Rumor Roundup: Crystalline dreams
Apple Pay may mean the end of physical bank cards within 2-3 years, argues Moven CEO (9to5 Mac)
Source: Some CEO
Chance it's true: None
This is a case of a guy whose eyes are bigger than his stomach (or brain). Apple Pay seems cool and all, and I'm truly looking forward to using it when it finally makes it down to New Zealand sometime in the mid 2020s, but to say that physical bank cards will be gone in 2-3 years seems like the wildest hyperbole. How are all the people without iPhones (or other smartphones) supposed to pay for things if plastic cards are gone? Cash? A check? Brightly colored beads?
If he'd said 10-15 years, I might have bought this. 10 points for enthusiasm, but minus several million for good sense.
Retina iMacs and Apple Displays Within Reach as New DisplayPort 1.3 Spec Finalized (MacRumors)
Source: Reading way too much into things
Chance it's true: Who knows.
The fact that the specification has been finalized doesn't mean Retina-class desktops are in Apple's near future. They may or may not be, but the implications made in this article are heavily speculative.
Blockbuster start for iPhone 6 suggests Apple on track to sell 60M phones in December quarter (AppleInsider)
Source: A bunch of analysts
Chance it's true: 30 percent. At most.
Analysts toss a bunch of numerals in the air and read out whatever falls on the dank floors of their offices. We're supposed to care what they think, for some reason never adequately explained.
Source: Chinese newspaper
Chance it's true: 50/50
When you have to write the words "reliability unclear" in your headline, it's time to step back and ask if the story is worth publishing in the first place. If you care about being a credible source of news and have respect for your readers, then probably not. If instead you care about feeding the pageview monster at all cost, then by all means, publish that questionably reliable story without delay.
Ive's design team might be to blame for the Apple Watch's poor battery life (BGR)
Source: Some guy who used to work for Apple
Chance it's true: Who knows.
The New York Times interviewed some guy who supposedly used to work for Apple, and his claims about the Apple Watch can only be framed in that light: this guy had nothing to do with the device's design. Does he have a clue what he's talking about, then? Who knows. What's more, who cares? Pageview gold either way!
Report claims Apple will hold Oct. 21 event for new iPads and Yosemite (Updated) (9to5 Mac)
Source: "People familiar with the matter"
Chance it's true: None. Zip. Zero.
This story got a big "nope" from Jim Dalrymple, who knows of what he speaks. Burned again, rumor blogs. Better luck next time!
Foxconn employee detained by Chinese police for iPhone 6 shell leaks (9to5 Mac)
Turns out there are very real and possibly severe consequences for those who steal and sell Apple's property to the highest bidder. But only in China. If you're a Silicon Valley blogger, you get away scot free.
Apple 'never' planned to use sapphire covers for iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus - report (AppleInsider)
Source: "People familiar with the matter"
Chance it's true: 100 percent
So much analyst nonsense and similarly poorly-sourced hype surrounded the possibility of sapphire covers for the iPhone 6 that many people were hardcore disappointed when the device debuted with just boring old ion-strengthened glass. Ho-hum.
Meanwhile, it turns out Apple had no designs on sapphire display covers for the iPhone 6, for multiple reasons.
My dad messaged me a few days after the iPhone 6 debut and asked if he should upgrade his 4S to a 6, "or wait for the sapphire crystal, which may be coming next year?"
"Upgrade now," I said. "Don't put your trust in rumors."
Imagine if my dad held out for another year solely on the hope that the iPhone 6s would have some magical sapphire display cover. September 2015 rolls around, the iPhone 6s comes out, and guess what? No sapphire. Who do you think my dad ends up blaming? The jackass rumor blogs? The legions of dipstick analysts who don't have a clue what they're talking about?
Of course not. He'd blame Apple. Most people would.
If anyone wonders why I hate stupid Apple rumors, stupidly-sourced news about Apple, and stupid rumor bloggers who treat every word some know-nothing analyst spews forth about Apple like it's gospel, that's why. Perfectly normal and otherwise intelligent people are altering their purchasing decisions because they've fallen for pageview-hungry BS.
It needs to stop. But since I know it won't, here I am.
