iOS devices refer to any of Apple’s hardware that runs the iOS mobile operating system which include iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 10. Here is the complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices.
According to Digitimes, due to some last minute device changes and supply shortages at manufacturing plants, Apple has reduced their mass production target volume for the iPad 2 from “400,000-600,000 units originally to only 300,000-400,000 units.”
The sources pointed out that Apple still maintains its plans to mass produce the iPad 2 by the end of February; however, affected by low touch panel yields and an adjustment in specifications, Apple’s production volume forecast for the first quarter is expected to drop from 400,000-600,000 units originally to only 300,000-400,000 units.
Apple is also said to have already lowered the production and shipments of the first generation iPad. According to our own sources around the world, iPad inventory at many different stores is much lower than usual.
The second generation iPad is rumored to be announced by Apple on March 2nd at an event in San Francisco but there has still been no word on when it will ship.
Sources have told us that the second generation iPad will be announced in the next 7-14 days (backs up the rumored March 2nd date) and will be available towards the end of March. This fits with Apple’s usual annual announce/update for iOS products.
Update: Reuters has now posted a brief story. LoopInsight also reports that both of the earlier late reports are false and Apple is expecting to deliver its products “on-time” at least according to its internal schedule.
It is interesting that both of these “late” reports were from investment bankers – ahead of the opening of trading – who could potentially benefit from market manipulation. Something smells fishy.
AAPL started significantly down – over 10 points this morning but has recovered somewhat.
CNN is reporting that Apple is in discussions with the labels to offer higher quality recordings at perhaps a premium pricing in the near future (September-ish?). Music is currently distributed in 16-bit files through CDs and are further compressed when made into MP3s (unless lossless compressors are used).
Professional music producers generally capture studio recordings in a 24-bit, high-fidelity audio format. Before the originals, or “masters” in industry parlance, are pressed onto CDs or distributed to digital sellers like Apple’s iTunes, they’re downgraded to 16-bit files.
It appears that such a change would be a wholesale move for the whole industry.
“We’ve gone back now at Universal, and we’re changing our pipes to 24 bit. And Apple has been great,” Iovine said. “We’re working with them and other digital services — download services — to change to 24 bit. And some of their electronic devices are going to be changed as well. So we have a long road ahead of us.”
This might be Apple’s response/differentiator to the subscription model where Spotify, Sony and others (maybe even Apple and Google soon) are finding success. While Macs can play the new high quality 24-bit recordings, apparantly iPhones and iPods (and AppleTV/iPads?) currently aren’t built to do so.
To make the jump to higher-quality music attractive for Apple, the Cupertino, California, company would have to retool future versions of iPods and iPhones so they can play higher-quality files.
According to a research note from Yuanta Securities Co. today, Apple initially planned to launch the iPad 2 during April of this year, but due to a number of reasons this launch may be delayed until June. This possible delay is said to be due to “production bottlenecks” at Apple’s sourced manufacturing plant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. These “bottlenecks” are said to be occurring since Apple made last minute design changes to their second generation iPad right before the Chinese New Year; that would be around 3 weeks ago.
This June release date seems a bit odd as this is the month that Apple typically releases a new version of their iPhone handset. On the other hand, Apple could possibly introduce the new touch-screen tablet at a May event with an early June release date. Apple will then hold their annual WWDC conference during the first two weeks of June (possibly the 5th-9th) and the fifth-generation iPhone will then probably launch in late June or early July.
Apple’s second generation iPad is rumored to be thinner, lighter, faster and will reportedly sport more memory and faster graphics hardware. The iPad 2 is rumored to have gone into production during the first week of February with a rumored release date during March or April.
In recent weeks, rumors have emerged that an iPad 3 was planned for later this year with a “Retina display.” Perhaps Apple chose to wait until those displays are ready? Perhaps they saw something at CES or MWC that they didn’t like (not likely). Perhaps they will implement those fancy Super PLS displays from Samsung?
We are not completely sure who to believe at this point, but shipping delays due to last minute changes from Apple are certainly possible.
We just got our own hands on a case for the yet to be announced second generation iPad (weird, right?) and from the top, it’s crazy thin. It’s difficult to explain how thin this thing is and, if it is legit, props to Apple for being able to make a tablet as thin as they did.
Our case is silicon and has all the new iPad 2 fixings we’ve heard so far, except the magical top port. The bottom of the case has space for the standard 30-pin dock connector and a larger speaker with a meshed grill. The case also has room for the now standard mute/screen lock switch and volume rocker on the right. We’re thinking, due to the tapering, that the mute/screen lock switch will slide like the iPhone 4’s.
The left side has that super mysterious port and the top has the standard earphone jack and the sleep/wake power button. Oh, and the back? It has a camera hole, slightly larger than the one’s found on iPhone 4 cases (which might allow for movement/alignment issues). Back to the left-side port: there are a few things people think it’s for. The rumor mill has been filled with speculation that it might be an SD card slot, a full USB port, or most recently for a Light Peak port.
