iPad mini with Retina display 'out by end of 2013'

It is not yet clear whether the redesigned 9.7-inch iPad and Retina display iPad mini will launch simultaneously, Bloomberg said.

The next version of the iPad will be adapted to look more like the current iPad Mini, with rounded corners and thinner sides, one source told the news organisation.

Details on the new iPad mini were sparse apart from the addition of a Retina display, as featured in the current iPad.

A Retina display would also bring the new iPad Mini in line with other Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPod Touch and MacBook Pro. The current iPad Mini comes with a lower-resolution 132ppi screen from LG and Taiwan's AU Optronics.

Retina display is a brand name used by Apple for their liquid crystal displays, in which pixelation is imperceptible to the human eye. Other brands also offer higher resolution screens, marketed simply as high definition.

The Californian company will be hoping the potential double-product launch will boost tablet sales, after global shipment of the devices fell from the first quarter to the second quarter of this year.

Apple, still the market leader in the tablet-manufacturing sector, ahead of Samsung, shipped a lower-than-predicted total of 14.6 million tablets in the second quarter last year, down from 19.5 million in the first.

“A new iPad launch always piques consumer interest in the tablet category and traditionally has helped both Apple and its competitors, said Tom Mainelli, a research director at the International Data Corporation.

“With no new iPads, the market slowed for many vendors, and that’s likely to continue into the third quarter. However, by the fourth quarter we expect new products from Apple, Amazon and others to drive impressive growth in the market.”

There have also been rumours online that the new iPhone 5S, expected to be released on September 10, will come with a protruding, sapphire button rather than the concave plastic one which currently features on the devices.

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Apple iPhone C will be scratch-resistant

The iPhone C, a budget version of the Apple smartphone, will be made of scratch-resistant materials, according to reports.

And the iPhone 5S, expected to be unveiled next month, will come with a dual LED flash to improve photo quality, according to the same article on the Chinese fan site Apple Daily.

A video on the website showed a reporter putting what is claimed to be the case of the low-cost iPhone C – which is expected to be Apple’s next move in an attempt to break into emerging markets - inside a bag of keys and coins before shaking it.

He then tries to scratch the casing directly with a key but is unable to.

Photos of brightly-coloured cases similar to those featured in the video have already been leaked online, leading some to suggest that the ‘C’ in the anticipated iPhone C stands for ‘colour’.

The higher-end iPhone 5S will be slightly thicker than the current iPhone 5, the Chinese report also claimed.

Rumours emerged earlier this week that the iPhone 5S would be available in a ‘champagne’ gold colour.

Until now, Apple has only offered the iPhone in black and white, (or 'slate' and 'silver' for the iPhone 5). However, a report in TechCrunch claimed that Apple plans to add a gold colour option for the forthcoming smartphone, citing multiple sources.

A gold iPhone would likely do well in the Chinese and Indian Markets, where the colour is very popular. Once considered gaudy, gold is now reportedly one of the most popular after-market colour adjustments for current iPhones.

The device is unlikely to be "a totally blinged-out gold," according to TechCrunch's MG Siegler, but a more subtle "champagne" colour - similar to the previously released gold iPod Mini.

The iPhone 5S is also expected to come with a form of fingerprint scanner, a rumour which has been circulating online since a developer found plans for biometric scanning in a folder in the iOS7 beta, the operating system any new handsets will carry.

Reports earlier in the month suggested the iPhone C and iPhone 5S would be launched at the same event on September 10.

Via......

Gold iPhone 5S back goes under the knife -- literally

The life of a pre-release iPhone is not an easy one. Not only do you get photographed inside and out, but you are also privy to being scratched by keys, pocket change, and now knives.

The latest comes from Jailbreak nation, which appears to be the latest in a series of sites to get its hands on the rear shell of what is almost certainly the backside of Apple's next iPhone. It's by no means the first, but has maybe gone the furthest to test how durable Apple's latest gold color holds up to some extreme abuse.

That comes in the form of a knife scratch test, which scrapes up the back of the phone to show how it holds up to cosmetic damage. Notably the test does not cover drops, something that could crack your screen, and possibly lead to a non-functional device.

You can watch the whole clip below:

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New leak points to Sept. 10 release of iOS7

Loose lips, sunken ships and -- iOS7? Sure looks that way, given an email sent to a developer named Owen Williams who reposted contents of an email sent to him today by Siri developer Nuance suggesting that the public would get its first look at iOS 7 on September 10th.

Developers have so far gone through sixth beta versions of this upcoming software update for iPhones, iPods and iPads as they work out any kinks.

Via: The Cnet

Sphero 2.0 iPhone-controlled robot unveiled

Orbotix's iPhone-controlled robot has had some significant upgrades with the Sphero 2.0 now boasting a higher speed along with some other internal tweaks.

