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Tag: Rumors

  • Galaxy Nexus Rumor: Landing At Best Buy December 11th

    Unfortunately for everyone eager to get their hands on the Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Samsung Galaxy Nexus, we’ve heard of no official release date. And until we do, rumors will have to suffice.

    According to a Best Buy source quoted by Engadget (with accompanying screenshot), they will have the device in inventory by December 11th. Of course, this isn’t a release date – simply a date for when the phone will arrive at their stores. It’s possible that the Galaxy Nexus could go on sale that day, and it’s also possible that it could go on sale days or weeks later.

    But it is a sign that December is going to be the month for the release. Leaked documents surfaced earlier this month that indicated a December 8th launch for the device in the U.S. Other sources said earlier this week that December 8th would be the day – but that source also pegged November 29th as the kickoff for pre-sales. Obviously, this prediction was incorrect.

    While the specific date is unconfirmed, Samsung did confirm that the U.S. release would occur in December.

    Even if Best Buy does have to wait until the 11th to get the phone, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Verizon stores couldn’t have it by the 8th, like rumored. When pushed for further comment, a Samsung rep told CNET that the Galaxy Nexus launch date “is not public information at this time.” She once again confirmed that it will show up in the U.S. before the year is over.

  • Yahoo Sale: What They’re Saying

    Some interesting reports have been coming out about the potential sale of Yahoo.

    Bloomberg BusinessWeek is reporting that A group of investors led by private- equity firm Silver Lake offered to buy a minority stake in Yahoo! Inc. for about $16.60 a share. This comes from “people with knowledge of the matter.”

    This would value Yahoo at $20.6 billion.

    Microsoft, Andreessen Horowitz and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board are part of the group.

    Another offer was made by TPG Capital, and that was reportedly higher.

    Om Malik writes, “Last night a source of mine sent me a text message about spotting Jerry Yang and David Filo (in a suit) at Palo Alto’s Four Seasons Hotel in company of some serious looking men, who spend a lot of time (and money) appearing to be self-important, a skill they perhaps learn in business school. His pithy message to sum it all up — looks like it is all going down.”

    Rumors suggest Yang will remain on the Board. Malik runs down a few other rumors, such as the transaction is going to use PIPEs, OpenTable CEO Jeff Jordan will become CEO and Marc Andreessen will become chairman, KKR and Blackstone Group, Thomas H. Lee Parnters, and Alibaba along with Softbank and Blackstone all have their eyes on Yahoo.

    According to the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo is looking to get a deal done by the end of the year.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: iPhone 5,1 Spotted In iOS 5.1 Beta

    As iOS 5.1 beta is being seeded to developers, everyone has already carefully picked through it in order to find the tiny hints that signal upcoming Apple devices. And iOS 5.1 beta is full of those indicators – the most important of which (or at least the one destined to generate the most chatter) involves the next generation iPhone.

    It appears that Apple has internally labelled the upcoming iPhone as iPhone 5,1. As 9to5Mac points out, an indication of a new 4,X model would probably suggest small changes, but nothing really new when it comes to the guts. A move from 4,1 to 5,1 could mean that the new iPhone will sport a shiny new A6 processor, one that has already been rumored for the device.

    Other changes that have been rumored for the device, which we now see as the iPhone 5,1, have dealt with the external features – most notably that the new device will have a 4-inch display.

    It was hinted by Apple sources earlier this month that the teardrop-shaped, aluminum backed iPhone 5 was in fact already prototyped, and it was scrapped as it approached launch. According to that rumor, the radically redesigned iPhone 5 was Steve Jobs’ baby, and he nixed it because he was unhappy with the bigger screen, which he thought “fragmented iPhones.”

    According to the iOS 5.1 beta information, the next-gen iPhone is at least on Apple’s slate of upcoming launches. Could it be this phone that so many people wanted when Apple released the 4S?

    The iOS 5.1 beta also outed the iPad 2,4, which is most likely not a reference to the iPad 3 but possibly the Sprint version of the iPad 2.

    What do you think the next generation iPhone will look like – both inside and out? Let us know in the comments.

