AT&T & Verizon Duels Over Who Has The Better IPhone, Apple Getting Lots Of Love

The seven-month old iPhone 4 just went on sale over at Verizon Wireless on Thursday, selling out the pre-order allotment in just 17 months and setting a record sales figure in just two hours, between 3am-5am. By any measure, that is an incredible feat I don't know can ever be duplicated. But every time someone says something is no longer possible for Apple, Steve Jobs and company always manages to outdo expectation.

Meanwhile, ATT and Verizon Wireless (VWZ) crossed swords on Twitter and in the press over who has the better iPhone. And this week, that skirmish spilled over into television and online as they released opposing commercials that highlight who's got the better iPhone and what features one has over the other.

The best thing about this is that mobile warriors like you and me win with this kind of competition.

More at Greenjava.

Siri: Will We See Voice/Speech Integration in iOS 5?

I use Apple's Siri app on occasion.  And it's a decent app for process that pulls information from various sources.  However, I wonder if Apple will finally do more with it in iOS 5. After all, spending $200 million to buy it out must really mean that there is value in the app and the talent behind its development that the top echelon at Apple saw.

It is a very useful app as it is if you have never used it.  It's a voice query app and I have spend some time here and there to see what I can do with it.  

First, you can tap and say what you want to ask.  If the question is within reason, like "where am I?", Siri thinks for a bit and offers you what it thinks is the best answer.  When I asked it where my current location was, it showed me a map of where I am.  

And for lunch, I was able to ask Siri where is the location to the restaurant I'm suppose to meet up with my friends.  It was a very easy process.  No typing required.  

That's great, right?  But I want to see voice input/command more tightly integrated into iOS 5.  After all, the ability to do this is developing quite nicely on Android.  I am certain Apple can offer similar services for its core OS.

The only thing I can think of why Apple has not do so is because it plans on doing voice in that unique Apple way that will amaze us.  But time is short.  Apple risk falling further behind Google which has invested much resources in this direction.  

One issue that I see Apple working on is just how the artificial intelligence, for a lack of a better term, can react to the user.  Sure, I am sure Apple can implement the ability for the user to speak into his or her iOS device and have a SMS or e-mail typed up and sent.  Or even search for answers as we can now on Siri in a more integrated manner.  

But for Apple, that is merely doing what Android can already do.  No one would be impressed with that.  It must go beyond that.  I believe Apple will attempt to create an "understanding" between the iOS and the user.  

• Learn from the user's disposition.   
• Learn the user's speech and accent.
• Provide this service beyond just English or Spanish.  Chinese voice/speech integration is likely something Apple is working hard on as Mandarin is quickly become one of the most important language in education and commerce.
• Ease of use will be an issue.  With Android, you will have to activate speech commands.  I wonder if Apple will find a way to make the process more seamless.  Using Siri requires the user to launch the app.  It isn't different from how we would use any other app but Apple will need to make much more natural.  I don't know how.  For instance, after speaking to Siri, the user has to tap the screen to let Siri know that the question has been completed.
• Apple has to make speech/voice usage more natural and common. 
• Apple has to make it so that people will want to use it.  

As you can see, Apple has a lot of work and perhaps, there isn't enough time between acquiring Siri, adding new features, and eventually integrating it into iOS.  

For general uses, Siri is adequate but beyond a certain level of understanding, Siri has difficulties understanding what I want.  And if anyone can truly build a digital companion that provide answers to queries of users in an effortless way, it'll be Apple.

New Verizon Commerical: Yes, I Can Hear You Now

This new Verizon commercial for the iPhone kinda says it all.



Seriously though, I don't think Apple has never allowed AT&T to use the iPhone in any commercial at all. If true, this is Apple's payback to AT&T for maintaining such a crappy network all these year.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

CDMA iPhones Sold-Out!

Neither Apple or Verizon Wireless has any iPhones for pre-orders to be reserved by current VZW customers.  

The next time anyone can order one starts on February 9th and can be picked up on the 10th or wake up early to wait in line for one.

No one knows just how much Apple allocated for today's pre-order or whether taking 16 hours to run out of iPhones was a success or not.

We will not know just how well the CDMA iPhones are selling until a week or two after.  That is usually when Apple gloats to the public about their numbers.

From the survey conducted by uSamp, there is a lot of enthusiasm for the seven-month old iPhone 4  We will not know just what kind of change in the mobile market this will cause until we see the actual lines (if there are any) or the effects ripple effects this has on Apple's competitors.

Simultaneous Data and Voice Is Overrated For Most Mobile Warriors - For Now

There, I said it.  Being able to access data while fielding a phone call is a good feature to have but for a vast majority of mobile users, we don't really do that all the time.  As a matter of fact, I cannot remember a time when I've had to do that while using the G1 on T-Mobile.  I think you'd have to think hard to remember having to do that and I'm willing to wager that it isn't often.

Nor do I remember a time when I'm on the 2G iPhone telling someone I'll call them back so I can access something via the wireless Internet.  Once again, if this occurs, it's a rare instance.

Having said that, there are some heavy users that live on their mobile devices and they probably need to chat and access data at the same time.  

