Hey all,
Today's news has more iPhone 4 updates (of course), some good news from AT&T (for once), and a potential problem for Apple via Locations services (go figure). (The parentheses seemed like a good idea at the time.) At any rate, read on the find out a little bit more about a lot of cool stuff!
Face Time=No Minutes
Just as a clarification, Apple has issued a statement about Face Time calls: while the initial call is placed over the cellular network, as soon as you tap the Face Time button the call is transferred to Wi-Fi.
So...you've got to plan these video chats out, people! AT&T can't have any data hogs streaming video on the go, taking up their bandwidth! We suppose we should feel lucky that the feature exists at all--and we do, really--but making sure you're in range of a wireless network means spontaneity will have to take a back seat. We say it's a good trade off for now, especially considering our next tidbit...
AT&T and Verizon Join Forces
On the Wi-Fi front at least. Customers might not see the benefits of this tenuous alliance at first but rest assured it will be great! The wireless companies have joined the Wireless Broadband Alliance, or WBA as it's affectionately known, and will now be able to offer each other's wireless networks to smartphone users in lieu of cellular service. They're getting rid of username and password authentication in an attempt and ease network strain across the board. Good work, guys! We are all for the spirit of camaraderie and we don't generally expect it from our cell carriers!
It's Apple's Turn!
With the almost constant brouhaha over privacy lately it was inevitable that Apple would, at some point, come under the microscope: that point is here and now. Monday, Apple appended its privacy policy to allow collection of personal information via Locations Services, and although there is an easy to access and operate privacy menu we're sure that someone will blow up over this!
i0S4 lists every app that wants to use your location information and makes you allow that access each and every time. The real issue seems to be whether Apple is still tracking you when Locations is turned off, where they keep the data they collect and for how long. Police and emergency workers can use it, sure, but that's vulnerable data we're talking about here, and we're hoping Apple provides a good example for the rest of the internet!
Are you a Locations junkie? Tell us on Twitter!
Till tomorrow, Newsies...
