MacRumors

Following yesterday's discovery of a dialog box in the latest iOS 6 beta suggesting that AT&T users may be subject to restrictions or additional charges if they wish to use the FaceTime video calling feature over the carrier's cellular network, the company issued a brief statement simply acknowledging that it was working with Apple and that more information would be released in the future.

TechCrunch now reports that AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson was specifically asked about the issue at Fortune's Brainstorm conference today, with Stephenson saying that it is simply "too early" to discuss how AT&T will handle FaceTime over cellular networks.

“I’ve heard the same rumor,” he said, insisting that for now, AT&T is focused on working with Apple to get the technology stabilized, so “it’s too early to talk about pricing.”

Stephenson's comments certainly do not rule out the idea of additional charges for the feature, and it is even unclear what the carrier's timeline is for supporting it at all. AT&T has on several occasions delayed support of similar features such as tethering and iPad personal hotspot connectivity.

In a separate report today from The Wall Street Journal, Sprint indicated that it will not be charging additional fees for cellular FaceTime usage, considering it part of the customer's existing data package. Verizon, the third major iPhone carrier in the United States, declined to comment on the issue.

Leap Motion today announced (via The Next Web) that Apple's former iAd chief Andy Miller is joining the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Miller was the founder of mobile advertising firm Quattro Wireless, which Apple acquired in January 2010 to form the basis of its iAd platform. Miller left Apple last August to take a position in venture capital.

Leap Motion has introduced innovative new touch-free technology that will allow users to control their computers by gesturing in space above an iPod-sized USB peripheral sensing device. Leap Motion is currently taking pre-orders for the $70 device, which is compatible with OS X and Windows and is expected to begin shipping late this year or early next year

"I've been fortunate to work with some of the most influential figures and companies in the technology industry, and I'm as excited about the Leap as I've ever been about a technology," said Miller. "The potential for the Leap is limitless, as it is going to fundamentally change the way we interact with so many devices in our lives. I'm thrilled to come on board and looking forward to growing Leap Motion into the technology powerhouse it's on the road to becoming."

Last month, we highlighted a number of device restrictions regarding Apple's high-profile features for iOS 6, noting that many of them would not be compatible with the iPhone 3GS while smaller subsets would not be supported on the iPhone 4 and iPad 2.

But with yesterday's release of iOS 6 Beta 3 for developers, Apple has improved feature support for the iPhone 3GS, adding shared Photo Streams and VIP mail filtering. The change was noticed by a number of iPhone 3GS users, and Apple has confirmed the removal of those restrictions on its iOS 6 preview page.

While the iOS 6 preview page previously contained eight footnotes outlining various restrictions on features, that number has been reduced to six following the release of iOS 6 Beta 3. The two removed footnotes include:

- Shared Photo Streams requires iOS 6 on iPhone 4 or later or iPad 2 or later, or a Mac computer with OS X Mountain Lion. An up-to-date browser is required for accessing shared photo streams on the web.

- VIP list and VIP and Flagged smart mailboxes will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.

The fact that iOS 6 is compatible with the iPhone 3GS at all marks a significant step for Apple, as the device was also the minimum requirement for iOS 5 released last year. But with Apple still selling the three year-old device, the company apparently felt that it needed to bring many of the new features of iOS 6 to the iPhone 3GS and is still working to add as many as it can within the constraints of the older hardware's capabilities.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the next generation iPhone will use "in-cell" technology to make the screen thinner. In fact, they claim that mass production of the screens has already started.

Japanese liquid-crystal-display makers Sharp Corp. and Japan Display Inc.—a new company that combined three Japanese electronics makers' display units—as well as South Korea's LG Display Co. are currently mass producing panels for the next iPhone using so-called in-cell technology, the people said.

The technology integrates touch sensors into the LCD thereby removing an separate component layer just for the touch-screen. Aside from reduced thickness, it would also improve the image quality. The Wall Street Journal also claims it will help reduce Apple's costs by eliminating separate suppliers for each component.

Reports of Apple's interest in "in-cell" technology is not new with the first reports back in April. KGI Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo took a detailed look at the technology and suggested that the new iPhone could be at least 1.4mm slimmer than the iPhone 4S.

The next generation iPhone is widely expected to be launched this fall.

As noted in our ongoing iOS 6 Beta 3 discussion thread, it appears that AT&T will be restricting and possibly charging for the new FaceTime-over-3G-network feature in iOS 6. Prior to iOS 6, FaceTime was a Wi-Fi-only service.

