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Apple: iPhone 5s and 5c Sales Top 9 Million Over Opening Weekend, 200 Million Devices Updated To iOS 7

This morning, Apple issued a press release announcing that the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c have sold more than 9 million units in their first three days of sales after launching on Friday in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK. Apple has also announced that iOS 7, released last Wednesday, has already been installed on over 200 million iOS devices (of the over 700 million that, according to Apple, have been sold to date).

This is our best iPhone launch yet―more than nine million new iPhones sold―a new record for first weekend sales,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly. We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone.

9 million units sold over the opening weekend is a new record for the company. Last year, Apple announced that the iPhone 5 topped 5 million sales over the opening weekend, with 100 million devices updated to iOS 6. In 2011, Apple sold 4 million iPhone 4S units in the first weekend, and, in 2010, they sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 units.

The iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, and iOS 7 launched to positive reviews that mentioned the solid hardware construction and Touch ID feature on the new iPhones, and the modern design and new functionalities such as Control Center and improved multitasking for iOS 7. Both the iPhone 5s and 5c generated long lines at Apple retail stores around the globe, partially thanks to the lack of pre-orders for the iPhone 5s (for the iPhone 5c, there were online pre-orders, but Apple didn’t release official numbers).

Also of note in this year’s launch is the addition of China to the first round of countries, as well as the fact that, in today’s press release, there is no mention of a second round of countries. Apple also announced that ”over 11 million unique listeners have already tuned in to iTunes Radio since launch” with the most listened to song being “Hold On, We’re Going Home” by Drake.

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iOS 7: Tips, Tricks, and Details

iOS 7 is a major redesign of Apple’s mobile operating system that, alongside a fresh new look, comes with dozens of new features like Control Center, new multitasking, new Notification Center, and improved browsing experience in Safari. At the same time, together with all the most visible additions and user features, there are hundreds of details, tricks, and hidden functionalities that you can take advantage of to get more out of iOS 7.

At MacStories, we enjoy finding all the little gems that come with a brand new iOS version each year. In this post, you’ll find 100 tips, tricks, and details of iOS 7 that we’ve collected throughout the summer since the first beta release of iOS 7.

For more iOS 7 coverage, check out our news hub and Federico’s Living with iOS 7 article. Read more

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Living with iOS 7

iOS 7, released today, is a deep reimagination of Apple’s mobile platform: using familiarity and the need for a reset as catalysts, iOS 7 represents Apple’s attempt to make iOS ready for the future. iOS 7 is, effectively, the epitome of a large company that knows it’s time to get rid of cruft and inconsistencies to bring a new order to a platform that has grown exponentially in the past five years. For developers, iOS 7 brings powerful new tools that will allow for a new generation of more flexible, intelligent, and versatile apps. iOS 7 is not perfect: there are rough spots and some wrong assumptions, but it’s not flawed or, as many will argue in the next few weeks, a “mistake”. It would be extremely silly and shortsighted to judge iOS 7 by the look of its application icons or the gradients Apple has decided to use on some graphics. More than any other Apple product, iOS 7 isn’t just defined but how it looks: iOS 7’s new look is devoted to functionality – to how things work.

It’s difficult for me to offer a comprehensive review of iOS 7 today, because I have only been able to test a fraction of the third-party apps I will use on a daily basis with my iPhone and iPad mini. Mirroring the concept of “design is how it works”, I would say that, for me, iOS isn’t just how Apple’s apps work on it – it’s increasingly become about how apps from third-party developers can take advantage of it.

I have been running iOS 7 on my iPhone 5 since Apple released the first beta in June. I later installed the OS on my iPad mini, and have been working with an iOS 7-only setup ever since. As MacStories readers know, I primarily work from my iOS devices, which helped me get a good idea of how iOS 7 will change the way I write, take photos, respond to emails, listen to music and podcasts, and all the other things that I use iOS for.[1] Fortunately, I had the chance to test a good amount of third-party apps that solidified my thoughts on iOS 7 and the way it impacts my digital life and workflow.

It was also hard to get ahold of fellow iOS 7 users in my town. While I imagine that it would be easier to come across a nerd running an iOS 7 beta at a bar in San Francisco, I didn’t have much luck in Viterbo, Italy. I tested new features like AirDrop – which allows you to share files and information locally with other iOS 7 devices – with my iPhone and iPad, and, in the past week, managed to convince my girlfriend to install iOS 7 on her iPhone.

