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The WWDC 2010 Keynote metaliveblog
For many of the Apple faithful, the keynote addresses at WWDC are like Christmas Day -- there's always something new and shiny under the Apple tree, even if we in the blogging profession have already peeked inside some of the packages. Join a cast of TUAW bloggers in a "metaliveblog" of today's WWDC Keynote starting at 10 AM PDT (1 PM EDT). We use CoverItLive will be traditional liveblogging and will be discussing the event as it happens as well as taking your questions and comments throughout the keynote. The liveblog tool is located below, and the complete transcript of the event will be available immediately after the completion of the liveblog. So keep refreshing to see the latest updates, which will be at the top of the liveblog. Update: We will try to keep going with CoverItLive for the moment as response has improved. TUAW Keynote Metaliveblog
Is AT&T moving up your iPhone upgrade date?
In anticipation of a new iPhone coming out soon, I visited my online AT&T account information last week to see when I'd be available for an upgrade. As of last Wednesday, the upgrade page showed that I'd be available for a new phone upgrade on 9/21/2010. This morning we received a tip from TUAW reader Omar, who noted that his date had been moved up from late October of 2010 to "discounted equipment pricing when you sign a new 2-year commitment." That intrigued me, so I decided to check for myself. Sure enough, the upgrade page for my AT&T account now shows the information seen above (account and phone number information deleted to protect the blogger). While we're not sure that this offer has been extended to all iPhone 3GS owners on AT&T's system, it's certainly showing up for a lot of people. Well, at least two of us... Note that you don't have to sign into your AT&T online account info page. Just call *639# from your iPhone, and within less than a minute you'll receive a text message outlining your upgrade options. How about you? Has AT&T changed your iPhone upgrade date? Let us know! As for me, this really makes the thought of getting a new iPhone HD attractive, even though I won't be able to (legally) tether my iPad through it. Update: Our own Megan Lavey reports getting the alert message shown here.
One of tomorrow's announcements? iPhone HD (Update - it's a fake)
Pursuitist claimed to have photos from a "European insider at TBWA/Chiat/Day," the advertising agency for Apple worldwide. We'll send you to Pursuitist to view the photos in deference to their find, but we are showing you a photo (above) snapped inside of Moscone Center that displays the iPhone HD. Pursuitist also notes that the device will be offered in all white and all black, although the Moscone photo appears to show the phone in a rainbow of colors. Other features include a front-facing camera with video chat and an upgrade to iChat, better battery life, a camera with higher resolution (and a flash), and advanced apps management and multitasking with iPhone OS 4.0. Of course, this could be a last-minute "leak" to throw off all of us bloggers, but the consensus seems to be that the new iPhone will carry the iPhone HD moniker. Only during tomorrow's WWDC keynote will we know for sure. Update: As numerous commenters are noting, the photo we're showing above has apparently been around for awhile. We receive so many faked images every day that it's sometimes hard to keep 'em straight. Sorry! However, you may want to still take a look at the Pursuitist post to see the gallery of photos that they're displaying, which may be just as fake.
White iPhone 4 casing shows up in yet more photos
Steve Jobs didn't seem too upset over the story of the lost / stolen iPhone 4 last night at D8, so we're sure he won't mind that yet more parts for his next-gen phone have leaked out -- this time PowerBookMedic.com has scored the white version of the casing. As usual, the Engadget staff is now in a fierce and somewhat disturbingly violent debate over the relative style merits of black and white iPhones, so don't look for us to get much done for the rest of the day. Many more pics at the source link.
iPhone 4 gets KIRFy with an antenna
We're sort of loving the fact that Apple's next-gen iPhone is already being KIRFed up, and although we've already seen a couple clumsy attempts at beating Apple to market with a clone of its own product, this lovely GPS-PHONE raises the bar by adding in a telescopic antenna. What's it for? We have no idea. We just know we want one.
