MobileCrunch |  |
- W3i Suggests iOS Developers Use MAC Address As UDID Replacement
- Nokia Devises U.S. Strategy, But Can They Pull It Off?
- Judge: No Stickers Or Posters About Health Risks In San Fran Cell Phone Shops
- Pictured: The (Ridiculous) BlackBerry Porsche P’9981
- The iPhone 4S Has Been Jailbroken
- The King Has Fallen: Samsung Dethrones Apple As Smartphone Leader
| W3i Suggests iOS Developers Use MAC Address As UDID Replacement Posted: 28 Oct 2011 11:03 AM PDT  Mobile app monetization and distribution network W3i is announcing the results of its tests to determine whether or not an iPhone’s MAC address can serve as a replacement to the UDID (the unique device identifier), which Apple is phasing out as a way for developers to track an app’s users. According to W3i, developers can and should begin tracking the iPhone’s MAC address as a UDID alternative, as it has successfully seen Apple approve its own application where this is the case. Unfortunately, this advice is arguably premature. Apple may let slip a single app, but if a large number of iOS developers began doing the same (tracking the MAC addresses, that is), Apple may certainly change its position on the matter. For background, in August, Erick reported how Apple sneaked a major change into iOS5: it was deprecating developer access to the UDID. The UDID, an alphanumeric string unique to each Apple device, has been used by mobile ad networks, game networks, analytics providers, developers and app testing systems like TestFlight. In some cases, developers used the UDID to verify whether users were accessing their app from a new device or as a way to track users across apps. Since that change was revealed, companies have been scrambling to come up with workarounds. OpenFeint announced its UDID replacement OFUID. AppsFire proposed an open source solution called OpenUDID. And now W3i is suggesting developers use the iPhone’s MAC address – specifically the MAC address of the device’s Wi-Fi network interface. The MAC address, also a unique identifier, is used for communications on a physical network segment. What W3i wanted to determine was whether or not that address could be reliably captured across multiple device types and with different configurations (e.g., airplane mode, Wi-Fi off or on, not in range, etc.) Using its proprietary app, AppAllStar, which was submitted and approved on October 5th, W3i collected 78,662 MAC addresses from 10/5 to 10/22, representing 100% of the installs across iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices. The app was also resubmitted during that time (on Oct. 1oth) to correct some non-test related errors. In both cases, the company says it placed the code at a very high level while also naming the classes appropriately. W3i, however, did find that 33 devices had a duplicated MAC address, which W3i thinks may indicate either jailbroken or knock-off devices. A subset of those had spoofed UDIDs as well. The data on where the duplicates were located is interesting. China and the Netherlands each had 9 duplicates, Italy had 5, Spain 3, Saudi Arabia 2, and Singapore, the U.S., Australia, Czech Republic and India each had 1. Based on these findings, W3i is now recommending that developers begin collecting and storing Wi-Fi MAC addresses with the associated UDID and modify the application logic to use both UDID and the Wi-Fi MAC address. Of course, all this advice may be worthless in the long run. A test involving a single application is by no means definitive proof that this is something Apple would allow on a larger scale. After all, considering that the removal of developer access to the UDID was intended to better respect user privacy, simply allowing developers to switch to a second unique ID would violate the spirit of Apple’s decision, if not the actual terms.
