Are You Giving, Getting An iPhone 5 For Christmas? How About An iPad Mini?

iphone 5 and ipad mini Apple’s late-set releases for the iPhone 5 and iPad mini were clearly positioned to reap big sales rewards for the Christmas rush. With that in mind, are the iPhone 5 and/or iPad Mini going to be under the Christmas tree this year? We wish you a Merry Christmas, iPhone 5 and iPad mini — and a Happy New Year! Two years and fours months (and three Christmases) after the establishment of this blog, we’re still talking about the iPhone 5. Who would have thought? uniea iphone 5 and ipad mini case saleLately, it has been hard to reconcile some of the middling news about the iPhone 5′s sales performance throughout the world. In spite of a prolonged rumor cycle and the most frenetic buzz ever generated for an iPhone release, the iPhone 5 has not necessarily performed up to snuff in some markets. In addition, Wall Street has stressed over some the supply and demand issues that plagued the early release of the device, causing Apple stock to shed some of its value heading into Christmas. One now wonders if the Christmas holiday shopping season will right the ship for Cupertino. By contrast, the iPad mini’s launch has been smooth sailing for Apple: there have been no widespread complaints about the device, and all of the top tech analysts agree that it dominating the tablet market, in spite of its premium price compared to competing models like the Kindle and Nook. The only real criticism of the iPad mini has been a question of whether or now it is cannibalizing regular iPad sales. But one would imagine that Apple had anticipated this in its revenue models. With the iPad Mini selling like hotcakes, and with the iPhone 5 supply and demands issues worked out, one would have to assume that it is going to be a big holiday season for Apple. How about you? Are you giving the iPhone 5 and/or iPad mini as a gift to anyone else this Christmas? Or do you think that you might be getting one of Apple’s shiny, new gadgets for Christmas? It will be interesting to gauge the answers, since, for all intents and purposes, many of the readers of tech blogs are early adopters of new technology; we might be an outlier group of electronics consumers. But even if we’ve already onboarded to the iPhone 5 and/or iPad mini, it stands to reason that not everyone in our families have as well. You’ll recall that several of the top electronics retailers in the U.S. — Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Target — all launched aggressive iPhone 5 sales in the run-up to Christmas, fueling speculation about what those sales might mean. While the rumor mongers see an early sale as potential proof that the iPhone 5S or 6 could arrive sooner rather than later in 2013, the less optimistic tech pundits see the sales as an example of flagging iPhone 5 sales in the U.S. Still another possibility is that the top retailers in the U.S. are using an on-sale iPhone 5 as bait to get consumers into their stores to do more Christmas shopping, recognizing that the iPhone 5 still remains one of the most popular products on the market today. Regardless, by the first week of January, 2013, we’re likely to hear more about how Apple, the iPhone 5, and iPad mini have done. But maybe if we share our iPhone 5 Christmas stories, we’ll have a better sense of how big a Christmas season it’ll be for Apple. Or maybe not. Merry Christmas!

iOS 6.0.2 Update Prompts Battery Drain Complaints From iPhone 5 Users

iOS 6.0.2 and iPhone 5 battery drain A recent update to iOS 6 was meant to target wi-fi issues experienced with the iPhone 5. The new patch, however, may have afflicted the new iPhone with iPhone 4S-esque battery drain issues. It’s deja vu all over again with respect to battery drain and the iPhone 5. After the iPhone 4S release was tarnished in 2011 with widespread battery drain complaints — and initial grumblings from early iPhone 5 adopters that Apple had not done enough to improve battery life on the new iPhone — now, the new iOS 6 patch appears to have negatively impacted battery life. According to a CNET report, iOS 6.0.2, which was released largely to deal with some wi-fi issues experienced by many users, has had some kind of adverse effect on the software side of battery usage, with a number of iPhone 5 users taking to the Apple forums to complain. Tech Radar: “Curiously, the battery drain appears to only affect the iPhone 5 and not the iPad mini, which was also updated to iOS 6.0.2 this week; other devices didn’t receive the minor update. Initial speculation points to a change in Wi-Fi antenna behavior under iOS 6.0.2, although this theory doesn’t explain why most iPhone 5 devices – and all iPad mini tablets – remain unaffected.” There’s an obvious cause-effect going on here, with the wi-fi fix affecting battery usage on the iPhone 5. Most likely, the patch is also having some kind of effect on the iPad mini as well, but seeing as the device has not been fraught with battery drain issues in the past, the effect might be much more subtle than on the iPhone 5, which sports an already undersized battery. It still remains odd that Apple has not aggressively moved to improve battery design for the iPhone since the release of the iPhone 4. The 4S saw no increase or improvement in the device’s battery, and the iPhone 5, while utilizing a slimmer battery design to accommodate the device’s slimmer profile, did not substantially increase its capacity, all while outfitting the 5 with 4G LTE and other battery- sucking hardware components. A possible explanation for this design decision by Apple is that Cupertino sees the iPhone user base keeping their device docked more frequently throughout the day, thus providing several daily auxiliary charges that augment the nighttime charge, thus precluding the need for higher capacity batteries. Also, Apple’s software designers may feel like they can continue to optimize iOS for battery life, seeking a software solution to a hardware problem – a long-held Apple ethic. However, it can be argued that Apple has not done a great job at doing this since iOS 5 and the 4S was released. With the eventual release of the iPhone 5S in 2013, it is unlikely that the next iPhone device will see any substantial overhaul of its battery. At the same time, it’s also unlikely that the 5S will feature new hardware components that would put an undue stress on the current battery. Chances are, Cupertino will make marginal upgrades to battery capacity to meet the demands of the A6 chip. One would hope, however, that eventually Apple is going to take battery life seriously once again, since a mobile device is only as good as its battery.

Too Much Of A Good Thing: Apple Shares Blunted By iPhone 5 Supply Chain Shortages

apple-stock-iphone-5Having blistering sales would never been thought of as a bad thing for Apple. But supply chain strains caused by unprecedented iPhone sales are starting to take its toll on Apple’s stock prices. Because rumors of the iPhone 5 have been around for so long, we’ve had years to contemplate its arrival. In the interim, you’ll recall multiple surveys and polls that suggested the iPhone 5 would go on to become the most successful smartphone in the history of the market. Heck, there was even one study that revealed that 35% of all consumers would eventually come to own an iPhone. With all of this in mind, it’s hard to believe that Apple is having supply chain issues in keeping iPhone units stocked on the shelf. But that is exactly what is happening — and the lack of a steady flow of inventory is actually taking its toll on Apple stock prices. I guess that there is such thing as “too many sales” if the company falls way short of meeting demand. The New York Times today reports that: “The scarcity of iPhone 5s is the main reason Apple’s shares, after bursting through the $700 mark in late September, have tumbled nearly 10 percent over the last several weeks, analysts say. On Tuesday, Apple’s stock closed at $635.85. Although it’s better for Apple that it appears to be suffering problems of supply rather than demand, both situations result in lost or delayed sales. Analysts who have poked around in Apple’s supply chain believe that the holdup could be the result of a shortage of the new displays that Apple is using in the iPhone 5. Apple’s online store now shows a shipping delay of three to four weeks for the new iPhone. 10% is no laughing matter for Apple, and while Cupertino may imagine that they’ll make up that ground on Wall Street once supply chains stabilize, it is a concern: the lack of planning may indicate to investors that Apple has grown too big in the marketplace, and that their hype outweighs their actual production. Of particular note, however, is that the sundry scandals that have marred the iPhone 5 early on in the press — such as the Apple Maps flap, the scratchy metal back, and now the purple flare issue with the new camera sensor, have appeared to do little to slow sales. It proves that the “bad press” that circulates in the tech media — something that admittedly engulfs us as iPhone enthusiasts — fails to reach the masses. And that’s a good thing for Apple, no doubt.

Purple Flare Camera Problem On The iPhone 5: It’s Your Fault — Again

iphone 5 purple flareApple has released an explanation for the bizarre, frustrating “purple flare” problem associated with the iPhone 5's camera and flash, and once again, they’re blaming the problem on user error. If you ever buy a new iPhone and something doesn’t seem right about it, chances are it’s all your fault. Or at least that seems to be the prevailing explanation that Apple gives its customers whenever epidemic problems arise with its mobile devices. As far back as the iPhone 4, the “antennagate” problem was caused by the way users held the phone, the battery drain on the 4S was caused by silly-hearted, capricious users running too many apps at once, and now, with the iPhone 5, “purpleflaregate” (just made that up — not really an official “gate” yet) is, according to Cupertino, a byproduct of users just being really lousy at taking pictures. TGDaily explains that: “many users have been complaining that their photographs are marred by a purple flare near the edge. It shows up when there’s a light source just outside the image.” And the problem has been widespread enough for Apple to address the issue, which they did so in this statement. Here is the crux of what they had to say: “Most small cameras, including those in every generation of iPhone, may exhibit some form of flare at the edge of the frame when capturing an image with out-of-scene light sources,” says the company in the statement. This can happen when a light source is positioned at an angle (usually just outside the field of view) so that it causes a reflection off the surfaces inside the camera module and onto the camera sensor.” So, this problem, according to Apple, is not a hardware issue with the iPhone 5's new camera sensor, but rather the iPhone user’s lack of understanding in the craft of photography. Simply put, if you’re having this problem, you’re not enough of an artiste to understand how to manage light in your photos. Apple offers a lesson in iPhone 5 photography to correct the problem: “Moving the camera slightly to change the position at which the bright light is entering the lens, or shielding the lens with your hand, should minimize or eliminate the effect.” The thing is, users who are complaining about the problem on the iPhone 5 have not had this problem on the 4S — the 4S appears to deal with off-camera light sources. And you don’t have to use your hand to shield the light. One would think that the most advanced smartphone in the world wouldn’t need a fleshy appendage to adjust the light. What Apple’s little “best practice” on iPhone 5 photography amounts to is a workaround for a flaw in the iPhone 5's camera sensor. We know that Cupertino invested in a new lens, which Tim Cook boasted about in his iPhone 5 announcement on September 12th. I think we’ve learned that when Apple has an issue with hardware, they blame it on the users, and use that explanation to buy themselves time to fix the problem on future models. Antennagate is a perfect example: after the first few months, the problem appeared to go away. Is this because the millions of iPhone 4 users finally learned how to hold their device properly while making a call? I doubt it. The more likely explanation is that Apple fixed the hardware issue. Same goes with the battery issues on the 4S. Apple made some kind of adjustment to mitigate the problem (though I don’t think it was ever completely fixed). And for as much as they tried to blame the problem on apps running in the background of iOS 5, Apple appeared to have replaced quite a number of early adopters’ iPhone 4Ss (can I get a witness?). We will see tweaks to the iPhone 5 over the going months to iron out all of the bugs. But Apple will never admit to them. This is their strategy: when their hardware has flaws, blame the users. They do this because Apple prides itself on quality and reliability; while Android users expect their smartphones to crash ten times a day, take crappy photos, and fall apart over time, the iPhone is expected to perform steadfastly. Apple can admit software failures, since they are easier to fix. But hardware failures are big enough that they are worth denying. Finally, a postscript: even if a phenomenon like the purple flare is 100% the user’s fault, there’s something to be said for bad design if a plurality of the users are “doing it wrong.” If a teachers gives his class a test, and 90% of the students fail the test, doesn’t the teacher need to consider whether the test was faulty? Or that he did a lousy job teaching the lesson? The same is true for a situation like this: if widespread numbers of users are complaining, then maybe that points to a flaw in design, not in the average user.

