4 ways that Apple's iPhone 5 might disappoint customers

If you've been frothing at the mouth for months hoping to get your hands on the next iPhone, rest easy: The seemingly interminable wait is almost over. Apple is expected to unveil the most anticipated phone of the year, the iPhone 5, in San Francisco on Wednesday morning, less than a year after the company pulled the curtains off the iPhone 4S. Of course, frenzied Apple fans are hopeful that the company's new handset will be the "best phone ever." But what if it's not? Here, four ways the iPhone 5 announcement could leave hungry Apple fans feeling less than full:
1. If it's the same size as the iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S, despite industry-changing innovations like Siri, was initially met with a collective sigh — largely because the device looked exactly like the iPhone 4. If Apple "wishes to retain its title as the king of smartphones," the company will "finally have to admit that its 3.5-inch display is too small," says Sebastian Anthony at ExtremeTech, and that the larger screens of Androids are the future. Expect at least a 4-inch display that's slightly taller, but not much wider, says Erica Ogg at GigaOm. "The result may mean an extra row of apps on the home screen, and an overall larger area to view apps, ebooks, web content, and videos."
2. If it doesn't run on 4G LTEImplementing a faster 4G LTE data network has been a huge headache for Apple. That's why Verizon's iPhone 4S still enlisted the standard 3G network. "Apple frustrated some would-be buyers by failing to include [4G LTE] in the iPhone 4S built for Verizon," says Chris Davis at Slashgear. But because 4G LTE is now an option on the latest iPad, says GigaOm's Ogg, we all assume that it'll be offered on the new iPhone, too. If it's not, expect some angry customers.
3. If the battery still stinksEveryone wants longer battery life, says Charles Arthur at Britain's Guardian. But for some reason, the iPhone 4S demonstrated shorter standby battery life than the iPhone 4. Already, rivals like Samsung, RIM, and Nokia do a better job than Apple of managing their devices' power capabilities, and the new iPhone's larger screen and 4G LTE network would put a huge strain on the gadget's battery life. Let's hope that a couple of hours of use doesn't leave the new iPhone "gasping across the threshold as you arrive home." Indeed, a better battery is a "necessity" for this year's model, says Ogg.
4. If there isn't "one more thing" 
Steve Jobs used to love ending his keynotes with a surprise — "one more thing" to whip the crowd into a frenzy. (In 2008, the first MacBook Air was introduced this way.) But to the dismay of many fans, Apple has been restrained with this tactic of late, says Michael J. Miller at PC Mag. Well, many "tech pundits — even some with a good track record — say that the iPad Mini is coming and that it could be Tim Cook's 'one more thing'" on Wednesday, says Adrian Kingsley-Hughes at ZDNet. But I'm not so sure. Announcing a new tablet along with the iPhone 5 could put a "severe dent in iPhones sales," as Apple fans will face an "either-or decision" when figuring out which gadget to purchase.

iPhone 5 Officially Announced at Apple Event

“Today we’re introducing the iPhone 5″
With those words, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller dropped the bomb everyone was waiting for.
Despite most of the smartphone’s specs having been leaked ahead of time, the iPhone 5 announcement managed to impress the audience of tech journalists in attendance at Apple’s big event today. The phone rose up from the stage and rotated, giving everyone a good view of the device as Schiller called it the most beautiful product Apple has ever made.
The iPhone 5 is made entirely of glass and aluminum. It is the thinnest and lightest phone Apple has ever made, at 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S.
Apple has doubled-down with its retina technology, and the iPhone 5 will have a 326 PPI retina display. The display will also be, as predicted, 4-inches. It has a 1136 x 640 resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Schiller commented on why the phone isn’t as large as Android phones are getting, saying that it’s because it should fit in the customer’s hand. Apps that haven’t been updated to take advantage of the phone’s extra length will be displayed in their native size, with black bars on the side of the app.
Schiller also confirmed that the iPhone 5 will have 4G LTE capability. As a result, in the U.S. the iPhone 5 will be coming to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. As rumored, T-Mobile seems to be left out of the loop.
The iPhone 5 also has upgraded Wi-Fi, allowing for 2.4ghz and 5ghz on 802.11n. It should, Apple announced, give customers speeds of up to 150 Mbps.
The CPU in the iPhone 5 is twice as fast as the one found in the iPhone 4S. Apple claims that while its performance is a huge leap, the new A6 chip is 22% smaller.
Despite the better performance of the new processor, Apple also claims that the battery life of the iPhone 5 will actually be better than that of the iPhone 4S. The claim is that the new smartphone will have up to 8 hours of 3G talk time or LTE browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing or Video, and up to 40 hours of music playback.
The iPhone 5 “iSight” camera, as with all parts of the phone, has also gotten an upgrade. The 8 MP backside camera is 25% smaller than the iPhone 4S camera. Schiller announced that it has better low-light performance and is 40% faster on photo capture. It will be able to capture 1080p video with “improved” video stability and face detection.
The iPhone 5 has three microphones – on the bottom, front, and back of the smartphone. Its speakers are 20% smaller than those found in the iPhone 4S.
The rumors of a new cable have also turned out to be true. Apple calls the new connector “Lightening,” and it features an all-digital, 8-signal design. The cable is also reversible, and Apple claims it is more durable. An adaptor will be available for those who still use the old-style connector.
The iPhone 5 will come in classic iPhone colors: black and white. The smartphone will sell for the same price as the iPhone 4S. Preorders begin on Friday, September 14th.
The iPhone 5 will ship on September 21st.
Those hoping to upgrade from an “ancient” iPhone model or those looking jump into the Apple ecosystem for a low price will be happy to hear that the 8GB iPhone 4 will now be free with a 2-year contract. The iPhone 3Gs, however, will no longer be sold.

