MacRumors

Bryce Haymond of Blackpool Creative has created a set of high resolution 3D renderings of the "iPhone 5" based on the circulating part leaks and diagrams.

There’s been quite a bit of hype recently in the Apple universe over the imminent announcement of a new iPhone, or rather the new iPhone (aka iPhone 5). Many of the biggest media outlets have already published photos and videos of “leaked” parts that are supposedly from the iPhone 5 as it makes its way into the manufacturing phase at Apple’s suppliers. I thought it would be fun to piece together these fragments to see what the iPhone 5 might look like when Apple makes the big announcement

Besides the video below, he's also created a zip of 76 high resolution images for download.

The numerous part leaks have fueled interest in this longer 4" screen iPhone design. Last year, early 3rd party case designs had suggested an even more dramatic redesign, but that design never came to pass.

Apple will be taking the stage at WWDC next week, but most observers don't expect Apple to unveil the new iPhone at WWDC. The new iPhone is not expected to be introduced until the fall (September/October).

As noted by TechCrunch, some users of Facebook's app for iOS have noticed the social network's new "App Center" tab showing up in the navigation menu within the app. The feature is designed as a one-stop destination for app discovery on a variety of platforms, with recommendations based on Facebook's editors' selections and personalized by drawing from the usage of each person's friends.

Similar to the interfaces that the company showed off in early May when it announced the App Center plans, you can see a left-hand navigation feature within Facebook’s feature-heavy iOS app. Apps with unread notifications appear in the top section. If you click through, you see the App Center (and you’ll note that the logo in the screenshot also matches what Facebook has previously released).

Within the app center, a "Social Picks" tab offers apps based on what the user's friends have used, while a "Top Apps" tab contains picks from Facebook's editors as determined by quality and popularity. The listings include iOS, Android, HTML5, and desktop apps, with users able to click directly through to the App Store or other marketplaces to download apps.

The Next Web argues that the addition of App Center will be a major boost for Apple, helping quality apps to surface from among Facebook's hundreds of millions of users and those top apps to be easily accessible to other users.

By launching this App Center, Facebook is actually doing Apple a gigantic favor in two regards. First, it will become a serious point of distribution for Apple developers, secondarily it will be a great avenue to talk Facebook developers into building iOS apps if they haven’t so far. [...]

Facebook’s App Center won’t be clouded by anything other than actual data and usage. Imagine that, apps will actually bubble up to the top based on how often people engage with them.

After several years of what has appeared to be a tenuous relationship between Apple and Facebook, it certainly appears that the two companies are now moving to work more closely together. At the D10 conference late last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at Facebook integration and perhaps other announcements in that vein, urging users to "stay tuned".

For us, we want to provide customers simple and elegant ways to do the things they want to do. Facebook has hundreds of millions of customers. So, anyone that has an iPhone or iPad, we want them to have the best experience with Facebook on those platforms. So stay tuned.

Just a few days after Cook's comments, it was reported that Apple will indeed show off Facebook integration in iOS 6 at next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, making it much easier for users to post photos, status updates, and other content to the social network from within iOS.

With Facebook also feeding back into the App Store through its own App Center on iOS, it certainly seems that the companies are moving quickly to solidify their relationship for their mutual benefit and to the benefit of the millions of users who rely on both Apple devices and Facebook's social network.

Flurry Analytics today released a new report highlighting developer interest in iOS and Android as measured by downloads of Flurry's tools for integrating analytics into apps. With a new high of over 18,000 SDK downloads by developers during the first quarter of 2012, Flurry found that iOS continues to hold a substantial lead over Android with 69% of those downloads being for iOS.

For every 10 apps that developers build, roughly 7 are for iOS. While Google made some gains in Q1 2012, edging up to over 30% for the first time in a year, we believe this is largely due to seasonality, as Apple traditionally experiences a spike in developer support leading up to the holiday season. Apple’s business has more observable seasonality.

Flurry points to Apple's dominance in the tablet market as one significant driver of its popularity with developers, with Flurry's numbers showing that the iPad accounted for 88% of all user sessions on tablets during the first five months of 2012. Samsung's Galaxy Tab placed second with just 9% of the market with Amazon's Kindle Fire representing 3%.

Flurry also offers data on fragmentation within the Android ecosystem, illustrating how both multitude of devices and operating system versions leads to developers having to design their apps to be compatible with an increasingly complex variety of user setups.

Looking at revenue generation, Flurry calculates that for every dollar of revenue per active user generated on iOS, a developer can only expect to earn 24 cents on Android, demonstrating the main reason why developers continue to choose iOS as their first priority for app development.

