Rumors

After iOS 5 was released alongside the iPhone 4S this past fall, Twitter accounts grew by more than 25 percent, largely because of its integrated place in Apple's mobile operating system.

Now, according to tech site iMore, iOS 5.1 could bring a similar integration for Facebook.

Not that Facebook really needs more users.

But, it should come as a nice addition to iOS for those of us who already use Facebook. It's unclear exactly how integrated Facebook might actually be, but iMore shows a look at the iOS 5.1 beta 3 Contacts app that has an … Read more

China is booming, and Apple knows it. While the only official iPhone carrier in China, China Unicom, is offering free iPhones with long-term contracts, a new competitor may be soon entering the market.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, China Telecom, the third largest wireless carrier in China may soon be offering the iPhone on its network. China Unicom is expected to start selling the iPhone 4S this Friday, though the device it'll be peddling won't likely be compatible with China Telecom's network.

The regulatory agency that approves devices for use on Chinese networks … Read more

In a recent patent application uncovered by The Apple Blog, Apple has detailed a system for allowing your power adapter to become a security key for your password recovery process.

In basic terms, should you forget your password, an onscreen recovery application would prompt you to plug in your specific power adapter to confirm your identity. That adapter would store the necessary passwords and give you access to them when needed.

Current security measures, such as sending a verification e-mail or answering security questions are easily attacked by hackers who have managed to create any number of very sophisticated applications … Read more

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, in a note to investors, has laid out his predictions for Apple's calendar year 2012. In it he expects a redesigned iPhone 5 to be released in midsummer and only one version of the iPad 3, despite other rumors that Apple could release an expanded lineup of iPad models.

Munster's note, reported by AppleInsider, suggests that Apple's "base case" scenario will see it selling 142 million iPhone units through 2013, which represents an 18 percent increase in revenue from the previous year. In a "bull case" scenario Apple … Read more

According to a support thread on T-Mobile's troubleshooting site, an unlocked iPhone 4S could be used on T-Mobile's network, utilizing the iPhone 4S UMTS 1 band.

This theory has been backed up by a report on an unofficial T-Mobile blog, claiming that an unlocked iPhone 4S, in certain parts of the country, can run on T-Mobile's 3G network.

iPhones have been a part of T-Mobile's landscape since the beginning. In fact, T-Mobile offers a quite nice support community for iPhone users, despite not officially offering the product.

Now, as TmoNews reports, T-Mobile has begun reframing some … Read more

In the latest build of iOS 5.1, now beta 2, Apple has finally decided to take steps against the popular rumor site tactic of rifling through iOS code to find references to new hardware models.

These references, typically something like iPhone3,1, were a great way for rumor sites to predict forthcoming hardware devices, accurately assuming that their inclusion in the iOS code meant they were being tested.

With Apple's release of iOS 5.1 beta 2, things have changed. Apple has now included device references for dozens of new devices including AppleTV10,3 and iPhone11,3. By … Read more

In a series of patent applications, Apple has outlined how it plans to combat noisy environments by using voice recognition to activate and control noise-cancellation technologies.

By changing the noise-cancellation process to fit specific voices, Apple thinks it can better manage noise-ridden spaces, especially for mobile devices while making calls or recording voice memos.

Four patent applications relating to this technology were uncovered by AppleInsider at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

Apple is looking to get into the business of unique device identification, Patently Apple reports, filing a patent that details plans for a "digital handshake" using next-generation cameras capable of reading specially coated, invisible ink.

The technology would be used for enterprise, social networking, and gaming applications.

While technology already exists that can transfer information between two devices quickly and securely (such as Bump and PayPal), Apple plans on revolutionizing the process and the media used to create a more robust, yet simpler transfer method.… Read more

In a note to investors, Rodman & Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar claims that Apple's supply issues regarding the iPhone 4S are due not only to extremely high demand but also a key component not being readily available.

That component? Kumar isn't telling. Or, doesn't know. Either way, there's no telling what the "key component" in the iPhone 4S that is causing supply issues is. According to AppleInsider, Kumar claims the low availability of the iPhone 4S will continue through the holiday quarter, generally Apple's busiest and most lucrative time of the year.

A … Read more