The famous Wall Street Journal seems pretty clued-up with regards to upcoming Apple products, and as well as offering a great deal of info regarding the supposed iPad Mini, the age-old publication has dished out plenty of info on the next iPhone. In the latest, the WSJ has speculated the Cupertino-based company will utilize new technology in the creation of the next iPhone's screen, rendering it thinner than ever before.
With the recent announcement of the Microsoft Surface, the tablet market is starting to heat up a little bit with the Surface representing what could be classed as the first real iPad competitor. Until the official price point, full specifications and release strategy for the Redmond company's latest hardware is revealed, it will be difficult to truly gauge whether or not Apple should be concerned, but, it at least represents a true test of the iPad’s market dominance.
The smartphone sales war is definitely heating up. While Apple set the tone of the modern smartphone market when they released the iPhone - which was essentially the first "modern" smartphone - back in 2007, Google were quick to release Android, which would eventually overtake the iPhone in market share. Speaking of overtaking, should a Reuters poll prove to be accurate, it would appear that premier Android OEM Samsung may have overtaken Apple in smartphone sales in Q2 of this year.
With iOS 6 beta 3 having just been seeded to developers, details within the changelog concerning the domain names of email addresses are are just beginning to become apparent, and those with a .me account should be aware that the transition to iCloud.com is now underway.
Having only announced iOS 6 last month at the WWDC event, the Cupertino company is already meandering its way through the betas, and if you've a developer account, you can now download iOS 6 beta 3, linked to at the very foot of this post.
As 9to5Mac speculates, Apple could finally launch OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) on July 25th, the justification behind the guesstimate being the planned overnight updates occurring at Apple Retail stores on July 24th. During this update period, staff would assemble various marketing information such as posters, while also installing the brand new operating system on each and every Mac within a store. Given Apple has already confirmed OS X Mountain Lion would arrive later this month in a $19.99 upgrade over at the Mac App Store, the 25th would seem as legitimate a date as any, but although 9to5Mac seems fairly sure, reiterated that it is more knowledge-based estimation than unofficial confirmation.
Adding on to the already-tall pile of rumors that suggest Apple will be launching a smaller iPad with a roughly 8-inch display, the New York Times has just stated that, according to sources close to the company, the 7.85" iPad will be "significantly cheaper" than the existing iPad 3, and will make its debut sometime this year.
Japanese blog Macotakara reports the next-gen iPhone is now in production over in China, with the device expected to launch this fall. As has been the case with most of Macotakara's reports, this one cites "reliable Chinese sources", and if true, would seem to corroborate the notion that the sixth installment to the iPhone series will launch in September / October.
Apple has been without relent in its pursuit of Google and Samsung, claiming patent infringements on a grand scale. Judge Lucy Koh last week dished out a ban on Galaxy Nexus sales to the Big G, and the web company duly obliged, removing the device from its Play Store. Earlier this week, the device returned, packing in Android Jelly Bean 4.1, a move which is said to amend any issues with regards to the claims Apple made in court, but having followed this Apple vs. Anybody debacle for quite a great deal of time, it should be of no surprise that the Cupertino company has not quite finished yet.
The rampant "iPad Mini" rumors have taken a slight recess in the past couple of days, making way for more talk of the next iPhone, which is expected to ship within the next few months. The rumor mill has been indicating a longer form factor, larger screen, smaller dock connector, modified speaker grills, and a repositioned headphone jack, and the so-called "exclusive" leak by KitGuru appears to suggest those changes will be implemented.
