Rumor: Apple testing new iPhones with 3.95-inch, 1136 x 640 displays

Reports that Apple will be finally increasing the screen size of its next-generation iPhone have certainly been piling up over the past few weeks. And today, the credible 9to5Mac is throwing its proverbial hat into the ring.

The site has just published a report that, if true, confirms a number of existing theories regarding Apple’s next handset including display size and resolution, and the oft-rumored smaller charging port. Read on for details…

According to the report, Apple is currently testing multiple new iPhone prototypes. This echoes a previous story from iMore that claimed that the company has yet to decide on a finalized design for its next smartphone.

“Right now we know of a few next-generation iPhone candidates in testing. These prototype phones are floating around Apple HQ in thick, locked shells in order to disguise the exterior design to “undisclosed” employees. We know of two next-generation iPhones in testing with a larger display: the iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2.”

The site isn’t quite sure which model will make it to retail shelves, but it says that both of the devices include new displays that measure 3.95-inches diagonally with resolutions of 1136 x 640. This matches up with the recurring 4-inch iPhone theory, which says that the display will get a bit taller but stay the same width, that has been floating around for the past month.

The report also mentions that both of the prototypes feature all-new, smaller dock connectors — another concept we have heard before.

“Apple will be bringing these dock connectors to all of their iOS devices over time, and it is note exactly a “pill-shape” as rumored. It’s basically a much narrower version of the current squared off (on the corners) dock connector. It is between the size of a Micro-USB and Mini-USB connector.”

Even with 9to5Mac’s accurate track record on the iPhone rumor front, it’s worth noting that these devices are still in the prototype phase and may never see the light of day. Not to mention that Apple has been known to float around  ”fake” prototype models to discourage leaks.

That being said, the report does line up rather nicely with several previous dispatches. And from where we’re sitting, it definitely looks like Apple will be releasing a redesigned iPhone this fall with a larger display and a new dock connector.

What do you think? 








[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: iPhone 5 due in September, iPad mini in August, iPad 4 in Q4

Citing sources close to Apple’s supply chain, Asian hit-and-miss trade publication DigiTimes reported this morning that Apple will launch a sixth-generation iPhone in September, followed by the long-rumored seven-inch iPad mini in August and a fourth-generation iPad in the fourth quarter of this year.

According to the report, Pegatron has reportedly landed orders for the next iPhone while Foxconn is said to manufacture the seven-inch iPad mini, presumably designed to tackle the lower-end of the tablet market currently occupied by Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire tablet…

Standard caveat applies here, folks: take this report with a healthy does of skepticism as DigiTimes is a mixed bag with respect to the Apple rumors biz.

So, here’s right from the DigiTimes claim chowder:

To mainly focus on Apple’s orders, Pegatron has also internally decided to downsize its SI motherboard department and to shift resources to Apple’s orders. Since Asustek has been reducing its motherboard orders to Pegatron, while gross margins are also rather low, the shifting in resources is expected to benefit Pegatron in its operations, the sources noted.

Pegatron, which currently produces the iPhone 4S and the new iPad, has reportedly re-tooled its factories and is ready to assemble the next iPhone model.

Pegatron has already finished expanding its equipment and labor force for Apple’s orders.

Pegatron and Foxconn are Apple’s favorite contract manufacturers, but Shenzen-based Foxconn gets by far the biggest portion of orders from apple.

Now, we’ll believe a new iPad form factor when we see it.

Likewise, we’re not so sure about the fourth-generation iPad launching in the Q4 2012.

The iPad 3 launched in March and Apple likes to stick to a yearly release schedule for the iPad. Well-connected Apple pundit John Gruber recently likened the idea of another iPad this year to “a completely made-up nonsense”.

And in spite of common wisdom, I’m also torn regarding a smaller, 7.85-inch iPad. In case you were wondering, here’s what it would look like next to its 9.7-inch sibling.

On the other hand, the iPad mini might not need a re-write of existing apps, as some folks argued, because the size of user interface elements rendered on a 7.85-inch display would still conform to Apple’s guidelines.

