MacRumors

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported in passing that Apple was experimenting with "a new way of charging" the 2012 iPhone. Like our readers, our thoughts instantly went to some sort of wireless charging mechanism.

Of course, wireless charging isn't a new technology though the current implementations of it have been somewhat limited. The original Palm Pre launched with an induction charger which allows users to charge their device when it is laid on a special charging mat. The disadvantages of such inductive chargers is the need for near physical contact in order for the power to be transferred as well as heat/power limitations.

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A 2007 startup company called WiTricity, however, has been working on some significant advances in wireless electricity that has gotten the attention of much of the industry including Apple. WiTricity is based on the research from MIT's labs where scientists showed a new method for transferring larger amounts of power wirelessly over more practical distances (up to a couple of meters) than traditional induction.

The magnetic fields of two properly designed devices with closely matched resonant frequencies can couple into a single continuous magnetic field. Prof. Soljačić's team showed how to use this phenomenon to enable the transfer of power from one device to the other at high efficiency and over a distance range that is useful for real-world applications.

WiTricity has already received a significant amount of industry attention. The CEO of WiTricity demoed the technology at TED in 2009. Intel has been experimenting with the technology in their labs. Toyota has even collaborated with and invested in the company to develop automotive wireless charging systems.

The link to Apple comes by way of a international patent application from Apple called "Wireless power utilization in a local computing environment." The application was first published in May of this year and specifically details the same resonance technology and refers to the original paper published by the MIT researchers.

Apple describes a scenario where your iMac could be the source of this resonance power to provide a virtual charging area in front of your computer. Keyboards, mice and even mobile electronic devices like the iPhone or iPad could be charged simply be being in a 1 meter proximity to your computer. In typical Apple fashion, they describe that "by doing away with clumsy and annoying cables and eliminating the need to replace batteries, an easy to use and efficient local computing environment can be provided to the user."

Of course, Apple patent applications are only occasionally predictive of the company's plans, but in light of rumors of Apple experimenting with "a new way of charging", we thought this particular technology (which is already on Apple's radar) was interesting enough to highlight.

Tonight, Apple released two new iPhone commercials advertising AirPlay and FaceTime features of the iPhone 4.

Despite authorizing some of the individual companies involved, antitrust regulators are said to be investigating the $4.5 billion consortium purchase of Nortel's patent portfolio last week. Per the Washington Post:

Federal antitrust enforcers are scrutinizing whether Google, often accused of abusing its Web search power, is facing an unfair coalition of companies that could block its popular Android mobile phone software, according to a source close to the matter.

The patent portfolio was won by a consortium including Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony. There has already been speculation that the acquisition is a big blow to Google's Android whose manufacturers may be subject to additional patent licensing fees. TechCrunch summarizes how the auction played out based on a Canadian court document that was released last week.

While much of the press after the auction focused on the Rockstar group’s win, the court documents make it very clear that it was actually Apple that won in partnership with Rockstar. Apple was the only group that had not dropped out. Again, they staked the Rockstar group to ensure a victory for the stronger player. Why was Rockstar the stronger player? Because of the other companies involved. RIM, EMC, Ericsson, Sony, and yes, Microsoft.

The interest in the portfolio was significant due to the broad reach of the patents, especially in the area of wireless networking and LTE technology.

AppleInsider reports that Apple may be preparing to begin supporting 1080p movies in its iTunes Store later this year, based on reports of film studios submitting films to Apple in a new "HD+" format at the higher resolution.

Thus far, 1080p HD content has largely eluded users of Apple products, with HD versions of videos on the company's digital download service maxing out 720p (1280x720) and chief executive Steve Jobs balking at adoption of Blu-ray on Macs due to licensing complications and other challenges that he said threatened to translate into a "bag of hurt."

But that could begin to change later this year, as a handful of feature films being submitted to the iTunes store for a release in the September and October timeframe are being sent with documentation for an optional 1920x1080 resolution, according to people familiar with the matter.

According to the source, at least three of the five largest movie studios have submitted titles scheduled for fall releases with optional resolutions of 1920x1080 at average bitrates of 10 Mbps.

The report's sources also point to rumors of an updated 1080p-capable Apple TV, which lines up nicely with increased 1080p support in iOS 5, which is due for release around the same September timeframe. Those improved capabilities were noted last month to have opened the door to a true 1080p Apple TV.

Apple is said to have the capability to stream 1080p video already in hand, but that the company remains concerned that many users' personal connection speeds aren't yet high enough to support streaming of the "HD+" content without significant buffering time.

