It seems many current iPhone users in the United States are getting an unexpected gift from AT&T. Both MacRumors and TUAW are reporting AT&T customers have received text messages and notifications on AT&T’s website in regards to early upgrade availability. For an $18 USD charge, a new contract and no early termination fee, iPhone users can upgrade. Of course, there is no indication what the users can upgrade to yet. One could reasonably expect it’s the much speculated iPhone 4G / HD slated for introduction at WWDC 2010 live keynote by Steve Jobs.

Considering the situation AT&T finds itself in, moving up iPhone upgrades was an easy and welcome move by the American telecom company. Ongoing dissatisfaction with their cellular network and recent changes in pricing structures have left many users wondering if staying with the iPhone is worth it. Sprint’s EVO and Verizon’s Droid Incredible Android handsets are benefiting from the discontent with their similar feature sets and networks perceived to be better than AT&T. The ball was really in AT&T’s court in regards to customer retention and satisfaction and it seems like they finally did something in that regards.

It will be interesting to see if the new iPhone 4G / HD, in conjunction with this change in eligibility requirements and their more inexpensive (but capped) data plans, will help out AT&T.

Follow our WWDC 2010 keynote all-in-one live feed here.

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It seems that now iPhone 4G / HD parts are easily available in China for people to buy and then make profit by publishing or selling the images online.

Today according to a news report someone in Korea bought the white iPhone 4G / HD parts from Apple iPhone production line in China and then published the photos online. These photos are similar to the ones which were leaked earlier by a Vietnamese blog. Since, multiple news sources have already reported about evidence of white iPhone 4G parts the possibility of new iPhone being introduced in two color options is quite high.

Steve Jobs at the D8 conference in reference to the The lost iPhone 4G / HD prototype said that he is not willing to “let it slide” and recently Gizmodo confirmed that Apple didn’t respond to their request for attending the live keynote presentation where the new iPhone will be unveiled. iPhone 4G / HD leak has undoubtedly become one of the most talked about story in the blogosphere and now many people are wondering if there is anything left for Steve Jobs to surprise the audience and millions of Apple fans.

The WWDC 2010 kicks off tomorrow morning at 10am Pacific. You can follow our Live Coverage here.

[asia.cnet.com] ]]> https://touchreviews.net/white-iphone-4g-hd-parts-leaked/feed/ 9 https://touchreviews.net/white-color-iphone-4g-hd-casing-photos/ https://touchreviews.net/white-color-iphone-4g-hd-casing-photos/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:36:02 +0000 https://touchreviews.net/?p=7045 Read More]]>

During the interview at D8 Steve Jobs commented on the lost iPhone 4G debacle and said that he is unwilling to “let it slide”. It is still not clear if the prototype device was stolen or lost and the DA is still investigating the case.

Last month we reported on the possibility of Apple introducing iPhone 4G / HD in white and black color and published photos of white color iPhone parts. Today Powerbook Medic published new photos of the white color iPhone 4G casing and said:

The digitizer resembles the 3G and 3Gs with the exception of a camera hole next to the top speaker. The back case doesn’t resemble anything we’ve seen so far. The photos do confirm these will likely be available in white.

It’s still not confirmed if Apple will finally introduce the new iPhone 4G / HD in two colors however, many news sources have reported on evidence of next gen iPhone in white color.

Will Apple unveil iPhone 4G in black and white color options during WWDC 2010? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

UPDATE: Apple today unveiled the new iPhone 4 and its price details. The iPhone 4 will come in a 16GB model for $199 and a 32GB model for $299 in white and black. The iPhone 3G will no longer be manufactured and the iPhone 3GS will now sell for $99. The new phone 4 will launch on June 24th to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan with pre-orders starting on June 15th.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster today in a research note predicted the price of Apple’s new iPhone 4G / HD. He suggests that Apple will follow the 3GS price pattern for the new iPhone 4G.

Apple will introduce a 32GB version of the so-called iPhone 4G at $199, and a 64GB version at $299, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicted in a research note published Wednesday.

The 16 GB iPhone 3GS is currently available for $199 and 32 GB is priced at $299. Although Walmart is already offering iPhone 3GS 16 GB model at $97 with a two year contract right before iPhone 4G launch.

The rumor mill is reporting an early June release date for the fourth-gen iPhone.

Would you be happy if Apple introduces the new iPhone 4G / HD in 32GB and 64GB models? Will the “one more thing” be Verizon iPhone 4G? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Even though Apple is struggling to meet iPad demand in the US and other countries BGR is reporting that AT&T has confirmed to its employees that new iPhone 4G will be launching in early June.

