Analyst: Apple to sell 46.5 million iPhones this quarter

Supply woes are easing, says analyst

Apple could sell as many as 46.5 million iPhones in the quarter ending Dec. 31, according to one analyst.

Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu brings word from supply chain sources that the Foxconn plant has been able to up its manufacturing capacity for the new iPhone 5 handset.

The Chinese factory had experienced difficulties in the large scale manufacture of the new 4-inch handset, due to component shortages and assembly troubles, leaving Apple less able to fulfil demand.

Earlier this week Foxconn chairman Terry Gou reportedly admitted: "It's not easy to make the iPhones. We are falling short of meeting the huge demand."

Issues resolved

However, the easing of these issues, Wu told investors, will clear the way for Apple to quickly replenish stocks and sell an ungodly amount of iPhones in the run up to, and immediate aftermath of, Christmas.

If Apple achieves the lofty 46.5m prediction, it would represent a gigantic leap of well over 50 per cent year-on-year, compared with the 26.9m sales it racked up during the final quarter 2011.

With Apple's share price taking a beating after missing sales expectations during the last quarterly financial report, a solid Christmas season could be the key to stocks crashing through the roof once again.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/computing/apple/analyst-apple-to-sell-46-5-million-iphones-this-quarter-1111210

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Analyst: Apple to sell 46.5 million iPhones before end of year

Supply woes are easing, says analyst

Apple could sell as many as 46.5 million iPhones in the quarter ending December 31, according to one analyst.

Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu brings word from supply chain sources that the Foxconn plant has been able to up its manufacturing capacity for the new iPhone 5 handset.

The Chinese factory had experienced difficulties in the large scale manufacture of the new 4-inch handset, due to component shortages and assembly troubles, leaving Apple less able to fulfil demand.

Earlier this week Foxconn chairman Terry Gou reportedly admitted: "It's not easy to make the iPhones. We are falling short of meeting the huge demand."

Issues resolved

However, the easing of these issues, Wu told investors, will clear the way for Apple to quickly replenish stocks and sell an ungodly amount of iPhones in the run up to, and immediate aftermath of, Christmas.

If Apple achieves the lofty 46.5m prediction, it would represent a gigantic leap of well over 50 per cent year-on-year, compared with the 26.9m sales it racked up during the final quarter 2011.

With Apple's share price taking a beating after missing sales expectations during the last quarterly financial report, a solid Christmas season could be the key to stocks crashing through the roof once again.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/computing/apple/analyst-apple-to-sell-46-5-million-iphones-before-end-of-year-1111210

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Oregon man uses homemade 8-iPhone panoramic camera to document scooter journey across US

Oregon resident Gabriel Paez has just completed a 10-day scooter journey across the US, which he documented with a homemade panoramic camera comprising eight iPhones. A ninth was strapped to his wrist to control the camera.

Gabriel Paez combined his love for panoramic photography and Apple’s iPhone to create a Street View-style camera which he’s used to capture a 10-day journey across North America on a Vespa called Pucho.

The Oregon resident created his 360-degree camera using eight of the Apple-made handsets, strapping a ninth to his wrist which acted as the controller for his homemade head-based photographic contraption.

Paez also wrote the software to control his camera, an exercise which he described as “challenging.” He intends to write a post about how he made his special device once he gets back to his home on the west coast.

Paez left Seaside, Oregon on September 21, heading for Portland, Maine with occasional forays into Canada along the way. He arrived in the east coast town on Tuesday, with plans to end his journey Wednesday morning with a drive to the beach alongside riders from the local scooter club.

On his website, Paez says he plans to use the fruits of his labor for a stage show he’s been working on, though there’s no word as to when this might take place.

Alternatively, perhaps he could offer his Street View-style work to Apple, who might be interested in using it to enhance its much-criticized Maps app, although Paez would have to ride a few more miles on Pucho to get all of the states covered….

[MAKE via PetaPixel] [Images: Gabriel Paez]

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/man-uses-8-iphone-panoramic-camera-to-document-journey/

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Google Maps + Google Earth = Google iOS 6 app

Google will reportedly combine Google Maps and Google Earth in its forthcoming app for Apple iPhones and iPads -- but you may have to wait a while to get it.

Apple iPhone users, rejoice! Google is building a new Google Maps app for iOS 6 that will reportedly combine the features of the old app with the whiz-bangery of Google Earth, according to a report from The New York Times. The only downside: It’s still a long way off.

Apparently, Apple blind-sided Google when it decided to drop Google Maps from iOS 6. The Verge and The New York Times report that, according to anonymous sources, Apple’s contract to use Google’s navigation app still had a year of life left when Cupertino told Mountain View that it would no longer need its mapping services. Because of this, Google had not yet begun to build out a new version of Google Maps — which is the reason the company does not have a new Google Maps pending with Apple now.

