These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.

Have a carrier in mind or just looking for a cheap plan? Here are the cheapest plans you can get from every one.

All prices valid as of July 21, 2017

If you’re hellbent on saving money on your wireless plan, then you have to get away from the Big Four carriers (T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon). Smaller carriers, called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) or alternative carriers, lease coverage from the larger networks and resell it for less.

That being said, depending on your usage and needs, a plan from one of the Big Four might actually be your least expensive option. Here we go.

Before choosing a plan

Before you choose a carrier and/or a wireless plan, it’s best to first determine your needs and usage habits. If this is your first smartphone, I’d like to first welcome you to the 21st Century and secondly encourage you to try out your options without getting yourself into any yearly or multi-year contracts.

If this ain’t your first rodeo, then reflect on your phone habits from the past. How much data have you actually used in an average month? Do you really need an unlimited plan or are you actually on Wi-Fi more than you realize? Could you benefit from an international plan of sorts?

Take time to analyze your usage and then choose the plan that best fits those needs. Most carriers are more concerned with making you overbuy by convincing you that you need unlimited everything, when the fact is that 90% of Americans don’t.

Don’t let carriers dictate what they think you need, because it will almost always be much more than what’s necessary. Figure out what you need and make carriers work for you.

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Plans

You could opt for the cheapest data plan there is, but if you end up using more than what’s allotted, you could pay far more in overages when you could’ve just picked the right plan for you. See if these options fit your usage habits.

You use less than 2GB of data per month

Many, many Americans use significantly less data than they think. If you’ve realized that you’re using less than 2GB of data per month, then these are the best cheap plans for you:

Mint SIM: Mint SIM is an MVNO that leases coverage from T-Mobile. You don’t sign up for a contract, but you pay in advance for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, saving you more money the longer the term.

• Cheapest plans: $11.67/month for 3 months ($35 up front), after your first 3-month term, the price goes up to $23/month ($69 up front)
• What’s included: 2GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Republic Wireless: Republic operates on the Sprint and T-Mobile networks. No fixed contract required. It encourages users to spend time on Wi-Fi by making it easy to automatically connect to many hotspots around the country.

• Cheapest plan: $20/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, tethering

Project Fi: Project Fi is owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. Project Fi’s most interesting feature is the refund you get for data you pay for but don’t use.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE and “The Basics” — unlimited talk and text, unlimited international texting, tethering, data-only SIM, international roaming

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. Its cheapest monthly plan includes all taxes and regulatory fees and requires no contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering, voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and therefore uses its network. You just pay month to month, with no contract necessary.

• Cheapest plan: $35/month (must sign up for Auto Re-Boost, $35/month without)
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. You pay monthly for Cricket, with no fixed contract.

• Cheapest plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data (incompatible with tethering)

You use an average amount of data

The average American uses around 4GB of data per month. If you’ve noticed this trend for yourself, then consider these your cheapest options:

Mint SIM: Mint SIM is owned by Ultra Mobile and operates on the T-Mobile network. You pay upfront for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. The longer your term, the more money you save.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $16.67/month ($50 up front for a 3-month term), after the first 3-month term, your price goes up to $33/month ($99 up front)
• What’s included: 5GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, tethering

Simple Mobile: Simple Mobile is owned by TracFone Wireless and operates on the T-Mobile network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest 4GB+ plan: $37.50/month
• What’s included: 4GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited international calling to mobile lines 20 countries, unlimited international calling to landlines in 65 countries, unlimited international text, data roaming in Mexico

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You’re a data hog!

If you’re one of the few people who uses more than 10GB of data per month, then you’ll probably want to go with an “unlimited” plan from one carrier or another. These plans will usually give you 4G LTE up to around 20GB per month, and if you’re going over that, then you deserve a medal.

Keep in mind that no “unlimited” plan is truly unlimited. Every carrier has a certain cap, and after you reach said cap, your speeds will likely be slowed to 128Kbps (2G speeds).

