iPhone 5 Will Likely Be 4G; Yet Not Any Faster?

This news caught most people by surprise, mostly because it was under all of our noses this entire time. 9to5Mac reported today that the next iPhone; presumably the iPhone 5, is very likely to be 4G.The report states that AT&T has been calling older 14.4 Mbps HSPA devices as '4G' in their stores and marketing campaigns although 4G was traditionally thought to be reserved for devices that are more than the 14.4 Mbps that they currently are. Technically, smartphones should be performing at a noticeably higher speed to be called 4G, but since smartphones like the HTC Inspire 4G and Motorola Atrix 4G have called themselves '4G', AT&T has gone ahead and changed the definition of what 4G is as a smartphone that carry speeds up 14.4 Mbps (cue Shakespeare's 'what's in a name?' line).

Anyways, the point in all this is that the Qualcomm chips that Apple's iPhones have been using are already within the parameter that would deem them as 4G; so there you have it. At this point it's quote accepted by most industry analysts that Apple will stick with some version of the Qualcomm chip that will let the iPhone 5 also function as a radio.

Whether Apple's iPhone5 will be AT&T's interpretation of 4G or feature 'true 4G power' as we like to call it, is something we won't know until we approach it's release date (even that is up in the air as you probably already know).

Check out previous iPhone 5 news that you might've missed here

iPhone 5 Will Feature Voice Recognition With iOS 5 Update

A new report suggests that Apple has further established its relationship with Nuance; a speech recognition company that will supply the software for iOS 5 (the operating system we'll see featured on the iPhone 5).Its been speculated for quite some time that Apple was expected to enhance the iPhone's speech recognition capabilities, especially since Google has been clearly taking the lead with its own speech recognition which they boasted at a conference back in 2010.

However, Apple is now right in the speech recognition game and is expected to feature speech recognition software that will be in the form of a personal assistant thanks to it's acquisition of Siri (the name of the software owned by Nuance) last year.

There was some speculation surrounding whether Apple would integrate the voice software on time for their public announcement of iOS 5 this June, but everything seems to be right on track.

Most people presumed that the fifth generation operating system of much anticipated iPhone5 will highlight some key features like speech recognition software alongside some other key features; but with that being the biggest attraction (based on what we know so far at least).

According to the same report, an "anonymous tipster" had reported that people over at Microsoft were pushing Apple to adopt their voice recognition software and were quite disappointed when they were informed of Apple's acquisition of the company.

The report goes on to say that Apple and Nuance had been in "months and months of intense negotiations" as Apple wanted to be ensured the ability to build on the technology in which they own quite a few patents on.

Check out this video and you'll see exactly why Apple decided to acquire Nuance; it's really quite clear

Apple and Verizon to deliver over-the-air iOS updates to Verizon iPhone

Apple has long used the proxy of iTunes to push updates to its iOS devices: when a new software update is available, users need to plug their device in via USB, click update, and the new software version is downloaded and installed.

Smartphone competitors have long offered a different, more direct method for software updates that happens over-the-air. Specifically, when an update to Google's Android operating system or HP/Palm's webOS is released, users are provided an update notification and can update the software right on their phone. No computer required.

Now, Apple wants to provide the same convenience to their iPhone users and is preparing to provide over-the-air iOS updates, starting this fall.

Multiple sources (one as far back as March) say the new feature will debut in iOS 5, meaning iOS 5 will not come over-the-air but following point updates to it will. Just like tethering in iOS 3, Apple has the technology but cannot just unleash it everywhere. Apple and Verizon Wireless are said to have been in talks over these wireless software updates since early this year. Sources could not comment on whether or not Apple is negotiating similar deals with AT&T or international iPhone carriers.

The iOS-based AppleTV has been able to update itself without iTunes intervention so the hooks are obviously in iOS.  Two things to note:

1. Updates are now over 600MB.  Apple would have to make these smaller to get the carriers to agree to push these things as they are.  We believe that Apple will make the updates much smaller by using incremental patches rather than full OS downloads
2. iTunes provides the backup to the iOS device so a failed update would need some sort of backup.  We think there will be a Cloud-based backup system.

Obviously, if this is a feature in iOS 5, it should conceivably make its way to iPad and iPod touches as well.  That means  iTunes may no longer be a needed conduit for updating iOS devices in the future.  It would also mean that the iPad could finally be a stand alone device.

