According to sources at Bloomberg, Apple’s next iPad is all set for a March release. As speculated widely, it will sport a high-definition screen, a faster quad-core processor chip and work with next-generation wireless networks. Apple’s Asian manufacturers are ramping up the production of iPad 3. There will be a break during Chinese Lunar New Year holidays before peaking up again in February.
Features like high-definition display and quad-core processors are already expected. The feature that evokes more interest is LTE (Long Term Evolution). Our previous post talked how there is a clash going on between iPad 3 and iPhone 5 regarding who will feature LTE first. Now it seems that LTE will debut first on iPad before iPhone. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the main reason for this is because iPad comes with a bigger battery and can better cater to the power requirements of LTE. 4G networks provide faster data, but they require a higher-power radio and thus drain battery faster.
Apple has a tendency to wait for mobile technologies to reach critical mass before featuring them on their devices. We noticed the same in case of 3G. The original iPhone came with the slower 2G EDGE technology even though 3G technology was available at that time. Recently iPhone 4S came without featuring 4G. It might be also possible that Apple does not want to endorse 4G carriers at the expense of 3G carriers. iPhone has become such an important part of many people’s lives and it seems Apple doesn’t want to test a power-hungry LTE on it. iPad is still a luxury additional device and not a lifeline like iPhone for many.
Interest around the much talked about iPhone 5 is building up. Results of an online survey conducted by MyVoucherCodes.co.uk reveal that iPhone 5 is UK’s most awaited tech toy of 2012. Survey involved a sample size of 1,916 British adults and they were asked to list the tech gadgets they were most looking forward to. Respondents can choose more than one item if they wish.
74% of the respondents are looking forward to iPhone 5 and iPad 3 comes close second with 71 percent. Wii U is the third most awaited gadget of 2012 with 68 percent. According to Mark Pearson, chairman of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, it is not at all surprising to see two Apple products occupying the top slots.
The world of technology is ever-changing, so there is always something new that consumers are looking for.
Mark Pearson
Respondents were also asked to state the reason for excitement about the gadget they chose. The new features on offer seem to be the obvious reason. The top 10 list features another Apple product – Apple TV at fifth spot with 62%. The list also features a Google table at fourth with 65% and Amazon Kindle Fire at sixth with 59%. Tablets crowding this list indicate the huge market potential of this segment. Even though none of the features of iPhone 5 or iPad 3 are officially confirmed, it seems that consumers have full faith in Apple and its innovation.
Is a fight between iPhone 5 and iPad 3 on the cards in getting a first release date? Apple’s traditional release map had gone haywire this year as iPhone’s release date was pushed from summer to fall. And we can be pretty much sure that the two won’t be released back to back. But many decision-making factors like Apple’s 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) roadmap, quad-core A6 processor, Apple’s next gen iOS 6 and partnership between Apple and T-Mobile are common to both iPhone 5 and iPad 3.
Apple needs next generation antennas to release 4G LTE devices with decent size and a good battery life. Apple might be building these devices on its own. In that cases Apple can incorporate LTE in both the upcoming devices – iPhone 5 and iPad 3. iPad sales figures indicate that more and more iPad buyers are going with the 3G enabled model. These numbers affirm that mobile networking will be a significant factor in the iPad 3 also and not only just in iPhone 5. Both iPad 2 and iPhone 4S run on dual-core A5 processor. Its successor quad-core A6 will be ready by next year. This high-power processor can boost the performance of iPad 3 and iPhone 5 and their apps and experience.
Till now, iOS releases debuted along with a new iPhone. As of now we are not sure of either iPhone 5’s release date or the progress of iOS 6. iPhone 5 coming before iPad 3 might change the iOS pattern this time. In the meanwhile, the talk of an iPad 2S can change the equations all together. The technical and marketing teams of Apple will definitely work it out to make sure that there’s enough space between the launches of these widely-awaited products of 2012.
But could it mean a product gets pushed back even later into 2012? We will have to wait and see
Tuesday October 4th 2011 was an exciting day for iDevice fans around the world. During Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone Event” in California, Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the public to the iPhone 4s. Though AT&T has received over 200,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4s, not every Apple fan is ready to upgrade. The previously rumored iPhone 5 had many iPhone owners anticipating a completely redesigned iPhone. In reality, the iPhone 4s is physically similar to the iPhone 4, but the new iPhone does have some major hardware upgrades and some new software. Before making an upgrade decision, all iPhone 4 owners should take a good look at the new features and decide if the iPhone 4s is right for them.
Better Call Quality
The poor signal and bad call quality of the iPhone 4 caused a great deal of customer dissatisfaction. Dropped calls, slow download speeds, and overall connection problems made it difficult for some iPhone customers to enjoy the full iPhone experience. Apple has blamed this major problem on a poorly designed internal antenna. The new iPhone 4s has two antennas which will provide users with a more consistent signal. In addition to fewer dropped calls, iPhone 4s users will also have download speeds of up to 14.4Mbits/s (twice the speed of the earlier iPhone models) thanks to the HSDPA (enhanced 3G mobile technology) upgrade.
