Apple will announce the iPad 3 in the first week of March according to All Things D, which has a superb track record when it comes to the timing of Apple events. Apple typically holds these types of events on a Tuesday or Wednesday, making March 6 or 7 likely targets. Apple iPad launches have so far been on Fridays, so possibilities include March 16 and 23.

Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2 and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like these. No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that’s what it’s called), though my guess is retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: available for purchase a week or so after the event.

The iPad 3 is widely expected to have a similar form factor to the currently available iPad 2. The main differences are thought to be on the inside with a faster processor, improved graphics performance and the much sought after Retina display. That would give the iPad 3 a screen resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 9.7-inches.

Features like a quad-core processor and LTE networking have been the subject of conflicting rumors.

Come event day, what are you hoping to see?

Source: All Things D

Apple reportedly has sought to source IGZO panels from Sharp for the production of iTVs as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, which unveiled their 55-inch Super OLED and AMOLED TV models, respectively, at CES, both have regarded OLED TVs are their killer products for 2012, and therefore the two Korea-based companies are unlikely to share OLED panel production capacities with Apple.

Source: Digitimes

Could Apple have an Siri-powered, OLED equipped iTV television set to debut this April or May? So a source within a “major electronics retailer” would have TechnoBuffalo believe.

Speaking on conditions of anonymity, the source said they’ve seen “gorgeous, very thin” pre-production versions of the set in person, and that they employ OLED panels at various sizes up to 42-inches.

In addition to Siri artificially intelligent, voice controlled assistant, they claim it will sport facial recognition, and be able to use the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad as a fallback controller. But wait, there’s more!

Our source said Apple is exploring the notion of using the set to control other connected devices in the home; think along the lines of ovens that pre-heat while you’re watching TV before dinner, and garage doors that can be closed by voice command while you sit on the couch. No details were given as to whether Apple would consider manufacturing such devices, though given their history, a “Made for iPod” style accessory program would be a natural fit for a TV-based connected home system.

In Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography, the late Apple co-founder did claim he’d “cracked” the television interface, and rumors of an Apple television have certainly picked up steam ever since. However, Jobs has also spoken about how difficult a challenge it is to deal with regional cable and satellite monopolies and oligopolies, never mind paranoid, anachronistic Hollywood executive who believe Apple is out to destroy their business, and consumers to steal their content.

The part about “other connected devices” is interesting in so far as Google’s Android at Home might one day compete at doing just that.

With iPad 3 likely to be the star of Apple’s spring schedule, however, it’s hard to see a new product like an iTV television getting jammed in alongside. Still, these kinds of rumors do get us thinking, even as we wait for them to get smashed. Or for a follow up claiming it will be exclusive to Sprint. Or that an iTVS Pro with Retina display will also hit before the end of the year. Whichever comes first…

Source: TechnoBuffalo

Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber has weighed in on the supposed iPhone 5 leak from earlier today, saying the iPhone 5 has not yet gone into production, and throwing cold water on the idea that the overall form factor will be larger.

Longer and wider? Sounds like bullshit. I can see Apple putting a bigger display on a device of the same size. I can’t see them making a bigger device.

iMore has independently heard that the iPhone 5 may stay on a fall schedule, similar to the iPhone 4S release in October of 2011. That makes a certain amount of sense, given how well Apple’s iPhone 4S sales persisted despite a 15 month window between launches last year. A June/WWDC 2012 launch would be only 9 months between devices, and might not maximize Apple’s earnings potential. However, with Android 4.0 devices expected to hit the market starting in the March quarter, competitive pressure won’t be letting up any time soon.

As to the design, Apple has had multiple prototypes in contention before, including more conservative and more audacious models. If fall 2012 is and remains the target, it’s likely far too early to tell much if anything for certain. However, a similar sized device with as big a screen as Apple can fit into it certainly sounds nice.

Now that iPhone 4S has come and launched, iPhone 5 (or whatever Apple ends up calling the next generation iPhone), concept designs are once again starting to pop up. This one comes from designer Antonio De Rosa, who created the above iPhone concept and has given it the title of iPhone SJ, as it is Steve Jobs inspired. He imagines it having an A6 processor, a 10 MP camera, and a polycarbonate body. I don’t particularly feel that an A6 processor or a better camera are out of the question for the next iPhone.

I don’t think polycarbonate would be a bad choice for the body as it’s extremely lightweight. It would allow Apple to create an even larger device and subtract weight. I’m not sure I would want a larger screen as that has its disadvantages too. Overall, I think the design is great but I’m not sold on Apple making a larger screen that would inhibit one-handed use. You can visit ADR Studio’s site for more images of his design.

Source: ADR Studio

Hit or miss rumor site Digitimes has reported that Apple may plan on introducing a low-end iPad 2 with a starting price of around $299 after the next-generation iPad hits the market.

Sources from Apple’s supply chain have claimed that there will be two versions of the new iPad, one targeting the high-end segment and the other the mid-range. Digitimes Research believe the two new iPad models will both be equipped the A6 processor with high-end model coming with a high resolution panel (2048×1536) and the mid-tier model featuring the same grade of panel as iPad 2 (1024×768).

Digitimes can be as accurate as your average coin toss, but with the Kindle Fire and other, lower-end tablets now on the market, Apple could consider doing what they’ve done with the iPhone for years — keeping the previous year’s model around at a reduced price to choke the air out of the budget players. iPhones come with steep carrier subsidies, however, and there’s no telling if Apple could — or would be willing to — make even a previous year’s iPad at a low enough cost to both match Kindle-style competitors and still keep Apple’s margins where they need to be.

A reduced price iPad 2-style device does make more sense than the 7-inch iPad Digitimes has also been peddling lately.

Source: Digitimes

BRG claims that sources close to Apple are telling them that the next iPhone will be released in the fall of 2012, bringing in a completely new design with an all-aluminium back.

We have also learned that Apple is planning to use a rubber or plastic material — similar to the material used in the company’s bumper cases — that will be built into the new iPhone case. In all likelihood, this material will be used as a bezel surrounding the front edge of the phone (like the iPhone 3GS bezel) and it will serve two purposes. First, it will join the glass iPhone face with a new aluminum back plate. It will also cover a redesigned antenna system that surrounds the device, allowing Apple to build the rear case out of aluminum without having to use a large plastic insert above the antennas as the company does on its iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G.

While BGR has had solid Apple information in the past, they’ve recently been far more miss than hit, especially where new iPhone models and releases have been concerned. However, it does make sense for Apple to stick to a new fall release cycle for the iPhone given the iPhone 4S release changeover earlier this year, and the need for a strong, fall, hero device now that iPod has declined.

Source: BGR

Rumors of an Apple Television just won’t quit, and this new one from The Wall Street Journal pegs Apple ramping up for a release in the not-so-distant future with features like Siri voice-control, built-in AirPlay streaming and more.

Apple executives have discussed their vision for the future of TV with media executives at several large companies, according to people familiar with the matter. [...] In the recent meetings with media companies, the Apple executives, including Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, have outlined new ways Apple’s technology could recognize users across phones, tablets and TVs, people familiar with the talks said. In at least one meeting, Apple described future television technology that would respond to users’ voices and movements

Details remain extremely vague, of course, with specifics being left off the table to help keep the essence of the future product closely guarded.

Before Steve Jobs passed away in October, he told biography Walter Isaacson that he’d “finally cracked the TV”. From user interface and experience to ditching the mountain of controls many of us now deal with, tons of speculation has followed. Some suggest an Apple Television will bring about new ways of communicating across multiple devices like the iPhone or iPad, where a users’ content can be switched from the television and onto their mobile device for consumption on-the-go. Imagine watching a movie in your living room and deciding you want to take a quick run, but having limited time. With something like an Apple Television using new technology developed internally at Cupertino, you could watch the rest of your movie on-the-go without any hassle; with everything working seamlessly and with very little setup involved.

With Siri voice control, the possibilites of what a future product like this could do seem almost endless.

Source: WSJ

According to iPhoneiTalia, Facebook is working on an update to its Messenger app that will deliver Facebook video calls across multiple platforms. Facebook currently offers a video calling service between users on desktop web browsers using its agreement with Skype. According to sources, the update to the Facebook messenger app is already being tested in the wild and should be revealed in the not too distant future.

This update appears to be a natural progression for the Facebook Messenger app. The idea of being able to video chat with another Facebook user on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch would be extremely appealing to many. The app should be compatible with any iOS device with a front facing camera. We will let you know as soon as we hear any more information!

Source: iPhoneItalia via Cult of Mac

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple will add Sharp to its list of LCD panel manufacturers, specifically for the next generation iPad. The information comes from people familiar with the situation. Apple is apparently looking to diversify component suppliers for its products and as Sharp is already manufacturing LCD panels for the iPhone; it makes sense for Apple to add it to the supply chain for the iPad too.

Sharp’s Kameyama No.2 plant in Japan will be used to manufacture the panels. It is also believed that Apple is investing in Sharp’s Japanese manufacturing facilities to ensure preferential treatment when it comes to component availability and pricing.

The iPad 3 has long been rumored to have the much coveted “Retina” display. Apple would need to be able to source large quantities of high quality panels with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 for this to become a reality. This could be the deal that paves the way for it to happen early next year!

Source: WSJ

Apple is planning to change its backlight design for the next generation iPad, according to technology news source Digitimes. Vendors have told Digitimes that Apple has been offered two alternative backlight solutions.

With the next-generation iPads expected to adopt LCD panels with resolutions higher than 2048 by 1536, the current single LED light bar designed for the iPad 2 has to be modified in order to maintain or strengthen the brightness of the panels, the sources explained.

Source: Digitimes

As is usual with Apple, they’ve not mentioned the amount of RAM in iPhone 4S at either the Let’s Talk iPhone event or in the specs online. Rumors have suggested it has 1GB of RAM but it appears that it may only have 512MB, the same amount as the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2. The information comes from an interview with Chair Entertainment’s creative director Donald Mustard who had been involved in the development of Infinity Blade 2 demo shown off at the event.

I’m still shocked that, with the iPhone 4S, I’m literally running around with a 1080p video camera in my pocket, with an eight megapixel camera, 64GB of hard drive space and an A5 chip with 512MB of memory. This is a really powerful computer, right?

Source: Eurogamer via This is my next

I’m hearing that Apple is working on a new iPad app that looks a lot like DirecTV without the dish, too. Again, that app will have Steve Jobs’ fingerprints all over it as it will be more expansive than the press is expecting in its content availability. There’s a reason Apple built a 500,000-square-foot datacenter (about twice the size of a Facebook one, by the way) and that new datacenter is for video and the data that video causes to be shared with everyone.