The iPhone 5 With Rubberband Electronics

Next generation iPhone mock-up videos are a dime a dozen these days. But occasionally one comes along that steps away from the throng and commands your attention. That’s the case with the video below from the folks at Aatma Studio, which out-Apples Apple and sets the shores of the imagination a little wider in the process.

Apple Gets Ready for iPhone 5

With just a few days to go until the debut of its next-generation iPhone, Apple is finishing preparations for the event at which the device will be unveiled. Earlier this weekend, the street-facing facade of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts was cloaked in a vast, colorful Apple banner. And, already, diligent Apple kremlinologists are analyzing it for hidden meanings.
One developing theory to come from their work: The vertical bands of color on the banner are actually stretched iPhone icons that suggest the device Apple plans to introduce will be a taller, stretched version of its predecessor. Here’s some potential supporting evidence from the folks at MacRumors:

iPhone 4S Now Only $99, iPhone 4 Now Free

The news everyone was waiting for today was the iPhone 5. And though Apple put on a good show and will no doubt sell millions of iPhone 5′s, not everyone who wants one can afford the high up-front cost of a new iPhone.
Luckily for them, Apple also today announced price drops for both the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 4. Customers looking to upgrade from iPhones even older than these models, or customers looking to jump into the Apple ecosystem on a budget, will certainly appreciate the price: free.
The iPhone 4, specifically will soon be free for customers who sign up for a two-year contract with a wireless carrier. The iPhone 4S, which most die-hard Apple fans will still have in their pockets for at least 9 more days, will only cost $99 with a two-year contract. The lower prices are sure to lure in customers looking to get their first smartphone.
One of the side effects of these lower prices is that the iPhone 3GS will no loger be sold. The 3GS is now a big part of Apple’s legacy, and was the pinnacle of the original iPhone design. It was also one of the last smartphones Apple released while still fully on top of the smartphone market in terms of hardware, and has now been relegated to dustbin of history. Apple has made it clear iPhone 3GS owners that they are living in the past, and that their thinner phones are the future.

Apple and hackers Identity parade

HACKERS love to be party-poopers, as Apple has just discovered. A group dubbed “AntiSec”, which is affiliated with Anonymous, a prominent group of hackers, has leaked a file containing over 1m unique device identifiers (UDIDs) from the tech giant. UDIDs are sequences of letters and numbers assigned to specific iPhones, iPads other gizmos made by the company. AntiSec claims to have purloined over 12m of Apple’s during a hacking attack it says it staged in March.
Quite where it got the identifiers from remains something of a mystery. The hackers say they penetrated the laptop of an agent of America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and discovered the UDIDs in a file on it. But the FBI has publicly pooh-poohed this claim in turn, saying it never had the identifiers and that reports that one of its laptops has been compromised are “totally false”.
Some IT specialists who have checked the data released by AntiSec say it is genuine. The hackers have claimed that, in some cases, personally identifiable data, such as people’s names and mobile-phone numbers, were linked to some of the UDIDs it purloined. This is worrying. Aldo Cortesi and other security researchers have been giving warning for some time that hackers who get hold of UDIDs and personal information associated with them could use the data to create fake user accounts on social-media sites, say. Mr Cortesi has called the AntiSec leak a “privacy catastrophe”.
AntiSec's move seems to have been timed to embarrass Apple, which is due to launch its latest iPhone and other iGadgets at an event in San Francisco on September 12th. However, the company may not be the source of the stolen data. Plenty of app developers and online-advertising networks also collect UDIDs as part of their activities. So it is perfectly possible that the hackers managed to nick files from one or more of these outfits—or that the FBI collected data from them, only to have it swiped by AntiSec’s crafty programmers. (The latter scenario raises the question of why the FBI might be gathering UDIDs of Apple devices in the first place.)
Whatever the case, the furore will inevitably lead to a crackdown on access to UDIDs in general. Apple had already signalled earlier this year that it intended to stop appmakers from using identifiers as a way of tracking users flipping between apps. This episode is likely to stiffen its resolve. The leak is also a sign that hackers are becoming increasingly bold, even as governments hunt them down more energetically. On September 4th McAfee, a tech security firm, reported that in the second quarter of 2012 it had seen the biggest increase for some time in malware (viruses and the like), which can be used to break into laptops and other devices. Apple and other firms have been warned.

