It's widely believed that US carriers pay a lot for the iPhone. A perfect example is Sprint which signed an estimated US$15 billion deal for the iPhone and won't make money off the handset until 2015. AllThingsD presents several compelling reasons why Sprint and other US wireless carriers are willing to accept such high subsidies for the iPhone.

First, the carriers believe the iPhone will help them attract customers and keep them for the long term. Second, the carriers won't stop selling the iPhone now because they want to capitalize on the demand for the LTE iPhone which may arrive as early this year. Third and final, each carrier signed a multiyear agreement with Apple and can't change the subsidy terms until they've rode out the contract.

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Daniel Keller for Universal Audio:

While you’ve been working hard and paying attention to the songs, the parts, the sounds, and all the other big-picture stuff, maybe something’s just ever so slightly out of tune. I’m not talking about the really obvious slightly sharp high E string on the rhythm guitar; sometimes it’s the subtle stuff that makes all the difference.

Nothing like an out of tune instrument to kill recording.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Have you ever wondered exactly why Apple's tiny USB Power Adapter for the iPhone has such a large price tag? The diminutive cube costs US$29.00, while similar USB wall chargers are available from retailers like Monoprice for as little as $6. Ken Shirriff wondered the same thing, so he went all iFixit on one of the Apple chargers and tore it to pieces to see what's inside.

Shirriff found that there's a reason for at least part of the premium price tag, and that's the use of quality components. To quote Shirriff's conclusions,

Apple's power adapter is clearly a high-quality power supply designed to produce carefully filtered power. Apple has obviously gone to...

Apple is reaching out to its neighbors in Cupertino, having mailed a packet to residents of the city of Cupertino containing images and information about its planned Campus 2. The mailing requests feedback from Cupertino residents and attempts to allay resident fears over the impact the new campus will have on their community....

Florian Mueller:

Apple’s motion is fairly likely to succeed. If and when it does, there will be formal U.S. bans in place against all three of the leading Android device makers.

That’s what happens when you steal from your competitors.

∞ Read this on The Loop

“Comic Sans was designed because when I was working at Microsoft, I received a beta version of Microsoft Bob. It was a comic software package that had a dog called Rover at the beginning and he had a balloon with messages using Times New Roman.”

∞ Read this on The Loop

When techies try to think of the future of gesture-based computing, they often discuss 2002's Minority Report, a sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise. In the flick, Cruise controlled a huge transparent display by moving his hands and arms like an orchestra conductor. Now San Francisco-based Leap is taking gesture control seriously, with a US$69.99 product that's expected to ship later this year.

The Leap is a small aluminum and black plastic device that looks like it fell off of an iMac. Plug the Leap into a USB port on your Mac, load special software (Leap Motion), and then wave your arm to calibrate the device. Now you have control of about 8 cubic feet of space, with each motion of your hands or fingers precisely tracked to within 1/100th of a millimeter.

Leap is looking to developers to create software to truly take advantage of the precise control provided by the...

Apple's Lincoln Park, Chicago store is located next to the North/Clybourn Red Line stop. Apple paid $4 million to renovate the stop and build a plaza on a disused bus turn-around.

Apple

Cities and shopping centers are apparently keen to attract shiny new Apple Stores to their areas. So keen, in fact, that Apple routinely gets special deals on leasing, taxes, and other incentives. Other retailers aren't jealous, however, because Apple Store customers add to the bottom line, according to The Next Web.

Among the deals Apple has received recently, The Next Web cites two prominent "sweet deals." One is the leasing deal Apple signed to move into New York's Grand Central Terminal. While New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli thought the deal was...

In the latest development in the ongoing global mobile device patent war, some Motorola Mobility smartphones have been found by the U.S. International Trade Commission to infringe upon a Microsoft patent and will be barred from importation to the United States. The patent at issue involves the ability to generate and schedule meeting requests directly on mobile devices.

Looking to usurp rival competitors like Spotify and...

Foxconn is planning to spend US$210 million on a new production line for Apple products this fall. The expansion is scheduled for October in the Jiangsu province in China.

Chinese regulatory authorities have approved Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility, paving the way for the deal to close within the week.







