Follow the 2012 Olympic games on your iOS or Android phone

There are few events quite as exciting as the Olympics.With athletes from all over the world competing for their respective countries, it's easy to get excited as you root for your country to win. Obviously, I'll be rooting for my American compatriots, but seeing the drama of each event, no matter who the winner is, can be appreciated by anyone.

This year, the apps for tracking Olympic events are better than ever before, but still not quite perfect. Since NBC is covering the Olympics, it's the only app in this collection that will have live streams of events. Early reports around the Web on the first day of events (Thursday) were that the live streams are not up to snuff. Let's hope they work it out as the Olympics continue.

This week's apps are all about experiencing the 2012 Olympics on iPhone and Android phones.The first is iPhone-only and lets you see the Olympics as they happen in high-resolution images.The second is NBC's contribution, which is (currently) not perfect for live streams, but has great highlight videos. The third is the official app of the London 2012 Olympics, where you can track every medal, every athlete, and more.

Reuters Olympics London 2012 (iPhone only; free) lets you experience the Olympics with big high-res professional photos.The app has a unique touch-screen interface, showing a timeline of all the events with beautiful photos. At the very top you get the latest photos from events, and as you scroll down, you can see photos all the way to preliminary events and qualifiers.

Touching a photo brings up more information and a separate interface. Using buttons across the bottom you can look at photo captions; browse headlines pertaining to the event or athlete you're looking at; share comments with others who own the app; and get more information about the photographer who took the photo.

Back on the main screen, you can also touch a button in the upper left to view the Olympic schedule and results so far, a medal table, and current Olympic records. You also can set up notifications for results of specific events and choose your country so it will notify you when your country's athletes are successful. You also have the ability to view only photos from specific events, by touching a Photo Filter button in the upper right of the main screen, then touching the icon that corresponds to your favorite events.

NBC Olympics Live Extra (iPhone|Android; free) is the official app for streaming video from the network covering the games here in North America. Early reports are that the video quality is lacking for live streaming,especially on 3G connections and Android phones in general, but the app is still useful for a number of other reasons. I'm hoping NBC will figure out the video problems so we can all check out events wherever we are.

The interface includes buttons across the top for the home screen with the latest videos, video clips broken up by individual sports, a schedule of events, and a Favorites section where you can tap a heart-shaped icon next to events to keep track of what interests you most. It's important to note here that I found that the best way to mark your favorites is to tap the Sports tab, then scroll down through each event, touching the heart icons for the ones you want to follow. These will all show up under the Favorites tab for easy access.

At this time, the best use for NBC Olympics Live Extra is to view highlights of events that already occurred. The video quality is fairly good and it's a great way to catch up on what you have missed. Hopefully NBC will improve the live-streaming component as the games go on, but the app still has enough to offer to make it worthy of your download.

The London 2012 Official Results App (iPhone|Android;free) is exactly as the name implies,and it's great for keeping up with what's going on and when your favorite Olympic events occur.

The interface is a little busy, but if you play around with it for a bit, it gets easier to navigate. You get two buttons on top for switching between what's happening Live and a Calendar where you can see which events occur on which days. The Live section shows a scrolling blog with photos and news items for each event happening at the moment. On the Calender you can swipe horizontally at the top to browse through days or you can find your favorite events by scrolling vertically on the bottom, then touch an event to see the when it will happen. You also have buttons across the bottom to browse by schedule, sporting event, medal counts, athlete bios, and a My Games section where you can track your favorite events. In this last section you'll be prompted to select your country, set your location to view the schedule in local time (GBR is the default),and set up pushnotifications for your country's events and daily event roundups.

Though the interface is fairly complex, the London Official Results App has all the info you need for just about anything surrounding the 2012 Olympic Games. You'll even get a few video clips for highlights (but nothing on the level of the previous app in the collection). If you're looking for an Olympic app with exhaustive information about the games, this is the app to have, if you can get past the confusing interface.

From: cnet

iPhone 5 Rumors Continue: September Release

Although Apple has not officially confirmed, but new rumors have been leaking out, the next generation iPhone will be released in September. Technology media iMore first announced that the iPhone 5 will be launching in September, 12.

The website iLab, has now posted a series of photos of what it suspects is the next iPhone. The site said it got hold of a number of leaked iPhone parts and assembled them. The design includes a slightly larger display than the one on the iPhone 4S, a two-toned black and silver body, and a smaller dock connector on the bottom. The headphone jack has also been moved to the bottom. The photos are of a black model, but given 9to5Mac’s earlier photo, Apple is likely also to release a white version.

Previous rumors suggest the new iPhone will have a thinner display and a faster processor and graphics.

On the other hand, iMore, a technology site that has had a decent track record on these sorts of things, reports that Apple is planning to hold an event on Sept. 12 to announce both the new iPhone and the iPad Mini. According to the site’s sources the phone will start shipping on Sept. 21, though they aren’t as sure about the mini-iPad’s release date.

According to the Apple's latest regulatory filing, Apple has increased a substantial part in inventory, perhaps began to prepare for the new iPhone. And Don Reisinger, the eweek Author, has analytic why iPhone 5 Launch in September would be the perfect timing. So, perhaps it does not require wait a long time for the release of iPhone 5.

In fact, by virtue of the Galaxy series phones, Samsung has made an important breakthrough in the smartphone market, breaking the absolute dominance of the Apple iPhone. Apple needs to consolidate its market position through the release of the new generation of iPhone in time. So the wait for the iPhone 5 release date may soon be over.

iPhone 5 - Top Features Needed to Beat Samsung Galaxy S3

It seems there is a huge clash of titans coming up since Samsung Galaxy S3 has already captured the smartphone market after snatching away the crown from Apple. After seeing a rage for Galaxy S3, Apple has, according to rumors, pre-scheduled the launch of its next-gen iPhone, aka iPhone 5, to create an equal stand with Samsung. However, to win this smartphone battle, it's a must that iPhone 5 offers features that are at par with Samsung's flagship Galaxy S3, if not better.

Looks

As per the rumors, Apple will utilize the in-cell touch technology that will make the iPhone 5 thinner as compared to other smartphones since the iPhone 5 is in direct competition with Samsung Galaxy S3, which boasts a 4.8 inch super AMOLED display. iPhone 5 is expected to be just 7.6mm thick, a full millimeter less than the Samsung Galaxy S3, which is 8.6mm thick. It is also a pretty safe bet to assume that the iPhone 5 will come with at least a 4-inch display to stand equally with S3.

