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Posts tagged with "iphone 5"

“Let’s Talk iPhone” Event Rumor Roundup

Tomorrow morning, Apple will hold a press conference in Cupertino, where CEO Tim Cook is widely expected to introduce the next-generation iPhone, a new iOS 5 feature called “Assistant”, and a refreshed line-up for Apple’s iPod family. However, speculation has been running wild in the past months as to whether Apple will announce not one, but two different iPhone models, or perhaps even an iPhone 4 revision to target the low-end market. With rumors of upcoming Facebook integration, voice-recognition features and cheaper iPhone 4 models, Apple’s “Let’s talk iPhone” may turn out to be bigger than expected. Or, as the name of the event suggests, perhaps the company will only focus on the iPhone, leaving other announcements for press releases and minor store updates in the next weeks.

In this post, we’ve rounded up the most recent October 4th rumors and predictions, some old rumors that haven’t been reported in a while, as well as last-minute speculation on what Apple will introduce tomorrow.

Come back tomorrow at 10 AM Pacific on MacStories for our coverage of Apple announcements.

iPhone 4S: This is the device that Apple is rumored to unveil as the “next-generation iPhone” tomorrow. Initially described as an “iPhone 5 inside an iPhone 4 case” for developers’ testing back in April, the iPhone 4S with codename N94 should pack an A5 processor, 1 GB of RAM, SGX 543MP2 GPU (same as iPad 2), GSM-CDMA dual mode, HSPA+, same 3.5-inch screen and design of the existing iPhone 4. The device will come with a new software featured called Assistant for voice-recognition, and possibly a new panoramic photo functionality, likely related to the (rumored) new 8 MP camera. The iPhone 4S name has been spotted on packaging for third-party cases, carrier websites and even Apple’s iTunes 10.5 beta. In the past months, several leaked parts and components have suggested the 4S will share the same design of the iPhone 4, only with largely improved specs.

iPhone 5: The confusion caused by the “iPhone 5” name is due to the fact that it’s been widely used to generally indicate the new iPhone (iPhone 5 comes after iPhone 4) as well as a “completely redesigned” device, as opposed to the iPhone 4S. In fact, several analysts and industry sources believe Apple will announce two new iPhones tomorrow, a 4S for the low-end, and a “real” iPhone 5 as top-line device. The iPhone 5 was rumored to feature a new design months ago, although over time some of its alleged specs have overlapped with the iPhone 4S (improved camera, A5 CPU, 8 MP camera). The distinctive rumor about the iPhone 5 is a new “teardrop” design with tapered edges and thinner form factor, possibly a bigger screen with edge-to-edge LCD and a new “elongated” Home button.

No parts or internal components of the iPhone 5 have been leaked, suggesting such device hasn’t entered production yet and won’t be announced tomorrow.

More iPhone 4S/5 rumors in our roundup.

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iPhone Parts For An N90A Model Found In Foxconn’s Brazil Factory?

The above photo, taken by Gizmodo Brazil, is supposedly a new iPhone SKU taken from a Foxconn factory in Brazil. Shown on a quality control form, these iPhone parts are for a model N90A iPhone - a new model that does not currently exists.

Our Brazilian brothers, Gizmodo.com.br, got their hot little hands on a few photos of one a new iPhone, to be announced next week. How? Well, there’s a Foxconn factory in Brazil, and Pedro & co got one of their men inside. Inside, they found a new-SKU iPhone that looks just like the old iPhone 4.

A report from earlier this week noted that an iPhone with the codename N90A had appeared in Apple’s internal inventory system. Because the current codename for the iPhone 4 is N90 it is believed that this new SKU would represent an iPhone 4 with minor changes — likely becoming the cheaper iPhone available with 8 GB of storage at a lower cost.

[Translation of key sections of the above image, from Mike in the comments below]

JULGAMENTO DO LOTE means something like BATCH EVALUATION RESULT, certainly from quality control. APPROVADO and REPROVADO means APPROVED and REPROVED and the current batch was reproved with the indication “lentes manchadas” (stained lenses), written in blue over the REPROVADO box.

