iPhone News Updated

Verizon iPhone: The ‘Chinese Democracy’ of Smartphones

The ludicrously drawn out will-they-or-won’t-they rumorfest that is the Verizon iPhone story never ends. The only parallel I can think of that does it justice in comparison is the 14 year wait for the Guns n’ Roses album “Chinese Democracy“.

Oh, and SPOILER ALERT: by the time that record was actually released, no one cared and it was unlistenable anyway. If Verizon and Apple want to keep dragging out the iPhone’s Verizon launch, let them, but it will be at their own peril. Verizon seems to have found an alternative to Apple for the subscriber base in their Android-based offerings. Smartphones with the Android operating system are red hot and have given hope to the OEMs looking to take back share of the handset market. Just as Guns found that the fans had moved on and were doing fine without them, it is highly probable that a 2012 or later launch of a Verizon iPhone may be greeted with the atomic apathy of a sullen teen-caliber “whatever”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Google Remains Default Search Engine On iPhone, iPad

In an interview with Charlie Rose, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has said that it has renewed the search deal with Apple to keep Google as the default search engine app on Apple’s iPhone and iPad. He remained tightlipped about other details of the deal terms, such as price and duration.

Typically these deals cost big bucks and a deal lasting only two years or so may run into millions of dollars. Microsoft’s deal with Verizon is one such example where in Microsoft agreed to pay Verizon $500 million to ensure the carrier would run Microsoft search and and mapping software on its mobile phones. A Google spokesperson repeated what Schmidt had said earlier by saying,”I can confirm a renewal of the deal, but unfortunately can’t comment on terms or any other details.”

The renewal of the deal is seen as a major statement by the two companies which have been increasingly seen as competitors over other paltforms. Apple’s iPhone smartphone has seen a rival in the Android phones which are powered by Android software made and produced by Google.

Read the rest of this entry »