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Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung are set to meet today in San Francisco for court-ordered talks. Reuters reports that the talks will be held in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood and will be overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero. Based on comments made by a…

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung are set to start negotiating for a possible settlement in their company’s patent infringement lawsuit battle. The talks came as a court oder from Judge Lucy Koh and will be mediated by Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero.

The 336 New Colors enrich the current PLUS SERIES palette, providing a more comprehensive selection. All color families are extended to include a wider variety of values, saturation and undertones – from subtle pastels and reliable mid-tones to the intensity of deep tones, vivid brights and vital, nuanced neutrals.

∞ Read this on The Loop

It never hurts to offer an incentive.

In an effort to drum up subscribership and advertise its unlimited data plan for the iPhone 4S, Sprint revealed on Friday that it will begin offering a US$100 credit to any customer who trades in an iPhone from another carrier.

Per AppleInsider, the carrier said that it would be offering non-Sprint users at least US$100 for their iPhone to be used towards a new iPhone 4S if they start a line of service with a minimum two-year contract.

Sprint’s announcement comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that revealed Verizon would be pushing to...

Rumors claim Apple is working on its own television to be released some time this year. Today TMO readers are talking about what that TV might include, and the features they want to see.

A truly titanic hash of dumb Apple rumors permeated the blogosphere this week, including the usual suspects of the "iPad mini" and the Apple HDTV. But mixed with the mire were multiple reports from actual, reputable news organizations like the Wall Street Journal and Reuters regarding the next generation of MacBook Pros. Unfortunately those same usually reputable organizations also fell into the trap of drawing their information from the most notoriously unreliable of sources when discussing the next-gen iPhone, so it's hard to know what to believe.

It can be difficult to separate the plausible stories from the B.S. even during the slowest weeks. This past week was not a slow week, with an explosion of at least 20 rumors wafting across the Internet and stinking up the place. Fortunately, there are some telltale signs to separate the rumors worth paying attention to from the ones that are only good for laughs.

How do you know, with almost 100 percent...

Settlement talks between Apple and Samsung are set to begin today in San Francisco, Calif., with Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung personally taking part in the discussions.

Major new release adds support for 64-bit Intel-based Apple systems and image files larger than 16 megapixels. ($39.95 new, free update, 136 MB)

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Most would assume that the currently free on-contract iPhone 3GS will discontinue with the introduction of the sixth-generation iPhone later this year, but one analyst claimed its life would go on. According to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek in a note released last night (via Fortune), Apple signed an agreement “with a major global distributor” that will bring the iPhone 3GS to pre-paid carriers and developing countries for an even cheaper price. Misek said the 3GS would be priced between the $200 to $250 range, which is cheaper than the $375 price point that it is now priced at wholesale. The analyst further estimated iPhone shipments for the June quarter.

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He said Apple would build roughly 28 million to 30 million iPhones during those three months. The...

Leap Motion has taken the covers off its new motion-tracking device for computer interaction. As the video (embedded below) demonstrates, the device maker shows off how the device could potentially replace a mouse and keyboard in a number of computing and gaming contexts. The size of a small flash drive, the Leap is said to be able to allow users to control a computer in three dimensions, tracking natural hand and finger movements down to 1/100th of a millimeter....

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We reported that Verizon was going to shut down unlimited data plans when customers purchased new phones and shared data plans were available. The company now says that while it does want to try and phase unlimited data plans out, there will still be options for customers currently under unlimited plans who are aiming to buy new phones.

Basically, if you want to be eligible for a discount on a new phone, Verizon is going to try to sell you on switching off from the unlimited plan, over to something that helps the company budget data more easily (not to mention opens you up to extra fees, if you happen to go over your data cap). Customers who currently have unlimited plans and pay full price for a new phone, will get the reward of keeping their unlimited plans for the...

Instead of being discontinued later this year, the iPhone 3GS, first released in 2009, may stay in production for Apple to sell contract-free in developing markets, where prepaid smartphones are popular.

A court-ordered summit will take place on Monday intended to hash out differences between Apple and Samsung and try to end their international patent wars.







