Android rugby

Given its CEO's stance on the importance of mobile, it's only natural for Pinterest to keep polishing its apps. The newest iPhone version, for instance, brings with it an animated shortcut for repinning, liking and sending pins to pals when you press on an entry. Though similar in function to Tumblr's sharing tools, the menu boasts fancier graphics that fit the social networks' aesthetic. As a nice bonus, Pinterest's also adding an Edit Home Feed button for speedier housekeeping on the iPhone and the ability to send pins to your friends from the iPad. Assuming you're willing to wade through a deluge of recipes, inspirational quotes and bridal photos, you can check out the app via the links below.

Summary: Three Georgia Tech hackers have disclosed how to hack iPhones and iPads with malware in under sixty seconds using a "malicious charger."

Three Georgia Tech hackers have revealed how to hack iPhones and iPads with malware imitating ordinary apps in under sixty seconds using a "malicious charger."

Today at a Black Hat USA 2013 press conference, the researchers revealed for the first time exactly how the USB charger they built can compromise iOS devices in less than a minute.

Billy Lau, Yeongjin Jang and Chengyu Song showed how they made an ordinary looking charger into a malicious vector for transmitting malware using an open source BeagleBoard, available for $125 (similar to a Raspberry Pi).

For the demonstration, the researchers used an iPhone. They plugged in the phone, and when the passcode was entered, the sign-code attack began.

For the demo, the Facebook app was used as an example.

Within seconds of plugging in the charger, the Facebook app was invisibly removed from the device and seamlessly replaced with a Facebook app imitation with a malicious payload.

The app's icon was in the exact same spot as it was before the attack - there is no way of knowing the application is not malware.

The researchers said that all the user needs to do to start the attack is enter their passcode - they pointed out that this is a pattern of ordinary use, such as to check a message while the phone is charging.

Once the app was launched, the malware was launched and the phone was compromised - and could do things such as take screenshots when other passwords are entered, send a spoofed screen, and more.

In this manner, depending on what payload the attacker has put on the fake app, sensitive data could be accessed and compromised in a variety of ways.

The researchers found malicious ways to call and use the private API; the attack works on physical weaknesses, and operates on iOS, stock (up to version 7).

The operating system used for the attack is Linux, and the researchers acknowledged that someone could easily use a Raspberry Pi instead of a BeagleBoard.

No root permission is accessed for the attack.

The targeted iOS device does not need to be jailbroken in order for the attack to be successful. It only needs to be plugged in to the innocuous seeming, but poisoned, iOS charger.

The Mactans charger is no longer a charger, but its own little computer - running custom software that immediately cracks and infects any attached Apple gadget; Mactans can install software unknown to the user.

Details of the vulnerability, something the researchers held back on disclosing until now, will be described in more deatil in researchers' Black Hat talk today, " Mactans: Injecting Malware Into iOS Devices Via Malicious Chargers."

The researchers disclosed the attack and vulnerability to Apple, but it appears that Apple hasn't addressed or fixed the issue for versions prior to 7 - the hackers had previously stated they refused to reveal details until their Black Hat presentation.

The venomous iOS charger is called "Mactans" - Latin name for the virulent and pernicious Black Widow spider.

The researchers explained,

Mactans was built with [a] limited amount of time and a small budget, we also briefly consider what more motivated, well-funded adversaries could accomplish.

The researchers contacted Apple - and Apple has patched iOS 7 to prevent the attack. Currently, all other versions are vulnerable.

Needless to say, iPhone, iPad and other iOS device users will want to be sure not to leave their chargers laying around - or use any "community" chargers from here on out.

Mactans: Injecting Malware into iOS Devices via Malicious Chargers will be presented today, July 30, in room Augustus 3/4 at 5:00 pm.

Apple takes great pains to protect its air-tight iOS app store from the malware that plagues PCs. But get physical access to the device's data port-with, for instance, a carefully spoofed charger-and those app store protections can be bypassed in seconds.

At the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas Wednesday, three Georgia Tech security researchers carried out a demonstration for reporters showing just how easily they could compromise an iPhone 5 using a malicious charger built with a three-inch square, $45 computer known as a BeagleBoard. Their malicious charger, which they called Mactans in reference to the scientific name of the Black Widow spider, can invisibly install malware on a victim's phone, gaining full access in less than one minute.

Though the researchers had already described Mactans in their Black Hat talk description, they hadn't revealed how the spoofed charger managed to install malicious applications on Apple's locked-down mobile operating system. Their trick, it turns out, takes advantage of an underlying security issue in Apple's developer model: Anyone with a developer license can install custom software on a registered device. So Mactans reads a connected device's Unique Device Identifier, registers it as a developer's test device in seconds, and then uses its privileges as a developer to install its malware.

"Anyone can become an iOS developer," says Georgia Tech reporter Billy Lau. "This is an additional channel-custom-signed codes-which Apple has allowed."

As a proof of concept, the three researchers created a malicious version of an iOS Facebook app that also includes a Trojan that runs in the background, capable of taking screenshots, simulating button touches, and sending data to a remote server. "You can do anything a user can do," says Yeongjin Jang. The charger carefully deletes the user's legitimate Facebook app and reinstalls the infected version, even placing it in the same location on the user's screen.

In their demonstration, the researchers showed that they could plug a stock iPhone 5 into the malicious charger and within a minute invisibly install their infected Facebook application, though they note that the phone must be unlocked before the attack takes effect.

Though their Mactans charger could hardly fool a real-world victim-the case covering its internal Beagle was scotch-taped together-the researchers argue that a simple, somewhat more expensive attempt to spoof the charger could be far more convincing. "In an espionage standpoint, where the adversary is well funded, there's no question that you could create one that's exactly like a real charger," says Lau.

Apple hasn't responded to my requests for comment on the spoofed charger vulnerability. But the Georgia Tech team says they've communicated with Apple about their work. Perhaps as a result, the researchers point out that iOS 7 beta includes a new safeguard that asks users whether they'd like to connect their phone to any computer that's plugged into its data port rather than automatically begin sharing data.

