MacRumors

Research firm ChangeWave (via Fortune) has released the results of a new survey, showing that interest among early-adopter and professional consumers in a larger-screen iPhone 6 is at an all time high.

40% of respondents indicated they are 'very likely' or 'somewhat likely' to buy an iPhone 6 that is described as having a "larger screen size" and a "faster processor" along with an "updated iOS operating system" at a starting price of $199 with a two year contract.

“This is the highest level of demand for an unannounced Apple model in a ChangeWave survey – stronger than we’ve seen in previous years for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 models prior to their announcements,” said Andy Golub of 451 Research. “Speculation over a larger screen iPhone is clearly striking a chord with consumers.”

Internal memos from the second ongoing trial between Apple and Samsung indicate that Apple is eager to release a larger phone, as a slide deck from an April 2013 presentation showed that customers want less expensive and notably, larger screen smartphones.

Apple will likely unveil its next-generation iPhone later this year, as it has done with previous models. Unlike past iterations however, the iPhone 6 may come in two versions, including one with a 4.7-inch screen and another with a larger 5.5-inch screen that will be released later.

In addition to a larger display, the iPhone 6 is expected to feature a narrower bezel that surrounds a thinner design along with a faster A8 processor and an upgraded camera. According to a research note from well-sourced KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the high-end models of the iPhone 6 may also feature a durable, sapphire display as Apple is expected to become temporarily limited by the low supply yields of the material.

In a 2014 product roadmap that outlines all of Apple's plans for the year, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo revealed his predictions for Apple’s much-rumored iWatch, which may ship as soon as the third quarter of 2014.

According to Kuo, the iWatch will come in two separate sizes to accommodate different sized wrists: 1.3 inches and 1.5 inches. Multiple sizes for the device were first predicted in late 2013, though the original rumor pointed towards displays of 1.3 and 1.7 inches. Both watches will include flexible AMOLED displays with sapphire covers to protect the device from scratches.

Along with a multitude of biometric sensors, coupled in a system-in-a-package design, Kuo predicts the iWatch will include integration with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with a "fashionable appearance," an NFC chip, and a slim and light design.

We are confident on Apple's ability to make wearable devices with good fashion sense, which sets Apple apart from rivals.

Kuo believes many of the iWatch's mechanical parts may be constructed using liquid metal and that it may include an "innovative" antenna design that allows for wireless charging functionality.

Battery life has been a major challenge for Apple when it comes to iWatch development and Kuo forecasts a 200 to 250mAh battery for the device that will provide at least a one day of operating power. Earlier reports have suggested the company is aiming for three to four days of battery life, however, and Kuo does note that the battery will be longer than "most wearable devices" due to the company's "vertically integrated operating system and key components."

Kuo suggests Apple will release the iWatch at multiple price points and in a variety of materials, competing with low and high-end watches alike. At the high end, Kuo suggests Apple's iWatch could sell for thousands of dollars.

Fashion is the name of the game; most expensive model likely priced at several thousand US dollars. Referring to the rules of the fashion market, we predict the iWatch casing and band will come in various materials. The most expensive model of the iWatch line will carry a price tag of several thousand US dollars.

Apple's iWatch is not expected until the end of the year, but Kuo believes it will be the most important product of 2014, outshining even the iPhone 6. He is estimating shipments of 5.5 million units in 2014, which will rise to 30 to 50 million units in 2015.

Apple may be preparing to feature its Touch ID fingerprint sensor on updated models of the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini that will be released later this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states in a new research note.

We think the upgraded iPad Air will be launched earlier in 2014 than the iPad Air was in 2013. The biggest changes will be A8 processor, Touch ID (fingerprint recognition), and main camera resolution of 8MP.

...We previously thought Apple would not release a new version of the iPad mini this year, but we now think Apple will launch an upgraded version with same form factor, A8 processor and Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) to boost shipments of iPad mini with Retina display.