This issue is suddenly important once more because the iPhone is now on Verizon's CDMA network which does not allow this ability that the GSM iPhone is capable of on AT&T's network.  

The millions of Droid and other Android users on Verizon or Sprint's networks obviously does not see the inability to make calls and access data wirelessly at the same time as a hindrance to their mobile life.  Otherwise, they would have long left for AT&T or T-Mobile.  

Having said that, I do believe that as more of us refine our mobile uses and behaviors, this will become a must have ability, in social as well as in business settings.  But for now, it is not a major issue for folks who want the CDMA iPhone or the biggest Droid they can get their hands on.

So, while AT&T will make an issue out of this, I say this in response:

You're absolutely right.  Between the two versions of the iPhone, only yours can make calls and access the 3G network simultaneously.  Provided we can get a signal at all.  Only the GSM iPhone have this magical ability.  But what is the point when calls drop or when the user is not able to access the network?  

For users who are leaving AT&T or current Verizon users upgrading to the CDMA iPhone or Droid, it's like Steve Jobs said, "It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell!"

So until our social needs change further with regard to our mobile devices, simultaneous data and voice access is overrated.

Here Is How Apple Can Still Offer A Retina Display For the iPad 2

This is purely fun speculation on my part about Apple, iPad 2, and the possibility of Steve Jobs and friends offer a higher resolution display on the iPad 2. And here’s how.

Charge more for it. I am sure the cost will be a lot more than the standard display being used for the iPad. And it probably does not makes business sense to introduce such an expensive display while trying to keep the price of the forthcoming iPad 2 in the same range as the current line of iPads. So, make one model with a retina display or simply higher resolution display.

Seriously, there will be a market for this high-end iPad 2. For there rest of the lower end iPad 2 line, Apple can continue to use the same display as current model. I am sure there will still be improvements – like thickness and a more powerful efficient display.

And there is precedent for this. Keep in mind that the Macbook Pro displays come in two models. On the 15” model, the standard resolution is 1440 x 900 with an option for a higher resolution screen at 1680 x 1050.

The current rumored Retina display for the iPad 2, be it this year or, more likely, next year, is 2048 x 1536. I have to admit, that is insane. I doubt that even if Apple does offer a higher resolution display for the iPad 2 or 3, it will not be at such a high resolution.

And honestly, as a mobile warrior, anything beyond the current display of 1024 x 768 is a win. But don’t get me wrong. The iPad display is awesome but when you hold it up next to the Retina display on the iPhone or iPad touch, you can tell the difference.

So, at the low end, offer the current 16GB iPad with wifi for $399. iPad 2 will be the same through as the current line of iPad ranging from $499 to $699. The differentiator between the iPad and the iPad 2 will be more RAM, new processor, and camera.

The differentiator between the standard display iPad 2 and the high resolution iPad 2 will be the display. Apple can charge $100-$200 more. For a sweetener for charging $200, maybe Apple can offer additional storage up to 128GB.

Will folks be willing to fork out $899 or $999 for this special version of the iPad 2, higher resolution and more storage? Maybe. At this price, we move into the Macbook Air price range.

Having said that, the Mac is still a Mac while the iPad is, well, still an iPad.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Apple Enforces Guideline to Make Sure Contents Are Available For Purchases In-And-Out Of Apps

Apple likes to shake things up.  They've done that with Apple II, the Mac, iMac, iPod, iPhone, and the iPad.  They did it with iTunes and the app store.  And now, they're doing it again by enforcing an app store rule that said content that are available for purchase outside the app must also be made available for in-app purchases.

The most publicized victim of Apple enforcing this is Sony and it's Reader app.  It was rejected by Apple for not allowing in-app purchases of ebooks.

You ask how is this different from what the Kindle and Nook apps already do?  It's not.  And if I know Apple, look for future updates to these two apps and other apps that draw purchased contents into the iOS devices to be rejected wholeheartedly or be resubmitted into the app store with in-app purchases.

This shows Apple's growing confidence in its iOS platform.  Going forward, look for Apple to apply this rule to other media as well.  Music, books, video, and even comic books.

And content providers will need to decide just how badly they want to be on the iOS platform.  By my reckoning, Apple can move anywhere from 150 to 200 million iOS devices a year and no app developer can afford to exclude themselves from such a market or risk being outcasts.  

It's a brilliant business move if you ask me.  I get the feeling that while these companies like Barnes and Noble and Amazon, that do have their own ereading platform, might complain loudly in public, I doubt it'll go beyond that.

However, I believe government regulators, right or wrong (depending on where you stand with this issue), might want to take a crack this new development.  

At issue is not that Apple is enforcing its rule.  In and of itself, it makes sense.  Contents that are available for purchase should be made available for purchase within the app to make it easier for access to contents.  

The issue is that Apple also wants 30% of any in-app purchases.  

We'll see where this goes in the next couple of weeks.  Apple has already informed European newspapers that they can no longer offer subscription to iOS users that are purchased outside of the iOS ecosystem.  

Perhaps we will see Apple come up with a payment system in the coming months that will address this.  

More at ATD.