iOS 6: Banner Confirms WWDC 2012 Launch

Ever since Apple announced the dates for WWDC 2012, there has been speculation that they would unveil iOS 6 during their keynote. While there are all sorts of rumors about just what will be the topic of this year’s presentation, iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion have always been expected to be the central focus. This is, after all, a conference focused on software.

Well, in case you needed any confirmation that Apple really will be showing off iOS 6 on Monday, you’ve got it now. Instagram user zacaltman has posted a photo of a huge iOS 6 banner being hung up inside Moscone West in San Francisco, the venue for this year’s conference:

This year’s Apple keynote is scheduled for Monday, June 11 at 10 AM Pacific time (1 PM Eastern). If even half of the rumors we’ve been hearing about what Apple has in store are true, it’s going to be a good one.

Apple May Seek Restraining Order Against Galaxy S III

Yesterday we brought you news that Apple had filed a motion to block the Samsung Galaxy S III from being sold in the U.S. Specifically, Apple wanted to modify an existing injunction request against the Galaxy Nexus to include the Galaxy S III, which they claim violates the same patents in the same ways.

Samsung objected, however, arguing that it was too late to amend the earlier motion to include the new phone. According to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, though the judge, Judge Lucy Koh, is sympathetic to Apple’s desire to move quickly, she informed them yesterday that that might not be possible. The case is already very close to trial, and a hearing on whether the Galaxy S III can be added to the original motion will take time. In the meanwhile, Apple may also file for a temporary restraining order against the Galaxy S III. If they do so, however, the trial will have to be pushed back, delaying any final decision on whether Samsung is, in fact, infringing on Apple’s patents.

WWDC 2012: Apple TV Getting Third-Party Apps?

Last week we brought you news that Apple might be unveiling a new Apple TV operating system during the keynote at WWDC 2012 next week. The new OS would replace the version of iOS currently running on the Apple TV, and would be the operating system that powered the much-rumored iTV.

While the original rumor was light on details concerning the capabilities of the new operating system, information that surfaced just a little while ago may provide one very major detail. According to BGR, Apple will release a software development kit (SDK) alongside the new Apple TV OS next week. If this is true, then third-party developers will be able to develop apps for the Apple TV (and, presumably, the iTV). In other words, the App Store could, at long last, be coming to the Apple TV.

When the second generation Apple TV launched in 2010, the fact that it did not feature the App Store raised a lot of eyebrows. While the device certainly packed an impressive feature set and proved quite popular, virtually everyone agreed that what it really needed was apps. In fact, rumors about the App Store coming with various iOS updates have sprung up periodically over the last two years. When the time came for the third generation Apple TV to launch earlier this year (alongside the new third-generation iPad), many expected that Apple would finally announce apps for the Apple TV. Again, it didn’t happen.

Apple Agrees to $2.25 Million Settlement Over Australian iPad Ads

When Apple launched the new iPad, it predictably advertised that the higher-priced version of the device was “4G capable.” It did this even in countries where the 4G capabilities of the device could not be used due to incompatible data networks within those countries. That brought the ire of consumer protection agencies in several countries, including Sweden and Australia. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) was especially forceful in asserting that Apple knew it was misleading Australian consumers by advertising the iPad as 4G capable in the country, and the group filed a lawsuit. Though Apple responded quickly with refunds for all customers in Australia who felt they had been mislead, it wasn’t enough for the ACCC and the court case continued. Around one month ago, Apple changed the branding for the 4G version of the iPad to “Wi-Fi + Cellular.”

WWDC 2012: Apple May Launch Entirely New MacBook Line

We’ve been bringing you reports for several days now that Apple is planning to announce some major updates to most of its Mac lines at this years Worldwide Developers Conference. Rumors have pointed to retina display updates for the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac, as well as new Intel Ivy Bridge processors all around, and various other updates. The Mac Pro appears to be getting a much-needed update as well.

