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.

<< Read Now >>

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.

<< Read Now >>

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.

<< Read Now >>

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.

<< Read Now >>

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.

<< Read Now >>

Rumors Suggest Thinner, Large-Screened iPhone 5 Coming, But Are These New Features Necessary?

As new in-cell technology rumors spread, suggesting a thinner iPhone 5 with larger screen, one question remains: are the current iPhone screen dimensions a real problem for iPhone users?

Doubtless you’ve noticed that a new crow of in-cell technology rumors have made their way into the rumor mill recently. It isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the in-cell rumors, but with new reports that iPhone 5 production is finally ramping up, the fact that we’re sniffing new in-cell rumors helps to perhaps somewhat crystallize the prospect of that technology actually turning out to be a reality on the new iPhone.

According to CRN:

“According to a report Tuesday from The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter said both Sharp and Japan Display, a joint venture comprised of three Japanese tech companies, already are ramping up production of LCD displays for the new iPhone’s screen. They also said these displays are based on in-cell, a new design process in which the screen’s touch sensors are embedded directly within the LCD, eliminating the need for a separate touch-screen layer.

The result is a much thinner screen and one that boasts higher-quality graphics than non-in-cell displays, the report said.”

Making products thinner is an age-old Apple trick, and something that they always appear to be ready to do, whether it be iPhones or MacBooks. We’ve debated how critical it is to actually make the iPhone 5 any thinner than the current iPhone, and whether or not that kind of feature would greatly enhance the mobile computing experience. But what about the larger screen? How necessary is it for the iPhone 5 to feature a bigger screen than that of every iPhone iteration that has come before it?


Few people seem willing to pose this question, since a larger screen has always been at the heart of iPhone 5 speculation. But in spite of the fact that users and tech media seem to be “calling” for a larger screen for the iPhone 5, there are factors involved that suggest the iPhone 5 could very well sport the exact same screen and perimeter dimensions as the current iPhone. Steve Jobs, after all, famously boasted of the iPhone’s dimensions as truly optimal; he felt as though he had struck a balance between size, functionality, and compactness in the iPhone’s overall size. And for as much as it might seem easy to dismiss Jobs’ love of the current iPhone’s screen dimensions as ego-driven, the iPhone has gone on to be the best-selling single smartphone on the market today — and its size and ergonomics play some role in its success.

It also stands to reason that Jobs stacked the deck of designers at Apple for the iPhone who shared some of his fundamental design beliefs. This isn’t to say that Tim Cook and company are in lock-step with Steve Jobs’ vision of the future for the iPhone and other Apple products — he loved having debate and differing opinions at Cupertino — but to me, it would seem that if Apple chooses to sport a larger display on the iPhone 5, it will be a decision borne less out of a design aesthetic, and more out of a reaction to the iPhone’s current competitors.

And that just doesn’t seem like the Apple we know and love.

The fact is, mobile users adapt very quickly to the size of their devices’ displays. Whether you’re working on an iPhone or Galaxy Note, it doesn’t take that much time or require that much cranial strain to eventually come to navigate a touch screen, regardless of its size. I would even argue that if the iPhone ended up sporting a smaller screen, users would adapt to it in a matter of days.

Thus, I think that the call for a larger-screen iPhone 5 is less about a widespread frustration with the current iPhone’s screen size, and more about people reacting to what they’re seeing with competing devices, vis-a-vis the GS3. It’s a the grass is always greener kind of reaction.

I may be wrong. But if I was wrong, I think that the sales numbers would bear out my flawed thinking: as the screen sizes of competing Android devices grew, there would be a converse drop-off in iPhone 4/4S sales over the past few years if fact the screen size of the current iPhone was a big problem.

The fact is, it’s not a “big problem.” It really isn’t. If you recall the poll that was taken after the announcement of the iPhone 4S last year, it wasn’t the lack of a larger screen that users were most disappointed with; it was the lack of 4G LTE.

At this point, there is much more to point to in the rumor mill to suggest that the iPhone 5 will indeed sport a bigger screen. And maybe that’s something that you’re looking forward to. But you should keep an open mind going into the iPhone 5 announcement, since it is a possibility that the screen might in the end stay the same size, or at the very least, only marginally increase, so as to keep the original design specs of the iPhone intact.