[Via Gizmodo]

Rumor: New iPhone And iPod Touch Models Appear In Apple’s Inventory

Next week’s iPhone event on October 4th is still somewhat of a mystery, with rumors going round and round in circles as to whether Apple will launch a brand new iPhone 5, a slightly upgraded iPhone “4S” or perhaps both. 9to5 Mac claims to have some information on new products that have turned up inside Apple’s internal inventory system. According to their source, there are now three new iPod touch models under the codename N81A, which 9to5 Mac speculates could represent a white variation of the device.

Since there are only new three iPod touch models - at this time – it’s likely that the black models won’t be updated. This also likely means the storage capacities will stay at their current 8GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities.

What has also appeared is two new iPhone SKUs that are marked as tweaked iPhone 4s. Codenamed N90A (the current iPhone 4 is N90), this could represent a new 8GB version. In previous iOS SDK releases there has been reference to an iPhone with the codename of N94, this has not yet appeared in the inventory. As noted below such a codename would be given to a device with vastly different features and large improvements - rather than just a new white version or a new storage capacity model.

It is very possible that the two SKUs mean black and white models, but that is unconfirmed. We don’t think Apple’s next-generation iPhone – coming next week- would be labeled as an N90A – as it includes major internal hardware upgrades that would typically constitute a new codename.

If you’d like a recap of all the iPhone 5 rumor shenanigans that have occurred over this past year, be sure to have a read of our recap of the more reputable rumors that have been shared around.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

iPhone 5 Prototype from Foxconn Sold To Case Manufacturer?

With Apple’s iPhone media event now only a few days away, questions still remain weather Apple will announce a “completely redesigned” device, as several rumors claimed, or a minor revision with improved processor and camera. In the past months, rumors have indicated both possibilities – an iPhone 4S type of device with iPhone 4-like design and better specs, as well as a more powerful handset with a redesigned, thinner chassis.

In an article published earlier today, M.I.C. Gadget claims to have the details behind the proliferation of alleged iPhone 5 cases in China – according to the website, a “lost” iPhone 5 prototype from Foxconn may have ended up being sold to a Chinese case manufacturer, and thus the hundreds of the “iPhone 5 cases” we’ve seen so far.

With its past experience, one might think Apple would have been able to track that prototype down in a heartbeat. However, Apple was outsmarted. The person who had access to the prototype wiped the phone’s software, thus disabling the GPS hardware needed to track it down. It was then allegedly sold to one of the iPhone case manufacturers for RMB ¥20,000 (about $3,100). We were told that Foxconn was aware of the loss and had penalized internal management for the incident. We also heard from another source that the person who “lost” it was paid to do so.

M.I.C. Gadget says the iPhone 5 prototype was a final design, although concealed inside an iPhone 4 enclosure – just like with last year’s iPhone 4 leak, although this wouldn’t explain how a supposedly wider and taller device would fit inside an iPhone 4 case. However, according to the rumor, the device shares the thinner “tear drop” design hinted by This Is My Next back in April. Apple is also believed to have lost a next-generation iPhone prototype in a bar in San Francisco, which triggered a somewhat curious internal police investigation.

Apple is expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone on Tuesday, October 4th.

Apple Confirms: Media Event on October 4th

Jim Dalrymple at The Loop reports Apple sent out invitations for a media event moments ago. The event is scheduled for October 4th and it’ll take place at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino.

Looking at the invitation posted by The Loop, it’s clear Apple’s keynote will focus on the iPhone – the tagline for the banner is “Let’s talk iPhone” – and, curiously enough, the image features four of Apple’s stock apps for iOS: Calendar, Clock, Maps, and Phone. We wouldn’t look too much into a possible hidden meaning on this image, but all these apps were mentioned in a rumor that claimed to have details on Assistant, an upcoming software feature of the iPhone 5. Obviously, the image itself is a representation of the event’s details (October 4th, 10 AM at Infinite Loop), but it’s not like Apple hasn’t hinted at upcoming features/products in invitations before.

