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Tag: iPhone 5

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: Telefónica Scaling Back Stock To Make Room For iPhone 5

    We may finally have some truth to some of the rumors that have been spread around for months now.

    Engadget reports that a tipster has alerted them that starting on August 22nd Telefónica, a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America, will begin scaling back there iPhone stock. The reduction will take place through September 12th and “will of course prepare us for the launch of a new smart phone“, according to the source.

    Last week there was a rumor floating around that Apple would be holding a media event on September 7th where they would announce the iPhone 5. The rumor was later debunked by Dim Dalrymple of The Loop, where he stated:

    “Reports began to surface yesterday that Apple would hold a special event on September 7 to launch the new iPhone, but that’s not happening.”

    It should be noted that Dalrymple only debunked the date of September 7th. Theoretically Apple could still announce the iPhone 5 any other day during the month, which puts it on track for an October release, which was also speculated last week.

    When do you think the iPhone 5 will be announced? Will it even be called the iPhone 5? Let us know your thoughts.

  • iPad 3 Release Date: Not This Year

    Last week, it was reported, that Apple had been toying with the idea of releasing revamped version of their iPad, but the rumor was later squashed as problems arose concerning the Retina Display. Digitimes reports:

    “The sources believe that the yield rate of the 9.7-inch panel that feature resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 may be the major reason of the supply delay since such panels are mainly supplied by Japan-based Sharp with a high price and Apple’s other supply partners Samsung Electronics and LG Display are both unable to reach a good yield. Since Apple is unable to control a certain level of supply volume, the iPad 3 is unlikely to be mass produced as scheduled“.

    The rumored plan was to produce 1.5-2 million units during Q3 and 5-6 million in Q4 of the iPad 3.

    Yesterday we reported Apple was currently testing an iPhone featuring 4G LTE, but it looked unlikely the iPhone 5 would feature the technology due to Apple unwilling to make design modifications. With that in mind, Apple would have to make some tweaks to their iPad design to include a Retina Display, and they’re not going to do that. DT states “iPad 3’s requirements over the physical thinness, rich color support and toughness will all conflict with the panel’s technology restrictions; therefore, this could cause a delay in the launch“.

    It now appears that the iPad 3 is back on track for Apple’s release cycle, coming out sometime in Spring of 2012.

  • iPhone 5 Releasing With 4G LTE Support?

    iPhone 5 Releasing With 4G LTE Support?

    Apple has been quite reluctant to adopt the the LTE technology, which could bring even faster data speeds to their devices. Their main reasoning for not supporting it thus far is that Apple refuses to make design changes to accomodate the 4G LTE network. Lack of chipsets, device speed and power are amongst the items Apple would need to address. MacRumors states that “LTE chips suitable for Apple’s needs are reportedly set to debut in early 2012.”

    With all that in mind, BGR has discovered that Apple is currently testing an LTE-enabled phone with carriers, below is an excerpt from their findings:

    “While we can’t confirm that the upcoming fifth-generation iPhone will be able to support 4G LTE, we can now exclusively confirm that Apple’s carrier partners are testing iPhone models with LTE capability. BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple’s major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE. This doesn’t necessarily mean every Apple device that’s about to be released will feature an embedded 4G LTE modem, but it certainly means Apple isn’t sitting on the sidelines as 4G LTE networks continue to roll out around the world. Plus, when Apple finally does make a 4G LTE device, the battery might actually last longer than a few hours. Check out our photo gallery for images of Apple’s LTE plist file.”

    It’s unclear at this time if the iPhone 5 will release with full 4G LTE support, but it should be noted that t is expected to support HSPA + technology for GSM networks, which some carriers label to as 4G.

    What are you expectations when Apple finally does hop on the LTE train?

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: Release Date Not In September After All?

    Earlier we wrote about a rumor that was making the rounds on the Internet that Apple would beholding a media event on September 7th. The initial thought was Apple would use this venue to launch the uber-hyped iPhone 5.

    It now appears that the September media event isn’t happening, as sources have flatly denied to Jim Dalrymple of The Loop:

    Reports began to surface yesterday that Apple would hold a special event on September 7 to launch the new iPhone, but that’s not happening.

    According to my sources, Apple will not have an event or launch the next iPhone on September 7. It’s hard to say how that specific date was chosen by the sites that started the rumor, other than it fits into the timeline of previous Apple events.