Source: Robert Scoble Google+

According to 9to5Mac‘s source, two new iPhone and three new iPod touch SKUs are now appearing in Apple’s inventory system. The new iPod touch models most likely represent the rumored white iPod Touch in 8, 32, and 64GB flavors just like its current black counterpart. The current iPod touch has the internal codename N81. These new SKUs are labeled as part number N81A which probably indicates an incremental update, or more likely, white iPod touch models.

The new iPhone SKUs appearing are labeled under the N90A codename. The current iPhone 4 is known internally as the N90 so this would most likely point to a minimally updated device. It may even indicate an 8GB version which is what Apple did when they knocked down the price of the iPhone 3GS last year. The N94 codename has appeared in the iOS SDK quite a few times and is probably the major iPhone upgrade we should hear about during the October 4th event Apple has scheduled. According to rumors, the iPhone 5 should bring with it some significant internal hardware changes so we doubt the N90A is the device we’ll see on Tuesday.

What do you think we’ll see come Tuesday? Just a new iPhone or white iPod Touch models as well?

Source: 9to5Mac

Vodafone now has a teaser page up on their site for what we’d imagine is the iPhone 5. They’re advertising it as “this year’s biggest smartphone release” so we can only assume it’s a placeholder for whatever iPhone Apple is rumored to announce on October 4th.

The page also gives subscribers the option to sign up for e-mail updates on the mystery phone. Hopefully we are only a few days away from hearing about an announcement and a few weeks away from an actual announcement. How many of you still think we’ll see a new iPhone available before the end of October?

The screenshot below was also sent to us by a TiPb reader who received a text from Rogers about reserving the upcoming iPhone. The text reads:

As a valued customer, we want to let you know that we have the Rogers Reservation System. This means you could be one of the first in line in Canada for the next iPhone as soon as it’s available to reserve! Replay YES to be notified when the next iPhone can be reserved. Visit www.rogers.com/rogersreservations to learn more.

It appears carriers either know something we don’t or they’re still assuming at this point. What do you think?

Source: BGR via Vodafone. Thanks Tom for the Rogers tip!

According to a report from All Things D, Apple will hold its media event to launch the iPhone 5 on October 4.  The information comes from “sources close to the situation”.

Tuesday, October 4. 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.

The event will be of particular significance because it will supposedly be fronted for the first time by new CEO Tim Cook. Tim Cook will be the main presenter according to the same sources but will have help as usual from Scott Forstall, Phil Schiller and maybe even Eddy Cue.

TiPb previously heard that Apple was moving up the iPhone 5 launch from an October 14 to October 7 timeline, but if the announcement is only happening on October 4, the launch would have to be later in the month, perhaps October 14 again.

There has been no official word from Apple to confirm the date and until there is, this remains nothing more than a rumor; although All Things D is a very reliable source. Apple will send out invites for the event but notoriously leaves it as late as possible. We will let you know as soon as it is set in stone!

UPDATE: Jim Dalrymple for The Loop, whose sources at Apple are usually terrific, seems to agree about the date. [The Loop]

Yep.

[All Things D]

Case-Mate published a page today featuring iPhone 5 case designs and pulled it just shortly after. If the case designs are the real deal we may be seeing an overhauled design for the iPhone 5 after all.

Case-Mate recently claimed to have inside info regarding the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S. (Which we are still a bit skeptical about.) As we get closer to an announcement we typically see a lot of case leaks but they don’t typically come from a manufacturer as reputable as Case-Mate.

I’m personally hoping these cases are legit as the iPhone inside the case appears to be a drastic change in design and form factor. It appears to be similar to the iPad 2. Real, fake, or really fake?

BGR

Case-Mate has put up a page on their website making a lot of claims regarding the iPhone 5 and further rumored iPhone 4S. Case-Mate believes the iPhone 5 will be a complete redesign and not just another incarnation of the current iPhone 4. They claim it will feature a wider and thinner design, wireless charging, and an upgraded camera.

Given iOS 5 should only be a few weeks away I would think we would hear something officially any day now. In the mean time here’s what Case-Mate thinks we are going to see concerning the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, which is supposedly just an updated model with a similar form factor to the already existing iPhone 4. They believe both versions will be launched, not just one.

The new iPhone 5 will feature a completely different form factor than its predecessor. Wider and thinner, the redesigned device features an extended home button. The screen size could see an increase to 4 inches.

Also included in the iPhone 5 will be an A5 dual-core processor, similar to the one used in the iPad 2. It will also be equipped with an 8 mega-pixel camera, wireless charging and iOS 5, which features iCloud portable storage capabilities…

The debate continues on whether the new iPhone will be an iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S. From our inside resources, it appears that Apple will be indeed launching both an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 4S in early October. The iPhone 4S will feature the same form factor as the iPhone 4 but will be upgraded with the latest technology, including the A5 dual-core processor and 8 mega-pixel camera.

Case-Mate goes on and says that the iPhone 5 will be available in 16 and 32 GB offerings. I’m not quite sure I am confident Apple will release two different versions of the iPhone or continue with their normal tradition of lowering the price of the previous model and using it in place of an entry level model.

The new page also allows you to sign up for updates regarding iPhone 5 and 4S accessories. That seems a bit sketchy to me. Releasing more rumors seems like an awfully good way to get people to sign up for news about your accessories and future products. We would take this insider info with an enormous grain of salt.

Case-Mate

Unwire.HK has uncovered a few pictures today that are supposedly from a screen protector for the upcoming iPhone 5. The screen protector, if real, shows an elongated opening for the home button as well as a much larger screen size for the new iPhone model compared to the current iPhone 4.

We have seen quite a few case leaks recently which supposedly showed the rear of the iPhone 5 and a few months back there was an alleged iPhone 5 case which does appear to match up with this screen protector. It also showed an elongated opening for the home button which may be for a capacitive touch area rather than a physical button.

The screen size also appears to be larger when compared with an iPhone 4. It is believed however that all of these case and screen protector leaks are based on one particular source of design information; so they may all be wrong or of course, they may all be right. Until Apple announces the iPhone 5, we will just have to wait and see!

UPDATE: This post was originally published with the watermarks removed from the original images. That’s simply not how TiPb does business. We’ll figure out how it happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Our apologies to Unwire.hk, we deeply regret the error. (Thanks to stupidapplerumors.com for the head’s up!)

[Unwire.HK via MacRumors]

iMessage is an iOS 5 messaging application which includes sending messages, photos and videos over WiFi or 3G. Messages can be pushed across all iOS devices that use the same account. You can even pick up on the conversation right where you left off when switching from your iPhone to your iPad or iPod touch.

MacRumors received some information today that reveals some new code has been added to OS X Lion’s iChat framework that points to integration with the iChat app and iMessage.

The “timeDelivered” and “timeRead’ fields indicate the tracking of delivery and read receipts for instant messages. These features, however, are not supported in any of iChat’s native messaging protocols, while the same features are offered in Apple’s iMessage protocol. These properties were also not present in previous versions of iChat prior to OS X Lion. We believe the only reason Apple would have added these properties was to build in cross compatibility with their new iMessage protocol.

[MacRumors]

Apple and Sprint may have already completed work on a Sprint compatible iPad. 9to5Mac claims that the Sprint iteration of the iPad will join the rest of the current iPad line-up (GSM models and Verizon) before the holiday season. Given we’ve also heard confirmations of Sprint getting the iPhone 5, it would only make sense they’d eventually carry the iPad as well.

Sprint is the only carrier in the United States that still offers truly unlimited data plans. This may be a big draw for data hungry consumers that aren’t currently happy with their tier happy carriers. 9to5Mac didn’t seem to be able to confirm whether or not the Sprint variation of the iPad will support their 4G WiMAX network. The fact that Apple has made a separate version to run on Sprint instead of using the existing Verizon CDMA model may have something to do with 4G but at this point it’s still unclear.

If Sprint ends up carrying the iPhone 5 and/or iPad this Fall, would you switch to have truly unlimited data again?

9to5Mac

New internal documents and screenshots seem to indicate that Radio Shack will soon be adding the Verizon iPhone 4 to their lineup. They recently announced that they would be carrying Verizon devices starting in December so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise.

What is interesting is the timing. With all these iPhone 5 rumors and 8GB iPhone 4 rumors, does it really make much sense that they’ll start receiving the 16 and 32GB versions? They could always lower the price (as Apple usually does) when the iPhone 5 launches and just add the 8GB version to the current lineup at a lower price point.

Either way it’s nice to see Radio Shack adding iPhones for Verizon users as well. They typically have some pretty good discounts and trade-in programs when new iPhones roll out. At least Verizon users will be able to take advantage of those this time around.

9to5Mac

According to randomly accurate rumor site Digitimes, Foxconn is currently rolling out around 150,000 iPhone 5 units a day. The information comes from industry sources. Pegatron Technology who were thought to have won around 15% of the iPhone 5 manufacturing orders may not start shipping until 2012 according to the same sources.

Lens maker Largan Precision, touch panel maker TPK Holding, reinforced glass supplier G-Tech Optoelectronics and battery vendors Simplo and Dynapack are all operating at full swing currently, the sources indicated.

[Digitimes]

Apple’s retail store employees are starting to receive training on the features of iOS 5 and iCloud. The information comes in the form of a screenshot from Apple’s Daily Download. The Daily Download is an Apple internal iPad application in the form of a newspaper; which is used to communicate information to its employees on a daily basis.

iOS 5 and iCloud are just around the corner— it’s time to prepare for the next generation of mobile innovation. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be presenting a series covering everything you need to know to provide our customers with the best iOS experience. This week, learn some new features of iOS 5 and iCloud.

[9to5Mac]

A photograph of an internal Best Buy retail calendar screenshot may give us the best clue yet as to the launch day of the iPhone 5. The event in question is an Apple fixture installation and is scheduled for October 21st. The date in question is a Friday which would line up with other iPhone release days.

This not a normal fixture installation either according to a tipster who talked to This is my next. The request for a manager to be on hand at 6am is not the norm and is a mirror image of what happened when the iPhone 4 was launched last year. The tipster also went on to say that Best Buy managers have a meeting scheduled for October 10 to discuss upcoming releases.

TiPb recently heard that an original release date of October 14 was being moved up to October 7. Whether it’s now been moved back again, this time to October 21 we’re not certain, but because Apple doesn’t pre-announce products, they’re free to adjust the exact date up until even invitations go out and their executives take the stage.

