MacRumors

Smartphone manufacturer Kyocera, known for its line of rugged phones, is developing a new smartphone that utilizes a sapphire display, according to new teaser video published today.

The video teases a product called "Sapphire Shield," which Kyocera says is a "truly affordable pure sapphire display." According to a Kyocera representative that spoke to MacRumors, Kyocera's Sapphire Shield display will be used in upcoming Kyocera smartphones, giving the devices a competitive edge when it comes to durability.

Kyocera's official video follows an unofficial video leaked last week by a YouTube user and shared by CNET, comparing Kyocera's sapphire display to a piece of impact resistant glass. The two displays are scratched with rocks, presumably concrete, and while the glass is irreversibly marred, the sapphire comes away unscathed. The sapphire display also manages to survive a drop test that shatters the standard glass.

Kyocera is the first mainstream smartphone company to officially announce plans to utilize a sapphire display, but rumors have suggested that Apple is also planning to use a sapphire display in at least some models of the iPhone 6. Stress tests on the rumored front panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 were published earlier this month showing the panel's extreme durability as it withstood scratching and bending, but it remains unclear if the front panel is indeed sapphire or the almost-equally-tough Gorilla Glass.

Major smartphone companies like LG have researched sapphire, but have largely said that sapphire is impractical due to the material's limited supply and its high cost. In a report last week, one smartphone representative suggested the only reason to use sapphire was for marketing purposes, given the much lower price of Gorilla Glass.

Currently, luxury smartphone manufacturer Vertu uses sapphire displays in devices that cost upwards of $10,000. Apple's partnership with GT Advanced, however, reportedly allows it to create sapphire at a much lower price point and Kyocera also claims that its own sapphire is "affordable."

Kyocera has not released details on when its sapphire-covered smartphone might debut, but we may get our first look at a mainstream sapphire smartphone later this year if Apple's upcoming iPhone 6, due to be introduced in September, does indeed utilize the material.

Construction at Apple's Spaceship campus is continuing at a rapid pace, according to new images posted to Twitter by KCBS news and traffic reporter Ron Cervi. Cervi has been taking aerial shots of the campus to track construction progress for the last several months.

In the most recent set of images, the perimeter walls that will house the foundation of the building appears to be growing closer to completion, indicating a significant amount of construction has taken place since June, when the wall first started going up. Cervi also mentions "underground tunnels" in one tweet, referring to deep furrows in the dirt.

Pruneridge Avenue, the road that runs through the campus, has remained closed since last month, and traffic in Cupertino around the campus continues to be somewhat congested. Apple has closed off several sidewalks in the area and a large green privacy fence keeps the entire area hidden from view at street level.

The completed Apple campus 2, located in close proximity to the company's existing Infinite Loop campus, will feature the famous 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building, an underground parking facility able to accommodate 2,400 cars, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, and a 120,000 square foot auditorium.

Said to be the "most energy efficient building of its kind," Apple's new campus will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy and populated with more than 7,000 trees.

Apple hopes to finish the first phase of construction on the campus in 2016.

Debate among analysts over just how widespread Apple's use of sapphire displays will be in the iPhone 6 continues to rage, with The Korea Herald reporting on a new research note from NPD DisplaySearch Korea's Brian Huh putting Apple's sapphire display capacity at 45 million units for the iPhone 6 launch. With the iPhone 6 predicted to launch in an initial batch nearing 70 million units, Apple would not be able to use sapphire across the entire lineup.

“Apple’s sapphire material supplier, GT Advanced Technologies, appears capable of producing the glass for around 45 million smartphones. Still, only the iPhone 6’s most premium models may adopt it due to its high cost and a possible supply (set aside) for the iWatch,” said Brian Huh, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch Korea, at its touch conference in Seoul.

He said the 64GB version of either the 5.5-inch or 4.7-inch model is likely to adopt the glass. The iPhone 6 will reportedly come in 32GB and 64GB models.

Separately, Huh also believes Apple will eventually use sapphire for its laptop displays, although manufacturing complexities and costs at those sizes would be challenging for Apple.

Huh is certainly not the first to suggest that sapphire may be limited to high-end iPhone 6 models, with previous reports from Taiwanese media and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo making similar claims.

A second research report from JPMorgan publicized by Taipei Times (via GforGames) claims Apple's sapphire display production may only be around 10 million units through the end of the year.

“Sapphire covers will also be restricted to high-end iPhones, possibly the 128GB [gigabyte] ones,” the brokerage said in the report. [...]

“Due to various challenges related to the new cover material, we believe the production output for sapphire covers will be low,” JPMorgan analysts said. “Sapphire ingot yield rates could be as low as below 50 percent for this size, and finished sapphire smartphone covers may cost as much as US$40 to US$45 versus below US$10 for finished Gorilla glass.”