    At this point it’s unclear when Apple will hold their next media event. It could still be in September, as it just appears that Dalrymple has only squashed the rumore of the event being on the 7th. So, realistically the iPhone 5 could still be announced sometime in September, we’ll just have to wait and see. It’ll also be interesting to see when Apple finally does announce the iPhone 5 if it includes rumored built-in projector.

    It should be noted that Dalrymple is pretty well known conduit for insider Apple information. He’s even been referred to as an “unofficial outlet for debunking rumor claims”.

  • Rumor: iPhone 5 Releasing With Built-In Projector?

    On August 11th Apple was granted a patent application by the US Patent & Trademark Office which hints at Apple’s upcoming plans to possibly incorporate projectors into future iOS devices.

    The rumor d’jour at the moment is that Apple might release the iPhone 5 with a built-in projector.

    Patently Apple, states, “The level of detail associated with this patent would suggest that Apple’s development teams are moving full steam ahead on the projection system project“.

    Don’t laugh, it could happen. Just last week MacRumors discovered that Apple had purchased the Applepico.com domain name.

    DigiTimes is quick to point out “sources from pico projector makers pointed out that the related R&D is still not mature and demand from consumers has yet to appear, so smartphone-use pico projector modules are unlikely to start mass shipping until after 2012.”

    It’ll be interesting to see when Apple unveils their first iOS device with a built-in projector, even if it’s not the iPhone 5.

    [Image courtesy]

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: September Release Date?

    You’ve got to be kidding me… another iPhone 5 rumor?

    In the past Apple has released new iPhones during their summer Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), but sadly this year there was no such announcement. Artsy coffee drinkers were totally bummed out by this.

    A report from a Japanese website sets September 7th as the date of Apple’s next media event, which is speculated to be when Apple unveils the iPhone 5. MacRumors asked the blog for the source of the speculated date, and they found that it came from a “source in the know” and not a product of guesswork. If you look at the dates of past Apple media events
    in September, the dates jive: September 9th, 2008, September 9th, 2009, and September 1st, 2010.

    If the date of the media event turns out to be accurate, there are no guarantees the iPhone 5 will be announced.

    Apple’s suppliers are rumored to begin shipments of the iPhone 5 in September, but AllThingsD still suggests that we won’t see anything until October. If you combine these rumors, they kind of make sense. Apple could announce the iPhone 5 in September, at the rumored media event, and be ready for an official release in October.

  • With iPhone 5 Release (Possibly) A Month Away, Guy Camps Out At Apple Store

    One man (kind of) has the distinction of being the first person to get in line for the upcoming iPhone 5.

    In what he calls a “marketing and PR experiment,” Robert Shoesmith is camping outside a London Apple Store until the iPhone 5 is released. Of course, as you know from our extensive coverage, the iPhone 5 has not even been announced yet. Rumors place the release date sometime in either September or October, however.

    Shoesmith has set up a blog for what he calls the “iPhone 5 Experiment.” On that blog, he describes what he plans to do for the next month or two (maybe longer).

    I will be camping out on the streets of London for the launch of the iPhone 5 in a marketing and pr experiment. There is one rule! I can’t spend any money on anything I take with me. I’m asking for companies to donate products and services to test out whilst I’m there. Can you help?

    That’s right, he has left his wallet behind and will be living based solely on what people give him.

    And so far he isn’t doing too bad – He has already received packages of lithium batteries from Energizer, a webcam kit from the folks at Skype, and candy from an online distributor. Some of the companies who have already agreed to sponsor the “experiment” – Cadbury, Mountain Dew, Domino’s Pizza, Kenneth Cole, Weight Watchers and Gillette.

    He has a Flickr gallery dedicated to all the stuff he’s already received.

    The blog also contains Shoesmith’s wishlist for his camping excursion. This includes items like table cloths, picnic sets, travel sized deodorants, hats, scarves, handheld video game devices and iTunes vouchers. If you help Shoesmith out you get your company listed as a sponsor, blog posting about your contributions and the “strong possibility of a book release after the experiment has been concluded.”

    This is a full scale marketing extravaganza, as Shoesmith is also advertising mobile apps that he is playing while patiently waiting for the iPhone 5. He is also schduling entertainment –

    During my stay in Covent Garden I’ll have a personal trainer helping to keep me in shape, many products to publicly test, and I’ve even managed to secure a number of live bands to perform. There will be much to see and do, so please make the trip if you can, and don’t forget to bring some friends too!

