Report claims budget iPhone will be called “iPhone 5C,” iPhone 5S with new gold color option

There have been several rumors and speculations, which suggest that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost or budget iPhone with a plastic rear shell.

Last month, the plastic retail packaging of the rumored budget iPhone revealed that it could be called “iPhone 5C.” Japanese blog Macotakara reports that “iPhone 5C” will be indeed the name of the device, where “C” stands for Colors, as it will be available in various color options.

The report also claims that the next generation iPhone will be called “iPhone 5S.” The report provides more details about iPhone 5S such as a new gold color option (looks quite awful in the rendering below), 8-megapixel camera like the iPhone 5, but with a wider f/2.0 aperture to capture more light while taking photos. The wider aperture corroborates with another rumor, which claimed the new iPhone will offer improved night shooting.

Macotakara reports that the Home button won’t have the rectangular mark, suggesting it could feature the sapphire-covered convex Home button with fingerprint sensor just as Ming-Chi Ku, analyst at KGI securities had mentioned in his research note over the weekend.

According to my asian source, rumored coming iPhone powered by A7 processor will be released as “iPhone 5S”. This source told that KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s guesses may be true. Ming-Chi guessed several points, the resolution of iSight camera will be stayed on 8M pixels but F-stop will be brighter up to 2.0. The gold color which is rumored as 3rd color of iPhone 5S will be optional, and rectangle mark of home button will be removed.

Additionally, that source told about coming low-cost iPhone, which is covered by plastic case made from polycarbonate and glass-fibre, it will be released with expected name, “iPhone 5C”.

Apple will reportedly unveil iPhone 5S and probably even iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10.

[Macotakara via 9to5Mac]

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Aug 12, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Well-Connected Apple blogger confirms iPhone media event on September 10

In case you missed it, AllThings reported over the weekend that Apple will unveil the next generation iPhone and at a media event on September 10.

Well connected Apple blogger Jim Dalrymple of The Loop who has an impeccable track record when it comes to Apple related rumors, and famous for his one word responses, has also confirmed the date with his typical “Yep.”

Apple usually sends out invites a week before the event. It is also unclear if Apple will also unveil the rumored low-cost or budget ‘iPhone 5C’ at the special event.

The next generation iPhone, which is informally dubbed iPhone 5S, is expected to look similar to the iPhone 5, but come with improved internals such as a faster A7 chip with 2GB RAM, 12-megapixel camera, capability to take slow-motion videos, dual-LED flash, and may feature a fingerprint sensor. It will also come pre-installed with iOS 7.

So when will you be able to get your hands on the new iPhone? According to us, iPhone 5S will be available in the stores on September 20 with pre-orders starting either on September 10 or September 13.

We can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for us. What about you? Do you plan to buy the new iPhone?

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Aug 12, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Leaked components again point to iPhone 5S with Dual LED Flash

According to leaked images of the top portion of iPhone 5S’ rear panel, Apple’s all set to improve low-light photography by adding a dual LED flash right next to the camera lens found on the device.

The images, which show the top and bottom portions of the iPhone’s rear panel, were posted on Chinese social network Sina Weibo and relayed by French website Nowhereelse.fr. While the bottom portion doesn’t reveal much, the pill-shaped slot for the flash right beside the camera hole clearly shows space for an additional LED.

An additional LED would greatly increase the quality of photos taken with the iPhone’s camera in low-light conditions. A report from yesterday noted that the iPhone 5S’s camera might not see a bump in megapixel count, but will feature a wider f/2.0 aperture to capture more light and thus further improve low-light performance.

Dual LED flash shown in these images is in line with previous rumors and component leaks. Moreover, this feature, along with other camera improvements like the slow motion camera, will help Apple position the iPhone 5S’ camera as a much better option than the iPhone 5, helping differentiate the otherwise incremental upgrade.

The iPhone 5S is expected to be unveiled at a media event held by Apple on September 10th with the flagship feature being a biometric fingerprint sensor for boosting security.

Do you think the dual LED would make the flash useful on a more regular basis when shooting pictures, or will the iPhone 5S just be a better torchlight?

[via MacRumors]

Posted by Jason on Aug 12, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Apple to use same manufacturing process for Touch ID in iPhone 6 [Report]

According to Taiwanese publication DigiTimes, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is planning to shift back to 8-inch fab to produce the Touch ID fingerprint sensor for iPhone 6.

