Apple Took Half of U.S. Phone Activations in Q4 2014 as Demand Stays Strong
Both analysts and metrics are suggesting Apple will report record-breaking iPhone sales for the just-ended December 2014 calendar quarter, and new data released today by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners reveals the Cupertino company may have set a high bar against its competitors, grabbing half of all phone activations in the United States.
While CIRP’s survey included only 500 users and thus may include a significant margin of uncertainty, the data shows Apple’s U.S. activation market share increasing from 28 percent in the July-September 2014 quarter to 50 percent in the October-December quarter. The significant jump was clearly fueled by strong consumer interest in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
“The strength of the September 2014 launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus fueled Apple’s dominance in US mobile phone sales this quarter,” said Josh Lowitz, Partner and CoFounder of CIRP. “Apple had virtually double the sales of Samsung, and five times that of LG. No other brand accounted for as much as 5% of US sales.”
CIRP’s survey also found that most of the quarter’s iPhone purchases (86 percent) came from loyal Apple customers who upgraded from older iPhones. While Apple retained its customer base, Samsung and LG lost customers, with 25% of Samsung owners and 18% of LG owners who activated a new phone switching to an iPhone.
Sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus may continue to be strong in early 2015, with a high numbers of consumers intending to buy an iPhone in the next three months. According to 451 Research’s ChangeWave December survey, more than half of early adopters plan to buy an iPhone when they purchase a new phone in the next 90 days. While the number is down significantly from the previous quarter, it remains high considering the new iPhones have been available for several months already.
“This is the highest level of Apple demand ever recorded in our smartphone survey three months after a major new release,” said Andy Golub of 451 Research.
The ongoing demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus reflects growing consumer interest in larger phones with 60 percent of future buyers looking to purchase a 5-inch or larger smartphone. This 2014 figure is a significant jump from the 40 percent ChangeWave recorded in the same quarter of 2013.
Apple released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in September 2014 with long lines for the phone and delayed ship times shortly after the phones went on sale, and Apple announced record-breaking sales of 10 million units in the first weekend of availability. Apple will announce the results for its first fiscal quarter of 2015 (fourth calendar quarter of 2014) on Tuesday, January 27. The quarterly earnings statement will be released around 1:30 PM Pacific/4:30 PM Eastern, with a conference call to discuss the report following at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern.
Healthcare.gov stops passing private details on to advertisers
A few days ago an Associated Press report revealed that the US Government’s affordable care portal Healthcare.gov was passing detailed information on to third parties. Now the AP tests reveal those links have been scaled back. Previously, the Eelectronic Freedom Foundation discovered that the site was passing on details like age, pregnancy status, smoking status and more via the URL, which would bypass even protections like enabling Do Not Track in your browser. The data that embedded services like DoubleClick, ChartBeat, Google or Twitter received was apparently anonymous and supposedly barred from use for business interests, but it theoretically could be matched up with other information to identify and target users with ads. The Obama Administration responded to the initial complaints by saying the data was intended for use to improve the website itself, but so far hasn’t commented on the changes. For concerned users, the EFF recommends using a tool like its Privacy Badger to block websites from sending your personal information on to third parties.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Associated Press
Lollipop is now coming to the Moto G in India and the US
On Google+, Motorola stated that an Android 5.0 Lollipop update is coming to the Moto G in India and the US. While it’s only a staggered rollout, it’s at least good to hear it is coming.
Specifically, both generations of the Moto G are being updated in India, and the second generation Moto G will receive the update in the US. This comes after a tease from Motorola that said Lollipop would come to devices it released in 2013 and 2014.
Source: AndroidCentral
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Spotify gets a few performance improvements with the update to version 2.0
The Spotify Android app is getting updated to version 2.0, which brings some performance improvements and some notification features. While the 2.0 update isn’t huge, most users will welcome the changes it brings. One issue that has been plaguing many users is when listening to Spotify and an audio notification pings the device, Spotify will stop temporarily when the notification sound plays. The folks at the streaming service have finally fixed the issue, so now notifications won’t stop your music from playing. The next and final fix in version 2.0 is that the app will now be quicker to start up, even if you have a poor internet connection. This app has never been the quickest to navigate, so hopefully this will help a bit with the app’s performance.
Like we said, warranting a 2.0 update might not make a ton of sense, but these are still great fixes to the app. If you’re a frequent user of Spotify, head to the download link below to grab your version 2.0 update.
Download Spotify from the Google Play Store.
Next Coolpad Ivvi handset could be just 4.7mm thin
Mobile devices have become extremely thin within the last two years. Hardware manufacturers are figuring out how to pack so much into a slim figure. Coolpad, through its Ivvi brand, has teased a handset that is just 4.7mm thin. Measuring that thin would separate itself from the pack and be known as the thinnest phone in the world.
Aiming for a thin construction is something that Chinese companies have competed in. The Vivo X5 Max (4.7mm) and Oppo R5 (4.85mm) have each spent time as the thinnest phone in the world, the former being the current champion. Consumers, while appreciating good design, are probably not purchasing a device for how thin it is; however, the title does allow it to be marketed easier.
