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News from category ‘rumors’
Thinner MacBook Pro Models in 13-Inch and 15-Inch Sizes Coming in April
Sources in Apple's upstream supply chain indicated to DigiTimes that new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros with a thinner and lighter design are expected to launch in April "at the soonest," with an initial shipment of just under a million units. A redesigned version of the 17-inch MacBook Pro is apparently not expected at launch.
Apple's upgraded MacBook Pro lineup along with new MacBook Airs and the forthcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Mac operating system upgrade are expected in the industry to pose a "significant threat" to notebooks. Moreover, earlier this week Intel indicated that the company's next-generation Ivy Bridge chips are expected to debut eight to 10 weeks later than previously planned.
Leave a commentApple rumored to be developing new audio format designed for iCloud streaming
Apple is reportedly working on a new audio file format for iCloud service. The new audio format will offer improved streaming and "high-definition" quality of music allowing users to access music they obtained from sources outside of iTunes over the iCloud service.
"A source with inside knowledge of the process says Apple has asked a London studio to prepare audio files for a new streaming format that will adapt to bandwidth or hardware capabilities," the report said. It quoted an unnamed person who said users' libraries would "improve in an instant," and nothing would need to be done to upgrade files from the current AAC format to high definition.
Rear Shell Of iPad 3 Measures In At 9,5 mm, Just 0,8 Thicker Than iPad 2
While comparison pictures of the rear shells of the iPad 3 and iPad 2 have shown that the new model has slightly increased thickness and some reports have noted that difference is about 1mm, no exact measurement had been made to quantify the exact dimensions of the new model.
Rumors: iPad 3 will cost $70-80 more than iPad 2
Chinese microblogging site published some new rumors about future iPad 3. They managed to get price information for the new Apple tablet.
iPad 3 will probably cost a bit more compared to iPad 2:
The headings are labled left to right: "Apple iPad Model", "iPad 2 US Price", "iPad 3 US Price", "iPad 3 RMB equivalent price". The final column is calculated on the exchange rate.
Apple is working two chips - enhanced A5 chip (A5X) and completely new A6
Apple is working on both an enhanced A5 (A5X) chip and a new A6 chip, according to 9to5Mac.
The site noticed that the original iPad's A4 chip was called S5L8930X, the iPad 2's A5 chip was called the S5L8940X, and the recently leaked A5X chip was labeled as S5L8945X. Going from the A4 to the A5 chip saw a jump of 10 in the labeling but going from the A5 to the A5X only had a jump of 5. Thus, the site surmised that the A6 should consequently be called the S5L8950X.
Now evidence of an S5L8950X (A6) chip has been found in the iOS 5.1 beta:
Apple rumored to be secretly shipping 'iPad 3' as Best Buy cuts iPad 2 by $50
Meijer, a regional big-box retailer in the U.S., slashed the price of the 16GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi by $70, and Best Buy has begun offering $50 off every iPad 2 model. These facts could, however, suggest that Foxconn is already preparing to ship the device's third-generation successor to Apple in the United States.
The alleged secret shipments from Foxconn were revealed in a shipping manifest from Apple.pro revealed this weekend, which shows a series of shipments scheduled to begin delivery in the U.S. no later than March 9. The mystery orders arriving from Chengdu, China, are said to be under high security. A source from Foxconn's Chengdu plant reportedly indicated that the shipment is for "Apple's latest products."
Apple Readying Miniaturized Dock Connector for Future iPhones
Apple blog iMore has "heard" from unnamed sources that Apple is looking to replace the venerable 30-pin iPhone, iPad and iPod dock connector with a smaller, space-saving successor that will possibly make a debut in the company's next generation iPhone.
An updated “micro dock” could make room for bigger batteries, 4G radios, and other components far more important to the iPhone and iPad in a PC free world. As iMore points out, the current dock connector isn't huge, but as devices continue to get smaller and thinner, every little bit counts.
Apple Now Selling Brazilian-Made iPhone 4
Apple’s efforts to diversify iPhone and iPad manufacturing locations and make the devices more affordable in the world's fifth most populous country by eliminating high import taxes has resulted in moving production into Brazil where Foxconn built its factory. The factory has already begun manufacturing the iPhone and Apple has indeed begun selling the Brazilian-made 8 GB iPhone 4 through its online store in that country.