I still expect an announcement of the iPhone 5 at the end of this month with a mid October release. Either way, I am now sick of suffering with an iPhone 4 that is out of warranty. Anyone else tired of waiting for iPhone 5 already?

UPDATE: Boy Genius also got their hands on a Best Buy screen today, this one pointing to a possible first week of October launch for iPhone 5, similar to what TiPb heard a few weeks ago. They also seem to indicate Sprint will be one of the launch carriers, which has been another of the big rumors circulating lately. All of this, again, claims to be subject to change.

[This is my Next, BGR]

If tech site Greek-iPhone is to be believed, they’ve got their hands on even more iPhone 5 components, namely an updated camera module. As always we will take it with a grain of salt but the images appear to line up with what many sites and other blogs have already heard regarding the camera getting an upgrade.

This one includes more megapixels (which is probably a given) and a different form factor from the current camera found in the iPhone 4. It’s slimmer and has a more rounded shape. We’ve been hearing that the next generation iPhone would carry a slimmer form factor and this lines up with that theory.

Next generation iPhone part leaks are getting more and more abundant, but that will come to an end when Apple makes an official announcement in the coming weeks.

[Greek-iPhone via 9to5Mac]

Earlier this summer 9to5Mac and iFixYouri found some white iPod touch 5 front panels floating around, and now teardown site iFixDirect has gotten their hands on something similar. Given we saw the iPad 2 get a white version this year, it only makes sense that the iPod touch would follow suit sooner or later.

I’m typically a little skeptical with part leaks but the connectors and circuitry appear to be a bit different than the current 4th generation iPod touch, which makes this a bit more believable. Other than adding a white iPod touch to the current line up, it doesn’t seem like the form factor will deviate much from the current lineup. We’ll probably see more changes internally than anything which are the types of changes I prefer seeing anyways. Have you told us [what you want to see in iPod touch 5] yet?

[9to5Mac, TechnoBuffalo]

iPatchiPods is claiming to have received some images of what it and MacRumors believe are an updated iPhone 4 (or iPhone 4S mid frame casing with some intriguing design changes, including a modified antenna array and the apparent lack of a home button.

The frame shows that this model will have two antenna breaks at the bottom of the casing. Currently the GSM version has breaks in the lower left side and top bar and the CDMA version are both on the top bar. The changes could be to improve reception, reduce the death grip problems, support different GSM bands (including AWS for T-Mobile US), or even to support both CDMA and GSM as a “world phone”.

The bottom of the frame is the most interesting part to look at. There is a lack of any defined “Home Button” area. The current iPhone 4 equivalent part shows an area cut out for the Home Button; according to iFixit. Could this mean that Apple will go capacitive and remove another moving part from the iPhone?

There has been a rumor recently that Apple is planning on releasing a cut down version of the iPhone 4 alongside the iPhone 5 when it is launched. This would make sense and this could well be the casing from it. The idea of not having a Home Button or a redesigned one would make sense too in many ways. The current iPhone 4 has a definite weakness in this area — I have had mine replaced three times for an unresponsive button.

[MacRumors]

Online parts supplier TVC Mall claims to have some iPhone 5 replacement parts in stock. If these are the real deal, it gives us a bit more information on the internals of the iPhone 5. Besides the rear camera, TVC has a few other iPhone 5 replacement parts listed – an iPhone 5 replacement battery, audio jack flex cable (pictured above), and the prox sensor flex.

Compared to the iPhone 4, these parts seem like they may be legit. It also wouldn’t be the first time suppliers get their hands on parts before the official release of a device. We also see about 20 fakes for every real leak as well. After repairing several iPhones over the past 2 years, I’d say these parts could maybe be the real deal.

I find myself kind of hoping they’re not as I really wanted to see a dual LED flash on the iPhone 5. Sigh. Here’s to hoping these are maybe just a really good Photoshop mockup of some iPhone 4 parts.

[TVC Mall]

According to a report from Reuters this morning, Apple has instructed its Asian manufacturers to begin production of a lower priced iPhone 4 with just 8GB of on-board storage. The information comes from “People with knowledge of the matter”. The flash drives for the 8GB iPhone 4 will be manufactured by a Korean company according to the same sources but no company name was revealed.

To be clear, this doesn’t sound like the iPhone nano/budget iPhone TiPb previously heard Apple was working on, nor is it the greatest of revelations when you consider previous Apple release patterns — When the iPhone 3GS was launched, the then-current iPhone 3G was offered as a cheaper entry level iPhone with 8GB of storage. Again when the iPhone 4 was launched last year, the iPhone 3GS was offered with 8GB of storage at a much cheaper price.

Having said that, an iPhone 4 with 8GB of storage at a very competitive price would still be a very compelling device for many.

[Reuters]

Apple’s next generation iPhone, be it an iterative “iPhone 4S” or a completely revamped “iPhone 5” could go on sale October 7 in the US. That’s a Friday, which isn’t uncommon for iPhone launches. Originally it sounded more like a second week of October launch, more like October 14, but now it sounds like the first week. We’re still hearing that an “iPhone 4S”-style device, with improved processors and optics, is more likely than an all new design, but given the many and varied rumors, it’s impossible to tell for sure. It could even be that the “iPhone 4S” is the budget iPhone Apple supposedly completed work on just before WWDC 2011 (the iPhone nano, so to speak), and the “iPhone 5″ is the new high-end model. That could explain the supposedly conflicting rumors.

iPad 3, which Apple may have flirted with releasing this fall as well, sounds like it might have been put back on it’s traditional Spring schedule. Whether or not the component costs and yield rates of the rumored 2048×1536 Retina Display simply aren’t where Apple needs them to be yet are unknown.

Still, Apple can and will change their plans up to event day, so take all of this with a Cupertino-sized grain of salt. (And feel free to attribute any combination of “people” “sources” “familiar with” “knowledge of” and “little birdies” makes you happy.)

LGD, the leading supplier of LCD panels, appears to be having some manufacturing issues when it comes to the 9.7″ LCD panels that are used in the iPad 2. After receiving several defective units, Apple has reportedly pulled them until the issue can be sorted out.

LGD fell 1 million units short of their projected estimate of panel shipments. These defective units could have a lot to do with that. It will no doubt continue affecting them until the issue is resolved.

In the mean time, Apple will continue using Samsung and CMI for iPad 2 LCD panels. Apple has also had their issues with Samsung as well. But if you’re in a tight spot, I guess you do what you need to in order to meet demand in the mean time. Digitimes’ source seemed certain that LGD would remain the top panel supplier if the issue was rectified.

Digitimes

We don’t usually believe in rewarding negative attention seekers, but boy did this iPhone 5 website faker put some time into this almost-certainly-a-hoax video. (After the break.)

[YouTube via eTechno, thanks DEhrlich01]

DigiTimes is reporting for the second time this month, that manufacturer Pegatron has landed an order from Apple for the iPhone 5. Earlier in the month, it told us that the order was for 15 million units, that has now been revised to 10 million.

Pegatron Technology has landed orders for 10 million units of iPhone 5. Shipments will start in September, according to industry sources.

[DigiTimes]

After the recent rumor that the iPhone 5 would not see the light of day until October, UK newspaper The Guardian has chimed in with its thoughts on the matter. It  firmly believes that September is still the month for the iPhone 5 launch.

The Guardian reporter Charles Arthur is pulling no punches when it comes to questioning the reliability of the recent  All Things D report; which claimed that the iPhone 5 would not be released until October. He believes that the All Things D sources are nowhere near water tight and the argument for an October launch is flawed. The basis of his argument is centred on the fact that carriers are now in possession of iPhone 5 test boxes.

My carrier sources tell me that the boxes in which the new iPhone hardware is encased have been transported to carriers for testing. This is an important step in the release cycle for any phone. The next iPhones go for their testing inside locked and sealed boxes so that the carriers can carry out checks on their network compatibility in their labs. The new iPhones are in the system, which means they now just have to get approval – which will probably only take a few weeks at most – and can then be signed off for manufacturing. My gut feeling, allied to the information from carriers and Apple’s history, is that we’re still looking at a September release. Who knows, perhaps someone was even misdirecting the good people at ATD by suggesting October.

[The Guardian]

According to Ashok Kumar, an analyst for Rodman & Renshaw, Apple will be launching an iPad Pro this quarter aimed at the professional user. The updated iPad will include improvements to the screen resolution and have HD front and rear facing cameras.

A ‘professional’ iPad would have incremental improvements and possibly appeal to segments such as publishing, according to analysts. “Apple is…expected to roll out a premium version of iPad 2–a higher resolution screen, front-/rear- facing HD cameras–in the current quarter,” Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Rodman & Renshaw, wrote in a research note today.

We don’t normally pay much attention to analyst predictions but the news of an updated iPad model being released this year is nothing new. We are hearing the same information over and over again and from different sources. This could very well be happening; the next few months are going to be very interesting!

[cNet]

All Things D has heard from reliable sources that the iPhone 5 will not be launching until October. It was previously thought that the iPhone 5 would launch by September at the very latest.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say reports claiming AT&T has blacked out employee vacations during the last two weeks of September in preparation for the retail debut of the next iPhone are misinformed. Instead, it’s going to be an October surprise — the month in which Apple will be launching its next generation iPhone.

It will be interesting to see if Apple has its usual early September iPod event; surely iPhone 5 would have to be announced either before that or at the same time!

[All Things D]

Here we go again, another day another iPhone 5 rumor. This time, 9to5 Mac has received an alleged screen capture from KT’s (Korea Telecom) internal stock inventory system. The screen shot clearly shows SKU’s (stock-keeping units) for AIP5 which we assume stands for Apple iPhone 5 followed by a number.

The number appears to represent the GB capacity of the iPhone 5 however we are widely expecting that a 64GB version would be released this time; but there is no mention of it. What is even more confusing is the third model in the screen capture; it appears that this is an iPhone 5 without any storage capacity? 9to5 Mac believes that this is a carrier unlocked model.

Before we lose all hope of an iPhone 5 64GB model, these SKU’s are just place holders and it may be a case that Apple is keeping the specifications under wraps until it is officially announced. I know a lot of people who are pinning their hopes on an iPhone 5 with 64GB of storage. Personally I have a 16GB version and it still has a few GB remaining.

[9to5 Mac]

According to a report by China Times, the iPhone 5 will be released in the second week of September with 4 million units set to hit the streets at launch. The same source also claims that the iPad 3 has been delayed until after Thanksgiving due to component shortages.

