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Rumor Roundup: You don't know jack
Apple now has two sapphire plants for the upcoming iPhone 6 (BGR) The source for this is, of course, some analyst. And the original article -- or at least as much of it as I was able to read before an irritating paywall nag window got in my way -- didn't mention the iPhone 6 at all. WSJ: Apple planning multiple iWatch models with as many as 10 health-related sensors (9to5 Mac) Sounds juicy as hell! Except the WSJ hasn't published an accurate Apple rumor in longer than I can remember. I'm particularly partial to John Gruber of Daring Fireball's take on this non-news: "It sounds to me like all of this information comes from the supply chain and manufacturing sources. None of these sources told the Journal anything that these devices actually, you know, do, other than 'track health and fitness'. This is all really vague, other than the 'multiple sizes' thing. Then the whole thing devolves into made-up speculation from 'analysts'." A story sourced from supply chain rumors, with vague claims, that degenerates into a chorus of analyst wanking? So in other words, it's a prototypical Apple rumor. Also, you've got to love how absolutely every new Apple product rumored to come out this year is supposedly coming out in multiple sizes. The media's continued porn fantasy that Apple will someday magically start acting like Samsung is as amusing as it is mystifying. Hit the road, jack: Why Apple may say goodbye to the headphone plug (Macworld) Macworld is usually way smarter than this. Not this time. Apparently, we're meant to think Apple may be on the verge of ditching the standard, ubiquitous headphone jack in favor of a Lighting-driven replacement. While this article does a decent job of enumerating the advantages Lighting connections have over the standard headphone jack, it does an equally poor job of addressing the fact that, warts and all, the current headphone jack form factor is an industry standard that we're pretty much stuck with for the time being. Apple could easily get away with opening up the Lightning jack to headphone makers for all the reasons outlined in this article, but it could only do so as an alternative to the standard headphone jack at first, not as an outright replacement. Apple could even use the headphone company it just bought as a proof of concept platform for the new connector -- "See, look how much better this is" -- and maybe convince other manufacturers to get on board. But even if Apple did position the Lightning connector this way, there's still a small problem: all the millions upon millions of devices that aren't made by Apple. Headphone manufacturers aren't going to make two versions of their product: one for Apple devices, and one for everyone else. And consumers aren't going to accept an Apple device that only works with a tiny percentage of all the headphones out there. "But iPhones and iPads don't work with most USB accessories," you say, "and people don't seem to care." Yeah, but iPhones and iPads haven't worked with most USB accessories from day one. They work with standard headphone jacks now, today. There's a difference between not having the capability to use an accessory at all, ever, versus having the capability but taking that away. Apple said to team up with pro athletes to test iWatch fitness capabilities (9to5 Mac) I am convinced that if the iWatch doesn't launch in the fall, it will be because of this leak. iOS 7.1.2 to Address Mail, Lock Screen, iBeacon Issues in Coming Weeks (MacRumors) Nothing in this report comes across as very outlandish, and the word "analyst" doesn't appear anywhere, so this one is plausible. Here are the first photos of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6′s alleged display part (9to5 Mac) That could just as easily be a piece of colored cardboard with a ribbon cable glued to it. What's wrong, has the mockup well finally run dry? Foxconn Hiring Record 100,000 New Employees for iPhone 6 Production as Pegatron Also Staffs Up (MacRumors) Taiwan's Economic Daily News is showing up more and more often on rumor blogs. I'm starting to wonder if Digitimes has rebranded itself...
Rumor Roundup: Dummy unit
IPHONE 6 LEAK: This may be our best look yet at the space gray iPhone 6 (BGR) From the article: "The iPhone 6 leak bonanza continues, as two more dummy iPhone 6 units have been photographed in the wild." That's not the only dummy unit that's been seen in the wild. There has been no "iPhone leak bonanza". Mockups don't count. Full stop. IPHONE 6 LEAK: This is what the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will look like next to an iPhone 5s (BGR) From the article: "Another day, another handful of next-generation iPhone 6 leaks." Let me fix that for you: Another day, another brain-dead BGR post from someone who thinks these mockups constitute actual leaks. They don't. iPhone 6 Sapphire Display Limited to 5.5" Model as LG Struggles with iWatch Display Power Draw? (MacRumors) I imagine the headline writing went something like this: "The question mark at the end means we can just claim we were posting this 'for purposes of discussion' if and when this rumor turns out to be false." As for the rumor itself, there is an unholy trinity of "sources" for the ongoing claims that there will be two new sizes of iPhone introduced later this year: a neverending stream of mockups, nonsensical ravings from so-called analysts, and rumors like this one sourced from Asian publications with terrible track records. It seems highly likely there will be a larger version of the iPhone introduced later this year. I've yet to see any convincing evidence pointing to two new versions. Photos: Purported physical mockups for new iPad Air show recessed volume rocker & Touch ID (9to5 Mac) 9to5 Mac gets in on the rumor blogs' favorite new game: pretending these mockups constitute real news. To their credit, 9to5 Mac is at least waving a hand in the general direction of credulity, unlike some other publications who treat these mockups as though an Apple employee left them behind in a bar. Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone may be impossible to find when it launches this fall (BGR) From the article: "Given that these are supply chain sources, they might not have the entire story on how production of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 is going." Gee, you think? "Supply chain sources" are so notoriously inaccurate that Tim Cook himself has repeatedly advised the media against drawing any conclusions from them. But of course, you can't teach a dumb dog new tricks. Or any tricks, really. Including housebreaking. iPhone 6 likely to sport barometer/air pressure sensors to measure altitude, weather (9to5 Mac) <div class="sarcasm"> I am convinced that if the iPhone 6 debuts without these sensors, it will be because of this leak. </div> 2.5-Inch iWatch with Wireless Charging and Pulse Sensor to Enter Mass Production in July (MacRumors) "Sources familiar with the product" make the usual raft of claims about this long-rumored but never-seen product. The only truly new claim here is the screen size, which makes this sound a lot more like an iGauntlet than an iWatch.
Rumor Roundup: Deja vu toujours
Spoiler alert: there is nothing remotely resembling real news to be had in the world of Apple rumors so far this week. Not unless you consider dreck from "analysts" and iPhone mockups to be real news. And if you do, you're probably one of the half-dozen rumor bloggers who hate-reads this column before heading off to subtweet the afternoon away. 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 May Cost an Extra $100, but Consumers Willing to Pay (MacRumors) Some analyst claims the giga-iPhone (not to be confused with the 4.7-inch mega-iPhone) will cost $100 more. Here's the score: someone who undoubtedly has no concrete evidence for his claim whatsoever (typical of Apple analysts) is making pricing claims about a product not even confirmed to exist, and it's being reported as though it's real news. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's happened at least 1000 times. Apple reportedly has enough sapphire for massive iPhone 6 and iWatch launches (BGR) Some analyst makes "supply chain checks" (nearly always a terrible indicator of what's actually going on) and claims Apple has plenty of sapphire to go around for its unannounced, unconfirmed, unreleased products. Here's the score: someone who undoubtedly has no concrete evidence for his claim - whoa, deja vu. Apple predicted to sell 'iWatch' to at least 10% of existing iPhone users in 2015 (AppleInsider) Some analyst makes grandiose claims about how many non-existent iWatches might sell next year. Here's the score: someone who undoubtedly has no concrete eviden- wait a minute. Is there any actual news happening this week, or is sewage-spew from know-nothing "analysts" all the rumor blogs have to offer us this week? As an aside, you've got to love this bit: "Rumors of an Apple 'iWatch' have proven so persistent that many on Wall Street [...] are treating it as an inevitability." That means absolutely nothing, because that's exactly how this cycle plays out every time. Rumor blogs spend months relentlessly spreading every infinitesimal bit of manure from so-called "analysts" and sketchy Asian tech publications. Eventually, the snowball effect takes over, and mainstream publications take notice. The echo chamber intensifies, and soon financial outfits like Wall Street fully buy into the hype. Then, when reality fails to match up with the rumor mill, we're treated to another year worth of idiotic punditry about how Apple has lost its way, and how Samsung's "throw it against the wall and see what sticks" approach is what Apple should emulate, et cetera, ad infinitum. In 2012 and 2013, enough parts leaked for the unreleased iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s that it was almost possible to assemble a complete iPhone unit long before it actually launched to the public. Meanwhile, not a single component of the "iWatch" has seen the light of day. Not a display, not a battery, not a ribbon cable, not a single pentalobe screw. All we have to go on is speculation from people who have no idea what they're talking about. All I'm saying is we need more compelling evidence than the opium-inspired ravings of 100 analysts before betting long on the iWatch. Have we learned nothing from the "Apple HDTV"? (Don't answer that; I know we haven't.) Photos of 4.7-Inch and 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 Model (MacRumors) Oh, look. More iPhone mockups from MacRumors. And as usual, they're reported on as though they're legitimate leaks of actual devices. So I guess that answers my question: no, there is no actual news on offer. Not even the slightest hint of a whiff of real news.