At the end of the day, developers run businesses, and businesses seek out markets where revenue opportunities are highest and the cost of building and distributing is lowest. In short, Android delivers less gain and more pain than iOS, which we believe is the key reason 7 out of every 10 apps built in the new economy are for iOS instead of Android.

Flurry's report comes as TechCrunch reminds readers of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt's claim from December stating that within six months most developers would choose to develop for Android as their first priority. With six months having passed and developers clearly still choosing iOS first, TechCrunch reaches a similar conclusion that fragmentation, particularly on the operating system side, has been a major contribution to Android app development falling short of Schmidt's predictions.

Most notably, seven months after the launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Google's own data reveals that only 7.1% of Android phones are running the latest operating system, a number in line with that observed by Flurry. In contrast, iOS 5 is reported to be installed on 75-80% of active devices as measured from a sample of downloads from the popular Audiobooks application.

In line with rumors from earlier this week, Virgin Mobile USA today announced that it will begin offering the iPhone on June 29. Virgin Mobile USA is a prepaid brand operated by Sprint.

Notably, Virgin Mobile will be offering service plans for as low as $30 per month with no commitment when customers sign up for automatic payments.

Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk unlimited data and messaging plans for iPhone start at $35 per month for access to Sprint's Nationwide Network, and customers can receive a $5 per-month plan discount when they register for automatic monthly payments with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account, making iPhone available for as low as $30 per month. Customers can also use their iPhone as a mobile hotspot through Virgin Mobile for an additional $15 per month.

Unlike Cricket, which announced last week that it will begin offering the iPhone on a prepaid basis on June 22, Virgin is not offering any subsidy on iPhone hardware, with the 8 GB iPhone 4 being priced at $549 and the 16 GB iPhone 4S coming in a $649.

Cricket is offering the iPhone for $150 less, but its service plan consists solely of a $55/month offering with unlimited talk, text, and data. With Virgin Mobile offering plans for as low as $30, low-use customers can make up that hardware price differential in six months of service.

All three of Virgin Mobile's plans include unlimited texting and data (throttled after 2.5 GB), with voice minutes being the differentiating factor. With the $5 discount for automatic payments, Virgin Mobile's plans are priced at $30 (300 minutes), $40 (1200 minutes), and $50 (unlimited minutes).

Virgin Mobile will offer the iPhone through its website and at RadioShack, Best Buy, and other select retailers.

Algoriddim has released vjay their realtime video mixing app for iPad. We previewed the app earlier this week.

Similar to how djay works, vjay allows you to mix/fade between two video clips and apply real time effects to the output. Due to the heavy processing required to decode and mix two video streams, the app only works on the iPad 2 or the new iPad.

Video clips can be full music videos, such as those downloaded from the iTunes store, or they can be your own personal video clips. Audio can either be the original video audio or intermingled with songs your own music library. Both video and audio tracks can be swapped out independently at any time.

A new video shows off some of the features:

The focus of the app is on these real time performances and mixes which can be saved and shared. vjay is available for a limited time price of $9.99 and requires an iPad 2 or the new iPad. [Direct Link]

Cydiablog points to a new hands on video with the same "iPhone 5" parts that have been circulating. The new video was posted by part supply company eTradeSupply.

The new video is not especially more revealing, but does show the backplate in a number of different angles. The narrator also compares it directly to the iPhone 4, showing the relative size. Other features noted:

- Smaller dock port
- Bottom headphone jack
- SIM card slot smaller
- iPhone 5 is thinner than iPhone 4S (though no screen on the iPhone 5)

A few times a year, MacRumors partners with MacUpdate to promote their Mac application bundle deal.

Their latest bundle delivers at 11 Mac applications for $49.99 (a $457 value if all purchased separately). Notably, it includes Parallels Desktop 7, a popular virtualization tool that allows users to run Windows on their Mac.

The full bundle includes (retail value in parenthesis):

- Parallels Desktop 7 ($79.99) - Run Windows and Linux apps alongside Mac OS X.
- ScreenFlow 3 ($99.99) - Screencasting software allowing you to record your screen.
- Civilization V ($39.99) - A turn-based game to lead a civilization through time.
- Jaksta ($49.99) - Record virtually any audio or video stream from the Web.
- Espionage 3 ($19.99) - Easily encrypt and password protect individual files or folders
- Speed Download 5 ($25.00) - Boost your file transfers so they take full advantage of your Internet connection.
- Attachment Tamer 3 ($14.99) - Apple Mail add-on that gives you enhanced control over email attachments.
- KeyCue 6 ($28.00) - Learn and discover keyboard shortcuts
- A Better Finder Rename 9 ($19.95) - Batch rename dozens, hundreds, or thousands of files.
- My Living Desktop 5 ($29.95) - Turn your Mac's desktop picture into a high-definition video.

