News from category ‘rumors’

Appleinsider reports that analyst Chris Whitmore from Deutsche Bank is predicting Apple will release two devices next month - a redesigned aluminum unibody iPhone 5 and a low-end iPhone 4S.

The 'iPhone 4S' will have a material cost lower than $150. This will let Apple sell the device for the price between $300 and $350 without a subsidy. The device is described as 8GB iPod touch with a cellular antenna. We've heard these rumors for a long time.

Whitemore also said he expects the iPhone 5 to be a completely redesigned smartphone with an aluminum unibody construction to replace the glass back on the current device. It will have a better camera and slightly larger screen.

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John Paczkowski at AllThingsD claims that the next keynote, where Apple is rumored to announce its next-generation iPhone, will be held on Apple Campus in Cupertino, rather than the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where Apple usually holds its fall media event. We’ve heard various rumors that Apple might work on two iPhone models: completely redesigned device and a minor update unofficially dubbed “iPhone 4S”. It is widely believed the new device will come with iOS 5, pre-installed and ready to be configured with iCloud.

Perhaps, the company felt a more intimate venue was best for newly installed CEO Tim Cook’s first media event. Perhaps YBCA was simply already booked. Whatever the reason, the world will get it’s first look at the next iPhone at Apple’s Town Hall Auditorium in early October.

Apple has already used Town Hall Auditoriumon several occasions to preview upcoming versions of iOS, OS X, Lion, iLife ’11 and announce updated MacBook Air models.

Multiple sources suggest that Apple is facing constant production and design delays that can result in shortages of iPhone 5 all the way into 2012. DigiTimes has reported additional information which corroborates these rumors and lays the blame on touch panel producer Wintek that is said to supply one-quarter touch panels for iPhone 5. According to the report:

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Scott Sutherland of Wedbush Securities issued updated projections for Apple predicting that the company would release an LTE device with an improved user interface in 2012. Barrons reports:

Sutherland expects the newest iPhone to debut in October, along with "an iPhone targeting emerging markets and an LTE iPhone in 2012 with a "materially improved user interface," without explaining any further. The iPad's competitors, moreover, will continue to struggle, he writes.

While Apple has made some improvements with its notifications center to iOS 5, the iPhone's basic interface has remained the same since the introduction of iOS. We doubt that 'material' improvements to the iPhone's operating system interface will be released anytime soon.

@Chronicwire posts new images of Otterbox case boxes specifically labeled for the "iPhone 4S". Cases have volume buttons on the right side above the SIM-card slot rather than on the left as in the iPhone 4. But, as far as we know the iPhone 4S leaked parts have not revealed such a change, so it is unclear which one is the correct depiction of the forthcoming device. AT&T stores are reported to have refreshed iPhone 4 cases with a change in the back opening for the camera that may be the rumored 8-megapixel camera. But these new cases may be a revision of the existing iPhone 4 cases. Moreover, earlier this month, there appeared information that several Apple stores had received iPhone bumper cases that didn’t fit right. Customers returned cases suggesting that they might be an early batch of modified cases for the new iPhone. Anyway, a clear light will be shed upon the situation only in October, then Apple reportedly plans to release its next-generation iPhone or iPhones (there are lots of controversial rumors claiming that Apple might release several models of the device: the iPhone 4S alongside the iPhone 5).

BGR claims that Apple will introduce only one new iPhone model, the so-called "iPhone 4S", at its October 4th media event. It sounds reasonable because we still have not seen any sights of a redesigned iPhone 5 coming through supply chain. More specifically, there is a complete lack of such new iPhone 5 parts, suggesting that Apple may be planning to launch only the iPhone 4S as its next-generation iPhone model.

“We expect the focus of the new iPhone will be iOS 5, a speedier A5 processor and a higher resolution 8 MP camera with a small possibility of a larger 4 inch screen. We believe the casing will be largely similar to the iPhone with some particular modifications to the antennae [sic]. We don’t expect a second, dramatically different iPhone to accompany this as we don’t think Apple needs to have 3 models in the market to address the high end, mid-tier and low end since the iPhone 4 (with memory lowered to 8 GB) will drop to $99 and effectively attack those markets.”

Apple will reportedly hold its iPhone 5 media event on October 4th.

While Apple could certainly change its plans anytime, sources said that the October 4 date has been selected by the company to showcase the iPhone 5. Sources added that the plan is now to make the new device available for purchase within a few weeks after the announcement.

Of course, new Apple’s CEO Tim Cook will play a prominent role while the event, although it will be a team presentation. Other executives such as Phil Schiller, Scott Forstall, and Eddy Cue will participate in the keynote. Everybody waits Steve Jobs appearance, but it is still unclear whether he  will appear in the event. During this media event Apple may also announce new iPod touch with minor changes.

On Monday, The Korea Times reported that Samsung had asked a ban on the iPhone 5 sales in Korea. Now Reuters claims that the company has gone further and asked an injunction against the iPhone 5 in Europe. The source that is familiar with the matter reports:

Samsung Electronics Co is considering legal action to ban sales of Apple’s new iPhone, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, in what could be its strongest step to defend against claims by the U.S. firm that the South Korean firm had copied its product designs. The source declined to elaborate further on where Samsung planned to take legal actions and the Maeil Business Newspaper reported that the South Korean firm may seek injunction request on Apple’s new iPhone in Europe.