Metal Back(ache): Early Adopters Say Aluminum On iPhone 5

iphone 5 scratchedApple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the beautiful look and feels of the iPhone 5's sumptuous aluminum back. But with new users reporting that the metal scratches and dings easily, it looks like the metal-backed iPhone 5 is fated to be covered up by plastic iPhone 5 cases. While some have been frustrated with what the iPhone 5 did and did not deliver, many have taken some solace in the fact that Apple did follow through with the metal-backed rumor that has persisted over the past two years. With the iPhone 4 featuring a glass back with sleek metal trim on its sides, iPhone users have long imagined that the expanded use of metal on the back of the iPhone 5 would only enhance its good looks. And that’s exactly what Apple did: the back of the iPhone 5 is a unique combination of glass and metal and, while the early leaked images of the iPhone 5's back seemed awkward, users say that in person, it’s a really pretty smartphone. Apparently it is also really easy to scratch the new metal as well. There are a wide range of new reports outlining some of the shortcomings of the new iPhone, such as the lackluster launch of Apple maps, issues with wifi, and a few other software bits and bobs, most of which will be addressed in subsequent iOS 6 updates. But the scratchy metal problem — there’s no “fix” for that design flaw. According to TechCrunch: “A good amount of iPhone 5 early adopters took to the Internet over the weekend, reporting that their brand new iPhone 5 has scuffs and dings out of the box. Or, even if the phone was perfect out of the box, it did not stay that way for very long. It seems the black iPhone 5 shows scratches more easily than the white. Apple has yet to comment on the issue.” Right out of the box? Ugh. At first, I thought that “right out of the box” meant “days/hours after using it.” And that has been the case — new users are complaining that after just a weekend of pulling the iPhone 5 in and out of pockets and purses, it is showing signs of wear. But an article on Forbes makes the point that some iPhone 5s are arriving “pre-scratched:” To make matters worse, some claim that their handset was scratched straight out of the box, with the damage having occurred at the assembly plant before the iPhone 5 was put into the box. The damage was underneath the protective film that Apple applies to its devices and couldn’t have been caused in transit. “To make matters worse, some claim that their handset was scratched straight out of the box, with the damage having occurred at the assembly plant before the iPhone 5 was put into the box. The damage was underneath the protective film that Apple applies to its devices and couldn’t have been caused in transit. Scratches and scuffs appear to range from tiny ones of the edge of the handset, to massive Freddy Kruger style scratches on the back.” It remains to be seen what kind of effect if any this bit of bad press might have on the iPhone 5. iPhone users are well-documented as being quite fond of showing off their favorite mobile device; the iPhone’s form factor matters a great deal to iPhone users. And since one of the central selling points of the new iPhone is its overhauled form factor, if iPhone enthusiasts are faced with the prospect of having to cover their iPhone 5 in a third-party plastic case or risk early wear and tear on the aluminum back, they may opt to wait for a future iteration of iPhone that might include a tougher metal alloy, such as the long-rumored LiquidMetal. In the meantime, prospective customers might take and “wait and see” approach to see if Cupertino responds by adding a protective layer to the iPhone 5's metal backing in order to minimize scratches and dings.

50 Million iPhone 5 Sales By December?

Following in the steps of its staggering pre-order and launch sales, the iPhone 5 is said to be poised to sell 50,000,000 units by the end of December. Yes, that’s the right number of zeros. 50 million. Blogs like the iPhone 5 News Blog still have a b it of work left to do in terms of reporting on the iPhone 5: discuss whether the iPhone 5 turns out to live up to its hype, and to track its sales and success. While there is still plenty of conjecture as to whether the iPhone 5 will live up to its hype, early reports confirm that it will indeed go on to be the most successfully marketed smartphone ever. There are a myriad of recent reports that show the iPhone 5 breaking all previous iPhone sales records. Take, for example, this report from CNET, which claims ”A new report from ComScore, which finds that the first three days of iPhone 5 preorders equaled the earlier Apple record set by the iPhone 4S over the course of a month.” Pretty astounding. But considering all of the pent-up excitement and anticipation surrounding the iPhone 5, it remains to be seen if this current excitement will continue to sustain itself over the months ahead, into 2013. What are the financial analysts saying? Well, they expect nothing less than 50 million iPhone 5 sales by the end of December. According to USAToday: “FBR Capital forecasts that more than 50 million iPhone 5s could move in the fourth quarter of 2012, and that 250 million could be sold over the phone’s lifespan.” Even more astounding. Given the fact that many tech enthusiasts and journalists have had little nice things to say about the iPhone 5, it’s hard to reconcile the new iPhone’s middling press with such astronomical sales volume. Perhaps, however, the answer is simple: that Apple has much more control over the buzz and excitement surrounding its products than the online tech community does, and that the average iPhone user has less-lofty expectations for new iPhone iterations than those who follow iPhone rumors avidly. In the areas that some feel the iPhone 5 has failed to deliver on, such as next-generation features and a more proportionally-expanded display, the new screen and form factor are proving to be major selling points for the iPhone 5 among mobile users. It remains to be seen if early hiccups like the lackluster launch of Apple Maps will stall iPhone 5 sales, but since the new hardware and look for the 5 appear to be what is propelling its incredible sales, it would take a seismic disaster to slow down sales and excitement anytime soon.

Purported, New Earbuds For The iPhone 5 Emerge

Newly leaked photos of what are said to be the iPhone 5's earbuds show a new design. But is this just another fabricated ruse?
I’m not sure if earbuds are much more exciting to talk about than dock connectors. In my opinion, Apple’s current earbuds are pretty great compared to the other crappy earbuds you get with even some of the higher-end Android smartphones. That being said, earbuds are a means to an end — much like a dock connector — and changing the earbud design isn’t something that I’ve ever heard people calling for.
Even still, that’s what’s on the iPhone 5 rumor-disucussing agenda today.
According to MacRumors, the “Vietnamese site Tinhte.vn has posted a video of what it claims to be redesigned headphones for the new iPhone which is expected in September.” I don’t know what to make of the fact that the video has seen been made private — that’s either indication that Apple is extremely angry that these photos were released, or that these bogus photos are bringing way too much attention to the site in question. Take your pick. But the captured photo above gives us a good glimpse at them nonetheless.
iphone 5 earbud cable


This is a translated transcript of the now-defunct video:
In my hands are the new earphones for the iPhone 5 that is about to come out – Apple’s next generation of iPod [sic]. These will replace the current earphones that are on the market. These are manufactured at Phax Co factory in Vietnam. They have the appearance of a horse’s head, not like earbuds. When they are worn, they have a much smaller profile. They have the appearance of a fully integrated, single unit – there’s no part that looks like it would come apart – not like earbuds; the integrated design is characteristic of Apple products. Here I have the old earphones for comparison. The new ones are much smaller; when they are worn, they do not hurt the way earbuds do. You can see on the old ones the surface is a separate part that looks like it can be detached – not like the small surface of the new one. The old earphones were mostly made in China, with some in Vietnam. But the new ones are clearly made in Vietnam. (Reading from the wires): “Designed by Apple in California, assembled in Vietnam.”
MacRumors doesn’t really make any comments themselves on earbud design, but I would agree that the idea of “unibody” earbuds is very Apple. But there are some oddities to the design that call it somewhat into question for me.
First is the ize of the speakers built into the earbuds — they are remarkably small. There are examples of how very expensive, boutique speakers, from companies such as Bone, can produce big sound even when the speakers themselves are small. But in the case of earbuds, the size of the speaker and sound source would have a profound impact on the sound quality. A tiny speaker like the one used in this design would mean that the soundwaves would expand out into the eardrum from a considerably narrow starting point, meaning that the coverage of the wave would not necessarily be as expansive as traditional earbuds. A good example of the difference is between large, studio-style headphones that envelop the ear versus earbuds — the former has provocatively better sound.
Another strange design is the divot in the side of the earbud.
There would be no reason to have a second speaker on the side of the earbud, pushing up against the side of the ear canal, would there? The sound wave should shoot freely into the eardrum, not be muted by the side of the ear.
Finally, I’d take issue with the reviewer’s claim that this is a seamless earbud design. This photo appears to show a seam, making it a two-piece assembly like most other earbuds that I’ve ever seen:

iPhone 5 earbud side
The claim is that these earbuds are being produced in a Foxconn facility in Vietnam. Is that possible? Certainly, it isn’t hard to imagine that an accessory like earbuds could be easily smuggled out of the factory where they are being produced. But I think it’s also very possible that these are third-party earbuds that have been dressed up to look like Apple products.
It’ll be interesting to see if these earbuds really show up along with the iPhone 5.

