Journalists have been invited to a “Let’s talk iPhone” event at its California campus due to start at 10:00 PDT (18:00 BST).

Doubts surround how different the iPhone 5 will be to its predecessor though some do expect big changes.

The launch will be hosted by Tim Cook, now Apple’s full time boss following Steve Jobs’ retirement in August.

As ever with Apple launches, exact details of product features will not be known until the event. Expert opinion is divided with some expecting significant changes.

“We’re expecting a flagship, high tier product to cement the iPhone’s position as the must-have device,” said Ben Wood, director of research at analysts CCS Insight.

Gadget site Gizmodo took a different line and said there was only a 10% chance of seeing a new iPhone. Instead, it said, the iPhone 4S will be the new model and it will be cheaper than its predecessor.

Others say the cheaper model will be aimed at Asia, one of the few places where the smartphone has room for growth.

Rumours are also circulating that Steve Jobs will make a cameo appearance even though Mr Cook is expected to be the launch compere.

The event is the first since Mr Cook became official head of Apple. Before now he was an interim boss who oversaw day-to-day running of the company when Mr Jobs was on sick leave.

History lesson

The iPhone 4 debuted 15 months ago and the hiatus between that launch and today marks one of the longest periods without a new model in the history of the device. All previous versions, bar the first, have been unveiled in June.

Mr Wood said this might reflect the complexity of the task Apple set itself when getting the iPhone working the iCloud service. This acts as a network-based backup and synchronisation system for Apple’s smartphones and tablets.

“The announcement is definitely more about the holy trinity of device, software and applications, and services to which iCloud adds a completely new dimension,” he said.

The use of iCloud would help Apple stay one step ahead of rivals, especially HTC and Samsung, who were fast getting their own hardware to match the capabilities of the iPhone, said Mr Wood.

Apple will also be keen to put behind it the troubles that dogged the iPhone 4. Incorporating the phone’s antenna into its case was blamed for causing a loss of reception. The problem led to the company offering free cases to owners to combat the reception loss.

The launch of the phone is important to Apple which is keen to capitalise on its growing share of the smartphone market. It faces strong challenges from Google’s Android mobile phone operating system which, figures suggest, has become the most popular among new phone buyers in the US.

The ability of the phone to be activated and updated without connecting to a PC would help this push, said Mr Wood.

One strong competitor for the smartphone market is South Korean electronics firm Samsung. It produces phones that use Android as well as models that use its own operating system called Bada.

Apple and Samsung are locked in litigation around the world over who owns the rights to use many technologies found in both smartphones and tablets.

The court room clashes have led to a ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany and a ban on the sales of some Galaxy smartphones in the Netherlands.

In Australia, the row meant a delay to the launch of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. In the most recent development in that row, Apple has reportedly rejected Samsung’s offer of a deal to settle the case.

[Thanks: http://www.bbc.co.uk]

The latest generation of the iPhone — still the smartphone industry’s gold standard after four years — is expected to see the light of day this Tuesday, just in time for the holidays.

Even in a dismal economy, consumers should again line up in droves for a souped-up device that also marks Cook’s first major product launch since taking over from Jobs in August.

The so-called iPhone 5 is widely expected to have a bigger touchscreen and faster processor than the current iPhone 4, which helped the company stay a step ahead of rivals in an increasingly competitive smartphone market.

Its challenge will be to “wow” consumers with yet more game-changing innovations and top itself. The aging iPhone 4 is still an unqualified blockbuster: with more than 20 million sold in the third quarter that ended June 25 alone, it is likely to become the world’s top-selling smartphone.

“Consumers view Apple products as a must-have,” said Channing Smith, co-manager of the Capital Advisors Growth Fund, which owns Apple shares. “Apple phones and products have become almost a necessity. We don’t expect them to falter.”

But the latest version of the gadget that helped define the smartphone category is coming at a time when the world economy is slowing and competition is at its peak. More than 550,000 Google Inc Android-based devices — including tablets — are activated each day globally.

Apple’s ability to generate enthusiasm among consumers and its command of the higher-end market, however, may make it less susceptible to a broader slowdown, investors and analysts say.

