Verizon iPhone, White iPhone 4s & iPhone 5 Make 2011 Busiest iPhone Year Ever For Apple

For as much as 2010 was a banner year for Apple, with the debut of the iPad and iPhone sales topping 40 million units sold, a busier, more frenetic iPhone release schedule for 2011 is bound to supercharge sales unlike anything we’re ever seen before. With the appearance of the Verizon iPhone in early 2011, the impending release of the white iPhone 4 and purported iPhone 4s, and the eventual iPhone climax — the iPhone 5 — the public will get its fair share of the iPhone this year.

Many might wonder why Apple has upped the ante on iPhone releases for this year, considering how much anticipation and excitement surrounds the usual June release of the newest iPhone. While Android and Blackberry phones outnumber the iPhone, all of them combined do not add to the media frenzy and consumer fervor over the iPhone. On this blog alone, it isn’t unusual for there to be over 60,000 page views a day from people worldwide, all seeking out the latest news on the iPhone 5.

Why would Apple want to subdivide and possibly dilute the buzz that they have so deftly created for iPhone releases by offering multiple releases of the iPhone in a given year?

Some in the media suggest that the staggered releases of the Verizon iPhone, white iPhone 4, and eventual iPhone 5 all point to a sloppy, disorganized release schedule of Apple this year, indicating that perhaps the complexity of adding Verizon to the mix, Steve Jobs’ ongoing health concerns, and unforeseen calamities such as the Japanese earthquake all shaking up the technology giant’s best-laid plans.

More likely, however, is that Apple is evolving their marketing approach to meet the heightened competition brought on by Google’s Android-equipped smartphones. Unlike Blackberry, which designs and manufactures its own smartphone devices like Apple, Google’s partnership with multiple smartphone producers makes competing with them more cumbersome; while the iPhone has traditionally hosted just one big release each year, Droid phones seem to continuously pop up here and there throughout the year. One of the more recent Android offerings, Kyrocera’s Echo, is an impressive new dual-touchscreen design that is already making the iPhone 4 seem outdated, upping the ante on which new features the iPhone 5 will offer.

Even though Android smartphones don’t garner the same attention as the iPhone, the multitude of different models keep new Android technology fresh in the tech bloodstream.

Apple, in turn, has to answer these challenges in the marketplace.

So, the result may be this new release schedule, where we are treated to multiple iterations of the iPhone throughout the year. Instead of having to wait for the iPhone 5, for example, we’ll also have the white iPhone 4, and who knows — maybe an iPhone 4s available to the public? We’ve already discussed at length how the white iPhone 4 is a bit of a paper tiger and perhaps nothing more than a way of keeping the iPhone hype machine running. But even if that is its only purpose, for Apple it is what they perceive to be necessary in order to keep competing against Google in the smartphone race.

iPhone 5 To Be Released On The Cusp Of The New Fiscal Year?

Just a note about the purported September release of the iPhone 5 for September 2011: for most of us, the “year” runs from January to December, so anything that happens within that time frame is considered to be happening in 2011. But for Apple, their fiscal year ends on September 24th. If the iPhone 5 ends up being released on the other side of September 24th, for Apple, that will mean that the earnings for the iPhone 5 will start at the very beginning of fiscal year 2012.

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News Of Dual-Network iPhone 5 Benefits Verizon More Than AT&T

Verizon’s recent gaffe confirms that the iPhone 5 will indeed be a dual-network device that will work with both CDMA and GSM. While the notion of a dual-network iPhone 5 isn’t much of a revelation, the news helps Verizon more than AT&T. Here’s why:

Another slip of the tongue has confirmed yet another detail about the upcoming iPhone 5.

Less than three weeks after Sony CEO Howard Stringer tacitly admitted that the next iPhone 5 camera would be of the 8 megapixel variety, Verizon’s Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo seems to have now confirmed that the iPhone 5 will indeed be a dual-network device, supporting both AT&T’s GSM and Verizon’s CDMA technologies. Venturebeat reports that “in an attempt to deflect an analyst probing for details on Apple’s next phone, Verizon inadvertently mentioned that [the iPhone 5] will be a ‘global device’.”

While the iPhone community is always happy to have virtually any detail about the iPhone 5 confirmed or corroborated (except, perhaps, for the recent report of a late September release), news of a dual-network iPhone 5 should not come as an earth-shattering revelation to those who have followed the it over the past six month of so. It is true that Apple had to fashion an alternate CDMA-equipped iPhone 4 to work on the Verizon network, creating two network variants with very slight design differences between the two.

