How The iPhone Changed The Smartphone Industry

Five years ago today, Apple’s first iPhone hit stores. Many in the tech world thought that it would be a flop. For one thing, it was ridiculously expensive. For another, it was something no one had ever really heard of before: a smartphone targeted primarily at consumers, rather than business people. Everybody knew that the smartphone market was a business market, especially Research In Motion, makers of the iconic BlackBerry.

Five years later, RIM is in its death throes and Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone, the iPhone 4S, is the most popular single gadget on the planet. In fact, in five years the iPhone has sold 250 million iPhone and raked in $150 billion in revenues. While Google’s Android platform has emerged as a strong competitor – and even taken a larger chunk of the market – the iPhone remains the single most popular smartphone in the world.

iQuick Tweet Lets You Tweet From Notification Center

When Apple took the lid off of iOS 6 at WWDC 2012 two weeks ago, they showed off several new and exciting features. When iOS 6 launches in the fall it will include a brand new Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation, major improvements to Siri, Facebook integration, and more. One of these new features is a pair of buttons in Notification Center that allow you to quickly post to Twitter or Facebook.

For the moment, though, those of us without access to the iOS 6 beta release are forced to admire these new goodies from afar. While some of them are available as Jailbreak tweaks, users who aren’t willing to jailbreak their phones are still out of luck. Fortunately, one app developer found a nice workaround that lets you get your hands on one of iOS 6′s new features right now.

iPhone 5 Rumor: New iPhone Facing Battery Problems?

Apple may be encountering supply issues with the battery for the new iPhone, according to recent reports. The new iPhone is expected to launch this fall with a larger display, metal rear panel, and several internal upgrades, including 4G LTE connectivity.

Now it looks like there may be problems with the device’s battery. Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White recently discovered an article in the Chinese news media. According to AppleInsider, he summarized the contents of the story in a note to investors. According to the report, only about 30% of the batteries that are rolling off of assembly lines are meeting Apple’s standards for the new iPhone’s battery. The manufacturer is reportedly working to get the issue sorted out quickly enough to keep iPhone’s production schedule on track.

Apple Wants To Make Autocorrect Less Comical

Most iPhone users have a bit of a love-hate relationship with autocorrect. Designed to make typing on Apple’s touchscreen keyboard easier by fixing your mistakes for you, autocorrect often has exactly the opposite problem. Misspell a simple word in just the right way and autocorrect may replace it with way out of left field. 

Case in point: the lead image, which is a screen capture of a conversation I had with my wife a couple years ago. To this day I have no idea what misspelling of “bedtimes” led autocorrect to turn it into “beatings.” To be fair, most of autocorrect’s screwups are a little less alarming. But some are even more perplexing – for example, I also can’t figure out why when I type “forthe” (accidentally omitting the space) autocorrect assume’s I must be trying to type “Goethe” instead of “for the.” Or why half the time it turns “so” into “do.” At any rate, autocorrect has been the source of many a laugh, the cause many a misunderstanding, and the but of many a joke. There are even whole websites devoted to it, the most popular of which being Damnyouautocorrect.com.

iCloud And iMessage Users Experiencing Outages

Some users of Apple’s iCloud and iMessage services are reporting outages this afternoon. It appears that Apple is having server problems that are preventing users from connecting. The problems also appear to be affecting developer portals for iOS and OS X. Users were unable to log into the developer portals or iCloud’s web portal, while iMessage users’ messages were not being sent.

OS X Mountain Lion To Release July 19th?

One of the big stories from Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote last week was OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. The latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system packs in a bunch of exciting new features, including Notification Center, Reminders, Twitter Integration (and probably Facebook, too), and more. They also announced the price – a positively shocking $19.99.

One thing they did not announce, much to the disappointment of many, was Mountain Lion’s release date. All they said was that it would be shipping “next month.” Of course, “next month” (i.e., July) is still a fairly broad window, and Apple has declined to narrow it down.

One recent report, though, puts a firm date on Mountain Lion’s release. According to Three Guys and a Podcast, who apparently have a source in San Francisco’s Bay Area, Apple is planning to launch Mountain Lion on July 19th. This keeps Apple’s releases on a yearly schedule, a format of which Apple has grown increasingly fond, particularly with iOS products.

