Secret iPhone panorama camera mode discovered by hacker

An iPhone hacker has discovered that iPhones running the iOS 5 operating systems have a hidden panoramic camera mode.

It’s great for snap happy iPhone users, but Apple might not be so pleased because it’s a function that isn’t officially ready for use.

Once it is switched on users can take continuous photos while panning the camera from left to right.

Samsung Seeks Sales Ban on Apple IPhone 4S in France, Italy

Samsung Electronics Co. will seek to ban Apple Inc.'s iPhone 4S in France and Italy on patent- infringement claims, escalating the dispute between the world's two biggest makers of smartphones and ...

Apple stumble seen opening door for rivals

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks in front of an image of an iPhone 4S at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California October 4, 2011.


Rival smartphone makers are seen having a chance of exploiting a rare letdown by Apple in the launch of its new iPhone 4S model, which failed to wow fans, and grab a bigger share of the most lucrative part of the phone market, analysts said today.

They also noted, however, that Apple has decided to keep older iPhone models and slash their prices, which could help the company expand sales in lower-end and developing markets, where Nokia and Samsung have dominated.






“Apple no longer has a leading edge, its cloud service is even behind (Google’s mobile operating system) Android; it can only sell on brand loyalty now,” said Gartner analyst C.K. Lu in Taipei.

“Users may wait to buy the next iPhone; if they can’t wait, they may shift to brands with more advanced specs.”

The iPhone – introduced in 2007 with the touchscreen template since adopted by rivals – has proved to be the gold standard in the booming smartphone market, and its surging sales have hit the ambitious plans of many competitors.

But shares in Samsung Electronics , HTC and LG Electronics , which all make phones using Google’s Android operating system, ended higher after Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S at its Cupertino, California headquarters overnight.

In Europe shares in Nokia and Ericsson, half-owner of Sony Ericsson smartphone venture, were both 2.4 per cent higher by 0815 GMT today.

“Nokia should benefit from the fact that Apple chose not to play the design card this time around and that unlike some rumours, there will not be anything new aimed at the key mid-range market,” analysts from Nordea said in a note.

The new iPhone 4S is identical in form to the previous model, disappointing fans who had hoped for a thinner, bigger-screened design of a product that had not been updated for more than a year.

While the device’s high-tech wizardry such as voice commands – for sending messages, searching for stock prices and other applications – caught the attention of many analysts, it might not be enough to make it a must-have for consumers.

“Major concerns for Samsung had been that its smartphone momentum will decelerate with Apple’s new iPhone, but that is now less of a concern as the new iPhone failed to excite many,” said Kim Young-chan, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp in Seoul.

Today Samsung also said it would file for a sales ban on the new iPhone with courts in France and Italy, alleging that the phone infringed its mobile technology patents, widening an already extensive legal battle with its arch rival.

MID-MARKET STRATEGY

Apple also revealed yesterday that it is cutting the price of the previous iPhone 4 model to US$99 on a network service contract, and said the even older 3GS model will be available for free on contract. This allows Apple to hit the low-end smartphone market it had once eschewed.

Even before the low-cost phone, Apple was set to exponentially grow its China business as it stitches deals with operators in the world’s largest mobile phone market, home to more than 900 million subscribers.

Apple faces a tough battle in India, the world’s second-biggest market for mobile phones with more than 850 million subscribers, where smartphones account for just over 5 per cent of the total mobile handset sales.

“Very aggressive pricing in the higher-end category of smartphones is unlikely in India in the near future, primarily because the volumes are not strong enough to justify that kind of play in that segment,” said Deepak Kumar, research director at IDC India.

TOP SELLING SMARTPHONE

Phones based on Google’s Android, which is available for free to handset vendors such as Samsung, HTC, LG and Motorola , have a greater combined market share than Apple’s iPhone, which is still the world’s biggest-selling smartphone.

“There are still many consumers who don’t have the iPhone experience, and Apple still has a lot of markets and carriers to enter, so when there’s a new model with better specs, it helps to lift shipments,” said Ming-chi Kuo, analyst at Concord Securities in Taipei.

“The iPhone 4S targets users who are expiring on their two-year 3GS contract.”

Apple sold a record 20.3 million iPhones in the April-June quarter, with analysts estimating Samsung smartphone sales at 19 million handsets, well ahead of Nokia’s 16.7 million.

The lukewarm reception given for the new phone also hit shares in Apple’s suppliers.

Taiwan’s Hon Hai , Apple’s biggest supplier, was down 1.9 per cent, while casing company Foxconn Technology fell 6.9 per cent. Camera module maker Largan Precision shed 6.6 per cent.

“The casing companies should be the most-hit, correcting from the previous rise, because the market has expected a metal case for the new iPhone,” said Mike Fang, a fund manager of Paradigm Asset Management.

In Japan, the country’s second-largest mobile carrier KDDI will sell Apple’s new iPhone, ending rival operator Softbank’s reign as the sole provider in Japan.

Internet virals take a bite out of Apple's new iPad amid widespread disappointment -Apple iPad is finally here... but will anyone want to buy one?

