Apple has just tweaked the line-up of the fifth-gen iPod touch by ditching the cheapest, $229 16GB model and replacing it with an even cheaper, $199 16GB variant that also includes a rear-facing iSight camera. Hitherto, the entry-level model has shipped in only one color (space gray), and been bereft of a main camera, but now, those picking up the base version of the device can choose from pink, yellow, blue, silver, space gray and the company's charity-based (Product) RED.
Reports, leaks and speculation pertaining to the next-generation iPhone are starting to come through thick and fast now. In the last 24-hours we've heard that Apple could be planning on differentiating between the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models by integrating InvenSense optical image stabilization technology into the latter, but not the former. We've also heard rumors suggesting that both iPhone models will be offered with 32GB and 64GB variants, suggesting that the entry-level 16GB option could be relegated to history. Following on from that, a Chinese report is now citing sources that suggests that the larger 5.5-inch model could make iPhone history by being the first model to be offered with a 128GB internal storage option.
Although we have a fairly good idea of what Apple has in the offing with regards to software thanks to the recent announcement of iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 Yosemite, we're still very much in the dark as to what new devices the Cupertino will roll out later this year. The headlines may have been dominated with speculation pertaining to the likes of the iWatch and iPhone 6, but both the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display are expected to be treated to a customary refresh. Today, a new video takes a mockup of the next-gen iPad Air and compares it with the current model, and although the changes appear to be subtle, we can expect the already-svelte device to become even thinner this time around.
It's generally accepted that Apple's next-generation iPhone will ultimately be offered in two different sizes. A number of leaks have all but confirmed that the Cupertino company is working on a 4.7-inch smartphone as well as 5.5-inch model with a release cycle that could potentially be staggered. The latest question being posed by concerned potential consumers is whether or not the two models will offer the same functionality, differing only in physical size. If the latest predictions by Pacific West Securities is anything to go by then it could be the built-in camera modules that offer up the difference.
Apple TV has been updated with 4 new channels, including an update to the Flickr app. You can catch all the details right after the jump.
The iPhone 6 is, according to reports, primed and ready to go into mass production from next month, with Foxconn once again having been tasked with assembling the vast majority of those initial units. As far as we know, the handset will take on a curved form factor akin to the iPad Air, and although we can never be 100 percent certain given Apple's stringent veil of secrecy over the entire design and production progress, the sheer volume of leaks draw an almost irrefutable conclusion. Today, a new leak has surfaced that ties in nicely with everything we've heard, and notably, offers the best look at the forthcoming iPhone that we've clapped eyes on to date.
According to a report out of Thailand, two of Apple's main iPhone manufacturers have been hiring new staff en masse in preparation for the launch of the new iPhone 6. Foxconn has apparently beefed up personnel to the tune of over 100,000 workers, while Pegatron - a more recent addition to Apple's list of manufacturing partners - has also upped its numbers by almost one-third.
If you thought sticking to the OEM products for any of your gadgets wasn’t really important and that the cheaper knockoffs worked the same, think again - a recent report suggests that third-party (read: cheap and uncertified) USB cables and wall chargers are the biggest reason for dead iPhone 5 smartphones.
The old saying of 'there's no smoke without fire' has never been more apt than Apple's fabled iWatch. With absolutely no news coming out of Apple in official channels, there have been enough leaks, and enough hiring of medical and fashion-oriented people that, at this point, we'd be flabbergasted if a smartwatch wasn't on Apple's roadmap. Quite when that will turn into a shipping product however, is anybody's guess.
With September drawing ever nearer, the iPhone 6 bandwagon is rolling on nicely. The expected announcement of the next-generation iPhone may be just three months away, but there is still quite a lot of information to be leaked before we know for sure what we will be lining up for. The smart money is on at least one new iPhone being released at that time, with another coming weeks later. The two new phones are expected to feature larger screens than Apple's past offerings, which makes this particular launch even more interesting than usual.
