News

As expected, Deutsche Telekom has announced its U.S. subsidiary T-Mobile will be carrying the iPhone in 2013. The telecommunications company tweeted the news on Thursday:

$DTEGY T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with #Apple #dtcmd $AAPL

— Deutsche Telekom IR (@DT_IR) December 6, 2012

Merrill Lynch's Scott Craig accurately predicted the deal last week when he told investors "speculation is heightening" that Deutsche Telekom and Apple will enter into an agreement. The deal gives Apple access to 98% of the U.S. post-paid market, and analysts are predicting T-Mobile will sell around 4 million iPhones next year.

Google has been busy launching iOS apps lately. The stand-alone YouTube application received full iPad and iPhone 5 optimization for the first time yesterday. Now Gmail users can rejoice that Google has completely redesigned the official iOS Gmail application.

Not only did the app get a new icon and a slick user interface update, but several new features have been added to make life easier for Gmail fans. Multiple account support makes it possible to quickly switch between up to 5 different Google accounts. Search predictions are entered as you type, and iPhone 5 optimization means mail is displayed using the entire screen.

The holiday shopping season has officially begun, and most shoppers are not only searching for the best deals, but they are also looking for the easiest ways to complete their shopping lists. iOS devices were once again the most popular tools for most Black Friday shoppers this year, and it's safe to assume the trend will continue throughout 2012. Here are a few apps that will allow you to gain an edge, save some money and keep organized this holiday shopping season.

FastMall - (iPhone and iPad) - Perfect for the reluctant shopper who hates navigating unfamiliar stores during the holidays. FastMall helps you get in and out of shopping malls quickly by giving you turn-by-turn directions to bathrooms, stores, and restaurants. It also helps you remember where you parked your cae, and can direct you to elevators and escalators for quick escapes from crowded shopping centers.

Angry Birds fans will be happy to know their favorite game has 25 new levels. Every few months developer Rovio Entertainment expands the lineup of themed Angry Birds Seasons levels and adds them at no additional charge. The Winter Wonderham update brings the total to over 300 levels!

Winter Wonderham features a snowy winter landscape with the aurora borealis, and each day leading up to Christmas means a new level will be unlocked. Newcomers to the game can still purchase Angry Birds Seasons from the App Store for only $0.99.

Apple has announced the next phase of its global iPhone 5 rollout. No less than 54 countries are on the list to receive the latest device before the end of this year. In a press release, Apple said the iPhone 5 will be available in South Korea starting on Friday, December 7th.

From there, it's on to two long lists of countries that will get the iPhone 5 on December 14th and December 21st. The iPhone 5 is already available in 47 countries, which means Apple will meet its goal of selling the iOS smartphone in over 100 countries before the end of 2012.