Last month, DigiTimes had reported that TSMC would begin production of fingerprint sensors for Apple’s next-generation iPhone at its 12-inch fab from its 8-inch fab using a 65nm process in the second quarter of 2014.

The Taiwanese publication now claims that Apple decided to use the 8-inch fab again, as it had concerns with the yield rates of the 12-inch wafer-level packaging (WLP).

Apple previously decided to have TSMC produce fingerprint sensors for its next-generation iPhone at the foundry’s 12-inch facilities using a 65nm process, the sources noted. However, acknowledging risks associated with 12-inch WLP technologies, Apple has finally chosen TSMC’s 8-inch processing which enables mature yield rates for WLP to produce the fingerprint sensors, the sources said.

The report notes that this would mean that TSMC would have to sub-contract the packaging process to Xintec and China WLCSP, instead of handling the backend wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WL-CSP) process in-house, which would have been possible at its 12-inch fab.

When Apple launched the iPhone 5s back in September 2013, the supply was limited as the yield rate for the Touch ID fingerprint sensor was unsatisfactory. However, TSMC managed to refine the process and has been able to achieve yield rates of 95%. DigiTimes claims that according to their sources yield rates for WLP at TSMC’s facilities at the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) stay between 70% and 80%.

Check out our detailed roundup of all the rumors and speculations about iPhone 6 so far.

[Via DigiTimes]

Posted by Gautam on Feb 11, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

Next Gen iPhones and iPads could get even thinner with new LED backlights

Several rumors have claimed that the upcoming iPhone 6 would be even thinner than the iPhone 5s. A report from LEDinside suggests that the extra margin to reduce thickness would come from newer LED backlights that are thinner and lighter.

From LEDTimes:

According to sources from Apple supply chain, the iPhone 6 is likely to be released in June 2014, and will have larger monitor size of 4.7”. Industry insiders also projected the iPhone 6 will have a much lighter frame, which will lead to upgrades in LED backlight specs. In the previous generation, the iPhone used 0.6[mm] side-view type LED, in contrast the new iPhone will probably be adopting 0.4[mm] side-view type LED.

The iPhone 5s is 7.6mm thick, and the iPhone 6 is rumored to have an ultra-thin form factor as thin as 6mm.

The LEDTimes report adds that the next generation iPad, possibly the 12-inch iPad Pro, will be thinner than the iPad Air as Apple plans to switch from the current 0.8mm LED to the 0.6mm LED.

While Apple has generally released new iPhones in September, this isn’t the first report this year to claim that the iPhone 6 will be launched in June. A report from earlier this month claimed that the iPhone would be released at WWDC, and would run iOS 7.2 rather than iOS 8. It’s also worth noting, that almost all iPhone 6 rumors note the existence of two models, one with a 4.7 inch, and the other with a display larger than 5.5-inches.

[via MacRumors]

Posted by Jason on Feb 12, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

Leaked photos give first glimpse of thinner and larger iPhone 6 [Updated: It's fake]

It has been widely speculated that Apple will finally launch iPhone 6 with a bigger screen to compete with Android-based smartphones that usually come with larger screens.

Sonny Dickson, the Australian-based blogger, who had leaked parts of the iPhone 5s and iPad Air before it was launched last year has just tweeted a number of photos, which he claims are of the metal casing for the next generation iPhone.

Teaser #1 pic.twitter.com/cio7TEoHpw

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) February 12, 2014

Teaser #2 pic.twitter.com/ksKMddpzpi

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) February 12, 2014

Teaser #3 pic.twitter.com/mUH7VPUFm8

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) February 12, 2014

Teaser #4 pic.twitter.com/cdrdEGtqVx

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) February 12, 2014

Folks at 9to5Mac have superimposed an iPhone 5′s casing on Dickson’s image, which gives a better idea of the size difference between the two devices.

Dickson has also said that the earlier rumor that iPhone 6 will come with larger screen with sapphire display may be true.

According to several rumors, Apple will launch two new two versions of its next generation iPhone, with a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sapphire display later this year.

An iPhone with a bigger screen has been one of the most requested features, and it looks like the next iPhone will finally be coming with a display or displays larger than 4-inches. That said, I also expect Apple to continue offering a 4-inch iPhone variant as well, since a number of people prefer the current size. It will be interesting to see how Apple will price the iPhones with larger displays.

Let me know your thoughts on the possibility of iPhone 6 with a larger screen in the comments below.

