iPhone 5: iPod touch-slim, MBA-styled, 3.7-inch and NFC iPhone

More iPhone 5 whispers this weekend, as speculation about the fifth-generation smartphone – already tipped to be an all-encompassing World Phone with perhaps even support for T-Mobile USA 3G – prompts a new mockup with a distinctly iPod touch flavor to it. Contrary to recent suggestions that the iPhone 5 would be similar in specs and design to the iPhone 4, This is my next is hearing that it will be “more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 4″ with a thinner chassis more akin to the MacBook Air in profile.

They put together the mockup on the left – with what they admit is an over-exaggerated taper – and thenCorey Daniels put together a more MBA-styled alternative, shown on the right. The home button has been enlarged, and now doubles as a gesture area, while the screen has grown to an expected 3.7-inches – with a 312 ppi pixel density, allowing Apple to continue using its Retina Display branding – with minimal bezel.

That could be the result of new bonded glass technology, minimizing the amount of extraneous space required, and perhaps even allowing Apple to put the earpiece and sensors behind the display itself. It’s not the only sensor shift tipped: there’s what’s marked in leaked (and unshown) diagrams as a “swipe area” on the bottom and/or top of the iPhone 5, which could well be an NFC sensor. Apple is believed to be working hard on NFC wireless payment technologies, though there has been argument over whether the system would show up in the fifth-gen phone.

World Phone support from a GSM/CDMA chip – like the Qualcomm Gobi MDM6600 inside the Verizon iPhone 4, which is currently locked to CDMA mode – also seems a lock-in, especially as it would open up the Chinese market too. In short, rather than a spec-bump, the iPhone 5 could well turn out to be pretty revolutionary.

The Big Day: Apple Unveils the iPhone 5

Today, Apple will reveal the fifth generation iPhone 5, marking a 15-month wait for the elusive iPhone 5. Follow this article throughout the day for real-time updates on the Apple iPhone 5 media event. October 4th may come to represent one of the most cathartic Apple product announcements ever — the launch of the fifth generation iPhone. Newly-appointed Apple CEO Tim Cook will make his first major on-stage PR performance today at 10:00 am PST on Apple’s own corporate campus in Cupertino, CA to a packed house of journalists in what promises to be a monumentous fifth chapter in the ever-escalating success story of the iPhone. Dubbed the “iPhone 5″ by tech media and enthusiasts alike, this iPhone iteration brings with it a level of anticipation and mystery that no other iPhone model — or smartphone, for that matter — has enjoyed since the launch of the smartphone market segment in mobile computing and telephony. The landmark sales success of the iPhone 4 has launched the iPhone brand to a point where tech analysts believe that 41% of all mobile phone users — and 35% of the population overall — will eventually come to purchase an iPhone 5. But while many people are certain that they’ll purchase an iPhone 5, little is confirmed about what to expect from its features, its official name, and even if there will be two new iPhones instead of one. The Summer has been filled with a series of conflicting reports that claim the next iPhone will either sport a larger touch screen, new look and form factor, or keep the current screen size and chassis of the iPhone 4. Because of the inconclusiveness of the rumors, as well as Apple’s trademark silence about its new iPhone developments, no one in the media knows for sure what to expect from the iPhone 5. For this reason there is even speculation that the next iPhone could be called “iPhone 4S” if it turns out to be a refresh of the current iPhone 4, or even “iPhone 4G” if the next iPhone becomes the first to feature 4G LTE technology. There are even rumors that Apple could reveal two new iPhones for the first time ever, boasting a totally redesigned, “pro” model iPhone 5, together with a lesser-equipped iPhone 4S. What is certain about the next iPhone is that it will become Apple’s flagship mobile device for launching its audacious, new operating system, iOS 5, as well as iCloud — a cloud computing platform that will allow Apple users to easily share and access their data, photos, files, music, videos, and more on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer, thus creating an “Apple ecosystem” that could make owning a suite of Apple products irresistable for tech enthusiasts. iOS 5 also proves to deliver a groundbreaking new user interface, with credible rumors that its new Assistant voice-activated technology will allow users to control virtually every facet of their iPhone with intuitive, user-friendly voice commands (that actually work, unlike much of the voice-activated technology on the market today). While much is known about the iPhone 5′s expected software features — iOS 5′s beta version was launched at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in June of this year — most of the biggest question marks remain about its hardware features. We know that Apple will equip the iPhone 5 with its new A5 chip — currently used in the iPad 2 — and very well may include an 8-megapixel camera; advanced, capacitive home button; and increased RAM and/or storage. Regardless of what the next iPhone turns out to be — a refreshed iPhone 4 with advanced features or a revolutionary new iPhone design — the buzz surrounding Apple’s fifth generation iPhone promises to make it the most successful smartphone design ever. 