Camera

iPhone 5 needs an improvement on the camera front to be ahead in the race. The 8-megapixel rear-facing camera on the iPhone 4S is every bit as good as the one in the Galaxy S3 so any improvement on that characteristic will surely put iPhone 5 ahead of Galaxy S3. However, if Apple does opt to stick with the same resolution, optics needs to be improved so as to offer a greater sharpness and clarity. S3 has great camera features such as zero shutter lag, and best shot selection. Hence, it is a must for the iPhone 5 to mimic such features, in the same way that Samsung has offered S-Voice, which imitates Siri. The front-facing VGA camera also needs improving to match the 1.9-megapixel in the Galaxy S3.

Under the Hood

Galaxy S3 leads the way when it comes to smartphone performance. Using Samsung's Exynos 1.4GHz quad-core processor, Galaxy S3 is one of the most powerful smartphones to date. iPhone 5 thus needs to be powered by an overclocked quad-core processor to take the battle to Galaxy S3.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 runs on the TouchWiz interface with Android 4.0 OS, which offers an excellent user experience. iPhone 5 will run on iOS 6, the latest mobile OS from Apple. It is expected that Apple will take the spoils in this area as, when it comes to user-friendliness, iOS takes the cake.

iPhone 5 is also expected to come with 4G LTE radios, and make good use of the 4G networks which are being rolled out by various network operators in the U.S.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that iPhone 5 will undoubtedly be the biggest smartphone release of the year (well, for Apple fans at least) but Apple has a lot of work cut out if it wants the sixth generation iPhone to beat Galaxy S3.

From: mobilenapps

iPhone 5 Speculation Drives Apple Earnings Down

Apple's third quarter earnings, released this afternoon, were below analysts' predictions.

While the quarter is usually one of the slower ones for the tech giant, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer admitted that speculation surrounding the next iPhone -- what many are calling the iPhone 5 -- has affected sales of current iPhones.

Apple said it sold 26 million iPhones, down from 35.1 million in the previous quarter. Presumably, people put off purchases of phones, waiting for a newer model.

"We're reading the same speculation about a new iPhone as you are, and we think this has caused some delay in purchasing," Oppenheimer said.

Of course he was referring to the flood of rumors about the next iPhone, including the ones that say the next version will have a larger and thinner display, a new dock connector, and a faster processor and graphics.

The topic of the rumors came up numerous times on the earnings call with analysts. But no matter how hard analysts pushed, Cook and Oppenheimer would not talk about their product plans for the remainder of the year.

Oppenheimer added later in the call, "The fall transition is driving most of the decline in gross margin, it's not something we are going to talk about in any level of detail."

When Cook was asked about a new feature of iOS 6 called Passbook, which puts all tickets or coupons into one app, he wouldn't elaborate on what Apple might do down the road.

"We try very hard to keep our product roadmap secret and confidential. We go to extreme activities to try and do that," Cook said. "That, however, doesn't stop people from speculating and wondering."

In May, Cook said he was planning to "double down on secrecy" on products, but he conceded it won't stop the speculation.

"I'm glad that people want the next thing, I am super happy about it. I am not going to put energy into getting people to stop speculating, that's not going to amount to anything," Cook said.

Apple is also rumored to be planning a smaller version of its iPad before the year is up, which would compete with Google's recently-announced Nexus 7. Cook wouldn't comment on that and mentioned the $399 version of the iPad 2.

"I think most customers feel that they are not looking for a tablet, they are looking for an iPad," Cook said. "We are going to keep innovating in the space and make new products."

Again, he wouldn't elaborate on those products, which ultimately hit the company's bottom line this past quarter, but he was clear about how Apple intends to keep making those products.

"Our North Star is to maniacally focus on making the world's best products," Cook said. He repeated that word "maniacally" twice during the call.

From: abcnews

Apple’s new iPhone 5: Everything we know so far

The sixth-generation Apple iPhone unofficially dubbed the iPhone 5, is getting closer -- we can feel it. Here's a quick rundown of all the rumored features we know so far.

Here we go again. The release of the sixth-generation iPhone is, presumably, right around the corner, just as it is every year. And that means rumors about its features have begun to swirl around the Web. The iPhone rumor mill is markedly more subdued this year, likely due to the fact that the technology media shafted itself and its audience so thoroughly last time around — but fear not, fanboys and fangirls! We still have plenty of speculation and hearsay to sift through. Below is a brief rundown of the most-expected features of the next iPhone, whatever it may be called.

Screen: 4-inches, thinner

Leading the pack in the screen rumor department this year is, without a doubt, the Wall Street Journal. In the middle of May, both WSJ and, later the same day, Reuters, reported that the next iPhone will have a screen that measures “at least” 4-inches diagonally. (All current iPhone iterations have a 3.5-inch screen.) These reports were corroborated a week or so later by 9to5Mac, which provided some exact figures: 3.95-inches diagonally, with a 640 x 1136 pixel resolution, and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The width of the new iPhone will allegedly be the same as the current iPhone (1.94 inches), but with a “taller” 3.45-inch display.

Aside from the noticable dimensions of the screen, the next iPhone’s display will also be thinner, according to WSJ. Apple has reportedly opted to use “in-cell” technology to build the sixth-gen iPhone’s touchscreen, which incorporates the touch mechanism with the part of the display that, well, displays stuff. This allows Apple to have one fewer layers of glass, thus making the overall display thinner. This, in turn, gives Apple the ability to either make the phone thinner, or (more likely) to include a 4G LTE radio and a bigger battery to power it. We’d heard the in-cell rumor before, but the WSJ reports adds an extra level of believability to the information.

Apple VS Amazon review

Amazon strengthens the R & D ability of mobile phones, tablet through the acquisition. In order to exert pressure to Apple, Voice recognition and map features will be added to these terminals. But Cook, the CEO of Apple, “Amazon's product is hardly worth mentioning”, he says.

The long-simmering war between Apple and Amazon is starting to boil over. Tech Giants Scramble to Take Rival Ground in Phones, Tablets and Apps.

Rumor has it that Amazon is testing its own brand of smartphone; the phone will be in direct competition with Apple's iPhone. It may be a Kindle smartphone. The Kindle software is based on Android. Amazon took the open source Android code and forked it into its own proprietary operating system.

But, on the one hand the iPhone is gradually losing the dominant position due to the completion with other smartphone, such as Samsung, HTC. Report says: iPhone's introduction in China helped lift second-quarter iPhone shipments but fell off dramatically during Q3. Apple generated stunning $7.9 billion revenue in China during Q2 but only $5.7 billion three months later. So Apple is still battling Samsung for leadership in the global smartphone market. While Apple has debuted one new model iPhone every year, Samsung has released a variety of handsets, including the Galaxy S III released in May.

