Rumor Roundup: A black mark on your record
With few exceptions, the spotlight this week was on the rumored next-gen iPhone(s). The closer we get to the (presumed) reveal date, the more plausible and less dumb the rumors get -- on average. There are still some clunkers in here, as there always are.
Analyst: US$400-500 iPhone 5C will hit China Mobile in Q3 and replace the iPhone 5 globally in Q4 (9to5 Mac)
Some "often reliable" analyst says two silly things:
"iPhone 5 will reach end-of-life at the end of 3Q13, while shipments of iPhone 4S will continue until the end of 2013."
iPhone 5S will exceed iPhone 5C in shipments
First of all, ending the iPhone 4S line before the iPhone 5 doesn't make sense. It seems like a safe bet that Apple is looking to get devices with 30-pin dock connectors out of its product lineup; the iPad 2 is very likely on borrowed time, which would leave the iPhone 4S as the only 30-pin device still soldiering on (except for the iPod classic, but that poor, neglected thing doesn't really count anymore).
As for the iPhone 5S exceeding the 5C in shipments? If the iPhone 5C is meant to be the "budget" model iPhone that price-sensitive consumers are meant to flock to, then how does it make any kind of sense at all for the "premium" iPhone 5S to have more devices shipping?
Apple on track to build 5.2M 'iPhone 5S,' 8.4M 'iPhone 5C' units this quarter (AppleInsider)
And see, now this same guy is contradicting his own predictions. Now he thinks Apple will ship 8.4 million iPhone 5C units and 5.2 million units of the iPhone 5S. "Well-connected insider" is apparently the new way to say "standup philosopher."
Apple iOS 7 beta 7 to be released today (BGR)
19 August: "We are told by our trusted sources that Apple has once again seeded a new build of iOS 7 to partners, and that it should be released to developers later today."
It's 26 August as I write this. iOS 7 beta 7 still hasn't been released. I hope you didn't trust that source too much, BGR. P.S., please never stop showing us all how ironic the "G" part of your name is.
Shell from completely redesigned iPad 5 leaks in silver for the first time (BGR)
Gee, it looks just like a bigger version of the iPad mini. Exactly what we've been expecting for months. I hope BGR didn't hurt themselves leaping to post this BREAKING EXCLUSIVE information.
iPhone 5S will come in gold & likely sport fingerprint sensor, iPad iOS 7 running behind (9to5 Mac)
This is mostly a good overview of the rumors surrounding the next-gen iPhone and well worth reading, except for the egregious use of "sport" as a verb (*twitch, twitch*) and this part:
"Even though iOS 7 is yet to even ship, it's also time to talk iOS 8."
No, it really isn't. We won't even see a developer preview of iOS 8 for at least nine months. At this point there can't be more than a handful of people within Apple who have the foggiest clue what iOS 8 may offer. Those people have names like Jonathan Ive and Craig Federighi, and they're not likely to be leaking things to anyone.
Yes, Apple Will Sell a Gold-Tone iPhone (AllThingsD)
AllThingsD is one of the few tech pubs I still trust when it comes to this stuff. So, it looks like the gold iPhone will probably be a thing. Not my thing, though -- you can pry my black-on-black Darth Vader iPhone 5 from my cold, dead hands.
Supplier to Ship Two Apple iPhones in September (Wall Street Journal)
This article seems excessively lengthy, especially considering the fact that it brings absolutely nothing new to the table that we haven't already seen elsewhere.
New iPhones rumored to rollout on September 20th, at least in Japan and Greece (9to5 Mac)
Seems plausible. If past experience is any indicator, it'll probably launch in every single English-speaking country except Ireland and New Zealand around the same time. (I don't know what Apple has against beautifully green islands, either.)
iPhone 5C Rear Shell Subjected to Scratch Tests, Caliper Measurements (MacRumors)
"Based on caliper measurements, the iPhone 5C measures 124.55 mm tall x 59.13 mm wi-" ZZZzzzz... *snrk* Huh, wha?
Black iPhone 5C pictured for the first time in leaked photos (BGR)
"Apple's upcoming mid-range iPhone 5C will seemingly debut in black along with all of the other colors that have leaked thus far." You sound pretty confident about this. I really hope this came from another "trusted source," or you might end up looking foolish.
Apple reportedly has no plans to launch a black iPhone 5C (BGR)
"Photos of what appeared to be a black iPhone 5C emerged for the first time earlier this week, and there's a reason we hadn't seen the handset in black before: the device pictured was a fake."
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Journalism!
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Report: Apple negotiating w/ media companies for pay TV service, working on full-fledged TV set (9to5 Mac)
"The report doesn't offer up any details that we didn't hear around this same time last year (and the year before that)."
I know, isn't it great? All anyone ever really has to do is change the year on their stupid rumor articles and hope no one notices. Instant profits.
Approvals process will delay iPhone 5C launch in China until end of November – rumor (9to5 Mac)
The good news here is that either this rumor is wrong or a certain "well-connected" analyst is. Either way, someone's getting pointed and laughed at.
Pegatron employee spies a pile of iPhone 5Cs, all warming up for September (Engadget)
Engadget was ready to dismiss this as fake, but then they did some actual investigation (so proud!) and found this spy shot likely came straight out of Pegatron's factory. They also speculate this employee is likely now an ex-employee. I'd say that's a safe bet.
Apple said to have tested 64-bit 'A7′ chips for iPhone 5S, 31% speed increases reported (9to5 Mac)
A couple of people have said iOS 7 isn't even compiled for 64-bit, and a few others have raised a stink over some of the technical details in this article (and the plethora of others like it). I guess we'll have to wait for the inevitable Geekbench results leaks to know for sure.