    Do you have a talent? Can you juggle, act, or dance? Can you breathe fire?! Whatever your talent, I’m eager to help you get noticed. As I’m going to be in London for quite some time, it’s important for me to keep the experiment fresh, so I’m actively searching for talented individuals to visit me in Covent Garden and perform.

    Call the “iPhone 5 Experiment” what you want, but it is inarguably inventive. A true marketing for marketing’s sake deal where the goal is win-win publicity for all. Plus, for Shoesmith, it’s a chance to score a bunch of cool shit for free. And you can’t fault a guy for that.

    [Hat tip to Tech Crunch]

  • iPhone 5 Rumors: November Release Date in Russia?

    Another day, another rumor – but this time with some international flair.

    Russian publication RBC daily is reporting that the much anticipated iPhone 5 could hit the shelves in their country in November.

    Apparently, the Russian handset retailers are in direct negotiations with Apple to speed up shipments of Apple devices to the country. This comes from two sources inside the mobile “retail market.”

    Generally, iPhones have been appearing in Russia long after they launch in the U.S. and Europe – up to 6 months in most cases. Russian retailers obviously want to eliminate some of that delay. Here is an explanation of the situation, courtesy of RBC (note: the original page is in Russian, so this is a Google translate version)

    Russian operators are negotiating with Apple to supply the iPhone 5, told RBC daily two sources for cellular retail market. According to them, this time mobile companies are trying to achieve the optimal term supply pipes from the American manufacturer. “In general, official aids on the shelves of Russian stores, usually appearing only six months after the official release, that is after premieres not only in the U.S. and Europe. Russian operators want to speed up delivery times “, – says one of the RBC daily. According to preliminary unofficial data, iPhone 5 in Russia may appear as early as November.

    “To reduce delivery times operators have long wanted. Indeed, because of delays in Russia, there are many “gray” pipes. And this essentially takes the income of MTS and “VimpelCom” who are forced to wait for official release in Russia “, – says head of research Dennis Agency Telecomdaily pieces. In his view, to include Russia in the list of countries receiving iPhone immediately after the premiere of a new vehicle in the U.S., is quite real. “For Apple this is quite large, important market.”

    It seems like service providers are a little miffed that they are unable to sell the actual handsets to customers, only the service to customers who have acquired the handsets through other means.

    One of those providers mentioned, VimpelCom, told RBC that yes, they are in negotiations with Apple for expedited supply.

    This is important to American and European customers because it implies an earlier release date than November for them. If the Russians project November, that’s more evidence to suggest a September/October release here. And as we know, that speculation has been flying around all week.

    Still sick of iPhone 5 rumors? Check out this uber-creepy case for your existing iPhone 3Gs or 4. It will definitely help cure the rumor fatigue.

    [Hat Tip to TNW]

  • More Android Phones To Get Skype Video Chat

    While Google is fighting everybody in the tech industry–at least it seems that way–over Android patents, the mobile device operating system received some additional usability, thanks to the Skype 2.1 application update. Actually, Skype’s video chat service was already supported for certain Android phones.

    The 2.1 update just extends the level of functionality to additional Android-capable devices, bringing video chat to 17 additional Android phones, of which, the Skype blog lists:

  • Acer A5
  • HTC Desire (2.2)
  • HTC Desire HD
  • HTC Evo 3D
  • HTC Evo 4G
  • HTC Flyer
  • HTC Incredible S
  • HTC Sensation
  • HTC Thunderbolt – Verizon (2.2) (US only)
  • LG Revolution – Verizon (2.2) (US only)
  • Samsung Droid Charge – Verizon (2.2) (US only)
  • Samsung Galaxy S
  • Samsung Galaxy S II
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab
  • Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro
  • Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY
  • Sony Ericsson Xperia ray

    • The post also addresses owners who may not see their device listed, saying the capability should be available, provided the version of Android is current enough:

    For those of you using Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above, you should still be able to enable video calling in your Skype settings. Just go to “Skype settings” after launching the app and select “enable video calling”.

    However, some devices may not meet the minimum requirements to use Skype’s video calling service. Time to upgrade if it’s that important.

    Here’s a video of the service in action, showing just how easy it works:

    With the ease video calling has risen to, not to mention, the relative ease on bandwidth use, such capabilities are to be expected with these newer devices. For Android, the news couldn’t have come at a better time, especially while Google is dealing with their patent mess. Any good news can only be welcomed with open arms.