iphone 5 with nfc chip

Another round of purported iPhone 5 photos have emerged, depicting the small component initially identified as NFC-related, but panned by others as false, due to the iPhone 5's metal back. More fakes, or more glimpses?
You want more salacious iPhone 5 photos? We’ve got ‘em! You’ll recall that just a few days ago we passed along some photos of purported iPhone 5 parts that were dubbed the “most comprehensive assembly” of the iPhone 5 that we’ve seen thus far. What was particularly interesting about these photos was the advent of a small chip to the right of the earpiece, which was assumed to be the long-rumored NFC chip. The next day, Jim Dalrymple and co. panned the photos as false, since the metal back of the iPhone 5 — which Dalrymple tacitly confirmed — couldn’t work with NFC. And the fact that the photos didn’t have any shot of the back seemed conspicuous at best.
Today, we have a new set up photos depicting the same little chip, and once again, no view of the back to see if it compared with the metal back of the early 9to5mac photos. Do these new photos answer any questions, or just raise more of them?
The photo at the top of the article comes from Nowhereelse.fr, and compares the top assembly of the purported iPhone 5 to that of the 4S. Notwithstanding the fact that this top assembly looks like the one we saw the other day, to me — a guy who admittedly doesn’t understand the guts of iPhone — it looks as if the added components around the supposed NFC chip, like the camera lens, is being blocked by that plate. Come to think of it, so too are the earpiece components. Why can’t we see what’s behind that?
And finally, why are the iPhone 5 and 4S photos so incongruous? With the iPhone 5, I see a lot of screws and components, making the 4S seem stripped down. To me, that’s fishy. Couldn’t the photographer dress up the 4S with comparable components of its own so that the assemblies are equally complete. Or is this an equal comparison? If so, Apple is doing things quite differently on the new phone, as it looks to be held together with a bunch of little screws.
Take a look at this side-by-side to see what I mean:
iphone 4s and 5 side by side
And as I mentioned in my last article about the whole NFC chip/metal back issue, it’s odd that we never see the back of the iPhone in these photos, either. Why not? The back of the iPhone 5 that 9to5mac showed us caused quite a discussion, what with its slightly color-mismatched metal section that connected with the top and bottom pieces. People debated whether they liked or disliked that look, but everyone agreed that it was metal we were looking at.
If we are to believe that these new photos are of the same iPhone 5 units, then show us the backside.



Somewhere out there, someone wants us to believe that this is the iPhone 5. In fact, there’s a whole lot of people in the tech media who want us to believe that the iPhone 5 has practically been in plain sight for months with all of these sightings. But with each passing set, there always appears to be something not quite right.

iOS 6, iPhone 5 To Feature Most Wireless Mobile Computing Experience Yet

In a bid to eventually make the iPhone 5 and other iOS devices completely wire-free, iOS 6 is set to usher in even more wireless and wifi-free functionality.
Although it doesn’t always get talked about in one article, a lot has been rumored about the iPhone 5 with respect to its move towards wireless connectivity. Building on the adoption of OTA updates, we’ve also heard about possible wireless charging, an upgrade of the dock connector (which could have wireless consequences for the transfer of data), 4G LTE FaceTime, and more. If you were to put all of these concepts together, you could imagine an iPhone 5 with absolutely no ports. Heck, if Apple did away with the physical home button and made all of the navigation on-screen, one could even imagine a completely smooth, seamless design (as some have speculated on for a future iPhone release as well).
Today, we’re hearing a bit more concrete evidence that, much like the rumor that FaceTime will no longer be limited to wi-fi on the iPhone 5 (a massive advancement, as far as I’m concerned), AirPlay might get a similar makeover.
According to the Telegraph:
Sources familiar with the iPhone-maker’s plans said that Apple wants to improve the AirPlay wireless music streaming technology, which currently requires Airplay speakers and a WiFi network. The new version will require just speakers or a hifi and an iDevice; the iPhone, iPod or iPad would form its own network to allow a direct connection and music playback.
Ironically, this is the second bit of news that would appear to wow mobile users and make consumer electronics accessories producers weep, as the all-but-assured dock connector revamp was enough to send the accessories market spinning. Now, the appearance of “AirPlay Direct” as it is being dubbed, will turn the hifi market on its head as well. Of course, it remains to be seen how far along “AirPlay Direct” really is.
The article adds that: “Sources said that Apple has not signed off any specific products yet and that the ‘Airplay Direct’ is a working title rather than a definite name.” That’s a cryptic comment, and it sounds as if the functionality isn’t quite ready to get out the door yet — especially considering we’re all expecting the iPhone 5 to debut in September.
Still, there is no doubt that wireless connectivity is on Apple’s mind — it’s just a question of how much of this newfangled wireless stuff we’ll see in 2012. With all of the recent, conflicting rumors about NFC, and the already-confirmed passbook, there’s the possibility that the iPhone 5 will usher in some real lifestyle-changing wireless stuff. At the same time, all of these wireless innovation seem to have big, possibly negative unintended consequences. In the case of NFC, it’s the need to get a wide swath of the retail sector to onboard onto new NFC technologies. With changes like the dock connector and AirPlay Direct, whole sectors are affected. While it’s easy to think that Apple doesn’t ultimately care, these sectors certainly lobby Cupertino, andy their feedback helps steer Apple’s R&D department.
Is the world ready for the fully wireless, totally paper-or-plasticless mobile lifestyle, with the iPhone 5 at the center of it all?

iPhone 5 In September, iPad Mini In October

iphone 5 and ipad miniA new report appears to reconcile the release schedule for the long-rumored iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, with the former arriving in September and the latter in October.
Over the past few weeks of mass production rumors concerning the iPhone 5, it has been difficult to reconcile the rumors that the iPad Mini would be co-released along with the iPhone 5 in September. In addition to the fact that Apple rarely presents two new, differing hardware products on the same announcement stage, we’ve heard much less about iPad Mini parts than we have iPhone 5 parts. But a new report from AllThingsD appears to offer a more plausible release schedule for both the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.
The report states:
Apple’s next generation iPhone and its so-called “iPad mini” will debut at two separate events this fall, rather than a single one as has been widely speculated, according to several sources.
First comes the latest iteration of the tech giant’s hugely popular smartphone, which will be unveiled at an as yet unannounced event on September 12.
Only after the next-generation iPhone is out the door and on sale will Apple announce the smaller iPad it’s been working on. That device, which is expected to have a display of less than eight inches, will be uncrated at a second special event, which sources said is currently scheduled for October.
While we have little to go on concerning the credibility of AllThingsD’s sources, the release blueprint makes a lot more sense in that it breaks up this co-release rumor. (Can we finally put to rest the notion that Apple will ever co-release products in this way? C’mon!) The crux of this new report is that Apple will position the lesser-priced iPad Mini as an ideal Christmas item — particularly amidst a slumping world economy that could be further shocked in the fall by deteriorating market conditions in both the U.S. and Europe.
An important factor to consider with respect to the release of the iPad Mini and iPhone 5 is the eventual release of iOS 6 alpha. Australian Macworld points out that “If history is any guide, iOS 6 will be available at the same time that Apple refreshes the iPhone, likely in September or October.” Clearly, iOS 6 is the pivot point for when the iPhone 5 will be released, since Apple traditionally links the new iOS with the iPhone. This is bound to be continued this year, since iOS 6 is projected to feature improvements to Siri, the introduction of Passbook, and perhaps even iWallet — all software products that will feature and utilize iPhone hardware.
Conversely, Apple has demonstrated in the past that they are more apt to let iPad iterations use current iOS versions and have not tethered the release of new iPad models on new iOSs. With this thinking in mind, one can indeed imagine that iOS 6 will launch at the end of September, along with the iPhone 5, and the iPad Mini will follow in October.
For as much as these release date rumors are beginning to congeal, there are still some outstanding possibilities. One is that we’ve still yet to see any official Apple event scheduled for September 12th. But considering that there are a couple of weeks until that date, it’s possible that Apple is trying to withhold any official announcement until the last minute in order to further fuel speculation. Another consideration is that the September 12th announcement, should it occur, could be a new iPod event, and that the purported sightings of the iPhone 5 are actually sightings of an iPod. But the backs of the iPhone 5 units we’ve seen have all had the “iPhone” moniker on them, so if these are actually iPods, it would mean that there was a concerted, deliberate effort to pose them as iPhone 5 fakes.
And the final wrinkle in this puzzle is iOS 6. Apple has told us only that it will be released “this fall.” Fall begins on September 22nd in the northern hemisphere this year. Is that date and the reported release date of the iPhone 5 on September 21st seem conspicuous to you?

“Most Comprehensive Assembly” iPhone 5 Leaks With Purported NFC Chip

The first purported sightings of NFC hardware have shown up on what it being touted as

the most complete leak of the iPhone 5 yet. Could iWallet really see full implementation

in 2012 after all?
The summer of 2012 has featured part after part of the purported iPhone 5 coming out

in drips and drabs. One of the most conspicuous absences in these photos, however,

has been the inclusion of chips, which would ostensibly give us a much better view of

what to expect from this year’s iPhone. A newly leaked photo, however, seems to be

showing off a small chip that could very well be NFC, all amidst a new parts dump that

is being called the most complete leak we’ve seen yet.
According to SlashGear:
The photos of the apparently assembled front panel of the new smartphone,

discovered on a Photobucket account, include a hitherto-unseen square component

covered with EMI shielding, that’s tipped to be a near-field communications chip. . .

Macotakara identified the potential component, with AppleInsider suggesting the

dimensions fit with super-compact chips such as the 5 x 5 mm models offered by NXP.

That company already supplies Samsung for the Galaxy Nexus’ NFC implementation

and is believed to also power Sony’s NFC-enabled phones.”
What I find most compelling about the chip is its placement. If you recall from previous

articles where we posted photos of Apple’s NFC patents, the NFC hardware technology

was always represented as being positioned somewhere near the top of the device.

