Another iPhone 16 Pro rumor suggests Apple might be focusing on all the wrong things for its next flagship release

A fresh Apple supply chain report has revealed that Apple’s hotly-anticipated Face ID overhaul and a move to an under-display camera could still be on the cards for the iPhone 16 after the company pulled the plug on orders for the components of its current biometric configuration. 

In 2022, reports suggested that the iPhone 16 would feature under-display Face ID. However, the source of that report, top insider Ross Young, withdrew the initial rumor in 2023 with a revised roadmap pointing to the change coming with the iPhone 17 in 2025 instead. Now, reports of a British microchip plant facing closure have reopened the possibility of the change coming this year instead. 

iPhone 16’s under-display Face ID 

As reported by The Telegraph, a 310,000 sq ft chip facility in County Durham, UK, is facing closure after Apple “pulled the plug” on a “lucrative” supply deal. According to owner Coherent, its primary customer, purported to be Apple, ceased orders at the end of FY 2023. The plant has already laid off 100 staff, with 257 kept on to fulfill its remaining contracts. The news is interesting for iPhone customers because it points to a major change coming to Face ID this year. According to The Telegraph, “the plant manufactures components for Apple that feature in the iPhone’s Face ID recognition system, but that the US giant is believed to have ceased orders due to upcoming changes to the next version of the iPhone.” 

If Apple sticks to its own tried and tested pattern we can expect it to announce the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro handsets later this year and we've been hearing rumors about them since before the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro went on sale last year. One of those rumors centered on talk of a new Capture button being added to the mix, and it's the buttons that are once again causing headlines.

That's because, according to a new supply chain report, Apple is set to change the way buttons work on the upcoming iPhones. There were rumors last year that the iPhone 15 would ditch its clicky buttons in favor of new capacitive ones that would react to being touched. The prospect immediately reminds me of the iPhone 7's Home button, not to mention the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro's non-moving trackpads. Ultimately, Apple decided to stick with its clicky buttons for the current wave of iPhones, but it's thought it may revisit capacitive buttons with its 2024 iPhone refresh.

That's based on information that Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, or ASE, has picked up an order to produce the components required to make capacitive buttons work with Apple's Taptic Engine vibration motors — the motors that would simulate a click when a capacitive button is pressed.

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"The 7-megapixel selfie camera is great too, although some might not like the level of detail it preserves – if you have big pores, as I do, be prepared for them to show up. You can always soften these kinds of details after the fact but nevertheless it will look like you woke up 5 minutes later in Videocalls."

At long last, the iPhone 7 is here. At the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Apple continued its traditional naming structure with the introduction of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. We’ve been playing around with the upcoming iOS 10 operating system in beta for the better part of two months, and the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will ship with the new OS (read more about iOS 10 here), but we were excited to learn more about the actual phones.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new iPhones, and trust us, there’s a lot of interesting changes.

Waterproof design and durability

The iPhone 7 and the 7 Plus aren’t part of Apple’s major update cycle — you’ll have to wait for next year’s model for that, and of course rumors are already abound — but they do have some awesome new abilities.

Both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are (finally!) water- and dust-resistant (IP67), meaning you’re free to get them wet without worry. That means you’ll be able to take either of them underwater for about 30 minutes, up to 1 meter deep.

Read more at http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-iphone-7-news-2-2/#ixzz4JwiYlkSw

Apple introduced the next-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus at its media event in San Francisco on September 9. The new iPhones feature an A9 chip and M9 motion coprocessor, 3D Touch, 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, stronger glass and Series 7000 aluminum, faster Touch ID, Live Photos and a new Rose Gold color option.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by an Apple A9 chip and embedded M9 motion coprocessor that deliver up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% faster graphics compared to the A8 chip inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

3D Touch on iPhone is similar to Force Touch on Apple Watch, enabling users to make "peek and pop" gestures on the screen to access actionable shortcuts or preview content, such as text messages, flight information, calendar appointments and more. There's also a new Taptic Engine inside of the iPhone 6s that enables haptic feedback so you get touch-based responses when using 3D Touch.
The smartphones feature an improved 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera with 4K video recording and 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime camera with true tone Retina Flash -- in low light, the front display will flash for a split second instead of using a traditional LED flash.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also have a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is up to two times faster compared to Touch ID on previous iPhones.