A new report today, though, suggests that the MacBook Pro may not be getting an update at all. It seems that KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has told AppleInsider that Apple will actually be unveiling an entirely new line of laptop computers, simply called the MacBook. It is this new MacBook, Kuo says, that will be getting the retina display, slimmer form factor, and losing the optical drive. The new MacBook, Kuo says, will come in 13-inch and 15-inch models. The 13-inch model will start at $1,199, and the 15-inch model will start at $1,799. He expects Apple to launch the 15-inch model next week, but delay the 13-inch model until August. If the new MacBook sells well enough, Apple will eventually discontinue the MacBook Pro line altogether.

Chicago Judge Tosses Apple-Motorola Suit

Just days before one of Apple’s patent disputes with Google-owned Motorola Mobility was set for trial in Chicago, an exasperated judge issued a temporary order dismissing the case with prejudice (meaning it can’t be re-filed).

Reports came in early yesterday afternoon that the start of the trial had been cancelled, but it wasn’t until much later in the day that it became known why. The presiding judge, Judge Richard Posner, has been growing increasingly frustrated with the maneuvering of the two parties in the case. In yesterday’s ruling, he declares that neither party is able to prove that the alleged infringement of the other has caused them significant harm, and that even if they could, each party’s request for injunctive relief is disproportionate to the amount of damage caused. In other words, neither Apple nor Motorola can prove that the other’s alleged patent infringement is actually causing them any harm.

Apple To Unveil Developer Analytics Tool That Preserves User Privacy

In a world where virtually every computer is connected to virtually every other computer, millions of people spend countless hours reading and posting to social networks, and so many of us carry our own little internet boxes in our pockets, the issue of privacy has become tricky. Before the social media age and the rise of mobile technology, it was a lot simpler: companies weren’t allowed to listen in on your phone conversations with friends, read your mail, or follow you around at the grocery store or the mall to see what you bought.

With everyone connected all the time, though, it’s a little more difficult. Oftentimes basic features of the technology we love – things that these gadgets and services require to do what we want them to do – raise their own privacy concerns. We want to use our phone’s built-in map app to find our way from where we are to where we want to be, but we don’t want Google to know too much about where we are. We want Siri to understand what we say and give appropriate answers, but we’re not comfortable with the fact that she has to upload our queries to Apple’s servers to do it. App developers need to collect usage data so they know what features of their apps are the most popular and which need the most improvement, but we don’t want them to associate that data with our devices.

“iPad Nano” Revealed In Leaked Images?

Probably not.

There’s been a lot of news lately about the recent leak of what appears to be a back plate meant for the new iPhone. Leaks like that are actually pretty common with Apple products – as production time nears, components start to find their way out into the open, providing tantalizing clues about what to expect next from Apple.

However common that sort of leak is for a new generation of a product that’s already been released – the iPhone or iPad, for example – it’s nearly unheard of for a brand new product. And yet, it seems that it just might have happened. There have been rumors for ages that Apple would introduce a smaller version of their hugely popular iPad tablet. This device, usually called the iPad Mini, is expected to have a 7.85-inch display and, according to the latest set of rumors, be coming sometime later this year. Now ZooGue is claiming to have images of the back panel of what they’re calling the iPad Nano.

Contrary to rumor, this iPad Nano is actually 7.58-inches. It also sports the same smaller dock connector and redesigned speakers found on the back panel of the new iPhone.

iPhone 5 Rumor: Video Shows New iPhone’s Metal Back Up Close

Rumors about the new iPhone’s upcoming redesign have gotten a major boost today thanks to a hands-on video of the iPhone’s new metal back panel. While there have been rumors for some time that Apple would be making big changes to the new iPhone’s design, no one was quite sure what those changes would look like. Last week, though, two sets of images and a schematic surfaced that gave as much information about the new iPhone’s look as you could hope for (without finding one in a bar).

Now, thanks to electronics component supplier ETrade Supply, we have more than pictures. They seem to have gotten their hands on one of the new rear panels, and were kind enough to post a video about it. The video confirms a lot of what has been suspected about the new iPhone: it’s longer and thinner than its predecessor, it has a unibody metal frame, the SIM card slot is slightly different, the current dock connector has been replaced with a smaller version, the speakers are larger, and the headphone jack (unfortunately) has been moved to the bottom.