  • Galaxy Nexus Release Date: December 8th, According To Leaks

    UPDATE: Samsung has confirmed a December release.

    For Android-happy folks in the United States, it probably feels like their Ice Cream Sandwich is melting. Last Thursday, the much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus launched in the UK (exclusively at retailer Phones4u), and patient customers stateside have let to even receive official word on when they will be able to get their hands on the device.

    In lieu of any official declarations on the U.S. release date, we have some leaked screenshots courtesy of Droid Life that suggest folks might have to wait until December 8th to buy the new Google phone.

    The first image states that the “Samsung Nexus is now scheduled to launch in all locations on Thursday, 12/8.” From this, we also learn that accessories for the device have begun to ship to stores.

    Another screencap also shows the national launch date for the Galaxy Nexus as being set for December 8th.

    As no word has yet to come from Samsung or Verizon regarding the U.S. release, the hopes of a Black Friday launch like previously suggested are looking a bit slim. A December 8th release would at least put the device in the middle of holiday shopping season, if not the biggest shopping weekend known to man.

    If the date does in fact wind up being December 8th, that’s probably going to annoy at least some people who have been waiting for the Galaxy Nexus since it was announced back in October.

    Apparently, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the folks across the pond. Apparently, the Galaxy Nexus has fallen victim the the launch jitters. Users are reporting a sort of “phantom volume” bug that is turning the phone’s volume up and down on its own. According to the reports, the bug has caused the Euro carrier Vodafone to delay its launch of the smartphone.

    Are you still holding out for a Galaxy Nexus? Has any other recent smartphone release caught your eye? Let us know how you feel in the comments.

  • iPad 3 Rumor: Thicker, Thanks To Extra Light Bar

    Your next generation iPad might blow you away with its super high-resolution retina display that many are sure that it will sport – but you might have to sacrifice a little bit of the iPad 2 sleekness in the process.

    Well, not too much.

    A person who was described as their “most reliable source” by iLounge has said to expect body changes when it comes to the third generation iPad. According to the source, the device will be a little bit thicker, about 0.7mm. The reason for this slight change is the additional light bar that the iPad 3 will host. That additional light bar is needed to support the super high-res display.

    This information corroborates talks we heard earlier this month regarding a whole new LED back-light system being planned for the iPad 3. Apparently, the 2048×1536 displays cannot be supported by the current single LED light bar system that’s found in the iPad 2.

    The reports said that Apple was given two options by vendors: either they keep the single bar design but add two LED chips to help maintain the brightness of the panels, or they switch to a dual LED light bar system.

    Those sources said that Apple was leaning towards option B, and this latest report backs that up.

    Last month, reports circulated that manufacturers were having problems producing the retina displays for the iPad 3. The giant leap forward in pixel density is supposedly making manufacturers question their ability to produce in mass quantities.

    So in order to get that awesome 2048×1536 retina display, users might have to give up a little bit of thinness. But at 0.7 mm, it’s doubtful that anyone will really be able to notice.

  • Facebook IPO Rumored To Be Filed As Soon As Next Month

    Facebook may be getting very close to filing for its IPO if a new report is accurate. But take this for what it is. It’s still just a rumor at this point.

    Nicholas Carlson at Business Insider says the publication received an email from a source “close to Facebook employees,” saying “that the rumor flitting from employee to employee is that ‘a Facebook S1 filing is coming really soon. Possibly as soon as next month.”

    Still, he says another source says Facebook hasn’t even decided what banks will underwrite.

    Two months ago, the Financial Times reported that Facebook is aiming for a late 2012 IPO launch.

    Earlier this month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Charlie Rose, “It’’s not something I spend a lot of time on a day-to-day basis thinking about.”

    Recent valuations of the company have exceeded $80 billion. That’s reportedly up from about $4 billion in 2008. That’s just amazing. Jolie O’Dell at VentureBeat recently shared this graph depicting the company’s valuation escalation:

    Facebook Valuation

    We’re not going to hold our breath for the Facebook IPO. Why start now? But we can’t help but be a little curious as to how soon this thing really is going to happen, after years of waiting.