Regarding the next-generation iPad Air, Kuo adds that the tablet will launch at an earlier point than the original iPad Air did in November of last year. Kuo also notes that Apple is likely to cut the price of the existing Retina iPad mini, and that the newer model will feature the same form factor with an upgraded processor and Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

The researcher also once again speaks on the possibility of the long-rumored 12.9-inch iPad, stating that Apple is actively working on the device and gearing it towards uses in entertainment and productivity. However, Kuo notes that the product is unlikely to come out in 2014, falling in line with what he stated in his previous reports from this past February and last October.

In an extensive research note, the well-sourced KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo has shared additional details about his expectations for the next iPhone model, expected to be called the iPhone 6. Perhaps the biggest change that Kuo mentions is a move of the sleep/wake button from the top of the iPhone to the side, to better facilitate one-handed operation on larger iPhones.

In line with previous rumors, Kuo believes the new 4.7-inch model will come with a 1334x750 Retina display at 326 pixels per inch, while the 5.5" will see a 1920x1080 screen at 401 ppi. Both devices will have the same aspect ratio to the iPhone 5, meaning apps will not need to be redesigned for the second time in three years.

The iPhone 6 will include a new A8 processor, 1GB of RAM, Touch ID, a narrower bezel by 10 to 20 percent, and the phone to be thinned to 6.5-7.0mm (the current iPhone 5 is 7.6mm thick). He also expects Apple to finally include NFC chips in its smart phones.

For the 4.7", Kuo says the narrower bezel will still allow one-handed operation along with a better visual experience because of the bigger screen. He believes shipments could approach 60 million units by the end of the year.

The 5.5" phone won't be operable with one hand, but Kuo says some smartphone users prioritize the visual experience over one-handed use. He believes the more profitable phone it could cannibalize sales of the iPad mini, as well as smaller tablets and phablets form competitors. He expects the 5.5" iPhone 6 to debut later in the holiday quarter, with shipments just below 9 million units for the year. The 5.5" iPhone will also see a significantly larger battery -- 50% to 70% more watt-hours than the iPhone 5s -- to power the larger screen, and also because there will be more real estate inside the case. It's unclear if the larger screen will utilize all the extra battery or if device life will improve.

Kuo says only high-end iPhones -- like the 64GB 5.5" iPhone 6 -- may include a sapphire screen cover due to supply constraints, though he says the company will want to begin integrating Touch ID sensing into the screen in the future and will need sapphire glass for accuracy.

He expects the iPhone's rear camera to remain at 8 megapixels and f2.2 aperture, but it will see an adoption of optical image stabilization technologies to improve image quality without increasing pixel number, a frequent goal of Apple's in the past. Finally, Kuo expects production of the iPhone 4s and 4 to be ended, with the iPhone 5s and 5c filling as the more inexpensive options in Apple's smartphone lineup.

In an extensive research note covering Apple's product roadmap for 2014, KGI Securities Ming Chi Kuo reiterated expectations that Apple is working on a ultra slim 12" MacBook Air but also revealed a new low-cost iMac in the works.

Kuo's predictions for the 12" MacBook Air match what was leaked in March from a reliable Chinese forum source. The new 12" MacBook Air will "redefine notebook user experience":

- Thinner than current models
- No fan
- Buttonless trackpad
- Higher resolution Display

Kuo first predicted this ultra thin 12" MacBook Air late last year.

We expect the unprecedented 12” model will boast both the portability of the 11” model, and productivity of the 13” model. The high resolution display will also offer the outstanding visual experience of the Retina MacBook Pro. The offering will likely be lighter and slimmer than the existing MacBook Air to further highlight ease of portability in the cloud computing era. We think the form factor will showcase a much improved clamshell structure, and that it will redefine laptop computing once again following the milestone created by the MacBook Air.

Besides the 12" MacBook Air, Kuo reiterates his earlier claim that a "low-priced" version of the iMac is coming. The new model will help compete with companies such as HP and Lenovo as well as grow market share in Asia.

The 12" MacBook Air is not expected until late 2014, while the low-cost iMac may come mid-year.

Apple is set to release a slew of new products during the third quarter of 2014 according to KGI securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, who often provides reliable information on Apple’s product lineup.

In a 2014 product roadmap, Kuo suggests Apple will introduce its first new product of the year, a lower-cost iMac, during the second quarter. Soon after, during the third quarter, Kuo predicts Apple will introduce an upgraded iPad Air and iPad mini, followed by an iWatch in two separate sizes, and a 4.7-inch iPhone.