The iPhone 4's outer case makes it on camera... in Portugal
iPhone 4 parts just keep on dribbling out of China and turning up around the world -- this time it's the next-gen phone's outer case on a video from iPhone Portgual. The site actually has two cases, which it says were purchased by a reader in China, and while they look genuine enough, we obviously can't tell for certain whether they're real. In any event, at this rate we'll have enough leaked parts to assemble the entire damn thing by the time Steve takes the stage at WWDC to announce it in a few days -- or hey, maybe he'll just show it off at D8 tonight. Either way, we'll be there. Videos after the break. [Thanks, Mike]
Confirmed: Apple's next iPhone will have video chat, feature to be shown in ads directed by Sam Mendes
Well this can't be tremendously surprising. Apparently American Beauty director Sam Mendes is in the process of putting together a series of commercials for Apple's next iPhone, which according to a tipster is being referred to internally as the Mammoth / N90. Besides that tip (with a handful of juicy details), a trusted source has confirmed to us that the ads will feature at least one spot where a mother and daughter are having a video chat conversation using the new front-facing camera that's been spied on the face of that iPhone floating around Vietnam and Northern California. Adding weight to this story, a cursory search on Twitter revealed that there's at least one actress who is up for a role in the "f***ing apple commercial" in New York, and another fellow who is auditioning for spots in California. We don't know much more than that, but we're fairly confident that this confirms video chat is coming to the next iPhone, and that that said iPhone isn't very far from our grasp. Remember folks, June 7th is just a kiss away.
White next-gen iPhone apparently materializes in full form
Clearly a white front plate was not enough to satisfy curiosity. Though we aren't able to verify this ourselves, Chinese site Apple.pro has a couple shots of what it claims to be the white next-gen iPhone, almost fully assembled (the front plate looks like it hasn't been snapped in all the way) and casually lounging next to the black model we've gazed upon so many times at this point. Is this enough for us to trust and comfortably change our palette preferences? Nah, but surely 15 days until expected confirmation can't be too excruciating of a wait.
iPhone video conferencing surfaces in supposed test firmware
Need a bit more evidence that the next iPhone will do video conferencing? Then take a good, hard look at the exciting screenshot above, which supposedly comes from a field test firmware for the next-gen iPhone that Apple is apparently working on. Not much more to go on than that at the moment, unfortunately, but Boy Genius Report says the screenshot (and a second one after the break) comes from one of its "Apple guys" and, as you can see, it not only offers yet more evidence of video calls, but video call debugging.
White front plate looks all set and ready for next-gen iPhone, or not
As our extensive KIRF library shows, China's one wild country that can make almost anything you don't want, so don't mind us while we inspect this new finding with extra caution. This particular Chinese online seller not only claims to have parts for the next-gen iPhone, but also one white face plate -- something not seen on iPhones thus far. While we drool over the thought of an all white Apple handheld, there are still questions to be answered here: the seller wasn't able to explain what that silver bit above the speaker is, nor have we seen white back plates to match this. Furthermore, we were given a "maybe" for a bulk order of 15 to 20 units, which is quite a lot for something that's not even out yet, but we were told over the phone that there's always a back door to Foxconn as long as you wave cash at someone. Not that you should engage in such risky business, plus this piece's authenticity will be revealed in about three weeks' time, anyway. One more shot after the break. [Thanks, Francesco]
Fourth generation iPhone teardown reveals A4 microprocessor
See the marking on that chip with the Apple logo? No, not the "N90" codename indicating that it's from Apple's next generation GSM iPhone, the other text. If we're not mistaken then we're seeing "339S0084" on that chip from today's fourth-generation iPhone teardown. Guess what? According to Chipworks, that's the Apple A4 microprocessor fabricated by Samsung and the presumed work of Apple's acquired PA Semi and Intrinsity engineers. The "APL0398" text is also the same as that found on the iPad's speedy and power sipping A4 system-on-chip. The other markings differ however. What that means isn't entirely clear yet but we're digging.
Next generation iPhone unscrewed from Vietnam (update: video!)
