3 Reasons You Shouldn't Buy an iPhone 5C From Walmart for 97 Cents

To be fair, Walmart is far from the only retailer trying to trap you into a mobile phone contract with low prices. It's just one of the most pervasive. Walmart, along with Costco and Target, account for 12% of all cellphone sales in the U.S. Walmart is particularly popular with families, which is why Sprint recently chose the retailer as the launchpad for its family-oriented Custom plans.

A free (or nearly free) iPhone — one of the current models — sounds like a great deal, and it would be... if this were 2013. Or even early 2014. But right now, you're way better off skipping Walmart's cheapo iPhone. Here's why:

1. You can already get it for $0.

Yep, 97 cents is a great deal. You know what's a better deal? No cents. You can buy the iPhone 5C right now — with no contract — from T-Mobile for $0 down. In fact, you can do the same at AT&T, Verizon and Sprint under their various programs.

The big catch? To get those deals, you have to pay for the phone with incremental payments every month, which are usually about $25 to $35. But at least those payments stop after two years, whereas a new contract — which the Walmart deal requires — would mean your phone's true cost ($549 for the iPhone 5C) is built into the rates you pay, which don't automatically cease when the contract expires.

Either way, they get your money. And if you really want the iPhone 5C with a contract, Sprint actually already offers it for $0. At least you'll save nearly a buck.

2. It's really just a colorful iPhone 5.

The reason the iPhone 5C exists at all is because Apple wanted to offer the previous year's model (as it always does) as a "step-down" version of the iPhone for budget-conscious consumers, but it also wanted to build it cheaper so it would still produce decent profit margins.It might not have been the most impactful part of Apple's iPhone strategy, but it did succeed in packaging "last year's tech" — namely the iPhone 5.

You may be thinking "I don't need the latest and greatest," and you're right, you don't. But you also don't want to be too far behind either, and two years is a dog's age in mobile. Both platform makers and app developers design for the most recent hardware, and adapt their experiences for older models.

Just ask anyone running iOS 7 on an iPhone 4 what the experience is like. Even the iPhone 4S struggles to deal with an iOS 7 world, and that, in terms of the "tech gap," is basically the equivalent of what you'll have if you settle for the iPhone 5C now. For two years.

3. Everyone is going to discount it in a couple of weeks.

If you haven't heard, Apple is planning an event for early September. Even absent the report about the unconfirmed Sept. 9 event, Apple is always poised to unveil a new iPhone in the fall. When the new models arrive, it changes pricing for the previous models.

The Walmart discount is really just a harbinger of what's going to happen to all iPhones right then. When the iPhone 6, iPhone 6L or whatever the new models are called get here, you won't be able to throw a Bluetooth earpiece in a wireless store without hitting a discounted iPhone 5C. Apple and its retail partners need to clear out inventory to make room for the new models, and the most surefire way to do that is to cut prices.

If you're dead-set on signing a wireless contract to buy a two-year-old phone (see No. 2 above) for no money down, then just hold out a couple of weeks and you won't need to do it at Walmart.

iPhone 6 official: 4.7-inch retina HD screen and has A8 processor

After rumors and customer demand, Apple has finally given the people what they want: an iPhone 6 with a larger-than-4.5-inch screen. In fact, customers will have a choice of two phone to consider, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

APPLE LAUNCHED IPHONE  IN TWO VARIANT IPHONE 6 AND IPHONE 6 PLUS

Bigger screen

The smaller iPhone 6 breaks away from the 4-inch screen of models past and into larger territory, though at 4.7-inches, the iPhone 6 is still small by today's standards.

Apple is still giving the phone a Retina display (they're calling it Retina HD) with a 326ppi, by imbuing the iPhone 6 with a 1,334 x 750 HD pixel resolution.

Apple doesn't want to just give customers a larger screen without doing anything useful with it. To that end, the company touts a new horizontal view (that really reminds us of the iPad) to see messages, weather, email, and so on. The keyboard pops up with new dedicated keys as well.

