iPhone 5 News

With many rumors about iPhone 5 being confirmed through unofficial sources and some indirect hints from Apple, we can be assured of a release date sometime in mid-September or early October. On the other hand, Apple’s competitors (Samsung and Google) are trying their best to counter Apple with their latest offerings. With many products from the competitors ready to be released at the same time,  we can expect some stiff competition for the much touted ‘best smartphone ever’

HTC’s and Samsung’s Offerings

Samsung already landed its first punch on Apple with the early release of the Samsung Galaxy SIII, which has surprised both experts and consumers with its features. The SIII came loaded with sensors and packed with features, a trend which Apple stood by. Although this move did cause a little flutter in the Apple camp, they were confident of being able to bounce back with their new iPhone.  However, Samsung has announced the release of the Galaxy Note 2, that is supposedly having all the features similar to the iPhone 5′s rumored features. It comes with a bigger screen too, and is expected to give the iPhone 5 some serious competition even though Galaxy Note failed to impress in the first attempt.

Coming to HTC, the Taiwanese manufacturer seems to have something special up its sleeves. There have been reports of a new smartphone being manufactured, specially designed to compete against the iPhone 5. According to the reports, the new phone is tentatively titled as ‘Endeavor C2’ in its manufacturing stage, but it will come into the market as the ‘HTC One X+’. This phone will have a marked improvement in terms of features over the One X. The features include faster processor, longer battery life, additional software features along with full compatibility with all the existing One X accessories, something that will not be available with the iPhone 5. This phone is also expected to be released in the month of September.

Apple Delaying Release to Match the Competition

Another rumor that has started floating around is that Apple is delaying the release of the iPhone 5 to add new features and match the competition it is facing. The Galaxy SIII was the biggest threat as it exceeded all expectations. Apple has tried to go one step further with the iPhone 5 and added more features than the SIII in a smaller package. However, with the number of rumors about the iPhone 5 features, all the picture and video leaks, the competitors seem to have a fair idea about what features the iPhone 5 will have and they are trying to match that or add more features in their future releases.

Apple’s Reputation Expected to Carry the Company Through All These Pitfalls

Over the years, Apple has established a solid reputation with its customers about the quality of products it delivers and has lived up to the expectations of its loyal fan base. Experts believe that this is something which is more important than advanced features and low pricing and they are of the opinion that this reputation will definitely help Apple in fighting its competition. However, the true test will be when the iPhone 5 will be released in September. Gadget fans have to get ready for the biggest smartphone battle till date!

The iPhone 5 is officially the most anticipated product for the year of 2012. Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a big increase in the volume of rumors about the iPhone 5 as rumor mongers are trying to make the most of the hype surrounding the supposedly ‘best smartphone’ to be ever released. The release date has been unofficially confirmed and there has been a confirmation of a lot of rumors that we have been hearing from the past few months.

Photo and video leaks of the new iPhone has become a common trait now. However, this particular alleged photo leak is considered significant as it has come at a time when the final assembly of the iPhone 5 should be completed for its release  next month. So, under the assumption that these photos are indeed authentic, let us look at the possible features which can be expected.

Metal Shield Protecting the Screen from Heat and EMI

Out of the batch of released pictures, a few of them show the iPhone completely taken apart and all the parts including the battery and the internal circuitry clearly displayed. Some of the rumors are confirmed by this picture which includes the new powerful processor and a host of other common rumored components like the smaller dock connector. However, a surprising feature noted in this set of pictures is the metal barrier behind the screen of the iPhone 5.

As the iPhone 5 is loaded with components, you can expect a lot of heat to be generated from the circuit. The in-cell technology, which is supposedly being used in the new iPhone, is very sensitive to heat and this excess heat might affect its performance. To shield the screen against this heat, the iPhone 5 is provided with a metal barrier. However, it is questionable if a metal barrier is a good choice, considering it can still conduct heat. But experts are of the opinion that the metal shield will protect the screen from EMI interference from the underlying circuit also.