Update 1:

A Cydia developer has posted photos of iPhone 6 prototype, which gives a much better idea of what the next generation iPhone will look like.

Update 2:

iPhone 6 in the leaked photos is 4.7-inch diagonally and same width as iPhone 5s

Update 3:

‘Leaked’ iPhone 6 photos may have been fake after all, here’s the proof

Related:

Everything we know about the iPhone 6 so far

Posted by Gautam on Feb 12, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

iPhone 6 may look like this [Updated: It's fake]

Hot on the heels of the iPhone 6 photos leaked by Australian blogger, Sonny Dickson, a Cydia developer has posted photos of iPhone 6 prototype, which gives a much better idea of what the next generation iPhone will look like.

MacRumors has also posted similar photos, which were shared by an anonymous tipster, who told them the images were first shared by someone in China.

MacRumors points out that the width of the device seen in the photo is 2.6-inches, which is much wider than iPhone 5s, which measures 2.31 inches in width. It also reveals that the next generation iPhone could be much thinner than the iPhone 5s. It looks as thin as the iPod touch 5G. Earlier today, it was reported that the next generation iPhones and iPads could be even thinner with new LED backlights.

There have been several rumors which have suggested that Apple will indeed launch an iPhone with a larger 5.5-inch and 4.7-inch inch this year.

It is difficult to confirm if the device in the image is a legitimate iPhone 6 prototype or fake. However, as MacRumors points out the prototype seems to have FCC text, which is usually added at a later date.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Updated 1:

iPhone 6 in the leaked photos is 4.7-inch diagonally and same width as iPhone 5s

Update 2:

‘Leaked’ iPhone 6 photos may have been fake after all, here’s the proof

Related:

Everything we know about the iPhone 6 so far

Posted by Gautam on Feb 12, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

iPhone 6 in the leaked photos is 4.7-inch diagonally and same width as iPhone 5s [Updated: It's fake]

It has been widely speculated that Apple will launch two new versions of iPhone 6 with bigger screens.

However, the exact size wasn’t clear from the leaked photos of the larger and thinner iPhone 6.

Macrumors reports that according to designer Federico Ciccarese, the iPhone in the images is 4.7 inches diagonally (I’m assuming he is referring to the display) and 2.3 inches wide, the same width as the existing iPhone 5s.

It is odd that the width of a bigger 4.7-inch iPhone would be same as the iPhone 5s as we expect Apple to increase the width as well, however it is possible that the screen could be bezel-free as some rumors have indicated thus allowing Apple to keep the width the same. The leaked photos also suggest that the display could be almost bezel-free. I really hope that Apple doesn’t take the same approach as it did with the iPhone 5, where it increased the height of the screen from 3.5-inch to 4.0-inch, but did not increase the width.

The iPhone in the images also appears to be a lot thinner than iPhone 5s, and sports a curved design like the iPod touch, iPad Air and iPad mini. Earlier today, it was reported that the next generation iPhones and iPads could be even thinner thanks to improvements in LED backlight technology.

According to several rumors, the next generation iPhone may come with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens to compete with Android-based smartphones that usually come with bigger screens.

Will it be a deal-breaker if Apple doesn’t launch an iPhone with a bigger screen this year? Let me know in the comments.

Update:

‘Leaked’ iPhone 6 photos may have been fake after all, here’s the proof

[Via MacRumors]

Related:

Everything we know about the iPhone 6 so far

Posted by Gautam on Feb 13, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

‘Leaked’ iPhone 6 photos may have been fake after all, here’s the proof

The Interwebs rejoiced when concepts and would-be renders were tossed in the trash and replaced by seemingly legit iPhone 6 prototype photos, but as rock-solid their sources appeared, it looks like the images may have been doctored.

Needless to say that we’d have probably been better off if we didn’t get so worked up in the first place about, well, gossip. But hey, how else are die-hard Apple fans to pass time until the summer or, worse, the fall? And make no mistake, there’ll be plenty of rumors to put under the microscope, analyze, overanalyze and ultimately debunk between now and whenever iPhone 6 models go official.

Cutting to today’s chase, multiple skilled Sherlock Holmes wannabes conducted pretty impressive investigative work on the purported iPhone 6 “leaks”, reaching one conclusion and one conclusion only: they’re phony. Sure, their evidence is circumstantial, at best, but when in doubt, it’s wiser to take the cautious approach.

