Biometric Fingerprint Sensor For iPhone "Leaked" In Latest iOS Build

Somewhere in the bowels of iOS 7 Beta 4 is a folder labeled ""BiometricKitUI,"" which lends a bit of credence towards the rumors that the next iPhone might have a biometric sensor embedded in the Home button.

A look at the code reveals the following:

Photo of a person holding an iPhone with their right hand while touching the Home button with their thumb.

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Rumor Has It: Attack of the giant iPhones

Rumorland never fails to entertain.

This week, LG filed for a million trademarks, including ones for GPad, G Watch, and G Band. One could guess that it's for a tablet, smartwatch, and activity monitor. Of course, why not? Now, trademark filings don't necessarily mean that these products are being worked on, but nobody would surprised if LG were to throw its hat into the smartwatch ring. I mean, everyone else is.

In other rumor news, Sony might be working on a new camera lens accessory that could attach to your mobile device or be used on its own. If this pans out, this'll be pretty awesome. Although I wonder why you'd carry this accessory with you, rather than your already awesome dSLR. But who am I to judge? The more accessories the better, I always say!

And finally, Apple is rumored to be working on bigger iPhone and iPad screens. Like, way bigger:5.7 inches, perhaps, and almost 13 inches for the iPad. Would that be something you'd like? Hit the comments and let me know.

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How to connect an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to your TV

Until smart TVs get smarter and set-top boxes solve more problems, sometimes, the swiftest means to get media on your TV is directly via your phone or tablet.

It's not ideal for all cases, but if you've got home videos, photos, or even video-streaming apps you want to see on the big screen, you have a few options. The solution will depend on how new (or old) your device is, what video quality you're going for, and (as always) how much you're willing to spend.

Before you go out and buy whatever cable is compatible with your iDevice, take heed. Some solutions will surprise you with unexpected quirks worth knowing first.

AirPlay via Apple TV

Because it's wireless and offers video-streaming extras, the Apple TV is the best solution. It's $99, and you'll most likely keep it in one spot, but freedom from fussing with cables make it the best choice. Plus, there's an awesome bonus for gamers.

With an Apple TV set up, photos, videos, music, and even some app content can be beamed to your TV from your iDevice with a few taps. And, with newer iDevices, you can even mirror your entire iDevice's display, giving you a big-screen view of everything happening on your phone. It all happens through Apple's coveted AirPlay feature.

And now more than ever, developers are adding AirPlay compatibility to their apps. To name a few, Vevo, TED, Hulu (Plus), and PBS all let you beam videos from the app to the Apple TV.

Some games are AirPlay compatible, too, letting you use your iDevice as a controller while you play the game on the big screen. At times, you'll notice lag, and video quality isn't perfect, but Ducati .

Not all AirPlay setups are created equal, however. First, mirroring is available only for the iPhone 4S (or later), iPad 2 (or later), iPad mini, or iPod touch (5th generation). All other devices will still be able to utilize AirPlay, but only for "beaming" specific content to the TV. So, you'll find the photos, music, or video you want to view, tap the AirPlay button, and it'll begin playing on your TV.

If beaming is all you're trying to achieve, life without mirroring won't be dreary. The only drawback is that you won't be able to view media from apps that don't support AirPlay. In that case, you might want to go with the Digital A/V Adapter.

Digital A/V Adapter

For a more portable, less-expensive solution, Apple's Digital A/V Adapter will do the trick. One end plugs into your iDevice, while the other attaches to an HDMI cable, and finally, into your TV (or receiver).

There are two versions of the A/V adapter, however -- one for Lightning devices, and one compatible with older devices using the 30-pin dock connector. Both essentially do the same thing, but the video quality is slightly different.

Once plugged in, the Lightning adapter -- compatible with the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and iPad (4th gen) -- mirrors everything seen on your iDevice on your TV. Most times, it will be an exact reflection, but once in a while you'll notice that an app has been tweaked to work differently with mirroring. For example, Netflix will display a logo on the TV while you browse the catalog on your phone. Only when a movie or show is selected will it be mirrored on the TV.