84 Million iPads, 400 Million iOS Devices and More Big Numbers From Apple

Apple’s special events aren’t simply showcases for the company’s newest products, they’re state of the union addresses for the company, opportunities to tout its successes in public in a parade of big-number metrics. And the numbers bandied about at this morning’s iPhone 5 unveiling were large indeed.

• There are currently 380 Apple Stores.
• Today, they are in 12 countries. When a new Apple Store opens in Sweden on Friday, they will be in 13.
• Apple’s retail stores collectively had some 83 million visitors last quarter.
• That’s nearly 1 million people per day.
• 7 million Mac users have upgraded to Mountain Lion so far, making it the fasting selling Mac OS of all time.
• The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro together have become the No. 1 notebook in the U.S. in the last three months, with 27 percent market share.
• The Mac has experienced 15 percent year-over-year growth.
• That growth has outpaced that of the PC for six consecutive years.
• Apple sold 17 million iPads between April and June. That’s more iPads than any PC manufacturer sold of their entire PC line.
• And it sold 84 million iPads through June.
• The iPad had a 62 percent share of the tablet market a year ago.
• Today it has a 68 percent share.
• The iPad is responsible for 91 percent of the Web traffic from tablets.
• 94 percent of the Fortune 500 are testing or deploying the iPad.
• There are 700,000 apps in the iTunes App Store.
• 250,000 of them are iPad-specific.
• 90 percent of the apps in the App Store are downloaded every month.
• The average customer has about 100 of them.
• By the end of June 2012, Apple had sold 400 million iOS devices.
• There are 200 million customers using iTunes in the cloud.
• There are 435 million iTunes accounts (with associated credit card numbers).
• There are iTunes Stores available in 63 countries.
• Together they have served up 15 billion media downloads.
• Apple has sold 350 million iPods to date.

Intel’s Promise to Reinvent the PC Falls Flat

If you were going to reinvent the PC, what would it look like? Don’t answer until you’ve heard what plans Intel has for it.
Reinventing the PC was the promise that the world’s largest chipmaker made from the stage at its annual Intel Developer’s Forum in San Francisco on Monday. And if ever there was a moment when Intel needed to generate some excitement, this was it. Last week, Intel slashed its sales forecast for the September quarter, as demand for PCs lagged around the world.
In remarks before an audience made up primarily of product engineers and software developers, Intel’s chief product officer, Dadi Perlmutter, went through a batch of almost-interesting new capabilities for the personal computer, and showed off a handful of designs for new mobile PCs, aimed at dislodging that iPad or smartphone in your hand with something small and light that contains an Intel chip.
There were PCs that were small, PCs that were light, PCs with displays that detached from their bodies, and PCs that folded and twisted over the keyboard. All of them look like reheated concepts from the Tablet PC era circa 2002, their sole physical advantage being that they’re thinner and lighter than before, and touch-ready. Like an iPad.
Then came demos of two features around the personal computing experience from Nuance, maker of the Dragon line of voice control applications — one showing how soon you’ll be able to search Google, tweet and play digital media files with voice commands, a la Apple’s Siri, and the other, 3-D gestures a la Microsoft’s Kinect system for the Xbox. If this was Intel’s idea of generating excitement about the future of the PC, it didn’t work.

Usain Bolt returns to Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) Eschewing delirious crowds at the airport, Olympic sprinting champion Usain Bolt returned to Jamaica in uncharacteristically low-key style.
There were no adoring throngs, none of his signature skyward points or other antics. There was just a quietly organized news conference Tuesday at Bolt's restaurant and night club in Kingston with a few dozen journalists, business people, and politicians in attendance.
Bolt's publicist, Carole Beckford, said the 6-foot-5 superstar quietly returned home Saturday, and nobody but his inner circle knew he was back in his Caribbean homeland, which adores him yet wants a piece of him at almost every turn.
Last week in Belgium, hours after his last race of the season, Bolt said he was a bit nervous about returning to Jamaica, where his countrymen celebrated each of his three victories at the London Olympics with intense enthusiasm. Crowds of impassioned Jamaicans danced, shouted and embraced in the streets as he dominated the competition.

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