A8 Chip From 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Appears to Carry 1 GB of RAM

Last week, a wiring schematic said to be for the iPhone 6 was initially interpreted to be referring to the device's RAM, showing the same 1 GB of memory for the A8 as found in the current A7 chip. That was quickly determined to be an incorrect interpretation of component being shown in the schematic, however, and Apple's plans for RAM in the iPhone 6 have remained uncertain.

A new photo leak from Feld & Volk [Instagram page] and Sonny Dickson showing an assembled logic board from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 has revealed a number of pieces of information already, and it appears from one of the photos that the A8 chip on the board does indeed include 1 GB of LPDDR3 RAM.

As pointed out by MacRumors forum member commander.data, a silk-screened part number on the A8 reveals that the package-on-package contains Hynix RAM. Based on Hynix's part number format, the character in the eighth position reveals the amount of RAM in the package, with an "8" denoting 8 Gb (1 GB) and a "B" denoting 16 Gb (2 GB). While it is a bit difficult to read the part number clearly given the distance and angle in the photo, our staff and several posters in our forum agree that the character very much appears to be an "8", indicating 1 GB of RAM.





Source : macrumors.com

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Sketchy report claims photos show 5.5-inch 'iPhone 6L' display, logic board and 2,915mAh battery

Citing the usual "reliable sources," Taiwanese Apple blog Apple Daily says the images show 
three components bound for Apple's rumored 5.5-inch iPhone, which some predict will launch 
alongside — or shortly after — a new 4.7-inch version of the smartphone. The publication's 
sources refer to the phablet as the "iPhone 6L."

However, even a cursory inspection of the photos reveals two parts, the display and logic 
board, are nearly identical to those pictured in previous reports related to the smaller of 
Apple's next-gen handsets. 

With the display, architectural elements like screw bosses, circuit board anchors and 
circuitry are placed in the exact locations as a part revealed last week. In addition, flex 
cables are of the same size, located in the same position and feature proportionally sized 
connectors as the supposed 4.7-inch variant. 

It is highly unlikely that a 4.7-inch iPhone would share the same layout with a sized-up 
5.5-inch model, while at the same time sporting different sized connectors. 

As for the logic board, this part too lines up perfectly with a component unearthed 
yesterday, complete with identical EMI shields, fastener holes and connector design.

The report does, however, contain one never-before-seen part in a 2,915 mAh battery, which 
could feasibly be bound for Apple's jumbo-sized handset. Produced by known Apple partner 
supplier Huizhou Desay, the battery'a capacity is much larger than the 1,800 mAh unit seen 
in a supposed leak associated with the 4.7-inch variant. By comparison, the current iPhone 
5s uses a 1,500 mAh battery, while Motorola's 4.7-inch Moto X boasts a 2,200 mAh part.

Although the battery is a possible fit for Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone, not much is known about 
the phablet device. Most recently, photos of alleged wake/sleep flex cables and volume 
controls hit the Web in July.

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Apple rumor suggests chip production pulled from Samsung

A new Apple rumor is floating around today that could affect Samsung. This new rumor claims that Apple is set to take the chip production that Samsung currently operates and move it to another provider. Apple pulled some chip production from Samsung back in 2012 and sent Samsung stock prices plummeting.

In 2012, Apple placed chip orders with Elpida rather than Samsung and Samsung lost $10 billion off its market value. The new rumor suggests that Apple will be moving the production of its A series processors away from Samsung and start production up with TSMC.

The reason is said to be some concerns over low yields with Samsung's 20nm process for the next generation A8 processor. TSMC has had success with its 20nm process being described as smoother than expected.

The move will certainly hurt Samsung, whether or not it will have the same effect on market value as we saw back in 2012 remains to be seen. I continue to be surprised Apple uses Samsung since the two are bitter rivals on the electronics market and are seemingly constantly fighting in court. This rumor reportedly comes from the supply chain and is unconfirmed at this time.








SOURCE: MacObserver

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Samsung Galaxy S5 tipped to debut February 23

Following on the heels of yesterday's fingerprint scanner leak, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has found itself in the news again, this time with alleged debut and launch dates. Mobile Review's Eldar Murtazin, who correctly stated when the S4 would arrive, said in a tweet today that Samsung will be showing the smartphone off in Barcelona on February 23 on the cusp of Mobile World Congress.

Following the Galaxy S5's debut in February, Murtazin says the smartphone will then be launched sometime in the end of April, though he didn't peg a specific date for the availability. As far as specifications go, he merely said, "u know them :)", giving a nod towards the numerous sources and rumors that have cropped up about the handset in recent times. Aside from that, he tacked on to the end of the tweet, "new touchwiz ;)".

