iPhone 6 and 6 Plus preorders are live in the UK
Even if you have been living under a rock for the past few days, chances are that rock will’ve told you about the new iPhones in town. We imagine there are more than a fair few of you chomping at the bit for them, too, so it’s our duty to remind you that preorder day has arrived. And, assuming the new handsets will be relatively popular, you’ll want to consider your options if you’re determined to get in on the first batch. Whether it’s the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 or the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus you’re after, basically every store and carrier under Sol is ready to supply you with one right now — or give you an IOU for September 19th, at least. If you want to keep it simple and buy a phone outright, you might want to head straight to Apple’s online store and stake your claim (you can also reserve one for in-store pick-up here). If you prefer your carrier alliances, however, then of course you’ve got your pick of the big four.
EE, for starters, will sell you a 16GB iPhone 6 or 6 Plus on contracts of £51 and £64 per month, respectively, when you lay down £30 up-front. Need more storage? Well, everything then hops on the £64 per month tariff, with only the 64GB 6 Plus demanding a higher down-payment of £50. That’s also how much you’ll need in-wallet to reserve a 128GB iPhone 6, with the Plus requiring a one-off £150 at that storage capacity.
Vodafone’s got the 16GB iPhone 6 on 4G contracts from £43.50 per month with a £99 upfront payment, which goes up to £48.50 per month and £129, respectively, if you need 64GB. The 128GB model is the same contract price, but £209 upfront. For the iPhone 6 Plus, the cheapest 4G contract available is £48.50 per month, will the one-off payment increasing with storage size: £99 for 16GB, £179 for 64GB, and £259 for 128GB. There are also a bunch of options available on Voda’s 3G-only plans, if you’re not that bothered about high-speed mobile internet.
O2’s site is down currently.
Three’s skipping out on the morning madness, and will instead be putting its pre-order page live this afternoon.
The cheapest 4G option Carphone Warehouse has to offer is the 16GB iPhone 6 for £38.50 per month and a £50 upfront. Increasing the storage capacity only bumps up the amount you need to pay outright, with 64- and 128-gig models needing £130 and £210 upfront, respectively. The iPhone 6 Plus is also available for £38.50 per month, and a down-payment of £130 for the 16GB model and £210 for 64GB. The contract price goes up slightly to £43.50 if you want 128GB, in addition to a £200 upfront. (All these are Vodafone contracts, FYI).
We’ll be updating this report as more info comes in.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Now Available for Pre-Order
Apple has begun accepting online pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in several different countries around the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the UK.
Several U.S. carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint are also accepting pre-orders for the devices. Multiple retail stores like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart will be accepting iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders when the stores open in the morning, at varying times.
Thus far, there have been few reports on available supply, but it’s typically best to make an order right away if possible because in past years, pre-orders have sold out within mere minutes. iPhone 6 Plus supplies appear constrained, as AT&T and Verizon have shipping estimates of 14 to 21 days on several models.
In the United States, Apple is offering the iPhone 6 in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple’s higher-priced iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on that device begins at $749.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will be available in stores beginning on Friday, September 19, and the first crop of orders should arrive on that day. Apple is also allowing in-store pickup for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders this year.
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Apple Store Down Ahead of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Pre-Orders
Apple has taken its online store down in order to prepare for the launch of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders. Pre-orders for the two devices are expected to begin at 12:01 AM Pacific Time or 3:01 AM Eastern Time on September 19, on Apple’s site and on several carrier sites.
Ahead of pre-orders, prospective iPhone 6 buyers should make sure to check both their upgrade eligibility and their trade-in options for old devices.
Apple’s iPhone 6 is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities in the United States for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple’s higher-priced iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on that device begins at $749.
Apple will be accepting pre-orders in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the UK, with the phones available in retail stores beginning on September 19.
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Future Versions of Apple Watch to Include Additional Sensors, ‘Richer Health Features’
Future versions of the Apple Watch will include “richer health features and additional sensors,” according to a new report from Reuters. Though the Apple Watch was only unveiled on Tuesday, the site says that some healthcare professionals who were hoping for “groundbreaking health features” were left disappointed with the watch’s fitness capabilities.
Observers say there is little evidence for now that the device’s fitness capabilities surpass the competition. Others, hoping for groundbreaking health features from a company whose Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook spoke of how sensors are “set to explode,” were left wondering what’s in store for the product.