The first 10,000 buyers also get BusyCal ($49.99 value).

All apps together are being sold for $49.99 until June 20th. MacRumors is a promotional partner with MacUpdate. Bundle sales through these links benefit MacRumors financially, and provide a way for readers to directly support this site.

In a last minute press conference, Google today shared "the next dimension" of Google Maps. The presentation, which some felt was underwhelming from a product perspective, included a lot of history around the Google Earth, Maps and Street View products, as well as a peek at what's to come.

The announcements are particularly significant with credible rumors that Apple will be dropping Google Maps as the native maps application in iOS, in favor of its own solution at WWDC next week.

The first big announcement was related to the display of 3D buildings in Google Earth. Google is using airplanes along with a Google-designed system to photograph cities and make a 3D map of buildings. It appears to be a very similar process to the one used by C3 Technologies, a company that Apple purchased last year. The Verge offers more details on how it works:

To make the images, Google uses planes to take images at 45-degrees from four different angles — flying them in a tightly-controlled pattern with plenty of overlap. Google builds the 3D model off of these many images, using algorithms to create the shape and color of buildings. The process is "fully automated," building the 3D images without any human interactions. The system is intelligent enough to know when a certain image is blocked or shadowed, for example. The company hopes to combine the 2D mapping and vector data with the 3D images to perhaps someday provide vertical location information.

Aside from the Google Earth developments -- which will be coming to the iOS version of Google Earth in the coming weeks -- Google also unveiled new technologies for Street View and offline viewing for Google Maps on Android.

Google executives also took questions from the audience. Brian McClendon, VP of Engineering for Google Maps, said Google was "really proud of Google Maps" and that the company was "committed to offering those services on all platforms". Based on these statements, it seems likely Google will offer a standalone iOS app for Google Maps even if Apple chooses to implement its own mapping solution in the native iOS Maps app, much like it does for the existing Google Earth app.

In a new research note, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple will be making significant improvements to both front and rear cameras on the next-generation iPhone, advances driven by a desire to decrease the thickness of the device and to improve compatibility with a new 16:9 display.

According to Kuo, the rear camera on the iPhone will remain at 8 megapixels, but the aperture will be increased from f/2.4 to f/2.2 in order to reduce camera module height by nearly 0.5 mm.

[A] number of components have required a slim-down. The component that will undergo the most dramatic make-over is the rear camera. Our research shows that iPhone 5 will feature the first-ever slimmed rear camera of all iPhones, in an effort to deliver an ultra-slim iPhone 5.

Meanwhile, to enhance photography effects, iPhone 5’s rear camera will feature a larger f/2.2 aperture than iPhone 4S’s f/2.4. However, larger aperture means more noises. In addition, the reduced thickness means even greater challenges for lens design and assembly, as not only the lens, but also the voice coil motor (VCM) and CMOS image sensor (CIS) need to be slimmer. Finally, the compact camera module (CCM) suppler, responsible for the terminal assembly, will be confronted by assembly yield.

As for the front-facing camera, Kuo argues that Apple's move to a 16:9 display will drive a significant boost to HD quality for the front camera. HD offers the same 16:9 aspect ratio as the new display, as opposed to the 4:3 aspect ratio of the current VGA-quality FaceTime camera, and Apple will likely want to take full advantage of the device's new screen. In addition, moving the FaceTime camera to above the earpiece will allow for more centered images, improving the user experience.

The report also indicates that Apple is adopting flip-chip packing for the new front-facing camera, a process that will result in a thinner assembly and simplify lens production by moving the blue glass filter to the camera module itself.

Kuo has offered accurate information on a number of occasions in the past, relying on sources within Apple's supply chain to piece together Apple's product plans.

Following yesterday's leak of Mac Pro part numbers, AppleInsider now posts a full list of 27 new part numbers said to be on their way to resellers in Australia. A total of 13 of the part numbers are listed as "standalone kits", indicating that they are accessories, which leaves as many as 14 Mac models included in the launch.

Based on hints included in the leaked image and some additional information, guesses can be made at the identities of some of the remaining products.

The first product on the list, part number MC414, is described as "K31 Best" and appears to have a price under AU$1000. The K31 part number initially appeared a year ago to describe what is now the current generation of Apple's Time Capsule base station. Consequently, this new listing may represent a capacity upgrade to the existing line.

