Analyst: New iPad’s A5X Chip Not Bound For iPhone 5 iPad 3, iPhone 5 Predictions

a5x on new ipad, a6 on iphone 5Apple’s decision to include an A5X processor with quad-core graphics in the New iPad is in line with a growing quad-core trend for mobile devices. But a leading analyst believes that the iPhone 5 is unlikely to use the same processor.

In the months leading up to the release of the New iPad, debate swung heavily back and forth between whether or not Apple would equip their third-generation tablet with a rumored dual-core A5X processor or quad-core A6 chip. In the end, the A5x turned out to support quad-core graphics, and well-suited for the robust software features and high-definition display on the New iPad.

But for as much as the new A5x would appear to be ushering in a new quad-core movement in Apple’s mobile gadget ranks, a leading analyst argues that the high performance of the A5X processor may not be well suited for the upcoming iPhone 5. According to Macworld, “The chips used in the first two iPads, the A4 and A5, both made their way into a new iPhone soon after. But the A5X, with its heavy focus on graphics, may not be ideal for smartphone use, and Apple may wait for a more power-efficient chip built with a new manufacturing process.

This perspective comes by way of Linley Group founder Linley Gwennap, who states that the A5X is simply too power inefficient, and thus the iPhone 5's smaller battery will not be a good match: I think that this new chip is probably just for the iPad… it looks like they planned ahead for this.”

The Macworld article also goes on to cite Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research, who “also sees the current A5X as an unlikely candidate for the next iPhone, which won’t require as much graphics processing power as an iPad. The current iPhone has a display density of 326 pixels per inch, greater than the latest iPad’s 264 pixels per inch, but the iPhone has only a 3.7-inch display.”


Gwennap and McCarron are both imagining that, while the A5X chip supports quad-core graphics, we could be due for a dual-core A6 later in the year, which would be used on the iPhone 5, since matching the New iPad’s graphics will not be a priority, while offering an iPhone 5 with sustained battery life will be.

Apple enthusiasts may be disturbed by the prospect of a quad-core A5X chip being followed up by a dual-core A6 chip for the iPhone 6, sensing yet another odd naming convention, similar to the disconcerting nature of Apple’s decision to brand the new iPad simply as the “New iPad.” But in point of fact, it is much easier to justify the A5X’s name as a possible new sub-series for all of Apple’s future quad-core graphics chips: now, whenever “X” appears on the chip name, it may be indicative of quad-core graphics, versus the dual-core design of the A4, A5, and soon-to-be A6 chips.

More tricky for Apple, however, could be leaving off quad-core processing technology on the iPhone 5 altogether in the year where quad-core is being deployed heavily across a wide range of competing devices. We’ve already reported on the NVIDIA Tegra 3 chip, which is set to find its way onto Android smartphones this year. Similar to the issue of 4G LTE, Apple may not from a marketing standpoint be able to ignore quad-core processing on the iPhone 5 if it is perceived by consumers as a necessity for top-tier smartphone designs.

Apple Enthusiasts Confused Over “New iPad” Name

It was widely assumed that the third-generation iPad would be called “iPad 3,” “iPad HD,” or some other name with a qualifier in it. But the nondescript “New iPad” moniker leaves Apple enthusiasts with questions about the future of Cupertino’s naming taxonomy for both the iPad and iPhone.

There is a certain comfort and familiarity to the naming conventions that Apple has used over the years for its iPod, iPhone, and iPad product lines — an innate understanding that an “iPhone 4S” denotes a “refresh,” whereas an “iPhone 5?would indicate an “overhaul.” In the case of prognosticating the name of the third-generation iPad, expected names were “iPad 3? or “iPad HD,” with the former being the most accurate identifier, and the latter a reasonable alternative, boasting of the new Retina display. “iPad 4G” probably would have also sufficed.
But Apple threw us all for a loop, opting for the minimalist “New iPad” instead.
The “New iPad?” Which new iPad? Is this the “New iPad 2?” That would make it an “iPad 2S,” right? Or, given the fact that this is the third-generation iPad, is this a de facto “iPad 3?”\Moreover, will the “New iPad” still be the new iPad 8 months from now? How about 15 months from now, when the 2013 iPad is released? Will that be the “New New iPad?”

The tech community sometimes derides Appledom for stressing over these naming issues, citing it as more proof that consumers’ devotion to the Apple brand is more of a cult-like obsession rather than a healthy passion for cool electronics. But whether or not that is the case, it is Apple’s marketing department that has ginned up its own customers by establishing reasonable naming conventions for its devices — and then wantonly breaking them in disconcerting fashion.

With the “New iPad,” we don’t really know what we have here. Is this a refresh of the iPad 2, or an overhauled design? According to the preponderance of evidence from the mainstream tech media, the New iPad has not impressed enough to warrant calling it an overhaul. Thus, even though the New iPad is the third-generation iPad, will there be an “iPad 3? next year?

According to Apple, we shouldn’t expect much explanation. From the Wall Street Journal: “The company didn’t provide a detailed explanation. Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of world-wide marketing, simply said that Apple broke from the convention ‘because we don’t want to be predictable.’”

This academic discussion may remind you of similar arguments regarding the iPhone 4S, which is in actuality the fifth-generation iPhone. Many analysts believe that Apple should technically name the 2012 iPhone “iPhone 6,” skipping over the long-awaited “iPhone 5? moniker in order to bring the sixth-generation iPhone’s name in line with its iteration. Whether or not Apple will do that remains to be seen — there is no evidence either way as to whether or not Apple will call 2012's iPhone the “iPhone 5? or “iPhone 6.”
And for all we know, they may call it the “New iPhone.”