"Trust the currently connected computer?" the new warning message asks when it's plugged into any device that attempts to establish a data connection. "Trusting this computer will allow it full access to your device and all of its data."

If that connected device is supposed to be a an innocent charger rather than a computer-and especially if it's held together with scotchtape and marked with a spider symbol-probably best to respond "no."

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(MoneyWatch) Apple's ( AAPL) iPhone has finally slipped from its top position to third in customer satisfaction, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The new study of 10 top-selling smartphones for the past year found that Samsung's Galaxy S III ranked No. 1. In second place was the Galaxy Note II.

The Apple iPhone 5, 4S, and 4 took positions 3 to 5 respectively, followed closely by the Droid Razr Maxx HD and the Galaxy S II. The results offer two major conclusions: Apple has lost the brand lead it had enjoyed for years and Apple's own customers don't see much difference between the various iPhone models available. The latter has bad implications for Apple's product development, innovation efforts and profitability.

ACSI is a leading indicator of customer satisfaction across many categories of products. Conducting about 70,000 consumer surveys a year, ACSI rates each product on a 0 to 100 scale. Apple has traditionally done well, although for a long time it was judged only in the personal computer category, where it began to dominate in consumer satisfaction in 2004.

Last year, in mobile phones, Apple had a rating of 83. The next closest companies were Nokia, HTC and LG, all of which had scores of 75. The most recent numbers indicate a significant reversal for the maker of the iPhone.

The difference between the Samsung products and the iPhone 5 was only two points, but it still marks a a reshuffling of the ranks and a marked improvement for Samsung, which was at 71 in 2012. The change shows how Apple has lost its frontrunner status not just globally, but in the U.S., where its predominance was particularly strong.

As the ACSI points out in its press release, there is also significance in how close the iPhone 4S and 4 scores are to the iPhone 5:

In its latest earnings report, although the company sold a record number of iPhones for a calendar second quarter, average sales price dropped sharply over the past six months, likely because many customers opted for the cheaper, older models, not seeing a compelling reason to buy the iPhone 5.

If leaked images are to be believed, Apple's nano-SIM technology will be bundled in the upcoming Motorola handset.

(Credit: Motorola)

The upcoming Moto X is taking a cue from the iPhone 5, according to a new report.

The folks over at mobile site GSM Insider posted an image on Tuesday showing a nano-SIM tray and card that it claims, is from the upcoming Moto X.

The battle over which company would provide the nano-SIM spec was a long and drawn-out one that Apple finally won last year. A few months later, the company announced that the iPhone 5 would be the first handset to use its nano-SIM technology. Because it was adopted as the standard spec by the mobile industry, any other smartphone maker must use that if they want to include a nano-SIM in their products.

For current users of the micro-SIM, the Moto X inclusion might be bad news. Since the Moto X won't support current SIM cards, users won't be able to pick up the handset and quickly pop their cards into the device. Instead, a new, nano-SIM will be needed.

Of course, whether the Moto X will actually come with the nano-SIM remains to be seen -- neither Google nor Motorola have indicated what the device will offer. We'll find out tomorrow, though, when Google holds its special press event showcasing the Moto X. And as always, CNET will be there to cover every last second.

(Via The Verge)

Two of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones scored higher grades than the three current iPhone models in a survey from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

(Credit: CNET)

A couple of Samsung phones shot past those of arch-rival Apple in a new survey measuring satisfaction among smartphone users.

The Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 both took home grades of 84 out of 100 in a study released Wednesday by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The Galaxy S4 was not included as the survey was conducted just prior to its debut.

Apple's iPhone 5 wound up in third place with a score of 82, followed by the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.

Overall, Apple still came out ahead with a collective score of 81, a 2 percent drop from last year. Samsung's total score was 76, but that was a 7 percent gain from 2012.

"Not only does Samsung edge ahead of all iPhones, Apple customers themselves don't see much difference between the iPhone 4, 4S, or 5," ACSI director David VanAmburg said in a statement. "The latest earnings report from Apple was better than expected, but the name of the game for Apple has always been innovation. Samsung, on the other hand, shows a strong upward ACSI trend from the Galaxy S II to the Galaxy S III. If the S4 performs as well -- or even better -- in the eyes of customers, Samsung could threaten Apple's dominance in overall customer satisfaction."

(Credit: ACSI)

Samsung's Galaxy S2 was No. 7 on the list, scoring 78. Motorola accounted for two spots on the list, while BlackBerry also showed up twice. The study measured satisfaction levels for the ten best-selling smartphones in the U.S. over the past year.

Smartphone users were more satisified with their devices than were feature phone owners. Smartphones snagged an overall score of 76, while feature phones earned a 69.

"While feature phones are cheaper, and therefore viewed by many customers as better value, smartphones excel in quality," ACSI founder and chairman Claes Fornell said in a statement. "Smartphones receive strong marks for feature variety, design and ease of use, with battery life as their only real shortcoming."

iPhone fingerprint scanner is coming. New rumors suggest that the next iPhone - the 'iPhone 5S' - will include a fingerprint scanner. There are also rumors that Apple will release a separate, lower-cost iPhone called the 'iPhone 5C.'

It's almost August - which means rumors about the new iPhone are coming at a good clip. Though Apple has made no announcement about unveiling a new iPhone in September, it's widely expected to do just that, and new reports suggest that the latest version (which is being referred to as the iPhone 5S) will include a fingerprint scanner. There's also evidence that Apple will release a separate, less expensive "iPhone 5C" model with a plastic case.

Skip to next paragraph

Jeff Ward-Bailey

Information about the fingerprint scanner comes from Apple rumor site , which quotes an iPhone developer who dug into a leaked version of the iOS 7 beta software.