4-Inch Display and Nano SIM Card

The new photos also confirm that the iPhone 5 will indeed have a larger 4 inch display unit. This is the first time that Apple has changed the display unit in its iPhone. But it looked like Apple had no option other than increasing the screen size as the Galaxy SIII proved itself to be a worthy competitor. The standard home button also remains, ending the speculations that it will also become a feather touch key in the new iPhone.

Another interesting feature noted is the usage of nano SIM card in the new iPhone. Apple has been known for taking bold steps in terms of advancement in technology and this new nano SIM will definitely make the iPhone the first smartphone ever to use it. We can also safely assume that the iPhone 5 will have a smaller connector dock. It however, remains to be seen if Apple will provide an adapter to the existing connector dock so that the existing accessories will not become unusable.

After months of speculation and rumors, the release date of iPhone 5 has been confirmed. This has had fans eagerly looking forward to the D-day. However, Apple has not provided any details about the features that can be expected in the iPhone 5, which is typical of Apple. The latest rumor about the iPhone 5 is that it will feature cross device integration with the assistance of Bluetooth 4.0, which is one among the host of features the iPhone 5 will supposedly be released with. The implications of this integration is very fascinating indeed considering that there is no app or feature which allows users to make use of the impressive range of Apple devices as one.

The iPod, iPad and iPhone are Independent Devices as of Now

As of now, Apple on its part has not made any effort to bring its iPad, iPod and iPhone together. True, there has been iCloud, which will update your iPad also if you make an update in your iPhone, and a few other apps that allow users to keep the family of Apple devices in sync. But there has not been any facility to use multiple devices together. For example: using the iPhone or the iPod as a remote navigator to the iPad. However, rumor mills suggest otherwise stating that Bluetooth 4.0 on iPhone 5 will be suitable for integrating Apple’s devices in the aforementioned manner.

What Can We Expect From Apple Devices Integration?

If there is a facility to integrate two or three of Apple’s devices into one , we can expect a whole load of new applications which will revolutionize the way we use Apple’s gadgets. Take the example of a new multi-player video game. You can install the game on your iPad and use your  your co-player’s iPhones as game pads. This will completely revolutionize the world of gaming and also the way developers design and code games for the iPad.

Another application is using the iPhone as a remote to the iPad. Using a tablet stand, you can locate the iPad on the table and sit back to enjoy movies, music or even games. You can even switch from music to movies and vice-versa as the iPhone will literally allow you to control your iPad.

An Attempt to Breathe Life into the Dying iPod?

After the iPhone became one of the most widely used mobile devices, people stopped using the iPod, as the iPhone could offer you the same music experience. iPod was once the leader of the music player industry and even today, it does occupy a significant percentage of the market. To give it a makeover, Apple has an iPod Nano which can be worn as a watch on your wrist. If the new iPhone is released with device integration capabilities, you can even use the iPod to read and reply to text messages and answer calls on your phone. You can even make video calls if the iPod can be provided with a camera which is front facing.

All these rumors about new features have further increased the frenzy about the new iPhone, which will be coming out shortly. If this new feature is included in the iPhone 5, we are in for a jolly ride.

The rumor about Apple using a new display technology called ‘in-cell’ had excited both experts and iPhone fans, as this was the first time this technology was seen in a mobile device. However, this might cause a shortage in the number of iPhone units available when it is released. That’s because the three manufacturers who are responsible for making these displays are apparently not pumping out sufficient numbers. Although Apple had outsourced the display to three of the leading display manufacturers in the world, they are unable to produce pieces which are up to the quality standards that Apple strictly abides by.

Manufacturing Companies Have a Yield Range of 50%

Apple had outsourced the manufacturing to Japan Displays, Sharp and LG Display. These three companies are at the top of their game in the display manufacturing categories and they seemed to be the obvious choice for Apple’s new in-cell technology based displays. However, the displays these companies are manufacturing are not able to meet the stringent quality standards that Apple has set. According to a report, only one out of the two displays manufactured by Japan Displays is passing the QC (quality certification) test. Among the three companies producing displays, Japan Displays seems to have the best numbers. The other two companies’ yield rates are even lower, which is a major source of concern for Apple at the moment.