Exhibit #1 – smudge texture. Apparently, you can recognize an iPhony created by a certain talented artist through tracking such little details as smear patterns. Sounds like genuine CSI business, so let’s not get further into details. Bottom line, there’s a good chance these images originated from Martin Hajek and his rich imagination.

Exhibit #2 – fishy fonts. If you thought the smudge proof was thin, wait until you hear this theory. Or better yet, read it in full here as it needs quite a lot of explaining. Essentially, the iPhone logo is outdated. Again, thin, but it makes sense when you think about it.

Final exhibit – other smears, stains and patterns, this time inexplicably found both on the front and rear of the claimed iPhone 6 in the same exact layout. No way could it have happened unless someone tampered with the “photos”. Case closed? You tell us, in the comments section below.

Posted by Adrian Diaconescu on Feb 13, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

Canonical CEO claims Apple bought a 3-year supply of sapphire displays

Speaking about past and future plans for its mobile Ubuntu platform, Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth dropped a hint about Apple’s big plans for sapphire in the coming years, reports GigaOM.

According to Shuttleworth, Apple, in the past year, has bought up a three-year supply of sapphire displays. It affected Canonical in a negative way as the company hoped to use sapphire glass in its flagship Ubuntu Edge smartphone.

“Apple just snapped up the entire 3-year supply of the same sapphire display we wanted for the Edge,” Shuttleworth said

Without further clarification, it’s not know whether Shuttleworth’s comments can be interpreted to mean the iPhone 6 will ship with the Edge’s intended 4.5-inch display. This isn’t the first rumor that places a 4.5-inch display in the next generation iPhone. Earlier this year, a Wall Street Journal report claimed the next iPhone will ship with a screen that is at least 4.5-inches.

Shuttleworth’s comments on sapphire echo a similar report that suggests Apple has bought enough sapphire manufacturing hardware and substrate materials to produce up to 200-million iPhone displays. Apple and materials manufacturer GT Advanced are working together to produce sapphire in a plan in Arizona.

Apple currently uses sapphire in its Touch ID sensor and as a coating on its rear-facing camera. Because of its hardness, sapphire is an excellent material for scratch resistant displays. The cost of production and other manufacturing limitation have prohibited the use of sapphire in mobile devices, but that may change now that GT Advanced has partnered with Apple.

Posted by Julie on Feb 20, 2014 - iphonehacks.com

Apple May Hold Media Event in March To Launch Apple TV SDK For Third-Party Apps [Update: Nope]

Jeffries analyst Peter Misek has told his clients in a research note that according to his sources, Apple may be planning a television related media event next month.

Misek doesn’t expect Apple to launch the rumored television set, but expects Apple to set the stage for the device by launching tools and an SDK that will allow developers to develop third-party apps for the current Apple TV set-top box.

We’re assuming that if indeed this rumor is true, then Apple will also launch the tweaked version of the Apple TV that was recently approved by FCC approval.

Misek expects Apple to launch its television set in the 42-inch to 55-inch size range with prices starting around $1500.

Ever since an excerpt from Steve Jobs biography revealed that he felt that he had finally cracked integrated Television sets, the chatter about Apple possibly releasing Televisions sets has got louder.

It has been widely speculated that Apple will launch its own branded television set later this year. It could come with Siri for extensive voice control rather than the conventional remote control.

Last year, it was rumored that Apple will release a TV SDK for third-party apps at WWDC 2012, but that didn’t happen. It does make sense to release the SDK as it allow developers and content providers enough time to create beautiful and feature rich apps for Apple TV, which will ultimately make their way to the television set.

Update:

Jim Dalrymple of The Loop who has an impeccable record for Apple related rumors and famous for his one-word responses has categorically refuted with his typical “Nope.”

Via: MacRumors

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Feb 13, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

iOS 6.1.2 to Fix Passcode Security Flaw And Exchange Bug May Be Released Early Next Week

Yesterday, Apple acknowledged the iOS 6.1 passcode security flaw and said that the issue will be fixed in a future software update.

It looks like that update could be coming early next week, according to German blog iFun.

iFun reports that Apple will release iOS 6.1.2 sometime before Thursday, February 21 based on checks with carriers, which will include a fix for the iOS 6.1 passcode security flaw and the Microsoft Exchange bug.

