Earlier this week Apple sent out invitations to an October 4 event, tagged “Let’s talk about iPhone.” With the announcement date so tantalizingly close, it’s time to take a look at what we know so far about the next iPhone and iOS 5.

What We Know: iPhone 5

Design: Two theories prevail about what the next iPhone will look like. Theory one is an all-new design device (iPhone 5), which would feature a tear-shaped design with a metal back and a slimmer body, while theory two (iPhone 4S) is that it would look identical to the iPhone 4, but with bumped-up specs. A survey pointed that the iPhone 5 is the most anticipated of the two by consumers.

Features: Regardless of the design of the next iPhone, there are same sure-fire bets over the specs. It’s expected the A5 dual-core processor currently found on the iPad 2 to make its way to the new iPhone, as well as more RAM and a higher-resolution camera, possibly 8 megapixels.

Availability: October 4 is expected to be only the announcement date of the new iPhone, with Apple Insider tipping that the weekend starting Friday, October 14 is the one you’ll want to put aside for queuing outside your nearest Apple store. If Apple uses the iPad 2 model and releases the phone 10 days after the announcement, then October 14 or 15 could see the new iPhone reach the first consumers.

Carriers & Price: The new iPhone is expected to cost $199 with a two-year contract, just as with previous iterations of the device. The iPhone is now currently available on AT&T and Verizon, and Sprint is anticipated to be the next in line to get the new iPhone this year, says the Wall Street Journal, but not T-Mobile.

What We Know: iOS 5

Known Features: Developers had a chance to play with a beta version of iOS 5 for a few months now, and Apple showcased the major new features as well. The big changes in iOS 5 include several improvements to Mail and Safari, a notification center similar to Android’s, Twitter integration and iMessage, an instant messaging platform for iOS devices. iCloud, Apple’s cloud storage solution is also integrated in iOS 5, so you can re-download purchased music, apps or books to any of your devices or computer, while the master copy resides with Apple.

Surprise Features: Apple is believed to have kept back from the iOS 5 beta one surprise feature – the integration of voice assisted functions in the iPhone. Anecdotal evidence from the likes of 9 To 5 Mac surfaced over the past few weeks that you will be able to dictate texts and emails your iPhone, as well as have incoming messages read to you by the phone.

Availability: If Apple sticks to previous OS release schedules, then iOS 5 should be available a few days ahead of the next iPhone, in order to avoid Apple’s servers melting down. Apple Insider reports Apple has blacked out employee vacations October 9 through to 12 too, which indicates the possible arrival date of iOS 5 to current iPhone 3GS and 4 owners, as well as iPad owners and the 2009 and 2010 models of iPod Touch.

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

In a study released yesterday, the mobile ad network discovered that 41 percent of mobile users in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will buy the new iPhone, with 50 percent of those planning to pick one up within the first six months of the phone’s debut. If those numbers hold true, the iPhone 5 would become the most successful product launch yet from Apple, according to InMobi.

Apple has an iPhone event planned for next week, at which the tight-lipped company is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 5.

Further, the new iPhone could easily shake up the battle between Apple and Android by boosting the market share of iOS to 41 percent from its reported 27 percent in June, the study said. A small survey conducted in early August by Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster found similar results, prompting the analyst to forecast that the iPhone 5 could double Apple’s market share.

The iPhone 5 is also expected to steal business from other platforms as it’s being eyed by 51 percent of current iPhone users but 27 percent of Android owners and 52 percent of BlackBerry users. Some of the new features that consumers are hotly anticipating in the new iPhone include better battery life, faster performance, higher screen resolution, and stronger phone service, InMobi said.

(Credit: InMobi)

Though most people may be expecting Apple to unveil a totally new phone at next Tuesday’s event, past reports have claimed that the device will just be a revamped iPhone 4 with a few improvements but the same basic features. Even if such rumors prove true, a new “iPhone 4S” will scoop up business from 11 percent of current iPhone users, 11 percent of Android owners, and 28 percent of BlackBerry customers.

As a mobile ad network, InMobi has seen an increase in ad impressions for iOS, particularly in iPod Touch devices. Including all of its mobile devices, Apple currently holds the leading share of impressions on InMobi’s network at 29 percent.

Though demand for its mobile devices is still running hot, Apple’s iOS has seen its once dominant lead in the smartphone OS market overtaken this year by Android. InMobi points to iOS as the top dog on its network, but fellow mobile ad network Millennial Media has been tracking Android in first place since shooting past iOS early this year.