T-Mobile: T-Mobile’s single-line unlimited plan isn’t cheap, but if you have 4 lines, you end up saving $35/month per line.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $40/month/line for 4 lines ($75 for 1 line, $50/line for 2 lines, $47/line for 3 lines)
• What’s included: 30GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk and text, Music Unlimited, tethering (at 3G speeds), unlimited video streaming, free in-flight texting and 1 hour of data on Gogo-enabled flights

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and uses the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 23GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $50/month
• What’s included: 30GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited music streaming (may require monthly subscription), voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by and operates on AT&T’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest unlimited plan: $55/month (with Auto Pay)
• What’s included: 22GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited international texting, roaming in U.S., Canada, and Mexico (50% of usage must be in the U.S.)

Family matters

You can often save money on your monthly phone plan by entering into family plans with various carriers. You’ll usually pay full price for the first line but receive a discount on subsequent lines. Not every carrier offers family/multi-line plans. Here are the cheapest around:

Cricket Wireless: Cricket is owned by AT&T and operates on the AT&T network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: 5 lines for $100/month (with Auto Pay)
• How it works: The initial line must be a Basic $40/month plan. You get a $10 discount for the second line, an additional $20 discount for the third line, an additional $30 off for the fourth line, and an additional $40 for the fifth line, for a total discount of $100.
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE (per line, per month), unlimited talk, text, and 2G data

MetroPCS: MetroPCS is owned by T-Mobile and operates on its network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $40/month for the first line and $25/month/line for up to 4 more lines
• What’s included: 6GB 4G LTE data/line/month, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, music streaming from select partners (may require monthly subscription), voicemail, visual voicemail, Wi-Fi calling

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by Sprint and operates on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest family plan: $30/month/line for up to 5 lines (with Auto Re-Boost)
• What’s included: 3GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, 2G data, unlimited music streaming from select services (may require monthly subscription)

Sprint:

• Cheapest family plan: $50/month for the first line, $40/moth for the second line, lines 3 to 5 are FREE until September 30,2018, then $60/month for the first line, $40/month for the second, $30/month for the rest.
• Whats included: 10GB 4G LTE/line/month, unlimited talk, text, and 2G data, unlimited HD video streaming, unlimited music streaming, unlimited streaming gaming, tethering (up to 10GB/line/month)

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For the globetrotter and those with family overseas

If you often travel internationally or you have family abroad, then you’ll want a carrier with a good international calling plan for cheap.

Project Fi: Owned by Google and operates on the T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular networks. You can use your Project Fi data in 135 countries just like you would at home. Unlimited texting is also included, but international calling is subject to various fees.

• Cheapest international plan: $30/month
• What’s included: 1GB 4G LTE, unlimited talk, text, unlimited international texting

Boost Mobile: Boost is owned by and operates on Sprint’s network. No fixed contract required.

• Cheapest international plan: $35/month plus $5 for Todo Mexico or $10 for International Connect Plus
• What’s included: Todo Mexico plus gets you unlimited calling to all of Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, Unlimited international SMS (text) messaging. International Connect Plus gets you all of the above plus MMS messaging, unlimited calls to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobiles lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

Virgin Mobile USA: Owned by Sprint, operating on the Sprint network. No fixed contract required. Virgin’s international add-ons are essentially the same as Boost’s because they’re both owned and operated by Sprint.

• Cheapest international plan: $50month plus $5 for International and $10 for International +
• What’s included: International includes unlimited calls to Mexico, unlimited calls to Canada, unlimited international text messaging. International + includes all of the above plus unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 countries, 200 minutes to select mobile lines in over 50 countries, and reduced per-minute rates to over 200 destinations.

What motivates you?

Are you on a super cheap data plan? Let us know in the comments below and tell us about your experience!

Alternative carriers (MVNOS)

• What is an alternative mobile carrier?
• What are the advantages of going with an alternative carrier?
• How to make sure your phone works on a prepaid alternative carrier
• 8 Important Considerations When Switching To An MVNO
• These are the cheapest data plans you can buy in the U.S.
• Mint SIM vs. Cricket Wireless: Which is better for you?