  • Amazon Phone On The Way, According To Report

    On the heels of the release of the new Kindle Fire, Amazon’s first attempt at a true tablet device, it looks like the company is already thinking about heading in the direction of smartphones.

    According to a note from Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney, we could see an Amazon smartphone hit the market as soon as Q4 2012. Here’s a quote from the note, courtesy of All Things D:

    Based on our supply chain channel checks in Asia led by Kevin Chang, Citi’s Taipei-based hardware research analyst, we believe an Amazon Smartphone will be launched in 4Q12. Based on our supply chain check, we believe FIH is now jointly developing the phone with Amazon. However, we believe that Amazon will pay NRE (non-recurring engineering fees) to FIH but the device and multiple components will actually be manufactured by Hon Hai’s TMS business group (the same business group that makes Amazon’s E-reader and the 8.9” Amazon tablet).

    We believe the smartphone will adopt Texas Instrument’s OMAP 4 processor and is very likely to adopt QCOM’s dual mode 6-series standalone baseband given QCOM has been a long-time baseband supplier for Amazon’s E-reader.

    The speculation went further to say that the device might cost somewhere in the $150 to $170 range, and probably run on Android OS.

    The Kindle Fire is just a few days old, and based on my limited play with one appears to be a pretty good device for the amazingly low $199 price point. Could an Amazon smartphone succeed in a market filled with quality Android devices (not to mention the fact that history suggests that a new iPhone will be rolling out near that projected timeframe).?

    Do smartphones seem like a logical progression for the world’s biggest online retailer? Let us know what you think in the comments.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: It Was Real, And Steve Jobs Scrapped It Before Launch

    Remember the whole iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 blow up? The iPhone 4S arrived with Siri, an awesome new camera and a faster processor – but it looked just like the iPhone 4. There were no design changes, and that pissed off many folks who thought that they would be getting the iPhone 5 – a giant redesign that featured a slimmer frame and a larger screen.

    Well, according to Business Insider, that phone existed – in prototype form.

    They quote “a industry source who has been right about future Apple products in the past,” but also warn to “read this post with a nice fat dose of salt.” Let me add another giant spoonful of salt on this one – it is truly a rumor if there ever was one.

    But it’s interesting nonetheless.

    According to the source, “Apple engineers he knows thought until about three months before the iPhone 4S was released, that a new fully re-designed iPhone was going to be Apple’s next big announcement.”

    Here’s what the prototype supposedly looked like –

    • Bigger screen
    • Aluminum backs like the iPad 2
    • Liquid metal technology to make different colored phones
    • Thinner and Wider
    • No physical home button

    Why did we not see this phone back in October? Well, the sources weren’t sure, but they said that rumor had it (yes, a rumor within a rumor, Inception style) Steve Jobs scrapped it:

    Steve Jobs was unhappy with the bigger screen because it “fragmented” iPhones, Apple’s big argument against Android is the way all the different phones from different manufacturers fragment that operating system.

    What do you think? Could Apple have scrapped a device like this so soon before launching the 4S? Does this smell like total BS to you? Let us know in the comments.

  • Transformer Prime Release Date Moved To December, Awaiting Ice Cream Sandwich

    Transformer Prime Release Date Moved To December, Awaiting Ice Cream Sandwich

    ASUS’ highly-anticipated Eee Pad Transformer Prime has been pushed to early December, according to “sources from an upstream supply chain.”

    DigiTimes reports that the sources confirm that Google has signed on to provide assistance to “help the machine to natively feature Android 4.0.” The tablet was originally set to launch with Android 3.2 Honeycomb earlier, possibly on November 9th.

    So it looks like ASUS is waiting to get the brand new Ice Cream Sandwich OS in its new tablet. The news that they release date has been pushed at least a month will upset some, but it’s probably comforting for some to hear that the tablet will come already loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich – no “waiting for an update” (see Droid RAZR).

    The sources add:

    Since Google has cold-shouldered Taiwan-based PC brand vendors over the assistance of upgrading from Android 3.0 to 4.0, it has prompted these vendors to turn their focus from Android to Microsoft’s Windows 8, the sources noted.

    So reaching out and helping the tablet upgrade from 3.2 to 4.0 might help Google in the long run.

