Each week, there are dozens of Apple rumors, reports, and patent filings that hint at what's coming out of Cupertino next. Some are legit, but many are totally bogus. As always, we've parsed the week's rumors, ranking them in order from 'utterly ridiculous' to 'duh, of course.' First up...
DON'T COUNT ON IT: An Apple Remote Control for Snapping Pictures The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple a patent Tuesday for a camera remote control, something a handful of third-party accessory makers have already put into the market. I think this was just an idea Apple explored. With the onset of better facial recognition and gesture controls, the idea of a remote for controlling your smartphone's camera sounds decidedly 20th century and clunky. I don't think it would ever be a product the company would seriously undertake. Of course, this is the case with lots of Apple's patents.
ASK AGAIN LATER: New iOS Power Management System Would Give You Longer Battery Life By analyzing a user's regular habits, iOS could optimize your iDevice's battery life, according to a patent application published Thursday. 'Inferring User Intent From Battery Usage Level and Charging Trends' would track your usual charge and discharge cycles, ambient data usage (from GPS, the gyroscope, its light sensor, or the network), and the applications you're regularly using to alter parameters like brightness or CPU clock speed to enhance performance and battery life. The system would look at this data both for short-term and long-term power budgeting. This sounds a lot like battery management settings options on other operating systems, like Android, but functioning in a slightly different way so Apple doesn't infringe on anyone else's IP.
ASK AGAIN LATER: Samsung to Take Charge of iPad Mini Display Manufacturing Apple's has an on-again, off-again relationship with longtime parts supplier Samsung. After seemingly limiting manufacturing ties over the past year or two, relying more heavily on companies like Sharp, LG, and AU Optronics, a Korean rumor says that Apple will return to Samsung's display manufacturing embrace. For those that don't know, this 'Samsung' isn't exactly the same one Apple's been in court battles with for years. Its component making arm is technically separate from its consumer product unit. I have no idea if this rumor has any validity or not, but if Sharp and AU Optronics, the companies that currently manufacture the iPad mini's display, aren't keeping up in terms of volume or quality, it would make sense for Apple to switch to a manufacturer who can.
SIGNS POINT TO YES: Apple Not Increasing Megapixels in 2014 iPhones The camera in the iPhone 5s is one of the best, if not the best, smartphone camera out there. Heck, it's comparable to some point and shoots. While other smartphone manufacturers try to compete with ever more megapixels - most in the realm of 13 to 16, but others going as high as 41 or even 50 in the coming year- Apple may stick with its 8-megapixel shooter. That doesn't mean Apple wouldn't enhance the camera's performance. Apple could make a number of image processing or lens tweaks to further improve the camera and the images it takes. While it's still fairly early on in the rumor cycle for the next iPhone, I could see Apple sticking with 8-megapixels for another year.
SIGNS POINT TO YES: First (Leaked) Look at Apple's Healthbook App Apple's been making some serious internal investments in the health and fitness space. In particular, the company has made a string of hires, including exercise physiologists, sleep experts, and some key folks behind the Nike FuelBand. According to 9to5Mac, at least part of what these people have been working on, the Healthbook app, looks a lot like Passbook, but with sections like Bloodwork, Heart Rate, and Hydration in place of your Starbucks card and upcoming Fandango movie ticket passes. As for fitness tracking, the app has sections for weight, fitness, and nutrition. The puzzle pieces fit together, and the screenshot leaks look decidedly Apple. While there's still plenty of wiggle room for Apple to change things up, it seems very likely that this app's looks and capabilities will be similar to what we'll see in the final version. I'd expect it to debut at WWDC or with the launch of the next iPhone.
WITHOUT A DOUBT: Pegatron to Start Production of Next-Gen iPhone in Q2 A report from the China Times (as unearthed by AppleInsider) says that Apple supplier Pegatron will start production of the next iPhone in Q2 of this year. If the next iPhone is going to launch with roughly the same schedule as the past few models in the fall, then yes, this makes sense. Pegatron and Foxconn will be splitting up production duties of the next iPhone.
WITHOUT A DOUBT: Retina 4th-Gen iPad Returns, With 8 GB iPhone 5c On Monday, a rumor popped up that the fourth generation iPad would replace the iPad 2 in Apple's tablet lineup, and a new 8 GB model iPhone 5c would land. Lo and behold, this one came true the next day. We also heard last week that Apple might kill off the iPad 2. Now, you can get a 16 GB Retina display iPad for $400, and Apple brought an 8 GB iPhone 5c into five markets (including Australia and China, but not including the U.S.) perhaps to appeal to those that want a less expensive unlocked iPhone.
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