MacRumors

Apple is unsurprisingly working on a new version of the M7 co-processor for the upcoming iPhone 6, claims GeekBar (Via G 4 Games) in a post on Weibo. In this latest report, a new set of schematics allegedly showcase this new co-processor chip, which is internally labeled "Phosphorus."

GeekBar claims "Phosphorus" will be the successor to the M7, collecting motion data as well as processing other health-related information handled by Apple's new HealthKit API. This chip potentially is the power behind Apple's new Health app for iOS 8, which will import data from the iPhone and other third-party devices in order to create an overview of the user's health.

Apple introduced its new Health tracking app and its HealthKit API at WWDC in June. Besides encouraging developers to build health and fitness-related functionality into its device, Apple also may be talking to hospitals, health institutions and insurance companies in order to expand its HealthKit initiative beyond the user's device. In one scenario, data from the Health app could be shared with a health insurance companies in order to lower a healthy subscriber's monthly premium.

Update 9:29 AM: The "Phosphorus" component actually appears to be a barometric pressure sensor, not a next-generation M7 chip.

Amid rumors of a new Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector and a redesigned power adapter from Apple, third-party vendor Moca.co is claiming that while the adapter may be ready for launch alongside the iPhone 6 next month, Apple is not yet ready to debut its new Lightning cable. Moca.co says that it is an MFi-certified vendor working with Apple's primary Lightning cable provider and that Apple has not yet placed any orders for the new cable.

We are informed by the Official Appointed Manufacturer of Apple that the new Reversible USB Cable will not be released together with upcoming iPhone 6 and Apple has not placed any order with them yet. Apple fans will not be able to get the MFi version of this revolutionary cable from Apple this year but that is not the end of the story.

According to Moca.co, the manufacturing partner has sent samples of the Lightning cable with reversible USB connector to Apple for approval, but Apple has yet to move forward with manufacturing orders. Even once it does, it will reportedly be several months before the cables are ready.

The redesigned power adapter may, however, be ready to launch with the iPhone 6, as Moca.co tells MacRumors the design has been confirmed and mass production is already underway. According to the report, the new adapter supports up to 2A of current, twice that of the current adapter shipping with the iPhone. The new adapter will reportedly be able to power all iPhone, iPod, and iPad mini models, with the redesign likely driven by the higher power requirements of the larger iPhone 6 models.

Moca.co is planning to offer its own versions of the cable and adapter from its MFi-licensed manufacturing partners, and is currently taking pre-orders with plans of October delivery if it can obtain a sufficient number of pre-orders to initiate production.

Throughout the past few months, a number of rumors have suggested many different resolutions for both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, giving a variety of reasons as to how Apple will best optimize a larger screen size for both users and developers.

Prominent Apple journalist John Gruber has now given his in-depth take on the subject, suggesting that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will likely feature a resolution of 1334 x 750 with 326 pixels per inch, while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 would most likely have a resolution of 2208 x 1242 with 461 pixels per per inch. While Gruber insists that he has no specific knowledge of these resolutions for the iPhone 6, he makes a strong case for why they make the most sense for Apple.

Gruber notes that keeping the current "2x" Retina resolution at 326 ppi on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 would be consistent with Apple's previous patterns on iOS devices:

At 4.7 inches, 1334 × 750 works perfectly as a new iPhone display, addressing problem #1, showing more content. With point dimensions of 667 × 375, this display would show 1.38 times more points than the iPhone 5. At 326 pixels-per-inch, everything on screen would remain exactly the same physical size. There would just be 38 percent more room for content.

Gruber also adds that moving to a "3x" Retina resolution at 461 ppi for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 would display an even greater amount of content while being able to render the same Retina pixels on a larger scale:

Everything works at these dimensions for a 5.5-inch display. With an increase in area of 68 percent and a scaling factor of 1.06, this display would address both reasons why someone might want a very large iPhone: it would show a lot more content, and it would render everything on screen, point-for-point, a little bit bigger. And at 461 pixels-per-inch, everything would be amazingly sharp.

In both of those examples, existing apps would still be able to run at such resolutions, as optimizing current apps would be made easier considering the scaled nature of the displays.