    According to ASUS, the Transformer Prime will be a faster, stronger, slimmer (and sexier) tablet and will be the first to feature NVIDIA’s bext-gen quad-core chip, which they say makes the device blazing fast.

    If this rumor proves accurate, are you bummed about having to wait for the tablet? Or is it worth it to have ICS? Let us know in the comments.

  • Is Siri Coming To An Older Apple Device Near You?

    Love it or hate it, disappointed or impressed by it – you have to admit that Apple’s iPhone 4S voice assistant Siri has worked its way into a lot of conversations. It’s one of the most cited reasons when people are asked why they want the new 4S, and Apple’s first television ad for the new phone was based around Siri.

    As of right now, Siri is only available to Apple owners that have upgraded to the 4S – but could that be changing?

    According to the iOS jailbreaking site Jailbreak Nation, Apple might be testing Siri on older devices. Apparently, they were told that Siri is being tested specifically on the iPhone 4, but it’s not a stretch to guess that they are at least testing it on other devices. The 3GS? Maybe the iPad?

    From JBN:

    Currently, it only runs on the iPhone 4S, but Apple has given employees access to a special software version that incorporates Siri’s features on to older devices. Hackers and developers are currently working for a port, but if Apple releases this in a software update any time soon, they may not need to.

    Could we see a software update in the near future that brings Siri to other Apple devices?

    Of course, iPhone 4 owners would be thrilled if Apple brought Siri to their device. For many people, Siri is the main bonus to upgrading to the 4S – so it would basically eliminate much of the need to upgrade.

    Which is exactly why this rumor is a little hard to understand. By releasing Siri to other devices, Apple would basically be removing a key motivation to purchase the 4S. Without Siri, the 4S is primarily left with a speed boost and a better camera as incentives.

    But Josh Lowensohn makes a good point over at CNET regarding data mining:

    The data Apple collects from Siri in the form of user queries and voice sampling could be a huge asset to the company, which also operates its own advertising business called iAd, making a larger group of users statistically advantageous.

    Would that offset the damage it could do to the 4S’ value? The 4S continues to sell well across the globe. Today we learned that pre-orders sold out in Hong Kong in 10 minutes and South Korean telecoms’ servers were flooded with over 200,000 pre-order requests in just one day.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: Release Date Second Half Of 2012

    Although the iPhone 4S is still making its way to certain markets and is barely out of the box for most people, the demand for information on the next iPhone is still high. Sure, people are always anxious to learn about the newest Apple products, but the iPhone 5 will probably have an unprecedented amount of buzz surrounding it up until release – for the simple fact that many people felt tricked when Apple announced the 4S as opposed to the 5.

    Thoughts on the 4S aside, DigiTimes has some information regarding the next gen iPhone. According to “sources in the upstream supply chain,” the iPhone 5 is unlikely to be revealed until “the second half of 2012.”

    Of course, DigiTimes has been hit or miss with its Apple insider information as of late, and this is a pretty non-specific claim – so it doesn’t hurt to be skeptical regarding this claim.

    But hey, that’s why a rumor is a rumor, right?

    Apparently, the iPhone 5 will be that massive redesign that everyone is demanding, as DigiTimes’ sources say that Apple is planning an “overhaul” of all its product lines for 2012.

    This would mean the iPad, iMac, MacBook, as well as the iPhone would be seeing significant changes.

    Will it be the thinner, wider model with the larger screen that people expected for the October release of the 4S? It looks like there is plenty of time for speculation.

  • iPad 3 Rumor: Retina Display Proving A Challenge For Manufacturers

    iPad 3 Rumor: Retina Display Proving A Challenge For Manufacturers

    We’ve been hearing rumors for months that the next generation of the iPad is going to sport a super-high resolution, amazingly dense Retina Display, similar to what graces the iPhone 4S. And the fact that this will exist on a 10-inch tablet screen is making some people pretty excited.

    Previous rumors have set that mark at a 2048×1536 resolution.

    According to sources quoted at CNET, Apple is aiming high and shooting for that resolution for the iPad 3. The problem is that the display manufacturers aren’t sure if they can produce that type of display at such a high volume required by Apple.

