Monday, August 15, 2011

The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

The iPhone 5 News Blog News Feed

iPhone 5 or iPhone 4GS? 4G LTE Testing Rumors Give Credence To Recent 4Gs Rumor

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 10:50 AM PDT



The tech media has oscillated between the belief that the next iPhone will be either a revamped iPhone 5 or refreshed iPhone 4s. But a recent rumor that suggests the next iPhone will be the “iPhone 4Gs” might make sense in light of recent 4G LTE iPhone testing rumors.

Since the launch of the iPhone 4, iPhone users have been calling for Apple to bring the iPhone franchise into the next generation of digital networking by equipping the iPhone 5 with 4G LTE capabilities. Up until recently, however, little evidence has made it into the iPhone 5 rumor mill to suggest that Apple is ready to commit the iPhone 5 to the relative unknown of mainstream 4G adoption, opting instead to allow its mobile carriers to boast of “4G-like speeds” on the next iPhone by way of the ultra-fast HSPA+, or “fake 4G,” as it is affectionately referred to.

There is, however, a rash of fresh reports that suggest Apple may indeed be planning on rolling out 4G capabilities on the iPhone 5.

The typically well-sourced BGR is reporting that “While we can't confirm that the upcoming fifth-generation iPhone will be able to support 4G LTE, we can now exclusively confirm that Apple's carrier partners are testing iPhone models with LTE capability. BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple's major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE.”

This is the first actionable intelligence that Apple’s U.S. carriers are tinkering with a 4G iPhone 5; the only other similar rumor to this point came out of the Middle East in mid June, when UAE carrier Etisalat made the audacious claim that they had been in serious talks with Apple about a 4G iPhone 5.

While BGR stipulates that U.S. carriers testing 4G on the new iPhone does not necessarily mean that Apple is ready to unveil 4G LTE on the iPhone 5, it cannot be discounted that the release of the Samsung Galaxy S 2 and its 4G-ready capabilities could be a concern for Apple, since the GS2 is slated to most likely be released before the iPhone 5.

That being said, the BGR report today is a dramatic shift from the prevailing belief that the iPhone 5 would most likely not be 4G LTE-ready, reinforced just a week ago from top tech news sources like PC Mag.

iPhone 5 or iPhone 4Gs?

Last week, the iPhone 5 News Blog broke a new rumor that the next iPhone would in fact be called the “iPhone 4Gs” and would feature the same form-factor as the iPhone 4, but with improved features such as the A5 chip. The news came from a trusted source: an executive at a top Asian iPhone case producer, who is planning his up-coming case designs based on this information, which he received from trusted suppliers in mainland China.

While devoted iPhone users lament the possibility of the next iPhone turning out to be a perceived “refresh” of the iPhone 4, today’s news of possible 4G LTE capabilities for the next iPhone lends credence to the “4Gs” rumor, offering both “4G” and “s” for “speed,” thanks to the addition of the A5 chip. Just as the iPhone 3G ushered in the 3G network, and the 3Gs was a speedy refresh of the iPhone 3G (thanks to its Samsung APL0298C05 chip), so too could the next iPhone be at once a groundbreaking, inaugural 4G iPhone  and also a “refresh” if it was to keep the general form factor of the iPhone 4.
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Jockeying For Position: iPhone 5 To Launch After Samsung’s GS2

Posted: 15 Aug 2011 07:50 AM PDT


While Google may have imagined that their Nexus series smartphones would become the natural competitor to the iPhone, it appears that Samsung’s Galaxy S II — or “GS2″ as it is now affectionately referred to on the web — is fast becoming the natural competitor to the iPhone 5, in features, performance, price point, and now even its release date. From everything the Android rumor mill has gathered, it appears that the full-throated SG2 will embody all of the coveted features that iPhone users are pining for in their iPhone 5 hopes, such as a beefy 4″+ super AMOLED screen, dual core 1.2-GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel camera, for starters.

If you’re familiar with all of the iPhone 5 features that have been bandied about over the past year, it becomes blaringly obvious that Samsung has looked and listened intently to the wish lists of iPhone and smartphone users, and purposely packed their GS2 with everything a disgruntled iPhone user could dream of. This, together with Apple’s unusually long wait for the iPhone 5 release, has purportedly even managed to inspire some iPhone users to abandon their commitment to the Apple brand and embrace an Adroid smartphone for the first time.

Now, word comes that the Sansung Galaxy S 2 will indeed launch in the U.S. in August, ostensibly ahead of the iPhone 5.

Stating plainly that “The Galaxy S II is probably the strongest rival to the iPhone.” PCWorld‘s Daniel Ionescu reported today that “Samsung will hold a press event on Aug. 29, where it is expected to spill all the details about the U.S. arrival of its iPhone competitor.” Adding to the impressive above-mentioned features on the Sg2, Ionescu also adds that it will feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard to accompany its touch screen, a feature that was only faintly rumored for the iPhone and has received a mixed and polemic response from iPhone users.

iPhone 5 Versus Samsung’s GS2: Who Hold the Best Position?

While tech enthusiasts will no doubt weigh and debate the pros and cons of the iPhone 5 versus the Samsung Galaxy S 2, it stands to reason that for mainstream users, the features comparison between the two smartphones will be a wash. Who will benefit from the release date battle, however, remains to be seen. It is well documented that “Although it hasn't been available in the U.S., the Galaxy S II sold a record 3 million units in just 55 days, which is in part due to Apple holding back the launch of its next-generation iPhone.”

At the same time, Apple may see a later-released iPhone 5 as a strategical advantage against the Samsung Galaxy S 2: since the GS2 is most likely slated for a late-August release, it runs the risk of getting lost in the shuffle of returning vacationers and students going back to school, whereas a September- or even October-released iPhone 5 may be better positioned to capture more buzz and sales, capitalizing on the lead-up to the Christmas holiday shopping season.

In addition, Apple may be choosing to release the iPhone 5 after the GS2 due to their recent patent victories, which could be used to scuttle Samsung’s new smartphone after it is released, leaving the iPhone 5 to reign supreme and garner the audacious predictions that 35% of all consumers will own an iPhone 5, and that Apple plans to sell 25 million units by the end of 2011 alone.

Regardless of the outcome, there is no doubt that the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S 2 are shaping up to be worthy adversaries.

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