According to the report that surfaced yesterday, Samsung decided not to go with an iris scanner for the flagship smartphone, the reasons being some issues it would present, such as unlocking the phone in the dark. Instead, the maker is said to be focusing its attention on fingerprint scanning technologies, and that the module for this biometric security could be embedded under the display, allowing for one to unlock the device by touching the screen.

Beyond that, it seems the Galaxy S5 could bring with it a "2K display" in the 5-inch range, which could bring with it 560 or more pixels per inch. Also tipped in recent times is the use of ISOCELL camera technology, which would bring a high-quality camera along with the new smartphone. Other rumors include a focus on eye-tracking capabilities, which would serve to bolster facial recognition and similar technologies.






VIA: GSM Arena

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HP to launch Android phone in near future, says source

On Christmas Eve, word surfaced of plans by HP to launch two smartphones by the year's end, something that didn't pan out but could add substance to the newest rumor that has cropped up. According to a source that spoke to the folks over at 9to5Google, HP plans to launch an inexpensive Android smartphone as early as next week, though a more narrowed-down launch date hasn't been specified.

According to the source, who is said to be someone from inside HP, the smartphone will be an inexpensive Android offering priced somewhere around $200 USD and slated for release in multiple markets, the exact number of which wasn't specified. HP hasn't said anything in a public fashion, but the source says the launch could end up being as soon as next week barring any unexpected delays.

The source says the project has been a year and a half in the making, and is being run by HP's senior vice president of mobility Alberto Torres. As far as the phone itself goes, the device is said to have "obvious cost cutting measures" in order to achieve its low price point, and to resemble in nature Samsung's Galaxy Note. The price falls in line with the details that surfaced last year, despite no phone being launched near the year's end.

According to that information, which had surfaced by way of The Information, the smartphone would be a 6-inch offering priced at $200 USD without contract. That same report also stated there was a second one in the making, and that it would be larger at a massive 7-inches with a price tag of $250 USD sans contract.






SOURCE: 9to5Google

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Apple iWatch reportedly facing power problems

Apple is facing unexpected hurdles in its smartwatch design process, sources claim, with the much-discussed wearable - colloquially known as the "iWatch" - supposedly giving Cupertino engineers some sleepless nights. Issues include delivering sufficient battery life according to The Information, with Apple supposedly considering changing the display technology it initially intended to use in the hope of cutting power consumption.

Exactly what that might entail a switch to and from is unclear. Apple's iOS range uses LCD technology, though we've seen smartwatches from other companies that use e-paper, like Pebble, OLED, like Samsung's Galaxy Gear, and even unusual transflective technologies like the mirasol panel in Qualcomm's Toq.

More recently, though, we've seen even longer runtimes delivered by careful component selection, particularly when it comes to wireless use. Garmin's vivofit, announced at CES this week, can run for up to twelve months on a set of replaceable batteries.

What Apple might end up using is still a mystery, then - a deal with LG Display for flexible OLED was tipped late last year - though the company might look elsewhere in the wearable to save on battery use. That might involve a lower powered processor; the iPhone 5s, for instance, offsets its motion tracking to a more frugal M7 coprocessor.

Repeated is the idea that Apple has a sizable team working on the project, and indeed previous leaks have suggested in excess of one hundred people are involved. However, the report also points out that some of the more high-profile members of that group have recently left, such as Bryan James.

The report concludes with the assumption that Apple's product won't actually be delayed, though the chatter is certainly enough to get the company's name back in the headlines in a week when various other firms are trying to make waves with their own smartwatches and fitness trackers at CES 2014.

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Sony VAIO Windows Phone tipped for mid-2014

Sony is considering launching at least one Windows Phone handset in 2014, sources claim, as Microsoft courts potential partners to bolster support for its "third platform" OS. Sony, which has been building exclusively Android-powered smartphones for several years, is in the midst of negotiations with Microsoft about adding a second ecosystem to its range, insiders tell The Information, which could potentially launch with VAIO branding rather than the Xperia brand its existing phones carry.

That would presumably be intended to define Sony Windows Phones as an extension of the company's PC business, rather than the more consumer-centric focus Android is generally associated with. The handset could potentially launch as soon as midway through next year, assuming the deal actually goes through.

That's nowhere near certain today, however, with Microsoft and Sony still discussing things like what apps could be preloaded onto the smartphone, what licensing demands Microsoft might have, and other concerns. Microsoft is said to be potentially willing to reduce or even waive its license fees.

Sony isn't the only target for Microsoft's expansion plans. The company is supposedly also discussing partnership potential with ZTE, known for its more affordable Android devices, on a deal which could possibly see ZTE-branded low-cost Windows Phones for the US, Europe, and Chinese markets, among others.