The difference with this current leak and schematics on the patents is only that the

current NFC chip appears to be right of the earpiece — in the original drawings, they

represented it on the left. But one could imagine that this shift could be superfluous.

Still not present in any of these leaked photos is a glimpse of the processor. A

discussion of the main chip for the iPhone 5 has largely disappeared from the

conversation, after a lot of conjecture about it after the release of the iPad 3 and its A5X

chip. The New iPad features a dual-core CPU and quad-core GPU in order to process

its retina display. It still remains to be seen if Apple will deploy quad-core technology in

the iPhone 5 or not.

It’s strange — just how many things are strange this iPhone season — how Apple

would allow the NFC component of the iPhone 5 to leak, but not the processor. For

those who are anticipating the iPhone 5, it can be said that NFC would make more of a

splash feature-wise than, say, a retina display, since users have already had a chance

to see the retina display in action on the New iPad and MacBook Pros.

Either te iPhone 5 fakes are getting more elaborate, or Apple has doubled down on

losing control of its own product development security.
It’s also not hard to imagine that the claim that the iPhone 5 will feature a headphone

jack on the bottom of the device could have something to do with the inclusion of the

NFC hardware at the top of the device. The logic here might be that when users point

their device at an NFC receiver, they’ll do it with the top of the phone, not the bottom.

And if the NFC hardware in the top of the device is bulky enough, it could have been the

motivating design factor in moving the headphone jack to the bottom.

September 12th iPhone 5 & iPad Mini Announcement: Fact Or Fiction?

It’s amazing to me how the form factor and features of the iPhone 5, the advent of the iPad Mini, and the September 12th announcement date that will herald them all into existence, are all not a foregone conclusion for the tech media — and have been for some time. Perhaps it is simply that the media and tech users have reached some kind of psychic breaking point in their wait for the elusive iPhone 5, and that the tacit acceptance of these rumors as facts is some kind of variant on Stockholm Syndrome: we’ve been held hostage by Apple for so long that now we’re prepared to believe anything.
Each passing week has revealed a new part or sighting of the elongated iPhone 5 specs which, combined with a crescendo of mass production reports coming out of Asia, has constructed some sort of consensus that what we’re seeing is what we’re going to get. It’s certainly possible — we had glimpses of the iPad 3 that turned out to be largely accurate. At the same time, the source and presentation of the parts have been just sketchy enough to leave a lingering measure of doubt. Could it be that the scammers are just getting better and better at scamming us?
Even more puzzling is the belief in the iPad Mini. Though production reports and leaked photos have been scarce throughout the tech world, media sources insist that Apple will indeed unveil the long-rumored mini tablet alongside the iPhone 5, in a move that is so decidedly un-Apple and un-Steve Jobs. If Apple co-releases these products, then it will mark a profound sea change in the Jobsian approach to hyping and marketing Apple products.
And if all the iPhone 5 leaks turn out to be true, even moreso.
But what about this September 12th announcement date? It too has become cemented into the story of the iPhone 5. Can we rely on September 12th to truly be “the event we’ve all been waiting for?” (Kind of like how WWDC 2012 was “the week we’ve all been waiting for”?)

Some folks have asked me about my consumer electronics accessories sources in Asia, and what they are saying. They are all in on these rumors, just like the rest of the tech community. Cases are being tooled for the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, and September 12th is D-Day for the launch of marketing campaigns in order to be first to market with new iPhone 5 and iPad Mini gear. But where are they getting their information from? From the bits of iPhone 5 flotsam and jetsam that have leaked into the rumor mill out of shady mainland China?

Moreover, why are we locked into September 12?

So far as I can tell, the September 12th announcement date stands as a result of this article from iMore, published on July 30th:

iMore has learned that Apple is planning to debut the new iPhone at a special event on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, with the release date to follow 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This information comes from sources who have proven accurate in the past.

The iPad mini will be announced at the same September 12 event, as will the new iPod nano. We haven’t heard a release date for the iPad mini yet, but it could be the same as the iPhone 5. It seems likely the new iPod touch will make an appearance on September 12 as well, though we haven’t heard any specific information about that yet either.

Dig deeper into the article, and you start to realize that iMore’s September 12th claim seems more like a deduction based on a rumor posted on a French website citing Chinese sources: “Last week, App4Phone.fr, citing Chinese manufacturing sources, reported the September 21 release date.”

Then, iMore seeks to bolster its claim by citing the agreement of some tech media heavyweights: “Update 2: Jim Dalrymple of The Loop has added his trademark “yep”. Update 3: The Verge is now reporting the September 12, 2012 date as well.”

Interestingly enough, The Verge is where the notion of the elongated iPhone 5 screen first appeared.

Apple is certainly able to call a press conference at its headquarters in Cupertino, but looking at the Moscone Center’s schedule for September, it seems unlikely that there is any way the event could take place there on September 12th:

moscone center schedule september 2012
Intel, which is one of Apple’s key partners, has an event that straddles the 12th, its their big convention/tradeshow for the year. Would Apple have an event to release three new devices — iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and new iPods — and completely suck the air out of Intel’s gig down the street? Maybe.
If Apple is really going to do this on September 12th, it would stand to reason that they would need to get invitations out by September 1st or so, in order to give the mainstream media ample time to get their schedules in place to attend. With that weekend being the Labor Day weekend in the U.S., and the start-up of school the following week, that’s an awfully awkward time to have this landmark event, isn’t it? Last year’s October event was much better positioned, since most people had already settled down into a routine — and were ready to spend some money.
Just as I am not 100% sold on all of this iPhone 5 and iPad Mini stuff going into the announcement, I’m also not 100% sold on the date of the announcement, either. Apple has shown us that anything is possible. But if all this comes true, it seems to make a lot less sense than we’re used to Apple making when it comes to product releases.

iPhone 5 Front Panel & Screen Leak Looks Like Previous Parts

iphone 5 with serial numbersWe’re being treated once again to what is said to be a glimpse of the iPhone 5, depicting the screen and panel at close range.
Unlike some of the more recent sightings of leaked iPhone 5 parts that have come from Asian-based parts resellers and repair facilities, we now have a sighting of the purported “long body” iPhone 5 from a website called Ubreakifix.com. I agree with MacRumors, who says that “The parts don’t appear to be particularly revealing. We’ve seen similar components before . . .” Those “similar components” would be the overall design of the next iPhone, which leaked parts seem to corroborate that the longer aspect ratio rumor is set to come true.

As you can see in these new photos, the screen and front panel are the same dimensions. There’s also a close-up of the screen, wherein we get a gander at some of the component’s serial numbers
Because UbreakiFix is a U.S. company with some level of trust and authority — they bear the Better Business Bureau badge and have a several offices throughout the country — it perhaps lends a level of credence to the veracity of the rumor. But let’s not forget that Case-Mate, an even larger, more established company, leaked iPhone 5 cases last year as well (much to their own embarrassment).
The question I always ask is, how did the leaker get these parts? I understand that keeping sources anonymous is a key ingredient to getting leaked information, but for a U.S. company like UbreakiFix, it’d be nice to know if the parts came from an Asian reseller, or if these parts came direct from the same source or sources that have been supplying other rumor mills.
So, I looked on the UbreakiFix website to see if I could get a better scoop on the story than what MacRumors and others have been reporting. This is what I found out:
iphone 5 front
For as much as UbreakiFix went out of their way to emblazon their logo across all of their purported leaked photos, there is no mention of the findings on their website! Nothing! I thought, “well, they have a blog, at least. Surely they’ll have a blog posting of the photos.” Again, nothing. Search “iPhone 5? on their site — still nothing.
It’s as if the parts were never found on the website. To me, that’s dubious.
My question at this point is, what did UbreakiFix know, and when did they know it? (Not really — I’ve just always wanted to have a good excuse to type that question, since I think it’s hilarious.) But seriously, where are these parts coming from? How about “Kwe Co.,” the other brand on the photos? Well, I looked up Kwe Co. on Google Hong Kong and found KWE Technologies Group, which “specializes in Custom Control Panels, Building Automation, PCB Services, and Systronik flue gas Analyzers.” Definitely “right church,” but “wrong pew.” Who are these guys?

Until someone can shed some light on how these parts are making it into the open, a show will continue to be cast on the entire scope of these leaked parts. It isn’t to say that they are patently fake or false — to be sure, the preponderance of evidence would suggest they are in fact real. But with every new leak seems to come some awkward detail that keeps a lingering doubt into the minds of many hopeful iPhone 5'ers.

El Cheap-o iPad Mini Cases Finally Show Up Along El Cheap-o iPhone 5 Cases

ipad-mini-el-cheap-case-1

Plenty of iPhone 5 flotsam and jetsam is floating around the rumor mill, but where is all of the iPad mini junk? Now, some el cheap-o iPad Mini cases have surfaced. But does this really prove anything?

Ah yes, the iPad Mini. Much like the abominable snowman, chupacabra, or bigfoot, it has been long speculated on, sometimes sighted (as in within Cupertino’s secret labs), but at present, nothing has really been seen in the Apple rumor mill pipeline — until now.

According to Tapscape, a couple of el cheap-o polycarbonate plastic shell cases for the purported iPad Mini have surfaced out of China’s dollar-store manufacturing machine, along with the customary iPhone 5 cases that may — or very well may not — have anything to do with the iPhone 5 that Apple officially releases in 2012. Tapscape explains:

New iPad Mini photo leaks emerged this week which served to reconfirm collective agreement that a 7-inch Apple tablet launch is on the horizon. The iPad Mini is speculated to feature a 7-7.85 inch screen and may ship with a non-retina display in order to bring down the price to a level that is competitive with the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Those “photo leaks” of the iPad Mini, which were also commented on by 9to5Mac, are just about as sketchy as they come, which makes any synergy between those photos and these new cases tenuous at best.

ipad-mini-el-cheap-o-case-2

Notwithstanding the fact that these two supposed iPad Mini cases are absolutely hideous, the cutouts and dimensions immediately inspire scrutiny. I won’t take all of the fun away from iPhone 5 News Blogcommentors, but Tapscape makes a few observations: “The iPad Mini case photos reveal circular openings for a rear-facing camera and a separate space for a rear-located mic. The bottom of the iPad Mini cases also have a space for the Mini Dock connector, which is widely expected to replace the current 30-pin connector in all future Apple iOS devices.”

