iPhone 4G in 2009?
Picture: Notice the sliver of the forward facing camera showing on the top-right corner.(I can’t by the ways), the 128GB memory and the special version.
Rumor Alert!! May not be true at all. Josh’s Blog is not responsible for your losses based on your decision that you were stupid to believe on what was just a rumor. So there, no blaming Josh! 
Be warned that as with all China-based sources, we cannot accurately proof this to be absolutely true. However, from previous experience, it can be said that Apple is not keeping secrets as well as they used to. So as usual, we are the first to bring you the latest scoops.
First of all, let us take a look at some of the physical features (or lack thereof) that have kept Apple fans wanting for more:
- Poor Battery when using 3G
- Lack of front-facing camera for Video Conferencing
- Lack of support for volume controls with new in-ear headphones
Well, now that we have seen some of the problems, take a look at what our source has been able to gather.
Battery Problems
Of the many software improvements that Apple has released, a few of them have actually addressed this issue in a variety of ways. These include improving the overall energy efficiency of the Core OS, as well as increasing the maximum allowed voltage into the device to increase charging time. However, the biggest problem faced by Mobile phone manufactures lies with the fact that most 3G chipsets and radios available in the market are not power efficient by themselves. Those that are actually energy efficient tend to be more expensive, and thus, impractical for companies to use in their products.
Things are about to change ladies and gentlemen. Our source tells that according to an anonymous tipster, an unnamed Chinese battery pack supplier has made claims of a cheap yet energy efficient battery that ” will be able to power an iPhone 3G for up to 8 hours of talk-time on 3G and 15-20 hours on 2G.” The tipster also boasts and incredible claim of 450 hours of stand-by. If any of these claims are true, I’m sure Apple will garner a lot more faithful fans. Our source claims that the prototype model utilizes this pack.
iChat and Video Conferencing
When word of the iPhone 3G hit the rumor mill, the most anticipated of all features was the front-facing camera. There is a common misconception among many people around the world that if a phone is 3G enabled, it comes with video-chatting capabilities. In fact, 3G merely refers to the type of high-speed connection that the phone has access to. The iPhone in this case, did not have the front-facing camera.
However, we have been heard differently. It seems that the prototype model does in fact have a front facing camera. In fact, the camera, dubbed iSight, appears on the prototype just like it does on the current iMacs and UniBody MacBooks. The camera is located on the right, just next to the speaker. Another cool thing about the camera module manufactured by Altus Technology is that its actually a 3 megapixel camera. The mystery here is that 3G networks does not support videos of such high resolution. The answer that our source provides says that the video chat software uses a lower resolution capture during a conference. This leads me to only one conclusion – the forward-facing camera may be triggered by a setting in the “Camera” application to shoot self-portraits. We currently have no news of the Video Chat application.
The lens of the front-facing camera is tastefully hidden beneath the clear glass that covers the face of the iPhone and houses the multi-touch display. There is however, no lamp indicator to show that iSight is running. I am assuming that wouldn’t be necessary seeing as to how the iPhone OS does not support the camera being launched in the background. The only problem I for-see with this setup would be the need for the user to keep the glass above the iSight clear and free of grime as this would affect the clarity of the chat.
Other Hardware Upgrades
Other juicy details that our source revealed to us include upgrade to many hardware feature sets in the iPhone. Samsung apparently manufactured a low-power consumption Flash Nand chip. The capacity used in the prototype is a whopping 128 GB. However, it is highly unlikely that the final version will include such a capacity as it is highly impractical, given the current cost of high-capacity flash chips. It would be safe to assume a 64 GB version, however.
Our source also gives us the news that the prototype iPhone does indeed support the volume controls on the new generation Apple In-Ear Headphones. On the other hand, I do not think that new iPhone will ship with the in-ear headphones, but it could be an optional upgrade.
It also seems that Sharp has been kept quite busy by Apple. The prototype apparently has a native display resolution of 840 by 560 pixels. That’s pretty huge for a mobile device. The new multi-touch panel, built under specifications from Cupertino, boasts high energy efficiency levels as well as a brighter as crisp display. We cannot tell for sure about this one, but HD Videos for the iPhone will be a killer. Our source tells us that the software used in the prototype is one that has not been seeded even to developers. It supports the resolution independence technology that is currently being developed for Snow Leopard. This means that games and apps developed for the other iPhones would easily be run on the prototype. Our source did not elaborate on the rumor of a dual back-light system for future iPhones.
With regards to cameras, not only do we have the smashing forward facing camera, we also have news from our source of a 5.0 Megapixel camera mounted on the back of the phone. There is still however, no news of flash for the iPhone. But the word from our source is that the picture quality has indeed been improved. Darker conditions are apparently no longer an obstacle as well.
Last but not least, running such wonderfully upgraded systems will definitely require a faster and more powerful processor. Well, not exactly new. The Infineon Technologies chip used in all of the iPhone and iPod Touch devices is used in the prototype as well. However, with a major adjustment to the clock-speed. This may be due to the different firmware being used in the prototype device. The new clock-speed of the iPhone prototype stands at 600 MHz. It is common knowledge that the iPhone’s ARM processor supports speeds of up to 640 MHz. Once again, this clock-speed may not see the light of day when high device temperature and battery life become and issue with performance and customers.
Josh’s Verdict: Hmm.. 4G on AT&T? That’s the cream of the joke. Maybe Sprint’s XOHM, yeah. But Sprint? It’s Apple and AT&T all the way until 2010. For this reason, I think the successor to the iPhone 3G may be released at 2010 or even later. And anyways, that “prototype” above has no volume controls?
And that prototype image above? Where’s the volume control, man? That’s a good indication that the image might be fake afterall. Check out this shot from Apple’s website (also below): the volume controls can be clearly seen on the model of iPhone 3G on the side.
