A new video and several photos of a purported working iPhone 6 have surfaced on Weibo today. The photos and video show what's believed to be an authentic 4.7 inch iPhone 6, sporting a new wallpaper as well as a new Passbook icon. Even though it is hard to confirm the authenticity of this device, it does seem to show some hints of legitimacy.
TechCrunch is out with a late report this evening regarding Apple's supply chain movements ahead of next week's iPhone event. The outlet claims that it has once again taken over a majority of the shipping space out of China, likely to help move its new handsets.
In fact, Apple's shipping volume is apparently so high right now, that it's begun displacing shipments from other manufacturers. TC's Matthew Panzarino says that shippers, such as FedEx and UPS, are so booked up, it's causing delays for other major device makers.
Recode reports that Apple has signed on the country's two largest pharmacy chains—CVS and Walgreens—to participate in its new mobile payment service. The company is expected to unveil the service, alongside two new iPhones, at a media event in Cupertino next week.
This is a big deal for a few reasons. For one, CVS and Walgreens have a combined total of over 15,000 retail locations, giving Apple's new payment service a significant initial footprint. And two, due to the nature of their business, they tend to see a high rate of transactions.
Modified Russian accessory vendor Feld & Volk, known for customizing iPhones with luxury parts like solid gold volume buttons, Friday on its Instagram profile published photos it claims show a rear camera with optical image stabilization for a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 version, along with an assortment of other claimed components such as the microphone, speaker and the power button with rubber seal.
Jump past the fold, give the images a quick look and join us in comments for an analysis.
Bank Innovation shares some new details on Apple's mobile payments project this afternoon, reporting the company has managed to negotiate deals for lower credit card transaction fees with several banking institutions. This includes JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Capital One, and Bank of America.
Citing sources familiar with the negotiations, the site says that the banks have all agreed to give Apple a flat transaction rate for both in-store and online purchases, which is fairly uncommon in the industry. They will also apparently give the Cupertino firm a 10% discount on all of its processing fees.
Joining today's conversation about a flurry of announcements due September 9, journalist Brian Chen filed a report today with The New York Times claiming that Apple's iPhone 6 will feature a so-called “one-handed mode” in an effort to address usability issues anticipated for a phablet-class device.
The lengthy story also takes a closer look at the rumored Apple wearable device which, according to Chen's sources, will have NFC technology and feature a flexible display protected by a sapphire-made cover.
The article corroborates the consensus out there that the iPhone 6 will come in 4.7 and 5.5-inch flavors, both featuring an on-board Near-Field Communications (NFC) chip to facilitate mobile payments.
Apple updated its website this afternoon to announce that it will be providing a live video stream of next week's iPhone event. On a new Live page at Apple.com, the company has posted a countdown timer that expires just before 10 am on September 9th.
We are expecting Apple to unveil two new iPhones during the event, at least one of which features NFC for a new mobile payment system. It's also believed that we'll finally see the firm's so-called iWatch, although rumor has it that it will just be a preview.
There's been a flurry of speculation by fans and watchers alike that the popular Irish rock band U2 will be performing live at Apple's media event next Tuesday and even preload its new album on the forthcoming iPhone 6. Thursday morning, an Irish newspaper added to the confusion.
The band's spokesperson purportedly quashed the rumor in a statement released to Independent [Google Cache]. The story got pulled minutes later without an explanation, casting doubt on its veracity.
As Cody told you last night, The Sunday Times newspaper first started this rumor based on vague hearsay among fans and shady photographic evidence in the form of images depicting U2's secret video shoot in Dublin last week, which music promotor Stephen Browne shared on Twitter.
Adding up to the ongoing conversation about Apple's purported wearable project dubbed by the media the 'iWatch', The Wall Street Journal affirmed Thursday that the fashionable gizmo will connect to the upcoming iPhone 6 via NFC and come in two sizes to appeal to both gender’s preferences.
NFC stands for Near-Field Communication, which is a short-range wireless technology required for the handset's rumored mobile payment functionality.
In their write-up behind the paywall, reporters Lorrraine Luk, Daisuke Wakabayashi and Greg Bensinger quote people familiar with the matter as saying that both iWatch sizes feature a curved organic light-emitting diode screen, or OLED.
There will be sensors to track and monitor health and fitness data, as expected. According to the Journal, Apple's use of NFC technology on the iWatch signals that it “sees a role for the device in digital payments”.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities is on a roll today. After detailing his expectations for an iWatch, the analyst in a note issued to clients today also summarized his thoughts concerning the upcoming iPhone 6 devices which are expected to be unveiled next Tuesday at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California.
As per AppleInsider, which has obtained a copy of Kuo's report to clients, rumored sapphire protection won't be an option for this year's iPhone refresh. Moreover, both 4.7 and 5.5-inch models should be available in a 128-gigabyte storage flavor and will include a new barometric pressure sensor to support indoor navigation applications, as well as new health-related functions related to spirometry.
Wrapping up his report, Kuo wrote that the iPhone 6 device should also feature a programmable power button for integration “with specific applications”.
Some interesting rumors began bouncing around the tech world earlier today regarding popular Irish rock band U2 and Apple's big media event next week. The chatter has ranged from the iPhone 6 coming preloaded with the band's new album, to it performing live after the keynote.
Much of the speculation seems to stem from U2's secret video shoot in Dublin last week. According to The Sunday Times, the group closed down Samuel Beckett Bridge for the recording and placed black sheets around the set to prevent the public from seeing what they were shooting.
The iPhone 6, or whatever Apple is going to call it, has yet to be announced, but there are already people lining up for the device. CNBC notes that at least 5 customers have already set up camp outside of Apple's flagship 5th Avenue Apple Store in New York City.
It's not uncommon to see folks lining up outside of Apple retailers ahead of a major product launch—last year folks began forming lines around September 6th. But this year, campers have taken it to a new level, with some showing up before the month even began.