Nikkei: Apple to launch 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone as early as September

By Cody Lee on Mar 27, 2014

Japanese news outlet Nikkei threw its weight behind a popular rumor today, reporting that Apple’s next-gen iPhone will come in both 4.7- and 5.5-inch models. The theory that the company is working on two new larger-sized handsets has been reiterated several times over the past 6 months.

Citing sources within Apple’s supply chain, Nikkei says that manufacturers have already begun making components for the new smartphones, like fingerprint sensors and chips for liquid-crystal drivers, and Sharp, Japan Display and LG will begin mass-producing their panels as early as April… Read More

 

Survey finds 33% of iPhone owners would pay an extra $100 for bigger display

By Cody Lee on Mar 27, 2014

We don’t really know anything about Apple’s plans for the next-gen iPhone, but the consensus seems to be that it will feature a larger display. As Samsung and other rivals continue to gain marketshare with their 5-inch+ handsets, it’s believed that Apple cannot continue to avoid the so-called ‘phablet’ space.

And analysts couldn’t be happier. Why? Well just look at this new survey data published by Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt. According to the data, one-third of American iPhone owners would be willing to pay an extra $100 for Apple’s next smartphone if it featured a larger display than its predecessor… Read More

 

Rumor: Pegatron to start assembly of large-screened iPhones and iPad Airs this Fall

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 24, 2014

The Commercial Times newspaper reported last week that Apple’s contract manufacturer Pegatron is gearing up to kick off mass production of the iPhone 6 in the second quarter of this year at its China-based plant in Kunshan.

On Monday, The China Times newspaper claimed new information saying that Pegatron has landed orders for both large-sized iPhones and iPad Airs.

However, contrary to The Commercial Times story, Pegatron is actually said to start the operation of the Kunshan plant, which is located in China’s Jiangsu Province, in the third quarter of this year.

That facility will be solely dedicated to churning out Apple products. For reference, Pegatron is the primary manufacturer of the iPhone 5c and iPad mini… Read More

 

iPhone 6 to have 8MP camera, report claims

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 20, 2014

Instead of the twelve or sixteen-megapixel camera upgrade in its 2014 iPhone offerings anticipated by watchers, Apple is said to stick with the eight-megapixel module and focus on improving image quality through software advancements and features like optical image stabilization, a new report asserts.

Apple is seemingly expected to skip the megapixel race with the iPhone 6 “to concentrate on other ways to better images,” people familiar with the matter apparently told AppleInsider… Read More

 

2015 iPhones and iPads could achieve photorealism with ray-traced graphics from Imagination

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 20, 2014

Imagination Technologies, a fabless UK-based semiconductor maker, has been supplying PowerVR-branded mobile graphics IP for Apple’s in-house designed iDevice chips since the iPhone’s inception.

Detailed 3D graphics, speedy animations and smooth performance have always been one of the hallmarks of the iPhone and iPad so it’s no surprise that Apple is an investor in Imagination.

Following Imagination’s announcement of a next-generation PowerVR GX6650 GPU that promises to smoke graphics giant Nvidia’s own Tegra K1 mobile processor, Imagination yesterday said it is taking PowerVR graphics architecture to the next level by adding ray-tracing capabilities.

Apple likely won’t utilize this technique in its upcoming A8 chip for the iPhone 6 and 2014 iPads because Imagination’s technology won’t be making its way into products until 2015.

This means that come 2015, your iPhone and iPad could easily give dedicated game consoles a good run for their money graphics-wise, by supporting high-quality lighting and shadows, accurate transparency and photorealistic reflections… Read More

 

Pegatron reportedly gearing up to start iPhone 6 production in Q2

By Cody Lee on Mar 18, 2014

According to a new report from the Commercial Times, Apple supplier Pegatron is gearing up to start mass-producing the iPhone 6. The production is expected to kick off in the second quarter of this year at its Kunshan, China-based plant.

The newspaper says that the manufacturer has already begun recruiting workers in China, and has even opened up a new factory space, in an effort to prepare for large orders from Apple. The new handset is expected to debut later this year… Read More

 

iPhone 6 said to feature ‘Ultra-Retina’ display, 3 new sensors and more

By Cody Lee on Mar 17, 2014

A pair of reports surfaced this weekend, claiming to have knowledge of the features and specifications for Apple’s new iPhone. The first report calls for the smartphone to have a trio of new sensors, and the other says an ‘Ultra-Retina’ display is in the cards.

