News from category ‘rumors’

Last month, we heard rumors that Apple had signed an agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for production of the next-generation A6 and A7 chips destined for future iOS devices. Samsung manufacture the A4 and A5 chips for Apple, but Apple seems to try to shift to TSMC because of difficult relations and legal battle between Apple and Samsung.

The Korea Times now reports that Apple will indeed primarily be sticking with Samsung for A6 production.

"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," an executive from an Apple parts supplier based in Korea said on condition of anonymity.

He said that Samsung has been increasing the output of the Apple-designed A6 chips in its manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.

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Everybody seems to remember an “antenna gate” issue after the iPhone 4 launch last year. Several customers reported issues with significant signal loss when holding their iPhone in a natural way. Noteworthy to say that not all customers saw the problem. Apple even held a press conference to give its explanations.

After release of the iPhone 4S many people were interested in if the new device has the same problems with antenna as the iPhone 4. Early testing and reports from iPhone 4S users seem to show that the signal drop from tightly gripping the iPhone has been diminished or even eliminated. That fact only proves that the new iPhone has significantly updated antennas, allowing almost completely eliminate “death grip” effect.

As 9to5Mac reports, all current models of MacBook Pro line are constrained and new part numbers for models with 17, 15, and 13 inch screens sizes appeared in Apple’s inventory system. Last month it was reported that Apple planned to increase processor speeds across all current MacBook Pro models.

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Sony Pictures is reportedly working to acquire right for a film that will be based on Steve Jobs authorized biography by Walter Isaacson, according to Deadline.

I’ve just learned that Sony Pictures is making a hefty deal to acquire feature rights to Steve Jobs, the upcoming authorized biography by former CNN chairman and Time Magazine managing editor Walter Isaacson.

History of Apple and Steve Jobs were already the topic of the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley. The movie tells us about founding of Apple and covers events up to the return of Steve Jobs at Apple in the late 90s. And now Sony Pictures is said want to shoot a movie about Steve Jobs. It is unclear whether the movie will indeed shoot and when such a film might be targeted for release.

The LA Times provides some new details about "Apple University", an internal project at Apple, designed to provide successful future for the company without Steve Jobs. First information about the project appeared in May, when Steve Jobs hired dean of Yale School of Management Joel Podolny, who  was personally influenced by Steve Jobs and Apple and even described writing his first computer program on an Apple II. Podolny runs an internal group of business professors and Harvard veterans to prepare employees for life at Apple after Jobs.

"Steve was looking to his legacy. The idea was to take what is unique about Apple and create a forum that can impart that DNA to future generations of Apple employees," said a former Apple executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve his relationship with the company. "No other company has a university charged with probing so deeply into the roots of what makes the company so successful."

Jobs reportedly personally oversaw the creation of courses and believed that he was responsible for Apple’s future success. He even identified specific tenets for the company such as accountability, attention to detail, perfectionism, simplicity, and secrecy. Pixar, the Job’s another successful company, is believed to use the same corporate University model.

AllThingsD reports that Simon & Schuster has rescheduled release of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs to October 24th. The previous date of release was November 21st.

The fully authorized by Steve Jobs book is based on over 40 interviews with Jobs and interviews with over 100 of his friends and family members and will include full details on Steve Job’s life. The Wall Street Journal reports that Isaacson last interviewed Jobs four weeks ago. At that moment Jobs already knew that he would die soon. The last interview will be included in the book. Of course, the book causes a great interest of Apple fans. Since yesterday the book orders on Amazon has increased by 40,000%.

Mobile carrier Sprint has confirmed rumors that it will start offering unlimited data plan for the iPhone when it launches on the carrier.

“We will be offering the benefit of our unlimited plans that start at just $69.99,” said spokeswoman Michelle Leff Mermelstein. Sprint’s $69.99 plan includes unlimited data and 450 voice minutes as well as unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. Unlimited calling and data costs $99 a month.

The new iPhone 4S alongside 8 GB iPhone 4 are to debut on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon in the United States on Friday, October 14th. It seems that Sprint is indeed "very excited" to begin offering the iPhone, AllThingsD noted. Though, the mobile carrier has been quiet since yesterday.

Apple yesterday announced iPhone 4S  and seems to prepare the name “iPhone 5” for 4G LTE model of the smartphone that may be released next spring. Analyst Will Strauss, president of wireless chip market research firm Forward Concepts, has tried to explain why Apple showed off an iPhone 4S and not the rumored "iPhone 5" on Tuesday.

"They're saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won't be out until next spring. There's no way they could come out with LTE now," he suggested.

Apple may need an LTE baseband chip that, according to Anand Shimpi of AnandTech, will arrive early next year, so first iPhones powered by it likely to arrive in the second quarter of 2012.

