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: 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]

Shocker: next iPhone expected to launch later this year with LTE

BGR passes along a report from DigiTimes this morning which claims that Apple is planning to launch a new iPhone later this year equipped with LTE technology. You don’t say?

Well, considering that Apple has released a new iPhone every year for the past 5 years, it’s safe to assume that we’ll see another one in 2012. And given the fact that the company’s latest tablet contains LTE, it’s not hard to fathom that its next handset will too…

While we consider this to be more of a common sense thing than a rumor, we do expect a lot of gossip this year regarding the upcoming iPhone. A lot of folks are anticipating this model to employ the redesign and features that were expected in last year’s iPhone including a 4-inch display and yes, an LTE radio.

Apple sold more than 37 million handsets last fall after announcing the iPhone 4S. So in order to improve on that this year, it’s going to have to step up its game. And that’s what makes this next iPhone so interesting. Will we finally see the thinner, larger-screened handset that fits in all of those cases we saw surface last year?

What do you think?

[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumors: iPhone 5 to have glass back panel too

The folks over at iLounge seem to be on a roll today. Earlier we told you about the site’s report that Apple was working on some kind of “enhanced Smart Cover” for the iPad 3, and now it’s claiming to know new details about the next iPhone.

After what happened last year, we’re not sure anyone really knows what Apple has planned for its smartphone line. But iLounge is reporting that it has learned some interesting information regarding the iPhone 5 from a “repeatedly reliable source…”

Up to this point, all of the reports and evidence we’ve seen on the iPhone 5 have suggested that the handset will feature an aluminum back with a thinner, tapered profile. But iLounge is hearing different:

“Despite the well-established “aluminum-back iPhone 5″ rumors that have continued to circulate since the iPhone 4 was released, Apple is nonetheless continuing to experiment with glass and ceramic rear shells for a future iPhone model. The upshot is that the new design would look like the iPhone 4, but thinner, thanks to Corning’s stronger Gorilla Glass 2 and further reduction of internal components.”

The site goes on to say that its source also noted that a larger screen is still in the plans for the next iPhone, and, as we’ve heard in previous reports, Apple is looking to phase out its 30-pin Dock Connector in the near future.

It’s worth noting that iLounge posted a number of claims earlier this year regarding the iPad 3. And so far, they all seem to be materializing. So we have no reason to believe this report is off.

This means that the next iPhone could very well sport the same front and back glass panels that customers have been complaining about since the iPhone 4 debuted. Keep in mind, however, that Apple has been heavily experimenting with glass for years now. So we doubt we’d see glass casing again without significant improvements.

What do you think of a glass-backed iPhone 5? 






[Via: idownloadblog]

Teardrop-shaped iPhone 5 mockup

We are fans of Ciccarese Design here, even when its renderings do not closely follow Apple’s design language. The design studio’s new iPhone 5 mockup exploits a teardrop design meme in a lovely way. As rumormongers are well aware, a teardrop-shaped iPhone 5 was often speculated in the weeks and months leading up to the iPhone 4S launch.

The hype was in vain  for Apple’s new phone, though, that turned out to be almost identical to its predecessor (at least from the outside). With all eyes now on a rumored summer (or is it fall?) unveiling of a sixth-generation iPhone, the pundits again believe the launch will mark a major design change for Apple’s phone with the biggest visual overhaul since the original iPhone.

Now, do not get us wrong: We really do not think these mockups will be accurate. For starters, how would this thing sit flat on a table? Nevertheless, the renderings are interesting and appealing and we would love to hear your thoughts, so meet us in comments. Oh, and what is with the glowing Apple logo on the back, cool or what?

[Via: 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: Apple to Unveil iPhone 5 at WWDC This Year

Last year, Apple broke its three-year tradition of announcing a new iPhone during its WWDC event. The World Wide Developers Conference, which takes place in mid-June, is a major event for the Cupertino company.

For reasons unknown, Apple didn’t unveil any new hardware at last year’s conference. Instead, consumers had to wait until October to purchase the company’s new handset. But according to a new report, that won’t be the case this year…

The Commercial Times is reporting that Apple will unveil the iPhone 5 during its WWDC conference this year. Quoting an analyst of Daiwa Securities, the site says that we’ll see a revamped “glass to glass touch panel” handset from Apple this Summer.

We’re not sure it would make sense for Apple to release a new phone within 9 months of the iPhone 4S launch, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this claim. In fact, the word on the street is that Apple has had a working iPhone 5 since the Summer of last year. So a Summer launch this year doesn’t seem that far-fetched.

The next-generation iPhone is expected to feature Apple’s new A6 quad-core processor, a new hardware design, and LTE compatibility.

[Via: idownloadblog & MacRumors]

Foxconn Employee: iPhone 5 is Ready for Production

Rumors are part and parcel of an Apple device, but 9to5Mac just dropped something of a bombshell, with the news that a Foxconn employee has apparently told them that the iPhone 5 – or whatever it ends up being called – is ready for final production, leaving a summer launch a possibility.

Rumors of just what the iPhone 5 will be have been around for quite some time now, but this latest round comes with added weight, assuming this supposed Foxconn employee’s information is accurate.