Like Lion before it, Mountain Lion will only be available as a download from the Mac App Store. Once it’s released, you can upgrade to Mountain Lion from any Mac that has the correct hardware specs and is running either Snow Leopard or Lion.

iPhone 5 Rumor: 19-Pin Mini Dock Connector Confirmed

One of the changes that’s been grinding around in the iPhone rumor mill for a few months now is a smaller dock connector. Back in May we brought you a story that the new iPhone would have a smaller dock connector and a larger display. Later, leaked images appeared to confirm both changes (as well as a repositioned headphone jack).

Now TechCrunch is reporting that they have confirmed the smaller dock connector. In a move they expect to “send shocks through the iPhone accessory ecosystem,” they say they’ve confirmed with “[t]hree independent manufacturers” that the new iPhone will have a 19-pin dock connector rather than the traditional 30-pin connector that was first introduced with the third-generation iPod all the way back in 2003. The reason behind this move is pretty clear: the new iPhone is likely to be getting some significant internal upgrades (e.g., 4G LTE and a better battery). Shrinking the dock connector and increasing the screen size are two ways to make extra room inside the iPhone’s case for all those extra goodies.

iPhone 5 Rumor: Patent Drawings Confirm Redesign?

There’s been a lot of speculation recently on just what the iPhone 5 (or, more likely, “new iPhone”) will look like. The best information we’ve seen has come from a series of images that have leaked of the new iPhone’s front and rear panels. The first of these images leaked late last month, and showed some major changes to the iPhone’s form factor. Most notably, the new iPhone appears to be getting a smaller dock connector and a taller (but not wider) screen. Additionally, it looks like the FaceTime camera is being moved from its customary place next to the earpiece, and will instead be centered above it.

So far, though, these images have remained unconfirmed. While they look genuine, they could easily be prototypes, or even outright fakes (though they’re very good fakes, if that’s so). But now confirmation of the iPhone’s redesign appears to have come from the unlikeliest source of all: Apple itself.

Verizon Data Breach Report Available as a Free iBook

Verizon’s 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report was released as a PDF back in March, but now those interested in the world of digital espionage can kick back and read the report on their iPad, as Verizon is releasing the entire report as an iBook. The report revealed that Anonymous “hacktivism,” is on the rise worldwide. “Hacktivism” is generally understood to be system security breaches by individuals or groups motivated by political disagreement or protest.

The iBook is only available in English, but Verizon states that the iBook format is more easily digestible than the PDF. Charts and graphs in the report have been placed closer to their reference text and they can now be interacted with for a zoom-view. Users can also now search through the text more easily to find specific topics.

Apple Store Employees Get A Big Raise

It looks like today is going to be a very good day for employees of Apple’s retail stores. It seems that they – all of them – are about to get a $4-per-hour raise. The decision appears to be the result of Apple receiving a number of complaints from employees that they felt underpaid.

According to a report this morning from Business Insider, the raise will be reflected in employees’ July 20th paychecks.

This is the second time in as many months that Apple has done something nice for its employees. Late last month the company filed paperwork with the SEC saying that employees who had been compensated with restricted stock units (RSUs) would begin receiving dividend equivalent payments. While Apple’s stockholders should begin receiving quarterly dividends next month, the RSUs awarded to Apple employees are not eligible for the same dividends that are paid on unrestricted stock.

I contacted Apple to ask for confirmation of this news, but they have not yet responded.

iOS 6: Video Shows Siri For iPad In Action

One of the big stories from last week’s WWDC 2012 Apple keynote was iOS 6. The newest version of Apple’s mobile operating system comes with a slew of new features, many of them requested by users over the last couple of years. New features in iOS 6 include an overhauled (and Google-less) Maps app, Facebook integration, improvements to Siri, better privacy settings, and more.

One remarkable bit of news is that Siri would finally be making the jump to a device other than the iPhone 4S. When iOS 6 launches alongside the new iPhone this fall, owners of the new iPad will be getting Siri as well. While older iPads will be left out, the fact that Siri is getting spread around even a little is very promising.

