iPhone Cafe

Evidence of a next-generation iPhone model has been found in the latest version of the iPhone’s firmware. Mac Rumors notes that a string in the USBDeviceConfiguration.plist file contains information for a device labeled “iPhone2,1,” while the original iPhone carried the designation “iPhone 1,1” and the iPhone 3G was labeled “iPhone 1,2.” For comparison, the first-generation iPod touch was labeled “iPod 1,1” while the second-generation model is labeled “iPod 2,1” due to its significant hardware differences such as volume buttons, an internal speaker, and integrated Nike+iPod support. The existence of a next-generation iPhone is further supported by the appearance of a device labeled “iPhone 2,1” appearing in a developer’s PinchMedia ad serving reports, suggesting that Apple is currently testing the device for a near-term release.

Apple has rocketed to the top of the US sales-charts with their iPhone 3G. According to NPD, Apple has seen its iPhone 3G become the No. 2 best-selling handset in the US. Motorola’s RAZR V3 still takes top billing as the overall best-selling mobile phone in the US.
Researchers also confirmed that one in three iPhone 3G purchasers switched from other carriers to join AT&T, suggesting that network’s subscriber numbers will have seen a hefty bump, particularly as it now seems extremely likely Apple has exceeded its stated sales target for the device.

The iPhone 3G has also managed to clench a solid 17% of the US smartphone market. Thanks to the brisk sales numbers that helped the iPhone 3G become the No. 2 best-selling handset in the US, the iPhone 3G became the top-selling smartphone in the US since its launch. The smartphone, iPhone 3G, has outpaced the likes of the Blackberry Curve, Blackberry Pearl, and Palm Centro.

The outage with AT&T which is the exclusive U.S. provider for Apple’s iPhone appeared to have begun early this morning affecting both 3G and EDGE connections. Voice calls were still possible, but web surfing and e-mail were not. Most of the outage reports came from iPhone users. However, the issue appears not to be exclusive to iPhones, affecting other devices such as BlackBerries and N95s. The reported outages were in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and as far west as Illinois and Missouri.

By noon service had been restored though service is still sluggish in some areas. AT&T confirmed the outage stating that it was affecting many cities and that it was a routing issue where traffic was being routed incorrectly.

MegaFon, Russia’s third largest mobile phone operator announced today it has signed a distribution agreement with Apple Inc. This is considered a enormous win for iPhone as Russia is one of the largest markets for iPhones outside the United States. This announcement comes just days after Vimpelcom said it had reached agreement with Apple on selling the iPhone in Russia.

Apple is expecting to sell 3.5 million iPhones in Russia over the next two years. Once these carriers begin their sales, this will mark the first time the iPhone is officially available for sale in Russia.

It appears that most of Canada’s iPhone users seem to prefer just using the multimedia device for simply talking. Despite all the complaints over the cost of using the new, faster iPhone, it appears its owners don’t seem too be using the iPhone to its full potential with web surfing, sending photos, watching videos or listening to music. Rogers Wireless recently said that just 1.2 per cent of users of the touchscreen iPhone ate up more than one gigabyte of data in the first four weeks after it went on sale July 11.

While the vast majority have been modest data users, only one iPhone user went over the six-gigabyte data allotment.

For some reason they have yet tapped into the multimedia-rich capabilities of the device and don’t seem to be in a hurry to find out more about it’s capabilities.