The following error message appears for AT&T customers in iOS 6 when trying to activate FaceTime over cellular networks:

The error message is similar to one given to AT&T customers who wish to enable data tethering under iOS. AT&T requires users to pay for a separate tethering data plan to enable that feature.

At the time of the original iOS 6 announcement, we had reported that many carriers were quiet of the prospect of allowing FaceTime over their cellular networks. An AT&T spokesperson said that they were "working closely with Apple on features disclosed for iOS 6, and we'll share more information with our customers as we get closer to launch." We are reaching out to AT&T for an update or statement on their plans.

9to5Mac also notes the same behavior on AT&T networks and found the same error message did not appear when trying to activate FaceTime over Verizon's 3G networks.

Update: AT&T issued this statement, which is very similar to the one issued back in June:

We're working closely with Apple on the new developer build of iOS 6 and
we'll share more information with our customers as it becomes available.

Following the selection of Apple's proposed design as the new nano-SIM standard last month, Financial Times reports that European carriers have begun stockpiling the new nano-SIMs in expectation that Apple's next-generation iPhone will be launching using the new standard in the coming months.

Operators expect that the iPhone will feature the nano sim in a slimmed down design, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation, and have begun to store millions of the cards in warehouses in anticipation of high demand for Apple’s iPhone. Apple declined to comment.

Operators were caught off guard by the adoption of the micro Sim for the iPhone 4 as well as the original iPad two years ago, with some struggling to meet demand with their own micro-Sims in the first weeks of sale.

One informed person said that the major networks were keen to be ahead of demand this time, however. He added that the iPhone 5 was likely to be similar sized as the iPhone 4 although slimmer and with a fully metal body.

Apple's nano-SIM design next to current micro-SIM (Source: The Verge)

With today's release of iOS 6 Beta 3 to developers, Apple has revealed in the update's change log that it is beginning the first stages of transitioning users from the me.com email addresses and Apple IDs available under MobileMe to new addresses using icloud.com.

icloud.com email addresses are now available for iCloud mail users. Users signing up for new Apple IDs, or enabling Mail on their iCloud account for the first time, will automatically receive an @icloud.com email address instead of a me.com email address. iCloud users with @me.com addresses that have been used with iOS 6 beta 3 will receive an @icloud.com email address that matches their @me.com address.

Apple discontinued MobileMe in favor of iCloud as of June 30, although MobileMe users are still able to transition their accounts to iCloud for a limited time.

MobileMe and its me.com addresses were themselves transitioned in 2008 from mac.com addresses available under Apple's previous iTools and .Mac services, with MobileMe users able to send and receive email from mac.com and me.com versions of their addresses using either account.

Apple today released the third beta of iOS 6, the company's next-generation mobile operating system set to launch "this fall", presumably alongside new iPhone hardware in the September-October timeframe.

The third beta, which arrives as Build 10A5355d, comes three weeks after the previous developer version of Build 10A5338d.

We'll update this post with additional information on the new release as it surfaces.

Users are tracking new changes both in the forum thread associated with this article and in this thread. One key addition observed so far is a new section in the Settings app for Maps, allowing users to change the volume of the navigation voice, set distances to display in miles or kilometers, set map labels to display either in the local language or always in English, and set map label sizes to either "normal" or "large".

Other changes include:

- Roadwork and traffic accidents showing up in Maps app
- Answer and Decline buttons for FaceTime calls have returned
- iMessage on iPad now accepting phone number as valid contact info
- Greater 3D Flyover coverage in Maps
- Glyphs for bookmarks, Reading List, and history in Safari
- Auto-brightness changes gradually

Update: Also released today: Xcode Developer Preview 3 and Apple TV Software beta 3.

Late last week, we reported on the launch of a new method to allow App Store users to bypass Apple's In App Purchase mechanism and receive additional content free of charge. At the time, we noted that use of the method involved theft of content from developers and exposed iOS device users to dangers as their account and device information was being routed to servers under the control of the Russian hacker running the service, but we felt that reporting on the issue to bring it to light was the responsible thing to do in order to alert developers to the issue and perhaps spur Apple into action.

The Next Web now follows up with a report outlining some of the steps Apple has been taking to combat the issue, including issuing a copyright claim to have the original video showing the hack in action pulled from YouTube.

Over the weekend, Apple began blocking the IP address of the server used by Russian hacker Alexey V. Borodin to authenticate purchases.