Increase in Display Price Fails To Make an Impact on the Production

In an attempt to motivate the display manufacturing companies to produce more units which are on par with Apple’s quality standards, they have made an offer which has increased the price of displays from $10 to $15. However, this has failed to make an impact on the productivity as the companies just cannot seem to meet the expectations that Apple has. There has not been any report on why these companies are failing to match up to the expectations. It might be because the technology is relatively new or may be because these companies do not have the right equipment to manufacture the displays. Only time can tell.

Taking a look at Apple’s past sales record and factoring in the anticipation and frenzy associated with iPhone 5 release, we can predict that Apple will need a minimum of twenty to twenty five million units.

Is the In-Cell Based Display Essential for iPhone 5?

Some have argued that the existing display technology used by Apple is more than sufficient for the new iPhone. But according to reports, the displays based on in-cell technology will be thinner, more responsive and will also consume less battery. If all the rumors are authentic, the iPhone 5 will be packed with features, all of which will consume a lot of battery power. If the iPhone 5 standby time is not up to the mark, it will most definitely be a failure. Apple cannot afford any mistakes, especially considering the Galaxy SIII from Samsung has emerged as a very strong competitor to the iPhone 5.

If the display companies fail to meet the demand expectations from Apple, then we might see the ‘out of stocks’ sign in Apple stores for the first time, since the release date has already been finalized. Will apple pull a rabbit out of the hat again? We have to wait and see.

There was a major concern about the release of the new iPhone because of the connector it was going to come out with. We are almost certain now that the new iPhone will have a 19-pin connector instead of the usual 30-pin connector, which was the standard in all mobile devices from apple (iPhone, iPad and iPod). The new 19-pin connector will be made the standard to all future Apple devices including the iPad and iPod .

We can ascertain that the iPhone 5 will come with the new connector as Apple has been granted its patent. But that main concern was that it will make all the existing iPhone accessories and peripherals obsolete as they are made to fit the 30-pin slot, which is the only output port on the existing iPhone for connecting accessories.

Apple to Take the Only Way Out of This Situation: An Adapter

There were only two ways out of this sticky situation for Apple. If they did not do anything about the accessories becoming obsolete, then the sales of the new iPhone will definitely be affected.  They could either continue with the old docking port (which is highly unlikely considering Apple’s affinity towards evolution) or provide its customers with an adapter which can be used as an interface between the 19-pin port and the 30-pin jack. With the help of the adapter, consumers can make use of the new iPhone with the existing accessories. This means that the consumers will not have to replace their inventory of iAccessories.

The Limitations

There is some bad news with the good news of the adapter being provided. The adapter might not be compatible with all the existing accessories. Till we get a demo model, there is no way of predicting which accessories will work and which won’t. There is also the issue of size. If the adapter is too big, it might not be a proper fit with certain accessories like the speaker dock, the alarm clock dock, etc. But considering Apple’s tenacity for perfection and quality, we can expect an adapter which can be used with almost all the accessories.

Yet, there are some design and layout restrictions which depend on the laws of electronics. Apple can do nothing to change those rules and if those rules come in the way of developing a fully compatible adapter, there is not much we can do about it. We can only hope that Apple will manage to keep its customers satisfied, which they always do with aplomb.

The Need for a New Connector Dock

You might question the logic behind Apple’s choice of a new connector dock even though the 30-pin dock is performing wonderfully. But experts feel that this move is expected as Apple has time and again showed that they want to push the boundaries and explore newer options in providing only the best to its customers, even if it costs a little more. Quality and performance are the cornerstones on which Apple’s products are designed on, and it will remain the same in the future also. We will just have to wait and see how this whole adapter issue pans out after the release of iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5 has been a subject to a lot of speculation, not just from rumor mongers but from the experts as well. This has been ‘THE’ most anticipated mobile device of all time and Apple’s approach leading up to the release of its products (which involves neither acknowledging nor downplaying the speculations) is just adding fuel to the fire. Some of the rumors are definitely getting out of hand and might have a serious effect on the sales of the new iPhone.