One thing is for sure, Apple’s new name for New iPad has once again made it impossible to know for sure what brand name they will stamp on their next device, making it increasingly difficult to divine what Cupertino is up to in their R&D department. Of course, that’s exactly what Apple hopes to do.

4G LTE

But perhaps the most anticipated feature was 4G LTE. The new iPad now features 21Mbps HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA at 42Mbps, and 4G LTE at a resounding 73Mbps. It becomes the first Apple device to be officially 4G LTE. The use of LTE will make it much easier for users to send all of the new high-performance photos and video quicker. The fact that both AT&T and Verizon will feature the 4G LTE service will make this new feature widely available. And because the new iPad will work as a hotspot, it will be able to power other devices as well.

New, Improved Software

Already popular Apple software is all getting upgraded as well. Garageband will see an impressive upgrade, allowing musicians to share and work together on the same projects, Smart Strings, a Note editor, and the ability to push audio content through iCloud. This is particularly impressive, since raw audio files tend to be big and hard to transfer/move.

iMovie is also getting a sorely-needed update, and will include better clip editing and storyboarding, taking it to a more pro level. Also, the improved iMove will work seamlessly with the improved video quality, allowing users to shoot, edit, and produce really high-quality movies all on the new iPad.

Joining these two upgrades is iPhoto for iPad, something completely new from the iPhoto app that looks simply amazing. The new app allows an incredibly fluid, intuitive interface that lets users browse, compare, and edit personal photos with ease, and even let the iPhoto engine find comparable photos in your library. It even features a kind of “smart bezel” built into the software portion of the frame. It also facilitates social sharing of all photos.

ipad 3 retina displaySame Price Tag!

“When we set out to create the iPad, we set out to create not just a new product but a new category,” said Cook. “In order to do that, the iPad had to be the best device for doing some of the things that you do most often.” The new iPad certainly appears to be delivering on that promise, with the best part being that it will feature the same prices as current iPad, with pre-orders starting today, and available in stores on March 16th.

Apple TV Upgrade

The upgraded Apple TV appears to be delivering new features and services as per some of Tim Cook’s recent candid comments about where he saw Apple’s investment into television was headed. The improved Apple TV essentially looks the same as the original, but offers some major upgrades: 1080p, a new user interface will now feature big billboard-like images for thumbnails, TV shows will be added the day after they air, full integration with movies stores in iCloud, and there’s iTunes Match support, recommending movies for you based on what you’ve already watched. Most impressively, it will retain its $99 price tag and be available for pre-order today, with a delivery date in a few weeks.

Tim cook with iPad 3iOS 5.1

The long-awaited iOS 5.1 iteration will also be warmly received, which has been heavily speculated on for the past few months, with hopes that it would deliver improved battery function on the iPhone 4S, as well as several new, innovative features for the mobile operating system. iOS 5.1 will include new multi-language Siri support, with Japanese being a big focus of the new rollout.

The release of the iPad 3 will also impact and fuel further speculation about the highly anticipated iPhone 5, which is expected to be released sometime between June and October this year. Analysts believe that the appearance of 4G LTE, a new A5X processor, and new software features could all be harbingers of a completely overhauled iPhone 5 design that will once again launch Apple’s flagship smartphone into a new strata of success.

but for now, the iPad 3 will reign supreme as Apple enthusiasts’ newest obsession.

New Processor — and all the bells and whistles that come with it

The new iPad also comes with the rumored A5X processor, which at times was assumed to be a refreshed, dual-core version of the A5. However, the A5X will deliver quad-core graphics and power a 5-megapixel backside illuminated sensor, 5-element autofocus lens, IR filter, and ISP. Plus, 1080p video recording, which will make the new iPad a pretty serious video device. Another nifty feature will be a voice dictation app, which will support multiple languages and allow users hands-free composition.

But what’s really impressive is that all of this new processing power will still serve up 10 hours of battery life, a not-so-sexy but appreciated feature, especially considering the battery issues on the iPhone 4S.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Unveils iPad 3, Apple TV, iOS 5.1

ipad 3 front retina displayAfter a great deal of speculation, Apple CEO Tim Cook reveals the highly anticipated iPad 3, together with an impressive array of new features that are bound to make it a massive success in 2012.

Apple delivers, again.

At Apple’s new product launch  Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed the new iPad 3 to a packed house of enthusiastic tech journalists and enthusiasts. While the tech community has pondered at length whether or not Apple and its ever-popular gadgets could continue to deliver on coolness and excitement in the wake of Steve Jobs’ death, the iPad 3 appears to be poised for yet another landmark success.

Leading off with staggering sales numbers from last year – Apple sold 315 million iOS devices through last year, and 62 million in Q4 alone — Cook steadily rolled out virtually everything that Apple enthusiasts were wishing for: an improved iOS 5.1, an upgraded Apple TV, and of course the piece de résistance, the iPad 3.

Retina Display

The iPad delivered on the high-definition Retina display that has been rumored for almost a year, with the resolution being so crisp that Cook could not even properly demonstrate on the screen behind him.The new display comes in at the expected 2048 x 1536 resolution, which works out to 3.1 million pixels. “The most ever in a mobile device,” Cook reminds us, and 40 percent better color saturation.

The Retina display is going to greatly enhance the overall user experience, and become the driving force behind SketchBook Ink from Autodesk, which is an incredible, new drawing app that focuses on line art, and leverages the new display to bring an impressive level of artistry to the new iPad. This new app promises to give users a new digital medium for creating art and graphics, and can export images greater than 100 megapixels.

