Rumors

Amazon working on premium Echo model with 7″ touchscreen to “fend off competition”

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 29, 2016

Bloomberg's well-informed Mark Gurman reported Monday that online retail giant Amazon is developing a brand new premium model of its Echo wireless speaker that will feature a built-in seven-inch touchscreen in an effort to “fend off competition” from Google's Home device and Apple's rumored entry into the connected home market with its own Siri-powered hardware.

Amazon may release a higher-end Echo device, known internally as “Knight,” early next year. It will target kitchens and cost more than the current Echo models.

KGI predicts massive iPhone 8 upgrade cycle, 4.7″ model to feature wireless charging

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 29, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a note to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, predicting record 150 million iPhone sales in the second half of 2017. A 4.7-inch iPhone 8 with an LCD screen and glass casing should feature wireless charging, he wrote.

“Unprecedented replacement demand” will, of course, be led by a rumored high-end iPhone 8 model with brand new industrial design, power-saving OLED display technology and other “notably superior specifications” from the “less exciting” 4.7 and 5.5-inch LCD iPhones.

100+ new creatures coming soon to Pokémon GO

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2016

After analyzing new code in a Pokémon GO update coming next month, The Silph Road has discovered that developer Niantic Labs will be adding more than a hundred new creatures to the popular augmented-reality game, including normal and legendary ones.

In addition to the new species, the code confirms other new features like Pokémon trading, player vs. player battles, new ways to raise/train your monsters and more.

The most recent Pokémon GO update added a Nearby Pokémon feature, the purple shape-shifting Pokémon, called Ditto, and other perks.

Apple is said to have more than ten different iPhone 8 prototypes under development

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2016

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Apple has as many as ten different iPhone 8 prototypes under development, including a higher-priced model with an advanced display based on power-saving organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology that multiple industry sources, analysts and supply chain makers have been talking about for months now.

Asian suppliers have been asked to increase output of thinner OLED displays and submit prototype screens “with better resolution than ones from Samsung” to Apple.

10.9″ iPad Pro to have the same footprint as 9.7″ model thanks to skinnier bezels

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2016

A new report Monday from the fairly reliable Japanese outlet Mac Otakara claims that Apple's rumored 10.9-inch iPad Pro model (10.1/10.5-inch, depending on a source) will have the same footprint as the current 9.7-inch models thanks to a lot skinnier bezel on the left and right side.

Citing unnamed Taiwanese sources, the publication reports that the device will also be a tad thicker than the existing 9.7-inch iPads at 7.5 mm, making it thicker than the iPad Air 2 (6.1 mm) and the same thickness as the original iPad Air.

Apple R&D center launching in Indonesia in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2016

According to Indonesian publication Tempo, Apple has agreed to set up a research and development center in Indonesia, home to 250 million people. The country's Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara told the outlet that Apple will be setting up its R&D facility in early 2017 in the city of Jakarta.

While Rudiantara couldn't reveal the investment value, he expressed hope that Apple would build additional R&D centers in other Indonesian regions.

10.5-inch iPad Pro rumored to target education and enterprise markets

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 24, 2016

Apple may position its rumored new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model as the go-to tablet in the education and enterprise markets, if a report Tuesday in DigiTimes is anything to go by. The Taiwanese trade publication learned from Asian supply chain makers that the Cupertino firm's decided to add a new screen size to the lineup because existing 9.7-inch models proved too small and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro too expensive for business users and students.

Rumor: Apple working with LG on dual cameras for iPhone with 3D photography features

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 24, 2016

A future iPhone could enhance the iPhone 7 Plus's depth-of-field Portrait photography mode with all-new “3D photographing” features, according to a new report Thursday from The Korea Economic Daily. The outlet is reporting that the Cupertino firm has teamed up with LG Innotek on a next-generation dual-camera module with 3D photography features, likely to be used in select 2017 iPhone models.

President-elect Trump promises tax incentives for Apple to build “Made in USA” iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 23, 2016

Apple reportedly asked contract manufacturers Foxconn and Pegatron to look into assembling iPhones in the United States and now we learn that Tim Cook phoned President-elect Donald Trump following his victory to talk about U.S. manufacturing.

In an interview with The New York Times, Trump reveals he's promised tax incentives to Apple to build its products domestically rather than outsource component production and assembly work to Taiwanese and Chinese suppliers and contract manufacturers.

Apple could slash prices of next year’s 4.7″ and 5.5″ iPhones with legacy LCD technology

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 23, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is on a roll this morning with a litany of reports pertaining to Apple's next-generation 2017 iPhone refresh. According to another note issued to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, Kuo says he expects the Cupertino firm to slash prices of both 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone models next year.

That's because those iPhones are expected to continue using legacy LCD technology. By lowering prices for those models, Apple might potentially regain some of the market share lost to more affordable Android handsets.

iPhone 8 to hit mass production late in the third quarter of 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 23, 2016

In another note issued to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says he expects a next-generation iPhone to hit mass production late in the third quarter of next year. The widely rumored premium OLED iPhone model should account for a little more than half of new model shipments, or about fifty to 55 percent.

A 4.7-inch variant of next year's iPhone is projected to account for 30 to 35 percent of orders while its 5.5-inch brethren is expected to account for ten to fifteen percent of iPhone shipments next year.

KGI: iPhone 8 will have all glass casing to support wireless charging

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 23, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said many times over the past few months that Apple's Tenth Anniversary iPhone due next year will move from the current unibody aluminum industrial design to an all-glass front and back plate sandwiched between a stainless steel frame.

In a new note to clients, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, Kuo explains that the reason why so-called 'iPhone 8' will switch from metal to glass for its casing is to support advanced wireless charging technologies.