One of the latest rumors on the block is that there is a shortage of the 28 nanometer processor chips which power the new iPhone. Obviously, the phone will not be complete without its processor and it looks like we are in for another release delay from Apple.

Chinese Financial Daily Reports Shortage in Chips

The rumors were instigated by a report which appeared in a financial daily in China. The reports suggested that there is an acute shortage of the 28 nanometer processor chips which supposedly power the iPhone 5. This is no small matter indeed and if this particular rumor is true, then the shortage will further delay the release of iPhone 5. The processors are not one of those things which can be plugged into the device and shipped out. Without the processors, the device manufacturing cannot be started and this might pose serious setbacks to Apple plans of releasing and the iPhone 5 in September or October.

First Battery, Now Processor, What Next?

We have no way of ascertaining whether this particular rumor about the iPhone 5 is true or not. But Apple has no choice but to wait for the 28nm chips as they are the only ones that come with 4G LTE capability, which is fast becoming a standard.  There was a report, a couple of weeks ago, about the lack of quality batteries. Since the iPhone 5 is supposedly packed with the latest hardware that requires a lot of juice to run, Apple must be spot on with their battery. A low battery backup will essentially mean the failure of the iPhone 5.

Qualcomm Plays Down the Anxiety

Qualcomm, the world’s only producer of 4G technology integrated chips said that there was no reason to worry as the company is still getting a grip of dealing with the 28 nanometer chips manufacturing. During their quarterly earnings reports, the executives of Qualcomm said that they were taking measures to meet the unexpected high demand for the 28nm chips. They said that the demand has exceeded their supply capability at the moment but soon, they will be able to meet the demands.

CEO of Qualcomm, Paul Jacobs, said that they are increasing the production capacity for these chips as there is a huge demand and it will also mean that Qualcomm’s revenue will be given a mega-boost. We can safely assume that a big chunk of demand is from Apple and it is at the top of the list of companies which will be supplied with the 28 nm chips.

Apple is famous for withholding information till the last minute and revealing details at the end. This approach worked wonders for Apple when it was still building a reputation, and had a few successful products under its belt. However, in today’s market, Apple is the benchmark that its customers and rival companies are looking up to. It is questionable if the hush-hush strategy will prove to be successful.

People are almost desperate to know what Apple has in store for them and due to that, there have been rumors floating around about their most anticipated release, the iPhone 5. People are willing to pay, just to know what to expect when the iPhone 5 is released.

Some Rumors May Hurt Sales

Although most rumors showcase development, improvement and sophistication on Apple’s part, some of the developments have left customers and experts concerned about the future prospects, the most noteworthy being the 19-pin dock connector. Although this new connector is supposed to improve the speed and reliability of the iPhone 5, it will make all the existing accessories and peripherals obsolete. This is a worrying factor indeed as the iPhone was essentially an all in one device. It was a music player, alarm clock, navigational system, etc. So, all the accessories which the consumers had for their existing iPhone devices will become useless if they upgrade to the iPhone 5.

Tim Cook Drops a Hint on iPhone 5

Although there has not been any sort of confirmation from Apple’s spokespersons, the company’s CEO, Tim Cook, indirectly hinted in one of the interviews that Apple might launch a new iPhone shortly. Some reporters directly asked about the impact rumors floating around might have on the sales of the new iPhone and if Apple is indeed releasing the new device shortly. Tim Cook responded with a reply which was expected from the CEO of Apple.

He said that the rumors are something which Apple cannot control and sometimes, they do find it difficult to put up with them. But he also said that the anticipation among the fans for a product which could be released in the future is palpable and exciting as well.

