News

It's only happened once before, but another iPhone model is about to become history. The iPhone 3G was launched on July 11, 2008, meaning early adopters of the model will see their two-year service contracts expire just as their devices become one step closer to obsolete.

Apple recently announced the original iPhone (iPhone 2G) would not be supported in iPhone OS 4, the latest and greatest iPhone operating system coming this summer. Although no such announcements have been made about the 3G model, supplies are said to be short and reports have indicated that Apple has ceased shipments of the device.

AT&T Wireless plans to increase their early termination fee (ETF) on all smartphones from $150 to $325 starting on the first day of June. For those who are happy with their service and plan to keep their iPhone there's no reason to worry. If you're interested in breaking your contract before two years is up, there's less than a week to act before you pay 86% more.

Verizon Wireless recently jacked up their own ETF charges to $350 for smartphones. The reason why many carriers charge this fee in the first place is to help recoup their investment on subsidized mobile phones. If customers bought a cheap phone and immediately quit their contract, the wireless carrier doesn't have time to make up the difference in monthly service profits.

Sure the next iPhone could be revealed in a few short weeks at WWDC in early June, but why wait when you can get one now? Apparently it doesn't take long to manufacture a complete knock-off of the iPhone 4 after a few photos hit the Internet.

This incredibly un-iPhone like iPhone clone has features that Apple's official devices lack, such as dual SIM card slots and a removable battery. Shenzhen City is notorious for it's electronics cloning industry and over 400 companies are said to participate in the business.

Apple's iPhone 4 is about to make news on a whole new network. While only 12 percent of global mobile phones support CDMA, Verizon Wireless uses the standard and remains the largest carrier in the US. Some iPhone fans have been clamoring for a Verizon-compatible version for years.

If the latest reports out of Taiwan can be believed, Apple is about to take the CDMA plunge in a big way. Manufacturer Pegatron landed a contract to manufacture the devices, which DigiTimes claims will net the company new revenues starting in August or September. The publication expects the CDMA iPhone 4 will reach 10 million units shipped annually.

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Entry in the contest requires no obligation whatsoever. It's as simple as clicking a button to enter and your email address will never be given, traded or sold to a third party. SquareTrade is the nation's largest independent warranty provider. Not only does a SquareTrade warranty extend basic protection, unlike AppleCare it covers accidental damage such as drops and spills.