You might want Apple to react to the industry trend of 4-inch-plus smartphone displays. but that doesn’t mean that Apple wants the same thing.

Do you think that the iPhone 5 desperately needs a larger screen? If so, make your case for it here! And be sure to list all of the current and previous iPhones you’ve owned, and explain how you managed to survive all this time with the iPhone’s supposedly inadequate 3.5-inch display dimensions. :-)

<< Read Now >>

Yet Another Purported iPhone 5 Part Photo, Featuring Centered FaceTime Camera

iphone 5 centered front-facing camera

New, purported iPhone 5 front piece appears to match up with the 9to5Mac prototypes, depicting a centered FaceTime Camera. But are all of these images adding up to consensus, or confusion?

If you are one of the iPhone enthusiasts out there who is not particularly excited about the longer iPhone 5 theory with stretched aspect ratio, then the recent parade of purported leaked parts cannot be good news for you. Ever since the release of the now-famous 9to5Mac iPhone 5 prototypes, virtually every subsequent iPhone 5 part that has leaked onto the rumor appears to match the original prototypes. This new one is no exception.

The new sighting was first reported on a Chinese tech website called Apple.pro, and appears to depict an iPhone 5 front casing that would appear to feature the same new aspect ratio that we’ve seen appearing on other parts leaks as well. TechCrunch reports the following about the new parts leak:

“They show that the front-facing camera for video chat has been centered above the speaker grill. This matches up splendidly with images shown by 9to5mac, especially since this image also shows a taller screen with the same exact width and bezels as the iPhone 4/4S.”

TechCrunch appears to have eyeballed the similarity between this piece and the prototype shots from 9to5Mac — there’s no indisputable match-up between them. But I think that the most interesting discussion topic about this particular parts leak is the appearance of a centered front-facing camera, and whether that subtle change proves this piece to be the ring thing or yet another bogus sighting.

While TechCrunch has reported on the this feature change, they haven’t really substantiated its purpose — and without a reasonable purpose for moving the front-facing camera to the top of the earpiece, its hard to understand why Apple would move it just for the sake of moving it. Looking at my iPhone 4, the off-center front-facing camera works like a charm — Apple obviously positioned it in such a way that offers the user an optimal functionality.

The only reason for moving the front-facing camera that I can imagine is that it could have something to do with an NFC transmitter being installed in the new iPhone 5 that would compete for space on the left-hand side of the device. You’ll recall that in some of the NFC-related patents we’ve looked at, the transmitter/antenna is placed on the left side of the schematic.

Take a look here.

Of course, it can also be argued that the original prototype photos of the iPhone 5 from 9to5Mac don’t seem to show anything within the chassis that points to NFC hardware on that side of the device. And herein lies the problem: it is just so easy for scammers to reverse-engineer fake parts based on the exacting specs of the original 9to5Mac photos. Because they gave access to such detail, they in essence gave schemesters everything they need to create bogus parts.

And that brings us back to the question posed at the beginning of this article: are all of these parts, which appear to match up with the original prototype, confirm the purported new design? Will the iPhone 5 essentially have this longer aspect ratio, an iPhone 4-esque look, and a metal back? Or do all of these parts add up to little more than static in the rumor mill?

For my part, I don’t think there’s an easy answer. From a design standpoint, there are believable elements to the 9to5Mac prototype and subsequent parts leaks: one could imagine Apple dreaming up the new aspect ratio as an answer to iPhone users’ call for a larger screen, while still maintaining some semblance of the original iPhone’s dimensions. And regardless of how you might feel about the iPhone 4 form factor, it still remains quite unique as far as smartphone form factors go — Apple could very well want to keep some of its iconic design.

And since TechCrunch and others are insisting that the iPhone 5 will herald in this new 19-pin dock connector — a design that we’ve seen in Apple patents — these parts and designs are not outrageous.

What is outrageous, however, is that in a year where the Apple chief himself talked about “doubling down” on security, why would we be seeing an unprecedented number of parts leaking into the rumor mill? After keeping the merely-refreshed iPhone 4S well under wraps until its announcement last fall, why would we be seeing the completely overhauled iPhone 5 from all these different angles?

Judging these new iPhone 5 designs is complex, because people’s’ love, hate, or indifference over what they are seeing gets mixed into whether or not the appearance of the parts themselves seems plausible or not. To me, they are two completely different discussion points: 1) do you think this is really the iPhone 5, and if yes 2) what do you think about it?

