MacRumors

iLounge follows up its reports from last week about Apple's future iOS device plans with a new report sharing details on Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone. According to the report, the new device will indeed be constructed primarily of plastic and offers design similarities to the iPhone 5, iPod touch, and even the iPod classic.

From the front, the new iPhone looks almost identical to the iPhone 5—the same exact shape, with the same sensor, camera, and button arrangement. The 1136 x 640 screen isn’t a surprise, but will be a nice step up in specs for the lowest-cost iPhone. Rather than making the display flush with the enclosure, as it was in the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, the front glass sticks out a little, just as it does with the iPhone 5 and iPod touch. Despite the shift to plastic for the rest of the enclosure, our sources believe that Apple will continue to use Gorilla Glass for this model’s screen.

Differences become more obvious when the new iPhone is turned on the side. The circular volume buttons of the iPhone 4, 4S, and 5 will shift to elongated, pill-shaped designs closer to the iPod touch and iPhone 3G/3GS.

The device is reportedly about half a millimeter taller and wider than the iPhone 5, but also about one millimeter thicker.

Similarities to the iPod classic are said to arrive in the form of the curves on the rear edges of the device. The report indicates that the sides and rear of the device will all be flat and connected by distinct curves rather than extending the curves all the way through the rear shell of the device.

Unlike the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, which featured soft curves on all sides, the budget iPhone’s curves start and end at flat surfaces, so each side and the back are flat. This seems like a trivial change, until you realize that it allows Apple to use flat rather than curve-matched parts: the right side has a flat, centered SIM card tray just like the iPhone 5’s, while all of the buttons and ports are on flat rather than curved surfaces. A flat-backed iPhone won’t rock on a flat surface when it vibrates, either.

The rear and bottom edges of the lower-cost iPhone will reportedly be something of a hybrid of the iPhone 5 and the current iPod touch, with a the bottom edge showing a similar layout of features to the iPhone 5 but with fewer holes.

Apple has long been rumored to be working on a lower-cost iPhone, but rumors have accelerated in recent weeks with indications that the company may launch the device later this year.

BrightWire summarizes a report [Google translation] from Chinese financial news site yicai.com noting that the city of Shangahi has officially announced Apple will open a new facility including some research and development operations in the city this summer.

- Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce has announced that Apple will open its R&D center this summer.

- Apple has registered three firms in three buildings in Pudong, Shanghai, and one of them will be dedicated to procurement management and R&D, according to documents on the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce's website.

While Apple had previously been reported to be developing an R&D facility in Beijing, the Shanghai plans have reportedly been underway for quite some time. Initial reports of a Chinese R&D facility emerged following a meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and the acting mayor of Beijing just two weeks ago, so it is unknown whether those plans are still in the works.

China is an enormously important market for Apple, with revenues of $7.3 billion in the last quarter alone. Cook described China as Apple's second largest region.

If you look at our total Greater China, which would include our retail stores in China, our revenues were $7.3 billion in the quarter. So this is incredibly high, it’s up over 60% year-on-year … It’s clear that China is already our second-largest region … and it’s clear that there’s a lot of potential there.

A key challenge for Apple in China is that its products are typically too expensive for workers on an average salary. Apple recently introduced payment plans of up to two years, and the rumored low-cost iPhone is also expected to be offered in the Chinese market.

Recent production problems with the 2012 iMac have largely been solved, suggesting that supply constraints may ease, according to a report from China Times, summarized by BrightWire.

- [T]he company's Taiwanese component suppliers noted that the assembling conformity rate for the new iMac has been improved and mass production started in December 2012. Sales of the device may be boosted in 1Q 2013.

- As new products will usually see orders peak within the first four months after they are launched, the shipments of the new iMac are expected to remain stable through 1Q 2013.

Apple CEO Tim Cook noted in last week's analyst call that iMac shipments would remain constrained through Q1, with the company giving this as a large part of the reason for selling 1.1 million fewer Macs in Q4 2012 compared to Q4 2011.

Currently 27-inch iMacs are showing delivery times of 3-4 weeks, with 21.5-inch models showing 2-3 weeks.

Following today's revelation of code in iOS 6.1 Beta 5 hinting at future 128 GB iOS devices, 9to5Mac reports that four new high-end iPad configurations have appeared in a U.S. retailer's database.

While the exact identity of the devices is not revealed in the stock database, they do appear as "ultimate" configurations of the current full-size iPad models, suggesting that they may represent 128 GB models of the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad in both black and white.

While it is certainly plausible that this new iPad model is the 128GB iPad, we are currently not confident enough to outright claim that, but it seems likely based on the evidence. [..]

The P101 and P103 names are Apple’s internal nomenclature for the WiFi-only and Cellular-compatible fourth-generation iPads, respectively. Both of those models comes in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB configurations. These storage sizes are known as “GOOD,” “BETTER,” and “BEST,” respectively. As you can see in our table above, Apple is preparing to release the additional “ULTIMATE” model. “ULTIMATE” frequently refers to the most premium or highest capacity model available. The “A” points to a black configuration, and “B” stands for the white option.