The iPhones are crafted from Series 7000 aluminum and come in a new Rose Gold color, alongside Silver, Space Gray and Gold. Otherwise, the handsets look virtually the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but they are slightly thicker and heavier.

The smartphones feature an improved 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera with 4K video recording and 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime camera with true tone Retina Flash -- in low light, the front display will flash for a split second instead of using a traditional LED flash.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also have a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is up to two times faster compared to Touch ID on previous iPhones.
The iPhones are crafted from Series 7000 aluminum and come in a new Rose Gold color, alongside Silver, Space Gray and Gold. Otherwise, the handsets look virtually the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but they are slightly thicker and heavier.

The iPhone 6s retails for $199/$299/$399 for 16GB/64GB/128GB respectively on a two-year contract. The iPhone 6s Plus retails for $299/$399/$499 for 16GB/64GB/128GB respectively on a two-year contract. Carrier financing and leasing programs are also available through AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and many other carriers worldwide, and Apple also announced its own iPhone upgrade program that lets users get a new iPhone each year with pricing that starts at $32.41 per month.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders begin on Saturday, September 12 at 12:01 AM Pacific ahead of a Friday, September 25 launch in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The new iPhones will be available in over 130 countries by the end of the year.

Apple on Thursday sent out invitations to a special event being held on Sept. 9, 2014 at 10:00 am. Typically Apple’s events are held either at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco or at the company’s campus, but this year is a bit different. Apple said in the invitation that the event will be held at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, the city where Apple’s corporate headquarters is located. It’s widely expected that Apple will introduce new iPhones at the event, which makes perfect sense—Apple has used the September event to launch new iPhones for a number of years now. Getting new products out in the fall sets the company up for a solid holiday shopping season, the busiest time of the year for consumers. I will be at the event and will bring you coverage as it happens.

Apple today introduced iPhone 5c, featuring an all-new design in five colors — blue, green, pink, yellow, and white. iPhone 5c is built on a foundation of familiar features like the 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast performance of the A6 chip, and the 8 megapixel iSight camera — all while delivering great battery life. iPhone 5c comes with more LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world, a new FaceTime HD camera, and iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone. “iPhone 5c is everything iPhone 5 was and more, in an all-new design packed with great features,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. iPhone 5c will be available in the U.S. on September 20 for a suggested retail price of $99 for the 16GB model and $199 for the 32GB model, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5c beginning September 13

Apple today announced iPhone 5s, the most advanced iPhone yet. With its new A7 chip, iPhone 5s is the first smartphone with 64-bit technology, providing blazing-fast performance when launching apps, editing photos, or playing graphic-intensive games. iPhone 5s features an all-new 8-megapixel iSight camera and introduces the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which allows you to securely unlock your phone with the touch of your finger. iPhone 5s comes with iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone. “iPhone 5s is the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, delivering desktop class architecture in the palm of your hand,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. iPhone 5s comes in gold, silver, or space gray, and will be available September 20 at the suggested retail price of $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model, and $399 for the 64GB model.

Six years after it launched, the company appears to be set to classify its first-generation model as "vintage" in the US. The firm does not provide service parts or service documentation for obsolete products, and they cannot be sent to Apple engineers for repairs. For products classified as vintage in the US, spare parts will still be available for the next two years for customers who purchased their iPhone in California, due to an anomaly of American consumer law. Consumers who still want to service or repair their original iPhone can still do so through independent service centres. The original iPhone was discontinued in 2008 when it was replaced by the iPhone 3G. Apple reportedly sold 6.1 million first generation iPhone units in the year or so before the iPhone 3G was launched.