A smaller display in conjunction with existing manufacturing processes would certainly let Apple price the iPad mini even more aggressively than the $399 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad 2.

With the high-end covered by the new iPad and the middle-end addressed with the iPad 2, Apple has thus far conceded the low-end of the market to Amazon’s seven-inch Kindle Fire tablet, which retails for only $199.

The Fire took off to a pretty big start, becoming the best-selling Android tablet. However, per latest IDC data, the device has plummeted from a 16.8 percent share in Q4 2011 to just four percent share in Q1 2012.

Apple’s late co-founder famously dissed seven-inchers, remarking in a conference call with investors these would need to ship with sandpaper so users could sand down their fingers in order to hit tiny icons on the screen.

DigiTimes also reported this morning that Foxconn is set to open a 10,000 square meter state-of-the-art China headquarters in Shanghai. Completion is scheduled for 2015 and the offices will serve as Foxconn’s new operating facility, as well as a research & development and sales center.

Do these iPad and iPhone launch dates make sense to you? I mean, two new iPhones by year’s end, how wacky is that.

It would certainly be prudent to launch the next iPhone sooner than later.

Samsung in the first quarter beat Apple to the smartphone punch, the fact the iPhone maker even mentioned in court documents. Plus, the South Korean conglomerate has justlaunched its third-generation Galaxy S smartphone.

Note: Even though iDB and pretty much every media outlet out there refers to the next iPhone as the iPhone 5, w’re pretty confident Apple will drop the numerical suffix altogether and simply call the device “the new iPhone”.

The above Liquidmetal iPhone 5 concept is credited to French designer Antoine Brieux. 






[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: Apple developing iPay as the next iPhone becomes your iWallet

Yeah, I know analysts promised us flying cars many times before, but bear with me for a second. In addition to opining that the time is not right for an Apple-branded television set until 2014 due to dire economic conditions, the same credible analyst also advised clients that a mobile payment platform from Apple is to be expected.

He calls it iPay and guesstimates it’ll work with NFC technology believed to be in the cards for an upcoming iPad and iPhone hardware refresh…

The analyst is “more optimistic” that Apple is developing a mobile payment solution of its own. He thinks it’s going to be marketed under the iPay moniker and require future iPhones and iPads thought to implement the necessary near-field communication (NFC) technology.

NFC technology lets mobile devices talk to each other over short distances, using radio waves. One simply touches two NFC-enabled devices together in order to, say, confirm the payment, exchange contacts and photos and other items.

According to AppleInsider, Moskowitz wrote this morning in a note to clients:

Currently, we do no have any evidence of an iPay platform in development, but it is our view that the company’s current Apple Store app that enables consumers to check themselves out of an Apple Retail Store could be the stepping stone.

Though it’s just a speculation at this point, but it has its merits.

True, it doesn’t seem like iPay will make a whole lot of sense on iPad. That said, mobile payment capability undoubtedly sounds like a natural progression of the feature set folks have come to expect from their iPhones.

It’s not a question of ‘if’, but ‘when’.

We know Apple’s been hiring NFC experts and they filed several patents detailing a digital wallet on portable devices. Recently, the United States Patent & Trademark Office granted the company a key patent for iWallet.

And if multiple reports from sources like The New York Times and China Times are anything to go by, the next iPhone will feature NFC technology.

Also important – Apple owns premium customers who spend money via iTunes and willingly entrust club Cupertino with their credit card information and confidential data.

The iTunes ecosystem is huge. Last month, Apple revealed it had a whopping 200 million credit card-enabled accounts on iTunes.

This makes the popular online store the biggest credit card hub on the web.

Adding mobile payment functionality that extends outside the confines of digital content purchases on iTunes is a no-brainer.

Tapping iTunes credit cards and the more than 365 million iOS devices in the wild, Apple’s iPay should take off in an instant.

But what about financial institutions such as credit card companies, banks and payment processors? Apple currently partners with these guys and covers credit card transaction fees incurred with each iTunes purchase.

However, the money guys are unlikely to hand over point-of-sale processing to a middle-man. On the other hand, Apple did disrupt some pretty powerful industries and bankers could be easily next for a sprinkle of Apple magic.