Cook says that this Frenzy was Expected

However, Tim Cook said that he (and Apple) was not surprised by the amount of interest shown by the public in a future product. He attributed the anticipation to the quality and the type of products which Apple has the potential to deliver and has a track record of delivering. He added that Apple is committed to delivering the best its buyers can get from the market. This doesn’t seem to be like an outright rejection of the idea of a future product. This answer has excited all the rumor mongers, especially considering all the new parts being manufactured in bulk, be it the screen or the chassis.

Apple’s CEO Encourages People to Speculate

Tim Cook rounded off the interview by saying that he was happy that people have so many expectations on Apple. He said that this motivated the company to produce the next big things for its loyal customers and work even harder to ensure that they raise the bar with every new launch. He also added that Apple would not bother about the rumors nor would devote any energy to encourage or discourage the rumor mills, as an afterthought.

Apple has never acknowledged that a device known as the iPhone 5 is being manufactured in their plants, nor has it announced that it is going to bring out a successor to the iPhone 4S. But speculations have been rife about how the new iPhone will be, what the new features will be, how the external appearance will be, etc. The newest rumors on the block are that the iPhone 5 will use nano sim cards as opposed to the micro sim cards we are currently using. Also, the new iPhone will be 4G LTE compatible to compete with the Android smartphones compatible with 4G technology.

Carriers Stocking Up on Nano Sim Cards

It has been noted that all the major carriers have been piling up on their stocks of nano sim cards due to the supposed impending release of the new iPhone. Although some of the rival companies to Apple have submitted different designs for the nano sim cards, Apple has been issuing free licenses for its own design without any royalty.

Sources from carrier network companies have reported that Apple is providing adapters for the nano sim cards to its carrier partners, to help them in testing its performance. This is a typical Apple move, which is ensuring that the performance is up to scratch before releasing it on a larger scale.

Struggle with iPhone 4 and iPad

When the iPhone 4 and the iPad were released, the devices were capable of using only the micro sim cards. This meant that carriers had to increase their supply of micro sim cards for every iPhone or iPad sold. Both the gadgets were instant hits and there was a high demand for these micro sim cards. The suppliers were however, unable to meet with the demand and this caused a lot of inconvenience. Carrier partners seem to have learnt from their past mistake and are making sure that it won’t happen again.

4G LTE Capability

A look into some statistics will reveal how important 4G LTE capability will be beneficial to the iPhone 5. Verizon reported that they sold nearly 2.9 million Android devices and 2.7 million iPhone devices. Out of the 2.9 million Android devices, 2.5 million were capable of 4G LTE. This clearly points out that some consumers are not buying the iPhone because it does not come with 4G LTE capabilities. If it had, the company analysts say that the number of iPhone devices sold would have been significantly higher.

Apple Incorporating Partner Carriers’ Feedback

Like Verizon, even the other partner carriers for the iPhone have pointed out that 4G LTE capability was one of the major concerns for the iPhone. Since the new iPhone will supposedly include this particular feature, the stage is all set for a showdown between two mobile giants, Google and Apple. The scales seem to be tilting in the favor of Apple but today’s market is so unpredictable that no one can predict an upcoming trend with a  degree of certainty.

One of the most popular rumors about the iPhone 5 was the existing connector dock being replaced by a mini connector dock. The 30 pin connector dock was used for a variety of applications on the iPhone and it remains to be seen how this will be received by the loyal iPhone fans. But there are two things which we can decidedly imply from this patent grant.

The first one is that the new dock will mean that iPhone will compete with the other smartphones on the market, which make use of the micro USB port. The second implication is that all the accessories and peripherals which people had purchased for their iPhone cannot be used when they upgrade from the 4S to the supposedly soon-to-be released iPhone 5. This is a cause of worry for the current iPhone users.

About the New Dock Connector and the Patent

The patent for the new dock connector was filed back in the year 2010 which had the number 8222773. This was recently approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office and there is also a picture that accompanies the new patent. In that, the new dock looks similar to the micro-USB slot. But Apple, like it does to all its products, has added their own special touch to it by making one of the edges triangular in shape.

