• Purported iPhone 5 Parts Suggest Separated Camera and Flash?

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Gadgets, iPhone, Rants & Raves, Rumors 1 Response

    Components purported to be for the fifth-generation iPhone have sparked new rumors that the device’s camera and LED flash will be separated, and will no longer sit snuggled up to one another in the corner. Strengthening these rumors is a case discovered on trade site Alibaba for an ‘iPhone 5G’, which features a mysterious new hole in its rear.

    As noted by cultofmac, these images were first published by Taiwanese site Apple.pro – a site which often gets its hands on Apple component and hardware leaks – and show redesigned components for both the front- and rear-facing cameras. While it’s difficult to establish any technical details at this point, the most obvious difference is that the new rear camera for the iPhone 5 has no LED flash attached.

    It’s unlikely Apple will do away with the LED flash completely, so these components lead us to believe that the camera and flash will be separated on the fifth-generation iPhone – possibly to prevent light leakage from the flash into the camera. Backing up this speculation is a case discovered on Alibaba from Kulcase.

    Claiming to be an ‘iPhone 5G’ case, this snap-on rear casing features two holes at the top, in addition to an iPhone 5 mockup image that reveals a larger, ‘edge-to-edge’ display and a thinner bezel. While the two holes initially led to speculation that the device would feature two cameras for taking 3D images, it now seems that one is for the camera and the other for the LED flash.

    This isn’t the first time case manufacturers have revealed product designs well in advance of their launch. You may remember that cases discovered last year revealed the iPad 2′s new size and design, as well as its rear camera and redesigned speaker. Some manufacturers clearly manage to get their mitts on design specifications for upcoming Apple products way before they’re supposed to.

    If these two separated holes on both corners happen to be a camera and flash LED then Heart Rate App (and the like) will not be working on the new iPhone. If the two holes are actually two cameras then this allows for 3D photo shooting, which is a potential possibility?!

  • Apple iPhone 4, App Store, iOS Games Awarded Guinness World Records

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Games, iPhone, News 2 Responses

    Guinness World Records’ gaming editor, Gaz Deaves has released a list of newly awarded records. As the LA Times reports:

    The iPhone 4 was named the fastest-selling portable gaming system by Guinness after selling an estimated 1.5 million handsets on the first day it was released on June 24, 2010.

    Guinness also said Apple’s App Store is the most popular application marketplace:

    “With over 6.5 billion downloads since its launch in July 2008, the Apple App Store is the most popular downloadable app service in the world,” the world-record-tracking organization said.

    About 259,470 apps were available for purchase or free download as of September 2010, while about 50,000 other apps that were once available in the App Store have been discontinued, Guinness said.

    The App Store is also the largest downloadable video game store, with about 37,362 games available for download as of last September, Guinness said.

    The App Store was also given a world record for the largest launch lineup of any gaming system with more than 145 games available on July 10, 2008.

    Angry birds and other games have their own shares too:

    Angry Birds was recognized at the top paid-for App Store game in most countries, having sold more than 6.5 million downloads of the iOS version of the game since it was first released in December 2009.

    The Tap Tap Revenge game series, from game developer Tapulous, was cited as the most popular game series in App Store history, “having been downloaded more than 15 million times since the first game in the series was released in July 2008,” Guinness said. “Market research firm ComScore reports that the games have been installed by 32% of all iPhone/iPad users.”

  • iPhone 4S Coming in September With Minor Cosmetic Changes?

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, iPhone, Rants & Raves, Rumors, Tech. No Responses

    Citing a new report from Forbes, analyst Peter Misek, claims the upcoming next generation iPhone will likely has minor cosmetic changes over the current iPhone 4, the device will be dubbed “iPhone 4S” and will debut in September. Misek also claims that Apple will add more supported carriers including Sprint and T-Mobile and China Mobile on the way.

    According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support,” he writes in a research note.

    But he also says that “industry checks indicate Apple will likely announce Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers.

    We previously learned that Apple has been providing an improved iPhone with A5 chip to some select developers for testing purposes and since them the name “iPhone 4S” has gained popularity.

    Misek went on to say that Qualcomm are not yet available in quantity to be added, so faster LTE 4G networks will not be available.

    As for LTE, he says the Qualcomm LTE chipset Apple would have used “is currently not achieving yields sufficient for inclusion in the iPhone 5.” He says Apple had hoped to have the LTE chipsets ready, but was planning a version without LTE called iPhone 4S.

  • Bungie: The Makers of Halo are Working on iOS MMO Called Crimson?

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Games, News, Patents, Rants & Raves, Rumors 1 Response

    Bungie, the previously Mac-exclusive game developer who defected to the arms of Microsoft to release the best-selling Halo series, is making a new game… and it’s probably coming to iOS.

    First, some background. Around a year ago, Bungie was tipped to have started a new project, called Bungie Aerospace. Not much was known about it at the time, but it now appears to be a spin-off label of Bungie Studios proper, as the Halo-maker has just incorporated Bungie Aerospace in both Delaware and Washington.

    Even more interesting? Bungie Aerospace has just filed to secure a trademark for mobile devices, filing an application to own “Crimson” as a title of “computer game software for use on mobile and cellular phones.”

    What Crimson actually is anyone’s guess, but rumor has it that it’s a shooter MMO. Whether it’ll take place in the Halo-verse or not is anyone’s guess, but it would seem absolutely nuts for Bungie to make a mobile game and not release it on the most lucrative mobile platform out there.

    My gut says Bungie Aerospace and “Crimson” are connected to the studio’s next project, an original IP set to be published by Activision. Word on the street is that this game is a shooter MMO — an MMO that might just offer increased connectivity via mobile apps.

    In short, here’s what we know. Bungie Aerospace is likely Bungie Studios’ mobile studio. They’re working on a game called Crimson. And it’ll probably be available on the App Store. Let’s just hope this is the triumphant return — if not to Mac, then to Apple — that gamers have been waiting almost a decade for.

    [via cultofmac]