MacRumors

Debate among analysts over just how widespread Apple's use of sapphire displays will be in the iPhone 6 continues to rage, with The Korea Herald reporting on a new research note from NPD DisplaySearch Korea's Brian Huh putting Apple's sapphire display capacity at 45 million units for the iPhone 6 launch. With the iPhone 6 predicted to launch in an initial batch nearing 70 million units, Apple would not be able to use sapphire across the entire lineup.

“Apple’s sapphire material supplier, GT Advanced Technologies, appears capable of producing the glass for around 45 million smartphones. Still, only the iPhone 6’s most premium models may adopt it due to its high cost and a possible supply (set aside) for the iWatch,” said Brian Huh, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch Korea, at its touch conference in Seoul.

He said the 64GB version of either the 5.5-inch or 4.7-inch model is likely to adopt the glass. The iPhone 6 will reportedly come in 32GB and 64GB models.

Separately, Huh also believes Apple will eventually use sapphire for its laptop displays, although manufacturing complexities and costs at those sizes would be challenging for Apple.

Huh is certainly not the first to suggest that sapphire may be limited to high-end iPhone 6 models, with previous reports from Taiwanese media and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo making similar claims.

A second research report from JPMorgan publicized by Taipei Times (via GforGames) claims Apple's sapphire display production may only be around 10 million units through the end of the year.

“Sapphire covers will also be restricted to high-end iPhones, possibly the 128GB [gigabyte] ones,” the brokerage said in the report. [...]

“Due to various challenges related to the new cover material, we believe the production output for sapphire covers will be low,” JPMorgan analysts said. “Sapphire ingot yield rates could be as low as below 50 percent for this size, and finished sapphire smartphone covers may cost as much as US$40 to US$45 versus below US$10 for finished Gorilla glass.”

In line with another recent report, JPMorgan also believes even the iWatch may see sapphire limited to certain models.

On the flip side, one of the staunchest advocates claiming Apple will be able to launch sapphire displays throughout the iPhone 6 lineup has been Matt Margolis, who has been digging deeply into regulatory and import filings related to the sapphire plant in Arizona being run by Apple and GT Advanced Technologies. Margolis early this year pegged Apple's sapphire display capacity in excess of 100 million units per year, and perhaps as high as 200 million units, with the facility in operation since very early this year.

Margolis reiterated those predications just last month, noting that the plant 2,500 furnaces on hand to handle larger sapphire boules that would give Apple plenty of capacity to cover all models of the iPhone 6 as well as the rumored iWatch.

Apple's iPhone 6 could feature Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor, according to a post on Chinese Sony enthusiast forum Digi-Wo (Google Translate, via G for Games). The Exmor IMX220 features a 13-megapixel, 1/2.3'' sensor and can record videos in 1080p. The sensor would also be a sizable improvement over the camera currently in the iPhone 5s, which uses an 8-megapixel, 1/3.2'' sensor.

Notably however, the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s have used incremental versions of Sony's IMX145 sensor, as Apple could choose implement a new sensor from the company for the iPhone 6. Sony is also expected to use a 20-megapixel version of the IMX220 in its Sony Xperia Z3 flagship device that is slated to ship later this year.

While Digi-Wo does not have a track record with Apple-related rumors, the website has offered accurate information on past Sony products before their release, and recently offered leaked photos of the Xperia Z3.

Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced this fall at a special media event. The device is expected to come in two sizes of 4.7 and 5.5-inches, although it is not known if the larger sized iPhone 6 will ship alongside the smaller version. In addition to an improved camera, the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and Apple's new iOS 8 mobile operating system.

New photos of a purported battery from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (via Nowhereelse.fr, Google Translate) appears to show a capacity of 1,810 mAh for the upcoming device. If legitimate, that capacity would be a modest improvement over the 1,560 mAh battery in the iPhone 5s, and would be in line with a report earlier this month that estimated the 4.7-inch iPhone 6's battery to be between 1,800 and 1,900 mAh.

