Apps Store Online

Japanese blog Macotakara has purchased some of the early iPad 3 parts that have been circulating at online retailers. These parts come from TVC-Mall which also stocked early iPhone 4S parts in the months before its launch. (via Electronista)

The parts are slightly different than the iPad 2 versions of the same parts, but are otherwise unrevealing.

We track parts supplies of upcoming Apple products as it is typically a sign that Apple has begun or is close to manufacturing their new devices. Parts leaks in the past have accurately predicted features of new devices, though these particular internal parts aren’t particularly revealing. Cases and device enclosures are typically the most interesting of the early supplier leaks.

Apple is expected to launch the iPad 3 in early 2012. Reports have suggested a launch anywhere from January to April, with more recent reports suggesting an earlier launch. The iPad 3 will likely carry a high resolution “Retina” display as one of its distinguishing features.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• 60beat Gamepad for iOS Offers Dual Analog Joysticks
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off

Back when the iPad was still just a rumor, the Wall Street Journal reported that one of the features that Apple had been working on with their upcoming tablet was the ability to recognize users by face.

One person familiar with the matter said Apple has put significant resources into designing and programming the device so that it is intuitive to share. This person said Apple has experimented with the ability to leave virtual sticky notes on the device and for the gadget to automatically recognize individuals via a built-in camera. It is unclear whether these features will be included at launch.

The effort was part of Apple’s efforts to make their new tablet a multi-user device. Facial recognition, however, never made it into the iPad, but a newly published patent application gives us insight into this feature that didn’t make it into the shipping product.

Screenshot via PatentlyApple

AppleInsider notes that the new patent application offers a way for multiple users to share a device:

The filing provides a simple way for multiple users to share a single device, like an iPad. Each user could customize their personal profile with unique wallpaper, applications and settings, and that profile would be immediately accessed once the iPad recognizes a user’s face.

The face detection system reportedly could be a low-power system that is always active, allowing face detection to be the primary method to unlock your iOS device. Apple’s patent was filed in June, 2010, soon after the first iPad was introduced.

Face recognition as a security measure, however, has some possible flaws. Google’s Android recently introduced a Face Unlock feature as well, but reports have suggested it can be fooled by a photograph of the user.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• 60beat Gamepad for iOS Offers Dual Analog Joysticks
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off

Each year, iOS developers scramble to position themselves well ahead of the iTunes Connect shutdown/freeze in order to benefit from any boost in sales from the holidays. NYTimes wrote of the phenomenon this year, as explained by iOS developer Bryan Duke:

“It’s typical to see a jump on any major holiday, but Christmas is the biggest one,” Mr. Duke said. “I’m certainly hoping for a nice big Christmas bump this year.”

This boost is what drives many of the massive holiday sales as developers jockey for position before the iTunes Top 200 charts freeze for the holidays. Major companies such as Gameloft and EA get in on the action to flood the charts with their apps.

Camera+ developers TapTapTap shared their iOS app sales numbers with us again this year which shows the effect in dramatic fashion:

TapTapTap’s app sales figures for Christmas week

TapTapTap’s Camera+ [App Store] application had been floating around the ranks 4-8 and settled at position #8 in the Top 200 list during the holiday freeze. Their average sales had been around 18,000 sales in the days prior to the holidays, but shot up to a peak of 73,808 sales on Christmas day. The graph above also includes sale figures for Faces and Voices 2, though the vast majority of sales were for Camera+. At a $0.99 sales price that means $51,665 in revenue for the company on the Christmas day alone after Apple’s 30% cut.

The increase in sales is reflective of more iOS device activations and the gifting of iTunes Gift cards for the holidays. As shown in the graph, this sales boost does sustain for some time after the holidays.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• 60beat Gamepad for iOS Offers Dual Analog Joysticks
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off

There’s been quite a few attempts at creating a physical game controller for the iPhone. The most successful of which has probably been the ThinkGeek iCade.

Despite a few other promising starts, it seems the main hurdle has been Apple allowing unfettered access between said game controllers and the iOS devices themselves. As a result, most game controllers have relied on emulating a Bluetooth keyboard to interface with the iPhone or iPad. While it works well enough for digital controls such as the iCade, full analog stick control has remained elusive.

A company called 60beat is now offering their solution which does offer dual analog sticks as well as a number of other standard directional controls and buttons. The 60beat GamePad connects through the headphone jack of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to accomplish this task:

Games have to be programmed to support the new device, of course. At present only 2 games support the 60beat GamePad, but a “full collection” of supported games are said to be added in February 2012. The GamePad is priced at $49.99 with supported games sold separately.

There have been an increasing number of rumors about the next generation iPad which is expected to launch sometime in early 2012. Digitimes is the source for many of these reports, but some of the claims are becoming increasingly questionable.

The latest report from the publication now claims that Apple will unveil its next generation iPad at the Macworld|iWorld conference on January 26th, 2012.

Aside from a surprise Apple return to Macworld|iWorld, Digitimes also reports that the new iPads will keep 9.7″ screens, carry 1536×2048 Retina Displays, A6 processors, 5-megapixel and 8-megapixel cameras, and over double the battery capacity (6500mAH -> 14,000mAH) for the higher end model.