The Cupertino crew are also boasting of how the new iPad will really ratchet up the gaming experience, claiming that it eclipses the memory and screen resolution experience that you get with even the Xbox 360 or the PS3.

next post--------------------------------------

iPad 3 Latest Reports Say Screen Sharpness is Nearly as Good as Billed

Apple's enhanced display on its yet-to-be-unveiled iPad 3 appears to be the worst kept secret, judging by all the eyes that are reportedly able to see it.

MacRumors owner Arnold Kim says anyone can buy the next iteration of the popular tablet at the Chinese website TrueSupplier. The skinny: The screen measures 9.7 inches in diagonal, the same size display as used in the iPad and iPad 2, but the resolution is four times as sharp.

Apple is reportedly expected to take the ribbon off the iPad 3 on March 7. Experts say it could include support for 4G LTE, more internal memory, and perhaps Apple's first quad core processor. For now, a lot of the speculation is focused on the display.

"When comparing the iPad 3 display to one from an iPad 2 under a microscope, the difference in resolutions becomes readily apparent, with the iPad 3 display's pixels appearing to be one-quarter the size of those on the iPad 2," reports MacRumors, which says it got its hands on one and used its measurements to extrapolate what the iPad 3 screen resolution should be: 2048 by 1536. That's four times the resolution of Apple's current and first-generation tablets.

PCWorld’s Matt Peckham has made the interesting point, however, that the "retina" description that's been applied to the next iPad is simply a marketing term Apple uses to refer to displays with greater than 300 ppi (pixels per inch), which is the maximum number the average human retina can discern. The iPhone 4 and 4S, running at 960 by 640 pixels across 3.5 inches diagonal, meet this requirement, but the iPad 2, running at 1024 by 768 pixels across 9.7 inches diagonal, doesn't.

When you compute a 2048 by 1536 pixel density across a 9.7-inch screen, it comes out to about 264 ppi, short of the generally accepted 300 ppi threshold. But, as the pundits point out, that's still a big improvement from the iPad 2's pixel density.

As for where MacRumors got the display, Kim said it wasn't stolen, but rather is readily available, much to Apple's chagrin. He says the TrueSupplier site sells an "OEM Apple iPad 3 LCD Screen Display Replacement" for $122.99.

On its website, Truesupplier says it serves more than 65 percent of the U.S. market and is a global provider of mobile data products, software and consulting services, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, with branches in Hong Kong. Apple iPads are made in China, and Apple is currently embroiled in a spat with a Chinese company that claims it holds the rights to the iPad name in China.

See And Touch: Apple Revealing iTV And iPad 3 On March

It’s amazing how nine words and two periods can fuel so much speculation. Not even two complete sentences — “We have something you have to see. and touch” is just a sentence and a fragment. And yet, embedded in those lines lies the secret in store for us all (assuming that Tim Cook has decided to make Apple much less interesting in these teaser photos, and we just didn’t get the memo.”

A picture is worth a thousand words, which is why the first impressions of Apple press invitations was visual: the orientation of the iPad photo, together with what appears to be the lack of a home button, spurred people on to analyze the accompanying lines of text and match meaning with the home button-less speculation. Does “And touch” refer to the fact that you’ll have to touch the iPad 3's screen to get back to the home screen? Recent rumored photos of iPad 3 parts deny that notion, but then again, how reliable have these part photos been in predicting new Apple form factors in the past? Not so much.

But since we’re just about 24 hours out from the big March 7th announcement, let’s crunch the words one more time: what if Apple is attributing “see” to iTV — or at least some upgrade to the current Apple TV — and “touch” refers to the new iPad 3?

Maybe you’ve already thought about that possibility in passing — or maybe you haven’t dared to. But others has already taken the plunge. check this out:

The Guardian had this to say about the prospect of iTV debuting tomorrow in their prognostication poll: “An iPad 3? A smaller version? One with LTE/4G? Retina display? And what about Apple TV?”

There’s more.

Mac Rumors has a trending article from yesterday, pointing out that the current Apple TV is all but sold out in stores, indicating that the supply chain has been cut off, ostensibly in anticipation of a new device: “With Apple’s iPad 3 media event now roughly 36 hours away and Apple also expected to unveil an updated Apple TV at the event, we’ve been watching as more and more Apple retail stores are running dry of the current model. By our most recent count, 98% of Apple’s 246 U.S. stores are currently out of stock…” So, Mac Rumors is arguing that this piece of circumstantial evidence might be a clue that iTV — or at least an uptade to the current Apple TV, could be on its way.

Semantically speaking, Apple’s teaser scrawl doesn’t really add up to a dual release: The use of the word “something” throws a wrench into the theory that the are talking about two things, since “something” is singular.” And the sentence fragment “And touch” makes reference to this one thing. Also, Apple has yet to deliver on a big dual release, in spite of the rumor mills trying to will it into reality: last fall, we heard rumors of both an iPhone 4S and 5 release, as well as the dual iPhone 5/iPad 2 Plus release, none of which ever came even remotely true. But given Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent comments about what sounded a lot like iTV, he clearly has something in works, and it would appear to be coming sooner rather than later.

New iTV Concept Photos Come On The Eve Of Apple Product Launch

The assumption is that Apple will be revealing the iPad 3 tomorrow, though some wonder if iTV or an updated Apple TV could also be revealed. Here are some great, new iTV concept photos to check out while we ponder the possibilities.

We wrote in an earlier article today that there is always the chance — albeit an outside one — that the “one last thing” at tomorrow’s Apple product launch event be not the iPad 3, but rather “iTV,” the long-rumored Apple television. It would stand to reason that the rumor mill would have picked up some more hints about iTV’s production by this point, but given the fact that Apple is probably using slightly different production and assembly channels for a television than they would a smartphone, iTV production could manage to go under the radar.