Rumor Roundup: Some assembly required
iOS 8 code shows iPad split-screen, Maps transit in the works; Health interface changed late in development (9to5 Mac) Summary of this article: "Here are 1000 words worth of excuses for why we've whiffed on so many rumors in 2014." Rumor: NFC, wireless charging, improved LTE slated for iPhone 6 (9to5 Mac) NFC and wireless charging have both been rumored iPhone features for several years in a row, but Apple has shown little (if any) interest in either technology. Don't get too excited about this "report" is all I'm saying. IPHONE 6 LEAK: iPhone 6, iPhone phablet release schedule seemingly revealed (BGR) The source for this "leak" -- again, BGR, you don't seem to know what that word really means -- is an analyst who hasn't made a single accurate prediction about Apple since 2012. In fact, this is the same analyst who made the ridiculously laughable "iRing" prediction almost exactly a year ago. "IPHONE 6 LEAK" indeed. Apple's iWatch expected to be even bigger than the iPad in its first year (BGR) Some analyst makes baseless sales predictions for a product that's not even confirmed to exist. BGR apparently didn't think this was newsworthy enough for an ALL-CAPS INTRO, so it's even more safe than usual to ignore this analyst-sourced nonsense. iMac reportedly getting a spec bump next week, but no Retina model yet (9to5 Mac) Unfortunately for "accurate" analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, these alleged iMac updates weren't ready in time for WWDC. But I'm sure we'll find out later this was due to some kind of manufacturing difficulty, or swamp gas reflecting off of Venus... whatever it takes to exonerate both the analyst who made a wrong prediction and the rumor blogs who fawn on his every word no matter how often those words turn out to be wrong. New iPad Air with same design, 8MP rear camera, and more efficient A8 chip enters production this month (9to5 Mac) Asian source says stuff about forthcoming Apple product, offers no evidence for its claims. 9to5 Mac reblogs it. Water is wet, sky is blue. Film at 11. GET READY... New leak supposedly shows the actual, completely redesigned iPhone 6! (BGR) BGR shows either a shockingly limited grasp of the English language or a willful and deliberate ignorance of the meaning of the phrase "fully assembled." From the article: "Of note, internal components are likely not in place in the device pictured." I'm not sure what exactly it is we're supposed to "GET READY" for... other than 50 more brain-dead articles like this one over the next three months.
Rumor Roundup: Post-WWDC rumor retrospective
First we'll open with the new, dumb rumors. Then, we'll review the dumb rumors of months past which failed to come true during WWDC. New and dumb Evidence of Upcoming Retina iMacs Showing Up in OS X Yosemite Beta (MacRumors) Remember when this French website got a story about upcoming, refreshed MacBook Airs right, and I said the rumor blogs would therefore repeat absolutely anything this site said for years afterward? It has begun. (MORTAL KOMBAAAAAT) IPHONE 6 LEAK: These case photos show us how MASSIVE Apple's next iPhones will be (BGR) BGR, you keep using that word, "leak." I do not think it means what you think it means. iWatch Component Production Said to Start Gearing Up This Month, September Launch Speculated (MacRumors) A Cantor Fitzgerald analyst, who hasn't written a single correct prediction about Apple since he used to be a Topeka Capital Markets analyst, makes completely unsubstantiated claims about the iWatch's launch date and price. Of course, it's painfully obvious by now that a terrible track record is no impediment to getting absolutely everything that spews from your word-hole reblogged, so long as it has something to do with Apple. Tangentially, this is an amusing tidbit from the article: "Little physical information has surfaced on the iWatch thus far." If by "little" you mean "absolutely none," then sure. iWatch Reportedly Launching in October with iOS 8 and Curved OLED Touchscreen (MacRumors) This is a prototypical iWatch article: poorly sourced from an Asian publication, with totally unverifiable claims about its specs and launch date, and accompanied by a nauseatingly awful mockup of what the device might look like. Code/red: Yes, Apple's First Wearable Device Is Slated for October (re/code) John Paczkowski's Apple rumor reporting is pretty much immaculate, but you've still got to love this bit of bet-hedging: "Could things change between now and fall? That's certainly possible." It's the "get out of being wrong about a rumour for free" card. All the cool kids are playing it these days. Alleged iPhone 6 Rear Shell Shown From Multiple Angles in New Photos (MacRumors) I'm not going to make a habit of this, but the top commenter on this article wins: "After all the excitement of WWDC, back to iPhone rear shells and mockups for 3 months!" Or as they're known at BGR, BREAKING IPHONE 6 LEAKS. Now, let's look back at the past few month worth of rumors that failed to come true. Old and dumb iWatch + iOS 8: Apple sets out to redefine mobile health, fitness tracking (9to5 Mac) Health and fitness tracking integration was supposedly going to be the "headline feature" of iOS 8. While the next-gen version of IOS hasn't been released to the public yet, thus far this claim doesn't appear remotely close to being true. Also, the "Healthbook" application is just called "Health," and its interface doesn't match what's described in this article at all. And despite claims to the contrary, it's incredibly unlikely Apple changed any of this because of the leak. Apple Stores discounting Apple TV w/ $25 iTunes card ahead of new hardware rumored for spring (9to5 Mac) No new Apple TV hardware debuted. Questionable screenshots from China claim to show TextEdit, Preview, Healthbook apps in iOS 8 (AppleInsider) No iOS versions of TextEdit or Preview were announced at WWDC. This is Healthbook, Apple's major first step into health & fitness tracking (9to5 Mac) Again, neither the name nor the design match up with what was reported here - and again, it had nothing to do with Apple changing its plans because of the leak. Rumor: 12-inch Retina MacBook/Air updates coming soon without fan or mechanical trackpad button (9to5 Mac) This device has yet to show up on store shelves or an Apple keynote stage. Everything to know about iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 (Roundup + New Details) (9to5 Mac) So much wrong to choose from. As before, Healthbook's name and design don't match what's reported here. iTunes Radio hasn't been split out into its own app, Voice over LTE support wasn't announced. Though to be fair, this may still be in the cards for the next-gen iPhone. Messages auto-deletion wasn't announced. TextEdit and Preview apps weren't announced. Game Center wasn't removed from iOS 8. "Apple has announced major new Mac initiatives at WWDC the past couple of years, so perhaps Apple has this new MacBook Air up its sleeves for the 2014 conference." Nope. "iOS 8′s headline feature being health and fitness tracking software." Nope. Apple plans to match Microsoft Surface with split-screen iPad multitasking in iOS 8 (9to5 Mac) No such feature was announced at WWDC. Of course, the typical weaselling-out claim here is the feature "wasn't ready," so if this never shows up at all, I guess we're supposed to assume it's because Apple can't make it happen rather than pinning the blame squarely where it belongs. Apple confirms WWDC 2014 keynote to be held Monday, June 2nd at 10 AM PT; new hardware likely (9to5 Mac) "According to sources, Apple is planning to unveil new hardware at this year's conference." Looks like your sources aren't doing nearly as well in 2014 as they did in 2013. References to new iMac model discovered in OS X 10.9.4 developer preview (9to5 Mac) "The model, dubbed iMac 15,1 could be shown off next week at Apple's WWDC conference, where we've heard that there will likely be some new hardware announcements." Not only was no iMac announced, there were no hardware announcements at WWDC whatsoever. Apple expected to debut cheaper iMac and 8GB iPhone 5s at WWDC [u] (AppleInsider) That little [u] will never erase the shame of your wrongness. Also, chalk up yeeeeeet another strikeout for "reliable" analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Did Apple accidentally reveal the iPhone 6 during WWDC preparations? (BGR) LMFAO, BGR.