Cook is likely to take the stage at Apple central at Cupertino’s 1 Infinite Loop, where Wall Street will get a chance to see first-hand how the acknowledged operations maven fares at a major product launch. Although a highly regarded executive, he is not known for pitching products.

SILICON VALLEY DEBUT

Apple product launches are the most closely watched events on the technology calendar. The new model, which some have dubbed the iPhone 5, will have a bigger touch screen, better antenna and an 8-megapixel camera, one source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters in August.

The event will take place in Silicon Valley rather than downtown San Francisco where Apple made some of its most famous announcements.

“Most interesting is whether new CEO Tim Cook will lead the keynote and whether … Steve Jobs will participate,” Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said.

“Tim is perceived as an operations and supply chain guru and that he certainly is, but we believe it is too early to write him off as not a visionary and showman like Steve Jobs.”

The Apple co-founder, a pancreatic cancer survivor who stepped down in August after his third medical leave, is expected to make an appearance, though a no-show by the Apple co-founder will not be a major disappointment.

“Investors would like to see Steve Jobs to confirm that he is still involved, but we have dealt with the fact that he’s not going to be as involved,” Smith said. “We’d love to see an appearance but it’s not critical.”

Apple’s iPhone has been a huge success since it debuted in 2007, transforming the company from a computer and music-player maker into one of the world’s leading mobile device makers. It accounts for about 40 percent of Apple’s revenue, with margins estimated at roughly 60 percent.

But it faces stiff competition from phones based on Google’s Android operating system, such as Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy line.

The iPhone’s U.S. market share in August was 28 percent, making it No. 2. Android was No. 1 with 43 percent of the U.S. market, Nielsen data show.

Yet longer-term, investors are more focused on Apple’s international push, particularly in Asia.

Cook has said China is a key market. The world’s most valuable technology company has mostly catered to the higher end of a booming market in those countries, but is now trying to release a cheaper phone, sources told Reuters in August.

WHAT’S IN STORE TUESDAY?

Finnish rival Nokia dominates the lower end of the lucrative Asian market. Some investors and analysts expect another version of the iPhone 4 to be launched along with the next-generation model.

“We also expect the announcement of a lower-priced iPhone that will basically be a lower-cost 3GS,” Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek said, referring to the event.

The new phone is prompting Wall Street to forecast that Apple will post enormous sales in the October-to-December quarter, with shipments expected to be in the range of 29 million.

The iPhone is currently sold by AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc. Many analysts expect Sprint will become the third U.S. operator to sell the iPhone when the next version is launched.

The new phone is also expected to accelerate the momentum in Apple shares, which are trading at around $381, off a record high of $422.86. The stock remains a far cry from brokerage price targets that range from an average of $490 to a high of $666.

The launch event invite, when it landed last week, set off a typical frenzy of speculation. Various analysts quickly dissected one image in particular on the Apple invitation, which depicts four familiar icons found on iPhones, as a possible signal for the number of new phones to be unveiled.

Speculation about the new iPhone’s features is fevered, with the list of possibilities ranging from faster wireless Internet connectivity to voice-navigation capabilities.

“What we found most intriguing is that the green phone icon on the invite has a number 1 next to it, perhaps signaling that only one new iPhone will be announced,” Wu said.

[Thanks: http://www.reuters.com]

The latest generation of the iPhone — still the smartphone industry’s gold standard after four years — is expected to see the light of day this Tuesday, just in time for the holidays.

Even in a dismal economy, consumers should again line up in droves for a souped-up device that also marks Cook’s first major product launch since taking over from Jobs in August.

The so-called iPhone 5 is widely expected to have a bigger touchscreen and faster processor than the current iPhone 4, which helped the company stay a step ahead of rivals in an increasingly competitive smartphone market.

Its challenge will be to “wow” consumers with yet more game-changing innovations and top itself. The aging iPhone 4 is still an unqualified blockbuster: with more than 20 million sold in the third quarter that ended June 25 alone, it is likely to become the world’s top-selling smartphone.