The software includes a folder called "BiometricKitUI," which suggests some kind of input that takes advantage of a user's fingerprint. The folder mentions "fingerprint status," and describes a print scan that involves a user touching the Home button with their thumb. 9to5Mac cites an unnamed "source familiar with the development of the new iPhone" who says the fingerprint scanner is meant to unlock the phone - though it could also be used for other things, such as making mobile payments more secure.

This folder's presence doesn't necessarily mean anything - but it's worth mentioning that last year Apple bought Authentec, a security company that builds fingerprint sensors and encryption technology. An iPhone with a fingerprint sensor would be a boon for password-management and financial companies, who would (theoretically) be able to use it to make sensitive information carried on the device that much more secure.

Also on the hardware front, rumors of a plastic "iPhone 5C" model have popped up in several different places this week. On Tuesday, case manufacturer Elago a set of cases on Amazon.com that purport to fit the new iPhone, though none are available for purchase. Meanwhile, Chinese phone site WeiPhone a picture of what looks like retail packaging marked with "iPhone 5C" decals. French site Nowhereelse, which first noticed the image, speculates that the "C" stands for "colors," in deference to an earlier rumor that the lower-cost iPhone will come in several different hues, much like the iPod.

These rumors certainly don't come from ironclad sources, but taken together they paint a believable picture of what we might see from Apple this fall. They join earlier rumors that the new iPhone will sport an improved camera that will take dramatically better pictures in low light, and new voice features including better dictation.

Readers, what's your take on these rumors? What would you most like to see in a new iPhone model? Let us know in the comments section below.

Look out, Apple Apple . Two smartphones from Samsung have just trumped the iPhone to seize the top spot in a new customer satisfaction survey.

Samsung's Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note II each scored 84 on a scale of 100 in a smartphone brand study by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. They beat out a trio of Apple's phones-the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, which each got an 82, and the iPhone 4, which received an 81.

This is the ACSI's first study of individual smartphones, and the marginally higher scores of the Galaxy phones come at a time when Apple's iPhones are nearly due for a refresh, probably in September.

Then again, rumor has it that the iPhone 5S, if that's what it ends up being called, isn't going to be a leap forward, though there are other rumors of a colorful set of cheaper iPhones for international markets. What's more, the study was completed just before Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy S4, was released. So it's not as if this is an unfair comparison. Because the study of 10 popular smartphones, which ACSI plans to repeat annually, is the first, there's no baseline to compare to previous years.

The survey revealed that the Samsung phones were attractive for two reasons, ACSI Director David VanAmburg said in an interview. One was the larger screen size, which those surveyed found appealing. The other was price, or more accurately perceived value.

Rounding out the list of 10 of the past year's top-selling models was Motorola Mobility 's Droid Razr Maxx HD at 80, Samsung's Galaxy S2 at 78, Motorola's Droid Razr at 77, and Blackberry's Curve and Bold at 67 and 64, respectively. The noticeably lower scores for the Blackberry phones, says VanAmburg, reflect that company's ongoing struggles to remain competitive. "It's not a good sign for Blackberry," he says.

The report seems unlikely to sway fans of Apple. After all, its cell phone offerings as a whole remain atop ACSI's annual customer satisfaction survey with an 81 score reported in May-even if that's down two percentage points from last year. In what must be the least surprising finding ever, a recent study said iPhone users are significantly more loyal to the line than Android users.

But the rise in customer satisfaction for Samsung's phones, which overall gained seven percentage points to hit 76, is echoed by Android's rising share of the smartphone market vs. Apple's iOS. A study out this week from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows Android with a 51.5% share to iOS's 42.5%.

Also, it's worth mentioning, says VanAmburg, that the main reason Samsung remains significantly lower than Apple overall is because it still sells feature phones, which consistently get lower customer satisfaction scores no matter who the manufacturer is. Apple, of course, doesn't make feature phones.

Given its CEO's stance on the importance of mobile, it's only natural for Pinterest to keep polishing its apps. The newest iPhone version, for instance, brings with it an animated shortcut for repinning, liking and sending pins to pals when you press on an entry. Though similar in function to Tumblr's sharing tools, the menu boasts fancier graphics that fit the social networks' aesthetic. As a nice bonus, Pinterest's also adding an Edit Home Feed button for speedier housekeeping on the iPhone and the ability to send pins to your friends from the iPad. Assuming you're willing to wade through a deluge of recipes, inspirational quotes and bridal photos, you can check out the app via the links below.

New rumors suggest that the next iPhone - assumed to be called the 'iPhone 5S' - will include a fingerprint scanner. There are also rumors that Apple will release a separate, lower-cost iPhone called the 'iPhone 5C.'

It's almost August - which means rumors about the new iPhone are coming at a good clip. Though Apple has made no announcement about unveiling a new iPhone in September, it's widely expected to do just that, and new reports suggest that the latest version (which is being referred to as the iPhone 5S) will include a fingerprint scanner. There's also evidence that Apple will release a separate, less expensive "iPhone 5C" model with a plastic case.

Skip to next paragraph

Jeff Ward-Bailey

Information about the fingerprint scanner comes from Apple rumor site , which quotes an iPhone developer who dug into a leaked version of the iOS 7 beta software.

The software includes a folder called "BiometricKitUI," which suggests some kind of input that takes advantage of a user's fingerprint. The folder mentions "fingerprint status," and describes a print scan that involves a user touching the Home button with their thumb. 9to5Mac cites an unnamed "source familiar with the development of the new iPhone" who says the fingerprint scanner is meant to unlock the phone - though it could also be used for other things, such as making mobile payments more secure.

This folder's presence doesn't necessarily mean anything - but it's worth mentioning that last year Apple bought Authentec, a security company that builds fingerprint sensors and encryption technology. An iPhone with a fingerprint sensor would be a boon for password-management and financial companies, who would (theoretically) be able to use it to make sensitive information carried on the device that much more secure.