Two people familiar with Apple’s plans told Reuters the company is planning to unveil richer health features and additional sensors in later versions, the first iteration not hitting the market until early 2015.
Apple Watch rumors had initially suggested the device would come with more than 10 sensors to track various health and fitness metrics, with Apple aiming to go beyond the fitness tracking capabilities of smart watches currently on the market.
Early speculation about the device was linked to the Health app and Apple’s health-related hires, with rumors pointing towards features like sleep tracking, glucose monitoring, and hydration tracking, but those functions did not make it into the device.
Instead, Apple’s Watch measures fitness activity through the use of Wi-Fi and GPS (via the iPhone), an accelerometer, and a heart rate sensor, which is built into the back of the device. Data derived from the Watch is displayed in two separate fitness apps that will be included with the device, both of which aim to encourage users to increase their activity levels.
Apple Watch’s inability to measure metrics beyond movement and heart rate put it on par with many other fitness devices on the market, but the Watch also includes several other distinguishing features like deep connectivity with the iPhone, Apple Pay support, and unique input methods with the Digital Crown and Taptic Engine.
Apple has not yet announced a specific release date for the Apple Watch, but says the device will be available starting in early 2015. Pricing for the Watch is expected to start at $349.
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Apple’s Ultra-Slim 12-Inch Notebook Coming in Mid-2015 With Silver, Gold, and Space Gray Options?
With Apple’s Mac notebooks continuing to prove popular with consumers, the company has been rumored for some time to be working on a 12-inch notebook that could feature an ultra-slim form factor, Retina display, a new buttonless trackpad, and a fanless design. Rumors of such a machine have surfaced from several sources over the course of the past year, suggesting Apple has indeed been working on the device.
While such a machine has yet to debut despite early rumors of a mid-2014 launch, perhaps due to continued delays with Intel’s next-generation Broadwell chips, a new report from Jack March of A Tech Website claims the machine remains in the works. According to the report, Apple appears to be targeting a mid-2015 launch for the machine and, most interestingly, the company is said be planning to offer it in the same silver, gold, and space gray colors used on its iPhone lineup.
The most fascinating part of this report is that Apple is also planning to change the colours for the first time with an Aluminium MacBook, the source says that Apple is planning to add Space Grey and Gold colours to their MacBook lineup, which would be consistent with the colours on the iPhone 6.
While the claim of multiple color options for this new notebook appears outlandish, MacRumors has reason to believe this information is correct and that Apple has at least considered launching the 12″ notebook with several different “special edition” color options.
The report notes that timing for release of the new notebook has shifted several times as Apple has continued development, with that uncertainty also reflected in a recent report from Digitimes pegging the timeframe at a wide open “end of 2014 or in 2015.”
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Is the new iPhone a threat to Android?
Every year, when Apple introduce their new iPhone to the world, everyone is asking the same question – Is it good enough to be a threat to Android? It’s one of the most complicated questions, but the answer to it in simple way is that Apple iOS 8 or even the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are definitely not a threat to Android, but why not?
When we talk about Android, we talk about all the OEM’s like Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC and many more. For a comparison, let’s look at the results of last year, when in Q3 2013, more than 250 million smartphones were sold and out of that number, more than 200 million phones were powered by Android. Even when the most competitive rival Apple and Samsung are compared to each other, Samsung sold around 80 million smartphones while Apple made it to 30 million smartphones only.
Yes, Apple new iPhone series might be a threat to the flagship Android smartphones, even TechRepublic thinks that Apple might give Android a run for their money, but I think otherwise. For example, they call the new design ‘elegant’ but I think they forgot when it is about elegance, there are devices like the HTC One M8, LG G3 and many others which are a symbol of elegance. They also mentioned about the mobile wallet and the wearable device, but on Android, we already got that.
We did a little comparison of iPhone 6 with Galaxy S5 and Note 4, and also of iPhone 6 Plus with One Plus One and Note 4. All the ‘magical’ features of the new iPhone 6, most of them are already available on different Android devices. Tim Cook told Wall Street Journal that he is expecting Android users to switch to iPhone, but that number will be nothing but just a small fraction in our opinion.
Ron Amadeo of Ars Technica also shared a comparison of iPhone 6 with the Nexus 4. Yes, Nexus 4 which was released in 2012, and you will be amazed to see that both smartphones have a lot of features in common.
