Beginning on June 22nd, consumers in the United States will be able to purchase a new iPhone to be used alongside prepaid wireless service. Regional carrier Cricket, owned by Leap Wireless, will offer Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 off contract alongside its $55 unlimited talk, text and data plan. Though labeled as unlimited, the plan includes 2.3GB of full-speed data, and speeds will be throttled once that threshold is reached. While the news marks the start of a new chapter for Apple’s current iPhone models, the high hardware cost compared to other prepaid smartphones may be a substantial barrier for many subscribers. Cricket plans to charge $399.99 for the 8GB iPhone 4 and $499.99 for the 16GB version of the iPhone 4S. Apple’s iPhone 3GS is seen as a much more compelling handset for prepaid carriers, which may soon begin offering the 3-year-old device for between $200 and $250 off contract. Cricket’s full press release follows below.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani on Tuesday stated that Apple will revamp its MacBook computers in June and release a new iPhone in September or October. Daryanani reiterated his Outperform rating for the Cupertino-based company’s stock and maintained his price target of $700, achievable thanks to new MacBooks, the upcoming next-generation iPhone and a potential “iTV” television set, which would make “strategic sense” for the company. The analyst believes Apple’s latest iPhone will come equipped with “the latest 4G/LTE technology” and will feature a redesigned look. A MacBook Pro update could arrive as early as next month, and an “updated version” of the MacBook Air could potentially happen in six months according to the analyst, which could help sales of the entire Mac lineup to grow between 10% to 15% this year.

Apple’s next iPhone, which is reported to launch in the fall, seems to have leaked. It’s entirely possible these parts are for a non-final version of the handset, but they do perfectly match up with what has been reported about the new iPhone — mainly a metal and glass rear case, and a new dock connector. Smartphone repair company uBreakiFix has sent us in these photos of the new case, and there’s a lot of differences compared to the current iPhone 4S. Among a redesigned rear case, the camera module cutout looks to be larger, there is a redone speaker and microphone configuration at the bottom, new dock connector, and it looks like Apple has moved the 3.5mm headset jack to the bottom of the device like the iPod touch. Read on for more photos.

UPDATE: 9to5Mac has high resolution photos of the parts.

iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running the latest version of Apple’s iOS software now have access to full-featured untethered jailbreak software courtesy of iOS hackers Chronic Dev Team and pod2g. The software needed to perform the jailbreak, Greenpis0n Absinthe 2.0, is now available for download and is compatible with A4-powered devices like the original iPad and the iPhone 4, as well as newer A5-powered devices like the new iPad and iPhone 4S, JailbreakUntethered reports. The updated software allows users to jailbreak their newer A5-powered iOS devices without having to connect to a computer while booting, though it is not compatible with iPad 2 models powered by Apple’s newer 32-nanometer chipset. Download links for Greenpois0n Absinthe 2.0 and a how-to guide details each step of the jailbreaking process can be found through the read link below.

UPDATE: A large number of users are reporting problems with the new software and as such, users may want to wait for a subsequent release before attempting to jailbreak their devices.

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Note: For those asking, Typophone 4 is the name of the lock screen theme pictured above, and it is available for free in Cydia.

Facebook on Thursday announced “Camera for iOS,” a new mobile app that intends to make uploading and viewing Facebook photos faster and easier. The app features Instagram-like filters and unlike Facebook’s current mobile app, Camera for iOS allows users to upload multiple photos at once. It remains to be seen how Facebook’s new app will impact Instagram, which the company acquired for $1 billion last month. Facebook’s Camera for iOS is available now on the Apple’s App Store.

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Google’s Android operating system and Apple’s iOS platform showed big market share gains in the first quarter of 2012 as Symbian and BlackBerry shipments plummeted. Market research firm IDC on Thursday published its global smartphone market share report for the first quarter of this year, and Google’s Android was far and away the biggest winner in terms of year-on-year shipment gains.

According to IDC’s study, Android shipments during the quarter totalled 89.9 million units, up a staggering 145% from 36.7 million in the first quarter of 2011. iPhone shipments were up 88.7% over the first quarter last year to 35.1 million units, giving Apple 23% of the smartphone market in the first quarter compared to Google’s 59% share.

“The popularity of Android and iOS stems from a combination of factors that the competition has struggled to keep up with,” IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said in a statement. “Neither Android nor iOS were the first to market with some of these features, but the way they made the smartphone experience intuitive and seamless has quickly earned a massive following.”

Shipments of smartphones powered by Nokia’s forsaken Symbian OS dropped 60.6% to 10.4 million units, and BlackBerry shipments slid 29.7% to 9.7 million units in the first quarter. IDC’s figures place Symbian’s market share at an all-time low of 6.8%, and BlackBerry trailed narrowly with 6.4%.

