Report Claims 7-Inch iPad in August, New iPhone in September, New 10-Inch iPad by End of Year

// May 9th, 2012 // No Comments » // iPad, iPhone

Report Claims 7-Inch iPad in August, New iPhone in September, New 10-Inch iPad by End of Year: “Digitimes has had a hit-or-miss track record when it comes to Apple rumors, but with the site having offered some accurate information in the past, its claims continue to be closely watched. In its latest report, the site lays out a timeline for Apple’s iPhone and iPad plans for the remainder of the year, basing its claims on sources within Apple’s supply chain.

The report focuses on Pegatron, which has served as an alternate assembly partner to Foxconn for a number of Apple products. According to Digitimes, Pegatron has landed orders for both a new iPhone planned to launch in September and a new iPad scheduled to debut ‘in the fourth quarter’.

The iPhone claim appears to be a reasonable one given current thinking that Apple will return to a roughly one-year interval between iPhone updates, with a September launch coming just under a year after the early October introduction of the iPhone 4S last year.

But the iPad claim is a more troublesome one, as Apple has so far stuck to a yearly schedule for iPad hardware updates centered around the March-April timeframe. A late 2012 release of a new ’10-inch iPad’ presumably arriving as a next-generation version of the current device would mark a significantly shorter lifecycle for the current model than would be expected.

Similar rumors of a late-year iPad update surfaced last year before being quashed amid reports that work on the new Retina display would keep Apple on its yearly update cycle.

Mockup of 7.85-inch iPad next to an iPhone (courtesy of CiccareseDesign)

Digitimes makes one final claim in its latest report, indicating that Foxconn will be a manufacturing partner for a smaller 7-inch iPad, which is planned for release in August. Claims of such a device have been circulating for some time with some reports similarly pointing to a Q3 launch, and it seems likely that Apple has at least toyed with the idea. It is unclear, however, whether the company truly has any intentions of bringing it out of its design lab.

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More Claims of Taller, Thinner Next-Generation iPhone with 4-Inch Screen and New Dock Connector

// May 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

More Claims of Taller, Thinner Next-Generation iPhone with 4-Inch Screen and New Dock Connector: “iLounge reports on information its has received regarding the next-generation iPhone, claiming that Apple will indeed be making the move to a 4-inch display by increasing the height only has had been previously speculated. To accommodate the taller screen, the body of the device will also become slightly taller, but it will also see an approximately 20% reduction in thickness.

What we’ve learned: the new iPhone will indeed be longer and thinner than the iPhone 4 and 4S. Approximate measurements are 125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm—a 10mm jump in height, nearly 2mm reduction in thickness, and virtually identical width. According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone. This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic. Our artist’s rendition provides a rough idea of what this change will look like; it echoes the current-generation iMac design, to be sure.

The report also claims that Apple will be adopting the rumored smaller dock connector for the device, which will be ‘closer to a pill shape’ than the existing connector.

iLounge has offered some correct information in the past, and was rather accurate in its claims regarding the latest iPad. Not all of the site’s claims came to fruition, however, with the new iPad’s front-facing camera failing to gain HD resolution and Apple offering no sign of an enhanced smart cover for the device.

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Rumor: Apple’s next-gen iPhone to be thinner, incorporate 4-inch screen, utilize metal backing and new dock connector

// May 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

Rumor: Apple’s next-gen iPhone to be thinner, incorporate 4-inch screen, utilize metal backing and new dock connector: “

There’s got to be some element of truth here…

Per iLounge, Apple’s next-gen iPhone will be slightly taller to accommodate a 4-inch screen with a new aspect ratio, will feature a redesigned dock connector, and will also have a new metal panel on the back side, a new report claims.

The latest rumors about Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone stated that the new iPhone will be about 10 millimeters taller, giving it dimensions of 125 millimeters tall, 5.8 millimeters wide and 7.4 millimeters thick. That’s about 2 millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 4S, with essentially the same width as the current model.

Because the new iPhone will allegedly be the same width, that would mean that new applications would need to be designed to work with the handset. The taller screen would have more pixels at the top and bottom, giving it a different aspect ratio.

‘According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone,’ the report said. ‘This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic.’

Author Jeremy Horwitz also added that the new iPhone is expected to be partially made from Gorilla Glass 2, which offers identical strength to the original Gorilla Glass with a thinner design. At just 0.8 millimeters thick, Gorilla Glass 2 can withstand 121 pounds of pressure.

Finally, the report also claimed that the next iPhone will have a new, smaller dock connector that will be ‘a little larger’ than the bottom speaker and microphone ports on the existing iPhone 4S. The new port was described as ‘a pill shape,’ and is believed to have just 16 pins, compared to the current 30-pin dock connector.

