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Sometime back iLounge reported that Apple is seriously looking to move to a 4-inch display in iPhone 5 by just increasing the height of the screen and keeping the width the same as iPhone 4S. There is this website Ciccarese Design started by Macrumors which has shared some higher quality mockups of how this taller iPhone 5 might look like. Its pretty interesting:

Macrumors goes on to say that, increasing the diagonal measurement of the iPhone display from 3.5 inches to 4 inches while maintaining the same width as the current display adds approximately 11 mm (0.45 inch) to the height of the display. With iLounge’s report indicating that the new iPhone’s body will measure in at approximately 125 mm, which is 10 mm taller than the iPhone 4S, the spacing for the components above and below the display would remain roughly the same.

The mockup also shows a smaller dock connector as has been rumored by several sources, as well as a flat metal panel in the central portion of the rear shell of the iPhone, in line with iLounge’s claims.

Part leaks from iPhone 5 are beginning to show up, with component vendor SW-BOX.com having recently added a new headphone jack claimed to be from that very iPhone 5 device (via Cydia Blog). The new part joins a claimed micro-SIM tray that surfaced on the site several weeks ago and home buttons that appeared on several sites late last month.

The site claims the new component is compatible only with an “iPhone 5″ device, and claims the cable is “clearly for the new iPhone.” The component can be purchased for $7.71.

The same site showed off a SIM tray claimed to be from Apple’s next-generation iPhone earlier this month. That component sported subtle differences when compared to the SIM tray design found in the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4

If this part turns out to be legitimate, it will be a significant departure from the component organization in the current iPhone. In the iPhone 4 and 4S, the headphone jack, volume buttons, and mute switch are grouped together on a single component, while this new part associates the headphone jack with the earpiece speaker and Wi-Fi cabling.

It is not terribly unusual for Apple to tweak the organization of components, and the new part leak offers essentially no information on any potential changes to the device’s form factor, but with part leaks beginning to accelerate it may not be long before more substantial parts begin showing up.

Source – iMore

Dailymail from the UK is reporting that according to a Korean press the next iPhone will appear in the summer and will have a 4.6-inch high-resolution display. Apple has already started to order panels of providers, says newspaper Maeil Business Newspaper , citing unnamed industry sources:

Korean sources are often reliable indicators of the likely form – and date – for upcoming devices, as Korean plants supply screens and processors for many hi-tech companies, including Apple. Apple has decided on the bigger 4.6-inch display for its next iPhone and started placing orders to its suppliers, the Maeil Business Newspaper said, quoting an unnamed industry source.

I still dont believe that Apple might resort to 4.6″ or even 4″ screen, if they do this will be a major change as till date Apple retained the screen diagonal of 3.5-inch from the phone’s launch in 2007.

iLounge shared some fresh iPhone 5 rumors which might come true. Jason Horwitz writes that the next-gen iPhone will come with a larger 4inch screen that will have the same width of 4S but a taller height sporting a new aspect ratio for the iPhone.

What we’ve learned: the new iPhone will indeed be longer and thinner than the iPhone 4 and 4S. Approximate measurements are 125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm—a 10mm jump in height, nearly 2mm reduction in thickness, and virtually identical width. According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone. This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic. Our artist’s rendition provides a rough idea of what this change will look like; it echoes the current-generation iMac design, to be sure.

Check this mockup:

Horwitz goes on to say that the iPhone 5 make use of Gorilla Glass 2, a material which provides as much strength as the Gorilla Glass with a thinner form factor. The report also notes that Apple’s next iPhone will introduce a new and smaller dock connector.

Apple will also introduce its new Dock Connector on the new iPhone. The new port will be a little larger than the bottom speaker or microphone hole on the iPhone 4/4S. It’s believed to have fewer pins than the prior 30-pin Dock Connector, perhaps only 16, and the shape of the hole is apparently closer to a pill shape than the prior rounded rectangle. It will be used on all upcoming devices, including an update to the iPod touch that’s expected this year, and will almost certainly feature a similarly updated screen and CPU.

Lets wait for October 2012.. Yeppieee

Source – iLounge

The Taiwan based Central News Agency is reporting, citing research analyst David Hsieh, that the iPhone 5 will incporate “in-cell” technology which will result in a potentially much thinner device. iPhone 5 is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2012, is likely to adopt in-cell touch panels rolled out by Sharp and Toshiba Mobile Display (TMD), according to sources in Apple’s supply chain.

An improvement in yield rates of the in-cell touch panels at Sharp and TMD has persuaded Apple to choose to cooperate with Japan-based panel makers, the sources noted. Sharp will produce the in-cell panels at its 5.5G lines, while TMD will utilize its 6G lines for production, indicated the sources, adding that the two makers will begin to ramp up in-cell panel production in the second quarter of 2012.

The adoption of the in-cell touch panels, if realized, will also have a significant impact on the operations of Apple’s current touch panel suppliers TPK Holdings and Wintek, which are specialized in the production of glass on glass touch solutions currently, said the sources.

