iMattic | Apple News, Secrets & Rumors | iOS, OS X, iPad & Mac

Apple shows off photos from the iPhone 5′s redesigned camera

matt3224 — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 06:57:55 +0000

Ready to tout the new features of its iPhone 5, Apple just posted a page on its website dedicated to showing off what type of photos the iPhone 5′s 8-megapixel camera can take. During the event, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller explained that the 8-megapixel iSight camera was “enhanced” thanks to a new ”sapphire crystal lens covering.” Schiller added that the new camera can take photos up to 40 percent faster and is 25 percent smaller to compensate for the iPhone 5′s smaller body. In the gallery below, you will find the first shots from the iPhone 5. They definitely look good, but I am not too sure there is much of an improvement from the iPhone 4S’ camera.

Apple posts full video of iPhone 5 and refreshed iPod event

matt3224 — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 06:53:24 +0000

Apple just posted the full video of this morning’s media event, where Tim Cook and other Apple execs unveiled the iPhone 5, a refreshed iPod lineup, and announced release dates for iOS 6 and a redesigned iTunes. You can watch the entire presentation on Apple’s website.

Apple announces iPhone 5, bigger screen, 2X speed A6, aluminum and glass ‘best phone ever’

matt3224 — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 06:49:42 +0000

Apple executives are now live on stage at the Yerba Buena Arts Center in California, where the company just unveiled the iPhone 5.

“Today we’re introducing iPhone 5… It’s made entirely of glass and aluminum,” announced Apple Worldwide Marketing Senior Vice President Phillip Schiller. ”You see we’re able to add a fifth-row of icons.”

Additional iPhone 5 specs:

Retina display: 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display, 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, 44 percent more color saturation, 800:1 contrast ratio, and fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front.
HSPA+, DC-HSDPA
LTE (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T for LTE. In Canada, Rogers, Telus, and Bell)
Wi-Fi (2.4ghz and 5ghz on 802.11n)
A6 chip (compared to the A5— it is two times faster but 22 percent smaller)
AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV support at 720p
Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery: 225 hours of standby, 8 hours of LTE, 10 hours of Wi-Fi, 8 hours of 3G, and 10 hours of video.
iSight: 8-megapixel, backside flash, hybrid IR filter, five-element lens, sapphire lens, f/2.4 aperture, next-generation ISP, spatial noise reduction, smart filter, better low-light performance, 40 percent faster on photo capture, and HD video recording (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio.
FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos and HD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second, improved video stability, face detection, FaceTime over cellular, the ability to snap photos while shooting video, etc.
Audio system: improved speaker design—20 percent smaller speaker and wideband audio
Connector: “Lightning” (so…Apple will have Thunderbolt and Lightning), all-digital, 8-signal design, adaptive interface, improved durability and reversible.
Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic
iOS 6: Passbook, GPS, Maps…( iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, new iPad, iPad 2… upgrade for free to iOS 6).
More specs available at Apple’s website.

Some users seeing item unavailable error when attempting to purchase Mountain Lion

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:25:46 +0000

This should not come as a surprise as with any new Apple software release the demand is usually greater than the bandwidth limit of Apples servers. If you yourself are seeing this message let us know and keep trying.

Mountain Lion is live at the Mac App Store for £13.99

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:20:00 +0000

As previously announced yesterday during its Q3 2012 earnings call, Apple has officially made Mountain Lion available for download in the Mac App Store for £13.99. As we mentioned before, the download is exclusive to the Mac App Store this year, as Apple will not be selling the OS via USB sticks or optical discs. The price tag is a £7 drop from Lion, however, and the single purchase will be good for up to five macs via the Mac App Stores purchased apps feature.

Unfortunately for those planning on trying Mountain Lion out in an Apple retail store before making the upgrade, we reported last night that some Apple Stores were having issues getting the OS onto in-store demo Macs. Before you make the switch to 10.8, you might want to check out the list of compatible Mountain Lion apps to make sure you won’t run into any problems.

Apple’s full press release is below:

Mountain Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store

CUPERTINO, California—July 25, 2012— Apple® today announced that OS X® Mountain Lion, the ninth major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available as a download from the Mac® App Store℠. With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes iCloud® integration, the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, Facebook integration*, Dictation, AirPlay® Mirroring and Game Center. Mountain Lion is available as an upgrade from Lion or Snow Leopard for £13.99.