So-called iPhone 6 rumors have been appearing rather frequently over the past few months, with everyone trying to predict the design and capabilities of Apple’s next handset. A larger display, sapphire and A8 chip are all in the pile, and today we add this… Read More

 

Upcoming large-screened iPhone described as a cross between iPhone 5c and iPod nano

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 11, 2014

There have been numerous attempts at envisioning what Apple’s next iPhone might look like, especially as the likes of Reuters and The Wall Street Journal jumped on the iPhablet bandwagon calling for two new large-screened iPhones, one with a 4.7-inch display and the other rocking a screen that seemingly measures at least five inches diagonally.

A new report by the rather accurate Japanese blog Macotakara now claims that the upcoming iPhones will expand on rather than replace the current four-inch four factor offered by the iPhone 5/5s/5c, with the bigger model classed as a phablet… Read More

 

New concept takes realistic approach in visualizing next iPhone

By Cody Lee on Mar 10, 2014

In a world where iPhone concepts typically feature radical case designs and edge-to-edge displays, Sam Beckett’s new ‘iPhone Air’ concept stands out. It’s not flashy, it’s not paper-thin, it’s just an honest attempt to visualize what Apple’s next smartphone could look like.

The handset bears an obvious resemblance to previous iPhones, but the classic design still looks great stretched out across the larger body. In line with recent rumors, Beckett has given his concept a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1080, and a beefy ppi of 468… Read More

 

TSMC allegedly started producing A8 processor for iPhone 6 last month

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 5, 2014

A new story published by Taiwan’s Commercial Times (Google translate) and relayed by Agence France Presse has it that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest independent foundry, has begun churning out A8 chips that will likely serve as the engine for the coming wave of iOS devices, namely the iPhone 6 and the next iPad.

TSMC also builds Touch ID sensors for the iPhone 5s. The firm is understood to account for the bulk of A8 chip manufacture as Apple’s been attempting to decrease its reliance on Samsung, which up until recently used to exclusively build mobile processors for iOS devices based on Apple’s blueprints… Read More

 

Full production of GT-made sapphire starting in H2 2014, in time for Fall launch of iPhone 6

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 25, 2014

GT Advanced Technologies, a U.S.-based company Apple’s partnered with on mass-scale sapphire manufacture in its new Mesa, Arizona facility, today released earnings for the 2013 holiday quarter and said that 2014 will be a “transformational” year for the company. Plans to supply sapphire glass to Apple are “progressing well” as GT expects a very profitable second half of 2014.

Its projected revenues also indicate a Fall launch for the next iPhone model (or models, if you believe the rumors). According to GT, the company has “started to build out the facility in Arizona and staff the operation” during the previous quarter… Read More

 

Sketchy rumor claims iPhablet won’t use iPhone branding

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 19, 2014

A new report out of Taiwan reiterates that Apple is working on two new iPhone models, one with a display measuring 4.7 inches diagonally and the other sporting a 5.6-inch screen. However, the story surprisingly claims Apple won’t use iPhone branding for the 5.6-inch model because this “non-iPhone” is apparently an “experimental” device.

We’re not sure what to think about this as Apple has always branded all of its smartphone models as iPhones. The claim reminds me of an old rumor which said Apple would release a new kind of iOS device, a cross of sorts between the iPhone and the MacBook Air that would justify a completely new branding… Read More

 

Alleged iPhone 6 prototype shown off in new images [update: it's fake]

By Cody Lee on Feb 12, 2014

A batch of new images surfaced online this afternoon, purportedly showing an authentic iPhone 6 prototype. The photos are believed to have originated from China, and they show the front and back of what appears to be a larger handset designed by the Cupertino company.

It’s impossible to know if these are legitimate iPhone 6 parts—one thing that immediately stands out is that the back appears to show FCC markers, somewhat odd for a prototype—but even if the photos are fake, they do give a good idea of what a larger iPhone could look like… Read More

 

Despite the bigger screen, iPhone 6 could be lighter than 5s

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 12, 2014

With a 4.7-inch and a massive 5.5-inch iPhone versions reportedly in the pipeline, you’d expect both new iPhones to be a tad heavier than the current-gen four-inch iPhone 5s, simply due to a larger and thereby heavier enclosure/screen assembly.