Also on the hardware front, rumors of a plastic "iPhone 5C" model have popped up in several different places this week. On Tuesday, case manufacturer Elago a set of cases on Amazon.com that purport to fit the new iPhone, though none are available for purchase. Meanwhile, Chinese phone site WeiPhone a picture of what looks like retail packaging marked with "iPhone 5C" decals. French site Nowhereelse, which first noticed the image, speculates that the "C" stands for "colors," in deference to an earlier rumor that the lower-cost iPhone will come in several different hues, much like the iPod.

These rumors certainly don't come from ironclad sources, but taken together they paint a believable picture of what we might see from Apple this fall. They join earlier rumors that the new iPhone will sport an improved camera that will take dramatically better pictures in low light, and new voice features including better dictation.

Readers, what's your take on these rumors? What would you most like to see in a new iPhone model? Let us know in the comments section below.

Set in an alternative 19th century Paris, Bloodmasque challenges the player -- as a vampire-human hybrid -- to team up with others of his ilk to slay hoards of vampires.Square Enix

A new game allows you to put your face directly into some vampire-slaying action.

Square Enix's new title "Bloodmasque" for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is an action RPG from the company behind the massively popular "Final Fantasy" series. Set in an alternative 19th century Paris, the player -- as a vampire-human hybrid -- teams up with others of his ilk to slay hoards of vampires and explore different areas on a quest to repel a blood-sucking takeover.

The unique hook of the title consists in the ability to make the protagonist look exactly like the one playing the game. This is done, at the start of the game, by taking three photographs in different emotional states: casual, happy and angry.

These photos are then directly grafted onto the 3D model of the lead character, before choosing a hairstyle and a name and setting off on the adventure.

"Players take their own photographs and create their character's face in 3D, literally bringing them into the game," producer Ryutaro Ichimura told FoxNews.com.

Although not the first game to use photographs to make a character resemble the player, "Bloodmasque" ups the ante: It doesn't just use the photographs as a basis for player design, but actually moves the entire photo onto the character, warts and all.

Depending on how well one takes the pictures, the results range from downright silly to eerily accurate. However, what is refreshing about "Bloodmasque" is that the game does not base itself on the photo technology alone, but tacks it on to an already plump action role-playing game as a way of getting the player even more immersed.

The game can take approximately 20 hours to finish, and with a delightfully unique Parisian world to explore, "Bloodmasque" is by no means a one-trick-pony. Although the combat is a bit simplistic, and the characters two-dimensional, the game comes with solid graphics, an excellent soundtrack, and gameplay that is surprisingly easy to get sucked into. This isn't going to be on anyone's Game of the Year list, but it's definitely entertaining enough to see you through a few bus rides.

The $6.99 price tag in the App Store might put off a lot of gamers, especially as this doesn't include the optional in-game purchases offered to the player. However, "Bloodmasque" has a lot of unique aspects beyond the photo technology, and fans of the genre may want to take a look -- even if it's just so they can show friends their visage slaying demons.

Bloodmasque is available now for iOS, priced at $6.99.

(CNN) -- As we store more and more of our personal lives on smartphones, mobile security is becoming increasingly crucial. A password offers some protection, but it may not deter a serious hacker.

For users of Apple devices, more help might be on the way.

According to several reports, the next version of Apple's mobile operating system suggests future iPhones will have biometric scanners that read fingerprints. A user could register his or her prints with the device, then place a thumb on the home button to unlock the phone.

Fingerprint verification could also add an extra layer of security when making mobile payments, for example.

A biometric sensor has been a rumored feature on the next iPhone for months. But the rumors got a boost when a beta version of iOS 7 was released Monday night to Apple developers. At least one developer found a file called "BiometricKitUI" containing numerous references to "fingerprint," according to reports by 9to5Mac, Extreme Tech and other blogs.

"You can then unlock your phone by putting your thumb on the home button. No longer will friends and family be able to pick up and peruse your phone -- no longer will you have to key in your passcode every time you want to do something," wrote Sebastian Anthony for Extreme Tech.

Of course, many blogs trade in feverish rumors about Apple products that later prove unfounded, and there's no proof that such a feature will show up on the next iPhone, expected to be launched this fall.

Observers expect the as-yet-unnamed phone (iPhone 5S?) to have a faster processor, better battery life and an improved camera, possibly with a slow-motion video function.

Apple also has been experimenting with larger screens for the iPhone and iPad.

Cases purporedly for Apple's low-cost iPhone are now available for preorder through the retail giant.

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Future buyers of Apple's rumored low-cost iPhone can potentially find a host of cases awaiting them on Amazon.

Available for preorder, the Elago S5C Slim Fit 2 cases specifically list the iPhone 5C as part of their names. A few of the cases promise to be in stock on August 23, while others show a date of August 26. The regular cases sell for $9.99, while the editions that include a screen protector go for $24.99.

Plastic packaging labeled iPhone 5C recently appeared on a Chinese discussion forum, providing a possible clue to the name of the low-cost iPhone.

Of course, the cases by themselves aren't evidence of any low-priced iPhone. Manufacturers often develop cases and other products ahead of time hoping to cash in if and when the rumored device hits the market. They also gamble that their products will fit or be compatible with the actual device.

The low-cost iPhone did receive some exposure on Monday from a report by China Labor Watch. Documenting labor violations at Apple supplier Pegatron, CLW's report specifically mentioned a low-priced, plastic iPhone being manufactured by Pegatron factory workers.

( Via MacRumors)

Read the full CNET Review

The bottom line: The iPhone 5 completely rebuilds the iPhone on a framework of new features and design, addressing its major previous shortcomings. It's absolutely the best iPhone to date, and it easily secures its place in the top tier of the smartphone universe. Read Full Review

3.5 stars 173 user reviews

It's about to be August, which means vacation, the U.S. Open, back-to-school preparation and iPhone rumors.

