Apple’s plan to replace Gorilla Glass with sapphire glass in iPhone 6 didn’t go so well as their partnership with GT Advanced resulted in dissolution due to production issues.

Apple and Corning’s Gorilla Glass share a long history. When Steve Jobs was working on the original iPhone he didn’t want to use a plastic screen, instead wanted it to be made of glass. Since glass screen would have been too easy to break someone recommended that Jobs should see what Corning was doing. At that time Corning was developing the Gorilla Glass technology however, it wasn’t ready for mass production. Jobs ordered a ton of Gorilla Glass and kept telling Corning CEO Wendell Weeks, “Don’t be afraid. You can do this.” In 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone with Gorilla Glass.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass has seen tremendous improvements since it began its first mass production in 2006. Gorilla Glass 2 was 30% thinner than the former, Gorilla Glass 3 used an entirely new composition. Gorilla Glass 4 which is expected to be featured on smartphones, tablets and other devices this year is twice as shatter-resistant in drop tests when compared to previous version.

It’s obvious that Apple makes for a large part of Corning’s revenue and they would’ve seen Apple’s move to consider sapphire for iPhone 6 as a possible threat. The company seems to have taken that as a challenge and started work on offering the same scratch-resistance as sapphire with ‘Project Phire’.

Competition in most cases can lead to innovation and if ‘Project Phire’ turns out to offer what Corning is promising then it is possible that Apple will continue to use Corning’s technology in upcoming iOS devices. Coring didn’t immediately provide any demo video or live demonstration of its new technology however, we can expect the company to share an update soon.

Glass used on smartphones and tablets is increasingly becoming another core technology. Apple has consistently shown interest in owning core technologies as it did try to “own” glass technology by partnering with GT Advanced for sapphire production.

It will be interesting to see if Apple continues to rely on Corning for its screen technology or develop something new.

Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Video

On Tuesday, alongside the announcement of the new iPad mini and the 4th generation iPad, Apple Inc. (AAPL) also went ahead to introduce a thinner, lighter 13 inch MacBook Pro with a Retina Display. The new MacBook Pro is only 0.75 inches and 3.57 pounds in weight, making nearly 20% thinner than its predecessor and about a pound lighter and also has a FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones, improved speakers, faster 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a MagSafe 2 charging port.

With the newest addition to the MacBook lineup, AAPL has made nearly all of its products into portable machines. The 13 inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display does not have an optical drive as with most of Apple’s Mac products, and instead sports a slimmer form factor with a Retina Display that has 227 pixels per inch and flash storage that is faster upon startup.

With the transition to flash storage, Apple can produce thinner and lighter machines that start up and run programs much faster than the last generation. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is now one of Apple’s base models, with a 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage starting at only US$1,699. Users then have the option to configure their machines with 256GB of flash storage coming in at US$1,999.

The 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pros with Retina Display are on sale in Apple Stores and online with free shipping.

Are you planning to buy the MacBook Pro with Retina Display? Do you think it is worth the upgrade?

It’s finally here! On Tuesday, Apple introduced the iPad mini during a media event at the California Theatre in San Jose, California. The iPad Mini has been a rumor around the web for several months now, and several weeks prior to announcement, parts began to leak. The iPad Mini is only 7.2-mm thin, down from the full sized iPad’s 9.4 mm and sports a 7.9 inch screen.

This is a drastic reduction from Apple’s full sized iPad, which sports a 9.7 inch Retina Display. The iPad mini, although much lighter and thinner resembles more an iPhone then an iPad and houses the same internals as the 4th generation iPod touch, including the 5MP iSight Camera for images and video, as well as the FaceTime HD camera for video calls, and the A5 chip. 4G LTE will also be available on the Cellular model of the mini.

The iPad mini also has the same resolution as the iPad 2 at 1024 by 768 pixels and weighs only 0.68 pounds, half the weight of a full sized iPad. Even with these lower than full sized specs, Apple is introducing a thinner, lighter, and powerful product to the tablet market, which has recently seen an increase in 6-8 inch devices. Amazon’s Kindle has dominated the e-reader market, and Apple is getting a leg-up by introducing a product that, when paired with iBooks can compete directly.

It is yet unknown whether the iPad mini will cannibalize sales of the iPod touch, which carries the same technical specs and now has a 4 inch screen. The iPad mini is priced at $329, as predicted for a base WiFi model and adds on another $130 for WiFi+Cellular. It will be available for Pe-Order on October 26 and will go on sale on November 02.

{Image Credit: Fox News}

Details of Apple’s next generation iPhone 5 appear to be spreading across the web, and now in Chinese newspapers as well. Earlier in the week, Apple.pro posted images of a story in Chinese-language newspaper Apple Daily. The newspaper reportedly obtained one of the many iPhone 5 enclosures floating around and measured the specs. In the report, the iPhone 5 was reported to be 7.6mm thick, down from the iPhone 4S’ current 9.3mm thickness.