Beware, though: after some testing and commentary from a purported Apple employee, Panic Blog discovered that the Lightning A/V adapter doesn't actually output a raw HDMI signal. Instead, chips inside the adapter compress the video signal before sending it off to your TV. That being said, video will look very good, but it will never be true 1080p.

For older iDevices, the answer is Apple's 30-pin digital A/V adapter. Here, however, compatibility and function isn't so cut-and-dried.

While iPhone 4S and iPad users will be able to mirror their screens like the Lightning adapter (see above), owners of older iDevices can only use the adapter to watch slideshows, onboard videos, and compatible video apps. Good for some purposes, but that completely rules out music and viewing apps that don't support video-out.

For older TVs, the composite cable

This cable doesn't do mirroring, but it will route video-enabled apps, photos, and music to your older TV. It's compatible with just about every device that uses the old dock connector, but don't expect HD resolution -- video maxes out at 480i.

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Apple’s iPhone: domestic staple, potential international failure

Everywhere you go, iPhones abound. In the hands of hipsters and Grandmothers alike, the iPhone is ubiquitous. For many, the iPhone is what a smartphone should be, and nothing else could be considered. Sometimes the reason is Apple’s ecosystem, which the user is invested in wholly. Other times, it’s based on an archaic understanding of Android, and the misconception that an iPhone “just works”.

Apple is doing a poor job of keeping their fanbase growing of late. While Android’s massive market share is not surprising to anyone, the real issue isn’t users. Apple’s real problem lies in the middle-man, who is growing increasingly discontent with the California kings of tech. Apple requires that carriers sign rigid contracts for volume commitment, ensuring their revenue stream remain intact. What they fail to appreciate is the long-term trouble this breeds.

Domestic squabbles

Verizon, the largest carrier in the US, seems like a juggernaut that would have little trouble moving any kind of iPhone volume that was asked of them. While the details of carrier contracts with Apple are never disclosed, we can look elsewhere for clues as to why carriers have grown tired of Apple’s practises. The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon’s volume commitments went from $100 million in 2009 to $43 billion in 2010. That was the same time frame they signed a deal for iPhones, which hit their shelves in February of 2011.

While we can’t believe that entire commitment to be iPhone related, we’re sure a large part of it is. For context, estimates are that Verizon had $16 billion in iPhone sales for 2011 and 2012, combined. Manufacturers like Samsung haven’t had the same success in demanding volume orders from carriers, so we’d have to believe that huge jump in dollars spent on devices was largely due to Apple, even if not wholly.

Sprint’s stopgap

A few years back, Sprint leveraged the farm to get iPhones. A fledgling number four provider in the states, they felt they needed the iPhone to compete and reverse their trend of subscriber exodus. They made a huge commitment to Apple for the device, and it helped to reverse their downward trend. At the time , Apple Insider called Sprint’s service for the iPhone “tragically wrong”, but device sales didn’t reflect that.

Verizon’s volume commitments went from $100 million in 2009 to $43 billion in 2010.

Overall, Sprint isn’t winning with the iPhone. Even when they reported their biggest quarterly gain in five years’ time after the iPhone showed up in Sprint stores, much of those customers were prepaid with Boost or Virgin Mobile, both Sprint entities. Even with a 304,000 jump in new subscribers to the Sprint brand itself, much of that iPhone based, Sprint may have gotten themselves in deeper than they imagined.

Subsidies for iPhone customers were going to cost Sprint 40% more than non-iPhone customers,which in turn meant less profit. It also meant less profit over the term of the contract. This subsidy concern was to be offset by customers sticking with Sprint, according to Sprint CFO Joe Euteneuer. Leveraging iPhone subsidies against an eroding customer base may not be wise, and we can once again assume Apple’s volume commitment demands didn’t help. Sprint, in turn, is not expected to see a return on their iPhone investment until at least 2015.