The website also claims that Apple will release iOS 6.1.3, which will include the improvements to Maps app for Japan, which was the only major feature in iOS 6.1.1 beta that was seeded to developers earlier in the month.

iFun has predicted the release of iOS 6.1.1 through the same sources. Apple released iOS 6.1.1 earlier in the week to fix 3G connectivity related issue that was affecting iPhone 4S users.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, a new iOS software update is not ideal for jailbreakers. Let’s hope that Apple only fixes this exchange bug and the passcode security flaw and not the evasi0n jailbreak.

iFun via 9to5Mac

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Feb 15, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Third-Party Apps May Be Finally Coming To Apple TV This Fall

Shortly after rumors of an Apple TV media event in March were debunked, TechCrunch contributor MG Siegler, based on his own sources, claims that Apple’s lining up something TV related for this fall. While he doesn’t have any specifics as to whether this would be about Apple’s long rumored full-fledged television or an SDK, he believes that third party apps would be a vital part of the equation.

He writes:

I haven’t heard anything specific about the SDK, but the chatter about Apple’s broader television plans has been picking up. And if that chatter is to believed, something is happening this fall — likely late fall. As always with Apple, those plans are subject to change. As you might imagine, content deals remain a bitch, yet remain vital to such a project. But multiple sources suggest everything is finally lining up for this fall.

Rumors of an Apple TV SDK had surfaced last year as well, and made a lot of sense since the device, under-the-hood, runs iOS, which already has an ecosystem of third-party plugins, which can be installed by jailbreaking it. Siegler says that while standard iOS apps scaled up to TV resolution won’t look good, games and video content would work particularly well with large TV displays, as we’ve seen with the AirPlay compatible apps on the App Store.

He adds that Apple might even take a “two-pronged approach,” releasing the Apple Television as well as updating the hardware on the Apple TV to better support resource-intensive apps.

If the ecosystem takes off, and there are high chances it would given the same software stack that runs on iOS devices and the Apple TV, Apple would pose a serious threat to living-room entertainment devices like the Xbox and the PS3 as noted by Xbox founding engineer Nat Brown and Valve founder Gabe Newell.

Posted by Rounak Jain on Feb 15, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Former Apple Exec: iWatch Could be an ‘Even More Personal Computer’

Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassée, over at Monday Note, shares his thoughts about the rumored iWatch, and how the device could further advance the concept of a personal computer.

By looking back at Apple’s flagship products through the past few decades, Gassée argues that the company’s main goal has always been developing more personal computers, and that its other ventures, such as the iTunes Store or its retail stores, have only existed to make better PCs.

[W]hat really floats their boats, what hardens Apple’s resolve is designing, making, and selling large numbers of personal computers, from the traditional desktop/laptop Mac, to the genre-validating iPad, and on to the iPhone — the Very Personal Computer. Everything else is an ingredient, a booster, a means to the noblest end.

Although Apple’s already dabbled into the wristwatch market unintentionally when it introduced the iPod nano, Gassée doesn’t think Apple would simply iterate on the nano to deliver a smartwatch. The rumored 100 or so product designers would be working on something much bigger than that, he says:

Is Apple working on an iWatch that can be experienced as an Even More Personal personal computer — an “intimate computer”? If so, many questions arise: user interface, sensors, iOS version, new types of apps, connection with other iDevices… And, of course price.

It’s definitely going to be exciting to see how Apple thinks of a smartwatch, given how, unlike a smartphone, it would be wrapped around your wrist all the time, and thus much more easy to glance over than the iPhone. Would it be reliant on iOS devices just like the iPhone and iPad were, and to a certain extent still are, on PCs?

What do you think would be the perfect combination of features in an iWatch without making it too bloated?

Via: Monday Note

Posted by Rounak Jain on Feb 18, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

What Apple’s Rumored iWatch Might Look Like

A few days back, The New York Times reported that Apple was working on an iOS-based smartwatch, a claim which was later corroborated by a number of other mainstream publications like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

NYT’s report however, contained an additional nugget of information that said Apple would be using Corning’s upcoming bendable glass to make a curved glass watch.

So how would such a watch, built using curved glass, look like?

The folks at Guardian created a mockup of an iWatch that uses Corning’s ultrathin bendable willow glass, runs iOS and borrows a lot of functionality from current iOS devices like Siri, location and Maps.

Rumors and speculation till now point to an Apple smartwatch running a custom build of iOS, with a 1.5 OLED inch screen and an Intel processor. The device could use Bluetooth 4.0′s low energy mode to pair with iOS devices to fetch notifications and other alerts. With more than 100 product designers working on the device, Apple’s iWatch would be much more than just a way to pull notifications off your iPhone. As former Apple exec Jean-Louis Gassée says, an iWatch could make computing even more personal.