    Of course, with the news concerning the popularity of the Android OS, Google should feel good about its mobile device venture, well, until the iPhone 5 comes out, at least. That being said, the proliferation of Android devices should help stem the iPhone 5 wave. Somewhat, anyway.

  • iPhone 5 Rumors – Release Date Back to September?

    The truth is, this is getting ridiculous. Frankly, it’s getting exhausting to keep up. The iPhone 5 rumors have been flying around for months, which is fine, but the release date stuff is just getting out of hand during this final stretch.

    It is September? Is it August? No, it’s September. Wait, maybe it’s October. How about October 1st? That’s close to September, but still in October. No, it’s probably in September. Or is it? …

    Yeesh.

    While popular speculation earlier this week was October, it seems that September is is back as the front runner for iPhone 5 release date months. I hope this is right, because the sooner it comes out, the the sooner we can stop worrying about what month it comes out. Then we can focus on the iPad 3 rumors. Is it coming out in January? Next June? Tomorrow? Never? We’ll find out eventually, but I can’t wait to go through this rigamarole with the next Apple device. Or maybe we should focus on worrying about the iPhone 6.

    Anyway, the latest on the iPhone 5 rumor front, as mentioned, is that it’s looking like September again. Digitimes is reporting that “Pegatron Technology has landed orders for 10 million units of iPhone 5 to become the second ODM of the smartphone. Shipments will start in September, according to industry sources.”

    Charles Arthur at Guardian also makes the case that the October rumors “don’t fit the way Apple operates – nor the details emerging from carriers”.

    “Apple’s iOS5, which will obviously power the next iPhone version, is rolling towards a September release,” he says, adding “my carrier sources tell me that the boxes in which the new iPhone hardware is encased have been transported to carriers for testing. This is an important step in the release cycle for any phone….. Either way, the new iPhones are in the system, which means they now just have to get approval – which will probably only take a few weeks at most – and can then be signed off for manufacturing.”

    He also quotes Steve Jobs on a past release, as saying, “Every single week before the holidays counts, and we didn’t want to wait two weeks when every week counts with very high volumes.”

    It’s a pretty good point. No dispute there.

    Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster made some projections based on a survey of indicating that the iPhone 5’s release will mean huge market growth for Apple (compared to Android). More on that here.

  • iPhone 5 Rumors: Release Date October 1? Bigger Display?

    iPhone 5 Rumors: Release Date October 1? Bigger Display?

    Today is another day, so naturally, there are more iPhone 5 rumors going around. Another rumor has come from the supply chain, as they often do, indicating that the device may come with a larger display and a thinner design.

    Previous rumors suggested that the device would be thinner and lighter, but this appears to be the latest rumor on the design of the device itself. AppleInsider’s Neil Hughes says Analyst Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee says his sources say the device will have a “slightly larger display than the current 3.5-inch screen found on the iPhone 4,” that it is expected to feature the “same dual-core A5 processor already found in the iPad 2,” and that it will feature a “similar form factor and size to the iPhone 4, but will sport a thinner bezel.”

    MacRumors, which I would consider something of an authority on Apple rumors (if rumors can have authorities) says, “Wu does not have a terribly good track record when it comes to iPhone rumors, and some of the case designs floating around and said to have been designed based on the iPhone 5’s form factor instead show a slightly teardrop shape with rounded or tapered edges, with the latter feature much more akin to earlier iPhone models than the iPhone 4.”

    Well, that’s why a rumor is a rumor. Who knows?

    Eric Slivka at MacRumors also points to a BGR report citing a “reliable source” at Canada’s Telus talking about an interal document that has the iPhone 5 pegged for an October 1st release date – something MacRumors is also skeptical about, suggesting that this is probably just a placeholder date.

    Rumors did arise this week, that the device is expected to launch in October, after months of rumors that it would come out in September (with August even being mentioned at one point). October 1 would put it right on the edge of September and October obviously, and as BGR points out, that would fall on a Saturday – the busiest day of the week for mobile stores.

    Regardless of what the design ends up looking like and what day the device is actually launched. I think it’s safe to say that you can rest assured that it’s going to sell pretty well. Apple keeps managing to outdo itself in earnings reports. In its most recent, Apple reported a 142% increase in iPhone sales year-over-year, contributing to to $28.57 billion in revenue for the quarter – a record quarter for iPhone sales.

    iOS 5, Apple’s upcoming operating system update will launch this fall, but no specific date has been given yet. Developers have now been treated to the iCloud web interface, however.