And while Google was the first to crack mobile payments with their Wallet thing, Apple is best poised – in my opinion – to simplify and mainstream this technology.

I can certainly see myself paying for groceries just by waving my iPhone.

Would you trust Apple with your expenses or perhaps you’d rather use good ol’ plastic? 






[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: Foxconn said newiPhone is coming on June

Macotakara points to a report this morning from TV Tokyo’s World Business Satellite. The TV show recently conducted an interview with a Foxconn personnel recruiter who had some interesting things to say about the next iPhone.

According to the blog, the recruiter told the news program that Foxconn is in the midst of a major hiring binge to prepare itself for production of Apple’s upcoming handset — a device, that he says, will be launching in June…

Here’s an excerpt from WBS’ report courtesy of Google Translate:

“Foxconn is known in the assembly of Apple products, and has been in the recruitment of 18,000 more personnel. Personnel recruitment office says it’s recruiting for the production of iPhone 5.”

This actually lines up with a report we heard late last month that Foxconn was looking to hire in upwards of 20,000 new employees in the near future. But we’re still fairly skeptical that we’ll see Apple unveil its next smartphone this summer.

Up to this point, the rumor mill hasn’t pinpointed a launch date for the sixth-generation iPhone. But fall seems to be the more likely candidate. This would allow Apple to be certain that early iPhone 4S adopters have had the handset for a full 12 months (most carriers will allow subscribers to upgrade their phones after a year), and would set it up for another blowout holiday quarter.

When do you think Apple will unveil its next iPhone? 

[Via: idownloadblog & AppleInsider] 

Rumors: next iPhone to feature 4.6-inch display

Now that the rumors for the third-generation iPad are over, rumors regarding Apple’s next iPhone are kicking in full swing. Reporting on a rumor that’s been floating around for quite awhile, Maeil Business Newspaper (via Reuters) says that Apple’s next iPhone will feature a 4.6-inch display.

The upgraded screen size has been rumored to be featured in the iPhone for quite awhile. Many Android devices include a larger 4-inch screen, including Samsung’s popular Galaxy S II. The 4.6-inch display would be Retina quality and manufactured by Samsung and LG…

Many customers have asked for a larger screen in their iPhone, however, the iPhone 4S stayed with the iPhone 4′s form-factor. The iPhone 4/4S feature a 3.5-inch screen, that some say is too small compared to many Android devices.

Apple’s next iPhone, perhaps named the iPhone 5, has been rumored to feature an all new teardrop design. Many said it was going to launch last October, however that wasn’t the case. Many reports now say this is the year, most likely sometime this fall.

The iPhone 5 is also rumored to feature LTE — just like the new iPad that was released last week.

Would you like to see a larger screen on the iPhone?

[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: iPad 3 already shipping from China

With the iPad 3 rumored to be announced in the first week of March, 9to5mac’s Mark Gurman has provided a few more tidbits about the iPad 3′s launch this evening. 9to5mac has obtained a leaked shipping document indicating that the iPad 3 has already begun shipping from China and is making its way to US airports. The document says that deliveries are set to take place March 9th.

Next, there’s word that Apple could be taking pre-orders for the iPad 3. You may recall that the iPad 2 wasn’t available for pre-order, while the original iPad was…

9to5mac says that iPad 3 pre-orders could begin as early as March 7th, or possibly a few days later. 

The iPad 3 is rumored to have a Retina display, quad-core processor, upgraded cameras, LTE, and Siri support. Apple’s new tablet is also rumored to ship with iOS 5.1.

Additionally, 9to5mac reports that Apple may launch a second product in March — which is most likely to be the upgraded Apple TV we’ve been hearing about over the past few months. Most likely shipping at $99, it’s rumored to have 1080p and Bluetooth 4 support.

Lastly, the report indicates that Apple may keep around the iPad 2 at a lower price point. Apple will discontinue all of the iPad 2′s, except the black and white 16GB units, to sell them for cheaper than the iPad 3.

With these rumors dropping in, an early March launch seems like a definite reality. It’s just a matter of what date exactly, we’re waiting on. Apple should be sending out invites to their press event in the coming days.