With Apple expected to release a new iPhone in September, new reports indicate that the next version -- assumed to be called the iPhone 5S -- will have a fingerprint reader. There is also mounting evidence that the company will release a cheaper, plastic version of the iPhone to appeal to the lower end of the phone market.

On Monday, Apple released a new version of the iOS 7 Beta software to app developers. iOS 7, which Apple previewed back in June, has a radically different design and some new features, including new Siri voices and a control center with easy access to settings menus.

According to 9to5Mac the new beta version of the software also contains some clues about Apple's plans to include a fingerprint sensor in the phone.

According to an iOS developer, there is a folder called "biometrickitUI" in the code. The software code also mentions "a fingerprint that changes colour during the setup process."

9to5Mac also reported that a source familiar with the new iPhone said that the fingerprint implementation has been complete.

Apple, Google Pushed to Combat Smartphone Thefts

Apple didn't immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. However, last year, the company acquired AuthenTec, a company that makes hardware security sensors. This type of functionality would add an extra level of protection to the information on one's smartphone.

On the software front, Apple has said that iOS 7 will include an advanced security feature that will require one's Apple ID and password for a phone to be wiped. If an iPhone is lost or stolen, thieves won't be able to wipe the device without that information. The feature, Apple hopes, will deter the increasing number of iPhone thefts, also known as "Apple picking" incidents.

In addition to the fingerprint rumors, there is speculation about Apple's long-rumored, lower-cost iPhone. Purported images of the plastic phone's packaging have been posted on a French site, Nowhereelse.fr, and show the name iPhone 5C on the box. Macrumors suggests that the C stands for "colors," rather than "cheap." Previous reports indicated that Apple was working on a cheaper phone that would be available in a variety of colors.

Apple Said to Be Testing iPhone, iPads with Larger Screens

Adding to the evidence of the cheaper phone, the group China Labor Watch posted a report on the working conditions at Apple's Pegatron factory that mentioned a plastic phone.

"Today's work is to paste protective film on the iPhone's plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines. This iPhone model with a plastic cover will soon be released on the market by Apple," the report read.

The current iPhone 5 is made out of aluminum and glass.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said last week during its earnings report that the company was working on many new "amazing products" that would be introduced "in the fall and across 2014."

A London programmer named Hamza Sood has found evidence of support for fingerprint recognition through the home button in the latest version (V4) of the iOS 7 beta released yesterday to developers. Sood found a BiometricKitUI folder within the AccessibilityBundles in the Library directory of the new OS that contains the code in the above image.

Sood told 9to5Mac that the text in the <string> tags in the image "are what an iPhone with VoiceOver on would read to a user." 9to5Mac also reported that another source told them that "the user-interface for the fingerprint scanning system has been complete." If this is to be believed, then these text strings describe the images in an on-screen tutorial instructing users how to touch the home button on an iPhone to scan their fingerprint to unlock the phone. Apparently the image of a fingerprint (whether generic or particular) appears on the screen and changes color during the recognition process (Sood, being in London ostensibly has the UK version of iOS that spells this as "colour.") This second source also told 9to5Mac that "the technology is focused around unlocking the phone, so it is unclear if it is built for a payment system (as rumored) in the next iPhone."

That next iPhone has been rumored to make use of the fingerprint recognition technology that Apple has acquired from AuthenTec. If iOS 7 supports fingerprint recognition using the home button, that would further suggest that this rumor is true.

But it's potentially even more interesting than that. As Bulgarian designer/developer Pavel Simeonov just tweeted, "Fingerprint sensor in iPhone 5S is much more than a gimmick. This + iCloud keychain = end of passwords." So this is not just about security, but also convenience. If iCloud keychain converts and safeguards all of your passwords that you-and only you-can access via your iPhone, then Apple will have scored a tremendous usability coup that potentially makes its phone the key to your life -quite literally. These 14 lines of code could indeed have big implications!

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Summary: A recently leaked photo suggests that the low-cost iPhone will be marketed as the iPhone 5C, but what the "C" stands for may surprise you.

It appears that the widely rumored, low-cost iPhone will be sold as the "iPhone 5C" if recently leaked photos are real.

French site Nowhereelse.fr posted an image from Chinese site WeiPhone that appears to show plastic retail packaging emblazoned with the name "iPhone 5C." If genuine, it could be upcoming packaging for Apple's rumored low-cost, plastic iPhone.

The "C" doesn't stand for Cheap, China or Child Labor, but instead for "Colors" according to the consensus at MacRumors. The low-cost device, believed to be targeted at emerging economies in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will be priced less than the forthcoming iPhone 5S and will presumably include less-expensive CPU, camera and networking hardware and lower-cost materials.

Computerworld published a 60-page report (PDF) from labor rights group China Labor Watch alleging poor working conditions also confirms that a plastic shelled iPhone is currently in mass production at Pegatron. A section of the report entitled "July 9, 2013: A day in Pegatron" includes a paragraph on page 28 in which a worker describes his or her role in applying protective film to the rear shell of the device before the part enters the assembly process.

Pictures of what's believed to be rear shells of the iPhone 5C have previously leaked, showing that the device will come in five colors including red, yellow, white, blue and green.

More seriously, Pegatron is accused, among other things, of misleading Apple on employee overtime.

Pegatron has a falsified attendance recording system in which workers' overtime is recorded to be less than the real amount. Each week, all workers are required by an HR assistant to check yes and sign their names on an overtime form. Workers are required to sign and are not to pay attention to the number of overtime hours written on the form; the document's only purpose is to deceive Apple during inspections.

You can read the report in its entirety here (PDF).

Summary: I've been testing the Nokia Lumia 1020 and after a week I decided to sell my iPhone 5 and return my Lumia 925 because Nokia is pushing the limits in mobile photography and that appeals to me.