Rumor Roundup: Summer child
Another WWDC has come and gone, which inevitably means many stupid Apple rumors got proven wrong. We've looked at a couple of them for this roundup, and we'll see what we can dig up from the archives next time. Alleged OS X 10.10 with Control Center, Visual Tweaks, and More Shown in Blurry Photos [Updated] (MacRumors) These screenshots, blurry as they are, appear to be legitimate. They must have also had something in them that would allow the poster to be identified, because he asked MacRumors to take them down. Unfortunately, The Internet Is Forever, and the photos are still up on a variety of other rumor sites. I wonder if Apple gave him time to clean out his desk before ejecting him from the building. I hope not. Last minute leaks suggest Apple will discuss CarPlay, WebKit at WWDC keynote (AppleInsider) Swing and a miss. Apple didn't talk about either of these things. Another piece of the WWDC 2014 puzzle has been revealed (BGR) So ends the "Wall Street Journal's last-minute leaks are always right" meme: the Journal said Apple would reveal more plans for iBeacons at WWDC, but nothing was announced at all. I guess it's still possible something will come out from one of the developer sessions, but for now we haven't heard anything particularly groundbreaking about iBeacons. Apple Solves Battery Issues with 5.5-Inch iPhone 6, Looks to Ship 20 Million Units in 2014 (MacRumors) Stop me if you've heard this one before: some Chinese website makes unsubstantiated and unverifiable claims about unannounced, unreleased Apple products, complete with projections for how many units will be built. And the rumor blogs spread it like smallpox. Oh, you have heard this one before? Hundreds of times? You were supposed to stop me. Accessory Makers Ramping Up for 5.5-Inch iPhone 6, Sparking Speculation of September Launch (MacRumors) From the article: "Based on his previous reports, [the source] does not have a particularly solid track record in predicting Apple's plans." Mysteriously left out of the article: "But we chose to pass on the baseless musings of some chronically incorrect analyst anyway, because 'iPhone 6' = 'pageview gold'." One more thing Following WWDC's announcement of the Health app and HealthKit, a certain tech blogger (who shall remain nameless) made the following claim: "I am convinced Apple completely redesigned Healthbook and dropped the 'book' because of the leak." You honestly said that? What's more, you honestly believed that? Oh, my sweet summer child. Context: some rumor blog (who shall also remain nameless) has Apple employees feeding them information about unreleased software, almost certainly without the company's consent. Screenshots of "Healthbook" and details on the app and platform leaked to this blog months ago... and then not only was the app not named Healthbook, it didn't look like the leaked screenshots. We're supposed to buy that Apple renamed and redesigned this app simply because the information leaked to some rumor blog? How about a nice, hot cup of nooooooope. Alternate, non-egotistical explanation number 1: Your source was simply wrong. It happens. Alternate, non-egotistical explanation number 2: Your source was only privy to an early build of the app/platform, and Apple changed the name and design later on for reasons completely unrelated to the leak. You know, like improving the UI and simplifying the brand... things Apple tends to do before putting things in front of the public on its own accord. Alternate, non-egotistical explanation number 3: Your source was flagged as a possible source of software leaks and was assigned to a dummy project to confirm this. Once information related to his project leaked, Apple successfully identified the source and unceremoniously showed him the door. Any of those three explanations makes a whole lot more sense than Apple saying, "Dang, some rumor site leaked our stuff. CHANGE EVERYTHING." (I really, really hope it was the third one.) There is no such thing as batting 1000 in the world of Apple rumors. You play the game long enough, eventually you're going to be as wrong as the day is long. Get over it.
Rumor Roundup: Pre-WWDC jitters
By the time this is published, WWDC will be upon us. Strangely, most of the rumors over the past few days have had nothing to do with WWDC at all; they're instead focused farther in the future, and often on products or services that are totally unconfirmed. As for WWDC itself, iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 are obviously going to be the major focuses of the event. No credible rumors have come out suggesting any new hardware will debut; Apple could always surprise us (and it's possible it already has prior to this article's publication), but it's not likely this time around. Crazy 4-inch iPhone that unfolds into an iPad mini reportedly being tested (BGR) This is the stupidest rumor I've heard in awhile (and that's saying something), and absolutely none of the products mentioned in this report sound remotely close to anything Apple might actually relaease. The unrelenting ineptitude of this rumor is explained by the source: analyst Peter Misek, one of the most consistently, preposterously wrong of all Apple analysts. These next two quotes from the article show a lack of critical thinking that's become all too common in all rumor blogs, but especially epidemic at BGR: 1. "Misek is a very well-respected Apple analyst [...] and he probably has a slightly better knowledge of Apple's supply chain." 2. "The analyst does not always have a great track record when discussing unreleased Apple products." So a "very well-respected Apple analyst" with "slightly better knowledge of Apple's supply chain" has a terrible track record with regard to unreleased Apple products. Sounds about right. Apple's iWatch will pack the most important tech most smartwatches are missing (BGR) Supply chain sources from China - always ever so reliable when it comes to unannounced Apple products - now claim the (still unconfirmed to exist) iWatch will have wireless charging capability. Oh man, I am ever tired of hearing stupid rumors about the iWatch. I almost wish Apple would go ahead and release some kind of wearable device if only to stem the relentless tide of awful mockups like the one in this artlicle. IDC lowers tablet shipment forecast, expects a 5.5-inch iPhone could cannibalize iPad sales (9to5 Mac) IDC, the source of this forecast, sounded familiar. Then I remembered: these are the same geniuses who predicted Android market share would peak and decline in 2012 (which didn't happen) and that Windows Phone would surpass iOS by 2016. I guess we're meant to look the other way and only pay attention to their current screwball predictions, though. My mistake. Rumored Split-Screen Multitasking Feature for iOS 8 Not Ready for WWDC Preview (MacRumors) Alternative explanation: this rumored feature was never in the cards in the first place, and now that it's clear it won't be debuting after all, the rumor blogs are in full-on CYA mode. Apple's smart home plan rumored to be a boring certification program (Engadget) Oh, so instead of Apple building a handful of home automation devices itself, it'll be licensing the technology to third parties so they can do far more ambitious things with it? Yawn. Boring indeed. Total snoozefest. God, Apple, you might as well not even bother. Google is over there building self-driving* cars, and meanwhile you can't innovate your way out of a paper bag. Bo. Ring. *only sort of, kind of self-driving, and only in Mountain View. Alleged iPhone 6 Back Cover Shown Off in New Photo (MacRumors) Considering there are absolutely no measurements included or any scaling information given, this photo could very easily be the casing for an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s. Or it could be fake. Ahhh, never mind, let's just toss skepticism out the window and throw all of our CSI superpowers at this thing. Apple Reportedly Asking Chinese Authorities to Crack Down on iPhone 6 Leaks (MacRumors) I'm torn. On one hand, I feel like this is a bit heavy-handed and possibly Orwellian on Apple's part. On the other hand, anything that helps stem the tide of stupid mockups and blurrycam photos with their accompanying heady overanalysis can't be all bad. Apple shouldn't spend too much energy pointing fingers at its overseas suppliers, however; it needs to get its own house in order, as well. Some of the most accurate leaks over the past couple of years have quite obviously come from within Apple itself. If Apple managed to cut off the flow of rumors from both its own staffers and its overseas suppliers, it would be a devastating knockout blow to the cottage industry of TMZ-style hangers-on that have passed themselves off as legitimate technology news sources for the past few years. It's probably not going to happen any time soon - if at all - but a guy can dream. Apple discussing iPhone payments service with high-profile retail brands (9to5 Mac) Speaking of internal Apple leaks, here's what looks like yet another one, although the article predictably hedges its bets and says "the discussions are exploratory" and won't launch "in the near future." But still, Apple: find the people responsible for these leaks and fire them. Did Apple accidentally reveal the iPhone 6 during WWDC preparations? (BGR) No. Just no.
