Apple upgrades iPhone ahead of its release

Apple Inc. on Monday announced that it has upgraded the specifications of its upcoming combination phone, called iPhone, giving rival smart phone makers another reason to fret.

The Mac/iPod maker has announced that it has made two major improvements in its revolutionary iPhone, including an enhanced battery life and upgraded touch-screen surface. The enhanced battery life would boost the iPhone's talk time and the improved touch screen would be scratches-free, the computer maker said.

Improvements to the much-hyped iPhone's battery would give the device up to eight hours of talk time or six hours of Internet use or seven hours of video playback, Apple said.

In January, when the gadget was reviewed by the company, Apple has said the rechargeable battery would be capable of five hours of talk time, Internet use or video playback, and 16 hours of music-playing time. With the battery life enhancement, playback of songs can reach 24 hours, Apple said in Monday statement.

Rival smartphones like Palm Inc.'s Treo and Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry Curve provide just 4 hours of talk times, while Samsung Electronic Co. claims about 5.5 hours for the BlackJack.

However, iPhone is still lagging behind the UK carrier O2’s Jet, the business-oriented, voice-centric handset, which was launched last year, and apparently delivers talk time of almost 10 hours and 540 hours of standby time.

Besides the longer battery life, Apple has also improved its soon-to-debut iPhone's touch-screen. The screen would now be made of glass instead of plastic in order to ensure better screen clarity and scratch resistance, Apple added.

A recent survey conducted by M:Metrics, the mobile market authority revealed that people in the United States are ready to spend $599 for this revolutionary Phone, an all-in-one cell phone/iPod/pocket computer which is due to hit the market shelves in America on June, 29.

Apple’s highly-anticipated combination device accumulates three amazing products, a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching, into one small and lightweight handheld device.

This widely anticipated gadget is priced at $499 for 4-gigabyte model and $599 for an 8-gigabyte model, Apple has said previously.

Apple made its long-awaited entry into the cellphone world this year in January by launching its much-anticipated mobile phone, iPhone, at the annual Macworld conference and Expo in San Francisco. Apple's CEO and chief showman Steve Jobs had unveiled iPhone during his keynote speech at the Macworld conference.

Cingular, the Atlanta-based leading wireless carrier and a unit of AT&T Inc., is Apple’s exclusive U.S. carrier partner for iPhone.

AT&T Mobility LLC has received more than 1 million inquiries for Apple's multimedia and Web-enabled iPhone device, the San Antonio-based company reported in the first week of this month.

Apple’s iPhone, which was touted as "revolutionary" by Jobs in the keynote, has a built-in camera, eight hours of talk time or six hours of Internet use or seven hours of video playback (after recent battery life improvements), and runs Safari Web browser and Apple's Macintosh operating system software. It has Bluetooth, a short-range wireless technology that supports wireless headsets or links to devices like printers, and can connect to the Internet wirelessly via Wi-Fi.

Unlike the tiny multiple keys found on existing smart phones, Apple's iPhone has a single button and a 3.5-inch (9-cm) touch screen, and is larger than the iPod Nano. With a black front and silver back, the iPhone according to Apple is the thinnest smart phone in the market having thickness of 11.6 millimeters (0.5-inches).

Last month, Apple said the regulators have given their stamp of approval to iPhone, allowing it to sell iPhone in the United States.

The approval of FCC, which is an independent executive agency of the U.S. government established to regulate interstate and foreign communications in the public interest, is necessary before a manufacturer can sell a handset to consumers.

After revolutionizing the personal computing with its Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers, and digital media market with its most popular iPod, the Cupertino, California based Apple is ready to revolutionize the mobile market with its multifunctional device that has such potent qualities which make it potential for revolutionizing the handset industry.

Soon after the company’s Monday’s announcement, Apple shares climbed $4.59, or 3.8%, to end the day at $125.09.