Samsung's flagship release for 2014, the Galaxy S5, launched in a blaze of glory back in April, with many quick to pour praise on the great camera and display features. But while the device's early sales figures made for happy reading for all connected with Samsung, the UK numbers tell a story in which the iPhone 5c - Apple's so-called "entry-level" model of iPhone - managed to outsell the all-new GS5, with both the 5c and the Cupertino's flagship 5s each shifting more units for the Galaxy S5 for the month of May.
With Apple widely expected to unveil a new iPhone line-up in the coming months, it's somewhat inevitable that the price-drops on the current-gen models will ensue, and Walmart has kicked things off by offering the flagship iPhone 5s (16GB) for a cut-price $99. The price, which takes into consideration the signing of a two-year contract, is the cheapest you'll find at this moment in time for a subsidized iPhone 5s, and with the iPhone 5c also dropping to $29 on a 24-month package, both of Apple's most recent handsets can be snapped up at a discounted rate.
The tech community had collectively declared the iPhone 5c as being a flop, but given the increased attention that Apple seems to be paying to its lower-end, polycarbonate-clad handset, the reality of the situation appears to be quite the opposite. A short while back, the Cupertino company began rolling out an even cheaper, 8GB version of its smartphone line-up's second-in-command, and today, the handset has begun retailing in a further six nations.
The iPhone 5c has been cited by many as a failure, but while the device is assumed not to have sold in as high a number as Apple might have liked, recent predictions from analysts based upon official financial info made available by the Cupertino suggests that the device has actually fared rather well. Even though Apple hasn't offered a breakdown of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c sales, preferring to release figures under the general, 'iPhone' umbrella, analysts have done their homework and found that over the holiday period of 2013, the iPhone 5c outsold many of the market's flagship handsets.
Amid a swirl of rumors over the past couple of days suggesting that Apple would be adding a cheaper, 8GB variant of the iPhone 5c to its smartphone roster, the company has now confirmed this to be the case, with the handset launching today in select markets.
The colorful iPhone 5c is widely regarded as a flop, and the fact that Apple remains tight-lipped about sales of its polycarbonate-clad handset speaks volumes. But while many are tipping it for the axe later on this year by the time the iPhone 6 comes around, there may still be life left in the handset yet, with leaked documents from O2 Germany appearing to suggest that an 8GB model is in the offing; and at a cheaper price point.
Apple just released iOS 7.0.5 download links for select devices. This update is currently only available for iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c and corrects network provisioning for models that are sold in China.
Apple gadgets are not only expensive to purchase and own, but also rather pricey when it comes to repairs. After stumping up an arm and a leg for an iPhone, for example, you're often left with sky-high bills when the worst happens, but in fairness, the Cupertino company is trying to lower repair costs with the new AppleCare+ initiative. As part of this, Apple will be replacing iPhone 5c displays in-store as of next week, according to a report over at 9to5Mac.
Earlier on this month, the Olloclip team came through with a new 3-in-1 macro lens for the iPhone 5 and 5s, and as impressed as we were with the design and features once again, we were a bit bummed that the iPhone 5c had been left out. However, it hasn't taken long for a new, colorful 5c version to make its appearance, and with the same great, enhancing features as the corresponding version for the aluminum handsets, you can still produce some marvelous shots.
Apple's iPhone is often cloned and bootlegged in nations such as China, but rarely does Japan get in on the act. One company, recognizing just how popular the latest and greatest iPhone 5c has been so far in Japan, has taken advantage of the situation by delivering a smartphone that, despite appearing fairly similar to its Cupertino-designed adversary, does the colorful handset a gross disservice with a bunch of crummy specs.
