Apple's LTE-enabled iPhone 5 to be a ‘radical update,' bigger catalyst than iPad 3 or iTV

While Apple's iPad 3 and its brand new HDTV will be big products for the Cupertino, California-based company in 2012, its “most important catalyst” will be a completely redesigned iPhone. Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday that the launch of Apple's next-generation “iPhone 5″ is more important than Apple's upcoming “iPad 3″ and even its rumored “iTV,” which is reportedly set to launch this summer. Wu says that while Apple's iPad and its Siri-enabled television set are nothing to scoff at, the iPhone will still account for the biggest chunk of Apple's revenue and profit in 2012. Read on for more. “ is arguably the single most important of AAPL's businesses representing 44% of revenue in FY11 and what we estimate to be at least 60% of profits,” Wu wrote on Wednesday. “It also has the largest unit opportunity with a yearly TAM (total addressable market) of 1.5 billion mobile phones.” Citing anonymous sources from within Apple's supply chain, the analyst claims that Apple's next-generation iPhone 5 will feature a “radical” redesign including a thinner case with a sleeker form factor, a slightly larger display and compatibility with faster 4G LTE networks. Wu's account mirrors his earlier report from August, and it aligns closely with a recent report from Ticonderoga's Brian White, who also noted that Apple's next iPhone will include NFC capabilities. BGR exclusively reported last month that Apple will launch a redesigned iPhone this fall with an aluminum case.

Apple iPhone 4S to launch in China and 21 more countries on January 13th

Apple's iPhone 4S is set to launch in China and 21 more markets on January 13th. The popular smartphone was previously rumored to be scheduled for release in the region on January 23rd, but Apple announced on Tuesday that the launch of its latest smartphone will occur 10 days sooner. “Customer response to our products in China has been off the charts,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. “With the launch in China next week, iPhone 4S will be available in over 90 countries making this our fastest iPhone rollout ever.” China is seen as a key growth market for Apple's mobile devices as well as its MacBook line of notebook computers. Apple announced in October that it sold more than 4 million iPhone 4S handsets during the phone's debut weekend alone, and the smartphone has launched in dozens of additional regions since that point in time. Apple's full press release follows below. iPhone 4S Arrives in China on January 13 CUPERTINO, California―January 4, 2012―Apple® today announced that iPhone® 4S, the most amazing iPhone yet, will be available in China and 21 additional countries on Friday, January 13. iPhone 4S is packed with incredible new features including Apple's dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri™, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. iPhone 4S comes with iOS 5, the world's most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features. "Customer response to our products in China has been off the charts," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "With the launch in China next week, iPhone 4S will be available in over 90 countries making this our fastest iPhone rollout ever." Beginning Friday, January 13, iPhone 4S will be available in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda. iPhone 4S comes in either black or white for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the new 64GB model.* iPhone 4S is sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple's retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4 is available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 3GS is available for free with a two year contract from participating carriers. *Qualified customers only. Requires a new two year rate plan, sold separately.

Cord-On-Board: An iPhone Case with Charger Inside

Apple mobile devices have been around for almost 10 years, but its little white charging cable remained the same. It has been a constant companion to every iPod and iPhone user, and losing one could be devastating. With that in mind, a simple device that keeps your Apple charging cable in place is much needed. The Cord-On-Board is a shock-resistant iPhone/ iPod Touch case that comes with a 9.5-inch charging cable tucked inside. It is made from thermoplastic rubber material that can bear the brunt of accidental falls. And because of the added cable placed inside the case, expect your iDevice to get a bit bulky but that is understandable. But this device is still in the drawing board, which is why its maker, Caseinity, is asking for $20,000 of funding through Kickstarter. You can contribute to its development for as low as $25, which could get you one of the first batch of cases.