41% of Mobile Users Express iPhone 5 Purchase Intent – InMobi Study

  

InMobi, which claims to be the world’s largest independent mobile ad network, has released the combined results of its monthly InMobi Mobile Insights network ad data research and a custom iPhone-focused study, “iPhone 5 and the Mobile Market.” InMobi says its announcement can be considered a forecast of the scope and effect of the confirmed October 4th Apple iPhone announcement. InMobi anticipates the North American mobile ad market to experience a significant increase in mobile media consumption based on its iPhone 5 consumer data findings, deducing that the fifth-generation iPhone is shaping up to be most successful smartphone product launch to date. The recent InMobi consumer smartphone survey found that 41% of current mobile users in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada plan to buy an iPhone 5, which if it plays out in reality would make the fifth-gen handset Apple’s best-seller yet. The study also indicates that over 50% of users affirming intent to buy will make their move within six months of the iPhone 5 launch, which would increase Apple’s mobile platform market share from 27% in June 2011 (comScore Inc., August 2011) to 41% in the first half of 2012, However, there’s a caveat. InMobi says that if Apple were to announce an iPhone next Tuesday that only amounts to an update of the current iPhone 4, a la the 3GS update of the existing iPhone that Apple released in 2009, interest in the new Apple smartphone will be significantly lower, with fewer than 15% of consumers saying they would be likely to pick up the new handset. In terms of what consumers are expecting in the new iPhone, the InMobi study finds that the most hoped for improvements and enhancements would be improved battery life; increased processor power; higher-quality screen resolution; and stronger phone service, Customer Retention And New Users As for the iPhone 5′s impact on Apple’s smartphone competition, InMobi’s study revealed that over half of current BlackBerry users (52%) are planning to switch to the iPhone 5, a higher proportion than even current iPhone users 51% of whom say they’ll be trading up. Greater than one in four (27%) of Android owners have iPhone 5 fever as well. The worst news is for already beleaguered Research in Motion, with the study finding that even if Apple only announced an iPhone 4S, 28 percent of current BlackBerry smartphone would still switch to Apple, more than double the percentage of current iPhone and Android owners who would buy in that hypothetical instance. Source: InMobi InMobi’s North America Market Overview, which shows nearly 24 billion mobile ad impressions on the InMobi network over the past quarter, also finds Apple mobile ad impressions are on the rise in iPod Touch devices and that as a manufacturer, Apple has the majority of the market share, at 29%. Data from the report also indicate a 33% growth in mobile ad impressions over the past three months, and a 39% growth in smart phone impressions in the North America mobile market. An infographic outlining the full findings of InMobi’s most recent research is available at: Commenting on InMobi’s latest findings, InMobi’s VP Global Research & Marketing James Lamberti, said: “The combination of Apple’s increasing market share in mobile advertising and general consumer interest in their latest technology is another boon for the mobile advertising industry. Apple is currently the clear leader in terms of compelling user experience and customer loyalty, and we feel that their quality and pace of innovation when it comes to mobile devices will continue to improve the content and advertising experience for consumers for iPhone5 and beyond.”

This Is Serious: Apple To Offer Refund For New iPad In Australia Due To “Misleading” 4G Claims

The news of Apple’s troubles down under over the New iPad and its 4G claims in an advert has grown even more serious, with the company offering a wide-ranging refund to all Australian customers. Could this snafu turn into a widespread disaster for Cupertino?