Rumor Roundup: New iMacs definitely (not) coming at WWDC
Report: Apple planning iOS-controlled smart home automation platform for WWDC unveiling (9to5 Mac) People love to make unsubstantiated claims like these immediately before Apple's events. Almost none of them ever come to pass, which sends the tech press into full-on spastic mode, accusing Apple of failing to innovate because the company failed to live up to their predictions. Will this rumor actually come true? Who knows. This bit doesn't exactly inspire confidence: "Today's report doesn't, however, provide much info on the technology behind the new platform." Just to review, we have a grandiose claim, but no truly specific evidence backing that claim up. Maybe this rumored platform actually will debut at WWDC, but if it doesn't, don't pretend to be disappointed. KGI: Every new iOS device this year will be equipped with Touch ID, sensors to be more durable (9to5 Mac) Notice that we're now referring to the research firm itself, rather than the "accurate" analyst associated with it? I wonder why that is. Anyway, the first half of this report deserves a forehead-slapping "duh." I don't think anyone honestly expects that any new iOS devices launched this year won't have Touch ID. AS for the second half of the report, analyst soothsaying over supply chain shipments is about the least reliable prognostication possible in the world of Apple rumors. German carrier allegedly enticing customers to stay by claiming Sept. 19 'iPhone 6' launch (AppleInsider) From the article: "The date itself is likely an educated guess." No, really? You don't say? Is there $ome rea$on you cho$e to publi$h thi$ entirely $uperfluou$ article anyway? Rumor: Foxconn to build 4.7" & 5.5" 'iPhone 6,' Wistron to assemble Apple's legacy 4" model (AppleInsider) Oh, really? Sounds juicy- "...according to Taiwanese tech industry publication Digitimes." -WILL YOU NEVER LEARN?! This article doesn't make even a passing mention of Digitimes' accuracy record, which is about on par with the long-defunct Weekly World News. Digitimes churns out more fiction than even the most prolific of novelists. Not a single word it says is to be trusted or taken at face value. There is plenty of historical evidence for this. Anyone pretending to be a reputable purveyor of Apple news who is still citing Digitimes as a reliable source on anything remotely related to Apple is not worth a tinker's damn. Apple to Announce Beats Acquisition This Week, Drops Price to $3 Billion (MacRumors) Turns out this actually happened, so the rumor blogs can put another one in the "win" column for the first half of this year, right next to the only other story they've gotten right so far. Also, it seems that "Apple doesn't spend big money to acquire companies people have actually heard of" is no longer a valid defense against stupid acquisition rumors, so I expect to hear more nonsense about Apple buying Twitter, Facebook, Tesla, and many more over the coming months. iWATCH LEAK: New report reveals crucial design details for Apple's iWatch (BGR) SURPRISE: BGR plays fast and loose with the definitions of the words "leak" and "report" ONCE AGAIN by citing the ravings of some analyst we've never heard of before today as evidence for this completely speculative and evidence-free non-story. In other words, business as usual. References to new iMac model discovered in OS X 10.9.4 developer preview (9to5 Mac) From the article: "The model, dubbed iMac 15,1 could be shown off next week at Apple's WWDC conference." Oh, a new iMac at WWDC, you say? Sounds promising... It looks like Apple might unveil new iMacs next week at WWDC (BGR) Oh, and now shipping times for the current iMac are slipping? Curiouser and curiouser... Apple expected to debut cheaper iMac and 8GB iPhone 5s at WWDC [u] (AppleInsider) Now "noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo" is saying the iMac will be updated at WWDC?! Well, that's it then. Done deal. We'll definitely see new iMacs at WWDC. It doesn't get any more "reputable" than Ming-Chi Kuo. Wait. What's that [u] in AppleInsider's headline? "Update: In his trademark style, well-connected insider Jim Dalrymple of The Loop put the kibosh on Kuo's predictions, saying "nope" to both a cheaper iMac and 8GB iPhone 5s launch at WWDC." Hang on. Someone contradicted three separate rumors, including one from someone the rumor blogs have dubbed "the most accurate Apple analyst on the planet?" Who is this guy Dalrymple, and what's his accuracy record? Oh... he's someone who actually is well-connected with Apple and a reputable source on the company, and he has a 100 percent batting average. I see. Well, so much for all those bogus iMac rumors then. WWDC will be happening on June 2. Be sure to watch for a cyclone of last-minute rumors from everyone and everywhere.
Rumor Roundup: A neutron star of newslessness
Apple Preparing iOS 7.1.2 Update, Likely Addressing Email Encryption and iMessage Issues (MacRumors) As Apple rumors go, this one is relatively tame and mundane. That means it's far more likely to be true. How the iPhone 6 and iPhone phablet compare to current flagships from Apple and Samsung (BGR) From the article: "We see mockups that supposedly represent Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 compared to other smartphone models every day." Mysteriously left out of the article: "And we post every single one of them, shamelessly, and then make it sound like they're legitimate 'leaks' because we are chasing pageviews above all else and have no respect for our readers' intelligence whatsoever. Speaking of which, here's another one of our execrable articles with an iPhone 6 mockup at its gooey, raw sewage center." This latest mockup non-story is sourced from Business Insider, which makes this post basically a neutron star of newslessness. Only the addition of supporting "evidence" from an analyst or Digitimes could cause this article to collapse into a full-fledged black hole of purest nonsense. Slab of metal that vaguely resembles 'iPhone 6' leaks spotted in Romania (AppleInsider) This headline reads like something straight from The Onion. The article itself isn't much better. It's only a matter of time before we see a story like this (most likely from BGR): IPHONE 6 LEAK: Design similar to Apple's next iPhone found burnt into piece of toast Apple wants Beats for Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, not technology (AppleInsider) Serious question: is there any actual evidence that Apple wants Beats at all, for anything? Any evidence at all? Even a single, legitimate shred? If there is, I certainly haven't seen it. HI-DEF IPHONE 6 LEAK: iPhone 6 compared to every older iPhone in new high-quality video (BGR) From the article: "The latest installment in the ongoing series of iPhone 6 leaks is perhaps one of the most interesting yet." But later on: "An iPhone 6 mockup has been compared to every other previous iPhone model in a high quality, high-definition video for the first time." (emphasis added) Watching BGR's slow self-destruction of the last remaining dregs of its credibility is entertaining on one level, but on another level it's almost painful. The site used to be one of the go-to spots for news on mobile devices. Now it's little more than a poster child for what happens when you chase rumors (and the attendant pageviews) above all other considerations. Compare what BGR was like as little as three years ago to the click-baiting brothel of nonsense it's become today, and let it serve as a cautionary tale: this is what you can become if you stop caring about the truth. Latest Weibo leak shows supposed 4.7-inch iPhone screen backlight part (9to5 Mac) From the article: "Weibo is continuing to be the source of unverified iPhone 6 leaks." Mysteriously left out of the article: "And we post every single one of them..." and so forth. Apple's Acquisition of Beats Could Be Delayed Because of Valuation, Roles, and More (MacRumors) For all the reasons outlined in this article, there's one they left out: the fact that this rumored acquisition never made a bit of sense in the first place. Speaking of things that make absolutely no sense... Apple Testing ARM Based Mac Prototypes with Large Magic Trackpad? (MacRumors) "The question mark in the headline lets us retain our powers of legitimacy!" This rumor crops up every single year, so the only surprising thing about it is that we almost made it as far as June before hearing this BS yet again in 2014. All the reasons this rumor didn't make sense in 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013 remain true this year. The short-short version: ARM processors still lag far behind Intel processors in terms of raw CPU power, often by as much as an order of magnitude. My iPad Air is wicked fast for a lot of applications, but a 2013-era MacBook Pro it is not.