In line with another recent report, JPMorgan also believes even the iWatch may see sapphire limited to certain models.

On the flip side, one of the staunchest advocates claiming Apple will be able to launch sapphire displays throughout the iPhone 6 lineup has been Matt Margolis, who has been digging deeply into regulatory and import filings related to the sapphire plant in Arizona being run by Apple and GT Advanced Technologies. Margolis early this year pegged Apple's sapphire display capacity in excess of 100 million units per year, and perhaps as high as 200 million units, with the facility in operation since very early this year.

Margolis reiterated those predications just last month, noting that the plant 2,500 furnaces on hand to handle larger sapphire boules that would give Apple plenty of capacity to cover all models of the iPhone 6 as well as the rumored iWatch.

Apple's iPhone 6 could feature Sony's Exmor IMX220 camera sensor, according to a post on Chinese Sony enthusiast forum Digi-Wo (Google Translate, via G for Games). The Exmor IMX220 features a 13-megapixel, 1/2.3'' sensor and can record videos in 1080p. The sensor would also be a sizable improvement over the camera currently in the iPhone 5s, which uses an 8-megapixel, 1/3.2'' sensor.

Past rumors have suggested that the iPhone 6 will retain the same 8-megapixel sensor found in the iPhone 5s, with Apple instead choosing to offer improved image stabilization for more clear photos. A report last month also noted that an optical image stabilization system will be exclusively featured in the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6, while the smaller 4.7-inch version utilizes an improved lens module.

Notably however, the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5s have used incremental versions of Sony's IMX145 sensor, as Apple could choose implement a new sensor from the company for the iPhone 6. Sony is also expected to use a 20-megapixel version of the IMX220 in its Sony Xperia Z3 flagship device that is slated to ship later this year.

While Digi-Wo does not have a track record with Apple-related rumors, the website has offered accurate information on past Sony products before their release, and recently offered leaked photos of the Xperia Z3.

Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced this fall at a special media event. The device is expected to come in two sizes of 4.7 and 5.5-inches, although it is not known if the larger sized iPhone 6 will ship alongside the smaller version. In addition to an improved camera, the iPhone 6 will feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and Apple's new iOS 8 mobile operating system.

New photos of a purported battery from the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (via Nowhereelse.fr, Google Translate) appears to show a capacity of 1,810 mAh for the upcoming device. If legitimate, that capacity would be a modest improvement over the 1,560 mAh battery in the iPhone 5s, and would be in line with a report earlier this month that estimated the 4.7-inch iPhone 6's battery to be between 1,800 and 1,900 mAh.

A capacity of 1,810 mAh would place the iPhone 6 behind competing phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One (M8), which were both released earlier this year. However, Apple's traditionally tight hardware and software integration may contribute to a greater overall battery life, as iOS 8 will likely be optimized for the iPhone 6 to allow for the best performance.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at some point in September. The device will likely be released in two sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches, and is likely to feature a thinner profile with curved edges, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera. It is currently unknown if the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions will launch simultaneously, as recent reports have suggested the latter will launch after October or early in 2015.

NFL Sunday Ticket, a popular sports package provided by DirecTV, will be offered as a standalone subscription for the first time in 2014, letting users who do not subscribe to DirecTV service access NFL Sunday Ticket games on their Macs and iOS devices.

Though no announcement has been made, a promotional page noticed by AppleInsider details DirecTV's new standalone plan, which provides full NFL Sunday Ticket access starting at $199.99.

Introducing NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV. NFL football for all.

Now you can access live, out-of-market NFL games without a DIRECTV satellite TV account--no matter what team you follow! NFLSUNDAYTICKET.TV lets you stream games on your computer, tablet, phone, or game console. All while keeping up with real-time player stats and your fantasy teams.

NFL Sunday Ticket has long been accessible on iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, but in prior years, it has required a monthly subscription to DirecTV's satellite cable service and a satellite dish. Now users can get access on a variety of devices with three separate plans.

The lowest tier plan, available for $199.99, allows NFL Sunday Ticket access on computers, tablets, and phones, while a $239.99 console plan allows access on console devices.

MAX, the highest tier priced at $329.99, offers access on computers, tablets, phones, and consoles, plus access to Red Zone Channel, which shows every touchdown from every game, and access to DirecTV Fantasy Zone, offering live looks at fantasy plays. All three plans also offer real-time stats and scores along with the ability to track favorite players. Standard NFL Sunday Ticket plans for DirecTV subscribers begin at $240, going up to $324 for a MAX subscription.

The website does not mention Apple TV access, but a 2010 rumor pointed towards an NFL Sunday Ticket channel on the device, which could come to fruition this year following the announcement of the standalone subscriptions.