Are you excited for the iPad 3?

[Via: idownloadblog & 9to5mac]

Rumor: revamped sixth-generation iPhone to launch this Fall

The rumor mill has been turning like crazy over the last few months. It seems like we’ve heard constant gossip regarding Apple’s upcoming iPad refresh, and even more on the possibility of the company entering the TV industry this year.

But that doesn’t mean that people have forgotten about the next iPhone. After a seeing just a minor update last year, folks are anticipating Apple’s handset line to get a significant makeover this Fall. The one we all expected to see last year…

The key here is “this Fall.” Even though we’ve heard a handful of reports suggesting that Apple is looking to put the iPhone back on its regular Summer release cycle this year,Macotakara is reporting that we won’t see Apple’s next handset until September or October.

This lines up with a report we heard last week claiming that Apple will release an LTE iPhone in October of this year. It’s the same report that calls for a March 7th iPad 3 event, so it stands to gain a significant amount of credibility if that materializes.

A Fall iPhone release also makes sense considering the success Apple saw last year during the holiday quarter. With over 37 million iPhones sold between October and December, why wouldn’t you try to replicate those results again this year?

[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: Pre-GM version of iOS 5.1 leaked

Apple has been seeding beta versions of iOS 5.1 to developers for almost three months now. And the most recent version, beta 3, was released more than a month ago. Apple is expected to unveil the new software alongside its iPad 3 next month.

That being said, the folks over at BlogdoiPhone are claiming that they’ve managed to acquire a Pre-GM version of iOS 5.1. And among the new features they’ve discovered, is a new Lock Screen camera icon (pictured above)…

Introduced in iOS 5 last year, the Lock Screen camera icon can be activated on any device (with a camera) by double tapping the home button. This helps users quickly access their device’s camera, without the need for multiple taps.

BlogdoiPhone’s purported screenshot from iOS 5.1, however, shows a camera icon that is constantly present. And instead of a stationary image, it’s a slider. Sliding up on the icon appears to instantly reveal the Camera app. Cool.

The other big discovery in the new software is a Japanese language setting for Siri. We’ve been hearing reports that this would happen sooner, rather than later, so no surprise here.

We obviously can’t verify any of the above information/images, but for what it’s worth, Apple has been known to seed pre-release versions of iOS to carriers and other parties for testing prior to public rollouts.

PS, if the report does turn out to be false, can someone in the jailbreak community make the Lock Screen camera icon slider thing happen? Thanks.

[Via: idownloadblog & MacRumors]

Rumor: iPad 3 event to take place March 7th

We’ve heard a couple of theories over the last few months regarding when Apple would finally unveil its next-generation tablet. Though earlier rumors suggested we could see the next iPad as early as February, most of the chatter now points to an early March launch.

Days ago, iMore weighed in on the tablet gossip, pinpointing March 7th as the date Apple will hold its event, and echoing previous reports of the slate’s expected feature set…

According to their sources, iMore is reporting that Apple’s iPad event is set for March 7th. The site also says it has confirmed that the new tablet will sport a quad-core A6 processor and a new 2048×1536 Retina display, which have both been rumored to be iPad 3 features for months.

While we were a bit skeptical on the March 7th date at first, LoopInsight‘s Jim Dalrymple has added some serious weight to iMore’s claim. The ex-MacWorld editor has indicated that he is also hearing that Apple’s iPad event will take place on Wednesday, March 7th.

Given that the date also lines up with AllThingsD’s ‘first week of March’ report, it looks like we are only about three weeks away from seeing Apple’s new tablet. Here’s hoping that the Retina display and LTE rumors actually materialize.

[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumors: iPad 3′s Retina display is such a big deal

At this point, it seems like a Retina display in the iPad 3 is a pretty safe bet. After two years, and two iterations, of the same screen resolution, we fully expect Apple’s next tablet to feature a much sharper display.