An upgraded Apple TV set-top box will come somewhat later, as will the rumored 12-inch ultra slim MacBook and upgraded Retina MacBook Pros. Later, in the fourth quarter, Apple will introduce the 5.5-inch iPhone, which is said to be delayed due to issues with in-cell display technology. Along with his roadmap, Kuo also gives specific information on each of Apple’s upcoming products.

- iWatch: Kuo believes the iWatch will ship during the end of the third quarter, offering biometric functionality, integration with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and a "fashionable appearance." As has been previously suggested, he predicts the device will come in two sizes, with a 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch flexible AMOLED display. It will also include a sapphire cover lens, biometric recognition, an NFC chip, wireless charging, a 200 to 250 mAh battery, and a slim and light design. Kuo also believes that Apple will offer the iWatch at multiple price points, with the most expensive version costing upwards of $1,000.

- iPhone 6: Supporting previous iPhone 6 rumors, Kuo believes the device will come in two sizes: 4.7 and 5.5-inches, with resolutions of 1334x750 (326ppi) and 1920 x 1080 (401 ppi), respectively. Both models will come with an A8 processor, 1GB of RAM, LTPS display panels, optical image stabilization, and Touch ID. Kuo points to a 10 to 20 percent narrower bezel, a 6.5–7.0mm thickness, metal casings, and NFC integration. Mass shipments of the 4.7-inch version are expected in September, with the 5.5-inch version shipping later. Kuo suggests that only the 64GB 5.5-inch version will use sapphire displays.

- iPad Air 2: The second-generation iPad Air is expected to adopt Touch ID, an A8 processor, and an improved camera with a resolution of eight megapixels. Kuo believes the second iPad Air could come earlier in the year than the previous iPad Air, which was released in October.

- iPad mini with Retina Display: Like the iPad Air, a new Retina mini could gain an A8 processor and Touch ID, but Kuo believes it will retain the same form factor. He also suggests that the older iPad mini with Retina display could be sold at a lower cost.

- 12.9-inch iPad Pro: Kuo believes that Apple is indeed working on a 12.9-inch iPad, but he does not expect it to be launched in 2014.

- 12-inch MacBook Air: As rumored, Apple is believed to be preparing an ultrathin MacBook Air that incorporates a touchpad without buttons and functions without a fan. It is also expected to include a higher-resolution display.

- iMac: A lower-priced iMac is believed to be on the horizon, which Kuo says could help boost iMac shipments by up to 23 percent. It could be Apple’s first product launch of the year.

- Apple TV: Apple is not expected to launch a full television set this year, but an upgraded set top box with an App Store and motion control technology is expected.

While Kuo’s predictions do include many rumors that have previously surfaced over the past several months from a variety of sources, his roadmap gives a solid overview of what we might expect from Apple in 2014. We've also broken out several of his predictions into individual posts that can be found here: iWatch, iPad, iPhone 6, MacBook Air.

Apple has confirmed the departure of Greg Christie, part of the original team behind the iPhone. His leaving the company was previously reported by 9to5Mac and was said to follow a falling out between Christie and Jony Ive, Apple's design chief.

The WSJ reports that Christie's "human interface" team will now report to Jonathan Ive, rather than the company's software head Craig Federighi.

In a statement given to the Financial Times, Apple says that Christie has been planning to retire later this year and is still within the company.

Greg has been planning to retire later this year after nearly 20 years at Apple. He has made vital contributions to Apple products across the board, and built a world-class Human Interface team which has worked closely with Jony for many years.

Christie has worked with Apple since 1996 and was credited with the development of the "Slide to Unlock" feature of iPhones and iPads, though he is named as an inventor on hundreds of other patents.

New York Times reporter Brian X. Chen tweeted that Christie's retirement was announced within the company "weeks ago".

Apple's statement doesn't directly address the rumor that Greg Christie and Jony Ive had clashed over design direction, nor does the company specify his current role.