Mockup below

Redrawing the 4G Line: Is a "Fake" 4G Tagline Coming to the iPhone 5?

Reports indicate that iPhone users may be in for a colossal bait-and-switch with the iPhone 5, branding the next iPhone as a "4G" smartphone, due to its near-4G speeds, thanks to technologies like HSPA+. Read why Apple wouldn't dare.

For those who love fast, reliable, seamless data rates for their iPhones, the famed and fabled 4G network continues to represent the Holy Grail of cellular wireless standards. It also remains elusive; while top mobile network providers like AT&T and Verizon continue to promise a 4G future to their smartphone users, the path to getting to that future seems more like a continuous circle than a straight line.

Of the many open questions about the iPhone 5 is whether or not it will be Apple's first true 4G smartphone. Because mainstream adoption of true 4G still seems to be a way's away, the prevailing logic up until recently has been that 4G may be more realistic for the iPhone 6 in 2012, rather than for the iPhone 5 in late summer 2011. But a recent fascinating insight from 9to5mac.com suggests that AT&T might try to brand a supercharged 3G HSPA+ iPhone 5 as "4G," since the data rate would indeed peak within the 4G standards.

The article explains that AT&T has already started doing this with some of its other smartphone products that feature 14.4Mbps HSPA technology, deeming devices that run at 14.4Mbps as "4G." Because the iPhone5 is likely to feature the same Qualcomm chips as the other smartphones that AT&T is branding as 4G, "most industry watchers expect the next iPhone to run on some version of the Qualcomm chip that the Verizon has, which would let it do double radio duty and be operable on all US networks."

You can read the entire article here.

Trying to navigate 3G, HSDPA, HSPA+, and 4G can be thorny: evolved HSPA+ can pump out data rates that approach the low end of 4G, but in theory only: typically they operate at 14.4Mbps. However, ITU-R data rate requirements promise up to 1 Gbit/s for 4G systems, well above what AT&T seems comfortable as calling 4G.

So, what's the rush to call the iPhone 5 4G smartphone, even if it really isn't?

The answer is simple: money. Just as many in the tech world looked to Apple to launch the first mainstream tablet device, so too has the iPhone become a critical milemarker for 4G: once the iPhone officially becomes a 4G smartphone, that will in essence usher in the 4G era. And once this happens, Apple — and all of the rest of the smartphone manufacturers and network service providers — will be able to cash in on the investments they've already made in 4G technology. After all, everyone is waiting for it to arrive.

But given the gravity of Apple sticking the 4G sticker on its iPhone, is it likely that Steve Jobs would ever run the risk of classifying the iPhone 5 as "4G" if it is nothing more than an HSPA+ 3G device? Moreover, would Apple ever allow AT&T to refer to the iPhone 5 as possessing "4G speeds?"

AT&T may be able to get away with calling the 14.4Mbps-clocked HPalm Veer 4G, HTC Inspire 4G and  Motorola Atrix 4G smartphones as 4G, but branding the iPhone 5 as 4G is another matter indeed; if the iPhone 5 is called "4G," it better adhere to true 4G standards.

If you process all of the rumors and desired features for the iPhone 5g, one quickly comes to realize that the success of the next iPhone does not hinge on it being a true 4G phone. Take a quick gander at our ongoing poll on this blog's iPhone 5 Features page, and you'll see that 4G capabilities are behind other desired features, such as a larger screen, better battery, and 8 megapixel camera.

Furthermore, we also know that Steve Jobs takes a slow, steady, measured pace when it comes to adopting new standards and technologies for the iPhone. This is why Flash is still a no-show on the iPhone (which, ironically, comes in just behind 4G in our poll).

The bottom line is this: if the iPhone 5 gets branded as a 4G smartphone without truly qualifying for 4G speeds, the tech media will dime out Apple en masse. Similar to doing a simple refresh and/or naming the next iPhone the "iPhone 4s," calling it a 4G when it is in fact a beefed up 3G will be a critical marketing mistake for Apple, since iPhone users' collective tech I.Q. is too high to be that easily fooled.

And because Apple and Stev e Jobs knows this, you can rest assured that the iPhone 5 won't be 4G unless it really is 4G.