Apple Tries To Block Samsung Galaxy S III In U.S.

In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, Apple has filed a motion to block U.S. sales of the new Samsung Galaxy S III. The motion, embedded below, was filed earlier this week as an addendum to a previous request for an injunction against the Galaxy Nexus.

According to Apple, the Galaxy S III, which runs the same Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system as the Galaxy Nexus, infringes on the same two Apple patents that serve as grounds for the Galaxy Nexus injunction request. It seems that as soon as the Galaxy S III hit stores in the U.K., Apple got their hands on one and started digging through it for evidence of infringement. 

Developers Still Prefer Apple Over Android By A Large Margin

We reported on a trend in the mobile development scene Wednesday – Android is on the rise. It’s true, but it’s not the whole story. While Android is on the rise, the behemoth that is Apple is still dominating the hearts, minds and most importantly, the time and resources, of developers.

Flurry Analytics runs a study every quarter that looks at the support each major mobile operating system gets from developers. The results may or may not be surprising depending on whatever camp – Apple or Android – you belong in.

Foxconn Factory Riot Leads To Multiple Arrests

A riot at Foxconn’s Chengdu plant in Sichuan, China earlier this week led to dozens of arrests, according to Chinese news sources. The exact cause of the riot is unknown, but there appear to have been several hundred workers involved.

According to Taiwan’s Want China Times, security guards attempted to stop a suspected thief in one of the men’s dormitories on the plant’s campus. Some workers who had grievances against the plant’s security staff stepped in to hinder the guards. The scuffle quickly turned into a full-blown riot. As many as a thousand workers got in on the action, causing significant amounts of damage to the facilities. Foxconn officials quickly called police, though it took about two hours to settle things back down. Dozens of workers were arrested.

Foxconn is a major electronics manufacturer, and is best known for contracting with Apple to assemble a variety of their most popular products, including the iPhone and iPad. The company has been in the news several times this year over allegations of low wages and poor working conditions, though Apple and Foxconn appear to be taking steps to improve the situation.

WWDC 2012: Mac Pro To Get A Much-Needed Update

Yesterday we brought you news that Apple was planning major updates to four of its five Mac computer lines. Previous rumors have predicted updates for three lines, the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac, all of which are expected to get retina displays. Yesterday’s news that a fourth line would be getting an update came as a welcome surprise. It also, however, raised an important question: which of the two remaining lines – the Mac Mini and Mac Pro – would be getting the update.

While 9to5Mac, who originally reported the rumors, guessed it would be the Mac Mini, I suggested it would be the Mac Pro instead. The Mac Pro is in far worse need of an update, the Mac Mini having gotten a boost in specs last year. Also, though the Mac Pro isn’t the best selling of Macs, it is effectively the workhorse of the Mac family, and is extremely popular among iOS and OS X developers, who need the Mac Pro’s beefed up capabilities to create their software.

WWDC 2012: Moscone West Gets A Makeover

WWDC 2012 starts in just five days. In preparation for the event, which kicks off Monday morning in San Francisco, the conference’s venue, Moscone West, is getting itself all prettied up. According to images that are being published all around the internet this morning, banners are going up inside Moscone West.

The tagline for this year’s conference is “Where great ideas go on to do great thigns.” There appears to be at least one long banner inside the Moscone West lobby. Check out some of the images below:

iPhone 5 Rumor: New iPhone To Get HD FaceTime Camera

If you have an iPhone 4S, you know that it’s got one of the best cameras ever put into a mobile phone. In fact, for many iPhone users – myself included – the iPhone has taken the place of the traditional point-and-shoot camera for everyday photography needs. It takes excellent photos, HD video, has a ridiculously bright LED flash, and is a lot less bulky than your average camera.