This release date for the iPhone 5 does seem like a popular choice with many rumors now pointing to a September launch. This would also coincide with the fall release of iOS 5; although the official start of fall this year is September 23. We also know that Apple is recruiting temporary sales staff throughout the UK, starting in mid August. This would allow them to be trained to Apple’s exacting standards, prior to the iPhone 5 launch.

The delay to the iPad 3 is a little more mystifying, not quite sure how an unannounced product that is rumored to be released outside of its normal product refresh cycle can be delayed!

The China Times has a hit and miss record with Apple rumors so take this one with the usual pinch of salt. It does however have close links with Apple’s supply chain in China.

[China Times via MacRumors]

Facebook for iPad has been uncovered in the recently updated Facebook for iPhone. A twitter user discovered a hack to make it visible — editing a file on your iPad to change the UIDeviceFamily ID in the apps plist file to get the iPad interface up and running app, but you do need to have a jailbroken iPad to be able to do this.

It is not just the iPhone version blown up to fill the iPad’s screen either. This is a totally different interface with slide out navigation menus and a separate chat menu too. Techcrunch has spoken with one of its sources who claim that this is the actual Facebook app for iPad and it will be officially launched soon.

I have tested the app with my iPad and it does seem to work very well. It looks and feels totally different to the iPhone version of the app and navigation is very well done. I also tested uploading photographs and it is seamless and offers access to your photo library as well as the camera on the iPad 2. It does have a few little rough edges that will need to be ironed out but that, sadly, won’t come as a shock to users of the beleaguered Facebook for iPhone app!

It will be interesting to see if Facebook expedite the launch of its iPad app now that this has leaked out.

[@AeroEchelon via Techcrunch]

An interesting iPod touch screen shot has been uncovered from the just released iOS 5 beta 4. The screen shot shows a toggle switch for cellular connectivity. Could this mean that the iPod touch will be getting a 3G data option when it is refreshed later this year?

The iPod touch would benefit hugely from data connectivity, especially with the introduction of iMessage in iOS 5. An always on messaging device, without the need for a costly voice and text plan would definitely be a hit for parents with younger children.

Personally I think this is just some code left over from the iPhone version of the beta and nothing more than that. However it would make a lot of sense for Apple to offer it as an option!

[9to5 Mac]

It looks very likely that Apple will be delivering a fully integrated voice recognition service into iOS 5 when it is released in the fall. 9to5 Mac has uncovered a setting screen which clearly shows a toggle switch for a service called Assistant. The Assistant service will supposedly take voice input to a whole new level, allowing you to control all the core operating system actions with voice. This is not the first time we have seen information pointing to system wide voice recognition and control.

“Assistant” does not work only based off a user’s voice inputs, but Apple will take information – securely – from user’s devices like location, contact’s information, and music metadata to formulate the best information to serve a user’s request. Since Apple will be taking information such as phone contacts and location, we truly think that “Assistant” will work just like the Siri iPhone application does; but fully integrated into the operating system.

Guess we will just have to wait and see. I am really not that excited by the prospect of voice control. Unless it is done perfectly and works every time, it just takes longer to do things and becomes a constant source of frustration!

[9to5 Mac]

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal from the unusually accurate Kane, a few members of Apple’s board have discussed possibilities for Steve Jobs future replacement. The members are believed to have spoken with executive recruiters as well as at least one head of a high profile tech company. The source of the information is “people familiar with the matter”. The Wall Street Journal even managed to get an email from Steve Jobs in response to its questions.

Mr. Jobs said Monday in an email, “I think it’s hogwash.” An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

If this turns out to be true, the directors don’t appear to have been acting on behalf of the full board or with the knowledge of Steve Jobs. Always a dangerous game to play in any business. especially one as high profile as Apple! On the other hand, it would be foolish for any business with its CEO on a medical leave of absence, not to have long term plans in place. (Almost as foolish as divulging to the competition just exactly what that plan is…)

[WSJ]

Apple has apparently started testing display panels made by Samsung and LG for its next generation iPad 3 according to The Korea Times. The article claims that both companies are close to signing a deal with Apple.  The screens are thought to have a huge resolution increase over the current iPad 2 display which is 1024 x 768. The new panels are believed to be “Retina” displays at a resolution of 2048 x 1536; with the same 4:3 aspect ratio.

Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 will feature an improved display to support quad extended graphics (QXGA), a display resolution of 2048×1536 pixels with a 4:3 aspect ratio to provide full high definition (HD) viewing experience,’’ said a source close to the talks.

The display panels are said to be going through various tests at laboratories in China and should be complete in the third quarter of this year.

Now when you put this rumor alongside the recent story of a second iPad release this year; with a retina display, it all starts to make a little sense. If the panels pass all of Apples tests in the third quarter, we may well see the rumored release in October. Of course you never know anything for sure until it is officially announced. I still think it is a bit of a long shot and really don’t think it’s going to happen this year!

[The Korea Times]

Reuters is reporting that Apple is conducting trials with Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC for its next generation A6 processor; according to sources familiar with the matter.

TSMC has got all the authorization and details ready. Whether Apple puts in a formal order will depend on the yield rate, said the source, who was not authorized to speak to the media. The source did not provide further details of the orders.

The A6 processor will likely debut in the iPad 3 when it is launched next year. Apple tends to introduce new processors to the iPad line of devices first, then introduces them to the iPhone and iPod touch when they are updated.

[Reuters]

Apple is looking to recruit temporary full time iPhone Sales Specialists for its Apple Stores across the UK. The ads appeared on UK recruitment site Reeds.co.uk. The start date for the temporary positions is August 16 with an ending date of October 29. Could August 16 be the release date for the iPhone 5?

Our client, Apple, one of the largest consumer electronic hardware and software companies in the world are seeking full-time iPhone Sales Staff for an exciting project to work 5 days a week (Tuesday-Saturday) for the period 16th August – 29th October within key retail stores. If you are successful, full training will be provided and you will be required to attend a 4 day training event 9th -12th August 2011 in the London area.

[Reed.co.uk via Cnet]

9to5 Mac has uncovered an interesting feature of iOS 5 beta 3 for the Apple TV. The previously unused Bluetooth chip appears to have been activated. It looks like Bluetooth support is aimed at integrating a keyboard into your setup, rather than anything more exciting. The new Bluetooth feature can be found in the normal settings menu, enabling you to pair a keyboard with the usual passcode setup process.

So what could this mean for the future of the Apple TV? Well at the very least we could see the Safari web browser making an appearance. Thinking a bit further outside the box and it all becomes a little more interesting. How about game controllers, similar to the iControlPad that we saw earlier today. Of course you would then need to be able to install apps and games on your Apple TV… See where we are going here?

Apps have always been strongly rumored to form part of the Apple TV’s future. Maybe we will have to wait for the next update of the Apple TV hardware for them to appear. The wait shouldn’t be too long as its already strongly rumored to be updated in the fall with 1080p playback and the dual core A5 processor. Either way this could be a very exciting development. Of course, we must remember that features disappear from beta software all the time, but let’s enjoy the possibility just for a moment!

[9to5 Mac]

According to AppleInsider, Apple could be looking to launch full 1080p HD video rentals through its iTunes software as early as September. Currently 1080p content has not been available on any Apple platform through iTunes, be that via a Mac or the Apple TV. This could soon change as “people familiar with the matter” have told AppleInsider that certain films are now being submitted to Apple in three formats; including 1080p.

One such film from 20th Century Fox was said to have arrived with encoding options for SD (480p), HD (720p), and a new, third format listed as HD+ (1080p). Similarly, a small number of upcoming releases from two of the other ‘big 5′ movie studios were submitted with optional resolutions of 1920×1080 and an average bitrate encoding of 10,000 kbps.

Another problem to consider is internet bandwidth; you would need a very fast download speed to enable streaming of 1080p content. I struggle to stream standard definition content with my connection!

[AppleInsider]

Shing Yin, a Citadel Securities analyst, thinks a Sprint iPhone deal may not be that far off, perhaps as soon as this year, which would likely mean a CDMA iPhone 5. After Verizon finally shipped the iPhone 4, we found out T-Mobile might be getting one, either on their own or as part of the ongoing T-Mobile and AT&T merger. That leaves Sprint sitting alone in the corner.

Interestingly enough, after Verizon ends unlimited data on July 7, 2011, Sprint will be the only carrier to still offer unlimited data. Yin things that may appeal to Apple.

With lower prices on plans, a Sprint iPhone could offer an attractive proposition for more price-conscious users (a demographic that we think is increasingly important to Apple following the rise of Android)…

I think it’s only a matter of time before Sprint picks up the iPhone. I’m not convinced they’ll receive the next hardware iteration at the same time as Verizon and AT&T but I could see a launch later in the year or early next year, the same way Verizon got the iPhone 4 roughly 8 months after AT&T.

Like with AT&T, eventually everyone on Verizon who wants an iPhone, even an iPhone 5, will have one, and selling into Sprint’s user base is the next logical step for expansion in the US.

Barron’s

If FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger is correct, in lieu of the much-rumored ipad 3 we may see another iteration of the iPad 2 this year, complete with a beefed up display. According to Berger, Apple is currently shopping around for quotes from manufacturers in China. The current iPad 2 sports 132 pixels per inch. The iPad 2 Plus will supposedly increase the pixel density to around 250 to 300 pixels per inch. (Though, as we’ve said repeatedly, Apple will have to pixel-double it exactly, the same way they did with iPhone 4, if they don’t want to cause headaches for developers.)

Considering new iPhone hardware hasn’t even been announced yet, and we’ll almost certainly see a new iPhone iteration before the end of the year, it’d be surprising to see another new iPad this soon after iPad 2. Apple knows how consumers work and upgrading a $500+ device more than once a year isn’t really going to fly for most average consumers. Since TiPb — and others — keep hearing about it, however, one possibility is that this new iPad isn’t designed to get existing customers to upgrade, but to get a whole new set of customers buying iPads for the first time. The question then becomes, what changes do they make to do that?

Boy Genius Report

After the recent leak of a beta version of the iPad 2 jailbreak, it looks like the official version may be getting released very soon — maybe as soon as today. The jailbreakme.com site has been updated with a rather cheeky yellow sticky note with the well know phrase “We’ll be back soon”. (The sticky note is used by Apple when it has taken down its online store to update.)

[jailbreakme.com]

DigiTimes is reporting that Taiwanese manufacturer Pegatron Technology has landed a huge order from Apple to manufacture the iPhone 5. The order is thought to be in the region of 15 million iPhone 5 units and it will start shipping in September. Pegatron Technology currently manufactures the Verizon CDMA iPhone 4 for Apple. The information comes from upstream component makers, of course, and not from Pegatron Technology itself.