Another possibility is that we’ll see an updated Apple TV instead.

In the meantime, the iPhone 5 News Blog is proud to once again feature some new concept renderings from reader Justin Quinn. Justin took a crack at iTV around the same time as his new iPhone 5 concept photos, but we decided to break up the two collections, since they are pretty different products in and of themselves. However, you will notice that Justin’s iPhone 5 concept does make a few cameo appearances in some of the photos.

Enjoy!

June iPhone 5 Release Date May Force Apple, Carriers Into Upgrade Waivers

There’s more to making a June release date for the iPhone 5 possible than just production considerations. Apple and its mobile carriers would have to offer iPhone 4S subscribers upgrade waivers — and that may not be fiscally possible.

The iPhone 5 release date still remains a contentious issue, with the tech community still deliberating over whether Apple will choose to release the new iPhone at this year’s WWDC in June, or wait until the fall in order to put it on track with a 12-month release window from the date of the iPhone 4S release. The iPhone 5 News Blog‘s sources in Asia point to a June release, while the majority of the tech media have now shifted away from that belief, looking towards October or November for the iPhone 5 release.

Whether or not the iPhone 5 is released in June or in November, Apple will have to deal with some blowback from iPhone 4S users, who will be frustrated by the fact that the top U.S. carriers will not allow 4S users to upgrade, unless they offer a waiver to their upgrade policies.

According to Insane Planet, “AT&T subscribers have the right to an upgrade if they bought their phones in the last 12 to 18 months,” while “Verizon Network customers could be the ones affected the most because they can only upgrade their phones after one year and eight months.” Sprint also a similar policy to AT&T: premier account holders can upgrade their devices every twelve months, but basic subscribers have to wait up to 22 months before they can upgrade.

From a customer service standpoint, it would seem like a no-brainer for Apple and its mobile partners to simply offer iPhone 4S subscribers a waiver for these limiting upgrade policies and allow them to purchase the iPhone 5 subsidized prices, once it is released. After all, Apple would want nothing more than to have iPhone 4S users spend even more money to upgrade to the iPhone 5 after only 12 months (or even less if the new iPhone is released in June).

Unfortunately, it may not be that easy.

When it comes to subsidized promotional offers, it is the mobile carrier that eats the cost of that subsidy — not Apple. For carriers like AT&T and Verizon, they are defraying the loss of profit from the same of the new device in order to lock subscribers into a longer contract, as well as the prospect of more data usage. Sprint’s revenue model is a bit less predicated on data usage, thanks to its unlimited dat plan, but the overall model is still the same. It may be prohibitive for the big U.S. mobile carriers to simply “give away” the iPhone 5 to 4S users after only 9 to 12 months of use. This would mean that Apple would have meet carriers halfway on the subsidized iPhone 5 price.

Or not.

Another consideration is that Apple might be content to leave iPhone 4S users out in the cold once the iPhone 5 is released, assuming that its release would herald an avalanche of new sales from legacy iPhone users as well as Android converts that would eclipse the loss of the potential sales that instead went to the iPhone 4S. Apple has sold more than 54 million iPhones since the release of the 4S, and assuming that the vast majority of these sales have been the 4S, that’s a lot of potential subscribers to leave off the table. But the fact is, there are plenty more people to sell to in the smartphone market in any given year. According to statistics I found on Wikipedia, there were over 300 million smartphone sales in 2010 alone (the 2011 numbers are still being crunched). But considering that the smartphone market segment is expanding exponentially, it goes without saying that those numbers will be massively higher in 2012.

Given these facts, Apple might be happy to cede 4S users in order to get the iPhone 5 out into the market. In fact, considering what’s at stake here, it might even be more of an incentive for Apple to release the iPhone 5 in June in order to minimize 4S sales in 2012, since, as we now know, the more people who buy the 4S, the less people will be able to afford the 5.

Front Cover Sighting Refutes Cryptic iPad 3 Teaser Photo With No Home Button

ipad 3 part with home buttonApple’s own teaser photo of the iPad 3 depicts what appears to be a new tablet device with no home button. But new photos of purported iPad 3 parts show cutouts for a home button. Has Apple created an unintended negative consequence for a poorly chosen press photo?

Early speculation that the new iPad 3 may include a much more overhauled design, complete with a discontinuation of the traditional home button, is now being refuted by tech media outlets claiming to have gotten their hands on iPad 3 parts with home buttons and home button cutouts. The excitement over the prospect of an iPad 3 with no home button came after the release of Apple’s official press invitation teaser photo, which depicts a finger touching the calendar icon on what looks like the lower center of an iPad, but revealing no home button.

But according to M.I.C. Gadget and others, parts for the new iPad 3 have been obtained, and they clearly show a cutout for the home button: “Despite the rumors that Apple would be having no home button on their next-generation iPad, we have gotten our hands on the parts through our sources, and are now able to objectively tell you our readers the truth . . . We do have the front cover piece (in the video above), and despite Apple creatively tilting the iPad to landscape to fuel speculation, (somewhere Tim Cook must be laughing) we can indeed confirm there is a home button.”

Assuming that M.I.C. Gadget‘s photos are real (and that’s a big assumption), they seem more willing to forgive Apple for such a major PR snafu than potential iPad users may be, since their own press photo would account for a real bait and switch.

