Mark Gurman

iPad 3 price matrix will be the same as iPad 2, above

One of the remaining mysteries ahead of the iPad 3 launch next week are the prices and configurations.  If you don’t like surprises we have good news.

There was a rumor last week that gained traction which indicated that the US prices would increase by $70-$80.  That doesn’t appear to be the case.

We’ve gotten word that iPad pricing is going to be the same across the board as the current iPad 2 models which should be no big surprise given Apple’s history – they rarely raise prices.  Even better, some countries with currencies doing better than the US dollar should expect to see marginal drops in prices.

While we’re squashing, the configurations appear to be the same as current 16/32/64GB.  One of the strange succession of posts from Digitimes this week said that Apple would move to 8GB/16GB/32GB.  That appears even less likely than before, if that is even possible.

Update: This has no bearing on LTE one way or another

As always, thanks to Mr. X!

iPad Model numbers are as follows:
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iPads and Apple TVs work together for innovative AirPlay features

Reliable sources familiar with Apple’s upcoming product release have said that the company is in fact launching a new Apple TV alongside the next-generation iPad. We initially reported that Apple would be releasing two major new products in early March, and then believed the product would be a new Apple TV due to mounting code-based evidence for such a product with simultaneous supply constraints. Now, sources have outright said Apple is launching this J33 (the new Apple TV’s codename) alongside the new iPad.

The new Apple TV is rumored to include a faster processor, possibly a variation of the dual-core A5 chip. The dual-core A5 chip has been said to be required for the Apple TV to finally stream 1080p quality video, but Apple is also working on an “A5X” chip that is dual-core, which also includes an improved graphics engine. Those two components of the chip would likely deliver the smooth video playback that Apple would include in such a product. Other possibilities from the rumor-mill include a redesigned Bluetooth 4.0 remote control, and Siri support, but those are not rumors that we can independently confirm (yet). This new Apple TV would seemingly launch with a new 1080P movie service from Apple’s iTunes Store. Read on for more…

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD-2MQMNlMw]

Apple just aired a new television commercial for its iCloud service that works between Macs, PCs, iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches. The ad features no spoken words and opens by demonstrating how easy it is for a new iOS device user to enable iCloud on a device. The ad then goes through the different services within iCloud, such as Photo Stream, Automatic Downloads for songs, iBooks, apps, and wireless calendar syncing.

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Apple’s new iPad processor will likely offer improved gaming performance

Typically, when Apple’s product launched approaches, many industry watchers offer conflicting views on the features the new products might sport. Fifth-generation iPhone rumors mostly conflicted in terms of the product’s design, but industry watchers seemed to agree on features like an improved camera and a dual-core processor. With the upcoming iPad 3, most industry watchers agree on a design similar to the iPad 2’s design and a Retina Display. Notably, publications are disagreeing on the new iPad’s processor; some are pointing to a quad-core A6 chip and others are calling for an improved A5 dual-core chip. Why, though? Well, Apple is actually developing BOTH…

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Photo of iPad 3 units being loaded on planes? (thanks @sonnydickson)

Some new tidbits are coming our way as the days until Apple’s next major announcement dwindle down. The first item of note is a purported shipping document for iPad 3 units. The document appeared on Twitter-like website Sina Weibo, and it is highlighted by Apple.pro. The origin seems to be in the WeiPhone forums. According to the image’s poster, the shipping document (shown below) details shipments beginning Feb. 26 from Foxconn to the United States. A machine translation from Weibo and WeiPhone forum posts (respectively):

Friends broke the news: Chengdu International Airport at major international cargo charter flights, cargo owners demanding security, from CTU takeoff by stop PVG Shanghai, and then directly to ORD Chicago, the JFK New York, LAX in Los Angeles, March 9, completed before transport. According to the privately disclosed the Chengdu F production for the U.S. A company’s latest products…

Received friends inside information, Chengdu International Airport night cargo charter flights, said the owner of the security demanding, and in private that the Chengdu Fu X Kang new products. Takes note of the location of the United States (ORD Chicago, JFK New York, LAX in Los Angeles)

A translation from a Chinese-speaking reader:

Our company started undertake a load of top-secured cargo. The owner has extreme requirements for the security. In order to prevent the cargo from being dragged on the airport ramp for too long, as well as shortening the time the cargo stay on the airport ramp, we hereby require XXXX to schedule all the XXX cargo planes from Feb. 26 to Mar. 9. to XXX slot.