The phone will be available for purchase in June, not July, and from what we’ve heard, it won’t even be late June.

In early April we reported that multiple sources confirmed AT&T blocking staff holiday for June. So this new report is certainly in-line with the previous rumor.

Apple’s WWDC kicks off on June 07, 2010 and Steve Jobs is expected to unveil the new iPhone 4G / HD during his opening keynote.

The ‘lost’ iPhone 4G saga and prototype pictures leak just doesn’t seem to stop. For many this might not be a surprise anymore but this year the anticipation for the new iPhone 4G / HD annoucement has undoubtedly reached a new high and the credit certainly goes to the sensational ‘lost iPhone’ story spurred by Gizmodo.

9to5Mac is reporting that the Italian website (white iPhone 4G fame) iSpazio has published yet another set of new iPhone 4G pictures. These pics show closeups of the ‘unibody’ piece which holds the next iPhone.

The only detail the rumor mill hasn’t been able to confirm is the name of the new iPhone. Will it be iPhone 4G or iPhone HD? Let us know what you think in the comments section.

iPhone 4G Unibody Pictures

We reported just a scant few moments ago that analysts expect the iPhone 3GS to be reduced to $99 in the very near future. Most probably when the iPhone 4G / HD is announced officially at WWDC 2010.

We theorised that this may mean that the iPhone 3G will be phased out, and the low end iPod Touch with it too.

Boy Genius Report has just filed a report saying that it has heard that the iPhone 3G is no longer being shipped to AT&T stores in its 8GB configuration. And that orders for it are no longer being placed. Coincidentally this is also the amount of memory in the base iPod Touch model.

Both the iPhone 3G and the 8GB iPod Touch are not OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible, nor are they the most powerful devices in Apple’s iDevice portfolio. So not well suited to multi-tasking (in Apple’s opinion), a key part of iPhone OS 4.0.

I think its very easy to read into this that there will be sweeping changes to the current Apple iPhone and iPod touch lineup announced at WWDC. And we can expect iPhone 4G and new iPod touch to be more than 8GB and OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible by default. And to have more onboard RAM (like the iPhone 3GS) to deal with multitasking which will come on all new devices as part of iPhone OS 4.0.

I expect that the base model iPod touch will now be the 16GB model, which is more akin to the iPhone 3GS, and will therefore support multi-tasking better.

Apple is very obviously moving to consolidate its iDevice lineup for iPhone OS 4.0.

I also expect prices for the iPod touch 16GB will be the same as the price that the 8GB iPhone touch is currently. So perhaps hold off buying for a few days.

Will you be sad to see the iPhone 3G and the base iPod Touch model go? Or are you happy to have the opportunity to pick up a cheap iPhone 3GS, and better graphics and more RAM on all of Apple’s lineup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Earlier today Engadget reported that Vietnamese forum Taoviet published a series of leaked photos of the fourth generation iPhone and posted a video on YouTube. The teardown pics revealed that the device had an Apple branded A4 processor with the marking APL0398 which is also found inside Apple’s iPad.

The new model is reported to be different from the ‘lost’ prototype which Gizmodo bought for $5000. The device did not have any screws on either side of the Dock Connector and was running a screen diagnostic test called ‘bonfire’

The device appeared to have a cleaner design which suggests that this might be a newer prototype.

Do you think this is the next iPhone? Let us know what you think in the comments.

iPhone 4G/HD Teardown Pics

iPhone 4G Video

The Apple / AT&T partnership has been exclusive since the iPhone’s US launch. Often to the chagrin of iPhone users, who frequently bemoan AT&T’s quality of service and packages. Each time Steve Jobs has got up on stage to announce some iPhone news people have been busy speculating that part of the announcement would be a split with AT&T. Or at least the introduction of another mobile network provider into the mix. To date each of those rumors has not panned out, and confirmation that AT&T would be Apple’s ongoing partner has been met with moans and groans from Steve’s normally friendly and receptive audience.

With all that history it’s easy to feel a little jaded about the whole thing, and just assume that nothing will ever change. But here we are again, chasing our tails.

CrunchGear are reporting on a rumor that a firm called Landor Associates are working on a campaign for Verizon and the as yet unannounced iPhone 4G. Apparently Landor has been working with Verizon on branding since 2007 (for various products). And according to a “tipster” they are now hard at work preparing for the “iPhone HD launch”.