Apple’s worldwide troubles

Internationally, carriers may have learned a thing or two about the Verizon and Sprint interactions with Apple. VimpleCom, owner of Beeline (the third largest carrier in Russia), has cut ties with Apple entirely. This comes on the heels of the two leading carriers in Russia — MTS and Megafon — doing the same. The reason given by all three? You guessed it.

Oddly enough, the one thing stopping Apple from having their device on the largest Japanese carrier is the very thing they market so heavily as a benefit to iPhone ownership: the lifestyle.

“Conditions are too harsh”, according to Dmitry Ryabinin, chief analyst for Russian website Hi Tech. Between Apple opening their own retail stores in Russia, their restrictions and demands on marketing, and the volume commitments they demand of all carriers, the moves made by all three Russian carriers are probably to their benefit. As a result, Apple’s Russian market share fell 0.6% to 8.4%.

The sentiment is also echoed in Japan, where NTT DoCoMo is reluctant to carry the iPhone. As Japan’s largest carrier with around 60 million subscribers, NTT is one who could probably afford to take the longer term risk. NTT is losing customers for the first time in a long time, and an iPhone could help in a resurgence, much like it did for Sprint. The iPhone is also favored in Japan, with about 42% of all devices being Apple’s baby.

What NTT is protecting is their culture, one which they have manicured to be a “lifestyle system”. Oddly enough, the one thing stopping Apple from having their device on the largest Japanese carrier is the very thing they market so heavily as a benefit to iPhone ownership: the lifestyle. NTT sees the iPhone as a device which could compromise their services, and perhaps erode their culture. Like in the USA and Russia before them, the rigidity of dealing with Apple now is compromising the iPhone’s future in Japan.

No end in sight

Apple has very successful retail stores, and a great online presence, so there is nothing stopping customers from getting a device via those routes and simply activating it with a carrier. Consumers are reluctant to do that, as it requires they purchase the device outright, which means more out of pocket. This is the same headache carriers are facing.

If Apple wants the continued support of carriers, they’ll probably have to soften their stance in regard to the iPhone.

When contracts are signed, carriers agree to volume purchases as well as payment options. Often, they make smaller payments with a larger balloon payment later on. Verizon is set to make a $23.5 billion payment to Apple this year, and if the two-year sales figure of $16 billion is any indication, they stand to lose both face and money in 2013.

If Apple wants the continued support of carriers, they’ll probably have to soften their stance in regard to the iPhone. It’s the only device Apple requires support with, and the growing Android ecosystem is a large enough hurdle without having carrier roadblocks in addition. Carriers like Verizon and Sprint are currently in the middle of long-term contracts for the device, but what happens when those contracts expire?

The term “mutiny” comes to mind.

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iPhone-related death in China could be linked to fake charger

The death of a 23-year-old Chinese woman last week, who was allegedly electrocuted while answering a call on her iPhone, is now believed to be linked to a third-party USB charger.

Ma Ailun was apparently using a third-party charger with her iPhone 4, instead of one made by Apple. That's according to Xiang Ligang, a phone expert interviewed by CCTV earlier this week (Google translation), who suggested that the charger may have had fewer safety measures built into its hardware, and experienced a failure.

The incident, which is still being investigated by both Apple and local authorities, was originally believed to involve an iPhone 5 -- Apple's latest model. However the device in question was Apple's iPhone 4, which was released in mid-2010, CCTV said.

Third-party chargers are commonplace for electronics, and often come at a steep discount compared to the ones technology companies sell. However, when it comes to the knockoffs -- the ones designed to cosmetically look like the real thing -- consumers can't be certain of their safety

Last October, Googler Ken Shirriff tested a dozen USB chargers -- from the real to the counterfeit -- and found wide gaps in both the quality and safety of those devices. Safety science company UL also issued a warning to consumers and retailers about counterfeit Apple USB power adapters making the rounds back in March.

Read More

Apple’s iPhone: domestic staple, potential international failure

Everywhere you go, iPhones abound. In the hands of hipsters and Grandmothers alike, the iPhone is ubiquitous. For many, the iPhone is what a smartphone should be, and nothing else could be considered. Sometimes the reason is Apple’s ecosystem, which the user is invested in wholly. Other times, it’s based on an archaic understanding of Android, and the misconception that an iPhone “just works”.