Rumor Roundup: Recycling
Two of the rumors in this roundup are repeats from 2013. And 2012. And 2011. I'm all for environmentally-responsible recycling, but this seems excessive. Apple in talks with Samsung to settle all future patent disputes out of court (9to5 Mac) Too bad this report was shot to pieces not even a day later, when The Verge (among others) reported that Apple and Samsung are both far too pissed at one another to consider a settlement. Considering how adamant both sides were that a settlement is out of the question, the original report from The Korea Times appears questionable at best. Apple reportedly rejects Samsung and Sharp as display suppliers for iPhone 6, keeps LG and Japan Display and adds Innolux (9to5 Mac) From the article: "Taiwanese media is not always the most reliable of sources when it comes to reports of contracts awarded to local companies." That's putting it mildly. Every year a report like this comes out claiming that Apple is ditching Samsung, whether it's for the iPhone's CPU or the iPad's display or some other Samsung-produced component. Yet year after year, Samsung goes on making parts for Apple. However, pattern recognition is apparently a skill most rumor bloggers do not possess. Speaking of which... Morgan Stanley predicts Apple will incorporate NFC into future iPhone for mobile payments (AppleInsider) AppleInsider opens this article by noting that "prognosticators have given failed forecasts for years predicting Apple will add [NFC] technology to the iPhone." For some reason, the article doesn't end there and goes on for several hundred more words. Some analyst at Morgan Stanley said the same thing analysts have been saying about the iPhone for the past three years: "The next one will have NFC. Seriously! Promise. I know we've been wrong about the past three iPhones, but this one is definitely going to have NFC." I think we've now officially reached the point that absolutely everything rumored for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s is now also rumored for the iPhone 6. God help the rumor blogs if all this comes true in 2014, because then they won't be able to recycle the same tired BS next year. Apple reportedly will pay ISPs for direct network connections (Ars Technica) Pretty shocking to see Ars Technica on this week's list -- it usually steers well clear of Apple rumors and sticks to newsworthy stuff. However, the analyst Ars cites for this report isn't a typical analyst; this guy actually knows what he's talking about, which lends his report a level of credibility missing from most Apple rumors.
Rumor Roundup: 'Sketchy'
After a storm of iPhone rumors last week, the past few days have been relatively calm. Perhaps the wealth of actual news in the form of the 10.9.3 update and Apple + Google's agreement to end their patent war temporarily distracted everyone from the typical dog-and-pony show of nonsense. There is, of course, still nonsense to be found. There always is. 'iWatch in 60 Days or Bust' Analyst Claims Apple Developing a 3D Printer (MacRumors) From the article: "Analyst Trip Chowdhry has made a number of outlandish predictions when it comes to Apple." That's putting it mildly. This is the same guy who said Apple would "disappear" if it didn't announce an iWatch within 60 days. By the time this article is published, those 60 days will have elapsed. Something tells me Apple will still be around. Call it a hunch. From the article: "Chowdhry provides little to no details on Apple's 3D printing plans." Well, there's a shocker. Some analyst makes a wild claim about Apple's future plans but provides absolutely no evidence to back it up? This is the most astonishing development since the "water is wet" controversy of 1983. MacRumors did an uncharacteristically good job of tearing down this guy's exceedingly weird claims. As for any future issuances from this particular analyst's word hole, I have only this to say: if Trip Chowdhry issues a note to investors saying the sky is blue, carry an umbrella. For the rest of your life. Latest sketchy photo from Weibo: a giant iPad dummy reboots rumors of iPad Pro (9to5 Mac) 9to5 Mac continues two marvelous rumor blog traditions: posting mockups as though they're actually newsworthy items, and considering said mockups "sketchy" but still writing about them anyway. From the article: "We should note that this would be very easily faked, so the validity of the picture is very much up in the air." Not only could this very easily be faked, it is obviously faked. Where are you guys going to draw the line? If someone in China draws a rectangle on a cardboard box, then writes "iPad" on the rectangle, takes a picture, and posts it to Weibo, are you going to post something about that "sketchy" photo of a mockup, too? Don't answer that. You don't have to. We both know you totally would, without hesitation.
Rumor Roundup: IPHONE 6 LEAK
Apologies for the weeklong absence of the Rumor Roundup. It turns out influenza is not conducive to analytical writing... and drinking martinis and playing blackjack in Auckland is even less so. Sketchy report claims Pegatron has received 15% of orders for Apple's 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (9to5 Mac) 9to5 Mac continues its proud tradition of noticing a rumor seems "sketchy" and then posting it anyway. At least they helpfully note that this latest sketchy rumor contradicts earlier sketchy rumors on the same topic... which, of course, 9to5 Mac also passed off as real news. TSMC Provides First Batch of Fingerprint Sensors for iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and iPad Mini 3 (MacRumors) "Supply chain sources" say what everyone already expects -- that all iOS devices released this year will have Touch ID sensors. Honestly, the only shocking thing about this story is it wasn't sourced from Digitimes. That at least means it has a nonzero chance of being true. Whatever Happened to the Apple HDTV? (Time) Harry McCracken does a brilliant takedown of the perennial Apple HDTV rumor meme, largely kept alive in recent years by Gene Munster. Once upon a time, this mythical device was the darling of the rumor scene, constantly forthcoming in the fourth quarter of whatever year it happened to be. Today, not even the most harebrained of analysts will touch this meme with a barge pole. Time will tell if the iWatch turns out to be in the same category. Apple in final talks to acquire Beats Electronics for $3.2b, deal could be announced next week (9to5 Mac) This was by far the Rumor of the Week, and it sent every blog in the universe into a firestorm of speculative posts on why the acquisition will or won't happen, and why it would be either the best or worst thing Apple has ever done. Personally, I don't remember the last time Apple acquired a company that "normal" people had heard of prior to the acquisition. Apple doesn't have a history of paying out big money for household-name companies, which is why I scoffed at the "Apple is going to buy Twitter" rumors a few years back. I could go down the rabbit hole of speculating on why Apple might or might not actually buy Beats, but roughly two million writers have already done that this week. It's amusing to note that people are already reporting that this (still unconfirmed) deal has been delayed by a week, which makes me wonder how long we'll have to endure "Apple acquiring Beats next week" posts. 4.7″ iPhone 6 could be available in August, 5.5″ model in September (9to5 Mac) Source: "Taiwanese media," which is another way of saying "don't hold your breath." Sketchy supplier renders of 4.7-inch iPhone 6 surface online (9to5 Mac) "Sketchy renders." Get it? HA HA, I kill me! Apple Reportedly Integrating NFC Technology into iPhone 6 (MacRumors) Remember when Apple was rumored to put NFC in the iPhone 4S? And then the iPhone 5? And then the iPhone 5s? Ah, good times. IPHONE 6 LEAK: This is what the iPhone 6 will look like in all three colors - space gray, gold and silver (BGR) IPHONE 6 MOCKUPS iPHONE 6 LEAK -- iPhone 6 vs. iPhone 5s: New leak gives us a better look at HUGE redesign (BGR) IPHONE 6 MOCKUPS iPHONE 6 LEAK: Yet another way Apple will reportedly follow rivals' lead with the iPhone 6 (BGR) IPHONE 6 NFC LOL HURR DURR Apple plans to match Microsoft Surface with split-screen iPad multitasking in iOS 8 (9to5 Mac) This seems likely to have come from 9to5 Mac's reliable sources embedded in Apple, so it has a chance of coming true. It's worth noting, however, that rumored features like these are by no means guaranteed to make their way to the public on the initially reported timescale, especially if Apple can't find a way to make them work to the company's high standards. Rumor: Apple already restricting retail employee time off in Sept., its usual iPhone launch window (AppleInsider) Wait, how does this align with rumors of an iPhone release in August? Surely if that earlier rumor was true, there'd be similar restrictions lined up in both months. Right? iPhone 6 with larger, sharper 1704 x 960 resolution screen in testing (9to5 Mac) This is some interesting speculation, but even taking into account the analysis behind it, 1704 x 960 still seems like a really oddball resolution. Although it might cause more growing pains for developers initially, it seems like 1920 x 1080 would ultimately be a better target for a screen resolution bump.
