MacRumors

Back in January, a handful of photos of what was alleged to be the fifth-generation black iPad's rear shell surfaced, showing how the device would take design cues from the iPad mini to offer a smaller form factor with narrower side bezels and more rounded rear edges. An additional photo appeared in late April, but otherwise leaks of the device's rear shell have been scarce. A variety of cases designed to fit the expected iPad 5 form factor have also been appearing in recent months.

FanaticFone now shares some new photos of an alleged fifth-generation iPad rear shell, this time in the silver color that would presumably be paired with a white display assembly as on the iPad mini. The photos highlight several features of the part, including separate volume buttons as opposed to the single rocker button on the current iPad, dual speakers flanking the device's Lightning port along the bottom edge, and a narrower lip for the display assembly than seen on the current iPad.

The report also claims that the Apple logo on the part is silver as on the iPad mini, although it is not clearly shown in any photos. Only the black rear of the Apple logo insert can be seen in a photo of the inside of the shell. A second photo of the shell's bottom edge shows a bit of the logo, but out of focus and at a significant angle, making it difficult to see.

Apple's fifth-generation iPad is expected to launch as soon as next month, with a new iPad mini with Retina display perhaps following soon after.

Apple's suppliers are preparing the next generation iPad mini for mass production and it will "likely feature a high-resolution screen from Samsung" according to The Wall Street Journal, contradicting a report from earlier today that claimed the next iPad mini would not have a Retina display.

The piece also claims that Apple is considering offering multiple colors of back covers for the device, possibly complimenting the rumored lower-cost iPhone which is expected to have plastic back covers in a number of colors.

Apple is working with suppliers in Asia on its next iPad mini with a high-resolution "retina" display, unlike the current iPad mini that comes with a lower-resolution screen, the people said. The size of the new tablet will likely be the same as the current 7.9-inch model, which was released in November last year. Apple has also been contemplating multiple color back covers for the new tablet, they said.

Apple plans to use screens from not only Samsung, but LG and Sharp as well. According to the New York-based financial newspaper, Apple initially planned to use LG and Sharp but decided to add Samsung to the mix in order to ensure an "adequate supply of screens." The current iPad mini uses displays from both Sharp and Taiwan's AU Optronics.

The paper does warn that Apple routinely tests various designs and has been known to make changes late in the design process, and there is no mention of a potential release date. It notes that Apple is more likely to add Retina after the announcement of Google's new high-resolution Nexus 7.

Earlier today, evidence surfaced in the iOS 7 beta that a non-Retina, A6-powered iPad mini was in development, while a number of analyst reports have gone back and forth on whether the next iPad mini would include a Retina display.

Earlier this year, a trio of computer scientists discovered a flaw in iOS 6 that would theoretically allow an iPhone or an iPad to be hacked using a "malicious USB charger."

The researchers demonstrated the hack at the Black Hat Convention in Las Vegas today, showing off a custom built charger that was plugged into an iPhone. The charger, which took a week to design and cost just $45 in components, contained a small Linux computer programmed to launch an attack on iOS devices.

In this presentation, we demonstrate how an iOS device can be compromised within one minute of being plugged into a malicious charger. We first examine Apple’s existing security mechanisms to protect against arbitrary software installation, then describe how USB capabilities can be leveraged to bypass these defense mechanisms. To ensure persistence of the resulting infection, we show how an attacker can hide their software in the same way Apple hides its own built-in applications.

According to a report from Reuters, the security flaw that could allow a fake charging station to potentially hack an iOS device has already been repaired in iOS 7.

Apple said the issue had been fixed in the latest beta of iOS 7, which has already been released to software developers.

"We would like to thank the researchers for their valuable input," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said.

During the convention, the researchers successfully used the device they had constructed to hack into an iPhone, programming it to dial another phone. The group, worried that criminals might use the hack in malicious ways, publicized the issue in the spirit of "white hat" hacking.

iOS 7, which is already in the hands of developers, is expected to be released to the general public this fall. Along with a fix for the charger hack, it also includes a number of new features like an overhauled Notification Center, a new Control Center, and a complete redesign. Apple continues to regularly release beta updates for the operating system, adding additional minor performance boosts and changes ahead of its official release.

According to developer Nick Frey (via 9to5Mac) code within iOS 7 hints at a new upgraded processor, likely the A7 processor expected to be included with the iPhone 5S. The code includes a reference to an s5L8960x application processor, which is a higher iteration than the s518950x and the s518955x numeration found on the A6 and A6X processors used in the iPhone 5 and the fourth generation iPad.

