iPhone 5 coming this fall, says analyst

In Cnet

A research note from an investment bank today sees an iPhone 5 coming this fall and sees strong growth for Apple's popular phone in the coming quarter.

The iPhone will comprise roughly 50 percent of Apple's total revenue in the next reported quarter, wrote Tavis McCourt of Morgan Keegan.

"We expect iPhone revenues to represent 47.5% of Apple's total revenues in [the December quarter], up from 38.8% in the Sep. quarter, and up from 39.1% in the year ago period," he wrote.

And he is upping his iPhone shipment estimate for the quarter to 29 million from the previous estimate of 27 million.

The iPhone 5 and Apple TV will be significant growth drivers later in the year. "We expect iPhone 5 in fall 2012 to be a significant revenue and earnings growth driver, and a potential Apple TV as upside to our model if it comes to fruition this year," he wrote.

What else can we expect on the iPhone 5 front? Instead of going through a litany of rumors, suffice to cite one of the most recent rumors about its physical construction. A combination of aluminum on the back and a "rubber or plastic material" along the sides that will bridge the front and back of the device.

Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend

In Cnet

Apple said today that it sold 4 million iPhone 4S units worldwide between Friday and Sunday. According to Apple senior vice president for worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, that figure is "more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days." Last year, Apple announced that it sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 units in the smartphone's first weekend of availability.

That said, it's worth noting that at least in the U.S., the iPhone 4S had a bit of an advantage over the iPhone 4. When Apple shipped the iPhone 4 last year, the device was available only to AT&T customers. The handset then came to Verizon Wireless earlier this year and Sprint last week. The iPhone 4S, however, launched with availability on Sprint's and Verizon's networks, in addition to AT&T's service.

Apple's iPhone 4S, which launched on Friday, features the same design as the iPhone 4, but adds several improvements, including a dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera, and full 1080p HD video recording. The device also ships with support for virtual personal assistant application, Siri.

Last week, several analysts chimed in on how many unit sales they expected Apple to sell over the weekend. The majority of those folks said that sales would likely hit between 2 million units and 3 million units. However, the Yankee Group thought sales could hit 4 million units.

"The biggest factor driving this is the huge loyalty associated with Apple phones," Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe said. "They have the highest loyalty of any of the smartphone OSes."

For the first time, Sprint was a beneficiary of that. The company reported on Friday that as of 10 a.m. PT, it had witnessed a record sales day. But it wasn't alone: by 1:30 p.m. PT, AT&T said that it had activated a record number of iPhones.

The success of the iPhone 4S in its first weekend of availability seems to eliminate all doubt over consumer reactions to the device. Earlier this month, when Apple unveiled the new iPhone, the company was expected to show off the iPhone 5, as well. That device, rumors suggested, would be the major update consumers were expecting. After it wasn't revealed, however, many called the event a disappointment. But the smartphone's early sales figures seem to prove that many consumers had a much different reaction to the smartphone.

It also appears that some folks are moving to the iPhone 4S from other platforms. In a small, informal poll Reuters conducted on Friday, the news service found that nearly 25 percent of iPhone 4S buyers were ditching a BlackBerry, Symbian, or Android smartphone for Apple's latest device.

Aside from the iPhone 4S, Apple also said that 25 million users have already started using its new mobile operating system version, iOS 5, and 20 million folks have signed up for iCloud.

Although 20 million iCloud users is impressive in its own right, some analysts believe the service will grow to much greater heights in the future. Over the summer, RBC Capital Markets released a study that found 76 percent of the 1,500 iPhone users it polled planned to sign up for iCloud. By applying that percentage to the entire market, the firm said that it believes as many as 150 million users could sign up for iCloud eventually.

Following its announcement, Apple's shares are trading up $1.10 to $423.10 as of this writing.

RIP Steve JOBS

The man who made possible mass technology, making the revolution of the interface between man and machine twice (Computer & Smartphone).

iPhone 4S UK price confirmed

IN techradar

The iPhone 4S UK price has been made official by Apple, with the latest handset starting at £499 for the 16GB model in black or white.

The iPhone 4S UK release date, along with the US, Canada, France and Germany has already been set at 14 October and now we know the pricing structure.