The sources pointed out that as the iPhone 5, which does not seem to have any major update from iPhone 4, is already set for shipment in September, they are already started supplying components to Pegatron with Pegatron’s plants in Shanghai, China also recently started hiring for manpower.

[DigiTimes]

Digitimes reports that component makers are preparing materials to begin production of the iPhone 5 for an October release, with signs pointing to the iPad 3 dropping before the end of the year as well.

Taiwan-based companies included in the supply chain for iPhone 5 and iPad 3 have begun to prepare materials for the production of the two devices

According to their sources, production of the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 should begin in August and ramp up in September with the iPhone 5 hitting sometime in October.

Most rumors have narrowed the iPhone 5 release to September. It’s unclear what the release window for the iPad 3 would be, and it’s important to keep in mind that Digitimes has been hit-or-miss with their predictions in the past. Earlier this month they reported iPad 3 component suppliers gained Apple certification for a 2012 release, which goes against these new reports. Both Daring Fireball and TechCrunch have pointed to a “fall surprise” related to a new iPad, possibly iPad 3 earlier this year.

TiPb has independently heard that October is likely for iPhone 5, and that there could quite possibly be a new iPad, perhaps a revised iPad 2 or iPad 3, this fall as well. Regardless of the rumors, however, Apple can and will move things around based on production and marketing needs, so no one knows for certain until Apple makes the official announcements.

[Digitimes]

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty has issued a note to her clients stating that the iPhone 5 will begin production in mid to late August for a September release. This after Huberty had spent a few days in Taiwan, presumably meeting with Apple’s supply chain companies.

Huberty predicts a late third quarter release for the next-generation iPhone. As a result of the later than usual launch, Huberty shifted 2 million iPhone units from the firm’s third quarter estimates to its fourth quarter estimates, though the firm’s full year estimate of 72 million units remain unchanged. However, the analyst notes that if the next iPhone were to come out in early September, it would “drive upside” to Morgan Stanley’s lowered estimates.

A lower priced iPhone may also be in the works, according to Huberty. Apple is forecasting a large iPhone sales increase in 2012; which she is putting down to new products with potentially a lower price point. This would enable Apple to make gains in emerging and prepaid markets. TiPb’s been hearing about that

Okay, Morgan Stanley, your entry is hereby added to our iPhone 5 release pool; no doubt it will soon be joined by a ton of others. Now, when iPhone 5 launches (likely this fall, but who knows?) we’ll see who the last analyst standing is, won’t we?

[Appleinsider]

George Hotz, the jailbreak ninja that brought us LimeRa1n for iOS devices as well as the Sony PS3 jailbreak, might just be working at Facebook now.

In a video interview yesterday, Joshua Hill (P0sixninja) a member of the Chronic-Dev Team, confirmed that Geohot had a day job working at Facebook; that is why he declined the offer to help with the iPad 2 jailbreak. Apparently he does not want the attention after being recently sued by Sony.

Also Gabe Rivera of Techmeme, discovered Geohot’s Facebook page and confirmed that the first post at the top of the page said “Facebook is really an amazing place to work…first hackathon over.” The page has now been removed and throws up a message that the content is currently unavailable.

If true, this is an interesting development to say the least . Could it be linked somehow to the three recent Facebook stories which broke last week? We know Facebook is set to release a new photo sharing service, that Facebook was working on an iPad app, and also an  HTML 5 web app store.

Geohot’s efforts to date seem to be in a different area than app development, but even with his experience in breaking security we are sure he would be a great asset!

Video after the break. Do you think Geohot’s at Facebook and if so, what could he be working on?

[MyGreatFest, @gaberivera via Techunwrapped]

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven’t already, head on over and register now!

• Everything you need to know about migrating your MobileMe account to iCloud.

• Discuss iOS 5 bugs and other issues you have found while using the beta.

• Discuss all of the latest iPhone 5 rumors here.

• Many of you are upset Apple does not include a LED for notifications. What are your thoughts regarding this missing hardware feature?

See you in the forums!

Hit and miss technology site DigiTimes is claiming that the iPhone 5 will have a dual-LED Flash when it is eventually released; hopefully in September.

Recent market rumors have indicated that Apple’s iPhone 5 is likely to come with a dual-LED flash with Taiwan-based LED packaging firms Everlight Electronics, Edison Opto and Lite-On Technology being pinpointed as potential suppliers. All related companies have denied they are involved in the production of dual-LED flashes.

This rumor is one  more to add to the growing list of recent rumors regarding the iPhone 5. Yesterday we heard that the new iPhone 5 would have a similar form factor to the current iPhone 4; but with improved camera and processor. The day before we heard that it would have a completely different casing and form factor. Until it is announced, be prepared for many more rumors to come!

[DigiTimes]

Bloomberg has jumped into the iPhone 5 rumor game, saying that the next generation iPhone will launch in September with the same form factor as the current iPhone 4.

The device will include the A5 processor, the more powerful chip that Apple added to the iPad 2 earlier this year, along with an 8-megapixel camera, up from the 5-megapixel model in the iPhone 4, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details aren’t public. The new iPhone will closely resemble the iPhone 4, the people said.

This is in stark contrast to yesterday’s rumors from BGR, which claimed an August release for a redesigned iPhone 5.

Bloomberg also claim its sources confirmed a few other rumors that we have heard before. It claims Apple is working on a new iPad with a resolution of a third higher than the iPad 2; with a more responsive touchscreen. This one is a bit sketchy due to the problems this would cause developers. It also resurrected the rumor of a cheaper iPhone for developing countries, which could be the basis for the long standing iPhone nano rumors. This, it says, will use the current chip and screen of the iPhone 4. Sounds like the iPhone 4 will more likely just become the cheaper option for carriers just as the iPhone 3GS is now.

TiPb keeps hearing a September/October release timeframe for iPhone 5, along with the possibility of another iPad this year, and the “iPhone nano” device, in whatever form it takes, so there may well be something to this. What do you think?

[Bloomberg]

TechCrunch has uncovered that Facebook is looking to launch an HTML5 based app store under the name of Project Spartan. The app store will offer games and news apps that run inside Safari, or as Web Clips on the home screen. Over 80 outside developers are currently working with Facebook on apps for the platform.

As of right now, there are believed to be 80 or so outside developers working with Facebook on Project Spartan. These teams are working on apps for the platform that range from games to news-reading apps. Some of the names should be familiar: Zynga and Huffington Post for example. The goal is to have these apps ready to roll in the next few weeks for a formal unveiling shortly thereafter.

This comes hot on the heels of yesterday’s news that Facebook would soon be releasing a photo sharing application for iOS devices.

Currently most Facebook apps on the web are based around Flash; this new project could purely be aimed at making them available to the huge iOS market. Obviously Facebook would like to make some money from the arrangement and this appears to be the focus. Facebook would become the distribution channel in this case and not the App Store.

What do you think? Would you be happy to pay for apps from Facebook that would only be usable in the mobile Safari browser? Let us know in the comments!

[TechCrunch]

An iPad with a 3D display is supposedly being shown off by display vendor CPT at the Display Taiwan show. The device which has been caught on video, appears to be a first generation iPad; however all product branding has been covered. The display requires the use of special polarizing glasses.

Netbooknews discovered the device and is speculating that this may be a prototype of the iPad 3. It looks much more likely to us that this is a publicity stunt by CPT to gain some attention to its display products. Maybe they decided to modify an original iPad with a 3D display just as a proof of concept. Take a look at the video after the break then head back here to let us know what you think!

[Netbooknews via 9to5 Mac]

Well known Jailbreak expert Chronic, of Chronic Dev Team, discovered a couple of hidden menu pages in the latest beta of iOS 5, confirming that Apple is heavily involved in bringing system wide voice integration to iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Voice recognition was widely rumored to be coming in iOS 5 however there was little mention of it at the recent  WWDC keynote. We did see it briefly mentioned on one of the slides but that was all.

The screenshots above show that the service will come as a partnership between Apple and Nuance; as was widely expected. Maybe we will see it all ready to go when Apple decides to reveal the next generation iPhone, expected to be around the time of the full release of iOS 5 in the fall.

The question is, will this be part of iOS 5 for all devices that can run it, just for Apple A5 powered devices, which would include iPad 2 and iPod touch 5 presumably, or just for the unannounced next generation iPhone?

[@chronic, @chronicwire]

As with all new beta firmware, it appears there are references to new hardware in iOS 5. I expected there to be references to a 5th generation iPhone model but there are also placeholders for new iPad models as well. TUAW is reporting that they found references to not only two difference 5th generation iPhone models, but 2 different iPad models as well.

I’m assuming the two iPhone references are to the GSM and CDMA models of whatever the 5th generation iPhone will be called. I definitely didn’t expect to see two new iPad models this soon. And even more interesting, there are no new references of a fifth generation iPod Touch. Considering Apple typically releases new iPods in the Fall, we normally see code pointing in that direction around this time.

From TUAW -

Specifically, there are declarations buried in the iOS system files that reference “iPad3,1″ and “iPad3,2.” Likewise, “iPhone4,1″ and “iPhone4,2.” The iPhone 5 will be a 4th generation unit because the iPhone 3G was technically 1st generation. This throws off the numbering and confuses everyone, so don’t fret if you were confused….

What do you guys think? I’m going with the fact that they just stuck place holders in there for future iPad iterations. They’ve done it in the past. I am, however, intrigued that there are no iPod references found this close to what should be an iPod refresh.

TUAW

It’s that time of year again and WWDC 2011 is upon us. We have our iOS want list up and if This Is My Next actually does have a credible source, we may be able to check off quite a few things.

Here’s a list of changes from their source:

• Messaging – The word is that Apple is readying its own MMS / SMS protocol which will be a native part of the phone. We’re not entirely clear on how this would work, but apparently it will be able to automatically identify iOS users and route the message accordingly.

• Notifications – Notifications will now be handled in drop down located at the top of the screen (similar to MobileNotifier, seen in the image above). Messages will appear and then slide back up in a unobtrusive manner, similar to webOS. There have been some leaked screenshots floating around the web for the last 24 hours, but those are not the real deal.

• Widgets – The notifications will be constantly accessible through a pulldown window which you reach by swiping at the top of the screen downward… just like Android. Not only will this screen house your recent notifications, but it will tout proper widgets like weather, stocks, and more.

