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Colorware, Photoshop, or iPhone 2?
Okay, let's just say this upfront: if this were real, it would've been lawyered into oblivion by now; Apple would've done everything in its power to make sure that every last trace of the image had been wiped off the interwebs. Be that as it may, we still think this image of a Photoshopped or physically modded iPhone (or both) makes for an interesting jumping-off point for discussion over the inevitable materialization of the so-called iPhone 2 in the near future: what do you want it to look like? We know 3G is in the cards, but we really haven't spent a lot of time obsessing over what physical changes could / should be in store. So yeah, let's all go ahead and get into it -- meanwhile, we'll be over here in the corner with our already black, already 3G, already open N95 8GB trying to figure out why Creatures of the Deep is an N-Gage launch title.[Via Boy Genius Report]
3G iPhone: is June launch now inevitable?
Another press event, another 3G iPhone no-show. Man, just think how nice it would be to have a brand spankin' new HSDPA capable iPhone for downloading all those fancy new apps. Sure would come in handy for syncing your massive corporate email accounts (with attachments), too. Otherwise, you iPhone users will be stuck with your paltry EDGE when WiFi isn't available. Will that all change in June with the launch of the 2.0 firmware? That's what the rumor mill says -- and it makes sense to us. What say you?Hint: Apple's WWDC, while unannounced, is expected to begin on June 8th.
3G iPhone rumored to be Infineon-powered, hitting "mid-year"
Hold the presses: Apple may be releasing a new iPhone this year... with 3G! Crazy, we know. The latest iteration of this rumor comes to us courtesy of UBS analysts, who say Infineon will likely be building chips for the phone -- they're powering the current iPhone, so no real surprise there. UBS is also betting on a mid-year 3G iPhone launch, and thinks that EDGE production will ramp down early so Apple gets a chance to clean out inventories. We've got a good feeling about this one, guys. [Thanks, Tim G.]
Goldman Sachs says second-gen iPhone is in "final design phase," Apple TV to get LCD screen
We're not certain why anyone treats the inevitable arrival of a second-gen iPhone sometime next year as earth-shattering news, but Goldman Sachs released a note to clients yesterday saying that the rumored 3G version is in its "final design phase." The investment firm's David Bailey says he got the info from the usual assortment of moderately-reliable Asian component suppliers, and that he expects the new model to have "similar form factor" with a "different look." Rounding out his list of obvious predictions, Bailey also said the existing model will get a capacity bump sometime next year as well, which makes sense given the proliferation of 32GB flash devices we've seen pop up lately. Somewhat more interestingly, Bailey also said that Apple is planning on retooling the Apple TV next year, and that his sources the new version may pack an LCD screen. Sadly, Bailey didn't have much to say about that rumored subnotebook, only that he's heard of possible "design issues." That doesn't sound too promising -- but we're certain Steve will fill us in next month.
Macbook ultraportable and Penryn Mac Pro due for Macworld, 3G iPhone in June?
We've taken a "don't stop believing" approach to Apple ultraportable rumors up to this point, and there's no reason to think these "fresh" predictions from CNBC's Jim Goldman are anything different, but they at least serve as a nice refresher in the lead up to Macworld in January. Goldman predicts the new Pro laptop will be half the thickness of the MacBook Pro, the hard disk will be replaced with NAND storage, and Apple will be selling the thing for $1,500 -- the same price the black MacBook currently goes for. He's purportedly citing sources that claim to have seen the product, and says that the laptop is supposedly due to show up at Macworld. Jim's sources also say that the 3G iPhone is supposed to hit shelves by late May or early June of next year, which beats out some industry predictions of a late '08 release.Of course, since it's just a month before Macworld, it's about time the rumor mill heated up a little beyond incessant Macbook and iPhone rumorings, and MacBidouille is stepping up to stoke the flames. The French rag is claiming that the Mac Pro will get bumped to an 3.2GHz eight-core Penryn setup (totally believable) featuring NVIDIA QuadroFX graphics (sure) with a BTO Blu-ray burner available (maybe), and that DVD Studio Pro will be renamed Disk Studio Pro and refocused on BD authoring (another definite maybe). On top of that, MacBidouille also claims that OS X 10.5.2 will be released, and that it will be "the largest and most important intermediate system update ever released by Apple." We're a little less sure we buy that, but as always, only time and Steve will tell.[Thanks, L2 and Mark]Read - Jim Goldman predictionsRead - MacBidouille predictions
AT&T CEO outs 3G iPhone: "You'll have it next year"
Of course the 3G iPhone is coming, that's clearly in the evolution plan. As Jobs said himself, it's only a matter of time until improved batteries allow for it. Still, when AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson says, "You'll have it next year," well, our ears tend to perk up. The remark was made at a meeting of the Churchill Club in Santa Clara. He didn't say how much it could cost admitting that Jobs and Apple "will dictate what the price of the phone is." However, it wouldn't surprise us if fits back into the $599 slot vacated by the 8GB iPhone while toting a full 16GB of flash like the iPod touch.
Vodafone to have exclusive rights to 3G iPhone in Q1?