‘Crash Bandicoot’s’ hardest ever level comes to the remaster

A lot of Crash Bandicoot fans already find the N.Sane Trilogy remake much tougher than the original games, but that hasn’t deterred its developer from making it even more challenging. Now, when you check the PlayStation Network, you’ll find a new Crash DLC called “Stormy Ascent” — a level Naughty Dog had to hide, because it was “just too damn difficult.” The games’ original developers had no time to safely delete it from discs, and players were able to access it on the PS1 with a Gameshark code.

The PlayStation Blog has posted an interview with Taylor Kurosaki, the level’s designer and one of the original game’s developers at Naughty Dog, and N.Sane Trilogy director Dan Tanguay of Vicarious Visions. Kurosaki said he still didn’t have “a great understanding of a difficulty curve” back then, so it ended up becoming insanely difficult and around four times longer than any other level. Tanguay said they decided to release Stormy Ascent anyway after the best player in his team fell in love with it even after having to use up 60 lives to get through it.

It certainly sounds like playing Stormy Ascent is a trial in patience and perseverance. If you’d like to take on the challenge, you won’t need cheats this time around — the DLC is free to download until August 19th.

Source: PlayStation Blog

The traditional sports world is taking eSports into the mainstream

Five years ago, you couldn’t have imagined video game competitions being broadcasted on the same channel as traditional sports. TV networks have been historically obsessed with pastimes such as baseball, basketball, football and soccer, but times are changing. Thanks to the massive popularity of eSports, driven in large part by the internet-streaming generation, the entertainment landscape has transformed drastically over the past couple of years. Nowadays, US channels like Disney XD, ESPN, NBC and TBS are all trying to put eSports on the same level as traditional sports, with the end goal being to reach new, younger audiences. Want to watch a EA’s FIFA or Rocket League tournament on ESPN? Well, you can do just that.

The recent interest from giant broadcasters comes as the world of eSports continues to reach new heights. Pro gaming tournaments are selling out arenas worldwide and, every time a competition is streamed on Twitch, there are millions of viewers tuning in. With business this good, why wouldn’t anyone want a piece of the pie? NBCUniversal, which owns NBC and NBC Sports, is the perfect example. The company announced it would be launching its own two-on-two eSports tournament this summer, featuring one of the most popular games right now: Rocket League. It’ll air on the NBC Sports network, right alongside the English Premier League.

“We’re in the sports business,” says Rob Simmelkjaer, senior vice president for NBC’s Sports Ventures, when asked about why his team decided to join the space. “I’ve always defined sports as competitive entertainment, and whenever you’ve got competition that people are watching to be entertained, that to me is what sports is about.” Simmelkjaer touched on how there are still people who question whether eSports are “real” sports, which he says is an argument that doesn’t make sense: “It’s got people who are passionate about it, both playing it and watching it [and] lines up with our desire to reach as many audiences as we can around the country, of all demographics, of all interests.”

ESPN is another media company making a major push into eSports, which is surprising considering the somewhat controversial comments president John Skipper made not too long ago. “It’s not a sport,” he claimed in 2014 at Recode’s Code/Media Series event in New York City. “It’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition. Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports.” Despite that, ESPN really started embracing eSports in 2015, when it broadcasted a pro gaming tournament (Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm) on ESPN2 for the first time ever. The year before that, the network streamed a League of Legends competition online, but giving eSports a slot on actual TV was quite a significant move.

“We are at a point now where fans no longer question why we’re covering an eSports event, but are asking for more.”

That strategy shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, since ESPN’s first-ever eSports stream netted the network more viewers than that year’s NBA Finals and the last game of MLB’s 2014 World Series. League of Legends on its own is estimated to be a $1 billion-per-year business, so it’s only natural that ESPN, NBC, Turner (owner of TBS) would want to get involved. In its latest report about the eSports industry, research firm Newzoo said it expects competitive gaming to reach yearly revenues of $1.5 billion by 2020.