“People are going to love the new features in Mountain Lion and how easy it is to download and install from the Mac App Store,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud integration, Mountain Lion is even easier to set up, and your important information stays up to date across all your devices so you can keep editing documents, taking notes, creating reminders, and continue conversations whether you started on a Mac, iPhone or iPad.”

With more than 200 innovative new features, Mountain Lion includes:

iCloud integration, for easy set up of your Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Reminders and Notes, and keeping everything, including iWork® documents, up to date across all your devices;
the all new Messages app, which replaces iChat® and brings iMessage™ to the Mac, so you can send messages to anyone with an iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch® or another Mac;
Notification Center, which streamlines the presentation of notifications and provides easy access to alerts from Mail, Calendar, Messages, Reminders, system updates and third party apps;
system-wide Sharing, to make it easy to share links, photos, videos and other files quickly without having to switch to another app, and you just need to sign in once to use third-party services like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo;
Facebook integration, so you can post photos, links and comments with locations right from your apps, automatically add your Facebook friends to your Contacts, and even update your Facebook status from within Notification Center;
Dictation, which allows you to dictate text anywhere you can type, whether you’re using an app from Apple or a third party developer;
AirPlay Mirroring, an easy way to wirelessly send an up-to-1080p secure stream of what’s on your Mac to an HDTV using Apple TV®, or send audio to a receiver or speakers that use AirPlay; and
Game Center, which brings the popular social gaming network from iOS to the Mac so you can enjoy live, multiplayer games with friends whether they’re on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

Additional features in Mountain Lion include the revolutionary new Gatekeeper, which makes downloading software from the Internet safer; Power Nap, which automatically updates your apps and system while your Mac is asleep; and a faster Safari® browser. New features for China include significantly improved text input, a new Chinese Dictionary, easy setup with popular email providers, Baidu search in Safari, and built-in sharing to Sina Weibo and popular video websites Youku and Tudou.

Pricing & Availability
OS X Mountain Lion is available from the Mac App Store for £13.99 (GBP). Mountain Lion requires Lion or Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6.8 or later), 2GB of memory and 8GB of available space. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit:apple.com/osx/specs. OS X Server requires Mountain Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for £13.99 (GBP). The OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge from the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 11, 2012.

*Facebook integration will be available in an upcoming software update to Mountain Lion.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Broadcom announces BCM4335 chip that will likely power 2013′s iPad and iPhone to Gigabit ’5G’ Wifi

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 13:14:28 +0000

Broadcom today announced its next round of portable device wireless chip, the BCM4335, which include the ability to connect up to the superfast 802.11ac networks. Apple exclusively uses Broadcom chips in this family for its iOS devices (and a different family for its Macs). The current iPad and iPhone use the Broadcom BCM4330 802.11a/b/g/n baseband/radio with integrated Bluetooth 4.0+HS and FM transceiver and the xxx5 is just a minor step up.

We’ve found some code which indicates that the next iPhone will use the Broadcom BCM4334 which adds the 40nm process and Wifi Direct capabilities (perhaps opening up some Airdrop capabilities as well).

The 40nm chip will continue to deliver Bluetooth 4.0 and FM but its 802.11ac networking could also save some power using the new standard as well. It also features the “industry’s most advanced idle power consumption performance, which significantly extends a mobile device’s battery life”.

Sample chips are already available with a full production expected to be delivered in Q1 2012, just in time for next year’s iPads.

Press release follows:

Broadcom Introduces 5G WiFi Combo Chip for Smartphones and Tablets

First to Sample 802.11ac Solutions for Complete Ecosystem of Consumer Electronic Devices; 5th Generation of Wi-Fi Delivers Dramatic Speed, Range and Power Efficienc

IRVINE, Calif., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

News Highlights:

BCM4335 integrates a complete 5G WiFi system — including the MAC, PHY and RF — with Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio and software on a single chip using 40nm CMOS process
Only combo chip to address unique interference challenges in systems with both 4G LTE cellular radios and wireless connectivity
Platform-agnostic design ensures chip can be added to any smartphone or tablet

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today introduced the BCM4335, the industry’s first complete 5G WiFi combo chip for smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks and other mobile devices. The new solution furthers Broadcom’s wireless connectivity leadership and establishes it as the first chip vendor to sample solutions based on the 802.11ac standard for every major Wi-Fi product segment. For more news, visit Broadcom’s Newsroom.

