Commentary: The hardware is fine, and so is the service. But if your iPhone ever needs replacing, watch out.

(Credit: Google)

Although there’s growing evidence that Apple will introduce larger iPhones sometime this year, I’m keeping the promise I made last year. I need and want a phone with a larger screen — now, not later — and for me, that means an Android model. (No offense, Windows Phone fans: I simply don’t like the hardware and especially don’t like the OS.)

After a lot of testing and investigating, I decided the (more…)

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

iPhone and iPad users searching for Nokia’s Here Maps app in the App Store will come up empty.

Nokia removed its maps app from Apple ‘s store earlier this week seemingly over problems related to iOS 7. Trying to access the app through the App Store now returns an error that it’s no longer available. Nokia didn’t reveal the specific causes for the app’s ouster but did send (more…)

Apple 's iPhone 5S.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Consumers who buy the iPhone 5S from Apple ‘s online store now have to wait just a day or less before it ships.

The new wait time of “within 24 hours” applies to all capacities and flavors of the 5S, both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi+Cellular through AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. The unlocked version through T-Mobile shows a ship time of one to three business days, (more…)

Apple 's iPhone 5S.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Consumers who buy the iPhone 5S from Apple ‘s online store now have to wait just a day or less before it ships.

The new wait time of “within 24 hours” applies to all capacities and flavors of the 5S, both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi+Cellular through AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. The unlocked version through T-Mobile shows a ship time of one to three business days, (more…)

Apple 's iPhone 5C lineup.

(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

The iPhone 5C has lured almost half of its users from Samsung, LG, and other rival smartphone makers, according to research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

Many Apple analysts and watchers expected the company to launch a truly low-cost international iPhone . But even with a starting price of $99 on contract and a full price of $549, the 5C still (more…)

Apple 's iPhone 5S and 5C lineup.

(Credit: Apple )

The new iPhones have apparently convinced only a small percentage of iPhone 5 owners to upgrade.

Polling 400 US phone customers that activated an iPhone between September 20 and October 20, research firm CIRP found that only 6 percent of iPhone 5 owners jumped to an 5S or 5C. In contrast, 12 percent of iPhone 4S owners had upgraded to the iPhone 5 over (more…)

Editors’ note: This story was originally published on September 20, 2013 at 12:13 PM PDT. It has been updated throughout. (Credit: Apple )

Apple is getting its A7 processor from Samsung, as expected.

By “decapping” the A7, Chipworks has verified that the A7 is manufactured by Samsung.

“Internal shots revealed the A7 to be made by Samsung,” said iFixit, which has been working hand in hand with Chipworks (more…)

(Credit: CNET)

Apple seems to be doing a good job at wooing customers away from other mobile platforms, at least according to a survey conducted by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

In a report summarized on Monday by Fortune, CIRP found that 20 percent of Apple iPhone buyers between July 2012 and June 2013 jumped ship from an Android phone. Drilling down further, only 7 percent of Samsung smartphone buyers (more…)

A new model every week. New updates all the time. New prepaid carrier options. Stop the insanity!

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

There are days when it’s so challenging to be a technology writer, I can only imagine what it’s like to be a technology consumer.

For example, and I’m just ballparking here, there are some 37,000 smartphones you can buy today. Whoops, hang on, just got a press release from HTC; make (more…)