The Blackberry Priv makes surprising numbers in sales, and Microsoft brings in their own SIM card. Apple, meanwhile, is getting sued. Turns out there was a feature in iOS9 that may not be beneficial to all customers.
iOS 9 Causes iPhone Users Some Trouble
The latest major update for the iPhone came with a Wi-Fi Assist feature. This feature makes it so your phone switches to using cellular data if Wi-Fi connection is too weak. When people make the upgrade to iOS 9, the feature is automatically installed and turned on.
Apple Sued Over Cellular Data Usage Settings
Most mobile carriers send customers alerts when they’re reaching a certain level of data usage. Sometimes it seems like a harmless notification, but it can be the difference between a $250 bill and one for $2,000. When cellular data is in use, there’s an icon on the status bar that indicates it. Some customers may be negligent and ignore it, but the truth is Apple should have made it a clear option.
Issues with this new feature have taken Apple to court in California. Users are claiming that Apple is not giving customers enough warnings or notifications on this new feature. This has caused significant spikes in many user phone bills. However, as always, there’s a catch. These settings can be adjusted with a single tap. Users can actually choose which applications they want to use cellular data with in case of poor Wi-Fi connectivity.
Meanwhile, Blackberry and Microsoft Soar
Microsoft introduced an app and SIM duo for their Surface Pro tablet series. This comes as a pleasant surprise to those who want to use their tablets on the go. Once users insert a SIM card onto the tablet and install the app, they can use their tablets as well as a phone.
This could be a step closer to getting a purely Microsoft Windows phone. Windows 10 users now have the unique ability to carry their devices around without eating up data from connectivity providers. This will potentially increase Surface tablet sales significantly, and brings in a whole new side to Microsoft to play. The announcement, made at CES 2016, did not detail how or when these SIM cards would be available. They did add that they will start to come built into certain Microsoft machines as of 2016.
Blackberry CEO Slams Apple Over User Data Privacy
Meanwhile, the Blackberry Priv has been selling surprisingly well. The phone has greatly benefited from an Android OS. The phone has since sold out at Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon.
Blackberry CEO John Chen actually took a shot at Apple while basking in the success. Recently, Apple denied a government request to go through user data to find criminal activity in a specific region. This request was denied by Apple. John Chen criticized this move, saying that while Blackberry is known to provide users with utmost security, the safety will not ‘be extended to criminals.’