<< Read Now >>

New, Arbitrary iPhone 5 Announcement Date Claim: August 7th

Know Your Mobile has trotted out August 7th as their roulette number for the iPhone 5 announcement, citing “reliable sources.”

As the summer rolls on in the northern hemisphere, we’re bound to get an increasing number of moonshot guesses and purported announcement date claims for the iPhone 5. You’ll recall that last summer, CNET UK infamously staked its reputation on the iPhone 5 being released on a specific day in September. We now have our first post-WWDC iPhone 5 announcement date guess.

The claim comes from Know Your Mobile, who tells us the following:

“Apple will announce the iPhone 5 on August 7, Know Your Mobile can exclusively reveal.

A reliable industry source who wishes to remain anonymous revealed to Know Your Mobile that Apple’s highly-anticipated and much-rumoured iPhone 5 will be launched via a keynote speech on August 7.”

Sure! Ok! Let’s go with that! August 7th seems as good of a date as any, right?

Know Your Mobile substantiates the logic of their source’s claim thusly: “The new date correlates with reports from earlier in the month the iPhone 5's release had been brought forward from October to August.” I’m about to sound a lot like John Cox here, but basically what Know Your Mobile is stating is that, because some other sources claimed that August would be the announcement month for the iPhone 5, that August 7th must be a viable release date. After all, it’s on a Tuesday.

Look at it this way: if one sincerely believes that Apple will release its most important product in the month that a large portion of people in the northern hemisphere are spending their hard-earned money on vacations (or “holidays” as some like to call them), then hey, you’ve got a 1 in 31 chance of guessing the day correctly. There are 31 days in August, right?

“30 days has September,

April, June, and November….”

All kidding aside, I’ve always found the prospect of an August announcement to be a relatively unlikely announcement month, for the above mentioned reason, as well as the fact that, most likely, most of the executives at Cupertino are probably on vacation. At the very least, if Apple was dead set on announcing the iPhone 5 in August, it would more likely be at the end of the month, when more people are coming back from vacation in anticipation of the school year. That way, the actual product launch would probably take place in mid to late September. August 7th, however, would put the product launch just ahead of the big Labor Day weekend, when many Americans are vacationing.

Also, will we have iOS 6 ready to go by August 7th?

From everything I’ve read, the iOS 6 golden master is expected in September. I had argued that, if Apple had announced the iPhone 5 at the WWDC, they could have theoretically released it with iOS 5.2, and did an OTA update of iOS 6 at the end of the summer when it was ready. But they didn’t do that, obviously because it’s important for Apple to ship new iPhones with new iOSs. Thus, if iOS 6 is on track for September, how it Apple going to announce the iPhone 5 on August 7th?

For as much as holding out hope for the iPhone 5 to be announced at the WWDC may seem to have been myopic in hindsight, there was much more credence to that claim, since Apple did have a track record of announcing iPhones at the WWDC, and at least June 11th was a day where we knew there was an Apple event scheduled. August 7th is just a day — a day like any other day between now and the day that the iPhone 5 is finally announced.

Is it possible? Yes. Probable? Not so much.

<< Read Now >>

China Jumps The Shark With iPhone 5 Pre-Orders

iPhone riot in Shanghai
For the second time in as many years, Chinese consumer tech retailers are trying to sell consumers on the iPhone 5 before it even exists.

The Chinese consumer tech market is once again at the center of iPhone 5 rumors. According to Reuters, pre-orders for the iPhone 5 have begun in earnest in China, in spite of the fact that the sixth-generation iPhone has yet to be officially announced — or even hinted at — by Apple:

“Sellers on Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group, are accepting orders for the iPhone 5, in some cases asking for a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($160) for the new phone. One seller, “Dahai99888?, who started accepting pre-orders this week, is asking for full payment upfront, at a cool 6,999 yuan ($1,100).”

You’ll recall that last year’s anticipation for the iPhone 5's announcement and release led to Chinese iPhone case manufacturers selling what were purported to be iPhone 5 cases, well ahead of the eventual fall release of the 2011 iPhone. At the time, some in the tech community believed that these manufacturers had access to the iPhone 5's specs, and were prognosticating the iPhone 5 based on the case designs. In the end, however, the iPhone 4S turned out to be a mere refresh of the iPhone 4, and the iPhone 5 cases were rendered useless.

