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Tag: iPhone

  • Apple Sued Over Every Touchscreen Device They Make

    Apple has been sued in U.S. District Court for patent infringement. The complaint alleges that Apple’s touch interface devices – yes, all of them – infringe on a patent owned by Flatworld Interactives, LLC.

    The application for the patent was filed in 1998 by Slavoljub Milekic, and the patent itself was granted in 2005. The patent, which can be read in full here, appears to deal with some sort of children’s toy with a touch screen interface that allows users to manipulate objects on the screen by touching and dragging them.

    The complaint, which can be read here, alleges that every multitouch device Apple makes – iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and the trackpads on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air – infringes this patent. Flatworld claims that “Apple’s infringement of the… patent has been on a massive scale, and has taken place with actual knowledge of the inventions claimed therein.” The complaint asks for a permanent injunction against the infringing products and “damages in an amount sufficient to compensate for Apple’s infringement,” award triple damages, and order Apple to pay FlatWorld’s attorney fees.

    While many patent lawsuits are ridiculous – even those brought by larger companies against each other – this one is pretty plainly a patent troll. While patent trolls can sometimes extort sizable settlements from cases like this, Apple is usually more inclined to fight them. That being the case, don’t expect FlatWorld Interatives, LLC to get much of a payday.

  • iPhone Nano Finally Becoming A Reality?

    As rumors of an iPad Mini have picked up steam in recent months, there has been little attention paid to the other long-rumored but never appearing shrunken iOS device: the iPhone Nano.

    Well, that has changed today as the first fresh rumor of the iPad Nano in quite awhile surfaced today. According to China Times (Google Translation), Apple is planning to produce a iPhone designed to compete in the low-end smartphone market. This phone will be smaller and cheaper than the standard iPhone, and will, the report says, be launching later this year. There are no other details about the device, and no source is cited in the report.

    The iPhone Nano is one of those rumors that has been around for ages but never amounted to anything. Kind of like the Loch Ness monster. Or Bigfoot. Or the end of the world. Or… well, you get the idea. There has been speculation that Apple would produce a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone going back at least as far as the iPhone 3G. Interestingly, those rumors have been pretty quiet through the last couple iPhone cycles. It seemed almost like the rumor mill had given up on the idea.

    The odds of an iPhone Nano ever actually seeing the light of day are pretty slim. A smaller iPhone screen would fragment the platform, causing headaches for developers who would have to start designing their apps for smaller, lower-resolution screens in addition to those on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Besides which, Apple already has a pretty solid strategy in place for targeting the low-end smartphone market. With every new iPhone launched, the earlier versions become cheaper. When the iPhone 4S launched, the iPhone 4’s price dropped significantly, and the iPhone 3GS became free with a two-year contract.

    So, to sum up: is it possible that Apple could have an iPhone Nano in the works? Yes. Is it likely? Definitely not.

    What do you think? Should Apple make a smaller, cheaper for the low-end market? Would you buy an iPhone Nano? Let us know in the comments.

  • Apple Aims iPhone At Business Market With New Page

    When Apple first announced the iPhone in 2007, the smartphone market was primarily business-oriented. Sure, you’d find the occasional ordinary consumer with a BlackBerry or a Palm Treo, but most consumers weren’t worried about checking their email or managing their calendars with their phones. They were more focused on their flip camera phones. The iPhone – and eventually Android – made the smartphone a consumer device.

    Since then, iOS and Android have been steadily chipping away at BlackBerry’s former dominance of the smartphone market, to the point that the company is in pretty dire straights. Even in the business market that BlackBerry used to dominate, iOS and Android have made significant inroads. In recent months government agencies and private corporations like Halliburton, the NOAA, the ATF, and the FAA have made plans to either switch from BlackBerry to iOS, or to expand their current use of iOS devices. There has even been speculation that AT&T’s recent announcement that they would unlock iPhones for the military personnel was prompted by the military’s desire to use iPhone in the field.

    For the most part Apple hasn’t made any special effort to target itself to the business market. Now that has changed. Over the weekend a new page on Apple’s website went live. The iPhone in Business page takes aim at the very business market that BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is clinging to for dear life.

    The page showcases some of the ways that iPhones can be used in a business setting. The page showcases the some of the iPhone’s built-in applications like Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and iMessage. The inclusion of iMessage is a pretty direct shot at BlackBerry Messenger, one of BlackBerry’s most popular features among business users. The page also shows off a lot of App Store apps that leverage the iPhone’s capabilities for business.

    The Integration section of the page shows off all the ways iPhones can be integrated into your business’s existing information infrastructure, including email, data security, and mobile device management. The Apps for Business section offers a sampling of apps designed for business users, including apps made by Apple (like the iWork suite) and those made by third party developers. There’s also a section that offers resources for businesses that want to develop and deploy their own iPhone apps.

