T-Mobile has acknowledged internally that Apple’s iPhone offers a “poor customer experience” on its network, but the nation’s No.4 carrier is working as quickly as it can to change that. The company announced this past February that it will be performing upgrades to its network that bring faster data speeds to users who purchase an iPhone on their own and unlock it for use on T-Mobile, and on Tuesday the carrier said the work will be performed ahead of schedule.

Apple has tested an iPhone compatible with T-Mobile’s network, as BGR exclusively revealed more than a year ago, but such a device has yet to launch for reasons unknown. T-Mobile executives have stated publicly on a number of occasions that not carrying the iPhone is having a huge negative impact on the carrier’s performance. But Apple is preparing to launch its sixth iPhone handset later this year, and there are still no signs that the phone is set to be released by T-Mobile.

Because the carrier has not managed to work out a deal with Apple, it is making moves on its own to accommodate iPhone fans. By the end of 2012, T-Mobile will have launched HSPA+ “4G” service on the 1900MHz band in “a large number of markets.” By no coincidence, Apple’s iPhone is compatible with HSPA+ on the 1900MHz band.

“As part of the company’s network modernization effort, T-Mobile also plans to launch 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band in a large number of markets by the end of the year,” T-Mobile stated in a press release on Tuesday. “Network modernization trials have shown up to a 33 percent increase in HSPA+ data speeds as well as improved in-building coverage. Rolling out 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band will also provide customers with the ability to use a broader range of devices, including the iPhone, on T-Mobile’s 4G network.”

T-Mobile will not be able to compete with AT&T, Verizon Wireless or Sprint on price, of course. Because the company has not managed to secure a deal with Apple, it will not sell subsidized iPhone handsets directly to its customers. Instead, they will have to purchase used or factory unlocked handsets for use on T-Mobile’s network, or close their accounts with other carriers, unlock their iPhones and open a new account with T-Mobile. While this is less than ideal and a number of subscribers will be put off by the hassel and expense, it won’t stop everyone — T-Mobile noted last summer that its network was home to more than 1 million iPhones at that time.

Apple’s next iPhone is expected to be a complete redesign that will launch this coming fall, and it is also expected to be compatible with 4G LTE networks in the United States. Even if T-Mobile can’t secure a contract with Apple to offer the iPhone directly, its HSPA+ network enhancements this year and LTE roll-out next year will make using the new iPhone on its network as good an experience as possible for millions of its subscribers.

After posting the most profitable quarter in technology company history to close 2011 — and the second most profitable quarter among all companies, ever — Apple came back again in the first calendar quarter of 2012 and managed another monster quarter. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant earned $11.6 billion on $39.2 billion in sales during the second fiscal quarter of 2012, and its iPhone was responsible for an estimated 80% of all smartphone profits during the quarter. According to Apple watcher Horace Dediu, Apple’s share of all cell phone profits was nearly as overwhelming.

Market research firm IDC states that Apple’s share of the global cell phone market was flat at 8.8% last quarter. Despite accounting for such a small portion of global cell phone shipments, Apple’s share of all mobile phone profits reached 73% in the quarter.

“The new market disruption is the migration of a large number of demanding customers away from phones-as-voice-products to phones-as-computing-products,” Dediu notes as one of the driving factors behind Apple’s performance. The analyst also states that Samsung accounted for 26% of all major handset vendor profits last quarter, while Sony, Nokia, Motorola, LG and RIM all lost money and HTC was roughly even.

[Via CNNMoney]

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Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone 4S can now be SIM-unlocked in just a few easy steps, as can any previous version of Apple’s popular smartphone line. The new unlock procedure, mapped out this past weekend by mobile hacker “Loktar_Sun,” will allow iPhone owners to use a SIM card from any compatible carrier rather than just the carrier from which the phone was purchased. Users need only jailbreak their iPhones and follow a simple 13-step procedure to unlock their handsets, though caution should obviously be taken and the procedure will void the manufacturer’s warranty. This is a great option for international travelers and those who want to use an iPhone on T-Mobile’s U.S. network, however, and numerous users have successfully used the guide to unlock their iPhones.

[Via Gizmodo]

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The iPhone’s unprecedented success stems from the combination of multiple factors, not the least of which are Apple’s industry-leading design prowess and its ability to make software that appeals to enthusiasts and mass-market users alike. The culture and hype surrounding Apple products doesn’t hurt either, of course. Where the overall experience is concerned, Apple wisely created a scenario that gives it control of both hardware and software, removing carriers from the equation to an extent and ensuring the end user enjoys the experience Apple envisions without any substantial impediments. Despite this ideal scenario, some industry watchers maintain that fragmentation is unavoidable to some degree, and this issue exists in the iOS ecosystem just as it does with Android.

