News

Apple just made it more difficult for sketchy developers to rip off App Store customers with a bait and switch. The scam was a loophole of sorts in the application approval process. After submitting an app and winning approval from Apple, developers were allowed to change or update screenshots by themselves. An example of a legitimate App Store screenshot is pictured below.

As some of our readers have unfortunately discovered, some developers took advantage of this power and added screenshots that had nothing to do with their app. In fact, there have been many cases of apps that were pulled from the App Store after Apple discovered they were duping people into buying under false pretenses.

You can now stop fighting over charger real estate thanks to Griffin's new PowerDock 5. The new charging station helps you keep your countertops or desk clutter free by providing up to five charging ports for any iOS devices . Each charging bay is roomy enough to accommodate the bulkiest of iPad cases, but the PowerDock 5 only consumes as much room as a single iPad. The PowerDock will also help you keep all your devices and cables neatly organized and in one place.

The PowerDock 5 is great for tablet crowded offices, or for moms who are tired of siblings stealing each other's chargers. The iOS charging station will available from Griffin Technology's official online store in the spring for $100.

After announcing that T-Mobile is close to activating nearly 2 million iPhones on its network, Chief Executive John Legere told Reuters, the carrier will start selling the iPhone in about three to four months. T-Mobile also plans to eliminate cellphone subsidies in an effort to offer its customer cheaper plans and more flexibility. Legere promised the Apple experience would be "dramatically different" for T-Mobile subscribers, and believes smartphone users will benefit from avoiding long contracts and restrictive data plans.

T-Mobile hopes the contract free iPhone will convince AT&T and Verizon Wireless customers to switch carriers, and believes its partnership with Apple will increase its market share by 5% or more. All the major U.S. carriers currently offer smartphones at a subsidized price, but customers are forced to agree to long contracts that prohibit them from upgrading their devices. T-Mobile's users will be able to freely exchange or sell their older devices once the subsidies and contracts are out of the picture.

It looks like the media will have to pick a new name for Apple's rumored low-cost iPhone, which has been dubbed the "iPhone mini" by some analysts. According to a report by the DigiTimes, Apple is planning to launch a "low-cost version of the iPhone for China and other emerging markets in the second half of 2013". However, sources in the supply chain claim the new iPhone will feature a larger display, instead of being a smaller version of the iPhone 5. If the rumor is true, Apple could use older components, like it did with the iPad mini, to keep the cost down.

Some analysts believe Apple needs to release an affordable iPhone to compete with Samsung, who is expected to see a 35% growth over the next 12 months, according to Strategy Analytics.

“We expect Samsung to slightly extend its lead over Apple this year because of its larger multitier product portfolio,” Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, told Reuters.

Brian J. White of Topeka Capital Markets said in a report that he believes Apple will release the iPhone 5S in May or June, but will not release the iPhone mini until next year.

That's right, folks. There's no reason to despair if you're a jailbreak fan and you're currently using an iPhone 5. Prominent iPhone Dev-Team member planetbeing has posted on reddit that not all hope is lost for those looking to jailbreak iOS 6. In fact, he explains his iPhone 5 is currently running an untethered, jailbroken version of iOS 6.0.2.

Planetbeing states, "I'm not really sure what all the doom and gloom is about. The fact is, I have an untethered iOS 6.0.2 JB running on my iPhone 5 right now." For those waiting to jailbreak their devices, this is welcome news. Of course you may be wondering why the Dev-Team would keep such a revelation under wraps. Why not develop a public release?