We went ahead and tried stuffing an SD card through the port and it’s just too wide. So that SD card reader? It won’t be on the left side, probably no where on the iPad 2 at this point. Next, is USB 2.0 and Light Peak. Although we would like to believe the iPad 2 will sport a USB port, the caps on those two cables are just to tall and wide to fit through the port. The only logical cable at this point is a micro-USB port, and this fits great with Europe’s new micro-USB port regulation. Knowing Apple, it might not be that either. Maybe a new port scratched at the last moment? A mini/micro-SD card?
Be sure to check our video above to truly see how thin the device could possibly be.
The second-generation iPad is approaching and will most likely hit sometime next month. Usually, a good hint at an upcoming refresh for an Apple product is when the respective item becomes sold out or on sale at some retailers. Today it looks like this process has begun at some official iPad resellers in Europe.
First, official reseller Carphone Warehouse in the UK is now sold out of the 64 GB WiFi-only iPad. Even more interesting is the iPad 3G’s situation: all models are sold out at Carphone Wearhouse.
Next, official iPad 3G carriers in Europe Orange and T-Mobile have both slashed their iPad 3G prices in half for customers who sign 2 year contracts. That means you can now get an iPad 3G in Europe for only £99.99.
There is no doubt that a new iPad is coming soon from Apple and we think this is just another good indication of that. Thanks, Nathan.
Update: Major European product distributor Ingram Micro is now sold out of the 16 GB WiFi-only model, 64 GB WiFi-only model, and 64 GB WiFi + 3G model. They are also very low on stock of the 32 GB WiFi-only model, 32 GB WiFi+3G model, and 16 GB WiFi+3G model.
Update 2: Some iPad models are also sold out or low on stock at some Future Shop (major reseller) locations in Canada. Thanks, XianNewman
M.I.C. Gadget has gotten their hands on a leather iPad 2 case that has reportedly been testing against an actual iPad 2, not a mold, mockup, or prototype. Above is a video of their hands-on with the case. The case is not only the first upscale, leather one we have seen but does present a couple new pieces of information about the iPad 2’s design. The camera hole present on this new case not only reaffirms our SDK findings that the iPad 2 will include a back camera, but does show the lens to be roughly the same size as the iPhone 4’s. This does not really mean the iPad 2 will have the same camera as the iPhone 4, though.
Even more interesting, this new case shows that the iPad 2 could potentially have a slightly smaller design. This goes well with our iPad 2 screen protectors that show a slightly narrower design for the device. This case also reaffirms what we have heard about the iPad 2’s design thus far. It shows tapered edges, a flat back, and space for what many have determined as a larger speaker grill.
Perhaps the most interesting piece of information from the report is that 120,000 of these cases have been shipped to the United States for sale by a “famous case company.” We think a “famous” case company would only order 120,000 pieces if they were 100% confident in the designs. Check out some of the case company’s promotional images of the case, after the break, to get a feel for the iPad 2’s tapered design.
Recently, multiple reports emerged claiming that Apple is hard at work at a MobileMe revamp, which includes a “locker” to store your personal files like music, pictures, and videos. Well today, Patently Apple reports that Apple has patented a new feature for Mac OS X called “Safe Deposit Box.” This “Safe Deposit Box” is a new feature on the Mac OS X desktop that allows you drag a file you want to keep super-secure to the box and it will be uploaded to the cloud with encryption.
We speculate that this upcoming feature will tie right in with iOS and whichever files you put in your “Safe Deposit Box” will show up in a new app made by Apple for MobileMe members and if the user uploads any media (music, videos, and pictures) it will automatically show up their respective iOS applications. This service will surely replace Apple’s long-existing iDisk feature as they are essentially the same thing, but “Safe Deposit Box” seems more intuitive and more secure.
This new service from Apple could even be a replacement for external hard drives. People use external hard drives for computer backups in case the information on their computer is lost or stolen. If that information is stolen, the chances of your external hard drive being stolen are pretty high as well. This new solution would allow users to use Apple’s new giant data center in North Carolina. Perhaps this will be “another reason to own a Mac.”
The well informed John Gruber over at Daring Fireball even heard that Apple is working on a “Dropbox killer” for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, so perhaps this ties in directly with that, too. For the technical side of this new patent be sure to check out Patently Apple‘s full rundown.
You know those in-flight magazines that every airline gives you? Well the time has come that these magazines won’t only be in the pocket in front of you but will be available for passengers with iPads. Malaysia Airlines has launched their in-flight magazine, Going Places, as an application on the iTunes App Store. The experience of using the in-flight magazine is much more interactive on the iPad and even includes more features like in-flight entertainment information.