To summarize, the image uploader said iPad 3 (or whatever Apple chooses to call it) shipments are already coming from China for delivery to three of America’s biggest airports. The poster also said the initial deliveries would begin March 9. In typical Apple fashion, the cargo flight organizers are demanding unusual security for the cargo.

Read below for more information.

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iMore‘s Rene Ritchie reported that while the current 30-pin dock connector on the iPods, iPads, and iPhones were serving Apple well for around 10 years, the company is now working on a new dock connector. Apple’s new dock connector will reportedly be a smaller version of the iOS device syncing and charging port, but it will not be micro-USB or Thunderbolt.

iMore said Thunderbolt is unlikely due to lack of architecture support, and the report claimed micro-USB is out of the question due to its slow data transfer speeds. The report also hinted the iPhone 5 might be Apple’s first iOS device to use the new connector, and a WSJ report from last year said the 2012 iPhone would sport a new way of charging.

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In January, we broke the news that Apple plans to open a retail store inside of London’s world-famous Harrods department store. Harrods is a premier landmark with hundreds of individual shops and sections within the greater structure. The flurry of high-end brands within Harrods makes the store a logical spot for Apple to continue its string of “store-in-store” locations. Now, sources inside Harrods reported that Harrods and Apple plan to open the new store in mid-March.

Naturally, a mid-March opening for the Harrods Apple Store brings up speculation about an iPad 3 launch date. The iPad 3 is rumored to be introduced March 7, and Apple typically launches its new products within a few weeks of the introductions. A mid-March opening for the Harrods Apple Store would likely be an opening between March 12 and March 19. Apple typically launches its cornerstone products, such as the iPad and iPhone, on Fridays. A Friday in mid-March is March 16.

Just speculating, it is possible that Apple is opening the Harrods store in conjunction with the launch of the iPad 3. Harrods, a store that sits on five acres, sees roughly 300,000 visitors on its busiest days. What better place to have an iPad 3 launch day than a high-end department store with hundreds of thousands of visitors? Of course, this completely speculated March 16 iPad 3 launch date would pertain to the United Kingdom only. It is difficult to assume that the U.K. and United States iPad 3 launch will occur simultaneously, because the iPad 2 launched on different dates in those two countries.

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In a roundup of iPad 3 rumors, MICGadget included photographs of a purported iPad 3 shell. The shell is shown in comparison to an iPad 2 back shell. Notable differences include a 1 mm to 1.5-mm thicker design, depending on where on the iPad 3 you are measuring. In addition, more tapering is shown. This will likely make the iPad 3 feel thinner than the iPad 2 when being held. While not visible in the images, the report claimed the iPad 3 bezel is slightly narrower than the iPad 2’s bezel.

MIC’s sources also pointed to the iPad 3 having a larger camera lens. This would mean the iPad 3 has an improved camera, but MIC is uncertain of the quality. It also included some bits such as 16GB, 32GB, and 128GB iPad 3 capacities in addition to claims of a 7-inch iPad launch later this year. We would not put too much trust into the iPad mini claim, because these smaller-iPad rumors typically come and go with no success.