No additional information such as specifications, price, or a launch date for the new configurations have yet been revealed.

As noted by @iNeal and iDownloadBlog, the new iOS 6.1 Beta 5 released yesterday contains a reference suggesting that Apple may be looking to offer 128 GB iOS devices in upcoming generations.

The reference to a 128 GB capacity comes as part of SystemPartitionPadding key in the build manifest associated with the release and is not found in publicly available versions of iOS.

While the observation does not mean that a 128 GB iOS device is definitely coming later this year, this is not the first time in recent months that Apple has hinted at future 128 GB iOS devices. iTunes 11, released in late November, contains a graphic corresponding to a mobile device with a capacity of 128 GB, although no such device has been released so far.

French site Nowhereelse.fr shares [Google translation] a pair of photos of what the original source claims are speaker enclosures for both the upcoming iPhone 5S and a future iPhone 6. The two parts are similar in appearance both to each other and to the corresponding iPhone 5 part, but do contain several differences.

It is of course impossible to tell for certain whether the parts are indeed legitimate and whether they are intended for the upcoming iPhone models as claimed. Nowehereelse.fr has published a number of accurate photos in the past, but typically obtains the photos by scouring web postings from Asia and thus the photos typically come from a variety of sources that make it difficult to determine their reliability.

Last week, MacRumors received word that office supply retailer Staples would soon begin offering Apple products for sale. While the company has offered Apple products in international markets for some time, it had long been unsuccessful in striking a deal for the U.S. market.

We were unable to confirm the claim at the time, but 9to5Mac now reports that Apple products have begun appearing on the Staples website in the United States as part of an Apple Mock Up section. The section includes a number of products, including the Apple TV (listed at a remarkably low price of $49.99) and iPad Smart Covers, all marked with "Test" in the item description.

While the products listed on the test pages are limited to accessories with the exception of the Apple TV, our original source had claimed that Apple's full lineup of Macs, iPads, and at least the iPhone 5 would be coming to Staples in the United States. No specific timeframe for an official launch of Apple's products at Staples beyond "in the coming months" has been shared.

In a relatively rare weekend release, Apple today pushed out the fifth beta of iOS 6.1 to developers. The release comes just two days before the fourth beta, which was seeded on December 17, is scheduled to expire.

No public release timeframe for iOS 6.1 is known yet, but registered developers can download the latest beta via Apple's Developer page.

Following the premiere of Ashton Kutcher's new film Jobs at the Sundance Film Festival, a number of publications have posted reviews of the flick which is scheduled to arrive in theaters nationwide on April 19. The first video clip of the movie was released earlier this week.

Cinema Blend:

A biopic about a great man that's way too aware of his greatness, jOBS tells us a lot about the genius of Steve Jobs, but doesn't show us much of anything that actually reveals it.

The Next Web

But, overall, jOBS works. The lead actors are likable and appear to have put serious effort into getting the spirit of the characters right. The film looks (mostly) good aside from some of what could likely be ascribed to budgetary constraints. And though the director is a tad indulgent here and there, it doesn’t take away from the overall feeling of ‘decent’ that I came away with.

The Verge

As expected, there are some liberties taken with Apple’s story and even / especially the representation of some characters — but the emotional resonance of Steve Jobs himself is convincing. It’s not revisionist history, and it’s not some greater parable about the human spirit. Jobs is a point-A-to-point-B story about a uniquely innovative thinker and ruthless businessman — one that had a notable and meaningful impact on the world. It’s a good film, but it’s also very “safe” — a familiar story that doesn’t try for a bigger picture.

CNET

Others will write of the things "jOBS" omits, gets wrong, or simply avoids. My primary disappointment was in how shallow the film felt, given the extensive historical record. In the early days Jobs' co-workers had to wrestle with a man who smelled bad, who cried often, who yelled constantly, who missed deadlines, who overspent his budget by millions. He did it in service of products we love and use daily, and yet his obsessions took a toll on those around him. He also inspired others to do the best work of their lives, pushing themselves further than they ever imagined they could go. There is great drama to be found in all that, but it is not to be found in the saccharine "jOBS."

Other reviews are available from The Hollywood Reporter, Slashfilm, Indiewire, and the Salt Lake Tribune.

Apple has quietly added a new notes feature to its curated apps in the iOS App Store. Apps chosen for Editor's Choice and App of the Week now come with App Store Notes, which offer a quick description of the app. For example, here’s the new note feature for Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes:

Clash of Heroes has it all: epic storytelling, a wonderful blend of style and substance, and a spectacular battle system. This strategy-puzzler is genre-defining and an absolute must-play effort from the creators of Sword & Sworcery EP.