• Lock Screen – Surprisingly, Apple is making significant changes to the lock screen as well. There will now be notifications shown on this screen with a small icon to the left of each notification — you can drag that icon as you would the unlock slider and you’ll be taken directly to the app itself (similar to TouchWiz for Android). You won’t get weather or stock widgets here, only notifications — and it’s not clear if upcoming calendar events or the like will be represented.

If these changes are going to come in iOS 5, Apple’s competition is going to have to play some major catch up. What do you guys think? Credible source or last minute link bait?

For the full list of changes, hit the link below.

This is My Next

TechCrunch has got its hands on a picture that may well be from an iPhone running iOS 5. The picture shows a notification bar at the top of the screen, under the time. The notification bar shows two new twitter mentions. Now this could very well be a fake; based on previous information that Twitter may be baked into iOS 5. We don’t know and neither does TechCrunch at this stage.

They do note that the iPhone shown could be European; as the weather icon shows 23 degrees and sunny rather than the US 73 degrees. The icons are in the correct out of the box order; however, the camera icon has changed to black from silver.

What do you think? Is this real, fake or really fake? Let us know in the comments!

[TechCrunch]

According to Digitimes, Apple has already begun the certifying process of components for the next generation iPad 3. Some have already gained certification such as Radiant Opto-Electronics for LED backlight units.

Taiwan-based component makers for backlight modules and light bars have received certification from Apple, however, the certification of panels is still in progress, added industry sources. South-Korea based panel firms such Samsung and LG Display have been panel suppliers for Apple. The certification of panels from Taiwan-based Chimei Innolux is nearly done.

[Digitimes]

On the very first episode of TiPb TV we joked about the 11 inch MacBook Air being more like an iPad pro, but deep inside Apple’s secret labs they might be working on making it exactly that according to Japanese blog Macotakara

Few weeks ago, DigiTimes told that Apple to launch MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt in June-July. And additionally, an anonymous source told more information, Apple already made test equipment of Thunderbolt MacBook Air driven by A5 processor.

According to this source who saw live A5 MacBook Air actually, this test machine performed better than expected.

While Apple has been big on taking iPad ideas “back to the Mac” this year, if true it would have to be a proof of concept. Because, as much as I love my iPad 2 for things like Infinity Blade, I quickly run back to my 11 inch MacBook Air to run Photoshop and other intensive apps. Having all that power in a tiny portable is still too good to give up, even if an Apple A5 MacBook Air would have 48 hours of battery life and other benefits.

That’s assuming it would be running Mac OS X Lion, which they no doubt have experimented with on A5 (just as they experimented with earlier versions of Mac OS X on Intel back in the PowerPC days). If it’s running iOS 5, then I have to wonder if it would have a touch screen, which is something Apple said they don’t think works on a laptop.

What do you think? Do you want to add MacBooks to the A5 family? To the iOS family? Would it be the best of both worlds or the worst?

[Macotakara]

According to an article by Buinessweek, Apple is set to unveil its music streaming service at WWDC. The service which has been dubbed iCloud will mirror your existing iTunes music library; also, if needed, it will increase the quality of your content.

Armed with licenses from the music labels and publishers, Apple will be able to scan customers’ digital music libraries in iTunes and quickly mirror their collections on its own servers, say three people briefed on the talks. If the sound quality of a particular song on a user’s hard drive isn’t good enough, Apple will be able to replace it with a higher-quality version. Users of the service will then be able to stream, whenever they want, their songs and albums directly to PCs, iPhones, iPads, and perhaps one day even cars.

Would you pay a reasonable monthly subscription for this type of service? Is it a better service than Google or Amazon are currently offering? Let us know in the comments!

[Buinessweek via Engadget]

Hot on the heels of the obligatory iPhone 5 case leak, we now have a supposed picture of the back panel of the next iPhone with the same LED Flash placement on the opposite corner. The image is obviously unverified but it does match up with both the recent case leak and some supposed next generation camera parts. Two holes are clearly visible, one for the camera on the left and one for the flash on the right.

This of course could well be a Photoshop job based on the recent case pictures however it is not unusual for these types of images to leak out. What do you think, real, fake, or really fake?

[Apple.Pro via MacRumors]

The head of France Telecom (which is the parent company of iPhone carrier Orange), Stéphane Richard, talking in San Francisco last week, confirmed that Apple would introduce an even smaller SIM card in the future. He also went on to confirm that Apple did want to introduce a device without the need for a SIM card at all.

As you probably know, Apple has been working for years on reducing the size of SIM cards because they need space in the phone. They even thought about a device without any SIM card, that is what is known as the e-SIM project. All of us told them it was a bad idea because the SIM card is a critical piece of the security and authentication process. It would be very difficult for a telco or carrier to manage the customer relationship. We are going to work with them in order to standardize a new format of SIM which takes into accout our needs with security and authentication and also is compatible with their wishes in terms of size.

I understood that the next iPhone would be smaller and thinner and they are definitely seeking some space.

What do you think, is the space saving worth it, and how much smaller can they go?

[All Things D]

According to Digitimes, who are a bit hit and miss with these type of stories, Apple is currently in the process of reducing its demand for iPhone 4 models. According to its source, Apple has reduced its iPhone 4 requirements for the second quarter of 2011 from 20 million units down to 17.5-18 million. These figures are broken down into 16 million 3G models and 1.5 – 2 million CDMA models

As we posted last night, the same source also claims that production of the “iPhone 4S” will begin in August with an earliest launch of September, with a Qualcomm chipset for both CDMA and 3G versions and the rear camera would be an 8-megapixel.

As we get nearer WWDC, these stories and rumors will just keep on coming! Only the actual announcement of the next generation iPhone will stop them. Sadly, we might have to wait until fall this year for that to happen…

[Digitimes]

Digitimes rumormongers that Apple expected to launch an 4G LTE powered “iPhone 4S” (sigh) this year (double sigh) but has had to push it back to 2012 due to problems with the Qualcomm chipsets.

Apple is likely to delay the launch of its LTE-enabled iPhones to 2012, said the sources, noting that the industry had also long been skeptical about the launch of LTE iPhones in 2011 as the implementation of LTE networks has not yet matured.

Of course, Apple wasn’t expected to ship an LTE iPhone in 2011, as they themselves have expressed — justifiable — concerns over battery life in current generation chipsets, and the proper Qualcomm radio isn’t expected to be available until iPhone 6 in 2012 anyway.

The 5th generation iPhone is expected to be announced and shipped sometime in the September/October timeframe in the US, though why on Jobs’ green earth would they call it iPhone 4S when it’s the 5th generation iPhone? (iPhone 3GS was the 3rd generation iPhone, a problem that needed fixing because they called the 2nd generation iPhone, iPhone 3G.)

So, yeah, let’s take that bit with a China sized grain of salt. What’s more interesting, and hopefully likely, is the second part — that it will boast an 8mp rear camera. Let’s hope that’s matched up with a new FaceTime HD up front.

[Digitimes]

We’re still probably 4 or 5 months away from an iPhone 5 launch but that hasn’t stopped the annual tradition of… case leaks! iPhones are produced in China, iPhone cases are produced in China, Apple won’t reveal details of their next generation phones pre-launch, but if the factories get chummy and some information changes hands… Well, the workers might get prosecuted later, but the cases leak now.

If this one is genuine — and we never know until Apple shows the actual, final iPhone off on stage — it seems to show the LED flash has been relocated from its iPhone 4 spot beside the camera to the opposite side of the back plate.

Curious.

What do you think, real, fake, or really fake?

UPDATE: Some camera parts have surfaced that seem consistent with the LED Flash position in the case above. Picture after the break. [Apple.pro, thanks everyone!]

UPDATE 2: That’s a distorted iPad screen shot used as a place holder. Nothing indicative of iOS 5 there.

[Gadget DNA, thanks Josh!]

Samsung has just announced that it will be demonstrating a new display panel for touch screen devices at the SID Display Week 2011 next week in Los Angeles. The display will have a huge resolution of 2560 x 1600 @ 300dpi and will be a 10.1-inch panel.

What is interesting to us is that the display may pave the way for the highly demanded Retina Display in the next version of the iPad. One of the reasons it failed to materialize in the iPad 2 was put down to power consumption. The new Samsung display uses a technology known as PenTile which is said to draw 40% less power consumption. PenTile has been developed by Samsung’s partner Nouvoyance.

Because tablets are regularly used for viewing rich-colored images, the 10.1-inch 300 dpi display is ideal for applications that require extraordinary image and text clarity such as browsing the web and viewing high-definition movies, or reading books and spreadsheets. “In order to develop tablets with the form and function that consumers demand, a design engineer ultimately has to determine how to get the highest resolution display possible, while still fitting within the overall power budget for their design,” said Joel Pollack, executive vice president of Nouvoyance, Samsung’s affiliate company that developed the PenTile RGBW technology.

The good news is that Retina Display type panels are starting to appear now and become a real possibility for future devices. How many of our readers would want a Retina Display on their next iPad? Let us know in the comments!

[MacRumors]

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner has again been hitting twitter to let everyone know that Playboy would be arriving on the iPad May 18. Way back in January he told us it was coming in March but it hasn’t materialized so let’s hope this time it’s for real. Again, Hugh Hefner states in the tweet that Playboy will be complete and uncensored.

We still don’t know if this is going to be available as an app or a dedicated iPad website. If it does turn out to be an app, this would be a great way to publicize the new iTunes subscription services that other magazines and newspapers are starting to use. It could also open the door to other similar content that has so far been discouraged from entering the App Store.

What do you think? Should we have the choice of getting more adult content on our iPads? Should Apple let this content into the App Store, now that we have more content restriction options in iOS? Let us know in the comments!

[@hughhefner]

Could Apple’s iPad 3 end up being an iPad 3D? That’s what RC Wireless has heard from “Hollywood Insiders”:

“The fact that the iPad is 3D is a dead cert,” one Hollywood insider close to the big movie studios told RCR, adding that the screen would be the real magic. She went on to say that the big film studios were currently running around like blue arsed flies trying to gear up to release plenty of 3D content in time for Apple’s next launch.

We’ve seen 3D attempted before on everything from the Nintendo 3DS to LG Android tablets and so far it has seemed much more like a gimmick than a feature. Would Apple really go there? If they do, could they somehow come up with a better way of doing it, something that doesn’t seem as unnatural as split convergence and focus? Maybe head tracking via the front facing camera?

We don’t know, but we might just find us this fall, as it’s looking like rumors of a second iPad release this year could pan out. Perhaps at the same fall event that’ll bring us the iPhone 5. (And no, we haven’t heard any iPhone 5D rumors… yet.)

Could Apple figure out a way to do 3D that isn’t a gimmick?