Although it's bigger, Apple still wants to enable one-handed access, and it's doing this with app drop-drowns.

The phone is also slim, at 6.9-millimeters thin.

The iPhone 6's A8 processor boasts 50 percent faster graphics and a 25 percent faster CPU that should make the phone more power efficient.

Apple never gives battery specifics in mAh, but the iPhone 6 is rated to last through 11 hours of video, and 14 hours on Wi-Fi. There's Wi-Fi calling at long last, and Voice over LTE (aka VoLTE).

Look and feel

Sleek Design 

How does the iPhone 6 feel to hold? Its larger body and more rounded edges make the slim form feel even thinner. While both sizes feel good, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 fits more securely into the palm. Luckily, even if it does feel massive compared to a 4-inch model, iOS 8 does allow a one-handed way to pop to the top of apps and touch parts of the screen that might normally be out of reach.

Here's another interesting phone feature: glass that curves around the edges of the phone. It isn't the sapphire screen we were hearing about, but it is a slightly different design element. The phone is also slim, at 0.27-inch, or 6.9-millimeters thin, and it comes in three colors: gold, silver, and space gray.

Camera and video

Apple's 8-megapixel iPhone 6 iSight camera may not have had the pixel boost that fans might want, but it gets a refresh with a new sensor all the same. Focus time is down, Apple says, colors look more lifelike when the flash is engaged, and the imaging chip has better ways to battle noise. HDR is now automatically applied as well, something we're starting to see on other phones, too.

Panorama mode will capture up to 43 megapixels in its five-element lens, and there's face detection, as well as blink and smile detection. As with some rival phones, the burst mode auto-pick feature uses algorithms to select the best from a string of similar photos.

Pricing and availability

In the US, the 16GB version will sell for $199 on contract, but $100 more will get you a whopping 64GB for $299. Another $100 on top of that supersizes your storage to 128GB for $399. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and US Cellular will be among the first US carriers to sell the two new iPhones. T-Mobile and other carriers have not yet announced the off-contract price.

Apple Pay is the new Pay System Introduces in U.S Only

Apple Pay and NFC

Apple Pay, a US-only system at launch, works with the Passbook app on your phone, and independently as well, to let you buy goods and services with a single touch of the phone. Like other mobile-payment systems, the merchant never sees your credit card details, and a handy feature incorporating the camera will add new credit card details to Passbook, which saves you some typing.

Starting in US with Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, Apple Pay is backed by six major banks, with more to come. Right out of the gate, you'll be able to use the service at 220,000 merchants that accept it, including Macy's, Walgreens and Duane Reed drug stores, Whole Foods, and McDonald's at all their store locations, drive-throughs included.

UPDATED ON 9/11/14

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus : Spec Difference

We all were excited for the Apple 9th September Event, But this is a time to 

know about the specifications from both iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus.

So Here is our Review on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus.  

iPhone 6

Screen: The 6 Plus isn't just larger -- it has a higher resolution (1,920 x 1,080 vs. 1,334 x 750) and a higher pixel density (401 pixels per inch vs. 326 ppi).

Camera: Though both devices are equipped with an 8-megapixel lens, only the larger iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization -- which should help out any unsteady hand that's shooting an image or recording a video.

Battery: In addition, the 6 Plus has a higher battery capacity, meaning you can expect to talk, watch movies, and surf the Web for a few hours longer.

