MacRumors

China Mobile Ltd revealed that it had reached a consensus with Apple Inc on the use of its 4G technology on iPhones to be offered by the Chinese mobile provider, according to a brief report on Marketwatch. "4G" refers to the faster next generation data technology in mobile phones. The iPhone 4 presently uses "3G" data technology to connect to the internet over cellular networks.

China Mobiles Chairman Wang Jianzhou was less forthcoming with any details surrounding the deal but did say that the company is planning to start commercial trials of the 4G technology (TD-LTE) in China beginning next year.

Wang had previously hinted that Apple had "expressed interest" in developing an iPhone capable of running on the carrier's upcoming TD-LTE network.

Time-division LTE (TD-LTE), developed by China Mobile, is a variation on the LTE standard that can offer certain benefits over traditional frequency-division LTE (FD-LTE), including lower cost of deployment and dynamic balancing of upload and download bandwidth. Reports have indicated that the same chip can be used to allow devices to access both traditional LTE and TD-LTE networks.

Though details are sparse, this claims in this report would fit into the rumored timeframe of a true 4G iPhone in 2012. Meanwhile, all present rumors seem to suggest that Apple will be launching the next new iPhone around September of 2011 but without 4G data technology.

Update: Bloomberg offers some additional details from Wang, though this report does not specifically say that Apple and China Mobile had come to an agreement.

The company may also be able to offer Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone with the shift to TD-LTE, Wang said. While Apple has decided not to make a version of the phone for the third-generation TD-SCDMA system that is used only by China Mobile, the Cupertino, California-based company may produce one for the TD-LTE system, he said.

CNet reports that Apple has almost completed the agreements with the top four record companies to launch their cloud music offering.

Apple is closing in on obtaining the necessary agreements with the top four record companies that will enable the company to launch a fully licensed cloud-music service, according to sources with knowledge of the talks.

According to CNet, Warner Music Group and EMI Music deals are in place while Sony Music Group and Universal Music Group are "close" and could be completed by next week.

Both Amazon and Google have recently launched cloud-storage and music streaming services but without the record labels' consent. Apple is rumored to be including such a "digital locker" service in the next major version of iOS and has rumored to have purchased "iCloud.com" domain as the possible name for the service.

Engadget and Gula Digital report that while Sony is planning on implementing Thunderbolt in their upcoming laptops, the company will be using a USB connector rather than a DisplayPort connector.

Look closely at that picture. See that Type-A USB jack? The one with the blue stripe sandwiched between the round AC jack (with its green light) and VGA and HDMI ports? Yeah, that's Sony's Thunderbolt implementation according to a trusted source.

Engadget seems confident in their source, and Gula Digital's sources are independelty saying the same thing: Sony will use the USB interface, not mini DisplayPort for their Thunderbolt implementation.

As Engadget notes, we're not sure how this will be allowed. Thunderbolt's original implementation did use the USB connector, but the USB Implementors Forum officially frowned on this behavior by stating that "USB connectors are not general purpose connectors and are not designed to be used in support of other technology applications or standards or as combo connectors." It is believed that it is only due to their objection that Apple and Intel decided to use the mini DisplayPort as the Thunderbolt interface.

Separately, we've noticed that Apple has applied for the Thunderbolt trademark in the U.S. It was previously noticed that Apple had applied for the Thunderbolt trademark in Canada as well. This is unusual since Intel's own pages list Thunderbolt as an Intel trademark. Apple similarly trademarked Firewire, but that trademark was adopted as the official name by the 1394 Trade Association and was granted as a free license to all.

Apple's longtime camera sensor supplier for iOS devices, OmniVision Technologies, today announced the introduction of a new 5-megapixel sensor that could lead to thinner mobile devices while also offering the ability to shoot video at 1080p. The new sensor checks in at under 5 mm high, 20% thinner than other industry-leading sensors.

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OVTI), a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today introduced the OV5690, the first 5-megapixel image sensor to use OmniVision's proprietary OmniBSI-2 pixel architecture. The new 1.4-micron backside illumination pixel allows for a full five megapixels in a 1/4-inch optical format, and combines best-in-class image quality with a 20 percent reduction in camera module height, making it an effective solution for slimmer mobile handsets, smart phones and tablet computers.

While Apple has been claimed by several sources to be planning to use an 8-megapixel camera for the next-generation iPhone, up from a 5-megapixel sensor in the iPhone 4, many of Apple's other mobile devices such as the iPad and iPod touch utilize camera with significantly lower resolutions of under 1 megapixel. With the non-iPhone devices exhibiting thinner form factors than the iPhone, Apple has had to sacrifice on the camera quality and resort to thinner, lower-resolution sensors on those models.