Android is leading the smartphone market with more than 85% share, so I think it’s safe to say that the new iPhone(s) will never be a threat to our beloved Android. The Android flagship smartphones will definitely face a tough time from it, but in the end, we all know who will win. Are you planning to switch to the new iPhone or you are happy with what you have right now? Let us know in the comment box below.
The post Is the new iPhone a threat to Android? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
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Apple to Offer In-Store Pickup Option for iPhone 6 Pre-Orders
It appears that Apple will be allowing users to select “Personal Pickup” when placing iPhone 6 pre-orders, which means that users may be able to pick up their iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus at an Apple retail store on launch day, September 19, rather than waiting for it to be shipped to their homes.
Apple’s retail iPhone page suggests that in-store pickup will indeed be available, noting that users can have an iPhone shipped for free or pick it up in store.
iPhone 6. Pre-order online starting September 12. The big day is coming. Pre-order iPhone 6 and have it shipped to you for free, or pick it up in store. You can also buy at the Apple Retail Store beginning at 8:00 a.m. on September 19.
9to5Mac has confirmed the information with several retail stores and an online chat representative, who told the site that there will be in-store pickup options available at “most stores” with the option existing “while supplies last.”
Though Apple did not offer in-store pickup for the iPhone 5s or the iPhone 5c, it has offered the option for pre-orders in the past. With the iPhone 4, for example, Apple accepted reservations for in-store pickup on launch day.
With that device launch, Apple had two separate lines outside of retail stores, one for those who were waiting in line to buy a device and one for those who had made a reservation during the pre-order period. It’s likely a Personal Pickup option for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders will work similarly.
Pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will begin at 12:01 AM Pacific Time tonight, with the device becoming available in retail stores on September 19.
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Trade-In Options for iPhone 6 Buyers With Old Devices
After purchasing an iPhone 6 or an iPhone 6 Plus, many upgraders will be left with old iPhones or Android phones that can be worth quite a bit of money. There are several options for trading in old devices that can significantly cut down on the cost of purchasing a new device, and most of the trade-in options are entirely hassle free. Some carriers are even offering trade-in bonuses in order to entice users to upgrade to an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.
Verizon, for example, is offering a free 16GB iPhone 6 with the trade-in of an iPhone 4, 4s, 5, 5c, or 5s in good working condition with the renewal of a two-year contract, a $199 value. That’s not a great deal for users that have a mint-condition iPhone 5s (which is generally worth more than $199), but it is a pretty solid option for former 4, 4s, 5, or 5c users.
T-Mobile has guaranteed the best trade-in values on used devices, promising to meet the best trade-in prices of other major carriers. If a customer finds a better trade-in price than what T-Mobile is offering, T-Mobile will meet the price and pay an additional $50.
Sprint has also offered to match the trade-in policies of other carriers, and will beat buyback pricing on trade-ins for new lines of service. Under the terms of the new trade-in policy, Sprint is offering up to $300 for older devices towards a new iPhone purchase.
Like other carriers, AT&T is planning to offer up to $300 to customers trading in an old device to purchase a new iPhone 6. AT&T is also offering a $100 credit for customers that add a new line to their Next accounts.
Apple has an in-store trade-in program and an online program, with the online trade-in program offering up to $310 for a 32GB iPhone 5s in good condition. Apple’s in-store program offers an immediate gift card for an old device that can be put towards the purchase of a new device.
Retailers like Target and Best Buy also have trade-in programs. Best Buy currently offers $310 for a 32GB iPhone 5s in good working condition, while Target offers $247.50 for the same device.
Along with immediate trade-ins from carrier stores, Apple retail locations, and electronic retailers, there are also countless vendors that accept trade-ins via mail. Popular trade-in site Gazelle, for example, is offering $275 for a locked 32GB iPhone 5s in “flawless” condition, or $300 for the same phone unlocked.
Amazon has a trade-in program that often offers some of the best trade-in values, but maximum value comes from accepting an Amazon gift card rather than cash. The company offers up to $347.50 for a 32GB iPhone 5s from AT&T, or up to $400 for an unlocked version of the same phone.
Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available for pre-order tonight at 12:01 AM PT. Prices for the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 6 begin at $199 with a two year contract, while prices for the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus begin at $299 on contract.
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Panic’s ‘Transmit’ File Management App Coming to iOS 8 With App Extension Support [iOS Blog]
Panic, the company behind the popular file management app Transmit for Mac, has plans to bring Transmit to iOS in the near future, taking advantage of several new features introduced with iOS 8. Currently in beta, the Transmit iOS app offers a look at some of the impressive things both developers and end users will be able to do with Apple’s new operating system.