[RC Wireless via MacRumors. Picture via ECHI concept app.]

Let’s be frank — we can’t believe we’re posting this but it just keeps getting sent to us. Firstly, carrier CSRs are typically the last to learn about anything Apple. We’ve actually gone to carriers the day of launch and they’ve known less about it than we have — they’re simply not informed. So please take the below account with a blue and white striped Death Star sized grain of salt. Now, an AT&T customer care representative has supposedly told a customer that Apple had confirmed this to them:

Apple has informed us that they do not plan to release the iPhone in the June to July timeframe, though there will be a newer version in the future. Unfortunately, we have not been given a release time for the new phone. We will release this information on our website when it is available to us.

The answer allegedly came in response to the customers query over why an early upgrade eligibility had been pushed back by over five months.

Again, we would file this one under very sketchy rumor. However, TiPb and other sites keep hearing that there won’t be an iPhone 5 until fall, so while this rumor may or may not be true, the timeline seems to be.

What do you believe?

[MacRumors]

Digging through the the Mac OS X Lion beta, Consomac found strings for “Castle”, which looks to be the codename or the next generation MobileMe.

Complete your Castle upgrade

Click OK to open System Preferences and complete your upgrade from MobilMe to Castle

“Castle” could be the placeholder for iCloud, if Apple chooses to go with that name, but given the “upgrade” language in the string, it looks to be more than just a name change at least. We’ve already conjectured about what could be included in the next generation MobileMe, and that WWDC 2011 in June could be when the announcement is made.

What remains to be seen is how Apple will tie sync with cloud storage, and what if anything will bridge it’s still disparate social services including Ping and Game Center?

[Consomac via TUAW]

According to the iPhone Download Blog, Apple may be building two different iPhone 5 models for release this fall; a normal and pro model. The source of the information is an employee of an Apple parts supplier.

Due to the extensive amount of NDAs our source had to sign to work with Apple, he could not give us very many details. He does believe that Apple is going to build two iPhone models, which he referred to as a ‘normal’ and a ‘pro’ version. Our source says that Apple is ordering components of similar function, but some of them are the very best of what you can get right now.

Now before jumping to any conclusions, Apple may just be testing different components for reliability and quality before final production of one device. They may also be testing several prototypes, some more conservative than others, as they have done in the past. The second lot of components may also be for a new iPod touch which is usually announced in the fall; the same time as we expect the new iPhone.

Apple has stuck to the single iPhone model for 4 generations of hardware now. Do you think Apple is finally ready to change that, and release two iPhones with different specifications? Let us know in the comments!

[iPhone Download Blog]

Patently Apple has uncovered another very interesting Apple Patent application. This time it is an integrated Fitness Center app that it has been working on for quite some time. Nike also appear to have had some involvement in the development as one illustration lists “The Nike Training Club Class”.

The app covers all aspects of a workout including stats gathered from smart equipment as well as a unique social networking element that works within a particular fitness center or city limits. The app will help you find workout buddies or work as a motivational tool.

Apple’s patent describes the possibility that the iPhone will one day include a single, seamless application that will introduce new customers to a fitness center and motivate these new customers to keep returning to the fitness center as active members.

[Patently Apple]

According to a report by GigaOM, Apple could be shelling out around $4.5 million to buy the domain name iCloud.com, potentially for the long rumored music locker/streaming service. The icloud domain was recently owned by another company that used the name for an online storage service. It has just re-branded its service to CloudMe.

When you visit icloud.com it currently redirects to the new domain cloudme.com but shows a banner informing customers of its re-brand from icloud to cloudme!

My source, who is familiar with the company, says that Xcerion has sold the domain to Apple for about $4.5 million. Xcerion hasn’t responded to my queries as yet. At the time of writing, the Whois database showed Xcerion as the owner of iCloud.

Then again, Apple was rumored to be going with iSlate almost up until iPad launched, so is this all part of the name game or are all the bits are starting to fall into place?

[GigaOM]

One of MacRumors readers has supposedly managed to get an email response from Apple CEO, Steve Jobs regarding the recent location tracking controversy. 

The question:

Steve, Could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone? It’s kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don’t track me.

The answer:

Oh yes they do. We don’t track anyone. The info circulating around is false. Sent from my iPhone.

As if on queue, Bloomberg is now reporting that two customers from Tampa, Florida have filed a federal complaint against Apple, citing that the company is secretly recording and storing the location and movement of iPhone and iPad users.

What do you think? Is Apple in the wrong or is this another media-manufactured controversy?

[MacRumors, Bloomberg]

M.I.C Gadget got their hands on some photos of what could be a prototype iPhone 5 with a larger display in the white varient. The unit looks to have a 3.7″ screen with edge-to-edge glass running an unknown version of iOS and a new proximity sensor reported to be included in the official White iPhone 4. Or it could be a KIRF.

iPhone 5 rumors have been escalating recently, and this latest photo adds no real clarity to the mix. On one hand we have Joshua Topolsky’s 4-inch display with a teardrop MacBook Air-style chassis, on the other, the same design as the iPhone 4 with a faster processor and better graphics? Or neither?

Your guess is as good as ours at this point. Check out the pics after the break and let us know — real, fake, or really, really fake!

[MIC Gadget]

Adding to recent rumors of the White iPhone 4 possibly shipping on April 26 come more from Engadget, this time in the form of images from a Vodafone UK customer who was lucky enough to get their hands on one a little early. After Vodafone realized one had gotten loose, they sent out a notice to halt all sales of the White iPhone 4 until next week.

we’ve secured a few images of a 16GB model from a separate source that has seemingly made its way into the hands of one lucky customer (read: bloke) over in Britain [...] Voda sent out a notice to halt sale of these gems “until next week.”

Apparently a Vodafone sales rep rang up the White iPhone 4 as a Black 16gb model in their point-of-sale system before the company told its employees not to sell units carrying the MC604B/A model number. The current UK 16gb Black iPhone 4 has a model number of MC603B/A, with the ’4′ presumably representing the difference in color for that capacity.

Apple has repeatedly gone on the record saying the White iPhone 4 would come out “this spring”, but that window is quickly closing. With these new images could we actually be on the verge of seeing real unicorns White iPhone 4 units in-hand by the month’s end? Let us know what you think in the comments and hit the jump for more photos!

[Engadget]

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s news that Apple was ready to launch its iTunes music streaming service, All Things Digital is now reporting that Apple already has deals in place with two of the major music labels.

The deals are said to be in place with two of four largest labels, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony and EMI. They do not know which of the two the deals are with at this stage. One of its sources also claim that Apple content boss Eddy Cue will be in New York tomorrow to start finalising deals with the remaining two labels.

The industry executives I’ve talked to haven’t seen Apple’s service themselves, but say they’re aware of the broad strokes. The idea is that Apple will let users store songs they’ve purchased from its iTunes store, as well as others songs stored on their hard drives, and listen to them on multiple devices.

The success of this service will be down to how much it costs the consumer, both in terms of any subscription pricing and more obviously data costs. Cell service providers seem intent on reducing our monthly download limits. For these type of services to succeed we need to see the return of unlimited data plans!

[All Things D]

Reuters is reporting that Apple has now completed work on its rumored online music storage and streaming service. Reuters also claim that Google is working on a similar service but its plans have stalled; Apple will beat it to the launch. The source of this new information is cited as “several people familiar with both companies’ plans”.

Apple’s plans will allow iTunes customers to store their songs on a remote server, and then access them from wherever they have an Internet connection, said two of these people who asked not to be named as the talks are still confidential.

More importantly, do you think that this is this the future for iTunes? Are you excited by the prospect of an online music storage and streaming service from Apple? Let us know in the comments!

[Reuters]

According to AppleInsider, Apple employees have been told this week, that they can’t take any annual leave between May 20 and May 22. The announcement came via email to all store managers.

Now before we get over excited about the possible release of the new iPhone or any other new Apple product, it would appear that the days coincide with the 10 year anniversary of the opening of the first brick and mortar Apple Stores. The first Apple Stores to open were in McLean, Virginia and Glendale California; they were both opened on May 19, 2001.

Apple appear to be planning some kind of special event to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of its stores opening. Managers of the stores are said to be very excited over the upcoming dates although no further details are known at this stage. If we find out anymore, we will let you!

[Apple Insider]

Continuing our policy on having fun with iPhone 5 rumors, TiPb is once again adding an analyst to our iPhone 5 release pool. This time it’s Concord Securities as reported by Apple Insider:

[Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's] checks with supply chain sources indicated that the next handset from Apple will not feature an all-new-design, but rather only “slight modifications” from the iPhone 4. Specifically, Kuo has heard that the iPhone 5 will include the faster A5 processor already found in the iPad 2, as well as a higher resolution 8 megapixel rear camera. He has also been told that Apple will switch to a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models, along with an improved antenna design.

Kuo says production will begin in September, which would match up with rumors of iPhone 5 only being released this fall instead of its previous summer slot. He also thinks iPhone 6 will bring more dramatic changes, so this year could be like 2009 was with the iPhone 3GS.

So there you go, Concord, your entry had been added to our iPhone 5 release pool. We’ll see how you do come launch announcement!

[AppleInsider]

iPhoneItalia claims the long-delayed white iPhone 4 will finally start shipping on April 26. We’ve heard “this spring” confirmed by Apple multiple times, and recently heard it was “weeks” away, but if this date is accurate, we’ll finally — finally — see the white iPhone 4 by month’s end.

…Or not. Personally I’ll expect it only when it hits Apple.com. How about you?

[iPhoneItalia via MacRumors]

Gameloft has released a teaser video of its soon to be released N.O.V.A. Elite first person shooter game. The video concentrates solely on the multiplayer part of the game; rumors do suggest that this game may be multiplayer only.

Rumors also point to the game being available for free with in-app purchases of weapons and power ups. This would encourage more customers to get online initially to build up momentum and create a vibrant online player base, which is critical for a multiplayer game to succeed.

We will have to wait and see what the final release will bring; it shouldn’t be too much longer! In the mean time, take a look at the video after the break and let us know if you plan on picking this one up when its released!

[touch Arcade]

PatentlyApple has uncovered some interesting patent applications from Apple involving new multitouch gestures and smart bezels aimed at making interaction more simple and gestures more memorable.

Apple’s patent introduces us to mid-drag gestures, microgestures within gestures, and other gesture modification motions performed contiguously within an overall gesture (i.e., without losing contact with the touch-sensitive input surface during the gesture) to provide intuitive ways to interact with a user interface for varying purposes, such as modifying user interface behaviors, changing optionally displayed items, etc.