But the production of the CDMA model was a work-around for Apple; obviously, a deal with Verizon had not been solidified by the time the iPhone 4 was launched in the summer of 2010, meaning that the initial AT&T model had no CDMA capabilities. And as we all know, there was no way that Apple could have clandestinely outfitted the original AT&T iPhone to run on CDMA — too many iPhone geeks out there pop open their new iPhones to look under the hood. Any stealth move to equip the iPhone 4 for both networks would have been discovered. This time around, however, it makes good business sense to make sure that the iPhone 5 works on both networks; it will keep production costs down and make shipping and inventory far easier.

An interesting question to consider, however, is whether or not a dual-network iPhone 5 benefits either carrier, or is it just a wash?

I would argue that, while the dual-channel iPhone 5 revelation isn’t going to be any kind of groundbreaking game-changer for either mobile carrier, it is Verizon that may have the most to gain from the notion that both companies will share the same iPhone design.

More than any other iPhone 5 topic on this blog, the subject of AT&T versus Verizon has inspired more angst, vitriol, and hurt feelings. We wrote an article about it a while back, and people weighed in on the issue with gusto, defending their mobile network providers with bravado. It’s a fact: iPhone users are passionate about their carriers. AT&T and Verizon are like political parties around here. (I guess Sprint customers are the Independents.)

Thus, I know that I am stepping into a minefield with Verizon customers when I reluctantly state that CDMA is generally considered to be the slower of the two mobile technologies, disallowing the kind of multi-tasking that AT&T iPhone users typically enjoy. Whether or not this is true, however, is not the issue: the fact remains that this is the prevailing belief about Verizon.

With this is mind, one can imagine that it can only benefit Verizon for prospective iPhone 5 customers to see that the device works on both networks. Unlike the iPhone 4, which has two variants for GSM and CDMA, the iPhone is the same phone, same specs, same technology. AT&T will no longer be able to infer that they have the “better iPhone” model.

Sameness is the name of the game for Verizon this time around, as they will finally have a chance to compete with AT&T right out of the gate with the iPhone 5. The game plan will be the same for both carriers: AT&T will tout speed and versatility, and Verizon will roll out their maps. It should be a real hoot.

Perhaps this admission by Verizon about the dual-channel iPhone 5 will turn out to be the first innoquous shot fired in the iPhone 5 network wars?

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Greenpeace’s “Green Libel:” Calling Apple the “Least Green” Tech Company Doesn’t Add Up

For years now, Apple has led the way in the technology sector on environmentally-friendly design concepts and business practices. But Greenpeace’s recent report indicating that Apple’s investment in a data center — reportedly for a soon-to-be-unveiled cloud data storage feature on the iPhone 5 — doesn’t jive with Apple’s eco-ethics. What gives?

Anybody who is a big believer in Apple products knows that green technology and environmental concerns have long been a priority for their research and development. Regardless of where one charts on the ideological spectrum when it comes to environmental issues, one thing is for sure: Apple has been an honest broker in its environmental initiatives. While a cynic might suggest that the green angle on Apple products is little more than a marketing pitch for its devoted customers, the end result of Apple’s eco-friendly developments are unquestionable.

Browse the various gadgets at Apple.com and you’re bound to notice that its most popular products boast a wide array of green-inspired features. For the MacBook series of laptops, Apple devotes an entire section to the environment, highlighting how an efficient power supply, advanced power management, 5.2 energy star qualification, and fewer toxins used in the construction of the design materials all lead to some of the greenest electronics out there on the market today.

The same is true with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod: Apple’s glass displays are recyclable, as are the aluminum chassis used on the MacBooks. In addition, Apple goes out of its way to package its products with an emphasis on minimalism, saving tons of cardboard, plastic, and other packaging materials.

But what is most impressive is Apple’s advancement in battery technology. For as much as carbon emissions are the flavor of the month when it comes to the environmental debate, fewer things pollute a landfill more than alkaline batteries and the grandpappy of rechargeable battery technology: the NiCad. Apple’s LiON battery technology — which really came into its own in 2010 with the iPad and MacBook Pro — is simply out of this world, allowing users to get maximum longevity and performance out of the battery packs used to power their mobile devices.

Given all of the efforts that Apple has made to accommodate environmental concerns, does it strike anyone as strange that an eco-activist organization like Greenpeace would levy such a scathing claim against them, labeling Apple as the “least green” tech company in the world?

It is, in effect, a green libel.

Greenpeace’s report, which is entitled How Dirty is Your Data?, is specifically targeting data centers throughout the world who rely on coal-fueled electricity to power their energy needs. The Guardian reported that, “The facility’s power will be supplied by Duke Energy, with a mix of 62% coal and 32% nuclear.” Apple’s top ranking on Greenpeace’s list stems directly from their recent purchase of petrabytes of data storage at this facility in North Carolina. In case you didn’t hear about it, this investment by Apple is most likely going to account for ushering in cloud data storage on the next iPhone 5 — something that the vast majority of avid iPhone users are incredibly excited about.