Apple’s reported decision to drop Google Maps is said to have come before Apple’s 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 11, when the company unveiled iOS 6 and its new Maps App. Google responded by holding its own Google Maps event ahead of WWDC, on June 6, which showcased some of its new 3D mapping technology — a feature that is expected to make its way into the new Google Maps.

The reason everyone cares so much about a new Google Maps is, of course, because Apple’s new Maps app is packed full of inaccuracies, strangely distorted landscapes, and lacks public transit information. Apple has already corrected some of these failings, and promises that it will get better over time.

In the end, this will all work itself out. And even now, it’s not that bad. Apple Maps, sub-par in some respects though it may be, works perfectly well for many users. In China, at least, it’s apparently far better than Google Maps ever was. The turn-by-turn navigation is quite useful. And 3D view — while entirely impractical for finding where you need to go — is at least fun to look at while bored. That’s something, right?

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-maps-google-earth-google-ios-6-app/

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Schiller says iPhone 5 scratches are normal as light leaks reported

Scratches and scuffs new iPhones are 'perfectly normal'

As reports of a scratch and chip-prone Apple iPhone 5 continue to surface, one Apple executive said the issue is "normal" for aluminium products.

Many new owners of the "Black & Slate" iPhone 5 complained of imperfections right out of the box after long waits to obtain the device last Friday.

The scuffs seem to centre around the antenna area and where the handset's body joins the display, revealing the aluminium colouring beneath the coating.

One befuddled iPhone 5 owner, named Alex, emailed Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior vice president of global marketing, to ask whether Apple was planning on fixing the issue, and received a somewhat unsympathetic reply.

"Any aluminium product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural silver colour," Schiller wrote. "That is normal."

Wasting light?

Meanwhile, scratches and scuffs are apparently not the only build issues affecting the device.

BGR reported that some iPhone 5 handsets, including one of its own test devices, are "leaking light" between the display and the antenna, just below the power button.

The problem is only visible in low light or in the dark, but it appears it could be endemic.

Users on the MacRumors forums have reported that even replacement devices they've received from Apple are still suffering from the same issue.

We've reached out to Apple for an official reaction to the reports, but perhaps we'd be better off emailing Phil Schiller?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/schiller-says-iphone-5-scratches-are-normal-as-light-leaks-reported-1099691

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With iOS 6 looming, YouTube rolls out new iPhone app

With Apple prepared to release iOS 6 soon, YouTube has released a new and improved app for iPhones and iPod Touches.

Just one day before the official iPhone 5 and iOS 6 launch announcements, Google has rolled out its new and improved YouTube app for iPhone and iPod touch.

Whether or not you’re planning to upgrade to iOS 6 (though, really, why wouldn’t you?), the new YouTube iOS app is well worth the download. A compact version of what we already find on its desktop app, the new YouTube is superior to the existing iOS YouTube app — and is nearly identical to YouTube for Android, with a few tweaks

A left side panel that includes a channel guide, subscribed channels, and other video content can be accessed by swiping the left side of the the screen. Share functionality that integrates with iOS has been added, as has the ability to view comments while watching a video. Search has been updated with an auto-complete feature that will suggest similar videos as you type in your search query. And tens of thousands of official music videos, a significant change that indicates that YouTube has finally integrated ads onto the new iOS app.

YouTube has been a long-time partner with Apple, providing Google with real estate on all iOS devices for a native YouTube app that sat front and center on the front page of Apple’s mobile devices. When the licensing period ended and Apple decided to part ways, Google confirmed that YouTube would be absent from iOS 6 devices. Mobile usage of the YouTube app on iOS devices could dip slightly due to the lack of a pre-installed YouTube app on iOS devices. Currently, as much as 25 percent of total YouTube views come from its mobile apps, which equates to a whopping 1 billion daily mobile views. 

While the change may be bad for Google, it seems like a win for users. YouTube’s native app was noticeably neglected by Apple. Under the terms of the partnership, Apple was responsible for designing the app in the first place based on YouTube guidelines. So the infrequent updates and outdated user interface were Apple’s fault, not Google’s.

While YouTube lost valuable real estate and Google scrambled to design a standalone iPhone app in preparation for the iOS 6 release, Google is finally free from Apple’s regulations, and we can expect regular updates Google develops a product that provides a superior user experience for its users. 

For now, the app will be available for the iPhone and iPod touch only, but YouTube has confirmed that its team is working on an optimized version for the iPad, which will debut in a few months. The app was released internationally beginning today, and it can be downloaded here.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/youtube-new-iphone-app/

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