Apple‘s iPhone 5 launch in September isn’t likely to include LTE functionality, Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek asserts in a research note.

“According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support,” he writes in a research note.

But he also says that “industry checks indicate Apple will likely announce Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers.”

As for LTE, he says the Qualcomm LTE chipset Apple would have used “is currently not achieving yields sufficient for inclusion in the iPhone 5.” He says Apple had hoped to have the LTE chipsets ready, but was planning a version without LTE called iPhone 4S.

No LTE in iPhone 5 – iPhone 4S; To Add Sprint, T-Mobile

If you’re in the market for an Apple iPhone 5 or iPad 2 tablet then you may be best to purchase one sooner rather than later as there are reports today that they may be harder to get hold of soon. It seems that there are concerns about shortages of both materials and labor that could affect future shipments.

We recently told about developments for a future Foxconn manufacturing plant in Brazil but that won’t solve the immediate problems that Foxconn in China and thus Apple are facing at present. Sam Oliver of Apple Insider informs us of a report from Taiwanese newspaper Digitimes, often a source of Apple news and speculation, which reports that component maker sources have informed the paper about these issues.
If the sources are correct it’s expected that supplies of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 will be affected for the second quarter. Component shortages have to some extent been caused by the devastating earthquake in Japan and it’s suggested that those shortages along with problems getting enough labor means that Foxconn is not keeping up with production targets. For example it’s reported that demand for Apple’s iPad 2 means that 2.5 to 3 million units per month are required. Foxconn has not released a statement about this situation yet but has said the company is doing all it can to keep up with client needs.
Meanwhile Christian Zibreg of 9to5Mac also reports on the news from Digitimes and points out that Digitimes has a pretty mixed record for supplying accurate information. However Zibreg suggests that if the reports are accurate, the supply problems could be one of the reasons why Apple has reportedly pushed back an iPhone 5 release until later this year, which certainly gives food for thought. What are your thoughts on component and labor shortages for the Apple iPhone and iPad and whether this may indeed be the cause for the delay of the iPhone 5? Let us know with your comments.

Apple iPhone & iPad 2 to Face Low Supply: iPhone 5 Delay Reason?

Japanese Electronics giant Sharp is preparing to launch a smartphone that has a lot in common with the HTC EVO 3D (or the HTC Sensation) according to an online news report.
According to Engadget, the handset will be called the Aquos Phone SH-12C; it takes on the HTC EVO 3D & the Sensation, the Optimus 2X as well as the Samsung Galaxy S II with some cracking hardware, even though it only has a single core SoC.
The smartphone has the fastest CPU on any smartphone, the Qualcomm MSM8255 which is a single core part clocked at 1.4GHz with an Adreno 205 GPU (ed : possibly the MSM8255T).

Then there’s a qHD (540×960) capacitive 4.2-inch touchscreen which is 3D capable. The screen uses the same technology as that on the Nintendo 3DS gaming console (built by Sharp as well).

In addition, there are two 8 megapixel cameras at the back which can record 3D content in HD quality and use Sharp’s proprietary Propix technology which automatically selects the shooting mode and the focus to match the view.
The samartphone will be out on the 20th of May, either in black or white, and will run on the Japanese network DoCoMo. Sharp has yet to say how much it will cost or whether it will ship one day outside Japan.
New iPhone 5

Sharp VS iPhone 5 – Rival 3D Smartphone

Apple's iPhone 5 may have been delayed till end of the year. That would be in keeping with speculation that the device’s release has been pushed back.

Apple may indeed delay the next iPhone 5 until later in 2011 or beyond, according to a new report. That would mean a radical adjustment from the company’s usual habit of releasing the latest version of its smartphone every summer.

MacRumors posted May 4 about an unnamed reader who “received word from an AT&T customer care representative” that the next iPhone 5 won’t be released in the next few months.

“Company has informed us that they do not plan to release the iPhone 5 in the June to July ” the blog quotes the AT&T agent as telling its source, “there will be a newer version of iPhone, but so far there have not been given any future release dates.”

The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple suggested in March that Apple would delay the device until late in 2011. “Apple’s apparent focus on software in its WDC announcement backs up what my own sources are saying about the actual conference,” he wrote in a March 28 posting. “This is, expect a software show in 2011, not a hardware event.”

Some other sources have suggested to the blog TechCrunch that the actual release of iOS 5, the next type of Apple’s mobile software, could also be delayed until fall. Combined with an iPhone 5 launch in that period, it would represent a significant departure from the company’s previous release date.

Current rumors suggest the new iPhone 5 will feature higher-resolution cameras, Apple’s A5 proprietary processor, hardware upgraded to enable 3G FaceTime video conferencing, and NFC (near-field communication) technology that would enable the smartphone to act as an electronic wallet. In combination, those features could allow Apple to combat the growing (and increasingly sophisticated) family of Google Android devices.

New iPhone 5

Apple has released the latest software update for the iPhone by way of operating system iOS 4.3.3 , following suit from a spate of upgrades which seem to have come along in a rather staggeringly short period of time. After a winter which passed without a single iOS update, Apple seems to have adopted a far more aggressive approach to bettering their already world-leading platform. Unfortunately, the new approach does little to substantiate theories regarding a summer iPhone 5 release date.

However, solace can be taken in the fact that Apple are showing a level of enthusiasm and determination regarding the bettering of their products in a way previously unseen, perhaps in response to the ever-increasing interest in Google’s Android platform, along with a number of other key players who continue to expand their horizons. Of course, the main question on the minds of most still rests with what we d or don’t know about the elusive iPhone 5.

In short, the appearance of the white iPhone 4 last month has all but confirmed that an imminent iPhone 5 launch is all but an impossibility. Apple have never in their history released two such products within close proximity and the likelihood of them doing so now is minimal at best. True, they may have stepped away from their tradition of summer launches, but it now seems save to hedge bets with a fall launch at the earliest.

The good news, however, comes by the fact that releasing a rather stunning white iPhone 4 just a few months (potentially) from the release of the iPhone 5 displays a level of confidence in their new product which should reassure and patient follower. New Apple products are always designed in a way which simply kills off previous models, therefore if the same proves to be true for the iPhone 5, it will certainly be worth the wait.

Apple’s Software Updates – iOS 4.3.3 pre-iPhone 5

Apple may indeed delay the next iphone 5 until later in 2011 or beyond, according to a new report. That would mean a radical adjustment from the company’s usual habit of releasing the latest version of its smartphone every summer.

MacRumors posted May 4 about an unnamed reader who “received word from an AT&T customer care representative” that the next iPhone 5 won’t be released in the next few months.

“Company has informed us that they do not plan to release the iphone 5 in the June to July ” the blog quotes the AT&T agent as telling its source, “there will be a newer version of iPhone, but so far there have not been given any future release dates.”

The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple suggested in March that Apple would delay the device until late in 2011. “Apple’s apparent focus on software in its WDC announcement backs up what my own sources are saying about the actual conference,” he wrote in a March 28 posting. “This is, expect a software show in 2011, not a hardware event.”

Some other sources have suggested to the blog TechCrunch that the actual release of iOS 5, the next type of Apple’s mobile software, could also be delayed until fall. Combined with an iPhone 5 launch in that period, it would represent a significant departure from the company’s previous release date.

Current rumors suggest the new iPhone 5 will feature higher-resolution cameras, Apple’s A5 proprietary processor, hardware upgraded to enable 3G FaceTime video conferencing, and NFC (near-field communication) technology that would enable the smartphone to act as an electronic wallet. In combination, those features could allow Apple to combat the growing (and increasingly sophisticated) family of Google Android devices.

iPhone 5 News