A capacity of 1,810 mAh would place the iPhone 6 behind competing phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One (M8), which were both released earlier this year. However, Apple's traditionally tight hardware and software integration may contribute to a greater overall battery life, as iOS 8 will likely be optimized for the iPhone 6 to allow for the best performance.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at some point in September. The device will likely be released in two sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches, and is likely to feature a thinner profile with curved edges, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera. It is currently unknown if the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions will launch simultaneously, as recent reports have suggested the latter will launch after October or early in 2015.

NFL Sunday Ticket, a popular sports package provided by DirecTV, will be offered as a standalone subscription for the first time in 2014, letting users who do not subscribe to DirecTV service access NFL Sunday Ticket games on their Macs and iOS devices.

Though no announcement has been made, a promotional page noticed by AppleInsider details DirecTV's new standalone plan, which provides full NFL Sunday Ticket access starting at $199.99.

Introducing NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV. NFL football for all.

Now you can access live, out-of-market NFL games without a DIRECTV satellite TV account--no matter what team you follow! NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV lets you stream games on your computer, tablet, phone, or game console. All while keeping up with real-time player stats and your fantasy teams.

NFL Sunday Ticket has long been accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, but in prior years, it has required a monthly subscription to DirecTV's satellite cable service and a satellite dish. Now users can get access on a variety of devices with three separate plans.

The lowest tier plan, available for $199.99, allows NFL Sunday Ticket access on computers, tablets, and phones, while a $239.99 console plan allows access on console devices.

MAX, the highest tier priced at $329.99, offers access on computers, tablets, phones, and consoles, plus access to Red Zone Channel, which shows every touchdown from every game, and access to DirecTV Fantasy Zone, offering live looks at fantasy plays. All three plans also offer real-time stats and scores along with the ability to track favorite players. Standard NFL Sunday Ticket plans for DirecTV subscribers begin at $240, going up to $324 for a MAX subscription.

The website does not mention Apple TV access, but a 2010 rumor pointed towards an NFL Sunday Ticket channel on the device, which could come to fruition this year following the announcement of the standalone subscriptions.

While DirecTV previously offered a streaming package for subscribers unable to get reliable DirecTV service and tested a console-based subscription plan last year, the new NFL Sunday Ticket standalone offerings expand the service to a much wider range of cord cutters who still want access to live sports.

The changes to NFL Sunday Ticket come following DirecTV's pending acquisition by AT&T, which is awaiting regulatory approval. DirecTV is also set to renegotiate its NFL contract later this year.

Sunday Ticket for iPad [Direct Link]

Sunday Ticket for iPhone [Direct Link]

Update 1:45 PM PT: As noted by Engadget, an FAQ on the DirecTV site indicates that the NFL Sunday Ticket subscription free plan may be limited to customers in "select areas, residence types, and enrolled in select universities." Users must enter their address information on the DirecTV site to find out if they are eligible.

Amazon appears to be testing a new e-book and audiobook subscription service it's calling "Kindle Unlimited," which brings unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks for a fee of $9.99 per month.

According to information discovered by users on the KBoards Kindle forum (via Gigaom) the Kindle Unlimited service will be available on all devices, including the iPhone and the iPad likely via Amazon's Kindle app. Amazon has pulled the pages that were found this morning, but information on the service can still be seen through Google Cache and a single test page.

The now defunct Kindle Unlimited section on Amazon.com lists several popular e-book titles, including Water for Elephants, Life of Pi and the entire series of Harry Potter and Hunger Games books. The titles appear to mirror many of those available through Amazon's existing Kindle Owners' Lending Library, a service that allows Kindle-owning Amazon Prime subscribers to rent free e-books.

