Apple files dispute claim with WIPO over the iPhone5.com domain

We love rumors concerning the next iPhone and cherry-pick them carefully – and purely for the sake of discussion. These stories also prompt some of our readers to argue in comments that we here at iDB, as well as other media outlets, stubbornly insist on calling it the iPhone 5 even though it’s the sixth model in the series.

The debate has become a tradition of sorts. Of course, we encourage and very much appreciate your views on the subject. Adding fuel to the already heated discussion, it has come to our attention that Apple filed a dispute claim with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) over the iPhone5.com domain.

Now, Apple frequently files such claims and in some instances even buys domain names, especially some forwarding to shady sites. But don’t read too much into this latest domain dispute. Per conventional wisdom, the next iPhone is likely be referred to as the new iPhone…

Fusible first spotted Apple’s dispute claim (and MacRumors relayed it), which was published on WIPO’s website earlier this week.

The article explains:

Although Apple has been known to open its wallet to acquire domain names, in the past year it has selected to go the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) route.
And it’s had a lot of success.
The company secured rights to iphone4s.com, iphoneporn4s.com, iphonesex4s.com, iphonexxxforce.com, iphone4s.com and other domains that were being used by an adult website operator, after filing a similar dispute with WIPO.

In years past, Apple won disputes over domains such as applesales.com, appleproductsonline.com, appleipods.com, ipods.com, iPhone4.com and WhiteiPhone.com.

Interesting enough, it was only after the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S had hit the market that Apple paid an undisclosed sum to gain control over the iPhone4.com and WhiteiPhone.com domains because they redirected visitors to pornography sites.

As for the iPhone5.com domain, it’s no surprise Apple is seeking to gain ownership. For years, Apple’s been spending a portion of its marketing dollars toward actively promoting its gadgets on the web.

The company is also known for fighting cunning web ‘entrepreneurs’ that steal its customers and tarnish the Apple brand by serving a bunch of outgoing links, ads and explicit content hosted on domains which contain Apple product names.

In contrast, navigating to any of the Apple-owned domains simply redirects users to the appropriate sections on the Apple homepage. However, this latest dispute claim in no way asserts the next iPhone will be called the iPhone 5.

Rather, it serves to indicate Apple has recognized visibility of the media-coined iPhone 5 moniker, even more so now that it’s gearing up to launch the handset later this year.

As for the device, I think we can safely assume they’re gonna call it simply the new iPhone, much like the iPad 3 became the new iPad.

After all, the iMac is called the iMac, not the iMac 4, 5, 6 and so forth.

In fact, the iPhone is the only Apple product to use the numerical naming scheme so Apple would be wise to abandon the practice.

Your take? Are they gonna call it the iPhone 5, the new iPhone or something else?

Meet us in comments.

Samsung’s hand shown, will Apple come through with the next iPhone?

We may still be a good five months away from Apple’s expected iPhone 5/Next iPhone announcement, but Samsung has already shown its hand with the Galaxy S III.

Building on the already hugely popular Galaxy S II handset, the third generation of the Galaxy S line will feature some interesting software additions alongside a reasonable speed bump and rather large screen. All in, it’s an impressive-looking update for a company that has already shown that it is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with Apple when it comes to kicking out huge sales numbers and satisfied customers.

But shy of taking the Roman numeral approach to naming conventions and calling the next iPhone the iPhone V, what will Apple do to take the fight to Samsung now that the Koreans have firmly placed their stake in the ground? What must Apple do in order to compete with a handset that has seen almost as much excitement and expectation as any Apple product? The truth is that it might not actually need to…

A quick look at the Galaxy S III’s specifications show that Samsung means business. A quad-core 1.4GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 720p Super AMOLED screen are not to be sniffed at, and at 4.8-inches big that screen promises to be rather imposing, especially beside an iPhone 4S. Android fans will love it, and that’s obviously what Samsung was aiming for.

Throw in some software additions such as a Siri-like digital assistant called S-Voice, and things appear to be coming together for Samsung. But is it competition for the next iPhone?

I would wager that no, it is not. At least, not entirely.

The GS3′s – that’s what I’ll call it for now – specifications are truly impressive, and as far as the Android spec-race goes, this is sure to be right up there with the best of them for a while yet. The thing is, that’s never really been Apple’s style, and as an extension of that, it’s not really the style of Apple’s customers, either.

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that the next iPhone does not feature a quad-core CPU, or that Apple decides to stick with the tried and tested 3.5-inch screen rather than twist and opt for something much more gargantuan. What happens then?

Will iPhone owners, or more importantly, prospective iPhone owners decide to jump ship and instead stump up the cash for a GS3? Some might, no doubt, but some may come the other way, too.

See, many iPhone owners simply won’t notice those specs, and the less tech-savvy won’t be interested in that Super AMOLED display. They’ll note that it’s bigger, yes, but is it too big? I know it would be for me, though I do have the hands of a large three-year-old.

What I am trying to get at, after almost five-hundred words of gibberish, is that whilst the GS3 is undoubtedly an interesting piece of kit, it’s probably not going to steal iPhone buyers from Apple, and that is surely what Samsung needs to do. If not, then Samsung will be left to scrap it out with the likes of HTC and Motorola to try and get as many existing Android owners to choose one cookie-cutter handset over another.

In that battle, nobody wins.

Apple’s modified Nano SIM gets a showing off ahead of the final vote

An Apple-proposed variant of the upcoming Nano SIM card standard is being shown off at the International CTIA Wireless show. Apple modified the design around Nokia’s concerns and ahead of the final vote tally, which is mere days away. Voting for members of The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) began last month and wraps up in mid-May.

According to SIM card maker Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), the revised variant is being “driven by a supplier”, in this case Apple. So, how has Apple changed the original design to counter Nokia’s concerns? With a slight ‘how come I didn’t think of it’ tweak, that’s how…

Firstly, don’t count on the Apple-backed Nano SIM debuting on the next iPhone. Micro SIM took five years since ratification to appear in the iPhone 4. But don’t panic, Nano SIM could appear in devices in 2013, G&D hinted:

Adoption is being driven by a supplier. We’ll see a product very soon after ratification.

As for Nokia’s concern that Apple’s design – which originally called for a third-smaller SIM card with a tray – would require devices to be re-engineered with this in mind, Chriz Ziegler, writing for The Verge, explains:

A small amount of plastic has been added around the edges of the electrical contacts, making the new nano-SIM just long enough so that it can’t be forced lengthwise into an incompatible socket.

Though the modification saves little room inside devices, it nevertheless provides some additional space for other components compared to the Micro SIM it’s replacing.

More importantly, Nokia could no longer argue that Apple’s Nano SIM would makes it easy for customers to accidentally jam it into a Micro SIM slot. Let’s also not forget that Apple was granted a patent pertaining to so-called SIM connector, which lends itself nicely to Nano SIM.

A SIM card tray component leaked from a part supplier, shown below, also suggests the next iPhone will still feature a Micro SIM slot.

As you’ll recall, Nokia – with a little friendly help from RIM – is basically saying Apple’s variant is no good, accusing the iPhone maker of imposing the standard upon itself, Research In Motion and Motorola.

Apple on its part promised to license its Nano SIM to others on a royalty-free basis, to which Nokia threatened it won’t license essential patents pertaining to the standard should Apple prevail.