Orbotix has unveiled Sphero 2.0, an update to the Sphero iPhone and Android-controlled robot which lets you use Augmented Reality to control the orb-shaped robot.

Sphero 2.0 now comes with a new engine which boasts 7 feet per second making it twice as fast as the previous model, the internal LEDs have also been boosted making it reportedly 3x brighter.

For those that want something that's a little more rugged Sphero 2.0 now comes with a range of rubber cases which will also increase its ability to swim through water.

One of the main attractions are the host of Augmented Reality apps which let you use your iPhone or smartphone to turn the Sphero into a host of different objects all through the screen.

It's available now for £99.99 from the Orbotix website and comes with two ramps to get any budding off-roaders started.

Rea More: http://www.t3.com/news/sphero-2-0-iphone-controlled-robot-unveiled

China Mobile, Apple still 'actively negotiating' iPhone, iPad deal

China Mobile is still talking to Apple about bringing the iPhone to its network. New comments from China Mobile chairman Xi Guohua reveal that the two companies "are actively negotiating and both sides are keen," which could potentially see subscribers of the Chinese carrier being able to buy and use the iOS smartphones on its TD-SCDMA network in the future.

Even though Tim Cook visited the country and spoke to the carrier late last month, with the meeting believed to be about the iPhone and iPad, the deal is still far from completed. "There are still some commercial and technology issues that need time to resolve," said Xi according to Reuters, with the use of the proprietary TD-SCDMA instead of usual 3G networks being the likely cause, though China Mobile has been working on its own 4G LTE network.

Though Apple and China Mobile have been in talks for quite some time about introducing the iPhone to the carrier, the comments from China Mobile are not necessarily a sign that it will take place anytime soon. That said, Chinese iPhone launches typically happen a number of months after it gets released in the United States and other markets, so there is still time for the two companies to agree before the expected launch of the iPhone 5S and the rumored iPhone 5C next month.

By Electronista…

Malicious apps smuggled into Apple app store

n the history of Apple iOS, only a handful of malicious apps have been discovered

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have published a paper on what they call "Jekyll apps", which have the outward apprearance of being benign but contain vulnerabilities that allow them to be exploited remotely.

In their investigation, the team, led by Tielei Wang, developed a proof-of-concept Jekyll app and successfully published it to the Apple app store. The app worked by taking the binary code that had already been digitally signed by Apple and rearranging it in a way that gave it new and malicious behaviours.

"The key idea is to make the apps remotely exploitable and subsequently introduce malicious control flows by rearranging signed code," the researchers state in their paper.

"Since the new control flows do not exist during the app review process, such apps, namely Jekyll apps, can stay undetected when reviewed and easily obtain Apple’s approval."

Once their Jekyll app had been accepted to the app store, the researchers were able to remotely launch attacks on a controlled group of devices that had installed the app.

Despite running inside the iOS sandbox, tha app was able to perform many malicious tasks, such as stealthily posting tweets, taking photos, stealing device identity information, sending email and SMS, attacking other apps, and even exploiting kernel vulnerabilities.

"Such a seemingly benign app can pass the app review because it neither violates any rules imposed by Apple nor contains functional malice. However, whan a victim downloads and runs the app, attackers can remotely exploit the planted vulnerabilities and in turn assemble the gadgets to accomplish various malicious tasks."

In the paper, the researchers set out possible counter-measures that Apple could take to mitigate this threat. In particular, they recommend introducing more advanced runtime monitoring mechanisms that can limit Jekyll apps' capability to perform malicious applications.

Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told MIT Technology Review that developers have made changes to the iOS operating system in response to issues identified in the paper. However, it remains unclear if the vulnerabilities have been completely fixed.

iOS is not the only mobile phone platform vulnerable to this type of attack. Earlier this month, researchers from antivirus provider Trend Micro discovered an exploit that allows hackers to inject malicious code into legitimate Android apps without invalidating their digital signature.

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Apple buys Matcha.tv video app

Apple may hope the move will boost its video recommendations service

Matcha.tv ran on iOS, Apple’s operating system, and offered comprehensive listings of all films and programmes available on television, streaming video services and digital video stores – such as iTunes and Amazon.

It allowed users to queue the videos they had chosen, log in to social networks to see what their friends were watching and liking, and also offered video recommendations.

But the app closed in May with no explanation given. Its CEO, Guy Piekarz said only that the service was not gone for good but would be developing in a new direction.

Matcha.tv was still growing at the time and regularly featured among the most popular items in Apple’s App Store.

The acquisition was reported by the VentureBeat website, which cited a source claiming Apple had paid between $1m and $1.5m for the application.

Apple refused to comment on the reported purchase directly, only telling the site: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

It is unclear at this stage what the Californian company plans to do with the app, though analysts have suggested it will be used to boost its video recommendations service, drawing users away from Netflix.