The Guardian goes on to state that Greenpeace’s findings are little more than an educated guess: ”Greenpeace drew on publicly available information on investments made in data centres, to estimate the maximum power these facilities will consume, and matched that information with data from the government or utilities.” In short, their findings are mere speculation, in spite of the fact that they are reported empirically.

Guess what, folks — you can’t power petrabytes and petrabytes of data storage for all of the music, photos, videos, and files that we love — not to mention the vast amounts of data storage that top corporations and governments rely on to keep commerce and services running — with a few windmills. The Guardian says, “Data centre energy demand already accounts for 1.5% to 2% of world electricity consumption and is set to quadruple over the next 10 years.”

Regardless of what we may think of coal-powered electricity, we have still yet to come up with a means of powering high performance technology assets like mass data servers with anything less than fossil fuels (or nuclear power, though these days it isn’t the most popular alternative power source). It is unrealistic for Greenpeace or any other iPhone user for that matter to desire more power, more storage, more productivity, and more Appley goodness without their being an increase in the carbon footprint.

We cannot have our cake and eat it, too.

The good news is that Apple has already been so pro-active in reducing its carbon footprint that one could argue that it has some leeway for expanding its data servers. After all, imagine how much less power is used throughout the world on Apple machines, thanks to all of the above-mentioned eco-features? Given all of these advancements, is Greenpeace claiming that Apple is a bigger eco-offender than the top Chinese technology companies, which do not have to abide by any carbon standards whatsoever?

Scan the Greenpeace website, and you quickly come to realize that destroying the coal industry is their primary focus. Whether or not you agree or disagree with coal power or Greenpeace, you have to ask yourself this question: is Apple really the best company to bully over coal-powered electricity and environmental responsibility?

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Metal Back Would Be a “Mea Culpa” For Apple

The “Antennagate” scandal of 2010 spooked iPhone users and marred the early image of the iPhone 4. While Apple fought hard in the press to brush off the reception issues, if the iPhone 5 features either an Internal Antenna and/or metal back, will it be a tacit admission that the iPhone 4 was flawed?

We’ve talked in the press about a panoply of possible new features for the iPhone 5. However, the discussion of either a return to the internal antenna or a metal back (or both) is seldom mentioned in iPhone rumor roundups. The primary reason for this is that the appearance of either or both of these features on the iPhone 5 would not in fact constitute “new features,” but rather would be “fixes” to the contentious Antennagate issue that gripped the tech world in the summer and fall of 2010.

Regardless of where you might be on the antenna issue for the iPhone 4, few current or prospective iPhone users seem to be against the iPhone 5 design returning to earlier, more reliable reception technology. In their March 17th posting, 9 To 5 Mac aptly stated the high probability of the reemergence of the metal back feature. Referencing a reliable source from Foxconn, writer Mark Gurman reported that “Apple has decided to move away from the back-glass enclosure found on the fourth-generation device and move to something similar to the back of the first-generation iPhone from 2007.”

Gurman went on to explain that “if Apple keeps the same antenna design (which was not mentioned by sources) as the iPhone 4 and adds the flat aluminum back, this back should not cause any reception issues.” International Business Times seconds this rumor, and also adds that the iPhone 5 will indeed revert back to the internal antenna seen on the iPhone 4. In this way, Apple is essentially doubling up on fixing the antenna issue.

However, should these two fixes show up on the iPhone 5, how is Apple going to handle it from a PR perspective?

After all, Steve Jobs and the rest of Apple’s marketing and PR mechanism worked overtime last summer to squelch the escalating criticism about the purported faulty antenna and “death grip.” Their approach to dealing with the problem turned out to be complex at best: while on one hand they brushed off the criticism as “overblown,” affirming that the iPhone 4 had the same level of reception quality as its competitors, Apple also responded by distributing free bumpers for the iPhone 4, which was seen by many to be a work-around for an obvious design flaw in the antenna.

This time around, with the iPhone 5, Apple will have to address the decision to return to previous designs when it comes to reception. By utilizing either the internal antenna or metal black, it will be a de facto admission that the iPhone 4 was indeed flawed to some extent. With the metal back, Apple will have some plausible deniability — they can always claim that the decision was entirely aesthetically motivated, especially if they go with a Liquid Metal over Aluminum.

But a return to the internal antenna on the iPhone 5 will be harder to spin.

Apple has always prided itself as a product leader when it comes to quality, performance, and innovation of personal computers and mobile computing devices. And for the most part, the company has managed to live up to the reputation that it espouses. And while the iPhone 4 was indeed an advancement of the iPhone technology as a whole, it is more likely to go down in history as the first hiccup in the iPhone lineage. Let us hope that the hiccup ends with the iPhone 5.

What do you think? Was “antennagate” just a witch hunt by the press, or was it a big enough problem to be newsworthy? And will a return to the internal antenna and/or metal back on the iPhone 5 convince you that the iPhone 4 antenna design was indeed faulty?