In fact, Competition between Amazon and Apple has existed for a long time. In 2007, Amazon launched its first hardware device-“Kindle eBook reader”, many Apple insiders seen the device as an online retailer of hobby projects. In 2010, Apple iPad enter the tablet market, and then Apple realized that the Kindle e-book and the launched iPad are in direct competition.

"They are now the competitors, the future competition will be more intense”, says Simon Khalaf, the CEO of application statistics firm Flurry.

Now the new generation of iPhone-iPhone5 is going to release. Though Apple has not released a statement on the new version of the iPhone, but rumors about it have appears. What the next iPhone will bring to us and how to reverse the situation through the new product; let’s look forward to the Apple press conference in October.

How to sync your iPhone, iPad with Mountain Lion via iCloud

With the introduction of iCloud -- Apple's service for storing your data and content online rather than on your devices -- you can now sync all of your stuff wirelessly between your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This is great for adding things like appointments into your calendar as they will instantly appear on all of the Apple gizmos you're using.

If you haven't set up iCloud on your devices, it's easy to do, but you have to ensure you're using the same Apple ID on all your gadgets. By default, my iPhone was set to the account I use for the App Store, which is different from my iCloud account.

To enable iCloud in Mountain Lion, the latest edition of Apple's Mac OS X, go to System Preferences and log in with the Apple ID you want to use. I choose to enable all of the services here, such as Find My Mac and Photo Stream, but you can just check the ones that you'll use if you prefer (see image below).

Finally, to make sure everything syncs with your iOS device, you'll have to enable the same options. To do this, go to Settings > iCloud on your iPhone or iPad and check that your account is the same as the one on your Mac and that the same services have been enabled.

On iOS 6, you can sync data from apps such as Mail and Calendar, but all of your open tabs will sync over to the new Safari as well if you're using Mountain Lion. This is a really useful feature if you're browsing at home and have to rush out, but want to continue what you were doing online.

From: cnet

How to converter downloaded Olympic Games Video to iPhone for enjoying

The city of London will host the 2012 Olympic Games this summer, begins Friday, 27 July 2012, and ends Sunday, 12 August 2012. As a worldwide gathering activity, there’re so many Olympics game fans whose eyes have been attracted by the 2012 Olympic Games, but don’t have the chance to attend the scene. Now we are very close to watch London Olympic 2012 opening ceremony.

Million people will enjoy it all over the world from TV set or in online live stream.But due to some reason, like time zones, work hours, weekend plans, etc. we may miss some live program shows, and can’t keep up with the Summer Games. Thus, we sometimes need to download Olympic Games 2012 videos from online video sharing sites like YouTube. Well, this post will show you how to convert 2012 Olympic Games videos you downloaded from the internet to the iPhone you have.This guide would be specified in detailed steps with the help of Leawo Easy iPhone Converter Suite.

Tool you need: Leawo Easy iPhone Converter Suite (If you’re using a Mac OS computer, then you need a Easy iPhone Converter Suite.)

Preparation work:

1. Download and install this Easy iPhone Converter Suite on your computer.

2. Downloaded 2012 Olympic Games videos through the Internet on your computer successfully.

3. Prepare USB cable to transfer the converted video files to your destination: iPhone

How to convert London 2012 Olympic Games videos to iPhone

1.Launch this program and then click Add Video button or the icon   to import local London 2012 Olympic Games videos.

2.Choose output format for destination devices. Click Profile frame to choose proper output format for target devices. You can choose format from iPhone.

3.Well, to make output file suite your target devices more, you can click the settings button to set output file parameters like video codec, video size, video quality, bit rate, aspect ratio, frame rate, audio codec, channels, etc.

4. Start converting. Click the convert button on the button right to start to convert the video to iPhone. After the conversion, you can sync the converted the videos to your iPhone, or use USB cable to transfer the output video files to your iPhone. Then, you can watch it anywhere and anytime.

Apple’s iPhone 5 to feature smaller dock connector, won’t fit old accessories

Apple Inc’s new iPhone will drop the wide dock connector used in the company’s gadgets for the best part of a decade in favour of a smaller one, a change likely to annoy the Apple faithful but which could be a boon for accessory makers.

The iPhone 5, Apple’s next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port “to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom”, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

That would mean the new phone would not connect with myriad accessories such as speakers and power chargers that form part of the ecosystem around iPods, iPads and iPhones, without an adapter.

That means new business, analysts say.

“It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors,” said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys. “The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected.”

Apple did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Tech blogs have long speculated on the demise of the 30-pin connector, which at 21 mm wide takes up a chunk of space, especially as the latest technologies such as microUSB offer more power in less space.

They say that a smaller connector would give Apple more scope for new product designs or a bigger battery, or simply to make ever smaller products.

Switzerland’s Logitech, one of the biggest makers of Apple speakers, declined to comment.

But some enterprising vendors in China have already begun offering cases for the new phone, complete with earphone socket on the bottom and a “guarantee” the dimensions are correct.

For some in the peripherals industry, the change could open doors to new business.

“iPod docking speaker sales have been declining for one or two years,” said an employee of a Hong Kong-based company that designs speakers especially for Apple products.

“My previous factory is a lucky one. They shifted the focus to Bluetooth speakers, which proved a wise decision now,” the employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It looks like while iPod speaker sales are going down, Bluetooth speaker sales are going up.”

HAPPY TO UPGRADE?

Apple has already said that some users of older models of its Macbook computers won’t be able to use the latest operating system to be announced soon, but analysts think it will be kinder to mobile gadget users.

“Apple needs to find a solution not to disappoint their current clients who want to upgrade to the new iPhone but are tied to an expensive accessory they have bought,” said Franciso Jeronimo, London-based analyst at technology research firm IDC.

“I believe Apple will come up with some sort of adapter so the new iPhone can be used with previous connectors.”

It could be a difficult change for Apple to manage, even with an adapter.

“With a smaller connector, what am I going to do with my loudspeaker at home and the fitness pack that I use when I go to the gym? That’s the question,” said 24-year old Travis Tam, who owns an iPhone 4 and works as an account executive at a social networking company in Hong Kong.

“I feel that the premium gap between the next iPhone 5 and newest Android models is getting much smaller these days. That will mean that details such as having a smaller connector will mean more in whether I will continue to use an iPhone and switch to other Android phones.”

A salesman surnamed Chan at an Apple reseller in Hong Kong thought a smaller connector would be a “pain”, and would spoil the clean lines and seamless connectivity that is Apple’s trademark.

