Apple releases iOS 4.0.2, 3.2.2 with fix for PDF exploit

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Apple on Wednesday patched a PDF exploit found in its mobile devices with iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and iPod touch, and iOS 3.2.2 for the iPad.

The updates address a security hole used by hackers to “jailbreak” the iPhone, iPod touch. The PDF exploit could also be used by hackers to gain remote control over an iOS device.

iOS 4.0.2 is available for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and second- and third-generation iPod touch models. iOS 3.2.2 is for the iPad and iPad 3G.

Earlier this month, users released a browser-based hack that took advantage of a PDF exploit in Mobile Safari. The hack could allow users to run unauthorized code on their iOS devices through a process known as jailbreaking.

The jailbreak takes advantage of a PDF exploit that one prominent security expert called “scary.” By tricking a user into simply visiting a website and loading corrupted PDFs through the iOS browser, a hacker could take control of an iOS device.

Apple quickly responded after the hack was made public, and said that it had already developed a fix for the issue. It said the PDF exploit would be plugged with a forthcoming update, which was released Wednesday in the form of iOS 4.0.2 and iOS 3.2.2.

Tags: Apple, iOS, iOS 4.0.2, iPad, iPhone, Jailbreak, PDF
Posted in Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod | No Comments »

Cortex A9-Based iPads, Verizon iPhone, iOS-Based Apple TV Set for 1Q 2011 Launch?

Monday, August 9th, 2010

DigiTimes today offers a number of claims related to Apple’s iOS platform, agreeing with other recent reports that the Verizon iPhone will launch in January, with new 9.7″ and 7″ iPads and iOS-based Apple TV also set for introduction early next year.

- iPad: DigiTimes claims that Apple will refresh its iPad in the first quarter of 2011, moving to a processor based on ARM’s Cortex-A9 design, up from the current Apple A4 chip leveraging the Cortex-A8 design. The report also claims that the new iPad will carry the same 512 MB of RAM as the iPhone 4, up from the 256 MB found in the current iPad.

According to the report, the iPad will be available in both the existing 9.7-inch screen size and a smaller 7-inch size. The smaller version is, however, said to carry the same 1024×768 resolution of the existing iPad, resulting in an increase in pixel density to 183 ppi from 132 ppi. While not offering the same high resolution as the iPhone 4′s Retina display at 326 ppi, content on the smaller iPad would appear a bit sharper than on the larger version.

DigiTimes previously claimed that Apple was planning both 5.6″ and 7″ iPad models using OLED display technology, although even it cast doubt on its own sources’ OLED claims. And just last week, another report claimed that a 7″ iPad is on its way by early next year.

- CDMA iPhone: As previously reported, Pegatron is claimed to begin production of a CDMA-based iPhone in December for an introduction at CES in January and shipping during that same month. The report also claims that the CDMA-based iPhone, which will be targeted to Verizon in the U.S. and China Telecom in that country, will carry a metal back instead of the glass back found on the iPhone 4. DigiTimes also references an “integrated antenna” that will be part of the back plate, a seemingly significant redesign from the iPhone 4′s antennas built into the edges of the device.

- Apple TV: Finally, the report claims that Apple is preparing to introduce a new Apple TV based on AMD’s Fusion platform. The new device, which has been rumored for several months, is said to lack a hard drive and run an interface similar to, and presumably based on, iOS. Support for “social networking websites, network multimedia and the App Store” is said to be included. Mass production of the new Apple TV is reportedly set for December, with an introduction presumably planned for early 2011.

Tags: Apple, Apple TV, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Verizon
Posted in Apple, iPad, iPhone | No Comments »

Apple Reportedly Orders CDMA Chips for December Production Run of Verizon iPhone

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Yes, it’s the subject that’s been beaten to death: a Verizon iPhone. The ongoing rumors have been stoked in recent weeks by a claim from Bloomberg that the device will launch in January, with this week’s announcement that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg will offer the keynote address at CES 2011 sparking speculation that an iPhone introduction could occur there.

TechCrunch weighs in today with new claims that Apple has placed a large order for Qualcomm CDMA chips to be deployed in an iPhone production run scheduled for December. The claims come from a source reportedly familiar with the supply chain logistics for the CDMA-based chips that would be required for a Verizon iPhone.

Sources with knowledge of this entire situation have assured me that Apple has submitted orders for millions of units of Qualcomm CDMA chipsets for a Verizon iPhone run due in December. This production run would likely be for a January launch, and I’d bet the phone is nearly 100% consistent with the current iPhone 4 (with a fixed internal insulator on the antenna).
As the report notes, the evidence does not guarantee a Verizon iPhone launch in January, “but all of the signals point that way”, adding another claim to the growing chorus of reports suggesting that a launch is coming early next year.