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Apple Shipping White iPhone 4 This Month?

It's been a long time since we've been able to run a story on the white iPhone 4 without a question mark in the title. Now Bloomberg reports the long-awaited white iPhone 4 will be available by the end of this month. Previous reports have also pointed to an April release, however nobody is counting their chickens before they hatch.
apple iphone 4 white

Best Buy leaks pointing to a February 27 white iPhone release have already turned out to be false. Apple continues to stick by its spring 2011 launch schedule although the season officially began on March 20. After a 10-month wait since the iPhone 4 keynote what's a few more weeks?

The late white iPhone 4 release has analysts buzzing about a possible iPhone 5 delay. After all, why launch last year's product in a different color just two or three months ahead of rolling out the newer model? Those who claim to be connected with Apple's supply chain have not seen the kind of ordering and movement that has characterized previous summer iPhone announcements. This has led some to speculate that Apple will wait unti September or October to launch the iPhone 5.

Any later would cut into holiday sales, making a 2012 iPhone 5 launch unlikely. When it comes to the white iPhone 4, it sounds like Apple finally has a handle on manufacturing issues. Problems with light leaking into the camera through the white-painted glass back and color matching issues between the bezel and home button were just two of the issues cited. The process for painting and curing the iPhone 4 glass in white was also mentioned as a difficult one that was time consuming and didn't meet quality control standards.

Regardless, several white iPhone 4 models have been spotted in the wild. Presumably those with a white iPhone 4 know someone at Apple, and these sightings have fanned the flames of hype surrounding the device. If Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal are talking to the right sources, pretty soon the white iPhone 4 will be in the hands of millions of consumers who are AT&T and Verizon customers.
Source : http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971332

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iPhone iOS 4.3.1 Jailbreak Released by Dev-Team

iPhone Dev-Team is celebrating the third anniversary of their PwnageTool with the release of an untethered jailbreak solution for the latest Apple firmware, iOS 4.3.1. The new version of redsn0w will jailbreak all devices that support iOS 4.3.1 except for the iPad 2. Apple got smart with the iPad 2, and the device can't be compromised by the limera1n or SHAtter exploits used on other devices.
iPhone Dev-Team jailbreak PwnageTool icon

The current jailbreak was made possible by developer Stefan Esser (@i0n1c) who has a long history of researching security on Apple products. Redsn0w is available directly from the iPhone Dev-Team for both Mac OS X and Windows platforms. PwnageTool is also available for Mac OS X and required to jailbreak the second-generation Apple TV.

Unlockers must watch out and follow special instructions from the Dev-Team. They say not to update if you're already running ultrasn0w as a fix for compatibility issues with firmware 4.3.1 is currently in the works for older basebands. Otherwise, redsn0w provides the simplest comprehensive jailbreaking solution for those with later model iPhones, iPod touch devices and the original iPad.

Three years ago the iPhone was running iPhone OS version 1.1.4 and the PwnageTool made a big impact on Apple and iPhone owners everywhere. The official App Store didn't even exist yet, so jailbreaking was the only way to get third-party software on your device. Jailbreakers were also not sure of their legal status even as Apple tried to combat the phenomenon as a security risk and violation of warranty terms.

Apple continues to stand by these two assertions, however now the US has officially legalized jailbreaking as a fair-use exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Of course, even though independent software development is now free from the threat of lawsuits, software piracy remains against the law. iPhone jailbreakers everywhere owe the iPhone Dev-Team and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) thanks for all of their hard work.
Source :
http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971323

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iPhone Radiation Monitor App Rejected by Apple

The fact that cellular devices emit radiation is nothing new, and the debate over how much exposure is harmful is far from settled. Tawkon has developed an app for BlackBerry and Android devices to help those concerned about the issue. The company was hoping to bring an iPhone version to the App Store but the software was rejected by Apple.
apple iphone SAR radiation monitor Tawkon app

Tawkon has made the app available on the Cydia app store for jailbroken iPhones and is appealing to customers to help urge Apple to lift the ban. Reports have indicated Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself responded to the company with a short email stating simply, "No interest."

All cellular phones emit different levels of radiation depending on distance from cell towers, local environmental conditions and even the position of the device. The iPhone is no different, however Apple has been keen to reduce perceptions that the iPhone 4 external antenna suffers from the so-called death grip. Some users have experienced a drop in signal strength when holding the iPhone 4 in specific ways. Tawkon has used their RRI (real-time radiation indication) technology to demonstrate an increase in predicted radiation when this signal attenuation occurs.

The problem is not limited to iPhones by any means. When it comes to the app in question, Tawkon seeks to educate interested mobile phone users on the radiation levels they are exposed to from their devices. Using RF parameters and other data such as information from the proximity sensor, RRI measures emission and exposure as the phone is used. The app will track long-term statistics of exposure and recommend changes in behavior such as turning the phone or using a headset when conditions are right to reduce absorption.