5G WiFi, the 5^th generation of Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11ac standard, is a major evolutionary step from the existing 802.11a/b/g/n networks. 5G WiFi dramatically improves the wireless range in the home, allowing consumers to watch HD-quality video from more devices, in more places, simultaneously. With 3X faster speeds, consumers can download web content from a mobile device, and synch large files such as videos, in a fraction of the time it would take on a similar 802.11n device. Since 5G WiFi transfers the same volume of data at a much faster rate, devices enter low-power mode quickly and, as a result, are up to six times more power efficient than equivalent 802.11n solutions.

Broadcom introduced its family of 5G WiFi chips for access points and PCs at CES in January 2012. The world’s first 5G WiFi routers and notebooks powered by Broadcom’s 5G WiFi chips were introduced to the market in Q2 2012. Smartphones and tablets powered by the new BCM4335, which are expected to hit shelves in Q1 2013, will allow consumers to reap the full speed, range and power saving benefits of 5G WiFi on both ends of the wireless connection. For more information on 5G WiFi, visit www.5GWiFi.org.

Proven Track Record in Combo Technology

Broadcom has a proven track record of designing and delivering complete, integrated solutions. The BCM4335 is the company’s fifth generation combo chip technology, benefiting from a foundation optimized to enable transformative wireless capabilities in mobile devices. With wireless coexistence algorithms that mitigate radio interference, advanced “sleep modes” that extend battery life, and processing capabilities that off-load power-intensive tasks from the host processor, Broadcom combo chips set the standard for integration, performance and functionality.

The new BCM4335 integrates a complete, single-stream 5G WiFi system — including the MAC, PHY and RF — with Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio and software on a single silicon die. The platform-agnostic design and integration of the MAC, PHY and RF allows the BCM4335 to be added to any smartphone or tablet regardless of the application processor used. Designed in 40nm CMOS process, the new chips are smaller and more power efficient, giving customers more design freedom.

The BCM4335 introduces the newest version of Broadcom’s wireless coexistence technology. Handset makers can use this technology on 4G LTE cellular platforms to minimize the possibility of radio interference between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LTE, which operate in adjacent radio frequencies. Broadcom’s Global Coexistence Interface supports the Bluetooth Special Interest Group’s LTE coexistence scheme and can be applied to future Broadcom LTE platforms, as well as 4G cellular platforms from other vendors.

Additional Product Highlights:

The BCM4335 features the industry’s most advanced idle power consumption performance, which significantly extends a mobile device’s battery life
Broadcom’s TurboQAM® technology implements the highest data-rate 256-QAM mode in 2.4 GHz and enables devices equipped with the BCM4335 to deliver 10 percent faster throughputs than 802.11n speeds when communicating with other 5G WiFi devices
Key high-throughput mobility interfaces, including SDIO 3.0, PCIe and HSIC, make it suitable for smartphone, tablet and computing platforms
PHY rates of 433 Mb/s significantly boost the wireless throughput compared to previous generation wireless solutions
Advanced beamforming, Low-Density Parity Check (LDPC) code and Space-Time Block Code (STBC) support for better coverage and more reliable connectivity
Built-in media processing to off-load host processor
Integrated support for Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™ technologies

Market Drivers:

By 2016, 3 trillion minutes of video content will cross the network every month [1]
Most network video is now viewed on devices other than PCs [2]
Mobile data traffic worldwide will grow 18-fold from 2011 to 2016 [3]
Almost 100% of smartphones and tablets have adopted combo chips for wireless connectivity [4]
802.11ac penetration in smartphones is expected to approach 100%, with an expected total available market of almost 1.5 billion Wi-Fi chips in smartphones and tablets by 2016 [5]

Don’t expect to try out OS X Mountain Lion at some Apple retail stores on launch day

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:36:02 +0000

We’re getting word that Apple has had some last-minute issues with the equipment needed to image OS X Mountain Lion on Mac demo computers inside some of its retail stores. This will delay the ability for those interested in trying out OS X Mountain Lion in some Apple Stores before purchasing it via the Mac App Store on launch day.

To be clear: there is no OS X Mountain Lion launch delay whatsoever, some physical retail stores will simply be unable to demo it on launch day, as previously planned. It is possible, though, that Apple may fix the issue by the time stores – in certain time zones – open on Mountain Lion launch day.

