Apple released a new iOS version Thursday that is squarely aimed at the new iPhone 4 handsets selling like hotcakes at Verizon Wireless. According to the release note accompanying the software upgrade, the goal is to ensure personal hot-spot usage is accurately reported.
Some Verizon subscribers who have received their iPhones reported the iOS 4.2.6 upgrade arrived on Tuesday. However, many were clearly hoping for more than a hot-spot fix — for example, relief from a push e-mail notification snafu that makes messages arrive very late, even when the user tries to check for new e-mail manually.
On the other hand, Apple appears to have introduced design changes for Verizon’s CDMA iPhone 4 that may mitigate the antenna reception problems that plagued AT&T iPhone 4 users.
“Apple’s new designs always exhibit changes, evolution and optimization,” said iSuppli Senior Director Andrew Rassweiler. “This approach is evident not only in the antenna design but also in items like the integrated GPS functionality and the shrinking of the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo module.”
Cheaper To Make
Though the CDMA iPhone 4 is virtually indistinguishable from the original iPhone 4 on the outside, there are plenty of changes under the hood. “With the CDMA iPhone 4, Apple has shown once again that it never recycles a product design,” Rassweiler said.
According to Piper Jaffray, Apple’s retention of full control over the iPhone’s hardware and software gives it a competitive advantage over Android-powered devices from a user-experience perspective. Apple’s iPhone 4 design upgrade also means Apple can afford to invest heavily in software upgrades and other customer-support activities to ensure that the product meets the expectations of Verizon subscribers.
According to iSuppli, the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 uses $171.35 worth of components, down from the $187.51 Apple paid to manufacture AT&T’s model. Even when manufacturing expenses…