[Thanks: http://news.cnet.com]

One iPhone app, Cook’s Illustrated, didn’t make the cut, but not because of quality issues. In fact, I found the app more useful than almost any of the ones I tried.

It’s just that Cook’s is a little complicated.

The app is produced by America’s Test Kitchen, which publishes Cook’s Illustrated and acts as the cooking industry’s advertising-free answer to Consumer Reports.

The organization takes cooking seriously, and its recipes have earned a spot in my family’s regular food rotation. (See: pancakes; chocolate chip cookies.)

You can test the app for free and gain access to 50 recipes the publication has deemed its “all-time best,” along with video demonstrations and other ancillary content.

That alone should be enough to justify a download. But things get more complicated, and expensive, if you want to dig deeper.

For full mobile access to the organization’s recipe vault, you must first buy a magazine subscription, which is $25 annually (for six issues).

That combination, expensive though it may be, came in handy last week as I helped my wife with the “Wicked Good Boston Cream Pie” recipe. No searching for back issues. No printouts. Great results.

Some users have complained the app doesn’t have an iPad version, to which I offer a qualified pshaw.

I enlarged the iPhone version on my iPad, and the app was slightly pixilated, but otherwise usable.

Then again, for $25 a year, you shouldn’t have to squint even slightly.

[Thanks: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com]

Instead, it’s business as usual for the carrier as it just announced two new handsets slated to launch on the company’s 4G HSPA+ 42 network.

“Our research shows almost every U.S. consumer wants a smartphone,” said T-Mobile chief marketing officer Cole Brodman at the GigaOM Mobilize mobile conference this week.

To appeal to that wide market, the service provider will launch the Samsung Galaxy S II and the HTC Amaze 4G on October 12.

T-Mobile’s 4G network is similar to the pseudo-4G network originally offered by AT&T, but the difference is T-Mobile has actually worked to strengthen the technology and offer speeds that are competitive with rivals like Sprint.

AT&T, meanwhile, is working on replacing its 4G structure entirely and building a new network based on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, which has made Verizon the fastest 4G operator on the market right now.

Both the Galaxy S II and the Amaze 4G will run on Android 2.3. The latter will also be NFC compatible, allowing the phone to be used as a virtual credit card in stores.

Both phones will be in the $230-$250 range for customers who sign up for a new two-year service agreement.

It seems like the AT&T merger isn’t slowing down T-Mobile one bit. The only thing that seems uncertain as a result of the proceedings is T-Mobile’s ability to land the iPhone. With Sprint rumored to be picking up the device this year, T-Mobile will be the last major player with no iPhone love, but that may be because Apple expects it to be rolled into AT&T.

However, with the batch of lawsuits and regulatory trouble AT&T has faced over the last month, the deal seems far from an open-and-shut case.

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

Apple has sent out invitations to select members of the media for an event being hosted on its Cupertino campus on October 4 at 10:00 a.m. PT. The event, which leaked last week, is slated to focus on the iPhone as evidenced by a subtle tagline on the invitation that reads “Let’s talk iPhone.”

Apple is expected to announce iOS 5, and as many as two new iPhone handsets making the rounds as the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5. In addition to the newly-minted iOS 5, Apple is also expected to take the wraps off its iCloud service which has been in testing with developers alongside iOS 5 for months.

Recent rumors suggest that Facebook may present its long-awaited iPad-native app and an overhauled iPhone app at the event, but the rumors iOS-level FB integration should be taken with a grain of salt.

What else can we deduce from the invite?

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

Apple’s official policy regarding unannounced products is “What iPhone 5?” until further notice, but one staffer is nonetheless claiming that the launch event for the big iPhone 5 announcement is a mere two weeks out. Assuming the event isn’t being held on a Monday, that points to October 4th or 5th for the event. Apple once consistently had its events on Tuesdays, but has since branched out to Wednesdays as well. There’s never a way to absolutely confirm that what an employee thinks they know is in fact what’s really secretly in the cards. But this news is a ray of light amid a week in which various claims have pegged the iPhone 5 being buried in manufacturing hell and not surfacing until next year. So for the sake of that hope, here’s a look at how things will play out between now and the release date if the announcement really is two weeks from now…

