Samsung says it will continue supplying displays to Apple, despite rumors to the contrary

A rumor has suggested Samsung is preparing to stop supplying Apple with touchscreens, however this has since been called "100-percent false" by a Samsung spokesperson. It's the latest in an escalating component supply war between the two companies.

Yesterday, the Korea Times reported that Samsung was to cease suppling screens to Apple next year, due to falling profits and presumably, the continuing animosity between the two companies. Today, Samsung has spoken to CNET to refute the rumor, calling it “100-percent false.”

Sources at Samsung were quoted in the original article as saying “we are unable to supply our flat screens to Apple with huge price discounts. Samsung has already cut our portion of shipments to Apple and next year we will stop shipping displays.” Another source said Samsung sent 3 million displays to Apple over the summer, but that number would halve between October and the end of the year.

Apple is known for driving a hard bargain with its component suppliers, and Samsung is said to feel that the company is “no longer a cash-generator” due to the deeply discounted prices and increased competition.

In response to the claims made by the Korea Times, a Samsung spokesperson made a statement to CNET, calling the post “100-percent false,” and that it was asking the publication to alter the story. Of course, this doesn’t mean it’s not true, just that Samsung would prefer it not to be public knowledge just yet.

Samsung has supplied a wide-range of components to Apple for several years, including the processor, RAM, memory and of course, the screen. However, in the iPhone 5, the flash memory, RAM and the battery are all produced by other companies, indicating Apple also wants to distance itself from its longtime partner. It has also started to rely more on LG and Sharp to produce its touchscreens too.

Even if profits are as tight as Samsung makes out, it’s still going to miss Apple should it eventually decide to stop making components for them. Its hands may be full with its own range of smartphones and tablets, along with a burgeoning relationship with Amazon, but any contract loss always hurts.

Samsung’s denial comes soon after it was revealed Apple intended to cut back on its services for processors too. Even outside the courtroom, the war between Samsung and Apple continues to escalate.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-denies-it-will-stop-supplying-touchscreens-to-apple/

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LG Nexus 4 (E960) might have a 16GB version after all

A new rumor about the LG Nexus 4 claims the phone would in fact have a much more reasonable 16GB version.

Having only 8GB of storage on a modern-day smartphone with an HD screen doesn't make much sense from a consumer point of view. That's the reason why reports of the next Nexus phone relying on the meager storage without any option to expand it set the Android community ablaze.

A reasonably reliable source of industry leaks has shared on Twitter today some specs of the LG Nexus 4. And even though we knew most of those from the extensive previous leaks, the mentioning of a 16GB version came as a nice surprise.

Let's hope it's not a typo. Google's Nexus event is set for October 29, awkwardly coinciding with Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 launch event. The fact that the two events are held on either US coasts doesn't help us journalists a lot too. Still, the final third of October is shaping up to be really exciting for the industry.

Source | Via
Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_nexus_4_e960_might_have_a_16gb_version_after_all-news-4974.php

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Apple rumored to be dipping into its savings to acquire Color Labs

After Color Labs was rumored to be closing its doors, the photo-sharing app startup refuted the allegation by saying it was doing no such thing. Now, a new rumor suggests it's be acquired by none other than Apple.

One minute Color Labs, creator of the photo-sharing social app Color, is closing down, then the next it’s not, and now there’s a rumor it’s about to be purchased by Apple. No matter which one is true, it has certainly put then app-the-world-forgot back in the news.

Today’s rumor comes from TheNextWeb.com, where “trusted sources” say Apple is about to hand over a figure in the high tens of millions for company, and perhaps more importantly, its patent portfolio. The patents up for grabs include those related to GPS, battery saving, group content sharing and HD video recording.

Forbes.com points out that Color has a trademark on its name, and an acquisition would also nab the desirable color.com URL. It also says that Google offered to purchase Color before it launched, and suggests that Apple wants to keep the patents out of Google’s hands.

The report says that Color founder Bill Nguyen has thrashed out a deal with Apple thanks in part to an existing relationship with Eddy Cue, Apple’s VP of Internet Software and Services. Apple also purchased Lala, an online music startup and another Nguyen project, back in 2009. It’s said the Color deal is complete, and only needs a few signatures before it’s final.

If the acquisition rumor is true, it clarifies Color’s statement that “Color is not shutting down,” which under the acquisition scenario, it’s not.

An acquisition would also net Apple some more talent, of which there should be plenty inside the company. Just before Color launched, a report in The Wall Street Journal from March 2011 told the story of how Sequoia Capital got involved with the project. They apparently told Nguyen — after a 45-minute demonstration — that the concept was “transformative” and “not since Google have we seen this.”

