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Verizon Not Yet Breaking a Sweat Over iPhone Traffic
Verizon’s network is doing fine under the additional strain of new iPhones, according to research performed by web application performance firm Compuware Gomez. In fact, Verizon’s mobile data performance is virtually the same as it was before the iPhone’s introduction.

Compuware Gomez performed data performance measurements for data performance on the Verizon network during the first four days of iPhone availability (Feb. 10-13). The iPhone went on sale at Verizon beginning Feb. 10, but pre-sales began on Feb. 3, and many customers had working iPhones in their hands by the time Feb. 10 arrived. Some estimates put Verizon iPhone pre-sales at as many as 500,000 units, and the number of users switching to Verizon from AT&T specifically for the iPhone are thought to be somewhere between 70 and 100,000. Verizon may not have seen the long lines on launch day many expected, but Compuware Gomez estimates that between 500,000 and 700,000 new iPhone users were accessing the Verizon network during its initial few days of availability. In theory, that could translate to increased demand, although that those numbers are spread out across the nation and include existing customers might mitigate the effect.

The wireless data performance analysis unit of Compuware Gomez gathers its data from a network of actual device end-users that numbers in the thousands, located across the U.S. These users provide everyday usage data that accurately reflects what the average Verizon iPhone owner would be experiencing in terms of browsing and page-load times, which is how the firm measures performance. Compuware CTO of APM Solutions Imad Mouline sums up the results:

We’re just four days in, but our measurements show that real-world data users on Verizon Wireless are experiencing no noticeable performance degradation due to the influx of new iPhone users on the network.

iPhone users have been shown to be data-hogs when it comes to mobile bandwidth (though Android users have recently been shown to be even more so), so it comes as a small surprise that Compuware found virtually no change (four-tenths of 1 percent) in performance following the Verizon iPhone’s introduction, as compared to a sample taken during a four-day period the week before. Verizon might just have a network that’s better equipped to handle rapid growth, or maybe the bandwidth throttling it’s using to limit network congestion is having the desired effect. Kevin predicted that the introduction of the iPhone wouldn’t significantly affect Verizon network performance, but it’s still quite early to make any definitive conclusions.

Obviously, it’s early days yet, but the results so far from Compuserve Gomez seem to indicate that Verizon is having a much better time handling iPhone customers than AT&T. We’ll see if that continues to be the case as Verizon’s share of the iPhone market continues to grow. Gene Munster, for example, sees sales of 1.5 million iPhones for this quarter, with many more to follow as the year proceeds. The strain on Verizon’s network could be just getting started.

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How to Get Turn-by-Turn Navigation on a MacBook Air
When choosing between a MacBook Air and an iPad 3G, you might think you’re giving up GPS if you go with the MacBook. That may not be entirely true, depending on what you want to do with GPS. There are plenty of Mac-friendly Bluetooth GPS receivers and data loggers that can provide both realtime and recorded GPS data to your MacBook Air.

The one I’ve been using most late is the Columbus v-900 Bluetooth Data Logger ($99 on Amazon). Once paired with your MacBook Air, you can track your movements, record waypoints, and even plan a route. Voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation with live, updated routes is also possible on a MacBook Air thanks to an application titled RouteBuddy.

Pairing Your Bluetooth GPS Receiver

As with all Bluetooth devices, paring with a Mac is straight forward and easy. Once this setup task is complete, the GPS receiver will be accessible to GPS-enabled software like RouteBuddy. To pair the Columbus V-900 GPS receiver (and most others, too), follow these simple steps:
1. From System Preferences, click on Bluetooth in the Internet & Wireless section.
2. Click on the “+” icon in the bottom left corner of the device list to add a new Bluetooth device.
3. Select the device from the list and click Continue.
4. Once paring is successful, click Quit.
Once pairing is established, you’ll have to access it through your software of choice, since OS X does not have the same CoreLocation service available to it as iOS does. And because connectivity to the receiver over Bluetooth happens via the serial interface, only one application at a time can access GPS information.

Making location available to RouteBuddy is easy. It just knows that a valid GPS receiver has been paired and turned on, and starts using it automatically upon launch.

RouteBuddy for Mac With Detailed Road Maps and a POI Database

RouteBuddy and its iOS companion app RouteBuddy Atlas are the perfect pair for planning and documenting a trip. The Mac version can do turn-by-turn navigation, and the iOS version focuses primarily on topographical maps and creating waypoints and tracks. The road maps that RouteBuddy uses are based on Tele Atlas mapping data, the same service that Google uses for its maps, and the one acquired by TomTom in 2007. Once you’ve purchased and installed RouteBuddy for Mac (currently on sale for $59) and the detailed road map of the United States (sold separately for $39), you’ll need to install and register your map with the software. Once complete, you’re ready to create your first navigable route:
1. Select two or more Waypoints that you want to create a route between.
2. From the Map menu, select the Create Route menu item.
3. Double-click on the resulting route to change the order of the destinations if more than two waypoints were selected.
4. Select the route you want to use from the drop down list of selections in the library on the left.
5. Click Start to begin your turn-by-turn navigation.
There are several other ways to create a route from within RouteBuddy, too. You can even connect to RouteBuddy Atlas (available for free from the App Store) on your iOS device via WebDav to access the waypoints and tracks you have recorded, and import them into RouteBuddy for Mac. When navigating, RouteBuddy will even recalculate the route if you don’t follow the turn-by-turn directions exactly, just like a dedicated GPS navigation device. The points of interest database is quite extensive, with over 4 million items. The smaller size of the MacBook Air’s screen makes it a perfect choice for use with RouteBuddy, but always remember to keep your eyes on the road, no matter what device you’re depending on to get from point A to point B.

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Apple's Calendar for the Next 6 Months
There are always rumors floating around about Apple’s next move, especially when it involves the iPhone and, more recently, the iPad. But what if we could see Apple’s calendar of what they intend to announce and release? Here’s an overview of what I imagine that calendar looks like for the next six months.

February

Public release of iOS 4.3. The latest beta of iOS 4.3 is beta 3, which has been available for around two weeks now. In the past, incremental upgrades to iOS have only had 3 betas before going to Gold Master (GM) and then on to the public release. I give it less than a week before we see the GM, and a couple of weeks after that, we’ll see the public release of 4.3. That puts the date around Feb. 28. Given there’s a press event rumored for this week, I’d say there’s a good chance the GM will be released then, with the public release date announced during the event.

March

MacBook Pro refresh. The MacBook Pro product cycle isn’t regular by any means, but the last major refresh was in April 2010. The average release rate for Apple’s portable Macs is between six months and a year, so March is a reasonable estimate. Plus, reports say supplies of the current MacBook Pros are dwindling, suggesting no more are currently being manufactured. There was a rumor that the recall of Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors may affect new Macs, but Apple may have worked something out or held off on introducing the new chip architecture.

April

New iPad model. The current iPad was released in April 2010 after a January announcement, but this time, Apple won’t want to wait around. The new version may not be called the “iPad 2,” but an announcement in April followed by a release a couple of weeks or so later is in the cards. Of course, there’s no hard evidence of the iPad receiving yearly updates like its iPhone cousin, but it’s reasonable to expect that it will given Apple’s practice with its other hardware. We’ve also seen a lot of rumors suggesting a new iPad is being manufactured at the moment. Feature-wise, the new iPad will likely contain at least one camera, for FaceTime. There are as many rumors saying it will have a Retina Display as there are ones saying it won’t, but I don’t think it will. The iPad’s current display already looks better than those of its competitors, so Apple likely won’t bother boosting its resolution this time around.