In normal operating circumstances the iPhone SAR (specific absorption rate) is well within levels considered safe by the US Federal Communications Commission. Unfortunately for those who are interested in more details on their iPhones, jailbreaking is the only way to get Tawkon at the present time.
Suorce: http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971315

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iPhone 5 Begins Production as Hardware Details Leak

China Times reports that the iPhone 5 has entered a trial production phase and will feature a larger screen. Purported iPhone 5 parts have already leaked that seem to match the claim of a four-inch screen. The iPhone 5 itself is expected to have a similar form factor as the current model, with the display reaching all the way to the edge of the device.
apple iphone 5 mockup four inch screen

The rendering above by Piotrek Photos shows how a larger iPhone 5 screen might compare to the current iPhone 4 display. This news comes as the New York Times has confirmed Apple is working on near-field communication (NFC) technology so that future iPhones can easily make wireless mobile payments at specially equipped cash registers. The NFC hardware would be integrated with the iPhone processor and linked directly to the owner's iTunes account.

Although Apple is working on NFC technology it's not clear whether or not the feature will make its way onto the iPhone 5. The company could be saving this functionality for a future model iPhone, as there are many different versions of the e-wallet concept currently entering the market. Competing Android phones are already getting into the act, with the Samsung Nexus S already equipped with NFC.

Other highlights of the iPhone 5 design include the switch to a metal back, much like the original iPhone. Apple could completely redesign the iPhone 5 with a curved aluminum back, to bring it more in line with the iPad 2 and recent iPod touch designs. More recent information points to a next generation device much more similar to the iPhone 4, except replacing the back glass panel with metal. A redesigned antenna would be integrated into the smartphone to help prevent the reception issues that were cited by Consumer Reports when they refused to recommend the iPhone 4.

According to China Times, the iPhone 5 is on track for a summer 2011 release. This contradicts some reports that the iPhone 5 could be delayed until September. Apple typically updates the iPhone every year in late June to early July. Plenty of time left for more rumors, leaks and speculation before an official Apple announcement.
Source : http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971313#42

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Apple To Launch White iPhone 5 This Summer

Apple still hasn’t managed to ship the elusive white iPhone 4. But there is huge rumors going around with regards to the launch date of the iPhone 5 which is estimated to be this summer. The leak this time comes from sources who spoke to the Economic Daily News who have hinted that Wintek has been asked to supply touch panels for a white iPhone 5 to Apple. This contract is also said to be an exclusive for Wintek.

According to Economic Daily News, there will be a white iPhone 5 too! It will feature a touch panel supplied exclusively by Wintek, which is a Chinese electronic components company.

The iPhone 5 is expected to have a 4 inch display, no “Home” button, NFC integration ”with a twist”, a built-in FM radio, an integrated SIM and a front-facing camera, complete with PhotoBooth.

Of course, we have yet to see the white iPhone 4 appear, so Apple may decide to just drop that and focus on the next generation model.
Source : Bestdigitaltrends
http://bestdigitaltrends.com/2011/02/23/new-cellphone/rumour-apple-to-launch-white-iphone-5-this-summer/

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New iPhone 5 Part With Edge To Edge Screen Appears

A Chinese site (iDealsChina) has reportedly displayed a front panel part which appears to have a different structure when compared to panels of previous iPhones and may therefore come from the iPhone 5 (via 9to5Mac).

As can be seen from the image, and with the enormous caveat that this could simply be a mock-up part or a fake, the part appears to show a screen that is wider and longer than the current iPhone, with edge to edge display. Also of interest is the fact that there is a hole for the iPhone Home Button which had been the subject of much discussion when it was suggested that Apple was looking to remove it in the next generation of iOS devices.

While increasing the size of the iPhone screen would not pose very many technical challenges in itself, the problem comes with the number of pixels that applications utilize. Increasing the screen size would mean that developers would have to make changes to their apps to reflect the increased number of pixels available for use.

Previous rumors from Digitimes had suggested that Apple would implement a 4 inch screen in the next generation iPhone 5. At the time, many people had assumed that this meant a 4 inch screen across but we hypothesized that they could actually be talking about a vertical increase in the screen size rather than both horizontal and vertical. We even posted a concept image of how it could be implemented, but let’s be clear, we’re not saying that this is what we think the iPhone 5 will look like, simply a concept on how a larger screen and no Home button could work.