It followed this up with a takedown request on the original server, taking down third-party authentication with it, also issuing a copyright claim on the overview video Borodin used to document the circumvention method. PayPal also got involved, placing a block on the original donation account for violating its terms of service.

The hacker, Alexey Borodin, remains committed to the service and has been working to skirt around the roadblocks being thrown up by Apple, in part by moving the service to a server in another country, but it is clear that Apple is working on the issue and addressing it through multiple routes in order to improve the security of In App Purchase content. For now, however, the service remains operational.

Apple.pro points [Google translation] to a photo posted to a Photobucket account that appears to show a white version of the next-generation "iPhone 5" front panel. This appears to be the first time that a claimed photo of the white version of the device has been seen.

Front (top) and back (bottom) of claimed front panel from white next-generation iPhone

The panel also shows a display with an aspect ratio of close to 16:9, in line with rumors of a taller screen measuring four inches diagonally. Overall, the front panel appears to match up closely to a previously-leaked design drawing showing details of the front panel.

Notably, the Photobucket account hosting the new photo is the same one that previously posted leaked measurement comparisons between the rear shells of the third-generation iPad and the iPad 2, showing roughly how much thicker the new iPad would be over the previous model.

Apple's set to release the latest version of OS X later this month. OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) is a $19.99 upgrade that will be available on the Mac App Store.

The latest Mac operating system contains a number of improvements and features. The list includes Reminders, Messages, Notification Center, Power Nap, Dictation, Gatekeeper and many more.

Apple has only said that the new version of OS X will launch in July, but 9to5Mac now speculates that Apple may be launching the new version of OS X on July 25th.

The reasoning comes from reports that Apple Retail stores will be performing overnight updates to stores on July 24th. Those updates could include the posting of marketing information and OS installations of OS X Mountain Lion to store computers.

While the exact content of the overnight updates aren't yet confirmed, the timing would also correlate with Vacation blackout days that MacRumors had heard from several employees at a thirty-party firm that offers technical support for Apple products.

The New York Times has added to the concerto of reports hinting at the arrival of an iPad with a 7.85" screen this fall. Two weeks ago, Bloomberg offered a similar report, also citing anonymous sources. iMore reported something similar back in May.

The company is developing a new tablet with a 7.85-inch screen that is likely to sell for significantly less than the latest $499 iPad, with its 9.7-inch display, according to several people with knowledge of the project who declined to be named discussing confidential plans. The product is expected to be announced this year.

Amazon has seen some amount of success with its 7" Kindle Fire, while Google recently launched its Nexus 7 tablet. A so-called iPad Mini, priced aggressively by Apple, could prevent other companies from flanking Apple with cheaper tablets equipped with a smaller screen.

In October of 2011, Tim Cook said on an earnings call that he was "very confident about our ability to compete and extremely confident in our product pipeline."

According to Japanese blog Mac Otakara, the next generation iPhone has already gone into production in China. Mac Otakara cites reliable Chinese sources for the information.

For reference, Mac Otakara also cited similar sources when they reported that the iPad 3 first went into production in January 2012. The lead time between production and launch for the iPad 3 was approximately two months with an official launch date of March 16th, 2012. That could suggest that we could see the new iPhone as early as September, though the production timelines for the iPad and iPhone may differ significantly.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the iPhone 5 would begin production in June, and all signs have pointed to a September or October launch for the new iPhone.

Leaked iPhone 5 parts have suggested Apple will be adopting a two-tone backing with a central metal panel. Mac Otakara reports that in the production models the back panel have a naked aluminum surface and a partially glass covered portion. They also note that a small hole that was seen between the lens and flash in the prototype parts is now absent.

Yesterday, Apple reversed course on their decision to remove their products from the EPEAT Environmental Registry. In a letter recognizing the move as a "mistake", Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield reported that all eligible Apple products are now back on the registry.

The new Retina MacBook Pro was notably included in the "Gold" level status which represents the highest rating from EPEAT.

Retina MacBook Pro battery via iFixit

Kyle explains: "It's important to understand that the manufacturers grade themselves against the EPEAT criteria first, and then EPEAT conducts a review of this grading. That EPEAT review has not yet occurred. They can require the manufacturers to remove any product from the registry if it is not found to conform to the IEEE standard."

Kyle cites issues with required criteria for EPEAT's "Design for End of Life" which may prohibit the use of glue to attach the battery to the casing as has been seen on the Retina MacBook Pro.

A lack of EPEAT certification can have consequences as many government offices and corporations require certification for company purchases.