You can check out our hands on hands on iPhone 4S review or watch our launch event video below

As you may expect, the iPhone 4S pricing it is broadly in line with its predecessors, with the lowest cost version arriving at £499 without a contract.

Apple Announces “Cheaper” iPhones: The Old Ones

in techcrunch

Despite predictions to the contrary, Apple did not announce a cheaper, mass market version of the iPhone today. Instead, it announced an upgraded iPhone 4 called the iPhone 4S. It’s the same on the outside, but with all new insides.

However, there are more affordable iPhones now on the market: the old ones. Apple says it’s keeping the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 around. Not only that, it’s dropping their prices. Why would Apple keep these aging devices alive? Simple. To battle Android, Symbian, RIM and Windows Phone – especially in emerging markets.

According to today’s announcement, the iPhone 3GS is now free with a contract. The iPhone 4 has been reduced to $99. While the new lower prices are based on 2-year agreements with mobile carriers, the fact that the phones are not being killed off entirely is important.

These are the “new” cheaper, mass market iPhones.

Apple didn’t specify where these discounted devices would be sold, only noting that the iPhone 4S would be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., France, Germany and Japan. It would not be surprising to see these older models used as Apple’s inroads into emerging markets, though.

Here’s why:

More people are buying Android smartphones than iPhones. That fact is not in dispute.

According to recent estimates from comScore, Android’s U.S. market share is 41.8% to Apple’s 27%. In Europe, where Symbian still reigns, it’s 22.3% for Android vs. 20.3% for iPhone. Worldwide, some analysts now peg Android as having nearly 50% of the smartphone market.

What iPhone lacks in volume, though, it makes up for in profit, capturing two-thirds of available mobile phone profits in Q2 2011. One could even argue that Apple does not need to provide a low-cost iPhone – it was doing just fine without one, thank you very much.

Apple anounces iphone 5/iphone 4s

In techcrunch

The specs disclosed so far:

• Dual-core A5 CPU, said to be “2x as fast at CPU tasks”
• Dual-core graphics, up to “7x faster than the previous iPhone”
• Battery life estimates: 8 hours talk time on 3G, 14 hours on 2G. 6 hours of browsing on 3G, 9 on Wi-Fi. 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music.
• Theoretical download speeds of 14.4Mbps (as opposed to 7.2 on the iPhone 4.) Interestingly, Schiller called out Motorola, LG, and HTC for calling these speeds “4G”.
• World Phone (in other words, the one model will handle both GSM [like AT&T] and CDMA [like Verizon], and it should work well in most countries around the world)
• 8 megapixel camera (Photo resolution: 3264 x 2448). The camera also takes advantage of image processing on the A5 chip, enabling stuff like Face detection and 26% more accurate white balance.
• 1080p video recording with real-time noise reduction and video stabilization (!)
• Voice-controlled personal assistant. You can ask things like “Will it rain in Cupertino?”, or “Can you find me a Greek Restaurant in Palo Alto?”, or “What’s the time in Paris?” and it’ll answer accordingly. This is the culmination of their purchase of Siri back in 2010 — and surprisingly enough, they’re keeping the “Siri” name
• 
  

Apple Find my friends - Which Parents Can Use To Track Their Child’s Location:

Apple SVP of iOS software Scott Forstall unveiled a new feature that may sound familiar: ‘Find My Friends’, a map-based app that’ll let you see where your friends and family members are, provided they’ve opted into sharing their location with you.

Fire up the app and the location of each of these friends will be indicated by a purplish orb, which could come in handy if you’re trying to figure out how far someone has to go on their commute, or where they are at an amusement park.

Of course, the app sounds quite similar to Google’s Latitude, which has been doing the same thing since early 2009 (Latitude comes pre-installed alongside the Maps application on Android, though you have to opt into it). But Apple’s version includes some features that go a little further (and, once again, will compete with some existing startups).

First: there’s a way to share your location for a few hours at a time, with the feature automatically turning off at a specified hour (a service called Glympse was among the first to start doing this a couple of years ago). It’s a good idea, and one that helps cut back significantly on the creepy-factor associated with these persistant location sharing services.