The source also shared some other interesting information, including the size of the screen and other structural tidbits that could alter the smartphone landscape considerably…

According to 9to5Mac’s source, the new iPhone is currently floating around in a selection of slightly different guises. One thing is true of all of them – they all sport a 4-inch screen. There has been talk of a new form factor for the new iPhone, with an increased screen size very much at the center of it. It seems Apple may finally be getting ready to follow the lead of the competition by ditching its current 3.5-inch dimensions.

The expected teardrop shape does not appear to be on the cards however, with the source claiming that none of the prototypes follow such a design. All are wider and taller than the current iPhone 4S, which is to be expected given the increased screen size.

With none of the prototypes being final versions, it is entirely possible that aspects will change, but with all of them apparently having a 4-inch screen, we think that it’s a good bet.

As always, we’ve no way of verifying most of this, though we’re not sure what 9to5Mac would gain from posting inaccurate information.c

[Via: idownloadblog]

Rumor: iPhone 5 Will Be Thinner With 3G/LTE Compatibility Across All Networks

The latest in analyst predictions comes from Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty. According to Huberty, the next-generation iPhone will be slimmer and sport a quad-core Qualcomm chip with 3G and LTE compatibility across all networks.

We’ve heard plenty of rumors regarding the mythical iPhone 5, and this particular analyst claims that Apple will have its upcoming handset ready for customers in the third quarter of this year.

AppleInsider reports:

Apple will remain impervious to a broader decline in consumer demand throughout the technology industry through the release of its third-generation iPad in the first half of 2012 and the launch of a thinner iPhone later this year, analyst Katy Huberty wrote in a note to investors detailing takeaways from a recent trip to Asia.

Data points for Apple are “mostly positive,” she said, as the company is expected to maintain unit shipments this quarter, compared to a 10 percent sequential decline from the December quarter in the broader market.

Huberty also predicts that an iPad 3 will launch in the next few months — a claim that most of the industry seems to agree with. New touch panel technology will apparently make the next iPhone thinner, and Huberty notes that a new casing material will also keep the device’s form factor slim. Aluminum, anyone?

The idea of a quad-core iPhone isn’t entirely improbable, as iOS 5.1 actually references quad-core iOS devices already. Most of argued that Apple won’t bring LTE/4G to its smartphone until the carriers have the technology fully rolled out to customers. Carriers have been aggressively pushing 4G as of late, so it makes sense for Apple to at least include compatibility for the technology in 2012′s iPhone.

What do you think? Will we see an LTE-compatible iPhone this year? 








[Via: idownloadblog]

Say Hello to iPhone SJ(SteveJobs)

Antonio De Rosa has come up with yet another awesome iPhone concept, a handset he called the iPhone SJ because it was inspired by the late Steve Jobs.

Shown off in all its glory at De Rosa’s ADR Studio website, the concept takes the existing iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S body and reinvents it, creating a gorgeous concept that even Jonny Ive himself would be pleased to call his own.

While the specs are not the biggest thing here, De Rosa speculates that the concept could come packed with a dual-core A6 chip and a 10 megapixel camera. That’s probably not too far from what we would expect Apple to put inside the iPhone 5…

The biggest feature of this concept has to be the full glass front panel which would pack a capacitive screen edge-to-edge. Built atop a lightweight polycarbonate body, that screen looks absolutely gorgeous in the renders and just makes us wish it was a real iPhone even more!

Apple is expected to bring the iPhone 5 to market later this year, possibly as late as October, should the company wish to stick to its new release cadence. After the iPhone 4S’ lack of a redesigned chassis, all bets are off as to what Apple has planned this time around.

Just a word of warning Apple: if the next iPhone does not look just like this concept, we’re all going to be very, very disappointed!

[Via: idownloadblog]

iCam: Beautiful Concept of an iPhone Camera

According to some excerpts from Steve Jobs’ recently released biography, the ex-CEO wanted to “reinvent” three markets: television, text books, and photography. The first is still a rumor, the second is happening as we speak, and the third is still up for discussion.

Looking at the image upload data from Flickr shows that the top four most popular cameraphones are iPhones, and the most popular camera overall is the iPhone 4. So is this what Jobs was talking about? Or did he want to build an actual camera, like this one?

The folks over at  ADR Studios, a design firm, have uploaded some gorgeous renderings of what an Apple camera might look like. Actually, the iCam is more of an iPhone accessory than a standalone camera, but either way this looks like one mean picture-taker.

The iCam concept interacts with the rumored iPhone 5 handset. The device hooks up with the accessory through the dock connector, allowing both products to seamlessly share data and content.  The camera also sports a built-in pico projector, and a zoom lens.

We don’t really see Apple releasing something like this, as it doesn’t have a good track record with expensive device accessories [see Hi-Fi]. But the iCam is gorgeous, and would probably do well for a third party manufacturer, as long as it wasn’t too pricey.

What do you think of the iCam?

[Via: idownloadblog & RedmondPie]

Let's countdown!!! Apple Hangs “Let’s Talk iPhone” Banner

Today Apple put up the banner for the “Let’s Talk iPhone” event. The banner shows the same exact icons that were on the invitations sent out a couple of days ago *as below.

The banner was put up outside of Apple’s campus auditorium in Cupertino, California. Apple’s event is scheduled to take place this Tuesday.

Feel excited? 

[via: idownloadblog & 9to5mac]