This appears to be an attempt to ensure that the users will not plug-in the jack in the wrong way. The patent indicates that the new connector will support charging as well as aid in data transfers which conclusively proves that this will be a universal port on the new iPhone.

All Your Existing iPhone Accessories to be Wasted?

One of the most disturbing implications of this new connector dock is that all your existing accessories will be wasted. Wasted as in, you cannot use them if you upgrade your 4S to iPhone 5. The existing peripherals can be connected via the 30-pin connector and you will be forced to buy new accessories for your iPhone 5. This is a good and a bad thing.

The good thing is that you will be upgrading all your existing accessories to newer (and obviously better) ones. So, the overall performance will be high. However, the cost is the main worry for iPhone enthusiasts. Even though they are reasonably priced, buying everything will put a big, unexpected hole in your pocket. The best possible solution is for Apple to provide the consumers with an adapter which will allow you to use all your old accessories with the new connector dock. But that seems highly unlikely considering Apple’s philosophy of dumping old technology to adopt newer ones.

The Bright Side

The thunderbolt connector, which is available in the latest MacBook Pro, looks similar to the 19-pin connector which will be supposedly present on the new iPhone. If that is true, you can experience high speed data transfers and high quality audio experience. This might revolutionize the way you will use your smartphones. But all we can do at the moment is to wait and anticipate.

The rumors about the next iPhone’s features may or may not be true, but industry experts are going with the speculations to determine the possible rivals for it. After Samsung Galaxy S3, the iPhone 5 has a new competitor, the Sony Xperia S. We will not know if the Xperia is good enough to beat the iPhone 5, until we see the actual smartphone that Apple would release. But based on speculations, here is a comparison of the iPhone 5 and the Sony Xperia S, one of the best Android smartphones out there.

Build

After dropping the Ericsson brand name, Sony has come up with its new Xperia range, of which the Xperia S is the latest Android smartphone. This device has a better form than the previous Xperia mobiles, and has a better, rounder matte black casing. Just under the touch sensitive buttons of the phone, there is a clearly separated section made of plastic. On the whole, the phone is attractive and comfortable to hold too.

The iPhone 5 on the other hand, based on rumors, is going to be a little bigger than the Xperia S and have more screen space. It is going to be thinner than the Xperia, and have a 4-inch display too. Undoubtedly, Apple wouldn’t disappoint its loyal customers by giving them an ugly looking phone. The iPhone 5 is expected to be a stunner and is sure to beat the Xperia in looks.

Display

The Sony Xperia S has the Sony Bravia 4.3 inch display, which at present holds the record for pixels/inch.  The display, which is 342ppi, provides greater clarity than the 430ppi of the present iPhone 4S.  Considering that the iPhone 5 is yet to be released, we can expect Apple to come up with better display options to beat or at least match what the Xperia has to offer.

Memory

iPhones have always been better in terms of memory. Apple has always given its customers the option of 8GB, 16 GB and 32GB storage space for its smartphone, Sony has chosen to offer 32Gb with the Xperia, but has not provided options for expandable memory. This means, the storage space will always be 32GB, which should ideally be more than enough even if you want to save a few movies on your phone.

In terms of storage space, the Xperia is an equal match for the iPhone 5, unless Apple decides to include the option for expandable memory.

Camera

Sony has included a 12-megapixel camera in the Xperia S. It offers great detail with 4000×3000 pixels and also includes additional features such as face and smile detection. It also has an LED Flash, image stabilizer and a 3D sweep panorama. The Xperia S is a good match for the iPhone 4S, which has the 8mp isight camera that can shoot 1080p videos in HD.

Whether or not the iPhone 5 beats the Xperia S in this area is something we will know only after its release. Considering the competition it has from other smartphone manufactures, Apple should come up with something better than what the Xperia S and other Android phones have to offer.