Update 6:25PM PDT: TechCrunch reports that Christie's retirement has been known within the company for weeks and that there has "been a distinct lack of drama in this transition". The piece also says Christie will stay at Apple for a while longer working on "special projects", similar to former SVP Bob Mansfield, and that he has moved into a role with no direct reports.

Update 6:51PM PDT: John Gruber concurs, saying that his sources inside Apple say that while there have been disagreements between Christie and Ive, it isn't anything out of the ordinary. He also says Christie may be staying at the company through the end of the year.

The basic gist I’ve heard is that Christie is a guy who’s been in a high-pressure, high-profile job for 18 years, most of it reporting to Steve Jobs. He’s made a lot of money and is ready to enjoy it. That’s largely in line with the Apple PR line given to the WSJ, but I heard all of this from ground-level Cupertino-area pixel-pushing designers.

Apple is planning to expand and improve marketing efforts by partnering with four new digital ad agencies, including WPP's AKQA, Interpublic Group's Huge, Area 17, and Kettle, reports Ad Age. The agencies will work on digital strategy and user experience, among other things.

The scope of the work being assigned across the agencies is broad, and will likely include user experience and digital strategy, among other elements, according to people familiar with the matter.

According to Ad Age, Apple's new partnerships will not affect existing relationships, such as that with TBWA/Media Arts Lab. Apple's longtime advertising partner was recently in the spotlight after the Apple vs. Samsung trial surfaced a heated email correspondence between the agency and Apple's head of marketing Phil Schiller.

Apple and Schiller were unhappy with the TBWA's early 2013 advertising efforts, but those relationship wrinkles were apparently ironed out as Apple has continued to work with the agency, producing the successful "Photos Every Day" and "Music Every Day" advertisements in late 2013.

Apple also works with several other digital shops and in 2013, the company began working on doubling the size of its in-house creative design team, likely as a response to increased pressure from Samsung. Samsung's "The Next Big Thing" advertising campaign reportedly infuriated Apple executives, leading to its troubles with its own advertising agencies.

According to a recent report, Apple spent $351 million on advertising in the U.S. in 2013, while Samsung spent $363 million. In years past, Samsung has far outspent Apple on advertisements, but that gap appears to have narrowed as Apple has made moves to improve its marketing campaigns.

Apple is considering a dramatic overhaul of its iTunes music store as iTunes Radio has failed to stop declining music downloads, reports Billboard. As reported earlier this year, the company may create an on-demand music streaming service similar to Spotify in order to boost sales as well as an Android iTunes app.

"iTunes Radio hasn’t solved the problem of refreshing the iTunes store," said a senior label executive. "While listeners are clicking the buy buttons, the traffic it is driving is in the low single digits of listeners."

Only one to two percent of iTunes Radio listeners go on to buy songs and digital music sales were down some 5.7 percent in 2013, according to a January report. Overall music downloads have been declining upwards of 15 percent while iTunes is also losing money to competitors like YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora.

iTunes still accounts for upwards of 40 percent of U.S. music sales revenue and iTunes Radio is the third largest music streaming service after Pandora and iHeartRadio, but it has not thus far generated the sales that Apple expected.

According to the report, Apple's options for improving iTunes are being debated internally and among the company's content partners as it works to overcome competition from Android and an increasing consumer preference for streaming music services.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., Apple is losing its most valuable customers. "Two-thirds of its high-value customers are now in subscription services," said one source. "That has been an eye-opener for them."

While iTunes Radio allows users to create radio stations based on song selections, an on-demand service similar to Spotify would potentially allow users to select songs at will and could carry a monthly fee. iTunes Radio is available for free and supported by ads, with Apple also making its iTunes Match service available to customers.

With an on-demand subscription service, Apple could supply all music models customers are interested in, offering a la carte downloads via iTunes, free music via iTunes Radio, and a premium on-demand service. According to one music executive, Apple has radical plans for iTunes in store, which could lead to a "completely different" experience in three to five years.

Apple's Vice President of Human Interface Greg Christie is set to depart from the company after clashing with Jony Ive, Apple's Senior Vice President of Industrial Design who oversees and guides the Human Interface teams, reports 9to5Mac. Ive first took on a role "providing leadership" for the Human Interface teams in late 2012, following Scott Forstall's departure from the company.