Only yesterday various industry pundits were ripping apart documents in the public domain to try and figure out if AT&T’s 5 year deal with Apple was really waterproof up to 2012. Most came to the gloomy conclusion that on the face of it it was. But also noted that since the iPhone was introduced there had been several lawsuits (which are yet to conclude) which could have a bearing on that contract’s legality.

Some others pointed out that although the original contract was for 5 years. Giving AT&T the exclusive rights to be the service provider for the iPhone in the US until 2012. Apple and AT&T have been back to the negotiating table several times since the deal’s original inception, and contracts can be re-negotiated of course.

Apple have been publicly unhappy with AT&T’s service on more than one occasion. So it is possible they have been looking at other options for some time.

Recently AT&T seemed to be offering some rather sweet packages for iPad and mobile internet. You could read this one of two ways. All is well with AT&T and Apple, or AT&T are scrambling to keep customers and Apple happy, sensing a possible change afoot – or, heaven forbid, competition!

So there we have it! Most likely we won’t know anything for sure until at least June the 7th when Apple discuss more details of iPhone OS 4.0, and perhaps the new iPhone 4G / HD itself, at its World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Do you think that this time Apple will surprise us? Will it be a good surprise, or a bad surprise? i.e AT&T only, or more carrier freedom for users? Let us know in the comments.

What we have here is the assembly of the new iPhone 4G LCD and digitizer onto the metal middle plate. As you can hear in the video, the metal middle plate is really metal. It has a nice weight in your hand and feels good. Check out the video and tell us what you think. As we continue to get more pieces of the iPhone 4G in we will upload them for your viewing pleasure.

The video showing the iPhone 4G screen and the bezel being assembled does look an awful lot like the ‘lost’ prototype device that Gizmodo had last month.

Do you think this is indeed the new iPhone 4G? Let us know in the comments.

iPhone 4G LCD, Digitizer + Metal Middle Plate Assembly

• Touch panels – TPK, Wintek, Chimei Innolux
• Quartz components – TXC
• Camera modules – Largan Precision,Genius Electronic

Now that production is underway, we can be assured of iPhone 4G announcement at WWDC starting on June 7th. That should lead to general availability some time in late June or early July. Some had suggested Apple should bring the new iPhone out ahead of schedule due to the leak and subsequent furor around it. If you consider the logistics of the supply chain however, Apple probably knew that was impossible. If Foxconn was taking delivery of parts for assembly in April then that means the component manufacturers were probably ramping up and producing components in March. That means a final design was probably agreed to in January or February at the latest. By the time Steve was announcing the iPad in January, he could very well have had a final prototype iPhone in his pocket. All of that of course leads to another tantalizing possibility. If the final iPhone design was finalized in January or February then the errant iPhone found in a bar in April was, in all likelihood, a final prototype. Or, as is always the case in the riddle-wrapped-in-an-enigma world of Apple, a brilliant piece of misdirection.

So if the new iPhone is in production in China and if we can reasonably assume the prototype lost in California was close to the final version, it looks like Apple has delivered on much of what its user base has asked for. The front facing camera will be used for the video chat option alluded to in iPhone OS 4. The additional microphone will undoubtedly be used for noise cancellation as well as a diction to text feature similar to Android 2.1. Many have suggested that was part of the rationale behind the Siri purchase. And persumably the HD in the rumored iPhone HD moniker will refer to both the improved display as well as the rumored capability for the new camera module to shoot 720p video.

No matter what, the next month should be very interesting as new tidbits of information leak out about the new iPhone. If Apple answers with the hardware and software everyone anticipates, it will again shoot the iPhone ahead of the competition.

What are you looking forward to on the new iPhone? Have you delayed your purchase in light of the leak of the new iPhone prototype? What’s your wishlist of iPhone features? Let us know in the comments section.

AppleInsider are reporting that the SDK gives developers access to API calls for capturing video in 720p format. That is in a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, as opposed to the current iPhone’s capturing in 640×480. Some people are even more convinced now that the new iPhone will be called the ‘iPhone HD’ because of this. One thing to be aware of is that you are not going to see this feature on any current iPhone model, just as multi-tasking is restricted, or not available at all on earlier iPhones.

BoyGeniusReport is saying that file transfer to the new iPhone is possible via iTunes, much in the same way as on the iPad. Which suggests that we are never going to see an official way to mount any iDevice on the desktop as a drive like we used to be able to in the old days of pre-Touch iPods.