If Nokia’s proposal gets chosen, there’s nothing stopping the Finnish cell phone giant from extracting license fees from competitors.

Sprint’s 4G LTE will be slower than AT&T’s or Verizon’s

As Sprint, the nation’s third-largest carrier, begins its long-overdue nationwide 4G LTE rollout, those keeping their fingers crossed for some crazy fast download speeds on a next-generation 4G LTE iPhone will be in for an unpleasant surprise.
While the carrier will keep unlimited data, whether or not the next iPhone has LTE (and we know the Now Network will be eligible for a 4G LTE iPhone), the handset will theoretically achieve much greater downloads speeds on rival AT&T’s and Verizon’s networks.
Here’s why…
Earlier this morning, Sprint shared some updates during a breakfast at the CTIA Wireless trade show. We heard earlier they’ll flip the switch on 4G LTE in Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio in mid-year 2012, with other markets to follow later this year.
But Sprint’s 4G LTE won’t be as fast as rival Verizon’s or AT&T’s because the rollout will initially be in 5-MHz channels versus Verizon’s 10-MHz channels.
Writing for PCMag, Sascha Segan lays it out nicely:

Peak speeds won’t hit the levels we’ve seen on Verizon and AT&T of 30-40Mbps. But the network will be more consistent and more convenient, with reliable average speeds and faster handoffs between 3G and 4G than Verizon is seeing.

In fact, Sprint is managing 4G LTE rollout in a way which won’t require a redesign of existing iPhones, the author notes.

Shifting voice calls to the new 1x-Advanced technology lets Sprint carry more calls in less spectrum, opening up airwaves for more 3G data on devices like Apple’s iPhone. Faster, Ethernet-based backhaul dramatically increases the number of megabits each cell site can carry.
Moving voice calls to abandoned Nextel 800-MHz spectrum opens up even more 1900-MHz data bandwidth for hungry iPhone users, without the iPhone having to include another radio band.

Also, this nice-to-have:

Sprint is also working on background apps that will automatically connect its phones to Wi-Fi networks, further improving the apparent data performance of 3G phones.

If it wasn’t for the iPhone, Sprint would have actually lost 400,000 customers in the first quarter of this year. They activated 1.5 million iPhones, 44 percent of which were to new customers, or approximately 660,000 new iPhone subscribers.
Despite its success with the iPhone, board of directors punished Sprint CEO Dan Hesse for betting the farm on Apple’s handset, forcing him to agree to a pay cut by a whopping $3.25 million in this year alone.
Last year, Sprint prepaid an astounding $15.5 billion to Apple for the iPhone, the move some watchers opined put the company at a risk of bankruptcy.
Sprint, like other carriers, is having issues with high iPhone subsidy.
Apple’s device carries some of the heftiest subsidies in the industry, about $200 higher than other manufacturers.
While this report will admittedly disappoint some of you, the fact remains that Sprint is the only major carrier in the United States to offer unlimited data to its 4G LTE customers.
That’s gotta be worth something, right?

iPhone 5 not yet finalized but still set for October release

With the iPhone 5, next iPhone or whatever moniker Apple decides to give the next generation smartphone set to be released later this year, much of the discussion of late has centered around what that release will see brought to the table.

To date, for example, all iPhones have featured a 3.5-inch display while the Android-powered competition has seen huge variation in display sizes and technology over the last 48 months. Could the iPhone 5 see a new form factor, complete with new screen size? While possible, the suggestion now is that the intricacies of the iPhone 5 have yet to be finalized at Apple with less than six months to go until the handset is expected to begin shipping.

The latest claims come from iMore, whose sources appear to be confident that October is still the month we will be lining up outside our local Apple Stores, even if Apple itself doesn’t quite know what the thing we are buying will look like…

According to iMore, the one thing that we can take for granted is indeed that October release date, with a new, smaller dock connector also likely to feature according to the web site. The much-rumored screen size change and new aspect ratio, though, have apparently yet to be finalized by Apple’s engineers although that does not mean the iPhone 5 will not see both changes find their way into the final design.

If there is one thing that we can take away from these latest claims, it is that nobody really knows what is going on at Apple just yet. Yes, some may claim to have sources and yes, some may be more accurate than others. At this point though, and with the expected shipping date drawing ever closer, nobody really knows what is going on inside 1 Infinite Loop.

Which means we’ve got another five months of rumors to go.

Rumor: purported iPhone 5 headphone jack/earpiece surfaces

Despite recent reports that Apple hasn’t finalized the design for its next-generation handset yet, purported ‘iPhone 5‘ part leaks seem to be picking up. We’ve seen home buttons, a SIM tray, and now another one has surfaced.
MacRumors points to a new headphone jack/earpiece/Wi-Fi cable component that recently popped up on SW-BOX.com. Although the piece shows out of stock, the parts vendor claims that it indeed belongs to the iPhone 5…

“If the new part is indeed legitimate, it does represent a significant departure from the component organization in the current iPhone. In the iPhone 4 and 4S, the headphone jack, volume buttons, and mute switch are grouped together on a single component, while the new part associates the headphone jack with the earpiece speaker and Wi-Fi cabling.”

This is actually great news for folks pulling for Apple to release a redesigned handset this fall. In fact, it’s the first purported component we’ve seen thus far that doesn’t look nearly identical to its iPhone 4/4S counterpart.
For those skeptical on the significance of part leaks, keep in mind that similar reports exposed the third-generation iPad’s A5X processor more than a month before Apple unveiled it.

Analysts warn: swirling iPhone 5 rumors will hurt Apple’s second-quarter sales

Remember when Apple announced sales of 17.07 million iPhones during the September quarter of last year? The company was dealing with a rare loss at the time for it had failed to meet analysts’ audacious expectations.
In fact, Tim Cook had gone on the record in a conference call with investor to blame the slowdown on those crazy summertime rumors that had been repeatedly calling for a completely redesigned iPhone for the summer of 2011.
“iPhone sales slowed toward the end of the quarter amid speculation over the debut of a new model”, the CEO said. Well, looks like history could repeat itself.
Some analysts are now concerned that Apple is due for a big come down because swirling iPhone 5 rumors could negatively impact sales of the current-generation iPhone 4S/4 as would-be buyers withhold their planned purchases in anticipation of a new model.
Credit Suisse lowered their expectations yesterday, although they believe Apple will see robust bottom-line growth of 40%/20% in CY12/CY13.
However, in a note issued to clients today, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty warns that Apple’s guidance for the June quarter was weaker than expected. Although Apple’s summer guidance is usually weak due to seasonal refreshes of the iPhone and the Mac lineups, this time around a gap between Apple’s guidance and what analysts had been clamoring for was substantial.
Apple guided for a nine percent lower revenue compared to estimates. Worse, Apple’s earning-per-share projection fell twelve percent below estimates. Typically, Apple guides revenue two percent below estimates and EPS up to ten percent below analyst estimates.
Blame it on those crazy iPhone 5 rumors, says Business Insider:

Apple has only guided this far below expectations once since June 2009, says Huberty, and that was the September quarter of last year when it correctly predicted consumers would buy fewer iPhones as they waited for the next release.

