Follow Us - Twitter | Like Us - Facebook | Follow Us - Digg

There has been a fair amount of buzz on the iPhone 5, and the latest being circulated around the supply chain in Taiwan is that Apple is going to adopt a curved cover glass for its next generation model, according to industry sources.

Cover glass makers are reluctant to commit investment to the purchase of glass cutting equipment due to the high capital involved, said the sources. However, in order to push forward the production of curved glass, Apple reportedly has purchased 200-300 glass cutting machines to be used by glass makers, said the sources.

The glass slicing machines are currently being stored at associated assembly plants and will be brought online once yield rates for the production of curved glass reaches a satisfactory level, the sources revealed.

There has been no timetable yet for the volume production of iPhone 5 as Apple is currently still working with related suppliers including those involved in cover glass, glass cutting, lamination and touch sensors to improve yield rates, the sources commented.

Follow Us - Twitter | Like Us - Facebook | Follow Us - Digg

Apple Said To Introduce Curved-Glass iPhone 5

Yakaz is delighted to announce the launch of its new iPhone app. Two months after the launching of its new website that brought real-time and a social dimension to the classifieds world, Yakaz brings local classifieds straight to your phone.

iPhone and iPod touch users can now find classified ads at a touch of their finger tips wherever they are, and contact any potential seller/buyer in real-time.

Looking for a listing? Yakaz will help you find the closest match to your query

The Yakaz iPhone app is the ideal way to find the hidden gems next to you, wherever you are! Imagine you are crossing a lovely district and you are looking for a house, or want to survey local opinion on a good restaurant in the area. Find houses for sale and for rent around you, and directly chat with people from the neighborhood to learn more about the area.
Indeed Yakaz is the perfect app to find the neighbor two streets over who is selling the item you have been searching for, or who can give you the information you need:
Discover what people around you are selling, saying and looking for
Browse millions of listings from top class websites
Contact sellers directly
Easily ad postings for free from your iPhone
Communicate with your neighborhood in real-time

Create your own trusted community with Yakaz social tools that help to know who you can rely on.

Yakaz free app is available for iPhone and iPod Touch, worldwide and in 5 languages (English, French, Spanish, German and Italian). It is the first-to-market app that combines millions of listings along with real-time social tools.

YAKAZ Launches Its iPhone App v1.1 – Social Classifieds To Your Mobile For Free

While industry observers have chimed in over the past weeks about what will be inside Apple’s next iPhone 5, one analyst on Friday gave insight into when the phone will actually hit shelves.
Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster told clients Apple will introduce its next iPhone in September, rather than the usual summer introduction, as has been rumored.

Jaffray offered two “concrete data points” for the projection.
One iPhone equipment supplier he spoke to indicated that they had received orders for the equipment “several months later than usual.” The delay in parts suggests the final phone would also be delayed.

Secondly, the company has usually had a software event in the spring, followed by a hardware announcement at its summer developer conference. “

“There have been, on average, 79 days between the software event and the iPhone hardware announcement,” he said.
But it appears the summer conference, the Worldwide Developer Conference, is a focus on software, suggesting that a hardware unveiling is coming later on, in the fall.

Anticipation has been mounting for the new iPhone since the 4th generation was rolled out in June of 2010. While widely regarded as cutting edge at its introduction, competitors like Samsung and HTC have surpassed the iPhone 4 in terms of hardware specs.

Industry insiders have chimed in on what will be in Apple’s next iPhone 5, but the consensus that the next phone will be a “super phone” is diminishing.
Apple’s next iPhone will be “evolutionary not revolutionary,” with perhaps a better camera and a different casing, but no 4G, or LTE, wireless modem, according to BMO Capital’s Keith Bachman.

Writing to clients, Bachman explained that poor battery performance for LTE is “one of the reasons why we think Apple’s LTE phone will come in 2012″.
The sentiment was echoed from other industry watchers just last week from Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek. Instead, it will be an upgraded iPhone 4, most notably with a faster processor and some updated specs.

“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.
The A5 processor is the same chip that Apple rolled out to power its iPad 2. 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.

If true, the roll-out would match Apple precedent.
In 2008, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G and in 2009 introduced the iPhone 3GS — the “S” standing for speed. For the most part, the 3GS was the same as the 3G, except it had a faster processor.

The move is sure to upset fans waiting for faster network connections and may complicate Apple’s rumored iCloud service.

Regardless of when it does come out, it is almost sure to be a success, according to some industry watchers.
Caris & Co’s Robert Cihra told clients last month that to focus solely on the the hardware and the launch date would be “missing the point” as Apple is no longer a “hit product company,” driven by timing.
“It’s not the hardware that matters,” Cihra wrote, “…actually, it’s the software+hardware+services in a fully-integrated vertical platform. As we’ve said repeatedly, iOS IS the ‘what’s next?’ for Apple.”