The next group of part numbers includes a pair of "D2" machines with prices above AU$2000 and AU$3000 respectively, and these parts could represent new 15-inch MacBook Pro models. The current stock 15-inch models come in at AU$2099 and AU$2499, and the higher price on at least the new high-end model could be a result of a shift to solid-state storage. The identification of these part numbers as MacBook Pros is mere speculation, however, based only on the best fitting price points of current machines.

Two pairs of model numbers at J30 and J31 could represent updated iMacs, with the three lowest models being priced in the AU$1000-AU$1999 range and the top end model coming in above AU$2000. This fits with the existing iMac pricing, which is AU$1399/AU$1698 for the 21.5-inch size and AU$1949/AU$2299 for the 27-inch size.

The next two pairs of model numbers, J11 and J13, may also be linked and could represent new MacBook Air models. Only the first digit of the low-end J11 price can be seen, and it indicates that pricing begins above AU$1000, in line with the current AU$1099 entry-level price on the 11-inch model.

Following a list of 12 accessory part numbers comes the three Mac Pro models detailed yesterday, and the list concludes with a "PD454" part number that interestingly represents a personalized or engraved version of the B67(A) accessory that appears earlier in the list.

Notably, our speculation on the identities of the various part number does not include a 13-inch MacBook Pro, for which a claimed spec label leaked yesterday. It is possible that one of the model numbers such as J11 could represent two stock configurations of a 13-inch MacBook Pro, but that would leave Apple's set of four MacBook Air models incompletely accounted for in the part numbers.

We caution our readers that these guesses at identifying the various part numbers are indeed speculation based on best fits with Apple's current pricing structure and number of models offered in each of its Mac lines. We do not have specific knowledge of the identities of these models beyond what is shown in the leaked image.

Update: 9to5Mac posts a full matrix of parts and prices along with their speculation on models matching up with those parts. Their guesses are identical to ours with the exception of the K31 part, which with a price of AU$119 would represent a new AirPort Express rather than a Time Capsule upgrade.

The addition of prices for the accessories also indicates that the B67 product is a new iPod shuffle available in five colors and with personalization. Other likely accessories include an external SuperDrive and a USB 3.0 Ethernet adapter.

Apple has already started decorating Moscone with banners in preparation for WWDC 2012. The first banners show a collage of app icons and the wording: "WWDC2012: Where great ideas go on to do great things."

The annual developer's conference kicks off on Monday with a Keynote Address. Apple is expected to introduce a number of new products and likely preview iOS 6.

Thanks Nelson

Shortly after word that Apple had pulled Mac Pro stock from their retail stores, 9to5Mac has been able to track down new retail part numbers for Mac Pro updates that they believe to be due next week.

MD770LL/A – K5BPLUS,BETTER, BTR-USA
MD771LL/A – K5BPLUS,BEST,BTR-USA
MD772LL/A – K5BPLUS,ULTIMATE,BTR-USA

Pricing is said to be "similar to current Mac Pro models". The new models come in three configurations: two standard versions and a third with OS X Server.

We had long been tracking the possible Intel chips that could find their way into the new Mac Pros. It wasn't until March, 2012 that Intel had released new Xeon E5 chips that Apple could use to upgrade their long-stagnant professional tower. The Mac Pro was last updated almost two years ago in July 2010. Apple had been said to be questioning the future of the Mac Pro line, given diminishing market appeal for the processional tower.

Apple will be holding the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) next week and is rumored to be making other Mac hardware introductions.

In-store availability for the Mac Pro has long been spotty at Apple's retail locations, making it difficult to read too much into any apparent shortages as hints of future updates. But MacRumors has learned that Apple began recalling Mac Pro stocks from its retail stores several weeks ago, with retail store staff having been instructed to inform customers that they may still order the machines online.

A quick survey of roughly 100 U.S. Apple retail stores for availability of the entry-level stock Mac Pro model shows that nearly all of them are indeed out of stock for in-store pickup, although we did find four California stores and one Texas store with machines available for immediate pickup.

Projected availability dates for orders placed online today vary significantly, with some stores citing availability on June 8 or 9 while others would not be able to offer a Mac Pro for pickup until June 12 or 13. Apple's keynote address at its Worldwide Developers Conference takes place next Monday, June 11.

Apple has been rumored to be updating nearly all of its Mac products next week, although it remains unclear whether the Mac Pro will be included in the mass rollout. The Mac Pro was last updated in July 2010, and new Xeon E5 processor options to provide a substantial upgrade to the line are now available.

Separately, we've heard that Apple is holding a secret "overnight" for staff at its retail stores on June 12, with employees being kept in the dark about the focus of the session. A separate overnight session to be held tonight was highlighted last week, but we've heard that tonight's session is simply a routine rearranging of sales floor content.