Apple is doing a poor job of keeping their fanbase growing of late. While Android’s massive market share is not surprising to anyone, the real issue isn’t users. Apple’s real problem lies in the middle-man, who is growing increasingly discontent with the California kings of tech. Apple requires that carriers sign rigid contracts for volume commitment, ensuring their revenue stream remain intact. What they fail to appreciate is the long-term trouble this breeds.

Domestic squabbles

Verizon, the largest carrier in the US, seems like a juggernaut that would have little trouble moving any kind of iPhone volume that was asked of them. While the details of carrier contracts with Apple are never disclosed, we can look elsewhere for clues as to why carriers have grown tired of Apple’s practises. The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon’s volume commitments went from $100 million in 2009 to $43 billion in 2010. That was the same time frame they signed a deal for iPhones, which hit their shelves in February of 2011.

While we can’t believe that entire commitment to be iPhone related, we’re sure a large part of it is. For context, estimates are that Verizon had $16 billion in iPhone sales for 2011 and 2012, combined. Manufacturers like Samsung haven’t had the same success in demanding volume orders from carriers, so we’d have to believe that huge jump in dollars spent on devices was largely due to Apple, even if not wholly.

Sprint’s stopgap

A few years back, Sprint leveraged the farm to get iPhones. A fledgling number four provider in the states, they felt they needed the iPhone to compete and reverse their trend of subscriber exodus. They made a huge commitment to Apple for the device, and it helped to reverse their downward trend. At the time , Apple Insider called Sprint’s service for the iPhone “tragically wrong”, but device sales didn’t reflect that.

Verizon’s volume commitments went from $100 million in 2009 to $43 billion in 2010.

Overall, Sprint isn’t winning with the iPhone. Even when they reported their biggest quarterly gain in five years’ time after the iPhone showed up in Sprint stores, much of those customers were prepaid with Boost or Virgin Mobile, both Sprint entities. Even with a 304,000 jump in new subscribers to the Sprint brand itself, much of that iPhone based, Sprint may have gotten themselves in deeper than they imagined.

Subsidies for iPhone customers were going to cost Sprint 40% more than non-iPhone customers,which in turn meant less profit. It also meant less profit over the term of the contract. This subsidy concern was to be offset by customers sticking with Sprint, according to Sprint CFO Joe Euteneuer. Leveraging iPhone subsidies against an eroding customer base may not be wise, and we can once again assume Apple’s volume commitment demands didn’t help. Sprint, in turn, is not expected to see a return on their iPhone investment until at least 2015.

Apple’s worldwide troubles

Internationally, carriers may have learned a thing or two about the Verizon and Sprint interactions with Apple. VimpleCom, owner of Beeline (the third largest carrier in Russia), has cut ties with Apple entirely. This comes on the heels of the two leading carriers in Russia — MTS and Megafon — doing the same. The reason given by all three? You guessed it.

Oddly enough, the one thing stopping Apple from having their device on the largest Japanese carrier is the very thing they market so heavily as a benefit to iPhone ownership: the lifestyle.

“Conditions are too harsh”, according to Dmitry Ryabinin, chief analyst for Russian website Hi Tech. Between Apple opening their own retail stores in Russia, their restrictions and demands on marketing, and the volume commitments they demand of all carriers, the moves made by all three Russian carriers are probably to their benefit. As a result, Apple’s Russian market share fell 0.6% to 8.4%.

The sentiment is also echoed in Japan, where NTT DoCoMo is reluctant to carry the iPhone. As Japan’s largest carrier with around 60 million subscribers, NTT is one who could probably afford to take the longer term risk. NTT is losing customers for the first time in a long time, and an iPhone could help in a resurgence, much like it did for Sprint. The iPhone is also favored in Japan, with about 42% of all devices being Apple’s baby.

