Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

White iPhone 4 Not Quite The Same As iPhone 4

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:09 AM PDT


white iphone 4 sensor

A little tweak: the white iPhone 4's camera sensor is ever-so-slightly tweaked to compensate for the white iPhone 4's light exposure.

iPhone 5 News Blog lead columnist Charles Moore reports on the subtle differences between the white iPhone 4 and its original counterpart.

The Japanese site Macotakra’s danbo reports that the white iPhone isn’t quite the exact clone of the black one save for the color change.

Specifically, danbo, based on what he’s gleaned from Twitter posts, says it appears that the white model’s camera lens and proximity sensor are different than the corresponding parts in the black iPhone 4. As he puts it, courtesy of Google Translation, “The sensor is similar, the magnitude of the incident light, in black and white are different in size,” and that from studying photo comparisons of the respective models it seems that the rear-facing camera lens is set farther back on the white iPhone 4 than on the black one.

These differences are probably not in aid of a performance tweak, but more likely have been required to address a stubborn light leakage issue that’s thought to have been the main reason why the white-un’s consumer release was delayed by nearly 10 months after the black model went retail. Even so, I’ve seen reports from white iPhone 4 users that even with the modified proximity sensor, its not as efficient at its job of blanking the screen when the phone is held up to the face as the black model is when screen protectors are fitted.

Of course, if you’ve been keeping up with the white iPhone in the blogosphere, you’re probably aware that there’s allegedly a more widely-known difference in the iPhone 4, to wit that it’s reportedly .02 millimeters thicker in section than the black model. That would be more or less inconsequential functionally, if the iPhone were not a product that a probable strong majority of users will want to protect in transit and storage with some sort of case, and in some instances a fatter white model may not fit in cases designed to accommodate the black iPhone 4, and that manufacturers of rigid case designs especially may have to release a separate case model to fit the white iPhone. That is, if the white iPhone really is fatter.

Consumer Reports say they compared a white iPhone 4 with a black iPhone 4 in their lab using high-quality calipers and found they were both the same thickness — the 9.3m (0.37 in.) that Apple specifies both black and white iPhone 4 models measure.

On the other hand, certain independent measurers are reporting the discrepancy, backing up their claims with what they say is photographic evidence. The precise reason for the evident difference is a matter of speculation. Apple (Phil Schiller again) has insisted that there isn’t one. it’s been suggested that the white coating itself and/or a UV inhibitor agent that’s been mentioned obliquely by Apple COO Phil Schiller, might have greater thickness. Paint and other coatings do have physical thickness.

Anyway, it’s prudent if you’re having difficulty cramming your new white iPhone 4 into your old iPhone 4 case to not try and force it as, you may risk scratching or cracking the iPhone’s enclosure or even breaking the glass back.

One operative question is whether the thickness difference, if it exists, will carry over to the iPhone 5, which presumably will be available in both black and white variants.

CAZE claims to have a case that accommodates the new white iPhone 4.

In the meantime, one case manufacturer that’s been quick out of the blocks in getting a white iPhone 4 compatible case to market is CAZE, who have just released a new Polka Dot and Leopard/Zebra print case for white iPhone 4 in its Spring/Summer 2011 lineup.

 

The new CAZE collection for the white new phone includes two sets of products: the Duetto case-back Polka Dot and Duetto case-back Zebra & Leopard, featuring a changeable back plate structure and a matching home button sticker.

The Duetto case-back Polka Dot offers a black background with white polka dots back plate and a hot pink background with white dots back plate while the Duetto case-back Zebra & Leopard features a Leopard back plate and a Zebra back plate.

The case is a bit raised to protect the iPhone screen from scratching when laid on a flat surface. Each package comes with a bumper and two back plates and a home button sticker printed in fashionable Polka dots or zebra stripes and leopard spots. To ensure all-around protection, the package also comes with a free screen protection kit (front & back films) for added shielding.

Note: we have not tested the CAZE case, so we cannot independently verify their claims. But you are welcome to explore their site for more information. Click here to check it out.

 

 


Charles W. Moore is a columnist for PBCentral and Applelinks, Appletell, and LowEndMac, and an exclusive iPhone news contributor for the iPhone 5 News Blog.

Rumors of Two iPhone 5 Models Could Satisfy Geeks & Average Joes Alike

Posted: 03 May 2011 03:30 AM PDT


two iphone 5 modelsA new rumor has surfaced that Apple is working on two models for the iPhone 5 — a “standard” version and a “pro” version — which would give iPhone users a choice on price and features.