“eSports has been around for some time, but its trajectory is still exciting to us because it allows us to experiment with various content, coverage and distribution platforms,” says Kevin Lopes, director of programming and acquisitions at ESPN, says. “We are at a point now where fans no longer question why we’re covering an eSports event, but are asking for more.”

There are growing pains, however. For instance, ESPN forced a player to change the outfit of his Street Fighter V character Cammy during the EVO fighting game championships, because it was deemed too revealing. She was wearing her usual green thong jumpsuit, which obviously showed most of her butt. The network later said it had to abide by “Broadcast Standards,” but Lopes says it’s about something bigger than that. “One of the goals for our coverage is to highlight and celebrate the diversity, inclusiveness and sportsmanship of eSports,” he says. In other words, ESPN probably wants to change the course on gaming’s long history of objectifying female characters — and rightly so.

Organizations like ESPN and NBC aren’t the only ones making efforts in eSports. The National Basketball Association, along with developer and publisher Two-Take Interactive, is developing a new competition called the “NBA 2K eLeague.” A first of its kind, it will feature esquads that will represent 17 NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. The inaugural season is set to take place in 2018, and the pro gamers who participate will get the full NBA treatment: health benefits, training, personal development, sponsorships and more.

“It may be a different kind of physical prowess in terms of reflexes and your ability to move your thumbs very quickly, but these athletes can be any shape or size, and any age, and from anywhere.”

“Physical prowess, at least the way it’s necessary on an NBA court, will no longer be necessary,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during a press conference at All-Star Weekend in March. “It may be a different kind of physical prowess in terms of reflexes and your ability to move your thumbs very quickly, but these athletes can be any shape or size, and any age, and from anywhere.” According to the NBA, each of its 30 teams will eventually have their own eSports squad, though it’s unclear when exactly that’s going to happen.

If the 2K eLeague ends up being successful, don’t be shocked to see other major US sports organizations like the NFL, MLB or MLS follow suit. In Europe, we’ve already seen football (er, soccer) teams such as Manchester City and West Ham recruit their own FIFA gaming stars, while others such as German club FC Schalke 04 have acquired renowned League of Legends crew “Elements.”

eSports are the future. You don’t have to be 7 feet tall or jump 40 inches to be successful.

Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings

Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings (one of the teams that will play in the 2K eLeague), echoed Silver’s thoughts. “eSports are the future. You don’t have to be 7 feet tall or jump 40 inches to be successful,” he says. “The fact that it’s global, driven by technology and has a young demographic, all make this a very exciting time to get involved.” Ranadivé told Engadget that he believes this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg for eSports, especially as audiences continue to get younger and become “more connected” to technology, be it through their phone, computer, game consoles or new mediums like virtual reality.

As for the people who refuse to label eSports as a sport, Ranadivé says, “eSports competition requires lightning fast reflexes, incredible skill, impeccable judgment and real time thinking, all things that are the foundation of sports.” And it’s clear that fellow owners agree with him. A couple of weeks ago, New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft and New York Mets COO Jeff Wilpon became two of the first seven owners in the Overwatch League, which will operate more like traditional sports with teams in specific cities.

Jack Etienne, co-founder and CEO of Cloud9, an eSports organization that fields teams for Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Super Smash Bros., among others, says there’s a lot to to learn from traditional sports entities. “Their experience of working with players, player development and player care, as well as the relationships that they have with the folks who buy media,” he says, “that’s really valuable to me.” Etienne says the chance to work with these household names was something that he had been waiting for, and it was only a matter of time before they noticed the tremendous growth of eSports.

“There’s a pattern there that’s been happening for years, it’s not something you can just dismiss as a one-time thing anymore,” he says. “It’s not a fad, it’s actually here to stay.” One of the challenges, according to Simmelkjaer, is figuring out ways to have a more consistent schedule across eSports competitions, which is complicated because of all the different intellectual property owners. That said, it’s something he believes will sort itself out as publishers sign exclusivity rights for broadcasting or streaming specific tournaments.