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China Telecom officially announced it would begin selling the iPhone 4S next month. China Telecom is a major market for Apple, because its 130 million mobile subscribers will now have the opportunity to purchase Apple’s latest smartphone. The iPhone 4S will go on sale on March 9 on China Telecom, and pre-order offerings will start on March 2. China Telecom has almost 200 million customers in Mainland China, including fixed line, mobile and broadband. It also boasts about having the largest CDMA network in the world (ahem Verizon) by installed base.

Apple provided a well-timed statement on the matter to The Loop:

iPhone 4S has been an incredible hit with customers around the world,” Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison, told The Loop. “We’re thrilled to be launching iPhone 4S with China Telecom and can’t wait to get it into the hands of even more customers in China.

We previously noted that China Telecom would begin to sell the phone around the announced timeframe. The iPhone 4S on China Telecom will be available in every configuration: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The phone will start at “free” with a contract. China Telecom received its license to sell the iPhone in January.

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In a move that will surely keep the Mac and iPhone maker on top of the digital music and software application industry, Apple is preparing its first iTunes Store redesign in nearly three years. In late 2009, Apple launched a new iTunes Store that traded in a blue-themed, convoluted store for a much simpler, white-themed store that provides a great focus on the store’s downloadable content.

The redesign of the iTunes Store that runs on both the iTunes application for the Mac and the PC is a top priority for Apple. The work on the redesign comes soon after the launch of new services in the United States such as the Spotify music streaming service and the growing popularity of Amazon’s online music store. Apple dominates the majority of the digital music market, and it will continue to bet on an in-application download store and not an online store found only in a web browser.

The new design is said to be even simpler and more user-friendly than the current design. Apple is working on ways to enhance the speed and efficiency of finding new content, such as songs, videos, and applications. The cornerstone element of Apple’s new iTunes Store is interactivity. As Apple vaguely explained to a number of music labels and entertainment partners, Apple is looking to make the iTunes Store a much more engaging experience. Read on for more…

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Up until the October 2011 launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S, Apple had a pattern of launching their new iPhones during the summer. The original iPhone, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4 all launched in June, while the iPhone 3G launched in July. The fall iPhone 4S launch broke the summer launch pattern, but some are thinking a fall iPhone launch was just a 2011-exclusive event. However, Japanese publication Macotakara reports that according to a “reliable source,” Apple will once again launch their new iPhone in the fall.

iMore recently reported that this next-generation iPhone, launching in October, would sport LTE connectivity. Apple’s implementation of LTE will debut with the iPad 3 according to multiple reports.

According to the report, Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone will launch in either September or October 2012. This would form a new pattern for iPhone launch timeframes, something that benefited Apple and its Q1 2012 results. Apple sold a whopping 37 million iPhones in that quarter, a number not only boosted due to the new iPhone sales rush, but also because of the holiday shopping season. The next-generation iPhone has been rumored to sport a completely new form-factor, and sources are pointing to a four inch display and thinner profile.

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As the release of the next-generation iPad approaches, we’ve discovered some intriguing photos on a Chinese forum of an apparent iPad Retina Display production line. The forum posting contains some blurry spy shots of what it is calling the iPad 3’s 2048 x 1536 display, but perhaps more interestingly, has a photo of packed up Retina Displays. These boxes are likely of Retina Displays that are prepared to be shipped off to Apple’s final product assembly lines. Interestingly, the forum claims these displays are made by Samsung (machine translated):

Radiant internal, iPad3 screen code J2, and these products are the name of the logo of Samsung Electronics, and even sealed box tape has the logo of Samsung Electronics. After the product is packaged, will pass through customs shipped to South Korea’s Samsung headquarters, provided by Samsung to the Apple!

The forum posting also sheds some light on the security that surrounds Apple component supplier production lines. The forum says security measures are tight, so the photos are bad quality, but according to people within the plant, the iPad 3 will have a design similar to the iPad 2. This is something we’ve heard many times before (machine translated):

Have been identified, Radiant Opto-Electronics Wujiang plant a total of four iPad3 real machine security measures are too tight, you can not take to iPad3 photos carefully observed, but, according to broke people, iPad3 appearance and iPad2 basically the same, only different iPad3 positive border than iPad2 much narrower, and the volume keys iPad3 no!