What NTT is protecting is their culture, one which they have manicured to be a “lifestyle system”. Oddly enough, the one thing stopping Apple from having their device on the largest Japanese carrier is the very thing they market so heavily as a benefit to iPhone ownership: the lifestyle. NTT sees the iPhone as a device which could compromise their services, and perhaps erode their culture. Like in the USA and Russia before them, the rigidity of dealing with Apple now is compromising the iPhone’s future in Japan.

No end in sight

Apple has very successful retail stores, and a great online presence, so there is nothing stopping customers from getting a device via those routes and simply activating it with a carrier. Consumers are reluctant to do that, as it requires they purchase the device outright, which means more out of pocket. This is the same headache carriers are facing.

If Apple wants the continued support of carriers, they’ll probably have to soften their stance in regard to the iPhone.

When contracts are signed, carriers agree to volume purchases as well as payment options. Often, they make smaller payments with a larger balloon payment later on. Verizon is set to make a $23.5 billion payment to Apple this year, and if the two-year sales figure of $16 billion is any indication, they stand to lose both face and money in 2013.

If Apple wants the continued support of carriers, they’ll probably have to soften their stance in regard to the iPhone. It’s the only device Apple requires support with, and the growing Android ecosystem is a large enough hurdle without having carrier roadblocks in addition. Carriers like Verizon and Sprint are currently in the middle of long-term contracts for the device, but what happens when those contracts expire?

The term “mutiny” comes to mind.

Read More

Purported low-cost iPhone model spotted; Jelly Bean knockoff packs Snapdragon 600 CPU, sells for $199

The low-cost iPhone has reportedly been spotted, with a peripherals maker revealing design details for the device in an in-house produced video – but there’s a twist: an Android-running smartphone has already been adapted to fit inside that iPhone chassis.

According to Techdy, which had access to actual hardware, the low-cost iPhone that Apple is supposedly going to launch later this year looks like the device shown in the image below (also see video below). The handset seems to match a device spotted in similarly leaked photos that have been recently posted by a different publication.

We’re apparently looking at a 4-inch device that resembles more or less the iPhone 5. A Lightning port is also present, but the case is not made of aluminum. Instead, it’s plastic, with the company showing a white version of the device. According to Techdy, the device doesn’t feel cheap, although it’s too early to see this particular iPhone design confirmed.

The low-cost iPhone is rumored to be available in a variety of other colors once it launches, including red, green, blue and yellow – or at least these are the colors that appeared in a different leak, alongside a white version.

But Techdy went a step further, building an Android handset inside this leaked low-cost iPhone case. The resulting handset is called Basic Bear, which will retail for just $199 unlocked. The low-cost iPhone is rumored to sell for over $300 off-contract.

The low-cost iPhone-based handset will feature a 4-inch display with 1136 x 640 resolution, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 8-megapixel rear camera with LEDflash, 2-megapixel front-facing camera with 1080p HD video recording, 2300mAh battery, Qi wireless charging support, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean running the show. Since we're at it, we'll also remind you that you'll be able to customize Android in order for it to look like iOS 7.

A Bear Pro looking like the HTC One is also listed on the site and packs a 4.7-inch display, microSD card support and pretty much the same specs found in the Bear Basic version. But it retails for $249. Both models will start shipping on July 31 according to the company.

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EU regulators reportedly probing Apple's iPhone sales tactics

The European Commission is reportedly investigating whether Apple is using anticompetitive sales tactics to muscle out rival handset makers.

While no formal investigation has been announced, European regulators sent a nine-page questionnaire to several European wireless carriers last week to determine whether Apple's distribution terms ensure that competitors can't secure better sales deals, according to documents obtained by the Financial Times. The interest was reportedly spurred by wireless carriers' private complaints that Apple's agreements squelched competition.

The questionnaire focuses on whether Apple's terms mandate a minimum iPhone purchases and whether technical restrictions prevent the iPhone 5 from being used on high-speed 4G networks in Europe, according to the newspaper.