The given 1334 x 750 resolution of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 contrasts with information shared by luxury modified iPhone vendor Feld & Volk earlier this week, which came with a photo showing the display of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 under a microscope with a pixel density higher than 326 ppi, perhaps 1704 x 960. That resolution has also been cited in previous rumors, but Gruber claims in his post that an iPhone 6 with a resolution of 1704 x 960 would only work well for 4.0-inch displays, as it would not show any additional content compared to the iPhone 5 when measured in touch points.

Gruber also comments on the possibility of both a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 with a resolution of 1472 x 828. The claim states that such a resolution on the 4.7-inch device would render UI elements and text about 10 percent smaller, while such a resolution on the 5.5-inch device would equal out to be 307 pixels per inch, or only marginally better than Apple's original definition of the Retina display as being at least 300 ppi.

The iPhone 6 is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday, September 9 at a media event. It is likely that the 4.7-inch version will go on sale about a week after the announcement, but the 5.5-inch may be held back due to production issues. In addition to a larger display, the iPhone 6 will likely feature a thinner design, a faster A8 processor, an improved camera, a more durable Touch ID sensor, and more.

A new image said to be of a redesigned Apple USB power adapter has been shared by a user on Weibo (Google Translate, via Gizmobic), hinting that Apple's supposed new Lightning cable may be released alongside a new charger. The power adapter appears to be more rounded compared to Apple's current offering, and also includes grooves on each side to improve comfort while holding and inserting the accessory.

While it is possible that the product in the image could be of a fake, the charger does have the signature "Designed by Apple in California" text along with other applicable information and logos. The user also shows another image of the new Lightning cable with its reversible USB connector, which has been spotted in a number of other photos and even a video throughout the past few weeks.

If both new products turn out to be real, it is possible that Apple could ship a new Lightning cable and new USB power adapter alongside this fall's expected lineup of new iOS devices, possibly starting with the iPhone 6 next month.

Update: As pointed out by a user in our forums, the USB adapter shown in the images carries the same design as Apple's current 5W USB Power Adapter sold in Australia. However, the prongs on the new adapter in the photo are of Type A used in the United States and many other countries, perhaps indicating that the design could be soon applied to Apple's other power adapters in different countries.

Apple has begun an iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program to replace the batteries of a small percentage of iPhone 5 units that have a faulty battery resulting in a shorter battery life and longer, more frequent charging times.

iPhone 5 devices exhibiting battery issues were sold between September of 2012 and January of 2013 and are eligible for a free battery replacement.

Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range.

If your iPhone 5 is experiencing these symptoms and meets the eligibility requirements noted below, Apple will replace your iPhone 5 battery, free of charge.

Apple says the issue affects only a "limited serial number range." iPhone 5 users can input their serial numbers on Apple's replacement site to find out whether their phones need a new battery. Those who do have a faulty battery can get a replacement through an Apple Authorized Service Provider, an Apple Retail Store, or through Apple Technical support.

Users who already paid to replace their batteries will be eligible to receive a refund for the cost of the battery from Apple. Apple's support site says the program covers iPhone 5 batteries for two years after the first retail sale of the unit or until March 1, 2015, whichever provides longer coverage. Replacements are available beginning today in the United States and China, with the program beginning in other countries on August 29.

In addition to the new Battery Replacement Program, Apple also has a replacement program for iPhone 5 units that have a faulty sleep/wake button, which also provides repairs at no cost. Some iPhone 5s units have also experienced faulty battery life but Apple opted to reach out individually to affected users rather than implementing a replacement program for those devices.

Amid rumors that Apple is developing a Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector, third-party accessory vendor Truffol has begun selling a reversible USB Lightning cable on its website, beating Apple to the punch.

Priced at $9.99, the reversible cable advertised by Truffol is designed to be inserted into a USB port in either direction, a shift from a traditional USB cable that can only be inserted in one direction. While the cable is not Apple-approved and thus not Made for iPhone (MFi) certified, Truffol has told MacRumors that its cable works with both existing iOS devices and the upcoming iPhone 6. Using non-certified third-party iPhone accessories is not recommended by Apple, however, and in the past, some third-party accessories have caused damage to iOS devices.