It's been awhile since we've had a decent 3G iPhone rumor to kick about. Perhaps it was the collective disappointment of the 2.5G release on Europe which deflated all the mongering. Whatever it was, we all know it's coming, it's just a question of when. Well, the gossip coming out of Italy calls for a Q1 release of a UMTS iPhone. Italian site Morse.IT claims to have spoken to high-level sources and "confirms" in no uncertain terms that Vodafone has signed an exclusive deal with Apple. Right, the same company currently suing T-Mobile in Germany for their iPhone exclusivity. The launch of the 3G iPhone would occur simultaneously in all countries where the carrier operates but will not be announced until after the holidays (MacWorld?) to avoid impacting sales of the existing iPhone. The timing chides well with other rumors calling for a 3G release before May. Still, a Vodafone iPhone sold in the UK and Germany would seem a violation of those long-term exclusive deals presumably signed with Apple by O2 and T-Mobile, right? Sure, unless of course, those contract were for rights to the "iPhone," not the "iPhone 3G" you silly lawyers. [via Unwired View]
iPhone Extreme listed in Apple code -- say it ain't so
We wouldn't figure Apple to be a company that would just slap "Extreme" on the back-end of one of its products (er, so maybe we would), but nevertheless, a strange reference was recently spotted while perusing some of the source code on Apple's website. The code, which was noticed "while looking through the source on the feedback site," lists iPhone Extreme as a product value, but that's absolutely all we have to go on for now. Notably, this isn't the first time a handset has been prematurely discovered by snooping through code, but here's to hoping that this thing gets a name change if it indeed proves real.UPDATE: AppleInsider is now reporting that the phrase was "simply a sloppy copy-and-paste job on the part of an Apple webmaster who apparently used the company's existing AirPort Extreme feedback form to creating one for the iPhone." [Via AppleInsider, thanks Daniel]
iPhone Extreme listed in Apple code -- say it ain't so [update: it ain't so]
We wouldn't figure Apple to be a company that would just slap "Extreme" on the back-end of one of its products (er, so maybe we would), but nevertheless, a strange reference was recently spotted while perusing some of the source code on Apple's website. The code, which was noticed "while looking through the source on the feedback site," lists iPhone Extreme as a product value, but that's absolutely all we have to go on for now. Notably, this isn't the first time a handset has been prematurely discovered by snooping through code, but here's to hoping that this thing gets a name change if it indeed proves real.UPDATE: AppleInsider is now reporting that the phrase was "simply a sloppy copy-and-paste job on the part of an Apple webmaster who apparently used the company's existing AirPort Extreme feedback form to creating one for the iPhone." [Via AppleInsider, thanks Daniel]
Where the hell is the 3G iPhone for Europe? We might know.
The only thing more slippery than an iPhoneSIMFree release date has to be the magically, mystical 3G iPhone rumored for Europe. At least with the latter, Apple has been kind enough to drop a few dreggy hints. Add 'em all up and Apple Expo -- kicking off September 25th -- seems to be the prime time for Apple to announce a new flagship 16GB, 3G iPhone. Don't believe it? Check this:
Apple's iPhone functioning with Vodafone?
Here's an interesting one. While just about every citizen in Europe twiddles their thumbs and awaits an iPhone announcement for their side of the pond, more than a few impatient souls have been looking for ways to utilize the device in their homeland right away. Most recently, however, is an intriguing report that a US-sourced iPhone is functioning fine (save for the lack of visual voicemail) on Vodafone after a user swapped an AT&T SIM card into an O2 XDA, had the carrier add it to his current contract, and then stuffed the now-Vodafone-compliant AT&T SIM back into the iPhone. Interestingly, hordes of IRC participants are balking at the story, suggesting that SIM numbers are network specific and that Vodafone should not have been able to pull off the aforementioned feat of magic. Hmm, we wonder if Vodafone's bubbling excitement to get ahold of Apple's handset could have anything to do with it?Read - US iPhone works with VodafoneRead - Vodafone "looks forward" to 3G iPhone
3G iPhone for Europe to be announced Monday?
Oh man, here we go. Another rumor about that 3G European iPhone. This time, the source is Guy Kewney of Newswireless who, until recently, doubled as eWeek.com's European wireless editor -- i.e., he's the real deal. As the story goes, Apple is set to announce a four-way deal: Vodafone and T-Mobile on the carrier front with Carphone Warehouse out in front as the MVNO. Hmmm, well, this kind of deal would certainly provide Apple's upstart mobile phone with far broader coverage than a Vodafone exclusive could muster while providing a solid brick-and-mortar base on a continent (mostly) void of Apple stores. Best of all for Europeans, the announcement expected on Monday will be 3G. That's right, while you're queuing up for EDGE data, Europeans might be unwrapping an HSDPA iPhone in a 4-way press release. Here's the rub, bub: do you really think Apple will provide Europe a 3G iPhone before the end of the year and not release it in the US at the same time? Now the tough choice: stand in line for your 2.5G iPhone or wait and see what happens on Monday with this rumor (and we repeat, it's just rumor at this point). Decisions, decisions. [Via Pocket-lint]
Credit Suisse: Vodafone likely to carry (3G?) iPhone in Europe
According to a Credit Suisse research note, Vodafone is the frontrunner to carry sole rights to the iPhone in Europe due to their coverage in most European markets. Fine, we've heard this before. The difference this time, however, is an accompanying "confirmation" of a mostly done-deal by way of anonymous Vodafone sources to Europe's Bright Magazine. The story is also being carried by Europe's mainstram media including reputable Dutch news site, nu.nl. Of course, if Apple's going to sell 6 million European iPhones in the next 3 years as expected by Credit Suisse, then you can bet that little slab will be sporting a 3G radio for data-happy Europe. Apple already promised Europe an iPhone in Q4 and, funny enough, 5 million units of the 2nd generation iPhone are rumored to begin shipping from Taiwan in September. Surely, Stevie boy won't release a 3G iPhone in Europe without spreading the love Stateside will he? But let's not get too far ahead ourselves, mkay, it's all just speculation heaped upon rumor at this point. [Via MacDailyNews, thanks Beef S. and William M.] Read -- Bright (Dutch)Read -- Credit Suisse Read -- Nu.nl (Dutch)