The forum also says the plant is located in the Wujiang City, Radiant Opto-Electronics LCM sector. After the break, we have posted a gallery of several purported spy shots of the Samsung iPad 3 display and the production line:

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Click for full-size image

A WeiPhone forum member claims to have an image of a prototype iPad 3 logic board with an “A5X” system-on-a-chip (via MacRumors). Notably, an “A5x” processor would likely point to the third-generation iPad including an enhanced dual-core A5 processor, rather than a quad-core A6 chip. While multiple reliable reports pointed to a quad-core iPad 3, this would fall in line with a recent report that claimed the iPad 3 will not have a quad-core processor, but rather just a dual-core chip with improved graphics. Read on for more….

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The most mainstream technology company-related controversy within the past few weeks is most likely the issue of Chinese supplier-working conditions. In January, the New York Times published a lengthy and controversial report about the supposed conditions in these supplier factories. The report claimed to source its information from former Apple executives, and it paints Apple and its suppliers in a horrible light. As we exclusively revealed, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to the Times’ report and said, “We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern.”

Apple and Cook went even further and opened Apple’s supply chain to a full review by the Fair Labor Association. Cook recently spoke about Apple’s supply chain safety efforts at the Goldman Sach’s conference earlier this week. Now, in an unprecedented move, Apple granted ABC Nightline full access to its Chinese supply chain. ABC’s Bill Weir traveled to Shenzhen, China for an exclusive look inside Apple’s supply chain, and ABC provided the following quote from Weir about his trip:

For years, Apple and Foxconn have been synonymous with monster profits and total secrecy so it was fascinating to wander the iphone and iPod production lines, meet the people who build them and see how they live. Our cameras were rolling when thousands of hopeful applicants rushed the Foxconn gates and I spoke with dozens of line workers and a top executive about everything from hours and pay to the controversies over suicides at the plant and the infamous “jumper nets” that line the factories in Shenzhen. After this trip, I’ll never see an Apple product the same way again.

ABC decided to spread its coverage across “Good Morning America,” “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “ABCNews.com,” “ABC News Radio,” and “ABC Newsone.” The first look inside Apple’s factories will show on “ABC Nightline” Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 11:35 p.m. EST.

ABC’s parent is Disney Corporation whose CEO, Bob Iger, sits on Apple’s Board. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs and now his family are the biggest individual shareholders of Disney.

We’re hearing reports that OS X Mountain Lion’s AirPlay Mirroring feature is not supported on all Macs. The video we posted last night that shows the feature in action uses a MacBook Pro, and it has been working on our 1.8 GHz MacBook Air. It’s not working, though, on our 2.4 GHz 2010 Mac mini or 2010 MacBook Pro with a 2.66 GHz processor and 4GB of RAM.

Some are thinking that Apple is restricting dual-core Macs, but our MacBook Air is dual-core. We’re not exactly sure which Macs are restricted, so check if AirPlay is present for you and let us know in the comments (remember that you need AppleTV 5B2 on your AppleTV for this to work).

AirPlay could be limited to Core  i5/i7s?

In any case this is a Beta and support for more Macs likely could happen.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAEH1H-4Siw]

Insanely Great Mac has put together a great video hands-on of OS X Mountain Lion’s new AirPlay Mirroring feature.

From what we can see in the video, AirPlay Mirroring for the Mac is a mostly smooth experience. Most users of the Mountain Lion beta will find an error message when they try to mirror to their Apple TV.  You will need to install AppleTV 5.1 b2 to do this.

Apple says a software update for the $99 box is required.

We cover why Mac Airplay sharing is such a big deal here.