  • Android Abandonment When iPhone 5 Hits?

    Android Abandonment When iPhone 5 Hits?

    Quite a few Android owners are willing to ditch their device when the new iPhone 5 comes out, according to research from Piper Jaffray. Although reports concerning Android consumption of late are quite positive, existing owners are apparently ready to switch to the iOS environment.

    Or is it because the iPhone is a popular item in regards to American culture? Whatever the case, and good sales reports aside, Piper Jaffray’s research — courtesy of Business Insider — indicates that there are quite a few Android owners who will abandon ship when the 5 comes out. The finding are presented in pie chart format, and the data is quite revealing:

    Device Data

    As you can see, currently, 28 percent of the respondents own an iPhone, compared to 28 percent for Blackberry and 17 for Android devices. However, the next graph tells the tale. When it’s time to purchase a new device, an incredible 64 percent will be buying iPhones. Blackberry and Android receive 11 and 17 percent of the vote, respectively.

    This also says a great deal about the fall of RIM, the makers of Blackberry. The mighty, or at least those with the perception of being mighty, fall fast in the mobile device industry. Another area of concern comes from the service provider, or in the case of the mobile industry, carriers. When the iPhone 5 comes out, apparently in October, customers with AT&T accounts could very well be making the switch to Verizon. Out of 216 respondents — granted, that’s not a huge sample size by any means — 72 said AT&T would be their next carrier, while Verizon was given the nod 86 times.

    Who knows, maybe after the T-Mobile mess is worked out, Verizon and AT&T can buy one another, giving us one carrier to rule them all. That would certainly spur innovation, right? Just ask Save the Internet:


    Disdain aside, it’s clear that, even with the reported successes of Android, people really, really want their iPhones, especially when 5 comes out.

    Further details of the research indicate iPhone also has a better retention rate than Android. 94 percent of the respondents who were iPhone owners said they would purchase another one when the time came. Android owners, on the other hand, only have a 47 percent retention rate. Furthermore, 42 percent of the Android owners surveyed said they would switch to Apple’s side of the fence when buying a new mobile device.

    Again, it should be noted that Piper Jaffray’s research was only conducted with a sample size of 216 mobile device owners. The margin of error for smaller groups is higher.

  • iPhone 5 Rumored Thinner, Lighter

    Keeping up with Apple products rumors is a full-time job, but we do our best around here to keep loyal iOS fanatics apprised of the latest. The newest information from “people familiar with the situation” provides a little more detail to release date rumors discussed a couple of weeks ago.

    The Wall Street Journal has spoken to some anonymous suppliers of components for the new Apple product and report that the new version of the iPhone will be “thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4.” Of course, we speculate that this will be the iPhone 5, but it’s entirely possible that the new phone could be called something different (4S, perhaps?).

    The new iPhone will apparently run on a wireless baseband chip from Qualcomm and will sport an 8-megapixel camera.

    Apple is expecting the buzz for their new phone to be significant, according to suppliers. One told the WSJ that Apple has told them to prepare for a lofty goal –

    “Apple’s sales estimates of the new iPhone is quite aggressive. It told us to prepare to help the company meet its goal of 25 million units by the end of the year,” said another person at one of Apple’s suppliers. “The initial production volume will be a few million units… we were told to ship the components to assembler Hon Hai in August.”

    By comparison, Apple reported that it sold 18.6 million iPhones in the fiscal second quarter.

    When, when, when? This is obviously the most important question, and the new rumors back up a couple of previous reports that we told you about. According to the suppliers, the new iPhone (5?) will launch sometime in Q3, which of course would be in time for the holidays.

    This timeframe mirrors reports by Bloomberg and AppleInsider that both project August production of the new iPhone and a September release.

    So thinner and lighter? Sounds good. As far as the actual design of the new phone, rumors exist all across the spectrum. While some have predicted little to no change in the design, BGR quoted a reliable source in saying that we should “expect a radical new case design.”

  • iPhone 5 Rumors: Release Date Still Looking Like September

    Most of the rumors that have been going around for a while now, have suggested that we would see Apple releasing the iPhone 5 (if that’s what it actually ends up being called) come out in September. Last week, Boy Genius Report said it could even be August, but still the general consensus has pretty much kept it in September.