It seems that the Apple’s accusations that Samsung thoroughly copied their iOS mobile devices with the Galaxy smartphone and tablets, initiated a long-lasting confrontation between the companies. And this change in Samsung’s defense only proves that suggestion.

Expecting the Apple’s annual fall press conference, most of the rumors, related to the iPhone and iPod touch, were focused on the next iPhone revision, but we heard very little information about the next-gen iPod touch.  MacRumors has obtained information indicating that the next iPod touch would be little changed. An oleophobic coating for the display and a revised ambient light sensor will be the main differences from the current generation iPod touch. New iPod touch screens could be installed onto the existing fourth-generation iPod touches. Apple is also expected to introduce white model of the device. Leaked white parts for the iPod touched started appearing on different websites in July, suggesting that Apple was working on the white model of the iPod touch. The new models are expected to be announced alongside the iPhone in the first week of October with availability in the middle of the month.

The photo above was posted on Chinese site Weibo. It shows what is thought to be components of Apple’s yet to be released next-gen iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S.

We can see the already familiar to us Apple dual core "A5" CPU, just like in iPad 2. However the chipset is not from an iPad 2 since it looks rather different. The layout looks more like the current iPhone 4′s A4 chipset. The visible part of the battery reads “430 mAh”, which leads us to believe that next iPhone will have 1430 mAh battery, which is slightly better than the iPhone 4′s 1420 mAh battery.

Unfortunately there is no proof this photo is real. One more reason to be skeptical - the photo is quite blur, while we can see A5 very well. What do you think, Fake or not?

Take a look at more comparison pictures:

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The currently rumored iPhone 5 release dates have been October 7th, 14th, and 15th. PocketGamer source claims that Apple will hold its iPhone 5 press conference on October 5th:

Our inside source says there will be a press conference announcing the new hardware on October 5th, with retail release occurring a week later. This broadly fits with the movement of recent rumours, which peaked with a - since proven erroneous - 21st October release date, bought forward to a October 15th date, according to Orange CEO Stephane Richard.

The symbolism works well too: iPhone 5, iOS 5, October 5.

Apple might also show up white iPhone 4s, that was recently found in AT&T internal system.

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Engadget published a screenshot that is claimed to be an AT&T's internal system listing a white iPhone 4S.

A helpful tipster sent us this tasty morsel, from AT&T's internal system, listing the "iPhone 4s White" beneath a handful of already familiar Apple handsets. Could it be? Is Cupertino actually planning on bringing a white version of its next iPhone out at launch?

Real or not - noone knows, we just have to wait and see it announced by Apple in October.

9to5Mac reports that Apple indeed prepares two new iPhone models: the "low-end" iPhone 4-look alike, and the teardrop shaped iPhone 5 (see above). iPhone 5 is said to appear only in 2012 due to design and production delays. However this lower-end iPhone (the iPhone 4S) is already being produced in high quantities, with 10 million expected on launch day.

The iPhone 5 itself is a sight to behold, we’ve been told.  It is impossibly light, yet much firmer than Samsung Galaxy phones which are backed in plastic.  The camera rivals point and shoot cameras and will be a major marketing point for this device. It appears that the tear-drop shaped iPhone 5 with larger screen and thinner, rounder body is seeing continued design and production delays, at least on one assembly line (Apple has multiple production sources – Pegatron, Foxconn, etc). We therefore think that iPhone 5 will be delayed slightly at the very least and may see shortages all the way into 2012.

Apple is reportedly working on a process to merge multiple Apple IDs into a single login. Early developer testing of iOS 5 and iCloud have demonstrated that this issue was major.

TUAW described the problem back in July, and the answer at that time was that there was no way to consolidate Apple IDs:

Some readers have been managing two Apple IDs on purpose and are now frustrated about the fact that Apple is restricting logins for automatic downloads. Others have only just discovered that they have two IDs. Most of them have already contacted Apple, only to be given the same answer without exception: Apple will not consolidate Apple ID accounts.

MacRumors reader Robert emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the issue. Apple representative said that they understood the issue and that more people would run into the problem with iCloud, claiming that there is no way yet to combine accounts but revealed they are working on it.

The New York Times' Nick Bilton has heard that the iPhone 5 will be announced in just few weeks.

We’re just weeks away from the announcement of the new Apple iPhone 5, according to an Apple employee who asked not to be named because he was not allowed to speak publicly for the company.

The report also tells us that the next-generation iPhone design is quite similar to various cases and what we’ve heard from anonymous Apple employees.

From descriptions I’ve heard of the new iPhone from Apple employees, the images seemed potentially authentic.

Bilton claim that there is still no information about whether the iPhone 5 will represent a truly updated form factor, but he echoes a number of previous claims that the next-generation iPhone will receive 8-megapixel camera, possibility of near-field communication (NFC) technology for payments, though, it’s unclear whether NFC will arrive in the iPhone 5 or iPhone 6.