It’s easy for cynics to blame the hysteria over Apple’s seemingly home button-less iPad 3 teaser photo on the tech media or eager Apple enthusiasts — but come on, that photo doesn’t show a home button. Apple knows better than anyone else the level of scrutiny that all of their teaser photos garner. After all, they are responsible for the hype: over the years, they’ve made these photos increasingly symbolic, adding fuel to the already-hyped rumor mill. But for Apple, they need to be able to deliver on the innuendo of their teaser photos, or risk engineering a big let-down.ipad 3 teaser photo with no home button

If the iPad 3 turns out to include a home button, it most certainly will not hurt its long-term sales — we’ve already written at length about the sales projections for the iPad 3. But from a PR standpoint, this will be the second time in less than a year that Apple will have failed to live up to expectations: up until the day that the iPhone 4S was released, most everyone was expecting an overhauled iPhone 5 or, at the very least, a dal released iPhone 4S and 5.

There is one more thing to consider: the veracity of these iPad 3 part photos. I’ve often argued that Apple keeps its new products’ form factors closest to its vest, and I doubt that it is easy to get your hands on any parts that would give away the entire look of the iPad 3 just days before its official release. In short, I still think there is a good chance that we might see a form factor overhaul and yes, maybe no home button, on the iPad 3.

AT&T Limits Its Grandfathered-In Unlimited Data Plan; Sprint Could Benefit With 4G iPhone 5

AT&T has tried to match Sprint in the marketplace as a price leader in data plans. But a new report today reveals that the U.S. mobile giant is using limitations and data “throttling” once users reach a data usage threshold, possibly shuttling subscribers to Sprint once the 4G iPhone 5 is released.

Anyone who uses a smartphone has had to make themselves aware of the pricing games that mobile carriers play with users when it comes to data usage. Sprint, America’s third-largest mobile carrier, has made its unlimited data package the crown jewel of its price-leading marketing strategy, and arguably has remained competitive only because of it (even gaining the iPhone has yet to solve Sprint’s earning issues). AT&T and Verizon, both of whom compete as product leaders in the mobile market, have long since abandoned an attempt to compete against Sprint’s unlimited data plans. But for even AT&T’s customers who are grandfathered into AT&T’s old unlimited data plan, remaining unlimited will now come at a price in service quality.

A new report making the rounds today reveals that any attempt that AT&T is making to characterize their unlimited data plan as truly unlimited has officially lost its believability. The San Mateo Daily Journal explains that AT&T will “slow down service for its ‘unlimited data’ subscribers when they hit 3 gigabytes of usage within a billing cycle [and 5 gigabytes for 4G LTE]. Previously, the company had been throttling service when subscribers entered the heaviest 5 percent of data users for that month and that area.” To be sure, if you’re a non-unlimited data plan AT&T customer, this comes as good news, as the dreaded “throttling” will not be applied to your account. But for those who still enjoy unlimited pricing, throttling is coming.

If you’re not familiar with data throttling, you should be: it constitutes a dramatic slowdown in data transfer, making the mobile smartphone experience excruciatingly painful — especially for those accustomed with AT&T’s industry-leading speediness. And ironically, this throttling will tend to affect grandfathered-in unlimited data users who tend to use heavy-duty data, such as for watching movies. For them, the days of enjoying unlimited data and AT&T’s best speeds are over.

AT&T cites the reason for data throttling is to better manage their busy data traffic, which in turn will improve services across the board for all AT&T subscribers. But while this might be a winning strategy for AT&T, it could ironically push some of the most heavy-duty smartphone geeks over to Sprint once the iPhone 5 is released.

iPhone and other smartphone users who were able to remain on AT&T’s unlimited data plan with no restrictions on service quality have been happy to do so, giving them access to the best of both worlds: AT&T service quality and reasonable pricing. But if AT&T iPhone subscribers have to choose between price and performance, they very well may consider jumping over Sprint, since they too will ostensibly offer the iPhone on their own 4G LTE network.

Finally, Sprint could manage to garner all remaining subscribers in the marketplace whose primary object is to find a carrier who will give them steady service and an unlimited data plan. All Sprint will have to do is make sure that their 4G LTE network actually works. And with Sprint, that still remains in question.

For The iPad 3, 2012 Could Be “The Year of the Price

Tech speculators are looking to Apple’s choice of processors in the upcoming iPad 3 as clues that Cupertino will continue to keep its tablet prices steady. But with all the excitement surrounding the next iPad, this could be the year that Apple really cashes in.

When it comes to setting price for new products, production and components costs factor heavily into the decision. If you traverse the tech wires, then doubtless you’ve seen itemized price breakdowns of the iPhone and iPad, which reveal a better-focused profit margin for what each sold unit brings in. (Apple’s hefty marketing budget also has to be taken into account as well.) To this end, tech analysts are weighing the possible price of the iPad 3 (and iPhone 5 as well) based on which chipsets they decide to go with.

Planet Insane today asserts that, “Although bringing in the Gobi 5 chipset will not help solve the two or four core dilemma of Apple, it seems to be a good choice for the incorporating LTE in Apple’s mobile devices that will be launched this year. Moreover, this may give them significant savings when it comes to the cost of their production and allow their iPhone 5 and iPad 3 to stay in a similar price range for all its other introductory devices.” Much of this thinking is based on the fact that the Gobi 5 will also work with different network connection technologies, essentially creating “one chip to rule them all.”

As a result of this thinking, many believe that the iPad 3 will retain its price point, with the intro model coming in at $500. But for as much as the economics of the chips in the iPad 3 would enable Apple to keep their priced fixed, why would they bother?