Christie has led much of Apple's software design and reports to Craig Federighi, who oversees development of iOS and OS X, but Christie interacts with Ive during design meetings. Christie's team was responsible for redesigning iOS 7, which reportedly led to disagreements with Ive.

Sources say that Christie's upcoming departure is significant and stems from a falling out with Ive. When Ive tasked Apple's Human Interface team with redesigning iOS 7 to include an entirely new look, Christie and Ive reportedly clashed over design direction, after which Ive is said to have circumvented Christie's leadership of the team during the new operating system's development.

Following Christie's departure, software design will fall under Ive's umbrella, with software designers working alongside Ive's industrial design team rather than Federighi's group.

Christie, who has worked for Apple since 1996, was one of the original software engineers who developed iOS for the first iPhone. He recently did an interview with The Wall Street Journal detailing the development of the original iPhone and he testified in the second Apple vs. Samsung patent trial, telling the court that the "Slide to Unlock" feature he's credited with inventing is an essential iPhone feature.

Along with "Slide to Unlock," Christie has been instrumental in developing many important iPhone features, with hundreds of Apple patents in his name. It is unclear what he plans to do after his departure or when he will officially depart from the company.

Following the departure of Scott Forstall, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke on the importance of collaboration and noted that the merging of software and hardware design was needed to take Apple's collaborative efforts to the next level. Last year, Ive and Federighi also spoke on collaboration and how they worked together to create iOS 7. With Ive taking full control over software design with Christie's departure, the integration between Apple's software and hardware may improve even further.

Updated 2:30 PDT:
Apple issued a statement to Financial Times reporter Tim Bradshaw saying that Greg Christie "has been planning to retire later this year" and that he "worked closely with Jony for many years".

Dropbox today announced several new products for its desktop and mobile consumers, including Mailbox for OS X and a new photo and video sharing app called Carousel.

Carousel is a standalone app that is designed to organize a user's entire collection of photos stored via Dropbox, separating them into an event-based timeline that also highlights important moments and supports private messages. Photos automatically backup to Dropbox and sync across all platforms. They can also be shared in batches with and saved to other users' timelines via email or phone number, regardless of whether or not the user has a Dropbox account.

According to Dropbox, the app, deemed "one place for all your memories" backs up photos to Dropbox, with storage being tied to the amount of space in a user's Dropbox account.

We'd like you to meet Carousel: a gallery for all the photos and videos from your life. It combines the photos in your Dropbox with the photos on your phone, and automatically backs up new ones as you take them. Carousel sorts all these memories by event so you can easily travel back in time to any photo from any date. And unlike other mobile galleries, the size of your Carousel isn't constrained by the space on your phone, which means you can finally have your entire life's memories in one place.

While Dropbox already allows automatic camera uploads and image storage, photos are generally dumped into a single folder that doesn't offer many organizational options. Carousel will bring a whole new photo viewing and sharing experience that will make it much easier for users to browse through their image collections. The app will be live later today.

Along with Carousel, Dropbox has also announced plans to bring its popular Mailbox app for iOS to the desktop. There are few details available on the OS X version of the app, but it will likely function similarly to the iOS app, allowing users to "snooze" messages and organize them into lists. There's no prospective launch date on the horizon, but Dropbox is accepting beta signups.

Update 12:55 PM PT: Carousel is now available for download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Apple recently hired two high-level baseband hardware engineers who left their longtime positions at Broadcom to join the team at Apple, reports AppleInsider. The discovery of these recent hires follows a report earlier this week that suggests Apple is assembling a team of engineers to develop its own baseband chips for future iPhone models. This baseband hardware controls the radio functions of a device, handling cellular connectivity details such as signal generation, modulation and more.

The first hire in January 2014 was RF engineer Xiping Wang, who spent over ten years at Broadcom as a Design Engineer and manager of Hardware Development Engineering. Wang was followed by principal engineer and Chip Lead Paul Chang, who joined Apple in February 2014. At Broadcom, Chang was a hardware lead, overseeing the team that developed baseband transceivers for Nokia and Samsung mobile devices.

