Shreds of evidence are beginning to help complete the puzzle of what the next iPhone may offer when its introduced, most likely, next summer atApple's annual Worldwide Developer's Conference. According to Eric Zeman of InformationWeek, the iPhone may soon boast a 5 mexapixel camera to help beef up the device's photographic potential in the wake of heated competition from other smartphones that now pack a powerful lens.
Quote: The current supplier of camera chips for Apple's iPhone, OmniVision Technologies, says it got a whopper of an order from Apple for 2010. Not only will it supply Apple with 40 to 45 million imaging sensors, they will rate 5 megapixels. Although few are surprised by the sensible decision by Apple to step up the iPhone's camera a notch, many (myself included) are somewhat stunned by the bulk in which Cupertino is buying the necessary parts to make it happen.
OmniVision, for example, only supplied Apple with approximately twenty million 3.2 megapixel cameras for the previous update. Reports of 40 to 45 million 5 megapixel cameras are certainly raising eyebrows, particularly with regard to how optimistic Apple may be about a camera upgrade inspiring so many new sales.
Of course, if Apple expands its relationship to new carriers, like Verizon, then perhaps a bump up in sales would materialize - not that I'm trying to fuel any speculation, of course. [Photo] Then again, Apple may have other plans and new devices lined up for use with the 5 megapixel cameras. If reports of such large supplies are, indeed, valid, it's a safe bet thatApple has bigger plans (or at least expectations) than we realize.
Quote: Apple clearly thinks that whatever it cooks up for 2010 is going to be a huge seller. Starting with a 5 megapixel camera certainly won't hurt Apple's chances, but more mega pixels don't necessarily make for better images. Although there will naturally be some excitement surrounding a 5 mixapixel camera, Apple would ultimately provide a much more appreciated service to current and prospective iPhone owners by investing in some optics that can surpass what OmniVision has been able to provide thus far.
If you’re looking to get an iPhone as a gift for a friend or loved one, you’ve probably come across some very realistic fakes if you’ve been looking online at all, particularly if you’ve visited eBay or other online retailers. How do you make sure that you get a real iPhone out of all of the impostors out there? Well, that’s what this installment in our Learning iPhone series is here to help you with!
Know Thy iPhone
First, let’s cover a few basic facts about the iPhone that should help you eliminate the questionable devices from your shopping list.
There have been 3 iPhone models made by Apple to date:
The first-generation iPhone, also referred to as the 2G iPhone (where 2G refers to the cellular network technology it uses, also known as EDGE, and not its version) came in 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB capacities. It first became available in the U.S. in June 2007 and was replaced by the iPhone 3G in July 2008. It’s most distinguishable physical characteristic compared to later models is its back cover, which is mostly brushed aluminum with a matte black plastic portion at the bottom. It has a 2-megapixel camera with a fixed-focus lens and cannot record video or send MMS messages.
The iPhone 3G was released in July 2008 and is available in 8GB and 16GB capacities. The 16GB versions are available in two colors – white and black – while the 8GB version is available only in black. The iPhone 3G’s casing is all plastic, unlike the partially-aluminum casing of the first-generation iPhone. The 3G designation refers to the cellular network technology it uses, allowing it connect to networks that offer faster data connection speeds with more bandwidth. It also has a 2-megapixel camera with a fixed-focus lens and cannot record video, though it can send and receive MMS messages.
The iPhone 3GS was released in July 2009 and is available in 16GB and 32GB capacities. This time around, both capacities are available in black or white and it looks nearly identical to the preceding iPhone 3G model – the only outward physical difference is the lettering on the back that has a glossy chrome finish compared to the flat white lettering on the iPhone 3G. The ‘S’ designation stands for ‘Speed’ and does not denote anything special about its cellular network capability. It has a 3-megapixel camera with an auto-focus lens and it can record video and send and receive MMS messages, and it has a internal digital compass not found in previous models.
A few more facts:
All iPhone models have capacitive touchscreens – these screens react only to materials that can conduct electricity, such as your finger. A stylus made of plastic or metal will not work with them.
None of the iPhone models have an expansion card slot that will accommodate a microSD or other type of card to increase its storage capacity.
All iPhone models have both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios.
None of the iPhone models have an FM radio built in (technically, a tear-down of the iPhone 3GS by iSuppli shows that it has a chip with FM radio capabilities, but it is not active).
The battery in all iPhone models is not user-replaceable.
All iPhone models only have one SIM card slot.
None of the iPhone models come in red, blue, yellow, or any other color aside from black or white (iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS only).