    BGR wrote: ““We have been told by a reliable source to expect a radical new case design for the upcoming iPhone, though we have not been given any additional details surrounding the design of the new iPhone case. What about a release, then? The consensus is that Apple is going to announce the next-generation iPhone at the company’s annual September event, traditionally focused on iPods, but we have heard it’s quite possible Apple will break tradition. According to our source, Apple may hold an event in the beginning or middle of August to announce the new iPhone, with availability to follow in the last week of August.”

    Following that, Bloomberg put out a report saying the company “plans to introduce a new iPhone in September that boasts a stronger chip for processing data and a more advanced camera, according to two people familiar with the plans.”

    Now, AppleInsider is reporting that production of the the device is projected for August, with a late third-quarter (ending in September) launch, based on “intelligence obtained by one investment banker’s recent trip to Taiwan.” That would be Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, who apparently met with people unknown in Taiwan, where Apple’s supply chain and manufacturing facilities are. She also noted that cheaper iPhones may be in the works.

    Interestingly, Huberty also reportedly said that those televisions we began hearing about last week may also be in the works, saying she believes Apple is in the “early design stages” for it. Last week’s report came from DailyTech said that a former executive claimed Apple would enter the TV display business late this year, tapping a “major OEM” to sell iOS-powered, Apple branded displays.

    Rumors of the next iPad coming with a higher resolution screen also emerged.

    Apple’s iOS 5, the next version of the iPhone’s operating system is due out this fall. The company demoed it at its Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month.

  • iPhone 5 Rumors: Coming in August, New Design

    Oh, the iPhone 5 rumors. How they capture the hearts and minds of us all.

    Rumor has it now that the device, which is supposedly back to being an actual new device, as opposed to an upgraded iPhone 4, will be announced in August at an Apple event, and it will even have a completely new design.

    The latest comes from Boy Genius Report, which says, “We have been told by a reliable source to expect a radical new case design for the upcoming iPhone, though we have not been given any additional details surrounding the design of the new iPhone case. What about a release, then? The consensus is that Apple is going to announce the next-generation iPhone at the company’s annual September event, traditionally focused on iPods, but we have heard it’s quite possible Apple will break tradition. According to our source, Apple may hold an event in the beginning or middle of August to announce the new iPhone, with availability to follow in the last week of August.

    Some past rumors have had the device coming with a larger screen, and a faster speed in general. It would not be surprising if it turns out to be lighter and thinner, considering how this turned out to be a huge upgrade from the iPad to the iPad 2.

    iOS 5 was of course revealed at Apple’s Worldwide developers conference earlier this month. It includes 1,500 new APIs and 200 new user features, including an Android-like “notification center,” a Newsstand feature, built-in Twitter integration, some Safari upgrades, camera upgrades, game center upgrades, and the big iCloud release.

    iOS 5, while the SDK is currently available for developers, will ship to customers in the fall. It sure would be nice if there were a whole new iPhone to go along with it.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: Curved Glass

    iPhone 5 Rumor: Curved Glass

    The rumor mill continues to churn out speculations regarding Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5. Though past rumors that it will in fact sport a taser and/or serve as a functioning teleportation device have been debunked, the latest one is almost as cool.

    A report from DigiTimes is suggesting that the iPhone 5 may come with a curved glass cover. According to their industry sources, Apple has purchased somewhere between 200 and 300 glass cutting machines for the production of these curved covers.

    According to the sources:

    Cover glass makers are reluctant to commit investment to the purchase of glass cutting equipment due to the high capital involved, said the sources.

    The glass slicing machines are currently being stored at associated assembly plants and will be brought online once yield rates for the production of curved glass reaches a satisfactory level.

    It’s looking more and more likely that we will not see the iPhone 5 until sometime in 2012. For awhile, we thought that we would see the 5 ship out in September on 2011, but recent reports suggest that instead, we will get a revamped version of the iPhone 4, the 4S.

    The 4S will be a less dramatic update that the suspected iPhone 5, with minor cosmetic changes, an improved camera and possibly a faster processor according to reports.

    The iPhone 5, whenever it hits, has a strong possibility of carrying 4G LTE connectivity. Other iPhone 5 rumors suggest a larger screen, possibly over 4 inches, HD video shooting, and the fact that it may be released in separate models. But those reports may have mistaken the differences between the 4S and the 5 as two different iPhone 5 models.

    An earlier rumor that the iPhone 5 would contain NFC capabilities for mobile payments has been shot down recently.