Most recent data reveals that Apple’s iPad 3 is poised to dominate the tablet market in new ways that will make its already domineering history seem squalid. We’ve already reported on several eyebrow-raising reports about how a super majority of Kindle users are ready to purchase the iPad 3, and that prospective users essentially aren’t concerned about its price. It appears that the prospect of a 4G LTE iPad 3 will, according to tech analysts, drive massive sales, price hike or not.

So, why wouldn’t Apple take advantage of the public’s seemingly blank check for purchasing the iPad 3? For the first two generations of the iPad, Cupertino has maintained a price-to-value-leading price point in order to dominate the market, forcing competitors to cede the premium tablet segment of the market to Apple and offer cheaper, smaller, lower-profile tablets like the Kindle. But now, even that market model seems to be failing; the tablet market belongs to Apple, and I think they will suck it dry.

After all, the teaser photo of the iPad with no home button already has people second-guessing the notion that the overall form factor and chassis of the iPad 3 will be a mere refresh of the iPad 2. We suggested the outside chance of a new iPad 3 form factor back on February 8th. If Apple delivers on a new tablet design that shocks and awes consumers, the sales explosion will be colossal.

It is also worth noting that all of these late-breaking perspectives about chips and pricing refute much of what has already been said about the iPad 3 pricing. We reported in the past on how adding 4G LTE into the iPad mix could drive up prices, and that new components and form factor would actually drive costs up for both the iPhone 5 and iPad 3.

It is just a hunch, but I don’t think this is going to be a “refresh” year for the iPad by any measure. Apple will be overhauling the iPad, but in design and quite possibly by price.

iOS 5.1 Rumored For March 9th Release, Security Fix On The Menu

This year, rumors of the announcement and release of the iPad 3 have been tethered with the release of iOS 5 as well. We’ve been covering a wide range of rumors and speculation related to iOS 5, ranging from it fixing the battery drain issues on the iPhone 4S to new updates to Siri and other bells and whistles. Most importantly, the iOS 5.1 release date has been widely speculated on, with the tech world imagining its release to be close to the iPad 3.

New rumors today are pointing to March 9th as the iOS 5.1 release.

According to Planet Insane, “the most recent iOS from Apple might be unveiled on March 9 as suggested by iPhone carriers in Japan and Europe,” explaining also that “the rumored release date of the iPad 3 will correspond with that of the iOS 5.1. The iPad 3 is anticipated to have 4G LTE, which uses up a lot of battery power, and a lot of improvements in terms of its display. So, if the iOS 5.1 indeed solves the battery life problems of the iPhone 4S, it will allow the iPad 3 to reduce energy consumption.”

This isn’t the first time that we’ve heard the March 9th rumor for the iOS 5.1 release date, and the fact that European and Japanese carriers have hinted at March 9th as a possible release date for iOS 5.1 has to be taken with a grain of salt. Furthermore, if what Planet Insane says is true, and that the iPad 3's own challenging battery consumption will rely on iOS 5.1 in order to offer users the longevity they are looking for, then it would stand to reason that iOS 5.1 would need to be ready to go by March 7th at the latest.

Another interesting iOS 5.1-related report comes from Phones Review, who reports that the new operating system iteration could include some security fixes for Apple’s mobile devices. they explain that “a worrying security flaw has been found in iOS that allows third-party developers to gain access to user’s photo and video location data on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, and that as a result, “the problem may not be around for much longer as sources are claiming a fix is already on route to the software. Apple is apparently already aware of the problem and a security fix will be available with the next iOS release.”

For as much as iOS 5.1 may include critical upgrades that will fix battery and security issues, it is more likely that users will find new rumored features, such as rich text formatting for Notes, a new camera button on the lock screen, and expanded multi-language support for Siri.

iOS 5.1 Code Suggests A5X, A6 Processors On Their Way

The new rumor is that code in iOS 5.1 points to Apple testing both the rumored quad-core A6 and dual-core A5X processors. But does this new “evidence” really bring us any closer to confirming what Apple’s new chip — or chips — will be?

In 2011, the dual-release iPhone 4S/iPhone 5 rumors persisted throughout the Summer, with some of the most well-read tech publications predicting that Apple would offer the iPhone 4S as a low-cost alternative to a premium-priced iPhone 5. Now that 20/20 hindsight has proved that notion to be preposterous (to wit, the iPhone 4 works beautifully as a value-priced altertive to the $s, anyway), it appears that there is now a new dual-release rumor has surfaced, this time concerning Apple’s new, rumored processors.

9to5Mac is leading the way on this new rumor, claiming that the new iOS 5.1 code indicates both a quad-core A6 chip and dual-core A5X chip as well. The folks at 9to5Mac explain it thusly: “. . . the next major iOS device processor revamp (A6, not A5X) would be called the “S5L8950X.” Now, we discovered evidence to support Apple is working on that specific chip. Deep in the iOS 5.1 betas (as shown below) sits references to two next-generation iOS device chips: the previously discussed S5L8945X and this new S5L8950X. While nobody found the 50X (A6) chip in the code until now, we can report that both next-generation processors entered the iOS code simultaneously. This would seem to indicate Apple is working on two next-generation chips.”

Even if it is true that iOS 5.1 will accommodate both the A6 and A5X chips, 9to5Mac admits that there is no way to tell what the appearance of this code will really add up to for consumers. While on one hand it may be fun to speculate that the quad-core A6 chip will debut on the iPad 3, and the A5X chip will be used to power a lesser-priced “mini iPad” or perhaps an update to Apple TV, which Tim Cook recently hinted at. In the end, however, it is also quite possible that the iOS 5.1 code allows for testing of two processor prototypes, only one of which will actually be used in this year’s new mobile devices.

