O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: September 12th

  • iPhone 6, 6 Plus online pre-orders slip slip to seven to ten days, no word on supply for line attendees

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    It comes down to supply and demand.

    And apparently Apple didn’t have a large enough supply to meet pre-order demand.

    Per The Mac Observer, Apple’s new iPhone 6 pre-orders have slipped from delivering on September 19th to a seven to ten day shipping delay. The delay means anyone who didn’t manage to pre-order their iPhone 6 before inventory ran out will have to wait about a week before seeing theirs, or stand in line this Friday morning at an Apple Store or one of the company’s retail partners.

    The iPhone 6 is Apple’s new 4.7-inch smartphone. It ships with either 16GB, 64GB, or 128GB storage, an Apple-designed A8 processor, M8 motion sensing co-processor, improved graphics, 802.11ac WiFi, an 8MP camera with improved sensor, a redesigned body that matches the iPad Air and iPad mini, and more.

    Apple’s new iPhone models were available for pre-order starting on Friday, September 12th, although most hopeful buyers were met with frustration because the company’s online store was unavailable for a few hours after the launch. The iPhone and iPad-based Apple Store app returned errors, too, leaving customers to try again in hopes of completing their order.

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  • Rumor: Apple gearing up supply chain for September launch of next-gen iPhone

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    When there are rumblings in the supply chain, it sometimes leads to cool new stuff.

    Per AppleInsider, a key Apple supplier has revealed that its largest North American customer is gearing up for the launch of a next-generation smartphone, suggesting Apple could be in the midst of preparing for a September launch of its next iPhone.

    The comments come from Avago Technologies, the maker of custom wireless chips featured in Apple’s iPhone lineup. Analyst Maynard Um of Wells Fargo Securities interpreted them on Thursday as “signs of life” in Apple’s supply chain, and an indication of a likely September launch for a so-called “iPhone 5S.”

    “Avago noted it is already seeing an initial ramp of a new product transition (we believe iPhone 5S) and expects a greater ramp in the following quarter (October quarter),” Um wrote in a note to investors. “We anticipate more positive supply chain news from Apple suppliers through the summer and as we get closer to product launch.”

    The details put Apple’s next iPhone on track to launch a year after the iPhone 5, as that device was officially unveiled on Sept. 12 of last year. While some optimistic market watchers had hoped that Apple would launch its “iPhone 5S” at a sooner date, company CEO Tim Cook softened those expectations with comments made last month, when he signaled that major new products would arrive this fall.

    Wells Fargo has maintained its “outperform” rating for AAPL stock, with a share valuation range of US$485 to US$525.

    As for Apple’s next-generation iPhone hardware, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has claimed that Apple plans to embed a fingerprint sensor beneath the home button on its next handset. This addition would allow users to bypass manual password entry, and could even open up the possibility of new functionality such as secure e-wallet transactions.

    Apple first signaled its interest in fingerprint scanning technology when it acquired Florida-based AuthenTec last year. That company’s flagship product was a “Smart Sensor” component that reads fingerprints and can be embedded into devices such as smartphones.

    Beyond that, numerous reports have claimed that Apple’s 2013 iPhone will come with more color options beyond the current black and white offerings, while still other reports have claimed the device will include an improved camera that could capture pictures up to 12 megapixels in size.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • T-Mobile works to lure iPhone customers via unlocked iPhone 4S handsets, Value Push plan

    While T-Mobile may not yet be an official iPhone wireless carrier, they’re looking to make what money they can off the iPhone.

    Per Engadget, T-Mobile has thrown caution to the wind and is offering unlocked iPhone 4S units into stores, customers being able to sign up for the carrier’s US$70-a-month (amongst others) unlimited plan anyway.

    From September 12th, iPhone 4S display units will be rolled out in stores, with helpful sales staff around to swap out your AT&T microSIM for one of its own. You’ll also be able to get hold of network-specific apps like myAccount, Visual Voicemail and T-Mobile TV as soon as they’re ready. In order to make this marvel possible, it’s rolling out 1900MHz HSPA+ access to allow customers access to its wireless service.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

  • Apple announces September 12th media event

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    You’ve been waiting for this for about a year now.

    Per The Loop and MacRumors, Apple has sent out invitations for a media event scheduled for next week Wednesday, September 12. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern. The tagline on the invitation is simply “It’s almost here.”



    The image sort of says it all, as a conspicuous “5” appears in the shadow, the company being expected to deliver a long-awaited iPhone 5 handset. Apple’s iPod lineup is also rumored to be seeing an update at one of the two events, while rumored iMac updates and the launch of a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro are likely to appear separately.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available and full coverage of the event come September 12th.

  • iPod nano retail stock shortages hint at model refresh come September

    When the supplies get short, the new stuff’s en route.

    Or that’s the more hopeful school of thought when it comes to being unable to buy the cool thing that you want.

    Per 9to5Mac, a number of retailers are running out of stock of the iPod nano. In the US these include major chains like Amazon, Target, Walmart and Best Buy. Amazon and Target are believed to be out of about half of their Nanos, while Walmart has just a few in stock. Outside of the US, Amazon UK is also seeing stock-outs; some retailers do have plenty of units though, including Apple itself and B&H Photo.

    Apple is expected to refresh several products at a September 12th event. Like the iPod touch, the Nano is overdue for an update, since it was left essentially unchanged after an event last October. What Apple might have in mind hasn’t emerged in many reports, but one rumor does have the player reverting to a rectangular design. In any case the Nano will probably switch to Apple’s new, smaller dock connector, since space is a particular problem on the device. It measures just 1.61 inches long, 1.48 inches wide, and 0.35 inches thick, including a clip.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.