News from category ‘rumors’

Rumors of the Apple tablet reaching new highs. MacRumors has found evidence that Apple acquired the domain name iSlate.com presumably in preparation for the new device. Remember how Bill Keller, executive editor of the New York Times, referenced an Apple slate two months ago?

MacRumors discovered that the domain was originally registered in October 2004 by Eurobox Ltd. In 2006 it changed hands to Data Docket, Inc. In 2007 it was transferred to registrar MarkMonitor.com, a site which handles registrations and trademark protections for Apple among other companies.

However Apple’s name was temporarily exposed as the actual owner of “iSlate.com” for several weeks in late 2007. It was quickly back, but MacRumors has found the historic record proving Apple ownership of the iSlate.com domain:

What do think? Is iSlate the name of Apple's Tablet? Is it a good one?

The Financial Times reports that it has received information that Apple has scheduled a special media event for Tuesday, January 26th in San Francisco. A stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco was rented for several days in late January. Apple is expected to make a major product announcement. The topic is unknown. However, everyone is sure that it will be an iTablet!

Want more proof? Recently Apple asked app developers to prepare for a demo scheduled for next month. Notably, Apple has requested that the developers prepare their applications to run in "full screen" mode rather than limiting display to the iPhone and iPod touch's 320 x 480 pixels.

Exact specs of the tablet remain unknown. There are long-standing rumors of a 10" display and recent claims of a 7" display. Apple might make multiple models of the new device.

OmniVision Technologies is the current manufacturer of the iPhone 3GS 3.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor. Digitimes sources are claiming that OmniVision won a new contract with Apple to provide new sensors for the next-generation iPhone (iPhone 4G?). The new CMOS image sensors are 5 megapixels. The orders are expected to be increased too, from 20-21 million estimated this year, to 40 to 45 million CMOS for the 2010.

We published several news about new firmware 4.0 and even new iPhone 4 hardware. Recently one more iPhone developer has noted a single instance of iPhone OS 4.0 being used in their Pinch Media analytics. While such data can still be faked, it seems less likely to be. Testing of iPhone OS 4.0 may correspond with reports of new iPhone hardware also being tested. Any new iPhone would require a new version of the iPhone operating system to support the new hardware.

We can not yet imagine the features of this new OS or the new device. Apple is widely expected to release a new iPhone in the summer around WWDC 2010.

TheBoyGenius report that they have found some very interesting data while analyzing the access statistics to their web site:

We can see that this data is related to the new iPhone firmware 3.1.3 and 4.0!

The iPhone OS 3.1.3 should only be a minor update over the current version and could be released even in several days. Firmware 4.0 will probably be released after testing phase and several private beta versions for developers. Rumors say this new version 4.0 will be released together with iPhone 4 some time in June or July next year.

French site Nowhereelse.fr has published a very cool video of what appears to be a multitouch tablet device. The user is browsing through an electronic version of an Ikea catalog. The device itself is very slim and has several Apple technologies: cover flow, shake to shuffle, etc.

Is this the Apple iTablet? That's how I imagine the interaction with the Apple Tablet. However the video is fake, a clever fake over a blue screen (as you can notice on the hands' edges and shadows).

Anyway, a good concept video. Let's watch it:

MarketWatch reports that Apple will begin mass production of its much-rumored iTablet in February ahead of a launch in late March or April.

The report claims that the device will include a 10.1" multi-touch LCD screen. There were rumors that iTablet will have OLED screen and therefore delayed till the second half of 2010.

Current rumors also say that Apple has begun contacting book publishers about distributing their books through Apple for consumption on the new device. Apple is reportedly proposing a similar business model to its App Store, where Apple would retain 30% of each download's sale price with 70% going to the publishers. Amazon, for example, uses 50/50 model.

The estimated cost of the future device is $1000. Apple may sell 1-1.5 million tablets per quarter. The name of the future device is still unknown. Rumors say different vartiants: iTablet, TabletMac, MacTablet or just Apple Tablet.

A couple of years ago, a company called Axiotron announced an aftermarket modification for the MacBook that converted the Apple laptop into a tablet. The modification remains for sale at $699 and takes a stock MacBook, removes the keyboard and screen, and adds a Wacom pen-based screen to give the device a tablet form factor.

Axiotron originally began marketing the devices as a "TabletMac" and filed a trademark for the term. Sometime in the past year, however, the trademark was transferred from Axiotron to Apple, and Apple is now listed as the owner of the trademark:

Now Apple could potentially release a product called the TabletMac. So what name? iTablet, MacTablet, TabletMac or maybe MacBook Tablet?

iPhone developer Pandav informed MacRumors that they, thanks to the scripts of statistics included in their application, have managed to record tracks for a new iPhone model, not yet released.