Throwing $25 million at the company was supposed to accelerate five years of development into one, which would be achieved by hiring the “best-of-the-best engineers who will rapidly iterate and advance this terrific product.”

Apple rarely talks about its acquisitions, but Color may spill the beans, should there be any truth to this new rumor.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-rumored-to-acquire-color-labs/

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Photos of Sony Nexus X leak, will the LG Nexus 4 have competition?

The LG-made Nexus phone is a given but in the end, there might be something in that rumor that multiple manufacturers will be offering Nexus phones. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus 2 rumors fizzled out, but now there are two good looking photos of a Sony-made Nexus phone.

Judging by the title of the two photos uploaded to Picasa, it's called Sony Nexus X. While the pics might be fakes, they are at least very realistic-looking fakes.

Unlike the LG design, the front of the Sony Nexus doesn’t look like the current Galaxy Nexus, going for a traditional rectangular Xperia design. The photo of the back also suggests an arc curve, another trademark Xperia design element.

Sony Nexus X

The screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio (again, unlike the LG Nexus, which goes for 16:10) and there are only on-screen buttons. There's no Sony logo on the front, just like there's no LG logo on the front of the LG Nexus phone or a Samsung logo on the current Galaxy Nexus.

On the back there's a camera of unknown resolution (the options are 8MP or 13MP) with LED flash and there are also a standard microUSB port and pogo pins visible on the side.

There's not much else we can tell from these photos (taken with a Galaxy Nexus by the way, to keep things meta), but we can look at the rumored specs for the Sony C650X 'Odin' and C660X 'Yuga' for inspiration.

Thanks to Francis for the tip!

Source | Via (in Japanese)

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/photos_of_sony_nexus_x_leak_will_the_lg_nexus_4_have_competition-news-4948.php

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HTC One X+ makes Twitter appearance

Lookin' mighty mighty (credit: @evleaks)

An image purportedly of the HTC One X+ popped up Wednesday, giving for the first time a face to the device that's been making the rumor rounds.

There's not much to the image, which was posted on @evleaks Twitter page, other than a basic black bezel, though it does appear as hefty as reports have indicated it will be.

What's most noteworthy is T-Mobile's logo emblazoned front and center, indicating a definite carrer for this Tegra 3-packing "superphone."

"HTC One X+ for T-Mobile USA," evleaks wrote to accompany the photo, though that's the only suggestion of a country-specific carrier for the phone.

Though it's plain on the outside, for this device, it's what's on the inside that counts.

That "+" factor

If what we've heard about the One X+ so far is true, than HTC has a Twitter leak problem on its hands.

Earlier this month, another leaker posted specs for the device.

Thanks to those, we learned the X+'s internals don't include any old Nvidia Tegra 3, but rather a Tegra 3+ AP37 1.6GHz quad-core processor.

What's more, it'll have 1GB RAM and 32GB ROM, as is the case with the current One X, but unlike that phone, it should run the Android 4.1.1: Jelly Bean.

We're also looking at a 1,800mAh battery, making this device, if it indeed ever comes, a nice follow up to the well-received One X.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-one-x-makes-twitter-appearance-1100073

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Rumour: HTC 5-inch 'phablet' will be next Google Nexus phone

It's still unclear who'll make the next Nexus

In more Google Nexus speculation Monday, HTC's name has been thrown in the rumour mill as the next possible host of an upcoming Nexus handset.

An anonymous GSMArena with connections to "a very reliable source within HTC" says a rumoured 5-inch phablet, often referred to as the HTC One X 5 or Droid Incredible X, will be Google's latest "pure Android" handset.

According to the source, the device will run on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and bring improvements to Project Butter (which makes Android more fluid), more lock screen options, and additional minor improvements.

Not until Key Lime Pie?

However, this would be a surprise. In the past we've only seen Google-branded handsets like the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S, and Nexus 7 arrive alongside landmark Android updates.

Armed with that knowledge, we'd expected the next Nexus phone to go hand-in-hand with the launch of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, rather than a Jelly Bean tweak.

In terms of specs, the tipster says the first Nexus phablet will have a 1080p screen, a Snapdragon S4 chipset, and 12-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras.

The report also mentions a large 2,500mAh battery, which the device would surely need if the holy grail of a 1080p screen did turn out to be the headline feature.

All for one or one for all?