Rumor Roundup: Year of the Mockup
iPhone 6 Physical Mockup Allegedly Based on Real Machine Schematics Surfaces (MacRumors) 2014 is apparently The Year of the Mockup, as rumor blogs have been inundating us with stories like this one for weeks. "Someone made a mockup/render/watercolor painting based on leaked schematics which may or may not be remotely close to accurate" is a meme that needs to die sooner rather than later. OS X 10.10 emphasis planned for WWDC, iOS 8 features pushed to iOS 8.1, new Apple TV still in the works (9to5 Mac) In stark contrast to the Chinese whispers variety of rumors they happily pass on like the rest of the rumor blogs, 9to5 Mac's originally-sourced rumors are almost always solid. This story is probably no different. It certainly helps that pretty much everything enumerated in this article was already rumored to be happening. Wild Rumor of Apple EarPods with Biometric Sensors Has Roots in Apple's Research (MacRumors) I gotta say, it makes a whole lot more sense to put biometric sensors into earphones, something almost all iPhone users are already using, rather than shoving them into a product that not one iPhone user currently owns and would have to purchase separately. IPHONE 6 LEAK: New leak may show us exactly what the silver iPhone 6 will look like (BGR) BGR's slow death spiral into irrelevancy continues with this clickbaity nonsense. No, this is not an "IPHONE 6 LEAK." This is a mockup which you yourselves admit came from someone who "did not reveal any details about where he picked up the device or who made it." It doesn't get much more not-news than this... BREAKING IPHONE 6 LEAK: iPhone 6 mockup shown side-by-side with the Galaxy S5 (BGR) ...oh, wait. I was wrong. Code/red: No New Apple TV at WWDC (re/code) John Paczkowski's sources are almost always right, so if he claims there won't be an iWatch or new Apple TV at WWDC, anyone who bleats about being "disappointed" after this year's WWDC simply hasn't been paying any attention to the scene at all.
Rumor Roundup: Bullseye
New MacBook Airs likely launching tomorrow (9to5 Mac) This, of course, actually happened earlier this week. This followed rumors last week gleaned from a French website that this update was inbound. I expressed my usual skepticism over the provenance of this rumor, so when it actually came true that sent the usual suspects into a frenzy of high-fiving one another and sending digital raspberries my way. Yep, I got one wrong. I freely admit it. However, I'll worry a lot more about the opinions of those posting absolutely every rumor that crosses their desk -- or the fans of those kinds of sites -- when their own accuracy records come out ahead of a coin flip. (Hey, by the way, how is everyone enjoying the MacBook Air with Retina display that was rumored to launch last summer? Is that high-res display mind-blowing or what?) Meanwhile, the French website who originally posted this rumor last week should take full advantage of their new status. Since they got one rumor right, the rumor blogs will pass along absolutely anything sourced from this website from now on, no matter how inaccurate or nonsensical. It'll begin with, "The site, which has offered reliable information before." After 20 or 30 rumors fail to pan out, it'll be diluted to, "The site's track record has been hit-or-miss lately, but it has offered accurate information in the past." Another 100-plus inaccurate rumors later, the site will be known as "sometimes reliable." My advice to them: cash in now. Apple rumors are the equivalent of putting a blind man in front of a dart board. On a long enough timeline, with enough patience, eventually he will indeed hit the bullseye. The people running rumor blogs expect us to applaud wildly on the rare occasion they hit a bullseye and ignore all the times they miss the board entirely. Yeah, nah. iPhone 6 Camera May Feature Electronic Image Stabilization, Bigger Pixel Size (MacRumors) Some analyst in China claims to know details about the next-gen iPhone's camera. Does she actually know what she's talking about? Who cares! She's an analyst, and she's talking about Apple. That's all it takes. iWatch Reportedly Entering Production in Small Quantities Ahead of Fall 2014 Launch (MacRumors) The source for this claim: "supply chain sources." It's an open question whether these are the same supply chain sources who made precisely the same claim about Fall 2013. Photos show highly suspect 'iPhone 6' dummy with ultra-slim design, rounded edges (AppleInsider) Almost everyone passed this along without even trying to question its veracity. Only AppleInsider bothered to bat an eye in the general direction of credulity by offering some plausible critical analysis for why this "leak" might not be the real deal. However, they undermined that analysis with yet another unsubstantiated shout-out to the "reliable" Ming-Chi Kuo, alongside this wishy-washiness: "While the mock-up's veracity is highly questionable, it does give a good idea as to what the iPhone 6 could look like if information from the rumor mill turns out to be true." Way to cover absolutely all of the bases at once.
Rumor Roundup: OS X Arcata
Updated 11-Inch and 13-Inch MacBook Airs Reportedly Coming Next Week (MacRumors) Some French website we never heard of before this week announced that refreshed MacBook Air models are coming out next week. The rumor blogs are so starved for legitimate news that they all leaped upon this non-story like hyenas. MacRumors claims the site says this comes from a "reliable source," but nothing like that shows up in the Google translation of this page. In fact, the site doesn't reference its source at all. BREAKING: your credibility. Apple's Future OS X Names May Include Yosemite, Mammoth, Big Sur, Redwood, Pacific, and More (MacRumors) In total contrast to the previous piece, this story from another French site shows an impressive degree of sleuthing. Personally, I'm looking forward to OS X 4:20 - Arcata. (Only people who've lived in Northern California will truly understand.) Hints of Touch ID Support for iPad Found in iOS 7.1 Code (MacRumors) A couple lines of code seemingly hint at Touch ID support coming in the next iPad models. This is not a surprising development at all. It would be more surprising if Touch ID support wasn't in the cards for the next iPads. iPhone 6 renders supposedly meant for accessory manufacturers leak, claim 6mm thinness (9to5 Mac) So many amateur designers have produced mockups of the next-gen iPhone that it's difficult to accept this isn't just another of their ilk instead of a legitimate design leak.
Rumor Roundup: Another unannounced Apple product 'delayed'
Apple trademark update suggests company may enter jewelry business, hinting at rumored 'iWatch' (AppleInsider) Apple first applied for the iWatch trademark last year. Then, as now, this trademark application is not proof that Apple intends to launch a device with that name. It could just as easily be a defensive measure preventing some shameless copycat from launching a product with that name. Leonardo DiCaprio may take lead role in Steve Jobs biopic with Danny Boyle at the helm (AppleInsider) Cool, the rumor blogs are expanding into new territory now. Not content with poorly-sourced rumors about Apple technology, we're now subjected to even more poorly-sourced rumors about Apple films. Honestly, I don't see DiCaprio as being suitable to playing Jobs. On the other hand, it wouldn't be difficult for him to outdo Ashton Kutcher. Taiwanese media claims 5.5inch iPhone 6 to be very thin, special battery components causing delays (9to5 Mac) The inevitable has happened... some Asian publication has come out with a claim that an unannounced Apple product is "delayed" because of some technological hiccup. The only thing about this report that's out of the ordinary is the fact that Digitimes isn't the source; they're usually the ones projecting doom and gloom for Apple product timelines. Unannounced products which are unconfirmed to even exist cannot, by definition, be "delayed." Get real. Apple and Nike reportedly developing a 'smart band' with gesture controls (BGR) This is according to "sources familiar with Apple's plans." Of course, ever since news came out that Nike axed its entire Fuelband division, speculation has run wild that the "iWatch" was the real reason, so these "sources familiar with Apple's plans" could very easily be some total randos spitballing their pet theory. iWatch May Ultimately Replace iPod, No iPod Updates Expected in 2014 (MacRumors) Some analyst claims the iWatch "will essentially replace the iPod." This is apparently newsworthy for the singular reason that some analyst said it. We've never heard of this analyst before, or the financial group he represents, and his "report" is pretty much a total guess. But it's still worth spreading around, because he's an analyst, you guys. Analysts don't get paid to just spread any old BS around. They totally know what they're talking about. They're never wrong. On Opposites Day. Rumor: Apple taps Catcher for metal casings on next-gen 'iPhone 6' (AppleInsider) Another pair of analysts claim to have inside knowledge of next-gen Apple hardware. It's seriously not even worth expending calories tapping more keys than necessary to refute this nonsense, so I'll just leave it at this: analysts have no (expletive deleted) clue what they're talking about. Ever. iOS 7.1 code indicates Apple working on Siri for Apple TV (9to5 Mac) Unlike the typical nonsense rumors, these "we found code snippets in iOS code" rumors pan out more often than not. That's not to say they always pan out, but the track record for these is definitely way higher than typical rumors. Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 6' may sport curved edges, display glass (AppleInsider) This is the third year in a row someone has claimed the iPhone will have curved edges and glass. Guess what? We'll probably be hearing the same thing again next year.