The front-facing camera – the FaceTime camera, as Apple calls it – is a completely different story. If you need it for video chatting – via FaceTime, Skype, ooVoo, or whatever your chat service of choice is – it definitely gets the job done. If you want to check your hair or make sure you got that bit of broccoli out of your teeth, it’s fine. If you want to take actual pictures, it’s… okay. In good light (i.e., sunlight) the pictures are fine. In anything less, they tend to be grainy and generally unimpressive.

Mac Upgrades Confirmed By Leaked Inventory List

A leaked inventory list may provide proof that Apple is preparing to launch sweeping updates to nearly the entire Mac lineup. There have been rumors for weeks that this was coming. Initial reports pointed to a retina display upgrade for the MacBook Pro, followed by a similar report for the MacBook Air and iMac. A report from this morning said that the Mac Pro was also on the upgrade list.

Now, AppleInsider and 9to5Mac have separately published a leaked list showing part numbers for a large number of new Macs. If this information is accurate, it proves that the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro are all getting upgrades and will be released around the same time (presumably sometime after Monday’s WWDC 2012 Apple keynote). You can check out the parts lists for yourself below. First is the one published by 9to5Mac. They claim to have been sitting on this one for awhile, because it includes information that could put their source’s job at risk. 

John Malkovich Siri Ad Inspires Parody Twitter Account

You may recall a couple weeks ago, when Apple started airing two new commercials for the iPhone 4S – Siri, specifically – starring John Malkovich. The two ads showcased Siri’s ability to handle very simple commands, as opposed to the conversational style of interaction most commercials demonstrate.

This is the second time in recent memory that Apple has used celebrities in its ads. Back in April they released a pair of ads showing Zooey Deschanel and Samuel L. Jackson interacting with Siri. As you might expect, each of those ads spawned its own parody – a Twitter account making fun of Deschanel’s silly question, and a video that put Siri into a famous scene from Pulp Fiction.

Unsurprisingly, Malkovich’s two commercials have inspired some parodies of their own. The Twitter account SiriAndJohn portrays Malkovich asking Siri a variety of questions. In keeping with the tone ads, the tweets are usually taciturn.

iPhone 4S Coming To Virgin Mobile?

The announcement that Apple’s iPhone 4S is coming Cricket Wireless slated for later this month has set off a storm of speculation about the possibility of other prepaid carriers getting the iPhone as well. Last week saw rumors that Boost Mobile would be next, though Boost all but denied it.

Now it looks like the other prepaid wireless carrier owned by Spring – Virgin Mobile – might actually be next to get the iPhone. Citing “people familiar with the company’s plans,” the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sprint will announce later this week that the iPhone is coming to Virgin Mobile on July 1. Details on plan pricing and whatnot are not clear at this point, but Virgin’s existing plans are comparable to those on Cricket and Boost. Odds are Virgin Mobile iPhone customers will be paying $55 per month for unlimited talk, text, and data. Like Cricket, though, Virgin is a prepaid-only carrier. That means no carrier subsidies for the iPhone itself, which means that you’ll be paying $499.99 for your phone, though the difference in handset cost is more than offset by the amount of savings on a monthly plan from one of the big three carriers – Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

Apple’s Google Maps Move Has Been Coming For A Long Time

If you’ve been paying attention to the rumors surrounding Apple’s forthcoming iOS 6 update, you know that one of the biggest pieces of news is that Apple apparently plans to ditch Google Maps in favor of their own in-house mapping software. There have been rumors for years that Apple would do so – they’ve been buying mapping companies since 2009, after all – but now it looks like it really is going to happen. We’ve even seen what appear to be screen shots of the new app.

A report this morning by the Wall Street Journal confirms that Apple has been planning to kick Google Maps to the curb “for years,” but that the growth of the Android platform accelerated those plans. Android debuted in 2008, and Apple bought its first mapping company in 2009 (followed by more map company purchases in 2010 and 2011). Starting with iOS 6, the built-in Maps app will use Apple’s own map data instead of relying on Google Maps. What’s more, Apple intends to encourage developers to use its own mapping service instead of Google Maps. Citing “one person familiar with the plans,” WSJ confirms what we’ve suspected for a few weeks: the new Maps app will be unveiled alongside iOS 6 during Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote next Monday.