It is not clear whether these third-party reversible USB Lightning cables were already in development ahead of the rumors suggesting Apple was developing its own reversible solution or if they were designed in response to rumors, but their sudden availability may possibly hint at the existence of an Apple-branded reversible cable. Truffol told MacRumors that it believes the idea for the third-party reversible Lightning cables originated from "insider Apple sources."

Rumors of an Apple-branded Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector first surfaced last week in the form of leaked images and videos, but Apple initially filed a patent application for the technology in January 2014, which became public in late July.

Apple may face some legal hurdles if it launches a reversible Lightning USB cable. A California company named UltraTek holds a patent for a reversible USB connector and already sells reversible USB cables through a number of different online retailers, but it is possible Apple has licensed the technology or developed a solution that is different enough not to infringe on UltraTek's existing technology.

A second Apple patent filing that was published earlier this week suggests Apple has indeed improved on current reversible USB connector designs, as it details a cable with a flexible internal connector. Described as a flexible "tongue," Apple's design would allow a USB connector to flex to fit into any existing USB port regardless of insertion orientation. The flexible design may be superior to existing reversible USB designs because it allows for a thicker, sturdier middle "stalk" and a stronger connection with contacts.

It is possible that Apple's rumored Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector might debut as soon as September, introduced alongside the iPhone 6 that's expected to be unveiled at a September 9 media event.

BlackBerry is taking advantage of reports of iMessage's vulnerability to spam messages to tout its BlackBerry Messenger app. In a blog post, the company highlights a report from earlier this week that said iMessage users see quite a bit of spam, with accounts run by spammers responsible for more than 30 percent of all spam messages on mobile devices.

BlackBerry suggests that iMessage users switch to BBM to avoid spam and lists five reasons why BBM is superior to iMessage. According to the company, BBM is safer primarily because it does not utilize a phone number or email address and it only accepts messages from contacts.

1) BBM is architected in a way that protects our 85 million users against spammers. iMessage works off of phone number or Apple ID. Anyone who has your number or Apple ID can send you messages whether you want them to or not. With BBM, users have a lot more control due to our "invite and accept" paradigm. In other words, both parties need to be mutually committed to being contacts in order to send and receive messages.

2) BBM gives you control. There's no spam on BBM due to its self-policing system. Users are in control of their contact list and there is no way to send a message without being contacts. You can't control someone showing up to your house, but you don't have to open the door. With BBM someone can request to be added to your list, but you don't have to accept their invite.

BlackBerry also uses its list to highlight BBM's encryption that protects messages from "spying or hacking," its ability to block contacts, and its cross-platform availability.

Despite all of BBM's apparent perks, BlackBerry has had trouble convincing users to adopt the app due to competition from iMessage and other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Kik, WeChat, and more. In late 2013, BlackBerry users on Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry phones sent and received approximately 10 billion messages per day, while WhatsApp processed upwards 50 billion messages per day.

Listed as number 56 in the social networking section of the App Store, BBM is ranked far below competing messaging apps. BlackBerry itself has also been struggling in recent months as iOS and Android make gains in the enterprise market.

The initial report on iMessage spam pointed towards Apple's deep integration of mobile and desktop as the reason for iMessage's popularity with scammers. While the uptick in iMessage spam has been recent, Apple does have some measures in place to combat spammers. There's rate-limiting on the iMessage network to stop users from sending hundreds of messages and there is a spam reporting protocol in place, but Apple will likely need adopt more aggressive measures in the future to limit spam messages due to the platform's growing popularity with spammers.

Earlier this week, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a report claiming Apple may not launch the iWatch until 2015 due to manufacturing difficulties associated with the new device. A follow-up report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News (via G 4 Games) echoes this assertion with supply chain information hinting at an early 2015 debut for Apple's wearable device.

Anonymous supply chain sources told Economic Daily News that Apple is requesting delivery of hardware components for the iWatch as it prepares to start assembly of the wristwatch device in September. Sources claim it will take Apple several months of manufacturing refinement before it has a final product that is ready for retail shelves.

Once it hits production, iWatch yield is rumored to be lower than first predicted, with one million watches rolling off factory lines each month. Because of the lengthy and limited production process, Apple may not be able to launch the iWatch fully in 2014. Instead, the company may decide to offer the iWatch in limited quantities at the end of this year or wait until 2015 to start selling the wearable device.