Sanwa iPhone Pico Projector

It's actually quite an advantage being a popular device like the Apple iPhone. Because of its popularity, it gets to have other makers create other interesting accessories to go with the device. One good example is the new Sanwa iPhone Pico Projector. The Sanwa Pico Projector is designed for the Apple iPhone 4. It is primarily a pico projector that can be used as a mini-dock for the iPhone. This system makes it more convenient since both the pico projector and the iPhone can be used as a single device. When used the Sanwa Pico Projector can provide up to 2.5 hours of steady projection and display images up to 65 inches in size on a screen or any flat surface. Not only that, the Sanwa Pico Projector can also be used as a backup power source for your iPhone. The portable projector's 2,100 mAh battery can be used to charge the iPhone when not being used as a projector. It is currently available in the Japanese market for 19,800 Japanese Yen or around US$260.

iPhone 4S will be available in China and other countries on January 13

Apple has just announced that the iPhone 4S will become available in China and some other countries on January 13 – in nine short days from now. That's excellent timing by Apple (well, maybe except for the fact that it's a Friday the 13th), especially considering the Chinese New Year which falls on January 23 in 2012. The run-up to that day is in China akin to the famous ‘holiday shopping season' in the ‘Western' world, and many Chinese will surely choose an iPhone 4S as the item to gift this year. Apple certainly needed to do all it could not to miss this huge sales opportunity. And now it won't. So expect the worldwide sales numbers for the iPhone 4S in the first quarter of 2012 to be heavily influenced by the Chinese launch.

The iPhone 4S comes to 22 new markets, January 13th

On January 13th, the iPhone 4S will touch down in a number of new markets including the likes of China, Jamaica and Kenya along with 19 others, across the globe. Apple's CEO Tim Cook has a lot to smile about, especially with a yet untapped market like China (with regards to the iPhone 4S at least). Tim states that, “Customer response to our products in China has been off the charts. With the launch in China next week, iPhone 4S will be available in over 90 countries making this our fastest iPhone rollout ever.” What's more, Chinese New Year hits on January 23rd with sales events not too dissimilar to that of the US's Black Friday. As such, Apple can expect very healthy figures once the shoppers hit the stores in coming weeks. Here's the full list of new markets about to receive the iPhone 4S from Apple's official press release: Beginning Friday, January 13, iPhone 4S will be available in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda. Are you planning on picking one up? Let us know in the comments. Source | Via

Motorola Droid 4 pictured next to iPhone 4S. Accessories show up in non-Verizon stores

Expected to be launched by Verizon in about a month, the Motorola Droid 4 still hasn't been announced, although we know pretty much all there is to know about it. Until the handset gets to be officially introduced, maybe you're curious to see what it looks like when standing next to the iPhone 4S. TechnoBuffalo has managed to get a Droid 4 demo unit, and photographed it alongside Apple's smartphone. As expected, the new Droid's sliding keyboard makes the device thicker than the iPhone 4S. The Droid 4 is also taller, since it has a 4 inch display, not just a 3.5 inch one like the iPhone.

Ticonderoga: iTV, ‘iPad mini' and iPhone 5 with NFC and 4G extend Apple's lead in 2012

Apple will further extend its lead in the technology sector this year as it launches a number of new products that will leave its competition scrambling, a new report suggested on Tuesday. Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White made Apple his top pick in 2011 and the stock was his top performer, having grown 26% during his coverage. In 2012, Apple remains White's top stock pick as a trio of new products is set to extend Apple's lead in the new year. Read on for more. “We believe Apple's portfolio in 2012 has the opportunity to create more excitement around the story with our expectation for the unveiling of iTV, ‘iPad mini' and a major upgrade with the iPhone 5, while we expect the company to finally come to grips with its surging cash balance and issue its first cash dividend,” White wrote in a research note on Tuesday. The analyst first reported in October that Apple would launch an “iPad mini” in 2012. While a number of reports suggested the new slate would in fact be a smaller iPad positioned between Apple's high-end iPad and the iPod touch, White used the term “mini” to describe the upcoming tablet's price point rather than its size. He sees Apple launching a new high-end iPad in 2012, and a less expensive mini model priced in the high to mid-$200 range will accompany it, White believes. More recent reports suggest that Apple will continue to sell the iPad 2 at a lower price once it launches the iPad 3. Beyond a new iPad that will attack the market at a lower price point, the analyst sees two other Apple products as being huge for the Cupertino, California-based company this year.”We believe 2012 will be the year that Apple unveils iTV in pursuit of a new $100 billion plus LCD TV market opportunity, reinventing a product category with a Smart TV that delivers a clean, crisp and simple experience that connects seamlessly with the Apple digital ecosystem,” White wrote. “Last April, we were the first on the Street to uncover concrete evidence that a full blown Apple TV was already flowing through factories in China for prototype production and we believe it's about time for the company to unveil its latest innovation.” Finally, Ticonderoga believes Apple's next-generation iPhone will feature a cosmetic redesign and a huge feature upgrade. “The iPhone 4S has been a big hit but we expect iPhone 5 to be even bigger with our expectations of a new unibody form factor, larger screen, NFC and 4G,” White wrote. BGR exclusively reported last month that Apple will launch a new iPhone this fall with a redesigned aluminum case.