As noted by 9to5Mac, it appears that the upcoming system-on-a-chip will include Samsung components.

Interestingly, it appears that Apple will again work with Samsung for this new chip. The main system-on-a-chip will include some Samsung components- at least to power the display, according to analysis of the above code by a person familiar with Apple’s chip design process.

This source also says that over the past couple of years, Apple has hit roadblocks (in relation to processing speed) with both the upcoming A7 and A8 chip, but it appears those that issues have been resolved.

While the appearance of next generation Samsung components in iOS 7 confirms reports that Apple will stick with Samsung for its 2013 product line rather than switching exclusively to TSMC, it remains unclear whether or not TSMC is also involved in the chip production. A March rumor suggested that Apple might use both Samsung and TSMC to produce its 2013 chips, and a prototype iPhone 5S revealed a K1A0062 identifier on the main A7 chip, suggesting that it could potentially be manufactured by TSMC.

Apple has been reportedly aiming to reduce its reliance on Samsung, and in June, the company signed a three year deal with TSMC that will see TSMC producing Apple’s A8 chips and potentially its A9/A9X chips as well. Apple did, however, backtrack and sign a second deal with Samsung that will see Samsung producing 14-nm chips for the company beginning in 2015, indicating that Apple plans to continue working with both companies.

An official website promoting the upcoming Steve Jobs movie starring Ashton Kutcher launched earlier this week, featuring a number of short video clips and reviews. Open Road Films has also released a new featurette today, which offers commentary on the filming of “JOBS” along with new clips from the movie.

As part of a social media blitz, Ashton Kutcher has explained why he took the role, shared his thoughts on Jobs, and outlined the work that he put into becoming Steve Jobs multiple times, sharing information in an answer on Quora, a lengthy interview with The Verge, and at a special screening of the movie in San Francisco.

Both Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad, who plays Steve Wozniak in the movie, will participate in a live YouTube event on Friday, beginning at 11am PST, to share more information on the upcoming film.

JOBS is set to hit theaters next month, on August 16.

According to the iOS 7 beta, Apple is testing a new iPad mini model that includes an A6 chip -- the same as the current iPhone 5 -- and a non-retina display, reports 9to5Mac.

The information was sent to the site by developer Nick Frey, who found the details inside a file that lists all the iOS devices that support iOS 7. The A6 processor would be a logical upgrade for the iPad mini, advancing its main processing chip to the next generation.

According to the provided information, Apple is considering three new iPad mini models: iPad “2,8,” iPad “2,9,” and iPad “2,10.” The respective code names for the devices are J75, J76, and J77. This points to one WiFi-only model and two cellular-compatible models (just like the current iPad minis).

[…]

As for what these new iPad minis will feature, the references state that the devices include the “s5l8950x” processor. This is the same A6 system-on-a-chip inside of Apple’s iPhone 5, and this would offer significant speed improvements for the iPad mini compared to the current A5-based model.

Current iPad mini models are nicknamed '2,5'; '2,6'; and '2,7'. 9to5Mac also notes that the models don't include references to '@2x' code that relates to Retina-display supported artwork -- that code is included in the iPhone 5 and the fourth-generation iPad, leading the site to conclude that the new mini will not include a Retina display.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has vacillated in recent months over Apple's plans for the iPad mini, most recently saying that a Retina-equipped device would launch sometime in March or April of 2014, with Apple not planning to upgrade the device at all until that time.

It's possible that this non-retina iPad mini is merely a device in testing, but while Kuo has a strong track record, it's always possible that Apple could change product release plans at the last minute.

In a new report, App Annie today revealed that downloads from Google Play finally surpassed iOS App Store downloads by 10% during the second quarter of 2013. The uptick in Google Play downloads can be attributed to higher activity in emerging markets, such as Russia, India, and Brazil.

Of course, despite the fact that Google Play garnered more downloads during the quarter, the App Store still earns far more revenue, reinforcing the idea that iOS users are more willing to pay for content than their Android counterparts. The App Store scored 2.3 times the revenue of Google Play.

Games continue to be the number one source of income for both Android and Apple, with gaming apps accounting for more than 80% of revenue in Google Play and 74% of revenue in the iOS App Store. Music and Social Networking apps also experienced an uptick on iOS, driving more revenue to the platform.

