News

Apple has executed the fastest new device rollout in its history with the iPhone 5. Countries continue to be added to the list, with the latest round slated to get the new iPhone on Friday, November 2. India was originally planned to get the iPhone 5 this week, however the schedule was pushed back due to shipping delays.

The complete list of countries in the next phase of Apple's global iPhone launch includes Bulgaria, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Greece, India, Malta, Mexico, Romania and Thailand. Analysts are watching to see how India reacts, as Apple has reportedly had difficulty gaining market share due to the higher price of its mobile devices.

Internet radio will have a new competitor early next year if Apple successfully negotiates a deal with record labels. Talks are in progress according to Bloomberg and could be concluded by the middle of November. Apple is seeking to take on Pandora, the current online radio leader.

Apple's radio service would differ somewhat from Pandora's model, with a customized app making it possible to purchase songs as streaming files and re-listen to music in automatically generated playlists on iOS devices. Access to both services will be free, with iAds providing revenue for Apple's service.

For those iPhone owners who aren't the biggest fans of Apple's home grown Maps application, take heart. The company has explicitly stated during its earnings call today that work continues on improving Maps. Apple made the decision to replace Google Maps with the launch of iOS 6.

The announcement came directly from CFO Peter Oppenheimer, who stated that Apple has "made a number of improvements to Maps over the past month and will work nonstop until Maps lives up to our incredibly high standards." No doubt Apple has Google in their sights and does not want to be considered the inferior solution.

If you weren't into the illuminated Lightning cable with dock previously offered by iPhone5mod, they now have more official looking products in the works. The first third-party Lightning cable manufacturer will be launching its version of the Lightning USB cable and adapters at a discount price on November 3.

This will be a relief for iPhone 5 users who aren't interested in paying full price for an Apple cable. The basic connector cable starts at $9.90, undercutting the Apple Store by almost $10. Of course, shipping is not included and could add up quickly. Still, iPhone5mod offers several other products, including an iPhone 5 docking station.

Coming off the big Angry Birds Star Wars announcement, Rovio has issued a Halloween-themed update to its Angry Birds Seasons game. The update brings 30-levels of haunted pig action, and a new character called Frankenswine.

Players must brave a haunted house with new ghost bricks and ghouls to save their eggs. The update is free for users who've already purchased the iPhone or iPad version of the game.