This means that the next generation iPhone 5 could be 18% thinner than the iPhone 4S and drastically thinner than any other model in the past. Apple was likely able to achieve this new depth because of the change in screen size, moving up from 3.5 inches to 4 inches. However, the width of the next gen iPhone is expected to remain the same as the 4S.

Apple Daily also posted some higher quality images following its initial report which seem to show a great amount of change in the iPhone enclosure as well as the previously rumored, smaller dock connector, and altered speaker port and headphone jack. Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected to be announced September 12th, alongside a possible iPad Mini as well as the public release of iOS 6.

{via MacRumors}

According to a report from The Financial Times, European carriers are stocking up on nano-SIM cards ahead of Apple’s next gen iPhone 5 release date. The carriers are purchasing the SIMs ahead of any statements or confirmation from Apple if this new standard will be adopted. Earlier this year, many reports online suggested that the European Telecommunications Standards Institute selected Apple’s nano SIM technology as the new 4FF standard.

Videos and images of what appeared to be the next generation iPhone 5 also began to appear around this time, all showing a smaller SIM card slot, which may also suggest that come October, carriers will have to adjust the size of their SIM cards to match the new standard. Financial Time’s report suggests that the Nano-SIMs purchased by the European carriers are in fact for the iPhone  5 and are in line with Apple’s nano SIM standard.

Operators expect that the iPhone will feature the nano sim in a slimmed down design, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation, and have begun to store millions of the cards in warehouses in anticipation of high demand for Apple’s iPhone. Apple declined to comment.

The report also suggested that the carriers are looking to avoid being surprised by a new standard by Apple, as with the SIM standard on both the iPhone 4 and the iPad, both which used a micro SIM standard.

Operators were caught off guard by the adoption of the micro Sim for the iPhone 4 as well as the original iPad two years ago, with some struggling to meet demand with their own micro-Sims in the first weeks of sale…. One informed person said that the major networks were keen to be ahead of demand this time, however. He added that the iPhone 5 was likely to be similar sized as the iPhone 4 although slimmer and with a fully metal body.

Apple’s change of SIM standards over the years match with the Cupertino company’s design direction, which is to always make products thinner, lighter and more durable. With the new nano SIM and smaller dock connector, the next generation iPhone is expected to be much thinner than the current iPhone 4S.

{via 9to5Mac — Image Credit: The Verge}

Apple’s iPad is one of the leading tablet computers out on the market, and rumors in recent months have suggested that the Cupertino, Calif., company is planning to unveil a smaller “iPad Mini” to take on 7” tablets from other competitors such as Google and Samsung. Gotta Be Mobile has posted images of a physical model of what the iPad Mini may look like. The model looks to be similar in size to the rumored 7.85” display and sports the new smaller dock connector previously seen on leaked parts of the next generation iPhone 5.

The model is not made of materials that would likely appear in the final device, however, it does appear to be a case mold and shows the shape of the rumored device. It is unclear whether this could point to a finalized shape and size, but that could be subject to change based on Apple’s decisions on screen size and technology inside. Case designs are normally accurate but can also provide misleading information as cases can be made entirely off of speculation and based on rumors being reported on the web.

Image Credit: Gotta Be Mobile

The report mentions that in a measure of pixel count from the model, the iPad Mini will be approximately 213 mm by 143 mm, slightly thinner than the full size 9.7 inch iPad which comes in at 185.67mm wide, 241.3mm tall, and 9.39mm thick.

Google’s Nexus 7 tablet has a width of 120mm which means that the iPad Mini, if our calculations are close, might be around 23.67mm wider than the Nexus 7. The Nexus 7 tablet measures in at 198.5mm high which means that the iPad Mini may be a little taller than Google’s 7-inch tablet.

If rumors about iPad Mini turn out to be true then we could expect the release date to be around October timeframe same as the next generation iPhone 5 and the public release of iOS 6.

{via MacRumors}

Apple has been rumored to release an updated line of MacBooks, most notably the new MacBook Pro, which is expected to take on the thin design of the MacBook Air. On Monday, Chinese forum Weiphone released an image of what appeared to be a specs sticker on the back of a 13.3 inch MacBook Pro box. The image revealed only minor additions to the MacBook Pro line, such as the new 2.5GHz Ivy Bridge processor as well as the new Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU. The specs also reveal that Apple is adding USB 3.0 for faster charging and data transfers as well as Bluetooth 4.0.

Although there were rumors that the MacBook Pro would be receiving the popular Retina Display, it appears that it will remain at the same 1280×800 resolution. Hard Drive and SuperDrive remain unchanged as well. It is likely that Apple is adding features very slowly so as not to cause any major changes to the operation of the battery in the Macbook. Adding a Retina Display could lower the battery life drastically, as would the addition of more RAM, and a faster HardDrive or SuperDrive.