“There are ways around it as some of the speakers have an audio input point that can be connected directly to any iPhone with a earphone jack. It’s not a very elegant way of doing things, but it’s an alternative,” he said.

In the end though, Apple fans are Apple fans.

“I don’t think it will stop Apple consumers from buying the new gadgets,” said C.K. Lu, Taipei-based analyst at research firm Gartner. “Many companies are interested in developing accessories for Apple because Apple users are more open and willing to buy accessories.”

From: thestar

The new iPhone Speculation Drives Apple Earnings Down

Apple's third quarter earnings, released this afternoon, were below analysts' predictions.

While the quarter is usually one of the slower ones for the tech giant, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer admitted that speculation surrounding the next iPhone -- what many are calling the iPhone 5 -- has affected sales of current iPhones.

Apple said it sold 26 million iPhones, down from 35.1 million in the previous quarter. Presumably, people put off purchases of phones, waiting for a newer model.

"We're reading the same speculation about a new iPhone as you are, and we think this has caused some delay in purchasing," Oppenheimer said.

Of course he was referring to the flood of rumors about the next iPhone, including the ones that say the next version will have a larger and thinner display, a new dock connector, and a faster processor and graphics.

The topic of the rumors came up numerous times on the earnings call with analysts. But no matter how hard analysts pushed, Cook and Oppenheimer would not talk about their product plans for the remainder of the year.

Oppenheimer added later in the call, "The fall transition is driving most of the decline in gross margin, it's not something we are going to talk about in any level of detail."

When Cook was asked about a new feature of iOS 6 called Passbook, which puts all tickets or coupons into one app, he wouldn't elaborate on what Apple might do down the road.

"We try very hard to keep our product roadmap secret and confidential. We go to extreme activities to try and do that," Cook said. "That, however, doesn't stop people from speculating and wondering."

In May, Cook said he was planning to "double down on secrecy" on products, but he conceded it won't stop the speculation.

"I'm glad that people want the next thing, I am super happy about it. I am not going to put energy into getting people to stop speculating, that's not going to amount to anything," Cook said.

Apple is also rumored to be planning a smaller version of its iPad before the year is up, which would compete with Google's recently-announced Nexus 7. Cook wouldn't comment on that and mentioned the $399 version of the iPad 2.

"I think most customers feel that they are not looking for a tablet, they are looking for an iPad," Cook said. "We are going to keep innovating in the space and make new products."

Again, he wouldn't elaborate on those products, which ultimately hit the company's bottom line this past quarter, but he was clear about how Apple intends to keep making those products.

"Our North Star is to maniacally focus on making the world's best products," Cook said. He repeated that word "maniacally" twice during the call.

From: abc

The New iPhone connector threatens car compatibility

As most new cars offer some sort of iPhone audio hookup, what does the new 19-pin dock mean for integration?

BMW's current cabin tech uses a USB port to connect with a standard 30-pin iPhone cable.

BMW started the trend in 2004, offering native integration between car and iPod. Now almost every new car sold has some method of plugging in an iPhone or iPod. This integration is very convenient for drivers, as they can select music from the device through a car's own stereo controls.

However, reports of a smaller, 19-pin connector for the iPhone 5, replacing the current 30-pin connector, may bork iPhone integration with car stereos. Short of getting a new car to match your shiny new iPhone, what is a driver to do?

The good news is that many cars, such as those from Ford, BMW, and Honda, use a standard USB port to connect to the existing white iPhone cable. The new 19-pin connector is likely to use the same sort of adapter cable as current iPhones and iPods, so should plug right in. However, those existing cars may not be able to decode the signal from the iPhone 5 and its connector, depending on how much Apple reengineers its interface.

Ford's Sync software can be updated by the owner, which may be necessary to make it compatible with the iPhone 5. BMW owners using a snap-in dock will have to wait until BMW comes up with one designed for the iPhone 5.

Cars from Kia, Hyundai, Audi, and Volkswagen use an iPhone cable specific to the car. Those automakers will need to offer an adapter cable with the 19-pin connector, which car owners will need to buy if they want to patch the new iPhone to the car. BMW also used a cable similar to Hyundai's and Kia's in its cars from a few years ago. These will also need the new adapter cable.

Some cars, such as a Nissan Juke we tested recently, have a fixed 30-pin iPod connector in the console or glove box. This configuration is the worst-case scenario. However, Apple or another accessory-maker might step in and offer a 30-pin-to-19-pin adapter module, which could just be left hooked up to the car.

The implementation of most of these solutions may take some time. To fill the gap, there is always Bluetooth audio streaming. As Bluetooth is a standard, the iPhone 5 should pair with existing car Bluetooth systems right out of the box, barring any clever Apple engineering. Most new cars with a Bluetooth phone system also support audio streaming. The primary disadvantage of Bluetooth streaming is that you have to use the phone, instead of the car's stereo interface, to select music.

If all else fails, you can keep that old iPhone around to use strictly as a music storage device for the car.

From:cnet

Olympics first: 2012 Summer Games stream live on your iPhone and iPad

Looking for your Olympics fix? Look no further than NBC’s new iOS app. Want to see all 302 medal events on your mobile TV device? Looking to actually watch events live as they happen? How about 3500 hours of coverage? Get ready for the year that the Olympics appear on your mobile TV device like never before.

In addition to streaming all the events live on its website, NBC will be streaming live events as they happen via two new apps available for the iPhone and iPad. While it is fun to watch the packaged version that will play on NBC nightly, true sports fans, or maybe fans that can’t wait, will be able to watch events live as they happen via mobile.

And it’s all free; there is no catch. OK ... Actually there is one catch. Not unlike apps from Time Warner cable and HBO, you have to verify that you are subscribed to a cable or satellite provider that includes CNBC and MSNBC. Apparently, NBC fans with a plain old antenna need not apply; you have to be paying actual money to watch the coverage on your device. But as long as you are a subscriber, 3500 hours of coverage is all yours and all free.

The biggest change is that unlike previous years, viewers on mobile or the web will not have to watch delayed events. This time, it will all be live as it happens. This will be tremendous news for Olympics fans who want to see history as it happens.

The apps are available now for free in the iTunes store. Go grab “NBC Olympics” and “NBC Olympics Live Extra” and get ready to tune in to the most mobile TV-centric Olympics in history.

From: broadcastengineering

Apple iPhone 5: Li-ion Battery Poses Big Challenge to Apple

As Apple introduced the new iPad in 2012, the 2048x1536 Retina display meant a 70 percent bigger battery appeared. With a four-inch iPhone 5 practically confirmed, and the Retina display continuing to be used, how will Apple approach the implementation of Li-ion batteries in the upcoming device?

