Macotakara

iPhone 8 could be called iPhone Edition, may launch well after September announcement

Japanese blog Mac Otakara is reporting that Apple's OLED-based iPhone 8 may be marketed under the “iPhone Edition” moniker, saying the flagship handset may hit store shelves well after an announcement in September. The story corroborates prior rumors and analyst reports suggesting that iPhone 8 might launch later than expected and cost upwards of $1,000.

Mac Otakara expects the LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus iterative updates to go on sale shortly following the announcement.

Rumor: four new iPad Pros, 128GB iPhone SE and iPhone 7 in Red to be unveiled next month

Fairly reliable website Mac Otakara is reporting that Apple will be holding a media event next month to announce hardware updates for several of its popular products. Wondering what's on tap for a refresh? According to the Japanese publication, Apple will add a new 128-gigabyte iPhone SE model to the existing 16GB and 64GB capacities.

In addition, we should also see the previously rumored Red model of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and four new iPad Pro models introduced at the event.

Rumor: iPhone 8 won’t ship with wireless charger, USB-C cable or headphone jack adapter

Japanese blog Mac Otakara claimed Saturday that iPhone 8's rumored wireless charging feature may require a dedicated wireless charger accessory that customers would need to purchase separately. Citing reliable sources within Apple's supply chain, the story goes on to say that iPhone 8 also won't ship with the 3.5mm headphone jack adapter found in the iPhone 7 box nor will it come with a Lightning to USB-C cable as some have hoped.

Apple may extend iPhone 6s battery replacement program to iPhone 6 (updated)

According to a rumor by Japanese blog Mac Otakara, Apple may extend its iPhone 6s battery replacement program to iPhone 6 following reports from iPhone 6 owners who claim to have been plagued with the same issues as their iPhone 6s counterparts.

UPDATE: an unnamed source inside Apple corporate told AppleInsider that there are no immediate plans to offer a battery exchange program for iPhone 6 devices. “We constantly evaluate service statistics,” said the source. “There are no plans or grounds for a wide iPhone 6 battery exchange program at this time.”

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

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.

Report: new iPad mini Pro, 10.1″ iPad Pro & updated 12.9″ model due in Spring 2017

Japanese blog Mac Otakara has heard from reliable sources that Apple is gearing up to refresh its iPad lineup in Spring of 2017 with an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro model, a new 10.1-inch model joining the lineup and a fifth-generation iPad mini, which should gained the 'Pro' moniker and be marketed by Apple simply as the 7.9-inch iPad mini Pro.

For the most part, the outlet corroborated a previous report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with one major difference: Kuo claimed Apple would be releasing a 10.5-inch model iPad Pro model next year, not the 10.1-inch device mentioned in Mac Otakara's report.

Rumor: iPhone 7 will also be offered in Darth Vader-like glossy black colorway

Japanese blog Mac Otakara was first to report that Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 refresh would include a Space Black Apple Watch-like darker color option replacing the existing Space Gray colorway. Tuesday, Mac Otakara published a pair of photos purportedly showing a claimed iPhone 7 SIM tray in Darth Vader-like glossy black finish said to resemble the exterior of the 2013 Mac Pro. Sources told Mac Otakara that the next iPhone would come in a total of five color choices.

iPhone 7 may ship with 3.5mm EarPods and Lightning adapter

Apple's next flagship handset, dubbed by many to be the iPhone 7, will ship with standard 3.5mm EarPods and an adapter for the Lightning port, reports Mac Otakara. Of course, the device is widely rumored to be shipping without a headphone jack.

Should the rumors materialize, a 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter would allow users to connect any standard-jack headphones to the new iPhone. Such a move may help appease customers who are expected to be disappointed about the hardware change.

Apple’s reportedly decided not to add Smart Connector to iPhone 7

An unconfirmed iPhone 7 part which leaked out of China back in March had us wondering whether the iconic smartphone might come outfitted with the iPad Pro's Smart Connector. Since then, various analysts and sources have speculated that this could indeed be the case, including the fairly reliable Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

Today, however, Mac Otakara reports that Apple has decided not to include the Smart Connector on the iPhone 7 after all.

Reliable Japanese blog reaffirms Smart Connector, no headphone jack and other iPhone 7 rumors

Mac Otakara, a fairly reliable Japanese-language blog, learned from its own sources this morning that the rumors pertaining to some of the more controversial iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus features are in fact true. No headphone jack? You bet! That CAD design rendering supposedly sourced from Apple manufacturer Catcher Technology which gave us a closer look at a trio of suspicious-looking dots on the back of the phone? Yup, that's a Smart Connector! Wait, what?

Rumor: iPhone 7 has a thinner Lightning port, flush camera and stereo speakers

The fairly reliable Japanese blog Mac Otakara today shared some new details pertaining to Apple's iPhone 7 refresh, which we're expecting around its usual September timeframe.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Mac Otakara says that the next iPhone will be 1mm thinner than the current iPhone 6s, which measures 7.1mm in depth, making the new phone the same 6.1mm thickness as the sixth-generation iPod touch.

Somewhat surprisingly, the iPhone 7 won't be waterproof after all and should also incorporate a thinner Lightning port. The camera bulge on the back will be gone because the phone's iSight camera is now flush with the chassis. Oh, and the new iPhone will come outfitted with stereo speakers—for the first time in iPhone history.

Rumor: Photos app in iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 should be on par in terms of features with iPhoto

A report yesterday by the fairly accurate Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims insider knowledge of an improved Photos app in Apple's upcoming iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 operating system refreshes that, as per sources, should gain new features putting it on par with the discontinued iPhoto app.

Apple was somewhat criticized for its decision to discontinue Aperture and iPhoto in favor of the new Photos app, which took almost a year to gain support for third-party image editing filter and effects on the Mac.