The bottom of the clear case has an opening at the bottom, but it looks wide enough to accommodate a 500-pin dock connector. I have an old dot matrix printer in my attic — maybe I’ll go up there, salvage the serial cable connected to it, and plug it in to see if Apple is bringing back old school connectivity.

Tapscape does take these new el cheap-o cases in stride, however, adding:

Case manufacturers have a habit of prefabricating thousands of iPhone cases before the launch of a new model in hopes of being first-to-market. We saw a similar event in the lead-up to the release of the iPhone 4S – but none of the expected changes eventuated. There is a good chance that these iPhone 5 cases and iPad Mini case photos may just represent ambitious speculation based on existing rumors, but there is also a chance that they may in-fact be based on actual final-build models.

Aside from a very poor set of photos, there has been very few iPad Mini parts sightings — a bad sign that it will actually be co-released with the iPhone 5. Considering that the el cheap-o cases of 2011 were totally off-base, as were the dual release rumors of last year, it can be assumed that a report like this one not only fails to confirm the iPad Mini, but also makes the current iPhone 5 design look sketchy since, if this case manufacturer claims to have an inside track on the as-yet-unseen iPad Mini, how reliable is their information on the iPhone 5's form factor?

The Fakest-Looking Part Of The Purported iPhone 5

If the glimpses of the purported iPhone 5 units that we’ve seen thus far are all fakes, then they are the best fakes we’ve seen to date. But there’s one angle to these supposed sightings of the New iPhone that look off to me.
The more and more we hear about iPhone 5 sightings, parts, “proof” in the iOS 6 beta code, and beyond, consumers, the media, and even case designers are increasingly believing the hype. The feeling is that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and the fact that so many of these parts are showing up, and all of them appear to match up with one another, point to consensus.
Skeptical holdouts have pointed to the odd elongated screen as a red flag for the iPhone 5 prototypes’ authenticity. Another eyebrow-raiser has been the slightly mismatched metal on the backs of both the white and black iPhone 5 prototypes that suggests to some that Apple tends to try to make their form factors look streamlined and seamless. But these arguments, while legitimate, are debatable as well: Apple could very well see their longer-but-not-wider display as a compromise between a larger screen that still maintains the profile of the classic iPhone dimensions. And the slightly mismatched metal could be an aesthetic flair to show off the fact that the iPhone 5 will have a metal back — maybe even made out of the now-mythic LiquidMetal.
I can actually buy both of those arguments. But there is another aspect of the iPhone 5 sightings that, to me, looks really bogus, and no one has ever brought it up. In fact, it’s an angle that gets shown off regularly. Take a look:
iphone 5 bottom
The bottom of these iPhone 5 units, to me, look really “off.” And it’s not just a gut feeling, either. First off, have we not heard that the MagSafe is coming to the iPhone 5's dock connector, and that it will be somewhere in the 9-pin range? I’m not exactly sure that the MagSafe is ready to be able to transfer both power and energy, but even if it is, take a look at the MagSafe on a MacBook: you can clearly see the pins, and the socket itself is rather shallow — nothing like the gaping hole depicted above. It could be that this particular photo only shows the form factor and does not contain the innards, but even the purported “fully assembled” iPhone 5 sightings have looked like this.
Second, what’s with the headphone jack on the bottom of the device? Does it not seem rather odd that Apple would move it from top to the bottom? Perhaps it’s because of NFC hardware that could be positioned in the upper left quadrant of the device, but I’m still doubtful of that. And again, the hole for the jack looks nothing like it does on the iPhone 4 and 4S, which has a fine circle around it. The new jack looks like a “plain” 1/8? jack that you would see on a Magnavox walkman from the mid 80s.
Third, what’s with the asymmetrical number of speaker holes in the bottom? I get it — the presence of the headphone jack reduces the lefthand number of holes to only five. But does Apple do asymmetry like this? The bottom speaker screens on the current iPhone are elegant — they look like mini versions of something Bose would create. The asymmetrical, clumsy look of the speaker array on this model is homely by Apple’s standards.

To make a truly believable iPhone 5, one would have to be a kind of “master sculptor,” taking into account every possible angle of the device, and crafting it in such a way that rings true as an Apple design. In my opinion, there are just enough questionable angles to this iPhone 5 to keep it in question up to the very day that Tim Cook walks out on stage with it — or not.

Report: iOS 6 Accommodates Rumored Longer iPhone 5 Display

Skeptics of the purported iPhone 5 prototypes have suggested that the longer display and stretched aspect ratio would cause mayhem in the app world. But new evidence shows that iOS 6 can accommodate the elongated screen.

Among people who are skeptical of the iPhone 5 sightings first released by 9to5Mac, there tends to be two camps: the “I don’t like it” camp” and the “it cannot be done” camp. Those in the former group are acting on personal preference, and imagining that Apple would not dare elongate the iPhone 5's display on account of their not liking the idea. But for the latter, many say that the likelihood of an altered aspect ratio for the iPhone 5 is low, since a chance in aspect ratio would run the risk of fragmenting the all-important app market that already exists for iOS devices.

A new report from 9to5Mac today, however, indicates that there are clues within iOS 6 beta that suggests it can handle the change in aspect ratio, thus bridging the gap between the old iPhone display dimensions and the new 640 x 1136 display rumors that continue to persist.

9to5Mac reports that:

Thanks to some tweaks to the iOS Simulator application that is included in the iOS development tools, we were able to run the simulator at the rumored next-generation iPhone display resolution of 640 x 1136. We did this running both the current public release of iOS 5.1 and the upcoming iOS 6.0 The iOS 5.1 simulator displayed the home screen with a stretched set of four rows of icons. On the other hand, iOS 6 displayed five complete rows – as our sources said Apple was testing for taller iPhone displays.

To be sure, skeptics will point to the fact that this test is far from being completely empirical, considering that the experiment was done by tweaking the iOS simulator. It very well may be that the simulator was altered to give 9to5Mac the results they are looking for — a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, if the simulator was tweaked to display 640 x 1136, could it also be tweaked to accommodate the aspect ratio of a Samsung Galaxy S 3, or some other competing device?

9to5Mac seems to have anticipated this critique, and added the following:

Perhaps even more interesting is that the simulator will not correctly display five rows of icons at resolutions other than 640 x 1136. At other resolutions, the icons will scale to an iPad-like home screen layout, not at the proportions and spacing of the current iPhone and iPod touch display. This may just add another layer of proof that the next-gen iPhone display will come in at a resolution of 640 x 1136.

It may, but because the “tweaks” are relatively unexplained in the article, it’s hard to necessarily call this a “smoking gun” piece of evidence for the longer display. In other words, the ability to alter the simulator does not necessarily prove that Apple is developing the long-screened iPhone 5. Or at least as far as we know from the article.

However, what this test does do is give us a sneak peak into what the UI effect would be of such an innovation. 9to5Mac was kind enough to render the displays side by side, so that we could compare and contrast the dimensions:

iphone 5 aspect ratio

What’s also interesting here is that the longer-screened upgrade is seen as a kind of improvement to the UI experience by adding more icons and gesture area — not simply a means of improving video viewing.

The legacy of the long screen has been perhaps the most intriguing rumored feature of the 2012 iPhone 5 rumor mill. From its early inception in the Verge forums (which immediately was characterized as Apple’s attempt at floating the idea to the general public) to 9to5Mac’s photos, and now this — we seem to being led down a path towards adoption of this new screen and aspect ratio. If in the end the iPhone 5 turned out to look exactly like the images we’re seeing in the rumor mill, then I think it’s safe to say that Apple allowed these leaks of the iPhone 5 in order for the new screen and aspect ratio to sick in before the official unveiling.

The question is, are you buying into it?

Kicking The Google Habit: iPhone 5, iOS 6 To Drop YouTube Support

iphone 5 and iOS 6 with no youtube supportIn the wake of Apple dropping Google Maps from iOS 6 and replacing it with its own in-house technology, new news that YouTube native support will be dropped as well. Will iOS be Google-free by 2013?

News broke yesterday that the native YouTube app for iOS 6 will be going the way of the do-do. The statement from Apple was posted originally on The Verge: “Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store.”

For iOS 5 device users who love the YouTube app (which seem to be few and far between), it appears that the loss of the native support will only be for iOS 6 devices, and that older devices will be grandfathered in: “Engadget has also heard from Apple and learned that while iOS 6 devices will lose the stock YouTube app, iOS 5 devices will not. It seems that either Google’s licensing agreement permits it to stay on the older OS, Apple didn’t want to go to the trouble to push out a point update that takes away a feature, or some combination of both.”

To clarify, Google and YouTube won’t be going completely away from iOS — Google has explicitly stated that it will develop an app for their streaming video service, giving iOS users the option of adding the feature back into their mobile computing experience.

The general perception of the native YouTube support on iOS is that it stinks — there isn’t a great deal of heartache on the part of iPhone and iPad users over the loss of the YouTube app. But perhaps the reason why this is a big story worth thinking about is that the dropping of YouTube from iOS 6 and beyond is yet another example of how Apple appears to be scrubbing YouTube services out of their products.

The dropping of YouTube begs the question: will we see an Apple version of YouTube — perhaps through iTunes — sometime in the near future, in a bid to compete with Google’s services? We’ve already seen the replacement of the poorly-supported Google Maps with what promises to be an impressive Apple Maps interface. Now, with the eventual dropping of YouTube, Apple appears to feel as though they can offer their users some kind of replacement down the line.

I have also written more than once about what I believe to be Apple’s semi-clandestine attempt to someday compete against Google search with Siri. Evidence such as its heavy reliance on search engine Wolfram Alpha and its vast repository of data centers suggests that Apple is already in the search business, and offering Siri users a different kind of search engine that leverages stored data, as opposed to Google Search’s indexing of web pages across the internet.