There are several existing e-book subscription services like those from Oyster and Scribd, but Amazon has a larger catalog of books to offer, advertising more than 600,000 titles compared to Oyster's 500,000 and Scribd's 400,000, plus more than 7,000 audiobooks. Thus far, Kindle Unlimited appears to include books from publishers like Open Road Media, Workman, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

According to court records filed on Wednesday, July 16, Apple will pay $450 million as part of an out-of-court settlement with class action lawyers and state district attorneys over e-book price fixing, reports Reuters.

Apple first reached a settlement agreement with the 33 U.S. states and territories involved in the lawsuit in June, successfully avoiding a lengthy and expensive damages trial. Settlement details were sealed at that time, however, pending court approval. $400 million of the $450 million is earmarked for consumers.

The settlement is contingent on a pending appeals case Apple filed in February with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. In the filing, Apple asked the court to overturn the original ruling that found the company guilty of conspiring to fix e-book prices.

"We have obviously studied Judge Cote's July 2013 ruling in detail, and believe that the 2nd Circuit will agree with her conclusion that Apple did violate federal antitrust laws," said Steve W. Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and lead attorney representing the consumer class. "In any case of this magnitude, there are high degrees of uncertainty, and Apple's appeal of Judge Cote's well-reasoned ruling is an example of that uncertainty."

Though found guilty, Apple has maintained its innocence throughout the dispute, claiming that it "kick-started competition in a highly concentrated market, delivering higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation." Should Apple's appeal be successful, sending the claim back to District Court, the company will pay out $50 million to settle consumer damages claims. If the appeals court reverses the initial decision entirely, Apple will pay no damages.

Along with $450 million in damages, Apple has also been subjected to several penalties levied by the U.S. Department of Justice, including an order to hire an external antitrust monitor. Publishers involved in the case, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin also settled for a total of $166 million, which has already been making its way to customers in the form of refunds.

Months before Apple is expected to release its next-generation iPhone, functional iPhone 6 clones already are starting to appear in China's mobile phone marketplace. One of the first clones, the Wico i6, is profiled by 86DIGI (via Nowhereelse.fr) in a two-part hands-on video.

The GooPhone also borrows its styling from the rumored schematics of the iPhone 6 and pairs it with a quad-core Mediatek MT6582 chipset, 1GB RAM and 13 megapixel rear camera. Similar to previous Goophone clones, the i6 model is powered by the Android operating system.

As iOS 8 proceeds through development and testing, the fourth beta version will be seeded to developers on Monday, July 21, according to BGR. A release on that date would mark a two-week interval since the release of the third beta on July 7, down from a roughly three-week interval between the second and third betas.

BGR regularly publishes reports predicting future release dates for iOS betas, and while the predictions are sometimes off by a day or two as was the case with beta 3, they are usually close to the actual date barring any last-minute schedule changes by Apple. As a result, it is reasonable to believe the fourth beta should arrive early next week rather than the following week.

Nowhereelese.fr (Google Translate) shares some new photos of an alleged Touch ID fingerprint sensor said to be for the iPhone 6. The component appears to be mostly similar in design to the Touch ID component used for the iPhone 5s, aside from relocated screw holes that line up with the metal housing of the device.

Higher shipments for Touch ID components would likely help launch supplies for the iPhone 6, as low yield rates of the component were reportedly to blame for the limited supplies of the iPhone 5s last year. The iPhone 6 will likely be announced and launched this September, and is expected to come in two sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. However, a recent report suggested that the company is running into production issues with the device, which may lead to the 5.5-inch version launching after October or in early 2015.

Apple and IBM today announced plans for an exclusive partnership that will see them teaming up to "transform enterprise mobility" through a series of new business apps and services for iOS devices that will undoubtedly skyrocket Apple's enterprise sales.

IBM will begin selling iOS devices to its corporate customers and will also create more than 100 industry-specific native apps that are built from the ground up for the iPhone and the iPad. IBM will provide cloud services optimized for iOS as well, with capabilities like device management, security, analytics, and mobile integration.

"iPhone and iPad are the best mobile devices in the world and have transformed the way people work with over 98 percent of the Fortune 500 and over 92 percent of the Global 500 using iOS devices in their business today," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "For the first time ever we're putting IBM's renowned big data analytics at iOS users' fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple. This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver."