Today it has been widely reported that Apple will be offering full refunds to all Australian buyers of the new iPad 3. This wide-ranging recall comes as a result of a rapidly escalating disaster for Apple in Australia, after a consumer watchdog group there took legal steps to force Cupertino to change the way it is marketing its new tablet — namely, its popular 4G LTE connectivity.

The problem is that Australia is not yet equipped with a wide-ranging 4G network, and so the watchdog group is claiming that Apple’s iPad 3 adverts are misleading and constitute false advertising. According to the Mail, “The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken legal action to ensure Apple makes consumers aware its third-generation iPad cannot connect to a 4G mobile data network in Australia due to technical incompatibility. Apple promoted its third-generation tablet as the iPad with Wifi+4G, but Australia has only one 4G network, operated by Telstra Corp, which operates on a different frequency to the 4G on Apple’s new iPad.”

In order to stem the tide of rising criticism in Australia, Apple will move to offer anyone refunds who feel as though they were misled by advertisements that highlighted the tablet’s 4G LTE capabilities.

There is also concern that this situation could spread to other countries where 4G networks are still not fully implemented, such as in the UK. Given the significant 4G LTE investments made by Apple’s mobile carrier partners in the U.S., however, it is not believed that any sort of lawsuit or refund would extend to American iPad 3 customers.

Iphone 5 Release Date And Features

Will the Iphone 5 ever be released?

The release date of the iphone 5 has been just an on going rumor for months now. Among the new features every new Iphone brings, the release date is just as hot a topic. People want 

to know exactly when it’s available so they can have it first, or have it at all. Every new Iphone release has always been a hectic yet very successful one for Apple, selling faster than they can deliver. People always want what they can’t have which just makes these launches that much more troublesome.  Fear not, when the Iphone 5 release date is leaked you can be certain that we will have it for you first.

The Iphone 5 was expected to be released with the new iOS 5 but complications happened which made the release of the iphone 5 with iOS 5 impossible in Apple’s eyes. So here we have the Iphone 4S, which to many was a major disappointment. Most people were expecting more from one of the world’s biggest and most technologically influential companies to date. The day the Iphone 4s was announced, Apple’s stock plummeted and for good reason. While the Iphone 4s does offer performance upgrades and added features, it was not enough according to the majority of Iphone enthusiasts. While it isn’t the first time Apple released an ‘S’ version in between official versions, it was the fact that it was so out of the blue and unexpected it has shocked people and Apple’s stock.

The iPhone 5 release date is still just rumors circulating with no concrete information. However the fact that Apple seems to prefer to have their major launches in late spring to early summer is probably a good place to speculate as the next release date for Iphone 5. As of right now most tech gurus are saying early summer 2012, but now with the recent release of the Iphone 4s the iphone 5 release date could be delayed further. Customers that buy the iPhone 4s could be extremely angry if Apple were to release the Iphone 5 less than a year later. Unfortunately in today’s technology world 1 year is a very long time, so get used to it.

Not only are these release dates a matter of releasing a bug free product, but there is also a marketing aspect behind them. Apple wants to release at the absolute best time to maximize profits after building months and even years worth of hype. Delaying too long could allow for competition to come in and snag a good percentage of customers that grow tireless of waiting. Releasing too soon could result in a bug filled product that wasn’t tested enough causing major customer support issues and potentially damaging the company’s reputation.

As you can see the iPhone 5 release date is a very touchy subject for both customers, developers and manufacturers with many variables coming into play. Who will know the official release date of the Iphone 5 first? Apple of course! Who will be the next to know?

iPhone 5 Features Update:

Two new rumors have surfaced that are claiming apple is considering adding credit card processing from your iPhone. How this will work exactly is still unknown but the concept is there. The other rumored feature is a better camera that is capable of panorama picture taking and full 1080p video recording.

According to a few sources, both Sony and Hitachi have shipped protype 4-inch screen sized iPhone 5′s to Apple for testing. If this is true it could mean an iPhone 5 release date as early as March 2012 but more than likely later rather than sooner. One thing to keep in mind though is that Steve Jobbs delayed the iPhone 5 because he felt it wasn’t ready, however his succesors seem to feel otherwise moving forward with the new phone. So there could be new standards and protocols Apple is taking now that could affect things like release date patterns we’re used to.