While Apple tends to unveil a product and release it shortly after the announcement, the company has utilized a protracted launch strategy with select new products. Apple introduced the original iPhone six months ahead of its retail availability and unveiled the first iPad two months before it went on sale.

Most recently, Apple used a similar strategy with its Mac Pro, unveiling the machine six months before it was made available for purchase in December 2013. When it finally went on sale, the Mac Pro was available in limited quantities for several months following its initial retail release.

(Image: iWatch concept by SET Solution)

According to a Sina News report (via ZDNet), China Telecom this week briefly announced plans to sell an unlocked version of the iPhone 6 in order to compete with rival carriers. The Sina report sources a Weibo post from China Telecom's Shanghai office that was posted earlier this week and later deleted.

The move suggests Apple is planning to sell a version of the iPhone 6 that will support all wireless networks in the country, including dual 4G (TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE), WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, and CDMA1X. This opens up LTE to China Telecom subscribers and makes the country's number three carrier more competitive with its bigger rivals China Unicom and China Mobile.

Apple currently sells three different models each of the iPhone 5s and 5c in China in order to accommodate the different technologies used by the country's carriers. But with updated modem and antenna technology for the iPhone 6, Apple may be able to streamline its model lineup to more efficiently support the various carrier technologies.

As part of its advertisement, China Telecom used an iPhone 6 rendering from a Behance gallery posted early last month by Tomas Moyano and Nicolas Aichino. The renderings have been fairly popular around the web, including in our own stories, but differ from most recent leaks in some aspects such as omitting a protruding camera ring and showing rear shells featuring different colors at top and bottom.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at a press event to be held in early September. The handset may include larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display options, a faster A8 processor, an improved iSight camera and a new Touch ID sensor. Sales of the 4.7-inch version are expected to begin at the end of September, with the 5.5-inch model launching either alongside or up to several months later than the smaller model.

Apple's supply chain is scrambling to get enough displays ready for the iPhone 6 ahead of its launch next month, reports Reuters.

The report notes that production issues were made prevalent when the backlight film for the device's display panel had to be redesigned, halting production for two months:

Two supply chain sources said display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised, putting screen assembly on hold for part of June and July. One said Apple, aiming for the thinnest phone possible, initially wanted to cut back to a single layer of backlight film, instead of the standard two layers, for the 4.7-inch screen, which went into mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version.

After the backlight film component was revised, Apple reportedly rejected it and went back to add the second layer to the panel causing a delay. As it stands, production of the display has resumed as suppliers are attempting to work quickly to make up for lost time before the device's launch.

Concerns over the iPhone 6's backlight design surfaced last month from supply chain, which also suggested that Apple's desire to use only one backlight film to minimize the size of the handset would cause production delays. Current generation iPhone displays are supplied by Minebea and use two layers in order to improve readability in these backlit displays.

In a single layer setup for the device's display, one layer has to be of a very high quality to take the place of the standard second layer. To meet the demand for the part, Apple had allegedly gone to OMRON and Radian to add them as suppliers alongside Minebea, however the outcome of that effort is not known. Previous reports of production issues surrounding the iPhone 6 had pinpointed challenges with the device's in-cell touch panel and metal casings.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9, with a launch for the 4.7-inch version likely come a week later. It is unclear if the 5.5-inch version will ship at the same time, as Apple is also said to be experiencing other production issues with the larger device. Both models of the iPhone 6 will likely feature a thinner, rounded chassis and incorporate a new A8 processor, a refined camera, and iOS 8.

French Apple website IGen.fr (Google Translate) has shared a variety of new details about Apple's upcoming iPhone 6, including dimensions for each model, info about the protruding camera ring on the rear of both devices, and more. The photos appear to be of internal information residing in a Foxconn factory, as the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and 4.7-inch iPhone 6 carry code names of N56 and N61, respectively.

The information states that the final version of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will measure 158 mm long, 78 mm wide, and 7.1 mm thick (7.7 with the protruding camera), weighing 184.6 grams, or 6.5 ounces. Also spotted is information for a first prototype, which retained the same length and width but was 7.0 mm thick and weighed 168.5 grams, or 5.9 ounces.