With cloud-based functionality integrated into the next iOS, promising newer services like digital lockers and access to unbridled computing power, the prospects for the next iPhone look bright, even if the timing is uncertain.

iPhone 5 Slated For September Release

Remember that surprise we reported Apple was planning for the 10th anniversary of its Apple stores? Well, it appears that this will be a revamp of the stores, an Apple Store 2.0, if you will. The Apple Store 2.0 will feature a restructuring of the retail environment centered around the iPad, according to rumors from 9to5Mac. This will mean most of the paper signage around the stores will be ditched in favor of the iPad and that makes a lot of sense.

The Apple Store 2.0 will also place a larger emphasis on helping users personalize their devices. These zones should be dubbed the “Startup sessions” and these are designed on helping users set up their iOS or Mac devices.

Previous reports also said that the Apple Store 2.0 will also move toward an in-house solution for most of the transactions. It wasn’t too long ago that these stores still used Microsoft software to handle transactions but now employees now use a modified iPod touch to sell products.

The new app RetailMe should have a variety of training and retail tools for employees with the iPad. Considering how successful these stores have been, I can’t wait to see what the Apple Store 2.0 brings.

More > iPhone 5

Apple Store 2.0 Coming

In an interview with Reuters, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said his company’s version of the next Apple iPhone, the so-called “iPhone 5,” will be a global phone, working in the same countries as the AT&T model.

That would mean the Verizon iPhone 5 would be able to make calls on both CDMA and GSM networks. The device would still be native to Verizon’s network, using GSM only when roaming. The AT&T version might also have both radios, though it would only need GSM to be considered a global phone. The current Verizon iPhone 4 is CDMA-only, so it doesn’t work in countries where there are only GSM networks, which includes most of Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. The AT&T version works on most GSM networks, which are much more common.

Shammo also said Verizon would be able to launch the iPhone 5 at the same time as AT&T, all but confirming a simultaneous launch on both carriers.

Very little is known about the next iPhone, although iPhone 5 rumors are rampant. If Apple sticks to its typical product cycle, it should be unveiled soon with a debut next summer, although there are reports that because of production difficulties, it won’t hit stores until September.

On whether or not the Verizon iPhone 5 would be able to ride Verizon’s new high-speed LTE network, Shammo was fairly mum: “I think it’s a bigger issue for Apple than it is for us,” he told Reuters. “Depending on where Apple plays, that’s where we’ll sell.”

Verizon CFO Reveals iPhone 5 Details

Thursday, May 19 will mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of the first Apple Store, and it seems like the date won’t pass unnoticed.

Apple, known for its secrecy and spectacular product launches, is likely doing everything it can to remain tight-lipped about any potential announcements. However, new rumors, published by Boy Genius Report, hint that something major may be happening.

The rumor lowdown, from BGR:

* There’s an overnight shift of 10-15 people planned from Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
* All employees must lock their cell phones in the office and sign a non-disclosure agreement with Apple.
* A variety of roles are necessary, from business representatives to a visuals team to Genius team members.
* The hardware to be installed in apparently already there, just under lock and key.
* Black curtains will go up at all stores.
* Secret data labeled “training” has been distributed to employees and can’t be accessed until Saturday afternoon.
* Mandatory meetings are scheduled for Sunday May 22.

Interestingly, a separate source seems to have leaked similar information about Sunday’s mandatory meeting to macstories.

While a different BGR report stated that the stores were getting new tables, potentially equipped with near field communication (NFC) capabilities, a Gizmodo tipster claimed the new tables are “already in use at a couple high traffic Apple Stores.”

These rumors have lead to speculation that the world’s most valuable brand may be aiming to launch the next iPhone (unofficially dubbed “iPhone 4S” by some, “iPhone 5

Apple Store Turning 10: iPhone 5 Rumors Surround Anniversary

There will be a Verizon iPhone 5 as soon as there’s an iPhone 5, but those on Sprint and T-Mobile will need to hold their breath and keep guessing. While the Verizon version of the iPhone 4 arrived more than half a year after its AT&T iPhone 4 counterpart, that was a one-time occurrence thanks to the eschewing of the much maligned Apple-AT&T exclusivity deal. Now, when the new iPhone 5 comes, it’ll be guaranteed to arrive on both AT&T and Verizon at the same time. The only question is whether it’ll come in a single unified model which can talk to both carriers’ incompatible networks, or whether segregated iPhone 5 models will still be required.

But the prospect of a T-Mobile iPhone 5 is a different story, as the carrier has bet so big on 4G that it seems unlikely to take on the new iPhone 5 unless it has 4G, which is a big unknown, and Apple of course isn’t talking. An iPhone 5 on Sprint faces the same scenario, as the carrier has also bet big on 4G. Sprint also faces the challenge of having no (known, public) existing relationship or deal with Apple of any kind, leaving Sprint on the outside looking in, at least as far as any outsiders know. T-Mobile is in a different yet equally challenging position; it’s in the early stages of becoming part of AT&T via merger, and it’s not clear whether that merger will be complete in time for the iPhone 5 launch or at what point AT&T would want the iPhone to expand to its would-be subsidiary.

