Kuo: New MacBooks at WWDC, Lower-Priced iPad mini, No Retina mini Production Until October

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KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple will introduce new models across the entire MacBook lineup at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Previously he has stated he didn’t expect Apple to continue offering non-Retina display machines, but has changed that outlook.

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9to5Mac:

Kuo expects all the new models to be bumped up to Haswell processors, expected to give a modest performance bump in the 7-13 percent range, with likely a much better boost to battery-life, though we don’t expect this to be anywhere close to the 24-hour life theoretically achievable …

Kuo is sticking to his earlier prediction of no Retina display version of the MacBook Air, saying Apple cannot as yet achieve a Retina version at the MacBook Pro’s price point and size.

Kuo also suggests a new lower-cost iPad Mini priced in the $ 199 to $ 249 range, which would allow Apple to compete against the numerous cheaper Android tablets.

“Prior to iPad mini 2 launch, Apple might roll out a more affordable iPad mini to compete with Android products. To cut costs, Apple might push for lower component prices, use a more advanced process to produce the A5 processor, simplify metal casing production, remove the rear camera, cut storage to 8GB and find more component suppliers to lower costs. We think this cheaper iPad mini retail for US$ 199~249.”

AppleInsider reports that Kuo is also saying screen yield issues will prevent Apple fro producing a Retina display iPad mini any time before October.

Kuo says that he doesn’t believe an “iPad mini 2″ would go into mass production before October. Apparent production issues associated with packing enough pixels into the device’s 7.9-inch display to qualify it as a “Retina” screen are cited.

“We think Apple will stay competitive in the tablet market over the long term as it releases new and exciting products,” he said. “But with product launches pushed back and competition getting fiercer, Apple and the iPad supply chain will have to wait until (the fourth quarter of calendar 2013) for significant growth.”

Xbox 720 & PS4 to Release on Late October?

The release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 have been a tightly guarded secret for some time now. The only information Sony gave regarding PS4’s release date is that it will happen during “holiday 2013,” while the Xbox 720 hasn’t even been unveiled yet. But it would appear that one of the developers of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag might have unwittingly revealed Microsoft and Sony’s secrets.

ps4 xbox 720 october release Xbox 720 & PS4 to Release on Late October?

Jean Guesdon, creative director for Ubisoft’s Black Flag, spoke at length during an interview about the next installment of Assassin’s Creed and his answers regarding the game’s release has started the rumor mill about the PS4 and Xbox 720 churning. When asked about when Assassin’s Creed 4 will be released, Guesdon stated that it will come out on October 29 in U.S and that it will be released on all consoles, including the next generation ones.

Of course, this led gamers to infer that if what Guesdon was saying is true, then that would mean that the long awaited consoles from Microsoft and Sony would roll-out before October 29. After all, as some analysts have pointed out, an October release would be more profitable for the two companies since it’s at the cusp of the holiday season and would give them the opportunity to take advantage of the Christmas rush.

As usual, take this news with a heavy grain of salt.

iLounge: iPad 5 Will Have October Debut, iPhone 5S and Plastic iPhone Also on The Way

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The iPad and iPhone rumors are coming fast and furious, and now comes a new report from iLounge’s Jeremy Horwitz that contains some new details on the 5th-generation iPad, and even Apple’s work on the iPhone 5S, and the rumored cheaper iPhone. Most notably, Horwitz says that he has inspected what is said to be a shell designed for the fifth-generation iPad, and that the device will adopt many of the features seen in the iPad mini’s design.

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MacRumors:

“What does it look like? Well, it’s a lot smaller than one would guess was possible: in portrait orientation, picture a 9.7” screen with virtually no left or right bezels, and only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements. Beyond that, it’s noticeably thinner, as well, which is to say the the fifth-generation iPad will be smaller in every dimension than its predecessors. As it will have the same chamfered edges and curves, calling it a “stretched iPad mini” is very close to entirely accurate.”

Horowitz says the upcoming iPad is so much thinner and smaller than the current model, that it seems to require a complete redesign of the interior. The redesign will most likely include a shift to IGZO display technology, and smaller chip components.