    The Profiles section consists of the stories from companies that have deployed the iPhone in their businesses. Some of these businesses, like Lowe’s, Dow Corning, and GE, for example, are large and well-known while others, like Jackson Kayak, the Redlands, California police department, and Safe/Sea Marine Rescue, are a little less well known.

    Finally, there’s a section full of resources for companies that want to deploy iPhones in their business. There are guides and overviews dealing with a wide array of issues related to using iPhone in business, including security, integration with services like Microsoft Exchange, the use of Apple’s Configurator to manage devices, and more.

    All in all, the iPhone in Business page is Apple’s largest and most direct foray yet in to the business market. While Apple has previously been content to work its way into the business world more slowly, this looks like the start of a major push that could mean serious trouble for BlackBerry in the not-too-distant future.

    What do you think? Is Apple trying to knock BlackBerry out for good? Do you use the iPhone in your business, or are you still with BlackBerry? Or do you use Android, or another platform altogether? Let us know in the comments.

  • Samsung Galaxy S3 Teaser Compares iPhone Users To Sheep

    Considering the war of words that broke out after Instagram was made available to Android users, perhaps Samsung is onto something. Is it a sense of insecurity that goes with owning Apple products, or are people really that butthurt over an “iPhone-only” photography app crossing over to another platform?

    Again, when you look at the complaints that followed, Samsung may have nailed it down with their latest teaser commercial for the upcoming Galaxy S3. An aside first, however: Since when do tech toys get “teaser trailers?” To which Samsung apparently answered, “when we feel like calling out iPhone users in a very noticeable way.” And that’s just what they did:


    In case you missed it, the text says, “With technology that fits in this easily, you can now stand out from… everyone else.” The “everyone else” is punctuated by a shot of a herd of sheep. All things considered, it’s surprising these sheep didn’t have apples in their mouths. Motivated by the Apple lawsuits (which were countersued by Samsung), it’s clear the Galaxy manufacturer is pulling no punches in relation to how they view the iPhone and its army of users.

    The question is, is that a fair assessment of the average iPhone user? No, not really. There are tons of iPhone owners who didn’t complain about Instagram or, well, anything having to do with Android. They, like other rational folks, enjoy their product while acknowledging other people are free to do the same, regardless of what platform they prefer. This portion or users, however, isn’t as outspoken as the vocal minority, a group of people who allow themselves to be defined by the tech toys they own.

    These are the types of folks who perpetuate the “Android users are too poor for iPhones” and the “iPhone users are a bunch of sycophantic followers who like shiny products” myths that populate almost every “iPhone versus Android” discussion. The thing is, the anti-Android/anti-iPhone snarkiness is not limited to consumers anymore.

    Take Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller, for instance. Schiller left Instagram because once Android users got ahold of it, the app, in his mind, “jumped the shark,” and now, we have Samsung firing a sheep-filled volley at Apple. Can’t we all–“we” as in the tech giants–just get along? Or would that be too boring?

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: Analyst Confirms In-Cell Touchscreen

    On Friday we reported on a rumor that Apple might be upgrading the display technology in the iPhone 5 (or iPhone 6, or “new iPhone,” or whatever they end up calling it). The new iPhone, the rumor went, would be getting in-cell touchscreen technolgoy that would enable Apple to make the next iPhone thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4S (which is already thicker than many Android-based smartphones.

    That rumor, which originated with Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, appears to have some confirmation this morning. According to AppleInsider, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who has a fairly reliable record in Apple matters) posted a report yesterday confirming that the new iPhone would be getting in-cell touchscreen technology, and going into a little more detail about what that would mean in terms of the device’s thickness. The current iPhone’s screen consists of three layers – glass, a touch sensor, and the LCD display. The use of in-cell technology would merge the touch sensor and LCD into a single layer, saving roughly half a millimeter in thickness.

    iPhone 5 In-cell display

    That’s not all, though. Kuo also predicted that Apple will shave off another half millimeter of thickness by making the battery wider (and therefor thinner). Furthermore, he suggested that the glass rear panel on the iPhone 4S will be replaced with metal – possibly liquidmetal? – saving another half millimeter.

    All told, if Kuo is correct Apple will be reducing the next iPhone’s thickness by about 1.5 millimeters. While that doesn’t sound like much, it becomes a bit more significant when you realize that the iPhone 4S is only 9.3 millimeters thick.

    There are several reasons for Apple to make a move like this. For one thing, Apple has shown a strong preference for making successive generations of iOS devices thinner and lighter. Though the addition of 4G LTE made that impossible with the new iPad, the switch to in-cell touchscreens could be enough to allow it in the new iPhone. For another, the iPhone’s competitors have all shown the same tendency. Android phones are routinely getting thinner and thinner. With the bulk of the competition now down into the 7-8 millimeter range, the iPhone is one of the thicker smartphones on the market.

