Apple plans to make iPhones bigger, ditch the plastic exteriors.

Iphones much bigger, ditch the plastic exteriors.

 The new iPhone 5S is displayed during an Apple product announcement at the Apple campus on Sept. 10, 2013 in Cupertino, Calif. / Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple plans to launch two larger iPhones this year and will likely avoid using the plastic exterior design of last year’s 5c model, which has not sold as well as expected, theWall Street Journal reported today.

Apple is developing an iPhone with a display larger than 4.5 inches measured diagonally, and a second version with a screen bigger than 5 inches, the newspaper said.

Both new models are expected to feature metal casings similar to what is used on the current iPhone 5s. Apple expected to scrap the plastic exterior used in the iPhone 5c, the WSJ added, citing unidentified people familiar with the situation.

The phones, expected in the second half of 2014, won’t include a curved display, a feature introduced by rivals including Samsung Electronics. The smaller of the two models is being prepared for mass production; the larger-screen version is still in preliminary development, the WSJ reported.

Apple spokeswoman Teresa Brewer declined to comment.

So far, Apple’s largest phone has sported a 4-inch display. However, Samsung and other rivals have made bigger phones, including those called phablets, that have sold well, particularly in Asia, where Apple is searching for growth.

Apple ipad & iphone rumors.

Apple iPad & iPhone 6 News, Rumors, Update 2014: New Apple Ad Debuts on TV


Apple released a new advertisement for the iPad but you might be rather surprised with what you see.
Instead of releasing an advertisement that highlights different and unique features of the tablet, Apple decided to focus on using examples of the user experience. The "Your Verse Anthem" advertisement shows a variety of different examples of the situations where people are candidly using their iPad.
"We're humbled and inspired by what people do with iPad," Apple wrote in the caption area accompanying the advertisement on YouTube. "So we set out to capture some of their stories. What will your verse be?"
Apple just recently wrapped up a big year of releases and 2014 could be even bigger. 2013 marked the first time the tech giant ever released more than one phone at once when the iPhone 5s and 5c were released in September. Many believe that the release of two iPhones at once could foreshadow things to come. The company may be releasing two new iPhones again this year, but rumors indicate that they could come on separate dates. The one thing that most people are agreeing on is that there is a solid chance that the iPhone gets bigger yet again.

Another big moment in 2013 for Apple was the release of the iPad Mini with Retina Screen, which was a move people had been anticipating for quite some time after other companies already started to produce better screens than Apple was.
Although Apple came out with a number of new devices in 2013, it also came out with a revolutionary and unique operating system in iOS 7. For the first time in iOS history, the design and interface of the phone was completely changed around.
What do you think Apple will do next with the iPad and iPhone releases? Let us know in the comments section.

IPHONES 6

iPhone 6 Release Date Update: September Release Plus Sonar Technology and Rounded Display.

Apple's iPhone 6 has been in the spotlight. Together with the Samsung Galaxy S5, it is set to be released this year. Given the success of their predecessors, the market is keen to know what the next generation will offer to the table. According to recent reports, Apple's iPhone 6 will be released around September. The device will feature a rounded display plus sonar technology. Is it worth the wait? 

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Reuters

The gold colored version of the new iPhone 5S is seen after Apple Inc's media event in Cupertino, California September 10, 2013.

According to a number of sources, Apple is working on patenting a sonar technology. This will include a proximity detection feature in the iPhone 6. The U.S. patent office released an application from Apple. The company passed the application early in December. According to the document, the technology focuses on the integration of audio sensors into the display of the device. 

The technology will allow the iPhone 6 to use passive sonar to identify sound waves coming from objects. This will let people use the sonar to do a range of functions. For example, switching off automatically when near the face or mapping out a room. 

The sonar technology makes it possible for the iPhone 6 to determine whether it is about to fall or hit an object. It can switch off important functions or applications. Other reported uses include giving users precise walking directions when in unfamiliar regions or suggesting dangerous areas when detected. The sonar technology offers endless of possibilities for the iPhone 6. It will let Apple turn the device into one of the most powerful smartphones around. 

There are also reports saying that Apple's iPhone 6 will feature a round display. More than the curved display, it appears the tech giant will focus more on a round display for better experience. There are no confirmations from Apple yet but the curved and bend display seems to be the next trend for smartphones. Some analysts agree Apple will follow the trend, others are not so convinced. 

With the release of the A7 chip with the iPhone 5s, analysts think that Apple will move forward to an A8 chip for the next flagship phone. If this will happen, the new iPhone will boast more power. Release date is expected around September or October. Based from the last three years, Apple has been releasing new phones around this time. 

People will have to wait for official confirmation from Apple. 

Fake Iphones.

Powerless: Fake iPhone charger and cable.                           Martin Rowe -January 06, 2014

In July 2013, I rode the train from Boston to New York City. As soon as I sat down on the train, I reached into my backpack for a charger. Horror struck when I realized that I'd left three chargers at home. The chargers were for an iPad, iPhone, and a Samsung phone. My wife also has a Samsung phone that uses the same micro-USB connector so I knew I could use her charger, but what about the iThings?

"No problem," I thought. I'll be in Midtown Manhattan. There's an electronics store on every block along 7^th Ave." Now, I knew that there was no way that any of these stores would sell genuine Apple chargers and cables. I also knew from experience the problems with fake Apple cables. Still, I just needed a charger and cable to get me through the weekend. How bad could that be?

Real bad.

After going into three stores, I realized that they all sold the same knockoff cables and chargers. So, the only difference was price. One store had an iPhone 4 charger priced at $40, but I had already seen the same knockoff for less in other stores. As I started to leave, the salesman said, "Half price if you pay cash?" This is very common in NYC where stores often give huge discounts and don't charge sales tax for cash purchases. Not only do they save on credit-card fees, but the cash likely goes right in someone's pocket, thus avoiding taxes.

Knowing that the charger and cable were anything but genuine, I insisted on testing them with my iPad. Connecting them to the iPad, I saw it start to charge. So, at least I had a charger, or so I thought.

Upon arriving at the hotel, I connected the knockoff to my iPhone. It refused to charge; same for the iPad. Thinking the outlet might not have power, I tried another. Still, neither charged. Unfortunately, my wife's charger is an integrated unit so I couldn't plug in the cable to a USB port and tell if the problem was the charger or the cable. At that point, I completely powered down both iThings to save battery charge.

The next day, we visited some friends who had a iPad. There, I discovered that the charger had failed, yet I clearly recalled seeing the iPad charging in the store.

Upon inspection, I found some light scratches on the charger unit. It was probably returned and resold -- to me. I looked at the cable and noted that at the USB end, there was essentially no strain relief. The cable sleeve slid in easily. On a real cable, it would be nice and tight. I decided to put some electrical tape around the cable to provide some strain relief later. The 30-pin connect is a tight fit compared to a genuine Apple connector.

So, I charged both the iPhone and iPad with my friend's charger and powered them down that night. That left enough power to use both on the train home the next day.

Back at home, I wanted to see if the knockoff cable would charge and sync my iPad when connected to a computer. Here was something I'd never seen before. Using Windows Explorer, I found my photos. A few seconds later, the thumbnails were replaced by hard-drive icons in one of the photo folders. See the image below.

To avoid accidentally using the failed iPhone charger, I wrote "NYC" in permanent marker on the case. I may try opening it to see what's inside. It might be an easy fix. See the next page for a teardown of the fake charger.