Ironically, some of those bogus 2011 iPhone 5 cases were sold on Alibaba, the same e-commerce platform company used to take these pre-orders.

This time around, however, Chinese consumer tech resellers are being a bit more shrewd in their attempt to capitalize on the ever-crescendoing buzz about the iPhone 5:

“Taobao sellers that Reuters spoke with said they planned to buy the iPhone 5 in Hong Kong or the United States and then bring it to mainland China. Apple products are often available in Hong Kong before they are released on the mainland. The sellers could not promise a specific delivery time.”

This would appear to be a tenuous plan at best to make good on mainland Chinese consumers’ pre-orders for the iPhone 5, since it remains to be seen when — or if — the rumored iPhone 5 will make its way into mainland China.

You’ll also recall that there have been past issues with the sale of Apple products in China. In mid-January of this year, there was a near-riot at an Apple store in China over customers not getting the iPhone 4S. Similar ire could result in this current pre-order scheme, especially considering that consumers are paying such a premium for an iPhone 5 that still doesn’t exist.

And with the iPhone 5 expected to be announced sometime in the early fall, those who have pre-ordered the next iPhone in China could still have months to wait before even seeing the finished product.

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Apple To Release iPhone 5, Mini iPad & iTV All Together

It might seem hard to believe, but analyst and the tech media alike are coelescing around the belief that Apple will release all three of its rumored, new devices — the iPhone 5, Mini iPad, and iTV — at tyne same event in September.

The interesting thing about this year’s iPhone 5 rumor cycle is that we had a dress rehearsal for it in 2011: most of the rumors we heard last year have been recycled in this year’s rumor mill as well. You’ll recall that a recurring theme in 2011 was that we would see iDevices co-released together. First, it was rumored that the iPhone and iPhone 4S would be released together, followed by rumors of the iPhone 5 and iPad 2 Plus/2S/HD/Mini. A few bold prognosticators even claimed we’d get all three at the same event.

For as completely out of character a multi-device release would seem for Cupertino, that’s exactly what is being rumored of September of this year.


Today’s iPhone reassures those of us who were disappointed by the iPhone 5-less WWDC: “don’t worry, reports are coming out that are telling us to just wait for the expected September event. The reports calling it a “crowded event” are noting that aside from a sixth-generation iPhone, we could see them unveil the long rumored iPad “mini,” and more; possibly including a new Apple TV.”

That’s three completely new iDevices being revealed in one event — an overhauled iPhone 5, along with two completely never-before-seen products in the Mini iPad and iTV.

It’s easy enough for a tech blog like Today’s iPhone to make that claim, but citing an Apple Insider piece was at least enough to follow the link to the lead story, and see where this rumor had started. The Apple Insider article is a bit more toned down, but it cites Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray: “Munster expects that Apple will introduce its smaller iPad at the same event that it will unveil its next-generation iPhone. He also expects that Apple will refresh its Apple TV set-top box, which he admitted ‘could make for a crowded event.’”

What’s refreshing in Munster’s analysis is the implicit acknowledgment that, by not announcing the iPhone 5 at the WWDC, Apple is now forced to consider how to release all of these new, landmark products in the final quarter of 2012. But with absolutely no actionable reports about production ramping up for Mini iPad or iTV parts, where is the evidence that these two devices are going to be co-released along with the iPhone 5? Aside from the fact that Tim Cook’s head would probably explode having to announce all three in one month — let alone one event — we would have heard something by now about production. All we’ve heard to date are rumors of the iPhone 5's production ramping up.

Furthermore, when have we ever seen Cupertino release such widely diverse products at the same event? It simply isn’t the way they have ever done things, and for good reason: because Apple introduces all of its products with this larger-than-life aura, it requires them to let the products stand alone and garner the limelight on their own.

In my opinion, these rumors are bupkis.

I think what is more likely is that one of these three devices simply will not be released in 2012. While we see the announcement/release door closing with each passing day of 2012, Apple is getting set to start a new fiscal year, which begins on September 30th. For them, they’ve already released an iPhone this year — it was the first thing they did — along with the new iPad and the new MacBooks. Starting in October, the new year begins for them.