Apple is widely expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone at is next keynote. Speculation surrounding the device in the past months has failed to pinpoint exactly how the next iPhone will look like, and iPhone 4-like parts surfaced this summer suggested Apple could also plan a minor “iPhone 4S”  upgrade. Others claim the “iPhone 5” will be a completely redesigned device with thinner form factor, and possibly a bigger screen. Either way, the next iPhone is rumored to feature the company’s A5 processor, 1 GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel camera – as for the iPhone5-iPhone 4S speculation, you can read more about it in our rumor roundup and retrospective.

At WWDC in June, Apple announced iOS 5 with iCloud integration would ship “this Fall” to customers. iCloud is cross-compatible with iOS devices, web browsers, PCs and Macs – OS X will need an update to version 10.7.2 (currently in beta with developers) to work with iCloud. Other software updates expected to hit with iOS 5’s release are iTunes 10.5 (required for iOS 5 device syncing) and iPhoto 9.2 (for Photo Stream integration).

Apple’s Next Keynote Scheduled for October 4?

According to AllThingsD, Apple’s next media event – where the company is set to officially unveil the next-generation iPhone – will be held on Tuesday, October 4th.

That’s the day Apple is currently expected to hold its next big media event, according to sources close to the situation, where the tech giant will unveil the next iteration of its popular iPhone.

AllThingsD previously claimed the new iPhone would be announced in mid-October, and whilst Apple hasn’t publicly disclosed plans of any new iPhone or device in any time frame, the timeline seems likely at this point. Apple usually sends invites to the press a week ahead of the event, and multiple rumors are suggesting iOS 5 – which the iPhone 5 will likely run out of the box, like new Macs come with Lion pre-installed – is approaching the GM status by the end of this week.

AllThingsD also claims newly-appointed CEO Tim Cook will preside over the event, and that the plan is to release the iPhone 5 a few weeks after the announcement. Previous rumors pointed at the next iPhone being available on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint in the United States in mid-October.

Update: The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple, who has a solid track record when it comes to Apple news and rumors, has commented on AllThingsD’s article with a single “Yep”, suggesting that the original report is indeed accurate.

Further Reports Of Two New iPhone Models, Supply Issues For The iPhone 5?

As the official announcement of the iPhone 5 inevitably creeps closer there has also been a flurry of activity in the past 24 hours with more rumors, supposed leaks and speculation from a wide variety of sources. Most recently, Nick Bilton of the New York Times wrote that a “fairly different” iPhone 5 with 8 MP camera is just weeks away.

Bilton’s suggestions are by-and-large consistent with most frequent of past rumors regarding the iPhone 5. Noting this, 9to5 Mac last night reported that they have heard that there will be two different iPhone models coming next month - a low-end, iPhone 4 look-alike and the new iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5 itself is a sight to behold, we’ve been told.  It is impossibly light, yet much firmer than Samsung Galaxy phones which are backed in plastic.  The camera rivals point and shoot cameras and will be a major marketing point for this device.

There isn’t anything inherently unique in their report either, claiming that Apple’s lower-end iPhone will be similar to the current iPhone 4 whilst the iPhone 5 will be tear-drop shaped, which has been claimed before. However they do say that this lower-end iPhone (the iPhone 4S if you will), is already being produced in high quantities, with 10 million expected on launch day. The iPhone 5 though, is apparently seeing “continued design and production delays, at least on one assembly line” with 9to5 Mac speculating there could be slight delays and shortages until 2012.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

“Fairly Different” iPhone 5 with 8 MP Camera, A5 Processor “Just Weeks Away”

In reporting about today’s allegedly “leaked” iPhone 5 design per Case-Mate’s product pages (later pulled), The New York Times’ Nick Bilton says an announcement of Apple’s next iPhone is “just weeks away”.

We’re just weeks away from the announcement of the new Apple iPhone 5, according to an Apple employee who asked not to be named because he was not allowed to speak publicly for the company.

