Month: July 2012

NYT backs iPad mini, says Apple’s first tablet prototype was a seven incher

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

The Wall Street Journal was the first of big media outlets to report back in April that a new iPad model with a smaller eight-inch display was in the works.

Then, early in July Bloomberg corroborated the story and just a day later the Journal followed up with a new report of suppliers allegedly gearing up to mass-produce the gizmo in time for a presumed September launch.

And now, The New York Times (finally) gets in on the action, becoming a third major news outlet to put its credibility on the line concerning the iPad mini, claiming Apple would announce the smaller iPad later this year, priced "significantly less" than $499...

Poll: should Apple do iPad mini?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2012

Nothing stirs controversy in our comments more than the rumored iPad mini. Big media is throwing its credence behind it, pundits and analysts are calling for it, watchers offer their pros and cons as purported schematics, case molds, blurry photos and production rumors continue to leak all over the web, seemingly pointing to a fall launch.

And with Google's Nexus 7 off to a brisk start and garnering media attention, the iPad mini seems all but given at this point. We ask you to forget for a second everything you've read and take a long hard look at the prospect of a smaller, cheaper, really thin iPad sitting between $249 and $299, perhaps even as low as $199.

Is there a reason for it to exist? Should Apple do it or pass on smaller slates Steve Jobs famously ridiculed as tweener tablets. Cast your vote below...

The top 10 iOS news of the week on iDownloadBlog

Sébastien Page ∙ July 15, 2012

A new week is coming, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on what happened last week. If you think you may have missed a few of the top stories from last week, don't sweat it, we've got you covered.

We've gathered the top 10+ most popular stories from iDB last week for you to check out. As always, make sure that you're friends with us on Facebook, Google+, and that you are following us on Twitter...

Is Google becoming a hardware company?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 4, 2018

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, an annual retreat Apple CEO Tim Cook also attended, that it was always Google's intention to make its own hardware though he didn't go as far as to call the search giant a hardware company. But in reality, Google more than just dipped its toes in hardware..

Rumor: next-gen iPhone in production with all-new design

Cody Lee ∙ July 14, 2012

Craving more information regarding the sixth-generation iPhone? Don't worry, we've got you covered. A new report is out today, claiming that the highly-anticipated handset has just gone into production.

This would make sense considering all of the next-gen iPhone cases and engineering samples we've seen over the past week. But this report claims the device looks different than previously thought...

Apple is inspiring other brands to change their retail experience

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

There was a graphic that started circulating the internet several months back, demonstrating how Apple has affected the smartphone industry. It showed what handsets looked like before and after the original iPhone was released. And the differences were tremendous.

There was a similar image that showed how Apple has impacted the tablet market. Before the iPad, tablets were 2-3-inches thick, had styluses, and ran desktop operating systems. And then after it, they all became thin, multi-touch tablets running mobile software.

Now it looks like it's time for someone to make another graphic showing how Apple has affected retail stores...

First day Nexus 7 sales prove there’s a demand for smaller tablets

Cody Lee ∙ July 14, 2012

Proponents of the idea that Apple won't make an "iPad Mini" due to the lack of demand for smaller tablets, may want to rethink their position. Several major retailers are reporting lightning fast sellouts of Nexus 7 stock.

For those who came in late, the Nexus 7 is Google's recently-unveiled 7-inch slate. And between its high-end components and $199 price tag, some folks believe that it could pose a serious threat to Apple's tablet marketshare...

New Dark Knight Rises trailer lands ahead of release

Cody Lee ∙ July 14, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises, the third and final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, is set to hit theaters next week. And many critics are expecting the film to smash all kinds of box office records.

Gameloft is hoping that its new game, of the same title, is going to receive similar attention. With just a week left before launch, the firm has released an awesome new gameplay trailer. Check it out...

Apple aggressively demands that retailers cease stocking banned Galaxy gear

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 13, 2012

Apple is reportedly going after several United States-based resellers and wireless carriers who have Samsung's Galaxy gadgets on offer, choosing to send takedown notices stemming from a recent sales ban rulings.

In a report over at his blog FOSS Patents, patent expert Florian Müeller notes that Apple's legal sharks contacted U.S. telcos and retailers, demanding they remove the banned Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and Galaxy Nexus smartphone...

Crazy rumor suggests Apple will announce new iPhone on August 7th

Cody Lee ∙ July 13, 2012

Last year, Apple changed the refresh cycle of its most popular product, the iPhone. Instead of introducing a new model in the summer, like it had done in previous years, it waited all the way until October to unveil the 4S.

The consensus of the tech world, along with common sense, says that we can expect a similar schedule this time around. But a new report is out today, claiming that Apple will reveal its next smartphone on August 7th...

Apple says it’s investigating in-app purchasing exploit

Cody Lee ∙ July 13, 2012

Earlier today, news broke of a new exploit in the App Store's in-app purchasing system that allows users to gain access to paid content, free of charge. The method does not require a jailbreak, and can be completed in a few simple steps.

As you can imagine, this has caused quite a stir in the iOS community, forcing Apple to take notice. This afternoon, the Cupertino company released the following statement...

More purported next-generation iPhone cases surface

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

The rumor mill has been pretty active this week, coughing up more information regarding Apple's next smartphone. In the last few days, we've seen not one, but two sets of pictures of purported engineering samples for the unreleased handset.

With that, it seems like the evidence is really piling up in favor of the taller, two-tone iPhone design that first surfaced back in May. And apparently that's enough for accessory-makers, who are already churning out large batches of next-gen iPhone cases...