Apple has served up their 1 Billionth App Store download very recently, and that too, bang on time, on the expected day they claimed they would deliver. Apple jubilantly announced that they have officially seen 1 billion iPhone/iPod Touch applications downloaded from their iTunes App Store. In less than a full year of existence, Apple and the iPhone have managed to make mobile applications as commonplace as an iTunes music purchase, and the App Store’s popularity continues to grow.
The total tally of iPhone applications in the iPhone App Store was estimated to be somewhere around 25,000 in March 2009. With thousands more iPhone applications hitting the AppStore on a monthly basis, Apple’s success with their integrated mobile application delivery model will likely continue.
For the record, it took Apple six whole months to reach the 500-million mark. From that point on, Apple needed just three additional months to hit the landmark 1 Billion download goal! One estimate has 75% of the 1 billion downloaded apps being of the free-of-charge variety. That means just 1 of every 4 downloads put money in an iPhone developer’s pocket. But, that still accounts for 250 million payments going through the App Store! Wow, isn’t that incredible?
Apple App Store
Source: IntoMobile
Most of you might recall that the launch of the Apple iPhone 3G was preceded by AT&T’s announcement of 3G network upgrades, finally bringing HSPA (HSDPA and HSUPA) to the US. And, now that the third-iteration of the iconic iPhone is soon to come, AT&T has announced yet another round of 3G network upgrades, planning to roll out 7.2Mps HSDPA upgrades for its entire 3G HSPA network in the US!
The upgrade to the much more efficient HSDPA spec will allow AT&T to serve up 3G data speeds at a theoretical max of 7.2Mbps on the downlink, double the current theoretical max of 3.6Mbps. More importantly, it will allow the new iPhone to really work great on the AT&T network. The upgrade to 7.2Mbps HSDPA should increase capacity as well as wireless data speeds, but AT&T is also working to boost capacity through hardware expansion – adding HSPA carriers at some cellsites and upgrading backhaul networks to handle the increased load.
Apple iPhone 2009
Source: IntoMobile
The market for backup batteries for the Apple iPhone and iPod is getting overcrowded. There is this new company called Wireless Input which prepared such a product called iPWR, claiming to give the iPhone “1.8 times the capacity of similar products on the market.” As a result of the built-in 1800mAh battery, iPhone standby time can be extended for up to 360 hours, music up to 40 hours, video up to 10 hours and talk time up to seven hours.
The device measures 2.4×2.3 inches and has a dedicated on/off button, which is paired with green LED light to indicate the operation status. All you have to do is insert the iPWR into the dock connector of the iPhone or iPod, turn it “on” and charging begins immediately. iPWR is already available from Wireless Input’s website for $59.95.
iPWR Battery For iPhone and iPod
Source: IntoMobile
According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, AT&T is currently in talks with Apple to extend its exclusive distribution deal for the iPhone. AT&T’s deal is set to expire in 2010, and the company is now hoping to push the deal at least to 2011. That would give it an additional year as the only U.S. carrier to offer the Apple iPhone.
AT&T also wants to recharge sales by revamping some of the marketing around its bundled services. The company thinks that its wireless services should take priority over its landline services when it comes to bundling TV and Internet packages.
Source: PhoneScoop