   |
| Nokia Devises U.S. Strategy, But Can They Pull It Off? Posted: 28 Oct 2011 10:12 AM PDT  Nokia’s new Windows Phones won’t hit our shores for at least a few more months, but Nokia’s top brass is already hard at work devising their strategy for cracking the U.S. market. According to Digits, Weber and Nokia are looking to attract first-time smartphone users who feel overwhelmed by other options on the market, and don’t want to pay a princely sum for a new device. It’s a logical strategy, but one that’s very easy to botch. Without the proper focus, these new Nokia devices may succumb to the fate as old ones. To get an idea of how rough Nokia has it right now, let’s take a quick look at their spot in the U.S. landscape. Nokia has always been a company with a wide array of product lines, but they’ve tried that approach in the U.S. and it hasn’t worked in years. Seriously, go to your nearest phone store or big-box retailer and look for the Nokia phones. You’ll probably find a handful, but nothing that’s more robust than a QWERTY-packing text machine or a sluggish touchscreener. That’s the space that Nokia occupies here and now: low-end phones that wouldn’t make a potential customer blink twice. Simply put, these Windows Phones will be the first high-profile Nokia launches in years, and Nokia needs to nail it. Here are a few thoughts that may help them win the day. Consolidate And Conquer: If anything, Microsoft’s OS helps out here — unlike Android which pops up on what seems like 50 phones a month, Windows Phone only ever goes to a select few. Should Nokia concentrate on pushing out a few great phones at great prices, they’ve got a better chance at making their mark than if they go with the shotgun approach. Not to mention that by focusing on fewer handsets, each device gets a bigger slice of the advertising budget. Awareness is key here, and it’s been quite a while since Nokia has enjoyed any in the States. Focus On The Salespeople: How can Nokia prepare for a strong launch? By making nice with retailers and their staff — if they don’t care, then a fair number of potential customers won’t either. The more aware salespeople are of Nokia’s Windows Phones and what they have to offer, the more likely they are to come up in the middle of a sale. HP, for example, gave rooms of salespeople free Veer 4Gs to get people comfortable with them. Sure, the device didn’t last long in general, but I daresay Veers made it to more customers because of that stunt since salespeople had a better understanding of the Veer’s capabilities and intended niche. I’m not saying Nokia has to give away their hardware, but training events and outreach efforts can only help retail execution. A big retail push is also critical because Nokia’s biggest competition in the smartphone space probably comes from the iPhone. Both companies position themselves as offering elegant smartphone solutions, so the more salespeople are aware of iPhone alternatives (especially aggressively priced ones), the more likely it is to get a nod in front of a customer. Forgive me if I sound extra-bullish here, but Nokia’s new handsets (specifically the Lumia 800) are the first that have made me yearn for a Windows Phone. I’m certainly not a run-of-the-mill user, but I don’t think that appeal ends with me. It may well be the right software in the right package at the right time. But unless Nokia makes these next few months count, it may not matter.
  |
| Judge: No Stickers Or Posters About Health Risks In San Fran Cell Phone Shops Posted: 28 Oct 2011 09:21 AM PDT  While the debate is still ablaze over whether cell phones actually cause damage to the brain and/or body, San Francisco recently lost patience and went ahead passing legislation requiring cell phone shops to display posters that warn customers of the potential risks their beloved cell phones may impose. Along with the posters, retailers would also be required to put warning stickers on window displays, as well as hand out fact sheets to customers. But, in predictable fashion, the CTIA has filed a lawsuit opposing the ordinance (just like it so successfully did the last time San Fran tried to pass the bill). This time around, the judge seems to side more with the CTIA than the city, giving a firm “No” to the sticker and poster ideas, while revising the fact sheet with his own edits. According to Judge William Alsup, “the overall impression left [by the fact sheet] is that cell phones are dangerous and that they have somehow escaped the regulatory process. That impression is untrue," he wrote. Though all the facts are true, Judge Alsup still feels it’s necessary to make a couple changes, including the addition of a note about the FCC: “Although all cell phones sold in the United States must comply with RF safety limits set by the FCC, no safety study has ever ruled out the possibility of human harm from RF exposure." The amended fact sheet must be given to each customer who purchases a phone. As far as those posters and stickers go, Alsup definitely isn’t on board. With regards to the posters, he said they are “not reasonably necessary and would unduly intrude on the retailers' wall space,” while the stickers would “unduly intrude upon the retailers' own message,” reports MacWorld.