Here’s what a Malaysia Airlines Senior Vice President had to say about the move:
MAS chose the iPad because of the phenomenal growth of users in such a short time. As a platform, the iPad allows us to increase our range and reach new customers. It also allows our users a more comfortable, portable, convenient access to our magazine and some insight into our in-flight offerings, for their next trip.
SuperApple.cz claims that even though Apple has been reluctant about releasing a smaller iPad, Apple is still working on two models with screen sizes close to 6 inches. Specifically, the report claims that Apple is working on a 5.7-inch model and another model just below 6 inches. They claim that this information comes from two separate sources so the minimal size difference might really not be a difference at all.
Apple has been known to explore multiple screen sizes before releasing their final products and an example of this is the iPad. In an earnings call last year Steve Jobs said that Apple worked to get the display size just right before deciding on the 9.7 inch size. Although the report about a new 6 inch device for 2011 is calling this device an iPad, we think this could be a larger iPod touch. Apple has said that they are not going to release a mini-tablet for various reasons, so why would they?
A 6-inch iPod touch could make sense for better gaming, a bit more productivity, and would help Apple go head-to-head with some of the upcoming pocket game consoles with 4-5-6-inch displays. Apple could even throw some 3D action onto the thing. The report speculates that we’ll see this 6-inch iPad in the middle of 2011, but we like to think we will be seeing a 6-inch iPod touch debut at Apple’s annual Fall event.
This device would be ideal for the holiday shopping season and this is around the time that Sony will be unleashing their PSP 2 called NGP with a very large display and touch interface. According to two reports, Apple has something tablet/touch related in the works for a Fall 2011 launch, with one report even calling it a “Fall surprise.” A report from China in late 2010 also claimed that Apple was still working on a smaller iPad and they said it looks like an iPhone. With minimal design variation between the iPhone and iPod touches of today, it is all starting to make sense.
Earlier this month a report from iLounge (who has accurate sources for product sizes) claimed that Apple is in fact still working on a smaller iPad. What do you think? Will it happen? Will it be an iPad nano? An iPod touch XL?
The new iPad will sport a front-facing camera – and there is little doubt about it – but where exactly will this camera be placed? Will it be towards the side like the iPhone 4? Will it be landscape like the XOOM or Streak 7?
With the help with some friends with access to iPad 2 screen protector inventory, it appears the iPad 2’s front facing camera will be right at the very top of the glass. That’s also what the Reuter’s eyewitness said at the launch of the Daily iPad newspaper.
Also, another shot of an iPad 2 screen protector sent to us from a separate source seems to indicate that the the iPad 2 could possibly be slightly taller and slightly narrower than the current version of the iPad. The SDK has told us that the new iPad will have the same 1024 x 768 display as the current model, so does this mean a very-slightly-narrower bezel? A Smart Bezel, SVP?
The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. anti-trust enforcers are in the process of “looking at” Apple’s new App Store terms regarding the newly announced in-app-subscriptions feature for developers. The report notes that this “looking at” is just “preliminary” and it’s possible this will never become a full investigation against Apple and their new policies.
The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission’s interest in Apple’s new subscription service is at a preliminary stage, and might not develop into either a formal investigation or any action against the company. But it comes as Apple has attracted growing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.
U.S. officials are currently looking at whether Apple is in the wrong for forcing app content’s customers into using iTunes as the payment system for subscriptions, and taking a 30% cut of the developer’s, or publication’s in this case, revenue.
The Justice Department and the FTC are both interested in examining whether Apple is running afoul of U.S. antitrust laws by funneling media companies’ customers into the payment system for its iTunes store—and taking a 30% cut, the people familiar with the situation said
The U.S. is not the only one pursuing a preliminary look at the situation, with European officials “carefully monitoring the situation.”
A spokeswoman for the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, said Thursday that the commission was aware of the new subscription service and was “carefully monitoring the situation.”
Apple as well as the U.S. officials declined to comment.
Back in Fall 2010 a patent from Apple detailing a new ‘Smart Bezel’ feature for the iPad emerged. This new bezel is said to be a touch-sensitive gesture area surrounding the iPad’s display. Now, with the iPad being rumored to lose the stationary home button, it would make sense that Apple would implement something similar to what is found in the ‘Smart Bezel’ patent.
Adding credence to this Patently Apple has uncovered yet another patent relating to the smart bezel and this patent features a tablet device with the new bezel, but the drawing does not include the home button.
The patent describes some possible features for the bezel such as double-tapping the bezel to turn the iPad on and off, touching the bezel in certain places with certain amounts of pressures to the control brightness and volume, and touching the bezel in a certain way to lock and unlock the display.