"While I don't like participating in the rumor garbage, if I were to guess at the release date of the rumored iPhone 5 I'd say early Q3 2012," he added.

But Apple is not in hurry. The company shows interest in LTE, but not going to implement LTE technology in the next iPhone as soon as possible. Quoting Apple executive Tim Cook, the reason is what that “LTE chipsets force a lot of design compromises with the handset, and some of those we are just not willing to make".

Right after Sprint iPhone 5 WiMax/LTE rumors here goes another one: the Wall Street Journal reports that people familiar with the company’s plans claim the device “won’t operate on long-term evolution or WiMAX fourth-generation networks”:

The people said the device will work on 3G networks, which are broadly in use today and are the standard for the current iPhone 4. AT&T says its HSPA+ network has 4G-like speeds.

Well, rumors around iPhone 5 are getting bigger and bigger. This one is really big in terms of dollars. WSJ reports that Sprint, the third largest wireless operator in the US, committed to buy 30.5 million new iPhones for $20 billion.

BGR has heard that Sprint will actually get the much rumored iPhone 5, that is said to be a 4G LTE device. AT&T and Verizon would launch the iPhone 4S and get the iPhone 5 some time in the first quarter of 2012 as an LTE device. Globally, the iPhone 5 might be available as a 4G HSPA+ device.

According to BGR's source the iPhone 4S will feature the A5 processor, an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording, a Multiband 3G Qualcomm chipset, NFC support, and a metal or premium plastic back casing.

The Sprint exclusive iPhone 5 is said to feature a faster CPU, 4-inch screen, 1 GB of RAM, slightly larger design (though thinner), larger battery, 32GB of storage, Assistant, and possibly a new home button which integrates activating assistant.

There's too much rumors lately.

Some analysts predict that Apple could keep its iPhone 3GS longer than predicted. The company might, probably, offer their handset for free on contract. As far as we know, the two-year old iPhone 3GS still remains the second best-selling smartphone in the United States of America. The first place belongs to the iPhone 4. Such situation only confirms suggestions that cost of a device is the key factor in customers' purchasing decisions.

Yesterday Mike Abramsky, analyst at RBC Capital Markets, issued a new research note where he told us about his expectations for the today’s iPhone event. Many of his predictions are in line with recent rumors we’ve heard -  HSPA+ iPhone 4S or 5 based on an A5 chip – he also believes that Apple keeps offering iPhone 3GS alongside the new smartphone(s).

We expect Apple to reduce the price of the prior iPhone 4 to $99 subsidized ($499 unsubsidized) and the iPhone 3GS to $0 subsidized ($399 unsubsidized, see 11/06/29 note for more detail and rationale); the prior iPhone 4 may be available only with 8GB memory.

According to some facts surfaced a day before Apple’s media event, apart from television shows and movies, you can also rent application for your iPod touch, iPad and iPhone on iTunes.

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Apple relationship with Facebook always was rocky. We know that when Apple introduced Ping, Facebook denied Apple access to integrate two networks. This is one example from plethora of the same ones. Over weekend, Marshable posted an inside information on history of Apple and Facebook confrontation. As far as we know, Steve Jobs visited   Mark Zuckerberg in order to discuss Facebook application for the iPad, and now it’s release is in doubt.  Recent rumors have suggested that Facebook will be integrated in iOS 5, but it appears that Apple has been working on Facebook integration for a long time:

“A source familiar with the chain of the events attributes the Ping debacle to a disagreement over iOS 4. Apple had fully integrated Facebook into the iPhone and iPad’s operating system, and was ready to launch the mobile-social fusion when API negotiations broke down. Apple, lacking confidence in Facebook’s ability to build a great application, asked to build its own Facebook for iPhone app. Facebook responded with a firm no. Negotiations came to halt.”

Facebook made no mention of an iPad app at its annual F8 conference a couple of weeks ago. It seems that HP is the reason why Facebook has yet released its iPad app, according to Mashable. Zuckerberg had been promising Apple an iPad app while at the same time working on an official client for HP’s TouchPad tablet.

During past weeks, we have heard lots of reports of next generation iPhone models that appeared in various inventories. And now German website iPhone-Ticker.de  has reported that it found other prove of the iPhone 4S release. German mobile carrier , the Apple’s partner in Germany, Vodafone is now offering a bumper for the new smartphone on their website. The next-generation iPhone, the so-called iPhone 4S, is available in three capacities both in black and white colors as well as the black/white iPhone 4 8 GB. This particular screenshot (above) was made from the iPhone 4 Bumper Vodafone shop page which claims compatibility with all these devices. The Vodafone listings confirm our expectations of a lower cost 8GB iPhone 4, and three iPhone 4S models (16GB, 32 GB, 64 GB). However, tomorrow, on October 4th, Apple is hosting a media event and all rumors will be dispelled.