AT&T has already moved to downplay the risk to its bottom line posed by the loss of its exclusivity for the iPhone in the U.S., noting in its latest quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it expects no “material negative impact” from the expiration of its exclusive handset distribution agreements.

“We do not expect any such terminations to have a material negative impact on our wireless segment income, consolidated operating margin or our cash from operations,” AT&T said in the filing with regulators on Friday.
AT&T also reiterated its position that AT&T customers will not defect to rival carriers in large numbers once the iPhone goes non-exclusive, claiming that 80% of customers are on family or business plans that make it difficult for them to switch.

Tags: Apple, CDMA, iPhone, Verizon
Posted in Apple, iPhone | 1 Comment »

Android Outpaces iPhone in Share of New U.S. Smartphone Customers for First Half of 2010

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Nielsen today released data on smartphone usage in the U.S., revealing that Google’s Android platform has outpaced the iPhone among new smartphone customers for the first half of 2010. The news comes as a marked reversal from the second half of 2009, when the iPhone topped Android 34% to 6% market share among new smartphone customers.

While the iPhone has been the headline grabber over the last few years in the smartphone market, Google’s Android OS has shown the most significant expansion in market share among current subscribers. Android’s rise is even more noticeable among new smartphone subscribers in the last six months where Android has nosed past Apple’s iOS in the last quarter to grab a 27% share of those recent smartphone subscribers.
Taking into account total U.S. user base, however, Apple still leads Android, 28% to 13%. Both trail Research in Motion, which holds a 35% overall market share and 33% share of those customers new to smartphones in the first half of the year.

Earlier this year, NPD released somewhat similar data for the first quarter of 2010, claiming that Android handsets had outsold the iPhone in the U.S. Apple CEO Steve Jobs took exception to that and similar claims from others, pointing to Nielsen data at WWDC in early June showing Apple still holding a firm advantage over Android. The data shown by Jobs, however, was Nielsen’s overall market share calculation for existing users, while NPD had been referring specifically referring to new sales of new smartphones. With today’s release, Jobs’ favored source Nielsen now agrees that Android has surpassed the iPhone in new purchases, at least among those who have not owned a smartphone before.

It is also important to note that the first half of 2010 primarily represented the back side of the iPhone’s product cycle, with the iPhone 4 only making its appearance in the last few days of the period. The diversified Android platform, in contrast, saw several high-profile device launches in early 2010.

Today’s survey from Nielsen also reveals that Research in Motion’s lead may not hold up for long, however, as more than half of current BlackBerry owners surveyed are planning to defect from the platform with their next smartphone purchase, with 29% planning to move to the iPhone while 21% plan to pick up an Android-based handset. In contrast, 89% of iPhone owners plan to stick with the iPhone, while 71% of Android owners plan to stay on that platform.

Tags: Android, iPhone
Posted in Android, iPhone | No Comments »

Apple: Jailbreaking May Still Void iPhone Warranty

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Cult of Mac reports that Apple has issued an official response to today’s ruling by the Copyright Office of the U.S. Library of Congress to create an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) permitting users to jailbreak their iPhones or other smartphone devices in order to install unauthorized applications. Little has changed with the new decision, according to Apple, as jailbroken iOS devices are still subject to having their warranties voided.

Apple’s goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we’ve said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably.

The apparent discrepancy comes from the fact that the Library of Congress decision today simply means that users can not be charged with violations of the DMCA for jailbreaking their iOS devices, a tactic Apple had never bothered to employ in attempting to squash the practice. Apple remains free, however, to discourage users by other means, including voiding product warranties due to violations of the terms and conditions all users must agree to before using their devices and software.

Tags: Apple, iPhone, Jailbreak, warranty
Posted in Apple, iPhone | No Comments »

U.S. Government to Explicitly Allow iPhone Jailbreaking

Monday, July 26th, 2010

The Associated Press briefly reports that the U.S. government has defined new rules that will permit users to “jailbreak” their iPhone and skirt Apple’s App Store ecosystem to add unapproved third-party applications.

Owners of the iPhone will be able to break electronic locks on their devices in order to download applications that have not been approved by Apple. The government is making that legal under new rules announced Monday.

The decision to allow the practice commonly known as “jailbreaking” is one of a handful of new exemptions from a federal law that prohibits the circumvention of technical measures that control access to copyrighted works.

While it is not uncommon for users to jailbreak their devices, the practice is officially unsanctioned by Apple. The company maintains a support document outlining some of the issues users of jailbroken iOS devices may experience while also disclosing that Apple reserves the right to deny service for any such device due to the “unauthorized modification” being a violation of the license agreement. Under the new federal policies, it would appear that Apple is no longer permitted to deny service for such reasons under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, although the company could likely still argue that the device’s Terms of Use allow it to deny service.