The WSJ points to a blog post by China Telecom employees who claim to have hacked the CDMA iPhone 4 (Verizon) to work on their network in China. Now that we know the CDMA iPhone works in China, it’s only a matter of time until it actually goes on sale there…
Digitimes reports that Apple has secured 60% of the “global touch panel capacity,” causing touch screen shortages for the rest of the industry. Apple’s big investment into displays comes on the heals of Apple’s 40 million iPads in 2011 goal. This also comes during Apple’s development of the next generation iPhones and new tablets from many other players in the industry.
These shortages caused by Apple are surely not making other tablet makers like Motorola and Research in Motion happy. These touch panels should also be featured in the upcoming iPad 2 in the next few weeks and even the rumored iPad 3 during Fall of this year.
Apple’s upcoming iOS refresh will have a lot of surprises but one thing is almost certain. Apple will upgrade its native maps application, voice control integration, and cloud features. Google’s Android operating system has been churning out more and more innovative updates in these areas and now has a mature native mapping framework that does turn-by-turn-satellite imagery, 3D, etc. Android even has some fantastic voice navigation software to top off the package. They are rumored to be working on (and even have shown off) iTunes in the cloud as well.
There isn’t much else that puts Android over Apple so eliminating these strengths is a core mission for Apple in iOS 5. Over the past few years, Apple has been at work creating a superior maps application, a true voice navigation system, and new cloud features. This year, with iOS 5, Apple will put their purchases to use.
First is maps. Apple purchased a company called PlaceBase in 2008 to create their own maps application without the use of Google’s backend. This would not only give Apple even more control of their operating system (which they obviously love) but would allow them to issue updates more frequently. For example, the look and feature set of the Google Maps application on the iPhone has gone virtually unchanged since the first iPhone.
Next is voice navigation. Besides the report from the well-informedWall Street Journal about voice navigation in the next iPhone, Apple bought a company recently called Siri. Siri built a technology that couples accurate voice recognition with powerful search tools. Apple has also been looking for people to work on “Google-voice like voice navigation” for iOS. Apple even has a rudimentary Voice Control application in iOS, but it’s not that great. Apple has had foundation for powerful voice navigation since the iPhone 3GS and now with the proper tools they are working on something great. Full-fledged voice navigation in iOS 5.
Finally, Apple purchased Lala mostly for the talent but that talent was geared towards building a Cloud locker for music. We know Google is working on a similar iTunes in the sky so getting it right is important.
These are three areas we’re likely to see major innovation in iOS 5, but obviously there will be much, much more.
They have no specifics, and are just going on rumors. However, they see the screen going down to where the button currently resides and offering a more permanent dock.
Assuming that the workspace remains of 960 × 640 pixels , Apple could increase the height of the screen to about 1,148 × 640 pixels (more or less, of course).Current applications exploit the conventional screen area, leaving off the pixels in excess seats in the lower part of the body or showing those elements that are currently hidden are displayed when you double-click the Home button.
We don’t think this is going to happen for a number of reasons, but it is certainly a creative thought. Expand Expanding Close
Have we reached the point where Augmented reality has gone mainstream? Perhaps. Today Trip Advisor rolled out their iPhone/iPod touch upgrade (free, iTunes) with the included feature. After playing with this for a matter of minutes I can tell that this is going to be big.
Sure other apps like Layar have been doing this for awhile but Trip Advisor is probably the most mainstream app so far to incorporate augmented reality.
The App uses the compass and your GPS to figure out where you are and what you are looking at. Trip Advisor has a huge database of Hotels, Restaurants and things to do listed by geo-location and shows you which way to head to find them.
BGR reports that the initial sales of the Verizon iPhone have failed to meet Apple and Verizon’s expectations. According to the report 550,000 Verizon iPhone 4s were pre-ordered and 30% of users who purchased a Verizon iPhone came from Android, 25% came from BlackBerry, and 14% came from an AT&T iPhone (that’s perhaps the most interesting statistic here).
The report also claims to have received sales numbers from five Apple stores comparing the initial sales of the Verizon iPhone to the AT&T iPhone during the same five days. Two of these stores are said to be “very prominent Apple stores.”
Warner Bros. has announced that they will begin selling their films as apps through the iTunes App Store as a workaround for people who live in countries without an iTunes movie store. The concept is quite interesting and the actual apps work like DVDs for your TV.
There are extras, scene selection, trivia, and other features all packed into the apps. The app itself is free of charge and uses the in-app-purchase feature to let you either download or stream the film to your device. You even get a five minute preview of the film before you have to purchase.
The applications work universally with unique interfaces for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad. The movie prices are the same as on the iTunes movie store and currently only Inception and The Dark Night are currently the only films available.
Streaming or downloading the films are $11.99 and $9.99 respectively, which are the same prices as on the iTunes movie store. The movie streaming works on both WiFi and 3G, which should be great for iPad 3G users.
The applications also provide a lot of content that you can’t get through a normal iTunes movie download, like film extras and 3G streaming. If you download the apps let us know how it works out for you, in the comments.
