iPhone 5 rumours fuelled by accessories firm

In The Telegraph

The website was updated to show what are apparently cases for Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 5. The page was later removed, which served only to fuel the speculation from Apple-watchers.

The new case appeared to be designed for a device with curved edges, more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 4. It also appeared wider than the iPhone 4 and Case-Mate’s mock-up had an aluminium back.

What does this mean? Possibly nothing. This is the problem with iPhone guessing games, nobody really knows what anybody else knows. Has Apple tipped off Case-Mate about the dimensions of their new device or is Case-Mate guessing? We don’t know and neither of those companies is saying.

I spoke to someone at a Silicon Valley-based accessories company earlier this week who told me that, despite having a close relationship with Apple, they were not given any advance information about forthcoming products. That person, who did not wish to be named, said that the company took an educated guess and developed several prototypes, which would then be refined and put into production once Apple announced its product.

Is that true of all companies? Again, it is hard to say. Certainly, leaked accessories have in the past given clues about forthcoming Apple products but that doesn’t mean that Apple shares information with these companies ahead of release. Indeed, given the tales of secrecy within Apple, it’s hard to imagine that third parties are being let into the company’s secrets.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray goes on sale

in Techradar

The eagerly anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray has gone on sale, with a number of retailers now offering the smartphone.

TechRadar's Hands on: Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray review suggested that this could be a popular handset for the company – praising the compact dimensions and quality screen.

The handset has now gone on sale from the likes of The Clove, Play and on contract from O2.

Not everyone

Vodafone and Orange have also indicated that they will be selling the handset at a later date.

The phone will be available in familiar black and white, and also pink and gold for those with a desire for a different hue.

The UK price for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray is between £299 and £315 without a contract or for no additional payment from O2 on contracts from £18.50 and up.

iPhone 5 to stick with smaller screen size?

In Cnet

Recent rumors about theiPhone 5 have claimed that Apple would bump up the screen size to at least 4 inches, but a story from DigiTimes offers a contrary take.Will the iPhone 5 sport the same screen size as its predecessor?(Credit: Apple)Citing sources from "upstream panel suppliers," DigiTimes rebuts the claims that theiPhone would sport a 4.2-inch screen size, which it says sprang from a leak from Apple's Web site in Switzerland early this month. Alleged design specs for iPhone 5 cases even prompted MacRumors to create some mockups of the new phone showing off a 4-inch screen.

But DigiTimes' sources say the iPhone 5 won't be the recipient of a 4-inch or larger screen and will instead stay either with the current 3.5-incher or grow slightly to 3.7 inches. In sticking with the smaller screen size, Apple is adopting a design that will lead to a thinner bezel for the display panel, making the screen appear to be larger, according to the sources.

The iPhone 5 has been the subject of a variety of rumors over the past several months, most notably about what new features it might offer. Some sources have claimed the new phone would sport a host of enhancements, including a larger screen, an 8-megapixel camera, full HD video recording, an A5 dual-core processor, and a new ultrathin design. Other sources believe the new phone will be just a minor upgrade to the iPhone 4 with a few tweaks but the same basic features.

Related stories:
• iPhone 5 rumor roundup
• Rumor: Analyst expects A5 and 8MP camera for iPhone 5
• Is this what the iPhone 5 looks like? MacRumors says yes
• Apple prepping budget-friendly, 8GB iPhone 4?
• iPhone 5 now rumored to launch October 7

DigiTimes' sources claim the leaked enhancements are "the market's expectations" for the iPhone 5 and say the new phone won't offer too many differences compared with its predecessor.

Splitting such rumors and reports down the middle, still other sources say that Apple will release two new phones in October--one an all-new and improved iPhone 5; the other a new low-cost iPhone 4 for budget-conscious consumers.

At this point, of course, all these claims are going to stay in the realm of speculation until Apple actually releases its new flagship phone or phones, which reportedly will happen in early October.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20098642-37/iphone-5-to-stick-with-smaller-screen-size/#ixzz1WRcTrnvq

iPhone 5 rumor roundup

In Cnet

Editors' note:This roundup was originally published June 24.

As we wait for the official announcement of the nextiPhone, we only can guess about what we're going to see. Apple, after all, always generates a ton of gossip in the absence of real details about upcoming devices. Some of the rumors about the new handset contradict each other--one camp suggests a minor update with an iPhone 4S, while another predicts a big update with aniPhone 5--but disagreement, after all, is often what the rumor mill is all about.