    For Apple, a “retina display” is a display with a pixel density high enough to overcome the human eye’s ability to see individual pixels. That’s 326 pixels per inch (PPI) on the iPhone 4S, whose 3.5 inch screen packs a 960×640 resolution.

    You won’t get that type of density on the iPad 3, even if you get the 2048×1536 resolution. But you’ll get a PPI of 264, which is double the amount you currently find on the iPad 2. It will still meet the “retina display ” requirements.

    That is, if it can be done.

    Here’s what the source had to say:

    They have production plans for 2,048×1,536 displays. Starting in November. But those are only plans at this point.

    It’s not a question of making just one. That, of course, can be done. The challenge is making lots of them. This is a quantum leap in pixel density. This hasn’t been done before.

    Those November production plans fall in line with other rumors we’ve heard about Apple starting an early run before the end of 2011. This timeframe suggests that the iPad 3 could be hitting the shelves as early as Q1 of 2012.

  • Google Reportedly Gets Involved in Yahoo Sale Talks

    It appears that Google is interested in putting some money down for a Yahoo purchase. Of course it is highly unlikely that regulators would allow a straight up Yahoo acquisition by Google, but could Google throw some money into the pot to keep it out of certain competitors’ hands?

    That’s not to say it wouldn’t still draw regulatory scrutiny, but the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google has talked to a couple of private equity firms about helping them finance a deal to buy Yahoo’s core business. The source cited is a “person familiar with the matter”.

    There is some speculation going around that Google just wants to drive the price up for arch rival Microsoft, who has been reported as helping bankroll a joint bid for Yahoo with its partners.

    According to that WSJ report, Google is interested in selling ads across Yahoo sites. It would be pretty surprising if this were to come to fruition, especially given a pending deal among Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL designed to compete with Google in advertising, though whether or not this even happens is apparently still up in the air.

    As you may recall, regulators wouldn’t even let Google and Yahoo form a search advertising partnership, which they did end up letting Yahoo and Microsoft orchestrate.

    Of course there are other interested parties in the Yahoo auction. Alibaba has been repeatedly named in the conversation. Yahoo has also said that a sale may not even happen.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: More Speculation It May Be the Final Steve Jobs Release

    We’ll continue to take these stories for what they are: rumors. But they are interesting for a couple of reasons. Despite the recent release of the iPhone 4S and its incredibly good sales, a lot of people were still disappointed in not seeing the release of the iPhone 5.

    Rumors picked up more steam this week when CNET reported on an analyst claiming that the next-generation iPhone “was the last project that Steve Jobs was intimately involved with from concept to final design”.

    Now, PC Magazine is quoting Apple partner Masayoshi Son, CEO of Softbank, as saying, “I visited Apple for the announcement of the iPhone 4S [at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California]. When I was having a meeting with Tim Cook, he said, ‘Oh Masa, sorry I have to quit our meeting.’ I said, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘My boss is calling me.’ That was the day of the announcement of the iPhone 4S. He said that Steve is calling me because he wants to talk about their next product. And the next day, he died.”

    The publication says the speculation that the iPhone 5 will be “Jobs’ final master stroke of product innovation now seems more credible”.

    As I said before, one would think he would’ve been involved with the design of the next-generation iPad (there are already iPad 3 rumors going around as well), since it’s been over 7 months since the unveiling of the iPad 2, but who knows?

    As previously reported, Apple has launched its tribute site for Jobs, which features messages that have been sent to Apple in the time since his passing. The company said it has received over a million of them in that short time.

    During Apple’s earnings call, CEO Tim Cook expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support.

    Here are a couple of cool, recent tributes to Jobs:

  • Nexus Prime Release Date As Early As November 10th?

    UPDATE: Launch confirmed for Oct 19th Samsung/Google event by Japanese carrier, release date said to be sometime in November.

    We know that the big Google / Samsung mobile event is going down on October 19th, and we know that one of the big reveals set to take place at said event is the new Google OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Invitations went out last week for the event, which was rescheduled after the two companies cancelled the previous October 11th date out of respect for the late Steve Jobs.