I now wonder if it is possible to imagine that 2013 iOS devices could see the dropping of Google Search as well? The further development of Siri on iOS 6 will perhaps give us a better sense of how close something like that could be.

Post Script: Hard Times For Google

You may not know it, but Google is having a bit of a rough patch right now with its revenues. The losses are coming as a direct result of the degradation of its AdWords business (the ads that appear on this blog as well as in Google Search, YouTube, Maps, and other Google services). This, from Slashdot, really lays out Google’s recent decline:

“Rebecca Greenfield writes that during their recent earnings call, Google reported a 16 percent decline in Cost-per-Click (CPC), meaning the value of each advertisement clicked has gone down. This follows a 12 percent drop last quarter and 8 percent the quarter before that showing an unfortunate reality of online advertising.”

I would not be shocked if Wall Street has a big October surprise in the fall over Google’s earnings.

The cause of Google’s drop in ad revenues has a lot to do with search engine optimization, or SEO as it is commonly known, which is being used by small online businesses in place of Google “pay-per-click” (PPC) ads. Whatever the case, Apple might see this opportunity to jump into the ad game for itself in the upcoming years — since there is no other ad system that currently competes with AdWords — as well as an opportunity to really stick it to Google. Imagine for a moment how fewer ad impressions Google’s AdWords will receive once Maps, YouTube, and maybe even Search is gone from iOS devices.

iPhone 5 Display Report Complicates September 12th Announcement

Some tech media heavyweights have given the nod to the September 12th iPhone 5 announcement as being the real deal. But does a report today from Reuters regarding iPhone 5 display shipments call that date into question?
On Tuesday, Charles Moore outlined a new rumor that Apple is gearing up for an iPhone 5 announcement on September 12th, which was later supported by other tech media outlets. I had a chance to run the date by Sam Levin of App Minute and our correspondent for covering Apple events, and he seemed to believe as much, saying, “already on the Sept event trail, dude!” Between the release date and design being seemingly agreed upon, there doesn’t seem much left to do but twiddle our thumbs and wait.
But a report today from Reuters manage to raise a few eyebrows regarding iPhone 5 production, and whether a mide=-September announcement and late-September launch is indeed feasible.
The article reports that:

“Japan’s Sharp Corp. will start shipping screens destined for a new Apple iPhone that is widely expected to be released in October ahead of the pre-Christmas shopping season. ‘Shipments will start in August,’ Sharp’s new president, Takashi Okuda, said at a press briefing in Tokyo on Thursday after the company released its latest quarterly earnings. He declined to give a more specific date for shipments beyond this month.”
From a production standpoint, it’s great news, as this kind of evidence typically comes as the new iPhone nears completion. But the question remains: is roughly two months enough time for Apple to produce enough iPhone 5 units for the big launch?

The answer is difficult to arrive at, since no one really knows what the production process or schedule looks like, and where the displays fit into the mix. However, considering that we’ve purportedly gotten multiple looks at the iPhone 5 from different websites, and that iPhone 5 parts are allegedly flowing liberally out of places like Foxconn, it begs the question: is there another display provider who has already been supplying Apple with screens? Otherwise, are these rumored devices prototypes or actual production models?
Whatever the case, we know from experience that Apple can produce iPhones at quite a clip. A report on September 8th last year from Charles noted that Foxconn was producing 150,000 units a day. That was just about a month before the announcement. We reported the day about reports that the iPhone 4S had been in production for two months prior

Based on these reports from last year, we know what Apple is capable of. The big consideration this year is that they are working with a completely new form factor, which undoubtedly must complicate production to some degree.

“We Don’t Need Your Stinkin’ 19-Pin!” New Rumors Of An 8-Pin iPhone 5 Dock Connector

If the unbridled joy and fervor of the 30-pin dock connector being reduced to the newfangled 19-pin variety, then get ready for an even tinier, 8-pin dock connector for the iPhone 5. Or so the rumor mill tells us.

For the remainder of this rumor cycle, I’m going to have to write about the dock connector with a little bit of mirth, since it seems like we’ve already spent far too much time discerning about the iPhone 5′s dock connector. Sure, a new dock connector will have implications, but fretting over butt-end of the iPhone 5 seems like an exercise in futility.
Of course, exercises in futility are the iPhone 5 rumor mill’s specialty.

The report originated by Jeremy Horwitz over at iLounge, who said:
“According to two sources, Apple’s new Dock Connector features only 8 pins, seemingly contradicting claims of “16-pin” and “19-pin” connectors. Although the original Dock Connector contained 30 pins, reports of 16- or 19-pin connectors seemed hard to square with the port’s small size and Apple’s actual need for additional pins beyond what USB/Micro-USB offer.”

If you’re looking for photos or schematics that corroborate Horwitz’s sources’ claims, I’m sorry to say that none are forthcoming. It seems that Horwitz has substantiated what he has heard with the photos of the purported iPhone 5 we’ve seen sprouting up across the rumor mill (which, by the way, my consumer electronics accessory executive source has confirmed is the iPhone 5 — they are already tooling cases for it). Looking at the photo of the dock connector, indeed it looks more like the size of a micro USB port, and could very well support the notion of a smaller dock connector.

Horwitz did update his post by adding: “Update: A source chimes in to confirm and explain the second detail: the male connector has 8 pins on each side, while the female connector has only 8 pins on one side. This enables the iPhone/iPod/iPad (with female port) to connect to either side of a male cable or docking plug.”

What I like about the iLounge rumor is that it makes some logical sense. If the current connector has 30 pins, then a 19-pin connector wouldn’t be nearly as small as the recent photos have suggested; the 8-pin design would fit the mold. Also, we’ve been told that one of the reason for Apple retooling the dock connector is so that they can slim down their mobile devices. If this is the case, then a dramatically smaller dock connector would fit the bill.

We’re also hearing rumors that the connector will be a MagSafe-style connector. To me, this is a no-brainer for the iPhone 5 and future iPads — anyone who has a MacBook has had the MagSafe save them from drop page disaster at least once. At the very least, it’s just a quicker, more secure way of making a connection. In the past, the application of MagSafe n the iPhone and iPad may have been limited by the necessity of transferring both power and data.

But with Apple utilizing OTA updates, maybe we’re moving in the direction of no hardware connections at all for charging and data transfer (particularly with 4G LTE coming to the iPhone 5). We’ve already heard that the iPhone 5 could have wireless, inductive charging. Could the iPhone 6 have wireless charging and data transfer?
Possibly.
In the meantime, it looks like we’re getting a smaller dock connector. Ok, rumor mill — we got it. What’s it going to be next week — 4-pin?

(I can’t believe I just tried to crack a “pin” joke.”)

With The iPhone 5 Features And Release Date Fully Exposed, Is There Anything Left To Speculate On

Apple’s future iPhone releases used to be the closest-held secrets in the consumer technology sector. But this year, the tech media claims to have all the
answers for what the iPhone 5 will look like and when it will be released. Is cagey Apple and its secretive iPhone release a thing of the past?

If you listen to the iPhone 5 rumor mill these days, it would appear that the new iPhone has been figured out: we know exactly what it will look like, the
dimensions of the display, the new 19-pin dock connector, and now — the announcement date. In spite of the fact that it isn’t even August yet, sources

now claim that September 12th has been circled on the calendar by Cupertino execs for the big iPhone 5 exposé.
According to Jonny Evans roundup article over at Computerworld, this date has been confirmed not by only one tech media outlet, but several:

All Things Digital, The Loop and others are all making claims of this September 12 event, and while most are not categorically stating this will see the
introduction of the new device, the date does seem to match existing speculation claiming a Fall release of the new smartphone. Recent reports claimed

iPhone 5 production to have already begun. The device should then ship around September 21/22, we’re told.

What’s particularly interesting is that Jim Dalrymple’s The Loop is counted among the tech blogs claiming September 12th as the date, considering that

Jim has proven to have some deep sources within Cupertino; he usually acts as an accurate barometer for whether audacious claims about future Apple

products pass the smell test. He seems to be buying into the notion that September 12th could be the day.
Dalrymple is pretty definitive:
iphone 5 announcement on September 12th from The Loop
However, it’s important to note that the announcement and release dates for the iPhone 5 — September 12th and 21st/22nd, respectively — was

originally championed by iMore, as explored in Charles’ post yesterday.
It would be easy to act incredulous toward all of these bold claims — after all, Apple has a much longer track record of keeping secrets close to the vest.

Add to this Tim Cook’s promise of “doubling down” on security, and how could we ever believe that we’re seeing the iPhone 5 and getting the exact date

of its release fourty-some days before its announcement?
It is possible that more accurate leaks are a part of Apple’s new strategy under Tim Cook.

There’s no denying that the secretive, buzz-building wielding of the rumor mills was a deliberate strategy of Steve Jobs. But it remains to be seen if Apple

is still playing from Jobs’ playbook when it comes to dealing with new products. Earlier in the week, we heard Tim Cook give a very careful, measure

response to the possibility that the speculation surrounding the new iPhone could be hurting current sales, with Cook referring only to an amorphous

“future product.” That style of elusive banter seems like vintage Steve Jobs.
At the same time, you’ll recall that, for the first time, the tech rumor mills did a rather good job of getting the New iPad right. With the exception of its

name, late-breaking and even some not-so-late-breaking reports accurately reported the retina display, slightly thicker dimensions, same form factor,

and A5X processor.
The earlier, more accurate leaks could indeed be coming from Asia, where Apple’s ability to control security among its component producers and
assemblers may be more restricted than that of its own campus at 1 infinite loop. But in recent years, we’ve seen companies like Foxconn, and even the
Chinese government, work closely with Apple to ensure security on future products, and even come down hard on those who leak information out of Asia.