Source – Digitimes

This time iPhone 5 rumors has surfaced from CNET pointing to a modified Apple chip, more memory, new chassis, and a bigger screen.

Heres the exact specifications:

Display and chassis: Let’s start with a report at Business Insider, which cites a research note from Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White (returning from a tour of component suppliers in China). White says the next iPhone will have 4-inch screen and “sleek look that we believe will require a unibody case.”
Big launch: White ventures that the launch will come in August or September and believes the “iPhone 5 ramp…could be extraordinary, dwarfing previous launches and driving the stock closer to our $1,001 price target.”
A5X chip and memory: Next up is a report from 9to5Mac, claiming that the “actual next-generation iPhone is specifically said to not include the iPhone 4/4S design, but Apple is testing these new devices in older casings to throw off leaks.”
A prototype of the next-gen iPhone uses a derivative of the A5X processor used in the new iPad, according to the Apple-centric site. But like the gen 3 iPad the new iPhone will have 1GB of memory.

WOW – Looks like Apple upcoming next-get iPhone [5] will sport a sharper and bigger 4.6-inch “retina” display might be launched around the second quarter, a South Korean media reported yesterday according to Reuters. Reuters says Apple has decided on the bigger 4.6-inch display for its next iPhone and started placing orders to its suppliers, the Maeil Business Newspaper said, quoting an unnamed industry source.

Samsung, which is also the biggest challenger to Apple in smartphones, uses 4.6-inch OLED display for its flagship Galaxy S II smartphone, introduced in April last year. The high-definition “retina” display containing several times as many pixels within the same area– is used in the latest iPad released earlier this month.

iPhone 4S was introduced in October 2011. But 9t05Mac has a different view. They did a poll on screen size preference for the next iPhone. Around 60,000 votes… here is the result link on 9t05Mac:

We’re not putting a lot of faith in this report, even though we’ve heard that Apple has been considering a bigger display in its next iPhone.. Perhaps Apple is playing a joke on someone.

I too believe Apple might go with 3.5-inch display for the time being. But we never know, right!!!

Source – Reuters

More iPad 3 rumors. MICGadget has shared some more pics of purported iPad 3 shell. Here are the list of new features iPad 3 will bring:

• It will have a 9.7 inch 2048×1536 Retina Display.
• Possible quad core A6, but dual core for sure.
• The processing power is required for the Retina Display.
• A much improved camera, although maybe not be 8MP as production costs are high.

Take a look at those leaked images of iPad 3 on MICGadget

Read more… »

Usually Apple releases a new version of iPhone each year in June or July. This year it could be September or October launch for iPhone 5. Japanese website Macotakara reported on Monday that Apples iPhone 5 will be launched by the fall this year. BGR also reported yesterday that the device will be released in either September or October, and Apple’s future smartphone launches will remain on a fall cycle in coming years. The report reaffirms an exclusive BGR report from last year, which stated that Apple will launch a new iPhone with a revamped antenna system and a unibody aluminum design this fall.

[via - BGR]

A new photo has surfaced on the WeiPhoneforums showing a system-on-a-chip nestled onto a prototype logic board, carrying a previously unheard of “A5X”. The A5X chip also includes a date code of “1146?, which would peg production at or around November 14th-20th of 2011. This means iPad 3 will have an updated variant of the Apple A5 chipset rather than an Apple A6 chipset as previously speculated.

NextMedia is claiming to have received the following photos and information through “special channels”. The photo below shows what is claimed to be an overview shot of the new iPad 3 back enclosure (top of image) as well as a comparison shot between the original iPad, the iPad 2 and the New iPad (inset). (via Apple.pro )

According to NextMedia, the new iPad 3 camera will see a significant upgrade to 8 megapixels. The current iPad 2 back camera is 1 megapixel in resolution. The site also summarizes many of the other expectations for the iPad 3, such as an improved display, quad-core CPU, and a March 7th announcement date.

Source – NextMedia & WeiPhoneforums

My guess seems to be coming true. According to a reliable source, Apple currently plans to hold iPad 3 announcement on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Along with the 2048×1536 retina display, the iPad 3 will feature a quad-core Apple A6 system-on-a-chip, and possibly 4G LTE networking.

All Things D did report last week, about the next iPad event being scheduled for the first week of March, Wednesday is a traditional day for Apple to hold iPad related announcements.

This rumor is backed by iMore, which goes on to talk about quad-core processor and 4G LTE networking along with either a 5 or 8 megapixel rear camera and a FaceTime HD front camera.

Last year Apple introduced the iPad 2 on March 2, which was followed up by a launch just 9 days later. All Things D is reporting this year as well that, Apple is planning on holding a special iPad event in early March:

Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2, and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like these.

No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that’s what it’s called), though my guess is retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: Available for purchase a week or so after the event.

As per All Things D, an Apple spokeswoman declined comment on the timing of the event, saying the company does not comment on rumors and speculation. But would March 7th, 2012 be the launch date for iPad 3…? lets hope so.

[via - All Things D]