    It is widely speculated that the next Google phone, the Samsung Nexus Prime (Galaxy Nexus) will also be unveiled at the October 19th event. It would be the first device to run the brand new Ice Cream Sandwich OS.

    Now, a leaked MAP (minimum advertised price) list reveals not only the suggested price of the device, but a possible release timeframe as well.

    Droid Life obtained the list, which shows the “Samsung Galaxy Nexus” as a minimum $299 phone, with a MAP period beginning on November 10th, 2011. In addition, the list shows another buzzed-about phone, the HTC Rezound, with the exact same details.

    Of course, the front end of this window is not a definite launch date, but it is possible. As Droid Life points out, it would be surprising to see the device launched before it can be advertised at the minimum price – so the speculation by some that we could see it hit stores even earlier looks to be on shaky ground.

    And if you want to be super cynical, it’s always possible that the leaked memo could be incorrect or intentionally misleading in the worst-case scenario. But the timeframe definitely feels reasonable given this week’s probable unveiling.

    Leaked specs have said the phone will sport a 4.65 super AMOLED screen with curved glass, as well as 1GB RAM and NFC capabilities.

    Earlier this month, a video surfaced reportedly showing the Nexus Prime in the wild: It has yet to be totally confirmed or denied:

    What do you think? Will this be a huge device for the Android platform? Can it challenge the just-released iPhone 4S? Apple just announced that they have sold over 4 million 4S devices in the first 3 days. Let us know how you feel about the upcoming phone in the comments.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: A6 Processors Supplied By Samsung?

    According to industry sources, Apple will continue their relationship with Samsung and use their processors in the upcoming iPhone.

    The source said that Samsung is ramping up production of quad-core A6 processors, the Apple-designed chip, at their manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.

    This is interesting, in large part, due to the ongoing legal battle between the two companies regarding so-called patent infringements.

    Here’s what the source had to say about the A6 processors, as quoted in the Korea Times:

    Apple has been in talks with Samsung over shipment of its A6 quad-core mobile processor (AP) chips to be used in the next iPhone. It appears that Apple clearly has concluded that Samsung remains a critical business partner.

    Samsung Electronics will apply its advanced 28-nanometer processing technology to produce qualified A6 mobile APs. TSMC will provide customized chips with designs from Apple, however, the volume will be very small.

    This rumor comes on the heels of news regarding the Samsung/Apple patent wars. According to the WSJ, Samsung is trying to stop the sale of Apple’s new iPhone 4S in Japan and Australia. They are asking that the sale of the iPad 2 be halted as well.

    Japan and Australia join a list populated by 10 countries that Samsung has petitioned to ban the sale of Apple devices. They have already made filings in France and Italy to stop the sale of the iPhone 4S.

    Apple also claims that Samsung has copied their designs and infringed upon their patents and intellectual property rights. Last week, Apple requested a temporary injunction in Australia to stop the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy tablet – a request that was granted.

    Apple and Samsung have a tenuous partnership, and these legal battles only strain it further. Some analysts think that the patent wars will irreparably damage the relationship – but according to this rumor, Samsung will provide a key part to at least one more Apple product.

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: The Last Steve Jobs Release

    It sounds like consumers will get one last contribution from Steve Jobs in terms of new Apple devices, from the sound of it, and that might very well be the iPhone 5.

    There’s no question that consumers will continue to benefit from the contributions of Jobs for years to come. His influence will be felt probably for generations, but CNET is reporting that an analyst says the next-generation iPhone – the one after the 4S – “was the last project that Steve Jobs was intimately involved with from concept to final design.”

    Of course there’s no telling if the next iPhone will even be called the iPhone 5. As you may recall, it was widely expected that the 4S would be the iPhone 5, but no dice.

    According to the analyst quoted by the report, Ashook Kumar of Rodman & Renshaw, the next iPhone will be slimmer and have a larger screen size, but will have the same dimensions as the recently released iPhone 4S. The analyst also expects it to have 4G.

    The report also indicates that the design will be completely different. If that’s the case, there may be a bigger chance that the device would actually be called the iPhone 5. The 4S looked so much like the 4 that some might argue the “5” name would’ve been unjustified.