Up until now reports have hopped between the major Android manufacturers - Samsung, Motorola, LG and HTC - as potential partners for Google's next Nexus phone.

In addition, there's also been speculation that multiple Google-branded devices will welcome Key Lime Pie into the fold. Monday's reports, although interesting, do little to clarify the situation.

HTC handsets pioneered the early versions of Android. The beloved T-Mobile G1 was the first ever Android phone, while the ill-fated Google Nexus One, which introduced Android 2.0, was also built by the Taiwanese company.

Will Google, which has cosied up to Samsung for its Nexus phones in the last couple of years, go back to its oldest Android hermano for the next big hardware launch?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/rumour-htc-5-inch-phablet-will-be-next-google-nexus-phone-1099448

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Instagram updates mobile website: Are full profiles next?

Instagram has rolled out a new design to its mobile website to more closely match its full site's design, adding hope to the rumor that profile updates are next in line.

With the Instagram and Facebook deal finally approved by the Federal Trade Commission, Instagram has unveiled its latest update to its platform. Instagram’s mobile website will now sport a new look and feel that closely reflects what you’d find when viewing photos on Instagram from your desktop browser.

Before this update, users have not been able to interact with the mobile pages on Instagram. But this update changes all that. The “Like” and comment buttons are now larger, making them easier to use. And at the top right hand corner of Instagram’s mobile pages, you’ll find an “Open in App” button which will open the same Instagram page that you’re currently browsing within the native app on your smartphone.

More importantly, it also provides more evidence to the rumor that Instagram has its sights set on porting the functionalities you’d find on its mobile app to the Web.

In June, Instagram silently rolled out a new update to user Web profiles incorporated interactive buttons for liking and commenting on photos. To its user’s disappointment, that update had not yet addressed the demand for a profile page and discovery features, despite the existence of such features on the mobile app.

But that could all change in the near future as the company is now officially a part of Facebook.

In July, web designer, Cole Reinke, noticed a curious feature when logged into his account on Instagram.com. Typically users signed into Instagram’s browser app can only edit their profile information, but Reinke’s account had a non-functional “View Profile” button that disappeared as quickly as it surfaced.

If it’s true that that Instagram was testing out a profile page for the Web, we’re hoping that the complete transition of converting Instagram’s native app to the Web will come in the next update, now that its mobile and desktop pages are now cohesive. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/instagram-mobile-website-update/

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Loose lips sink ships: Why has Tim Cook’s Apple sprung a leak?

The success of this year's iPhone 5 rumor mill proves one thing: Tim Cook no longer has control of Apple's secrets. Why is that?

Welp, the iPhone 5 is here. And, as feared, not a thing about the device was a surprise. Not the screen size. Not the processor. Not the design. Not the name. Not the release date. Not even the freakin’ headphones. We saw all of these details before, in the months leading up to today’s big announcement. In other words, everything about the iPhone 5 leaked, snatching away Apple’s long-held ability to control the message about its own products — a skillful secrecy that has defined the company for the past decade and helped make it such an astounding success.

None of this is to say that the iPhone 5 is a disappointment, nor lacking in any way. If you like the Apple ecosystem, then the iPhone 5 is great, probably the best phone on the market. Nor do I mean that Apple needs to blow our minds with every product — that’s just not how technological innovation works. Yes, the iPhone was groundbreaking in 2007. And the iPad set fire to the tablet form factor, which wallowed in obscurity and uselessness for a decade before receiving an incendiary dose of the Apple magic.

No — what I’m talking about here is the value of secrecy, and what it means to no longer have the ability or will to keep a secret.

At the D10 Conference in May, Apple CEO Tim Cook famously stated that Apple would “double down on secrecy on products.” But if this year’s iPhone rumor season is anything more than a fluke, it would appear that Cook has either decided to scrap that plan altogether, or fundamentally failed the mission.

It is entirely possible that, with the late Steve Jobs no longer in control, Cook decided to lift the iron curtain that has long surrounded Apple for strategic purposes. Some have suggested that, because the new iPhone now has an entirely different dock connector, Apple decided to leak the information in the press as a thinly veiled heads up to third-party accessory makers whose business would be monumentally impacted by the change. But why not simply share this information directly, and demand the same level of secrecy as Apple has historically required? Hasn’t Tim Cook ever heard of a non-disclosure agreement?

The more viable conclusion is that Apple has lost its ability to keep a secret. Why is that?

One theory is that Tim Cook is simply not as feared by Apple’s suppliers as Jobs was. Jobs is infamous for his brutal inflexibility, with employees and business partners alike. Cook, by contrast, is reportedly not nearly as frightening a leader. His wrath not as wrathful. His iron fist a bit rubbery.