Just guessing at it, the iPhone 5 would appear to be the most developed of three products, followed by the Mini iPad and then the iTV as distant seconds and thirds. I would not be at all surprised if we saw the iPhone 5 in September, the Mini iPad in early November, and the iTV released sometime in 2013 — and who knows when.

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Glasses, Spiders Pervade iPhone 5 Form Factor Rumors

iPhone 5 GlassesWhether a result of sheer boredom or the lack of any new actionable rumors regarding the iPhone 5 form factor, we’re being bombarded with crazy, next-generation concepts for how the iPhone 5 could end up not being a handheld device after all.

Remember way back in the day(like, two months ago) when the term “form factor overhaul” for the iPhone 5 meant the possible inclusion of a LiquidMetal back and elongated display? Those pedestrian rumors seem to have become a bit passé, giving way to patent-based rumors and wild, new concept renderings of an iPhone 5 that would do away with the traditional handheld design completely.

Last Friday, the Daily Mail ran a story about how Apple has a patent for a head mounted iPhone that would rival that of Google’s conceptual glasses. Rob Waugh explains the concept:

“Apple’s patent refers to, ‘Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for projecting a source image in a head-mounted display apparatus for a user.’ Google’s glasses are designed to let users capture video with a built-in camera as well as use apps, the internet, and social networking sites on the move. A small projector displays an image in front of the wearer’s eyes while letting them stay aware on the outside world. The idea is to bypass computers, tablets and smartphones entirely and keep the user connected in a (fairly) discreet way. With the glasses, directions to your destination or a text message from a friend can appear literally before your eyes.”

Sounds exactly like Google Glasses, doesn’t it?

The reason why the iPhone 5 rumor mill seems comfortable with speculating on this concept for this year’s iPhone 5 is that, in spite of the fact that the technology is clearly still a few years away, the patent goes way back to 2006, but has just recently been granted by the patent office. Simply by virtue of the fact that Apple only just won the patent pretty much disqualifies any hope of this technology showing up on this year’s iPhone 5.

Tapscape rolls out the notion that the glasses could appear as an accessory that would interface with the iPhone 5: “we’ve got a word that Apple has just secured a patent for a “video telephonic headset” that could very well be a future accessory for your iPhone 5 and other iOS devices.” Fat chance, because all indications are that Apple is going to be looking to do something big with the iPhone 5's display — Cupertino would not be likely to undercut its own display overhaul for the iPhone 5 with an accessory that may only feature limited functionality in its own iteration, anyway.

But bringing up the notion of “iGlasses” here isn’t meant to be entirely cynical. Yes, a headset-style iPhone 5 in 2012 is far-fetched at best, but this new patent, together with what we’ve heard about Google Glasses points to a future where both Apple and Google put down the handheld device for a wearable version of mobile computing. How cyborg!

IPHONE 5 SpiderThe prospect of glasses (and who knows — maybe even contact lenses someday) serving as displays for mobile computing devices is some futuristic stuff, but since we’ve seen Google and now Apple’s concepts for it, they’ve become plausible. The same cannot be said for this new “iPhone Spider” concept that has been making its rounds in the iOS sphere.

Designed by Federico Ciccarese, this concept seems based more on form than function. According to Mashable, “Instead of a touchscreen slab that’s held in the palm, the “iPhone 5 new” features a curved design that’s actually worn on the back of your hand. It’s held in place by five slim and somewhat creepy “legs” which wrap between your fingers and around the wrist.”

There’s a reason why calculator watches just aren’t cool anymore — having a device that’s untethered from one’s body seems to be an inextricable aspect of successful mobile computing designs that this concept would completely reverse. Heck, it even remains to be seen if we humans could comfortably make the switch to these newfangled glasses, where ostensibly only our eyes, voice, and maybe even our mind would control the device (enter theremin music). Having the iPhone 5 stuck onto the back of our wrist would incapacitate one of our hands, and would be a constant reminder of how mobile computing sucks the life from us like a lecherous, parasite, with the creepy iSpider disturbingly gripped to us.

In the end, the iPhone 5 is unlikely to feature any kind of truly game-changing, new form factor. It remains to be seen if Apple would even evolve the iPhone in this way; most likely, if glasses or some kind of other mobile design is going to come to the forefront, it would be branded as something completely separate from the iPhone.

As it currently stands, the likelihood is still that we’ll have a more metallic iPhone 5 form factor, and a larger display. Apple won’t be reinventing the wheel in 2012. ok

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