Savvy Developers Get Trials in the iPhone App Store; Kinda (Try iPhone Kerio Email Hosting)

Savvy Developers Get Trials in the iPhone App Store; Kinda
According to jkOnTheRun.com, iPhone application developers have found a way around not being able to offers users free trials of their products. Prior to the invent of the iPhone, many of us were just getting used to downloading free trials of games on our mobile phones before making the commitment of actually purchasing the application, or [...]

According to jkOnTheRun.com, iPhone application developers have found a way around not being able to offers users free trials of their products.

Prior to the invent of the iPhone, many of us were just getting used to downloading free trials of games on our mobile phones before making the commitment of actually purchasing the application, or moving on to something bigger and brighter. With iPhone Apps, we have to plunk down the $0.99 to $19.99 (or even $999) to even get the first glimpse of what the product actually has to offer. At this time, there are technical reasons as to why “trials” are not currently available. In order not to bore you, I will just tell you that they have to do with license keys, and Apple’s current inability to only offer functionality for a given length of time. In other words, once you buy it, you own it.

Today jkOnTheRun.com shared with their readers that by using the search keyword “lite” in the App Store search tab, you can find a plethora (two dozen or so) of free to discounted versions of watered-down Applications. This allows the user to, at the very least, check out the functionality of the App, as well as visuals, usability, and likability. Then, the consumer can make an educated decision as to whether or not they want to invest in said Application.

As of now, creating a “lite” version of their product is a developers solution for coaxing their way into the iPhone App purchaser’s heart. But we can expect (or hope) to see Apple’s solution in the form of free, time sensitive trials in the near future. Maybe it can squeeze its way in line behind Mobile Me?

via jkOnTheRun

The Results are in; First Million iPhone 3G Sales Breakdown
Details have been emerging about where exactly those fabled one million iPhone 3G’s that sold in just 3 days went to.  Medialets has posted the results of a recent Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research report that breaks down the sale statistics. Last month, Apple had officially released the announcement that the 1 million mark had been [...]

Details have been emerging about where exactly those fabled one million iPhone 3G’s that sold in just 3 days went to.  Medialets has posted the results of a recent Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research report that breaks down the sale statistics.

Last month, Apple had officially released the announcement that the 1 million mark had been broken over the course of three days.  An impressive milestone, to say the least.  While the first generation iPhone took 74 days to accomplish the same goal, it is tough to compare the two, as the 3G was released in 21 different countries simultaneously.

It would come as no surprise that the U.S. would make up a significantly large amount of the total units sold, boasting an impressive 60% for a total of 600,000.  Following behind was Japan, ringing in a total of 70,00 devices sold, a factor of almost ten times less than those sold in the States.  As expected, Germany and France were close on Japan’s heels with 69,000 and 67,000 units sold respectively.  These top four nations contribute to a factor of 81% of the total iPhone 3G’s sold during those first 72 hours.

The results for carrier distribution would not come as much of a surprise either, as it primarily follows suit with the amount of devices sold in the country that the carriers operate in.  AT&T is quite fittingly far ahead of the pack, followed by T-Mobile, Orange, and SoftBank.

Our iPhone World Map shows all the information regarding iPhone rate plans, pricing, coverage and Apple’s plans for global domination.

[Image] 2009 Apple Cinema Displays; What We’d Like to See
Earlier today we reported about a rumor that new Cinema Displays are set to be released at the upcoming MacWorld conference in San Francisco scheduled for January, 2009. The below concept art represents some nice changes that Apple could make to bring the Cinema HD Displays up to speed. Aside from the obvious LED changes that [...]

Earlier today we reported about a rumor that new Cinema Displays are set to be released at the upcoming MacWorld conference in San Francisco scheduled for January, 2009.

The below concept art represents some nice changes that Apple could make to bring the Cinema HD Displays up to speed. Aside from the obvious LED changes that would help Apple “go green,” some nice hardware changes are needed as well. A thinner bezel that would help with dual monitor setups, as well as the black “color grounding” strip surrounding the current iMac’s should be integrated. An iSight HD camera would also make sense seeing as how the iSight has been discontinued.

As mentioned in our previous article, it’s been over 4 years since this product has seen any attention. Both Apple’s creative professional market, as well as consumers would benefit immensely from a Cinema Display overhaul that would either close down the price gaps, or separate Apple’s offerings from their competitors. Something we can’t say about the current iteration of Cinema Displays.

Apple Planning Special Event in September; New iPods and Macbooks?
Investment bank Piper Jaffray speculates about the possibility of an announced special Apple (AAPL) event taking place in the month of September. The event would be used by Apple as a launching pad for a new line of iPods and Mac notebooks. Analyst Gene Munster is expecting the Cupertino based tech giant to refresh its iPod [...]

Investment bank Piper Jaffray speculates about the possibility of an announced special Apple (AAPL) event taking place in the month of September. The event would be used by Apple as a launching pad for a new line of iPods and Mac notebooks.

Analyst Gene Munster is expecting the Cupertino based tech giant to refresh its iPod family through “pricing and capacity changes.” He is expecting the iPod shuffles and nanos to get an increase in capacity/storage, with no price reductions. Additionally, Munster is expecting the iPod touch to see a redesign, “and a new $199 price point, in line with the iPhone.” We have previously reported about the inclusion of GPS in the iPod touch and how the device is falling out of sync with the rest of the company’s product line.

Munster also believes that the ongoing notebook overhaul rumors we’ve been hearing about for quite some time, could likely come true at the special event in September. Apple offered the iBook at a $999 price point in the past, and Munster believes we could see the same for the upcoming Macbook.

“We note that the MacBook has had the same design since its launch over two years ago, and the MacBook Pro has had essentially the same design since its launch over 2.5 years ago, which was very similar in design to the PowerBook G4 released over 5.5 years ago,” he told clients. “To compare, the long-running iMac G5 design lasted three years.”

Additionally, in the note to his clients, Munster speculated about the use of Apple’s multi-touch technology, and how it will relate to the Mac’s future roadmap. He said that the current multi-touch gestures, that users have become familiar with in the the Macbook Pro and Macbook Air “are just the beginning of Apple’s exploration of multi-touch on the Mac.” Munster also weighed in with beliefs that Apple is almost certain to include various technology points from the iPhone to drastically advance the user experience on the Macintosh platform.

“Currently, these gestures require the same touch-sensing technology used in the iPhone, but they use a traditional looking trackpad,” the analyst told clients. “Eventually, we expect Apple to change the trackpad to backlit color screens for a more dynamic user interface on the Mac.”

Munster doesn’t expect Apple to introduce a full touch-screen Macbook until 2009, “not until the technology has fully matured over the next 2-3 years.”

For the past three years, Apple has used this September “special event” to launch new iPod lines. Munster advised his clients that historically, Apple shares have risen near 4% on average between the week before the event, and the week after.

Munster reiterates his $250 price target on shares of Apple with a strong Buy rating.

via Apple Insider