MacRumors

Apple has finished decorating the front facade of the Yerba Buena center in preparation for their September 12th media event. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5 at that event. At initial glance, the front decoration seems to show no obvious clues as to their announcements.

However, one eagle eyed MacRumors forum visitor believes the facade show stretched iOS icons. Zaym points out that you can see stretched versions of iOS icons including Game Center, iTunes, Music and App Store in the image and provides an example image.

After taking the above image and skewing it and shrinking it, we've verified his findings. Several icons are clearly recognizable in their un-stretched form:

Game Center (upside down above), iTunes and Music icons:

Of course, speculation on the reason for the stretched icons points to the long-running rumors that Apple will be introducing a taller iPhone with a 4" diagonal screen. Our complete iPhone 5 roundup details everything we expect in the new iPhone.

Update: Another take on the icons from roosternugget:

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the next iPhone -- to be announced next week -- will support 4G LTE networks around the world, though it won't be available on every carrier.

Apple Inc.'s next iPhone will work on the fastest wireless networks around the world—including in the U.S., Europe and Asia—though it is unlikely to be available on every carrier, people familiar with the matter said.

[…]

It isn't likely to work with all carriers' LTE networks in all countries, the people said, though it wasn't clear which would be left out.

The first Apple device to support the higher-speed 4G LTE networks was the third-generation iPad, which supported AT&T and Verizon's networks -- but notably didn't work internationally. This resulted in complaints in numerous countries including Australia and across Europe.

Based on a roadmap of Qualcomm's mobile chips, it was predicted a year ago that the iPhone would not gain LTE until this quarter. The chipset that promises LTE speeds with much improved power consumption is the Qualcomm MDM9615. Conveniently, that chip is set to arrive in time for late 2012 delivery -- just in time for the new iPhone.

Battery life has been a sticking point for Apple, with the company's engineers refusing to compromise on run-time to support higher data speeds. The new iPhone battery runs at 3.8 volts and 5.45 watt hours versus 3.7 volts and 5.3 watt hours in the iPhone 4S.

While Apple's media event where it will reportedly introduce the iPhone 5 is still five days away, the company has already begun making preparations at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco where the event will be held. Last night, 9to5Mac shared a photos of some internal preparations in the lobby of the theater, and now MacStories posts photos taken by Steve Streza showing that the exterior graphics have begun going up on the theater. Apple typically posts large, colorful graphics signifying its events at the site.

Apple's media event begins at 10:00 AM Pacific Time / 1:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, September 12.

Update: BusinessInsider has photos at a later stage.

Update 2: MacStories has more photos:

9to5Mac shares some details on Apple's apparent plans for updated iPods reportedly set to be introduced alongside the iPhone 5 at next Wednesday's media event. Based on the information that appears to come from part numbers in inventory systems, Apple will reportedly be making at least minor changes to three of the current iPod lines.

- iPod shuffle: Apple is said be making minor changes at the most to the entry-level music player, with the biggest change perhaps being the availability of eight different colors compared to the five color options on the current model. The current $49 pricing is likely to remain in effect, but it is unclear if the current 2 GB capacity will carry over to the new models.

- iPod nano: Cases for a larger, redesigned iPod nano have begun surfacing, and 9to5Mac's report indicates that a new code name for the device is indeed suggesting more than a minor refresh. The new iPod nano is also said to come in eight different colors, up from the current seven color options. Interestingly, the report indicates that Apple may streamline the iPod nano lineup by offering only a single storage capacity, compared to the current 8 GB and 16 GB options. The report says that pricing is likely to be similar to the current high-end iPod nano price, but it incorrectly states that price as $169 when it is actually $149 after last year's price drop.

- iPod touch: Apple is also expected to update the iPod touch, with several rumors and part leaks pointing to the device gaining a similar 4-inch display to that apparently coming to the iPhone 5. But today's report indicates that Apple may take a hybrid approach to its lineup, releasing a tweaked version of the current design at the low-end while bringing the significant redesign to the higher-end models.

This new entry level configuration is said to be tweaked. We’re not sure what this tweak refers to, but we speculate that it has to do with a either (or a combination of) a smaller dock connector, new packaging/iOS 6 pre-installed, or a bump in the base storage capacity configuration.

We’ve also received information that points to new iPods at $299 and $399 price points. We believe these to be redesigned versions of the two top iPod touch models.