The kids at Taoviet have really outdone themselves. From the looks of these images, the Vietnamese site has nabbed an honest to goodness 4th generation iPhone -- a 16GB model to be exact. It's clearly pre-production judging by the XXX placeholders on the backside stamp and likely lacks a bootable OS, just a "Bonfire" test routine. Nevertheless, it looks authentic enough that we expect Apple's henchmen to be busting down the guy's door before he pries it open to reveal Apple's chipset of choice. A few more pics in the gallery. Update: We've spotted a difference from this model and the unit that Gizmodo bought. Notably, the pair of screws at the bottom of the device are gone. The cleaner design could indicate a newer prototype (closer to the actual retail model) though both the iPhone 3G and 3GS went to market with a similar pair of screws. Comparison shot after the break. Update 2: Oops, too late Apple, teardown pics added showing an Apple branded processor. Note the black "N90" text on the white sticker -- that's the rumored internal codename for Apple's next generation GSM iPhone. Yeah, that looks like the A4 processor to us. Update 3: Video! Unfortunately, this sucker's never going to boot to the OS. And if the translation in our comments is correct then the unit was purchased for US$4,000. %Gallery-92853%
iPhone OS 4 unlocks 720p video capture, further solidifying iPhone HD?
Last time on let's-speculate-about-Apple-products, the New iPhone rumor mill dug up dirt on video chat and a 5 megapixel camera. Now, it appears there might be one more reason to call it the iPhone HD. MacRumors reports that the iPhone SDK 4 beta includes the value "AVCaptureSessionPreset1280x720," leading some to believe Cupertino's next phone will record video in 720p. Mind you, the iPhone 3GS was technically already capable of that feat, so this might not have anything to do with a new handset, but honestly, at this point the iPhone's camera wouldn't be competitive recording in a smaller format anyhow.
Apple's next iPhone: what we know (and what we don't)
The iPhone 4G? iPhone 4? iPhone HD? Simply "iPhone"? There's plenty we still don't know about Apple's upcoming handset, like the name for instance, but thanks to an unprecedented leak and a whole bunch of peripheral rumors, we've got just about the most info you could hope for going into a major Apple launch. Follow along after the break as we parse through what we know, what we've heard, and what we hope for in the next iPhone.
Next-gen iPhone splayed, battery probably not meant to be replaced by the unwashed masses
It's been pretty low-key, so we totally understand if you haven't heard anything about it yet, but it turns out there's a next-gen iPhone floating around somewhere outside Apple's sphere of reality-distorting influence. We'll spare you the backstory there, but Gizmodo saw fit to do a little non-destructive (more on that in a moment) teardown of the device today. There's actually not that much to see or learn from it, but we couldn't help but notice the prominently-placed translucent tab underneath the battery imploring only "authorized service providers" to proceed, which we figure is a pretty strong sign that Apple will continue its nefarious legacy of blocking owners from managing their own juice -- a fact that's corroborated by Giz's claim that it takes the removal of two screws and a suction cup to get in there anyhow. As for the delicate, decidedly un-iFixit-like nature of the teardown, the site explains that it didn't want to "damage the connections beyond repair," and since the silicon is all buried under a tightly-manufactured metal plate, we don't get to learn whether the phone's rocking an A4 processor right out of the iPad parts bin. Of course, worst case, we expect to know that tidbit at the launch event -- or, failing that, mere moments after the suckers go on sale when the first retail units donate their bodies to science. Hang on tight, everyone.
iPhone 4G: is this it?