Source: Weibo
Via: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: Next Coolpad Ivvi handset could be just 4.7mm thin
Microsoft releases fix for problems in latest Technical Preview
Following today’s release of the Windows 10 January Technical Preview, Microsoft has issued an Update Rollup. The Rollup fixes a number of issues in today’s release, and requires you to be running that release in order to install.
Motorola offering two back panels for free with the purchase of the Moto E in the U.S.
American customers who are looking for a budget device might want to turn their attention towards the Moto E today.
As part of a new promotion, Motorola is now offering two free back panels or shells for free along with the smartphone. The pricing has been at $119.99 for the unlocked and contract free version of the handset which comes with 4GB of native storage.
The listing on Motorola’s site mentions that the smartphone has received a discount of $29.98, down from the original pricing of $149.97. So there are multiple reasons to check out the Moto E.
To run you through the hardware of this budget device, it comes with a 4.3 inch 960 x 540 resolution display, a 5-megapixel camera on the back, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot, a 1,980 mAh battery and Android 4.4.4 KitKat with an update to Android 5.0 believed to be on the horizon.
Source: Motorola
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Motorola offering two back panels for free with the purchase of the Moto E in the U.S.
Hands-On With the ClamCase Pro Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2 [iOS Blog]
Keyboards have become an increasingly important way for iPad users to boost the productivity of their tablets, and there are dozens of keyboards and keyboard cases on the market designed for the iPad. Apple itself has begun highlighting keyboard cases in recent weeks, showcasing a range of products in its brick and mortar stores, and with Apple beginning to put an emphasis on iPad accessories, interest in keyboards will undoubtedly pick up in the coming months.
ClamCase, a well-known iPad accessory maker, has been producing keyboard cases for several years and its most recent case, the ClamCase Pro iPad Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2, is a culmination of everything the company has learned people look for in a keyboard case.
Priced at $169, the ClamCase Pro is a premium entrant in a market where $50 to $100 options are common, but it offers features that power users and frequent writers will find worth the money, including a unique 360 degree hinge for multiple screen positions, full iPad protection, and most importantly, a keyboard that has generous spacing and an above average key feel.
What’s in the Box
The ClamCase Pro ships in a high-quality iPad-style box that includes the keyboard case itself, a micro-USB cord for charging, a quick start guide, and a headphone adapter.
As described in the quick start guide, setup is easy, and we were able to pair the ClamCase Pro with an iPad after switching the case’s power on and pairing it in the iPad’s Bluetooth settings menu. After pairing, it worked immediately, with no apparent lag.
Design
The ClamCase Pro for iPad Air 2 is, as you might imagine, a clamshell-style case that fully encompasses the iPad. The iPad Air 2 snaps snugly into the top of the case (so snugly, in fact, that it can be difficult to remove) and the bottom of the case houses black MacBook-style keys. Both the outside of the case and the top portion are constructed from a white plastic, but inside, the keyboard portion of the case is made from brushed aluminum and heavily resembles a MacBook.
The two halves of the case are connected by a 360 degree hinge, and overall, with the iPad snapped in, it looks and feels very much like a MacBook Air — so much so that in MacRumors’ testing, we repeatedly attempted to use a non-existent trackpad instead of touching the screen.
The top of the ClamCase Pro has a cutout for the iPad’s Lightning port and the camera, as well as buttons that allow the iPad’s power and volume controls to be used. The keyboard portion of the case has a port for headphones and a micro-USB port that’s used to charge the case itself.
While the plastic of the case feels somewhat flimsy and low-quality, the aluminum keyboard portion is solid and feels well made. When closed, the ClamCase Pro is able to completely encase the iPad, protecting it from drops and scratches. Unfortunately, this solid feel and the high level of protection come at a cost — bulk. The ClamCase Pro is 0.74 inches thick (at its thinnest point) and the iPad Air 2 is 0.24 inches thick, which means this case triples the thickness of the iPad Air 2 and more than doubles the weight (ClamCase Pro weighs 1.2 pounds, iPad Air 2 weighs 0.96) Read more 
Google reveals Mac security holes before Apple’s fix is ready
Microsoft isn’t the only big tech firm grappling with surprise security flaw disclosures these days. Google’s Project Zero security unit revealed at least two unpatched vulnerabilities in OS X (Yosemite appears to have mitigated a third) that theoretically help attackers take control of your Mac. The search company says it privately notified Apple about the holes back in October, but automatically published the details after Project Zero’s usual 90-day cutoff period. Apple’s usual policy is to decline comment on exploits like this until it has a solution. However, relief is at least relatively close — iMore reports that an upcoming Yosemite update (10.10.2) is expected to tackle these flaws. The main question is whether or not Apple can deliver its fix before malware writers find a way to use those bugs for sinister purposes.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Apple, Google
Via: CNET
Source: Google Security Research (1), (2), (3)
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