"There are also indications that certain technical functions are disabled on certain Apple products in certain countries in the EU/EEA. If the existence of such behaviour were to be confirmed, it might constitute an infringement of [antitrust law]," it says."The Commission has information indicating that Apple and Mobile Network Operators ("MNOs") have concluded distribution agreements which may potentially lead to the foreclosure of other smartphone manufacturers from the markets," the questionnaire states.

The European Commission previously confirmed that it was examining the deals but cautioned that it has not begun an official antitrust investigation.

People with knowledge of Apple's contracts with the carriers say the terms they must accept are unusually strict, especially for smaller carriers, making it difficult for other handset makers to compete. Apple typically sets quotas for how many iPhones its carriers must sell over a certain period.

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iPhone 5S will bring back 'one more thing,' analyst says

Not wowed by the HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4? One analyst says never fear -- Apple is preparing a killer feature for the iPhone 5S that will crush the notion that smartphones are becoming a commodity product like so many soybeans traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (or smartypants similes on gadget blogs).

If you've been paying attention to the almost monthly march of big-time smartphone releases for the past year and a half, you may have noticed a pattern. Each new iPhone, Android flagship, and even the Lumia and BlackBerry, is faster, more powerful, and prettier than the last with a few gimmicky features that raise eyebrows for a few weeks, but no game-changing innovation.

For a few great glory years there, Apple was the company to count on for a great new killer feature in the form of Steve Jobs' infamous "one more thing." In fact, arguably the last time we were all abuzz with a groundbreaking new phone feature was when the iPhone 4S was introduced with Siri about a year and a half ago. And even Siri didn't end up quite catching fire and creating a nation of silly people talking to their phones all day.

But Katy Huberty -- who covers enterprise systems and PC hardware for Morgan Stanley and is a frequent Apple watcher -- says the smartphone renaissance isn't over just yet. Speaking on CNBC today, she said that while Apple (specifically its stock price) is in a bit of a funk, she predicts a comeback powered by some hot new software features on the next new iPhone:

You saw the Samsung Galaxy S4 come out last week, that shows you the innovation cards are up for grabs. What is lacking in (the S4) is a killer feature. We think that's where Apple will surprise this year. This (iPhone) 5S cycle this year will be about a killer feature that drives consumers increasingly to the platform...

OK, sounds good, but a quick reality check. If you're Apple and you're in a bit of a quiet period with a slumping stock price and your chief competitor has been bathing in headlines over its latest release for several days, it's pretty easy to simply put out the word that you're planning something non-specifically cool.

But it's also interesting that we seem to be talking about a software-based feature. Perhaps smartphone hardware is becoming more like those ubiquitous soybeans, carrying the same amount of diversity and excitement as a chunk of tofu.

Regardless, now the pressure is on Apple to dig deep and come up with something sweet. I'm rooting for some wicked smartphone karaoke software. What killer feature would you like to see in the next iPhone?

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Apple to get its groove back with new products, says panel

Apple could shed some of its bad publicity once it gets back on track with a round of new products. At least, that's the opinion of a couple of Apple watchers.

In a panel led by TUAW editor in chief Victor Agreda, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster and TechCrunch columnist pundit MG Siegler opined about the latest hard-luck streak for the iPhone maker, as described by AppleInsider.

Siegler blamed much of the negativity about Apple on perception, calling it a "media-driven anomaly." But he also suggested that the company is a victim of its own success, asking the question: where do you go when you're already on top?

Munster attributed Apple's current weakness to two factors: a lull in product launches and a shuffle in upper management.

Over the past few years, Apple has revved up the market in March by introducing a new iPad. But last year, the company decided to refresh its entire mobile lineup closer to the end of the year, leaving no new products to excite people now.

Late last year, Apple refreshed top management, too, saying good-bye to retail head John Browett and planning for the departure of iOS software chief Scott Forstall this year.

Those moves have driven the perception that the company is in trouble, according to Munster.

The three panelists also chimed in on the much-rumored low-cost iPhone, saying that such a device is key for Apple to continue growing, especially in developing markets."I think it's a cycle," Munster said at the panel. "They had an abnormally large amount of products that were released at the end of the year. So I do think that that, mixed with the executive shakeup, is changing [the] way that their products are released."