The iPhone 4S and 8 GB iPhone 4 debuted in Brazil in mid-December, but early models were manufactured in China and carried very high pricing with the iPhone 4S starting at the equivalent of over $1400. With exchange rate fluctuations that figure is now over $1500, while the cheaper 8 GB iPhone 4 still comes in at a hefty $1050. The unlocked iPhone 4 is priced at $549 in the United States.
Apple Confirms Plans for Another Large Data Center in Prineville, Oregon
Apple revealed on Tuesday their plans to build a new data center in Prineville, Oregon on a 160-acre plot of land that it purchased for $5.6 million. Last December, sources close to Apple indicated that the company was "nearing a decision" to build a server farm in Oregon and was in discussions over the location, and a week ago Apple publicly confirmed that it has been developing the project, which is known as "Project Maverick."
"We purchased the land and it’s for a data center,” said Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet, adding that the facility will be "green." Earlier this week, the company revealed in a Facilities Environmental Report that its massive server farm in North Carolina will utilize the largest end-user-owned onsite solar array and the largest non utility fuel cell installation in the U.S., making it the only facility in its class to earn LEED Platinum certification.
Suppliers gearing up for Apple's launch of new MacBook Air models
MacBook Air lineup was last updated in July of 2011, when Apple added high-speed Thunderbolt ports and backlit keyboards to both the 11.6- and 13.3-inch models, and now sources from Apple's supply chain are waiting for the refreshed notebooks.
The anticipated MacBook Air update was mentioned on Tuesday by DigiTimes, which said that assembler Quanta Computer is expected to see its revenues grow thanks to the new product launch. It was said that Apple is "set to launch a new MacBook Air model," but a specific timeline for its release was not given.
iPad 3 Front Glass Reveals No Significant Changes
Various iPad 3 parts have leaked in recent weeks, but the front panel of the alleged device has remained unseen until now. Apple.pro points to a posting on Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo showing what is claimed to be the front glass and digitizer assembly from the iPad 3.
The part appears nearly identical to that of the iPad 2, with the major distinguishing feature being a relatively long ribbon cable extending up the side of the display as opposed to a shorter cable with a sideways orientation seen in the iPad 2. Other features of the iPad 3 display include the same round home button seen in all iOS devices so far and a hole in the top bezel to accommodate both the front-facing camera and the ambient light sensor.
Microsoft Office For iPad Soon Will Hit The App Store
Confirming earlier reports, tablet-only magazine The Daily it had hands-on experience with a version of Microsoft Office app for iPad and posted the above picture to prove the existence of this app. The Daily reports:
Apple opening up supplier factories to third-party environmental inspections
Many independent environmental groups seek to verify Apple’s own findings related to working conditions on its supplier factories and they finally got Apple's permission. The company will open up its supplier factories to third-party environmental inspections in order to cooperate on audits.
Ma Jun, founder of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, said in an interview that Apple had agreed late last month to open up its facilities to address reports from IPE and other groups outing suspected Apple suppliers as polluters. The audits could start as early as next month and may eventually expand to other suppliers.
iPad 3 will probably have A5X processor
WeiPhone site has leaked a photo of an iPad 3 logic board with A5X CPU chip. Previously it was expected that new tablet will feature A6 chip, reports MacRumors.
A date code of "1146" on the A5X indicates that it was manufactured in the 46th week of 2011, which would have corresponded to November 14-20. An "A5X" as a step-wise upgrade to the A5 corresponds with progression of processor part numbers as revealed by BGR in February. At the time the A4 was known to be the S5L8930X, the A5 as the S5L8940X and the new iPad processor as S5L8945X.
iPhone 5 Due for Release in September-October Timeframe
Citing a “reliable source”, Japanese blog Macotakara reports that Apple is expected to launch its next-generation iPhone in September or October of this year, about a year after the debut of the iPhone 4S that was released in October of 2011.
According to Asian reliable source, next iPhone will be released in September or October, and this cycle seems to be kept for years.
MacRumors also heard from a representative of a supplier known to provide parts for the iPhone that Apple's ordering plans are pointing toward a launch of new hardware in the September.