Update: The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has posted a press release announcing the government’s policy changes that came at the request of the EFF and has posted the full document (PDF) issued by the Copyright Office of the U.S. Library of Congress.

On balance, the Register concludes that when one jailbreaks a smartphone in order to make the operating system on that phone interoperable with an independently created application that has not been approved by the maker of the smartphone or the maker of its operating system, the modifications that are made purely for the purpose of such interoperability are fair uses. Case law and Congressional enactments reflect a judgment that interoperability is favored. The Register also finds that designating a class of works that would permit jailbreaking for purposes of interoperability will not adversely affect the market for or value of the copyrighted works to the copyright owner.

Update 2: Some observers have pointed out the the Library of Congress ruling today also addresses the issue of mobile phone unlocking, which involves moving a device to another wireless carrier for which support is not generally offered. Today’s ruling only states, however, that copyright concerns can not be used to prohibit unlocking of mobile phones under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Carriers are still free to prevent unlocking in many circumstances and can pursue cases against individuals by citing breach of contract under the carriers’ Terms of Service.

Tags: iPhone, Jailbreak
Posted in Apple, iPhone | No Comments »

AT&T Blames Recent iPhone Upload Speed Issues on Software Defect, Fix Under Development

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Yesterday, we reported that a number of iPhone 4 users around the United States have been experiencing severely crippled upload speeds on AT&T’s 3G network since the holiday weekend.

At the time it was unclear whether the issue, which limited upload speeds in many markets to 100 kbps, was an intentional cap placed by AT&T or if there was some sort of network issue or maintenance operation causing the slowdown. AT&T has finally responded with an official statement acknowledging that the slowdown is due to a software defect in Alcatel-Lucent equipment affecting users in certain markets under certain conditions.

AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent jointly identified a software defect – triggered under certain conditions – that impacted uplink performance for Laptop Connect and smartphone customers using 3G HSUPA-capable wireless devices in markets with Alcatel-Lucent equipment. This impacts less than two percent of our wireless customer base. While Alcatel-Lucent develops the appropriate software fix, we are providing normal 3G uplink speeds and consistent performance for affected customers with HSUPA-capable devices.

There is no word on a timeframe for deployment of the software fix for Alcatel-Lucent’s equipment.

Tags: 3G, AT&T, iPhone, upload
Posted in iPhone | No Comments »

Found Footage: Browsing speed compared on the iPhone 4 and 3GS

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Tags: iOS 4, iPhone, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4
Posted in Apple, iPhone | No Comments »

Apple Releases iOS 4 With Multitasking, iBooks, and More

Monday, June 21st, 2010

As expected, Apple today released iOS 4, the company’s next-generation operating system for the iPhone and iPod touch. A number of readers are reporting that the update has just gone live, although availability appears to still be rolling out across all users. Those looking for the update can connect their devices to iTunes and click the “Checking for Update” button.

iOS 4 brings over 100 new features, including multitasking, folders, Mail improvements, iBook support and more. The operating system is compatible with iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4, as well as second- and third-generation iPod touch models. Not all features are compatible with all devices, however, with features such as multitasking, custom wallpaper, and Bluetooth keyboard support requiring a minimum of an iPhone 3GS or third-generation iPod touch.

Tags: Apple, iOS 4, iPhone, iTouch
Posted in Apple, Touch, iPhone | No Comments »

Rumor: Verizon/CDMA-compatible iPhone in production

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Per DigiTimes, Apple is allegedly manufacturing a CDMA iPhone compatible with the Verizon network, the report alleging that the handset will begin shipping to Apple in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes reported Thursday that Pegatron Technology has received orders from Apple for a CDMA iPhone 4, according to industry sources. Those orders are expected to help the company grow its revenues in 2011.

“Pegatron will also start shipping a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 to Apple in the fourth quarter and is currently using its plants in Shanghai, China to produce the products, the sources noted,” the report said. “The company is also working on gaining orders for MacBooks and iPads from Apple.”

Pegatron manufactures products in a number of markets, including notebook and desktop computers, TV set top boxes, cable modems, game consoles, LCD TVs, digital music players, handsets, tablet PCs and e-book readers.

The latest DigiTimes rumor stated that Apple was working on two new phones: the iPhone 4, to be launched next week, and a new Verizon-compatible CDMA phone that the newspaper said would go into mass production in September. The report also stated that Pegatron Technology would handle the manufacturing of the CDMA iPhone.

In May, DigiTimes reported that Pegatron had won the contract from Apple to produce a CDMA iPhone. Previous iPhones were built by Foxconn, which also assembles Apple’s Mac mini, iPods and the iPad, and is the company’s main supplier.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Tags: Apple, CDMA, iPhone, Verizon
Posted in Apple, iPhone | No Comments »