    Earlier this month, a new patent filed by Apple emerged that suggests that future models of the iPhone may include speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities. No telling whether that will fall on the 4S, the 5, or some model way down the road.

  • iPhone 5 to Release in Two Models This Fall?

    Multiple sources have reported that Apple will ship its highly buzzed about iPhone 5 in the fall, possibly September. Little by little, more rumors are surfacing about what the new phone will look like and today finds an interesting on floating around.

    iphonedownloadblog is reporting that their Apple source, who is an employee of an Apple part supplier, says the iPhone 5 may come in two different models when it finally releases this year. The source was vague, but suggests that buyers might have the option of purchasing a “standard” version and an upgraded or “pro” version.

    From IDB:

    Our source says that Apple is ordering components of similar function, but some of them are the very best of what you can get right now.

    While the rest of the ordered components are just the standard versions, Apple is also ordering better quality components of the same function. Our source says that both types of components wouldn’t go in one device together, which makes him believe Apple is up to something with a ‘pro’ version.

    Recent iPhone 5 rumors have said that the new phone might just be a hardware upgrade of the iPhone 4 and will look similar.

    Other, more ambitious rumors include NFC capability for mobile payments, T-Mobile access, a larger (perhaps over 4 inch) screen, a much faster processor, a thinner and lighter design and a built-in bumper.

    On Thursday, Apple’s white iPhone 4 was finally released to the joy of those who think the original black iPhone is too easy to keep clean. And just today, it was reported that users will receive the iOS 4.3.3 upgrade, which fixes some of the notable tracking controversy bugs and improves battery life, within the next couple of weeks.

  • iPhone 5 Release Date May Be in 2012

    Add another log to the iPhone 5 rumors fire. Now it’s looking like consumers may not see the device until next year, or possibly very late this year. It was once expected in early summer.

    According to a report from Avian Securities, as relayed by Business Insider, production may not even start until September. The report said:

    “Supporting out comments over the last month, conversations with yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone-5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario. In addition, our conversations also indicate the existence of a lower-spec/lower-priced iPhone in Apple’s roadmap. However, while our contacts have seen the placeholder in the Apple roadmap, they do not yet have insight into specs or production timing. This leads us to believe that any launch is likely a very late 2011 or more likely a 2012 event. As a reminder, Avian has uncovered several data-points in recent months pointing to the existence of a lower-spec/lower-price iPhone. A lower-spec/lower-price iPhone has also been speculated in the press and gadget blogs, though we do not believe consensus currently discounts the existence of such a model.”

    Another recent rumor has the iPhone 5 possibly coming with a hybrid e-Paper/Video iOS display. This is based on a patent application from Apple. Another rumor has the device possibly coming with a more lightweight casing. That’s based on the company’s hiring of a carbon fiber expert.

    I have to wonder if this would help in correcting the antenna flaws of the iPhone 4. Apple does not want a repeat of antennagate.

    Sales figures for the iPhone in 2011 have been inconsistent. Either way, it does appear teens will keep buying them.

  • iPhone 5 Rumors Surface

    iPhone 5 Rumors Surface

    Speculating about unreleased Apple products can be a full time job if you want it to be.  For those who want to navigate the rumor mill, there are a couple of gems out there right now.

    According to the New York Times, information provided by unnamed insiders reveals that the next gen iPhone may in fact contain NFC technology.  Near-field Communication, as you may know, is short wave communication that allows communication between a device and a reader.  In this case, the NFC technology would allow iPhone users to swipe their phones in front of a reader, and make quick credit card payments.

    From the Times:

    One person familiar with the new Apple feature said the phone’s credit card information would be tied to information currently used on iTunes, which would make it simple for customers to set up the new mobile payment method on the iPhone. Last year, Apple hired Benjamin Vigier, an expert in the mobile payments industry who works with N.F.C. extensively. Apple has also filed patents that demonstrate how such a system would work on the iPhone.

    With some cars having iPhone apps for remote start-up, the addition of NFC could truly mean that some people could leave their house carrying nothing but an iPhone.  Apple might be rolling this out at a good time, as today NFC World confirmed that POS terminal company Verifone is building NFC into all new terminals.

    The next rumor is a bit shakier.  The China Times (translated, proceed carefully) reports today that trial production has begun on the new model iPhone, and that the test runs have 4 inch screens, a whole half an inch larger than the 3.5 inches of all previous iPhones.  If true, this might be another smart decision for Apple.  As we told you earlier today, new research confirms increased purchases of large screen phones.