In order to address that issue, Apple could offer the 1080p only for downloadable movie content, although that would be incompatible with the simplicity of the Apple TV, which offers only limited storage space for caching purposes and otherwise streams all content. Alternatively, Apple could make the 1080p content available for streaming only if a user's connection is determined to be fast enough to support the bandwidth.

As enterprise stalwart RIM falters, Apple is stepping up its targeting of business users with this ad on the back page of The Economist, a very influential business magazine. The ad notes several business apps, including Bloomberg, The Economist, Oracle Business Indicators, and iWork; and ends with the tagline:

iPhone loves business. With over 425,000 apps, the best phone for apps just keeps getting better.

In Apple's Q2 2011 earnings call, COO Tim Cook noted that 88% of Fortune 500 companies are deploying or testing the iPhone, with 75% doing the same for the iPad. Apple also has an extensive iPhone in business page, including case studies and information on how the iPhone can integrate into a company's existing IT infrastructure.

Thanks Tim!

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables, such as those used to connect recent-generation MacBook Pro's to high-definition televisions do not comply with the official HDMI specifications.

HDMI Licensing, LLC, the trade group that controls adoption of the HDMI specification, explained the situation to TechRadar UK:

The HDMI specification defines an HDMI cable as having only HDMI connectors on the ends. Anything else is not a licensed use of the specification and therefore, not allowed.

All HDMI products undergo compliance testing as defined by the Compliance Testing Specification. The CTS clearly defines necessary tests for all products defined in the HDMI Specification. Since this new cable product is undefined in the Specification, there are no tests associated with this product. It cannot be tested against the Specification.

Basically, a cable that has a HDMI connector at one end and a Mini DisplayPort connector at the other is not a "true" HDMI cable, and is thus, by definition, outside the HDMI specification.

As a result, these cables are considered unlicensed by HDMI Licensing and are not to be sold. Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables can still be found, for example at the Apple Online Store -- but some retailers, like MonoPrice.com, have already discontinued their mDP to HDMI offerings.

Instead, users can buy Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Female dongles. These dongles, when combined with a standard HDMI-HDMI cable, connect MacBook Pros, and other devices with mDP ports, to high-definition televisions and desktop monitors that accept HDMI.

Most Macs made in the past 18 months support multichannel audio passthrough via Mini DisplayPort. This means that users can connect one cable from their computer to a HDTV or surround sound system, and it will carry audio and video signals over the single cable.

The launch marks the end of the more than 30-year Shuttle program to explore and learn more about our world, the solar system, and the universe.

The STS-135 crew will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

Atlantis is also carrying two iPhone 4's to the International Space Station (ISS) for experimentation. The "space certified" iPhones are loaded with a specially designed app, SpaceLab for iOS (downloadable from the App Store [iTunes]) that will let astronauts conduct several experiments:

Limb Tracker - This navigation experiment will involve taking photographs of the Earth and matching an arc to the horizon through manipulation of an overlay. This performs the function roughly equivalent to a “manual” horizon sensor. It will yield an estimate of altitude (height above the surface) and “off axis” angle, a measurement of the angle of the image with respect to the Earth's center.

Sensor Cal - This sensor calibration experiment uses a series of photos of a reference image, combined with propagated information using three-axis gyro and accelerometer measurements to calibrate the gyros and the accelerometers (i.e. bias and scale coefficients). This will improve the knowledge and accuracy of subsequent measurements.

State Acq - State Acquisition - This navigation experiment uses a series of photos of a reference image and of the Earth, combined with information from the three-axis gyro and accelerometer, to estimate the position of the spacecraft (latitude and longitude). The position estimation is generated by manipulating and matching a wireframe overlay of the Earth's coastlines to the acquired Earth image(s). Performing multiple sequences, separated by a known amount of time, can permit estimation of the spacecraft's orbit parameters.

LFI Lifecycle Flight Instrumentation - This experiment will characterize the effects of radiation on the device by monitoring certain areas of memory for Single Bit Upsets - an unintended change in value of a memory location caused by exposure to radiation.

Once the experiments are complete, the phones will be returned to Earth via the Russian Soyuz vehicle, as early as this fall. Flight data will be collected, analyzed, and then shared via the SpaceLab app.

The three-axis gyroscopes and accelerometers in the iPhone 4 are expected to perform very well in zero-gravity, and are being tested as an alternative to much more expensive equipment.

Earthbound users can replicate some of the tests by downloading the SpaceLab app, but, understandably, some tests must be simulated to account for the presence of gravity.