All together, Apple has assembled at least 30 mid- and senior-level baseband software and hardware engineers from Broadcom and current iPhone baseband vendor Qualcomm over the past three years. Apple is also advertising more than 50 additional openings related to RF chip design, an indication that the build-up is not yet complete.

Apple currently purchases its baseband hardware from Qualcomm, but has recently made acquisitions that would bring more of its chip development in-house. Last year, Apple acquired low-power wireless chip provider Passif Semiconductor and is in talks to acquire Renesas SP Drivers, a division of Renesas Electronics that develops chips for smartphone displays.

These acquisitions are part of a larger move by Apple to control the development and production of its core technologies. This push started with the development of Apple's ARM-based "A" series processor that powers its iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV. The A7 is the most recent processor in the series and is described as providing "desktop class" performance for Apple's mobile devices.

With a goal to overhaul the online payments industry and a new revolving credit facility worth $200 million, analysts and technology pundits are wondering where Square is headed next. At least one theory proposed by Re/code explores the possibility of an Apple acquisition.

Both Apple and Google have been rumored to be in talks with Square in the past year about a possible acquisition, but no firm offers have been made. Square is not actively trying to sell the company, but insider sources claims it would entertain a premium offer, unless it was from Google.

Either way, a sale to Google would disappoint [founder and CEO Jack] Dorsey, according to multiple people familiar with his thinking. For one, he was reportedly put off by Google after being involved in acquisition talks between his former company, Twitter, and the search giant. He also believes, sources said, that his company’s design aesthetic and values match up much more closely with Apple than Google.

Square has close ties to Apple, with its hardware chief Jesse Dorogusker leaving his position as director of engineering for iPod, iPhone and iPad accessories at Apple to join the mobile payments startup.

A Square acquisition would be beneficial for both Apple and Square, claims Re/code. Square's future would be secured by Apple's cash reserves and its favorable position in retail, while Apple would be able to use Square's payment expertise to jumpstart any plans it has for a mobile payment system. Apple, though, may be ready to enable online purchases via an iPhone, but it likely is not ready for the robust offline system offered by Square.

But Apple’s entrance into mobile payments is much more likely to start with services that use its iPhones to help make online purchases easier to consummate rather than moving into offline payments, industry sources say. Square wouldn’t be of much help in that regard. As such, Apple has soured on the idea of making an acquisition offer to Square for now, according to sources familiar with the company’s thinking.

Apple may be developing a mobile payment service that would allow consumers to pay for physical goods using information stored in their iTunes accounts. The company is thought to have moved Jennifer Bailey from her position in Apple's online stores to a new role that places her in charge of building a payment service for the company.

Apple already has the underpinnings of such a payment system with the millions of credit cards stored in customers' iTunes accounts and its Passbook digital wallet app. CEO Tim Cook hinted at the possibility of mobile payments during a recent earning conference call, saying there is "a big opportunity on the platform."

According to Japanese website EMSOne [Google Translate, via G for Games] citing Taiwan's Industrial and Commercial Times, Apple is planning to begin mass production of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in July with the larger 5.5-inch version to enter mass production in September.

The report notes that both versions of the next-generation iPhone will go on sale at some point during the fourth quarter of this year, with the 4.7-inch iPhone being announced and released earlier than the 5.5-inch iPhone.

The news comes as a report from Reuters last month stated that Apple would begin production of the 4.7-inch display to be used in the iPhone 6 this May for the device's release this fall. The report also noted that the 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 would be delayed due to difficulties with in-cell production technology, and would start production several months after the 4.7-inch version.

A report last month from Japanese newspaper Nikkei stated that the iPhone 6 could launch "as early as September" and will be offered in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes. This contrasted a claim from UBS analyst Steve Milunovich, who said that the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 might be the only model to launch later this year, as a timeframe for the larger 5.5-inch version was unclear.

Internal documents from the second ongoing trial between Apple and Samsung also indicate that Apple is poised to release a larger phone, as a slide deck from an April 2013 presentation showed that customers want less expensive and most notably, larger screen smartphones.

In addition to a larger display, Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to feature a durable, sapphire screen, and a thinner, bezel-free design in addition to processor and camera upgrades.