SPECS	APPLE iPhone 6	APPLE iPhone PLUS
Display	4.7 inches (119.38mm) with 1,334 x 750-pixel resolution	5.5 inches (139.7mm) with 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution
Pixel density	326ppi	401ppi
Weight	4.55 ounces (129g)	6.07 ounces (172g
Processor	Proprietary 64-bit A8 chip with M8 motion co-processor	Proprietary 64-bit A8 chip with M8 motion co-processor
RAM	N/A	N/A
OS	iOS 8	iOS 8
Camera, video	8-megapixel; 1080p HD video	8-megapixel with optical image stabilization; 1080p HD video
Front-facing camera	1.2-megapixel; 720p HD video	1.2-megapixel; 720p HD video
Capacity	16GB, 64GB, and 128GB	16GB, 64GB, and 128GB
Battery	Nonremovable; talk time up to 14 hours on 3G and Internet usage time up to 10 hours on LTE	Nonremovable; talk time up to 14 hours on 3G and Internet usage time up to 10 hours on LTE
Bluetooth	v 4.0 Low Energy	v 4.0 Low Energy
Waterproof	No	No
Dimensions	5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27 inches (138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm)	6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 inches (158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm)
US retail price	$199 (16GB), $299 (64GB), and $399 (128GB); off-contract $649 (16GB), $749 (64GB), and $849 (128GB)	$299 (16GB), $399 (64GB), and $499 (128GB); off-contract $749 (16GB), $849 (64GB), and $949 (128GB)

Another iPhone variant: iPhone PLUS

The iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299 for the 16GB version. There's also a 64GB ($399) and a 128GB ($499) version. That's a $100 premium over the standard iPhone 6.

iPhone PLUS 

Apple's phablet will be available in space gray, silver and gold. Pre-orders for both new iPhones begin September 12.

The bigger screen has a 1920x1080 resolution, higher than its 4.7-inch cousin. That's a welcome upgrade but not as ultra high-res as phones like the Quad HD Note 4. Apple is calling the new screen Retina HD, touting its extra sharpness.

The two phones share a new A8 processor with 50 percent faster graphics and a 25 percent faster CPU. That's less of a leap than the 5S provided, but should be more power efficient.

Bigger phones mean bigger batteries. The 6 Plus is rated at 24 hours of talk time on a 3G connection, an extra 10 hours from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Another difference between the two is in the camera. The iPhone 6 Plus has optical image stabilization, unlike iPhone 6. Other phones like Galaxy Note 4 have this, too.

It also offers a one-handed mode and more apps that take advantage of a horizontal orientation.

OMG!!! Walmart Slashes iPhone 5C Price to 97 Cents

Walmart has drastically cut the prices of the iPhone 5C and 5S, suggesting an upcoming debut of the iPhone 6 (which, granted, Apple hasn't even announced yet).

The iPhone 5S (16GB) has been reduced from $99 to $79, and the iPhone 5C (16GB, in any color) has been reduced from $29 to just 97 cents. The new prices are available with the purchase a two-year contract from AT&T, U.S. Cellular, Sprint or Verizon; the offer is good only in stores, not on online orders.

Stores tend to slash the prices of their existing iPhone stock before a new model is released; this price drop adds credibility to rumors that the new iPhone 6 will launch Sept. 9.

Still, sales on Apple products are rare, in part because the company limits how its retail partners can price its products. Walmart is one of the only retailers that can get away with selling Apple products below Apple's manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP).

Public excitement about the iPhone 6 has reached fever pitch. The new smartphone is rumored to have a reversible USB lightning cable as well as alarger screen.

How to get iPhone6 Easily without wasting your time

If you haven't pre-ordered an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus and still want to be among the first to own the device, there's a good chance you'll be facing a long line at the Apple Store today or this weekend.

Most Apple stores get pretty big shipments of new iPhones; that's the obvious choice, but not the only one. In fact, you can get the iPhone 6 (16GB) for below the recommended price at Walmart ($179, instead of $199), and you'll probably have to wait less, too.Now, on to other options: Retailers like Best Buy, Walmart and Staples have a healthy supply of devices. Best Buy is among the more popular retail spots to pick up an iPhone, so in some cases, be prepared to wait on line for awhile too.Best Buy has a ticketing process to help the lines run smoothly, but it only offers one ticket for each customer, so if you want to upgrade your whole family, they will all need to be present. (Note: Apple lets each person in line buy two phones).

line in front of apple store at the time of iPhone5

Not all Best Buy stores were packed this morning, though. According to a Best Buy employee in a message posted to Reddit, the store was practically empty for the launch. The user didn't disclose the location, but included a picture of the "crowd."