Posted by Rounak Jain on Feb 18, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Analyst: Apple Could Launch iPhone mini This Summer

It has been widely speculated that Apple will unveil a cheaper iPhone to make inroads in the price sensitive emerging markets. According to some rumors, Apple could launch the cheaper iPhone this year.

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty told clients in a research note that the iPad mini could be coming as early as this year. 

She believes that Apple could almost triple its market share in China from 10% to 30%, if the cheaper iPhone, unofficially dubbed iPhone mini is priced at $330.

Huberty wrote in a note to investors:

“We believe Apple could launch iPhone Mini at $330 (about Rmb 2,000), in-line with flagship products in China from Lenovo, Huawei, ZTE, and Coolpad. Even in a scenario of low 40 percent gross margin and 1/3 iPhone cannibalization rate (flattening legacy iPhone shipment growth), which we view as conservative, the iPhone Mini adds incremental revenue and gross profit dollars.”

Currently, iPhone 4 is the cheapest iPhone, retailing for $450 without a contract, so a $330 iPhone would definitely widen the target audience. But she points out that Apple will have to strike a deal with China Mobile, China’s largest carrier. Apple currently sells the iPhone  through China Unicom and China Telecom.

During last quarter’s earning call, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook had this to say when he was asked about the cheaper iPhone:

The most important thing to Apple is to make the best products in the world. We aren’t interested in revenue for revenue’s sake. We could put the Apple brand on a lot of things and sell a lot more stuff. We only want to make the best products. We’ve been able to build market share and have a great track record with iPod of doing different products at different price points. I wouldn’t view those as mutually exclusive as some might. We’re focused on making great products that enrich lives.

Several analysts are predicting a cheaper iPhone launch this year. Topeka Capital analyst Brian White believes that the less expensive iPhone would come with a plastic body instead of a metallic casing to reduce costs.

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Feb 19, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Apple Patent Hints at iWatch With Flexible Touchscreen Display

It has been widely speculated that Apple is working on an iOS based smartwatch, unofficially dubbed the ‘iWatch‘.

Interestingly, a new patent application discovered by AppleInsider reveals that Apple is indeed working on a wearable accessory with a full-length flexible touchscreen display.

The patent application which was filed in August 2011 describes how the device can be easily worn on a user’s wrist with a ”slap bracelet” mechanism. The patent application refers to the device as a “wearable video device.”

The most recent widespread use of such a device was the slap bracelet, also called the slap wrap. The slap bracelet consists of layered flexible steel bands sealed within a fabric cover. Typical slap bracelets are roughly one inch in width by nine inches in length. In a first equilibrium position they can be flat. The second equilibrium is typically reached by slapping the flat embodiment across the wrist, at which point the bracelet curls around the wrist and stays relatively secure in a roughly circular position.

According to the patent application, the device consists of layered flexible steel bands sealed within a fabric cover with a screen glued to the outer surface. The necessary electronic components such as wireless communications antenna, integrated circuits for driving the display, along with data and power connectors etc. can be glued to one end of the device, so that the other end could completely cover the electronics module while a user wears it.

The display appears to be made up of a series of flexible segments, which would allow the device to change between a flat state and a curled state. The device uses a sensor to detect a change between the two states and then adjusts the user interface to optimize it for the new bi-stable spring state. It also describes how the capacitive elements on the touchscreen will allow the device to determine where the end of the device comes in contact with the touchscreen so that it can deactivate the covered portion of the flexible display and can properly configure the continuous display around the device.

The device’s screen has a ”touch-sensitive user interface” overlaid on the flexible display.  The patent application describes how a user can accomplish a number of different tasks including adjusting the order of a current playlist, and reviewing a list of recent phone calls with the touchscreen display. It also explains how a response to a text message can be managed with a simple virtual keyboard across the face of the flexible display.

The device can also come with a inertial orientation sensor, such as a gyroscope, or accelerometer so that displayed information can be arranged such that it always faces up, or directly towards the user. In the power saving mode, the inertial orientation sensor could also be used to activate the flexible display only when the device is oriented into a viewing position.