CEO Tim Cook has talked about Apple’s plans to "revolutionise" the TV industry.

Source.....

Researchers slip malware onto Apple's App Store, again

Researchers have once again pulled a fast one on Apple's app approval process, getting malware onto the App Store to prove it's still a possibility.

A group of researchers from Georgia Tech developed an app that masqueraded as a news reader that would phone home to reprogram itself into malware -- something that was apparently not picked up in Apple's security screening procedures, reports the MIT Technology Review.

Once configured remotely, the software was able to do things like send texts, e-mails, post Tweets, take pictures, dial phone numbers, and even reboot the system.

Apple only ran the app for a few seconds during its testing process, the researchers said. And once published to the App Store, the researchers quickly removed it after they were able to successfully install it on their phones.

The methodology and results of the test, which occurred in March, were published this week at the UNSENIX Security Symposium in Washington, D.C.

Apple told the Technology Review it has changed its iOS security since learning of the vulnerabilities detailed in the research, though it's unclear if anything's changed in the company's app screening process.

This isn't the first time a researcher has slipped malware onto the App Store to prove a point. Charlie Miller, a well-known security researcher (and now Twitter employee) who targeted Apple's products and services for years, did the very same thing in 2011. Miller released a generic stock-checking app called InstaStock that could tap into his own server and grab bits of code. The behavior was grounds for dismissal from Apple's developer program, per the company's App Store guidelines.

Apple has long touted the security of the App Store, with executives going so far as to bash competitors for it. On the eve of Samsung's Galaxy S4 announcement in March, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller tweeted "Be safe out there" while linking to a report from F-Secure which focused on the rise of Android security threats. Schiller also gave interviews to Reuters and The Wall Street Journal knocking other aspects of the Android platform.

Via: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57598955-37/researchers-slip-malware-onto-apples-app-store-again/

Unlock iPhone 4/4s/5

Via: YouTube

Apple shares jump on Carl Icahn's 'large' stake

The stock was up more than 4pc after Mr Icahn tweeted he had held discussions with chief executive Tim Cook and believes the iPad and iPhone maker is “extremely undervalued”.

His comments fuelled rumours that Apple is poised to launch a new product. The shares rose 2.7pc on Mr Icahn’s announcement, adding to earlier gains. They closed up 4.8pc on the day at $489.57.

The rise capped a strong few days for the technology giant, which has been slowly regaining the ground it has lost since last September, when its stock briefly topped $700.

Since then, investors have grown concerned that the company may have lost the innovative culture originally engendered by its co-founder Steve Jobs. Its shares occasionally dipped below the $400 mark before their recent rally.

Mr Icahn’s remarks reinforced positive shareholder sentiment. “We currently have a large position in Apple. We believe the company to be extremely undervalued,” he said. “Had a nice conversation with Tim Cook today. Discussed my opinion that a larger buyback should be done now. We plan to speak again.”

Mr Cook said last year that Apple would return $100bn of cash to shareholders by 2015, including $60bn of share buybacks – up from a pledge of $10bn the year before.

The exact size of Mr Icahn’s investment in Apple is not yet known but Bloomberg reported that it is more than $1bn.

Apple generally remains silent on this sort of issue, but issued a statement shortly after Mr Icahn’s disclosures.

“We appreciate the interest and investment of all our shareholders. Tim [Cook] had a very positive conversation with Mr Icahn today,” it said.

Via.......

Unlock iPhone 2G/3G/3GS/4/4S/5

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_5DJErCYBE

Apple ebook punishment harms us more than them, claim publishers

The US Department of Justice last week recommended Apple be banned from entering into anti-competitive e-book distribution contracts for five years.

The penalty followed a ruling in a civil antitrust case that Apple had played a “central role” in a conspiracy with the publishers to raise e-book prices.

The five major publishers, including HarperCollins, Penguin and Macmillan, submitted papers in a Manhattan court challenging the contract ban. They believe the move will punish them rather than Apple as it would elimate to so-called "agency model" whereby the publishers, rather than Apple, set the retail price for ebooks.

Only Apple went to trial, while the publishers agreed to pay more than $166m for the benefit of consumers.

The iPhone maker filed a motion last week objecting to the DoJ’s proposal, calling it a “draconian and punitive intrusion”.

A hearing to discuss remedies is scheduled for Friday. US District Judge Denise Cote has said she also plans to hold a trial on damages.

Source....

Apple's new iPhone ad ignores Microsoft, Samsung, and Nokia

When they're all trying to get at you, you must be doing something right.

Or you're simply paranoid and inventing the whole thing.

Apple simply doesn't want to acknowledge the criticisms being tossed its way by pretenders.

Even though many of the more famous companies have released ads comparing their products to Apple, Cupertino just keeps marching down its path of righteousness like Ayn Rand or a randy vicar who's rediscovered his faith.