The Cupertino company is scheduled to release calendar 2012 second-quarter results on July 24. As pointed out by Asymco’s Horace Dediu, each new iPhone launch is typically preceded by a quarter where units went down sequentially.
The abundance of rumors pertaining to a sixth-generation iPhone – temporarily referred to by the media as the iPhone 5 – could be a result of Apple not yet finalizing the design and specs of the next iPhone.

Another iPhone 5 concept, courtesy of ADR Design.
If rumor mongers are to be believed, the handset is due for an October release now.
However, the Apple rumor-mill is pretty much unreliable these days.
The ongoing iTV speculation?
Apple buying Loewe to build beautiful television sets?
DigiTimes?
iDB reports on Apple rumors purely for the sake of discussion.
As you know, Apple typically refreshes the iPhone once a year and last time updated the handset on October of last year. Keeping the design intact, Apple opted for incremental hardware tweaks such as a faster A5 chip, an eight-megapixel camera and Siri voice assistant, to name a few.
Some folks are putting their faith in supply chain sources who claimed the iPhone 5 could launch this summer, allegedly at Apple’s annual developers pilgrimage that runs this year in San Francisco between June 11-15.
The common argument is that Apple now needs to refresh the iPhone as soon as possible because its chief rival Samsung just launched the third-generation Galaxy S smartphone.
What’s your call: will the rumor-mill again hurt iPhone sales?
The above Liquidmetal iPhone 5 concept courtesy of  French designer Antoine Brieux.

Check out this interactive 3D mockup of a taller iPhone with a four-inch display

Our friends over at MacRumors did it again. Remember a recent iLoungue report describing a taller iPhone rocking a four-inch display that Apple may or may not have been prototyping for some time?
Tapping proven design talent of Federico Ciccarese, the publication published a pair of gorgeous-looking renditions depicting such a device sitting next to an everyday 3.5-inch iPhone 4S.
I wasn’t sure about a larger iPhone, but have definitely changed my mind having seen this image. Also, if you use a WebGL-based browser such as Safari on OS X or Google’s Chrome, you can play with an interactive 3D model of the mockup…
Blowing up a 3.5-inch display on the iPhone 4S to four inches in diagonal while maintaining the same width would add approximately 11 mm, or 0.45 inch, to the height of the display.
And what do you think the extra space could be used for?
According to MacRumors:

As had been proposed in earlier speculation, a taller display could allow Apple to add one more row of icons to the iPhone’s home screen, moving to five rows per page plus the row of pinned icons in the dock at the bottom of the screen.

Here, another shot:

iLounge called for a 10mm taller iPhone body compared to the iPhone 4S, which measures in at 115.2 mm.
If you can’t get enough of this mockup, why not rotate an interactive 3D model around using a WebGL-based browser such as Google’s Chrome or Apple’s Safari on OS X?
WebGL is disabled by default in Safari on OS X so you’ll have to enable it first by navigating to Preferences -> Advanced -> Show Develop in menu bar and then choose the “Enable WebGL” option under the Develop menu.
What did you think of this artist’s rendition?

Apple winding down production ahead of a sixth-generation iPhone refresh, says analyst

According to one analyst, Apple has begun reducing iPhone orders, another indication that a sixth-generation model is looming on the horizon.
Based on checks with suppliers, Sterne Agee’s Shaw Wu wrote in a note to clients on Tuesday that Apple has drawn build plans for the current-gen iPhone models by up to 25 percent compared to the 35.1 million iPhones sold during the first quarter of this year.
As a result, Apple may ship no more than 28 million iPhones during the June quarter…
The figure would represent a healthy 40 percent year-over-year unit growth as the company sold 20.34 million iPhones during the June quarter of last year,  which was nearly four million more units than what analysts projected.
If Wu’s estimate holds true, investors won’t necessarily be pleased: Wall Street projected between 30-31 million iPhones for the June quarter.
Apple also has nearly nine million iPhones in channel inventory, enough for about 4-6 weeks. Wu expects the next iPhone during the September-October timeframe.
And according to AppleInsider, the analyst “has heard that Apple has increased build plans for its third-generation tablet”, adding that “Retina display availability has been addressed by adding an additional supplier, beyond Samsung”.
For iPhone sales to drop ahead of a new model introduction is nothing new. Typically, Apple experiences a pause and inventory drawdown a quarter or two ahead of a new model launch.
Love or hate it, but such is the nature of the smartphone business.
Apple typically refreshes its handset once a year, unlike other manufacturers that churn out new models on a monthly basis.
Other analysts are expressing concerns that a flurry of iPhone 5 rumors will affect iPhone sales leading up to the next iPhone launch.
This is also to be expected as would-be buyers withhold purchases in anticipation of the iPhone 5, or whatever Apple chooses to call it (our bet: “the new iPhone”).
What about you?
Have you already delayed your smartphone upgrade plans as the next iPhone looms?

China Mobile in negotiations with Apple for iPhone partnership

To say that China is an important territory for Apple and its smartphone is an understatement. The country is home to more than a billion cell phone users, and the market is currently dominated by Android and other platforms.
That’s because the iPhone has only been available in mainland China for a few months now, and the handset has yet to land on its largest carrier: China Mobile. But according to Reuters, that may not be the case for long…

“We’ve been actively talking to Apple on how we can cooperate,” China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua, who assumed the post in March, told a shareholders meeting. “I can’t give you too many details, but I’d like to repeat that both sides do hope to boost our cooperation,” Xi added after the meeting.
He made the comments in response to a question about when China Mobile would sign a deal for the iPhone. Rivals China Unicom and China Telecom have already signed contracts with Apple.”

China Mobile is kind of like the T-Mobile of China, as far as Apple partnerships go. Despite not carrying the handset, there are millions of unlocked iPhones on its network. But due to its incompatible technology, the device is restricted to 2G data speeds.
The good news, however, is that Apple is expected to use Qualcomm’s MDM9615 LTE chipset in its next-generation iPhone — which just so happens to be compatible with a broad range of networks, including China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE.
So why does any of this matter? Because China Mobile is the single largest carrier on the planet, with more than 650 million subscribers. In comparison, Verizon, the largest carrier in the US, has just over 100 million. Wow.

WSJ: Production of “at least 4-inch” screens for the next iPhone begins in June

Putting its credibility behind a flurry of rumors calling for a sixth-generation iPhone with a screen larger than the current 3.5-inch form factor, the usually well-informed Wall Street Journal reported that production of displays for the next iPhone that measure “at least four inches diagonally” is said to be commencing in June…
Lorraine Luk and Juro Osawa, writing for the Wall Street Journal and citing the inevitable “people familiar with the matter”, reported from Hong Kong:

Apple, which is expected to launch its next-generation iPhone later this year, has ordered screens from its Asian suppliers that are bigger than the ones used in iPhones since they debuted in 2007, people familiar with the situation said.
Production is set to begin next month for the screens, which measure at least 4 inches diagonally compared with 3.5 inches on the iPhone 4S, the latest phone from Apple, the people said.