The seventh-generation iPod Nano now offers a bigger display, thinner design, and a new volume rocker.

The new iPod Nano will please people who've been craving a larger display. But those who want to wear one as a watch are out of luck. Apple said today that it wanted to "reinvent the product," and it's done just that. The new Nano sports a 2-inch, multitouch screen, almost resembling a traditional MP3 player. The latest model is also 40 percent thinner than the sixth-generation version.

A new volume rocker on the side lets users play, pause, and scroll through the music, while the built-in FM tuner includes a live pause feature. The new models comes in a variety of colors, including purple, green, blue, yellow, red, black, silver, all of them giving the Nano an anodized aluminum look. The default background wallpaper matches the color of the device itself. Pictures unveiled of the new Nano sport a home screen with apps. But they're the usual Nano apps rather than apps from Apple's App store. Fitness and pedometer apps are built in, and the Nano integrates with Nike+ out of the box.

No Web browser or Wi-Fi are included, but Bluetooth is part of the package, so you can wirelessly stream music and video to headphones, speakers, and other Bluetooth devices. The new Nano also takes advantage of Apple's new Lighting Dock connector. Apple's still diminutive iPod Shuffle remains unchanged from last year's model but is getting a new choice of paint job to match all the new colors available with the Nano. Though we were hoping the nano would go for a more watch-like form factor, the new design gives you a solid 16GB media player for $149.

SAN FRANCISCO—September 12, 2012—Apple® today announced iPhone® 5, the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina™ display; an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology*—all while delivering even better battery life.** iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook® organization; and even more Siri® features and languages.

“iPhone 5 is the most beautiful consumer device that we’ve ever created,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We’ve packed an amazing amount of innovation and advanced technology into a thin and light, jewel-like device with a stunning 4-inch Retina display, blazing fast A6 chip, ultrafast wireless, even longer battery life; and we think customers are going to love it.”

iPhone 5 is the thinnest smartphone in the world, with an all-new 7.6 mm anodized aluminum body that is 18 percent thinner and 20 percent lighter than iPhone 4S. Designed with an unprecedented level of precision, iPhone 5 combines an anodized aluminum body with diamond cut chamfered edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish.

The new 4-inch Retina display on iPhone 5 delivers even more pixels than iPhone 4S, making the already incredible Retina display even better. By making the screen taller, not wider, iPhone 5 is just as easy to use with one hand so you can tap, type and scroll the same way you always have, while enjoying even more of your content including amazing apps optimized for the larger Retina display, widescreen HD video, a full five days of your Calendar and more of every web page.

iPhone 5 supports ultrafast wireless standards including LTE and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download and stream content even faster. To support the latest LTE technology, Apple has pioneered a unique single-radio LTE solution that provides blazing fast speeds while fitting perfectly into the new remarkably thin design. iPhone 5 features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps.***

The all-new A6 chip was designed by Apple to maximize performance and power efficiency to support all the incredible new features in iPhone 5, including the stunning new 4-inch Retina display—all while delivering even better battery life. With up to twice the CPU and graphics performance, almost everything you do on iPhone 5 is blazing fast for launching apps, loading web pages and downloading email attachments.

The 8 megapixel iSight® camera is the most popular camera in the world and with iPhone 5, it’s even better. The new camera is completely redesigned with incredible optical performance, yet amazingly it’s 25 percent smaller than the camera in iPhone 4S. The new iSight camera in iPhone 5 features a sapphire crystal lens cover that is thinner and more durable than standard glass with the ability to provide crystal clear images. The new panorama feature lets you capture jaw-dropping panorama images of up to 28 megapixels by simply moving the camera across a scene in one smooth motion. New video features include improved stabilization, video face detection for up to 10 faces and the ability to take still photos as you record. A new FaceTime® HD front facing camera makes FaceTime calls incredibly clear and can also be used for self portraits and recording 720p HD video. iPhone 5 also allows you to share photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