Bilton then reports that according to descriptions he’s heard from Apple employees, the images posted today by Case-Mate looked “potentially authentic”. The cases indeed seemed to show an iPhone 5 in line with recent speculation surrounding the new device such as tapered edges, and thinner form factor. In the same article, Bilton mentions “an engineer familiar with the new iPhone” said the iPhone 5 would look “fairly different” from the previous-gen model. According to the engineer the iPhone 5 will feature an 8-megapixel camera as previously rumored, the faster A5 processor also seen on the iPad 2, and possibly NFC functionalities for mobile payments. NFC on the iPhone 5 was rumored before, too, but most recent speculation indicated Apple might save the feature for a future “iPhone 6” next year.

As I’ve written in the past, two people with knowledge of the inner workings of Apple’s next-generation iPhones say either the iPhone 5 or iPhone 6 will include a new chip that is made by Qualcomm.

Plenty of rumors posted in the past months failed to indicate whether Apple will soon announce a completely redesigned iPhone 5, and iPhone 4-like device with slightly improved specs, or both to address different market segments. You can read more on this in our iPhone 5/4S rumor roundup and retrospective. [image via]

iOS 5 Beta 8 on Friday, GM Next Week, France Telecom CEO Suggests iPhone 5 Launching October 15th

Two new rumors posted earlier today seem to suggest Apple is getting ready to release the last seeds of iOS 5 to developers, targeting an early October launch for the new OS, alongside the next-generation iPhone.

According to BGR, “a trusted source” claims Apple will release the eighth beta of iOS 5 this week, on Friday, with the Golden Master build to follow on or around September 23rd. Yesterday, a report claimed Apple will send a final version of iOS 5 to assemblers between September 23rd - 30th so that the iPhone 5 will come pre-loaded with iOS 5. It is believed iPhone assemblers in China are waiting for a final version of iOS 5 to install on the devices – as with new Macs released this summer with Lion pre-installed, Apple might want to release a new iPhone already running iOS 5 out of the box. BGR has a solid track record when it comes to pinpointing iOS beta releases, and the website also suggests Apple will requests “technical acceptance” of iOS 5 GM to carriers by October 5th. It is well-known carriers get exclusive versions of Apple’s iOS before the final release in order to test features like voice calling, texting, Internet browsing and perhaps even FaceTime on their networks.

Meanwhile, France Telecom CEO Stéphane Richard [Mac4Ever via MacRumors] has suggested that, based on what they heard, the iPhone 5 should launch on October 15th. October 15th is a Saturday – that would be unusual for iPhone releases, which usually happen on Thursdays or Fridays. Furthermore, previous speculation hinted at an iPhone 5 launch on October 7th - 14th – it is not clear whether Richard is referring to general date for the widely believed mid-October timeframe, or if he’s really heard something about an October 15th European launch.

It’s also worth mentioning that, if the iPhone 5 comes with iOS 5 pre-installed, the new OS would need to come out days ahead of new hardware alongside iTunes 10.5, currently in beta and required to sync iOS 5 devices with a Mac or PC. In the past, Apple released new versions of iTunes and iOS ahead of new hardware to get customers ready for the upgrade, and allow journalists/reviewers to restore the OS on a review unit if needed.

Hypothetically, based on this recent speculation, Apple could follow this timeline:

- iOS 5 beta 8: Friday, September 16th

- iOS 5 GM: Friday, September 23rd

- iPhone 5 pre-orders: Friday, September 30th [link]

- iOS 5 launch: October 5th - October 7th

- iPhone 5 U.S. release: October 7th - October 14th [link]

For a timeline of iPhone 5 news and speculation, check out our rumor roundup and retrospective.

Update: AppleInsider is now reporting iOS 5 could come out on Monday, October 10th, based on information received from a source at AppleCare division.

Apple has reportedly informed its AppleCare division to expect an influx of iOS-related inquiries from customers beginning Monday, Oct. 10, perhaps signaling when the company plans to release iOS 5 to existing device owners.

For instance, one person familiar with the matter said his local AppleCare call center has been told to expect an eightfold increase in customer calls on that day, and that staff are being advised ahead of time for the increased traffic.

Assuming the October 10th date is correct, the iPhone 5 wouldn’t come out on October 7th, as some speculated. However, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple published a major iOS update on a Monday. Alongside iOS 5, Apple is also expected to publicly release iCloud, and OS X 10.7.2.