And sources who spoke with Reuters corroborated the report, claiming that “the new iPhone screens will measure four inches from corner to corner”.
According to the Journal report, Apple is thought to be partnering with multiple suppliers on the new screen, namely Sharp, LG and Japan Display, a new company born last month out of the partnership between the Japanese government and Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba.
Interesting enough, the report makes no mention of Samsung, which has been identified as a prime supplier of high-resolution display panels that go into the new iPad. Apple is Samsung’s top client. The iPhone maker has been sourcing processors, flash memory chips and displays from the South Korea-based conglomerate for years.
I opined a year ago that Apple was looking to slit Samsung’s throat with orders stoppage. That said, I’m not terribly surprised that Apple allegedly turned elsewhere for iPhone 5 panels.
People have been wondering if a larger display means a change in aspect ratio. A four-inch iPhone with a 16:9 aspect ratio display would require a re-write of third-party apps.
One possible solution to elegantly solve this issue involves using the extra space to render additional user interface elements.
Here’s a mockup depicting a regular 3.5-inch iPhone 4S next to a four-inch iPhone and another one featuring a widescreen form factor, credited to The Next Web.

And another one by Patrick Eckert, seen below and based on the oft-rumored “Teardrop” design and aluminum Unibody construction. Notice the extra space at the top being used to display a Facebook widget.
I wouldn’t bet on it, though widgets seem to be on everyone’s wish list for iOS 6.

If production of the new display is commencing next month, then “the new iPhone” could hit the market in the September-October timeframe, which would be in line with a recent report by the notoriously unreliable DigiTimes.
So, it looks like your prayer has been heard and that the next iPhone will in fact feature a blown up form factor.
I’m not sure I like the news.
Obviously there are a lot of people out there keeping their fingers crossed for a larger iPhone.
In my opinion, countless Android handsets with screen sizes measuring from 4.3 inches diagonally (the Galaxy S II) all the way up to 4.8 inches (the Galaxy S III) and beyond have polluted expectations. Some watchers think the Android carpet bombing with oversized devices has forced Apple into engineering a larger iPhone.
I don’t think Apple bows to market trends. They won’t make a four-inch iPhone just for the heck of it or because everyone else is differentiating their smartphones with larger displays.
If a larger iPhone is in the cards, I’d expect sensible changes to its user interface to take into account a larger canvas.
Is Apple bowing to industry trends here or at least giving in to popular demand?
Does a larger screen on the iPhone make sense?
The top mockup depicting a taller four-inch iPhone is credited to designer Federico Ciccarese, courtesy of MacRumors.

Poll: should the next iPhone have a bigger screen?

With Android devices typically sporting displays measuring between 4.3 and 4.8 inches diagonally (and beyond) and the usually credible Wall Street Journal throwing its weight behind recent reports asserting a four-inch iPhone, we’re eager to learn about your take on this drama.
Would you prefer the next iPhone to sport the same 3.5-inch display as prior iPhones? A four-inch iPhone, you say? How do you feel about a monstrous 4.8-inch iPhone?
Here, cast your vote now.

The next iPhone screen:

Keep it at the same 3.5-inch form factor as prior iPhonesI’d prefer a marginally bigger 3.7-ish display like the Lumia 800A four-inch display should be the new gold standard for iPhonesI want a 4.3-inch screen like on the Galaxy S III’m not settling for anything less than a 4.8-inch screen (Galaxy S III)Let’s talk about five inches and beyond (think Galaxy Note)

VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com

Just to give you some guidance, this is how a 5.3-inch device looks like in real life.

That’s why wielding a phablet in public makes one look stupid, in my opinion.
The above render depicting a regular 3.5-inch iPhone 4S next to a four-inch iPhone and another one featuring a widescreen form factor is credited to The Next Web.

Apple wins WIPO dispute, secures ownership of iPhone5.com domain

Less than two weeks ago, Apple filed a dispute claim with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) over the iPhone5.com domain name. The move has been deemed an obvious attempt at keeping those pesky traffic-hungry web masters at bay ahead of a forthcoming sixth-generation iPhone introduction.
It appears Apple has won this dispute, as indicated on the WIPO’s website and WHOIS search, which now lists the iPhone5.com domain as ‘Terminated’, a tell-tale indication that the original owner has relinquished ownership…
As explained by The Next Web, the domain is now in the hands of brand protection agency Corporation Service Company.

The domain was registered in 2008 and operated as a online bulletin board. Its owners stated that it was “not endorsed, sponsored, nor otherwise affiliated with Apple” and was “for the sole purpose of entertainment and knowledge.”

All registrars must follow ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy which mandates that trademark-based domain name disputes be resolved by agreement, court action or arbitration before a registrar will cancel, suspend or transfer a domain name.
According to ICANN:

Disputes alleged to arise from abusive registrations of domain names (for example, cybersquatting) may be addressed by expedited administrative proceedings that the holder of trademark rights initiates by filing a complaint with an approved dispute-resolution service provider.
To invoke the policy, a trademark owner should either (a) file a complaint in a court of proper jurisdiction against the domain-name holder (or where appropriate an in-rem action concerning the domain name) or (b) in cases of abusive registration submit a complaint to an approved dispute-resolution service provider (see below for a list and links).

Apple, like other big companies, secures certain domain names through brand protection agencies. The company owns a lot of domains that simply forward to certain sections of their official website, thus preventing shady website owners from banking on the popularity of Apple’s brand names.
For example, Apple owns such domains as applesales.com, appleproductsonline.com, appleipods.com and ipods.com, all of which forward to appropriate sections of the Apple.com website.
The company also secured ownership of the iPhone4.com and WhiteiPhone.com domains that used to forward to pornography sites.
The iPhone5.com domain no longer shows a forum dedicated to discussion of the iPhone 5, as seen in a screenshot below, which was taken ten days ago.

Be that as it may, Apple owning the iPhone5.com domain doesn’t necessarily mean that the next iPhone will be called the iPhone 5, though it’s interesting how Apple recognized that the moniker has already gained enough traction to draw significant amount of traffic on the web.
Fancy sharing an iPhone 5-related domain name that could be used to make a quick buck?

Mockups show how apps would benefit from a 4-inch iPhone

The 4-inch iPhone. According to just about every major news publication — The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, etc. — it’s coming. But where does that leave the 600,000+ apps designed for a 3.5″ screen and their developers?

Well the most popular theory for how Apple will go about making a 4-inch iPhone is to give it a resolution of 640×1158, and an aspect ratio of 9:5. So Overdrive Design decided to show us what that would do to current apps…

Not only would this route make it easier for developers to update their apps, but it would also allow for them to display a considerable amount of more information on the screen — all without making the iPhone itself much bigger.

A screen that’s just half an inch larger may not seem like a very big deal. But for folks who spend more time on their iPhone — browsing the web, reading iBooks and emails — than they do on their computer or iPad, it could make a world of difference. Not to mention that a larger display would call for some kind of hardware redesign, something iPhone users have been clamoring for since last fall.

If you like the above mockups, Overdrive Design has several more high-quality renderings showcasing different apps.

Bloomberg: Steve Jobs worked closely on new redesigned iPhone

I know what you’re thinking: great, another iPhone rumor. Well, in less than 6 months, the world’s most popular tech company is expected to give its most popular product a major makeover — get used to them. Now, onto the latest rumblings.

Citing sources with “knowledge of the plans,” Bloomberg is out with a new report tonight regarding Apple’s next smartphone. Not only does the news outlet confirm previous reports that it has a larger screen, but it says Steve Jobs himself designed it…

“Apple Inc. (AAPL) is preparing to overhaul the look of its iPhone, three people with knowledge of the plans said, refreshing the company’s top-selling product amid competition from rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, has placed orders from suppliers in Asia for screens that are bigger than the 3.5- inch size now on the smartphone, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death in October, one person said.”