While it is not impossible to imagine apple utilizing multiple processors in multiple devices — both the A4 and A5 chip are currently used, after all — the appearance of the A5X rumor once again brings us to a complex “three’s a crowd” set of chip that is hard to account for: just as it seemed unlikely to imagine an iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 in 2011, it is equally odd to imagine Apple juggling the A4, A5, A5x, and A6 processors in 2012 (though it is less complex to balance multiple chips than multiple devices, I’m sure).

My sense, however, is that what we’re beginning to see here in rumor creep. First, the quad-core A6 rumors dominated. Then, the quad-core A6 rumors were put into question, and the appearance of the rumored A5X chip surfaced. Now, the next iteration of this rumor is that Apple will have both of them in production. In spite of the quasi-compelling iOS 5.1 code evidence, the rumor is still dubious at best.

Apple Makes It Official: To Announce iPad 3 On March 7th

iPad 3 release date March 7thToday, the mainstream media is reporting on the announcement from Cupertino that there will be an event on March 7th for the iPad 3. Invitations to the media were released today with a typically cryptic, tantalizing tagline: “We have something you really have to see. And touch.”

Speculation has raged for months about what we can expect from the iPad 3. The prevailing belief is that it will feature a dramatically improved retina display, 4G LTE connectivity, and some kind of improvement in the processor. In recent weeks, there has been debate over whether the new chip will be the rumored quad-core A6, or the more recent rumor of a dual-cure “A5X,” which constitutes a refresh of the current A5.

Or, as rumors today suggest, Apple could be producing both, perhaps for use in a “mini iPad” to accompany the standard 9.7-inch version that is expected.

On the invitations to the press, the new photo of the iPad 3 appears to be missing a home button. Computerworld remarks, “If the background is a photograph of the iPad 3 and not digitally manipulated, it hints that the tablet will not sport a physical home button, as have earlier iPads.” This change in the iPad’s design would be a major overhaul in Apple’s mode of navigation for its mobile devices, and would confirm what many have speculated about for years — that Apple would eventually move to replace the physical home button with something new and next-generation. If the iPad 3 is losing the home button, it would not be hard to imagine that the new iPhone 5 will be home button-less as well.

Some are also suggesting that the disappearance of the home button on the iPad 3 could also suggest that Apple is looking to increase the screen size without increasing the dimensions of the tablet itself. Even CNBC‘s own highly-cited article suggests this: “It is expected that the new ipad will have a larger screen, a faster processor and a better camera, said Ashok Kumar, an analyst for Maxim Group.”

To be sure, all of these speculations will be confirmed on March 7th, along with the price of the new iPad 3, which some believe will see an increase from previous iPad models, thanks to the new hardware and design.

All Things Must Pass: In Spite Of Record Growth And Strong Forecasts, Apple’s Success Is Not Immortal

A new piece from the New York Times acknowledges the astounding past and present successes of Apple, quickly becoming the world’s biggest publicly held company. But for as much as Apple may seem unstoppable, financial analysts can already see the end of its success lifecycle.

When you consider the amount of time, energy, interest, and money that a large segment of the population invests into Apple, it’s difficult to imagine a day when the company could ever be eclipsed by another electronics giant. Could another company come along and be cooler than Cupertino? Could the iPhone — perhaps the world’s only product that doubles as a cultural artifact — be usurped by a new, novel device that makes our favorite smartphone seem outmoded?

Given the passing of Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who is largely accredited with the ingenuity of Apple’s landmark products, some imagine it to be a possibility. I’ve argued that Jobs’ role as pioneer and visionary at Apple is not dissimilar to Walt Disney, and his critical role in founding and launching the Disney empire. But just as it can be argued that the Disney brand has ebbed — or is perhaps even on the wane —  consumers wonder if Apple’s brightest days are now behind them.

According to an interesting new piece by the New York Times, that might be the case — and the reasons might be far more empirical than simply saying that the company will underperform due to Steve Jobs’ passing.

Writer James B. Stewart explains that, according to the mathematical proof known as the “golden theorem,” “Apple is so big, it’s running up against the law of large numbers.” The result is an insurmountable trajectory towards reaching critical mass and no longer being able to create significant growth — or at least the booming growth that we’ve come to associate with Apple. Stewart explains it this way: “To increase its revenue by 20 percent, Apple has to generate additional sales of more than $9 billion in its next fourth quarter. A company with $1 billion in sales has to come up with just another $200 million.”

Upon faced with this reality, some Apple fans might be compelled to pump their fists and proclaim the company’s infinite greatness, saying that no sales target is too big for Apple to hit. But that’s pie in the sky. This isn’t about “Apple hating,” it’s simply a numerical fact that, based on historical data, shows us that there is an inevitable rise and fall to great companies. Just as the great people who found them come and go in this world, so too do the businesses that bear their names and/or visions.

In this way, it becomes apparent that maintaining something like 20 percent growth will be impossible: “If you extrapolate far enough out into the future, to sustain that growth Apple would have to sell an iPhone to every man, woman, child, animal and rock on the planet.” We wrote an article a while back about how a study found that 35% of all consumers say they will purchase the iPhone 5. Even if that astounding number comes true, someday it still might not be enough to satisfy Wall Street.

When Apple Becomes “Too Big To Fail”

I’m a big fan of catch phrases — I think they’re hilarious. I particularly love how politicians and pundits pick them up and then cannot put them down. I’ve always been fond of the catch-all “What did the President know, and when did he know it?”  Or, a few years back, Al Gore (did you know there’s actually a tag for him on this blog?) injected the word zeitgeist into the yapping mainstream.

Actually, I hate that word.