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According to a report from the China Daily, Foxconn is looking to invest $210 million in a new Apple production line that will be based in Huai’an city, China, according to the office of Taiwan Affairs today. The plant is expected to be relatively big in size, covering 40,000 square meters, with plans to hire 35,800 workers. However, it looks to be smaller than Foxconn’s other plants. When it comes to how much the plant plans to produce, the output from the plant is expected to be between $949 million to $1.1 billion yearly, according to the report.

It is not clear which Apple products are expected to be built in the plant, but construction will begin in October of this year, perhaps ruling out possibility of the factory producing the sixth-generation iPhone that is rumored to go into production in...

A few years ago Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant were unknown writers. Now they’re podcast big shots. Next year they could be cable TV stars.

At least that’s the arc their employers at Discovery Communications have planned for them.

The cable heavyweight has watched the pair progress: From bloggers on its “How Stuff Works” site to a duo whose twice-weekly “Stuff You Should Know” audio shows generate more than a million downloads a week.

Now it’s trying to transform them into on-camera talent, by giving them their own series on its Science Channel. And if that works, it wants to repeat the process with other digital natives.

“I think it’s a template” says Conal Byrne, who oversees editorial operations...

It’s been an amazing week with lots of photogenic events to attend. Sharing of the photographs has not been so popular than this before. This twitter imagery of this week consists of interesting topics, humor, a variety of stunning pictures about people and events.

The latest update to OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview 3 seems to have partially enabled iOS-style automatic app downloads in the App Store. Like on the iPhone and iPad, when you buy and install an app on one of your Macs, all of your other Macs logged into the same App Store account will automatically install the app too.

Unfortunately, the feature does not seem to be working completely. While the App Store will still offer to enable automatic downloads (as seen above), it does not actually install anything when you purchase apps from another computer. However, it does apparently show the app as being installed when you view it in the App Store. There is a good chance we will see at least one more developer preview, or at least a GM, in the coming weeks that should fully enable the feature.

Thanks, Zach!

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Ever since the release of iOS 5.1.1, many in the jailbreak community have anxiously waited for the destined release of an untethered jailbreak for the new software. Non other than the prolific pod2g has worked tirelessly to comfort those in need. According to pod2g, the release of the untethered jailbreak does not appear to be that far off — coming this week.

Thanks to awesome work of @planetbeing and @pimskeks, we're near ready for a release. Now it's a matter of days.—
  (@pod2g) May 20, 2012

Tethered jailbreaks are available for iOS 5.1.1; however, an untethered jailbreak is much better. It allows users to...

Samsung Vice Chairman Gee-Sung Choi and Apple CEO Tim Cook will meet in San Francisco tomorrow to discuss a possible settlement to their intellectual property dispute, Reuters confirmed today. As reported last month, the two companies agreed to go to mediation, but it is difficult to believe that two days of talks will result in a settlement to their legal battles, which span roughly 50 lawsuits in 10 countries.

Apple sent an email reminder to developers working on apps for the Mac App Store letting them know that new programs will have to be compatible with the platform's forthcoming "sandboxing" constraints in order to be offered in the Mac App Store. Developers are expected to implement sandboxing within their apps by June 1, though existing programs can be updated after that date. Apple has previously extended the deadline for app sandboxing, first November 2011 to March 2012, and later to June 2012....

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After possibly infecting up to 1.8 percent of the Macintosh population with a click-fraud macro through a Java vulnerability, the Flashback creators won't get paid despite their efforts, reports Computerworld. Following a coordinated security effort between antivirus vendors and security experts, remote malicious orders were blocked or prevented from effecting an estimated peak 600,000 infected computers. Apple joined the fray late, but provided patches and a removal tool for the malware....

When it comes to evaluating the next big thing, we turn to our secret weapon: the TUAW braintrust. We put the question to you and let you have your go at it. Today's topic is form factors.

Recently, rumors have been swirling about possible iOS device form updates. You may have read about 7" iPads (or, possibly, a 7" relaunched iPod touch) and iPhones with mighty 4" screens, both of which would certainly throw monkey wrenches into the world of app development.

That's because each time Apple adds a new form factor into the mix, apps need to update to restyle their designs. They must meet both the physical form factor and the intrinsic aspect ratio. Each time this happens, universal apps grow bigger and space on your device grows smaller.