Recent best-selling sales of the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 521 might suggest that's a good strategy, too. The budget Windows Phone has comfortably outsold other handsets running the same OS, with Nokia crediting the parity of the same software experience as its more expensive handsets as a key motivator for that buying decision.

Whether that will be enough to strengthen Microsoft's position in mobile and potentially narrow the gap between Windows Phone and the two dominant OSes, Android and iOS, remains to be seen. The software company is said to be considering more unusual possibilities to tackle that, too, including dual-booting phones from Samsung and Huawei that could load into both Windows Phone and Android at the user's request.

No deal has been finalized, and neither Sony nor Microsoft will confirm that negotiations are underway.





source : slashgear

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Microsoft’s secret OS tinkering might spawn an open-source language

Microsoft's clandestine Midori, a skunkworks project developing a non-Windows OS, could spawn a new open-source programming language called "M#" insiders claim, a spin-off of existing C#. Chatter of the scheme came after one Midori team member publicly confirmed a new language was in development; that, sources told ZDNet, is M# (aka "M-Sharp"), developed alongside Midori, and is being seen as potentially even more evidence that the mysterious platform will see a launch.

M#, Microsoft's Joe Duffy says, came from the Midori team wanting a broadly adopted and straightforward language at the base of the OS, settling on C# rather than C++ as a result. Rather than actually fragmenting C#, however, M# is more "a set of extensions" to the core language, that Duffy says involves "minimal breaking changes."

According to the programmer, the enhancements mean that M# benefits from the safety and productivity associated with C#, but also gains the performance improvements more commonly associated the C++. Duffy later responded to the swell of interest in the language - which he doesn't name as M# himself - by highlighting that it "is a research effort, nothing more, nothing less."

Nonetheless, despite his cold water, other hints around M# suggest it could be more important than just an exercise in programming theory. Former Midori team member - and current Google Developer Infrastructure group member - Aleks Bromfield revealed a little more, describing M# (which is referred to as "C# for Systems Programming") as being a combination of Rust's safety and performance, Go's approachability, and D's familiarity.

M# could be "the lowest-level language that you'll ever need" Bromfield concluded, safe enough to sit at the bottom of the stack but also suited to creating web services and other similar higher-level systems.

Midori itself has been moved into the centralized OS group, another potential sign that a release - in some shape or form - is more likely. That could mean parts of Midori getting slotted into future iterations of Windows rather than being released as an independent project, it's suggested.

According to insiders, the OS group - under Terry Myerson - will be making the final decision on which aspects of Midori will survive, and how distinct it will be on the OS roadmap.




source : slashgear

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Apple’s Tim Cook heading to Turkey in 2014 over big iPad deal, says sources

Yesterday, an Apple employee newsletter surfaced in which CEO Tim Cook teased some big plans the company has in store for 2014. While such big plans weren't elaborated on, a Turkish publication -- Emlakkulisi -- has reported that Cook has a trip to Turkey planned for February 2014, where he will reportedly talk to Turkey's President Abdullah Gul about something being referred to as "FATIH Project".

The FATIH Project, as it is being called, is a mission to update educational institutions in Turkey from the traditional chalkboards and textbooks to things more modern and portable. The technology would include a vast quantity of tablets, of which it is being reported iPads will make up a hefty sum. This follows a visit by Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Apple's headquarters earlier this year.

The visit was said to involve listening to a company pitch of its iPad slates, something similar to visits that also took place with Microsoft and Google. Under the FATIH Project, 10.6 million tablets will be acquired in phases for schools in the nation. Following that acquisition, it is being reported iPads numbering between 2 and 2.5 million units could be purchased.

In February, CEO Cook will reportedly visit Turkey to discuss this matter, as well as to visit the first Apple Store in the country, which is located in the Zorlu Center in Istanbul and opens in early 2014. The information is said to come from unnamed sources close to the matter that spoke to the Turkish media company.





SOURCE: Apple Insider

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Samsung Galaxy Note Pro reportedly to be offered in two size options

It has been expected that Samsung would roll out some new tablets, and last Friday details emerged regarding Tab Pro, Note Pro, and Tab Lite models. Following this has been a so-called leak regarding the Note Pro in particular, with Korean website Move Player offering an interesting (and dubious) claim about the model, which will reportedly see a CES 2014 or MWC launch.

As you may have guessed from the image above, Move Player is stating the Galaxy Note Pro will be offered in two different sizes: the first, a 12.2-inch model, and the second, a smaller 10.1-inch offering. Reportedly, the smaller of the two models will have a generous display resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, as well as 3GB of RAM. Also generous is the claimed battery capacity of 9500mAh. The OS is said to be Android 4.4, and the overall weight is pegged at 750 grams.

