iPhone

HSBC denies it's dumping BlackBerrys for iPhones

Sue Marek — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:40:11 -0400

Banking giant HSBC has denied a report last week that said it was considering dumping its RIM BlackBerry handsets in favor of Apple's iPhone. The company said that there are no current plans to replace BlackBerry.

The switch, had it occurred, would have involved about 200,000 handsets. Analysts have said that it would be tough for Apple to win over business from enterprises that have outfitted their workforces with BlackBerrys because businesses that use the BlackBerry platform have purchased specialized hardware.

For more:
- see this article

Related article:
Major banking group considers replacing BlackBerry with iPhone

iPhone now available for online orders

Sue Marek — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:23:22 -0400

Enterprise users that don't have time to go to an Apple or AT&T store to pick up their iPhone 3G can now order it online. The moratorium on online orders has been lifted--but there is a catch. To order an iPhone 3G online you have to be employed by a company that is a member of AT&T's Premier Enterprise program.

Once you order the device, your iPhone 3G will arrive between seven and 10 business days.

The online channel is just another avenue for getting more iPhone 3G devices into user's hands. Just last week, Apple announced that Best Buy was going to start selling the iPhone 3G.

For more:
- see this story

Related articles:
Best Buy will sell iPhone 3G
Report: AT&T, Apple to issue software fix for connection glitch

Report: AT&T, Apple to issue software fix for connection glitch

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:01:35 -0400

AT&T and Apple are reportedly working on a software fix to correct the iPhone 3G connection failures that users worldwide are rampantly complaining about. According to USA Today, citing anonymous sources, the problem lies with a faulty chipset provided by German chip company Infineon Technologies. Users are complaining about connection failures that typically happen when the device tries to move from AT&T's 3G network to the EDGE network. The software fix could be available next week via iTunes.

For more:
- see USA Today

Related stories:
Are design flaws plaguing the iPhone 3G? iPhone editorial
Apple iPhone less stable than Windows Mobile. iPhone story

Major banking group considers replacing BlackBerry with iPhone

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:46:31 -0400

Global banking conglomerate HSBC is taking a hard look at using the iPhone 3G over its current fleet of corporate BlackBerry devices. Such a move could involve the purchase of 200,000 iPhones globally and give Apple's goal of penetrating the enterprise a big boost. "We are actually reviewing iPhones from a HSBC Group perspective...and when I say that, I mean globally," HSBC's Australia and New Zealand chief information officer Brenton Hush told ZDNet. HSBC has about 330,000 employees globally.

Hush added: "A decision on a piece of hardware like that would potentially be deployed, conservatively, to 200,000 people," said Hush. "You know, it's a big decision, especially when you have an existing fleet out there." Apple has made it a priority with this latest iPhone launch to penetrate large corporations. The company worked with Cisco to include corporate VPNs in the new iPhone as well as support for Microsoft Exchange. A beta program had support from just over a third of the Fortune 500 companies.

It may not be that easy for Apple to displace the BlackBerry in the corporate market, however. Analysts note the plethora of specialized hardware that enterprises have purchased in conjunction with their use of the BlackBerry.

For more:
- check out Cellular-News

Related story:
iPhone takes on the enterprise. iPhone story

Wireless customers stuck on hold; Does the App Store have a kill switch?

Sue Marek — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:20:21 -0400

> J.D. Powers and Associates 2008 report on customer care found that wireless customers who call their provider when experiencing a problem are waiting on hold longer than in the past to speak with a service representative. Release

> AT&T accuses New Clearwire players of doublespeak. Article

> Google: Mobile ads will be more lucrative than online. Article

> Hands-On Mobile invests in Connect 2 Media. Article

> Another explanation as to why Garmin's nüvifone is late. Article

And finally... Does the iPhone App Store have a "kill switch" for certain applications? Video

Best Buy will sell iPhone 3G

Sue Marek — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:41:04 -0400

Starting Sept. 7 consumers will be able to pick up an iPhone 3G at their local Best Buy store. The retailer will be the first to sell the popular device in the U.S. outside of Apple and AT&T stores.

The iPhone 3G will be available at all Best Buy stores except a few which are located in areas where AT&T's wireless service isn't available.

Best Buy has been trying to establish itself as a leader in wireless retail sales by expanding its wireless product lines and establishing cell phone departments in its U.S. stores. The retailer's iPhone price will match that of AT&T and Apple: $199 for the eight-gigabyte model and $299 for the 16-gigabyte model with a two-year contract.

For more:
- read this article (sub. req.)

Related articles:
iPhone 3G: Faster, cheaper but still not perfect
iPhone 3G vs. Instinct - July News Round Up

iPhone to soon get VOIP

Sue Marek — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:17:55 -0400

Apple iPhone users may soon be able to make calls without using cell phone minutes. Global IP Solutions announced yesterday that it has a software developer's kit that enables VOIP on the iPhone 3G. Article

iPhone downside: short battery life, dropped calls

Sue Marek — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:15:03 -0400

A recent spate of news reports indicates that not all iPhone 3G customers are happy with their experience. Although the phone has been lauded for its faster Internet speeds and its downloadable apps, some consumers say that the device's battery consumption is too high as is the rate of dropped calls.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel says that Apple and AT&T are working to ensure users have a great experience with the iPhone 3G and the device has not been a tremendous source of complaints.

Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with JupiterResearch, says that the iPhone 3G's struggles are due to its popularity. A large number of new users can degrade the wireless service and 3G access, and downloadable applications can cause users to run down their batteries faster than they would on other phones.

For more:
- see this article

Related articles:
iPhone 3G vs. Instinct - July News Round Up
App Store downloads exceed 60 million in first month

iPhone App Store generated $30M in a month

Sue Marek — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:01:42 -0400

Apple's iPhone App Store is being heralded as a big success with the Wall Street Journal reporting today that in its first month users downloaded more than 60 million applications generating an average of $1 million a day for a total of $30 million for the month. If sales stay the pace, Apple will reap about $360 million a year in new revenue from the App Store.

However, Apple may not derive a lot of profit from the store. CEO Steve Jobs says that the company keeps 30 percent of the proceeds--enough to cover the expenses--with the remaining 70 percent going to the software app developers. But Jobs believes that the applications will help sell more iPhones, just as the music sold through Apple iTunes has made iPods more desirable.

For more:
- see this article (sub. req.)

Related stories:
Who's minding the App Store?
App Store frustrations bedevil iPhone developers

iPhone App Store still having troubles?

Sue Marek — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:06:12 -0400

Apple's iPhone App Store seems to be suffering from teething problems. Numerous reports have circulated about applications that have been bouncing in and out of the store as Apple apparently changes its mind on their validity. One of these is the NetShare application by Nullriver, which allows users to tether their iPhone to their PC and use the device as a 3G modem. Another app that has met a similar fate is the controversial I Am Rich. Article