Facebook Releasing iOS 6 SDK Soon

One of the big announcement to come out of last week’s WWDC keynote was the integration of Facebook into iOS 6. It gives Apple a leg up on the competition for social media while simultaneously giving Facebook even more access to all the iDevice owners out there. Facebook will also let developers get a head start on making apps for iOS 6.

Apple May Be Most Profitable Company Ever In 2012

By pretty much any standard you care to look at, Apple has had an amazing year. With the exception of a few hiccups, their stock has remained consistently in the neighborhood of $575-600, with a market cap that has occasionally broken $600 billion (though it currently sits at $547 billion). With new products coming out at regular intervals, and Apple regularly reporting massive quarterly revenues, that doesn’t look likely to change any time soon.

In fact, according to one recent estimate, Apple may be in the midst of the most profitable year ever. Not Apple’s most profitable year ever, mind you. According to Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White, Apple may be on its way to the most profitable year ever had by any publicly traded company ever.

iOS 6: Standalone Podcast App Coming At Launch?

You didn't think they told us EVERYTHING on Monday, did you?

When Apple unveiled iOS 6 at Monday’s WWDC 2012 keynote they showed off some pretty cool new features. Thanks to Monday’s presentation we know that iOS 6 will be getting a brand new Maps app with 3D Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation, FaceTime over 3G, improvements to Siri, Facebook integration, and more. In fact, Apple promised 200 new features in iOS 6.

Of course, if you know much about Apple, you know that they’ve got more tricks up their sleeve than they revealed on Monday. After all, iOS 6 will be launching alongside the new iPhone this fall At least some of its features will be keyed to features that are exclusive to the new iPhone. Still others will be coming in later betas of iOS 6, or will be announced when the new iPhone is announced (probably in October).

Apple Sued Over Lost Time Capsule Backups

If you’ve used OS X since the launch of 10.5 Leopard in the fall of 2007, you’re probably familiar with Time Machine. One of the flagship features of Leopard, Time Machine allows users to create automatic, incremental backups of their files and store them to an external hard drive. To go along with Time Machine, Apple also released Time Capsule, a combination external drive/wi-fi base station. Unfortunately, the Time Capsule was plagued with hardware defects. There were numerous stories of Time Capsule failures resulting in lost user data. Eventually, Apple issued a recall and began replacing the devices.

Unfortunately, Apple’s recall didn’t help Perminder Tung of Surrey, British Columbia. Tung, an attorney, purchased a Time Capsule in 2009, before the recall period began. He used it to back up two MacBooks and an iPhone. Unfortunately, the Time Capsule crashed last month, losing all the backed up data, including photos from an iPhone that had also failed. Among those photos were pictures of the birth of Tung’s first child.

iOS 6 Maps Flyover Hacked To Run On An iPhone 4

One of the biggest things unveiled at Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote on Monday was the new Maps app for iOS 6. Quite apart from its implications in the ongoing battle between Google and Apple, it packs in several new features. Most notably, it comes with turn-by-turn navigation (which is fully integrated with Siri), and an amazing new 3D mode called Flyover.

Unfortunately, Flyover will not be available on all iOS devices. While iOS will run on a pretty wide variety of iOS devices, not every feature is available on every device. For example, Siri is coming to the new iPad, but not to the iPad 2. FaceTime over 3G is only coming to the new iPad and the iPhone 4S. Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will only run on the iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, and the new iPad.

Or will they?

WWDC 2012: Apple Uploads Keynote To YouTube

On Monday various Apple executives took the stage for the keynote at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which ends today. During the keynote they introduced a huge number of new products. Items on the menu included updates to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, an all new MacBook Pro with retina display, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and iOS 6.

Unfortunately, Apple did not see fit to stream the keynote live. While there were a number of live blogs (including ours) and a Ustream feed available, neither is quite the same as watching the keynote yourself. Shortly after the keynote ended, Apple posted their own video on their website, but if you weren’t watching via Safari on your Mac or iOS device, or QuickTime on your Windows PC, then you couldn’t see it then, either.

Apple & Samsung Hold 55% of the Smartphone Market, but Earn 90% of its Profits

According to some new figures by ABI Research, Samsung and Apple captured 55% of global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2012, but took in over 90% of the market’s profits.