I needed to provide this context: my livelihood directly depends on iOS and how I can work from my iPhone and iPad without having to use my Mac. Therefore, if you’re looking for a list of new features and smaller details of iOS 7 (and there are many), bookmark this article. My “review” of iOS 7 will focus on my thoughts on the update, how it made my iPhone and iPad better devices, and what I believe iOS’ future will be going forward.
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Instacast 4: Revamped for iOS 7

While Instacast 3 had a bumpy start, in time it matured into a solid app. Not only were the kinks worked out, but the new syncing engine enabled Vemedio to later launch a brand new version of Instacast for Macs running Mountain Lion. Together, this makes Instacast one of only three apps that can sync and play podcasts across desktops and iOS devices (the other two being Apple’s Podcasts + iTunes, and Downcast).

Intacast 4 is by far Vemedio’s best version of Instacast yet, and it’s a free update to those who’ve already purchased Instacast 3. Not only has the app been updated to adopt the look and feel of Apple’s translucency and flat iconography, it’s been significantly improved with the introduction of a sidebar and simpler now playing controls. Significant sounds funny, especially in light of a sidebar, but it makes Instacast much easier to navigate, less cluttered, and all around much more friendly to newcomers. Read more

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OmniFocus 2 for iPhone: Background Sync and a Bold Redesign

When I pictured what OmniFocus 2 for the iPhone would look like on iOS 7, I pictured simplified monotone icons in a table-view structure that the app has had since it was first released. The reason is probably because when I think of OmniFocus I think of powerful and quality software, however a bold interface is not a characteristic that would ever come to mind. When I opened OmniFocus 2 for the first time, I was shocked. Not to sound dramatic – I did not fall out of my chair – but it honestly took me a few seconds to absorb what I was looking at. Read more

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Pocket Casts for iOS 7 Review

Pocket Casts 4

Pocket Casts 4

Over the years, I’ve moved my podcast subscriptions to different apps to see which one would fit my listening habits and needs better. I have tried Instacast, Downcast, even Apple’s free Podcasts client with iTunes sync for a while, but never settled on a specific solution for more than six months. The possibility to export a set of subscriptions as OPML to other apps makes it easy to switch, just like it is simple to move RSS feeds from one client to another. But while I have remained loyal to Reeder and Mr. Reader for years now, I’ve never been able to stick with a podcast client for too long. Every time I tried a new app I would say that it was going to be the one for me, but then I encountered an issue, or perhaps a feature was added to a competitor – and I was back exporting my OPML subscription list and relocating to another home.

For the past month, I’ve been testing Pocket Casts 4, developed by the Australian team of Shifty Jelly. Pocket Casts 4 has been approved by Apple, and it will be released on the App Store as soon as Apple will flip the switch for iOS 7 apps on iTunes. Pocket Casts 4 is a Universal app sold at $3.99, and it’s a free upgrade for existing owners of Pocket Casts 3.

While I recognize that I tend to be some kind of an app nomad when it comes to podcast clients, Pocket Casts 4 has some excellent features that work for the way I like to listen to podcasts and organize them. Read more

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AroundMe Gets Redesign For iOS 7

Created by Italian developer Marco Pifferi, AroundMe has long been one of my favorite location-based apps for the iPhone and iPad. In fact, AroundMe is one of the oldest iOS apps I own, as Pifferi always supported the app through the years with free updates and additions that took advantage of Apple’s new OSes and features. With a simple interface and feature set, AroundMe allowed you to easily find nearby places (bars, restaurants, hospitals, hotels, etc) with a rich database and built-in directions for Maps and Google Maps.

AroundMe’s version 7.0, released this week, brings a completely redesigned UI and animations that make the app ready for iOS 7, which is officially coming out on Wednesday. Read more

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#MacStoriesDeals - Friday

On the heals of iOS 7 and new iPhones, here are some great #MacStoriesDeals! You can find us as @MacStoriesDeals on Twitter.

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Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;

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Should You Buy the iPhone 5c or the iPhone 5s? A Helpful Recommendation Guide

On September 10th, 2013, Apple introduced two new iPhones: iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s. The iPhone 5c comes in an array of colors, is made of polycarbonate, and is marketed as an everyday fun phone. Apple’s flagship model, the iPhone 5s, is made of premium materials like glass and aluminum, and is presented as a phone that showcases upcoming technologies that will eventually become standard. This guide is designed to help you choose the phone that’s right for you.

If you currently have the iPhone 5, don’t worry. The latest technologies announced with the iPhone 5s will still be there in Apple’s next flagship phone with refinements and mature apps that take advantage of it all. Wait another year if you’re locked into a two year contract.

If you have the iPhone 4S or an earlier model, and you’re near the end of your two year contract, it’s time to upgrade.

While the following advice is specific to those living in the United States, mainly due to pricing and availability, much of the advice is applicable worldwide. Read more

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