Noam Kedam, vice president of marketing for Lyden Energy, a company making batteries, writing for Forbes, said Li-ons batteries haven't progressed in 20 years. "Absent a change in battery chemistry, Li-ion is going to impose some limitations on where Apple can go with the iPhone 5's design and spec sheet," Kedam said.

There's probably going to be two keys changes to the iPhone 5 compared to the 4S and iPhone 4: a larger, 4-inch, screen and an ungrade of the A5 processor (the new iPad users the A5X processor). 4G LTE is also a possibility, and it would further affect battery life.

With the aforementioned 3 features, the new iPad introduced a 70 percent bigger battery. The iPhone is condensed in form factor, so even with a taller device, Apple is limited by how it can increase the battery.

"This is because Li-on battery technology is failing in two areas: energy density and thermal sensitivity," Kedam said. Kedam added battery manufacturers are finding it harder to gain increased performance out of Li-ion batteries. Therefore, Apple has to increase the battery to offer greater performance. And, if the iPhone 5 is probably going to increase to (or beyond) a four-inch screen, an efficient battery is needed.

Kedam added "Packaging efficiency" is where Apple may have an advantage over competitors - the way it builds its devices, basically. There are two different implementations for a battery: a dedicated area - "carved," in Kadem's words -, or using three layers of technology, the screen, display, and battery. The Motorola RAZR and RAZR MAXX have the latter implementation.

Apple has used the former implementation with previous devices, but what about the iPhone 5? Apple has made its iPhone and iPads thinner in successive generations; "This approach makes more room for a battery that nonetheless maintains the optimal X/Y ratio and thickness to maintain maximal energy density and thus run-time per charge," Kedam added.

However, as the size of the technology decreases - like the rumored micro-SIM European carriers are stockpiling - then more space will be available.

Kedam also thinks charging and discharging the device can generate heat, while generating heat through a powerful charger could reduce battery life. Using the current iPhone charger on a bigger battery will take a longer time to charge.

Ultimately, Apple is probably going to reduce the thickness of the new iPhone while increasing the weight - perhaps slightly oxymoronic - along with meeting the demands of a bigger screen, and improved performance.

From: mobilenapps

New iPhone Apps: Checkmark, Vyclone, And More

In this week’s instalment of the best iPhone apps, we’re getting you organised. There’s a reminders app, a new social contacts app, and much more to help you get things done.

Checkmark: It’s so easy to forget those mundane things you have to do every day — pick up the dry cleaning, wash the car, drop off a prescription. Checkmark, however, is a location-based reminders app that will send you a notification based on where you are, so you never have an excuse to space on your errands. $0.99

Vyclone: The day after a party, you end up comparing all your pics with your friends. But what if you could combine a bunch of video clips taken by a bunch of people into one movie? Vyclone lets you do that, from every perspective. Free

Brewster: There are about a dozen ways you can get a hold of someone, which makes for a messy address book. organisation on your own is tedious, but Brewster pulls together all of your contacts from Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, your address book, and more into one place. It’s not available in the Australian iTunes Store yet, so break out your US accounts if you’ve got ‘em. Free

History Here: This is a good one to download for any trips you might be taking this summer. Using your phone’s GPS, it gives you relevant historical facts about thousands of places across the U.S. as you pass through them. So when you’re walking the streets of New York you can say “hey! that’s where Teddy Roosevelt lived!” It’s not available in the Australian iTunes Store yet, so break out your US accounts if you’ve got ‘em. Free

Dark Knight Rises Z+: Just in time for the release of the final instalment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy comes an augmented audio app that makes you feel like you’ve been dropped in the middle of Gotham City. Listen to the Hans Zimmer-penned soundtrack, hear unreleased and exclusive tracks, and commentary from both Nolan and the aforementioned composer. Free

From: gizmodo

Ads on iPhone make the most money for advertisers, says report

Apple's iOS devices are the most user-friendly devices and generate the most traffic for ads, according to a report from Opera Software

Apple's iOS devices are bigger and more user-friendly, making mobile advertising on iOS more successful than on other operating systems, according to a report released today by Opera Software.

This seems like a no-brainer when it comes to advertising -- bigger screens equal more real estate for ads, which equals more engaging ads with more info, and more clicks. Trying to hit that sweet spot between portability and screen size may be a challenge for some device makers, but it's working for Apple, judging from the report's numbers, anyway.

Advertising on iOS sees more traffic and a higher percentage of revenue -- a 46.5 percent share of traffic and a 61.4 percent share of revenue, according to the report's findings. When broken down, the iPhone had a 29.9 percent share in traffic and a 43.6 percent in revenue, while the iPad had a 29.9 percent share of traffic and a 14.2 percent share in revenue (the iPad has the highest rate of cost per thousand impressions). The rest of the pie is divided by other operating systems, with Android close behind the iOS numbers. Though the Windows Phone has the same features of Android and iOS, its low level of users put it at the bottom of the list, the report said.

According to the report, the operating systems also need to allow for features that encourage interaction between the user and ads -- i.e., the ability for click to call, expanding ads, and video playback. This is why iOS and Android do well for advertisers.In addition to a solid user base, Apple has users who tend to spend more time on engaging advertisements usually featured on iOS. The study said advertising should be thinking about engaging advertisements in general because they do well. For example, 66 percent of users who click through to a video will watch the whole video, and on average will stay about 52 seconds.

From: cnet

iPhone App Lets You Live Inside ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

The creators of The Dark Knight Rises released a new iPhone app on Thursday that immerses fans into the world of Gotham City like never before.

Using a combination of audio technologies and Hans Zimmer’s amazing score, this free app lets users feel like they are living inside the world of The Dark Knight Rises

Here’s how the app — dubbed The Dark Knight Rises Z+ [iTunes link] — works. Put on your headphones (it works without them, but to get the full experience you really need headphones) and start up the app.

Immediately, you are engulfed in sounds of Gotham City. Punctuated by Hans Zimmer’s score, what you hear and how you hear it is augmented by what is happening around you, what you are doing and the time of day.

In addition to the customized Gotham soundtrack, the app also contains audio clips of Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan (director of The Dark Knight Rises) discussing the process of scoring the film. Theses conversations are a real treat for fans of the franchise because they offer a sort of commentary that just wouldn’t make sense on a CD.

Going Inside Gotham

The app has two modes: AutoPilot and Manual. In AutoPilot, the app chooses what you hear based on a number of conditions. What you hear when in a quiet place is different from what you hear in an area with more background noise.

Users are also treated to different soundscapes based on whether they are still or in action and the time of day. The app also uses sounds and voices near you to augment the experience.