Is this the iPhone 4G (or iPhone HD)? There's no way to tell for sure, but these photos which made their way into our hands certainly do a convincing job of making us think that's very much the case. Apparently the phone was found on the floor of a San Jose bar inside of an iPhone 3G case. Right now we don't have a ton of info on the device in question, but we can tell you that it apparently has a front facing camera (!), 80GB of storage (weird, right?), and isn't booting at this point (though it was previously, and running an OS that was decidedly new). It's not clear if this is definitely a production model, or just a prototype that found its way into the world, but it's certainly a compelling design, no matter how you look at it. There may be a chance to get some more face-time with the handset, but we wanted to get these photos to you guys ASAP. Stay tuned, we're working on more details as we type -- for now, enjoy the gallery below! Update: As a number of observant commenters and tipsters pointed out, this looks almost exactly like a Twitpic posted by TUDream on February 20th, which we're throwing after the break if for whatever reason the source link goes down. It's low-res, shows an indiscriminate bit of the inside, and some mysterious button / possible SIM slot in the middle of the other side. The mic holes on this pic seems to be larger, too. %Gallery-91042%
Numerous new iChat clues found iPhone OS 4
We don't really know why Apple wouldn't have mentioned iChat at its "tentpole"-filled keynote if it was all ready to go on it, but the eternal optimists within us would like to believe that the merest glimpse of the app would instantly reveal a front facing camera on whatever new iPhone hardware is in the works, therefore relegating the app to secrecy. Still, the evidence does indeed seem to be mounting for the software's inclusion in the OS. Outside of the iChatAgent process that was spotted last week, 9 to 5 Mac has pulled the covers off references within the SDK to moderators, chat rooms, encrypted video conferences, and more. They even uncovered the same notification noises that the desktop iChat application uses. Sure, this could all be one big misunderstanding, but hopefully these breadcrumbs actually do point to a long-overdue, well-integrated IM experience on the device, video or no. [Thanks, Maj0]
WSJ: Apple 'developing new iPhone,' plus another for Verizon (update: iPhone HD, front-facing camera?)
You heard right, folks -- according to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is currently "developing a new iPhone to debut this summer," and as if that weren't enough, it's also "working on another model for US mobile phone operator Verizon Wireless." As of this moment, details about the break are nowhere to be found, but it's not like either tidbit is shocking. This summer will mark the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 3GS, and if the Cupertino-based company keeps with its historical refresh pattern, we're just a few months out from seeing the latest and greatest iPhone. There's also been no shortage of iPhone-to-Verizon rumors over the years, with the latest of 'em happening during the run-up to the iPad's launch. Update: We're now learning that the "next iPhone is being manufactured by Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry," which just so happens to be the same outfit responsible for crafting all prior iPhones. That's according to "people briefed on the matter" and sourced by the WSJ. It's also stated that the world's first CDMA iPhone will be manufactured by Pegatron Technology, which we caught just last week dabbling in some of NVIDIA's Tegra 2-based wares. If all goes well, Pegatron could begin mass production of the CDMA iPhone (exact model not disclosed) this September, so it's hard to say if Sprint or Verizon would have access before the all-too-lucrative holiday season. As for quotes on the matter? Most everyone involved wouldn't say a word, but an AT&T spokesman did utter the following: "There has been lots of incorrect speculation on CDMA iPhones for a long time. We haven't seen one yet and only Apple knows when that might occur." On a week that couldn't possibly get any bigger for Apple, that's exactly what just happened. Everyone suspected that a fourth-generation iPhone was in the works, but having an outlet like the WSJ confirm it just makes the summer that much harder to wait for. There's also the possibility that 2010 will be the final year that AT&T retains its death-grip on the iPhone, but by the sound of this report, it still seems as if the nation's largest GSM carrier may nab exclusive rights on the latest iPhone. We also can't help but wonder about the future of a true 4G iPhone -- will Sprint manage to grab a WiMAX-enabled version? Will Verizon get its grubby paws on an LTE model? We figured only Jobs would know, but now... there might just be someone else out there willing to spill the beans. Update 2: Soon after the news broke, we were informed that the next-generation iPhone would be announced on June 22nd (a Tuesday, naturally) and would be dubbed the iPhone HD (a name that has been tossed around before). That certainly makes sense given that Apple almost certainly has to up the pixel count in order to rival the EVO 4G, HD2 and all of those other high-res handsets, but we're still reserving judgment until we see that fateful media invite hit our inbox. Update 3: John Gruber's just weighed in with some more tidbits, in his characteristically polite way. Gruber says the next model will have an A4-class SoC, a 960 x 640 display, a front-facing camera, and that iPhone OS 4.0 will enable third-party multitasking. A pretty safe set of predictions, in all, but Gruber's done pretty well in the past, so we'll just have to wait and see. [Thanks, Chris]