Source : applebitch
http://www.applebitch.com/2011/02/26/rumor-new-iphone-5-part-with-edge-to-edge-screen-appears/

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Prediction: iPhone 5 Concept With 4 Inch Screen And ‘Home Dock’

Several rumors have been circulating recently suggesting that Apple would apparently be increasing the screen size in the next generation iPhone and that the iPhone 5 may come with a 4 inch screen rather than the current 3.5 inches (via Digitimes). While the source of this information may be accurate, it is possible that the dimensions have been misinterpreted. Some excellent concept mock-ups of an iPhone with a screen that is 4 inches measured diagonally have appeared, among them this one from 9to5Mac. However, we would suggest that Apple would not be looking to increase the screen size when measured diagonally, but would rather get rid of the Home button and increase the screen dimensions vertically.

As can be seen from our concept above (and yes, we do appreciate that we are rather crap when it comes to Photoshop) , the new iPhone would have a 4 inch screen measured from top to bottom. The main difference in this concept would be that an extra dynamic ‘Home Dock’ would be added at the bottom of the screen which would provide not only the core functions originally provided by the Home button such as returning to the home screen or engaging the search function, but would also provide additional functionality. This portion of the screen, almost an inverse version of the excellent SB Settings app available on the Cydia Store, would essentially remain separate from the rest of the display, meaning that Apple could still retain the original iPhone resolution, making it easy on developers.

The new ‘Home Dock’ would act as an area where all the core functions of the iPhone could be controlled (we also appreciate that our icon selections in the picture do not make sense, but you get the idea). The volume buttons on the side of the iPhone could disappear, as could the lock button on the top of the iPhone. The new ‘Home Dock’ could control functions such as power, locking, volume, search, brightness, NFC, Mobile Hotspot and Bluetooth as well as a number of other functions.

The lack of a Home button fits with recent rumors that have circulated suggesting that the next generation iPhone and iPad will lose the Home button. This new ‘Home Dock’ function may or may not appear in the next iPhone, but a 4″ vertical screen is worth thinking about.
Source : applebitch
http://www.applebitch.com/2011/02/16/prediction-iphone-5-concept-with-4-inch-screen-and-home-dock/

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iPhone 5 Concept Design is Ultra Thin

A little iPhone 5 love to go with your Sunday morning coffee, anyone? If you answered yes… read on!

Concept designs and rumors are something that go hand-in-hand with upcoming generations of anticipated gadgetry…. especially when it comes to our beloved mobile devices. Case-in-point this morning, a new iPhone 5 design concept I stumbled across. Yes, it’s September 2010, and I’ve already spotted a next-gen concept. Have mercy. icon smile iPhone 5 Concept Design is Ultra Thin (and Ultra Fake)

Pictured above, this iPhone 5 design from the folks at HandyFlash gives us a glimpse (possibly) into what the next generation of Cupertino’s iOS-powered device could look like. Note how thing they’ve made the darn thing. Reminds me of that old iPod Nano I have sitting on my desk. Also, by the looks of things they’ve done away with the external ‘band’ visible on the 4th gen. No ‘antennagate‘ with the next generation according to the designer.

Of course, this is all fiction, so take this for what it’s worth… it’s something cool to look at and think about. What do you think we’re going to see packed-in to the iPhone 5? Or is this.
Source Intomobile
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/09/05/iphone-5-concept-design/

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iPhone 5 price shrinking, not screen, claim insiders

Persistent rumors of a smaller – or, more recently, larger – iPhone are apparently untrue, with insiders suggesting that instead Apple is looking to shrink the price of the iOS smartphone. According to the NYTimes‘ anonymous sources the new iPhone 5, expected to arrive this summer, will offer voice command control and perhaps a broader range of SKUs, all with the same physical size but differing in certain core ways.

“Although the innards of the phone, including memory size or camera quality, could change to offer a less expensive model, the size of the device would not vary” claims the source, who has supposedly worked on multiple versions of the iPhone 5. Changing the physical scale, with a smaller display, is unlikely to actually work out cost-effective for Apple, and would require that iOS developers rework their apps to suit.

Meanwhile, earlier talk of a MobileMe makeover has apparently been corroborated, becoming a free service offering wireless sync and media streaming. “The goal is that your photos and other media content will eventually just sync across all your Apple devices without people having to do anything” the source claims, suggesting that reducing the amount of onboard storage future iPhones required – since content could be streamed instead – would add up to a cheaper handset.

Source Slashgear

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Apple LTE Products Coming

The first Apple LTE product is coming to a Verizon store near you very soon. Dan Mead, CEO of Verizon, recently confirmed that his company will offer Apple mobile products on their LTE network. No product name was given, but the two likely candidates right now are the iPhone 5 and the iPad 2.

Since March 2 brings the iPad 2 to us, Mead was most likely “announcing” an LTE slate there. This doesn’t mean we won’t also see an LTE version of the iPhone 5. Apple is thought to be very bullish on the new 4G technology. I’d imagine sales estimates for the Xoom will take a bit of a dive if it ends up losing its LTE advantage to the iPad as well as its camera advantage.