“Consumers view Apple products as a must-have,” said Channing Smith, co-manager of the Capital Advisors Growth Fund, which owns Apple shares. “Apple phones and products have become almost a necessity. We don’t expect them to falter.”

But the latest version of the gadget that helped define the smartphone category is coming at a time when the world economy is slowing and competition is at its peak. More than 550,000 Google Inc Android-based devices — including tablets — are activated each day globally.

Apple’s ability to generate enthusiasm among consumers and its command of the higher-end market, however, may make it less susceptible to a broader slowdown, investors and analysts say.

Cook is likely to take the stage at Apple central at Cupertino’s 1 Infinite Loop, where Wall Street will get a chance to see first-hand how the acknowledged operations maven fares at a major product launch. Although a highly regarded executive, he is not known for pitching products.

SILICON VALLEY DEBUT

Apple product launches are the most closely watched events on the technology calendar. The new model, which some have dubbed the iPhone 5, will have a bigger touch screen, better antenna and an 8-megapixel camera, one source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters in August.

The event will take place in Silicon Valley rather than downtown San Francisco where Apple made some of its most famous announcements.

“Most interesting is whether new CEO Tim Cook will lead the keynote and whether … Steve Jobs will participate,” Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said.

“Tim is perceived as an operations and supply chain guru and that he certainly is, but we believe it is too early to write him off as not a visionary and showman like Steve Jobs.”

The Apple co-founder, a pancreatic cancer survivor who stepped down in August after his third medical leave, is expected to make an appearance, though a no-show by the Apple co-founder will not be a major disappointment.

“Investors would like to see Steve Jobs to confirm that he is still involved, but we have dealt with the fact that he’s not going to be as involved,” Smith said. “We’d love to see an appearance but it’s not critical.”

Apple’s iPhone has been a huge success since it debuted in 2007, transforming the company from a computer and music-player maker into one of the world’s leading mobile device makers. It accounts for about 40 percent of Apple’s revenue, with margins estimated at roughly 60 percent.

But it faces stiff competition from phones based on Google’s Android operating system, such as Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy line.

The iPhone’s U.S. market share in August was 28 percent, making it No. 2. Android was No. 1 with 43 percent of the U.S. market, Nielsen data show.

Yet longer-term, investors are more focused on Apple’s international push, particularly in Asia.

Cook has said China is a key market. The world’s most valuable technology company has mostly catered to the higher end of a booming market in those countries, but is now trying to release a cheaper phone, sources told Reuters in August.

WHAT’S IN STORE TUESDAY?

Finnish rival Nokia dominates the lower end of the lucrative Asian market. Some investors and analysts expect another version of the iPhone 4 to be launched along with the next-generation model.

“We also expect the announcement of a lower-priced iPhone that will basically be a lower-cost 3GS,” Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek said, referring to the event.

The new phone is prompting Wall Street to forecast that Apple will post enormous sales in the October-to-December quarter, with shipments expected to be in the range of 29 million.

The iPhone is currently sold by AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc. Many analysts expect Sprint will become the third U.S. operator to sell the iPhone when the next version is launched.

The new phone is also expected to accelerate the momentum in Apple shares, which are trading at around $381, off a record high of $422.86. The stock remains a far cry from brokerage price targets that range from an average of $490 to a high of $666.

The launch event invite, when it landed last week, set off a typical frenzy of speculation. Various analysts quickly dissected one image in particular on the Apple invitation, which depicts four familiar icons found on iPhones, as a possible signal for the number of new phones to be unveiled.

Speculation about the new iPhone’s features is fevered, with the list of possibilities ranging from faster wireless Internet connectivity to voice-navigation capabilities.

“What we found most intriguing is that the green phone icon on the invite has a number 1 next to it, perhaps signaling that only one new iPhone will be announced,” Wu said.

[Thanks: http://www.reuters.com]

Invitations for Apple’s Oct. 4 media event say “Let’s talk iPhone,” but missing is a mention of its original flagship product, the iPod. While the iPod will celebrate 10 years of existence on Oct. 24, it seems the company wants to retire the old click wheel once and for all.