While Apple had originally hoped to release the 5th-gen iPad in March, it looks like an October release is more feasible.

As for the iPhone(s), Horowitz says the iPhone 5S will appear identical to the 5, but will have a slightly larger rear flash. The rumored “budget” model of the iPhone with the plastic shell is believed to indeed be in Apple’s plans for 2013, focusing on China Mobile, as Apple looks for an “in” with the world’s largest wireless provider.

Horowitz also mentions that the “iPhone Math” is in development, but won’t appear this year, if at all.

Addressing the so-called “iPhone Math”—hinted by one source as a mistranslation of “iPhone +”—we’ve been told that this is another new model and in early prototyping stages, certainly not expected in 2013. It supposedly has a 4.7” screen, at least for the time being. It might never make it to market, and plenty could change before it does. Consider it Apple’s “just in case / Plan B” hedge against ever-growing Android phone screen sizes.Finally, Horwitz says that the rumored “iPhone Math” is indeed in development, but that it will not be appearing this year, if ever.

Horowitz has had a fairly decent track record on Apple product plans in the past, so he apparently does have some reliable sources. Of course with all the other rumors zipping through the intertubes, I thinkI’ll just sit back, relax with an adult beverage, and wait to see what really comes out of the campus in Cupertino.

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iPhone 5S to Feature 13MP Camera & Faster Processor, Retina iPad Mini Set for October Launch?

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Following earlier claims about Apple’s upcoming iPhone and iPad lineup, iLounge editor Jeremy Horowitz has published an additional report claiming that the next iPad mini will be upgraded with a Retina display, and will be released by October. The report also claims that the iPhone 5S will include a faster processor, as well as a 13-megapixel camera.

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Horowitz also provides supposed internal code names for the upcoming iPhone and iPad hardware:

(1) The iPhone 5S is still months away from mass production, but our source suspects that the star feature will be an upgraded rear camera—perhaps featuring Sony’s 13-Megapixel sensor, plus the aforementioned flash upgrade—along with a processor bump. Current prototypes are codenamed N51 and N53, with July mentioned as the target date.

(2) The iPad 5’s code name is J72. As mentioned before, it looks like an October release, give or take.

(3) The second-generation iPad mini has a code name of J85, and is currently planned for October, as well. Everyone we’ve spoken with assumes that it will look and feel basically the same as the first-generation model but feature a Retina screen. That said, no one has actually come up with deeper details on it quite yet. If it’s going to go Retina without substantial body changes, it will need a thin, dense screen (read: IGZO), and it remains to be seen whether there will be enough of those to go around this year.

If the report is true, it will be interesting to see what Apple announces during their first quarter, if anything. Previously, Apple has announced new iPad hardware during the first quarter, which would make an iPad release later in the year a significant break away from their current release schedule.

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Samsung In Deep Trouble Against Apple With October 24 Ruling

Samsung and Apple’s battle in court, about patents of course, goes on ‘til now. We saw that Samsung ended up hurt in one phase of the battle, losing a billion dollars in one of the lawsuits. And yet again, they could be in for more trouble. A new document springing up in the International Trade Commission (ITC) says how an October ruling of an Apple might affect Samsung.

apple iphone design patent Samsung In Deep Trouble Against Apple With October 24 Ruling

The document is a public redacted version of Judge Pender’s determinations about the October 24 ruling. Pender has judged that Samsung breached four Apple patents, one of which is the iPhone design patent, another is the multi-touch patent and other two software design patents, both of which are related to audio hardware detection and graphic display elements.

The sanctions that Samsung may possibly deal with include a U.S. import band, effective after a 60-day presidential review period, a cease-and-desist order on the ban on the infringing accused products in the U.S. and to post a bond of their products infringing the design patents of Apple during the presidential period. The bond covers 88 percent of the value of mobile phones, 32.5 percent on all media players as well as 37.6% on all tablet computers.

All these may sound bad news to Samsung. On the bright side, Judge Pender has cleared different Samsung designarounds which if found “technically adequate and commercially viable”, Samsung could continue selling and importing.

(source)