GSM

Rumor: Unlocked iPhone 4 to hit U.S. this week

The Apple rumor mill is grinding away already this week, with a report that an unlocked iPhone 4 will become an option for U.S. customers in Apple stores on Wednesday.

The rumor comes courtesy of Twitter user @chronicwire, who apparently set up the account about a week ago and quickly started tweeting all kinds of purported iPhone leaks and rumors. The latest is that four specific models--the MC603 (16GB, black) MC604 (16GB, white) MC605 (32GB, black) and MC606 (32GB, white)--have already landed unlocked and retail-ready on U.S. shores.

I've seen reports claiming that @chronicwire is a "well-known source" and that the unlocked iPhone rumor is considered "certain," but haven't been able to divine the basis for either, especially for a source that apparently materialized from thin air a week ago.

It should also be noted that @chronicwire has been changing his or her story lately, intitially reporting that Apple would be announcing a MacBook Air refresh for back to school on Wednesday.

Nonetheless, the notion of an unlocked iPhone being sold in Apple stores isn't unprecedented.… Read more

iOS 5 code points to two iPad 3 models

A peek into the code for Apple's upcoming iOS 5 reveals two new iPad 3 models potentially in the works, according to sources at tech site TUAW.

Checking out the code files for USB devices in the iOS 5 firmware, TUAW uncovered references to an iPad3,1 and an iPad3,2.

The current iPad is identified as three separate models internally--iPad2,1 (Wi-Fi version), iPad2,2 (GSM version), and iPad2,3 (CDMA version). So the two models found in iOS 5 may be for a Wi-Fi version and a cellular version, suggesting to MacRumors that the iPad 3 cellular … Read more

Verizon CFO: Future iPhone to be 'global'

During Verizon's first fiscal quarter earnings call earlier this morning, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo alluded to Apple working on a version of the iPhone that would be more competitive with devices that are able to work on both CDMA and GSM networks.

The statement came during the question and answers section with analysts, and was picked up by Barrons. Responding to a question about a solution for the 0.2 percent decline in the growth of average revenue per user from the previous quarter, Shammo said:

The fluctuation, I believe, will come when a new device from … Read more

Singing the South American 'CDMA blues'

My honeymoon with Verizon is finally over. I knew this would happen when we entered that sacred bond--the two-year-contract. I knew I was locking myself into CDMA, but I was vulnerable. I'd just broken off a rocky relationship with AT&T three weeks before our two-year anniversary. OK, OK, the truth is I cheated. I'd been flirting with Verizon for a few months before I finally ordered a Droid 2--when I should have been spending time reviewing my contract with AT&T, and thinking of the good times with my HTC Tilt.

But I was having a hard time conjuring those memories--too many dropped calls, spotty coverage, no 3G within a hundred miles of my house... I knew in my heart it was over, so why draw it out any further?

So I welcomed Verizon into my life. AT&T was not happy. She sent me a cold, heartless letter asking for $60 and hired a third-party survey company to call and ask, essentially, "Was it you? Or was it me?" I told the scripted voice on the other end of the line about the lack of broadband in our relationship, the coverage problems, and the rest, but I also found myself reminiscing about the good times I had long since buried.

There was an especially delightful trip to Mexico, a romantic month spent driving through Sonora and Baja--the sunsets and 3G coverage were truly beautiful. As we drove together through barren deserts, AT&T stayed with me, and with a stronger signal than we had in more populated areas of New Mexico. … Read more

The 404 781: Where we have the prejunket jitters (podcast)

The 404 Digest for Episode 781 AT&T in talks to purchase T-Mobile--what's this got to do with me? AT&T puts the boot on unauthorized iPhone tethering. Rebecca Black signals the end of days. Giving in to the Super Moon's cry for attention. Sprint adds Google Voice service for customers.

Episode 781 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Verizon iPhone packs 'world mode' chip, revamped antenna

Teardowns of Apple's Verizon iPhone 4 reveal a Qualcomm "world mode" chip and redesigned antenna, among other modifications to the heretofore AT&T-only phone.

Both iFixit and UBM TechInsights have taken apart the phone exposing more than a few non-trivial changes.

Foremost of these changes is the Qualcomm MDM6600 chip--a first for an Apple phone. That is the same chip that's being used in the Droid Pro world phone, which enables the Droid to support both CDMA and GSM. But, for now, that capability in the iPhone remains a latent, untapped potential.

Other Verizon iPhone … Read more

Huawei sues Motorola over sale to Nokia

Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei is suing Motorola, claiming the American company will illegally transfer its trade secrets in the proposed sale of its wireless business unit to Nokia Siemens.

Huawei filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Illinois. The company seeks to stop Motorola employees and information associated with Motorola's UMTS and GSM equipment businesses from being transferred to Nokia Siemens Networks. Motorola announced in July 2010 that it plans to sell its entire wireless infrastructure business, which includes products it sells for 3G wireless networks, in a deal that is worth about $1.2 … Read more

Unlocked GSM Palm Pre 2 launches

Hewlett-Packard is now offering an unlocked GSM version of the Palm Pre 2 on its site.

For $449.99, customers can buy the smartphone, which features a 3.1-inch multitouch display, HP's WebOS 2.0, multitasking, and QuickOffice Connect Mobile Suite. It also comes with a 5-megapixel camera and a 1GHz processor. According to HP, the device is currently in stock and will ship within 24 hours.

The Palm Pre 2 was officially unveiled by HP last month. It was initially revealed by French carrier SFR, prompting HP to confirm its existence. At the time, the company said that … Read more

SIM cards to grow beyond mobile phones

The world's largest mobile phone network operators today revealed an effort to expand the GSM wireless communications technology to navigation devices, cameras, handheld gaming systems, music players, and more starting in 2012.

The GSM Association, the consortium overseeing the widely used mobile phone network technology, said a task force of members including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, China Mobile, and Deutsche Telekom has begun working on adapting SIM cards so they can be embedded in many more devices than phones. SIM cards are small, removable chips that provide phones an identity on GSM wireless networks, but the embedded SIM will be more an intrinsic part of devices and will be able to be activated remotely, the GSMA said.

GSM technology began its life as a technology for phone calls, but with today's 3G and just-arriving LTE incarnations, it's used for data transfer as well. The embedded SIM effort signals a further growth of the GSM lineage beyond just voice needs.

So far, SIM cards haven't made it far beyond mobile phones, though some tablets such as the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab and some laptops include them. But it's easy to see why mobile phone network operators would be interested: mobile connectivity is ever more important, Wi-Fi networks are an incomplete patchwork, WiMax at least thus far hasn't lived up to its promise of bathing large areas with network access, and there's abundant subscription money to be made in connecting new devices to the Net.

"As our industry moves from connecting phones to connecting a wide range of devices, it is apparent that the embedded SIM could deliver even greater flexibility," GSMA Chief Executive Rob Conway said in a statement.

One trick will be to get new devices onto wireless networks without overtaxing the networks even more.… Read more