(Image: Nokia)

I've been testing out the Nokia Lumia 1020 for over a week and last night I made the decision to sell my iPhone 5, cancel my Verizon account, switch to AT&T, and return my Nokia Lumia 925 to T-Mobile. There are five main reasons I made this move and understand these decisions were made to meet MY smartphone needs.

Earlier this year I had accounts on three networks so that I could better test out smartphones and write about my experiences. I am blessed to have a job where I get to play with the latest mobile gear before making informed purchase decisions, but I found that three lines were just too much and one line always sat idle. Last night I put my Verizon account on hold (with the intent to cancel later) and signed up for a new AT&T account with a yellow Lumia 1020 purchase.

Windows Phone 8 is increasing in market share and when I compare the apps I use daily there are just a couple missing. I do enjoy the metro UI and consistency in the apps though and for the couple I still want, I can get the data through the browser. I am blessed to write about smartphones here and get the opportunity to test out a lot of them. I am keeping my HTC One on T-Mobile and still think that is the best smartphone I have ever used, but I also want a great Windows Phone device.

The Lumia 1020 isn't perfect, but as I wrote before it appears that Windows Phone is holding back Nokia more than their inability to continue pushing the limits. There is a dual-core processor in high end Lumias and no support for 1080p displays, but these are current Windows Phone 8 limitations and not Nokia limitations. I look forward to future versions of Windows Phone and Nokia Lumia products and it seems that Microsoft and Nokia are generating excitement with devices like the Lumia 1020.

I was considering keeping my iPhone 5 on Verizon to see what came in iOS 7 while keeping the Lumia 925 and HTC One for T-Mobile and that probably would have been the sensible thing to do. However, where is the fun in that?

I think the Nokia Lumia 925 is the best piece of Nokia hardware produced running Windows Phone, but the 16GB internal storage is tough to deal with on a phone that captures great photos. It is likely we will see a Lumia 1020 successor later this year or early next year with a higher resolution display, quad-core processor, and other improvements, but I wanted this camera experience now and will make future purchase decisions when we see future devices.

For the month of June Kantar's Worldpanel ComTech surveys show that Apple gained smartphone market share in the U.S., the EU5 countries (Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and also in Urban China based on a three month rolling average. Note that my family and I own Apple shares.

After Apple reported that it sold 31.2 million iPhones in the June quarter it isn't too surprising that the iPhone gained some share during the quarter. What is surprising is that the company gained share with its leading product, the iPhone 5, having been available for over six months while Samsung, HTC , BlackBerry and others launched very good products during the quarter. Apple has had to rely upon promoting the iPhone 4 and 4S to stem its share losses from December 2012.

I have created a Google Doc that has market share data from Kantar, comScore , IDC and Strategy Analytics with this link. It has Kantar's analysis going back as far as August 2011.

Source: Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report

Source: Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report

While its difficult to determine the exact breakdown of iPhone models sold in each country it appears that the model 4 has had a positive impact on Apple's share. Kantar estimates that more than a third of iPhone 4′s sold in Britain were to first time smartphone buyers.

Windows may have the best shot of becoming the third smartphone platform after iOS and Android. Its market share hit 9% in France, 8.6% in Great Britain and 7.8% in Italy during June.

Dominic Sunnebo, global strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, commented 'While flagship Windows handsets such as the Nokia 925 and HTC 8X grab the headlines, it is the low and mid-range models, such as the Nokia Lumia 520 and 620, which are quietly driving its momentum. It is vital for Windows to be seen as a mainstream alternative to Android and iOS rather than a niche platform. Selling large volumes of lower end smartphones is a good way of getting Windows seen in the hands of potential customers' friends and family, convincing them there isn't a risk in choosing the operating system.'

Follow me on Twitter @sandhillinsight or on Forbes.com

Posted: 07/29/2013 11:31:59 AM PDT

Updated: 07/29/2013 11:47:03 AM PDT

CUPERTINO -- A human-rights group recently infiltrated a Chinese factory that is making a new iPhone offering from Apple ( AAPL) and found dozens of violations of labor rights, according to a report the group released Monday.

"At this moment, in Shanghai, China, workers in Apple's supplier factory Pegatron are monotonously working long overtime hours to turn out a scaled-back, less expensive version of the iPhone," the report reads, detailing six-day workweeks of 11-hour days with pay of $1.50 an hour, which adds up to a salary less than half the average of Shanghai residents.

The group, China Labor Watch, also reported that Pegatron used labor agencies that charged illegal fees and kept the ID cards of workers it recruited to block them from resigning, along with other violations such as unpaid overtime, underage workers and discrimination against certain ethnic groups. In all, China Labor Watch reported 86 labor-rights violations, with 36 of those breaking laws.

Apple issued a statement to The Wall Street Journal after it published news of the report Sunday evening, saying Apple had audited Pegatron facilities 15 times in the past six years, and determined in June that Pegatron workers had an average workweek of 46 hours. The company also said that it had approached Pegatron immediately after China Labor Watch uncovered that workers' ID cards were being held and forced them to stop the practice, adding that new revelations will be investigated in special inspections this week.

"We will investigate these new claims thoroughly, ensure that corrective actions are taken where needed and report any violations of our code of conduct. We will not tolerate deviations from our code," Apple's statement read.

Pegatron also said it would investigate the findings.

Reports have long suggested that Apple will introduce a lower-priced iPhone in an attempt to boost sales in countries like China, with those reports focusing on a plastic case -- as opposed to the iPhone's metal body -- and various color options. China Labor Watch reported that the Pegatron facility in question was building such a device, putting in its report, "During the period of our investigation, Pegatron Shanghai had begun producing the cheap iPhone."

The group reported that production was low as the factory was just beginning to produce the item, but workers on the task were still forced to work a dozen hours of overtime.

"Today's work is to paste protective film on the iPhone's plastic back cover to prevent it from being scratched on assembly lines. This iPhone model with a plastic cover will soon be released on the market by Apple," the undercover worker recorded in the report.

Apple sold a record 31.2 million iPhones in the second quarter of 2013, but continues to lose market share in the smartphone market as phones running Google's ( GOOG) Android operating system appeal to buyers with a range of prices and features. Apple also was hit with a severe downturn in its sales in China in the quarter: Apple's revenues in the Greater China region fell 43 percent sequentially and 14 percent year-over-year last quarter. accounting for $5 billion, or 13 percent of Apple's revenues.

Reuters reported in June that Apple was discussing the introduction of a lower-priced, plastic iPhone in five or six colors with a starting price of $99, based on anonymous sources in Apple's Asian supply chain. The report noted that Hon Hai, or Foxconn, would assemble the higher-end smartphones while Pegatron would handle the cheaper model.

Apple stock, which has fallen as much as 45 percent from highs reached around the time of the iPhone 5 launch in 2012, moved higher Monday, gaining 1.4 percent to $447.10 in the morning trading session on Wall Street.

Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/mercbizbreak.

A newly-granted patent describes a mobile device equipped with three sensors to enhance the colors in your photos.

(Credit: Apple/USPTO)

Your iPhone of the future could deliver better color photos if equipped with three separate sensors.

Granted Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, an Apple patent dubbed " Image capture using luminance and chrominance sensors" envisions a way to include one sensor for luminance and two for chrominance as a way to better capture colors in your moble device's photographs.

Luminance measures the amount of light reflected from an object, while chrominance defines the color of an image. The technology built into the iPhone would combine the luminance from the first sensor and the chrominance from the other two sensors to form a single composite image. As such, the final image would more faithfully reproduce the actual colors, resulting in a higher-quality and more accurate photo.

Each sensor may have a blind spot where it can't detect a certain region included in the photograph. The three-sensor approach would compensate for this by ensuring that the blind regions are all offset from each other. So, if one sensor doesn't "see" a certain region, another sensor would pick it up.

A multi-sensor technology has been on Apple's mind. A patent granted to the iPhone maker on July 23 described a way to combine two or more sensors in a mobile device to capture higher-quality photos and videos.

( Via AppleInsider)

The iPhone 5's battery life isn't bad, but it isn't awesome, either. With careful use, you can make your iPhone's battery last all day. If you want to work your iPhone hard, however, particularly when you're traveling or otherwise away from places to recharge the device, you need a battery case.

I've looked at many battery cases for the iPhone 5. All of them plug into your iPhone's Lightning connector, and all of them work basically the same way: You charge the cases up by plugging them into a wall adapter or USB port, and you activate them when you want to start charging up your iPhone's built-in battery. If your iPhone 5 is inside a battery case and you plug in the case to recharge it, your iPhone recharges first, and only afterward does the case start charging.

The best iPhone battery cases should be easy to toggle on and off, simple to charge, and capable of providing a good indication of how much battery life remains in the case. Oh, and of course, they should provide a lot of extra juice.

On a more subjective scale, I prefer button overlays to cutouts. With the latter design, cases leave holes around the volume buttons, the Sleep/Wake button, and usually the Ring/Silent switch. I find the iPhone's buttons harder to press through such tiny gaps; I prefer a "surface-level" hardware button that doesn't require squeezing the tip of my finger into a small space.

Keeping your iPhone in a battery case while traveling may provide an extra benefit, since almost all such cases rely on Micro-USB cables for charging-you may well have other devices (keyboards, speakers) that can share the same charging cable, and replacement Micro-USB cables are far cheaper than Lightning cables.

Regardless of which battery case you choose, a bit of advice: Your iPhone 5 requires more juice to charge the final 20 percent of the way. Turn on your battery case when the iPhone's battery level drops to around 20 percent remaining, and then turn the case off again when your iPhone hits 80 percent. That strategy will maximize how much battery goodness you can squeeze from the case while you're out and about.

Mophie makes excellent battery cases, and sells three models for the iPhone 5: the Juice Pack Helium ($80), the Juice Pack Air ($100), and the Juice Pack Plus ($120). If you're familiar with Mophie's battery cases for the iPhone, you should note that Mophie made these names a smidgen confusing. The Helium for the iPhone 5 looks a lot like the Air for the iPhone 4/4S, the Air for the iPhone 5 resembles the Plus for the 4/4S, and the Plus-well, it also looks like the Plus of old.

The Helium offers the least power (1500 mAh), and has button cutouts. The Air (1700 mAh) and the Plus (2100 mAh) both offer button overlays. The Plus adds substantial power without being significantly larger than the Air; unless you really value the slightly smaller size, go with the Plus.

One drawback to the Mophie cases is that their thick bases all require that you use an adapter cable to access the headphone jack. However, each two-piece case is easy to put on and remove.

Plus: 5 mice

Air: 4.5 mice

Helium: 3.5 mice

The $80 MyCharge Freedom 2000 packs in 2000 mAh of power, which the company says should more than double your iPhone 5's battery life. The case takes a decidedly different approach from the Mophies. For starters, it's a single piece, and you "press fit" your iPhone into the case. The little rubbery flap that guards the Micro-USB port on the base feels awfully vulnerable to an accidental tear. You'll also find a Lightning-connector charging tether, which you pull out from the case's body and manually plug into your iPhone 5.

The left upper edge of the case is carved out to expose the volume buttons and the Ring/Silent switch-I actually prefer this larger kind of cutout to individual-button cutouts. The Sleep/Wake button overlay, on the other hand, is really tough to use: I need to push very hard to make it trigger the button underneath.

I found the tethered Lightning plug to be an odd design choice. When charging, the phone looks dopey, with a tiny cable sticking out of it. Plugging and unplugging the connector feels a bit fussy, since you have so little wiggle room. On the plus side, the design leaves the base of the iPhone 5 entirely exposed, so you can plug in your headphones, or another Lightning cable, with ease (say, to connect your iPhone to your car's audio system).

This is the case to choose if you want easy access to the bottom ports on your iPhone 5.