It has become a very risky proposition to do so, what with China’s famously draconian “justice” system, which has already prosecuted leakers in the past.
We have also seen Apple themselves push back hard against errant leaks, such as the famous iPhone 4 incident, with Apple pressing authorities to

charge Jason Chen of Gizmodo. Remember that?
This time around, Apple seems to be doing nothing over all of these purported leaks. And that could suggest two things: either Apple is at the heart of

these leaks (the conspiracy theory angle), or that everything we’re seeing and hearing is completely bogus, and Apple is content to let the misinformation

set us up for a big surprise in the fall.
I do not believe that Apple would leak a fake iPhone 5 to the public, for fear of creating a possible let-down: it would be a risky proposition for Apple to

release a fake product that people could come to love and anticipate, only to have its actual iPhone 5 disappoint. I also cannot imagine that Apple’s
security could have really gotten this bad.
In my opinion, either this iPhone 5 is the real thing and Apple has been complicit in letting it get out in the open, or it is a complete fabrication that Apple

has nothing to do with. Either way, we’re still guaranteed silence from Cupertino on the matter until the big day finally comes.

Apple Mulls Stake In Twitter

Twitter and AppleIf there’s anything Apple has not been good at, it’s social media. While Google finally seems to have figured out in own place in the

social media niche with the highly Google Search-oriented Google+, Apple has struggled to craft its own branded social media experience. Building off of

iTunes, Cupertino hoped that Ping could be their answer. But for as popular as Apple’s on-demand music e-commerce platform may be, it has not proven

to be well-suited for a social media integration like Ping.

Now, however, it appears as if Apple might forgo an attempt at building its own social networking platform and instead buy a stake in Twitter.

According to the New York Times:

Apple has considered an investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars, one that could value Twitter at more than $10 billion, up from an $8.4 billion

valuation last year, these people said. They declined to be named because the discussions were private.

To be sure, it isn’t a lot of money for Apple, which is reported to have $117 billion in liquid assets at its disposal. However, it is a make departure from

Apple’s usual model of market development, which usually features an acquisition of a small start-up company that can then be shaped in Apple’s image

and likeness, or Apple’s own in-house development of a product and service.

The Times points out that “Twitter and Apple have already been working together. Recently, Apple has tightly sewn Twitter features into its software for

phones, tablets and computers, while, behind the scenes, Twitter has put more resources into managing its relationship with Apple.” We’ve also seen

with the new iOS 6 build that Apple is moving to further integrate with Facebook as well, after the awkward meltdown of the proposed Apple/Facebook

integration with Ping.

Still, it’s difficult to see what Apple — and Twitter’s angle would be in letting Cupertino become a major stakeholder in the Twitter empire. Although

Apple is a much larger company, Twitter has also managed to stash plenty of cash away — their war chest is reported to be $600 million. That isn’t all

that much when compared to Apple’s stack, but it demonstrates that Twitter is indeed a thriving company. In fact, it still remains more growth-oriented

than even Facebook, which has seen a slide in interest, as well as its disastrous public stock offering this year.

Speaking of public stock offerings, Apple’s possible investment into Twitter could have a lot to do with a Twitter IPO, since “Twitter is widely expected to

pursue a public offering within the next couple of years, whether or not it agrees to deals with investors like Apple.” For as much as Twitter might have

plenty of cash in the bank, they will need to be much further capitalized if they choose to become a public offering, since we have already seen how

destructive a poorly-managed IPO can be for even a wealthy company like Facebook. Apple’s stake in Twitter could be about reaping a major windfall in

a Twitter IPO.
Further Twitter Integration On iOS?

The Times article also points out that “Apple and Twitter are logical partners in some ways. Unlike Facebook or Google, Twitter has no plans to compete

with Apple in the phone business or elsewhere. And as Apple has found, social is just not in its DNA.” It can also be argued that Twitter’s design —

complete with its 140-character limit, streamlined user interface, and geolocation — makes it a more mobile, on-the-go social media experience than

Facebook. As more and more social media websites pop up, a more definitive division exists between platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which offer

users a more immediate, on-demand social media experience, and Facebook and Pinterest, which are more immersive and keep users on their sites.
Apple may see Twitter as an ideal match for the iPhone.

Time will most certainly tell. While we’ll see more Facebook integration on iOS 6, keeping an eye on what Apple does to accommodate Twitter in the

near future — and vice versa — will tell us a lot about where this relationship may be headed.

GS3 Sales Swell, But Is There Really A One-On-One Android Contender For The iPhone?

The tech media has pitted the GS3 against the iPhone 5 all year. But considering its modest sales compared to the iPhone, why are we still having these

GS3 vs. iPhone conversations?

I was recently talking to one of my contacts in the consumer electronics accessories market, and it was interesting to hear why so few custom cases and

accessories exist for even the better-selling Android and Windows smartphones: “they just don’t sell well 0— why would we build cases for them? We

know the iPhone sells.” That makes a lot of sense.

Recently, however, the tech media has really pushed the notion of Samsung’s Galaxy S 3 taking on the eventual iPhone 5 in a head-to-head match-up

that could begin to change the smartphone paradigm. For as much as this theory might seem little more than an easy storyline to maintain, case

designers have actually bought into it — you’re seeing more and more accessories for the GS3, particularly cases.

But for all the fanfare and buzz about the GS3, what kind of sales has it seen so far this year? 10 million.

This according to a recent Reuters article which, thanks to its mainstream appeal, has helped to carry the torch that the GS3 could indeed be an iPhone

killer: “Samsung Electronics Co expects sales of its new Galaxy S III, launched at the end of last month as a main rival to Apple’s iPhone, to top 10 million

during July, making it the South Korean group’s fastest selling smartphone.” Now, 10 million units sold to date is nothing to shake a stick at when it comes

to abstract sales. But when you consider that the iPhone 4S sold more than four times that number in its first weekend of sales**, and that its total sales

after a year will dwarf the GS3's sales, it begs the question: why are we still having this conversation?

“Perhaps part of the reason why there is a persistent desire to match the iPhone 5 up against other single Android devices is the fact that analysts still

see single Android challenges as market changers for the iPhone. Both Apple and Samsung, for example, posted similarly disappointing sales

expectations in late June, caused ostensibly by the continued economic woes. However, analyst spin continues to favor this GS3/iPhone 5 match-up.

According to eWeek:

The iPhone 4S “is a little bit long in the tooth, when compared to other phones with better specs. To put it plainly, consumers are getting a little bit

tired of the look of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S,” Beijing-based IDC analyst TZ Wong told Reuters.

Wong and other also pointed to devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, saying consumers want devices with (very) large displays and cutting-edge

features.”

Has the GS3's 10 million in sales put a dent in potential iPhone 5 sales down the line? Perhaps to an extent. But you’ll also recall that last year, the same

was said about the preemptive GS2, and yet the iPhone 4S went on to be the biggest iPhone success to date in terms of sales.

But it isn’t just the Samsung Galaxy series of mobile gear that gets erroneously stacked up against Apple products.

An article today from Pop Herald takes a similar tack with Google’s upcoming, new Nexus: “Who wants a Nexus 7-like smartphone? I Do, and it looks like

it has a chance against the iPhone 5 based on the tablet’s early success.” The crux of this article is that a cheaper Nexus smartphone will blast the iPhone

5 through a lower price point. What, like how the Kindle Fire has done to the iPad?

But this is the model: Android x will crush iPhone y because it is z. And z can equal any number of things: bigger screen, better camera, or lower price.

But all of these equations, the fact remains that none of the competing Android devices, no matter how much tech enthusiasts seem to think that they

outpace the iPhone in price or spec, Google’s model is still to compete with the iPhone by empowering lots of Android smartphones; not to compete one

-on-one with Apple.

GS3 Sales Swell, But Is There Really A One-On-One Android Contender For The iPhone?

The tech media has pitted the GS3 against the iPhone 5 all year. But considering its modest sales compared to the iPhone, why are we still having these

GS3 vs. iPhone conversations?

I was recently talking to one of my contacts in the consumer electronics accessories market, and it was interesting to hear why so few custom cases and

accessories exist for even the better-selling Android and Windows smartphones: “they just don’t sell well 0— why would we build cases for them? We

know the iPhone sells.” That makes a lot of sense.

Recently, however, the tech media has really pushed the notion of Samsung’s Galaxy S 3 taking on the eventual iPhone 5 in a head-to-head match-up

that could begin to change the smartphone paradigm. For as much as this theory might seem little more than an easy storyline to maintain, case

designers have actually bought into it — you’re seeing more and more accessories for the GS3, particularly cases.

But for all the fanfare and buzz about the GS3, what kind of sales has it seen so far this year? 10 million.

This according to a recent Reuters article which, thanks to its mainstream appeal, has helped to carry the torch that the GS3 could indeed be an iPhone

killer: “Samsung Electronics Co expects sales of its new Galaxy S III, launched at the end of last month as a main rival to Apple’s iPhone, to top 10 million

during July, making it the South Korean group’s fastest selling smartphone.” Now, 10 million units sold to date is nothing to shake a stick at when it comes

to abstract sales. But when you consider that the iPhone 4S sold more than four times that number in its first weekend of sales**, and that its total sales

after a year will dwarf the GS3's sales, it begs the question: why are we still having this conversation?

“Perhaps part of the reason why there is a persistent desire to match the iPhone 5 up against other single Android devices is the fact that analysts still

see single Android challenges as market changers for the iPhone. Both Apple and Samsung, for example, posted similarly disappointing sales

expectations in late June, caused ostensibly by the continued economic woes. However, analyst spin continues to favor this GS3/iPhone 5 match-up.

According to eWeek:

The iPhone 4S “is a little bit long in the tooth, when compared to other phones with better specs. To put it plainly, consumers are getting a little bit

tired of the look of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S,” Beijing-based IDC analyst TZ Wong told Reuters.

Wong and other also pointed to devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, saying consumers want devices with (very) large displays and cutting-edge

features.”

Has the GS3's 10 million in sales put a dent in potential iPhone 5 sales down the line? Perhaps to an extent. But you’ll also recall that last year, the same

was said about the preemptive GS2, and yet the iPhone 4S went on to be the biggest iPhone success to date in terms of sales.

But it isn’t just the Samsung Galaxy series of mobile gear that gets erroneously stacked up against Apple products.