Also: we’re told that Apple will be placing iPhones next to MacBook Airs in its retail stores in order to allow customers to see how iCloud integration works. For example, customers will be instructed to jot down a new reminder or note on the iPhone running iOS 5, and they will watch it automatically sync to the respective apps on the MacBook Air running OS X Mountain Lion.

New in-store easels promoting the new Mac operating system will also be present. Apple won’t be putting up banners touting the new OS in all stores (yet).

Apple announced during its earnings call today that OS X Mountain Lion will be available on the Mac App Store tomorrow. It will be priced at $19.99.

On another Mountain Lion related note, Apple will release minor updates to iPhoto and iMovie: iPhoto 9.3.2 and iMovie 9.0.7. Safari 6 as well for OS X Lion will be released.

Update: We just got this tip from a reader:

After the store closed I stayed outside to watch the employees prepare for Mountain Lion. One of the geniuses walked out of the store and made a call. He described the situation as a “clusterf***”, and he didn’t know “how we are going to get it done” (“we” referring to the Apple Store employees).

Apple confirms: OS X Mountain Lion available today on the Mac App Store for £13.99

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:34:43 +0000

In its Q3 financial earnings press release today, Apple, has announced that OS X Mountain Lion will be available tomorrow. The release will come exclusively through the digital Mac App Store, and the new Mac OS will not be sold on optical discs or on a USB stick.

“We’re thrilled with record sales of 17 million iPads in the June quarter,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve also just updated the entire MacBook line, will release Mountain Lion tomorrow and will be launching iOS 6 this Fall. We are also really looking forward to the amazing new products we’ve got in the pipeline.”

OS X Mountain Lion will cost £13.99, a £7 drop from OS X Lion’s £20.99 pricing. A user can download Mac OS 10.8 via the Mac App Store on one machine, and they will have the ability to install it via the purchased apps feature on up to five total Macs. The system software update will be available to Snow Leopard users in addition to Lion users.

We first speculated that Apple would release OS X Mountain Lion tomorrow, July 25th, when Apple announced that its earnings call would be today, July 24th. Over a week ago, we confirmed this with our retail sources who said Apple would be holding product-indicative overnights tonight. Apple Stores will be ready to show off the new Mac OS tomorrow morning.

OS X Mountain Lion includes over 200 new features, according to Apple, including Notification Center, Game Center, AirPlay Mirroring, enhanced iCloud integration, Notes and Reminders apps, an improved Safari and Mail, Twitter and Facebook integration, and voice dictation.

Apple reports Q3 2012 results: $35B in revenue, $8.8B profit, 26M iPhones, 17M iPads, 4M Macs

matt3224 — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:29:36 +0000

From Apple’s press release:

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2012 third quarter ended June 30, 2012. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $35.0 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $28.6 billion and net profit of $7.3 billion, or $7.79 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 42.8 percent compared to 41.7 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“We’re continuing to invest in the growth of our business and are pleased to be declaring a dividend of $2.65 per share today”

The Company sold 26.0 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 28 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 17.0 million iPads during the quarter, an 84 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 4.0 million Macs during the quarter, a two percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 6.8 million iPods, a 10 percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter.

Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $2.65 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on August 16, 2012, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 13, 2012.

“We’re thrilled with record sales of 17 million iPads in the June quarter,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve also just updated the entire MacBook line, will release Mountain Lion tomorrow and will be launching iOS 6 this Fall. We are also really looking forward to the amazing new products we’ve got in the pipeline.”

“We’re continuing to invest in the growth of our business and are pleased to be declaring a dividend of $2.65 per share today,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter, we expect revenue of about $34 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $7.65.”

Apple Releases ‘Every Dimension’ TV Commercial for Retina MacBook Pro

matt3224 — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:56:57 +0000

Apple has just released a new TV ad for the Retina MacBook Pro, naturally focusing on the breakthrough Retina display included in the machine unveiled yesterday.

The radical new MacBook Pro with Retina display. Innovation in every dimension.

While Apple has had several high-profile Mac ad campaigns such as “Get a Mac” and “Switch” , the company only rarely advertises specific Mac products in television commercials. But with the revolutionary new form factor and Retina display in the new MacBook Pro, Apple is clearly interested in drawing widespread attention to the product.