And there’s a feature that’ll appeal to some parents: they can activate location tracking on their child’s phone, and use parental controls to ensure their kids can’t turn it off. This could be helpful for making sure younger, iPhone touting kids are safe, but it’ll probably lead to plenty of family debates between teens and their parents (my folks wouldn’t have ever tried to get me to use this, but if they did, I would’ve figured out a way to disable it).

Apple Reveals Siri Voice Interface: The “Intelligent Assistant” Only For iPhone 4S

All those rumors of deep voice integration in iOS 5 have just been confirmed. Scott Forstall is back onstage demoing the new “intelligent assistant” service, which surprisingly retains its original name: Siri.

Activating Siri requires a quick hold of the home button, and then Siri is ready to listen. So far, Forstall’s demos seem to confirm what we’ve already heard: it’s surprisingly robust, and is a champion when it comes to interpreting voice input.

So far, Forstall has asked Siri the current time in Paris, how the NASDAQ is doing today, and the location of great Greek food in Palo Alto. So far, Siri has answered all queries with aplomb, and the crowd is really getting a kick out of it.

Hotest: The iPhone 5/4S: The Complete Rumor Rundown

In techcrunch

The iPhone 4S Will Be A Less Expensive iPhone

Argument: Numerous leaked SKU line ups with iPhone prototypes that are made of just plastic rather than glass and aluminum found in Brazil.

Apple would completely disrupt Android and Windows Phone 7 by selling a new iPhone at $100 or less.

The iPhone 4 still packs enough computing power for most users.

Objections:

Unsubstantiated leaks cannot be trusted

Judgment: The stars just seem aligned for this one. The iPhone 4 is still a hot phone despite being over 15 months old. Apple just needs to repackage the current hardware into a less expensive body to completely demolish the competition.

Redesigned, thinner iPhone 5

Argument: Countless thinner cases have leaked over the previous months all purportedly built for the next iPhone.

Every successive iPhone has been thinner than the previous.

Apple likes to keep design cues constant between products and so the next iPhone will look similar to the iPad.

Objection: None, it’s a pretty solid claim

Judgment: Apple has never released a product thicker than the previous model and won’t start with the next iPhone.

Larger screen

Argument: The iPhone 4's 3.5-inch screen is tiny compared to recent superphones from Motorola, Samsung, and LG.

Leaked cases signal that the next iPhone will be physically longer and wider. A larger screen is logical if the size of the iPhone is increasing.

Our own research has shown that a larger screen is “likely.”

Objections: Larger screen could mess with apps designed for the smaller screen

Judgment: Apple cannot ignore the current popular trend of larger screen sizes. As long as the phone is thinner, a larger screen will not make the phone feel any bigger.

Edge-to-edge glass

Argument: Apple has always pushed the limit with its LCD implementation.

Edge-to-edge glass would give Apple something to tout over just using a larger screen.

Objections: Likely higher manufacturing cost, which would cut into the profit margin

Could lead to more broken screens

Judgment: Not likely just yet. Apple pushes the limit but only as far as its financially viable.

NFC Chip

Argument: NFC is the next big thing and already a feature on leading Android handsets

An NFC-equipped iPhone would further the advancement of mobile payments

Objection: Current NFC radios are separate microchips and not integrated into a unified communication chip, which requires PCB real estate and extra battery power

Apple could be waiting until the payment companies make a lucrative offer to them

Judgment: Apple tends to incorporate non-proprietary tech only after its viability is proven. So that’s a “No.”

Dual-core A5 CPU

Argument: Apple tends to include a faster CPU with each iPhone release

iOS 5 will likely benefit from a faster, dual-core CPU

Objection: More powerful CPUs tend to decrease battery life

Judgment: It’s very likely the next major iPhone will have the A5 CPU. However, Apple might stick with the A4 for a mid-model refresh like the rumored iPhone 4S

New home button

Argument: Leaked cases and bezels show an elongated opening/button

Touch-sensitive bezels allows for new controls, multitouch gestures

Objections: Completely changes Apple’s “Keep It Simple, Stupid” design

Could break current apps

Judgment: Don’t start designing your next Kickstarter iPhone case project around this rumor. Apple will likely stick with its traditional home button.

8MP camera

Argument: MP count has increased with every new iPhone release

An 8MP photo previously appeared with iPhone 5 metadata

Megapixel counts are unfortunately a comparison point between different phones

Objections: Higher megapixel counts does not necessarily improve picture quality. Apple knows this. Hopefully.