In the case of Google’s mobile operating system, a number of factors cause fragmentation. For one thing, Android is open source and key partners such as Samsung, HTC and LG modify the OS in a number of ways. While proprietary OS enhancements do not necessarily have a direct impact where fragmentation is concerned, they do slow the development process at the vendor level, thus increasing the amount of time users must wait to receive updates.

Industrial and graphic designer Chris Sauve recently published an in-depth analysis of Android fragmentation, and he determined that while Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was unveiled in late 2011 and Android 5.0 Jelly Bean is coming later this year, 2012 is actually the year of Gingerbread, which was unveiled 15 months ago in late 2010.

Conversations surrounding whether or not iOS is fragmented date back several years and persist to this day, and Sauve revisited the issue of fragmentation in March. This time, however, he looked at the issue as it may or may not apply to Apple’s mobile platform.

Using data points obtained from 50 different mobile software developers, Sauve analyzed iOS version adoption over the past 21 months since iOS 3.0 was introduced.

He also looked at iOS adoption relative to each version’s launch to see how quickly each build was adopted by end users.

Finally, this data was plotted against Sauve’s earlier Android adoption data.

Complaints of fragmentation in Apple’s mobile ecosystem were most prominent in early- and mid-2010, and iOS 3.0′s adoption rate shows us why. Since then, however, the adoption rate of Apple’s major new OS builds has been remarkable.

“iOS 5 captured approximately 75% of all iOS users in the same amount of time it took Gingerbread to get 4% of all Android users,” Sauve wrote in his analysis on pxldot. “Even more astounding is that 15 weeks after launch iOS 4 was at 70% and iOS 5 was at 60% while Ice Cream Sandwich got to just 1% share at the same age. If there were any question as to whether iOS had a less fragmented ecosystem than Android, the past two charts provide a fairly definitive answer.”

Sauve continued, “iOS devices have, on average, reached 10% version share 300 times faster than Android versions, 30% share 19 times faster, and 50% share 7 times faster.”

The adoption rate of future major iOS builds will likely be even more impressive thanks to the introduction of an over-the-air update mechanism Apple added in iOS 5. With iCloud backing up data, on-device notifications when updates become available, and the requirement of connecting to a PC to update no longer a factor, the major barriers standing between mass-market users and software updates have been eliminated.

This ensures that users have access to the most current iOS features as quickly as possible, and it also means developers don’t need to worry about old iOS versions as much while they shift focus to new builds.

I asked a question on Twitter a little while ago, and wanted to get an even bigger idea of what everyone thinks. This is a serious question — would you choose an iPhone 3GS over the Nokia Lumia 900? You can get iOS 5, a decent camera, HD video recording, iMessage, the App Store, iTunes, and of course, everything else you’d get with an iPhone. On the Lumia 900, you have a larger and much better display, 4G LTE, and a clean and sophisticated OS.

Apple announced during its press conference on Wednesday that the latest version of its mobile operating system would become available for download later in the day. iOS 5.1 has now been released for the iPad 2, iPad, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and second and third-generation iPod touch handhelds, and the new iOS build brings Japanese language support for Siri along with a number of additional updates. And ridiculous though it may be, AT&T iPhone owners will now see “4G” in place of 3G next to their signal bars while connected to HSPA. We detailed key changes in our exclusive hands-on with the software last month. iOS 5.1 is currently in the process of being made available through iTunes and over the air, but impatient users can download the appropriate update via the read link below.

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Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the United States last quarter according to new data released on Monday. A new report from market research firm The NPD Group suggests that the three best-selling smartphones in America last quarter were all iPhones. Apple’s new iPhone 4S was deemed the top-selling smartphone this past holiday quarter, followed by the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS, which is now free on contract from AT&T. Two versions of Samsung’s Galaxy S II smartphone rounded out the top-5. Read on for more.

“Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4,” NPD analyst Ross Rubin said in a statement. “The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75 percent, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.” Apple reported last month that it sold more than 37 million iPhones into channels last quarter.

While Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the U.S. last quarter, Android maintained its operating system share lead according to NPD’s data. 48% of smartphone buyers opted for an Android device during the holiday quarter, while 43% chose iOS. The discrepancy was even greater among first-time smartphone buyers — 57% chose an Android device compared to an estimated 34% who chose an iPhone.

“Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company’s wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin noted. “Android’s support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier’s fastest network.” The NPD Group’s full press release follows below.

The NPD Group: Apple Leads Mobile Handsets in Q4 2011, But Android Attracts More First-Time Smartphone Buyers

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, February 6, 2012 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, Apple leaped past Samsung and LG to become the best-selling U.S. handset brand in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2011. In a quarter that featured the launch of the iPhone 4S and the addition of Sprint, Apple’s three available models combined to capture 43 percent of the U.S. smartphone market in Q4.

“Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4,” said Ross Rubin, executive director, Connected Intelligence for The NPD Group. “The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75 percent, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.”

Together, Android and iPhone accounted for over 90 percent of smartphone sales, with Android holding on to 48 percent of the smartphone market during the quarter; however, Android devices performed better among first-time smartphone buyers.  Based on the latest data from The NPD Group’s monthly Smartphone Track service, among the first-time smartphone buyers in Q4, 57 percent purchased Android phones compared to just 34 percent who purchased iPhones.

“Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company’s wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin said. “Android’s support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier’s fastest network.”

The overall share of mobile phone sales that are smartphones continued to climb in Q4 2011, reaching 68 percent of the total mobile phone market, which is an increase of 18 percentage points since Q4 2010. Based on the latest data from NPD’s monthly Mobile Phone Track service, average selling prices for smartphones increased eight dollars over the prior quarter, reaching $143 in Q4 2011, which is still below average price of $149 in Q4 2010. Led by continued steady sales for Apple’s iPhones, the top five best-selling mobile phone handsets in Q4 were as follows:

1. Apple iPhone 4S

2. Apple iPhone 4

3. Apple iPhone 3GS

4. Samsung GALAXY S II

5. Samsung GALAXY S 4G

Information this press release is from Mobile Phone Track and Smartphone Track, both of which report on the activities of U.S. consumers, age 18 and older, who reported purchasing a mobile phone or smartphone. NPD does not track corporate/enterprise mobile phone purchases.

Sales of Apple’s iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G resumed on Friday after a permanent injunction had gone into effect early Friday morning. ”All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple’s online store in Germany shortly” an Apple spokesperson told SlashGear in a statement. “Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago.” Apple’s iOS devices with embedded 3G were deemed to being infringing on a Motorola patent this past December. A judge ordered an injunction at that time that went into effect on Friday, forcing Apple to remove the infringing devices from its German website. Motorola filed a separate complaint against Apple’s new iPhone 4S last month.

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Apple’s aggressive litigation strategy against Android vendors over the past year has seen precious little return considering the huge investment it reportedly requires, and on Friday things took another turn south for the Cupertino, California-based technology giant. A court in Germany has issued a permanent injunction against the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, upholding a ruling issued in December. Online sales of the phones have been banned in the country, and Apple has removed the devices from its German website. All iPhone models and iPad 2 models are still available for sale at local retailers, FOSS Patents reports. The ban is the result of a patent complaint filed against Apple by Motorola Mobility in Germany, claiming Apple’s iOS devices with embedded 3G connectivity infringe a Motorola patent related to UMTS technology. Late last month, Motorola filed a new complaint in Germany targeting Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 4S.

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Most new iPhone buyers are choosing the iPhone 4S, according to a new report. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) released data on Thursday that suggests Apple’s latest iPhone model accounts for 89% of all Apple smartphones sold since the iPhone 4S was released in October. We’re a bit surprised by the figures; the new iPhone offers beefier specs and a better camera than previous generation models, but the iPhone 3GS is free on a contract with AT&T and the iPhone 4 is still available at a discount in several markets. Still, those devices accounted for just 4% and 7% of all iPhone sales, respectively, since October according to CIRP. The research firm told AllThingsD that the 16GB iPhone 4S was the most popular model. It was responsible for 45% of all iPhone 4S sales, followed by the 32GB model (34%) and the 64GB model (21%). “An amazing 19 percent of all iPhone buyers upgraded from the iPhone 4, a phone barely a year old at the time of the launch,” Mike Levin, CIRP’s co-founder, told AllThingsD. “Forty-two percent of iPhone buyers broke existing carrier contracts to get the new iPhone 4S. And 19 percent of these iPhone 4S buyers sold their old iPhone in the secondary market.”