Meanwhile, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is said to measure at 138 mm long, 66 mm wide, and 6.9 mm thick, as the weight of the device is not listed. For comparison, the iPhone 5s measures 123x58 mm and is 7.6 mm thick.

A source close to the production of the 5.5-inch version claims that it will feature a battery with a large capacity, possibly 2915 mAh. That number comes from a in line with a component leak spotted earlier this month. The source did not specify whether the larger device was equipped with a sapphire display, however Apple reportedly shipped 28 containers of displays to Foxconn from the United States. It is possible that those containers could have come from GT Advanced Technologies, which Apple partnered with to produce sapphire displays at a factory in Arizona. However, no additional evidence suggests that is the case.

Specifics around the protruding camera ring on both devices are also seen in the photos, as the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will have an external camera ring that protrudes at 0.67-0.77 millimeters while the ring on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will protrude at 0.77 mm. Both protruding camera rings appear to be similar to the one on the fifth-generation iPod touch, although it is unknown at this time what specific purpose they serve. The schematic of the protruding camera ring on the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 was spotted a few days ago, however that was originally interpreted to be for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Finally, the source notes that the iPhone 6 features a well cut-out logo on its rear, which is said to be made from a very durable material and lines up with previous leaks. The device's rear bands sighted in previous leaks are also said to be featured on the iPhone 6, and will act as refined antennas. Apple was also said to be working to feature a 2.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 6, however the company scrapped it to avoid complaints about compatibility issues with existing audio accessories.

Certification tests for both models were said to take place last week, with mass production reportedly beginning this week. Apple is said to have ordered 40 million 4.7-inch units of the iPhone 6 for the rest of 2014, and is aiming for a 100 million devices by the end of this year. It was also stated that the launch 5.5-inch version may be delayed until a later time, although both are scheduled to be introduced at the same time.

Apple will reveal the iPhone 6 at a media event on Tuesday, September 9. In addition to a refined design as mentioned above, both models of the device will feature a faster A8 processor, an improved camera, and more.

In addition to seeking partnerships with several different hospitals and health institutions for its HealthKit initiative, Apple is also speaking with major U.S. insurance companies like UnitedHealth and Humana.

In a report on rising medical costs and partnerships between insurance providers, corporate employers, and fitness device makers, Bloomberg suggests that Apple has spoken with insurance companies about HealthKit, but no specifics on the conversation were provided.

The focus of the piece, highlighting the insurance perks that companies can offer to employees with healthy habits, implies that Apple may be exploring partnerships that would possibly allow its collected data to be shared with insurance companies and other medical providers.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the new national health-care law, companies can spend as much as 30 percent of annual insurance premiums on rewards for healthy behavior.

Technology companies are taking note. Apple Inc., which has new health-tracking software called HealthKit that will be released this year and is said to be developing its own wearable device, has talked with UnitedHealth, the biggest U.S. insurer, and Humana, about its health initiatives, executives at the insurance providers said. The companies wouldn't provide specifics about the conversations. Apple declined to comment.

An example of a partnership between a fitness company, an insurance provider, and a corporation is the agreement between Fitbit and oil company BP. As explained by Bloomberg, BP gave employees the option to wear a Fitbit fitness tracking device to earn points resulting in cheaper health insurance.

It is unclear if Apple is in talks about similar programs, but the company has been exploring many different options for its HealthKit initiative. First introduced during WWDC, HealthKit is a set of APIs designed to be incorporated into apps and hardware devices, collecting and aggregating a wealth of health and fitness data into one convenient location.

HealthKit pairs with the newly introduced Health app, which provides an interface for users to view all of this health data. Apple has already announced several partners it is working with on HealthKit, including Nike, the Mayo Clinic, and Epic Systems, a company that deals with electronic health records.

A recent report from Reuters has also suggested Apple is in talks with multiple health providers at Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Allscripts, with the company pushing HealthKit and its Health app as an all-in-one patient data resource for medical professionals.

The Health app, built into iOS 8, will be available to the general public as of next month, and the first fitness and health apps and devices will likely introduce support for HealthKit shortly after iOS 8 debuts. The Health app is also said to be heavily tied to Apple's own upcoming wearable, which may measure several different health-related metrics including fitness levels and sleep quality.