Apple iPhone 4S could launch in China in mid-January

Apple's iPhone 4S may make its debut in China before Chinese New Year on January 23rd. Several retail stores in Shenzhen and Shenyang have already started taking pre-orders for the device, although Apple hasn't yet said when it will officially launch the phone in China. The rumor was first reported by People's Daily in China, which said that the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology granted the iPhone 4S with its China Compulsory Certification stamp of approval on December 21st. The iPhone 4S made its U.S. debut in October and was launched in 20 additional countries earlier this month.

Looking back at 2011: iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus cap off the year of the smartphone

Despite numerous lofty predictions from analysts and market watchers, 2011 wasn't the year of the tablet. Not by a long shot. Apple's iPad 2 continued to sell well this past year but among dozens of rivals, only a handful of tablets managed to garner even the slightest interest from consumers. No, 2011 was the year of the smartphone. Global smartphone penetration is now approaching 10% and in the United States, nearly half of all cell phone users own smartphones. While smartphones proliferated all year long, 2011 would save the best for last: at the start of the fourth quarter, Apple launched its latest iPhone handset and as the year drew to a close, Verizon and Samsung released the Galaxy Nexus. The frequency and breadth of rumors leading up to Apple's next-generation iPhone announcement was astounding in 2011. Some reports suggested the next iPhone would be a modest bump compared to the iPhone 4 while others said it would be a full-fledged redesign. A number of sites, including BGR, reported information from proven sources suggesting that the new iPhone would feature a larger display and a new case design. Even The New York Times was hearing rumblings of an all new iPhone design. There were also a dozen reports suggesting an “iPhone 4S” and an “iPhone 5″ would launch simultaneously. Meanwhile Samsung and Google were quietly working on a next-generation flagship Nexus phone that would be the first smartphone to launch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board. At least, the companies were quietly working on the handset until BGR issued a pair of exclusive reports exposing a number of details surrounding the new phone. As summer heated up and a number of new smartphones were hitting the market, BGR learned that Google's new flagship phone would launch as a Verizon Wireless exclusive in the U.S., and the carrier was looking to slap its renowned “DROID” branding on the handset. October was the initial launch month set for the new pure Google device, and Verizon even passed on another popular Samsung phone to make room for the new Ice Cream Sandwich-powered phone. October was shaping up to be quite a month, as new information pointed to a mid-October launch for Apple's next-generation iPhone as well. October finally came, and Apple announced the iPhone 4S. With sky-high iPhone 5 expectations, however, not everyone was impressed with Apple's new smartphone. It wasn't until the smoke cleared that consumers realized Apple had another winner on its hands, and the new camera, faster chipset and Siri made the iPhone 4S a force to be reckoned with. Only one device might pose a real challenge to the new iPhone, and BGR exclusively revealed its full specs just days after the iPhone 4S was unveiled. But alas, Samsung and Google announced that they were delaying the announcement of their new superphone for reasons that were never truly made clear. Apple would go on to sell more than 4 million iPhone 4S handsets during the device's debut weekend alone, and the Galaxy Nexus was finally unveiled a day after Apple revealed the staggering iPhone sales figures. There was still no word on when we could expect Verizon to finally launch the phone, however, and two more months would pass before the carrier finally offered Samsung's Galaxy Nexus to subscribers for $300 on contract. BGR reviewed the iPhone 4S and we were very impressed with Apple's update. We were also blown away by the Galaxy Nexus, calling it our “favorite Android device in the world” in our full review. Even after a month with each handset, the iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus remained our favorite smartphones of 2011. With the Consumer Electronics Show and Mobile World Congress just around the corner, Apple and Samsung's flagship phones will undoubtedly see some solid contenders emerge. Whether or not they'll be able to supplant these two phenomenal phones, however, remains to be seen.