The patent also explains how information could be passed between the device to another device such as the iPhone:

The method includes the following steps: (1) determining whether the accessory device is being worn by an end-user where the determining is accomplished by at least one sensor on the accessory device; (2) when it determined the accessory device is being worn by the end user, establishing a communication channel between the accessory device and the portable electronic device where the communication channel is arranged to provide a bi-directional communication link between the flexible display and the portable electronic device; (3) passing information between the portable electronic device and the accessory device by way of the bi-directional communication link, where at least a portion of the passed information is presented by the flexible display as the first set of visual information; and (4) displaying the first set of visual information by the flexible display.

It is usually a pain to go through patent applications, but I really enjoyed going through the details of this one. Some aspects of the device seem too futuristic to believe such a device will be launched anytime soon, but with Apple you never know.

Let me know what do you think in the comments below.

Via: USPTO, AppleInsider

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Feb 21, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

iPad 5 Case Also Hints at iPad mini Like Design

The leaked photos of the next generation iPad’s rear shell have indicated that the next generation iPad may end up looking like the iPad mini with narrower bezels along the sides in portrait mode and thinner body.

Apple accessory manufacturer Minisuit has already created a case for the 5th generation iPad based on data and specifications they’ve received from a reliable source, which is very similar to the leaked photos.

As you can see in the photo below, the case also comes with an extra hole at the back, which is for the microphone like the iPad mini. In case of the iPad 4, the microphone is at the top of the device.

Case manufacturers have a huge financial incentive to start selling cases for the new iPad as soon as it is launched, so some of them don’t want to take any chances and develop cases based on the leaked designs or parts.

iPad 5 is also rumored to come with chamfered edges and aluminum coating like the iPad mini.

It is currently unclear when Apple will launch the next generation iPad, according to rumors and speculations, it could be in March, middle of the year or October.

I really like the design of the iPad mini, so I hope that the iPad 5 looks like it and is also much lighter.

Via: MacRumors

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Feb 23, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Report: Apple May Launch iWatch This Year

Last month, The New York Times reported that Apple was working on an iOS-based smartwatch, a claim which was later corroborated by a number of other mainstream publications like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reported that Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on the iWatch. Bloomberg now reports that according to their source, Apple will indeed launch an iWatch in 2013. The report also points out that Apple has already filed 79 patent applications for such a device, including the one with flexible touchscreen display, which we wrote about last week.

Apple’s iWatch could come with the following features according to Bloomberg’s sources:

• Let users make calls
• See the identity of incoming callers and check map coordinates
• It would also house a pedometer for counting steps and sensors for monitoring health-related data, such as heart rates

The report goes on to add:

To accommodate the smaller screen of a watch, Apple could adapt its iOS mobile software to limit what information is sent to a wrist device, said Scott Wilson, a watch designer who developed a line of watchbands for people who wanted to use an iPod nano as a watch. 

The report also points out that an iWatch will be a lot more profitable product for Apple than the rumored television set as the gross margins for TVs is a lot lesser than the margins on watches.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, a smart watch obviously has a lot of potential for integration with Apple’s pretty strong iOS and Mac ecosystem. Siri, Passbook, Bluetooth 4.0, iMessage, Notification Center, all are possible avenues for making the Apple ecosystem even stronger. There is definitely demand for Bluetooth enabled smart watches that connect to smartphones like the iPhone based on the success of Pebble – e-paper watch, which raised over $10 million on Kickstarter.

I’ll be definitely standing in line to get one. What about you?

Via: Bloomberg

Posted by iPhoneHacks on Mar 04, 2013 - iphonehacks.com

Rumor: Low-cost ‘iPhone 5C’ to have 8-megapixel camera

The low-cost iPhone, potentially dubbed the “iPhone 5C,” is now rumored to sport an 8-megapixel camera akin to that of the iPhone 5. The report comes from Chinese site IT168 and is coupled with a photo of the sensor embedded above.

While the low-cost “iPhone 5C” is rumored to be receiving the same sensor currently apart of the iPhone 5, Apple’s mid-refresh “iPhone 5S” is rumored to sport an upgraded 12-megapixel camera that will also improve photos taken in low-light situations.

Countless photos of the purported low-cost device have leaked, and Tim Cook reportedly just visited China to talk with carriers about the phone. It’s quite possible that Apple will use some of the components from the iPhone 5 in the budget iPhone.

The device is expected to be priced somewhere in the range of $350 to $450 for an unlocked iPhone 5C. With Apple expecting a “very busy fall,” the device should be announced in the coming months.

[MacRumors]

Posted by Stephen Hall on Aug 02, 2013 - iphonehacks.com