Data Center Knowledge reports that while Apple's massive new data center in North Carolina has been gaining all of the attention over the past year or so, the company is still looking to expand capacity elsewhere, as evidenced by a recent commitment for space in a third-party data center in Santa Clara, California near the company's headquarters.

In April, Apple signed a seven-year lease for 2.28 megawatts of critical power load in a new data center being built in Santa Clara, Calif. by DuPont Fabros Technology (DFT), a leading developer of wholesale data center space. The lease is scheduled to commence in the third quarter (July to September), when the building opens.

DuPont Fabros disclosed the Santa Clara lease in its first quarter earnings, but did not reveal the name of the tenant, which is consistent with its policies. In a conference call with analysts, company executives described the tenant as a "Fortune 50 technology company with excellent credit." But multiple industry sources have since confirmed that the tenant is Apple.

According to the report, the commitment is notable as it appears to be Apple's first foray into the wholesale data center market in which tenants lease built-out data center space, a market that allows companies to quickly deploy new data capacity without the long lead time needed to construct and outfit a new leased or owned facility from scratch.

Apple's new capacity in Santa Clara is, however, significantly smaller than that of its new North Carolina data center or even its smaller one in Newark, California, barely registering as a blip in the company's overall data center capacity.

The Silicon Valley lease works out to about 11,000 square feet of data center space. By comparison, the iDataCenter in Maiden, North Carolina is 500,000 square feet, and includes more than 184,000 square feet of data center space, according to records filed with local officials.

The move could, however, indicate that Apple is seeking some relatively short-term space to carry it through a period of increased data needs as it pursues more significant expansions elsewhere. Such an expansion could come by Apple taking either additional space in the new facility, which will total 360,000 square feet when fully built out, or new space at a separate location. The company has, however, been assumed for some time to be interested in building out additional West Coast data center capacity to rival the new North Carolina facility, as most Internet companies do provide major hubs on both coasts for increased performance and backup capabilities.

There has been a considerable amount of back-and-forth regarding staff meetings and other activities reportedly scheduled for this weekend at Apple's retail stores, with some speculation suggesting that Apple could be readying a product launch or other activities related to the company's 10th anniversary of the opening of its first retail stores.

It is beginning to appear, however, that the events may be a revamp of on-floor sales procedures that could see the company equipping its sales staff with iPads for checkout and on-floor demonstration purposes. We had heard last month that the events were related to internal training rather than a special event or launch, but continued rumors have brought ongoing attention to the possibility of something more.

Yesterday, 9 to 5 Mac reported that it had received hints of the events being related to "Apple Store 2.0", suggesting that the changes would be bringing significant changes to the functioning of the company's retail stores.

AppleInsider now appears to be filling in the picture with a new report claiming that Apple retail stores have received shipments of dozens of iPads that appear to be destined for on-floor staff usage and are said to be set to be equipped with a new version of the company's "RetailMe" software to support the rollout.

People familiar with Apple's retail operations revealed that stores across the U.S. have been stocked with dozens of iPads that are being prepared for use by employees. Training and utilization of the hardware could begin as soon as this weekend.

In one location, nearly 40 iPads were supplied for a store with about 100 specialists. Based on those numbers, everyone working on any given day could be equipped with an iPad, perhaps in place of an iPod touch-based EasyPay terminal, which Apple stores switched to in 2009.

The new RetailMe software offering product information and training materials for sales staff is said to potentially be the subject of the "gigabytes" of training data previously claimed to be scheduled for download to Apple's stores on Saturday, although that theory has yet to be confirmed.

Update: 9 to 5 Mac has more on the retail revamp, claiming that Apple will be rolling out a number of enhancements to its stores including dedicated "Startup Sessions" areas for personal setup, iPad-based signage and information stations next to display machines, and new visual displays and sound systems. Finally, the company is said to be rolling out a revamped Apple Store application for iOS devices to assist customers with their in-store experience.

Spanish newspaper El Pais reports [Google translation] that the mayor of Madrid has announced that Apple will occupy the entirety of a landmark building in the center of the city on the Puerta del Sol, snapping up 6,000 square meters (~65,000 square feet) of space. The building, famous for its large neon sign advertising popular sherry brand Tio Pepe that has temporarily been removed for restoration during the building's renovation, includes seven floors plus a basement and was built in 1863.