“We wanted to make the sound and experience feel like you are really inside the film.”

Michael Breidenbruecker, the founder of RjDJ.me — the company behind the app — explained how this works, telling me that the app “uses vowel formant shaping on the microphone input in realtime which makes the world around you chant like the music in the movie.”

“The chant has a very important place in the movie and when you now listen to the track the whole world around you chants,” Breidenbruecker says. “We wanted to make the sound and experience feel like you are really inside the film.”

For Hans Zimmer, the composer of The Dark Knight Rises and a collaborator on the app, the app allows the fictional world of Nolan’s Batman saga to feel more real.

“Over the eight year period that we’ve been working on these movies, the reality of the world and the fictional world have merged,” Zimmer told me. This app is an extension of that because it brings the feel of the films to the user’s life.

The benefit of the app, Zimmer told us, is that it can extend the universe from the series beyond the films.

“You put your movie out and it starts feeling different,” Zimmer said. “You start thinking, ‘I wish I could tweak this or refine that. With an app, I can still go and let Gotham develop a little bit and do other things.”

Keeping It Going

Zimmer plans to do just that. He told me that he had some great conversations about the score and the process with some of the cast members from The Dark Knight Rises and that those clips might make their way to the app.

Moreover, he hopes to release more types of mood and time modes for the app in the future. Zimmer also expressed interest in releasing other aspects of the score online so that others can remix it themselves.

His ultimate goal, he says, is to “create an audio social network so that we can customize things to our audience and get feedback and try different things.” For Zimmer, this allows for a conversation without voices — which as he says, “is a true global conversation.”

If you’re an iPhone user and a fan of The Dark Knight — download The Dark Knight Rises Z+ app today. It will blow your mind.

From: mashable

Apple’s iPhone is starting to look dull

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 4 and its stunning Retina display, he said it would set the standard for mobile displays for the following five years. Five years is a lifetime in the smartphone industry, but two years later it’s safe to say the iPhone’s screen is easily still a market leader — I would even go as far as to say no mobile display even comes close to matching the iPhone’s in terms of clarity. But as sharp as Apple’s (AAPL) screen is, it is quickly falling behind the pack in another key area.

As I sit here wrapping up a review of the Motorola ATRIX HD, with a Samsung Galaxy S III and a newly updated Galaxy Note sitting next to me on my desk, I can’t help but look at my iPhone 4S differently. It remains true that no other cell phone can match the clarity of the iPhone’s display — Samsung’s (005930KS) Super AMOLED Plus displays come the closest but still don’t really approach the Retina display — but compared to these vibrant AMOLED and “ColorBoost” LCD panels, the iPhone’s display is starting to look dull.

As has been the case for some time with its flat-panel TVs, Samsung is building a huge lead in the smartphone market with regard to the color reproduction achieved by its displays. Plainly put, these screens are breathtaking.

Rival HTC (TPE:2498) is gaining ground quickly with the LCD screen on the One X and the AMOLED display on its One S smartphone, and the ATRIX HD’s ColorBoost panel is very impressive as well. Apple, with its annual smartphone launch schedule, obviously hasn’t gained any ground in this area in 2012.

Samsung TVs are so desirable because of their clarity, brightness and color reproduction. Its smartphone screens lead the pack in the latter two categories, but clarity is still an issue thanks to the PenTile pixel array on most of Samsung’s displays. While the company’s Super AMOLED Plus screens don’t use a PenTile matrix, they still can’t quite match the clarity of Apple’s Retina displays and they also aren’t used on many recent smartphone models. Samsung says its PenTile screens last much longer than its Plus-branded displays, which is why they’re used less frequently.

(To clarify the difference between Super AMOLED, which uses a PenTile pixel matrix, and Super AMOLED Plus: the former uses an array where pixels share sub-pixels, whereas pixels on Samsung’s “Plus” displays each have their own red, green and blue (RGB) sub-pixels. Apple’s Retina display uses a full RGB configuration, like Samsung’s Plus panels, and the result is greater sub-pixel density and improved clarity.)

I’ve seen televisions from the likes of Sony (SNE) and Sharp (TYO:6753) that feature amazingly crisp picture quality, but they just don’t measure up to Samsung’s TVs when it comes to producing bright, vivid, beautiful colors. Because of this, it will be some time before I consider purchasing a new TV from any company other than Samsung. And smartphones are now entering similar territory. The difference in “pop” between screens like Samsung’s and duller displays continues to grow more pronounced, and the result is a potential gap in overall user experience.

But there’s hope.

Apple certainly won’t be switching to AMOLED technology in its upcoming sixth-generation iPhone, but numerous reports state that the new 4-inch panel Apple has selected for its next handset will be a marked improvement.

Several reports indicate that Apple’s new display panels will be brighter and also thinner thanks to new in-cell touch elements, and a more recent rumor from The Wall Street Journal also suggests the next-generation iPhone will also include a “higher quality” screen. This doesn’t necessarily relate to more vivid color reproduction, but considering the amazing colors Apple’s new iPad panel pumps out, it’s very likely that we’ll see some serious improvements in this area when a new iPhone launches this fall.

From: bgr

Next iPhone to slim down

Apple Inc.'s next iPhone, currently being manufactured by Asian component makers, will use a new technology that makes the smartphone's screen thinner, people familiar with the matter said, as the U.S. technology giant strives to improve technological features amid intensifying competition from Samsung Electronics Co. and other rivals.

Apple's next iPhone, currently being manufactured by the company's Asian component makers, will boast a thinner screen of the likes used by its rival Samsung. Above, the Apple store in Hong Kong.

Japanese liquid-crystal-display makers Sharp Corp. and Japan Display Inc.—a new company that combined three Japanese electronics makers' display units—as well as South Korea's LG Display Co. are currently mass producing panels for the next iPhone using so-called in-cell technology, the people said.

The technology integrates touch sensors into the LCD, making it unnecessary to have a separate touch-screen layer. The absence of the layer, usually about half-a-millimeter thick, not only makes the whole screen thinner, but improves the quality of displayed images, said DisplaySearch analyst Hiroshi Hayase.

The current iPhone 4S is 9.3 millimeters thick, according to Apple's official website.

For Apple, the new technology would also simplify the supply chain and help cut costs as it would no longer need to buy touch panels and LCD panels from separate suppliers.

It was previously reported that the new iPhone will likely come with a screen larger than the current iPhone's 3.5-inch display. A thinner screen could help offset an increase in weight due to the larger size.
Technological progress at LCD makers such as Sharp, Japan Display and LG Display is crucial for Apple, given that Samsung has been pushing its organic light-emitting displays as one of the unique features of its Galaxy phones. Samsung's flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, comes with a 4.8-inch OLED screen and is thinner than the current iPhone.