iPhone 5 features the new Lightning™ connector that is smaller, smarter and more durable than the previous connector. The all-digital Lightning connector features an adaptive interface that uses only the signals that each accessory requires, and it’s reversible so you can instantly connect to your accessories. The Lightning-to-30-pin Adapter is also available to connect iPhone 5 to legacy 30-pin accessories.****

iPhone 5 introduces new enhanced audio features including a new beam-forming, directional microphone system for higher quality sound, while background noise fades away with new noise canceling technology. iPhone 5 now includes support for cellular wideband audio for crisper word clarity and more natural sounding speech. Wideband audio will be supported by over 20 carriers worldwide at launch. iPhone 5 comes with the new Apple EarPods™ featuring a breakthrough design for a more natural fit and increased durability, and an incredible acoustic quality typically reserved for higher-end earphones.

iPhone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new user features including: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover™ view; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center; Passbook, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place; new Siri features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings;***** Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari® and Maps; and Shared Photo Streams via iCloud®.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 5 comes in either white & silver or black & slate, and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. iPhone 5 will be available from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 5 will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK on Friday, September 21, and customers can pre-order their iPhone 5 beginning Friday, September 14. iPhone 4S will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 4 will be available for free with a two-year contract.****** iOS 6 software will be available on Wednesday, September 19 as a free software update.

iPhone 5 will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries on September 28, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

* LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks, check with your carrier for details.
** Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
*** Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
**** Sold separately.
***** Not all features are supported in all countries.
****** Availability varies by carrier.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Press Contacts:
Nat Harrison
Apple
harri@apple.com
(408) 862-0565

Teresa Brewer
Apple
tbrewer@apple.com
(408) 974-6851

Not really too much new information here, but still worth a look as Tony “Godfather of the iPod” Fadell talks about the three iPhone prototypes Apple had in play during development. Apple seriously considered hardware keyboard for iPhone, until the very last moment when Apple decided to go with the touchscreen-only design.

Fadell left Apple back in 2008 but was an integral part of the development of multitude of iPods and the first 3 iterations of the iPhone. Fadell notes that initial iPhone prototypes included a keyboard-less model, an iPod/iPhone hybrid, and another version that we don’t know much about.

The ultimate decision maker was, of course, Steve Jobs who felt that a keyboard-less smartphone would was key to the iconic design Apple was trying to usher in, and as we can see today, did.

The interview comes courtesy of "The Verge"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HA4C44ZOWgM

This week is going to an important week for phone manufactures and mobile operators since they will decide which SIM will become the new standard. The proposed nano-SIM of Apple could become the new standard, since it is still compatible with older devices. Nokia’s nano-SIM is not compatible with current devices, but solves other problems.The Verge claims that Apple’s nano-SIM card can be used with an adapter, which makes it fit in all current devices. ETSI, a European standardization organization of manufacturers and mobile operators will have to make a decision later this week.
Apple’s design is actually a micro-SIM card without any plastic at the edges. It has the electrical connections on the same traditional points, this also makes it compatible with older devices because you will simply only need an adapter. However, Nokia claims that it does not meet the criteria. Because the nano-SIM is as long as the micro-SIM is wide, users could place it in a phone with a micro-SIM slot. If this happens, it will be difficult to remove the SIM card from the device. A new SIM card standard should no longer cause problems like these.
Nokia’s design is not compatible with current micro-SIM. The connectors are in a different position, and it also doesn’t need a special adapter to keep it in place, thanks to a notch in the design it can be easily removed. The design is also slightly smaller than the one of Apple. BlackBerry-maker RIM created its own design, but dropped it to support Nokia’s SIM card design. This way Apple would have less chance to win.
Apple will be offering their nano-SIM design for free to manufactures and mobile operators. It is currently unclear whether Nokia will do this as well.
The current micro-SIM card that is being used by Apple, Nokia, HTC, Sony and Motorola, was named as a standard in 2003. The traditional SIM card, which is actually named mini-SIM card, has been a standard since the early 90’s.