Looking at vendor shipments for the quarter reveals some interesting figures. Apple shipped 35 million smartphones. That number was small compared to Samsung who sent out over 43 million.

The challenge appears when you look at everyone else. Their next closes competitor, Nokia, only shipped out 11.9 million smartphones. That’s a huge discrepancy. RIM wasn’t far behind with just over 11 million, but again, these figures don’t reflect any real competition for Apple of Samsung.

13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro Coming In October

Yesterday we brought you news that Apple may have a 13-inch MacBook Pro with retina display in the works. It seems that references to a MacBook Pro with the model number 10,2 were found in the usage data for the MiniBatteryLogger utility. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display unveiled during Monday’s WWDC 2012 keynote is the MacBook Pro 10,1. While it’s possible that the 10,2 is a 17-inch model, it’s more likely that it’s a 13-inch version, in keeping with Apple’s probable plans to have the next generation MacBook Pro supplant the older version.

Now it seems that this 13-inch retina display MacBook Pro may be launching in October. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI, reportedly told AppleInsider that production of a 13-inch next-gen MacBook Pro will be ramping up in September with a targeted launch date of early October.

Apple 1 Computer Goes For $374,000 At Auction

I’m a Windows fan now, but that doesn’t mean that I hate Apple. In fact, I have a soft spot for the Apple II – my very first computer. I would love to get my hands on its predecessor, but it apparently takes a millionaire to get one.

According to CBS, there was an Apple 1 on auction in New York City. The computer was one of the original six computers that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built back in 1976. The demand for such a rare item must surely be high. An Apple fan, or maybe just a technology fan in general, has far outstripped what the original demand was valued at.

When the smoke cleared from what was surely an arduous battle, a victor appeared having won the computer for $374,000. Those in charge of the auction stated that the selling price was two-times higher than what they expected to get for the computer. The last Apple I sold at auction went for $210,000, so here’s hoping the next one goes for over $600,000.

Fake Apple Survey Email Making The Rounds

A fake survey claiming to be from Apple is making the rounds this morning. It’s pretty much your basic phishing email. It offers the recipient the chance to take a survey in exchange for $115 Apple Store gift card. Of course, if you know what to look for, the email is full of red flags.

First off, there are numerous grammatical errors in the body of the email itself. That’s always your first clue that an email like this is a fraud. Apple makes gazillions of dollars. They can afford to have people proofread the emails they send out. If you get an email from Apple – or any other major company for that matter – that reads like it was written by a sixth grade dropout, you can be sure it’s phony. Interestingly, though, email scammers don’t include grammatical errors because they’re idiots. They include them because the kind of person who catches grammatical errors is less likely to fall for an email scam. It’s a way of homing in on the easy marks. 

Steve Jobs And Bill Gates Throw Down In Rap Battle

If you’ve been on YouTube for any amount of time, you’re probably aware of NicePeter’s and EpicLloyd’s Epic Rap Battles of History. The video pits two historical figures against each other in what can only really be described as epic. Past battles have pit Hitler vs. Darth Vader or Michael Jackson vs. Elvis, but the newest is by far the best.

Apple, Motorola Given One More Day In Court

Last week we brought you news that Judge Richard Posner had tossed out the patent infringement case between Apple and Motorola that was scheduled to begin trial soon. Judge Posner declared that neither company had managed to demonstrate that the alleged infringement was actually causing them harm, and that the case would be dismissed with prejudice, preventing either party from filing suit again over the relevant patents.

In that order, though, Judge Posner declared that he would refrain from filing the judgment until he could prepare a formal opinion, leaving him room to change his mind. Well, it seems that he did change his mind. Sort of. The case is still not headed to trial, but Judge Posner issued another ruling yesterday in which he declared that Apple and Motorola would have one more day in court. At this hearing, scheduled for June 20th, the two companies will have the opportunity to convince Judge Posner that they have enough of a case against each other to justify proceeding to trial. If the judge is not convinced, the case will be dismissed, as per the original order.

Ping To Be Killed With Next iTunes Update

Ask not for whom the bell pings. It pings for thee.

Late last month at we brought you news that Apple may finally kill off Ping, the failed music-based social network introduced in 2010 with iTunes 10. Speaking at AllThingsD’s D10 Conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that Ping had failed to capture customer attention, and that there was the possibility that Ping would be killed off in a future release of iTunes.