WWDC 2012: Apple To Announce Updates To Most Macs?

We’re a mere six days from the much anticipated Apple keynote at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. WWDC 2012 kicks off on Monday, June 11, and Apple’s keynote is scheduled for 10 AM Pacific time (1 PM Eastern). If you’ve been following the news lately, you know that there’s an awful lot of discussion and speculation about what will be announced this year.

While much of the focus has been on iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion, there have also been rumors that Apple was planning to upgrade some of its Mac computers. According to various reports, the MacBook Pro will be getting a retina display, and possibly the iMac and MacBook Air, as well.

Now it looks like those won’t be the only Macs getting in on the upgrade action. According to a recent report from 9to5Mac, Apple is planning to announce major upgrades to pretty much the entire Mac line. Citing “sources,” they claim that Apple will unveil new versions of at least four of the current five lines of Mac computers – MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini. Features of the new Macs are unclear, though retina displays for the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are likely. A retina display for the iMac (as has been rumored) is also possible. Better FaceTime cameras, Thunderbolt, and Intel’s new Ivy Bridge processors are also likely.

MacBook Pro Only Getting A Minor Update?

Just a little while ago we brought you news that Apple would be announcing major updates to nearly all of its Mac lines at this year’s WWDC 2012 keynote. Now, though, new information has appeared that may cast doubt on those rumors.

An image appeared on the forums for the Chinese site Weiphone (Google Translation) over the weekend that purports to show the specs of the upcoming 13-inch version of the MacBook Pro. While the new specs do show some improvements over previous models, it’s not exactly the major upgrade recent rumors have suggested.

According to this information, the MacBook Pro will be getting a 2.5GHz Ivy Bridge processor, an improved FaceTime camera, and a few other goodies. But there’s no hint of a retina display, or of the much thinner body we’d heard the MacBook Pro would be getting.

DirecTV Chairman Not Worried About Apple TV

                                                       Famous last words?

Speculation that Apple would release their own HDTV set sooner rather than later have gotten a boost from an unlikely source. Michael White, chairman of DirecTV, predicted that Apple would be launching their own TV, but that he didn’t feel his company had anything to worry about.

According to Variety, White was speaking at an investors’ conference in New York. White denied that Apple would be able to disrupt the existing TV market enough to present companies like DirecTV with a genuine threat. Discussing rumors that Apple would be unveiling an update to the Apple TV operating system, White said that Apple is “going to launch something, maybe in the next two weeks,” but that “it’s hard to see [it] obsoleting our technology.”

White’s reasoning depends a lot on the fact that media companies aren’t likely to allow Apple to offer the kind of a la carte channel subscriptions they reportedly want to offer. Of course, the FCC is currently considering a rule change that would take that decision out of the media companies’ hands

New iPhone, iPad Mini Launching Together In September?

In the midst of all the rumors about the new iPhone and iOS 6 and Siri on the iPad that are circulating today we’ve got an interesting rumor to report concerning the long-rumored iPad Mini.

According to AppleInsider, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is meeting with some his sources in Apple’s Taipei supply chain, and has picked up some interesting news about what Apple may have coming down the pipeline. In a note to clients, he predicted that Apple would have an “exciting” September that would see the launch of both the new iPhone and the iPad Mini.

Unfortunately, White doesn’t have any more details about the iPad Mini than the fact that it will launch alongside the iPhone. Speaking of the iPhone, however, he says his sources confirm some of the reports we’ve been seeing about the new iPhone’s redesign.

iPhone 5 Rumor: New WiFi Chip Improves Battery Life

Last week we brought you news that the new iPhone would be getting some significant internal upgrades to go along with it’s external makeover. Those upgrades – hints of which were found in the beta version of iOS 6, currently being tested internally by Apple – indicate that the new iPhone will be getting a better processor, a full gigabyte of RAM, and a much improved GPU.