Aside from offering access to files on servers, Transmit also serves as a local file repository that can be accessed by other iOS apps.
Transmit iOS’s interface
Transmit iOS also takes full advantage of the “Extensibility” options bundled into iOS 8, especially the “Share” extension that allows apps to easily share content with other apps. When installed, Transmit iOS can be accessed in any share sheet in iOS, and used to save any type of file directly to an FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, or Amazon S3 server or to local storage within the app.
For example, selecting Transmit iOS from the Share sheet in Safari lets an HTML page be saved to a server. Selecting Transmit iOS in an app like Evernote or Byword will allow a text file to be uploaded, while selecting the upload option in a photo app like Snapseed lets users save a photo directly to their personal servers using Transmit iOS.
Saving a photo from Snapseed directly to an FTP server using Transmit
With share sheet support, uploading a file to a server via Transmit iOS is as easy as uploading a file to a cloud storage service like Dropbox, and it works in quite a few third-party apps in addition to pre-installed apps.
Transmit iOS also serves as a “Document Picker,” which means that it can be used in supported apps to open files stored directly off of a server. For instance, a Pages document stored on a server can be opened directly in the Pages app on iOS through Transmit iOS, and any changes made in iOS to that document will be saved to the original file in Transmit iOS.
Pages document on server with option to open in Pages app
Transmit iOS, like Transmit for Mac, is a full featured file management app. Users can connect to multiple servers, save favorite servers, upload files using drag and drop, delete content, move content, duplicate files, and easily transition files between local storage and an available server. The app’s local storage option also allows it to store documents from other apps directly on the device.
Transmit iOS includes support for Touch ID, allowing users to secure the app with a fingerprint. A passcode lock is also available on devices that do not have access to Touch ID, ensuring that all content remains safe and access to servers is restricted.
As can be seen in Transmit iOS, iOS 8 is going to enable a slew of useful features that have not previously been possible with iOS, and thus far, we’re only scratching the surface of what developers are going to bring to the operating system with the new APIs.
Panic plans to release Transmit for iOS 8 after iOS 8 becomes available to the public on September 17.
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Sapphire Displays for iPhone 6 Missed by ‘Weeks’ Due to Yield Issues
One of the biggest rumors for the iPhone 6 was a new sapphire display cover courtesy of Apple’s partnership with GT Advanced Technologies. Some rumors had suggested sapphire might be limited to high-end models, but at the device’s unveiling earlier this week the feature was nowhere to be found on any of the new models.
GT’s stock took a significant hit as it became clear the iPhone 6 was not using a sapphire display, and analyst Matt Margolis has issued a new report based on supply chain sources claiming sapphire displays missed being included in the iPhone 6 by just “weeks”.
According to Margolis’ sources, the issue was not GT’s production, as the company is said to have been steadily shipping out sapphire from its factory in Mesa, Arizona. The issue appears to have occurred in the next step in the supply chain, where finishers in China struggled with yield issues turning the sapphire into display covers.
The issue that emerged is that the finishers were still having trouble creating the sapphire edges and yields were only at 25% or less. I am under the impression that GT’s management knew about this last minute shift away from sapphire screens prior to the August 5th conference call and it may have resulted in lower guidance for 2014 by $100m.
Margolis reports the sapphire supplies have been diverted for the Apple Watch for the time being as the finishing yield issues on the iPhone displays is resolved, and GT continues to manufacture sapphire as rapidly as it can.
What is unclear is how the omission of sapphire displays from the iPhone 6 will affect GT’s deal with Apple, which involves certain milestone payments from Apple to GT. It appears unlikely that Apple would bring sapphire to the iPhone until it unveils an “iPhone 6s” a year from now, so it is not entirely clear whether it needs or wants to stockpile GT’s output for an entire year or if it has other nearer-term plans for the material beyond the Apple Watch.
I believe GT and Apple still have very big plans for sapphire as a cover screen on mobile devices. Apple may pay continue to pay GT for sapphire bricks that they ship even though the iPhone is not covered up by a sapphire cover screen. Another option thrown on the table is that Apple could even push back the Apple prepayment requirements until the finishing yields are addressed. One item that remains clear is that GT will continue to push out as much sapphire as humanly possible from Mesa.
Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus without sapphire display covers will see pre-orders launch in a number of countries at 12:01 AM Pacific Time tonight, with availability coming on September 19.
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