The two new models are described as targetting the mid-range and high-end segments.

Digitimes has a bit of mixed record on Apple rumors with our internal tracking putting their accuracy at 55%. Examining the rumor more closely, this isn’t the first time that a high end or “HD” iPad has been suggested. ThisIsMyNext suggested this possibility back in July. At the time, this “iPad HD” was described as a “pro” device aimed at video and photo professionals. While Apple is widely expected to introduce an Retina-display iPad at some point in 2012, the most recent prevailing rumors have not been suggesting that Apple would split the iPad line into mid and high range models.

High end iPad questions aside, the other even harder-to-believe claim from Digitimes is the launch of any new device at the Macworld|iWorld conference. Apple officially withdrew from Macworld in December 2008, and Apple’s last official presence at the show was in January 2009. Apple had said at the time that trade shows were becoming a very minor part of Apple’s overall strategy. They company has been able to successfully launch products on their own timetable by simply holding their own media events with a single week’s notice.

Macworld has continued on with Apple’s absence, but with a smaller presence than before. This year, the conference was rebranded to Macworld|iWorld, reflecting the increasing importance of the iOS ecosystem.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

Bloomberg takes a look at the ongoing patent battle between Apple and a number of manufacturers of Android-based mobile hardware, suggesting that continued offensive action seeking to block competitors from using Apple’s intellectual property may prove riskier for shareholders than licensing the technology.

“A scorched-earth strategy is bad news because it doesn’t optimize the value of their patents — because people will get around them,” said [intellectual property advisor Kevin] Rivette, whose clients include Android licensees. “It’s like a dam. Using their patents to keep rivals out of the market is like putting rocks in a stream. The stream is going to find a way around. Wouldn’t it be better to direct where the water goes?”

Rivette suggests that Apple could probably extract about $10 in licensing fees for each Android handset sold, but with Apple having a war chest of over $80 billion already, the company could use its intellectual property as leverage in other ways if it opted to settle with its opponents.

The company could offer to drop its more than two dozen patent claims against Samsung in exchange for an agreement to hold off using Apple technology for six months or a year, he said. Cook could also try to get price breaks or guarantees that would give it greater access to Samsung parts, Rivette said.

Other industry experts take something of an opposing view, noting that Apple has yet to face any significant threat from its competitors on the intellectual property front, and in the meantime those competitors are being slowed by Apple’s aggressive legal actions.

“Apple has the patents, the money and the expertise to go to war,” [MDB Capital Group chairman Christopher] Marlett said. “I just don’t see why Apple would seek détente, since they’re the clear leader. Until they’re hit with an injunction by Google or Samsung, they don’t need to get serious about licensing.”

But even those who believe that Apple’s strategy remains viable for now suggest that at some point the company will need to shift course and reach settlements. With innovation obviously still continuing in the industry and an increasing number of players participating in it, it seems likely that Apple will at some point find itself on the losing end of a significant intellectual property suit.

Once competitors begin to land victories over Apple, as Samsung has been attempting with lawsuits over 3G-related patents, Apple may find it beneficial to settle the ongoing lawsuits to bring some stability back to the market.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

Following up on yesterday’s report claiming that Apple’s supply chain is set to begin gearing up for the introduction of 32-inch and 37-inch television sets in 2012, Digitimes now claims to have received more information about companies likely to play roles in supplying components for the products. Among the highest-profile companies involved in the rumors is Apple’s primary iOS device manufacturing partner, Foxconn, which is said to also be likely to win the contract for assembly of the television set products.

Following sources’ claims that Samsung Electronics and Sharp will manufacture chips and displays, respectively, for the so-called Apple “iTV,” others have suggested that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) have the potential to win orders for Apple’s smart TV.

Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) likely will obtain assembly orders for the Apple smart TV, according to industry sources.

The report goes on to note that Apple is expected to finalize the device design by the end of the second quarter and launch the television sets by the end of the year, claims which are slightly at odds with yesterday’s report citing a launch targeted for the second or third quarter.

Separately, AppleInsider and Forbes report on a new research note from Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu, who suggests that Apple may be interested in disrupting the television industry on the content side by launching its own à la carte live television programming services.

“This is obviously much more complicated (than current offerings) from a licensing standpoint,” Wu wrote in a note to investors on Wednesday. “And in our view, would change the game for television and give AAPL a big leg-up against the competition.”

Hardware and technology are not the issues holding back Apple from releasing a television set, he said. Instead, Apple must negotiate unique content deals that will allow the company to differentiate its product from other televisions on the market.

Apple has been said to have developed “new technology” for delivering video content to televisions, and had previously been rumored to be expressing interest in shaking up television with “best of television” subscription packages through iTunes. Resistance from content providers had, however, forced Apple to put those plans on hold.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

Earlier this month, leaked information suggested that Intel’s next-generation mobile Ivy Bridge processors would debut in May, with a few models perhaps becoming available in April. The mobile Ivy Bridge processors are expected to be used in Apple’s MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini lines.

