Know iPhone | iPhone tips and advice

Rubber iPhone shock?

Confusion reigns today - perhaps the strangest rumour for a while states that in addition to various hardware tweaks (see yesterday's news) the next version of the iPhone will come in rubber.....

Perhaps it has something to do with the support article posted by Apple today on how to avoid static electric shocks from your iPod/iPhone ear buds. Or maybe not. Or maybe it's just a slow news day.

On a more interesting note, analyst firm Gartner reports that Apple has doubled its smartphone market share in a year, now boasting over 10% of global sales.

iPhone killer arrives as Apple ponders multiple iPhone versions

Today saw  confirmation of the US launch date of the Palm Pre - 6 June. Whilst it is being built up as an iPhone killer, I'm not so sure. Whilst it is undoubtedly a good product it is, like others that came before, playing catch up. Me too products are not going to hurt the iPhone, it is the ones that go way beyond its capabilities that will give it a run for its money.

Meanwhile speculation surrounds the possibility of multiple iPhone models, based predominantly on software differentiation. This would tend to confirm the most recent news in the rumoursphere which points to largely unchanged iPhone hardware (aside from speed bumps and other tweaks) in the upcoming revamped model this Summer.

Cheaper iPhone plans?

A report from BusinessWeek speculates that AT&T is mulling over reducing the price of monthly service plans for the iPhone. 

Also on the agenda are potential price cuts for the initial cost of the phone plus a new prepaid (pay as you go) option, as is currently offered by O2 in the UK.

Looks like it's a good time for potential buyers to be sitting on the sidelines, especially with new iPhones just around the corner.....

New iPhone in June or July? Apple flogs old ones online

Conflicting stories at the moment - Apple has announced Steve Jobs won't be at their annual developers conference, leading some to assume that no iPhone announcement will be made until his return in July.

Others still argue for June....

Meanwhile Apple is going great guns to sell off the current iPhone model - can't be long now surely?

Beam me up Scotty!

To mark the launch of the new Star Trek movie, here's a glimpse of what the iPhone could be in the hands of a true Trekkie....