May

Developer beta of Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion). When the latest iteration of OS X was announced, a vague “Summer 2011″ was mentioned as the expected release date. But with any new operating system update, Apple always releases beta versions to developers. With an upgrade as major as 10.7, Apple will want as long a testing period as possible in order to iron out as many bugs as they can. The original 10.6 beta was released around May 2009, so this backs up a May release of the 10.7 beta. In addition to the features we’ve already seen — Launchpad and Mission Control — we’ll also see some other new things not yet announced. Perhaps Lion will also include Game Center, so Mac App Store apps can take advantage of Apple’s social gaming features.

June

New iPhone model. We’ve seen a new iPhone released every year since its debut in 2007, and there’s no reason to believe this year will be any different. In terms of features, the new iPhone may contain an Apple A5 processor, the successor to the A4 found in the current iPhone and iPad. The camera may also be improved to 8 megapixels, and the new model could support both GSM and CDMA in order to cater for both AT&T and Verizon on one device. The phone may also support up-and-coming 4G networks. The new iPhone will also likely ship with iOS 5, but what iOS 5 will bring to the game is anyone’s guess.

July

iMac and Mac mini refreshes. The latest generation of Apple’s all-in-one was released in July 2010, but the iMac product cycle varies, as with the MacBook Pros, so the date isn’t set in stone. A new line of iMacs will likely include the Intel Sandy Bridge processor, and should also include improved graphics processors. Perhaps new models may even be quad-core, like the current high-end model, as standard. Mac minis may also see a refresh, since they’re usually updated around the same time as the iMacs. Expect the public release of OS X Lion to coincide with new Mac hardware, and for both to occur shortly following this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).

Am I missing anything? Go ahead and suggest your own additions or alternate timelines in the comments.

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Apple's New Samsung Deal Could Keep Competitor Prices High
Apple is poised to strike a new deal with Samsung that will see Samsung, its sometime competitor, supply Apple with $7.8 billion worth of LCD panels, mobile processors, and NAND flash memory, according to a report in the Korea Economic Daily (via WSJ). The deal would make Apple Samsung’s single biggest customer.

It may seem odd that Apple would form such a close relationship with the maker of one the first and most lauded iPad competitors, the Android-powered Galaxy Tab. But actually, if the deal is legitimate, it’s a wise move designed to keep other competitors at bay and extend a long-standing supplier relationship that’s been incredibly beneficial to Apple over the years.

Samsung has long provided flash memory for Apple devices, including storage modules used in its iPod, iPhone and iPad devices. Samsung also provided Apple with displays for its current iPad, alongside fellow Apple competitor/supplier LG. Recent rumors suggest Apple may be ordering Super PLS displays from Samsung, which provide a higher maximum resolution (1280×800) and superior visibility when compared to the iPad’s current display.

Apple’s deal with Samsung could help it stay ahead of competitors (including Samsung) with regards to tablet price. Apple is known to use bulk component ordering to strain the capacity of its suppliers, making similar components hard to come by and more expensive for other manufacturers who are often looking to buy in smaller batches (which leads to a higher price per unit). Kevin recently talked in more detail about how and why Apple does this in his piece on the Motorola Xoom’s high price tag, which was reportedly going on sale for $1,200.

While it’s true Apple is incurring some risk by partnering with a rival on components for its devices, it takes steps to ensure those risks are minimal. Part orders typically go out only a few months in advance of a product launch, which keeps inventory storage costs down, but also means Samsung doesn’t have time to formulate a timely, strategic response to Apple’s product releases. By the time the Tab came to market, even though it was among the first, the iPad had firmly secured its place as the market leader.

Apple’s bulk orders also leave suppliers faced with the irresistible temptation of short-term gains, though they hamstring their ability to bring their own competitive products to market in accepting those gains. To deal with the size of Apple’s component demands, Samsung will have to put its own device plans on hold if it has to choose between the two, since there’s far less risk in a sure-fire sale of components than in betting on fickle consumers to purchase a fully-built product at retail. Of course, Apple ends up enjoying much higher per-unit margins on the sale of each iPad than Samsung did on the sale of each iPad display, but viewed objectively, Apple is the one shouldering the lion’s share of the risk, and it makes financial sense for weaker brands to continue to allow it to do so.