Well, now it looks like “future” may mean “fall.” According to a report from AllThingsD, the next major release of iTunes will no longer include Ping. That release – probably iTunes 11 – is expected to launch in the fall alongside the new iPhone and iOS 6.

The loss of Ping does not, of course, mean that Apple is removing itself from the social media space. Quite the opposite, in fact. After all, iOS has had OS-level Twitter integration since iOS 5 launched last fall. OS X is getting Twitter integration with Mountain Lion next month, and Facebook will be coming to iOS 6 (and probably OS X Mountain Lion) in the fall. Along with all that, Apple is bringing the ability to share apps via Twitter and Like them via Facebook to the App Store, and you can bet that before long you’ll be able to do the same with music and movies in the iTunes Store.

iOS 6: Screenshots Reveal Unannounced Features

As expected, during yesterday’s WWDC 2012 keynote Apple unveiled iOS 6, which will be releasing in the fall alongside the new iPhone. During the keynote, Apple announced a lot of new features in iOS 6, most of which were not surprising. Features like Facebook integration, Do Not Disturb for notifications, improvements to Siri, and the new Maps app had been predicted for some time. Others, like Passbook and enhancements to the Phone app were unexpected.

Whether expected or unexpected, though, the features highlighted during yesterday’s keynote were only a fraction of the over 200 new features Apple is bringing to the iOS platform with iOS 6. Today, courtesy of a source with access to the iOS 6 beta, we can bring you some screen shots of some of those features as found on the iPad. Combined with what Apple announced yesterday, these new features show that Apple really does pay attention to customer feedback, and have added some of the features that we’ve been wanting (and getting from Cydia, in some cases) for years. That being the case, some of you may no longer feel the need to jailbreak once iOS 6 ships. If, on the other hand, you’re like me and most of your jailbreak modifications have focused on the Notification Center, you’ll still want that jailbreak. There are lots of new features in iOS 6, but a lot was left out, as well. 

New MacBook Pro Lineup Creates Confusion

Three months after the new iPad, Apple’s product naming practices are back in the spotlight. The company’s WWDC 2012 keynote yesterday afternoon is being called their best yet. Various Apple execs treated us to an almost unheard-of assortment of new product announcements, including OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, iOS 6, updated MacBook Airs, updated MacBook Pros, and an all new next-generation MacBook Pro with retina display. All in all, it was an impressive display.

It’s that last set of new products, however, that is raising a few eyebrows. The launch of an all-new retina display MacBook at WWDC was not unexpected. In fact, we first reported that they might do so last week. What’s surprising is the name they chose to give this new device. The original report suggested that with this new computer would drop the “Pro” branding and simply be called the MacBook, and that it would ultimately replace the current MacBook Pro.

New iMac, Mac Pro In The Works, Coming In 2013

In the run up to yesterday’s WWDC 2012 Apple keynote, there were all sorts of rumors about just what Apple would and would not announce. In fact, if you paid much attention to the rumor mill before hand (and some people on Twitter clearly didn’t), little of what Apple announced was a surprise. Nevertheless, some of the rumored announcements never came.

Most notably, three things were left out: the Apple TV, the iMac, and the Mac Pro. While major updates to the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines – including the new retina display model – had been predicted, the rumor mill had also hinted at similarly major updates to the iMac and the Mac Pro. While the Mac Pro did get a very minor feature bump (which Apple neglected to mention during the keynote), nary a peep was heard about the iMac.

iOS 6: Which Features Will Your Device Get?

Without a doubt, one of the biggest highlights of yesterday’s WWDC 2012 keynote was iOS 6. Apple’s latest mobile operating system packs in over 200 new features, some of which we heard about at yesterday’s keynote, some of which have come to light as developers have gotten their hands on the new iOS 6 beta.

Apple And Search: Now Is Google A Monopoly?

With all the talk about Google being a monopoly, the company is probably glad (at least partially) to see Apple make some search-related announcements during its WWDC keynote, which could help the argument in Google’s favor (even if hurting its market share).

Should Google be worried about Apple’s announcements? Tell us what you think.

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.