‘It will be used in all upcoming devices, including an update to the iPod touch that’s expected this year, and will almost certainly feature a similarly updated screen and CPU,’ the report said.

In March, iLounge reported that Apple was working on a new case for the iPad that would protect not only the front screen, as the current magnetic Smart Case does, but also the aluminum back panel of the device. The site credited a ‘repeatedly reliable source,’ but such a case has not yet been released.

The rumors come on the heels of a new component claimed to be the SIM card tray for Apple’s next-generation iPhone. A home button also purported to be from a prototype Apple handset also appeared, but no components thus far have given any concrete indication that the next iPhone’s design will be a radical departure from the look of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

Still, there has been rampant speculation that Apple’s next iPhone will have a redesigned exterior. Rumors of unibody enclosures, larger screens and thinner form factors have all cropped up in recent months.

Early prototyping of the next iPhone is believed to be underway ahead of a launch anticipated this fall, one year after the debut of the iPhone 4S. In March it was said that Apple was reviewing potential components for the new iPhone.

Rumors surrounding the next iPhone have picked up steam in recent weeks, as one report said the handset will feature Qualcomm’s ‘MDM9615″ LTE 4G chip for high-speed wireless connectivity. Reports have also claimed that the next iPhone will adopt in-cell touch panel technology, which will allow Apple to make the next iPhone thinner by 0.44 millimeters, or fit in a larger battery.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

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AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhone units beginning April 8th

// April 6th, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhone units beginning April 8th: “

As much as AT&T may drive you crazy, you might like this.

Per Electronista and Engadget, AT&T will begin unlocking certain iPhones in the (very) near future. As of April 8, customers that are either out of contract or bought contract-free will have the option of derestricting the phone’s SIM slot much like the already-unlocked iPhones sold at Apple retail stores. The only other condition was to have a healthy account.

“Beginning Sunday, April 8, we will offer qualifying customers the ability to unlock their AT&T iPhones,” a spokesman said. “The only requirements are that a customer’s account must be in good standing, their device cannot be associated with a current and active term commitment on an AT&T customer account, and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee.”

The initiative follows a number of complaints that led to Apple’s Tim Cook taking action and arranging for a handful of case-by-case unlocks. Other carriers worldwide have been offering after-sale iPhone unlocks, most notably in Canada, but AT&T until now has declined to do it, even for customers who paid the unsubsidized price.

More incentive exists for AT&T to unlock phones now that its spectrum refarming gives a real chance that its 3G network, and future 4G LTE network, will work properly with existing iPhones. A SIM unlock was previously only useful for those either willing to limit themselves to 2G data or who were traveling and wanted a much less expensive local SIM card instead of AT&T’s roaming plans.

If you go through the unlocking experience, please let us know how it went and stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

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Rumor: Fifth-generation iPhone could surface in June

// April 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

Rumor: Fifth-generation iPhone could surface in June: “

It’s the rumors that keep things interesting, except this time it’s coming from a stranger source than usual.

Per Macotakara, a recruiter for Foxconn’s growing Taiyuan plant may have inadvertently spoiled some of Appe’s 2012 iPhone plans. When interviewing with TV-Tokyo [past 6-minute mark], the staffer said the plant was explicitly hiring 18,000 workers “for the fifth-generation phone.” He expected the phone to come out in June.

As a recruiter and not a direct product overseer, the Foxconn worker’s knowledge of what would be happening isn’t certain. If accurate, he may only know enough for a recruiting drive and may not have the full picture. The phone may only be shipping or starting production in June, which could put a launch weeks or months later.

The interview could still be a sign that Apple won’t wait until fall for its next revision and that the October release of the iPhone 4S was a singular exception rather than starting a new pattern. Based on new iPad components, many now anticipate Apple jumping to LTE support. It might also get an A6 processor that wasn’t ready in time for the new iPad. Conflicting rumors have left debate open as to whether or not there will be a larger screen.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

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Next iPhone Coming Fall 2012 with LTE, 3.5-Inch Screen

// March 23rd, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

Next iPhone Coming Fall 2012 with LTE, 3.5-Inch Screen: “iMore weighs in with information it has heard about the new iPhone that is due later this year.

According to their sources, the new iPhone will be 4G LTE compatible, as expected. It will also be arriving in the fall, though the exact date will be determined close to the time. Finally, their source also claims that contrary to 4-inch rumors, the new iPhone will retain the same 3.5-inch screen, or very close to it.

So to sum up, iPhone 5,1 is on track for:

- Similar if not same sized screen (currently 3.5-inch but not set in stone)

- 4G LTE radio

- New “micro dock” connector

- Fall/October 2012 release

iMore had previously reported that they believe the new iPhone will carry a miniaturized dock connector to help reduce the overall size of the iPhone, itself.

iMore has recently been the source of some accurate information. Most recently, they pinpointed the announcement date for the iPad 3 and LTE support.