The report says that these new $299/$399 iPod models presumed to be the iPod touch will come in "multiple variations" beyond the capacity differences implied by the two different price points. The report speculates that these variations could be related to multiple color options, but it is unclear how many of these options there are for each model and Apple of course already offers the iPod touch in both black and white.

In mid-July, Japanese blog Mac Otakara claimed that Apple has been undertaking a significant redesign of the iPod nano, moving to an oblong form factor with a larger, rectangular screen and a home button. As shown in a rough rendering accompanying the post, the changes would make the iPod nano appear more like a smaller version of the iPod touch, although it would presumably not run a full version of iOS.

Reports of a revamped iPod nano have continued to surface since that time, with Mac Otakara also adding fresh claims that the new iPod nano will include Wi-Fi capabilities in order to support iTunes in the Cloud.

[Image removed upon request]

Case manufacturers are now getting into the act, and if their designs are based on legitimate leaked design information, it does appear that Apple is planning for an iPod nano redesign in line with recent rumors. The case designs come from an Italian accessory manufacturer and include both silicone and crystal cases. The new cases are not yet available on the vendor's site, but the company is advertising them to third-party retailers.

[Image removed upon request]

The new iPod nano form factor appears reminiscent of the iPod mini, although rumors indicate the front will carry a large screen and home button rather than the smaller screen and click wheel of the iPod mini. Openings along the left edge of the case suggest that the new iPod nano will have some external controls such as volume buttons in the same location as seen on Apple's iOS devices. A pair of small holes are also present at the bottom center of each of the cases, and it is unclear whether these are for a speaker or some other feature of the device.

[Image removed upon request]

The vendor is also offering silicone and crystal cases for the new iPod touch, and the designs are in line with previously-seen cases. Like previous cases and in line with rumors, these new iPod touch cases contain a round hole in the lower left corner of the back, and it is unclear exactly what this feature is intended to accommodate.

Update 12:18 PM: Images removed.

9to5Mac reports that it has received information indicating that Apple will be launching six models of the iPhone 5, code named "N42", at next week's media event. The information indicates that Apple will be releasing black and white versions at the same three prices carried by the iPhone 4S: $199/$299/$399.

Here is the part codes matrix for the new iPhone launch from a source at a well-known U.S. retail chain: N42A-USA -$199, N42B-USA-$199, N42A-USA-$299, N42B-USA-$299, N42A-USA-$399, N42B-USA-$399. A + B signify black and white.

We also understand that this new iPhone N42 will come in the same prices as the iPhone 4S. With this, we speculate that the configurations will remain at the iPhone 4S’s 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities.

A number of accessories are naturally expected to accompany the iPhone launch, and pre-orders for the new device will reportedly begin "soon after" the introduction, if not on the day of.

FoxNews.com's Clayton Morris reports that an update to Apple's aging iMac lineup is "imminent", although he does not offer additional details on a specific timeframe or expected improvements.

Get ready, because the iMacs are coming.

I've been hoping for an iMac update and it looks like my wish is about to come true! Multiple sources tell me that a new lineup of desktop machines from Apple is imminent.

As we noted last week, Apple's retail stores have been experiencing shortages of 27-inch iMacs, and multiple reports have suggested that updated iMacs will be arriving in the coming weeks.

Morris has been an occasional source for Apple rumors, but carries a mixed track record. While he offered a fairly good summary of what Apple's digital textbook media event earlier this year would entail, other predictions such as his claims of iOS 4.0 and iLife 2010 discussion at the media event introducing the original iPad failed to pan out.

MacRumors has received word that FedEx is making preparations for a "surge volume" event during the period of September 21-24, coinciding with rumors of an iPhone launch in the United States and several other countries on Friday, September 21. While neither Apple nor the iPhone 5 has been specifically mentioned as the source of the surge for FedEx, the iPhone 5 is expected to be introduced at next Wednesday's media event, and a launch nine days later would be in line with several past product debuts.

As revealed in the notice, FedEx seems to be limiting employee travel and training around this period, making sure as many workers as possible are on hand to deal with the surge of shipments. The carrier is generally Apple's primary shipping partner for U.S. orders, although Apple will sometimes use other carriers such as UPS during times of heavy demand.

According to a tweet from the well-connected MG Siegler, Twitter is discontinuing development of Twitter for Mac, though it will still remain available.