The questions keep coming, but the bottom line hasn’t changed: if you want to be in line for an iPhone 5 at launch, land thyself on AT&T or Verizon between now and then so as to ensure being able to get one. Or if you’re attached (contractually or otherwise) to T-Mobile or Sprint such that you’re not changing carriers under any circumstances, then prepare to sweat out the prospect of iPhone availability until it arrives. Here’s more on the iPhone 5.

Verizon iPhone 5 Guaranteed, T-Mobile 4G Dependent, Sprint Plausible

Industry insiders have chimed in over the past few days on what will be in Apple's next iPhone 5, but the consensus that the next phone will be a "super phone" is diminishing.
Apple's Next iPhone 5, expects in September, will be "evolutionary not revolutionary," with perhaps a better camera and a different casing, but no 4G, or LTE, wireless modem, according to BMO Capital's Keith Bachman.
Writing to clients, Bachman explained that poor battery performance for LTE is "one of the reasons why we think Apple's LTE phone will come in 2012".

The sentiment was echoed from other industry watchers just last week. Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek said that instead of a major advancement, it will be an upgraded iPhone 4, most notably with a faster processor and some updated specs.

"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.
The A5 processor is the same chip that Apple rolled out to power its iPad 2. 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.

If true, the roll-out would match Apple precedent.

In 2008, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G and in 2009 introduced the iPhone 3GS -- the "S" standing for speed. For the most part, the 3GS was the same as the 3G, except it had a faster processor.
The move is sure to upset fans waiting for faster network connections and may complicate Apple's rumored iCloud service.

Regardless of when it does come out, it is almost sure to be a success, according to some industry watchers.
Caris & Co's Robert Cihra told clients last month that to focus solely on the the hardware and the launch date would be "missing the point" as Apple is no longer a "hit product company," driven by timing.

"It's not the hardware that matters," Cihra wrote, "...actually, it's the software+hardware+services in a fully-integrated vertical platform. As we've said repeatedly, iOS IS the 'what's next?' for Apple."
With cloud-based functionality integrated into the next iOS, promising newer services like digital lockers and access to unbridled computing power, the prospects for the next iPhone look bright, even if the timing is uncertain.

Apple iPhone 5 Deemed

HTC Sensation 4g, the next flagship T-Mobile Android that leaked a $199.99 price tag over at Target this weekend but no release date other than “this summer”, may have just had its last blank filled in.

TMoNews has gotten their hands on a screenshot from a T-Mobile dealer that promotes the dual-core HTC Sensation a.k.a Pyramid. It put the phone down with a release date of June 8th, smack in the middle of the WWDC 2011 event where Steve Jobs is expected to unveil both iOS 5 and the highly anticipated iPhone 5.

Now we know that the New iPhone 5 will also share a similar price tag of $199.99 for the base model as it has every year since the iPhone 3G first released. And rumors also put it with the same dual-core processor as the iPad 2. With both phones supposedly packing dual-core processors and the latest OS updates (Sensation is expected to launch with Android Gingerbread or come with it via an OTA update shortly after activation), it is no doubt going to be a tough decision for buyers.

Nevertheless, this is the second time we have seen the June 8th release date for the T-Mobile HTC Sensation (previously spotted in a Google advertisement with a “6/8″ date) so this is more than we can say about the iPhone 5 that also has speculation suggesting it may be delayed until Q3.

T-Mobile HTC Sensation Release Date Leaked, Taking iPhone 5 Head On? (US)

A Chinese global trade site is selling an item under the listing “Newest design crystal case for New Apple iPhone 5g,” which hints that the next generation iPhone could include some big changes.

If the design of the case, made by Kulcase, LTD in Guangdong and offered for bulk orders on alibaba.com, is actually based on leaked plans from Apple, it appears the next iPhone 5 could have a new edge-to-edge display and a new location for the rear flash. At least, that’s what we can discern by looking at these photos posted on the site: SEE THE PICTURE HERE

It wouldn’t be the first time plans for Apple products have been leaked into an ultracompetitive Chinese manufacturing market.
Reports surfaced earlier this year that employees at Foxconn, which manufactures many Apple products in China, were arrested for leaking iPad 2 plans to accessory makers.
Lending a little bit of credence to this particular rumor is the fact that the images seem similar to an engineering mock-up leaked back in March (according to AppleInsider) that showed a bigger screen.

But third-party manufacturers have also been known to begin production based on other rumors and leaks, only to see Apple make last-minute changes.
If you’re willing to take a risk and invest in some fifth-generation iPhone cases, Alibaba might be able to hook you up for as little as ten cents apiece, so long as you’re willing to buy at least a thousand.

iPhone 5 – New Edge-to-Edge Screen?