It’s crazy to think that eSports still hasn’t reached its full potential. The NBA, NFL, ESPN, NBC and many others have taken notice though, and now they’re looking to cash in. But, ultimately, that’s great for eSports and people like Etienne who have been trying to show the world that eSports are, indeed, the real deal.

Hulu’s live TV service is now available on Amazon Fire TV

Beginning today, Hulu’s Live TV beta service is available on Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick and those using Hulu through those devices will also be automatically upgraded to the recently redesigned user interface. The redesign and Live TV both launched in May and, at the time, were only available on Apple TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android mobile devices and Chromecast.

With the retooled Hulu user interface, you can create personal profiles and pick your favorite shows and movies. You can also easily add shows you’re watching to your favorites list and Hulu will sort your lineup by timeliness and relevance to your interests. Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire Stick users will now have access to these new features and be able to subscribe to Live TV, currently in beta, which gets you live and on-demand programming from over 50 channels for $40 per month. Add ons like premium channels, extra cloud DVR storage and unlimited screen access are also available for extra fees.

Hulu says they will continue to bring these features to more devices soon.

Source: Hulu

Bitcoin’s long-overdue upgrade is all things to all people

Bitcoin backers have welcomed a code upgrade that will improve the virtual currency’s usage and scalability. The upgrade, known as SegWit2x, represents a compromise between two competing schools of thought on Bitcoin’s future. There had been some anxiety that the community would not get behind the new standard, but Bloomberg reports that 93 percent of miners “locked in support for BIP91, the first necessary step in implementing SegWit2x.”

As its popularity has grown, so too have transaction fees and processing times. Scalability has largely been restricted by the limits of the blockchain; the transaction ledger that lives on thousands of servers around the world. One faction, Bitcoin Unlimited, believed the answer lied in increasing the code limit on how much data a block can hold. This would make it faster and cheaper for users, but more expensive to run a server. The competing proposal came from Bitcoin Core. It advocates moving smaller transactions outside the blockchain, leaving Bitcoin as a long-term store of value, rather than an everyday payments network.

The SegWit2x upgrade draws on both ideas. Some data will be moved outside of the main network, while block size will be doubled to 2MB. While the move is set to go live later this year, the news appears to have sparked renewed confidence in Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency jumped to $2,628 in trading on Thursday, adding around $316 over the course of just 24 hours. It’s now around 15 percent off its all-time high of $3,019, which it reached in June.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Coindesk

New Editorial Content Begins Appearing Within App Store on iOS 11 Beta

A few testers on the iOS 11 beta have noticed that new editorial content appeared within the App Store this week, related to information about HBO NOW, Pokémon Go, and new App of the Day and Game of the Day cards. MacRumors forum member mariusignorello posted about the new content recently, pointing out other changes as well, like updated carousels on the Apps and Games tabs. Previously, the App Store on iOS 11 remained on the date of Monday, June 26 for many users without any new content added.

One of the major new additions to the App Store’s Today tab on the iOS 11 beta is a How To guide for “The Best Way to Binge Game of Thrones.” In the article, the editors discuss the popularity of the HBO series, and go on to list four of their favorite moments from the show so far. Each moment gets a description of where users can find it in each season and episode, as well as a spoiler-filled description of what goes down. When they’re done reading, the bottom of the card links readers to the HBO NOW app on the App Store.

The second article is gaming-focused, giving App Store browsers a Gaming 101 guide on “How to Game: Pokémon Go.” The article includes “tips for leveling up faster,” and includes four total tips surrounding Pokémon evolution, capture mechanics, and daily streaks. Like the Game of Thrones card, the bottom of the Pokémon Go tips card links readers to the App Store page for the game, as well as a share sheet to send the story to someone via Messages, e-mail, Twitter, and more.

There’s a new “Our Favorites” app collection card, which encourages readers to download a few gaming apps that are focused on playing with friends since they all have in-game chat or work as a Messages app. This story is much shorter than the previous ones, focusing more on providing readers with a straightforward list of apps following a brief description of what the collection is about.