Rumor Roundup: Validity not confirmed
New report says iWatch will be significantly cheaper than expected (BGR) BGR once again plays fast and loose with the definition of "report" by citing some analyst's evidence-free predictions of how much the nonexistent iWatch will cost. The good news that comes with this "report" is analysts have now covered both ends of the pricing spectrum, from "It'll be cheap and subsidized" to "It'll be a luxury item that'll cost thousands of dollars." Whichever of these turns out to be true -- if either one does -- one analyst or another is going to end up looking like an idiot. And that's something everyone can enjoy. Apple reportedly negotiating with carriers for $100 price increase on iPhone 6 (MacRumors) Here's another so-called "report" cited from some analyst. Except this time it's sourced from Peter Misek, an analyst who, over the past year or so, has been wrong 100 percent of the time when he talks about Apple. Along with Digitimes and Gene Munster, Misek is part of an elite corps of sources who should never, ever be taken seriously on anything remotely related to Apple. New Photo of Alleged iPhone 6 Manufacturing Mold Hints at 4.7-Inch Display (MacRumors) The mold pictured in this post could be meant for almost literally anything. It could be meant for a Samsung device, for all we know. But logic doesn't drive pageviews; breathless speculation and ridiculous attempts at getting all CSI on meaningless "leaked" photos is what drives eyeballs to your site these days. LG Again Rumored to be Sole Supplier of Flexible Displays for iWatch (MacRumors) Another day, another "report" sourced from Asian supply chain sources claiming to have inside knowledge on a device not yet confirmed to exist. Mark my words, a few months from now some other Asian publication will chime in claiming LG can't produce displays for the iWatch in the quantities Apple needs, so it will have to turn to Samsung in order to meet its quotas. All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again. Rumor: First photo of supposed 'iPhone 6' front panel surfaces (AppleInsider) Oh, look, someone else in China has a pirated copy of Photoshop. Alleged iPhone 6 Batteries Photographed in Production Tray (MacRumors) From the article: "While the validity of the image cannot be confirmed, the batteries do appear to share similar physical characteristics with other iPhone batteries." Also, all lithium batteries for all portable electronics everywhere, ever. Here, let me fix that quote for you: "While the validity of the image cannot be verified, we're going to claim these batteries are somehow associated with the iPhone 6 anyway, even though there is no proof to support that claim whatsoever, because pageviews." Closer look at alleged 'iPhone 6' front panel suggests 5.1" screen with 16:9 ratio (AppleInsider) From the article: "Whether it's legitimate or not, a newly revealed front panel claimed to be for Apple's next-generation iPhone appears to show a part for a 5.1-inch display with a screen ratio of 16 to 9." Here, let me fix that quote for you: "Whether it's legitimate or not, it doesn't matter. We're still going to get twice the pageviews from this incredibly sketchy rumor, because there's a sucker born every minute. While you're here, sucker, why not like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter? LOL." Another Alleged iPhone 6 Case Surfaces with Cutouts for Moved Power Button, New Volume Controls (MacRumors) Another case maker's best guess as to what the next-gen iPhone might look like is taken as gospel by the rumor blogs for what the next-gen iPhone will look like. Apple Said to Prepare Song-ID Feature for IPhone Software (Bloomberg) Apple is supposedly working on integrating the functionality of third-party iOS app Shazam into iOS 8. Shazam allows users to identify a song that's playing by taking a short audio sample and working some tech magic to match it up with a song in its database. It does make sense for Apple to bake this feature into iOS; although it's available in the standalone Shazam app, identifying songs this way would be a lot more "discoverable" of a feature if users didn't have to download a third-party app first. How Apple Could Make the Move to 4.7" iPhone Displays (MacRumors) MacRumors gets more mileage out of last week's speculative tripe from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with an analysis of his claims for the next-gen iPhone's display resolution. My favorite part of Kuo's claims is how extremely specific they usually are. It makes it so much easier to go back and point out all the things he gets wrong. By the way, how is everyone enjoying the A7X processor and 8-megapixel camera in their iPad Airs? Great stuff, right? I mean, that's assuming you shelled out for the full-size iPad instead of going for the budget-model iPad mini that totally launched last year. Assuming you had any money left over after buying a MacBook Air with a Retina display, that is. Alleged iPad Air 2 Front Panel with Integrated Display Shown in New Photos (MacRumors) Ever since this type of display was introduced for the iPhone, it's been rumored for several generations of iPad. It has several advantages - it's thinner for one, and it helps reinforce the illusion that things on screen sit on the "surface" of the device rather than under layers of glass. With no way to know if this photo (or part) is legitimate or not, I wouldn't get too excited about this just yet.
Rumor Roundup: Fourth-power stupid
iWatch cost could be subsidized by health insurers, analyst suggests (9to5 Mac) According to some analyst: "We continue to believe it is possible the product (iWatch) is backstopped by some sort of insurance subsidization model similar to the carrier subsidization model for iPhone." Meanwhile, I continue to believe that the random musings of some analyst are in no way newsworthy and don't deserve even one percent of the attention the rumor blogs devote to them. I'm running out of ways to say this, but here goes: analysts don't know what they're talking about when they talk about Apple. Dubious iPhone 6 cases already rolling in (9to5 Mac) From the article: "We can't see any reason to believe this is anything more than the usual attempts by case companies to guess what Apple plans to launch." Meanwhile, I can't see any reason why you bothered to reblog this if it was so "dubious" in the first place. You do realize it's perfectly okay not to pass on every stupid rumor that dribbles out of the internet's sewers, right? (Here comes the part where someone tries to point out the irony of me writing about rumors twice a week - except in my eyes, all rumors are created equal. They're all stupid. The only thing that changes is the exponent attached to the stupid. This? This rumor is fourth-power stupid.) Next-gen faster Haswells chips out as soon as next month, could find their way into upgraded MacBook and iMacs (9to5 Mac) This rumor, unlike most of what's written about Apple these days, is just bland enough to be true. Apple unlikely to utilize custom iPhone baseband chip until 2015 at earliest, JP Morgan says (AppleInsider) Because this story is sourced from some analyst, I fully expect Apple-built baseband chips to show up in the iPhone 6 in September. Redesigned iPhone 6 seemingly revealed by third-party case maker (BGR) This is a design sketch based on a case-maker's total guess of what the next iPhone will look like. In other words, it's no better than the hundreds of "concepts" out there put together by bored, underemployed graphic designers. The iWatch will apparently be another big-margin win for Apple (BGR) Some analyst in China makes a totally wild-ass guess about how much it will cost to produce an iWatch. He has no evidence to support his claim whatsoever, and his speculation is targeted toward a product that - it must be emphasised - has never been proven to actually exist. But BGR dutifully reblogged this nonsense anyway, because "analyst" showed up somewhere in the piece, and that's apparently the trigger word that turns rumor bloggers' brains to custard. High Definition iTunes Music Downloads May Be on the Horizon (MacRumors) Some music blogger citing "an unspecified source" is apparently more than enough to warrant producing a story like this. You guys really are desperate for news, aren't you? Latest unverified photos from Weibo claim to show iPhone 6 schematics, production tools (9to5 Mac) Buried nearly at the end of this article: "As with most leaks, it's best to remember that these may or may not be the real thing, and the users who posted these photos haven't been proven to be connected to Foxconn at all, or have they previously leaked anything." So, these could be two random guys in China totally making crap up, but it doesn't matter at all, because they claimed these were pictures related to the next-gen iPhone. It's so refreshing to see this degree of journalistic integrity alive and wel--PAGEVIEW MONSTER NEEDS PAGEVIEWS OM NOM NOM NOM NOM
Rumor Roundup: Pod people