So do you think you see Apple moving forward on either one? Are these, as often, simply groundless speculation and spitballing? Or do you think either rumor has legs...

Watch your back. The idea that you could be pick-pocketed without anyone actually picking your pocket at all is frightening enough. Seeing it in action is a whole different story.

Providence's NBC 10 took an identity theft expert to the streets to show consumers how easy it is. He slipped an RFID card scanner (you can find them on eBay for as little as 50 bucks) into an iPad case and went to town.

The worst part is there's virtually no way to protect yourself from scanners other than investing in special wallets or credit card sleeves that block them – though one guy in the segment found

While the world seems to be beating a path to the door of manufacturers of noise-canceling earphones, inventor Tammy Erdel has a much better idea that could save some lives.

AIRbudz replace the removable earbuds on your favorite set of earphones and allow the sound around you to mix with the tunes you're listening to. You probably don't want to use the AIRbudz in the comfort of your home, but they're designed to work when you're outside cycling, walking, skateboarding, or otherwise in a situation where you need to be aware of what's around you.

I personally love this idea. I don't know how many times I've been cycling or walking and seen other people who are exercising with earbuds jammed into their ears. They're usually oblivious to anyone who is trying to get their attention, and more than once I've startled someone by passing them after I've tried unsuccessfully to warn them two or...

Academic researchers fear measures would prohibit work with genetic databases.

Their potential new offices will join with Google, Facebook and Zynga, among other digital media platforms with major offices in Ireland’s capital. Last year Twitter confirmed that they would locate their international headquarters in Dublin.

Google and Motorola Mobility both revealed on Saturday that they have received Chinese regulatory approval for their proposed merger and expect to soon close on the deal.

For a pair of headphones under the $50 mark, we often find ourselves recommending something like the standard $35 Apple earphones. You typically cannot beat the sound quality (build quality up for debate) for the price, but if you want to go Bluetooth, pickings are slim in the under $200 category.

If you are looking for DJ-style, over-ear Bluetooth headphones, your options are even fewer before hitting the $250+ price point for a wireless pair of Beats by Dr.Dre.

However, at just $39,...

On the heels of an appeals court win that suggested that Samsung should have been barred from selling its copycat Galaxy Tab 10.1 from the get-go, Apple has now filed a motion for a new injunction against the tablet asking it to be pulled from US shelves. The two companies are scheduled to begin high-level settlement talks on Monday, but should they fail the new injunction request could be ruled on as early as June 7....

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One of the most popular wall paper applications among iOS users – Pimp Your Screen from Apalon – has been upgraded to be compatible with the Retina Display.

Foxconn waffles on its Apple television confirmation, Apple calls out Samsung for destroying evidence, investors are talking about a bigger iPhone, and cell carrier unlimited data plans are another step closer to the grave. This week may not have been all happy stories, but Mac OS Ken’s Ken Ray is man enough to take all of them on.

Once a week, we catch you up on Macworld's biggest stories from the past week, in case you missed them. This week, we ruminated on the futures of iOS and OS X, covered Hotkeysgate, and offered a slew of reviews.






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This week's top posts to our Apple section included the latest rumors about an updated MacBook Pro, Apple's curious (if only temporary) censorship of the word "jailbreak" in iTunes, a discussion about Apple's "green" initiatives, and more. And don't forget our guide to hardening your iPhone against stalkers, as well as a look at five Mac antivirus apps! Read on if you need to catch up:

• How to harden your smartphone against stalkers—iPhone edition
  Stalkers: sometimes they're coming from inside your phone.
• MacBook Pro rumor rollup: thinner, better, faster, stronger
  As the MacBook Pro update looms, "leaked" info is seeping out of the woodwork.
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judgecorp writes "Stung by continued criticism from Greenpeace and protests at Apple's headquarters over its use of electricity from non-renewable sources, Apple has promised that its data center in Maiden, North Carolina will use 100 percent renewable electricity,, 60 percent of it generated by Apple itself. The update is possible because it is building a second giant solar array, and because its data center only needs 20MW at full capacity, instead of the 100MW which Greenpeace had estimated."

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