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Apple: "the iPhone is a gaming console"
According to Engadget’s sources, at an iPhone event held today, John Geleynse (AKA Director of Technology Evangelism at Apple) made some statements regarding the iPhone platform that should seriously raise a few eyebrows. During an ADC “iPhone Tech Talk” in San Jose, Geleynse apparently waxed excited about the potential for the handheld as a viable threat to the DS (and the PSP by proxy), calling the iPhone a “gaming console” and claiming that “it’s not a phone, it’s a console experience.” Pretty bold talk about a device that has yet to really prove its gaming mettle, but nothing new from the Apple camp as far as we’re concerned. Considering these comments alongside those from a recent interview in which Greg Joswiak compared the touch to the DS, it seems clear that the company is making a noticeable effort to push this angle. Adding some fuel to that fire is PR that just went out announcing a series of EA “sneak peek” events at Apple Stores around the US. In their words:
Throughout the month of December Apple Stores in New York, LA, San Francisco and Chicago will host special “EA Games Sneak Peek” events where Electronic Arts will discuss why the iPod touch and iPhone are amazing platforms for mobile gaming…
While there’s no question the iPhone and touch have made inroads when it comes to gaming, it still isn’t clear that there’s going to be anything beyond a casual interest for these devices. Then again, if the Wii’s success has proven anything, it’s that there’s plenty of cash in casual if you can make it appealing enough. And you know how Apple feels about appealing products and money.
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New MacBook firmware update doesn’t resolve memory issues
Apple may well have an update on the way that fixes the 4GB memory problem affecting at least some new MacBooks and MacBook Pros, but it apparently isn’t the firmware update that was just released yesterday. According to jkOnTheRun, while the update appeared to have remedied the problem initially, the freezing eventually returned and, once again, going back to 3GB proved to be the only way to get the laptop back into working condition. Of course, Apple never claimed that the update would fix this particular problem, but it seems that there’s an increasing number of people waiting to hear something about the matter straight from the company. Read
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Apple and AT&T bring back iPhone home activation
Online shoppers looking to spend the holiday season firmly planted on the couch can add the iPhone 3G back to their lists — we’ve just confirmed that Apple and AT&T have quietly brought back in-home activation. Sure, it’s been available in limited circumstances before, but now it’s here and for real, just like with the first-gen unit. Would-be unlockers looking to score a phone for $199 flat can’t start celebrating just yet, though — you’ll still have to provide your billing details and face an ETF if you don’t activate within a set period of time. Oh well — at least it’s convenient, right? Read
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Unibody MacBooks get first firmware updates
New unibody MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air users might want to fire up Software Update — Apple’s got some updated firmware for you. As usual, notes on what problems the new code might fix are pretty light, but let’s hope they address the plethora of problems plaguing Apple’s latest laptops. Give it a shot, and be sure to let us know how it goes in the comments. Read
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iPhone texting gone wrong.
Who knows if this is legit, and sure, it could have happened on any phone, but it’s still worth a good laugh.
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Apple rumored to be turning iTunes into a DRM-free music store
Josh’s Verdict: Hmm. Seems like another false rumor, right? Well, read this from this AppleInsider post :
Meanwhile, a couple of readers this weekend noted some strange happenings on iTunes Store. Specifically, they claim that a handful of tracks from record labels Universal, Sony BMG, and Warner appeared briefly as tracks upgradable to iTunes Plus format.
Of the four major record labels, only EMI has announced support for the DRM-free iTunes format. However,
recent reports have suggested that Apple is currently in talks with the remaining three labels over offering their catalogs through iTunes Plus in the near future.
In particular, readers claim that tracks from 3 Doors Down, Nine Inch Nails, and Neil Young were briefly available for upgrade to iTunes Plus. AlthoughAppleInsider could not reproduce the majority of those findings on Monday morning, it did discover that a handful of Neil Young tracks (Warner) show up as iTunes Plus tracks through the iTunes search function (but not on their respective album pages).
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Walmart iPhone for.. $197?
We’ve been hearing rumors of an iPhone at Walmart for a while now, and the only thing that was even mildly interesting about the unlikely pairing was that there was supposedly going to be a $99 4GB model. Well, now we hear that they’ll indeed be selling the phone, but (as the ad above would seem to indicate) it’s going to be a $197 8GB model — about 2 bucks cheaper than you can get them for at an Apple or AT&T store, with no mention of a 4GB version at all. So, you’re telling us we’re going to be able to get this phone for (almost) exactly the same price as before, but now we can buy it at a store where we can also pick up Slim-Fast in bulk and possibly die in a retail trampling? We’ll pass. Read
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Secret iPhone video-out features hacked, used for video games
Hey, just because using secret undocumented iPhone SDK calls might get you booted from the App Store doesn’t mean it’s not a good time — Ars Technica commissioned Freeverse to mod its Moto Chaser game to use the hidden video-out features in iPhone 2.2, and we have to say the results turned out pretty decent. It’s not perfect — it looks like it only works in landscape mode, and rendering to TV resolutions strains the processor and slows framerates down on all but the faster 2G iPod touch — but it works, and it’s a taste of where iPhone app development could go if Apple ever opens up the gates. Or you could just be Google and do whatever you want, we suppose. Video after the break.
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Apple’s first German retail store opening Saturday
It’s been in the building phase for a while, and now the date is set: Saturday should see the opening of Germany’s first official Apple Store, on Rosenstraße in beautiful Munich. No word yet on whether the German retail employees will be applauding and cheering the first customers at 10 am, but we sure hope so. Perhaps the commemorative t-shirts will be printed with “Hallo, Ich Bin Ein Mac.”
Coverage (auf Deutsch) of the press opener is here, and a very nice Flickr set of photos from insidethe store is here.
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