Each week, there are dozens of rumors, reports, and patent filings that hint at what’s coming out of Cupertino next. Some are legit, but many are totally bogus. As always, we’ve parsed the rumors, ranking them in order from “utterly ridiculous” to “duh, of course.” First up…
DON'T COUNT ON IT: Space Gray, Gold, and Silver iPhone 6 Mockups Photographed
Another day, another iPhone "prototype." This week, we've got a doozy: A space gray iPhone 6 mockup, as well as gold and silver versions. They look like all the others we've been seeing the past few weeks, except for the color and the presence of black trim around the top and bottom rear face of the device. You too can get in on the iPhone 6 mockup action if you buy your own from Chinese site Taobao.
ASK AGAIN LATER: Apple's Touch Sensitive Button Idea Prevents Accidental Presses
In a patent that looks like it was first developed for the iPod, Apple describes a touch sensitive button that would prevent accidental presses by detecting if a finger is actually touching it or not--kind of like Touch ID, but without all the fingerprint analysis. This would be useful for a device that might get bumped around a bit, like an iPod, with its hardware volume, power, and navigation buttons. While such an idea could be recycled for a wearable or future mobile device, the patent includes sketches that appear to be the old clip-on iPod shuffle.
ASK AGAIN LATER: The First Batch of Fingerprint Sensors for iPad Air, Mini, and iPhone 6 Get Delivered
The next crop of Touch ID fingerprint sensors manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are currently being produced, according to supply chain sources. Apple is looking to get a head start on these sensors, which won't just go in the next iPhone. They'll also reportedly be in the next iPad Air and iPad mini as well. I would certainly expect Apple's next iPads to feature Touch ID--often, the company introduces a new technology (like a processor or Retina display screen) on the iPhone first, and then moves it to the iPad. It seems the Touch ID will be no exception to this pattern.
SIGNS POINT TO YES: Apple in Talks to Acquire Beats Electronics
A day after Apple's PR chief Katie Cotton stepped down, news broke that Apple is in final talks with Beats Electronics for a $3.2 billion acquisition. The report, corroborated by numerous news sources, would be Apple's biggest acquisition ever, and also one of its most public. Folks familiar with the negotiations say the deal could be announced as soon as next week, but the details aren't finalized yet and the deal could fall apart. If the deal did go through, it could mean all sorts of things for the Cupertino company and its products: Perhaps future iPhones would incorporate Beats audio technology; Beats' music streaming app could get integrated into iTunes; Apple could just acquihire the team for its talent; Apple could go the conglomeration route with the Beats brand; or it could make Dr. Dre head of creative (haha, just kidding on that one). Regardless, there's certainly a lot in Beats that could look attractive to Apple.
SIGNS POINT TO YES: 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Ready for September, or Maybe Even August, Arrival
Taiwan's Commercial Times says that Pegatron, one of Apple's suppliers, is readying the 4.7-inch version of the next iPhone for a September arrival. Considering that's when the past few Apple iPhones have launched, this is what we'd expect. But another report this week from the Economic Times says it could arrive even sooner, in August, with the larger 5.5-inch version coming in September. This seemingly contradicts other reports that the larger iPhone is experiencing significant production delays.
SIGNS POINT TO YES: Apple Has Big Plans for Health Monitoring
Apple's interest in the health and fitness space by now is well documented, with a string of hires in the field along with a rumored health-focused app and wearable. Now, Reuters says that Apple could be working on a dedicated platform, a sort-of App Store for health and fitness services. An unnamed mobile health executive told the publication that Apple "has aspirations beyond wearable devices, and is considering a full health and fitness services platform modeled on its apps store."