Nokia’s Lumia devices helped Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform achieve narrow gains in the first quarter, though the market outgrew it once again. IDC shows that combined shipments of Windows Phone and Windows Mobile handsets grew from 2.6 million units in the first quarter last year to 3.3 million units in the first quarter of 2012, but Microsoft’s share of the global market fell from 2.6% to 2.2% year-on-year.

IDC’s full press release follows below.

Following a report that Apple is currently testing multiple next-generation iPhone prototypes with a taller Retina display, images of a purported front panel from an unreleased iOS device may provide further evidence that Apple is working on a new iPhone with a larger display. MacRumors on Tuesday published two images of what its unnamed source claims to be the front panel from an upcoming refreshed iPod touch. The opening for the display panel is taller than the one on Apple’s current iPod touch, measuring 4.1 inches diagonally. If the part is authentic, it suggests that the next iPod touch — and Apple’s upcoming sixth-generation iPhone — will include a larger Retina display. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters both reported last week that Apple plans to release a new iPhone this year with a display that measures at least 4 inches. Another image of the purported iPod touch front panel follows below.

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Apple’s next-generation iPhone will feature an upgraded high-definition Retina display, according to a report published on Tuesday morning. Without stating where its information came from, 9to5Mac on Tuesday reports that Apple is still testing multiple potential designs for the next-generation iPhone, which BGR reported will launch this fall. The site claims that Apple is still testing several new iPhone models enclosed in locked shells, and at least one of these potential new iPhones includes an upgraded 640 x 1,136-pixel Retina display that measures 3.95 inches diagonally.

With an aspect ratio of close to 16:9, the new Retina display is said to be the same width as the current model but taller, and Apple is reportedly toying with adding a fifth row of icons to the home screen in a version of iOS 6 that could be exclusive to the new iPhone in order to take advantage of the new display real estate.

Beyond potentially posing issues for app developers, the site’s claims contradict earlier reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, which stated that Apple has already placed orders with its suppliers for new display panels that will be included in the next iPhone. If the Cupertino, California-based company is still testing different displays, panel orders could not yet have been placed.

BGR exclusively reported this past December that a completely redesigned iPhone will launch this fall with a new antenna system and an aluminum case.

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Apple’s iPhone 3GS was unveiled nearly 3 years ago in June 2009, and some found its familiar styling and modest hardware upgrades to be disappointing. The handset went on to be Apple’s best-selling smartphone until its successor launched the following year, and the iPhone 4 would be Apple’s best-selling iPhone until the iPhone 4S launched last year and drove the biggest quarter in Apple’s history. The iPhone 3GS will be 3 years and 3 generations old when Apple’s sixth iPhone is unveiled later this year, but one analyst believes the Cupertino, California based company is ready to breathe new life into the handset.

According to Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek, Apple has signed a deal with a “major global distributor” that will target emerging markets around the globe by making the iPhone 3GS available as a less expensive prepaid phone. The analyst doesn’t provide much detail surrounding the deal in his note to clients, though he does believe the wholesale cost of Apple’s third-generation iPhone will drop from $375 to the $200 to $250 range.

Ever the Apple bull, Jefferies also upped its iPhone estimates for the June quarter while the rest of Wall Street panics and Apple’s stock price tumbles. Misek wrote that firms aren’t properly accounting for iPhone production in Hon Hai’s new Brazil plant, and he believes Apple will build between 28 million and 30 million iPhones this quarter, ahead of the Street’s estimates, which range from 26 million to 28 million units on average.

Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone may be one of the last products unveiled by the Cupertino, California-based technology giant that was designed by Steve Jobs. The company’s late co-founder and chief executive worked very closely on the retooled iPhone before his untimely passing last October, Bloomberg reports. The news organization also reiterates earlier claims that the next-generation iPhone will feature a larger display than the 3.5-inch panel utilized by its predecessors. BGR exclusively reported last year that Apple plans to launch a completely redesigned iPhone this fall that features a new antenna system and a new case, likely comprised of glass and aluminum. Apple’s sixth iPhone is also expected to include a larger 4-inch display and 4G LTE connectivity.

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Some believe Siri is a driving force behind Apple’s record-breaking iPhone 4S sales, but not everyone is impressed with the Cupertino, California-based company’s virtual assistant. Apple’s TV ads depict Siri as an impressive, fast-acting feature that intelligently offers help or information in responds to a wide range of and commands. A number of users have found that Siri is not as helpful as Apple leads consumers to believe, however, and the company has been hit with a number of lawsuits as a result.

Apple was sued in March by a New York man, Frank Fazio, who alleges that Apple’s Siri commercials are misleading and deceptive. “On many of Apple’s television advertisements, individuals are shown using Siri to make appointments, find restaurants, and even learn the guitar chords to classic rock songs or how to tie a tie,” Fazio’s complaint reads. “In the commercials, all of these tasks are done with ease with the assistance of the iPhone 4S’s Siri feature, a represented functionality contrary to the actual operating results and performance of Siri.”