On the subject of iPods, the new iPhone OS has a kind of “widget” for controlling the iPod application. If you swipe to the left in the multi-tasking screen on the device you get a set of iPod controls. As well as an orientation lock button.

The orientation lock is another feature taken from the iPad. But this time it is a software switch, as opposed to an actual switch on the outside of the device. We also reported on that and the ability to close apps in the multi-tasking screen, kind of in the style of a Task Manager, earlier this week

What’s your guess for the iPhones new name? Let us know in the comments.

Gene Munster, Piper Jaffray analyst, sent an e-mail to Cult of Mac on the issue. Piper Jaffray is an international investment and securities firm with expertise in many areas. Piper Jaffray analysts regularly comment on issues surrounding technology as a whole and Apple in particular. In his e-mail to Cult of Mac, Mr. Munster revealed his opinion that the issues around the Gizmodo story would force Apple to publicly release the new iPhone “sooner versus later”. Mr. Munster’s reasoning revolves around a very basic assumption of market economics; people aren’t going to buy last year’s model if they know ahead of time that a newer model is coming soon with the features they want. iPhone 3GS sales will slow, as the line of reasoning goes, and people will stop buying it in anticipation of the new model. If Apple wants to sustain high sales figures, it needs to get the next iPhone in the market as soon as possible; preferably not waiting until the anticipated launch in June.

While Mr. Munster is certainly a respected analyst who is a lot closer to the pulse of the tech industry than I am, I don’t think Apple will feel the need to rush the new iPhone out into public. I think Apple really just wants this whole situation with Gizmodo and the iPhone prototype to go away. Through this whole situation I’ve been reading and listening to John Gruber at the Daring Fireball blog. John is probably one of the three people whose opinion on Apple I respect the most. He thinks for now Apple just wants this story to go away and I’m inclined to agree with him. More than anything, in my opinion not Mr. Gruber’s, I think Apple would rather this all just fell back into the background until late June. On June 22nd Steve can come out on stage and introduce the new iPhone with a relatively clean slate.

The other reason I think Apple won’t rush to release the iPhone is that it simply may not be technically feasible to do so. While many would like to believe what we saw on Gizmodo is the iPhone in final form, let’s face it, it was a prototype. And probably a prototype among many, if not more than a dozen, prototypes that exist. Apple simply may not be ready to release it yet. The feature list may not be finalized and software may still be in development. Say what you will about Apple but they are fastidious about quality. Rushing to market with an unfinished product just to meet expectations or sustain sales is a Microsoft move, not Apple. I just don’t see them trading in this guiding principle to fore go flat iPhone sales for one month.

I will be as surprised as anyone if the next generation iPhone comes out ahead of the assumed June 22nd release date. Is it possible? Of course, anything is possible with Apple. I just don’t see any impetus for Apple to do so. The longer they let this story fade into the background, the better it is in the end for them. As talk shifts from the actual prototype to the legal implications for Gizmodo, people will soon forget it was even a story and turn their attention back to the rumor and speculation that feeds the Apple media machine so well.

Should Apple try to get the new iPhone out sooner rather than later? Do you think Apple will experience a couple of flat months in iPhone sales as people hold off purchasing the iPhone 3GS? Would you hold off knowing what you know now about the new iPhone prototype? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section.

I have to say I had my doubts when I saw the pictures of the “iPhone 4G” being passed around the web in the last 24 hours. Firstly the image had popped up on Twitter a while back from a different source : [twitpic]

But also it was simply such an awful overall design that it could only, at best, be a prototype. Remember those pre-production iPad prototype pictures that got leaked before the official launch? They were ugly too!

I guess it could possibly have been a prototype Steve was carrying around personally. But I am not sure he drinks in public in bars in San Jose these days.

Knowing how secretive Apple are the chances of an employee dropping one in a bar seemed ridiculous. If you remember the stories of Apple employes working on new devices having to keep their equipment covered in their locked rooms when not in use. And having to put a red light on outside their room to warn other employees of the fact that secret equipment could be on display when they were actually working with hardware prototypes. Well, that does make the bar story sound a little far fetched!

Finally, living in Asia in the heart of counterfeit land there are so many copies being pumped out of factories here it seemed more likely that this was some Chinese copy, or unofficial iPhone 4G for the Asian market.

It turns out the iPhone 4G or iPhone HD we’ve been staring at trying to decide if we love or hate is actually a Japanese iPhone copy.

The original web page that hit on this information is in Spanish. So here is a google translation link : [translate.google.com]

Got to laugh at the translation :

apparently found in a bar in San Jose (California), in a pillow case for an iPhone 3G

But you get the gist from the bottom of the page. We would say case closed.