The White iPhone Hero

An interesting and somewhat funny piece of information that iDB reader @EpicGameReviews sent us about the white iPhone 4. If you go to Apple's website, right click on the image of the white iPhone 4 on the homepage, and select "view image" or "image info", you will see how Apple named the image: white_iphone_hero_20110425.jpg.

Does Apple really consider the white iPhone 4 as a hero? I highly doubt it. Does Apple web team have a funny sense of humor? Most likely…

UPDATE: Thanks iDB readers for pointing out how ignorant I am. I had absolutely no idea what a hero shot was until today. But hey, to my defense, I'm French and I'm still learning English everyday. Especially today </embarrassed face>It's always nice to see larger companies joking around a little bit.

What says you?

Dual sim iPhone 5?

Another new rumor being circulated now by iDealsChina, a Chinese smartphone parts reseller, is that the upcoming iPhone 5 will have two SIM card trays to support dual-SIM cards.

iDealsChina believes this feature will make it possible for owners of the iPhone5 to contain two service lines which could operate two sim numbers at the same time.

This freture would be great for travellers who could use a home sim for their home network and a global sim that will allow for roaming. Also, employees could use their iphone 5g for work on one sim and for business on another.

The rumor presented by iDealsChina seems a bit dubious, though, and 9to5 Mac has chimed in with their own theory, suggesting that the iPhone 5 will be a world phone sporting Qualcomm's Gobi chip, which will combine CDMA and GSM support into a singular design.

This means that the iPhone 5 could either be used on Verizon's CDMA network or AT&T's GSM network in the States, and could also roam to any country using either CDMA or GSM technologies. Whether the feature will allow dual or simultaneous services through different carriers is possible is uncertain, but if the iPhone 5 does allow simultaneous carrier services, you could theoretically have a Verizon and AT&T number all on one device.

Here's more on the iPhone 5 news

Apple, Pandora, Backflip sued over iPhone data privacy

A new lawsuit has been filed against Apple and two third party app developers, Pandora Media and Paper Toss maker Backflip Studios, claiming damages for users over allegations that their unauthorized private data was used to deliver targeted ads.

The case, filed in New York on behalf of Jarret Ammer by Peter Cambs of the Parker Waichman Alonso law firm, appears to be similar to a case filed in San Jose, California, last December.

Like the previous suit, the new complaint appears to be patterned directly upon a Wall Street Journal article which highlighted mobile apps as using the same kind of anonymous user tracking "cookies" that conventional web ad networks use to improve the relevance of display ads. The difference between the two cases involving smartphone apps and traditional web cookies is that smartphones have a Unique Device ID (UDID) that advertisers can reliably associate with a given user, and which may be linked with location data collected as the user carries the device.

The suit notes that "Apple certainly understands the significance of its UDID and users' privacy, as, internally Apple claims that it treats UDID information as 'personally identifiable information' because, if combined with other information, it can be used to personally identify a user."

However, the complaint also says Apple "does not provide users any way to delete or restrict access to their devices' UDIDs," and that while the company has set up policies to prohibit and remove any apps that "collect and send device data to a third party for processing or analysis," it continues to collect data allegedly collected from users without their consent.

The suit specifically notes that two apps described by the Wall Street Journal article are collecting data but not providing any "location based services" as outlined in the terms of service distributed with iPhone and iPad devices.

"None of these Defendants adequately disclose to Plaintiff and members of the proposed Class that they are transmitting such information to third-party advertising networks," the complaint states. "Plaintiff and members of the proposed class were harmed by Defendants' actions in that their personal, private information was obtained without their knowledge or consent."

The suit adds that Apple "aided and abetted" third party software developers by giving them "substantial assistance," opening the company up to liability for other defendant's torts. It also notes that because Apple is in a joint venture with third party developers, it is "thus legally responsible for the tortuous conduct alleged."

The complaint states that by "accessing and transmitting UDID and location data on the [smartphone] computer of Plaintiff and members of the proposed class, Defendants have accessed Plaintiffs' computer … in excess of the authorization" of those users, alleging that the defendants have violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and New York Computer Crime Law.

The suit says the transmission of users' device IDs and location data "caused harm aggregating at least $5,000 in value," and seeks "recovery for this loss, as well as injunctive relief, to prevent future harm."

The suit also alleges that Apple and its developers have violated general business law related to "unconscionable and deceptive conduct" as well as "trespass to personal property" and taking property "in the form of information that is private and personal."