Friday is here, ladies and gents! That means it is time for yet another chapter of “Best of Apps of the Week” here at Mobile Mag. Unless this is your first rodeo, you should know the drill by now: I take a look at 5 Android and 5 iOS apps that were released during the week and are worth being showcased.

That’s about it, so let’s get started!

Best Apps of the Week – Android

Best Apps of the Week – iOS

Summing it all up….

That’s it for this week’s Best Apps list.

Did you agree with our picks, or did we live out a vital new app that you feel should have made the cut? Let us and other readers know about them through the comments below!

The post Best Apps of the Week (5/17): A Look at New Apps for iOS and Android appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Friday already? In our usual tradition, that means it is time for Mobile Mag’s “Best Apps of the Week”. For those that are new to this feature, we take a look at 5 of the more intriguing apps that have arrived on iOS and Android during the week.

Let’s get started!

Best Apps of the Week – Android

Best Apps of the Week – iOS

Summing it all up….

And that wraps up the five episode of “Best Apps of the Week’.

Did you agree with our picks, or did we live out a vital new app that you feel should have made the cut? Let us and other readers know about them through the comments below!

The post Best Apps of the Week (5/10): A Look at New Apps for iOS and Android appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Samsung is right now leading the smartphone race, so something big certainly should come from Apple if they have plans to reach the top again. Apple is expected to bring out their next iPhone at their worldwide developer conference in June. Further evidence that this is happening comes from reports claiming that suppliers are already making the display for the so-called iPhone 5S.

While other companies have already started the manufacturing, the next gen iPhone’s LCD displays from Sharp will enter production in June. All these developments are pointing to a possible launch sometime in June or July.

The iPhone 5S is expected to run iOS 7 and come with an updated processor, a fingerprint sensor, improved cam, and more RAM, among other additions. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has earlier said that the device will take time to arrive due to delays in development of the fingerprint sensor and their next OS.

Meanwhile, the rumored low cost iPhone, which is expected to be unveiled beside the iPhone 5S, could enter mass production sometime in the near future. This has been suggested by a new rumor about Apple supplier Pegatron’s plans to increase its workforce in China by 40 percent in the second half of 2013.

As for their upcoming iPad Mini 2, it is expected to arrive with a high resolution Retina Display, which could delay the manufacturing of the device.

[Source]

[Image Source]

The post iPhone 5S And Low Cost iPhone Rumors appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

T-Mobile Q1 2013 results are out and the numbers are showing both good and bad news. According to the UNcarrier, the first quarter has brought the “first positive branded customer growth in four years”. The carrier’s postpaid customer base grew by 3,000, which is the first growth since 2009.

T-Mobile also saw 199,000 branded postpaid net losses, an improvement of 61 percent year-over-year. They added 579,000 customers, but those are mostly from MVNOs on their network (376,000) and pre-paid additions (202,000). The postpaid churn at 1.9 percent is apparently the lowest since Q2 2008. Furthermore, the carrier is saying that they have sold about 500,000 iPhone 5s since the device’s launch on April 12. T-Mobile is also highlighting their 4G LTE launches.

But revenue is down 7.5% year over year, although it’s up 12.4% compared to Q4 2012. And net income dropped from $200 million (Q1 2012) to $107 million.

Of course these numbers do not reflect the MetroPCS merger, about which John Legere, President and CEO of T-Mobile, is saying that “things only get more exciting from here”.

The new ad posted below is a T-Mobile punch at AT&T. Check it out and leave your thoughts on the UNcarrier in the comments below.

[Source]

The post T-Mobile US Q1 Results Show Good And Bad News appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Have an iPhone or iPad? Thinking about buying a new app? Today’s the day to do it. Apple is currently running the 50 billion apps competition.  One lucky winner will snag a $10,000 Apple Store Gift Card if they happen to be the 50 billionth app purchaser.

You can finally get that Macbook you’ve been wanting and a lot of swag to go along with it.  The 50 billionth download will get the grand prize, but fear not if you are not the lucky type, the next 50 downloads will each win a $500 gift card.  The promotion began on April 29, and will run until the last card has been given away.  They are already up over 49 billion, so you better get on it!

No entry required, just download and you’re in the running.  You are limited to 25 entries and must be 13 years or older. There is also a no purchase necessary option, just go to http://www.apple.com/itunes/50-billion-app-countdown/entry-form/ and complete the entry form.  It’s nice to see companies giving back to their customers, so hop on the Apple Store and get downloading!

[ source ]

The post Apple to Give Away $10,000 for 50 Billionth Download appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

For those looking for a high-end handset, AT&T certainly has you covered with quite a few devices, such as the HTC One, Galaxy S4, iPhone and Blackberry Z10.

Unfortunately, many of these phones come at a high-cost. Want the best at a good rate? AT&T is rolling out a new trade-in program starting tomorrow, which could get you at least $100 off on any new smartphone.
Don’t want a new smartphone but simply want to get rid of an old mobile device? That’s fine, AT&T actually allows you to use the credit towards your bill or towards new accessories instead.