If the reports are true, the iPod Touch and iPod Nano will be the only two remaining iPod models. The Nano will be the lowest-end iPod option, while the Touch will remain Apple’s premium iPod.

Apple’s first-ever iPod was developed in less than a year, on Steve Jobs’ orders. Unveiled on Oct. 23, 2001, Jobs advertised his 5 GB Mac-compatible digital music player as “1,000 songs in your pocket.”

The original iPod “Classic” model has evolved six different times over its lifetime. The famous click wheel for navigation eventually evolved into an anodized aluminum front plate with touch sensors, and stuffy black and white menus were eventually given full color and the ability to browse through album covers. The largest capacity for the first model was 10 GB; the current model’s greatest capacity is 160 GB.

Apple will also reportedly shift away from the iPod Shuffle, which was first introduced to Apple’s iPod line-up on Jan. 11, 2005. The first model looked like a stick and featured no screen; in four generations, the Shuffle assumed a clip design with aluminum casing, and was made available in several vibrant colors. The Shuffle also added a VoiceOver feature, which could tell you the song title, playlist name, or battery status with a click of a button.

Unfortunately, sales of these products have been in perpetual decline since the introduction of the iPhone. And simply put, they’re not making enough money for the company. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Apple reported that iPod sales made up just 8 percent of the company’s total revenue.

But the move makes sense for Apple. The company is clearly invested in touch screens and gesture technology, as evidenced by its iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and gesture-based platforms OS X Lion and iOS 5. Apple wants no part of an outdated technology like clicking.

If two iPod models are being dumped, however, there’s a possibility that one or two models will be introduced in its place. Several reports indicate Apple has already added two new iPhones and three new iPods into its internal inventory. These models could just be color variations, like a white iPod Touch, but there’s a remote possibility that Apple will reveal completely new iPod models entirely.

As Steve Jobs told Nike CEO Mark Parker back in 2006, “Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff.” It sounds like Apple is taking this notion to heart in consideration of its iPod Classic and iPod Touch, even if it means cutting ties with one of the products that started it all.

[Thanks: http://img.ibtimes.com]

That will be when the world finally gets to officially see the iPhone 5, according to AllThingsD which cited “sources close to the situation.”

A few things will be markedly different than the last time a new iPhone was announced. For one, Steve Jobs will in all certainly be absent. Instead, new CEO Tim Cook is likely to be the guy to lift the metaphorical curtain.

Additionally, unlike previous iPhone announcements, there is still some lingering doubt as to the extent of products to be revealed. Some have suggested Apple might unveil two phones - perhaps something like an iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5.

Meanwhile, there is still lingering, though shrinking, speculation that Apple could also show off the iPad 3. That seems unlikely but not completely out of the question.

Also unclear is if Apple will make a declaration about the iPhone making its way to Sprint, largely believed to be the next carrier to nab the iPhone privilege.

In other words, while we absolutely know there is a new iPhone on the way, we know very little about it. That’s just the way Apple likes it. Mr. Jobs would certainly be proud.

If the October 4 event does in fact materialize, there’s still one more question - when will the new iPhone actually be released? Hopefully Apple will surprise everyone and say it’s coming out later in the month.

[Thanks: http://www.tgdaily.com]

Pre-order availability would significantly help Apple in what, no matter what the case, is likely to be a wildly-successful launch. Whether pre-orders would increase sales by 1% or 10% is debatable, but I will not stand in line to buy anything and I know others who feel the same. Really, this is Tim Cook’s opportunity to flex his supply-chain management muscles…

Building sufficient inventory to satisfy the expected demand is critical, and we will see whether, with Cook at the helm rather than Jobs, Apple can avoid the significant inventory shortages that it suffered with the iPad 2. I’m more optimistic than ever that we will have the iPhone 5 by early October (of 2011!).

••••••

Meanwhile, sar73 takes a different tack on iPhone 5 preorders: I am an outside the box thinker. If this is true, it could possibly be that they are letting Europe and China pre-order soon because they are not going to get as much supply of the phone in the beginning as the US…

Will Ashby calls out the bluff of Sprint retail employees who’ve been claiming that Sprint alone will have the iPhone 5 even as existing Apple partners will supposedly get saddled with just the iPhone 4S: Yes apple is going to shut out millions of users from getting an iphone 5 because they don’t put it on the two biggest networks in the US. that would be an interesting move. Don’t think it’d work out well for them.