    Even more importantly, according to Kuo, the use of in-cell touchscreen tech would allow Apple to streamline the iPhone production process. The number of items required at the time the display components are bonded together would drop from six to three, and the steps in display production would drop from eight to five. All told, Kuo said, the switch to in-cell technology has the potential to reduce the production costs for the new iPhone by as much as 20%. Whether those savings in production cost will be passed on to the consumer (as a reduced sticker price) or the carriers (as reduced subsidies) is uncertain.

    Kuo also confirmed the general consensus that the next iPhone will be following the iPhone 4S’s lead coming in the third quarter, rather than in the summer as with previous iPhones.

  • Mobile Content Sales Likely $67 Billion in 2012

    It was recently reported that Apple’s iPhone is now the top seller for Verizon, along with AT&T, and will likely be the same regarding Sprint in time. The huge popularity of smart devices is indicative of the marketing viability of mobile content, as it competes with that of traditional desktop computers.

    According to a forecast by global tracking, analyzing and forecasting firm Strategy Analytics, mobile ad and content revenue for 2012 is projected to hit $67 billion. The data was taken from mobile operators, handset vendors, regulators, trade bodies, advertisers, ad networks and consumer surveys taken by Strategy Analytics.

    The study predicts that app downloads will be up 38% to 23 million, with revenue up 30.7 % to $26.1 billion – apps will likewise comprise 18.9% of mobile media outlay. As for advertising, spending will be up 84.5% to $11.6 billion, and in-app ad sales will surpass mobile display ad sales at $934.5 million. Strategy states that these numbers will be dramatically lower for mobile video ads – “Despite the huge audience of 271 million users, ad revenues from mobile video are tiny – a meager $223 million globally in 2011.”

    As for total mobile media in 2012, $149.8 billion in revenue is projected, which includes the other $82.8 billion in mobile data subscription sales, a 9.5% increase.

    Via paidContent.

  • Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 Coming to iPhones

    Capcom announced today that it would be releasing a Marvel vs. Capcom 2 App for mobile devices running Apple’s iOS. The game will feature all 56 characters from the original Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and will maintain all of its arcade stylings and fight mechanics. To be specific, the iOS version of the game will taking a play from the original Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on consoles by including the “Variable System” that allows players to swap in team members at any time, and also the “Team Hyper Combos.”

    Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will be available in Apple’s App store on April 25th. Though Capcom only specifically stated the game would be available on iPhone and iPod touches, I imagine the game will also run on an iPad.

    There is no word yet on how the controls of the game will be implemented on a touch screen or whether the game will feature any multiplayer modes. If there is multiplayer support, it might be difficult to play a fighting game, which needs precise timing, over a 3G or 4G connection. It will be either very interesting or very disappointing to see how Capcom has dealt with both of these issues. Take a look at a few of the screenshots released for the game, and let me know in the comments if a fighting game is the type of game you want to play while waiting for the bus.

    Zangief vs. Sabretooth

    Iron Man vs. Ryu

    Bison vs. Venom

  • iPhone 5 Getting In-Cell Touchscreen, Coming In October [RUMOR]

    We’ve got a couple of new iPhone rumors for you this morning. First off, the much-debated release date. While some have been expecting Apple to return to a summer release schedule for the next iPhone, others claim that the iPhone 4S’s October launch set up a new autumn release schedule.

    Gene Munster, analyst with Piper Jaffray and usually pretty accurate on Apple-related matters, has weighed in on the issue. In a note to investors yesterday, Munster said that “the iPhone 5 launch is likely to follow the new typical pattern established with the iPhone 4S of an October launch.” He also said that recent statements by Qualcomm concerning their supply issues support an October rollout, rather than a June or July launch.

    Munster also predicted some new features for Apple’s next iPhone. He affirmed rumors that the iPhone will be 4G LTE-capable (with a 4G iPad just released, how could it not?), and said that it will feature “a revolutionary newly designed body.” That the next iPhone is due for a redesign is widely agreed, but nobody is quite sure what that redesign is going to look like. One wonders if what Munster means by “revolutionary” could have anything to do with recent rumors that the next iPhone’s casing will be made of liquidmetal.

    And speaking of the new iPhone’s design, DigiTimes has published a report this morning making some interesting claims about the touchscreen technology Apple will use. Citing “sources in Apple’s supply chain,” the report claims that Apple will be going with in-cell touch panels with the new iPhone. These new panels, made by Sharp and Toshiba Mobile Display, will allow for a thinner, lighter phone. Whereas existing iPhone touchscreens are in two parts – a touch-sensitive glass panel with an LCD display underneath it – in-cell touchscreen technology effectively blends those two layers into one display. That means Apple will either be able to make the phones thinner, or leave them the same thickness but pack extra components – like 4G LTE radios and a bigger/better battery – inside the case.

