NPD: Low-cost smartphone market to double through 2016

It's ironic, but the Asian-Pacific region, where many iPhone parts are produced, is a hotbed for an explosion of smartphones priced at less than $150. In a new report, shipments of low-cost smartphones are expected to climb to 311 million units by 2016, up from just 4.5 million now. What's more, by 2016, low-cost smartphones will account for 29 percent of all smartphone sales, according to NPD DisplaySearch. Android - not Apple - is leading the charge with its open-source operating system...

Apple’s Forstall says iPhone 5 keyboard flickering is a software glitch, promises fix

If a growing thread on Apple's discussion forum is anything to go by, a bunch of iPhone 5 owners continue to complain about an annoying flickering thing which apparently manifests itself when the software keyboard pops up on the App Store password entry dialog box.

A report out this morning first suggested that an incremental iOS 6.0.1 update, said to have entered testing, will fix this and other issues plaguing the iOS 6 software. iDB has now received another confirmation that a fix is in the works, via an alleged email exchange between a reader and Apple's SVP Scott Forstall who's in charge of the iOS platform...

More headache for Apple and MFi partners as multiple clones of Lightning design emerge

Apple has replaced its decade-old 30-pin connector with a brand new 9-pin Lightning plug in its latest round of iPhone and iPod refreshes last month. Per teardown, the new Lightning I/O has also brought with it an authentication chip that along with tightened ‘MFi’ terms is meant to prevent third parties from making unapproved accessories.

Adding insult to injury, it's also been suggested that cracked chips which bypass its authentication functions are now available. Today, BGR posted images of several claimed third party authentication chips for Lightning USB cables.

Of course, the chips are not officially approved by Apple and present an ample opportunity for shady Chinese firms to manufacture Lightning cables, adapters and other accessories that should easily work with Lightning-equipped iOS devices while costing far less than Apple's overpriced alternatives....

Mosaic lets you create beautiful photo books from your iPhone

It's funny how things happen in life. A couple weeks ago, I was telling my wife that I would like to start putting together photo books of our daughter on a monthly basis, right from my iPhone, but without spending hours putting them up together. At the time, I told my wife that to my knowledge, there was no such app that would allow me to publish photo books in just a few minutes.

Then, as if they had heard me, the fine folks at Mosaic emailed me to let me know about their upcoming app and printing service, which lets you create beautiful printable photo books in a matter of minutes. I was definitely sold on the idea, but I still had to try it for myself.

I was sent an early release of the app, as well as a coupon code worth $26.50, which equals to $20 for the photo album, and $6.50 for shipping charges. With this loaded on my iPhone, I was really excited about the opportunity to try on this new service...

Paid iBooks go live in a slew of new countries

With less than 24 hours away until Apple's media event that will serve as a launchpad for the mini iPad and rumored new educational initiatives, Apple has rolled out paid iBookstore content in a slew of new countries. Paid electronic books first surfaced this morning over in the New Zealand iBookstore, but subsequent reports confirmed that paid content is now live - or in the process of going live - in as much as seventeen Latin American markets...

Galaxy Note II TV ad sold me on the stylus thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NNNHLjMc9I

Pundits are holding their breath as Apple is prepping to unleash the iPad mini upon the world, but over at Samsung it's business as usual. The company's mobile arm this morning posted to its official YouTube channel an interesting television commercial for the massive 5.55-inch Galaxy Note II phablet.

Now, it's true the media slammed Samsung over its stylus thing called S-Pen, but I'll be the first to admit this  30-second ad effectively makes the case for a stylus-based tablet computing. A team of people is seen collaborating on ideas while on the go, using the stylus and apps optimized for it.

It's not likely Apple will release a stylus-based device in the near future. Remember, Steve Jobs once said, "if you see a stylus, they blew it". Samsung hardly blew it with the Note: by August, it sold ten million units worldwide. Somebody out there must be loving a stylus on their tablet...

Can a smaller iPad up the cool quotient in education?