More recently, we’ve become accustomed to the phrase “Too big to fail,” thanks in large part to the bailing-out of failing, flailing multi-billion, multi-national companies that are so massively important to the world economy that their failure could trigger chain-reactions that could usher in a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome generation in the first world.

To date, Apple has been the antithesis of too big to fail — in fact, they have been the rare success story in a sea of economic malaise and destruction that has defined the past four or five years. No bailouts for Cupertino: they’re rolling in cash, and continuing to expand.

But is it impossible to imagine that a day will come where there is no more upside to Apple, the sheen will have come off of its brand, and yet the failure of the company would mean a chain reaction of layoffs and the destruction of massive market segments whose existences rely solely on its existence?

Stewart explains that massive companies of the past have already gone the way that Apple will someday go as well: “Other companies that have reached the top appear to have been felled by Bernoulli’s law [the golden theorem]. Cisco Systems held the top position and hit a market capitalization of $557 billion — larger than Apple’s — in March 2000, at the peak of the technology bubble. Its market capitalization today is about $100 billion, and shares are down nearly 80 percent since March 2000.”

And there are examples outside of the technology sector as well: “Exxon Mobil, recently displaced by Apple as the biggest company by market value, took over the top spot in 2006, seven years after the merger of Exxon and Mobil. At the end of that year, its market capitalization was $447 billion. Today it’s $35 billion lower. General Electric held the title for a number of years, most recently in 2005, when its market capitalization was $370 billion. Today, it’s just $205 billion.”

Given the record profits of oil companies over the past decade, the Exxon Mobil example really drives the point home: even their profits have not been able to  defy the law of unsustainable numbers. And this is a company that produces something that the world’s economy is predicated on. Considering that in only six years Exxon Mobile has lost $35 billion dollars in market capitalization, it isn’t impossible to imagine a period where Apple will similarly slip.

Let’s Enjoy The Apple While It Lasts

The good news, however, is that there is plenty of good news to overshadow the doom and gloom of long-term projections for Apple. Just as the “bad news” that the sun will someday die out is tempered by the fact that it is still tens of thousands of years away, so too is Apple’s supernova far off on the horizon. In spite of all these “golden numbers,” Stewart reminds us that Apple stock is still currently seen as undervalued, in spite of its $500 per share price tag. And we have what looks to be several years of exciting Apple products ahead of us: this year, the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 — and maybe even an iTV. Somewhere down the line, an iPhone 6.

It isn’t as if Apple will come crashing down in 2012, or even 2013 for that matter. But it isn’t a bad idea to take notice of a company like Exxon Mobile, or Cisco, or GE, or Microsoft, or AOL — all of whom at one time seemed unstoppable. When those companies began to decline, it affected people’s’ wallets, but not their hearts. Apple means something to its customers more than earnings on a tax form — their products are ingrained into people’s’ social, work, and entertainment lives. Imagine! In six years, Apple could be on the outside looking in on a new leader in technology. It’s not a matter of if — it’s a mat
ter of when

New Components, Form Factor May Drive Up iPhone 5 Price

Qualcomm Gobi 5 Chipset For the iPhone 5 & iPad 3The iPhone 5 wish list, which includes a bigger screen, 4G LTE, and a bolder processor, may all contribute to a heftier price tag. But mobile electronics customers seem willing to accept a price hike from Apple products, so long as they deliver on new features.

Because of the sustained excitement over the eventual iPhone 5 release, few consumers have contemplated whether or not the 2012 iPhone will usher in a price hike — nor do they seem to care all that much. It would seem that iPhone 5 hysteria has led to a money is no object mentality — people will do what it takes to ensure that they own it once it is released.

But a new article today from Phones Review argues that all of the new iPhone features that users are clamoring for in the iPhone 5 may very well lead to an increase in price that might take it out of the price range for struggling consumers who have less disposable income today than they did back when they bought their iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4. Mark Chubb, a favorite of ours over at Phones Review, explains that “Apple has been making a concerted effort to rid itself of its reputation for high-priced products, as seen with the efforts to keep pricing the same for the iPhone and as we’ve also seen with iPad pricing. However there has to be a limit to being able to do this and when looking at the specs that are anticipated for the iPhone 5 it makes us wonder if it would even be possible to keep pricing the same this time around.” He goes on to cite the laundry list of rumors specs for the iPhone 5, including a larger display, 4G LTE, the A6 processor, and perhaps a new camera sensor.

By keeping the same form factor with the iPhone 4S and virtually the same form factor with the iPad 2, Apple undoubtedly has been able to control production costs for both devices. In this way, Chubb argues that Apple has managed to diminish the sense that they only make premium-priced electronics, all while continuing to sell products with a high profit margin, reminding us that “although the contract-free prices are now slightly more than for the iPhone 4, the prices for the iPhone 4S on contract remained the same as for the iPhone 4.”

But does Apple really need to worry about the price of the iPhone 5?

If a recent study showing that future iPad 3 users don’t care price are true, then it would not seem so. Even current Kindle users, many of which most likely bought into Kindle because of its low price point, are overwhelmingly ready to onboard to the iPad 3 when it is released. These are all realities for the iPad 3, which doesn’t garner nearly as much buzz and excitement in the mainstream as the iPhone 5.

Finally, because analysts believe that the lion’s share of iPhone 5 and iPad 3 sales will be driven by users’ desire for 4G LTE on Apple devices, the thirst for LTE would seem to be strong than any concerns for spending a few extra bucks to get it. The bottom line is simple: as long as the iPhone 5 delivers on major changes in form factor and specs, consumers will be ready to foot the bill. And they will do so happily, no doubt.

 
i Phone © 2012 | Designed by Prasad