The vast majority of OLED screens used in mobile devices today are supplied by Samsung. OLED screens, which don't require backlighting, tend to be thinner than conventional LCD panels.

While Apple and Samsung together dominate the lucrative market for high-end smartphones, the companies are under constant pressure to meet high expectations for more-powerful, capable devices that are easier to carry.

A thinner screen in the next iPhone could make the whole device slimmer, or make extra room available for other components such as batteries. But in-cell touch screens are harder to manufacture than conventional LCD screens.
The people familiar with the situation said that LCD makers are finding the manufacturing process challenging and time-consuming as they scramble to achieve high yield rates.

Analysts have said that the new iPhone is expected sometime in the fall.

In May, people familiar with the matter said that the new iPhone will likely come with a screen larger than the current iPhone's 3.5-inch display. A thinner screen could help offset an increase in weight due to the larger size.

The LCD industry has been working on the in-cell touch technology for several years. For LCD panel makers like Sharp, Japan Display and LG Display, Apple's iPhone provides the environment where they can demonstrate their latest technological progress to show that LCD screens can continue to evolve and stay competitive against OLED displays. In the meantime, Sharp, Japan Display and LG Display have also been developing OLED displays.

At the same time, the adoption of in-cell technology is bad news for makers of conventional touch panels used in many smartphone screens now.

From: tehrantimes

Next Apple iPhone-'iPhone 5' will cost you so much more

THAT stuff you use with your iPhone? Get ready to spend hundreds replacing it all as Apple looks set to change its design.

Apple is believed to be revamping the charging port for the iPhone5, which is expected to be released later this year.

The rumours about Apple users having to replace all their expensive accessories have been in overdrive for weeks.

The patent would seem to confirm the rumours that Apple  - which always plays its cards tight to its chest with new designs - is switching its 30-pin dock    to 19-pin.

And that is what  concerns Apple users.  The new design will mean changing all of your peripherals, such as speaker docks, unless adapters come to market, The Daily Mail reports.

The rumoured proposal has sparked alarm among the company’s followers who fear they will have to buy new equipment to work with the phone.

Docking stations, which play music stored on iPhones and can cost hundreds of dollars, may become redundant as will chargers.  The new port looks similar to micro USB, the standard supported by all other phone manufacturers but it's unlikely that Apple will support this standard.

Apple's version has a triangle-shaped wedge at one end, which should stop users plugging in the cable the wrong way round.

The US patent office granted the patent for: "A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device.

"The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter.

"The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device."

Apple advertised for staff to work on the new connector earlier this year. It was seeking an engineer ‘responsible for identifying appropriate connection technology requirements for new products and follow through with selection and development of suitable interconnect products’.

The advertisement added: ‘This will often involve adaptation of existing connectors or complete new designs.’

The new iPhone is expected to have a larger 4-inch screen that will reputedly offer better resolution viewing than a high definition TV.

It will include Apple’s new mapping software, which has sparked privacy fears as it uses aerial photography capable of showing detail just four inches across.

From: news

Apple iPhone 5: What Features Should it have to Beat the Samsung Galaxy S3?

With technology moving so fast in the world of smartphones, the once great iPhone 4S has been overshadowed by a range of new Android devices, particularly Samsung’s latest Galaxy S3. Apple has dominated the smartphone market for so long, but with the brilliance and popularity of the S3, it seems like their reign as top dog may be coming to an end. While the iPhone 4S is undoubtedly a great phone, it is made to seem insignificant when compared to the Samsung and with 9 million pre-orders and sales set to reach 19 million by the autumn of 2012, Apple are going to find their flagship phone further behind the Android super-phone.

The new iPhone 5 is widely expected to hit stores in October of this year, but unlike the 4S which was released with little in the way of competition, Apple will face the mammoth task of attracting smartphone users away from the Galaxy S3, which will have already been on the market for six months. The Apple name and reputation will naturally attract a number of fans, but when all is said and done, it will be the better phone that wins the war. So what features does the iPhone 5 need to have to beat the Galaxy S3? We can think of a few things.

Bigger Screen
The biggest attraction of the new Galaxy is its brilliant 4.8 inch Super AMOLED screen. Large displays are the latest trend in new smartphones so it is likely that Apple are going to have to move away from their trusted 3.5 LED screen. It is highly unlikely the Apple will go out and try to match Samsung in the size of the screen on the iPhone 5, but an increase to 4.0 or 4.3 inches will be more than welcome. The problem Apple face with a larger screen is the risk of hampering Retina Display – one of the outstanding features of the 4S. A slight drop in pixel density or a change of aspect ratio may be required in order for a bigger display to be realized. The iPhone 5 will also need to improve the resolution from the current 960 x 640p specs on the 4S. Apple will at least need to match the 1280 x 720p of the S3, but to really entice fans; a resolution of 1440 x 800p may be required.

Better Camera
A new iPhone will most certainly need to feature an improved camera. The 8-MP rear-facing camera on the iPhone 4S is every bit as good as the one in the Galaxy S3 so any improvement on that will put Apple ahead of Samsung. If Apple does opt to stick with the same mega-pixel unit, optics will need to improve to offer greater sharpness and detail resolution. Improved low-light performance will also be needed. The S3 also has great camera features including, zero shutter lag, and best shot selection which suggests the best picture based on smile detection and face recognition, the iPhone 5 would be best of mimicking such features, in the same way that Samsung “mimicked” Siri with S-voice.

Rumours suggest that Apple has registered a patent relating to a 3D camera – this will certainly intrigue fans.

The front-facing VGA camera will also need improving to match the 1.9-MP unit in the S3.

Slimmer form
Despite its size, the Galaxy S3 is one of the thinnest smartphones there is at 8.6mm. This makes the 9.3mm iPhone 4S seem rather chunky in comparison. Much like larger screens, thin phones are somewhat of a trend in new smartphones so it is likely that Apple are going to have to shave some millimetres off the form of the iPhone 5. There are rumours of Apple changing the looks of the iPhone 5. While the width is likely to remain, close to what we are used to, the length may increase to accommodate a larger screen and the width could decrease to a very impressive 7.6 mm. This will be a bigger winner with smartphone fans. But just how will they achieve such a thin form? Well, using Sony’s new CMOS illuminated streamline camera sensor which is designed to be more compact will help to reduce the thickness of the phone greatly.