Want to see your words highlighted on Beatweek.com? Share your detailed thoughts on the iPhone 5 or another tech topic in the comments section below, and if it’s worth passing along to fellow Beatweek readers, we’ll highlight it in a future news item.

[Thanks: http://www.beatweek.com]

And word also has it that October will be when we see this baby enter the smartphone market. Yes, Steve Jobs may have disappeared from Apple’s helm, but all other signs seem promising for this multi-faceted and somewhat beloved company.

Meanwhile, standing on the other side, we have the upcoming release of the deliciously-named Android Ice Cream Sandwich Nexus Prime & Thunderbolt from Android. That sounds great, doesn’t it? Enough to make you pull out your credit card and preorder it right now?

Well, wait. The iPhone seems to have the upper hand against all possible competitors, new or already available en masse on the market.

How is this possible? The iPhone has a layer of secrecy around it that makes Fort Knox look like Wal-Mart.

One reason is the fact that the iPhone 5 was a much delayed release. Don’t you remember? The date’s been up in the air for as much as it’s been talked about. There’s even the possibility that it might come out as late as this November or December. Which would make sense, as the holiday hype would only add to the iPhone’s momentum.

And Apple, reportedly to the website TruthDive, is expected to sell some 25 million iPhones by the end of 2011. About 35% of the consumers on the prowl for a new smartphone will be taking an iPhone home with them, they go on to say.

Also, take this into account:  the iPhone 5 surpassed its June/July launch date (yes, early this summer and now fall is here). A lot of current iPhone owners have had their contracts up for renewal for a considerable amount of time. These people are just salivating at the idea of the iPhone hitting their nearest Best Buy.

Combine that with the incredible fact that iPhone 5 is going to launch (at the same time) on both Verizon as well as AT&T, along with the possibility of Sprint. That gives the iPhone (slimmer and more convenient to carry this time) a definite fighting edge.

Sure, the Android might brandish near field communication (NFC) capability, 4G LTE, an open-source system, 3D display, etc, but don’t rule out the iPhone. Odds are the end of this year will prove to be good to dear old Apple, if they happen to play their cards right.

“I can’t wait to get my hands on a new iphone,” one of my friends said, when pressed about the topic. “Yeah sure, Androids are nice, but an iphone is an iphone!” And thus Apple fever is about at epidemic rates.

[Thanks: http://www.forbes.com]

Steve Jobs once famously gave away the fact that the iPhone was coming to Verizon when he mentioned that Apple had a Verizon tower on its Cupertino campus, which could only have been there for iPhone testing purposes.

Now there’s evidence that Apple is beefing up Sprint signal quality at its own stores so that would-be iPhone 5 buyers will be able to put the device through its paces on the Sprint network in quantity while still in the store. According to the source, who resides in Austin, Texas: “One thing I can tell you is that the electrical contractor that I work for is contracted to install Sprint “repeaters” at The Domain. There is a Apple Store at The Domain. One of the “repeaters” is to be installed INSIDE the Apple Store.There is to be a total of 5 “repeaters” installed. The equipment is CDMA and 4G (Sprint)”…

Sprint is considered potentially the final iPhone holdout in the U.S. cellular market. AT&T has had the iPhone since 2007, having had it exclusively through 2010. Verizon began selling the iPhone 4 earlier this year and is a lock to sell the iPhone 5 alongside AT&T upon the device’s release date. T-Mobile could gain the iPhone 5 by default if its contested merger with AT&T ultimately goes through. The merger would leave Sprint as the smallest U.S. carrier and the only one without the iPhone, unless Apple and Sprint have already put a deal in place. If what the above contractor claims is true, than that deal is in fact already in place and will be announced at the same time Aple unveils the iPhone 5…

Currently Sprint offers phones including the EVO line, but its customers have expressed widespread interest in a Sprint iPhone. Recently, the carrier instructed its support reps to stop discussing the iPhone 5 with customers ahead of its release, after various Beatweek readers reported receiving conflicting answers from said reps ranging from a confirmation of Sprint iPhone 5 to a flat out denial.