Word is that Twitter made the call today: Twitter for Mac is done. They won’t kill it outright, but no further updates. Goodbye, old friend.

The decision is a curious one, considering the recent changes Twitter made to its API agreements that make it more difficult for third parties to create Twitter apps.

Tweetbot recently discontinued its public Alpha program for Tweetbot for Mac because of the changes, and it remains to be seen what will happen to OS X Twitter clients going forward. Twitter for Mac originally launched on the Mac App Store in 2011, after Twitter purchased Tweetie and turned its Mac client into the official Twitter client.

One of the biggest complaints made about Twitter for Mac recently is its lack of support for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is "seeking to create a Pandora-rival custom radio service." Citing "people familiar with the matter", the Journal claims the service would work across Apple's line of products -- including Macs, the iPhone and the iPad -- and possibly even on Windows PC's. Unsurprisingly, it would not work on Android devices.

Apple only recently initiated licensing negotiations with record labels for its putative service, and even if it does complete deals, it could be a matter of months when such a service might launch, according to these people.

The company has in the past contemplated and abandoned other interactive features, including a Spotify-like service that would have let users rent unlimited amounts of music for a fixed monthly fee. But people familiar with the current talks say they appear to be more serious than those previous tentative inquiries.

As on Pandora, the music would be interspersed with ads, in this case carried by Apple's iAd platform, which syndicates ads to iPhone and iPad apps.

The WSJ says Apple is negotiating its own licensing deals with record companies, rather than going by the government-set rates paid by Pandora.

The article does not lay out a timeline for the service, though its claim that Apple is still in negotiations with record companies suggests it won't be arriving at the Apple Media Event already announced for September 12.

Update 8:04 PM: The New York Times has filed its own report on the developments, citing "three people briefed on Apple’s plans". The report offers a similar description of Apple's goals, noting that the service would likely arrive as an app that could interface with a user's iTunes Store account to build upon the current Genius functionality in iTunes.

Apple’s service would likely take the form of a pre-installed app on Apple’s devices like iPhones and iPads and might be able to connect to a user’s iTunes account to judge his or her tastes.

Like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times indicates that a launch for the service "could be months away" and is not likely to be announced at next week's media event.

Audience today announced that it appears "unlikely" Apple will use the company's earSmart noise suppression technology in the upcoming iPhone 5. Audience's technology was reported to a key innovation providing support for Siri on the iPhone 4S, and Apple was reported back in February to have licensed Audience's next-generation technology for future products. But with today's announcement, it appears that Apple has elected not to take advantage of the technology.

Audience sells processors and licenses its processor IP to Apple Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, OEM) for inclusion in the OEM's mobile phones pursuant to a Master Development and Supply Agreement (MDSA). Pursuant to a statement of work under the MDSA, amended in March 2012, Audience developed and licensed a new generation of processor IP for use in the OEM's devices. However, the OEM is not obligated to use Audience's processor IP.

Audience now believes that it is unlikely that the OEM will enable Audience's processor IP in its next generation mobile phone. Audience is not aware of any intended changes by this OEM to its use of Audience's processors or processor IP in prior generations of the OEM's mobile phones.

Apple's decision not to use Audience's new IP in the iPhone 5 will impact Audience's financial picture beginning one quarter after the introduction of the iPhone 5, as Audience receives licensing royalties from Apple one quarter after the device's are sold to end users.

Peter Santos, president and chief executive officer, commented, "While we are disappointed by this development, we are confident in the diversification of our business and see sustainable growth in 2012 and beyond. As such we are raising guidance for the third quarter of 2012. Looking ahead, we believe our expansion into adjacent markets such as Smart TVs, automotive, and notebooks, will continue to bring growth in 2013 and beyond."

Audience delivered a standalone voice processing chip for the iPhone 4, but the company's technology was reportedly incorporated directly into the A5 chip used to power the iPhone 4S. The improved Audience technology integrated into the A5 was said to be much better at suppressing background noise, thus allowing Siri to more easily pick out the user's voice.

It is unclear what voice processing technology Apple will be using in the iPhone 5, but it seems that the company has found a better or more cost-effective solution than that offered by Audience.

Update: Audience's stock is down over 40% in after-hours trading following the announcement.