Apple offers nano-SIM card technology for free however Nokia says that it won’t license patents if Apple’s nano-SIM will become the standard

When the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) will choose for Apple’s nano-SIM card as the new standard, then Nokia will refuse to grant Apple licenses for certain patents that are needed for the new SIM. This news was announced by Nokia today. Without the licenses of Nokia, Apple will not be able to use the new nano-SIM card. Nokia claims that Apple is exploiting the approval process of ETSI.
Henry Tirri, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Nokia, says that Apple is abusing the approval process of ETSI to push their nano-SIM as the new standard. According to Nokia, the Apple nano-SIM doesn’t even meet the technical requirements that were set by ETSI. Nokia calls on members of the ETSI to not go with Apple’s proposal, but look at what’s good for the current telecom market. The Financial Times previously claimed that Apple has had numerous conversations with subsidiaries of ETSI.
Nokia could refuse to grant licenses on patents that are needed for the Apple nano-SIM, and this will make it even harder for Apple to become the new standard. Various reports claim that Nokia owns various SIM card patents that are required for the new nano-SIM card of Apple.
Apple announced that other smartphone manufacturers will be able to use the nano-SIM for free, if the ETSI decides that it will become the new standard. A decision is expected later this week however if the implementation of Apple’s nano-SIM card tray will become the new standard this week, other manufacturers will be able to make use of this technology for free. Mobile operators and phone manufacturers will this week vote about the new SIM-card standard.
The nano-SIM implementation of Apple is one of the technologies that could possibly be the successor of the current SIM and micro-SIM cards. Only a few days before the final decision, a letter from Apple to the ETSI leaked, which proved that Apple would offer the nano-SIM technology free or charge to other smartphone manufacturers.
Nano-SIM should not only be a third smaller than the current SIM cards, but also thinner. This would help phone manufactures to make their device lighter, smaller and better, because there will simply be more room for chips or other hardware features.
At the moment is it unclear why Apple is pushing so hard for the nano-SIM to become the standard. The iPhone manufacturer is currently battling companies such as Samsung, HTC, and Motorola for the violating of patent licenses.
Besides the proposal of Apple there is also a consortium of other companies led by Nokia, which is in the race to become the new SIM-card standard. ETSI will this this week make the final decision about which technology is going to be the standard. Last week, it became clear that Apple was already trying to buy votes by setting up a number of subsidiaries in order to win the race.

Apple has bought Israel's Anobit, a maker of flash storage technology, for up to $500m (£319m), the Calcalist financial daily reported on Tuesday, following almost a week of speculation surrounding the companies.

The newspaper said Anobit's management was in the process of gathering its staff to formally announce the acquisition by Apple. There was no announcement at the time of writing on either company's website. The purchase is the first by Apple of an Israel-based company.

Flash storage is used in mobile phones and some computers to store data: it gives high-speed access but because it has no moving parts, unlike a magnetic hard drive, it is immune from knocks and magnetic fields. But such SSDs – solid state drives – are pricier and are a comparatively young technology.

Anobit has developed a chip that enhances flash drive performance through signal processing. The chip is already incorporated in Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and the MacBook Air, where some models use SSDs rather than spinning hard drives. Last week, Calcalist said Apple was interested in Anobit's technology to increase and enhance the memory volume and performance of its devices. The chip may double the memory volume in the new iPads and MacBooks.

At ZDnet, Robin Haris – who has previous spoken to Anobit's chief executive Avraham Meir – said the company has developed systems which improve the stability of flash memory.

"Anobit designs controller chips that make flash behave", Harris wrote. It adds reliability, accuracy, endurance and power consumption improvements to standard flash systems through its proprietary controller chip.