Since all that conflicting information can be hard to track, we offer this handy timeline of iPhone 5 rumors so far in 2011. We'll add to it as we go along, and please let us know if we've left any juicy tidbits out.

August 29

Same size display

Taiwan's DigiTimes rebuts earlier rumors that the iPhone 5 will have a 4-inch display. Instead, DigitTimes says that the new handset will keep the current touch screen size of 3.5 inches or will grow slightly larger to 3.7 inches. Apple will, however, adopt a design with a thinner bezel for the display panel, which would make it appear larger.

August 24

T-Mobile, too

Citing "a contact within T-Mobile," Apple-tracking blog MacTrast says the U.S. carrier will be getting a version of the iPhone 5 that will run on the company's 3G network sometime in "early to mid-October

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20073431-233/iphone-5-rumor-roundup/#ixzz1WRXhyD6N

Apple adds earthquake warnings to iOS 5

In The Telegraph

According to users with access to beta versions of iOS 5, a new option in the Notification Centre settings will allow users in Japan to choose to receive earthquake alerts. iOS 5 is the new version of the operating system that runs Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices.

The instructions warn users that enabling the option could decrease battery life, Apple blog 9to5 Mac reported.

Japan has had an online earthquake warning system since 2007. It provides anything up to two minutes warning before an earthquake strikes and that time can be vital for getting people to safety. The system can already deliver text alerts to mobile phones.

Apple’s iOS 5 was announced in June this year at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Though no release date has been confirmed, it is thought likely that it will be released in September or October.

Aside from the Notification Centre, which is an improved way of dealing with incoming messages and reminders, iOS 5 adds iMessage, messaging between iOS devices, Reminders and a Newsstand application for magazines and newspapers.

iPad 3 Retina Display - orders tip early 2012 release date

In techradar


has placed orders for high resolution Retina Display panels for the iPad 3, according to supplier sources, with a projected launch date of early 2012.

So, that'll be around the same sort of time as normal then, given that the original iPad launched in April and the iPad 2 in March, going against the many rumours that we'd see it launch before the end of the year.

Anyway, the exciting news is that it looks as though we will get our Retina Display iPad at last, with Apple reportedly testing suppliers' current shipments of 2048 x 1536 resolution 9.7-inch displays.

Much ado about nothing

One component supplier told the Wall Street Journal that Apple has already placed an order for parts for around 1.5 million iPad 3s in advance of ramped up production for the launch.

The iPad 2 was weighed down by supply problems when it launched in April of this year; no doubt Apple hopes to avoid these issues with a bigger stockpile of slates ready to go.

While any article titled "Apple developing new iPad" serves more to remind us of Reuters' "scoop" "confirming" the existence of the iPad 2 as if it were in any kind of question, we're inclined to trust the Wall Street Journal and its supplier sources.

So it looks like we won't be getting an iPad 3 in time for Christmas after all; the elves are no doubt sighing with relief.

iPad 3 rumours

In techradar

The iPad 2 is out, and the rumour factory has already moved on: it's predicting iPad 3 specifications including chips, cameras and retina displays - with a little bit of help from mysterious, unnamed people who can't possibly be identified.

How very convenient. So what's the word on the street about the next iPad?

This is the biggest rumour of all: an iPad 3 mere months after the iPad 2. An unnamed Apple employee says that the iPad 2 was a bit of a rush job, and "the third generation iPad is the one to make a song and dance about."

Respected Apple watcher John Gruber added fuel to that particular fire by strongly hinting that the iPad 3 release date will be in September 2011.

If Gruber is right about this and the iPad 3 features in an Apple autumn line-up, then it looks like Apple is going to start offering a new iPad every six months.

Indeed, Reuters reported that the new iPad 3 is due in the fourth quarter of the year but it could well be November with the iPhone 5 taking the September release date.

On 1 July, Digitimes reported that Taiwanese-based component suppliers were gearing up for production of iPad 3 and iPhone 5.

However, during August, a rumour broke that Apple was set to delay the launch of the iPad 3, due to a shortage of retina displays from its suppliers LG and Samsung.


The iPad 3 UK release date is a mystery

With Apple unable to meet initial demand for iPad 2, we'd expect a staggered release date for the iPad 3 too: However, Apple could always follow the pattern it has with the previous two iPad launches and do it all in the new year.