    Meanwhile, the rumors about the iPad 3 are already flying around. One would think Jobs would’ve been involved with its design, as it’s been over 7 months since the iPad 2 was revealed, but it’s hard to say. The iPad 3 is expected for early 2012.

  • iPad 3 Rumor: Release Date Early 2012 Hints Production Numbers

    Today is a huge day for Apple as the launch of the new iPhone 4S began early this morning. Scores of people camped out or arrived in the wee hours of the morning to get in line to purchase the new device.

    But not even a big product launch can stop the behemoth that is the Apple rumor machine. This new rumor isn’t about an iPhone, but about the next generation of the iPad.

    According to Susquehanna Financial analyst Jeff Fidacaro, the iPad 3 is heading into production.

    According to supply chain information, Fidacaro says that Apple is increasing their Q4 iPad builds from 11-13 million to 12-14 million. This increase is apparently to accommodate an early run of iPad 3s.

    Here’s what he told All Things D:

    Since our last month supply chain checks we are now seeing 600,000 to one million iPad 3 builds showing up on the plan for the fourth quarter of calendar 2011.

    This would suggest an early 2012 launch of the next-gen tablet. Apple launched the iPad 2 in March of 2012.

    Previous rumors have corroborated this prediction. A JP Morgan analyst said in September that it would be highly unlikely to see a new iPad before 2012. Earlier rumors also set a trial production run for October, with an early 2012 release.

    As far as the specs go, the iPad 3 is rumored to sport a 9.7 inch, super high resolution screen (2048 x 1536).

    As far as actual Apple devices that we can see, ones that aren’t just speculation, what do you think about the iPhone 4S? Are you planning to make the upgrade?

    Are you satisfied enough with your iPad 2 or other tablet or would you be chomping at the bit to get your hands on an iPad 3? Let us know in the comments.

  • Report: AOL Continues to Push for Yahoo Deal

    Last month, we looked at some chatter that was going around that AOL wants to merge with Yahoo, but that Yahoo was not too interested. A Bloomberg piece, citing “people familiar with the matter,” indicated that AOL CEO Tim Armstrong was talking with advisors to Yahoo to gauge interest in combining the companies.

    CNBC countered with a “source close to Yahoo” saying that there was “no interest in a deal with AOL.”

    Reuters is now reporting that Armstrong has been meeting with top shareholders over the past couple weeks to push the idea of a sale to Yahoo that “could wring up to $1.5 billion in cost saving”, citing “sources with knowledge of the discussions.”

    The saving should come from overlapping data centers and duplicate news sites (like sports and finance), based on Reuters’ account of what a “major shareholder who met with Armstrong” said.

    The timing of these discussions is very interesting considering that Yahoo is currently without a permanent CEO. There is also talk about other parties being interested in buying Yahoo (including Microsoft).

    It’s also interesting considering the acquisitions AOL itself has been making, particularly in the content business – The Huffington Post obviously being the big one.

    We still haven’t seen any indication that Yahoo is interested in a deal with AOL, although interestingly enough, Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL all just partnered on an advertising initiative to compete with Google. If there is one thing that could make any of these scenarios play out, it might just be the common goal of taking down Google.

  • Who Will Acquire Hulu? Google, DISH & Amazon Reportedly Frontrunners

    Who Will Acquire Hulu? Google, DISH & Amazon Reportedly Frontrunners

    Google has been mentioned as a possible suitor for a Hulu acquisition for a while now. In light of recent developments, it would still make sense.

    For example, recent reports indicate that Google is spending about $100 million to develop new, original content. Google is serious about making YouTube a cable competitor (let’s hope they don’t’ start charging for YouTube in general). YouTube is expected to get a redesign with a more TV channel-like flavor. They’ve recently expanded their paid movie offerings, to include new releases, and continue to expand that offering internationally.

    TV and movie content from Hulu makes sense.

    According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Google (along with DISH and Amazon) are still in the running for an acquisition of Hulu, and Yahoo, which has been in the running, is now out.

    The Yahoo news is interesting in itself, given a couple of things:

    1. Yahoo is been doing a lot to brand itself as a media company as of late.

    2. Other rumors are going around that Microsoft is considering a bid for Yahoo, which still doesn’t have a CEO, beyond interim CEO Tim Morse.

