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Rumor Roundup: 'The skepticism it deserves'

chris rawson
Updated ·4 min read
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Report: Christian Bale drops Steve Jobs role in upcoming biopic (9to5 Mac)

Source: Hollywood

Chance it's true: Who knows

Film casting is so fickle, and can change so quickly for so many reasons, that it's not really worth reporting on it until someone actually shows up to the set and starts acting in front of a camera.

Of course, terrible sources and half-baked rumors are what these guys have built their entire houses on, so why should film rumors be any different?

With Christian Bale bailing, Sony in talks with Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs film role (9to5 Mac)

Source: Hollywood

Chance it's true: Again, who knows

"I am convinced" that if Michael "Magneto" Fassbender doesn't play Steve Jobs, it will be because of this rumor.

Apple rumored to abandon iPad mini in 2015, move to 12-inch 'iPad Pro' (AppleInsider)

Source: Chinese website

Chance it's true: 30 percent

Honestly, the only reason I gave this a 30 percent chance of being true is because that's the historical accuracy record of these sites. AppleInsider calls this rumor "dubious," but I don't think that goes quite far enough. In fact, the only adjectives I can think of to fully and accurately describe the likely veracity of this rumor aren't fit for publication in a family-friendly venue like TUAW.

It's far beyond the realm of common sense how anyone can claim with a straight face that "sources in the supply chain" have any clue what Apple's product strategy will be nearly a year from now.

OH NO: Report warns Apple might be facing a huge iPhone 6 Plus recall (BGR)

Source: Korean website

Chance it's true: None

OH NO: BGR failed to perform anything remotely resembling actual journalism and credulously re-blogged this nonsense. Once again it apparently falls to 9to5 Mac to debunk the manure spread by other rumor blogs, which, once again, is causing me some pretty profound cognitive dissonance.

Rather than issue a correction or retraction of its original article, BGR reblogged 9to5 Mac's debunking of their own article. The mind reels. It boggles. Then, fed up with it all, the mind throws up its hands, grabs a bottle of Shiraz, and takes early retirement.

EXCLUSIVE: Proof Apple knows the 'Bendgate' problem is much more serious than it publicly admitted (BGR)

Source: Some BGR reader

Chance it's true: Comfortably close to zero

Last year, BGR fell all over itself trying to categorize the iPhone 5c as a failure or flop at every SEO-infused opportunity. This year, BGR is apparently refusing to let Bendgate die, long after everyone else has stopped paying attention.

Even if this report from some BGR reader is accurate in its claims that Apple is tracking whether its newest phones are being returned for bending issues, there are any number of reasons Apple might want to track this beyond some shadowy "Bendgate is real and more widespread than you think" body snatchers BS. It's entirely possible - and given what we all know of human nature, probable - that many people have jumped on the Bendgate hype and used that as an excuse to get a free replacement iPhone after deliberately applying excessive force to their phone. Apple could be tracking returns made for this reason to get some idea of how many fraudulent returns it receives, or it could just be a means of monitoring the fallout from the Bendgate media blitz.

The fact that this tracking could be happening for pretty much any reason, assuming it's happening in the first place, makes BGR's attempt at conspiracy mongering seem like the desperate grab for pageviews that it actually is.

Report claims steel Apple Watch to start at $500, gold model between $4-5K (9to5 Mac)

Source: French website

Chance it's true: Who knows

Predicting prices for a product not scheduled to launch until some vaguely defined "early 2015" date is... well, brave is the most positive spin I can put on it.

Wild rumor seems to confirm Apple's interest in iPhone 3D displays (BGR)

Source: Chinese website

Chance it's true: 30 per- yeah, never mind. None. None whatsoever.

BGR says, "The same publication said that Apple might discontinue the iPad mini next year, and replace it with the iPad Pro, so you really should treat this rumor with the skepticism it deserves."

Yes, BGR. You really should. I guess the question is, why didn't you?

Don't answer that. We both (pageviews) know (pageviews) the answer (pageviews).