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[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/35693267 w=601&h=338]

The anticipated “Clear” to-do list application for the iPhone and iPod touch has made its way onto the iTunes App Store worldwide. The app is unlike any other to-do list software, because it includes a multi-touch optimized interface that functions like no other. For example: To create a new to-do, users can either pull or pinch their to-do list. Clear’s promotional video, as seen above, best demonstrates the unique interface. Clear includes the option to create specific lists, such as iOS 5’s built-in Reminders application, and it includes different color themes. On the downside there is no integration to third party/WebDAV calendaring systems.

The application is available for $0.99.

Update: Clear has hit #1 or # 2 all over the Western world as evidenced by their iTunes Connect interface, below:
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iMore‘s Rene Ritchie reports that Apple currently plans to announce their next-generation iPad on Wednesday March 7th. We recently noted that March 7th was an open day for events at San Fransisco’s Yerba Buena Center (and the first Wednesday of the month). This is the hall in which Apple introduced both the first iPad and iPad 2.

iMore also adds its voice to the string of iPad 3 Retina Display confirmations, and also says the new iPad will have a quad-core A6 processor. This agrees with both our own code findings and Bloomberg’s report. iMore says Apple is working on LTE mobile devices, they mention the iPhone 5 specifically, but LTE is noted as a possibility for this new iPad.

Notably, iMore provided correct iPhone 4S launch and feature information.

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Typically a solid indicator of an Apple product refresh is when the previous model of that particular product begins to see constraints and shortages. We saw this process prior to the launch of the iPad 2 in March of 2011, and we typically also see this process to prior to launches of Apple’s new Macs. Some examples from recent memory include MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac constraints prior to their 2011 refreshes. Now, the same situation is starting to occur with the iPad 2, a device that will most likely be succeeded by a third-generation iPad in about a month.

According to a source familiar with Apple’s product distribution channels, the iPad 2 WiFi + 3G is constrained. Supply shortages span beyond Apple’s own distribution channels, though, as major retailers are reporting “out of stock” status for the 3G iPad 2. This includes, but is likely not limited to, Carphone Warehouse and Orange in the United Kingdom. Carphone Warehouse is reporting shortges of five out of six of their 3G iPad 2 models (everything but the black 64GB unit), and Orange UK is reporting shortages of half of the 3G iPad 2 SKUs: both 32GB models and the white 64GB unit. Read on for all of the details:

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Apple, today, has filed a lawsuit against Motorola over their use of Qualcomm technology, as reported by Reuters. Apple explains that Motorola has breached a contract pertaining to their use of a patent license and “asks this Court to enjoin Motorola from prosecuting and 4 enforcing its claims against Apple in Germany.”

Permanent injunctive relief restraining Motorola and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors, agents, employees, servants, licensors, successors, assigns, and all those acting in concert with them, from prosecuting patent infringement proceedings against Apple based on Apple’s use of the Qualcomm MDM6610 chip and other Qualcomm components licensed under Motorola patents in any forum other than this Court

The root of the lawsuit is essentially Apple’s strike-back at Motorola for attempting to stop sales of Apple’s 3G products in Germany. The lawsuit’s referencing of Qualcomm’s chips is a nod to the iPhone 4S, which uses a Qualcomm baseband chip, not being removed for that short amount of time when Apple won a temporary injunction of Apple’s 3G products in Germany.

The full lawsuit filing can be viewed here.

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Early last week, Apple discontinued the white plastic MacBook, which had been an education-only item since mid-2011, but is continuing to sell the product to education institutions while supplies last. The remaining supplies are being sold for $899, and sources say that Apple’s white MacBook inventory for educational institutions is still rather high. While white MacBooks for education are a thing of the past, Apple is not giving up on education: they are launching two new MacBook Airs for schools programs today.

The first new program is called MacBook Air 5-Pack Bundles and allows schools to purchase the MacBook Air in bundles of five at a discount. There are six bundle options, and each bundle saves schools $20 per MacBook Air:

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