PinchMedia, which offers a system of statistics and analysis on the use of software, has noticed the same thing and the new device is identified with the code iPhone3,1. The last iPhone released to the public was the iPhone 3GS which carries the identification string iPhone2,1. Apple similarly began testing the iPhone 3GS (iPhone2,1) back in October of 2008 about 8 months ahead of its launch.

The next generation iPhone might include a multi-core processor and Verizon compatibility. It might be released as early as mid 2010.

Ontrade China shows a new back cover of the fourth generation of the iPhone. Might be fake, so take it as rumors.

Obviously we can not know if the image is real. Analyzing the image we can see that the camera is much largerб ьшпре иу 5MP camera from OmniVision. The entire cover is very thin and easy to remove. It's available from today at $23.

via ispazio

DigiTimes reports that Foxconn Electronics has been named as Apple's manufacturing partner for its much-anticipated tablet.

The device is expected to hit the market in the first quarter of 2010, with initial shipments from Foxconn being in the 300,000-400,000 range. The device will have a 10.6-inch display.

Want to know some more about Apple’s upcoming iTablet device? There are many rumor names (iTablet, iPad, MacBook Touch, etc), but not much details. Site ilounge claim to receive some new rumors from a reliable source:

1. Apple has created at least three separate prototypes of its tablet computer.
2. Version 1 was designed with a 7” screen, which was judged to be too small. The latest version has a 10.7” screen.
3. It runs iPhone OS.
4. There have been reports that it looks like an iPhone. They’re sort of true. It looks like an iPhone 3G, complete with a curved back.
5. It will come in two different variations: one with 3G networking capabilities, and one without 3G networking capabilities. Think of the 3G version as a bigscreen iPhone 3GS, and the non-3G version as a bigscreen iPod touch.
6. Screen resolutions will obviously jump considerably from the iPhone and iPod touch 480x320-pixel displays, enabling easy reading of full-sized book and magazine pages, plus cropped newspaper pages. Expect something like 5-6 times the resolution of an iPod touch or iPhone screen (720p or thereabouts) and 7 times the touchable surface area.
7. It is designed to expand the iPhone and iPod touch media concept to its next potential level: as a slate-like replacement for books and magazines, plus all of the media, gaming, app, and web functionality of the iPhone and iPod touch.
8. It is not meant to compete with netbooks. It’s an iPhone OS media player and light communication device.
9. Apple is currently planning to announce it on or before January 19, 2010, and to use an iPhone-like hype buildup period to start selling it in May or June.
10. It is apparently awaiting a final green light from Steve Jobs; chances of it appearing in the market are believed to be 80% at this point.

Not bad. But still this is unofficial..

Taiwan Economic News reports new rumors about Apple iTablet (MacBook Touch).

The tablet PC features a 9.6-inch screen, finger-touch function and built-in HSPDA (high speed download packet access) module, built-in 3G wireless connectivity, adopts a P.A. SEMI processor chip and long lasting battery pack. The expected price is between US$799 and US$999.

The report claims that DynaPack International Technology Corp. will make up to 300,000 'long lasting' battery for the Tablet per month. Wanshih Electronic Co., Ltd. will be supplying the mini coaxial cables. Layers Scientific-Technics Co., Ltd. and Wintek Corp. will be supplying the Power Chokes and the lovely 9.7 incher Touch Panel.

iTablet will probably appear some time in February 2010.

Playing with the latest beta software for iPhone, one of iH8sn0w employees (firmware 3.1 beta 3 jailbreak utility), found that the expiry date for latest firmware is September 18.

Firmware 3.1 will be probably released 1 or 2 days before the expiration of the beta. This means that Apple might perform a release during the Apple event in September. However this event is dedicated to the music, so we cannot be sure.

The only certain knowledge is that by the middle of next month we will see either 3.1 beta 4 or 3.1 release.

China Unicom published a press release which officially announces that the company has come to an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in China:

On 28 August, the Company and Apple reached a three-year agreement for the Company to sell iPhone in China. The initial launch is expected to be in the fourth calendar quarter of 2009. This will provide users with brand new communication and information experience.

The carrier will offer two different iPhones to its 141 million subscribers. Neither Apple nor China Unicom will reveal specs on the phones (WiFi?) or pricing.

via engadget