Yesterday morning, my friend and colleague Oliver Haslam laid out an interesting case for why he believes, despite overwhelming evidence, that Apple won't implement LTE technology into any of its mobile products this year.
Oliver thinks that because there aren't 4G networks in every corner of the world, and because current LTE devices suffer from issues like poor battery life, we won't be seeing LTE in the next iPad or iPhone. But I happen to think he's wrong...
Right, I'm going to come right out and say this before I go any further: I'm going to get a lot of stick for this, and the rest of the iDB team thinks that I've lost my mind, but I'm going to write this anyway. I don't think the iPad or iPhone is going to get an LTE radio. At least, not yet.
Now I know this flies in the face of what we are being told by just about everyone, including a very recent article by the Wall Street Journal. The general consensus is that Apple will indeed bring an iPad 3 to market during the coming weeks, and that said iPad 3 will be the first Apple device to come packed with an LTE radio for hooking up to super-fast 4G networks.
I, however, think you're all wrong. Here's why...
Last year, Apple broke its three-year tradition of announcing a new iPhone during its WWDC event. The World Wide Developers Conference, which takes place in mid-June, is a major event for the Cupertino company.
For reasons unknown, Apple didn't unveil any new hardware at last year's conference. Instead, consumers had to wait until October to purchase the company's new handset. But according to a new report, that won't be the case this year...
Apple may not like it when we all start talking about unreleased hardware, but such speculation doesn't seem to be doing one of its biggest partners any harm.
In fact, Foxconn's close relationship with Apple has seen its stock price skyrocket to an all-time high thanks to extremely strong iPhone 4S sales combined with new rumors of iPhone 5 production.
Foxconn currently manufactures almost 50% of the planet's electronics, with Apple being its most high profile customer thanks to its hugely successful iOS devices in particular...
Rumors are part and parcel of an Apple device, but 9to5Mac just dropped something of a bombshell, with the news that a Foxconn employee has apparently told them that the iPhone 5 – or whatever it ends up being called – is ready for final production, leaving a summer launch a possibility.
Rumors of just what the iPhone 5 will be have been around for quite some time now, but this latest round comes with added weight, assuming this supposed Foxconn employee's information is accurate.
The source also shared some other interesting information, including the size of the screen and other structural tidbits that could alter the smartphone landscape considerably...
Rumors are very much part of the Apple culture, and nothing garners more speculation than the iPhone. We're only a few months into the life cycle of the iPhone 4S, but we are already in the realms of both the sublime and the ridiculous when it comes to rumors for what will become of the iPhone 5.
The biggest rumor that just will not die is one that suggests the next generation iPhone will come with a new, larger screen. With a 4-inch part being rumored strongly, a new analyst has joined the discussion, although they are apparently unwilling to share who their sources are.
Pinch of salt in hand with this one then...
A week ago we told you about a company named Liquipel. As the name suggests, the company's work involves an invisible, liquid-repelling coating that can make your iPhone and other gadgets completely waterproof.
But apparently, they're not the only ones with the technology. A little Utah-based startup named HZO has a similar waterproof coating it's working on called Waterblock. And word on the street is, Apple is interested...
[tube]zGsgsDdesmY[/tube]
This concept video shows an iPhone 5 sporting not one, but two home buttons, right on the sides of the screen. I fail to see how practical this would be, especially when holding your iPhone in just one hand.
The latest in analyst predictions comes from Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty. According to Huberty, the next-generation iPhone will be slimmer and sport a quad-core Qualcomm chip with 3G and LTE compatibility across all networks.
We've heard plenty of rumors regarding the mythical iPhone 5, and this particular analyst claims that Apple will have its upcoming handset ready for customers in the third quarter of this year.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZsHsH1EouA[/tube]
Last week we told you about designer Antonio De Rosa's next-generation iPhone concept/tribute to Steve Jobs. The iPhone SJ looks like something Jony Ive could have cooked up himself in the basements of Cupertino, and now there's a video of the concept for our viewing enjoyment.
BGR is reporting from a "close source" that Apple has plans to introduce a completely redesigned iPhone 5 in the fall of 2012. The next-generation smartphone will supposedly feature an aluminum casing, much like the iPad 2.
While BGR has gotten iPhone rumors incredibly wrong in the past, the prospect of a redesigned iPhone 5 for 2012 makes sense...
Apple is not going to rest on its laurels next year and will drive sales by introducing new, redesigned iPhone 5 alongside a whole new lineup of iPads, according to Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster.
While simultaneously telling everybody something they already knew as well as attempting to look into his crystal ball, Munster claimed today that because Apple did not redesign any of its products in 2011 — the iPhone 4S is an iteration of the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 offers only cosmetic changes and faster internals — the company absolutely must make complete redesigns next year.
Munster also believes that Apple may decide to do away with its current offering of just one iPad in favor of a new lineup which could include new high and low-end devices to help give customers more choice...