Are you disappointed? Or relieved? Did this look like an iPhone from Apple to you? Let us know in the comments.

Apple might be releasing a new iPhone 4G  / HD this summer.  It will probably be released on June 22nd during Apple’s WWDC 2010. The only real surprises left are the specs, appearance, and pricing of the new unit. Now, thanks to something lost and found on the floor of a bar, we may have our first look at the forthcoming iPhone.

Engadget is running pictures and a story of an alleged Apple device found inside of an iPhone 3G case on the floor of a San Jose bar. The device is encased in the familiar black and chrome trim with etched Apple and lettering on the back. While it contains some of the familiar iPhone elements, including a home button and small rectangular ear piece, it appears to be slightly taller, thicker, and more angular. Some of the physical button set ups are also different from current iPhone models. According to the report the device has a forward facing camera, 80GB of storage, and was running an unfamiliar version of the iPhone OS.

Now as the article points out, this isn’t necessarily the gospel version of the iPhone HD. It could very well be the production version, and if it is, Apple is taking the iPhone in a decidedly new direction. Otherwise this might just be a prototype that made an unintended appearance. I think most people have the impression that each new iPhone design comes to Steve Jobs in a dream, he jots it down on paper, and a new product is born. Quite to the contrary. Each new iteration of the iPhone (or any electronic device) goes through extensive planning on paper and prototyping. At any one time there may be five or six prototypes of a device floating around, one which may eventually become the production version, or each incorporating parts that combine to make the final cut. This may not even be a prototype of the next iPhone but instead a prototype of something two or three years down the road.

If it is the production version of the iPhone 4G / HD, it does confirm one of the main rumors floating around. The forward facing camera has been on the wishlist of many an iPhone pundit and fan and this phone seems to make it a reality. It would be really interesting to get a chance to crack the device open and see what’s inside. Would we find an A4 chip in there? Would we find the iPad innards shrunk down into the new iPhone as some have suggested will be the case? Despite the pedigree and intention of this found technology, one thing is for certain; it will only fuel the rumor and speculation machine. With the iPad out, the iPhone HD will be the latest hot new device of 2010.

Do you have a wishlist for the next iPhone? What makes video calls and video chat so compelling for you? Would it be a killer app that makes you switch from your Droid or Nexus One to the iPhone? Would anything make you make that switch? Leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Now that we’re less than a week away from the launch of the iPad, the most hotly anticipated Apple device is the next generation iPhone. The fact it will launch this summer at WWDC is almost a given at this point. The real cause for speculation now are the device specifications. Thanks to John Gruber’s excellent Daring Fireball blog and word from the Wall Street Journal, a picture is now forming about the capabilities of the next generation iPhone.

The actual visual appearance of the device is still a bit of a guessing game. We recently reported on a YouTube video that purported to be an Apple advertisement for the next iPhone. If this is the new iPhone, and not some glorious KIRF, it embodies an appearance change that seems to support some of the specs I’ll discuss below.

According to Daring Fireball, the new iPhone will vastly improve the existing product. Under the hood, the device will dispense with the current processor in favor of the A4 system on a chip custom built for the iPad. The display will be upgraded to a 960 X 480 double resolution from the current 480 X 320. A second, forward-facing camera will be added to enable video calling and conferencing. Lastly, the Holy Grail of the iPhone OS, true third party multitasking in conjunction with the upcoming iPhone OS 4.0. The Wall Street Journal article adds to this by confirming the introduction of the new device this summer and reporting a Verizon iPhone may also appear in the coming months.

All of this adds up to some really exciting news for iPhone aficionados and those waiting for a new iPhone before switching. An iPhone with improved resolution, multitasking, video conferencing and the power of the iPad will make for an even more compelling product for Apple. It’s obvious at this point the direct threat to the iPhone is Google’s Nexus One and the upcoming HTC Desire. Both run the Android 2.1 platform and the Nexus One has been the only serious competition for the iPhone. By overtaking the latest Android platforms in hardware, the comparison turns back to software and Apple is clearly the head and shoulders leader in that department. Especially if true multitasking comes in OS 4. With my contract expiring this summer, I’m really excited to see what Apple brings to the table. This might be the year I finally get an iPhone.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming iPhone? Would you be tempted to switch if these specifications come true? Are you a tried and true Android person regardless of what Apple does? Leave us a comment, we’d like to hear from you.