While it’s not surprising that Jobs had a hand in the design, it’s interesting to hear that he “worked closely” on the device during what were likely his final months. It certainly adds to the mounting pile of anticipation for the handset.

It’s also worth noting that this now makes three major news publications that have independently confirmed Apple is ordering displays larger than 3.5″ for its next iPhone, suggesting we might actually see the long-awaited redesign this year.

Is it just me, or would it be cool to see Jobs’ napkin drawings of designs for the next-generation iPhone?

Why developers aren’t worried about rumored 4-inch iPhone

After three major news outlets confirmed that Apple was ordering larger smartphone displays last week, the 4-inch iPhone theory is quickly going from rumor to fact. It seems like everyone is giving into the idea, including developers.

GigaOM recently polled a handful of high-profile iOS app-makers regarding the prospect of a larger-screened iPhone. And the general consensus seems to be that they aren’t too worried about it causing any major headaches…

Lenny Rachitsky, CEO of Localmind:

“We haven’t put a lot of thought into it yet, partly because we assume Apple isn’t going to pull an Android and fragment the device market unnecessarily. if they do, they must have a really good reason to do it, and we’re confident they’ll provide tools to make it easy to migrate. The last thing they want to do is put more friction in front of developers.”

And Localmind’s lead iOS developer, Nelson Gauthier, agrees:

“Apple often changes the requirements for iOS applications but they usually give developers fair warning and decent tools to accommodate new devices. The transition to Retina display and iPad were both relatively straightforward.”

These are actually really good counter-arguments to the notion that Apple would not change the iPhone’s display out of fear of fragmenting the platform.

Apple knows how important developers, and their 600,000+ apps, are to its ecosystem and the overall success of iOS. It’s not going to jeopardize that by making an iPhone with a mutant display that no one can work with.

If these 4-inch screen rumors materialize — and it’s certainly looking like they will — you can bet that Apple has made the needs of its developers a priority.

Despite Qualcomm chip shortages, analyst says next iPhone will feature LTE

With all of the recent talk regarding the next-generation iPhone’s display, the LTE rumors seem to have faded to the background. Maybe it’s because folks are assuming that, after the third-gen iPad, the feature is a lock for Apple’s next smartphone.
Gene Munster certainly seems to think so. PiperJaffray’s senior Apple analyst told investors today that even though there has been some speculation that a Qualcomm chip shortage could affect Apple’s upcoming handset, it will still ship with LTE compatibility…
AppleInsider reports:

“The bottom line is that we remain comfortable with an October iPhone 5 launch despite the reported 28nm chip shortage at Qualcomm,” analyst Gene Munster wrote in a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider on Monday.
Munster suggests that Apple’s size could help it achieve “favored inventory status” that would lessen the blow from any production woes that Qualcomm is experiencing. The firm also pointed to Apple’s “past experience in dealing with potentially limited components at launch” as reason to believe that the company will remain relatively impervious to the shortage.”

Apple is widely expected to use Qualcomm’s MDM9615 28nm chip in its new iPhone, which is not only smaller than the model sitting in the new iPad, but would also make the handset compatible with several new 4G networks.
Munster finishes the note by saying that, in addition to LTE, his firm believes that the next iPhone will feature a redesigned case, a faster processor, upgraded memory and a higher megapixel camera. Interesting.

Those crazy Taiwanese animators do the bigger iPhone meme

Those crazy Taiwanese animators are back at it, this time with a take on recent rumors calling for a bigger iPhone. True to their quick and dirty style, the somewhat cheesy animation takes us through the latest from the rumor-mill, both crazy stories and those corroborated by established media outlets.

We couldn’t resist sharing it with you as the clip kinda summarizes major iPhone 5 headlines, even if it’s taking inappropriate to new levels…

It looks all the pieces of the puzzle are slowly falling into place.

Despite Apple scoring a small victory in its ongoing patent litigation that saw new HTC phones being held up at the U.S. customs briefly, the company conceded the #1 smartphone vendor title to Samsung.

Meanwhile, critics keep saying that the iPhone is losing its allure due to its smallish 3.5-inch display.

Clearly, we need a bigger iPhone.

The Wall Street Journal gave the bigger iPhone meme a much-needed credence of credibility and Bloomberg raised expectations with claims that Steve Jobs oversaw its redesign.

Analysts are backtracking and are now saying that no, Qualcomm chip shortages won’t affect Apple’s 4G LTE plans after all.

And everyone else and their mother swear that Apple will introduce the next iPhone at next month’s WWDC, with sales pinpointed for an August-October timeframe.

Even developers are embracing the idea of a bigger iPhone and Apple added fuel to fire by securing the iPhone5.com domain name.

And now, topping it all off, Taiwan-based Next Media Animation distills all the iPhone 5 nuggets into a hundred second clip.

Reports that Apple will be finally increasing the screen size of its next-generation iPhone have certainly been piling up over the past few weeks. And today, the credible 9to5Mac is throwing its proverbial hat into the ring. The site has just published a report that, if true, confirms a number of existing theories regarding Apple’s next handset including display size and resolution, and the oft-rumored smaller charging port. Read on for details… According to the report, Apple is currently testing multiple new iPhone prototypes. This echoes a previous story from iMore that claimed that the company has yet to decide on a finalized design for its next smartphone. “Right now we know of a few next-generation iPhone candidates in testing. These prototype phones are floating around Apple HQ in thick, locked shells in order to disguise the exterior design to “undisclosed” employees. We know of two next-generation iPhones in testing with a larger display: the iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2.” The site isn’t quite sure which model will make it to retail shelves, but it says that both of the devices include new displays that measure 3.95-inches diagonally with resolutions of 1136 x 640. This matches up with the recurring 4-inch iPhone theory, which says that the display will get a bit taller but stay the same width, that has been floating around for the past month. The report also mentions that both of the prototypes feature all-new, smaller dock connectors — another concept we have heard before. “Apple will be bringing these dock connectors to all of their iOS devices over time, and it is note exactly a “pill-shape” as rumored. It’s basically a much narrower version of the current squared off (on the corners) dock connector. It is between the size of a Micro-USB and Mini-USB connector.” Even with 9to5Mac’s accurate track record on the iPhone rumor front, it’s worth noting that these devices are still in the prototype phase and may never see the light of day. Not to mention that Apple has been known to float around ”fake” prototype models to discourage leaks. That being said, the report does line up rather nicely with several previous dispatches. And from where we’re sitting, it definitely looks like Apple will be releasing a redesigned iPhone this fall with a larger display and a new dock connector. What do you think?

AppleInsider points to a new report from the Taipei Times today claiming that Sony has been tapped to manufacturer displays for Apple’s upcoming smartphone, joining Sharp, Toshiba Mobile and LG.
The most interesting part of the report is that these display panels are going to be using in-cell technology, something we touched on a bit last month, as it could have major implications for the handset…
Unlike on-cell panels, which use separate color filter and touch sensor components, in-cell panels combine the two, making for a substantially thinner display. And if Apple really is using these thinner panels in its new iPhone, you can bet that it’s working on some kind of new design.
Of course, everyone was expecting a redesigned iPhone last year when Apple unveiled the familiar-looking 4S. But keep in mind that outside of the bevy of purported “iPhone 5″ cases, we never saw any other evidence to support that fact. This year, however, there’s been plenty.
The Taipei Times report is also interesting for another reason. Samsung is still not mentioned as a display-maker, adding to the speculation that Apple is looking to distance itself from the smartphone competitor — something that investors are becoming increasingly nervous about.

Rumor: Apple testing new iPhones with 3.95-inch, 1136 x 640 displays

Reports that Apple will be finally increasing the screen size of its next-generation iPhone have certainly been piling up over the past few weeks. And today, the credible 9to5Mac is throwing its proverbial hat into the ring.
The site has just published a report that, if true, confirms a number of existing theories regarding Apple’s next handset including display size and resolution, and the oft-rumored smaller charging port. Read on for details…
According to the report, Apple is currently testing multiple new iPhone prototypes. This echoes a previous story from iMore that claimed that the company has yet to decide on a finalized design for its next smartphone.

“Right now we know of a few next-generation iPhone candidates in testing. These prototype phones are floating around Apple HQ in thick, locked shells in order to disguise the exterior design to “undisclosed” employees. We know of two next-generation iPhones in testing with a larger display: the iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2.”

The site isn’t quite sure which model will make it to retail shelves, but it says that both of the devices include new displays that measure 3.95-inches diagonally with resolutions of 1136 x 640. This matches up with the recurring 4-inch iPhone theory, which says that the display will get a bit taller but stay the same width, that has been floating around for the past month.
The report also mentions that both of the prototypes feature all-new, smaller dock connectors — another concept we have heard before.

“Apple will be bringing these dock connectors to all of their iOS devices over time, and it is note exactly a “pill-shape” as rumored. It’s basically a much narrower version of the current squared off (on the corners) dock connector. It is between the size of a Micro-USB and Mini-USB connector.”

Even with 9to5Mac’s accurate track record on the iPhone rumor front, it’s worth noting that these devices are still in the prototype phase and may never see the light of day. Not to mention that Apple has been known to float around  ”fake” prototype models to discourage leaks.
That being said, the report does line up rather nicely with several previous dispatches. And from where we’re sitting, it definitely looks like Apple will be releasing a redesigned iPhone this fall with a larger display and a new dock connector.
What do you think?

Leaked part suggests the next iPod touch also has a taller 4.1-inch display

Reaffirming the widely reported and credible rumor claiming the next iPhone will sport a taller four-inch display, a part leak has surfaced today indicating that the next iPod touch will also adopt a taller, 3.95-inch display.
As you can see, a claimed front panel from the next-generation iPod touch is taller compared to the current-generation iPod touch which has the same 3.5-inch Retina display like the iPhone 4/4S. This particular part measures in at 4.1 inches diagonally and has a hole for the physical home button right where you’d expect it…
It was leaked by a parts supplier and MacRumors got hold of it.
The publication also pointed to the home button flex cable and front and rear camera parts, seen below. These are said to belong to the next iPhone, though they warn a supplier hasn’t yet confirmed their authenticity.

Unfortunately, the image is too small and we couldn’t decipher what the label says in order to eventually determine the camera brand.
It’s been assumed the next iPhone will increase the back camera resolution to at least ten megapixels, but thus far no evidence emerged to substantiate this specualtion
Back in January, Sony unveiled a new tiny 13-megapixel CMOS image sensor with HDR Video that could be a perfect fit for an ultra-thin iPhone 5.
Here’s a demo of the HDR Movie function it provides

According to a press release, Sony’s new CMOS uses their unique “RGBW Coding” function which allows images to be captured with low noise and high picture quality even in low-light conditions. The new  HDR (High Dynamic Range) Movie function allows brilliant color to be captured even in bright settings.
9to5Mac today chimed in with some new info pertaining to the iPhone 5, or whatever it ends up being called.
The publication has it on good authority that Apple is already testing prototypes of the next iPhone which sport a 3.95-inch display with a 1,136-by-640 pixel resolution.
Despite concerns that changing the form factor will break third-party apps, developers reportedly aren’t too concerned, believing Apple will either use the extra pixels for new interface controls or provide tools to make the transition as painless as possible.
In theory, most apps would automatically adapt themselves to a taller representation by simply scaling up their content canvas a bit. Only graphics-intensive 3D games would need to be re-written with a taller display in mind.
We should find out more about the next iPhone at Apple’s annual developers conference, which kicks off on June 11 at San Francisco’s Moscone West.
According to our poll (take it now), nearly one in two readers wouldn’t object to a four-inch iPhone whatsoever, while one in five preferring a 4.3-inch display like on the Samsung Galaxy S II.
Excited?

Mockup time: here’s a nice 3.95-inch iPhone 5 concept video

With the Wall Street Journal having lent its aura of credibility to the bigger iPhone meme, it’s mockup time ladies and gentlemen.

Introducing a brand new iPhone 5 concept design by Isaac Royo that explores a 3.95-inch display 9to5Mac heard Apple’s been testing out on prototype units of the next iPhone…

Bragging rights for spotting this one belong to French site NowhereElse.

We kinda love the retroilluminated home button and a miniature Thunderbolt connection replacing the 30-pin iPod dock connector for ultra-fast data transfer speeds.

He’s also calling for 3D sound (meh), 4G LTE connectivity (provided Qualcomm solves chip shortages ), a 12-megapixel camera on the back (Sony has the right CMOS sensor), iOS 6 (you can bet on it), a FaceTime HD camera out the front (makes sense on high-speed LTE connections), a variant of the A5X chip (the rumor-mill concurs) and something called the Retina HD display (not very likely, unless Apple screws developers by adopting a native 1,280-by-720 pixel resolution display).
Per Royo’s YouTube video description, he used Cinema 4D to create a 3D model of the handset along with textures. Video editing was done in Premiere Pro CS6 and After Effects CS6 and the obligatory Photoshop CS6 took care of image editing.
What’s with the weird bezel, by the way?
Am I seeing things or does that hideous thing looks as if someone slipped an iPhone 4 into a fugly bumper case of sorts?
Oh, and if you’re torn over the taller iPhone issue as us here at iDB, feel free to take our poll and let us help figure out which screen size should be the new gold standard for iPhones.

New iPhone concept looks surprisingly realistic

There’s been no shortage of iPhone mockups this year. Graphic designers are constantly releasing renderings of what they think Apple’s next smartphone should look like. Heck, we’ve even seen a fair amount of video concepts.

But while a number of these mockups tend to border on fantasy, this new design focuses on realism. iTopnews.de‘s creative director Toby Kick brings his vision for the new iPhone to life using only the most feasible of features…

And the result, as you can see, looks pretty good. In line with recent reports, Kick’s new iPhone features a larger, 4-inch Retina display and a slimmer profile. It also has the rumored aluminum backside and 4G LTE compatibility.

Of course, not everything in this concept echoes the consensus of the tech world. For example, notice the extra row of horizontal icons. Recent speculation is settling on the new iPhone having a taller display, not wider.

It’s also worth pointing out the larger status bar at the top of the handset. Admittedly, it looks cool. But it wouldn’t make sense for Apple to add an extra half inch to the iPhone’s display, and then take up a large portion of that with a retooled status bar.

Regardless, in the sea of iPhone concepts with 5-inch 3D holographic displays and 20MP cameras, this one stands out for its attempt at realism. And to be honest, we wouldn’t be the least bit disappointed if Apple’s next smartphone looked like this.

Sony introduces Xperia™ acro S and Xperia™ go waterproof Android phones

Sony has just introduced two very tough smartphones, expanding its range of Xperia series. The two phones are incredibly durable, waterproof and resistant to dust. Their screens come coated with a scratchproof mineral glass for tremendous protection.

Sony Xperia™ acro S is a high-end smartphone featuring a 4.3-inch TFT touchscreen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. It runs on a Dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor and is powered by the latest Android OS v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The device boasts a 12.1 Megapixel autofocus camera with 16x digital zoom and LED flash.

Sales of LG LTE Smartphone Reaches 3 Million Units

LG today announced that their global sales of LG's LTE smartphones have reached three million units. The majority of the sales come from North America, Korea and Japan markets. LG will be significantly expanding its LTE leadership in 2012 as the number of countries offering LTE smartphones from LG expands from 10 to 20 markets by the end of the year. Here is more info:

LG's offering of LTE smartphones to date include:

- RevolutionTM by LG -- LG's first LTE model released in May 2011.
- LG Optimus LTE -- The world's first HD LTE smartphone was launched in October 2011 and exceeded sales
of one million units within the first 100 days, making it the most popular LTE-capable phone in a highly
competitive market at the start of the year.
- LG Optimus Vu: -- Launched in Korea in February 2012, the Optimus Vu: with its 5-inch IPS display and 4:3
aspect ratio offers a unique viewing experience. At 8.5mm, the Optimus Vu: is the slimmest LTE phone
currently on the market.
- LG Optimus LTE Tag -- This smartphone offers Tag+, a unique feature which uses Near Field Communication
(NFC) to interact with special stickers that change the phone's settings automatically.
- LG Optimus LTE II -- The latest in the series and the world's first LTE smartphone with 2 GB RAM.

According to a report by Jefferies & Company, LG is the global leader in LTE patents with ownership of 23 percent of approximately 1,400 LTE patents filed worldwide worth almost $8 billion. LG demonstrated the world's first LTE technology in 2007, developed the world's first LTE modem chipset in 2008, introduced the world's fastest LTE technology in 2010 and conducted the world's first video phone call on a LTE network in 2011.

Latest Huawei Ascend P1 / P1 S mobile phones 2012

Along with ZTE Huawei is one of two Chinese producers that look like they're going to have a good year 2012. Both companies have been successful in obtaining phones on the market in 2011, or branded with the names of carriers, or more recently under their own names, too.

Huawei, in particular, has made a few nice smartphones top range, and (on paper at least) the new Huawei Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S handsets are two of very high-quality devices that challenge the leaders of the class.

Huawei say that these will be Android 4.0 ( "Ice Cream Sandwich " or "ICS") devices at launch and press photos certainly show a device ICS, rather than an Android phone 2.3. Other manufacturers are late with implementation ICS and Huawei can also get a competitive advantage here.

Huawei P1 and P1 S coming with 4.3  "960 x 540 pixel super AMOLED touchscreen with a layer of Gorilla glass, 1.5 GHz dual core processor, 8 megapixel camera on the back with 1080p video capture capability and 1.3 megapixel one at the front for video calls.

Huawei say that the P1 S (guess that "S"es for slim "") is the compact smartphone in the world in 6,68 mm thick. The standard P1 is somewhat thicker in 7.69 mm, but comes with battery 1800 mAh more large in comparison to a battery's mAh 1670 in the thinnest phone. The P1 S weighs only 110 grams, with the largest P1 arriving even respectable 130 grams.

The back of the phone is covered with a material called PPVD to help dissipate the heat, and this comes in a variety of colors, including black metal, ceramic white and pink cherry blossom. P1 and P1 aren 't responsible climb ' t exactly was pretty, but we think "wow factor" will be how thin they are

All the usual features of Android here as 3.5 G connectivity, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. We don 't , for the time being, you know how much RAM is available or what is flash memory configuration.

Huawei say that Ascend P1 and P1 (S) should be available worldwide beginning in April 2012.

The manufacturer hasn said how much these smartphones will cost, but we must imagine that Huawei will be eager to undermine competition to achieve its presence in international markets.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus and Samsung Galaxy S II HD come in UK

Samsung is purportedly preparing to send two new Android phones in the United Kingdom, prepared in Central and upper area. Although they are not "News", as they were both formerly announced, this is the first time, when we have verification on the national version for one of them.

First is the Samsung Galaxy ACE announced, just before the start of CES 2012 plus, a phone, and blessed with a design, the shrilly similar to the Apple iPhone 3 g/3Gs. An update now aging Galaxy ACE, it comes with a 3, 65-inch screen, a 5 megapixel camera and a 1 GHz processor.

Vodafone has announced its objective to carry the Galaxy one positive from February, with prices also announced it would join with 710 Lumia Nokia and BlackBerry Bold 9790 as new arrivals and network might prove accepted as one of the original.

Then we got the Samsung HD II S Galaxy that appeared in an advertisement for an online retailer, telling is headed our way quite speedily. Interesting here is that until now, the S-II HD is your LTE available only in the United States.

Of course, the UK version of the phone will come without it's LTE radio, so what else makes this variant specifically?  Quite a lot actually, because it has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processors, 4.65 inches touch screen with a resolution of 720 p and a hefty 1850mAh battery.

That is a nice bump spec over standard Galaxy S II, and with the Galaxy S III should give an emergence at Mobile World Congress, at the end of next month, a launch of HD beside it will line-up of Samsung top very amazing.

Latest Samsung Star 3 and Star 3 DUOS Mobile phones 2012

It seems that the phone isn't, quite dead yet, with the launch of the last "Star" "touch screen phone, the Samsung 3 star and Samsung Star 3 DUETAH. 3 star is not a million miles away from last year/Star II or y Galaxy in terms of features. It fails s worth, pointing out that the Star II though that currently sells for about € 80 a SIM-free, much cheaper than € 120 y's Galaxy, so we can expect a 3 star, to be under € 100.

3 display is  "Panel 240 × 320 pixels, behind a 3.2 megapixel camera. 3 stars lacked supporting 3 g, but comes with WiFi and edge instead. There are of GPS, and isn3 star 't smart, although it supports a range of social media, Web apps

The DUOS adds dual-SIM support, but we would recommend that  extends the most capable Galaxy Y DUOS if you can. Just 95 grams, the 3 stars is pretty lightweight. The Star measures 3102 x 58 x 12 mm, has a 1000 mAh battery and also supports microSD expandable memory and Bluetooth.

3 Star sales opportunity is likely to cost, because it has support for 3 G, GPS or  ' t, then it doesn't have much cheaper than it would have its low-end smartphone. But we suspect that most customers would prefer an Android or Bada device instead. Star 3 should be available to Russia this month, followed by the rest of the world's most

Samsung Galaxy Y VS Spice Mi-350n VS Micromax A75 Superfone Lite

Samsung Galaxy Y - Samsung is heavily advertising the Galaxy Y-TV studio logos and advertising to attract more buyers to the table. The truth is, it is actually a very good phone good build quality and concentrated form by making it easy to use, small hands. Inside, see the Android Gingerbread powered by a peppy little 850 MHz CPU, which keeps chugging fluent interface. Low resolution is in our eyes on the phone only in the absence of the main. Media features are, clearly one of the best in the segment. The sound quality is very good with a good ear phones, so ideal for the MP3 player. Connections-wise, for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi "n", something that the manufacturers usually ignores the budget. It also fared very well in our battery test, only the video playback over a landfill, which is really good for 10Hrs.