While DirecTV previously offered a streaming package for subscribers unable to get reliable DirecTV service and tested a console-based subscription plan last year, the new NFL Sunday Ticket standalone offerings expand the service to a much wider range of cord cutters who still want access to live sports.

The changes to NFL Sunday Ticket come following DirecTV's pending acquisition by AT&T, which is awaiting regulatory approval. DirecTV is also set to renegotiate its NFL contract later this year.

Sunday Ticket for iPad [Direct Link]

Sunday Ticket for iPhone [Direct Link]

Update 1:45 PM PT: As noted by Engadget, an FAQ on the DirecTV site indicates that the NFL Sunday Ticket subscription free plan may be limited to customers in "select areas, residence types, and enrolled in select universities." Users must enter their address information on the DirecTV site to find out if they are eligible.

Amazon appears to be testing a new e-book and audiobook subscription service it's calling "Kindle Unlimited," which brings unlimited access to 600,000 e-books and thousands of audiobooks for a fee of $9.99 per month.

According to information discovered by users on the KBoards Kindle forum (via Gigaom) the Kindle Unlimited service will be available on all devices, including the iPhone and the iPad likely via Amazon's Kindle app. Amazon has pulled the pages that were found this morning, but information on the service can still be seen through Google Cache and a single test page.

The now defunct Kindle Unlimited section on Amazon.com lists several popular e-book titles, including Water for Elephants, Life of Pi and the entire series of Harry Potter and Hunger Games books. The titles appear to mirror many of those available through Amazon's existing Kindle Owners' Lending Library, a service that allows Kindle-owning Amazon Prime subscribers to rent free e-books.

There are several existing e-book subscription services like those from Oyster and Scribd, but Amazon has a larger catalog of books to offer, advertising more than 600,000 titles compared to Oyster's 500,000 and Scribd's 400,000, plus more than 7,000 audiobooks. Thus far, Kindle Unlimited appears to include books from publishers like Open Road Media, Workman, Algonquin, Bloomsbury, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

It is unknown when Amazon might officially launch its Kindle Unlimited subscription service and thus far, it has not made a statement regarding the test pages.

According to court records filed on Wednesday, July 16, Apple will pay $450 million as part of an out-of-court settlement with class action lawyers and state district attorneys over e-book price fixing, reports Reuters.

Apple first reached a settlement agreement with the 33 U.S. states and territories involved in the lawsuit in June, successfully avoiding a lengthy and expensive damages trial. Settlement details were sealed at that time, however, pending court approval. $400 million of the $450 million is earmarked for consumers.

The settlement is contingent on a pending appeals case Apple filed in February with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. In the filing, Apple asked the court to overturn the original ruling that found the company guilty of conspiring to fix e-book prices.

"We have obviously studied Judge Cote's July 2013 ruling in detail, and believe that the 2nd Circuit will agree with her conclusion that Apple did violate federal antitrust laws," said Steve W. Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and lead attorney representing the consumer class. "In any case of this magnitude, there are high degrees of uncertainty, and Apple's appeal of Judge Cote's well-reasoned ruling is an example of that uncertainty."

Though found guilty, Apple has maintained its innocence throughout the dispute, claiming that it "kick-started competition in a highly concentrated market, delivering higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation." Should Apple's appeal be successful, sending the claim back to District Court, the company will pay out $50 million to settle consumer damages claims. If the appeals court reverses the initial decision entirely, Apple will pay no damages.

Along with $450 million in damages, Apple has also been subjected to several penalties levied by the U.S. Department of Justice, including an order to hire an external antitrust monitor. Publishers involved in the case, including Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin also settled for a total of $166 million, which has already been making its way to customers in the form of refunds.

Months before Apple is expected to release its next-generation iPhone, functional iPhone 6 clones already are starting to appear in China's mobile phone marketplace. One of the first clones, the Wico i6, is profiled by 86DIGI (via Nowhereelse.fr) in a two-part hands-on video.

Like most clones, the Wico i6 is quite detailed for a fake, with authentic-looking FCC labeling and the characteristic Apple branding. The phone also closely mimics the rumored styling of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 with a thin chassis that houses a side-mounted power button and elongated volume buttons.

Wico isn't the only clone maker ready to enter the mobile phone black market, however. Chinese clone maker Goophone has also announced (via GizChina.com) that it is preparing the Goophone i6 for release in August, ahead of Apple's expected September iPhone launch.

The GooPhone also borrows its styling from the rumored schematics of the iPhone 6 and pairs it with a quad-core Mediatek MT6582 chipset, 1GB RAM and 13 megapixel rear camera. Similar to previous Goophone clones, the i6 model is powered by the Android operating system.