The App Store metrics that App Annie uses for its reports come from App Annie Intelligence data, which is designed to offer global app market data to publishers. Revenue estimates include paid downloads and in-app purchases, but not in-app advertising.

Following the launch of Google's low-priced Chromecast AirPlay competitor, Apple has lowered the price of its refurbished Apple TVs to $75, offering a $24 discount off of the original $99 price and a $10 drop from the previous price for refurbished units.

Google's Chromecast, which functions similarly to AirPlay and allows users to mirror content from a tablet, smartphone, or laptop to a television, retails for just $35. The dongle plugs in to any HDTV and offers apps like YouTube and Netflix, with additional offerings in the works.

Though the Apple TV can't compete with the Chromecast on price, Apple has been working on building new features into the device. Released alongside betas for iOS 7 and Mavericks, the Apple TV beta software has introduced iTunes Radio, a “Conference Room Mode” for business and academic settings, and recently, a function that allows users to purchase music on their TVs.

Apple also has plans to further integrate iOS 7 with the Apple TV, allowing for simple Bluetooth setup of the device, and the company has improved the set-top box's content offerings in recent months. In June, Apple added multiple new channels, including WatchESPN, HBO GO, Sky News, and more, and is said to be in talks with additional companies such as Time Warner Cable and the CW to bring even more content to the Apple TV.

As with all refurbished products that Apple sells, the Apple TV comes with a one year warranty and can be purchased online or picked up in stores.

As revealed in dozens of new job postings on its website, Apple is once again looking to improve its much-criticized Maps application by increasing the size of its team dedicated to verifying mapping data. The postings are for "ground truth" local experts and regional managers in a number of different locations around the world, including several in the United States, Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Europe.

The job descriptions for the "Local Expert" roles are as follows:

The Maps team is looking for people with a passion for mapping, great testing skills, and deep regional knowledge to help us build better and better maps. In this position, you will be responsible for the quality assessment of Apple Maps for your region, including both data and map services.  You will monitor changes to our maps, provide feedback on unique local map requirements, collect ground truth information, and evaluate competing products.

The roles call for someone with a bachelor's degree or equivalent, prior experience in quality assurance and a "detailed knowledge of the unique features of your local area, including preferred place names, prominent businesses, public services, seasonal events, driving routes, landmarks, and road names".

The positions are clearly intended to help Apple improve the quality of its mapping service, which since its release has been plagued with problems, including mislabeled towns and cities, inaccurate driving directions, as well as establishments (such as restaurants and bars) which had been closed for years.

MacRumors first noticed Apple specifically hiring a ground truth expert in Australia back in February, with the company moving to hire managers for the program in March. With this latest batch of job listings, Apple is clearly looking to fill out its team with a variety of regional and local positions.

Apple's Maps issues in iOS 6 prompted an open letter by Tim Cook on the company's home page and are rumored to be one of the reasons why Scott Forstall, Apple's previous Senior Vice President of iOS Software, was ousted from the company back in October 2012. The company has acknowledged that it is working hard to improve its mapping services, which are coming to OS X Mavericks later this year.

In just the past few weeks, Apple has been revealed to have acquired small mapping firms Locationary and HopStop as it seeks to improve its own services.

(Thanks, Georgij!)

Following up a report from earlier this week that Apple CEO Tim Cook had traveled to China, representatives for China Mobile have confirmed to Reuters that its Chairman, Xi Guohua, and Cook had met recently to discuss “matters of cooperation”. China Mobile, the world's largest carrier, is the only major Chinese carrier to not have a deal with Apple to distribute the iPhone.

The meeting with China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing was to discuss matters of cooperation, the Chinese firm told Reuters in an emailed statement. It gave no further details.

Prior to this news, it was speculated that Cook may have visited China to discuss the potential for market growth in the region after Apple announced it fell 43 percent from the previous quarter during its quarterly earnings call. Cook is also said to have met with major Chinese carriers during his visit to discuss the impending launch of the heavily rumored low-cost iPhone in the region, potentially named the iPhone 5C. Earlier this year, Cook visited China to also discuss cooperation with China Mobile.

China Mobile and Apple have been reported to be in talks over the iPhone for several years, although no deal as yet been struck. Cook was spotted at China Mobile's headquarters in June 2011, and he visited with executives at the carrier again earlier this year during a trip to China.