With Apple expected to introduce its "iPad mini" next month, observers are closely watching what other companies are doing in the smaller tablet space, and a media event today Amazon has shown its hand with a new line of Kindle products headlined by a new 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD tablet with 1920x1200 display.

As noted by The Verge, the Android-based Kindle Fire HD includes stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus support, dual Wi-Fi antennas for better performance The Kindle Fire software has also been enhanced with new Whispersync technology for saving and syncing game and audiobook progress, as well as new parental controls, third-party apps such as Facebook and Skype, and an IMDB partnership for displaying cast and production info on movies as they're being shown.

The standard 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD is priced at $299 with 16 GB, but Amazon is also offering a $499 Kindle Fire HD with 4G LTE model that bumps storage to 32 GB. The LTE model comes with a data package costing $49.99 per year that offers 250 MB per month of data, 20 GB of cloud storage, and a $10 Amazon Appstore credit. Both models ship on November 20. Amazon is also introducing a 7-inch 16 GB Kindle Fire HD for $199 that begins shipping on September 14, but details on differences from the 8.9-inch model such as screen resolution are not yet clear.

Amazon has also introduced an updated original Kindle Fire. The Verge notes that the 7-inch Android tablet has been updated with a new processor, more RAM, and increased battery life. The updates also come with a significant price drop to $159, down from the current $199. The new Kindle Fire begins shipping on September 14.

Finally, Amazon offered updates to its more traditional Kindle lineup, dropping the entry-level Kindle price to just $69 while introducing its new Kindle Paperwhite, as detailed by TechCrunch. The Kindle Paperwhite, which will be available October 1 at $119 for the standard model and $179 for the 3G model with free cellular access, includes frontlighting while still boasting an 8-week battery life.

Update 12:58 PM: Amazon's Kindle Fire HD press release clarifies that the resolution on the 7-inch model is 1280x800.

Vanity Fair magazine has published its yearly listing of top media power players, called 'The New Establishment'. Apple CEO Tim Cook is paired with designer Jony Ive in the number 1 spot, up from number 4 in 2011.

In the 18 years that Vanity Fair has been ranking America’s power players, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, was the youngest person ever to top the list. But Zuckerberg relinquishes his two-year perch at the top of Vanity Fair’s annual New Establishment list this year, trading places with former spot No. 4 holders Tim Cook and Jonathan Ive. In the wake of Steve Jobs’s death, Vanity Fair says, the two longtime understudies have upheld the C.E.O.’s vision for Apple, and have even hinted that the best is yet to come for the wildly successful company.

The top five reads like a who's who of tech with Cook, Ive and Zuckerberg being joined by Amazon head Jeff Bezos, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Square and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.

'The New Establishment' isn't the only list that Tim Cook finds his company represented on: Apple is also listed as number 8 on Fortune's list of the world's fastest growing companies -- an astonishing feat for a company that will do nearly $150 billion in revenue this year.

The Telegraph reports that Apple is likely to drop the iPhone 3GS from its lineup once the company introduces the iPhone 5 next week, leaving room for the iPhone 4 to slide down to the free-on-contract price point currently occupied by the iPhone 3GS. The report also indicates that Apple may introduce an 8 GB version of the iPhone 4S to occupy a middle price point as the company did last year with the iPhone 4.

The new update will mean that the 8GB version of the iPhone 4 will be the entry-level iPhone, probably given away free on £20 per month contracts, as the 3GS is currently. Sources close to retailers also suggested that an 8GB version of the 4S could be introduced.

According to the report, Apple will be releasing the iPhone 5 with three different capacities, presumably the same 16 GB/32 GB/64 GB lineup seen with the current iPhone 4S.

It would certainly not be a surprise for Apple to discontinue the iPhone 3GS in order to keep its iPhone family at three separate devices with the cheapest being offered for free on contract. Shifting the iPhone 4 into the position currently held by the iPhone 3GS would also give more carriers the ability to offer a free iPhone, as the iPhone 4 is available in both GSM and CDMA versions while the iPhone 3GS is only available as a GSM device.

The iPhone 3GS would likely be most missed by contract-free customers, prevalent in high numbers in many emerging markets. Apple currently sells the unlocked, contract-free iPhone 3GS for $375 in the United States and at somewhat higher prices elsewhere such as 2888 yuan ($455) in China, and it could presumably drop that price even further if it elected to continue offering the device alongside the three other iPhone models.