For those that are wondering about the catch, there surprisingly isn’t much. The device will need to be no older than three years, but beyond that they seem to be taking a wide range of smartphones, feature phones and tablets for trade. It’s also nice that AT&T is giving you flexibility in how to use the trade-in.

If you have a newer device you wish to trade in, the carrier says that it will also take those, and may even value them at a credit rate that is above $100. What do you think, interested in AT&T’s new trade-in program or not?

[ source ]

The post AT&T Trade-In Promotion Starts Tomorrow appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Announced at last year’s Google I/O conference, Google Now is now bringing the personal assistant service and predictive search to iOS users. It has arrived as an update to the Google Search app for iOS and is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Google Now’s response via voice recognition is much quicker, compared to Siri. And iOS users will get predictive “cards”, whether you asked for it or not, for stuff such as weather, traffic, navigation and sports scores (you can choose what comes on), and this service depends on the way you use Google services. So it’s like getting an answer before you know you want one.

Unlike the Google Now on Android (4.1 and later), the iOS version requires you to log into your Google account for using Now. It also won’t run in the background, and there will be no notifications. This might not be a perfect version, but it certainly gives iDevice owners a taste of what Google Now has to offer.

To get your hands on Google Now for iOS, head over to the App Store.

[Source]

The post Google Now For iOS (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Regardless of what mobile platform you currently use, you are likely well aware of the major rivalry between iPhone users and Android users – or more specifically, Samsung users. With that in mind, Microsoft’s latest commercial takes a humorous look at the war and weighs in with its own comment about switching to Windows Phone instead.

Whether or not you like Windows Phone, it is admitedly a fun commercial. Does it do much to truly promote Windows though? Honestly, not really. The commercial really doesn’t focus on the phone’s features at all, instead it just has two waiters using Lumia handsets talking about how Android and iOS fans like to fight.

What do you think of Microsoft’s latest marketing attempt for Windows Phone 8? Effective, humorous? Or totally missed the mark? Let us know in the comments below.

[ source ]

The post Latest Microsoft Windows Phone Commercial Pokes Fun of Samsung-Apple War appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

In the past, police officers in San Francisco have primarily targeted the sellers of stolen iPhones, now they are changing things up a bit. Now officers are going after just the buyers in order to discourage people from buying the devices.

Of course this tactic is much easier than going after experienced crooks. Undercover cops are going around selling iPhones, which are presented as stolen, in areas (such as the corner of 7th and Market Streets) they know are famous for selling of stolen stuff.

But according to the law, the arrest can only be made if the would-be customer names a price rather than the police officer naming one. Huffington Post says that buyers are suggesting prices ranging from $25 to $200.

Their plan is to reduce the market for stolen iPhones by scaring buyers away, in turn reducing iPhone theft. According to the police, fifty percent of all thefts in San Francisco are that of smartphones, and women are targeted most of the time. It’s uncertain whether their new iDea will work, as the bad guys will still be around finding new places and ways to sell their goods.

What do you think of the plan, should the police target the sellers or the buyers if they wish to stop the spread of stolen smartphone sells?

[Source]

The post Why You Shouldn’t Buy Stolen iPhones, Especially in San Francisco appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It’s something that many have predicted but nobody thought would happen anytime soon. According to IDC, sales of smartphones have surpassed that of feature phones in the first quarter. Samsung is leading the race, with Apple, LG, Huawei and ZTE in the top 5.

Samsung’s shipments increased 60.7 percent to reach 70.7 million smartphones and that has helped the South Korean company to get 32.7% of the market share. Apple’s iPhone 5 helped the Mac maker to grow 6.6% to 37.4 million handsets, but their market share dropped to 17.3% from 23%.

Samsung certainly has gained by flooding the market with cheaper Android devices. And the variety of hardware configurations they bring out is an answer just about anyone’s needs (rugged S4 anyone?).

In the third spot is LG, with the Google Nexus 4 among the company’s most popular handsets. The company has 4.8 percent of the market. But where is Nokia, which until last year was a global leader for 14 years? Although their Lumia shipments have grown, that hasn’t helped them with market share. Nokia and BlackBerry have been pushed out of the top 5 by Huawei (4.6%) and ZTE (4.2%).

Nokia, as you might know, is very fond of feature phones, but smartphones have taken over the stage. Nokia should evolve and expand its smartphone line if they plan to get back to the top again. Kevin Restivo, IDC senior research analyst, says, “Phone users want computers in their pockets. The days where phones are used primarily to make phone calls and send text messages are quickly fading away. As a result, the balance of smartphone power has shifted to phone makers that are most dependent on smartphones“.

[Source]

The post Samsung Leading The Smartphone Race, As BlackBerry and Nokia Fall Behind appeared first on Mobile Magazine.