    Of course, DigiTimes’s record is… spotty, to say the least, so this may all be just a rumor. On the other hand, Apple has consistently gone thinner and lighter with its devices where possible, and this kind of technology would let them do that with the next iPhone. Of course, if Munster’s prediction of an October release date is correct (and it almost certainly is), then we’ve still got several months left to wait before we know anything for sure.

    [Concept Image Credit: Ciccarese Design]

  • Phil Schiller Quits Instagram Over Android

    When the month of April began, life was still wonderful for lovers of Instagram. The company had not yet been bought by Facebook. More importantly, there was no Android version.

    When Instagram – one of the iPhone’s most popular photography apps since its launch in 2010 – made its long-awaited jump to the Android platform, there was a small but vocal segment of the app’s iPhone user base that was not happy at all. These folks took to Twitter to complain – in terms that were often borderline racist – about how far Instagram had sunk in the (at the time) twenty-four hours since the app hit Android.

    Now it looks like the Android Instagram hate isn’t just confined to the nut jobs on Twitter. According to 9to5Mac, no less a personage than Phil Schiller, Senior Vice President at Apple, deleted his Instagram account sometime after the Android launch. When someone who had presumably been following Schiller on Instagram noticed that his account was gone, they sent him a message via Twitter asking why. His response was that when Instagram went to Android it “jumped the shark.”

    Phil Schiller Instagram Android

    Now, Schiller’s statement is a far cry from the loons who were complaining that “Instagram just turned into the projects,” by moving to Android. Nevertheless, the basic sentiment is pretty much the same. The idea appears to be that there was something inherently iPhone-y about Instagram, and that by no longer being an iPhone only app, Instagram had somehow lost something special. Now, I’ve been an iPhone user since 2008 and the iPhone 3G, and I’ve been an Instagram user since summer of 2010. That being said, it’s hard for me to see all this vitriol about Instagram coming to Android as anything other than pure nonsense, wherever it’s coming from. The fact is that Android is one of the two largest smartphone platforms in the world. It would have been a stupid business move for Instagram not to make the jumpt to Android.

    What do you think? Did Instagram “jump the shark” by adding an Android app? Let us know what you think int he comments.

  • Bulletproof iPhone Case Will Protect You From A .50 Caliber Bullet

    Most of us have heard stories about people whose lives were miraculously saved when a bullet that was aimed at them was stopped by something either on their person or in their pocket – a medallion or cross around the neck, a heavy belt buckle, or the like. We all love stories like that, even the ones that require the person doing the shooting to be a poor marksman (who aims for a belt buckle?).

    Well, now, for the low, low price of $650, you can give yourself a bit more of a fighting chance if you’re ever fired on by an extremely well-armed but unskilled assailant. A Japanese company called Marudai Corp has designed a bulletproof iPhone case. Well, they claim it’s bulletproof, anyway. In fact, they claim it will stop anything up to a .50 caliber bullet – the kind fired by Agent Smith’s Desert Eagle in the image above.

    How, you may ask, do they accomplish this? How do they make an iPhone case that will stop a bullet? Some sort of Batman-esque Kevlar armor? Nope. They do it the old-fashioned way: with an inch of steel. The case comes in two main parts: an aluminum front panel (available in either black or white!), and an inch-thick steel plate on the back. Check out some images from their website below:

    Marudai Bulletproof iPhone Case

    Marudai Bulletproof iPhone Case

    Marudai Bulletproof iPhone Case

    Marudai Bulletproof iPhone Case

    Now, unfortunately there’s no actual evidence that this monster will stop a bullet. Marudai did not see their way clear to posting a video of the case in action, and since I have neither an extra $650 nor a Desert Eagle (more’s the pity), I can’t verify it either. That being the case, should you happen to wind up getting one of these things, you might want to be careful trusting your life to it.

    Of course, even if the thing can stop a bullet, it would take a very special set of circumstances for it to do so in the real world. For one thing, you’d have to contrive to get shot in whatever pocket you were carrying your phone in, and you’d have to make sure you were carrying it with the screen facing toward you, and not toward the bullet. Before that, though, you’d have to find pants with a pocket that will hold a 5-inch by 3-inch by 1.5 inch block of steel and iPhone that weighs over four a half pounds.

    Should you wish to buy one of these cases – or even just take a look at it for yourself – you can find more information on Marudai’s website (Google Translation). The price is listed as ¥52,500 ($650).

  • iPhone Is Verizon’s Top-Selling Smartphone

    Verizon released its earnings report for the first quarter of 2012 today, and it contained some interesting information about some of the products the company has on offer. Overall, the news was quite good. The company’s overall revenue was $28 billion, up nearly 5% from the same quarter last year. Much of that was generated by the company’s wireless arm, which drew $18.3 billion in revenue.