Now it seems that another internal upgrade will provide the new iPhone with a much-needed boost to its battery life. According to 9to5Mac, the iOS 6 beta code also includes references to Broadcom’s BCM4334 chips. According to Broadcom’s description, the BCM4334 is a 40nm chip that provides a variety of capabilities, including 802.11n wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and FM radio reception. What’s more, the chip is extremely energy efficient, having relatively minimal power consumption requirements. The chip also supports wi-fi direct, which could be used to make direct connections to other wi-fi devices, making the transfer of data between the two much easier (think iOS 5′s wireless syncing capabilities).

iPhone 5 Rumor: Concept Photos Show iOS 6 In Action

As you are probably aware by now, there’s been a lot of speculation over the last couple of weeks about just what the next iPhone – and it’s operating system, iOS 6 – will look like. Perhaps the biggest news is Apple will be going with an in-house mapping system and finally saying goodbye to Google Maps. Other rumored features include an overhaul of Apple’s stock iOS apps, a new color scheme, and a larger body complete with bigger screen. Meanwhile, iOS 6 is expected to be getting Facebook integration and several features from OS X Mountain Lion.

Well, as often happens when rumors like this start flying, someone has put together some concept images that show what the new iPhone with iOS 6 will look like (assuming all the rumors are true). The images were put together by Apple Core Forums user gizmosachin. They show the new silver color scheme, the larger body and unibody frame, as well as Safari’s new Chrome-like omnibox (a feature that’s coming to Safari in Mountain Lion). 

iOS 6: Facebook Integration, Do Not Disturb, & More

Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote is just a week away now, and as it gets closer, more information is beginning to surface concerning just what iOS 6, which is expected to be unveiled at the conference, will look like. Last week we brought you news that iOS 6 would be getting Facebook integration to match iOS 5′s Twitter integration, and that all of Apple’s stock iOS apps would be getting major upgrades, including the iOS Maps app.

New information this morning provides a little more detail about what Facebook integration in iOS 6 will look like, along with a few other features that will be coming to both iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion, which is due out later this summer and will also likely be a major focus of the WWDC keynote. Citing “sources familiar with” the iOS 6′s Facebook integration, 9to5Mac is reporting that the integration will, like Twitter’s be OS-wide, requiring the user to sign into their Facebook account from the Settings app. The most notable use of Facebook will, obviously, be in the Photos app, where you will have the option of posting your photos to Facebook, just as you can post them to Twitter now.

iOS 6: Siri Coming To The New iPad?

There’s one thing you can always bet on with the Apple rumor mill: if they put a new feature in one of their devices, it will kick off speculation about them putting it in all the rest. Case in point: the original iPhone’s touchscreen technology was pretty amazing at the time (though we take it for granted now). No sooner had the iPhone been released when people started wondering when we would see touchscreen MacBooks and iMacs. Similarly, the iPhone 4′s retina display sparked rumors that the iPad would be getting the same remarkable technology (which it finally did this year). When the iPhone 4S came out last year with Siri, many wondered whether the new iPad would be getting that, too.

Apple Analyst Predicts What An Apple TV May Look Like

In the world of Apple, there has been an incessant rumor that the company will be releasing a high definition television. It’s pretty much a given that Apple wants to control your entire living room and the television is the last stalwart that consumers have had to go with another manufacturer on. An analyst recently gave his take on what to expect from the Apple TV.

Speaking to Business Insider, Apple analyst Gene Munster said that it’s now a matter of when, and not if, when it comes to Apple TV. That seems to jive with rumors that Foxconn has begun production on an Apple TV. What would an Apple TV consist of though? Munster seems to have an idea.

The biggest change that Apple will bring to television according to Munster is the unbundling of channels. He feels that Apple will work with studios and allow consumers to only pay for channels that they want instead of paying a monthly fee for only three channels that they watch regularly. He also feels that Apple will bring DVR functionality that is similar to what DISH Network now offers with its Hopper DVR. Unfortunately, DISH is now on the end of a lawsuit from multiple networks claiming that skipping commercials is akin to theft. Apple may be able to throw its considerable weight against these networks and force them to adapt to new technologies.