    As a media company, it could do Yahoo well to have what Hulu has to offer, but perhaps the future of Yahoo itself is just too uncertain.

    While a Hulu acquisition would make a great deal of sense for Google, it would also make a great deal of sense for DISH or Amazon, both of which have scaled up their streaming video offerings of late.

  • Should Microsoft Buy Yahoo?

    What if Microsoft bought Yahoo? According to a report from Reuters, Microsoft is eyeing a bid on the company which is currently down a CEO.

    Would such an acquisition be good for Microsoft? Good for Yahoo? Tell us what you think.

    Yahoo’s board fired CEO Carol Bartz last month, and has yet to find a replacement beyond interim CEO Timothy Morse. According to at least one report, former CEO Jerry Yang had even assumed control at the company (though this is unconfirmed). The company source cited in that report from Business Insider said it was “f-ing crazy”.

    The Reuters report cites “sources close to the situation,” and says, “Microsoft joins a host of other companies looking at Yahoo, which has a market value of about $20 billion and is readying financial pitch books for potential buyers, they said.”

    The other companies reportedly include Providence Equity Partners, Hellman & Friedman and Silver Lake Partners, Alibaba, and DST Global.

    “Microsoft could easily afford Yahoo. After a 10% stock price bump on a report that Microsoft was weighing a bid, Yahoo’s market capitalization was about $21 billion,” says the Wall Street Journal. “If Microsoft offered $20 a share, 25% above Wednesday’s close, the price would be about $26 billion. But the net cost could be less than half that, assuming Microsoft sold Yahoo’s Asian assets and factoring in its $2.6 billion of cash.”

    If you’ll recall, Microsoft made a failed attempt to take over Yahoo a few years ago, but ultimately ended up forming a “search alliance,” where the two companies would partner on search and advertising. Bing has been powering Yahoo’s search results since that went into effect. Microsoft’s bid for the company in 2008 was a reported $44.6 billion.

    Given the amount of attention we (and our readers) place on search, it’s easy to get caught up in Yahoo the search engine, but Yahoo has a lot of properties, and some of them are quite powerful. A few months ago, the company shared this infographic as a reminder:

    Yahoo: Did you know we're number one?  

    In its last earnings report, Yahoo said it is home to nine #1 properties globally, and is in the top three in 23 categories. It also said it has nine out of the top ten original video programs on the web.

    Yahoo considers itself a media company, and that certainly is an area where Microsoft could grow. It would be interesting to see how the regulatory process plays out if this goes forward.

    Regarding Yahoo and search, the company recently put up a blog post talking about how it’s ready for a “search fight,” including these three bullet points on “what search looks like” to Yahoo over the next 18 months:

    • From destination to companion: Access and convenience are two key components in the search game. In the next 18 months, Search will be a companion experience that gives you answers immediately and instantly without leaving the page you are on – effortlessly.
    • From fragmented to seamless: Consistency and simplicity are two key components in the search game. Users are increasingly searching on multiple devices. In the next 18 months, your devices and platforms will be seamlessly connected, allowing you to start an experience on one device and continue effortlessly onto another, with simple access to any information on any other devices. Search will be evolving into a beautiful and consistent multi-modal experience that simply integrates into your everyday life.
    • From more information to better information: Relevancy and depth are two key components in the search game. When you search for something — say, Adirondack chairs — do you really care that we returned 9,150,000 results? Probably not. In the next 18 months, Search will focus on a deep experience that gives you only what you want to know, taking into account your search history, click behavior, demographics, social graph, and browsing history to provide you with a 1:1 experience. It will tell you why it served you the results it did and allow you to pivot on a number of aspects to further tune the page. It will no longer be a search engine designed for the masses, it will be a search engine tailored just for you. Some call it a results page; I call it an intent satisfaction experience.

    Last month, Yahoo redesigned its search results pages.

    Bing and Yahoo were both up in the U.S. search market reports last month, with Bing-powered search accounting for 28.99% of the market, according to Experian Hitwise.

    Do you think Microsoft should buy Yahoo? Let us know in the comments.