If Verizon does launch an LTE iPhone 5, does that mean AT&T will launch a “4G” iPhone of their own, with access to HSPA+?
Source Slash Gear
http://www.slashgear.com/verizon-ceo-apple-lte-products-coming-25136282/

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The iPad's new engine: The A5 chip

The iPad 2's A5 chip is sending a strong message to the competition: Apple is moving to dual-core processing power in a completely redesigned tablet but keeping the 10-hour battery life.

Apple's A5 processor supersedes the A4 chip currently used in the iPad and iPhone 4. The A5 effectively doubles the processing power by adding another processor core to the single-core A4.

"We get up to twice as fast on CPU [Central Processing Unit] performance," said Steve Jobs, speaking at the iPad 2 event today in San Francisco.

And Apple is also trumpeting its graphics processing. "We've really gone all out on the graphics performance. Up to nine times faster graphics," Jobs said.

And to placate consumers who may be worried that all that extra performance means worse battery life, Jobs added: "Same low power as A4. We don't want to give up any of that legendary battery life."

Analysts say Jobs is right on the money: the key is balancing battery life and performance. "It's a post-PC era. It's not just about speeds and feeds. It's about the totality. It's about good-enough performance and 10 hour battery life." said Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw.

"In the new design paradigm of smart phones and tablets, computing efficiency trumps raw computing power," Wayne Lam, an analyst at IHS iSuppli, wrote in a research note today. "Designs like the iPad demand highly integrated microprocessors that emphasize graphics performance, lower power consumption, and small space usage."
But Apple isn't being shy about the boost in performance--and analysts are duly impressed. "Nine times faster graphics is a reasonable marketing number," said Joe Byrne, an analyst at The Linley Group, a chip consulting firm. "For iPad owners, this means games that are a better match for the larger screen size...appear much better. There's enough potential iPad volume to justify [game] developers' extra investment," he said.

All of this is not good news for Motorola, whose Xoom tablet, which began shipping last month, was the first dual-core tablet from a top-tier supplier. "I don't think anybody else has a fighting chance in this market," said Kumar, referring to Apple's dominance.

"I think this is the first dual-core tablet to ship in volume," said Jobs. And he may not be far off the mark, considering Apple's ability to ramp up large volumes very quickly.

The A5 follows a hugely popular A4 chip. "Driven by the soaring sales of products including the iPad and the iPhone 4, Apple's shipments of products based on its A4 microprocessor reached nearly 50 million units in 2010 from virtually zero sales in 2009," IHS iSuppli said.
Source Cnet

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20038422-64.html#ixzz1FXfugCD5

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Report: Verizon to end unlimited iPhone data plans this summer

Verizon's "darling" status with iPhone users may quickly be coming to an end as a new report from Bloomberg cites Verizon's Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo saying unlimited data plans will no longer be available from the new iPhone carrier.

Current switchers can grab the $30 per month unlimited data plan for their iPhone 4, but that could all change shortly. The offering, which Shammo said was "not a long-term solution," was likely just a marketing tool to entice the first wave of iPhone users to jump from AT&T, which currently does not offer an unlimited data plan.

Some users may see this as a "bait and switch" by Verizon, though considering the smartphone landscape, offering an unlimited data plan does not seem to maximize profits. Verizon will be switching to a tiered structure, much like the one that AT&T offers (currently $15 for 250Mb or $30 for 2Gb).

"We see the potential of our customer base spending in that $30 to $50 range," Shammo said. "As smartphone prices come down, more people will be able to afford them. We have to get those customers a sufficient entry point. We're still wrestling with what that entry point is."

Translation: the money is in the data.

Reuters and the Wall Street Journal have follow-up reports stating that Verizon's new pricing will take place in the middle of the summer, likely corresponding with Apple's release of the iPhone 5.

"We will probably do that in the mid-summer time frame," said Shammo, adding that initially Verizon, "didn't want to put up a barrier" for new customers hoping to find a better network.

Would the lack of an unlimited data plan keep you from switching to Verizon this summer? Let me know in the comments below!
Source Cnet
Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20037878-233.html#ixzz1FXem8QK6

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iPhone 5 to feature a bigger 4-inch display?

Thus far we still know surprisingly little about the next generation iPhone (or iPhone 5 for lack of a better name) expected this summer in keeping with Apple's traditional launch cycle. We've heard that the completely redesigned handset will boast a next generation A5 processor and Qualcomm chipset that will unify the CDMA / GSM / UMTS radios. Others have heard that it'll also feature NFC integration along with the possibility of a "universal SIM." But what about the display? How will it size-up to the existing iPhone 4's rather puny 3.5-inch display and the smaller and lighter iPhone model that the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg say is in the works? Well, if DigiTimes and its chatty "upstream component suppliers" are to be believed then the next generation iPhone will be sporting a 4-inch display. While DigiTimes can, at times, be a suspect source for Apple information, the idea of a larger 4-inch iPhone flagship to help differentiate itself from a smaller iPhone nano and legacy iPhone 4 (that becomes the budget model) does make some sense.
source Engadget

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Forget the white iPhone 4, white iPhone 5 rumors begin!

