Data

iOS 10 gains convenient cellular data shortcut with a little help from 3D Touch

iOS 10 takes 3D Touch, a pressure sensing technology which debuted a year ago on the iPhone 6s, to plenty new places throughout the operating system. With 3D Touch, you can clear all notifications in one fell swoop, rename folders quickly, prioritize downloads, interact with notifications and more.

You also get useful 3D Touch shortcuts upon pressing app icons in Control Center (sadly, 3D-touching Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles does nothing).

Worse, Control Center continues to inexplicably lack a dedicated cellular data toggle. But worry not, as Apple has found a way to slip in that sought-after cellular data shortcut with a little help from 3D Touch.

Sprint reveals its own unlimited data plan

Joining a chorus of carrier updates, U.S. wireless carrier Sprint today revealed an unlimited plan of its own. Called Unlimited Freedom and available starting at $60 per month, it offers unlimited 4G LTE data, talk and text, with the ability to add a second line for an extra $40 per month, or up to eight lines for an additional $30 per month each.

Additionally, Sprint's prepaid subsidiary Boost Mobile revealed a similar plan of its own. Both plans are available for new and existing customers starting tomorrow.

T-Mobile One gives you unlimited 4G LTE data for $70 per month beginning September 6

Just as U.S. carrier AT&T announced more affordable data plans with no overage charges, Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile USA today launched One, its brand new $70 per month plan with unlimited 4G LTE data, calling and text, plus no data caps. However, if you plan on streaming high-definition video on One, that'll be an extra $25 unless you're content with video streaming in standard (DVD-like) quality in 480p.

The new plan is available for new postpaid customers beginning Tuesday, September 6 at T-Mobile stores nationwide and t-mobile.com.

AT&T unveils modest data upgrades at reduced costs ahead of iPhone 7 release

Conveniently timed weeks ahead of the expected iPhone 7 launch next month, U.S. carrier AT&T on Wednesday unveiled modest data upgrades at reduced prices while dropping overage charges for exceeding monthly cellular data caps. The new data plans, available beginning August 21, include the 1GB/$30, 3GB/$40, 6GB/$60, 10GB/$80, 16GB/$90, 25GB/$110 and 30GB/$135 tiers.

Overage charges will become a thing of the past as the carrier will no longer slap you with a $15 per 1GB charge after using rollover data. Instead, your data speeds will decrease to the sluggish 2G (128 kbps) after all of the cellular data in your monthly bucket has been used up.

T-Mobile treats 2016 Summer Olympics attendees to unlimited 4G LTE data and calling

Deutsche Telekom-owned wireless carrier T-Mobile USA today announced that all Simple Choice postpaid customers traveling to Brazil for 2016 Summer Olympics will be treated to unlimited high-speed 4G LTE data within the country during August.

In unleashing Brazil this summer, T-Mobile's CEO John Legere noted that not only will Rio de Janeiro visitors enjoy the Summer Olympics without worrying about roaming charges, but also free calls within Brazil and to U.S. during the month of August.

Verizon launches new wireless plans with higher prices and more data

Verizon on Wednesday announced a new wireless plan platform and several new features for its customers. The new plan is more expensive, but it includes at least 30% more data than the previous offering, as well as new stuff like Carryover Data and Safety Mode.

It looks like they're calling it simply the new Verizon Plan, and it comes in 5 flavors: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large and XX-Large. The Small option costs $35 per month for 2GB (previously $30/month for 1GB), and the XXL gives you 24GB for $110 per month.

T-Mobile offering free 4G data to US customers traveling in Europe this summer

Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier T-Mobile USA on Thursday announced a new promotion which gives postpaid customers free unlimited 4G LTE data across all of Europe, except Andora, between July 1 and August 31, 2016. Only postpaid customers who reside in the United States and primary use T-Mobile's US network are eligible for this promotion. In addition to free data, texting is free and calls are just 20 cents a minute throughout Europe and a host of other destinations.