As part of the deal, Apple also has plans to offer a new AppleCare service that will be tailored to meet specific enterprise needs. IT departments and end users will both have access to 24/7 support assistance from Apple and on-site service via IBM.

Tim Cook and IBM CEO Virginia Rometty appeared on CNBC to discuss the news, where Cook said the partnership is about "transforming enterprise" and delivering on "the promise of mobile in a big way."

According to Cook, Apple began speaking with IBM a couple of years ago about possible partnerships, and the enterprise arena is where the two companies felt they could come together. "It takes the best of Apple and the best of IBM and it puts those together," he said. "There's no overlap, no competition, they're totally complementary, and more than anything, it focuses on the enterprise customer."

Rometty also commented on the deal, saying it's all about "unlocking mobility in the enterprise." IBM is committed to addressing issues that have inhibited enterprise expansion on mobile devices, including security, and the two companies have several goals to reach, according to Rometty: "One is growth for both our companies, but the second thing is this idea that-- we have both-- Tim and I talked often about remaking business and re-envisioning, reimagining professions."

It also builds on the incredible momentum in Apple’s enterprise business. iPhone and iPad can be found in 98% of the Fortune 500. People love to use iOS devices and Apple delivers the things companies need most—security and scalable deployment along with a powerful platform for apps. With this announcement, we’re now putting IBM‘s renowned big data analytics at iOS users‘ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple.

Apple has also updated its iPad in business site with new details on the deal between the two companies and a link to IBM's own Mobile First website designed for enterprise customers interested in iOS devices.

IBM's first apps, tailored specifically to various industries like retail, healthcare, banking, travel, transportation, and more, will be coming this fall, with additional apps following in 2015. The company also has plans to roll out its MobileFirst Platform for iOS, with benefits like analytics, cloud storage, fleet-scale device management, a private app catalog, and data and transaction security services.

Prior to the launch of a new iOS device, accessory manufacturers often create cases months in advance in an attempt to gain publicity and score pre-orders from users eager to protect their new devices. These cases are often created based on leaked schematics and the manufacturers themselves rarely have any information on the devices they're creating cases for beyond what's seen on rumor sites.

While third-party cases for the iPhone 6 have been available for purchase for months, several different cases from popular accessory manufacturer Spigen have been generating a growing amount of interest on Amazon.com.

Spigen has listed multiple cases, both for the 4.7-inch iPhone and the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, which it has taken to calling the "iPhone Air." MacRumors has been contacted several times in regard to these cases, which many readers believe offer legitimate details on the iPhone 6 because they're coming from a "reputable" source.

Spigen uses photoshopped iPhone 5s images with curved edges to fit into its iPhone 6 cases, which are undoubtedly based on leaked schematics that have been circulating around the Internet for months. The images do not offer any insight into the next-generation iPhone's appearance and Spigen's "iPhone Air" moniker for the 5.5-inch iPhone is a mere guess, based on a term bandied about by Chinese media reports. Spigen's September 30 release date also delivers no inside information about the iPhone 6, as it is a safe date in line with rumors pointing towards an early September introduction.

Along with the cases posted on Amazon by Spigen, Amazon Japan also made headlines last week when an iPhone 6 listing appeared with specific details on the iPhone 6, including a 4.7-inch display, dimensions of 13 x 6.5 x 0.7cm, and a weight of 113 grams.

Many sites reported on the listing as a leak directly from Amazon.com, but in fact, it was listed by a third-party seller who used images taken from MacRumors and coupled them with details derived solely from rumors. The listing was later removed by Amazon.

As we draw closer to the launch of the iPhone 6, similar "leaks" will undoubtedly pop up from seemingly reliable sources taking advantage of the iPhone 6 frenzy, but it is important to note that accessory makers and third-party vendors are unlikely to have insider information sourced directly from Apple.