Rumors

Drawings show big changes for iPhone 5

New renderings of what the next iPhone iteration could look like have surfaced on the site This is my next, and they indicate a major overhaul. Multiple sites claim to have confirmed that the iPhone 5 will not be a simple update of the last generation, but a substantial redesign, complete with a new tapered shape to the case.

Related link iPhone 5's 20 most-wanted features

The reports also say the home button will be enlarged, rather than scrapped--which had been another rumor--and that the front of the phone will be almost all screen, lending credence to previous rumors that Apple was working with special rounded glass for this generation. TIMN also speculates that the phone could be able to go global with both GSM and CDMA capability. The site had its renderings done based on information it claims to have obtained from multiple sources.

This latest rumor contradicts earlier reports that the next iPhone would be little changed from the current model.… Read more

Rumor: iPhone 5 may use curved glass screen

The latest news to hit the iPhone 5 rumor mill is that Apple's next smartphone may sport a curved glass screen, similar to the one found on the iPod Nano 4G.

This latest report comes from Taiwan's DigiTimes. Citing industry sources, DigiTimes reported today that Apple has bought 200 or 300 glass-cutting machines to be used by glass makers, who are apparently hesitant to invest in the expensive equipment on their own.

To no surprise, no time frame has been released yet as to when the iPhone 5 may ramp up production, as DigiTimes says that Apple is … Read more

Verizon CFO hints at global 'iPhone 5,' talks LTE

Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo revealed several interesting things at the Reuters Global Technology Summit. First, Verizon will continue to compete with AT&T on the iPhone--Big Red will sell the next-generation iPhone (referred to by some as the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S) alongside AT&T.

Shammo also said that the next Verizon iPhone will operate in as many countries as AT&T's global iPhone. Reading between the lines, we can guess that Verizon is preparing for a big announcement on this front when the next-generation iPhone hits global shelves.

Verizon's CFO was less transparent about the next iPhone's speeds, suggesting that Verizon's portfolio of LTE Android phones would make up for a next-gen iPhone. "I think it's a bigger issue for Apple than it is for us," Reuters quotes. "Depending on where Apple plays, that's where we'll sell."… Read more

More rumors that iPhone 5 may be 4S

When it comes to the fifth-generation iPhone, you have two camps: those who think Apple is going to do a major design revision and those who don't.

For the moment anyway, the rumor mill is tilted toward the latter camp, as Taiwan-based Digitimes is claiming that Apple has slowed production of the iPhone 4 as it gears up to produce an upgraded--but not significantly redesigned--iPhone 4S.

The Digitimes report follows on the heels of a Reuters post that claimed that the next iPhone "will look largely similar to the iPhone 4" and that production for the new … Read more

Analyst: iPhone '4S' possible, but with no 4G

If you had your heart set on an iPhone with 4G LTE, the yet-to-be-announced iPhone 5 might not be for you. The good news is that the next version is still set to get a few enhancements and end up on more carriers.

That's according to a research note by Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek, picked up by Forbes, which claims Apple's next iPhone won't sport LTE hardware from Qualcomm because the chipmaker "is currently not achieving yields sufficient for inclusion in the iPhone 5."

So what's destined to be different about the … Read more

Report: Apple to begin producing iPhone 5 in July

The much-anticipated iPhone 5 is expected to go into production in July and likely begin shipping in September, according to a brief Reuters report this evening.

Apple's next-generation smartphone will have a faster processor but otherwise have a similar appearance to the iPhone 4, according to the report from Hong Kong, which cited three unidentified people familiar with the matter.

The revelation appears to contradict a major supplier in Southeast Asia that said earlier this month it would not begin production on components for the iPhone 5 until sometime in September--apparently upsetting Apple's traditional summer iPhone release schedule. … Read more

Rumor: Analyst expects A5 and 8MP camera for iPhone 5

Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a note with details on what to expect in the forthcoming iPhone 5. Juicy features include Apple's A5 processor and a much-improved 8-megapixel rear camera.

According to AppleInsider, Kuo's note says the A5 processor will match the performance of the one currently found in Apple's iPad 2, though no mention of the RAM quantity was made.

"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."

Echoing other rumors that production on the iPhone … Read more

Report: Suppliers haven't seen iPhone 5 sked yet

Building on reports that the next generation iPhone isn't coming until near the end of this year, Digitimes reports that Taiwan-based touch-screen makers are still in the dark about Apple's needs for the new device.

Citing anonymous sources within touch-panel manufacturing, the outlet says production is still under way for iPhone 4 panels since the phone continues to sell, signaling that Apple is not immediately planning to move production toward a new product.

Apple sold a record number of iPhone 4s in the previous quarter with 16.2 million units. An analyst report from RBC Capital Markets released … Read more

Rumor: Apple to delay iPhone 5 production until fall

A major supplier in Southeast Asia is claiming that it will not begin production on components for Apple's iPhone 5 until sometime in September, adding fuel to rumors that say a traditional summer iPhone release will not be happening this year.

A post from AppleInsider references a note to investors from Avian Securities that "revealed the alleged plans for a September production start. The report said the latest information is 'consistent' with other findings the organization has heard in recent months."

Another rumor concerning the iPhone 5 is that Apple has been taking its time finding suppliers … Read more

Apple patent hints at bezel displays for iPhone

As iPhone 5 rumors have trickled over the past month, one that's popped up repeatedly is a screen so big it nearly does away with the bezel. That's the area around the display, and right before the very edge of the device that sits as unused space.

But such a screen might be at odds with a new Apple patent application unearthed by Patently Apple. The patent outlines a secondary display embedded within the bezel that would extend what's happening on the main screen to the surrounding area.

The applications for such a design are broad, from notifications and other indicators to a display area that apps can make use of to extend the user interface. Such features could be handy on a small screen where even given a high-pixel density, total real estate is limited by the casing itself.

The patent description spells this much out:

To assist a user in providing inputs, traditional devices use the display to provide indicators to the user regarding where and how to provide a touch input. For example, a traditional device may display a virtual button on a touch screen to indicate that a user can touch that portion of the screen to provide an input. However, providing such indicators occupies space on the touch screen that could otherwise be used for displaying visual content.

The patent describes this functionality including not just phones, but media players like the iPod, PDAs, laptops, and cameras. … Read more