Walmart is another option that people might not consider for picking up an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, and the company is giving customers a nice incentive to choose them over others by discounting the devices. In addition to an iPhone 6 price cut (with a two-year Verizon, AT&T or Sprint contract), the iPhone 6 Plus is priced at $279 ($20 cheaper than what you'll find at the Apple store).an addition to select retailers, you'll of course be able to find some at the carrier stores, too. Be choosy about which store location you go to — for example, the AT&T location in Union Square in New York City had a line halfway down the block before doors opened at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. But uptown, a location on East 86th Street had just about 15 people queued up — which sure beats the hundreds of people waiting at the Apple Store just 30 blocks south. Meanwhile, the T-Mobile store (also in Union Square) had no line at all.

Tips to make compatible your I phone with ios 8

Apple announced the eighth major release of its iOS mobile operating system at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The latest version of iOS include improvements to the Siri voice assistant, a new health and wellness app, and revamped notifications, among other things.

With iOS 8 slated to arrive on devices in the coming weeks, now is the perfect time to ensure that your iPhone or iPad is prepared to receive the update. These tips will help make the transition to iOS 8 fromiOS 7 as smooth as possible.

IOS 8 DEVICE COMPATIBILITY 

Check compatibility

If you've been holding on to the original iPad or iPhone 4, it may be time to update to a newer device. Not every one of Apple's devices is capable of being updated to iOS 8. The company has said the following devices will be receiving the update: iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPad 2, third- and fourth-generation iPad, iPad Air, fifth-generation iPod Touch, iPad Mini, and iPad Mini with Retina display.

Free up some space

The over-the-air iOS 7 update package was about 700MB depending on your device, however users were required to have at least 3GB of free space on their devices in order to actually install the update. You can expect iOS 8 to have similar storage requirements, which makes now the perfect time to free up some space on your device.

Check for updates

Now would also be a good time to install any lingering software updates you have been holding off on. You will need to be on the latest version of iOS to update to iOS 8. To check for updates, enter Settings, click on General, and select Software Update.

You should also install any app updates that are available before updating to iOS 8 to ensure that your apps will work properly after the move.

Back up your device

Although you are unlikely to run into any major problems when updating, it's always a good idea to have a backup of your device. You know what they say, it's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

What to expect at Apple's Sepember 9 event

Apple's mystery unveiling on Tuesday is expected to be a watershed moment for the California giant - and the entire tech industry. Here are key things to watch for:

9 SEPTEMBER'S  APPLE EVENT CAN BRING MAJOR CHANGES IN TECH WORLD

1.Can Tim Cook step up?

Chief executive Tim Cook will seek to vanquish the notion that Apple lost its magic when its famed co-founder Steve Jobs died.

Cook could help APPLE establish its dominance in a new category with an "iWatch" at the event set in the very location where Jobs introduced the Macintosh computer 30 years ago.

Since Jobs died in late 2011, pressure has been on his successor Cook to show the world that Apple can shine just as brightly without the iconic pitchman known for perfection in design and mastery in marketing.

Apple lovers have been eager for the company to seize a new gadget category the way it dominated smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod respectively.

"I don't believe this project is a knee-jerk reaction to other smartwatches," said Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin.

"While the roots go back to Steve Jobs, this product is Tim Cook and Jony Ive."

The genesis of what is being referred to in the media as "iWatch" stemmed from Jobs and his frustration with health care matters while battling illness that took his life, according to the analyst.

Bajarin spoke of sources telling him the Apple wearable computer has been in the works for seven years.

Cook would fittingly be putting his stamp on the first "next big thing" launched by Apple without Jobs. While an iWatch will wirelessly tap into capabilities of iPhones or iPads, managing health is expected to be a strong theme.

Bolstering that likelihood is Cook's reputation as a fitness fanatic who was among the early users of Nike Fuel activity tracking wristbands.

2.Can Apple shake off security fears?

Another thing to watch for will be how Apple addresses the elephant in the room - security of photos, videos and other data stored on devices or online in servers at iCloud or iTunes.