Camera Improvements
One of the most serious iPhone 4 flaws was the phone’s camera. Customers often complained about the low picture quality of the 5-megapixel or 3-megapixel iPhone 4 camera, and the substandard 720p video capture. In response to customer feedback, Apple has improved the camera on the iPhone 4s. The new iPhone model has a 8-megapixel camera and can record 1080p videos.
Greater Capacity
Storage and memory have always been a major concern for iPhone owners. Having to constantly delete or transfer files to make room for new pictures, ebooks, or music can severely impact a person’s ability to enjoy their iPhone. The iPhone 4s has more storage capacity options and the 8GB internal storage option has been removed entirely. iPhone 4s owners can choose between the 16GB, 32GB, and the brand new 64GB internal memory drive options.
New Processor
One of the most important changes made to the iPhone 4s is the new processor chip. The iPhone 4s uses the new Apple A5 chip. Apple senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing Philip Schiller claims the dual-core processor will provide twice the power of the single-core A4 chip used in the iPhone 4. Apple has also stated that the iPhone 4s A5 chip will boost the graphics performance to at least seven times speed of the iPhone 4.
Operating System
Apple announced the new IOS 5 operating system during the Apple iPhone 4s product launch. The new operating system improves social media integration and claims to have a better screen lock. However, the IOS 5 operating system will also be available for iPhone 4 users before the iPhone 4s goes on sale October 14th 2011. While Apple says the new operating system will perform better on the iPhone 4s, it is useable on the iPhone 4.
Voice Control
In an effort to make iPhone use more convenient for users, Apple has created Siri, a voice control program designed for use with the iPhone 4s. Siri can perform basic tasks such as send a text message or initiate a call making it similar to other voice recognition programs. However, Siri can also be used to perform more advanced tasks such as answer questions, schedule meetings, and even set alarms. During the Apple “Lets Talk iPhone” event senior vice president of iPhone Software Scott Forstall demonstrated the new Siri technology by asking for restaurant recommendations, checking the NASDAQ and more.
Click here to view the Siri demo video
More Network Capabilities
Apple’s new iPhone 4s will not be limited to AT&T customers like the original iPhone 3GS, and it will not just be available for AT&T or Verizon customers; the iPhone 4s will be available on the Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless networks. This change has made the iPhone a viable option for a large group of wireless customers. The iPhone 4s will also support GSM and CDMA networks making it a worldwide phone.
Same Size
The iPhone 4s is not much different from the iPhone 4 or even the iPhone 3GS when it comes to size. Apple’s latest iPhone has the same physical dimensions of its predecessors (4.5×2.3x.4) and weighs only one ounce more (4.9 oz) than the iPhone 4. The screen size also remains the same staying 3.5-inch with a 960-by640 display.
Battery Life
Like many smartphones the iPhone has been plagued by a poor battery life. While the iPhone 4 had a better battery life than the iPhone 3GS, the question is; will the iPhone 4s have a better battery life? The answer is yes and no. Apple has focused on promoting the 8 hours of talk time on the iPhone 4s since that talk time is one hour more than the iPhone 4. Unfortunately, that manufacturer estimate is only for 3G talk time meaning the talk time when using the enhanced HSDPA 3G may be less than 8 hours.
The iPhone 4s talk time on 2G remains the same along with the 6 hour battery life when transferring data at 3G speeds. Sadly, the battery life when transferring data using WiFi has dropped to 9 hours for the iPhone 4s. Worse, the total standby hours of battery life have gone from 300 standby hours for the iPhone 4 to just 200 standby hours for the iPhone 4s.
The Bottom Line
Apple’s iPhone 4s has many exciting features that will make using the iPhone more enjoyable for many users. The faster speeds, better call quality, accurate voice recognition, and larger storage capacity all make the iPhone 4s worth the upgrade. However, any person who is not ready to upgrade to the iPhone 4s will benefit from the October 14th 2011 release. The iPhone 4s launch will lead to a price drop on the iPhone 4, and some of the new features (such as the IOS 5 operating system) can be used on the iPhone 4.
While some rumors remain just that, the build situation regarding Apple’s iPad seem to inch closer to fact and reality. According to Peter Misek of Jefferies & Co., “we have confirmed the iPad 2 build plans have been scaled back.” From an estimated 13.6 million units, this has been reduced to just about 12 million units for the last quarter of the calendar year.
As for reasons, Misek claims a few, although with going too deeply into his sources. He claims that
1) iPad 2 HD was canceled (~1M units retooled); 2) Sooner-than- expected iPad 3 launch in late Jan; 3) Retail inventory caution due to potential demand slowdown; 4) Some production shift to Brazil. We see 29M iPads shipped in H2 vs. 14M in H1. We trim our 2011 global tablet forecast from 70M to 65M.