The last pieces of new content include new App of the Day and Game of the Day cards. The App of the Day celebrates the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming and Comic-Con in San Diego with a digital coloring book app called Marvel: Color Your Own. The editors give a brief description of the app, as well as a promotion for using Apple Pencil to get the most out of coloring in the Marvel characters. The same setup is seen in Game of the Day, which is currently an app called Framed 2.

Apple unveiled the iOS 11 App Store redesign on June 5 during its WWDC keynote, showcasing the new look as a way to unify the App Store’s design with other iOS 11 apps, and making it easier for users to browse and find new apps. During the presentation, Apple senior VP of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, said that, “We are taking everything we’ve learned from the App Store over the past nine years and putting it into a stunning new design. Every element of the new App Store is richer, more beautiful and more engaging.”

Take a closer look at the redesigned App Store on iOS 11 with our hands-on preview.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: App Store
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Sony’s high-speed ‘eye’ gives robots 1,000 fps vision

Sony is known for making great sensors that serve as a camera’s eye, but it apparently designs eyes for robots, as well. The Japanese tech giant has announced the release of a high-speed vision sensor that will allow industrial robots to detect and track objects at 1,000 frames per second. Robots used in factories aren’t typically the most sophisticated. Their operators usually have to plot their movements using a program, since they’re only meant to do specific tasks in the factory again and again. This high-speed vision sensor, however, could lead to autonomous machines that can quickly react to an object’s movements in real time.

That’s made possible by the fact that the chip itself can process images and can instantly tell the machine what it’s seeing — there’s no need to send the images over to a separate computer for processing. In the video above, for instance, you’ll see the system identifying different currencies at a glance, tracking different fingers individually as they move and inspecting items without having to stop the conveyor belt for a closer look.

Once it makes its way to actual factories, the sensor could instantly identify malfunctions that would’ve affected production. It could also prevent accidents and get rid of machines’ limitations. The best thing about it, though, is that it’s not just a concept waiting to be manufactured. Sony will begin shipping samples to potential customers in October 2017.

Source: Sony

Amazon’s discount policy is being investigated by the FTC

Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods requires a wink of blessing from the Federal Trade Commission, but that might not be a done deal. Reuters is reporting that the FTC is taking a particular interest in how Jeff Bezos’ online retailer prices, and discounts, its products. According to sources close to the probe, there is a suspicion that the company has offered misleading information to consumers during sale seasons.

Consumer Watchdog is a pro-consumer advocacy group founded by Harvey Rosenfield, who spearheaded California’s Proposition 103. One of its members, John Simpson, has posted a report claiming that Amazon uses artificially-inflated reference prices to make its Prime Day discounts seem more generous. Like saying that the slow cooker you bought for $30 was actually going to set you back $150 the day before (and after).

The only problem is that, according to the watchdog, the prices are doo-doo, and Amazon is pulling the figures out of a hat. But this isn’t the first skirmish between the pair on this issue, with the retailer previously pledging to change its reckless ways. A June 2017 study, however, says that 61 percent of the 1,000 listings checked had reference prices higher than any price Amazon had charged in the previous 90 days.

Amazon has already rebutted the allegations, telling Reuters that Watchdog’s study was “deeply flawed,” and “flat out wrong.” Despite the denials, it’s clearly bothering the folks at the FTC, which is now making informal, but serious, enquiries at the retailer. If deceptive practices are found, it could pose a serious roadblock on Amazon’s road towards owning Whole Foods — and by extension, the US grocery market.

It will be interesting to see how the FTC proceeds, given how commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen prefers a light touch form of regulation. Not to mention that Bezos, as owner of The Washington Post, has raised the ire of the current administration on more than one occasion. Although we can’t imagine anyone using higher office as an excuse to settle a petty squabble between feuding billionaires.

Source: Reuters, Consumer Watchdog, FTC Letter (.PDF)

Intel accuses Qualcomm of abusing its mobile chip monopoly

Qualcomm’s dispute with Apple over patents on its chip tech recently took a nasty turn when it asked the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to ban iPhone sales in the US. In response to a request from the ITC, Intel has now made its own statement, accusing Qualcomm of abusing its monopoly position and not licensing “standard-essential” patents at a fair rate as required by law. Of course, if anyone knows how to spot abuse of a chip monopoly, it’s Intel.