# 'Magical and revolutionary product' bridges gap between laptop and mobiles
# Prices start at $499 (£308) in the US for a 16GB version with WiFi
# Powered by a 1GHz Apple A4 chip, and has 16GB to 64GB of flash storage
# New device is half an inch thick, with 9.7in display and weighs 1.5lb
# Ten hours of battery life if watched continuously and one month of standby charge
# WiFi version available worldwide, including the UK, in 60 days with 3G following 30 days later
# Apple could run into trademark problems with Fujitsu, who previously filed a claim to the name 'iPad'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1246551/iPad-Steve-Jobs-unveils-Apples-revolutionary-tablet-computer.html#ixzz0dvzyxEz6





























Hands on: Journalists get to try out some of the iPads (left) while Steve Jobs demonstrates the slimness of the half inch thick gadget



Easy access: The type-pad is almost the same size as a traditional Qwerty keyboard

Price range: The basic iPad will be $499 with a top-of-the-range model with WiFi, 3G and 64GB retailing at $829

iPad users will also be able to watch films on the device, which they can purchase from the iTunes store

Users will be able to play a wide variety of video games on the iPad, including motoring games

There are also apps available for keen baseball players, who will be able to live out their love for the game on the screen

Revolution: Apple chief executive Officer Steve Jobs unveils the company's latest product - the iPad which many critic said look the same as ipod iphone

Publishing phenomenon: Jobs on stage in front of an image of the iPad

Many virals revealed disappointment that the iPad failed to live up to its great promise and hype

A spoof of the Apple website shows an alternative name for the iPad because it look the same with Ipod Iphone.

Many virals revealed disappointment that the iPad failed to live up to its great promise and hype

iBooks: The new app will allow users to browse an online bookshelf (left) and use the iPad as an eReader

Groundbreaking: The device will have its own applications (music store, left) and will also have special apps from other companies including the New York Times (right). Jobs: 'We're very excited about this'

Apple claim their new tablet computer the iPad is a 'magic and revolutionary' product, but the device has been swiftly ridiculed by bloggers and industry insiders.

Company chief Steve Jobs launched the iPad last night, amid great hype at the annual Apple conference in San Francisco.

Today it emerged that British users will be able to get their hands on one by March.

Mr Jobs claimed the device came from a next generation of gadgets that would plug the gap between small laptops and mobiles.

But alarmingly for the company which is always been the darling of the 'geek' community the sentiment on the web was distinctly underwhelmed and immediately sparked a wave of cruel ridicule.Another reveals disappointment felt by many pundits that the iPad has failed to live up the hype. It shows a typical Apple checklist, comparing the iPad to a piece of blue tack. iPad has a ticked box for 'iTunes store' but only the blue tack has a tick for 'Multitask capability.'

Much hilarity has come from the unfortunate link between ''iPad' and the common name for feminine hygiene products. Internet users were quick to trade time-of-the-month iPad jokes.

'If you and your friends all buy one, will they sync up?' one woman asked. While another questioned, 'Does it come with wings?'

Some female bloggers wryly commented probably didn't have any women on its marketing team and 'iTampon' quickly became a cheeky trending topic on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

A YouTube clip from 2006, now enjoying a fresh surge of popularity, shows the term 'iPad' has been ridiculed for years. In the comedy skit shown on Fox, two women discuss an Apple period-maintenance device called the iPad.
Another more contorversial spoof video on YouTube shows an actor playing Hitler in his Berlin bunker, apparently complaining about the iPad.

The video, which has already been viewed 27,000 times, shows the Fuhrer shouting at his subordinates after he discovers the iPad won't support multi-tasking or have Flash support.

In his subtitled tirade he says: 'It could have changed the market. It could have single handedly destroyed netbooks. But what do we get instead? An oversized iPod Touch! It can't even make phone calls!'

And while the pictures and videos could be seen as just innocent fun, it could be a worrying sign for Apple that punters simply aren't taking the iPad seriously.

It surely didn't help that Apple grandly announced the gizmo with a quote from the Wall Street Journal that said: 'Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it.'

At the launch Mr Jobs said the device would be used for browsing the web, sharing photos, reading eBooks and watching movies.

The WiFi version will go on sale worldwide in two months time, with the 3G version following a month later. There are three memory levels - 16gigabyte, 32gb or 64gb - under each of these two formats.

Apple has not yet revealed their UK mobile carrier partners but will start negotiations soon. Orange has reportedly already opened talks with Apple to provide 3G mobile internet connections.

The iPhone is currently available through O2, Orange and Vodaphone.

Prices will start at $499 (£308) in the US but British Apple fans will have to wait longer to find out the UK price - although it is likely to be far higher.
However, technology pundits were quick to ask how revolutionary the iPad really was, and more pertinently, who will want to buy one.
Respected blogger MG Siegler from TechCrunch said: 'Is it a must have? The quick and dirty answer is: for many people, right now, no.

'Unlike the iPhone, which filled an already well-established need, there is no existing need the iPad fills.'

Rhi Morgan at T3 magazine agreed. He said: 'I can’t see anybody who needs a laptop buying an iPad, and I can’t see people using it as a smartphone either.'
Apple will have a steep hill to climb with their tablet by trying to open what has been up till now a niche market. Microsoft's 2001 tablet failed to catch on and many analysts fear the iPad could run into the same problems.

What is more the operation of the iPad is virtually identical to the iPhone and iTouch.

Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray said: 'The gadget is a premium mobile device, not a computer; as such we see some iPod Touch buyers stepping up to the iPad, but consumers looking for an affordable portable computer will likely stick with the MacBook line up.'

Reviews of the iPad have been vastly mixed. Some technology experts have highly praised the innovation behind the product.

Rob Hearn from Pocketgamer.co.uk insisted: 'The iPad is a characteristically sexy bit of consumer electronics, and at $499 it's cheap enough to sell.'

Meanwhile Brian Lam from Gimodo.com said: 'It's substantial but surprisingly light. Easy to grip. Beautiful. Rigid. Starkly designed. The glass is a little rubbery but it could be my sweaty hands. And it's fast.'

Only time will tell whether customers agree.

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