    One particularly interesting detail dealt with exactly how Verizon Wireless made its money: it seems that just over half of the company’s smartphone sales were iPhones, rather than Android devices. What’s interesting about that is that Android has held the majority of the smartphone market for some time now, due to the multitude of Android-based smartphones on the market. While the iPhone has consistently held a large chunk of the market all by itself, it has not been able to top the market share advantage enjoyed by the dozens of Android phones available. The fact that the iPhone has taken the top spot in Verizon’s smartphone sales could bode ill for Android. Especially since, as Business Insider points out, the iPhone already enjoys the same position with AT&T, and will likely do the same with Sprint sooner rather than later.

    Also during the earnings call this morning, Verizon announced that they will soon be rolling out shared family data plans. While the details of the plan are unclear, it is due to come out some time in mid-summer:

    @RogerWCheng
    Roger Cheng    Verizon CFO says data-sharing plan will come out mid-summer this year. 4 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    The full earnings report can be read here.

  • Apple Lawsuit For In-App Purchases Will Continue

    A lawsuit against Apple will proceed, as Apple’s request for a dismissal has been denied, according to recent reports. Apple had argued that the suit was no longer valid, thanks to changes made to its in-app purchase system. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila disagreed, however, and ruled that the suit would proceed to trial.

    If you’ve spent much time in the iOS App Store recently, you may have noticed an increasing number of so-called “freemium” apps: apps that you can download for free, but then require you to pay a certain amount of money to unlock various features or, in the case of games, acquire items, in-game money, and the like. Of course, just like purchasing an app from the App Store, making an in-app purchase requires a password. Originally, though, your password remained in effect for fifteen minutes after it was input. While this can be handy when downloading multiple apps, it can create problems when you hand your phone off to your kid.

    The freemium model is extremely popular with developers, as it generates far more revenue than simply charging for an app. Shortly after it was introduced last year, though, parents began to notice problems. It seemed that their kids were making in-app purchases – sometimes lots and lots of them – without their knowledge or consent. Some parents knew nothing about the problem until the got bills that ran into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It seems that between kids who knew their parents’ iTunes password and those who managed to make purchases inside that 15-minute window while the password was still good, kids were able to make lots and lots of in-game purchases.

    Apple quickly introduced updates to close the 15-minute window and even allow in-app purchases to be turned off. By that time, though, it was too late. In April of 2011, Garen Meguerian filed a class action lawsuit against Apple over the debacle. In the complaint (PDF) Meguerian claimed that Apple did not do enough to make users aware that free games – many of which are deliberately designed to be highly addictive and to appeal to children –
    had in-app purchases available.

    Apple argued in court that the suit should be dismissed, since the conditions under which the complaint was made no longer apply. The judge, however, disagreed and the suit is scheduled to continue.

    What do you think? Was Apple at fault for iPhone users’ kids racking up huge bills from in-app purchases? Let us know in the comments.

    [Source: BBC]

  • Tango Takes Off With $40 Million Funding Round

    Tango, the company that provides mobile video and audio calling over data connections for mobile devices, has announced the close of a $40 million round of Series C funding. The funding, provided by Qualcomm Ventures and Access Industries, Inc., brings the company’s total funding to around $100 million.

    “Qualcomm recognizes the importance of video on mobile devices and has been working closely with Tango’s team to help enhance video quality and performance,” said Nagraj Kashyap, Vice President of Qualcomm Ventures. “Tango is a clear leader in this space and we are proud to play a role in helping boost the company’s growth.”

    If you are unfamiliar with Tango, take a look at this introductory trailer the company has made:

    The video messages and “surprises” in the video are two of the newest features of the app. Tango will be monetizing those “surprise” animations through micro-transactions.

    Though Tango might seem to simply be a rip-off of Apple’s FaceTime, Tango is the more popular choice because it can be used with wireless data connections instead of just Wi-Fi. Also, Tango can be used cross-platform so that Android device users can video chat with their friends on iPhones or iPads. Last October Tango released a desktop client for PC, placing itself firmly as a competitor to Skype.

    “When we launched Tango 18 months ago, we were focused on building the leading consumer video calling service. Today, we have accomplished this goal and expanded our vision,” said Uri Raz, co-founder and CEO of Tango. “Tango holds a special place for our members as it allows them to stay in touch with their closest friends and family. The same way people interact in the physical world by sharing photos and videos, sending text messages, and making calls, our mission is to provide these same services on smartphones and we’re excited to give our members more.”

    Tango now claims 45 million users have set up an account with the service. To put that in perspective, that is a greater number accounts than Instagram, which was just bought by Facebook for $1 billion, can claim. So, it is no wonder that acquisition rumors surrounding the company are spreading. Kym McNicholas at Pando Daily has interviewed venture capitalists and analysts about whether Tango might be a good fit for Google. Considering Google’s recent push for video using their Google+ Hangouts, this might not be such a far-fetched idea.

    What do you think? Will we see mobile Hangouts using Tango software anytime soon? Let me know in the comments below.

