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FINAL UPDATE:
I will be going dark on Apple news and rumors following the revelation of Apple's intense secrecy and security surrounding tomorrow's event. It should be a heck of a show and I am ready to enjoy all the surprises to the fullest extent.
Until then.
Update 7:
It's looking more and more likely that we'll actually get to see something very different and new from Apple, even if other companies have already had a crack at this particular market (read: smart watch). NEW leaks today, direct from confidential manufacturer slides, point to Apple's most ambitious project to date, no contest.
iWatch:
- Will include both a microphone and a speaker
- Will include Siri support (whether that's through the phone via connectivity is a mystery, though if previous rumors of 8gb on-board memory and 512mb RAM are true, we may see the dawn of a Siri that is at least partially free of network support)
- It may run 3rd party apps and get its own app store (!)
- Will be water resistant for 200 feet (standard for watches)
- Will have more than a day of battery life
- More confirmation of a flexible screen
- (Side note: Apple has invited many design and fashion A-listers to tomorrow's event, presumably to display to them Apple's new, fashionable wearable)
The slides in question, from which this information was gleaned, indeed lines up with Quanta slides -- the company thought to be supplying the iWatch for Apple. Images are below.
iPhone:
We've got more information about the iPhone 5.5" that seemingly confirms the final battery size as being just over 2,900. Still, we've seen surprisingly few bits of the 5.5" iPhone, which leads me to believe that we may not have it available to us at the same time the 4.7" iPhone is released upon the public (likely a week after the Sept 9 event).
More updates as they are available.
(This may constitute the final update before tomorrow's event unless there is a major break in the news. Also please note the purposeful exclusion of a more significant leak -- a Chinese review of the iPhone 6 -- as it is believed to be an elaborate fake.)
Update 6:
New news from who knows who (reported by the New York Times) --
iWatch
According to sources, the Apple's highly anticipated wearable may be more meaningful than we thought. Previously, it was reported that the watch itself wouldn't even be announced, but now we've received some new information contrary to that report. According to recent sources, the iWatch may include --
- Flexible, OLED display covered in flexible sapphire crystal
- Wireless charging (Apple experimented with solar charging but the tech is just not there yet -- yet)
- It will track movement and user health data more accurately than any wearable out there
- NFC on board, with 512mb RAM and 8gb of storage
- Size rumors range from 1.2" to 1.3" to 2.5" screens (with multiple options in screen size depending on the wearer's preference)
- May come in around $400USD
- Jony Ive, Apple's lead designer, is so confident in the device that he was quoted as saying (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Switzerland is f****d."
- It's likely this is Apple's most ambitious project to date
If they can pull all that off, while still delivering at least a day or more of battery life, I'll be surprised and impressed. The smartwatch world hasn't been lit up yet, and has in fact set up on a tee this wearable opportunity for Apple -- and it seems they're stepping up to the plate in a big way.
iPhone 6
- Both the 4.7" and 5.5" versions will come with a "one-hand-mode" that users can switch on and off
- Mobile payment system will be the killer app utilizing NFC, Bluetooth, and TouchID for the best mobile security solution in mobile payments
Both the 5.5" iPhone and the iWatch may get debuted, but it's likely both will not be available until after the 4.7" iPhone has been on the market for a few weeks (if not until the end of the year, sadly).
iPad
Updates have been reletively quiet in regards to the iPad, which typically sees a refresh after the iPhone launches (Apple's iPhone typically gets the newest tech first before it trickles down to their other product lines). Rumors talk of an iPad announcement, featuring Apple's new (rumored to be truly killer) A8 SoC, 2gb RAM, and a gold option.
All good news, very exciting.
Update 5:
We are now just a week away and have started to come across more definitive parts for the rumored 5.5" model, including this 2,915mAh battery. This would put it in line with some of the higher end android flagships in terms of battery life and may result in some never before seen runtime for Apple's mobile phone.
And we've got a new video showcasing what the next iPhone may actually look like again and this time we get to see it side by side with the 5s.