The main persistent weakness/problem with the new 1080p AppleTV (3?) = no USB port that allows access to external storage of movies – WHY?!?

// March 8th, 2012 // No Comments » // AppleTV, Boxee Box, iCloud, iOS, iPad, iPhone

I purchased the first small black square AppleTV (2?) and resold it because it does NOT support attaching an external hard drive, and directly playing movies that you have created in iMovie (with your iPhone or iPad or another camera), and/or legally recorded from commercial television (I use an EyeTV HD device for this).

The newest version is no different, besides a different GUI, faster processor, and finally supporting 1080p it is exactly the same animal.

Why does Apple assume that you do not want to play locally stored movies? Why must all of the movies be accessed from the cloud or by streaming them wirelessly or by ethernet from your Mac/iTunes to your AppleTV?

Yes, iPad and iPhone mirroring on your big screen is tempting, but why must all of the video be downloaded and at least cached on the AppleTV, before it is played? Bandwidth hog anyone?

AppleTV Ports and Interfaces

HDMI2
Optical audio
10/100BASE-T Ethernet
Built-in IR receiver
Micro-USB (for service and support) – how about for attaching an external hard drive? How hard would this be?

This (above) is all she wrote – really now, how hard would it be for Apple to add a USB port to the list?

Until Apple addresses this I will have to live with the limitations of a Boxee Box, and hope that someday, somehow Boxee will allow easy creation and use of video playlists – another completely mindless omission.

Verizon Including Mobile Hotspot in iPad Data Plans at No Additional Charge

// March 8th, 2012 // No Comments » // iPad, iPhone

Verizon Including Mobile Hotspot in iPad Data Plans at No Additional Charge: “GottaBeMobile reports that Verizon has officially announced that its data plans for the new iPad Wi-Fi + 4G will include mobile hotspot functionality at no additional charge. The feature allows users to share the device’s cellular connection, broadcasting it as Wi-Fi signal that can be used to provide data connectivity for notebook computers and other devices.

What I didn’t see when I went looking for [details] is how much extra mobile hotspot costs. On Verizon, adding this feature on phones adds an extra $20/month but also an extra 2GB of data, meaning you can get up to 12GB in a month if you’re willing to pay $100.

However, a Verizon Wireless spokesperson informed me that for tablets (including the new iPad), the mobile hotspot feature is included in the data plan’s price. iPad owners won’t have to pay extra to activate mobile hotspot, even with the 1GB plan.

AT&T has yet to announce specific plans for mobile hotspot functionality on the new iPad, as a statement provided to 9to5Mac indicates that the carrier is “working with Apple” on the issue, but isn’t offering this capability at all at the moment.

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goldpocket.com $10.67 Mobile Purchases & Downloads Charges

// February 28th, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

Solution: ask at&t to turn ON mobile purchases blocking
Cause: I have no idea how I started this subscription, probably just replied to a spam text sent from them.

Here is the detail from the at&t bill

Monthly Subscriptions

To stop a subscription, text STOP to the Short Code using the mobile phone associated with those charges.

# Date Subscription
Name Short
Code Type Content
Provider ID Renew
Date Cost Tax Charge
1 01/24/2012 Text Alerts Now 99716 MT Silicon Investment
For assistance contact: http:/www.goldpocket.com 20036 02/23/2012 9.99 0.68 10.67

iPhone 5 Due for Release in September-October Timeframe?

// February 21st, 2012 // No Comments » // iPhone

iPhone 5 Due for Release in September-October Timeframe?: “Japanese blog Macotakara today reports that it has learned from a “reliable” source that Apple is targeting another September or October release for the iPhone this year, continuing a shift away from the mid-year launches seen prior to 2011 and yielding an approximately 12-month upgrade cycle for the iPhone 4S. The report also claims that Apple intends for the later timeframe to be part of Apple’s long-term plans for iPhone launches.

According to Asian reliable source, next iPhone will be released in September or October , and this cycle seems to be kept for years.

MacRumors has similarly 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.

A third source also claimed to iMore last week that Apple is targeting an October launch for an LTE-enabled iPhone 5, with that source also apparently having accurately named March 7 as the date of Apple’s iPad 3 media event. Apple has yet to officially announce that iPad 3 event, but the date has been confirmed as accurate by the well-connected Jim Dalrymple at The Loop.

The claims of a September or October launch for the iPhone 5 directly contradict several previous rumors that had claimed Apple would be releasing the iPhone this summer, presumably at its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. That event that may be held during the week of June 11-15 this year, meaning that a product launch in the weeks after such an introduction would result in a very short lifecycle of only eight months for the iPhone 4S. Consequently, many have believed that Apple will indeed hold off on the iPhone 5 launch until later in the year as it did in 2011.

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