One week from now, Apple will announce a media event and send out press invites. Nothing will be said in advance as to what the event is about, but the images and catch phrase on the invite will subtly hint that it’s the iPhone 5 so that the correct journalists show up, as opposed to if this were the launch of a new iMac. The event will then be held on the 4th or 5th, and if Apple’s recent tradition holds true, will be live-broadcast over the internet in an effort to get Apple’s message directly to mainstream consumers without being entirely filtered through the tech media. Tim Cook will see his first action in an Apple product launch event, as dodging the stage entirely would lead to “Where’s Tim?” questions which would only build up otherwise. But don’t expect Cook to emcee the event; Apple VP Phil Schiller, who’s spent years playing the foil in Steve Jobs’ press events, will likely serve as grand master. Jobs could pull a shocker and play a small role himself, either because he wants to prove to investors that he’s still in good health or because he believes the iPhone 5 is too important to not participate in the launch. But regardless, the event will mark the first official bit of publicly visible insight into the new-look Apple management team in action. Several questions regarding the iPhone 5 will be answered in that sub-two-hour stretch…

The actual release date for the iPhone 5 will be one of the last things announced. The new iOS 5 interface will get a long demo from a number of Apple employees, showing off new features which hadn’t been debuted when iOS 5 was first previewed this summer. Then comes the iPhone 5 hardware unveil, along with the big “killer feature” upon which Apple will build its marketing campaign. That could be anything from 4G LTE networking to a larger screen to an outside the box feature (see FaceTime with the iPhone 4 launch). Then comes the breakdown of the rest of the specs, followed by the pricing. If Sprint is indeed joining the iPhone team, expect Dan Hesse on stage to talk about how glad his carrier is to be finally offering the iPhone. Verizon’s CEO may also get an appearance, as the Verizon iPhone 4 launch in March means that Verizon has yet to get a shot at being a part of one of Apple’s official iPhone announcement events. Once the event ends, the real fun begins…

Apple typically spans about two and a half weeks from new iPhone announcement to release date, so expect Friday October 21st as the most likely on-sale target. If there’s sufficient initial inventory to allow it, online preorders will begin about a week before that date, but may be cut off quickly if demand proves to be so high that the preorders risk cutting into retail launch day inventory. Then on the 21st (or the night before, if Apple opts for an early morning launch), lines will form at retailers ranging from Apple Stores and carrier stores to electronics stores like Radio Shack and Best Buy, and we’ll soon find out just how much iPhone 5 inventory Apple really has on hand.

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

Since that news was revealed earlier, the website guesses that GameStop looks to stock up on its trade-ins of these devices before offering the new models such as the imminent iPhone 5 (4S … 4G?). Of course, this wouldn’t be a terrible idea. Mobile gaming is in a renaissance of sorts at the moment, with everyone wanting a piece of that pie and putting their best foot forward to break out in a big way in the space.

With a storefront on Facebook and now reportedly embracing the mobile gaming revolution, GameStop appears to realize (finally) that it needs to adapt to the changing games industry. As a forewarning, however: If you’re going to buy an iPad or iPhone from GameStop, make sure to buy it new–this is complex hardware we’re talking about here. (And have you seen those used consoles the stores offer? I’ll pass.)

[Thanks: http://blog.games.com]

The rumblings of a Sprint iPhone 5 have been growing louder as we’ve marched toward the device’s rumored October arrival, and today we’ve got more evidence to support the claims that Hesse and Co. may soon be landing Apple’s upcoming smartphone.

A Best Buy document sent over to BGR shows that the retailer is expecting the iPhone 5 to come to Sprint and that the new handset could be launching in the first week of October. Additionally, it sounds like Best Buy may be planning to begin taking pre-orders for the iPhone 5 as soon as this week. The leaked doc also notes that, as usual, launch dates and product intros are always subject to change.

Keeping up with the iPhone 5 rumors, a separate Best Buy leak shows that the retailer has an “Apple Fixture Installation” scheduled for Friday, October 21st, and that managers will need to be at their stores at 6AM on that date. The source of this image says that it’s not normal for a Best Buy manager to come in until 7 AM and that a similar scheduling was made when the iPhone 4 launched last year. Best Buy Mobile managers are also prepping for a meeting on October 10th to “discuss upcoming BIG release dates,” claims the tipster.

