VODAFONE TO HAVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO 3G IPHONE IN Q1?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a decent 3G iPhone rumor to kick about. Perhaps it was the collective disappointment of the 2.5G release on Europe which deflated all the mongering. Whatever it was, we all know it’s coming, it’s just a question of when. Well, the gossip coming out of Italy calls for a Q1 release of a UMTS iPhone. Italian site Morse.IT claims to have spoken to high-level sources and “confirms” in no uncertain terms that Vodafone has signed an exclusive deal with Apple. Right, the same company currently suing T-Mobile in Germany for their iPhone exclusivity. The launch of the 3G iPhone would occur simultaneously in all countries where the carrier operates but will not be announced until after the holidays (MacWorld?) to avoid impacting sales of the existing iPhone. The timing jibes well with other rumors calling for a 3G release before May. Still, a Vodafone iPhone sold in the UK and Germany would seem a violation of those long-term exclusive deals presumably signed with Apple by O2 and T-Mobile, right? Sure, unless of course, those contract were for rights to the “iPhone,” not the “iPhone 3G” you silly lawyers.

[via Unwired View]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

A few hundred Germans become Europe’s first “official” iPhone owners

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

After handing out hot coffee, tea and pretzels for those waiting outside, T-Mobile’s well lubricated and exceptionally tanned staff in Cologne threw its doors open to Europe’s first “official” iPhone owners. Of course, people the world-over are already toting Apple’s finest courtesy of those firmware hacks and unlocks. In fact, the 1.1.2 firmware found on the UK and German iPhones is already hacked. Judging by the buzz in the Hackint0sh forums, the new Jailbreak is seemingly just hours away from release. Fanatics of the hardcore persuasion can check the orderly mayhem in the video after the break.

[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of iFun.de]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple and Starbucks iTunes WiFi integration hands-on

Filed under: Portable Audio, Wireless

Remember how Apple and Starbucks announced their partnership to sell music to Apple customers through the eighty ‘Bucks locations per square city block? Well, the rollouts have begun, and as of today iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes users can roll into just about any Starbucks in Seattle, New York, and now the SF bay area — all in all about 800-900 spots — and see what’s playing over Starbucks radio and download a bunch of Starbucks-programmed music. We got a chance to sit down with Apple and Starbucks folks at a participating location in downtown San Francisco, here’s what we learned:

• Connecting iTunes through Starbucks is eminently simple: connect to the T-Mobile AP. That’s it. It’s all done behind the paywall, so you don’t have to fork out $10 to get online to use the service. (You can also visit apple.com behind the paywall, but not .Mac services.)
• As soon as you connect to the Starbucks T-Mobile AP with your iPhone / iPod touch / desktop machine running iTunes, you’ll see Starbucks music show up in your iTunes Store interface. (Hit the gallery to see how it works.)
• Downloading a track was reasonably fast, but the WiFi kept dropping with both our iPhone and MacBook Pro, leading us to believe there were some issues with the T-Mo hotspot. The download recovered fine through multiple disconnections, but it took us a little over 7 minutes to grab a single 8.5MB iTunes Plus track — so be careful before grabbing an entire album.

More info after the break; check out the gallery for shots of the Starbucks store on a hacked iPhone (of course it works) and from iTunes on a Mac.

• Apple is also now selling iTunes Digital Releases at Starbucks — basically iTunes cards for select albums that let you grab the entire album on iTunes as well as a bunch of bundled extras like music videos and a digital booklet. Prices vary: KT Tunstall’s Digital Release is $15; Eddie Vedder’s is $12 (but with a lot fewer music videos).
• In addition to showing users what song is being played in the store via iTunes, Starbucks has also installed a TV in every location which shows current track information.
• The music piped to each Starbucks is dynamic and is not being broadcast to all other locations; the music (and data) is moved through T-Mobile’s data centers to each wired Starbucks location.
• Apple and the ‘Bucks is also putting on bay area-only promotion this Thursday and Friday: six radio stations will each give away 32 iPod touchs to encourage people to get off their drowsy asses and into a local iTunes-enabled coffee shop.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vodafone’s solution to iPhone-related defections: shutdown customer service?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

The Inquirer is reporting that Vodafone UK’s customer service line used for defecting customers is down. In fact, it’s been down the entire weekend since the iPhone’s Friday launch. Instead, Vodafone customers looking to change their status to O2 customers are being greeted with an automated voice response asking them to try again later. Coincidence? Maybe. It’s certainly timely having already witnessed the carrier defection rate following the US launch.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

iPhone international: Apple schedules iPhone workshop in Canada; O2 scraps limited-unlimited data

Filed under: Cellphones

iPhone is headed to colder climes in time enough for the holidays? Or is it just a simple mistake? Judge for yourself. We just hope this little mishap doesn’t get that Eaton Centre Apple events coordinator fired.