The App of the Week, Gesundheit, which is currently offered for free in the iPhone App Store, features a similar description. Some other apps, such as those found in the "New and Noteworthy" and "What's Hot" sections of the App Store also have App Store Notes, though not all of the apps in those sections have the new notes.

Six of 24 New and Noteworthy apps on the iPhone have notes, while the rest do not. Only two apps, Temple Run 2 and Momonga Pinball, on the What's Hot have notes included.

App Store Notes might be trickling out to all of Apple's selected apps, or may be reserved for those that are the most popular. At this point in time, it is unclear what criteria Apple is using to determine which apps are furnished with notes, or if it is a feature that will roll out to all curated apps. The new app notes are only visible in the iOS App Store, and do not show up in the desktop version of iTunes.

Update: App Store Notes first appeared back in December, for the apps that Apple selected as the best of the year. The feature now appears to be rolling out more broadly to other curated App Store sections.

Following up on his report from earlier today about Apple's plans for the full-size iPad and iPhone, iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz has a new article sharing additional information on Apple's mobile device plans. The information comes from a "trusted source" and discloses product code names for the various devices as well as plans for an upgrade to the rear camera system for the iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5S is still months away from mass production, but our source suspects that the star feature will be an upgraded rear camera—perhaps featuring Sony’s 13-Megapixel sensor, plus the aforementioned flash upgrade—along with a processor bump. Current prototypes are codenamed N51 and N53, with July mentioned as the target date.

The source indicates that the code name for the fifth-generation iPad is J72, while the second-generation iPad mini has a code name of J85.

The report indicates that the second-generation iPad mini is unlikely to appear until October of this year, roughly the same timeframe as for the next full-size iPad. Sources have scant information on the actual device, but suggest that it is likely to retain essentially the same form factor as the current model and add a Retina display. A move to a Retina display without increasing the physical size of the device would almost certainly necessitate a change in the display technology such as the adoption of new IGZO panels.

Some previous reports had indicated that the iPad and iPad mini could see updates as soon as March as part of an effort to accelerate the product development cycle, but iLounge's claims of an October launch are more in line with a recent report from frequently accurate KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Back in August 2011, Apple first passed Exxon Mobil as the most valuable publicly traded company in the world. Both companies have risen in value since, but Apple's recent slide has allowed Exxon Mobil to again regain its position at the top of the corporate world.

In the 17 months since Apple passed Exxon Mobil, XOM's stock is up some 27%, while AAPL has risen roughly 18%. Today, however, Apple has set a new 52-week low, while Exxon is matching its 52-week high set last September.

Currently, Apple's stock price is at $441.11 with a market capitalization of $414.28 billion. Exxon Mobil is at $91.43 with a market cap of $416.86 billion.

In Apple's most recent quarter, the company generated $13.08 billion in profit on $54.51 billion in sales, with 72,800 employees. Exxon Mobil generated $9.93 billion in profit on $115.71 billion in revenue with 82,100 employees.

iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz has filed a new report offering a few new details on the fifth-generation iPad, as well as on Apple's work toward future iPhone models.

Most notably, Horwitz says that he has inspected what is said to be a shell designed for the fifth-generation iPad, and that the device will adopt many of the features seen in the iPad mini's design.

What does it look like? Well, it’s a lot smaller than one would guess was possible: in portrait orientation, picture a 9.7” screen with virtually no left or right bezels, and only enough space above and below the screen to accommodate the mandatory camera and Home Button elements. Beyond that, it’s noticeably thinner, as well, which is to say the the fifth-generation iPad will be smaller in every dimension than its predecessors. As it will have the same chamfered edges and curves, calling it a “stretched iPad mini” is very close to entirely accurate.

The report notes that the upcoming iPad is so much smaller and thinner than the current design that it seems to require a complete redesign of the interior, likely including a shift in display technology to IGZO panels and smaller chip components.

Horwitz says that while Apple had originally hoped to push the fifth-generation iPad out in March, it now appears that an October launch is more likely, perhaps due to issues with component yields.

On the topic of the iPhone, Horwitz says that the iPhone 5S will unsurprisingly appear nearly identical to the iPhone 5, although it will have a slightly larger rear flash. The rumored lower-cost iPhone with a plastic shell is indeed said to be in Apple's plans for 2013, with a focus on China Mobile as Apple seeks to lower the cost of entry for the world's largest carrier.

Finally, Horwitz says that the rumored "iPhone Math" is indeed in development, but that it will not be appearing this year, if ever.

Addressing the so-called “iPhone Math”—hinted by one source as a mistranslation of “iPhone +”—we’ve been told that this is another new model and in early prototyping stages, certainly not expected in 2013. It supposedly has a 4.7” screen, at least for the time being. It might never make it to market, and plenty could change before it does. Consider it Apple’s “just in case / Plan B” hedge against ever-growing Android phone screen sizes.

Horwitz has shared fairly accurate information on Apple's product plans several times in the past, suggesting that he does indeed have reliable sources with access to Apple's supply chain.