Apple's interest in the building is not new, but previous reports had suggested that Apple would occupy only the lower one or two floors with earlier hotel uses being maintained on the upper floors. Today's announcement reveals, however, that Apple, the building's owners, and the city have come together to forge an agreement that will see Apple taking the entire space.

It is unlikely that Apple will devote the entire seven floors to retail store space, presumably using some of the upper floors for office space to support the company's operations in the region, so it is currently unknown just how large the retail space will be. Apple's largest stores currently check in at up to around 25,000 square feet. Restoration work on the building is scheduled to wrap up by October or November of this year, with the Apple retail store opening at an unannounced date after that time.

Apple currently operates two retail stores in Spain, with one of them being a typical mall-based store located on the outskirts of Madrid.

Though not a particular surprise, Digitime's sources claim that the LTE-enabled "iPhone 4S" is unlikely to launch until 2012.

Apple is likely to delay the launch of its LTE-enabled iPhones to 2012, said the sources, noting that the industry had also long been skeptical about the launch of LTE iPhones in 2011 as the implementation of LTE networks has not yet matured.

LTE is the next generation data transfer technology beyond 3G and is frequently labeled 4G. Both AT&T and Verizon are supporting LTE as their next generation data protocol.

Digitimes' report confusingly refers to the 2012 iPhone as the "4S" which is the name also given to expected 2011 iPhone. In a separate report Digitimes says that Apple is already lowering iPhone 4 orders in the second quarter of 2011 in anticipation of the new model in September.

Production of iPhone 4S will begin in August and the earliest launch may be in September. All the 3G and CDMA chips for iPhone 4S will be supplied by Qualcomm and the rear camera will be upgraded to a 8-megapixel resolution model with OmniVision Technologies and Taiwan-based Largan Precision to supply image sensors and lens kits respectively, the sources indicated.

Apple is widely expected to launch a new iPhone around September this year, but most have expected that support for 4G networks would likely wait until 2012. Other reports have also said that the proper LTE chips simply won't be ready for production in 2011.

Digitimes reports that Apple is planning on new shipments of 11.6" and 13.3" MacBook Air models for launch in June or July. The new MacBook Airs will feature the Sandy Bridge chipset and Thunderbolt interface.

Main supply chain makers for the new models remain about the same as for the existing MacBook Air, with Quanta Computer solely responsible for assembly, Catcher Technology supplying casings, Auras Technology a main supplier of thermal modules, Shin Zu Shing supplying hinges, and Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying batteries, the sources pointed out. However, none of the makers have confirmed their participation in making new MacBook Airs.

CNet had previously reported that Apple had been planing the MacBook Air refresh in June.

AppleInsider reports that Apple's annual back-to-school promotion will kick of next week and will be one of the topics in this weekend's retail meeting:

Apple as early as next week will once again announce its annual back-to-school promotion that has historically offered a free or discounted iOS device to customers purchasing of a new Mac, an event that may prove to be one of the main topics of discussion at the much-hyped employee meetings set to be held at the company's retail stores this Sunday.

Last year's promotion was announced during a similar time of year at Tuesday, May 25th and allowed users to receive a free 8GB iPod Touch with purchase of a Mac.

The event could explain some of the store layout and promotional changes that are expected on Sunday.

iFixit reports that the chip responsible for handling the noise cancellation capabilities of the iPhone 4 has finally been identified, with chip teardown firm Chipworks pegging it has having come from Audience, the producer of high-end voice processors found in such devices as the Nexus One. The identification was made more difficult by Apple's move to have the chip "white-labelled" by Audience to remove any specific identifying marks on the outside of the chip package. From iFixit's report:

There was one small, 3mm x 3mm chip that we weren't able to identify during our teardown. It was white-labelled, meaning Apple asked the manufacturer to remove their branding from the package to make it difficult for folks like us to identify. The markings on the chip '10C0 01S8 0077' didn’t match any existing part in our database, and we didn't pursue it further. This part turned up again this February when we got our hands on the Verizon (CDMA) iPhone 4.

With Chipworks finally performing a decapping procedure to analyze the internal structure of the chip in question, telltale signs including an "Audience" die marking buried inside the chip confirmed that the company is indeed responsible for the audio signal processor in the iPhone 4.

The confirmation reveals yet another high-profile design win for Audience, which has seen its chips incorporated into smartphones from Samsung, HTC, and other manufacturers and has established itself as offering the top-performing noise cancellation technology in the industry.