"I think the international markets, the lower-cost markets are the biggest reason to be excited about Apple over the next few years," Munster said. "They can't continue to expand like this with their current prices. Two hundred dollars in a lot of markets is a ton of money, and I think Apple historically hasn't been very sensitive to that, but they're waking up to that fact."

Munster held out hope for an Apple TV, which he believes will be announced by year's end.

The panelists also said the rumored iWatch could prove interesting and provide Apple with another avenue in which it could expand.

Do the panelists make a good point? Perception usually does play a key role in the valuation of a company and the price of its stock. But Apple clearly needs to shake up the market with some innovative new products.

And if Apple has nothing to show until September and October when it likely will refresh the iPhone and iPad, Wall Street is sure to continue giving it the cold shoulder.

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Google Now for iPhone and iPad outed in leaked, then pulled, YouTube video

What looks to be like a genuine video, pulled after being initially revealed on YouTube, shows us Google Now for iPhone and iPad, an app that could soon be available in the App Store but one Google is yet to make official.
As Android users already know, Google Now is an advanced search feature available on Jelly Bean handsets that sort of acts like a personal assistant. In order for it to work, you have to share various things to Google, which may sound kind of scary to some people. That way, the app can provide personal search results based on your everyday actions, interests, searches, emails, and so on.
Google Now is reportedly going to be available to Chrome users in the future, and it makes plenty of sense to see Google develop Google Now apps for other mobile operating systems, iOS included. After all, Google already has a variety of iOS apps available in the App Store, so Google Now for iPhone and iPad could be the next app it releases.

However, Google is yet to unveil the product, and the video above, which was saved by a viewer and then made available by Engadget, is not yet confirmed. Even if it looks like it’s the real deal, compared to previous Google Now YouTube videos, we’ll have to wait for Google to announce the product to make sure it’s actually real.

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Apple delays iTV to next year, Jefferies says

Remember the Apple TV that supposedly was launching this year? Well, now that's not happening, Jefferies said today.

Apple is rumored to be developing a television set (or drastically updated set-top box), but it's unclear what the product will look like or when it will launch.

The iTV launch has been postponed again, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said today. He had expected an Apple TV event in March, followed by a launch in September or October. However, he now believes the launch will happen sometime next year as the company's display providers -- LG and Sharp -- are having trouble with yields.

"We had thought that Apple's software and ecosystem would be enough to drive demand but our checks indicate that Apple wants the hardware to also stand out," Misek said. "We believe Apple wants a display that looks like 4K/Ultra HD but without the super-premium cost."

How Apple will achieve that is questionable. Its products aren't exactly known as being cost-effective, and there's only so much display makers can do to improve the picture quality. It's a pretty good bet that LG and Sharp (not to mention Samsung and other display makers) are doing all they can to get the best pictures possible for their own TV sets.

It's important to note that Misek doesn't have the best track record when it comes to predicting Apple launches. He has been saying for well over a year that an Apple TV will launch imminently.

Today, Misek also said checks indicate a greater than 50 percent chance that Apple will launch an iWatch this year. He said it likely would have a 1-inch screen and a $200 price tag.

In addition, the Phone 5S and a low-cost iPhone likely will launch in the calendar third quarter instead of June as Misek believes Apple had planned. That's because Apple's suppliers are having problems with new casing colors, he said.

To compensate, Apple likely will try to release its newest iPad earlier, probably in June, Misek said. He noted that Apple is switching to an IGZO display for the 9.7-inch iPad to cut the weight in half and attempt to reboot sales. However, he cautioned that yield problems could push the iPad launch to the third quarter, as well. Misek also expects an iPad Mini with Retina display.

Misek also believes Apple is trying to move the iPhone 6 launch to the calendar first quarter "to stop the hemorrhaging to phablets."

However, if Apple launches a new iPhone only a couple quarters after the previous version, it could backfire and anger and alienate many customers.

Most anticipated tech of 2013 (pictures)

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