  • iPhone 5 May Be Getting A Liquidmetal Body

    iPhone 5 May Be Getting A Liquidmetal Body

    Apple may be exploring the possibility of using a liquidmetal rear panel for the next iPhone in place of the glass panel that has been present in the past two models, the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Instead, Apple may be planning to make the panels from alloys created by Liquidmetal Technologies. Apple purchased exclusive rights to Liquidmetal’s patent portfolio in late 2010, prompting a wide array of speculation as to what the company might do with the technology.

    Liquidmetal Gone Bad

    Hopefully not this.

    Well, according to South Korea’s ETNews, they plan to make iPhones with it. Citing “industry sources” they claim that the rear casing of the next iPhone is going to be made of liquidmetal, an allow of nickel, zirconium, copper, and titanium that is extremely strong and durable, even when cast (unlike other metals like steel). This liquidmetal-backed iPhone, they claim, will be unveiled at WWDC in June.

    They also claim that the Samsung Galaxy S III, set to be unveiled May 3rd in London, will have a ceramic rear panel, rather than the plastic one present in previous Galaxy S models.

    One of the more… peculiar design choices Apple has made in recent years was putting a glass rear panel on the iPhone 4 and 4S. Though undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, the change left the phone vulnerable to damage from which a phone with a metal or plastic rear panel would be much safer. There was speculation that Apple would forego the glass rear panel on the iPhone 4S, but the form factor of the 4S remained almost completely unchanged. A liquidmetal rear panel for the iPhone would be a good choice for a lot of reasons: the metal is far more durable than just about anything else Apple could put on the iPhone, and it would be a good use for patents Apple spent a lot of money on.

    On the other hand, it’s a little hard to believe this particular report, not least because of the claim of a June release date. Given that the iPhone 4S released in October of last year, it is all but unthinkable that Apple would release a new phone just nine months later, especially if that phone is (as this one almost certainly will be) a major re-design. That said, it’s a fair bet that Apple will ditch the glass rear panel. What they will replace it with is not known, and liquidmetal seems as good a guess as any.

  • iOS 5.1 Jailbreak One Step Closer To Reality

    The groundwork for an iOS 5.1 jailbreak has been laid, according to jailbreak developer pod2g. He took to Twitter in the wee hours of this morning to say that all the exploits necessary for a jailbreak of iOS 5.1 had been found. While this was met with excitement by many, jailbreak developer Grant Paul (chpwn) took to Twitter to point out that pod2g’s announcement did not mean that a jailbreak was imminent.

    Here’s pod2g’s announcement:

    @pod2g
    pod2g    News: we have all exploits required to do a new jailbreak. I’m working on bypassing ASLR at bootup. 8 hours ago via Twitter for iPad ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    And here’s Grant Paul’s response:

    @chpwn
    Grant Paul (chpwn)    Remember: just because all the exploits are found doesn’t mean that a jailbreak exists — it’s likely months away from first working at all. 8 hours ago via Twitter for Mac ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @chpwn
    Grant Paul (chpwn)    I’m just reminding you that this is progress, not the final result. Work continues. 🙂 7 hours ago via Twitter for Mac ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    Shortly after the new iPad launched, there was hope that the jailbreak community might not have to wait as long for iOS 5.1 to be jailbroken as we did for iOS 5. The day before the iPad launched, noted iOS hacker Stefan Esser (i0n1c) posted pictures of an iPad 2 running an untethered jailbreak of iOS 5.1. The next day, just hours after the iPad hit stores, another iOS hacker, MuscleNerd, tweeted screenshots of the new iPad running Cydia. Early hopes were dampened somewhat, though, by an announcement from pod2g saying that a public-ready jailbreak tool was still weeks away.

    So, while pod2g’s announcement this morning is progress, there is still a lot of work yet to be done before a jailbreak tool is ready for public release.

    But, you may ask, what about i0n1c’s jailbreak? After all, he posted pictures of a jailbroken iOS 5.1 iPad 2. Why can’t the Dev Team just use his method? Well, it turns out that Esser is not a fan of free public jailbreaks, which he says go to line the pockets of those who put ads in Cydia and in jailbreak apps. He also pointed out that makers of forensics software (like the XRY software we told you about a couple weeks ago) make money on the Dev Team’s work.

    Here’s Esser’s original tweet, which sparked a lengthy conversation between him and pod2g:

    @i0n1c
    Stefan Esser    Oh I wake up to good news. @pod2g will waste some more exploits on a public jailbreak for 5.1. 7 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    When asked what he would do with jailbreak exploits if not make them public, Esser said the following:

    @i0n1c
    Stefan Esser    @pod2g to have a jailbreak that Apple cannot fix because they don’t know about it, is a huge research advantage. 6 hours ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    He did not say in what way, specifically, such exploits would be an advantage. In any event, it’s now clear why he hasn’t been playing ball with the Dev Team and sharing his jailbreak work. Unfortunately, that means that those of us who rely on the Dev Team to do what they can do so we can enjoy the benefits of jailbreaking will probably have several more weeks – if not months – of waiting ahead of us.