Peter Misek
He said that the lower iPad shipments may still compensated for by the sales of iPhones. His iPhone estimate is 28.7 million units, a figure that is higher by 3 million units for the fourth quarter. This number will improve gross margin. And so Misek raised his December-quarter EPS estimate from $8.85 to $9.17. Today, Apple shares are up $2.38 at $401.64.
Everyone remembers the story from last year. An Apple employee who had hold of an iPhone 4 prior to its release was in a bar. After a few drinks the employee went home, leaving the device in the bar where it was discovered by some other customers. They then sold the device to Jason Chen of Gizmodo for a reported $5000. Apple then used the REACT task force to raid Chen’s home and recover the device, while Chen and the customers who originally found the phone were prosecuted.
While Chen has been acquitted of all charges against him the original finders of the iPhone 4 have not been so lucky. Considering the amount of effort that Apple went to in order to retrieve the phone and bring legal punishment on all parties involved in its sale to Gizmodo, it would make sense to assume that Apple would be a bit more careful with its future prototypes. This is apparently not the case, according to a story from CNET, as now another Apple employee has left the latest iPhone 5 in a tequila bar in San Francisco.
Apple has not confirmed these rumours and the device has not yet appeared on Gizmodo or any other online tech website, leading some to speculate on the rumours are untrue. Reportedly, Apple traced the device electronically to an address in Bernal Heights, San Francisco, where the FBI searched a property. Nothing was found and the occupant denied any knowledge of the phone’s whereabouts.
While the iPhone 4 was sold to Gizmodo for $5000, this current misplaced iPhone has supposedly been sold on Craigslist for just $200. Considering that the phone will probably retail for more than $600 without contract this seems a little bit odd. $200 may be an accurate valuation for the iPhone 5 on contract once it is released, but for an unlocked device, and particularly a pre-release model, the person who found the phone in the tequila bar would surely be seeking much greater financial benefits for its resale.
If this story does hold any truth to it, and the device has not been recovered by Apple, we could expect to see some more tantalising details about the phone in the coming days and weeks. There is still some speculation about the nature of the next iPhone and just exactly what it has in store. Of course, this story could just be a publicity stunt by Apple after they realised the benefits of last year’s fiasco. We will just have wait and see whether the device crops up any time soon.
Check out these 10 concept designs of the Apple iPhone 5. With an array of new features rumoured to be included with the iPhone 5 it stands to reason that the design is going to be slightly different from its predecessors. Of course it will still probably keep its ‘iphone’ look but with rumours of a bigger display it could mean a different layout of its buttons and UI.
Recent news has surfaced regarding which company will actually be producing the iPad 3. The Taiwan Economic News report that the Taiwan based Pegatron manufacturer has won the deal against Foxconn who are the current manufacturers of the Apple iPad.
This is the second time Pegatron have won a big contact from Foxconn, the first being another recent deal consisting of the production of 15 million iPhone 5 units. It looks like Apple are learning from their mistakes of the past with shortages happening globally very quickly for the previous iPhones.
There are a few reasons Apple could be going elsewhere for its production of future models, back in May a Hon Hai (parent company of Foxconn) factory in Chengdu experienced a deadly explosion killing 3 and injuring 16. Hon Hai’s shares drastically fell because of this and the supply of Apple products came to a halt from the Chengdu factory.
The second week of September, that is a week to be excited about. Well we wouldnt get too excited because this is still, as you might of guessed, just a rumour. A recent article in the China Times is claiming that we can expect to see the release of the iPhone 5 in September.
The China Times doesnt exactly have a flawless track record with these release dates but they do have connections with the suppliers of the components for the iPhone so it is a possibilty someone could have leaked some information to them.
A trial run of 400,000 units is being cooked up as we speak (apparently) although it wont be enough to meet the intial orders that are in the 4,000,000 mark.
The article not only mentioned the iPhone 5 but also the next apple tablet, the iPad 3. Supposedly (i swear these papers just make these things up to get readers) the iPad 3 release date has been postponed and is now penned in for a Late November/Thanksgiving release.
It makes sense to release the iPad 3 around the holiday season, its just plain business sense. Release something in the period when people are buying gifts for one another. So the Thanksgiving iPad 3 release date is a good possibilty. For some reason though, i have a gut feeling that we wont see the iPad 3 till next year, dont ask me why or how, its just a feeling.
Apple enthusiast, techno geek and lover of smooth slidy things. I have created this blog to help you all get as excited as i am about the forthcoming iPad 3!
According to sources at Bloomberg, Apple’s next iPad is all set for a March release. As speculated widely, it will sport a high-definition screen, a faster quad-core processor chip and work with next-generation wireless networks. Apple’s Asian manufacturers are ramping up the production of iPad 3. There will be a break during Chinese Lunar New Year holidays before peaking up again in February.