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Apple’s share of the global smartphone market reportedly topped the market share of all Android vendors combined in the fourth quarter last year, and nowhere was the iPhone’s lead more dominant than at AT&T. The nation’s No.2 carrier on Thursday reported its earnings for the December quarter, stating that smartphone activations totaled 9.4 million units. Apple’s iPhone lineup accounted for 7.6 million activations, or 81% of all smartphones AT&T activated during the three months ended in December. Considering the handful of BlackBerry smartphones and Windows Phones the carrier sold last quarter, all of AT&T’s Android phones combined were responsible for under 19% of the carrier’s smartphone sales. Android handsets continue to proliferate globally and with a number of stunners due to be unveiled next month at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the tide will certainly soon turn back in Google’s favor. The iPad 3 is due to launch in the coming months and a completely redesigned iPhone on the horizon, however, and Apple may very well top its record-setting fiscal first quarter later this year.

Apple’s monster holiday quarter is the talk of the tech world, with the technology giant having just reported the second most profitable quarter ever among U.S. companies. The company’s $13.06 billion in fiscal first-quarter profit on revenue that surpassed $46 billion is staggering, and iPhone shipments that surpassed 37 million units played a huge role in Apple’s record-setting quarter. While market share is a statistic many deem unimportant, another impressive entry in Apple’s laundry least of first-quarter feats may be one of its most impressive yet: with just three models currently available, Apple’s share of the smartphone market may have surpassed that of Android in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011. Read on for more.

According to new data from analysts at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the record-breaking launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S drove iPhone sales that surpassed combined Android smartphone sales in the fourth calendar quarter last year. Apple shipped 37.04 million iPhones last quarter, which lifted the company’s smartphone market share up to 44.9% according to Kantar analyst Dominic Sunnebo. The figure is roughly double Apple’s market share in the same quarter a year earlier.

In the same quarter, Kantar estimates that the combined market share of all Android phones slid to 44.8% from 50%. ”Overall, Apple sales are now growing at a faster rate than Android across the nine countries we cover,” Sunnebo told Reuters.

Samsung become the No.1 smartphone vendor by shipment volume in the third quarter last year, but that title is expected to have been retaken by Apple by a wide margin in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011. Samsung is scheduled to report earnings for its holiday quarter on Friday.

Hackers on Tuesday released an untethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak solution for all iOS devices but the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. In a post on his blog, iOS hacker pod2g announced that the Chronic Dev Team and the iPhone Dev Team have jointly released a tool that will allow iOS device owners to jailbreak their devices running iOS 5.0.1 without having to boot while tethered to a computer. The new version of “redsn0w” is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and users currently running a tethered jailbreak can update to untethered using a utility called “Corona” now available in Cydia. An untethered jailbreak for Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is not yet available. The new version of redsn0w is available for download immediately for both Windows and Mac computers.

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Apple’s manufacturing partners are expected to build 2 million iPhone 3GS handsets in the fourth quarter. Thursday of this week marked exactly two and a half years since Apple unveiled the iPhone 3GS during its Worldwide Developer Conference in June 2009. Citing industry sources within Apple’s supply chain, DigiTimes on Friday reported that production of Apple’s iPhone 3GS has continued at high volumes that should hit 2 million units in the December quarter. In the first quarter of 2012, production of the iPhone 3GS will reportedly slow to between 1.4 million and 1.6 million units. The same report also suggests that production of Apple’s CDMA iPhone 4 could top 1 million units in the fourth quarter this year, slowing to between 500,000 and 600,000 units in the first quarter next year. In the United States, Apple’s iPhone 3GS is available for free on contract from AT&T while the CDMA iPhone 4 is sold by both Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

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Apple is on track to sell a record number of iPhone handsets in the December quarter thanks to the launch of its latest smartphone, the iPhone 4S. UBS analyst Maynard Um was one of a number of analysts in recent weeks to raise his estimates on iPhone sales for the fourth calendar quarter, and he now believes Apple will offload as many as 30 million smartphones this quarter. Apple now sells three iPhone models: the new iPhone 4S, which broke Apple’s previous record when it sold more than 4 million handsets during the phone’s debut weekend alone, the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS. In the U.S., recent checks indicate that the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 are still among the best-selling smartphones in the country, and Apple’s iPhone 3GS — which is now free on contract at AT&T — is reportedly still in high demand as well. Um is sticking with his previous iPad sales estimates for the fourth quarter. The analyst believes Apple will move 12 million iPads between October and December, though he did note that strong holiday sales could push that figure up to 13 million units.