The dispute started when Apple sued Qualcomm for “abusing its clout” in the mobile chip industry. It got more combative when Apple began withholding patent royalties via suppliers like Foxconn. It argued that Qualcomm hasn’t licensed its tech under “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” terms, claiming that it’s charging five times more than all of its other licensors combined. (The US Federal Trade Commission filed a separate lawsuit against Qualcomm, and both South Korea and China slapped hefty fines on Qualcomm over its trade practices.)

Qualcomm, for its part, said Apple “unilaterally declared the contract terms unacceptable; the same terms that have applied to iPhones and cellular-enabled iPads for a decade.” It then turned around and sued Apple’s suppliers that use Qualcomm patents to claw back the royalties.

Intel got involved in the dispute because its LTE modems, used in some of Apple’s latest iPhones, allegedly infringe on Qualcomm patents. Qualcomm has demanded that Apple replace those parts with chips that use its own baseband modems. (Intel’s LTE modem is reportedly used on GSM-radio iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models from T-Mobile, AT&T and the rest of the world, while Qualcomm radios are used on CDMA models by Sprint and Verizon in the US).

Apple’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (AOL)

Intel accused Qualcomm of further anti-competitive practices — namely, offering Apple lower licensing fees for using its chips exclusively. “These arrangements foreclosed rivals like Intel from competing for Apple’s vital business,” it said.

Intel believes that Qualcomm has a more sinister aim with its Apple patent dispute: Crushing Intel in the mobile chip market. “Qualcomm did not initiate this investigation to stop the alleged infringement of its patent rights; rather, its complaint is a transparent effort to stave off lawful competition from Qualcomm’s only remaining rival,” it states. “These arrangements foreclosed rivals like Intel from competing for Apple’s vital business,” it said.

Overall, Intel believes that the ITC needs to consider Qualcomm’s pattern of what it calls “abusive” legal practices. “This twisted use of the Commission’s process is just the latest in a long line of anticompetitive strategies that Qualcomm has used to quash incipient and potential competitors and avoid competition on the merits.”

There’s a lot of irony in this, of course. In the ITC claim, Intel is depicting itself as the poor victim of a mobile chip monopolist, even though it was fined $1.4 billion by the EU for abusing its own PC chip monopoly with AMD. Nevertheless, its claim to be an underdog is effectively correct: Next to Qualcomm, Intel has a pitiful share of the mobile chip market. The ITC is set to study the complaint in August, and a trial is expected sometime next year.

Via: CNET

Source: Intel (PDF)

Wisconsin Resident Sues Apple For Over $75,000, Claims Defective iPhone Caused House Fire

Wisconsin resident Xai Thao and her home insurance provider State Farm have jointly sued Apple for over $75,000 this week, claiming the company sold Thao a defective and dangerous iPhone 4s that started a fire in her home last year.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleges the house fire was the direct result of the iPhone’s battery short-circuiting and heating up. Thao nor anyone else ever changed the battery in the iPhone, according to the complaint.

On or about April 1, 2016, the iPhone failed, starting a fire in Thao’s home. Preliminary investigations show evidence of a significant and localized heating event in the battery area of the iPhone as well as remnants of internal shorting, indicating that an internal failure of the iPhone’s battery caused the fire.

The complaint reiterates that the design, manufacture, and sale of the iPhone 4s created a “dangerous, unsafe, and defective” condition.

If designed improperly, lithium-ion batteries do have the potential of short-circuiting and catching fire, as Samsung learned the hard way with its recalled Galaxy Note7 last year. But, that hasn’t been a widespread issue with the iPhone 4s since it launched in 2011, so this is certainly an isolated incident.

Thao and State Farm are seeking at least $75,000 in damages from Apple, but the exact amount is to be determined if and when the case is heard.

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