Much of the tech world seems to be convinced that that display will be of Retina quality — which is a huge deal. And to demonstrate how huge, designer Chris Koerner put together a rather interesting infographic…

What you are looking at is a comparison between the screen resolutions of an iPhone 3G and 3GS, an iPhone 4 and 4S, an iPad 1 and 2, Blu Ray, and the rumored iPad 3. Yeah, you could watch a Blu Ray movie at full resolution on the purported iPad 3 and still have pixels left over. Wow.

The feat gets even more amazing when you consider that Apple’s largest iMac, which has a 27″ screen, has a resolution of 2560 x 1440. To think that Apple managed to squeeze that many pixels in a screen 1/3 that size is pretty remarkable.

Along with a Retina display, the next iPad is also expected to feature a number of other upgrades including a faster processor and higher resolution cameras. And according to a recent report from AllThingsD, the tablet should be unveiled sometime in the next few weeks.

[Via: idownloadblog & OSXDaily]

Rumors: Supposed iPad 3 Backing Reveals Subtle Changes

The iPad 3 has been rumored to launch sometime this Spring, but there haven’t been many other rumors besides that. In a new report from Fix iPhones, they show us the supposed backing of the iPad 3 compared to the iPad 2, demonstrating that the new tablet will apparently only have a few subtle changes.

The most biggest changes Fix iPhones found was the possibility of a new screen and larger battery…

1. You can see here that the mounts for the logic board are very different, which means the logic board shape will be different allowing for . . . .

2. More battery. The width of where the logic board sits on the iPad 2 appears much larger than that of the iPad 3. We have long heard that the iPad 3 was going to provide longer battery life, and this back housing seems to support that.

3. The camera is different. It is hard to make a judgment just by looking at the casing, but what we can expect is a different camera on the iPad 3 than what we had on the 2.

4. LCD will be different than what we have had before. Whether or not it will be the super screen we have seen reported will have to wait. But the different mounting does mean that the LCD has been redesigned at the very least.

Due to the change in where the logic board sits on the iPad 3, it will allow for a larger battery that will give more battery life, the report mentions. In typical fashion, Apple has usually increased the battery life across their new devices, so this certainly makes sense.

Next, the report mentions the possibility of a new camera on the iPad 3. There’s no word on what kind of camera exactly, but they expect it to be different than the VGA 30 frames per second front facing camera and HD (720p) 30 frames per second rear-facing camera that the iPad 2 sports.

Lastly, the report touches on the possibility of the new LCD that has been rumored to be included with the iPad 3. They don’t go as far as saying it will be retina quality, but that the iPad 3′s backing definitely has different mounting that indicates a redesigned screen.

What do you think about this latest rumor?

[Via: idownloadblog & MacRumors] 

Rumor: iOS 5.1 may Release on March 9th

It’s been more than a month since Apple seeded iOS 5.1 beta 3 to developers, and more than three months since it released the first one. So we’ve started wondering, when will we see the next version of iOS?

Judging by Apple’s history, the company is more than likely waiting for its upcoming iPad event to unveil iOS 5.1. And according to the folks over at YourDailyMac, we could see both drop on March 9th…

“We today discovered that Apple published eleven new profiles for various iPhone-operators. These files are compatible with iOS 5.1 and are set for release on March 9. This could indicate that iOS 5.1 will be released around the date, and available for the following devices; iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch 3G/4G, iPad and iPad 2.”

Although YourDailyMac has provided a screenshot of the evidence in the carrier profile (above), we’re still plenty skeptical. For one, we can’t imagine Apple embedding a concrete release date in any context. The company is known for its attention to detail, and has, in the past, delayed software releases for more than a month to get them just right.

The date, March 9th, also sounds a bit sketchy. If we’re correct in assuming that Apple will unveil iOS 5.1 alongside its new iPad, a Friday release date just doesn’t make sense. We can’t remember the last time that Apple made a major announcement on a Friday.

Of course, an early March iPad release does fall in line with previous rumors. So we wouldn’t be surprised to see both the new software and the new tablet drop sometime in the first or second week of March.

iOS 5.1 is expected to contain a number of new features, including greater Siri functionality. It’s also rumored to contain a patch for the exploits used in the current jailbreak, so make sure you’ve saved your iOS 5.0.1 SHSH blobs.

[Via: idownloadblog & BGR]