It’s risk Apple is uniquely positioned to take on as a consumer electronics manufacturer, owing to its reputation for quality and a devoted fan base, and the overall strength of its brand. The iPad 2 is pretty much guaranteed to be a success; no other tablet coming to market can make the same claim. As long as that remains the case, fostering large-scale, supply-side relationships with its biggest competitors is actually the best possible way for Apple to proceed, as counter-intuitive as it may sound.

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Apple Isn't at MWC, But Apple Is Everywhere at MWC
Apple doesn’t have to physically attend a trade show in order to loom over it like a thick, dense fog. CES and Macworld are prime examples, as is the Mobile World Congress (MWC), which runs Feb. 14-17 in Barcelona, Spain. Already at MWC, Apple’s presence is undeniable.

Samsung is a perfect example. At MWC, it unveiled a new tablet: the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Like many manufacturers, Samsung seems to be following Apple’s lead with the 10.1-inch form factor, after having brought the 7-inch Galaxy Tab to market last year (with mixed results). Steve Jobs famously derided tablets smaller than 9.7-inches, citing the poor usability of such devices, and predicting that other manufacturers would abandon them in due time. Since Samsung is opting for the larger form factor for its follow-up to the Galaxy Tab and no 7-inch successor is on display, it looks like Jobs’ comments may either have been prescient or prescriptive. Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy S II, and seems intent on streamlining its smartphone branding under the “Galaxy” moniker, in a strategy that more closely resembles Apple’s standard practice with iPhone naming conventions.

But if you’re looking for Apple at MWC, you probably won’t find a more striking example of its influence than at HP’s booth. HP recently unveiled its TouchPad 10.1-inch tablet device, running webOS, which it acquired when it purchased Palm in 2010. At its unveiling last week, the TouchPad looked like a very promising product, and webOS seemed to work wonderfully on the larger display. But what was more remarkable from the perspective of the Apple observer: the TouchPad’s mail and web browing UI, and its keyboard, look taken almost directly from iOS on the iPad. It’s true that Apple may have done it best, but it was still a shock to see HP lift so liberally from the Cupertino school of interface design. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with HP’s decision to to so closely mimic Apple’s UI successes, the Mac-maker’s influence in undeniable.

Even more amazing is HP’s broader adoption of webOS on its traditional desktop and notebook computers, something the company says is in the pipeline for later this year. Unifying hardware and operating system under one corporate roof is obviously a page torn directly out of Apple’s playbook.

I could go on about every tablet introduced by every major device manufacturer at the conference, but that fact that virtually everyone has one says it all: For better or for worse, Apple now sets the pace and trajectory of the entire mobile tech industry. And by entire, I really mean all of it. Carriers are affected by Apple’s mobile presence at least as much as the hardware and software-makers it competes with in the device market. Recent information suggests Apple could be poised to wrest even more power out of the hands of network operators with a built-in SIM card that can be easily switched from one network to another by any iPhone owner. European operators are banding together to ensure that Apple doesn’t turn them into dumb data pipes with minimal say in setting rates and a much smaller chunk of potential earnings.

So Apple isn’t at Mobile World Congress, but Apple virtually is mobile in terms of its influence on hardware, software and even carrier policy and mobile bandwidth usage. MWC is a response to Apple, and an anticipation of its next moves. Would LG have introduced the 8.9-inch Optimus Pad with a 3D camera had the iPad not come out last year? No, just like its new smartphone with the 3D camera and screen wouldn’t exist except as a response to the iPhone. Arguably, then, no company is more present at MWC 2011 than is Apple.