3 mice

The $90 Meridian is a two-piece case, similar in design to the collection from Mophie. The case offers 2300 mAh of power, which is a lot, and it fits into a svelte package. Also like the Mophie cases, the Meridian leaves the headphone jack very deeply recessed-but while the Mophie cases ship with a small headphone adapter, the Meridian doesn't. You'll be able to squeeze your white iPhone headphones into the plug if your aim is straight and true, but anything thicker will require an adapter that you'll need to provide yourself.

The case employs cutouts around the buttons. I was unimpressed with how the case's upper piece fit-near the cutout for the Sleep/Wake button, the case failed to sit snugly against the top of my iPhone 5. Other cases didn't have that problem.

Still, if you're after the most milliampere hours possible, the Meridian is worth considering, as it holds that crown among the cases I looked at for this roundup-or at least, among the cases I can recommend.

3 mice

iBattz makes the batteries in its cases removable, which is a clever design since it means you can carry more than one backup battery if you're so inclined.

I looked at the $80 Mojo Hi5 Power Bank Case. (Don't be confused by the iPhone 4 shown on the box-this case is, in fact, made for the iPhone 5.) The Power Bank is designed so that you can keep your iPhone in a slimmer case until you actually need the extra battery power: The package includes a pair of slim plastic hard-shell cases, plus a single 2500-mAh battery that you can snap onto your case-clad iPhone as desired. I understand the appeal here, but if I need to lug around the battery anyway, I'd rather keep it on my phone at all times so that I don't lose track of the thing.

Like the Freedom 2000, the Power Bank requires that you charge it with your own Lightning cable. So, when you want to use the battery, you need to connect it to your iPhone with your overly long cable, which looks awkward. I don't get it. (If you want to use a shorter adapter, you can buy one through iBattz separately.)

The two single-piece hard-shell cases look nice, and the setup with the battery snapped onto it looks sharp, too. But with this case option, you're really toting around a stand-alone charging unit that happens to fit on the back of your iPhone.

I also tried iBattz's $90 Mojo Refuel Removable Battery Case. To be clear, all of the cases I'm writing about are removable; with the Refuel, iBattz is stressing that the case's battery is itself removable, and that you can hang on to more than one. This case consists of two pieces: a slim backing battery that connects to the Lightning port (thank goodness!), and a thin, interchangeable frame that pushes down around the front of the iPhone's edges. I really liked the look with the black battery and the red frame.

The case uses cutouts, which I don't love, but it does offer that removable battery, true to its name. You can slide off the plastic backing without needing to take the case off your iPhone 5, and swap in a different battery on the fly.

And there's more. For $20, you can purchase the optional Mojo Refuel Armor Kit, a rugged outer shell that uses the Refuel case underneath. The two-layer armor kit involves a solid piece that snaps onto your iPhone first, with a hard rubbery layer that wraps around it, offering impact protection coupled with the case's battery-boosting ability. The case uses rubbery flaps that protect the headphone jack, the Ring/Silent switch, and the Micro-USB charging port, along with overlays that protect the buttons. iBattz says that the Armor Kit shields the iPhone from dust, sand, and light splashes of water. If you want the extra battery life and serious iPhone protection, this is the case to get. (You can buy the complete setup for $100.)

Power Bank: 2 mice

Refuel: 3.5 mice

Refuel plus Armor Kit: 4 mice

The $100 Belkin Grip Power Battery Case packs in a 2000-mAh battery, and is available in several color pairs. Like the Mojo Refuel, it consists of a main battery portion that plugs into your iPhone 5, and a thin frame that snaps down around the front. The backing plastic on the case feels a little cheap in my hand, but I like the look regardless.

The Grip Power is one of the few battery cases I tested that intentionally protrudes beyond the screen-a design that affords a bit of extra protection if you drop the phone and it lands screen-side down.

The Micro-USB port on the Grip Power is tucked away on the side, which works fine. You'll find button overlays for the volume and Sleep/Wake controls, and a tight cutout for the Ring/Silent switch. Because it covers the headphone jack, as the Mophies do, the Grip Power ships with a small headphone extension cord.

Instead of a little groove for you to pry the case apart and remove it, a tiny tab sticks out of the right side. This is the case's best feature-it's easy to grip, and it makes removal a cinch.

4 mice

This is an odd case. The $80 Pop'N for iPhone 5 can work as a case, or as a battery add-on to your existing case-that is, assuming your case will stick to the suction cups that cover the surface of the Pop'N.

The Pop'N offers a 2000-mAh battery, and it shows off some interesting design choices: Because it adheres to the back of your iPhone, it doesn't occlude the sides-all of those buttons remain exposed, as does the headphone jack at the bottom. But the case doesn't even reach all the way to the top of the iPhone 5; it's only about as tall as a previous-generation iPhone.

In my tests the suction cups stuck fairly well to the iPhone itself, and to a variety of cases I tested the Pop'N with.

3 mice

Though it has a cheap plasticky feel reminiscent of the Belkin Grip Power, the $80 Unu DX Protective Series is worth a look. It uses a 2300-mAh battery, and has a two-piece cap-and-base design that functions a lot like the Mophies do. The DX ships with a small headphone extension cord, too.

The case uses button cutouts, including one around the Ring/Silent switch that I actually don't hate. I often find that such cutouts make the Ring/Silent switch difficult to access; here, however, thanks to the thin cut of the case in the area, accessing the switch isn't a challenge.

I don't love the seam that the case makes where the cap and base fit together-it's too visible. Still, the DX packs a lot of battery power, and it's easy to put on and take off, so it isn't a bad option.

3.5 mice

For most people, the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is the best option. If you can't stand its added weight or thickness, choose the Juice Pack Air instead. If you need rugged protection, the iBattz Refuel case is the way to go; also stick with iBattz if you value hot-swappable batteries foremost. But unless you're in one of those situations, Mophie still dominates the battery-case market for the iPhone 5.