Eye on the Prize
So, now you know the basics about all of the iPhone models, you know what to look out for. If you see any product descriptions or hear claims from sellers that the iPhones they’re selling have two SIM card slots and a 5-megapixel camera, you know they’re not real. Look carefully at the listed specs for the iPhone you’re considering and ensure it’s in line with what’s described above. You can also compare it to Apple’s official spec sheet here.
Still not convinced it’s real? If you can’t inspect it physically yourself, ask for the iPhone’s serial number - it’s printed on the iPhone’s box on the bottom label and is visible in Settings/General/About on the iPhone itself. You can go to Apple’s site here and enter the serial number to see if it’s valid - if so, you’ll be shown its model name and warranty status.
If the seller won’t give you the serial number or provide other proof (a purchase receipt from an authorized iPhone reseller) that it’s a real iPhone, you should move on and find another place to buy one.
Caveat Emptor
Many of the iPhone fakes out there look very convincing - enough so that the packaging and even the device itself may fool those who know what a real iPhone looks like very well. From what we’ve seen, it’s the phone’s software that will be the ultimate indicator. The iPhone’s operating system is proprietary and is not licensed to any other manufacturer and Apple put a lot of effort into every detail of its interface. An iPhone clone will not look as uniform and consistent throughout and will almost undoubtedly be less intuitive. Check out this video by MacMedics for a demonstration of a fake iPhone that looks a lot like a real one on the outside but its software clearly gives it away as a fake (in addition to the strange accessories it comes with):
A fake iPhone will not be recognized by iTunes on your computer as an iPhone and none of the apps available on the App Store will work on it.
Of course, your best bet is to go ahead and buy an iPhone directly from an official carrier or Apple store. To get to a list of where an iPhone can be purchased in your country, go to this page on Apple’s site.
Recent hints of an upcoming new iPhone model got a boost today thanks to a terse and enigmatic Tweet from a popular mobile-phone blogger, saying only:
Rumors have been circulating for the past few months about a fourth-generation iPhone being launched in 2010. Just a few weeks ago, an iPhone carrying the hardware designation "3,1" was spotted on the San Francisco Bay Area transit system. An order placed today would result in manufacturing being ramped up on schedule for an early-summer 2010 launch of the device. If this took place, it would fit perfectly into Apple's history of product launches: the original iPhone was released on June 29th of 2007, with the 3G coming on July 11, 2008 and the 3GS on June 19, 2009. References to an "iPhone3,1" were first discovered in iPhone firmware files back in August, and Apple had similarly begun testing the iPhone 3GS (iPhone2,1) in October of 2008, about 8 months ahead of its launch.
The report comes from Mobile-review’s Eldar Murtazin, the Russian blogger who has had a good history of scoops on new mobile devices. He has, however, no track record when it comes to Apple phones, so it's hard to know how much credibility to place in this report. Murtazin followed up his brief Tweet with another, in reply to a follower, that asserted that the new hardware would support multitasking, further bolstering rumors that the 4G iPhone would be based on a PA Semi processor.
Following the report, the rumor mill churned with speculation about the new phone. A front-facing camera (for video calls) was a popular idea, along with a 1GHz processor, LTE support and a higher resolution display, possibly OLED... even a hardware QWERTY keyboard. Obviously, at this point, nothing is known and little can be inferred to this sketchy assertion.
Foxconn is the trade name of the Taiwan based firm Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Ltd.). They are the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide, and mainly manufactures on contract to other companies.
Fring is a VoIP and chat client for your mobile phone. The service works with a handful of various networks, including Skype, AIM, MSN Messenger and Twitter. You can even make calls to landlines from your SkypeOut and SkypeIn account and place voice calls to your Skype and Fring address book.
Today, Fring is taking its iPhone app to the next level by bringing support for video chat. Nokia added this feature to some of its devices last week, and the new version of Fring is now in the app store. Fring is free and you can grab it here (iTunes link). That means the iPhone/iPod Touch can now accept incoming Skype Video Calls! This can lead to a bunch of ways to monitor something as well.
Below is a video by Fring demonstrating the service. Although, all I see is a bunch of greenscreen work and simple screen tracking, but I would imagine it's pretty close to the real deal.
Fring is unfortunately limited to WiFi only, but the workaround is of course to use 3G Unrestrictor on a jailbroken iPhone. Using this tweak you can make Skype calls over 3G, and call unlimited to Canada/USA for $3/month. And of course a bunch of other things 3G Unrestrictor will let you do
One should also note that this is only one-way video calling at the time. Fring has also said that once there is a front-facing camera, they will make two-way video conversations available — just like they are on some Nokia devices.