Calling the Anobit acquisition "Apple's biggest hardware bet ever – and it is a good bet", Harris said it would give Apple "a powerful competitive weapon that can be used to both reduce costs and/or increase performance, while increasing product quality in terms of reliability and battery life".

Apple in 2008 bought a chip design company, PA Semi, and integrated its staff's expertise to help design the A4 and A5 chips that run its iPhone and iPad.

Anobit holds or has applied for more than 60 patents which would be applicable to future technologies, he said.

In addition to the acquisition, Apple will also open a research and development centre in Israel, its first outside the US, Calcalist said.

Anobit and Apple were not available for comment.

LOS ANGELES – Apple tonight established an email to express condolences for Steve Jobs. Apple allowed users, employees, and friends tonight to share their “thoughts, memories, and condolences” through the email set up at rememberingsteve@apple.com. Apple confirms to news that it wishes to celebrate Jobs’ life and invites comments about Jobs and how his vision touched people’s lives, worldwide.

Tim Cook issued a news statement upon Jobs’ passing tonight. Cook said “I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today”. Cook said that, with Jobs’ passing, Apple had “lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.” Cook also called Jobs a caring person and an “inspiring mentor.” And despite his passing, Jobs leaves a “spirit [that] will forever be the foundation of Apple” Cook told news this evening.
Cook encouraged others to celebrate Jobs through the Apple website tonight. “We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon.”

Jobs’ family issued the following statement to news tonight. “Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family. In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family.”
Jobs’ family indicated a special website may also be set up for users to remember Jobs. “We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.
They added “We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.”

http://www.apple.com/stevejobs
Updated at Saturday, October 15^th 2011

Dear iPhone 4 Users,

The iPhone 4 has been the most successful product launch in Apple’s history. It has been judged by reviewers around the world to be the best smartphone ever, and users have told us that they love it. So we were surprised when we read reports of reception problems, and we immediately began investigating them. Here is what we have learned.

To start with, gripping almost any mobile phone in certain ways will reduce its reception by 1 or more bars. This is true of iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, as well as many Droid, Nokia and RIM phones. But some users have reported that iPhone 4 can drop 4 or 5 bars when tightly held in a way which covers the black strip in the lower left corner of the metal band. This is a far bigger drop than normal, and as a result some have accused the iPhone 4 of having a faulty antenna design.

At the same time, we continue to read articles and receive hundreds of emails from users saying that iPhone 4 reception is better than the iPhone 3GS. They are delighted. This matches our own experience and testing. What can explain all of this?

We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising.

Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. Our formula, in many instances, mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength. For example, we sometimes display 4 bars when we should be displaying as few as 2 bars. Users observing a drop of several bars when they grip their iPhone in a certain way are most likely in an area with very weak signal strength, but they don’t know it because we are erroneously displaying 4 or 5 bars. Their big drop in bars is because their high bars were never real in the first place.

To fix this, we are adopting AT&T’s recently recommended formula for calculating how many bars to display for a given signal strength. The real signal strength remains the same, but the iPhone’s bars will report it far more accurately, providing users a much better indication of the reception they will get in a given area. We are also making bars 1, 2 and 3 a bit taller so they will be easier to see.

We will issue a free software update within a few weeks that incorporates the corrected formula. Since this mistake has been present since the original iPhone, this software update will also be available for the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G.

We have gone back to our labs and retested everything, and the results are the same— the iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. For the vast majority of users who have not been troubled by this issue, this software update will only make your bars more accurate. For those who have had concerns, we apologize for any anxiety we may have caused.

As a reminder, if you are not fully satisfied, you can return your undamaged iPhone to any Apple Retail Store or the online Apple Store within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.

We hope you love the iPhone 4 as much as we do.

Thank you for your patience and support

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI9np8CZ95A&feature=youtube_gdata

Sent from my iPhone

This is the new iPhone 4...

Apple's share of the smartphone market is growing quickly enough that it could overtake Nokia's in as little as four years, according to data from Generator Research. The analyst group sees the market almost reversing itself from its situation today and believes Nokia will tumble from about 40 percent share today to just 20 percent in 2013. iPhones, meanwhile, should accelerate and hit 33 percent of the market at the same point. Apple would match Nokia's share sometime in 2011 and ship as many as 77 million phones that year.

The apparent flip is expected to come about both through ideal conditions for Apple as well as an inability for Nokia to pay attention to smartphones as much as it would like. Generator sees Apple as entering a "golden age" of fast growth both because of the combination of the iPhone and the App Store, with one driving sales of the other. It also has the benefit of selling both to smartphone users as well as to existing iPod owners. A crossover device appealing to high end media phone users, such as the $99 iPhone 3G, should also give the company a boost.

Nokia, in turn, is seen as a victim of its own emphasis on low-cost phones. As it makes most of its current money selling budget devices in developing countries where there's still room to sell phones in that category, the company doesn't have an actual financial stake in keeping smartphones at the top. The Finnish giant is likely to try and defend its territory but may be only half-hearted in funding its efforts as the smartphone business won't be where Nokia makes its true profits.

Much of Nokia's already ongoing decline in share is commonly attributed to its own slow response to competitors. While it responded to the BlackBerry's popularity outside of work relatively quickly with the E71, the company took a year and a half to react to the iPhone's debut with its own touchscreen phone, the 5800 XpressMusic, and has only just launched its second in the form of the N97. The rapid expansion of the iPhone's App Store also pushed Nokia to launch the Ovi Store as a central portal for software despite running its N-Gage and music stores with modest success for considerably longer.

Generator is convinced that Apple could speed up its sales further by more tightly integrating the iPhone app ecosystem with carriers, which the researchers believe would let developers target specific networks and perform feats that aren't normally possible with Apple's carrier-neutral strategy. Apps could be written to send individual or group SMS messages for alerts, for example, or could establish calls and customize ringtones.

1. Tablet computer is the best mobile PC solution.

A Tablet PC is compact and convertible which allows you to use your computer in places it would be awkward to use a laptop. You can even use it while standing up. With the wireless Internet support a Tablet PC is extremely convenient to use while being about town.

2. Write notes rather than type.

You can interact with people sitting across from you while writing notes, rather than having a computer screen between you. It’s great because you can use technology and still have that personal interaction with others.

3. Taking notes — easier in meetings or classroom.

Tablet PCs are especially great for students, or in a classroom situation. They are also great in meetings. You can quickly write notes — and then organize and search your notes later. You can even include audio files, or presentations with your notes.

4. A Tablet PC is more personal.

Write emails using your own handwriting. Send messages to friends and family (even those without a Tablet PC.) It brings back the personalized touch of handwritten cards, rather than the impersonal feel of regular emails. Your family will love it.

5. Make comments easily.

Tablet PCs make it easy to make comments (like sticky notes, and highlighters). Personalize what you are reading. Make notes in margins. Draw right on the screen while making presentations.

6. Convert handwriting to text.

Once you have your handwritten notes — your Tablet computer can easily convert those notes into typed text.

7. Search handwritten text.

You can also search your own handwritten notes. This is the coolest feature. You will be the envy of your friends once you show them how you can write their name and then find it just by searching your notes.

8. It’s the next generation of notebook computer.

Windows XP has a version just for Tablet PCs — with some additions. Get all of the security and features of Windows XP — and carry it with you on your Tablet PC. The new Apple tablet will likely have customized functionality specific to the new platform.

9. Tablet computer software.

The cool thing about a Tablet is you get the cutting edge technology of the latest software. There are hundreds of third-party software applications for the Tablet.

10. Multi-Language Capability.

The Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 comes in 20 languages. No specific announcements on the Apple Tablet but based on past performance from Apple, we are certain to see multi-language capability.