Oh, and that not-so-”unlimited” data the iPhone was getting in the UK on O2? Turns out that apparently the carrier’s reversed its decision to cap iPhone users’ data at a mere 100-200MB, apparently stating, “There is no limit on the monthly network usage. However if we feel that your activities are so excessive that other customers are detrimentally affected, we may give you a written warning (by email or otherwise).” We’re not really sure what the fuss is about, O2’s rolling out a legacy EDGE network specifically for the use of iPhone users, why fuss over a device that can’t be (easily) tethered to a laptop and has slow-ass EDGE data and quick WiFi?

Read - Apple schedules iPhone workshop in Canada [Thanks, Ethan]
Read - O2 scraps limited-unlimited data [Via TUAW]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple posts firmware v1.1.2 — goodbye jailbreak!

Filed under: Cellphones

Looks like Apple just published firmware v1.1.2 for the iPhone; hit the download link to grab it yourself because iTunes hasn’t yet gotten wise to the fact that it’s out. Details to follow, but don’t expect jailbreak or the unactivated Safari workaround hack to still be functional, ok? (… aaaand we’re watching our download speed drop as our readers are grabbing the file. Rockin’.) Update: TIFF jailbreak exploit is dead. Sorry people. More below.

Download - iPhone1,1_1.1.2_3B48b_Restore.ipsw, 160MB

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rogers Wireless expecting iPhone home for the holidays?

Filed under: Cellphones

TUAW has posted up a potentially sweet holiday tidbit with the Canadian Apple store showing an iPhone in its holiday gift guide. Of course, as some clever reader has pointed out, the Italian Apple store is also showing an iPhone with a bit of cut and paste wizardry, could this be a case of just a template mistake on Apple’s part? We know iPhone’s coming to the Great White North — or at least are pretty sure — and the holidays do make sense, but until we hear something official, we’d lean toward error on this one. Check your local site and post back with your findings, make a game of it.

[Via TUAW]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile responds to Vodafone iPhone injunction: $1,500 unlocked iPhones

Filed under: Cellphones

T-Mobile just issued a press release in response to Vodafone’s efforts to unravel the iPhone exclusive offering in Germany. In the statement, T-Mobile claims that they will appeal the ruling (they have two weeks to do so) and will continue selling the iPhone unabated. T-Mobile defends the locking strategy as good for consumers who receive preferential data rates and access to T-Mobile hotspots as a result. In addition, T-Mobile says that it will likely claim damages against Vodafone for the mess they’re causing. Perhaps T-Mob hasn’t noticed all the free press they (and Apple) are receiving?

Update: Reuters confirms that T-Mobile will sell the iPhone in Germany unlocked — that will be the first unlocked iPhone officially available. The catch: it’s €999! That’s $1,478 at the current exchange rate for a phone which cost €399 (with contract) just a few minutes ago. Hackers and unlockers, your services are still required.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

1.1.2 jailbreak software released

Filed under: Cellphones

The kind folks at Conceited Software / TouchFree have just dropped their 1.1.2 jailbreak GUI on the freedom-lovin’ iPhone world. According to Erica at TUAW, the OS X software siphons data from your downgraded (or pre-existing) 1.1.1 iPod touch or iPhone, upgrades it with the Jailbreak, installs Installer.app and SSH.app, and then ups the whole shebang to your device. As mentioned, you’ll need to have 1.1.1 on your system (if you’ve upgraded or purchased a device with 1.1.2 installed), and this won’t fly on units that have been “hactivated” (i.e., it only works with iTunes-activated devices). Hit the read link and learn all about sticking it to Apple… proper-like.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

China Unicom wants iPhone, too?

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

If Steve Jobs dreams of anything other than cubes or the The Beatles on iTunes, it’s this: China’s largest carriers in a tussle for rights to sell the iPhone. We’re talking about a population of some 1 billion-strong who favor BlackBerrys for their sound quality and good looks. In an apparent response to the reported talks between China Mobile and Apple, Li Zhengmao, executive director and vice president of rival China Unicom is quoted by Dow Jones as saying, “It seems that iPhone is hot in some markets. We are willing to discuss with Apple.” Direct talks with Apple, however, have not begun. Mind you, those same remarks were captured somewhat differently by Reuters. They quote Li Zhengmao as saying, “Right now, we don’t have any plans to introduce Apple’s iPhones in China. But of course, we’re always willing to discuss a good business opportunity if it presents itself. As for whether we’ll talk about iPhones with Apple, you’ll have to ask Apple.” Still, given that the talks have just begun, it’s doubtful that Apple will reach a deal similar to those struck in Europe and the US any time soon. Wouldn’t it be interesting though, if Apple released the iPhone in China before Meizu’s M8 MiniOne clone ever hit the streets?

Read — Dow Jones quote
Read — Reuters

Permalink | Email this | Comments