It's the perfect rumor: the officially delayed and frequently tattled white iPhone 4 has reemerged as the white iPhone 5 riding a horned stallion through virgin rumor fields. According to the Economic Daily News, the previously unheard of white iPhone 5 will feature a touch panel supplied exclusively by Wintek. If true, then the white iPhone 4, officially scheduled for a spring 2011 launch, should be available just prior to the launch of the next generation white iPhone 5, anticipated for a summer launch in keeping with Apple's typical launch cycle. Not exactly ideal, but hey, it's only the first of many related rumors to come.
sourceEconomic Daily News

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Exclusive: The future of the iPad 2, iPhone 5, and Apple TV, and why Apple is shifting its mobile line to Qualcomm chipsets

We've been hearing a ton of rumors about what direction Apple's next set of products will take and when they'll be available -- but now we've got some concrete information from reliable sources which should make the path a little clearer. And that includes info on the next iPad, the iPhone 5, the second iteration of the new Apple TV, and a big change coming for all of the company's mobile products. Want to know the scoop? Read along after the break to get the goods.

Right now, everyone is obviously buzzing about the Verizon iPhone 4. What people aren't talking about (yet) is the fact the device will be using a Qualcomm chipset for its CDMA radio (with no GSM capabilities) as opposed to the Infineon versions seen in the GSM iPhone 4. This isn't much of a surprise by itself, but it paves the way for a major shift from Apple. But first, a little bit of a timeline.

Just before the Verizon iPhone 4 launch, we'd heard from multiple sources -- sources like the ones which gave us all that extremely accurate Apple TV info last time around -- that the iPad 2 isn't nearly as close to launch as some have speculated. Apparently, those case and hardware mockups we've seen are rather early versions, which means we're still months out from a proper introduction. It seems likely that the device will land around April (perfectly timed with the 12-month product cycle Apple enjoys). And what about that device? From what we've been told, the thinner, sleeker tablet will sport a new screen technology that is akin to (though not the same as) the iPhone 4's Retina Display and will be "super high resolution" (unlike reports to the contrary). The device will remain at 10 inches but will now feature both front and rear cameras (not a huge surprise), and... there's an SD slot. That's right -- our sources say with near certainty that the device will have a dedicated SD slot built in (with no traditional USB slot). In fact, see that weird notch in the photo below? That's where the SD part will be located. What's most interesting, however, is what's happening under the hood.

The new iPad will feature a dual GSM / CDMA chipset produced by Qualcomm and will mark Apple's shift away from Infineon as its chipset maker to Qualcomm for all of its mobile devices. It's not clear if the chipset being used will be based on the company's EV-DO / HSPA Gobi variety or an entirely new design. Presumably, the strength of the new dual-mode chipset is that it will allow both Verizon and AT&T to offer the iPad simultaneously.

But all of these moves are leading up to the iPhone 5 -- a completely redesigned handset -- which our sources say is on track for a summer launch. Right now, the device is being tested discreetly by senior staff at Apple (strictly on campus only). We don't have much info on the phone at this point, but our understanding is that the new device will be a total rethink from a design standpoint and will be running atop Apple's new A5 CPU (a Cortex A9-based, multi-core chip). This device, like the iPad 2, will feature a Qualcomm chipset that does triple duty as the CDMA / GSM / UMTS baseband processor -- from what we hear there's no LTE in the mix at this point.

One other interesting tidbit: Apple is at work on the second generation of its redesigned Apple TV, which will include that new A5 processor. The CPU is said to be blazingly fast, cranking out 1080p video "like running water." It's likely that the A5 will make it into the iPad 2 as well, but we have yet to confirm that.

So what does this all mean? Besides the surprise of an SD slot on the iPad, it all sounds fairly routine. It's the complete move away from Infineon to Qualcomm that's truly notable -- marking one of the biggest shifts in suppliers and technology since the advent of the original iPhone. We're working on getting more detail on all of these devices, and as soon as we do, you guys will be the first to know!

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Keepin' it real fake: iPhone 5 provides foresight to a falsified future

Of course you knew this was coming, you probably just didn't expect it so soon. If Apple keeps up with its usual schedule, we don't expect an iPhone 4 successor to rear its head until summer 2011, but already some KIRF scientists are making forward-looking projections and produced what it thinks might be the KIRF iPhone to go tête-à-tête with the presumed iPhone 5. Resolution's apparently low, but it does its best to make up for it with dual SIM capabilities, WiFi, Bluetooth, a microSD slot, built-in camera with flash, an all-too familiar UI -- all at a price guaranteed to assuage regret: about 700 yuan (US $106).
source Engadget

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