Judgment: Camera sensors are constantly shrinking in size while increasing in MP count. Expect a higher count sensor but not necessarily an 8MP version.

CDMA/GSM dual-mode radio

Argument: The next iPhone will use Qualcomm Gobi Baseband and run on both GSM and CDMA networks

Dual-mode phones have shown up in developer’s usage stats

Would allow Apple to makes/sell just one version, decreasing manufacturing costs

Allow Apple to sell a completely unlocked iPhone. Buy one from the Apple Store and activate it however you want

Carrier independence is a huge selling point

Objection: Dual-mode mobile radios are still very rare

R&D cost could make it financially unfeasible

Judgment: It’s hard to say. The upsides are huge for both Apple and consumers, but dual-mode radios are not widely used. Apple tends to use highly-available and therefore, high margin components.

Extensive voice controls

Argument:The next iPhone will have powerful voice controls built by Siri called Assistant, which Apple bought last year for $200m

The voice controls would outclass Android’s with more natural navigation paths

These function would need beefy hardware like the rumored A5 CPU, which creates an up-sell point for iPhone 4 owners

Objections: None, really. Seems like a logical step for iOS.

Judgment: It’s hard to predict future iOS features, but more beefy voice controls are probably on the road map.

Hotest: The iPhone 5/4S: The Complete Rumor Rundown

In techcrunch

The iPhone 4S Will Be A Less Expensive iPhone

Argument: Numerous leaked SKU line ups with iPhone prototypes that are made of just plastic rather than glass and aluminum found in Brazil.

Apple would completely disrupt Android and Windows Phone 7 by selling a new iPhone at $100 or less.

The iPhone 4 still packs enough computing power for most users.

Objections:

Unsubstantiated leaks cannot be trusted

Judgment: The stars just seem aligned for this one. The iPhone 4 is still a hot phone despite being over 15 months old. Apple just needs to repackage the current hardware into a less expensive body to completely demolish the competition.

Redesigned, thinner iPhone 5

Argument: Countless thinner cases have leaked over the previous months all purportedly built for the next iPhone.

Every successive iPhone has been thinner than the previous.

Apple likes to keep design cues constant between products and so the next iPhone will look similar to the iPad.

Objection: None, it’s a pretty solid claim

Judgment: Apple has never released a product thicker than the previous model and won’t start with the next iPhone.

Larger screen

Argument: The iPhone 4's 3.5-inch screen is tiny compared to recent superphones from Motorola, Samsung, and LG.

Leaked cases signal that the next iPhone will be physically longer and wider. A larger screen is logical if the size of the iPhone is increasing.

Our own research has shown that a larger screen is “likely.”

Objections: Larger screen could mess with apps designed for the smaller screen

Judgment: Apple cannot ignore the current popular trend of larger screen sizes. As long as the phone is thinner, a larger screen will not make the phone feel any bigger.

Edge-to-edge glass

Argument: Apple has always pushed the limit with its LCD implementation.

Edge-to-edge glass would give Apple something to tout over just using a larger screen.

Objections: Likely higher manufacturing cost, which would cut into the profit margin

Could lead to more broken screens

Judgment: Not likely just yet. Apple pushes the limit but only as far as its financially viable.

NFC Chip

Argument: NFC is the next big thing and already a feature on leading Android handsets

An NFC-equipped iPhone would further the advancement of mobile payments

Objection: Current NFC radios are separate microchips and not integrated into a unified communication chip, which requires PCB real estate and extra battery power

Apple could be waiting until the payment companies make a lucrative offer to them

Judgment: Apple tends to incorporate non-proprietary tech only after its viability is proven. So that’s a “No.”

Dual-core A5 CPU

Argument: Apple tends to include a faster CPU with each iPhone release

iOS 5 will likely benefit from a faster, dual-core CPU

Objection: More powerful CPUs tend to decrease battery life

Judgment: It’s very likely the next major iPhone will have the A5 CPU. However, Apple might stick with the A4 for a mid-model refresh like the rumored iPhone 4S

New home button

Argument: Leaked cases and bezels show an elongated opening/button

Touch-sensitive bezels allows for new controls, multitouch gestures

Objections: Completely changes Apple’s “Keep It Simple, Stupid” design

Could break current apps

Judgment: Don’t start designing your next Kickstarter iPhone case project around this rumor. Apple will likely stick with its traditional home button.

8MP camera

Argument: MP count has increased with every new iPhone release

An 8MP photo previously appeared with iPhone 5 metadata

Megapixel counts are unfortunately a comparison point between different phones

Objections: Higher megapixel counts does not necessarily improve picture quality. Apple knows this. Hopefully.

Judgment: Camera sensors are constantly shrinking in size while increasing in MP count. Expect a higher count sensor but not necessarily an 8MP version.

CDMA/GSM dual-mode radio

Argument: The next iPhone will use Qualcomm Gobi Baseband and run on both GSM and CDMA networks

Dual-mode phones have shown up in developer’s usage stats

Would allow Apple to makes/sell just one version, decreasing manufacturing costs

Allow Apple to sell a completely unlocked iPhone. Buy one from the Apple Store and activate it however you want

Carrier independence is a huge selling point

Objection: Dual-mode mobile radios are still very rare

R&D cost could make it financially unfeasible

Judgment: It’s hard to say. The upsides are huge for both Apple and consumers, but dual-mode radios are not widely used. Apple tends to use highly-available and therefore, high margin components.

Extensive voice controls

Argument:The next iPhone will have powerful voice controls built by Siri called Assistant, which Apple bought last year for $200m

The voice controls would outclass Android’s with more natural navigation paths

These function would need beefy hardware like the rumored A5 CPU, which creates an up-sell point for iPhone 4 owners

Objections: None, really. Seems like a logical step for iOS.

Judgment: It’s hard to predict future iOS features, but more beefy voice controls are probably on the road map.

iPhone 5 cases show up at AT&T stores

In techradar

Someone somewhere has a crystal ball. An unnamed company has managed to make a bunch of silicon sleeves for the Apple iPhone 5 before the device is announced to the world.

The cases, which have arrived at an AT&T retail shop in the US, show a wider device than the iPhone 4, with a tapered (some might say 'raindrop') design.

The only other thing we can see is different from the iPhone 4 is that the mute button seems to be on the opposite side of the handset.

One other detail worth noting is that the sleeve's packaging calls the product "Silicone sleeve Apple iPhone 5" - you'll note that it doesn't say iPhone 4S. But then you'll also note that the name is printed on a dodgy-looking white label.

Missing iPhone 5 may explain new cases from China

In Cnet

An iPhone 5 prototype allegedly taken from a factory run by Apple supplier Foxconn may be the blueprint for all the unofficial cases popping up in China.

Visiting Shenzhen, China, last week, members of the blog site M.I.C. Gadget, who cover stories on China, said they were tipped off by an "iPhone accessories supplier" that the prototype had been missing from Foxconn factory's in the Shenzhen district.

Whoever got their hands on the prototype reportedly wiped its software clean so that it couldn't be traced and then sold it to one of the case makers for around $3,100, leading to the flood of iPhone 5 cases being hawked by online marketplace Alibaba and other Chinese retailers.

Though the prototype was in a case designed to camouflage it as aniPhone 4, the phone itself sported a tapered teardrop shape, which some rumors have claimed theiPhone 5 will use. Compared with cases for the iPhone 4, the cases being created for the new iPhone are thinner but also wider and longer, says M.I.C. Gadget, in some aspects similar to an iPod Touch.

Assuming the story about the missing prototype is true, the blog site says it's "very sure that one or more of these case manufacturers have access to what is believed to be the prototype of the iPhone 5 with the finalized design."

iPhone prototypes seem to have a history of getting lost.

Last year, an Apple employee left an iPhone 4 prototype in a bar in San Jose, Calif. The phone ended up in the hands of tech blog site Gizmodo, which shelled out $5,000 for it, eventually triggering a police probe. And more recently, an iPhone 5 was reported lost, this time in a bar in San Francisco, and again drawing in the local police.

Whatever iPhone 5 prototypes or cases may be floating around out there, we'll know for sure what the new phone looks like when Apple finally unveils the device next Tuesday.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20112775-37/missing-iphone-5-may-explain-new-cases-from-china/#ixzz1ZQU8Z2Pd

iPhone 5 Launch - Apple has begun sending invitations to 4th Of October

In The Telegraph

The invite, which says "Let's talk iPhone", uses Apple's iOS icons to indicate the date, time and location of the event.