Atlantis is on a 12-day mission and is scheduled to dock with the ISS at 11:06AM EDT on Sunday. For more information and to follow STS-135, visit NASA's main space shuttle website.

(Photo courtesy Flickr/Robert Scoble)

As noted by Patently Apple, a newly-published patent application from Apple reveals an interesting take on the idea of using metaphorical gestures to share data between devices.

Building upon file transfer mechanisms found in such iOS apps as Bump that allow users to exchange contact information, photos, and other data between devices in close proximity, Apple proposes a number of gestures such as "pouring" and "vacuuming" that could add some additional visual interest to the mundane process of data transfer.

One example presented in the patent application demonstrates how a user could "pour" a set of files to transfer them from an iPhone-like device to a tablet device similar to the iPad. Files displayed on the iPhone's screen could animate the pouring process by appearing to respond to gravity as the iPhone is tipped, and files could behave in differing manners to provide more visual interest, such as by having larger files appear to be heavier than smaller ones and thus moving more slowly in the pouring process.

Apple describes other gestures to initiate the actual file transfer, such as tapping on the device as it is tipped for pouring or requiring a flick or other gesture to overcome a "speedbump" or other barrier and set the files moving to the other device.

Finally, Apple describes how devices could sense their relative locations within a room and allow users to simply flick data toward another device or to make sweeping gestures to broadcast the data to multiple devices in a general direction.

As always, Apple's patent applications should be read primarily for their basic interest and as a view into what Apple's engineers may be thinking about. Many of the ideas discussed in Apple's patent applications never make it to release, especially in those cases where the applications have made it through the lengthy waiting period to publication without the features having already been released.

A pair of reports today are suggesting that Apple may be preparing its retail stores for a launch of OS X Lion next week, with MacBook Air and other hardware updates likely to follow alongside or soon after the new operating system debuts.

9 to 5 Mac reports that Apple has scheduled "overnights" for next Wednesday, July 13th, events where store layouts and promotional materials are tweaked and store management is briefed on new products. While the source offers no information on exactly what will take place during next week's overnights, it seems reasonable to guess that OS X Lion will be a focus of the changes.

AppleInsider follows up with its own report also mentioning overnights scheduled for next week, although the source for that claim did not offer a specific day for the changes. In addition, sources for the report indicate that Apple is requiring that a number of display machines in its retail stores have their RAM upgraded by this Sunday, leading to speculation that Apple is topping them off in advance of the OS X Lion launch.

Separate sources for the report specifically indicate that Apple is preparing OS X Lion for a public launch next week, with revamped MacBook Airs potentially set for an introduction the following week. Retail sources have also indicated that Apple may be formally inviting some customers to download Lion at their local retail stores next week in order to receive assistance learning their way around the new operating system.

Beyond the MacBook Air, Apple appears to have a significant number of other Macs in line for refreshes, including the Mac mini, MacBook and Mac Pro. Other lines such as the MacBook Pro and iMac that have been updated more recently may also be seeing some stock shortages as Apple tries to make the conversion over to systems with Lion preinstalled.

A cell phone picture, purported to be an iPhone running on China Mobile's proprietary 3G network, is making the rounds after being posted on Chinese news site MyDrivers.com (English translation).

In the picture, we can see the China Mobile 3G logo in the upper right corner. The third number down, which is partially blacked out, is part of the serial number. The third digit, a 0, suggests the phone was made in 2010. The next digit, which appears to be a 5, would have the phone manufactured towards the end of that year, in either the 50th, 51st or 52nd week.

Additionally, the carrier name in the top left corner appears to be China Mobile, written in Chinese text. None of this is conclusive, but it does suggest a China Mobile compatible iPhone is coming to CM's 3G network sooner rather than later.

Last month, Apple COO Tim Cook was reportedly spotted at China Mobile headquarters. Apple and China Mobile have been known to be working hand-in-hand to ensure future iPhones will work on China Mobile's upcoming 4G TD-LTE network.

China Mobile is a strategic partner for Apple. It has a 70% market share in the world's most populous country with more than 600 million subscribers. In November of last year, China Mobile began assisting customers who wished to use the iPhone 4 on their network, including in-store assistance cutting its full-size SIM cards down to micro-SIM size.

Update: As noted by the Shanghai Daily, China Mobile chairman Wang Jianzhou today reported that the carrier already had 5.6 million iPhone users on its 2G network as of the end of May, with 700,000 of those having been added during that month alone.