Apple’s recommendation to Fazio: buy a different phone.

While Fazio and the rest of the plaintiffs named in the suit were quick to complain, Apple points out that none of them bothered to make use of Apple’s 30-day return policy and purchase a different phone. Apple also makes sure to point out that the iPhone 4S launch was its most successful iPhone launch ever.

“[The plaintiffs] offer only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of their alleged—and highly individualized—disappointment with Siri,” Apple attorneys stated on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported. “Tellingly, although Plaintiffs claim they became dissatisfied with Siri’s performance “soon after” purchasing their iPhones, they made no attempt to avail themselves of Apple’s 30-day return policy or one-year warranty—which remains in effect.”

The statement continued, “Instead, they seek to take an alleged personal grievance about the purported performance of a popular product and turn it into a nationwide class action under California’s consumer protection statutes. The Complaint does not come close to meeting the heavy burden necessary to sustain such claims.”

Apple’s lawyers have asked the Northern District court in Oakland, California to dismiss the class-action lawsuit.

Sprint’s costly $15.5 billion gamble on Apple’s iPhone won’t pay off until 2015, according to CEO Dan Hesse. At that time, however, the iPhone will be “quite profitable,” and the company is “very happy” with the deal despite conflicting reports, AllThingsD said. Hesse sees the iPhone as a long-term investment that will slow subscriber defections and attract new customers. “We believe in the long term,” the CEO said. “And over time we will make more money on iPhone customers than we will on other customers.” Sprint sold 1.5 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2012, and while the number doesn’t approach AT&T or Verizon’s sales, 44% of Sprint’s iPhone sales were made to new customers.

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Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone handset will reportedly feature a larger display that measures “at least 4 inches diagonally.” Mirroring numerous earlier reports, The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday cited multiple anonymous sources in claiming that Apple’s next iPhone will include a new larger display. The Journal adds that panel orders have been placed, however, and that Apple has tasked LG Display, Sharp and Japan Display with supplying the new screens. A recent report claimed the next-generation iPhone would utilize the same 3.5-inch screen found on Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, however multiple earlier reports suggested that the new iPhone will finally receive a larger 4-inch Retina display and 4G LTE compatibility. BGR exclusively reported in December that Apple will launch a completely redesigned iPhone this fall that will include a redesigned antenna system, likely alongside a new aluminum case and 4-inch display.

UPDATE: Reuters independently confirmed The Journal’s claims with its own sources in a report Wednesday morning.

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Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said in a note to investors on Tuesday that Apple has reduced iPhone orders by between 20% to 25% from the 35.1 million units the company shipped in the March quarter. Wu now expects shipments of between 26 million and 28 million iPhones, lower than the Street’s consensus of between 30 million and 31 million units. The analyst also noted that Apple has an estimated 8.6 million iPhones in channel inventory, 2.6 million of which were added in the most recent quarter, allowing the Cupertino-based company to achieve supply-demand balance of between four to six weeks.

“From our understanding, the reason for the reduction is not demand related but rather due to the upcoming 6th generation iPhone refresh likely in the September-October timeframe,” Wu explained. “It appears that AAPL is opting to be conservative with its suppliers to factor in a potential 2-quarter pause ahead of the refresh and also to manage inventory. We believe this helps explain why its June quarter guidance was somewhat more conservative.”

The analyst went on to state that the opposite is occurring with Apple’s iPad tablet, which is seeing increased build plans. Shipments of the device were previously held back due to supply constraints on its new Retina Display, although it has been “greatly improved with an additional supplier.” Wu believes that this will help Apple to better meet the strong demand for its iPad.

For the June quarter, Wu reduced his iPhone forecast from 28 million units to 27 million, and raised iPad shipment expectations from 14 million to 15 million units. Due to improved iPad profitability, the analyst is increasing his gross margin assumption from 42.5% to 43.5% and forecasting $36.1 billion in revenue and $10.16 in EPS. Wu reiterated his Buy rating on shares of Apple stock, as well as his $780 price target.

Research In Motion recently gave the world a preview of its next-generation BlackBerry 10 software. While investors weren’t terribly impressed with RIM’s efforts and the company’s stock took a hit, developers and users alike were intrigued by several features shown off by the struggling smartphone maker. One such feature is the predictive text implementation in BlackBerry 10, which places word predictions on keys expected to be in the user’s path as he or she types on a smartphone’s virtual keyboard. A swipe upward on a key containing a word prediction will input the word. While BlackBerry users will likely have to wait until the fourth quarter to begin enjoying RIM’s new text input system, iPhone users can enjoy a reproduction of the technology now. iDownloadBlog recently unearthed a new system tweak called Octopus Keyboard in Cydia, the unauthorized third-party app store for jailbroken iOS devices. Though still in beta, the free app does a good job mimicking RIM’s predictive text mechanism, and a video showcasing the implementation can be viewed below.

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