So there are a couple of new potential iPhone 5 release dates to pencil in on your calendar. The rumor that the iPhone 5 will be launching in the first week of October lines up with previous claims that the device could be arriving early next month, although a recent report from the Wall Street Journal alleged that the new iPhone (including a Sprint version) is due in mid-October.
Right now it looks like the iPhone 5 release date waters are still a bit murky, but we’ll be sure to pass along more info when we get it to try and clear things up a bit.

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

After having been pushed back from a traditional summer launch, many have been expecting the iPhone 5 to surface at Apple’s early September press event as well, alongside the iOS 5 operating system which will power the new iPhone along with the iPod touch 5 if there is one in the pipeline. But with Labor Day coming and going, Apple has now passed up the opportunity to hold an event in the first week of September.

The clock now quickly ticks down for Apple’s chances to continue its multi-year streak of holding a press event within September’s first half. Press invites would need to be sent early this week for September 13th event; otherwise the company would be looking at a late September event and an October iPhone 5 launch. In 2006 Apple held an iPod nano launch event in early September quickly followed by a video iPod event in early October, with the latter arriving to market in time for the start of the holiday shopping season but without an assortment of third party accessories in tow. Now Apple faces an October launch for the iPhone 5, which would impact the device’s rollout in a number of ways…

One is the aforementioned lack of third party accessories which could result if Apple isn’t proactive. Typically Apple is so secretive about future products (for fear of designs being pre-copied by competing vendors) that accessory makers can’t begin manufacturing products such as cases until they get their hands on the specs. Apple can work around this in one of two ways. One is to offer its own iPhone 5 cases from the start, as it did with the iPhone 4 Bumpers last year and the iPad 2 Smart Covers this year. The other is for Apple to give iPhone 5 measurements to trusted accessory makers in advance, which it may have already done. But more than mere cases are on the line with an October iPhone 5 launch…

Apple must factor in marketing timeframes, retail arrivals, giving third parties time to flush out remaining inventory of the outgoing models, and more. In the mean time, the continued delay of the iPhone 5 now appears set to hold up the unveiling of other Apple products. iOS 5 won’t arrive until the iPhone 5 ships for marketing reasons, regardless of Apple’s vague claim that iOS 5 will arrive in the “fall.” There has been some level of interest in the iPod touch 5, although there’s sentiment that Apple could retire it in favor of a contract-free iPhone which would work as an iPod touch replacement.

Apple’s other iPod models, including the nano and shuffle, have become commoditized to the point that comparatively few appear to have much invested in the fate of the next generation, instead simply buying whichever generation happens to be on shelves. The most intriguing aspect of the iPod Classic is whether it’ll finally be discontinued. But even as Apple’s world isn’t about to stop spinning on its axis as a result of iPod delays, it’s worth noting that the continued iPhone 5 holdup is now in danger of impacting the rest of Apple’s product line if it doesn’t take quick steps this week in order to continue its streak of early September press events.

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

I’m guessing Apple won’t be exactly pleased with Best Buy right now. Almost immediately after an internal document was leaked detailing an Apple fixture install occurring on October 21st, another shows up hinting at a pre-order date. This, as you can tell from the watermark, comes from BGR. In the original article the site claims that the iPhone 5 is set to be available for pre-order from the first week of October. Despite the fact that it would fit in with a launch later in the month, it’s not how I understand the document.

At the top of the document it clearly states “Week 9/4 continued“. So, using some simple common sense, it would seem this schedule is specifically to educate staff on what is happening this week: September 4th-10th. “iPhone 5 introduction expected, pre-sales begin for expected October week 1 launch” is a phrase which is pretty self-explanatory, and somehow seemingly misunderstood by BGR. (Unless I’m misunderstanding the Boy Genius article.) To me, it clearly indicates that Best Buy is expecting the iPhone to be introduced this week, and pre-sales should begin in preparation for an early October launch. There’s also the “Launch dates subject to change” tagged on to the end. Essentially it indicates that Best Buy don’t really know when it’s coming, they’re just expecting something soon.

So, unfortunately, this gives no specific detail. Since Apple haven’t sent out any invitations to any event yet I doubt anything is going to be unveiled this week. We’ll keep you up to date on anything else that’s going on in preparation for the iPhone launch. One tiny tasty tidbit is the Sprint iPhone tagged on at the end. Best Buy management is clearly expecting an Apple flavored handset on the Sprint network. Interesting? It’s about time the device made its way to the other carriers in the States.

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