Beyond this, the website is also claiming the Note Pro's claimed dual-booting functionality isn't true, citing unnamed sources who nixed the idea of Windows running as a secondary operating system alongside the expected Android offering. The news is disappointing, perhaps, but not terribly surprising at this point.

The question now is whether such claims can be trusted. The sources aren't identified, and the source article Move Player draws its information from has since been pulled. There are no verifiable sources that can be seen, and nothing in the way of any sort of relationship that could lend credibility. Until something -- anything -- concrete lands, this one will stay filed away in the rumor section.





VIA: Android Community
SOURCE: Move Player

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HP rumored to launch two Android phablets by year’s end

Hewlett-Packard may or may not release two brand new smartphones by the end of 2013, reported The Information today by way of The Verge. That gives the computing company eight days to make rumors come true. The phones -- for which no leaked or officially sanctioned images exist to our knowledge -- are expected to be a 6-inch "phablet" and a 7-inch phablet.

By "phablet" we mean either a huge phone or a small tablet. The origin for today's rumor is -- surprise, surprise -- "sources". Both products are expected to run Android, not HP's webOS.

Previously, HP launched and soon thereafter shuttered its webOS smartphone ambitions with the Pre3 (see hero image above) and the itty-bitty Veer (see below). The phones couldn't compete against the Apple-Samsung near-duopoly in the global smartphone marketplace, let alone claw past the likes of HTC, Sony and LG.

An image and benchmarks for a possible HP Android smartphone surfaced in July 2013, only to be briskly denied by an HP representative as false. "Someone is making stuff up," the representative said in a tiny statement.

The two rumored phones now under discussion will be released in emerging markets first, specifically India, China and the Philippines. The prices are pegged in the range of $200-250 USD off-contract.

Eight days. Clock's ticking. We'll see if The Information's sources pan out and let you know if anything emerges.




SOURCE: The Information
VIA: The Verge

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Nexus 7 2 Best Buy ad affirms full HD display

We might have already heard quite a few ramblings of the next-generation Nexus 7, but nothing is quite as solid as a leaked retail store circular ad. A leaked Best Buy ad shows off the next-generation Nexus 7, revealing not only its $229 price tag, but also the 1920×1200 full HD display gracing the front of the tablet.

The ad also notes that the $229 price tag will get you 16GB of storage, meaning that the 32GB version will cost just a little bit more, possibly in the $249 or $279 range. Sadly, Best Buy is always pretty vague about advertising products in their weekly ads, so we don’t get treated with any more details than those little tidbits.

However, the Best Buy circular mentions that the tablet will be “available Tuesday.” Seeing as how Google is holding an event on Wednesday this week, the ad could be referring to July 30 as the official launch date of the refreshed Google slate. However, the distribution date for the leaked circular isn’t known, so whatever date “Tuesday” is, is still unknown, but it’s said the circular will begin running on July 28, so we have no reason to not think that the new Nexus 7 will be arriving on July 30.

The refreshed Nexus 7 is also said to be getting an update to Android 4.3, and will come with dual cameras, as well as wireless charging, which we’ve already seen on Google’s latest Nexus 4 handset. The tablet is also said to be sporting a quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 2GB of RAM paired up. Exact specs aren’t known, obviously, but it seems this new Nexus 7 refresh will be a big one, while keeping the same 7-inch screen and mostly the same body style.





SOURCE: Phone Arena

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Moto X press image leaks ahead of August event

The cat’s finally out of the bag, and we’ll be getting our first official look at the heavily-rumored Moto X come August 1, but there are a still a few days left before that happens, leaving the door wide open for even more leaks and rumors to make their way to the front. This time around, we’re treated with a clean press shot of the Moto X.

This isn’t the first clear photo that we’ve seen of the device, as Google chairman Eric Schmidt modeled off the phone in a few “spy” shots a few days ago. That provided us a good look of the back of the device with the glossy curved shell. However, today’s press image gives us the first clear look at the front of the handset.

There’s nothing too surprising in the press image above, other than that it appears Motorola did away with the obnoxious logo on the upper-left corner that we saw in a Verizon leak earlier this month. The device also looks identical to what we saw in a leaked promo video for the Moto X.

We’ll be seeing the phone’s unveiling on the first of the month, and the only evidence we have for a public launch date is US Cellular’s leaked release date of August 26. From that, it’s probably safe to say that other major carriers will follow suit and launch the phone towards the end of the month.

What’s perhaps the most interesting tidbit is how Motorola will be conducting the unveil event on August 1. From the invitation that we received, it looks like the company might not have one grand keynote, but rather multiple sessions detailing different bits about the phone. Plus, these details will have embargo times that are lifted later in the day. It’ll be interesting how it goes, but we’ll be there to bring you the latest about the Moto X, so stick around.

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