Not so fast.

According to a new report, Apple’s engineers are scrambling to slim down next-generation iPhones by switching to a lighter backlight module and possibly using a lighter device frame, too… Read More

 

Rumor: the next iPhones have sharper 4.7″ and 5.5″ Retina screens with sapphire protection

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 12, 2014

According to a new report by the South China Morning Post, Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch two new iPhones with bigger screens sporting sapphire crystal protection. The handsets are reportedly scheduled to launch in September 2014.

In corroborating previous rumors by Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, sources claim the upcoming iPhones have 4.7 and 5.5-inch screens coated in sapphire, the expensive gemstone Apple uses to protect its Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s and iSight camera lenses on iOS devices. And, the screens will be flat, not curved… Read More

 

Good-bye, grainy selfies! Sony tipped as FaceTime camera supplier for 2015 iPhones

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 11, 2014

Your selfies will receive a significant and much welcomed upgrade next year as Sony – which last week announced plans to unload its computer business and spin off its TV segment – is gearing up to kick off production of front-facing cameras for next-generation iPhones in 2015, if a report from Japanese business site Nikkei is an indication.

The Japanese consumer electronics giant has been making iSight back cameras since the iPhone 4s, with current estimates in the ballpark of a hundred million CMOS sensors a year. It also makes cameras for Samsung and Huawei smartphones.

Therefore, landing that contract would mark a major win for both parties and a huge loss for OmniVision, which currently supplies CMOS sensors for the iPhone’s rather unimpressive front-facing camera… Read More

 

iPhone 6 to feature ‘bezel-free’ display, rumor has it

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 11, 2014

Analysts and high-profile outlets like The Wall Street Journal are expecting not one, but two new iPhones this year, each outfitted with a display significantly larger than the current four-inch iPhone 5/5s/5c. The Japanese magazine Mac Fan claimed in a report last October that the iPhone 6 will be the first phablet on the market optimized for one-hand operation.

A month earlier, analyst Ming Chi-Kuo opined that Apple would want to honor its self-imposed “unwavering principle of one hand use”. But how does one make a five-inch iPhablet optimized for one-hand use? By dropping the side bezels, that’s how… Read More

 

This nicely done concept video depicts just how thin a bigger iPhone could get

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 10, 2014

Many designers who take a crack at envisioning Apple’s rumored five-inch iPhone make a rookie mistake by focusing on the screen instead of the engineering benefits stemming from a larger form factor. As is its wont, Apple has a penchant for advertising each new iPhone as being thinner and lighter than the previous one. The bigger iPhones are thought to be coming because the credulous Wall Street Journal said so last month.

Now, assuming one of the bigger iPhones will in fact incorporate a screen measuring more than five inches diagonally, Jony Ive and his design team could easily make the iPhone 6 thinner just because a larger form factor would allow some more space for internal components.

An interesting video concept by Dutch-based 3D artist Joseph Farahi of OvalPicture, created exclusively for the ConceptsiPhone YouTube channel, gives us some food for though. I’ve included it right after the break so give it a look and meet us in comments afterwards… Read More

 

This sweet iPhone 6 concept is definitely worth checking out…

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 7, 2014

We’ve run a few iPhone 6 concepts here on iDownloadBlog, but none has captured our attention like the newest work by Italy’s established 3D artist Federico Ciccarese who took a crack at envisioning what a large-screened iPhone could look like. Like most mockups, this is one concept that Apple most likely will never make, probably.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean a guy can’t dream, no? With that in mind, do take a look at Federico’s latest batch of iPhone 6 mockups and then chime in with your thoughts down in the comments… Read More

 

New iPhone 6 rumor calls for at least 10MP camera with enhanced filter and wider f/1.8 aperture

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 4, 2014

Microsoft may be dominating your morning news feed with the official appointment of insider Satya Nadella as its new CEO, but that hasn’t stopped the Apple rumor-mill from churning out speculative reports concerning the next iPhone.

According to a new report from the Chinese website IT168, the iPhone 6 will have at least a ten-megapixel camera with an improved filter and a wider aperture… Read More

 
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