MacRumors

Following T-Mobile's recently announced "Data Stash" program allowing customers to roll over unused data to subsequent months, AT&T today announced it will launch a similar data program later this month. The new feature will be available at no additional charge to the 50 million users on the carrier's Mobile Share Value plans.

"Rollover Data is an added benefit of being an AT&T Mobile Share Value customer and it’s just another way that we’re saying thanks to our more than 50 million plus Mobile Share Value subscribers," said Glenn Lurie, President and CEO, AT&T Mobility. "We’re providing even more value and flexibility, and the best part is it’s simple, shareable and easy to track for our customers. All Mobile Share Value customers get this automatically."

AT&T's new Rollover Data feature does differ in one important respect from T-Mobile's program. While T-Mobile's rollover data expires after 12 months, AT&T customers can roll over unused data for only one month, with users tapping into the rollover data only after their normal monthly allotment has been exhausted.

As an example:

If you have four lines and have a 15GB AT&T Mobile Share Value Plan and only use 10GB in a given month, you’ll roll over 5GB and have a total of 20GB available to use within the next month. If you were to only use 10GB in the second month, you’ll again roll over 5GB and have a total of 20GB available the next month. Bottom line: if you have unused plan data this month, it automatically rolls over to be used within the next month in case you need more than your plan’s allotment.

AT&T will automatically enable the rollover feature on all Mobile Share Value plans starting January 25. Customers can track their rollover data using the MyAT&T mobile app [Direct Link] or on AT&T's website.

Since launching in September alongside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, iOS 8 has seen its adoption rate grow to 68 percent of compatible iOS devices, according to new numbers posted on the Apple Developer Support page.

With Apple updating data publicly every few weeks, this latest data point represents a four percentage point bump in adoption since the last update on December 23. The significant increase highlights Apple's strong performance in device activation numbers over the holidays to add to the company's iOS 8 user base.

Over the longer term, installation numbers are up 5 percentage points over the past month and up 12 percentage points in the past two months. iOS 7 usage has seen an understandable decline as its successor has gained ground, with the older operating system dropping from 33 percent in December to 29 percent in January. Earlier iOS versions represent just 4 percent of the current App Store user base.

Apple initially faced multiple issues following iOS 8's launch, including what has progressed to a lawsuit over storage space needed to install the OS on smaller GB devices, but the adoption rate has steadily increased as users have decided to upgrade and purchases of devices with iOS 8 preinstalled have increased.

Apple has brought a number of bug fixes and addressed some more significant flaws with recent updates such as iOS 8.1, iOS 8.1.1, and iOS 8.1.2. The company is also continuing to work on iOS 8.2, seeding a third beta to developers in mid-December. In addition to bug fixes and other improvements, iOS 8.2 will include support for integrating with the upcoming Apple Watch.

The latest smartphone sales data released today from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech highlights good news for Apple on the strength of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch, with Apple gaining share year-over-year in every country surveyed except for Japan.

The report, focusing on the September-November 2014 period, points out that Android market share dropped in most European markets and saw its first decline in the U.S. since September 2013. In the surveyed period, Apple reached 42.5 percent of UK sales, up 12.2 percentage points from the same time in 2013.

In the U.S., the Cupertino-based company's share of smartphone sales grew 4.3 points to reach 47.4 percent of the market, an unsurprising performance given the strong early sales of the company's latest iPhones. More data from Apple on October-December iPhone sales will be announced later this month when the company releases its quarterly earnings report.

Apple's strong performance is being attributed in part to enthusiasm for the redesigned bodies and larger screens of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, with the iPhone 6 leading the smartphone pack during the time period.

“The iPhone 6 was the best selling phone in the three months through November 2014, capturing 19% of smartphone sales”, said Milanesi. Verizon and AT&T made up 57% of iOS sales while Verizon and T-Mobile were the top two carriers for Android accounting for 33.7% of all Android smartphones sold.

Despite declines in many markets, Android remains the dominant platform in Europe with 69.9 percent of the market, although that number is down 3.2 percentage points from the same period in 2013. Kantar also notes that customers switching from Android to iOS remained at a steady 18 percent from 2013 to 2014, suggesting Apple's larger-screened phones have yet to represent significant motivation for switchers.

At CES 2015, Antenna79 announced a new brand of cases called Reach79 , which claims to boosts signal strength and performance up to two times for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

“We all want to get the most from our smartphones, and that’s exactly what Reach79 cases were designed to do,” said David Vigil, CEO, Antenna79. “Powered by patented antenna technology, Reach79 cases are the first performance-enhancing smartphone cases designed for speed. Each case is embedded with a micro-thin, gold-plated antenna that works to increase your smartphone’s signal strength so your phone can do more for you.”

Reach79 says that the stronger signal strength provided by its cases can improve battery life as the phone wouldn't have to work as hard to pick up a signal. Additionally, the company says it improves user experience with less dropped calls and faster download speeds and greater signal coverage. The cases also come with military grade drop protection.

The cases contain antenna technology that pairs with the antenna in the smartphone, granting increased signal strength for the device. Reach79 says the cases have been tested at CETECOM, a CTIA accredited facility that verified the cases can improve signal strength at an average of 1.6 times normal strength, with a peak performance of 2 times normal strength.

However, the company does warn that user experience also depends on device, carrier and location.