    What do you think? Is a freely-available public jailbreak a “waste”? Are you getting impatient to jailbreak your iOS 5.1 device, or update your jailbroken device to iOS 5.1? Let us know in the comments.

  • Apple Developing 3D Technology, Job Listing Hints

    If Apple’s patent filings over the last few months have been any indication, the company is exploring the possibility of bringing 3D technology of various kinds to at least some of its devices. Back in January the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published an application filed by Apple that dealt with a 3D display and user interface. More recently, another patent application dealt with advanced 3D camera technology that could be put in an iPhone or other portable device.

    Of course, patent applications aren’t always good indicators of what any company – especially Apple – has coming down the product pipeline. Often all they mean is that a company is exploring an idea, and wants to protect their discovery should it pan out. A recent job posting on Apple’s website, however, may mean that Apple is looking at taking the technology a step farther. The job title listed in the posting is IOS Software Engineer, and it seems Apple is after someone with solid 3D credentials.

    Here’s the description in full:

    Apple is looking for a Computer Vision specialist to strengthen its multi-view stereo research group.

    As a member of this team you should have a genuine interest in technology and be a skilled developer with knowledge and experience in Computer Vision, Image Analysis and 3D geometry.

    To qualify for this position you should have a Ph.D. degree in a Computer Vision related field such as Mathematics, Physics or Computer Science. You should be a confident and experienced C programmer. Most importantly, you should have experience within one or several of the following areas:

    * Multi-view stereo and 3D reconstruction
    * Inpainting of occluded geometry and texture data
    * SLAM
    * Mesh texturing techniques
    * Large scale bundle adjustment
    * Cameras and surfaces in a 3D environment

    Now, there are a lot of things that a person with these qualifications could be working on aside from 3D displays or 3D cameras or a 3D avatar app. And of course, whoever Apple hires likely won’t be working on anything important for awhile after they start working.

    What do you think? Should Apple consider 3D displays or 3D cameras or other 3D tech in their iOS devices? Would you buy an iPhone with a 3D camera? Let us know in the comments.

  • Apple To Participate In Environmental Audit Of Suppliers

    Apple has agreed to participate in an environmental audit of one of the Chinese factories in its supply chain. The inspection would be the beginning of a pilot program designed to gauge the environmental impact of manufacturers.

    According to a report this morning by Macworld, Apple will be cooperating with China’s Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) to conduct an audit at one of the printed circuit board manufacturers in Apple’s supply chain. The current agreement only applies to one of Apple’s factories, but the program could be expanded in the future.

    Unlike previous concerns with factories in Apple’s supply chain, this audit is primarily concerned with pollution, rather than labor issues. Early this year Apple’s released their Supplier Responsibility Report. A month later, the Fair Labor Association found that conditions at plants owned by Foxconn (Apple’s main manufacturing partner) were “above average.” Nevertheless, both Apple and Foxconn came under intense scrutiny after a labor activist said that Foxconn had tricked the FLA during the organization’s audit, making it appear that conditions were better than they really were.

    The situation heated up when NPR’s This American Life ran a story that purported to show that conditions inside Foxconn were actually very bad, including violations of human rights and labor laws. The report was later retracted when it became clear that Mike Daisy, a performance artist who was the primary source for the story, admitted that many of the supposed violations were fabricated.

  • iPhone 5: 4 Inch Screen, Battery Upgrade, June Launch?

    Now that the new iPad’s release has come and gone, the next iPhone – iPhone 5, iPhone 6, “new iPhone” or whatever they call it – is arguably the most anticipated gadget of 2012. Though rumors abound as to what the new iPhone will look like (and when it will launch), there is little hard data yet.

    The most recent set of rumors comes from Northern Voices Online who suggest, among other things, that the next iPhone will be getting a (much-needed) boost in battery life. They also anticipate a 4-inch screen, and a summer launch, rather than the autumn launch that many expect.

    Rumors of a larger screen on the iPhone have been around for years. Ever since Android phones started to appear with larger screens, speculation has run rampant that Apple would follow suit. Through five generations of iPhone, however, Apple has held doggedly to the 3.5-inch display found in the original iPhone, often citing the fact that a larger screen is more difficult to use one-handed. This year is no different. There have been several reports that the next iPhone would abandon the 3.5-inch design of its predecessors and instead have a display anywhere from 4 inches to 4.6 inches.