Here we go again: Report claims Apple is testing a 65-inch iTV (BGR) From the article: "If rumors and reports from Apple analysts are to be believed" - I'll stop you right there at the first sentence, BGR. They're not. They most certainly are not to be believed. You know this. Everyone knows this. Why are we still playing this game? As for the "report" itself, how many times over the past few years have we heard some sketchy rumor like this one out of Asia claiming some tech supplier or other was getting ready to build HDTVs for Apple? Remind me, how many HDTVs does Apple sell now? I thought so. Everything to know about iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 (Roundup + New Details) (9to5 Mac) Apple definitely has a serious leak in its software division. I hope the company finds out who it is, soon, and fires them with extreme prejudice. And before anyone trots out the "intentional leak" conspiracy theories, considering the competition it faces from shameless copycats like Samsung, it makes absolutely no sense for Apple itself to deliberately leak information about its software initiatives several months in advance. Even in the incredibly unlikely event Apple were intentionally leaking details like this, it would do so through a more mainstream outlet like the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, not an "Apple enthusiast site." Barclays: Apple's 'iWatch' could include UV light exposure sensor (AppleInsider) Some analyst throws another sensor on the wish list pile. For some reason, this gets passed along like it's actually newsworthy. It's all too apparent by now that calling yourself an "analyst" means these rumor blogs will eat whatever you toss on their plate without even pausing to sniff it first. Speaking of which... Digitimes: Apple working on in-house baseband chip design to appear in 2015 iPhone (9to5 Mac) Dear 9to5 Mac: the fact that you (and, admittedly, many others) are still doing straight reporting of the latest nonsense from Digitimes is very likely part of why mainstream publications still refer to you (derisively or not) as an "Apple enthusiast site." Apple Reportedly Targeting Q3 2014 Launch for iWatch (MacRumors) Another "report" sourced from supply chain sources, and an Asian publication, via Digitimes. Credibility doesn't get much lower than this. Unless it's sourced straight from Digitimes, that is. Speaking of which... Apple Expected to Unveil iWatch in September as Suppliers Deliver Circuit Board Samples (MacRumors) "[...] reports Digitimes." BZZZZT. This is three in a row that either came straight from or were tangentially associated with the least reliable source of Apple rumors on the planet. You rumor blogs do realise you're slowly transforming yourselves into the Fox News of the tech world, right? Mass Production of 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Set for July, 5.5-Inch Version Beginning in September (MacRumors) Some Asian publication passes along the same rumors that everyone else has been harping on about for the past few months. Do they actually have any credible sources for this report? No, probably not. Does that matter when you're chasing pageviews? No, definitely not. LEAK: Does this leaked image show iOS 8 on the iPhone 6? (BGR) No. It shows that someone in China has a pirated copy of Photoshop. Jony Ive shakes up Apple's software design group, iPhone interface creator Greg Christie departing (9to5 Mac) Greg Christie is, in fact, retiring from Apple. The company itself has confirmed this. As for the "sources familiar with the matter" who claim that Christie's departure is due to "friction" with design lead Jony Ive? Not so much, at least according to The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, and John Gruber of Daring Fireball. Gruber has several sources within Apple, and he has for a long time, so he's definitely in a position to know. The obvious question here is whether 9to5 Mac's source was misinformed or 9to5 Mac simply misinterpreted what it heard. There is of course the possibility that someone simply wanted to drive more attention to what could have been a simple, boring "executive retiring, yawwwwn" story and decided to jazz it up. I'll take the traditional rumor blog mulligan and say I'm merely presenting this speculation "for purposes of discussion." Apple's 2014 Product Roadmap: New iWatch, iPhones, iPads, Apple TV, and MacBooks Coming (MacRumors) The intertubes were so badly clogged today with everyone rushing to re-blog the latest dreck from Ming-Chi Kuo that it pretty much overflowed everywhere. There was no escaping it. Despite all the things Kuo got wrong last year, he's still the darling analyst of the rumor blogs, who hang on his every word like it fell straight out of the trees in Apple's back yard. With the exception of his musings on the iWatch, Kuo's predictions are either repeats of existing rumors or educated guesswork - anyone who pays attention to Apple rumors and the company's historical product roadmap could easily make the same predictions. The fact that Kuo makes such precise predictions only makes it that much more fun to revisit them months later and find out just how "accurate" he really is. As for Kuo's reporting on the iWatch, his assertion that the top-end version will cost "several thousand" dollars is laugh-out-loud absurd. Yet I saw several people in my Twitter timeline - people I consider intelligent, rational human beings - actually taking this claim seriously. It's times like these I feel like I'm surrounded by pod people. Let me break this down for you. Apple makes two types of products: mid-range to high-end portable consumer electronics (iPod, iPhone, iPad) and mid-range to professional-range computers (Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Air/Pro, and the Mac Pro). One thing Apple does not make now, and has never been particularly successful at making in the past, is luxury items at luxury prices. Apple has taken fitful stabs at that market with products that read like a litany of failures: the 20th Anniversary Macintosh, the $99 leather iPod case, the iPod Hi-Fi, leather iPad Smart Covers, and probably a few more utterly forgettable products. Every time Apple tries to break out of its "the (x) for the rest of us" mold and jump into the "I'm rich, bitch!" market, it falls on its face. But sure, an electronic watch that costs several thousands of dollars makes perfect sense for Apple. I'll take two... because I wouldn't want one wrist getting jealous of the other.
Rumor Roundup: Unreleased Apple product 'delayed' (again)
IPHONE 6 LEAK: This could be our first look at the completely redesigned iPhone 6 (BGR) BGR wants us to believe that some guy's 3D rendering, based on "leaked" blueprints of dubious provenance, counts as a "first look" at the iPhone 6. While the renderings are pretty slick, and I'd gladly buy an iPhone that looked like that, this is still so far removed from real news that it's painful. Purported iPhone 6 pictures show protruding camera, rounded edges (9to5 Mac) From the article: "The validity of these images cannot be confirmed." But we'll post it anyway, because nothing says "pageviews" like "unconfirmed and possibly fake photos of unreleased Apple hardware." As for the rumor itself that the next iPhone will have a "protruding" camera? This is one rumor I definitely hope is bogus. Seems to me like even a small protrusion on the back of an iPhone would be just begging to get caught in your pocket and cause you to fumble the phone... straight onto the screen-cracking concrete. No thanks. Reuters: Production of 'iPhone 6' screens to begin in May, 5.5" model delayed (AppleInsider) This marks roughly the 10,342nd time an unreleased, unconfirmed Apple product has been "delayed" because of manufacturing problems or some other issue. This is how rumormongers manage to cover their asses when reporting rumors based on sources that are spurious (at best) - if the rumored product never gets released, it's not because the rumors were wrong and Apple never planned to release it in the first place. No, it's because "the mighty have fallen" and Apple isn't capable of releasing the rumored device for one reason or another. Report: Apple in talks to buy chipmaker Renesas SP Drivers to improve iPhone display/battery life (9to5 Mac) Unlike most Apple acquisition rumors, this one is A) relatively mundane, B) features a company you probably hadn't heard of before this rumor, and C) is tied to a company that makes products that could benefit Apple today rather than in some hypothetical future. Because of that, this rumor is a lot more plausible than your typical "Apple in talks to buy Twitter" or "Apple investigating acquisition of Tesla Motors" nonsense. Apple predicted to announce 'modest' increases to share buyback & dividend in next earnings call (AppleInsider) AppleInsider passes on Gene Munster's estimates of Apple's quarterly financial performance without mentioning that Munster's estimates are consistently wrong - sometimes substantially wrong. Let's also not forget that the man's perennial obsession with a potential Apple HDTV has torpedoed his credibility so badly that it's become a running joke in the tech sphere. In other words, don't make any investment decisions based on Gene Munster's predictions of Apple's performance. More accurate sources include: Morgan Freeman, your aunt Martha, and/or a Magic 8 Ball. Expect faster MacBooks with longer battery-life thanks to DDR4 RAM (9to5 Mac) Unlike most "analysts" out there, the one linked to in this article actually seems to know what he's talking about. Put this one in the "plausible" column. Here's how the iPhone 6 might really hurt Apple this summer (BGR) I was worried a whole week would go by without some brain-dead article from BGR telling us the latest reason why Apple is DOOMED. Strangely, the logic behind this particular proclamation of doom is actually easy to follow, and indeed mildly plausible: various analysts predict that Apple's sales will take a bigger than normal hit over the summer quarter due to frenzied anticipation for the iPhone 6. Indeed, it has been the case for the past few years that consumers tend to back away from the iPhone in the quarter leading up to a new model. Rumor blogs are, of course, directly complicit in this behavior, spending months whipping consumer expectations into a froth. I see this all the time in the real world, with "normal" people quoting the bits and pieces of nonsense they've gleaned from the seedy underbelly of the internet -- "My brother is holding out for the iPhone 6, because he wants a bigger screen" -- and it makes me wince every time. Strangely left out of BGR's latest proclamation of doom is the fact that although Apple's iPhone sales traditionally take a big dip in the quarter preceding a new model, they inevitably rebound in spectacular fashion in the months thereafter. In other words, although the iPhone 6 might "hurt" Apple before it comes out, it'll probably more than offset that "hurt" after it's launched.