As Apple dresses up San Jose's California Theatre for Tuesday's big event, rumors multiply suggesting a strong K-12 push for the iPad mini. The Next Web was first to report of this, providing a screenshot depicting an e-book listing on the iTunes Store which inadvertently mentioned Apple's iBooks 3.0, which hasn't been released yet.

Today, Bloomberg confirms the iPad mini's focus on education and expands on existing reports by writing that Apple expects the forthcoming device to widen its lead in education over Amazon and Google, whose respective seven-inch tablets start at just $199. Eve with the smaller iPad expected to command a premium, possibly starting as high as $329 (or $249 if Barclays Plc is right and this leak is legit), Apple certainly will offer discounts to educational institutions which buy devices in bulk.

We're also expecting interesting back-to-school promos centered around the iPad mini, much in the same way the company's been doing for years with MacBooks, iPods, iTunes Gift Cards and other gear...

Everything we know about the iPad mini

We are now just 24 hours away from Apple's October 23 media event, where the Cupertino company is expected to do something it hasn't done since January 27, 2010: unveil a new iOS device. Sure, we've seen updated iPhones and iPods over the years. But the last time we saw an all-new mobile product from Apple, Steve Jobs was hoisting it on stage.

That should, however, change this week, when Apple introduces the long-rumored "iPad mini." The scaled-down tablet has been the subject of speculation and gossip for more than two years now. And if insider reports and part leaks hold true, it looks like the mythical slate is finally going to materialize in San Jose's California Theatre tomorrow.

If this all sounds like a big deal, that's because it is. With the iPad mini's pricing said to be somewhere around $300, and its screen size between 7 and 8-inches, Apple's wading into an already well-established budget tablet pool that is currently dominated by the likes of Amazon, which just introduced a slew of new Kindle Fires, and Google.

Even with the tough competition, though, analysts and pundits alike are betting on Apple to sell millions of these bite-sized iPads — especially with the holidays around the corner. But does the Cupertino company's new tablet have what it takes to live up to the high expectations? You tell us. Here's everything we know right now about the iPad mini ...

Samsung said to end LCD sales to Apple

More fallout from Apple's patent lawsuit win against Samsung: the South Korean company's LCD arm will stop selling displays to the Cupertino, California iPhone maker. The reason? Samsung Display no longer sees Apple as "a cash-generator due to the iPhone maker's stiffer supply-chain management structure," a South Korean newspaper reports.

"We are unable to supply our flat-screens to Apple with huge price discounts," a senior Samsung source was quoted Monday. To make up for the lost business, both Samsung's own handset unit and Amazon are upping their orders from Samsung Display, the source said...

A Smart Cover case for the iPad mini could cost $39

Apple could also offer some smart protection for its smaller iPad when it launches tomorrow, a new report alleges. As you're aware, Apple is currently offering polyurethane and leather Smart Cover cases for the current 9.7-inch iPad 3 and iPad 2, priced at $39 for the polyurethane version. If you want leather, that'll be a $30 extra. Per this new price list which surfaced this morning, Apple-branded covers for the iPad mini should also retail at $39. Part numbers also indicate a possible brand new iPad protection product...

Apple reportedly readying iOS 6.0.1, iOS 6.1 due post-holidays

Apple has allegedly begun testing iOS 6.0.1, a maintenance release that should address the annoying screen flicker which some users reported as happening when the iPhone 5 keyboard pops up. The release should also fix another issue with the camera’s flash not going off. Apple is also working on iOS 6.1, the first so-called dot update to its mobile operating system powering iPhones, iPads and iPods. This release is not expected until after holidays, indicating that the upcoming iPad mini will initially run the current iOS version...

Analyst thinks the iPad mini will be the priciest seven-incher

Is Apple's upcoming iPad mini aimed at consumers looking for an inexpensive tablet or folks seeking an Apple tablet that can be popped into a jacket pocket?

That's the real question facing observers as the Cupertino, California company prepares to introduce its 7.8-inch product tomorrow. The answer, of course, will tell us just who Apple thinks its rivals are in this space...