. A simple interface perfect for kids.

Sound Touch is a universal app, so buy once and use it on both the iPhone and iPad.

22. Finding Nemo: My Puzzle Book

Finding Nemo: My Puzzle Book ($0.99) is an interactive storybook filled with mini games and rewards and starring everyone’s favorite cartoon clownfish. Little Nemo finds himself on a big journey for his first day at school, and when things go awry, Marlin sets out to discover where Nemo has gone.

The book features beautiful Disney illustrations, professional narration, sound effects, and background music based on the movie’s soundtracks.

The app gives you the option to record your own voice reading the story, which kids can listen back to later. Also features 4 jigsaw puzzles and a scavenger mini game.

23. Toy Story Read Along

Toy Story Read Along (free) is a full interactive kids book for free. The book’s story revolves around Woody trying to get rid of Buzz Lightyear but having his plans backfire when he ends up lost outside Andy’s room. Woody learns a lesson about friendship as he tries to get home.

The app includes 3 reading modes: Read to Me will have a narrator read the book to you, a read at your own pace mode, and a third (and my favorite) mode allows you to record your own voice reading the book for each page.

The book has interactive features like sparkling hidden graphics that must be tapped to reveal a special sound effect. The app also includes real movie clips from the Toy Story movie, a paint-by-finger coloring book, and musical singalongs. Quite a bargain (they’re to get you hooked to buy the Toy Story 2 Read Along and Toy Story 3 Read-Along apps).

24. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed ($2.99) is the classic kids storybook now on the iPad. After saying goodnight to Mama, five little monkeys begin jumping on the bed. Things get too rowdy and some of the monkeys fall off and hurt themselves. Mama calls the doctor, who tells them, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” A cute and funny story kids will love.

The app features professional narration, high-res artwork, and background audio. Words are highlighted as they are read to teach kids word association.

The app features 3 reading modes: Read to Me, Read It Myself, and Auto-Play. It’s a universal app that will work on both the iPhone and iPad.

25. Winnie the Pooh Puzzle Book

The Winnie the Pooh Puzzle Book ($0.99) is an interactive book is filled surprises on every page and easy puzzles suitable for children. Kids can join Winnie the Pooh on a quest to find his favorite food: honey! The book comes with three reading modes; Read to Me, Auto-Turn Pages, and a Use My Recording mode where you can record your own voice for each page.

The book features professional narration, goofy sound effects that will delight kids, and beautiful background music. Includes mini games suitable for kids like jigsaw puzzles and a matching game. It’s a universal app, so buy once and it’ll work on both the iPad and iPhone.