[Thanks: http://www.beatweek.com]

The newest accusation is that Apple personnel, accompanied by San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers, may not have followed proper procedure when searching for the phone in a local man’s home.

Background

CNET reported on August 31 that an Apple employee lost an iPhone prototype (possibly the upcoming iPhone 5) in a San Francisco tequila lounge called Cava 22.

Apple then contacted the SFPD and scrambled to recover what it described as a priceless device. CNET learned that the phone may have been sold on Craigslist for $200.

Apple eventually traced the phone via GPS to a home in San Francisco.  Police officers and Apple investigators visited the home, were given permission to search the house, but found nothing.

Back in 2010, gadget Web site Gizmodo bought an unreleased iPhone 4 prototype and wrote a widely read article about the device, which was reportedly lost by an Apple employee.

Controversies

SF Weekly initially reported that an SFPD spokesperson said there was no record of the search, raising the possibility that Apple employees impersonated police officers.

Furthermore, the Apple employees reportedly threatened the people in the house regarding their immigration status.

Now, a new SF Weekly article asserts that “three or four” SFPD officials did assist Apple employees in the search of the house for the iPhone prototype.

However, the article asserts that the Apple employees did not identify themselves as Apple personnel.  The man whose house they searched said he would not have let them conduct the search had he known that they were not police officers.

Marketing Ploy?

The consecutive lost iPhone prototypes (in 2010 and 2011), and the huge buzz and attention they generated, have led some to speculate that Apple intentionally does this to generate free publicity.

Others speculate that the 2011 prototype misplacement was done to drive attention away from former CEO Steve Jobs’ recent retirement.

If actually true, Apple is going to some great lengths to execute these ploys and apparently brazen enough to involve the U.S. police and legal system.

UPDATE: The SFPD released the following statement after receiving inquiries from multiple media outlets regarding its role in the iPhone prototype search.

After speaking with Apple representatives, we were given information which helped us determine what occurred.  It was discovered that Apple employees called Mission Police station directly, wanting assistance in tracking down a lost item. Apple had tracked the lost item to a house located in the 500 block of Anderson Street.  Because the address was in the Ingleside Police district Apple employees were referred to Officers in the Ingleside district.   Four SFPD Officers accompanied Apple employees to the Anderson street home.   The two Apple employees met with the resident and then went into the house to look for the lost item.   The Apple employees did not find the lost item and left the house.

The Apple employees did not want to make an official report of the lost item.

[Thanks: http://www.ibtimes.com]

Enough already; when will the games stop and the tech drama delays that has the public at bay stop — like really stop (Motorola Droid Bionic music playing in the background)?

The answer to that has a lot to do with Apple’s CEO and a so-called date circled on his calendar. Who knew humans even still used wall or desk calendars?

Anyway, it goes that Tim Cook circled a day on his calendar that signals the drop-dead iPhone 5 release date. Holy internal leak Batman!

And according to Matt Clark, a gadget stolen from a bar (no police reports) has many people perplexed — because it reeks of a scandal, leak, or repeat of the pre-iPhone 4 launch.

But Beatweek says the public’s ability to see through the fiasco effectively makes the prototype police hype vanish. Given time, things usually always work out to squelch rumors that just don’t sit right.

Listen, an Apple iPhone 5 release date is coming. The hype about a lost special phone only in the hands of a select few only served to piqué the interest of the buying public. Mission accomplished Cook and company, or some covert operatives that just want the darn thing now.

The advice here is to settle down and ride the delay storm out; there’s a good reason for it (at least for the Steve Jobs’ company).

But it better move its buns fast; the Motorola Droid Bionic is on its way (no delay seen there), and the Samsung Galaxy SII changes the game altogether.

Still, the iPhone 5 has some nifty bells and whistles of its own. Thanks Tim Cook for giving the sign (fingers crossed).

Follow the live blog watch for the iPhone 5 release date for updates.

[Thanks: http://technology.gather.com]