Apple states that the use of mid-drag gestures reduces the cognitive burden on a user, thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to use mid-drag gestures allows for faster and more efficient use of user interfaces, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges.

Apple did enable some additional multitouch gestures in the beta of iOS 4, but they never made it to the final release. If you are a registered developer they can still be enabled.

The illuminated smart bezel would allow some controls to be moved off the display, so fingers no longer cover areas of the screen. Parts of the bezel could illuminate indicating control regions for starting and stopping media, navigating maps, playing games, etc. While Palm has used a gesture region since the introduction of the Pre and RIM will be using a 1-pixel wide screen border to detect gestures coming off the bezel, and illuminated bezel would offer better orientation for users and the possibility of more dynamic and flexible interactions.

Of course just because Apple patents something is no indication we’ll see them in real world software or hardware any time soon, though wouldn’t they be interesting in iOS 5 and iPhone 5?

[Patently Apple, x2]

A reader of CrunchGear, who works for Best Buy, said that Best Buy was holding off on selling the iPad 2’s it had in stock, telling customers there weren’t any available. In fact they were in stock but allegedly Best Buy had just reached its sales quota for the day and wanted to hold further sales over to another day. As a result Apple is rumored to have pulled all stock of iPad 2’s from Best Buy stores with the exception of display models.

The Best Buy employee also told CrunchGear that Apple’s Tim Cook was involved in the decision and that further discussions would be taking place to rectify the situation. Until then, Best Buy would not be selling the iPad 2.

It will be interesting to see how this one pans out, if it turns out to be true. Best Buy Online still show the iPad 2 however it is not available for home delivery or in-store collection. Have any of our readers been to a Best Buy over the last couple of days to pick up an iPad 2? Let us know if you noticed anything out of the ordinary!

UPDATE: Best Buy has responded: [BGR]

“Best Buy continues to receive iPad 2 inventory from Apple on a regular basis. As we’ve said previously, we are fulfilling customer reservations first. Our stores have been asked to temporarily hold non-reserved iPad 2 inventory for an upcoming promotion. This is a customary practice for us when there are supply constraints. Best Buy enjoys a great partnership with Apple, and we’re delighted by customer response to iPad 2.”

[CrunchGear]

The picture above is supposedly taken from the internal training documentation and shows the main features of the iPad 2 along with branding for Toys R Us. It is not the first time that Toys R Us has been rumored to be stocking the iPad. This time however it looks like it is going to happen.

It does make a lot of sense for Apple to expand its retail exposure into Toys R Us. The iPad 2 offers a tremendous mix of quality gaming and education applications; which will appeal to parents and children alike!

While iPhone 5 might only debut this fall, that apparently won’t stop the purported image leaks from Vietnam. If accurate — and that’s always a big if — the pics show a much smaller bezel which could be indicative of that larger, up to 4-inch display we’ve heard rumored before. Also, the black breaks are missing from above the volume controls, which either places some doubt on the veracity of the pictures, or indicates Apple may have done some work following iPhone 4 attenuation and de-tuning problems.

A couple more pictures after the break. Check them out and let me know what you think — real, fake, or really fake?

UPDATE: Fake as in fake fake. And the embarrassing part is I read some Chinese. Frak.

[BiteYourApple via BGR]

Korean news site ETNews claims Apple will hold a second event in June, separate from WWDC, to announced iPhone 5, and then release it in the fourth week of June.

iPhone 5, the next model of iPhone 4, will be released on the coming 4th week of June. In the midst of the iPhone 5 postponement rumors, Apple has confirmed that iPhone 5 will be released as planned and it will be released simultaneously in Korea through SK Telecom and KT.

While the source for the information is supposedly Apple, Apple never gives information out on future products or release dates. Even leaks from carriers are often — though not always — highly inaccurate. We’re tempted to file this one away under highly dubious for now, but given the recent rumors of iPhone 5 only launching in the fall, anything positive regarding a June announcement is worth thinking about!

[MacRumors]

Our sister site, Android Central has received a document showing that from April 3, AT&T will be increasing the early pricing for iPhone. There is no mention specifically of AT&T in the document however Android Central know their stuff and identified it via the abbreviations and wording used.

Looking at the screenshot, the price to get an early upgrade to any of the current iPhones will increase by $50. That means you’re looking at $299 for the 8GB iPhone 3GS, $449 for the 16GB iPhone 4 and $549 for the 32GB iPhone 4.

Any price increase is hard to swallow but if you take into account other smartphone’s such as Android and Windows Phone will be hit by $150 increases, it makes it a little easier!

Does this change anyone’s upgrade plans?

[Android Central]

Japan’s continuing problems with power are having a serious affect on manufacturers of components used in many of Apple’s products. The power constraints are causing upstream components to increase in price. According to DigiTimes, Apple has decided to absorb these additional costs in exchange for smooth shipments.

The DigiTimes source also pointed out that the iPad 2’s monthly shipments are expected to be ramped up to four million units in the second quarter of this year. Apple’s Japanese based upstream component suppliers should be able to meet these demands up until May; from June there may be a problem.

[DigiTimes]

Will we get an iPhone 5 in June? We’ve gotten a new iPhone announced at WWDC every year since 2007 yet right after Apple announced this year’s WWDC rumors started to fly it would be new hardware free. Could these rumors be based on inside information, or could it just be en vogue to predict delays on all Apple products? iPad 2 was delayed, right? Only no, it wasn’t. Now rumor has it iOS 5 is delayed and iPhone 5 are delayed. Only will they be?

If there isn’t any inside information at play here than the crux of the “iPhone 5 delayed” rumors is Apple emphasizing software and not hardware in their WWDC 2011 announcement press release. Apple puts out one of these WWDC announcements every year, so let’s take a look:

• WWDC 2010: Apple emphasizes iPad development and iPhone OS 4 (iOS 4), we get iPhone 4 [PR link]
• WWDC 2009: Apple emphasizes Snow Leopard and iPhone OS 3.0 development, we get iPhone 3GS [PR link]
• WWDC 2008: Apple emphasizes OS X Leopard and iPhone OS X, we get iPhone 3G [PR Link]
• WWDC 2007: Apple emphasizes OS X, we get iPhone (pre-announced at Macworld) [PR link]

All those press releases emphasized software, no hardware, and yet we still got a new iPhone. Every year. So again, if Apple isn’t leaking news that there’s won’t be an iPhone 5 at WWDC in order to re-set expectations, then a WWDC press release in and of itself is meaningless as an indicator.

Rumors are fun. Rumors fill news cycles. However there’s a growing pattern of rumors about Apple product delays that just seem… increasingly inorganic. Rumor. Link. Smash rumor. Link. Rinse. Repeat.

iOS 5 and iPhone 5 may well be delayed. But I’ll believe it when I don’t see it.

UPDATE: Both TechCrunch (which has a mixed record) and the Loop (which has a good record) are saying no new hardware, including no iPhone 5, at WWDC this year.

UPDATE 2: John Paczkowski from All Things D is also suggesting expectations be re-calibrated.

Apple has removed the LCI’s (Liquid Contact Indictors) from the iPad 2. We already know that Apple has relaxed its policies on water damage to various iPods. This we believe, is down to the unreliability of the indicators; false positives when no water damage has occurred. The sensors are supposed to activate when moisture comes into contact with them. This can then easily be spotted by an Apple representative, voiding your warranty.

The iPad 2 has none of these sensors. In the first generation iPad the sensors were located in the headphone plug and 30 pin dock connector. iPad2 has a redesigned headphone jack which does not have the sensors. The sensor are also missing from the dock connector.

The only way for Apple to check for water damage, according to the Genius Bar DB, is to check for corrosion in the SIM card tray.

So who is going to risk taking their iPad 2 into the bath now?

[9 to 5 Mac]

Instead of keeping to the last 3 years of tradition and showing off iOS 5 at an April preview event and releasing it with iPhone 5 this June, could Apple instead preview it at WWDC and only release it this fall? That’s the rumor TechCrunch‘s MG Siegler has posted tonight:

• iOS 5 will launch in the fall and will be a major revamp of the OS.
• It could well be previewed at WWDC, it just won’t be released then.
• The iOS 5 launch is also likely to coincide with the release of a new type of iPad, which we previously reported on.
• The new iOS will be heavily built around the cloud, and we could see several new services launch from Apple that take advantage of this.
• Yes, one of those is very likely a “music locker” service. There is also a fall launch aim for this, during Apple’s annual music-themed event.
• But much of the cloud stuff will first be talked about at WWDC, Apple’s developer event which will take place in June.
• One of the new cloud service elements is likely a location service that focuses on finding friends and family members.
• As we said yesterday, OS X Lion is still on pace for a summer release — some of the new cloud components are likely to be baked into it as well.

While anything is possible, this doesn’t sound very much like Apple. Release numbers are marketing driven, not engineering driven (which is why internal release numbers aren’t always the same as external, like Windows 7 actually being Windows 6.1 and Apple TV 4.2.1 actually being Apple TV 4.3.1).

Competition is heating up with Google still iterating Android at a breakneck pace, webOS hitting 2.x and 3.0 this year, and the first BlackBerry QNX-based device shipping next month. Apple going 18 months between iOS refreshes would be perceived as falling behind.

Sure Apple will want to have quite a few “tent pole” features to tout for iOS 5 to be certain, but if any one of them — even cloud connectivity — isn’t ready for the spring there’s nothing to stop Apple from rolling out a less ambitious iOS 5 in April anyway. Remember, there were rumors iPad 2 would be delayed and it wasn’t (it just didn’t get a Retina Display.)

(And yes, that does mean that, just like there are rumors of an iPad 3 coming this fall with Retina Display, there may well be iOS 5.1 (or, hey, iOS 6!) rumors for the fall as well.)

So what do you think? Will Apple make us wait an extra 3 months for iOS 5?

[TechCrunch]

According to The Music Void, Apple is pushing hard to re-launch its MobileMe service this April. The new MobileMe service is said to include a music storage service, to be called Locker.

Again we hear the term, “from informed sources”, this time telling The Music Void that Apple has already sealed a deal with Warner. Apple is using that to leverage the other music labels to get the deals done in time for the supposed launch in April. The Locker service would provide an online backup or storage solution for music which could then be accessed via any iPad, iPod touch or iPhone device linked to the same iTunes account. In other words Cloud Storage! The new MobileMe service is rumored to come with a subscription price of $20 a year.

Would you use the Locker music service? Would it be worth $20 a year? Let us know in the comments!

[The Music Void via 9to5 Mac]