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Big Rumors About Little iPhone, MobileMe Revamp
Echoing rumors from late last week, the Wall Street Journal is weighing-in with a report that Apple is gearing-up to produce a smaller, cheaper iPhone and introduce a revamped MobileMe this summer.

The WSJ’s Yukari Iwatani Kane and Ethan Smith write:

Apple Inc. is working on the first of a new line of less-expensive iPhones and an overhaul of software services for the devices, people familiar with the matter said, moving to accelerate sales of its smartphones amid growing competition.

One of the people, who saw a prototype of the phone late last year, said it is intended for sale alongside Apple’s existing line. The new device would be about half the size of the iPhone 4, which is the current model.

The authors don’t elaborate on what “half the size” means (half the screen real-estate? half the thickness?) though it’s hard to imagine an iPhone with such a small screen being particularly practical. Sure, the new iPod nano leads the way in tiny touch-screen form factors, but, by necessity, has only a tiny subset of the functionality and flexibility of an iPhone.

The new phone [...] would be available to carriers at about half the price of the main iPhones. That would allow carriers to subsidize most or all of the retail price, putting the iPhone in the same mass-market price range as rival smartphones, the person said.

Apple doesn’t usually try to beat rivals on price, so I’m not sure, even in today’s increasingly competitive smartphone market, that they would start now. Apple has long maintained that it isn’t interested in selling the most devices, but rather, selling the best devices. Despite the Wall Street Journal‘s reputation, I’ll remain skeptical about a new miniature iPhone appearing this year.

Still, it sounds like a mighty interesting device, even if it is only a prototype:

The person who saw [the prototype] said the device was significantly lighter than the iPhone 4 and had an edge-to-edge screen that could be manipulated by touch, as well as a virtual keyboard and voice-based navigation.

Revamped MobileMe

Last year, Steve Jobs reportedly said in an email to a customer that MobileMe was going to get a lot better, and the WSJ touches on this, too:

Apple is considering making MobileMe a free service that would serve as a “locker” for personal memorabilia such as photos, music and videos, eliminating the need for devices to carry a lot of memory…

MobileMe [...] could become a focal point for a new online music service that Apple has been developing for more than a year, the people said. Social networking would be another key component, one of the people said.

This sounds far more plausible, and makes much more sense. Remember that Apple bought Lala in early 2010 only to close it down a few months later; it seems likely the acquisition was more about getting Lala’s engineering talent into Cupertino to work on some kind so streaming music ability.

What’s more, Apple’s heavy dependence on flash-based storage in iPhones, iPads and now MacBook Airs (and, presumably, in upcoming MacBooks) greatly enhances the need for cloud-based, pervasive data storage and over-the-air access and synchronization. Flash storage is still too expensive to allow for 500 GB or terabyte storage capacities in MacBooks and iMacs without contributing significantly to their purchase prices.

It makes sense to use flash memory — it’s a much faster and more energy-efficient technology than the traditional hard disk drive — but to keep prices down, storage capacities will likely remain modest.

So with MobileMe’s (now) rock-solid Mail, Contacts and Calendar functionality in-place, and a hugely successful ecosystem of flash-storage-toting iOS devices selling faster than they can be manufactured, the stage is set for a much more sophisticated, cloud-based data and media-streaming service from Apple.

There is just one annoying fly in the ointment:

The new MobileMe file-storage and music service could be available as early as June, depending on the progress of licensing talks that are in their preliminary stages.

Streaming a user’s iTunes content requires a new — and complicated — set of distribution licenses between Apple and content creators, and that’s likely to take a lot of time to work out. Indeed, Kane and Smith write that Apple intended to launch this service a year ago — if I were a betting man, I’d wager the delay has been entirely due to the legal wrangles between Apple and content creators.

Even if this summer’s iPad refresh is only a modest upgrade, and the iPhone nano doesn’t materialize at all, this new MobileMe could still be huge news. After all, who else could possibly compete with such a service?

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