Apple may have two iPhone 5 models in the works, according to a fresh report from IDB. Citing anonymous sources from an Apple components supplier, Alex from IDB explains that, “Due to the extensive amount of NDAs our source had to sign to work with Apple, he could not give us very many details. He does believe that Apple is going to build two iPhone models, which he referred to as a 'normal' and a 'pro' version.” You can read the entire report here.

We’ve explained in a recent article that iPhone 5 sightings this summer will need to be taken with a grain of salt, as a result of the recent arrest of two Foxconn employees who leaked specs of the iPad 2 back in 2010 to accessories designers, well ahead of the iPad 2′s release. Given that Apple and its components suppliers are obviously cracking down on leaks like this, some caution needs to taken before accepting anything iPhone5-related as truth.

Of particular concern is this detail from the IDB article, which explains that, “Apple is ordering components of similar function, but some of them are the very best of what you can get right now. While the rest of the ordered components are just the standard versions, Apple is also ordering better quality components of the same function. Our source says that both types of components wouldn't go in one device together, which makes him believe Apple is up to something with a 'pro' version.”

Apple is not known for producing products of differing quality; all of their devices boast high quality standards. This is precisely why Steve Jobs has famously poo-poo’ed the idea of a cheap, Apple-branded netbook: the idea of a netbook — which is generally seen as a small, value-priced notebook computer, meant primarily for surfing the ‘net — has yet to gel with Apple’s quality-focused company profile. Because of this, it is hard to believe that “normal” and “pro” versions of the iPhone 5 — separated only by the quality of their components — would be something that Apple would sign off on.

Why Two Versions of the iPhone 5 Could Work

For as much as this rumor may seem sketchy at best, the concept of two iPhone 5 models is not a bad idea for Apple in theory. Just last year, Apple managed to become a market leader in the tablet PC sector with the iPad by doing something that they have never managed to do before: offer the best-priced product. While the Galaxy Tab and Xoom are comparable tablets in performance and features, the iPad 2 continues to lead the way in the tablet market mainly on price.

With this in mind, why couldn’t Apple do the same with a value-priced iPhone 5, designed for the “average Joe” user?

We often talk about how the iPhone constituency is comprised of both geeks and average Joe users, with some being attracted to the iPhone for its features and processing power, while others simply desire to be seen (and heard) with the iPhone in their hands. A more stripped-down iPhone 5, offered at a price point that is decidedly lower than typical iPhone and Android prices, could establish the iPhone as a price leader in the smartphone market, making it affordable for virtually anyone to own one.

On the other hand, a “pro” version of the iPhone 5 could offer superior power and performance, such as the A5 chip, a better battery, 8 megapixel camera, or some other groundbreaking feature that would justify a higher price point for the geeky users out there who will settle for nothing less for the best.

These two versions of the iPhone 5 would not be separated by quality, but rather by performance. And it wouldn’t be unprecedented for Apple to do this, either. After all, Apple offers both the MacBook and MacBook Pro, the iMac and the PowerMac, and all of the different iPod models. The iPhone is really the only product that Apple has not offered in multiple performance models.

Two iPhone 5s + Two iPhone 4s = Too Many iPhones at Once?

The only problem with the above-mentioned idea is that it may put too many iPhone models into play at once, quickly making the purchase of an iPhone very complex. Given the fact that Apple now likes to keep offering the older iteration of the iPhone alongside the newest version, we can assume that the white and black iPhone 4s will continue to be offered once the iPhone 5 launches. Most likely, the iPhone 4 will become the “value priced” model, which would make a value-priced iPhone 5 a “middle-priced” iPhone — kind of like the “plus” grade of gasoline at the gas station that nobody ever buys.

If Apple intends to continue to offer the iPhone 4 throughout the rest of 2011 into 2012 — and they probably do, considering that the white iPhone 4 was just released — then two iPhone 5 models would be a harder sell to iPhone users.

Postscript: Does This New Rumor Worry You?

Going back to the original rumor from IDB, there is something concerning about it: if the rumor is indeed true, and yet only one iPhone 5 model ends up being released in late summer or early fall — why are two quality levels of components being manufactured? Could it be that Apple is looking to cut corners on cost with the iPhone 5 in a bid to make it more price-competitive?

I don’t know about you, but I hope I’m lucky enough to buy an iPhone 5 with the “pro-quality” components.