Last juicy tidbit -- another report regarding the iWatch: It looks as though the iWatch may not be announced on September 9th because it has only recently gone into testing phases (the stage before an initial manufacturing run begins). If true, it's too bad, because I was really hoping Apple was building that large structure next to the venue for the purpose of housing an indoor track and other fitness equipment so folks could try the iWatch out right then and there (before a 2015 launch).
Update 4:
From left field comes Feld & Volk with some very interesting video of what they're reporting is a fully constructed (or at least nearly fully constructed) iPhone 6. My immediate thought -- the pictures do not do this phone justice.
In videos, it's very appealing and the edges aren't nearly as gaunt and metallic as they appeared at first glance with other parts we'd been privy to. I imagine that perhaps what we're seeing is a polished part vs a production part.
Other interesting tidbits -- It's being said now that the 5.5" iPhone 6 won't be introduced at the September event for reasons not fully known, but it's no surprise. While we've seen leak after leak of 4.7" parts, we've seen little to nothing regarding the 5.5" model -- a sign that it's likely not in mass production. Which leads to the next tidbit.
The iWatch is likely going to be debuted alongside the iPhone 6 as an accessory type object, but will likely not ship until early 2015 -- or perhaps in very limited quantities this Fall. Again, the lack of leaked parts reveals perhaps that it has not yet been put into production. Rumors state that the difficulty making the wearable have slowed things down quite a bit -- a rumor I'm quite fond of because it leads me to believe the iWatch may incorporate design elements or capabilities that no other wearables have even flirted with. Very exciting.
Update 3:
We have a little more information in the way of photography and speculation from the famous John Dalrymple of LoopInsight. His analysis is likely accurate, which removes a bit of mystery from the situation, but still leads me to believe Apple is planning for something bigger than is typical.
Apple is constructing its own building on the Flint Center grounds as part of the event. It seems to me that this could be the hands-on area that Apple typically has for attendees after the event.
Credit John Dalrymple @ LoopInsight
Some images from Dalrymple are featured below, click for a larger version of each one.
The potential take-away from this Apple event vet is this--
"...Apple has held three events at the venue over the years and they have been huge."
Update 2:
ENORMOUS Mystery Object
According to MacRumors, Apple is building some mystery structure reaching a monstrous three stories tall. You can see the image below:
What it is nobody knows and the scads of people guarding the object are replying with the same phrase, "We are not at liberty to discuss that due to client wishes." As if the iPhone 6 announcement itself wasn't big enough news, this has certainly upped the allure of the event a few notches.
Location, Location, Location
The event will be held at Flint Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of De Anza College in Cupertino -- notably the place Apple first introduced the Mac. It's believed that the announcements coming on September 9 are so significant that they're returning to where the revolution truly began 30 years ago and it is certainly a compelling argument. If they were going to introduce a new revolution upon the world, this 2,000 seat center is the place to do it (it's many times larger than where Apple typically holds product announcements).
Update 1:
iPhone 6
- Will likely come in two sizes, 4.7 and 5.5 (the latter may be delayed)
- Will likely come with a new A8 processor (how big a jump this will be is TBD)
- Will likely have upgraded camera internals that may protrude from the back
- Will likely have a significantly upgraded design
- Will likely be lighter and thinner than previous iPhones
- Will likely be equipped with a larger battery
- May have a sapphire screen or some combination of sapphire and glass
- May have NFC built in for a new mobile payment solution detail
- May come with a 128gb internal storage option
- Some say it may have a barometric pressure monitor on board
iWatch
- May come with a fully sapphire glass screen
- More details as they become available...
Examining the Invitation
Invitations for major Apple events always hint at what is to come. I find the text, "Wish we could say more" compelling because it may point Siri enhancements that may directly relate to an Apple wearable device. Siri is a useful tool that I tend to rely on most days of the week for reminders, timers, alarms, calendar events, texting while driving, emailing while driving, and having the former two read to me while driving. (Pipe Dream Scenario: Apple's recent partnership with IBM runs deeper than we all knew and Siri is retired in place of Watson for Apple's digital assistant.)
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