The Reach79 cases can be purchased starting today at the company's website. The iPhone 6 case is priced at $59.99 while the iPhone 6 Plus version is priced at $69.99. The cases currently come in black only, but Reach79 says additional colors are on the way in the first quarter of 2015.

While Apple has yet to publicly announce a specific launch date for the Apple Watch beyond "Early 2015", sources speaking to 9to5Mac say the company is currently planning for a March debut in the initial wave of countries. Sources in the retail segment indicate that select store employees will undergo centralized Apple Watch training the week of February 9, with those employees in turn training others at their individual stores in the days leading up to the device's launch.

One or two representatives from many Apple Stores in the United States, depending on store and market size, will be sent to Apple offices in either Cupertino, California or Austin, Texas to learn first-hand about the Watch. These training programs will take place between February 9th and February 16th.

The report indicates Apple has been continuing to refine various aspects of the Apple Watch since its September unveiling, focusing mostly on software but also tweaking such components as the inductive charging mechanism.

Developers are currently working with Apple's WatchKit tools and iOS 8.2 betas to build apps for Apple Watch, starting with lightweight Glances, actionable notifications, and iPhone-based apps that project portions of their interfaces to the watch. More powerful apps running directly on the Apple Watch will be possible later this year.

In a set of artist renditions, 9to5Mac offers a look at Apple's long-rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Air. The renditions and details shared in the report are consistent with previous reports on the machine, although plans do sometimes change during the development process.

As previously described in rumors, the next MacBook Air will have roughly the same footprint as the current 11-inch model, but include a 12-inch display nestled inside narrower bezels. The machine's keyboard will also extend from edge to edge while the speakers move to a set of grilles above the keyboard.

Apple's new Retina MacBook Air is expected to run on new Broadwell Core M to allow for the thin, fanless design and perhaps come in multiple color options similar to the company's iPhone and iPad lineups. The machine has been rumored to be entering production as soon as this month, although it is unclear whether Apple may wait until its Worldwide Developers Conference in June to launch the device or introduce it earlier in the year.

Schlage, a division of technology-focused safety and security company Allegion, has announced at CES this year the Schlage Sense, a touch-pad enabled smart lock for homeowners that most notably allows users to command Siri to unlock their doors thanks to integration with Apple's HomeKit.

The company's first Bluetooth-enabled lock, the Schlage Sense allows users to simply enter a code to gain access to their house using the back-lit touchpad or a smartphone with a free-to-download app. HomeKit integration also brings added security and end-to-end encryption and authentication when the Schlage Sense lock interacts with a user's smartphone via the app.

The Schlage Sense system has the ability to manage and schedule up to 30 codes at the same time through a dedicated, easy-to-use app, which offers an additional layer of key-free convenience. The Schlage Sense app allows individuals to create and delete access codes, check on lock status and view activity, as well as update settings and check battery life without requiring residents to connect to an existing home automation system or pay a monthly subscription charge.

The company also promises that, thanks to Built-in-Alarm Technology that sends out alerts any time it senses potential door attacks, the new lock provides the highest rating of security certified by the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association.

Schlage Sense will become the latest in the brand's growing portfolio of keyless door locks, which also includes the Schlage Touch and Schlage Connect. The new lock will come in two styles - Camelot and Century - and a variety of finishes - Matte Black, Satin Nickel and Aged Bronze - that the company claims will match any home's aesthetic. Schlage Sense will be made available in select U.S. stores and online retailers "later in 2015."

AT&T today announced the upcoming availability of its new Modio smartcase that will add 4G LTE connectivity to a Wi-Fi-only iPad or iPad mini. The Modio smartcase will be compatible with the iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini.

The Modio will allow Wi-Fi iPad owners to connect to AT&T's 4G LTE network using the data available on the customers' Mobile Share plans. Mobile Share allows customers to pay for a monthly data allotment that is shared between smartphones, tablets and other connected devices.

Beyond cellular connectivity, the Modio smartcase also includes its own 4,600 mAh battery to support up to 10 hours of use, along with a microSD card slot that can be used to store up to 32 GB of media and other files. Case owners can install the accompanying AT&T Modio Data application to monitor data usage and manage cellular plan details.

The AT&T Modio smartcase for iPad mini is listed on AT&T's website as coming soon, with a version for larger iPad Air models to follow. Pricing and exact launch dates for the new cases has yet to be announced.

As indicated yesterday, Apple has begun selling unlocked, SIM-free versions of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on its U.S. online store.

Pricing for the SIM-free versions of both phones are the same as the other unsubsidized models. The 16, 64, and 128 GB versions of the iPhone 6 are sold for $649, $749, and $849 respectively, while the 16, 64, and 128GB configurations of the iPhone 6 Plus run $100 higher than the aforementioned iPhone 6 models.

The SIM-free versions of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are the same as the full-priced, carrier-specific models that have been sold by Apple since the launch of both phones. For example, the iPhone 6 models offered by T-Mobile have been unlocked since launch, although it is unknown why Apple chooses to advertise both. The SIM-free and T-Mobile versions of the iPhone 6 can be used with a number of GSM carriers around the world, as a user only needs to provide a compatible Nano SIM for cellular connectivity.

All storage capacities and colors of the SIM-free iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are shown as ready to ship within 3-5 business days. The phones are also expected to be offered at Apple's retail locations starting today.