Its latest ad continues in the recent vain of making universal claims for the iPhone. This time, it's that "more people connect face-to-face on the iPhone than on any other phone."

Just as Apple's adorable claim that more people take pictures on its phone than on any other camera seems to be based on a Wikipedia page I cannot find, so this one must require a little blind faith.

Still, it's as warm and cuddly as it's assumptive.

For myself I am most moved by the scene 40 seconds in, when a sad girl sits on the floor and her friend asks over FaceTime: "Did he apologize?"

The forlorn girl just shakes her head.

Sometimes, people are just mean. Why, Microsoft has spent quite some airtime offering that its tablets are better than the iPad. Samsung has been positively giddy in suggesting iPhone users are docile dodderers.

Monday, Nokia joined in the amusement by offering that the iPhone's camera was from the daguerreotype era.

Did they apologize? No, they did not. So Apple sits on the floor, shakes its head, and keeps putting out the same message, believing that it's still in the right.

Of course, this is all largely playing for (face)time. Apple knows that it's been a long time since it generated true excitement, so it's banking on the warm human feelings it's engendered over a decade of great products to see it through.

The next ad will probably say that more people talk to Siri on the iPhone than on any other phone.

Via....

What the next iPhone really needs: Better battery life

We're on a countdown until the inevitable Next iPhone, a moment that feels far less anticipated than last year. In 2012 we had the iPhone 5 casting a shadow of mystery: a rumored design revamp, the curiosity surrounding the first post-Steve Jobs iPhone, plus overdue features, namely, LTE and a larger screen. This year, we have rumors of slightly better cameras, colored cases, and maybe a fingerprint reader.

So what can Apple do to make the next iPhone a huge hit?

Simple. Give it killer battery life.

The phone market is suffering a bit of ennui mid-2013. "Peak smartphone" has become a repeated phrase, and I've heard my fair share of, "Phones are boring." It reminds me of laptops: those also-useful, also-commodified products that nearly everyone has but nobody feels all that compelled to immediately replace.

You can't make magic forever. Laptops don't produce stupendous feats of technology anymore: maybe phones are just finally going that path, too. But that doesn't mean there aren't certain critical improvements.

The MacBook Air had a pretty minor set of changes this year, so few that it's hard to consider it a "new" laptop. But the dramatic improvement in battery life is a huge selling point. It makes the Air an excellent recommendation.

Android phones with great battery life are out there, particularly Motorola's recent phones: the Droid Maxx, the Razr Maxx before it, and the new Moto X. The Moto X is a classic example of how a phone without cutting-edge specs can win with improved design, battery life, and an extra feature or two.

My wife does one thing with her iPhone more than anything else: she charges it.

I've been using an iPhone 5 for nearly a year, and its overall performance has been excellent -- except for the battery life, which can range from OK to downright challenging. I keep cloud services on and Bluetooth active, and I do my fair share of streaming, but I need to top off the charge at least once a day.

Is that fair to judge my iPhone based on my heavy usage? Well, it's a part of the new phone landscape. There are more gadgets to pair with via Bluetooth and AirPlay, more high-bandwidth streaming services, more location-aware apps. Making a battery great enough to handle the load is a tough task, but Apple has been battery-minded about its laptops and tablets. It's time for the iPhone to make a great leap forward in battery life. On my "what I want on the next iPhone" wish list, it's the only piece in the puzzle that I really need.

It may not be the sexiest move, but it would be a big move in an otherwise slow year.

Source....

Apple fixing bug allowing fake charging stations to hack iPhones

The devices will remain vulnerable to attack until the software update in released this autumn.

Apple were alerted to the flaw in the security systems earlier this year by three computer scientists, who demonstrated the loophole to an audience at Las Vegas' Black Hat hacking convention.

The Californian company has said the issue has been fixed in the beta version of iOS 7, which has been made available to developers to test new app compatibility.

Billy Lau, Yeongjin Jang and Chengyu Song plugged an iPhone into a charger they had customised with a miniature Linux computer pre-programmed to hack iOS devices and infected the phone with a virus forcing it to call a researcher's phone.

The scientists warned that in the wrong hands such technology may be harnessed as a sophisticated spying tool, accessing personal information through email and text as well as potentially taking screen shots of credit card numbers and passwords.

Android devices are not vulnerable to such attacks, as users are warned the device they are plugging their phone into is not an ordinary charger.

The news comes after a 23 year old Chinese woman was killed by a reported electric shock after answering her iPhone allegedly charging through an unauthorised charger last month. Ma Ailun collapsed after picking up her phone and died soon afterwards. A doctor who attended Ma following her death told the Wall Street Journal that her neck had obvious signs of electrical injury.

Following the incident Apple added a page to its Chinese website warning users about the hazards of fake chargers not being subject to the same safety and reliability checks.

Via The Telegraph