    This time around there may be some merit to the rumors of a larger iPhone screen, though. This iPhone will certainly have 4G LTE, which increases its power requirements. So in order to maintain the battery life of the iPhone 4S (which is often frustratingly short as it is) in a 4G-capable phone, Apple has to upgrade the next iPhone’s battery. That means the battery has to be at least a little bit bigger, which means the iPhone itself will likely be getting bigger, just as the new iPad did (though only by about a millimeter). Arguably the best way to make more room for a bigger battery is to bump up the screen size a bit.

    As to the release date, though NVO seems to assume a release date in June, it is far more likely that the next iPhone will be coming in September or October. While a Foxconn recruiter earlier this month predicted a June release, he was contradicted just a few days later by another Foxconn official who said that it would be October. An autumn release makes the most sense, since the iPhone 4S released in October of last year, and a return to the previous models’ June launch would leave a mere nine months between the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5.

    What do you think? Would you like to see a bigger screen on the next iPhone? If you’re a fan of the 3.5-inch screen, would you accept a bigger screen if it meant a bigger (and therefore longer lasting) battery? Let us know in the comments.

    [Lead Image: Concept Photo from ADR Studios]

  • Apple Looking To Improve Earbuds, But Not By Making Them Stay In Your Ears

    It’s nice of Apple to always include a pair of those patented white earbuds with every iPhone and iPod. In a way, having a those two little small white protrusions hanging in your outer ear became a status symbol of The Cool in the aughts. However, for me and several other Apple customers I’ve known, there has always been one persistent problem: the damn things never want to stay in your ears.

    AppleInsider discovered today a couple of new patent applications that Apple has filed, but don’t hold your breath because unless there’s some super secret, blindly sophisticated detail in the designs, they don’t appear to be an improvement in keeping the earbuds in your ears. Instead, the patents describe a design innovation Apple’s calling a “unibody” appearance wherein the seams created by all of the connecting parts – wires, jack, different pieces of the earbud itself – will be polished and welded down so as to create a seamless appearance. In other words, the earbuds will just look like one flexible, solid piece.

    The second patent that Apple’s filed may have a better utility to its millions of consumers. Simply put, it’s a new design of the part of the earbud where the music comes out of that will hopefully prevent your grody earwax from clogging up the earbud’s holes, thus dampening the sound and clarity of the music.

    At least now when the earbuds fall out of your ears while you’re on the treadmill or simply sitting still, nobody will know if you don’t know how to properly clean your ears out.

  • Apple Denies Philippe Starck’s Involvement With Product Design

    Earlier this morning we brought you news that French designer Philippe Starck told a French newspaper that he had been working on something “revolutionary” for Apple that would be available in about 8 months. He also said that he had been meeting with Jobs monthly for seven years.

    Citing Apple’s “religious cult of secrecy,” he declined to talk specifics about what he was doing, though, prompting speculation that he might have been providing design input on the next iPhone, the iTV, or some other as-yet-unknown product.

    Apparently, though, he wasn’t working on any of these things. An Apple spokeswoman told AllThingsD earlier this afternoon that Apple had no idea what “revolutionary” product Starck may have been talking about.

    AllThingsD speculates that the meetings between Jobs and Starck were actually about Starck designing a luxury yacht for Jobs. The custom yacht would have been sleek with a minimalistic design, and sporting 40-foot glass walls on either side. While it’s not clear that the yacht is actually the project Starck was talking about, it’s as good a candidate as any.

  • iPad 2 Quietly Gets A Processor Upgrade

    When Apple unveiled their new iPad early last month, they also announced that last year’s model, the iPad 2, would be getting a reduction in price. Each model of iPad 2 got a $100 price reduction in the wake of the new iPad announcement, dropping the price for the lowest-end model, the 16GB Wi-fi only version – down to $399.

    This is pretty standard practice for Apple: a new product comes out at the same price points as the previous model, and the previous model gets a price cut. That’s why you could get an iPhone 3GS for free with a two-year contract after the iPhone 4S launched last year. What Apple doesn’t do, however, is upgrade the old versions. Except this time, that’s exactly what they did.

    It seems that the iPad 2 models that are currently rolling off the production line have a slightly more energy-efficient processor the A5 chip that has been in the tablet since it launched last year. This modified version of the A5 is the same chip that’s found in the new third-gen Apple TV that launched alongside the new iPad.

    According to AnandTech’s Brian King, who first made the discovery, the updated A5 chip is the same design as the old one, but “ported” to Samsung’s new 32nm HKMG manufacturing process. The result is a chip that performs almost identically to the old version, but does it with somewhat improved energy efficiency. For the end user, then, the upgrade doesn’t necessarily mean much, except that those who get the latest version of the iPad 2 may see slightly better battery performance than those who have the older version.

    Meanwhile, Chipworks confirmed the presence of the new chip inside the iPad 2 in the simplest way possible: they took one apart and looked. Here’s what the chip looks like:

    Enhanced A5 chip

    While they suspect that a similar change has been made in more recently-produced models of the iPhone 4S, they have not yet managed to confirm that.