An article today from Pop Herald takes a similar tack with Google’s upcoming, new Nexus: “Who wants a Nexus 7-like smartphone? I Do, and it looks like

it has a chance against the iPhone 5 based on the tablet’s early success.” The crux of this article is that a cheaper Nexus smartphone will blast the iPhone

5 through a lower price point. What, like how the Kindle Fire has done to the iPad?

But this is the model: Android x will crush iPhone y because it is z. And z can equal any number of things: bigger screen, better camera, or lower price.

But all of these equations, the fact remains that none of the competing Android devices, no matter how much tech enthusiasts seem to think that they

outpace the iPhone in price or spec, Google’s model is still to compete with the iPhone by empowering lots of Android smartphones; not to compete one

-on-one with Apple.

Pegatron Reported To Be Producing iPhone 5 Units; New Dock Connector Rumor Goes Mainstream

More and more iPhone 5 production rumors abound, putting the new iPhone in line for an announcement and release similar to that of the iPhone 4S in

2011. Meanwhile, those persistent rumors of the smaller dock connector have seeped into the mainstream media.

It was just about this time last year that we started to hear about the likes of Foxconn and Pegatron getting busy with iPhone 5 production rumors. Little

did we know at the time that we’d end up with the pedestrian iPhone 4S. But if the abortive 2011 iPhone 5 speculation has a silver lining, it’s that it gave

us a timeline to compare all of this year’s rumors against.

And true to form, we’re beginning to hear whisperings that the iPhone 5 is actually — finally — in production.

The news today comes by way of a DigiTimes source, which claims that the iPhone 5 assembly is underway in Shanghai, with backup assembler

Pegatron getting to work on pumping out new iPhone units. According to CNET:

“iPhone 5 production reports are rolling in from Asia with more frequency. This time, a Taipei-based report claims that Pegatron has started making

the next iPhone. The Taiwan-based manufacturer has begun production of a new version of the iPhone at its factory in Shanghai, according to Digitimes,

citing “industry sources in Taiwan.” This follows a week-earlier report claiming basically the same thing — though that report did not specify the

manufacturer.”

The “week-earlier” report that CNET is referring to is one that came from Japanese rumor blog Macotakara. However, CNET dilutes this new DigiTimes

production rumor by linking it to the Macotakara rumor, since “. . .the Macotakara blog cites listings for iPhone 5 cases on China’s Alibaba.com.”

Not the most rock-solid proof of iPhone 5 production, to be sure.

However, the arc of these iPhone 5 production rumors are somewhat similar to what we heard last year, with Pegatron leading the way in getting started

on serious production. Considering that Foxconn ends up taking on the bulk of the production workload, it remains to be seen why Pegatron is often first

out of the gate in terms of production. However, that seems to be the case once again.

Last year, Charles Moore reported on September 8th, 2011 about a widespread production ramp-up for the iPhone 5, with Foxconn producing some

150,000 units a day. But that was in September — we’re not even into August yet. It may be that we are seeing Apple get an early start on iPhone 5

production in 2012, since the new iPhone will ostensibly be an overhaul from the iPhone 4 design that has persisted since 2010. However, in spite of

these early production rumors, I still do not anticipate an announcement before September, and even a September announcement would be a bit of a

shock. Given the fact that Apple passed on the WWDC for an iPhone 5 announcement, the smart money would have to be on another October

announcement.

Dock Connector Rumor For iPhone 5 Goes Mainstream

I had promised not to over-report on the dock connector rumor for the iPhone 5, since it is one of the more mundane rumored changes for the next

iPhone, and one that carries with it little upside for the end user. However, the dock connector rumors don’t seem to be going away.

Now, Reuters is even making it a story:

“The iPhone 5, Apple’s next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of

the proprietary 30-pin port “to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom”, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.”

The Reuters source makes the reason for the 19-pin dock connector even more boring — at least in the past we had been told that it was part of Apple’s

initiative to make the iPhone 5 much thinner. Now, it appears that the redesign — which will send users and the entire consumer electronics accessories

sector into a tailspin — is so that Apple can move the headphone jack to the bottom of the device. Considering how un-ergonomic that move is, we can

only hope that this is a chain-reaction move, and that the headphone jack is moving down because something really cool (like an NFC-related antenna)

will be inserted near the top of the new iPhone.

Verizon Weighs In [Again] On iPhone 5 Release Date

The second Verizon CEO in as many years has made a prediction about the iPhone 5 release date, taking a guess that it’ll be released “sometime in the

fourth quarter.” Are you impressed?

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that Verizon CEOs of late have a knack for injecting themselves into the iPhone 5 discussion, even if they have very little of

substance to say. You’ll recall that last year, then-Verizon CEO Lowell McAdams made news when in one breath he referred to the 2011 iPhone as

“iPhone 5? and then tried to argue that he “had no idea” of when it would be released. This year, Verizon’s new chief has taken the opposite approach to

making headlines: he’s predicting an iPhone release date range that the majority of the tech media has anticipated since last year: Q4 2012.

CNET reports:

“Apple’s next iteration of the iPhone could drop in the fourth quarter. That’s according to Verizon CFO Fran Shammo, who hinted at the possible timing

during the company’s quarterly conference call today with a vague reference to a major phone the carrier expects to launch in the fourth quarter. . . A

fourth-quarter launch suggests Apple may move in October, similar to its launch of the iPhone 4S last year.”

No duh.

Ever since the coming and going of the 2012 WWDC with no surprise iPhone 5 release, the safe bet has clearly been the fourth quarter of 2012,

considering that October would mark the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 4S’s announcement, Apple’s first foray into a fall iPhone launch, and the fact

that an October announcement and November release takes place within Apple’s fiscal first quarter, giving them strong earnings right out of the gate.

The only alternate theory for a Q4 release has been a few smatterings of August iPhone 5 announcements — however, considering the dearth of

production chatter for the new iPhone, that possibility seems all but impossible at this point.

So, what are we being told here that we don’t already know?

Nothing, most likely. Considering that Mr. Shammo’s comments came while addressing Verizon shareholders, his thinly-veiled hint at the iPhone 5 was

most likely an effort to assuage them, and perhaps encourage a bit of buying in order to further capitalize Verizon ahead of the new iPhone’s launch.

Perhaps a more interesting mobile network-related thread in the iPhone 5 rumor mill is whether or not T-Mobile will finally add the iPhone to its inventory

this year. However, the reason that we’ve heard little about that prospect is that all indications are that T-Mobile won’t gain the iPhone until 2013, when

we begin using the “iPhone 6” moniker to talk about a future iPhone iteration.

From Motoring Crunch:

“T-Mobile USA Inc,, the 4th largest network in the US, may use its parent company’s (Deutsche Telekom AG) sales agreement with Apple to bring to

iPhone to the US in 2013, according to Sanford C Bernstein’s Craig Moffett. Deutsche Telekom and Apple are “increasingly likely” to reach agreement for

T-Mobile to sell iPhones in the US in 2013. New York-based analyst Moffatt claims in a recent research note.”

So there you have it. It would appear that, unlike 2011, when speculation of Sprint getting the iPhone contributed consistently to iPhone speculation, we

appear to have much less to focus on this year as far as the mobile networks are concerned.

Verizon Weighs In [Again] On iPhone 5 Release Date

The second Verizon CEO in as many years has made a prediction about the iPhone 5 release date, taking a guess that it’ll be released “sometime in the fourth quarter.” Are you impressed?

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that Verizon CEOs of late have a knack for injecting themselves into the iPhone 5 discussion, even if they have very little of substance to say. You’ll recall that last year, then-Verizon CEO Lowell McAdams made news when in one breath he referred to the 2011 iPhone as “iPhone 5? and then tried to argue that he “had no idea” of when it would be released. This year, Verizon’s new chief has taken the opposite approach to making headlines: he’s predicting an iPhone release date range that the majority of the tech media has anticipated since last year: Q4 2012.

CNET reports:

“Apple’s next iteration of the iPhone could drop in the fourth quarter. That’s according to Verizon CFO Fran Shammo, who hinted at the possible timing during the company’s quarterly conference call today with a vague reference to a major phone the carrier expects to launch in the fourth quarter. . . A fourth-quarter launch suggests Apple may move in October, similar to its launch of the iPhone 4S last year.”

No duh.

Ever since the coming and going of the 2012 WWDC with no surprise iPhone 5 release, the safe bet has clearly been the fourth quarter of 2012, considering that October would mark the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 4S’s announcement, Apple’s first foray into a fall iPhone launch, and the fact that an October announcement and November release takes place within Apple’s fiscal first quarter, giving them strong earnings right out of the gate. The only alternate theory for a Q4 release has been a few smatterings of August iPhone 5 announcements — however, considering the dearth of production chatter for the new iPhone, that possibility seems all but impossible at this point.

So, what are we being told here that we don’t already know?

Nothing, most likely. Considering that Mr. Shammo’s comments came while addressing Verizon shareholders, his thinly-veiled hint at the iPhone 5 was most likely an effort to assuage them, and perhaps encourage a bit of buying in order to further capitalize Verizon ahead of the new iPhone’s launch.

Perhaps a more interesting mobile network-related thread in the iPhone 5 rumor mill is whether or not T-Mobile will finally add the iPhone to its inventory this year. However, the reason that we’ve heard little about that prospect is that all indications are that T-Mobile won’t gain the iPhone until 2013, when we begin using the “iPhone 6” moniker to talk about a future iPhone iteration.

From Motoring Crunch:

“T-Mobile USA Inc,, the 4th largest network in the US, may use its parent company’s (Deutsche Telekom AG) sales agreement with Apple to bring to iPhone to the US in 2013, according to Sanford C Bernstein’s Craig Moffett. Deutsche Telekom and Apple are “increasingly likely” to reach agreement for T-Mobile to sell iPhones in the US in 2013. New York-based analyst Moffatt claims in a recent research note.”

So there you have it. It would appear that, unlike 2011, when speculation of Sprint getting the iPhone contributed consistently to iPhone speculation, we appear to have much less to focus on this year as far as the mobile networks are concerned.

 
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