Processor
The Samsung Galaxy S3 leads the way when it comes to smartphone performance. Using Samsung’s own Exynos 4412 quad-core processor, clocking 1.4GHz, the S3 is the most powerful smartphone there has ever been. Anything less than a quad-core processor will be a disappointment in the iPhone 5 so rumours that Apple are likely to use a similar Exynos quad-core chip to the one in the S3 are definitely pleasing.

The Galaxy S3 also has 1GB RAM compared to the 512MB RAM currently seen in the iPhone 4S. The next generation iPhone will need to match the 1GB RAM, or risk failure.

Storage
Apple’s iPhone has also been at the forefront of smartphone storage with 8, 16, 32, and 64GB options; however, this has now been matched by Samsung who offer the new Galaxy in 32 and 64GB internal storage options. The S3 has also taken it to the next level by including a micro SD card for a further 64GB of storage space. We shouldn’t expect Apple to market the iPhone 5 complete with micro SD card slot, but maybe an increase in storage is a possibility – 96GB anyone?

Operating System
The Samsung Galaxy S3 runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) which is plastered over with Samsung’s own TouchWiz interface, providing an excellent user experience. However, this is matched, if not bettered, by iOS 5 in the iPhone 4, so if the new iPhone runs iOS 6 as expected, we can expect Apple to take the spoils in this area.

The Apple App Store is already superior to that of Google Play, so nothing will need to change in this area to compete with the S3.

The iPhone 5 will undoubtedly be the biggest smartphone release of the year, but there is a lot of work ahead for Apple to ensure their flagship handset competes with the Galaxy S3.

From: gadgetheaven

iPhone 5 and iOS 6 the new revenue stream for AT&T?

JULY 17, 2012, 10:35 P.M. New York local time — AT&T, the largest iPhone carrier in United States, is reportedly charging its customers for the use of Facetime over 3G with the upcoming iOS 6 mobile operating system and the rumored iPhone 5 with LTE. CEO of the company said it is too early to talk about the Facetime fees.

Last week, we reported that Sprint will offer unlimited services for the next iPhone whilst adding that its LTE network is getting bigger. Meanwhile, Sprint’s rival, AT&T, is reportedly charging its iPhone customers who will use the Facetime on 3G feature of the iOS 6.

Developers discovered that accessing the Facetime while on 3G connection will display a blue notification stating that customers must “contact AT&T first” before the carrier enables the 3G Facetime feature. Here’s the exact words:

“Facetime over cellular. To enable FaceTime over cellular on this account, contact AT&T at 611 or visit att.com/mywireless.”

Apparently, iPhone customers of AT&T are already paying monthly fees for their data plan, and if the new leak is accurate, then customers must pay an extra fee on top of the monthly data plan fee just for 3G FaceTime access.

For beginners, the next iPhone, or the long-rumored iPhone 5, is reportedly the first Apple smartphone with LTE or Long Term Evolution. With LTE, users can reach the web faster and with stability compared to the regular 3G HSPA connectivity. LTE is more expensive, and consumes more “GBs” or gigabytes faster than 3G. Also with LTE, it is safe to say that customers will enjoy a more stable FaceTime over cellular just because LTE is faster than 3G.

According to AT&T’s CEO while at the Forbes conference today, it is too early to talk about FaceTime pricing whilst adding that the wireless carrier is “working with Apple right now to work out stabilizing.”

Apart from Sprint and AT&T, Verizon Wireless and some prepaid carriers are already offering the iPhone and it is safe to assume that they will all offer the iPhone 5 starting next quarter. If AT&T will charge customers for 3G or 4G LTE FaceTime access, will other carriers follow?

From: popherald

Apple ‘iPhone 5’ rumor Review: It’s all about the screen

It’s that time again. Apple’s new iPhone is always the subject of speculation, but the buzz around the next-generation of the iPhone is getting bigger and bigger. Here are the latest rumors about the iPhone rounded up for your reading pleasure, whether you’re calling it the iPhone 5 or just the new iPhone.

Bigger screen: In many ways, speculation about the next iPhone is all about the screen. After all, it does make up the bulk of the phone.
It’s no secret that many people are expecting Apple’s next phone to have a bigger screen. The iPhone currently has a 3.5-inch screen, but with big-screened competitors coming from arch-rival Samsung — which is widening its global lead in smartphones — it’s likely that Apple’s going to pump up the screen size. But, since Apple is a company that prizes usability, it’s unlikely that the phone will get too big for the majority of consumers to use one-handed.

Taller screen: Is this the same as being bigger? Well, kind of. But the rumor of the day is that Apple’s next phone will gain height, but not much width. That means that it will have a profile similar to the 4.8-inch Samsung Galaxy S III, which sports a big screen, but one that still fits comfortably into your hand while talking. Alleged leaked photos of a new iPhone were posted at the Web site Apple.pro showing a slimmer, taller profile with two phones.

Better screen: Yes — another screen rumor — this time from the Wall Street Journal, which published a report Tuesday that the next iPhone’s screen will have a better display quality and will also be thinner, depth-wise, thanks to a type of screen technology that integrates the touch sensors into the LCD panel itself. The upshot of this is that Apple doesn’t have to add a touch layer onto the screen, which cuts down on screen thickness as well as the overall thickness of the whole device.

In a happy move for Apple, such a screen would also cut down on the number of suppliers the company needs to employ.

NFC: Moving on to non-screen rumors, rumor has it that the iPhone will have a near-field communication chip, or NFC chip, which will let users send data between phones quickly and may also act as a virtual wallet. According to 9 to 5 Mac, the technology could mean an Apple version of Google Wallet or a serious expansion of Apple’s payment processor role using the iTunes store.

The inclusion of an NFC chip was a persistent rumor ahead of the iPhone 4S launch, but one that’s been given new legs thanks to Apple’s introduction of Passbook. The Passbook service lets users store their loyalty cards and tickets. The iPhone’s main competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S III, has NFC capabilities — one of the phone’s central selling points.

Dock connector: TechCrunch reported that it has “confirmed” that Apple will be ditching its familiar 30-pin dock connector in favor of a 19-pin connector in the next model. The report, which cited unnamed manufacturers, is reportedly about the size of a Thunderbolt port. A smaller dock connector means more room in the phone — or more potential to make the phone thinner and lighter — but would wreak merry havoc with the very successful iPhone accessory market.

Production has already started: Isn’t this really the rumor you wanted to hear? Passed around various tech blogs and recently reported by the Wall Street Journal, the scuttlebutt is that manufacturers are already churning out parts for the device, meaning that it’s on track for a fall release. The last iPhone came out in October — a date that many people expect the company will repeat. Especially since its previous historical release month, June, has already passed us by.

From: washingtonpost