  |
| Pictured: The (Ridiculous) BlackBerry Porsche P’9981 Posted: 28 Oct 2011 07:53 AM PDT  I promise I’ll stop harping on RIM for a while, but I couldn’t resist — the BlackBerry Porsche P’9981‘s product page has gone live, and it affords us several new looks at the silliest-looking RIM device in recent memory. One thing I neglected to mention yesterday is that users of the Porsche P’9981 are issued a special PIN that begins with “2AA.” It’s digital elitism at it’s worst, given that most people won’t be able to pick up on what’s so special about it. After having slept on it and seeing these pictures, I actually find myself hating the Porsche P’9981 just a little less. It’s actually sort of handsome from the back and sides, but man — the face just seems amazingly gaudy. I think the keyboard is really what kills me, since it seems to put style ahead of usability. A handful of comments and tweets yesterday accused me of not “getting it,” and it’s with great consternation that I admit that I absolutely don’t. Okay, I’m done. Back to business as usual, everyone.
  |
| The iPhone 4S Has Been Jailbroken Posted: 28 Oct 2011 07:16 AM PDT  Listen up, fanboys, because this is one you won’t want to miss. The iPhone 4S has been officially jailbroken. iClarified reports that the iPhone Dev-Team found a way to get Cydia running on both the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2, though the jailbreak is “VERY preliminary.” There are still big pieces missing and plenty of work left to do, so unfortunately the jailbreak won’t be released to the public. Luckily, we can at least get a peek from this video. For the uninitiated, Cydia lets users browse and install unofficial apps on their iDevice. MuscelNerd, the lead developer of the iPhone Dev-Team, says this is a userland exploit that occurs after iBoot is out of the picture. Check out the video below, where you can see the iPad 2 running Cydia: Started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has expanded from computers to consumer electronics over the last 30 years, officially changing their name from Apple Computer, Inc. to Apple, Inc. in January 2007. Among the key offerings from Apple’s product line are: Pro line laptops (MacBook Pro) and desktops (Mac Pro), consumer line laptops (MacBook) and desktops (iMac), servers (Xserve), Apple TV, the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server operating systems, the iPod (offered with...
  |
| The King Has Fallen: Samsung Dethrones Apple As Smartphone Leader Posted: 28 Oct 2011 05:45 AM PDT  Before the Samsung Galaxy Nexus even goes on sale, Samsung has managed to take the lead against Apple to become the largest mobile phone maker by revenue in the third quarter of 2011. Nokia still holds the crown for mobile phone sales by volume, while Apple has dropped behind both to take the number three spot in terms of revenue. While Samsung didn’t release its exact numbers, the Guardian spoke to Daiwa Securities technology analyst Jae Lee, who estimates that Samsung sold around 28 million phones in the third quarter. In the same period, Apple only sold 17 million phones, though it’s a tough comparison to make since Apple releases one phone a year while Samsung releases quite a few more than that. With the help of the Samsung Galaxy S II no doubt, Samsung’s telecommunications business broke records this quarter with sales of 14.9 trillion won (US $13.5 billion), up 37 percent from last year. While declining to offer sales figures for handsets, a Samsung spokesperson said that smartphones sales had quadrupled from the previous quarter, with overall handset shipments increasing by more than 20 percent. Pulling from Gartner research, the Guardian calculates that 20 percent increase to be shipments of about 86 million handsets between July and September. All the while, Samsung is still wrapped up in a massive legal spat with Apple and has still managed to grab the crown. Hat tip to you, Samsung. Then again, Apple CEO Tim Cook has big plans for Apple’s upcoming quarter, predicting record iPhone and iPad sales. Only time will tell. Started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has expanded from computers to consumer electronics over the last 30 years, officially changing their name from Apple Computer, Inc. to Apple, Inc. in January 2007. Among the key offerings from Apple’s product line are: Pro line laptops (MacBook Pro) and desktops (Mac Pro), consumer line laptops (MacBook) and desktops (iMac), servers (Xserve), Apple TV, the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server operating systems, the iPod (offered with... Samsung is one of the largest super-multinational companies in the world. It’s possibly best known for it’s subsidiary, Samsung Electronics, the largest electronics company in the world.
  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from TechCrunch » Mobile To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