A new report from Digitimes indicates, however, that the first Ivy Bridge processors may launch as early as April 8th, with both the mobile processors and desktop processors such as those used in the iMac debuting around the same timeframe.

Desktop CPUs to be unveiled include quad-core Core i7-3770K, 3770, 3770S, 3770T, and Core i5-3570, 3550 and 3450, with prices ranging from US$184-332. Additionally, the Core i5-3470T will be available in May priced at US$184. [...]

Notebook CPUs Core i7-3920Qm, 3820QM and 3720QM will be released in April priced at US$1,096, US$568 and US$378, respectively. Other models including Core i5-3520M, 3360M, 3320M and ultrabook CPUs Core i7-3667U and Core i5-3427U will be unveiled later.

While the report also appears to confuse chipsets being released at the same time with the processors themselves, information on specific processor models does help offer some picture of what Apple might be able to accomplish in terms of updated machines.

The 3820QM and 3720QM processors in particular appear to be the natural successors to Apple’s current processor options in the high-end 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro models. Apple’s upgrade route in many other cases is less clear given the company’s propensity to use custom-produced chips and a limited first wave of Ivy Bridge processors. The Core i7-3667U and Core i5-3427U processors appear to be the only processors in the initial wave of Ivy Bridge processors to meet the thermal design requirements for the MacBook Air, with those processors apparently set for the later May debut.

Apple has been rumored to be launching a new 15″ MacBook Pro with “Retina” display technology in the second quarter of 2012, matching the Ivy Bridge launch timeline. A new 15″ MacBook Air has also been rumored alongside an update for the rest of the line in the first quarter of 2012. But with the appropriate Ivy Bridge processors apparently not debuting until May, it is unclear how Apple would meet this timeline.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

While it seems obvious that the holiday gift-giving season is a strong driver for iOS device sales, as evidenced in part by past history and Apple’s forecast of a blockbuster quarter, it is generally difficult to quantify that holiday boost before Apple reports device sales as part of its quarterly earnings or makes public statements about App Store milestones.

A couple of analytics firms have, however, put out reports today seeking to offer some measure of the bump in demand for iOS devices and those of competing platforms such as Android.

According to Flurry, both iOS and Android saw a “massive influx” of devices registering on the firm’s servers, coming in through the over 140,000 apps using Flurry Analytics. Data collated by Flurry shows that combined new device activations for iOS and Android rose from an average of 1.5 million per day during the first three weeks of December to 6.8 million devices on Christmas Day, an increase of 353%. This compares to a total of 2.8 million new devices detected on the previous record-setting day of Christmas 2010.

All of those new device activations also drove increased App Store activity, with Flurry measuring an increase of 125% in iOS and Android app downloads on Christmas Day compared to the early December baseline. Flurry’s data shows that the 242 million app downloads on Christmas Day spiked from an average of 108 million per day during the first three weeks of the month. Flurry notes that the increase in app downloads is smaller than that for new device activations on a percentage basis due to the higher baseline from apps being installed onto the already-large installed base of devices.

Illustrating how different analytics firms can see somewhat different patterns due in part to what data is used for baseline purposes, Localytics issued a report showing iOS device activations coming in more than 12 times higher during the holiday weekend than they did during previous weekends. The increase was over 15x for iOS devices as a whole in the United States, with the iPod performing strongly at a 21x increase due to the relative lower cost and lack of service contract, factors which make them relatively more popular as gifts than iPhones or iPads.

Comparing iOS to Android, Localytics found that Android also grew at approximately 12.5x over baseline. Localytics also looked at country-by-country comparisons, showing iOS outpacing Android in terms of growth in the United States, Germany, and the UK, while Android performed better in most of the other top countries.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

BGR reports that Apple is planning to launch a completely redesigned iPhone in the fall of next year, following the trend set by the iPhone 4S of new hardware being released later in the year as opposed to the mid-year timeframe used previously.

According the report, the next iPhone will utilize an aluminum back panel rather than the glass found on the iPhone 4 and 4S. The new design will reportedly also see the incorporation of a rubber or plastic bezel covering similar to that used on Apple’s iPhone bumpers, with the covering serving to protect the device’s antennas from direct skin contact.

We have also learned that Apple is planning to use a rubber or plastic material — similar to the material used in the company’s bumper cases — that will be built into the new iPhone case. In all likelihood, this material will be used as a bezel surrounding the front edge of the phone (like the iPhone 3GS bezel) and it will serve two purposes. First, it will join the glass iPhone face with a new aluminum back plate. It will also cover a redesigned antenna system that surrounds the device, allowing Apple to build the rear case out of aluminum without having to use a large plastic insert above the antennas as the company does on its iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G.

BGR has a mixed track record when it comes to hardware rumors, coming relatively close on Apple’s late 2011 iPhone lineup while missing with a claim of a redesigned WiMAX iPhone 5 exclusive to Sprint.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak Available for Non A5-Devices
• Siri for Pre-iPhone 4S Jailbroken iPhones Available, but It Remains Complicated
• Best Buy Offering Buy One, Get One Free Offer on 32GB iPhone 4 Today
• Woot.com Offers Entry-Level 21.5" iMac For $150 Off
• JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything