iPhone 5 rumours: ‘Liquid metal’ could make new Apple phone ultraslim

• Hi-tech ‘liquid metal’ alloy could mean new shape for iconic smartphone
• New phone could be delayed until October, claims analyst

By
Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED:

06:50 EST, 20 April 2012

|

UPDATED:

08:37 EST, 20 April 2012

Apple’s new iPhone 5 could be housed in a little-known hi-tech alloy known as ‘liquid metal’ – which feels like glass to the touch.

The alloy, a mix of titanium, nickel, copper and zirconium among other metals, is tough, light and scratch resistant, and said to feel as smooth as glass.

But analysts fear that shortages of hi-tech components could mean the device is delayed until October.

A concept of what the new handset might look like designed for MacRumors: Apple’s new iPhone 5 could be housed in a little-known hi-tech alloy known as ‘liquid metal’ – which feels like glass to the touch

Ciccarese Design’s ‘concept’ iPhone 5: The material can be shaped in a process similar to the ‘injection moulding’, used for plastic which could lead to a rounder, more organic shape for the new handset

The material can be shaped in a process similar to the ‘injection moulding’, used for plastic which could lead to a rounder, more organic shape for the new handset.

The leak was reported in Korean IT News, which said, ‘In the meantime, iPhone5 is likely to take liquid metal, an alloy of zirconium, titanium, nickel, copper and so forth having an outer surface smooth like liquid.’

Korean IT News predicted that the handset would launch in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. The design is not finalised – the images here are concept designs made by Ciccarese Design for MacRumors.

Others, though, predict that the new iPhone will launch in October – a year after the last iPhone update, the 4S. 

Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said that component shortages would lead to the expected summer launch of the new handset being delayed to October

Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said that component shortages would lead to the expected summer launch of the new handset being delayed to October.

The news caused Apple’s share price to dip by 3.4% according to a report in Bloomberg News.

Apple’s iPhone 4S is looking increasingly dated as manufacturers such as HTC bring out phones such as the One X armed with hi-tech components such as quad-core processors.

Sony’s Xperia S has a screen resolution far higher than the current iPhone.
Samsung is also said to be on the verge of launching its eagerly awaited Galaxy S3 handset.

‘The successor to the Galaxy S2 smartphone will be unveiled at a Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, close to commercial availability of the product,’ said the Korean electronics giant in a statement.

Technical specifications of the device haven’t been released.

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“Has anyone noticed that they’re going to go back to the previous designs? If they are then the cracking rim will strike again- they should have chosen metal for the rim because it is malleable and ductile- and don’t forget strong”
Forget that, i wasn’t reading it very clearly and missed the part where it said about the alluminium cover thing

- Fropy, UK, 20/4/2012 20:31

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They should have 2 quad core i7 processors, and a GTX590 graphics card and a 8hr battery, LCD screen, and should support 4k graphics. That would be awesome.

- Fropy, UK, 20/4/2012 20:28

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I couldn’t care less about the physical look and feel. A £600 phone for me will always go in a case.

- wills, sussex, 20/4/2012 20:26

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Has anyone noticed that they’re going to go back to the previous designs? If they are then the cracking rim will strike again- they should have chosen metal for the rim because it is malleable and ductile- and don’t forget strong

- Fropy, UK, 20/4/2012 20:25

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And here come the Android trolls and fanbois telling anyone why their OS is teh awesome!!111 ZOMG.
Pfft.

- Soap, KIA, 20/4/2012 20:24

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I’d happily swap slimline for a battery that lasts all day…
Surely not too much to ask?
My old Nokia battery lasted all week…

- Bill, London, 20/4/2012 19:14

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Whoopee …………………..and I’ll still get signal drop out from O2!!

- Captain Sensible, London, 20/4/2012 18:58

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Can’t take the phrase ‘liquid metal’ seriously without thinking of Robert Patrick in Terminator 2 haha
- joe, hull, 20/4/2012 13:
Will it shatter if placed in, liquid Nitrogen ? Normaly i-phones don’t bounce !

- Graham, Sheffield UK, 20/4/2012 18:54

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Could be ultra slim ? like the iPhone 4s could have been better than the Samsung galaxy S2 but it wasn’t, and no doubt the S3 will be better than the iPhone 5, Android is the way forward.

- Atheist, Arknsaw, 20/4/2012 16:39

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Big deal if HTC, Samsung and Sony make nice thin phones with faster processors. It’s all about the software that runs them and the user experience. When Apple created the iOS they were thinking of usability and user friendliness not bloated geeky stuff that needs a software engineer to work out how to use. Apple’s iOS is very user friendly and it is all backed up by a stable ecosystem with high quality products. Perfect? No. Usable and stable? Yes. Durability far exceeds those of other manufacturers.

- Marco, Melbourne, 20/4/2012 15:13

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2132639/iPhone-5-rumours-Liquid-metal-make-new-Apple-phone-ultraslim.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

The very best iPhone 5 rumours

The iPhone 5 will launch at some point in the next eight months – that’s almost a given. Whether it will be called the iPhone 5, however, is another thing entirely. It could just as easily be called the new iPhone, which would be in keeping with Apple’s most recent launch – the new iPad (AKA the iPad 3).

Either way, one thing is 99.9 per cent certain: the iPhone 5 will not look like the iPhone 4S. At least we hope it doesn’t. The ‘glass chassis’ design used on the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S is now over two years old. Consumers know this and are hungry for something new. Apple’s iPhone 5 has to deliver on this promise.

Another thing that’s true of nearly all Apple launches, particularly the iPhone-related ones, is that the actual device very rarely lives up the level of expectation surrounding it. In this sense it’s a bit like New Year’s Eve. But will the iPhone 5 launch be as big a disappointment as the iPhone 4S’s?

Personally we don’t think so. Last time everybody, including us, was expecting a re-designed iPhone called the iPhone 5. Instead we got the iPhone 4S and Siri. Now we’re not saying the iPhone 4S is a bad – it wasn’t. In fact it was one of the best devices of last year, hence our 4.5 out of 5 star review. It was still a dull launch though.

Rumours have been flying around since before the iPhone 4S launched about what the iPhone 5 would entail. They’ve carried on since and most, as you’d expect, have included stuff that was missing from the iPhone 4S but there were some absolute corkers. Here’s a break down of our favourites.

No ‘Home’ button
Can you imagine an iPhone without a Home button key? No, neither can we – but this is one of the most persistent rumours of all. It started in the run up to the launch of what would turn out to be the iPhone 4S. According to reports, Apple was working on a completely gesture-based user interface. Obviously this didn’t happen with the iPhone 4S – but could it make an appearance on the iPhone 5?

Don’t count on it.

12-megapixel imaging capabilities
Will Apple update the camera aboard the iPhone 5 this time around, or will it just keep the same set-up that it’s got on the iPhone 4S and its new iPad? Personally we can’t see it happening, especially when you remember just how good the one on the iPhone 4S is.

Of course HTC has raised the bar with its One X, One V and One S handsets, which allow for the capture of images that are almost as good as a mid-range compact. But this still shouldn’t be enough to worry Apple.

So while a big camera update would be nice, it’s not exactly necessary given what the majority of the competition is doing and just how capable the iPhone 4S’ current setup still is. For this reason we think the likelihood of a 12-megapixel shooter aboard the iPhone 5 is completely out of the question.

Edge-to-edge curved display
The iPhone 5 should have a bigger display than the current 3.5-inch Retina Display that’s used on the iPhone 4/4S. This is almost a given in that Apple has fallen somewhat behind the curve in the old display size department – it’s one area where the iPhone really shows its age.

Some speculative reports online have claimed that the iPhone 5 will feature a 4.x-inch edge-to-edge curved glass display. Now we don’t dispute the size change but we’re not convinced about the idea of a curved panel. It would look like Apple was copying Samsung and Nokia – and that’s not a good look.

Not that we’d object to an iPhone 5 handset with an edge-to-edge Retina Display constructed from curved glass. It just doesn’t seem all that likely given Apple’s track record.

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Article source: http://www.knowyourmobile.com/features/1330552/the_very_best_iphone_5_rumours.html

X-Ray Vision Smartphones? In-Cell Touchscreens? A T-1000 ‘Liquidmetal’ iPhone 5?

Phones with cameras that let you see through walls, paper or clothing? An iPhone with a case made of “liquid metal”  and — wait, what’s an “in-cell” touchscreen?

I Can See-Phone You!

Let’s start with smartphones packing cameras capable of what we used to call “X-ray vision,” which researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas claim could be just around the corner. The whole “see through stuff” part is old news, of course: Cameras that detect infrared radiation can “see” through cotton-based clothing, for instance, and have been around for years. But imagine the technology bettered, miniaturized and manufactured cheaply enough to make it usable in everyday phones, where, as the L.A. Times notes, it could be put to work helping detect skin cancer and locating unseen cracks in objects or studs in walls.

(MORE: Police Developing Tech to Virtually Frisk People from 82 Feet Away)

For starters, the UT Dallas researchers figured out how to tap a narrow, little-used region of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwave, known as “terahertz” radiation. Terahertz waves pass through just about everything save water and metal, including paper, wood, plastic and — because it’s the nervous question on everyone’s mind when talk of plausible, portable X-ray vision pops up — clothing, too.

“The combination of CMOS and terahertz means you could put this chip and receiver on the back of a cellphone, turning it into a device carried in your pocket that can see through objects,” said Dr. Kenneth O, Texas Instruments Distinguished Chair and TxACE director. Cool! (And kind of spooky…)

How do you pack a cutting-edge terahertz detection system into something as small as a smartphone and keep it inexpensive? By designing a complementary imaging processor using CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) technology. The result: A chip that can detect terahertz radiation, small enough to fit in a phone and cheap enough for mere mortals to afford.

Won’t this technology basically empower a newer, scarier generation of peeping Toms? “The major concern for this technology is privacy, so we’ve made it that you need to place the imaging device very close to the object you are looking at,” Dr. O told the Times. “We are talking about a distance of 10 centimeters, so it would be very difficult for someone to sneak up on you and…you know.”

(MORE: 50 Best iPhone Apps 2012)

iPhone 5 Even Thinner than Rumored?

Rumormonger DigiTimes says Apple’s next iPhone will probably use what’s called “in-cell” touch panel technology when (okay, if) it rolls off the assembly lines this summer or early fall. What the heck does “in-cell” refer to? The position of the touch sensors in the panel itself. In “on-cell” setups, used in current smartphones, the touch sensors reside on top of the color filters — in “in-cell” configurations, they’re actually inside the color filters. That translates to even thinner touchscreens.

The DT rumor is supported by a Focus Taiwan report, which cites David Hsieh, the president of display market researcher DisplaySearch, as claiming Apple plans to trade Taiwan-based suppliers for Japanese panel makers (notably Sharp and Toshiba) when it starts manufacturing its next-generation iPhone. The reason: Japan currently has the edge on “in-cell” tech, explains Hsieh.

“Of course, Taiwanese panel makers are also developing this technology, but Japanese suppliers still run faster,” said Hsieh at a display-related conference in Taiwan.

(MORE: iPhone and iPod Touch Rumors Collide in Apple Rumorpocalypse)

“This Thing Can Imitate Anything It Touches?”

The term “liquidmetal” probably conjures visuals like Robert Patrick’s T-1000 commandeering a helicopter, head-butting the windshield and pouring like a worm made of mercury into the cockpit. Obviously the next iPhone won’t do that, but as my colleague Doug Aamoth wrote in August 2010, liquid metal — an alloy that’s stronger than titanium — is already used in flash drives, MP3 players, jewelry, medical devices, industrial machinery, space projects and luxury phones like those made by Vertu. What’s more, Apple’s reportedly had an exclusive deal with the company responsible for the material since 2010.

That deal may be near fruition: Korea IT News claims Apple’s next iPhone will finally integrate the sci-fi-sounding material, giving the next-gen smartphone an uncommonly smooth, liquid-like shell while bolstering its durability. Whether Apple and its partners can make the whole thing work and keep costs low enough is another matter — speculation in 2010 was that liquidmetal might never make it into consumer products given its high manufacturing costs. But if anyone stands a chance of striking a reasonable deal given iPhone sales and economies of scale, it’s probably the folks at Cupertino.

But no, it won’t “imitate anything it touches,” ala the T-1000. Too bad. Don’t you just want to say “iPhone, form of a 9-iron!”

MORE: Apple Granted Exclusive Use of ‘Liquidmetal’ Casing Material

Article source: http://techland.time.com/2012/04/20/x-ray-vision-smartphones-in-cell-touchscreens-a-t-1000-liquidmetal-iphone-5/

The Score: IPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Who Will Win?

The Score is a weekly column scoring controversial events in the mobile industry. Want to get to the point? We’ll break it down and give you the score.

The Setup: Samsung’s Galaxy S2 and Apple’s iPhone 4S were two of the hottest smartphones on the market last holiday season. Analysts hailed the S2 as Apple’s chief competitor, and the more than 20 million users who purchased the device agreed. The performance of the S2 left critics and customers alike clamoring over what its successor, the Galaxy S3, is capable of when it launches later this year.

Over at Apple, analysts expect the company’s next handset to debut in October with some dramatic changes, after the 4S received just minor upgrades to the iPhone 4.

Analysts expect both the S3 and the iPhone 5, if that’s the real name, to represent the cream of the smartphone crop, setting up a second battle royale between Samsung and Apple as the two companies fight for the title of best device on the market. It’s going to be a while before either handset is on sale, but building up the hype machine is half the battle. Let’s take a look at which side is out to the early lead.

• Get ready: Samsung announced it will unveil the Galaxy S3 in London on… wait for it… May 3. Compare this with the Apple rumors about an unveil of the next iPhone. Hmm, maybe June? More like September/October. Samsung: +1,000 points
• Just two weeks away from the official S3 announcement, the rumors are flying and Samsung ain’t denying! Quad-core processor? Duh. 8-megapixel camera? Oh yeah, that’s happening, and some rumors claim it’ll be even higher. A 4.6-inch display with a resolution that rivals Apple’s Retina display on that tiny 3.5-inch iPhone screen? Little birdies everywhere are singing that it’s true. Samsung: +1,000 points
• Comparing the crazy hype around the S3 now to the buzz around the new iPhone isn’t entirely fair. The 4S is still selling well and the next-generation is still months out, so let’s consider this: The second Samsung announces the S3, the ball will land back in Apple’s court and every analyst and prospective customer won’t declare the South Korean company the winner of anything until it hears a rebuttal out of the iPhone maker. Respect. Apple: +500 points
• One thing is certain: Apple’s new iPhone will have to be a nice leap over the 4S if it wants to cause a stir the way it normally does. Luckily, all signs point to exactly that. There are rumors of a completely new form factor made of liquidmetal, a bump in screen size and a feature that allows users to read people’s minds. Ok, the last one is a lie. But we had you for a second, right? Apple: +500 points

Final Score: Samsung: +1,000 points

The early lead in the battle between the S3 and the next iPhone currently belongs to Samsung’s handset. Samsung hasn’t released the launch date for the S3 yet, but the decision to announce the handset early next month almost certainly means it will beat the new iPhone to the market. A few months’ head start is a big advantage in the smartphone business, especially when the device hitting shelves first will challenge the reigning king.

Samsung’s launch of the S3 well before the next-generation iPhone may give the company an advantage when it comes to early sales, but it also presents Apple with an opportunity. The iPhone maker will have a chance to make the S3 appear dated by announcing features in its new device that Samsung will not have the luxury of reacting to until some time next year, giving it an edge during the crucial holiday season.

Apple will likely have legions of passionate fans lined up to buy its next handset, regardless of what Samsung does with the S3. However, Samsung has built a worthy fan base of its own, making the battle for undecided customers more important than ever. It’s going to be a heavyweight battle, and the first round is already underway.

Article source: http://www.mobiledia.com/news/138792.html

iPhone 5 Release & Rumors: 3 Ways ‘Liquid Metal’ Technology Could Transform Design

Apple currently uses Liquidmetal technology for the Sim Card ejector in the iPhone 4S, but what could the technology mean for the iPhone 5?

Shatter Proof Screen: While the iPhone 4S has a strong and sturdy glass screen, it is prone to shattering, especially for phones that don’t sport the protective outer case. Liquidmetal technology would result in a much stronger–scratch proof– display, making the phone much more durable overall.

Thinner: The glass used on the iPhone 4S is quite thick. Liquidmetal technology could mean the iPhone 5 will come with not only a thinner display, but a slimmer outer body as well. The iPhone 5 is already expected to be significantly redesigned with an overall thinner and sleeker look. Some of the concept designs can be found here.

 Lighter: The iPhone 4S weighs 4.9 ounces (140 grams), this is significally heavier than some of its competitors in the Samsung Galaxy family. The iPhone 5 is expected to be lighter and if Liquidmetal is adopted in the production we can expect a much lighter phone. 
 Popular rumors surrounding the iPhone 5:

Rumor Roundup

Release Date:  It’s likely the iPhone will launch in October-a year after the iPhone 4S update. While Apple enthusiasts are hoping for a June release, it seems Apple has broken its summer release pattern.The new technology and component shortages leads to delays in production, according to Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray.

OLED Display:The latest iPhone 5 rumors point to a 1280 x70 resolution OLED screen, which will replace the traditional LCD display. The Korea Times recently reported that Samsung has increased the production of the OLED screen for the new iPhone.The screen is also expected to come with curved glass edge-to-edge display. Since the launch of the new iPad, Apple enthusiasts are convinced the phone will come with a retina display. A bigger 4-inch or 4.6-inch screen is also on the rumors cards, after many iPhone customers have criticized the iPhone screen for being too small.

 Processor: The iPhone 5 will probably come with an A6 Chip, after the iPad was released with the A5X quad-core processor– touted as twice as fast and four times better performance than Tegra 3 chip. An A6 chip would double the power of the A5 chip that is currently used in the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2. An unnamed source, who claims to have an iPad 3 prototype, sent Boy Genius Report pictures of a diagnostic tool called iBoot, which states a chip model number that appears to be that of the A6 chip.

iOS 6 Software:Ars Technica has published some analysis that suggests some Apple products are already running on iOS 6 software. The analysis would suggest that Apple is either doing a test run on some of its new products. We might expect the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference, where the iOS 5 software was revealed last year.

Better Battery:The iPhone 4s’s battery life is one of its most criticized features. Apple tried to fix the bug with an iOS 5.0.1 update, and while some users said it had improved their battery life, other complained that the performance wasn’t good enough. It is therefore likely that Apple are focusing on overall higher battery life and performance, which is paramount if it keeps introducing battery draining features like Siri.

Sophisticated Siri: Tech analysts from the iOS 6 News Blog predict that the new iOS 6 operating system, which is expected to be released ahead of the iPhone 5, will bring with it an even more sophisticated voice recognition system. An upgrade to Siri could possibly mean a better developed interface. Rumors suggest the feature will be activated by simply shaking the phone and website search, navigation and social media sharing will all be possible through a simple voice command.

Article source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/331300/20120420/iphone-5-release-rumors-liquid-metal-features.htm

Apps to make life less hectic for moms

If you’re a mom, your day might look something like this; Drop the kids at school, hit the gym before work, swing by the dry cleaners at lunch and pick up the soccer team, all before you head home to make dinner.

Your life is busy! So here are some mommy-approved apps to make your life a little less hectic.

Coupon Sherpa ( iPhone , Android ): This app is perfect for the mom that loves a good deal. The app delivers coupons from over 5,000 retailers right to your phone. So there’s no organizing or printing, you simply present the app and coupon at checkout and you’re set to buy, buy, buy! This app is free for both iPhone and Android users.

Omni Focus ( iPhone ): It’s an all-in-one life organizer that keeps tracks of your tasks, whether it be a meeting agenda or tonight’s dinner menu. You can organize tasks by person, place or date and syncing it with cloud allows you to input data from your other devices like your iPad or Mac. This app is $19.99 for the iPhone.

Mom Maps (iPhone , Android ): For the traveling mom, this app makes it easy to find kid friendly activities in new cities. It uses your phone’s GPS to direct you and your child to the nearest park, playground or museum from it’s database of 24,000 kid locations. This app is free for both iPhone and Android users.

Shop Savvy:  ( iPhone , Android ) This bar code scanner helps you find the right product at the best price! Scanning an items bar code leaves you with a list of retailers that carry it, their price and a Google map of nearby locations. You’ll never overpay again! This app is free for both iPhone and Android users.

iPregnancy: ( iPhone ): Created by an OB GYN, this app allows you to keep track of all the milestones during your pregnancy. The app provides 2D and 3D renderings of your pregnancy at every stage and allows you to track your mood, doctor’s visits, weight gain and more. This app is $3.99 for iPhone users.

smartICE-4family: ( iPhone ): In case of an emergency, you’ll want the smartICE-4family app on your iPhone. The app talks for a patient in trouble by allowing you to record a message containing critical medical information. The information is then played for first responders with the touch of a button. This app is free for iPhone users.

Sit or Squat:  It lets you know where the nearest public restroom is for your little one that has to go RIGHT NOW! The app also lets mom knows if holding it for one more block will make for a cleaner commode.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Article source: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/science_tech/apps-to-make-life-less-hectic-for-moms

Apple iPhone 5 delay, Qualcomm chip shortage to blame?

Derrick Cramer

Derrick joined MyBroadband in 2011 as a junior journalist with a strong background in computer hardware and gaming – he lives for that new motherboard…

A supply shortage at chip maker Qualcomm could delay next generation phones including the new iPhone

Qualcomm’s inability to meet demand may delay the launch of Apple’s next generation iPhone device.

Speaking about the company’s chip production, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said, “At this stage we cannot secure enough supply to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing.”

The supply shortage could affect many cellphone makers who use Qualcomm’s 28-nanometre chips in their devices.

Qualcomm is looking for new manufacturing partners to try and increase chip supply, but this will increase the company’s operating expenses by 23 percent according to CFO Bill Keitel.

Demand went so far ahead of availability that we’ve decided to start spending more money to get more supply as soon as possible,” said Keitel.

Apple is expected to implement one of Qualcomm’s most in demand Long Term Evolution (LTE) chips into its next generation iPhone, after the chip appeared in the iPad 3 (aka New iPad) earlier this year.

Read the full story at: Cnet.

Tags: Apple, Bill Keitel, LTE, Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm

Article source: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/quick-news/48288-apple-iphone-5-delay-qualcomm-chip-shortage-to-blame.html