Cook told The Wall Street Journal this week that Apple is stepping up its iCloud security by sending people alerts when attempts are made to change passwords, restore iCloud data to new devices, or when someone logs in from a new gadget.

His comments came after Apple took a bruising over a "targeted attack" that led to the release of nude photos of celebrities including Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.

Apple has insisted there was no breach of its cloud storage system and that the celebrities had their accounts hacked by using easy-to-guess passwords, or by giving up their personal data to clever cybercriminals.

Security could play into the off-chance that Apple will announce iPad enhancements such as adding fingerprint scanning, in a break from its practice of keeping smartphone and tablet events separate.

3.How big will the iPhone go?

While the unveiling of new-generation iPhones with larger screens is considered a sure bet, people will be watching to see how big Apple will go and when models will make it to market.

Apple has remained consistently tight-lipped, but analysts are expecting the iPhone screen to be boosted to at least 4.7 inches, and a 5.5-inch screen is also likely, allowing Apple to compete in the new "phablet" segment.

4.A payments company?

Watch also to see how aggressively Apple moves into mobile money with near-field-communication chips built into iPhone 6 models letting them be used as Internet age wallets.

There are reported to be 800 million accounts at Apple's online iTunes shop, where people's credit card data could be easily synched to mobile wallets, quickly creating a vast sea of users.

With this, Apple could jump-start the effort to use mobile devices for payments.

5.What else is coming?

Some reports speculate that Apple may also unveil an upgrade to its iPad Air, which would be a departure from its tradition of a separate announcement for tablets.

The new mobile platform iOS 8 will have capabilities that go beyond health and payments, say some analysts. This could involve smart-home technology or other systems that put Apple at the center of the ecosystem.

"Ultimately, we believe the pivot toward software and services and the rise of a more comprehensive enterprise strategy could help Apple become much more than just a hardware company," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.

Apple iPhone 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8

Check out how the specs from Apple's latest iPhone 6 compares to those of its Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 rivals.

SPECS.	APPLE IPHONE 6	SAMSUNG GALAXY S5	HTC ONE M8
Display	4.7 inches (119.38mm) with 1,334x750-pixel resolution	5.1 inches (129.54mm) with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution	5 inches (127mm) with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution
Dimensions	5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27 inches (138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm)	5.5 x 2.9 x 0.31 inches (142 x 72.5 x 8.1mm)	5.8 x 2.8 x 0.37 inches (146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35 mm)
Weight	4.55 ounces (129g)	5 ounces (145g)	5.64 ounces (160g)
OS	iOS 8	Android 4.4.2	Android 4.4.2
Camera, video	8-megapixel; 1080p HD video	16-megapixel; 4K HD video	4-UltraPixel; 1080p HD video
Front-facing camera	1.2-megapixel; 720p HD video	2-megapixel; 1080p HD video	5.1-megapixel; 1080p HD video
Processor	Proprietary 64-bit A8 chip with M8 motion co-processor	2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801	2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801
RAM	N/A	2GB	2GB
Capacity	16GB, 64GB, and 128GB	16GB and 32GB	16GB and 32GB
Battery	Nonremovable; talk time up to 14 hours on 3G and Internet usage time up to 10 hours of 3G	Removable 2,800mAh	Nonremovable 2,600mAh
Bluetooth	v4.0	v4.0	v4.0
Colors	Silver, gold, gray	Black, white, blue, and copper	Gray, silver, black, rose, and gold
US retail price	On-contract $199 (16GB), $299 (64GB), and $399 (128GB); off-contract $649 (16GB), $749 (64GB), and $849 (128GB)	On-contract $200; off-contract $650	On-contract $200; off-contract $670
UK retail price	Unlocked £539 (16GB), £619 (64GB), £699 (128GB)	£500	£550
AU retail price	Unlocked AU$869 (16GB), AU$999 (64GB), AU$1,129 (128GB)	AU$850	AU$899

iPhone 6

HTC ONE M8

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5