Of course, it may simply be that Apple has grown too large for secrecy to remain a viable option. As of 2011, Apple listed (pdf) more than 150 companies in its supply chain. Perhaps this year it reached a breaking point: the list simply grew too long to stay in one solid piece. And out of the cracks flowed the company’s secrets.

Maybe. But I find it difficult to dismiss Cook’s role in it. For whatever reason, Apple’s relationship with its suppliers has drastically changed during his tenure. Leaks of iPhone 5 components were constant and nearly systematic. Nearly every week, for months on end, new tidbits about the device made their way onto the Web. Not just blurry shots of nearly unrecognizable prototypes as we occasionally saw during Jobs’ reign, but full videos of people showing off what we now know to be authentic iPhone 5 components.

Have Foxconn leaders sensed Apple’s new, less-dangerous demeanor, and allowed the many iPhone components to make their to leak into the public for their own purposes? Or perhaps it was LG Display, or Japan Display, where the iPhone 5 screens are made, which saw the weakness and let down its guard?

It’s impossible for me to say where exactly the leaks came from, or whether there was a single source or many. What I can say, however, is that if this is Tim Cook doubling down on Apple’s secrecy, then he just lost that hand.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-tim-cook-secrecy/

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Apple officially announces September 12 iPhone 5 event

It's official: Apple will hold a press event on September 12, where it is expected to unveil the iPhone 5.

The rumor was true: Apple sent out invitations today to a press event that will take place on September 12. As usual, the event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Festivities will begin at 10am PT.

Apple is expected to debut the sixth-generation iPhone, commonly referred to as the “iPhone 5,” at the Sept. 12 event, which was first reported by iMore on July 30. The new iPhone will reportedly go on shelves on September 21, nine days after the event. That rumor is based on the fact that Verizon Wireless retail sales staff are forbidden from taking vacation from Sept. 21 through Sept. 30.

While the text of the invitation provides little hint as to what Apple will announce next week, a closer look shows a clear “5″ in the shadow of the “12,” a blatant indication that the so-called iPhone 5 will be announced at the event — and, much to our surprise, a hint that it might indeed be called “iPhone 5.”

The new iPhone — whatever it may be called — will reportedly sport a larger, 4-inch touchscreen, and a new 8-pin dock connector. Leaked photos and video show that the speaker and microphone grills have also been updated, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device. Whether the leaked iPhone 5 and the real iPhone 5 are one in the same, well, we’ll just have to wait until next week to find out.

Apple is also expected to hold a second event in October during which it will reveal the long-rumored iPad Mini, a smaller version of the world’s most popular tablet that has a 7.85-inch screen, as opposed to the 9.7-inch screen of the first three generations of iPads.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-september-12-iphone-5-event/

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Verizon announces LG Intuition, Samsung Galaxy Stellar

The LG Intuition has been off in rumor land for some time, but that’s no more - it was officially unveiled today by Verizon. The phablet looks exactly like its international sibling but has a few extra tricks in its bag of features.

The LG Intuition features a 5-inch IPS XGA 650-nit bright display and runs on a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. There is still no info on the chipset, but we hope for a dual-core Krait with Adreno 225 GPU instead of the Korean Optimus Vu’s dual-core Scorpion and Andreno 220 GPU duo. By the way we've already met with the latter and you may check our encounter with it right here.

The Intuition comes with 1GB RAM, 32 gigs of internal storage, an 8 megapixel snapper, Wi-Fi, LTE connectivity and Bluetooth 3.0. The Android version ticking inside is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich skinned with LG’s latest UI.

Verizon will released the LG Intuition on September 6 and it will cost $200 with a 2-year contract. If you made a purchase between Sept. 6 and Sept.10 you’ll also get the LG Tone Stereo Bluetooth headset for free.

Also announced by Verizon is the Samsung Galaxy Stellar - an LTE-enabled mid-ranger for first-time smartphone users. It uses the same two homescreen modes we already saw in the Jelly Bean ROM for the Galaxy S III.

The Galaxy Stellar utilizes a 4-inch WVGA capacitive display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor (no info on the model yet), a 3.2 megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LTE connectivity.

Samsung Galaxy Stellar for Verizon

Verizon will launch the Galaxy Stellar on September 6 as well, and will go free with a mandatory 2-year contract.

Source 1 | Source 2

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/verizon_announced_lg_intuition_launches_on_september_6-news-4749.php

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