Spice Mi-350n - Be hoisted on Mi-350n with the same value as the Galaxy Y, but we manage to offer features that are not available for the Samsung. First of all, it is a dual-SIM phone, which is very important for all those who have the habit around juggling two phones. It also boasts a metal Chamber for the front and rear parts with rubber bits thrown in for better grip. Spice have added a taste of their own boot Melopswmo with convenient toggle switches on the notification and pre apps-bundled with the phone. The camera is also something that is worth mentioning as comes with a 3.2 MP Snapper with auto-focus! You don't see every day in this section. Battery life is not as big as the Samsung, mainly because of the larger screen, but it is good in itself. Additionally, you receive also a Front facing camera for video call.

Micromax A75 Superfone Lite - A75, A70, as we all loved one we considered to be the successor to the Android phone as a phone with a worried to get our hands. These are some of the other two sits outside the budget, but the feature set or less the same as I've included. Micromax has very good mimic and phone design Nexus s really looks good. A slightly larger screen 2.3 inch, picture looks crisp and clean. Dual SIM phone wont fix anything first, a quick go a little laggy, seems to be the initiator. Superfone Lite Wi-Fi direct comes with good connectivity options. Although the camera does not have a pretty good job, only to be driven hard and 3MP. Battery life gets a little large screen and high-capacity battery as diving exactly is not a perfect match.

BlackBerry Curve 9320 - Open Price 15,990 in India

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 is one of the worst kept secrets from Research in Motion in recent times. The handset had already made a brief appearance in a hands-on video a long time before it was officially announced everywhere across the globe. At that time we got to see its unique feature, which was the quick access BBM button. The brand had recently taken the wraps off the device, but the only thing left to be known was the price and when it would hit store shelves. Research in Motion today announced the stylish new smartphone for socially-connected customers in India. This new smartphone features all the core BlackBerry messaging and social-centric features that keep people connected, and it offers global 3G connectivity backed by long battery life to allow users to make the most of their day.

“The BlackBerry Curve series is extremely popular and successful in India and we are excited to bring the new BlackBerry Curve 9320 to customers here. This new Curve model is designed to make it incredibly easy for customers to be socially-connected, and we expect it will be especially popular in the youth segment,” said Sunil Dutt, Managing Director, India at Research in Motion.

Research in Motion claims that the BlackBerry Curve 9320 has everything a customer needs to stay connected to the people and things that matter most to them. They go on to state that it features the best keyboard in its class for quick and easy typing and even includes a new, dedicated BBM key. It also includes a built-in FM radio, allowing one to tune in to their favourite local stations and listening to FM radio does not require a data plan or using of data services. Designed to allow both 3G connectivity and long battery life, customers can get up to 7 hours of talktime or upto 30 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones.

Customers can easily interact using their social network in real time, using preloaded apps for Facebook and Twitter. The new Social Feeds 2.0 app is also preloaded, allowing customers to post updates to multiple social networks simultaneously and capture updates from news sources (RSS), social apps and instant messaging apps all in one consolidated view. The integrated camera, includes a flash and supports video recording and pictures can be tagged with their location, thanks to the smartphone’s built-in GPS. 

This handset is officially available in India for Rs.15,990.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos GSM Say to Customer

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, has announced the new GSM variant of the Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos. Building on the popularity of the Galaxy Ace, the Galaxy Ace Duos (GSM + GSM) combines a sleek design, high-performance features and a rich experience with dual-SIM support, allowing users to manage their work and personal lives with one smartphone. Users can also use the device to carry two SIM cards with different billing plans, switching when convenient or cost-appropriate. The device is powered by an 832MHz processor and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The GSM variant of the Duos comes with a 1300 mAh battery. This device has been launched after the CDMA version of the Galaxy Ace Duos (CDMA + GSM), which we reviewed earlier.

Let’s have a look at the remaining specs of the Ace Duos:

• 3.5-inch HVGA TFT-LCD display with a 320 x 480 pixel resolution
• 3G, EDGE/ GPRS, Wi-Fi
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Bluetooth with A2DP and USB 2.0 (Micro)
• 5MP autofocus camera 
• FM radio with RDS
• 3GB internal + microSD card support for up to 32GB

“With Dual SIM convenience, enhanced connectivity, and performance features, the Galaxy Ace Duos delivers a sleek design and incredible features intended to provide consumers with a smartphone that meets their hidden needs.” said JK Shin President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung. “We continue to listen to our customers and lead them to a life extraordinary by expanding our GALAXY smart device range, which continues to gain traction as one of the most recognized and popular mobile brands in the world.”

The Galaxy Ace Duos’s dual SIM system aims to maximize communication flexibility by allowing users to manage two separate phone numbers on one smartphone. Samsung’s ‘dual SIM always on’ feature automatically forwards calls from the phone number on SIM 2, even if a user is on the phone with SIM 1′s number. This ensures that a user can always manage their work and personal lives and never miss a call.

In addition to its connectivity features, the Galaxy Ace Duos comes with Samsung’s Touchwiz user interface. 3GB of internal storage means you can store a number of videos, music, and images on the go. And then there’s ChatON, Samsung’s communication service that connects users on any phone platform into a single community. Designed for users with active lifestyles, the Galaxy Ace Duos will be available from June, starting with Russia and will gradually be rolled out to Europe, CIS, Latin America, Southeast and Southwest Asia, Middle East, Africa, and China.

Nokia Pure Lambda Runing with OS 8.0.9842 on WP Bench

MyNokiaBlog has come across an interesting find, thanks to user ‘Stipan’, who stumbled upon a list of possible future Nokia Windows Phone devices in the WP Bench app. While benchmarking the Lumia 800, he came across names of the possible unreleased WP7 devices, called PurePhi, Phi, Alpha and PureLamda. These could very well be codenames for future Nokia handsets based on Windows Phone OS. Out of the four names, the one that really stands out is the PureLamda, which according to the app, seems to be running on an OS version 8.0.9842 or translated WP 8.0 Apollo. In the same way the Transformer Prime popped up in AnTuTu a few months back, this could very well be some future device that Nokia is testing currently.

Alpha and Phi could very well be some new models that are based on the next version of Microsoft’s mobile OS. They could be the first phones in a new series that Nokia is planning to launch. The PureLamda and the PurePhi hint at a possible PureView phone based on the Windows Phone OS. However, Nokia did hint in the past that the camera in the PureView 808 might not make it to WP7 devices anytime soon.

If we were to read between the lines, these phones aren’t based on WP7, so technically Nokia is still right in what they said. They never said anything about not launching a WP 8.0-based PureView phone. We still don’t have any other details on Apollo, but at least we know now that it’s out there and it seems like Nokia will be among the first to have Apollo-ready handsets when Microsoft decides to announce it. The question that’s still on people’s minds is that whether or not existing WP7 devices will be fully upgradable to Apollo? What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.