Though the invite does not specify, the event is widely expected to be the launch of the iPhone 5, Apple's latest model in its successful mobile handset range. However, there has been some speculation that the new model could be a minor improvement on the iPhone 4, perhaps called the iPhone 4S.

It is thought that the new iPhone will have a faster processor, probably the same A5 processor that powers the iPad 2, and a better camera. There have also been rumours that the new phone will have more RAM than its predecessor and will have a slimmer form factor.

Whatever form the new device takes, it is likely to launch alongside iOS 5, the latest version of the operating system that runs the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. Announced in June, iOS 5 brings an improved notification system, a task management system called Reminders and iMessage - a free, text message service for Apple users.

The early October announcement suggests that the new iPhone will be in the shops within a couple of weeks. The October 21 release date, suggested earlier this month by the tech blog This Is My Next, looks like a good bet.

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.

iPhone 5 specs already outed by Vodafone?

In Techradar

Update: We've spoken to Vodafone and got a statement on the subject - apparently the network is 'looking into' how the listing happened.

Vodafone may have accidentally outed a few (admittedly obvious) specs of the new iPhone 5.

According to a listing for its SureSignal network enhancing box, the compatible phones briefly included reference to the iPhone 5 in 16GB and 32GB storage flavours, as well as 'confirming' the device would land in white as well as black.

Quite why a phone wouldn't be compatible with the box when it's got a different colour of chassis, we don't know, but Vodafone has seen fit to list all the options anyway.

Who knows?

The listing was only up briefly, but it was long enough for AppleInsider to notice and take a screenshot of the page before it was removed, clearly showing the iPhone 5 in the list of phones.

As mistakes go, it's a difficult one to work out - it's unlikely those in charge of simply filling in the 'Compatible Phones' section of the SureSignal page are involved in high level conversations with Apple, so this could have been a simple mistake of someone just getting in early.

We've spoken to Vodafone on the matter, and it promises it's 'looking into' the problem.

iPhone 5 launch date: Battle of the Best Buy leaks

In Cnet

Depending on which of today's Best Buy-relatediPhone 5 reports you want to give the most credence to, the highly anticipated gadget could launch during the first week of October, or a bit later, on October 21st.

Boy Genius Report's Jonathan Geller says a tipster handed the blog a leaked Best Buy document labeled "Promotional activity" and carrying a subheading of "Week 9/4."

The document, real or otherwise, says, "iPhone 5 product introduction expected, pre-sales begin for expected week 1 launch / Sprint launchesiPhone 5." It also says "(Apple product information/Launch dates subject to change)."

On the other hand, This Is My Next's Chris Ziegler reports that TIMN received a tip about a mysterious "Apple fixture" that's scheduled to be installed at an unnamed Best Buy location October 21. The site displays a screenshot that shows what may or may not be an authentic online Best Buy "National Retail Calendar."

"Process Display or Granger will be installing an Apple fixture on the large C2 end displays. Please ensure a manager/key carrier is available at 6:00 am for access to the store," the retail calendar says, in a rather cloak-and-dagger fashion. This Is My Next says its tipster called the 6 am show-up time unusual--managers usually don't have to arrive till an hour later. The tipster also reported an October 10 meeting to "discuss BIG release dates."

As Ziegler points out, The Wall Street Journal has reported that Sprint Nextel will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October. Other reports, though, have set the date as earlier in the month.

And, of course, my colleagues Declan McCullagh and Greg Sandoval recently broke the news that another unreleased iPhone prototype had apparently recharged itself a little two energetically while at a bar and had gone missing. (You'll recall, I'm sure, that it's not the first time such a thing has happened.) McCullagh and Sandoval also note that the file name of a San Francisco Police Department document seems to peg the prototype as the iPhone 5 and that Apple is taking unusual steps to get the gadget back.

All of this might mean the launch of a Sprint-friendly iPhone 5 is nigh. But we'll just have to wait a still-uncertain amount of time to find out.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20101545-37/iphone-5-launch-date-battle-of-the-best-buy-leaks/#ixzz1X1OQ5Ezl

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