The authenticity of the image remains unknown, although WWDC 2012 could bring hardware releases alongside a suite of software offerings, such as iOS 6 and perhaps another preview of OS X Mountain Lion. It is unclear if Apple will still be introducing a thinner 17 inch model, as the image only specifies the 13.3 inch model, but remains unknown until final announcement by Apple.

{via MacRumors}

Apple’s new iPad 3 is only one day away from being announced to the public and new details about what to expect tomorrow are still being leaked. On Monday, iLounge editor, Jeremy Horowitz published a report on two Apple products that he believes that Apple will change or retain. Horowitz reported that Apple is working on a new iPad 3 “Smart Case” and new “glass back” iPhone 5.

The report claims that Apple is experimenting with “Glass and ceramic rear shells” for a future iPhone, probably iPhone 5. Although rumors of a aluminum back iPhone 5 have been floating around on the web, sources of the publication indicated that Apple is planning to use Corning’s Gorilla Glass 2, unveiled at CES 2012. The Gorilla Glass 2 will allow the iPhone 5 to be thinner and stronger than previous models and may even arrive without the addition of the 30 pin dock connector.

The report also pointed at the possibility of a larger screen display. Recently, Apple identified Corning as a supplier of screens for previous generations of iPhone, saying that “Corning employees in Kentucky and New York…create the majority of the glass for iPhone.”

iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S all glass design has been a huge success for Apple. Stronger glass could address issues of the device being very fragile. It will be interesting to see if Apple introduces yet another glass based design or goes with aluminum for the fifth-gen iPhone.

Said to be similar to Incase’s Magazine Jacket (and a host of subsequent alternatives that have appeared for the iPad 2), this new case has a folding magnetized Smart Cover on the front, and a rear shell made from fiberglass covered with PU/bicast leather. It’s unclear whether this case will be solely for the thicker new iPad or include backwards compatibility for the iPad 2.

The “Smart Case” for iPad 3 was described to be something similar to Incase’s Magazine Jacket because it will now feature a back cover. The iPad 2 Smart Cover only protected the from screen from scratches and scuffs and will now work in tandem with the back cover in a folio style encasement.

{via 9to5 Mac}

On Tuesday, Japanese site Macotakara reported that Apple is planning to hold an iPad event in early February to announce the iPad 3, which is expected to arrive with iOS 5.1. The website pointed out that they had an Asian supplier and a source in the U.S who could confirm these rumors.

Although the iPad 3 is expected to be announced in February, other rumors suggest that the iPad 3 will actually be released in March, the same as the iPad 2 which arrived on March 11. This long delay could be in part because of the Chinese New Year which is going to be celebrated from January 23 to the 28th.

Foxconn and Pegatron, two of Apple’s main suppliers are expected to start shipping the device to the Apple Stores in early March, likely for a mid-March release. The iPad 3 has long been rumored to include a higher resolution display, as well as the introduction of the A6 chip and better 2 megapixel camera, up from 0.9 megapixels.

Macotakara has a mixed track record with the release of Apple products, correctly reporting on Apple’s iPad 2 and iPhone 4S but incorrectly suggesting that Apple would be releasing a Macbook Air with high-speed 400MBps flash memory and that a fifth-generation iPhone would feature an aluminum back.

If the event is scheduled for February we can expect media invites to be sent out in the first week of the next month. It will be interesting to see if Apple will finally bring the retina display to the iPad, which will certainly make the poplar tablet worth an upgrade for many users.

{via AppleInsider}

The new design will not only be much thinner, but it will also sport a slightly different, less rounded shape than the existing iPad model. Here’s one of the photos courtesy of 9to5 Mac:

This quote from the Japanese blog, although poorly translated, explains that these mockups have come from Shenzhen:

Our monthly meeting of the parts procurement and manufacturing of original products repair, go to Shenzhen in the case or buying accessories. This city has a variety of products and components are distributed in the city say the head temple of PCs and mobile phones. In some cases manufacturing plant next to the city in December 2010 iPad(iPad 2) model (a simple reproduction of original size) seen.In some cases the factory since then have seen a product called iPad2 case.

While I’m all in favor of a thinner design and dual cameras, I’m not sure I’m keen on that boxier design. I love the curves of my first-generation iPad, and although I find it slightly heavy and much too thick, I’d still like to see its shape continue into a second generation. It’s understandable, however, that a curvier housing leaves less room towards the device’s edges for all that internal magic, and if its as thin as the mockups suggest, Apple won’t want to shave room off at the edges.

What do you think of these mockups? Will you be pleased if Apple’s iPad 2 looks like this? Let us know in the comments and scroll down for more pictures!

First-gen and second-gen side-by-side:

Front-facing camera:

Speaker grill: