MacRumors

Sprint is abandoning plans to purchase T-Mobile US, reports The Wall Street Journal. According to the site, Sprint and its parent company Softbank believe it would be too hard to gain regulatory approval for the deal, with Sprint planning to make an announcement on Wednesday.

Sprint Corp. is ending its pursuit of T-Mobile US, according to people familiar with the matter. The company and its parent, SoftBank Corp. decided it simply would be too difficult to win approval from regulators, the people said.

News that Sprint was working on a potential purchase of T-Mobile US first came in December of 2013, when The Wall Street Journal suggested Sprint was preparing a takeover bid. The deal, which could have been worth more than $20 billion, would have been subjected to significant regulatory scrutiny.

In fact, the United States Justice Department met with Sprint board members to discuss the deal and expressed concerns about the merger. U.S. antitrust authorities reportedly believe that having four national carriers is necessary to maintain a competitive market.

Japanese carrier Softbank purchased a 70 percent controlling interest in Sprint back in 2012, while T-Mobile is majority owned by German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom. According to Bloomberg, Sprint will also be announcing a new CEO as soon as tomorrow, as current CEO Dan Hesse is said to be out following the failed merger.

This is the second time a T-Mobile purchase has fallen through. AT&T previously attempted to acquire T-Mobile but the deal fell through after being blocked by Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice.

Apple will launch its next-generation iPhone 6 at an event on Tuesday, September 9, reports Re/code. The company has reportedly scheduled a big media event for that date and in the past, September has been a month reserved for the introduction of new iPhones.

Following the September 9 introduction, the iPhone 6 will likely be available to customers on a corresponding Friday roughly a week and a half later, possibly September 19.

Apple has scheduled a big media event for Tuesday, Sept. 9 — a date to which Apple numerologists will strain to attribute significance. As with September events past, the focal point of this one is to be Apple’s next-generation iPhones, which are expected to feature larger displays of 4.7 and 5.5 inches and run speedy new A8 processors. Apple declined comment.

Apple's iPhone 6 launch event will see the debut of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, which is expected to include a thinner, lighter chassis with an iPod-touch style design along with an A8 processor and an improved camera. The event may also see the introduction of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, which is said to be experiencing production issues and may ship to customers somewhat later than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, in late 2014 or early 2015.

Re/code, composed of the former AllThingsD team, has a perfect track record when it comes to launch date reports. The site has also suggested Apple is aiming to introduce the iWatch at an October event.

Update 11:35 AM PT: The Wall Street Journal has confirmed Re/code's report, with a source pointing towards a September 9 debut date for the iPhone 6. Bloomberg has confirmed the September 9 event date as well.

July was a record-setting month for App Store revenue, according to Apple, seeing both record revenue numbers and a record number of customers making transactions. The company revealed the news to CNBC.

Apple's app store saw record-setting revenue numbers in July, the company told CNBC.

The Cupertino-based company also said that its app store saw a record number of customers making transactions.

During the company's recent financial results call covering the third fiscal quarter of 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that iTunes software and services were the fastest growing part of Apple's business during the quarter that ended in June. iTunes billings grew 25 percent year over year to an all time quarterly high, and Apple saw iTunes revenue of $4.5 billion, largely due to the continued success of the App Store.

As of June, Apple has had 75 billion cumulative App Store downloads, paying out a total of $20 billion to developers, with $5 billion paid in 2014 alone. According to app-tracking site AppShopper, there are 1,211,461 apps available in the App Store, including over 1 million iPhone apps and 610,000 iPad apps. Apple also has more than 21,000 Mac apps available in the Mac App Store.

In a commentary piece arguing for users to open up free guest networks on their Wi-Fi access points to the public, Re/code's Walt Mossberg shares the story of how Steve Jobs saw such networks as the future of Internet access, supplementing cellular networks to allow for faster and broader access for users.

Mossberg notes that Jobs envisioned the open Wi-Fi networks during development of the original iPhone, which was hampered by a "lousy, sluggish cellular-data network." An open Wi-Fi network built on the cooperation of both business and private citizens who were wiling to share their Wi-Fi connections with strangers would have addressed this problem by offering another connectivity option for iPhone users.

His idea was to get as many wireless router makers as possible to build in a “guest network” option — essentially a second Wi-Fi network, securely walled off from the rest of the home network, and with its own name. Then, he hoped that the industry would encourage people to share their bandwidth with strangers via these guest networks. That way, a smartphone user could walk around, moving from one Wi-Fi hotspot to another, without logging in — much like people using cellular data move from one cell tower to another.

While there are certainly potential issues with security and bandwidth hogging by guest users, Mossberg argues that these issues are not insurmountable, and in fact some companies have made strides in this area. On a micro level, Apple's AirPort base stations have supported guest networks since 2009, and on a broader scale, some Internet service providers such as Comcast have been working to turn customers' home routers into Wi-Fi access points available to other customers as a public network.

Use of Wi-Fi to supplement cellular coverage is also growing, with one example being T-Mobile's effort in the U.S. to route phone calls over a more reliable Wi-Fi network instead of the cellular connection. Apple is adding iPhone support for the feature as part of iOS 8 later this year.

Apple has been expanding its supply chain, bringing in companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing to produce components for its iPhone and iPad devices. This supply chain diversification may benefit Apple, but it is having a negative effect on rival Samsung's chip manufacturing business, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Since 2007, Samsung has enjoyed the coveted position of being the only manufacturer of Apple's Ax series of processors and their predecessors. But after several years of negotiations and technical work as the popularity of Apple's iOS devices has soared, Apple has brought TSMC on board to produce A-series chips for the next generation of devices. This transition away from Samsung as the sole supplier of the main chip for iOS devices is cutting into the Korean company's logic chip business.

“Sales and profitability from System LSI (logic chip business) worsened as demand from main customers continued to decline,” Robert Yi, Samsung’s head of investor relations said last week.

Samsung's logic chip division struggled in the just-ended quarter, and the outlook for the business is equally bleak with Samsung acknowledging the continued low demand from customers will remain an issue going forward.

The sharp turnaround has led to analysts such as IBK Securities' Lee Seung-woo predicting losses of approximately 877 billion won ($848.5 million) for the division in 2014, compared to operating profits of 203 billion won ($196.3 million) in 2013 and 1 trillion won ($967.8 million) in 2012.

The United States Department of Transportation has plans to pursue a ban on in-flight phone calls, reports The Wall Street Journal. In a speech last week at the International Aviation Club, general counsel of the Department Kathryn Thompson suggested restrictions were in the works, and a DOT spokesperson later confirmed the plans.

A spokeswoman confirmed that the DOT is developing "a notice of proposed rulemaking" for publication in December. "At this point, there is no final determination" as to what the notice or the final rule will say, said another spokeswoman.

The Department of Transportation's move to pursue a ban on in-flight cellular phone calls follows an FCC proposal to overturn the current restrictions that prevent airline passengers from making phone calls and using cellular data while in flight.

The existing rules state that all cellular telephones on board an aircraft must be turned off when an aircraft leaves the ground in order to keep them from interfering with ground networks, but the FCC no longer believes in-flight interference is an issue. In 2013, the FCC officially relaxed its restrictions on the use of portable electronics in flight, allowing them to be used during landing and takeoff while in Airplane Mode.

After the FCC suggested it might permit cellular phone usage in flight, the Department of Transportation, airlines, and several other consumer groups expressed concern over the disruption voice calls could introduce if permitted in flight. Though airlines have largely been against in-flight cell phone calls, they believe the final decision on in-flight calls should be left up to them rather than in government control.

"Airlines aren't clamoring to allow mobile-phone use during flight, and some have already said they'd prohibit it on their own flights," said Jeffrey Shane, general counsel for the International Air Transport Association, and a former senior Transportation Department policy maker. But Mr. Shane said some carriers may want to explore passenger-friendly ways to introduce calls, such as in-flight phone booths or quiet zones.

The FCC is continuing to investigate the safety of allowing cell phone service on planes, and a ban on voice calls from the Department of Transportation, which supersedes any FCC decision, may result in a situation where customers are permitted to use cellular data in-flight for texting and web browsing but are banned from making voice calls. The Department of Transportation is expected to release more information on a potential ban in December.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple's sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2014, acknowledging publicly that the companies' facility in Mesa, Arizona is "commencing the transition to volume production."

"The build-out of our Arizona facility, which has involved taking a 1.4 million square foot facility from a shell to a functional structure as well as the installation of sapphire growth and fabrication equipment, is nearly complete and we are commencing the transition to volume production," Gutierrez continued. "We remain confident about the long-term potential of the sapphire materials business for GT.

Overall, GT reported a net loss of $86 million for the quarter, a result that is not unexpected given that the company is significantly restructuring itself as part of the Apple deal, essentially shutting down its sales of sapphire furnaces to other customers in order to devote all of those resources to setting up the Arizona facility for Apple. The facility is owned by Apple and being run by GT, with Apple providing some upfront financing to help get production rolling.

GT allocated over $45 million to "sapphire production ramp up costs" during the quarter, with the company stating that those costs relate to "production inefficiencies and inventory losses" associated with building out its facilities and are not part of ongoing operations for the company. That amount is up from just $1.9 million in the prior quarter, signaling the company's massive move to launch production for Apple.

GT also confirmed that it expects to meet the targets outlined in its deal with Apple, allowing to receive the final $139 million prepayment from Apple by the end of October.

Apple has used sapphire for the camera lens cover on several iOS devices and for the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s, but the company is pursuing a massive increase in sapphire usage for future products. The iPhone 6 display has been rumored to include a sapphire cover, but rumors are divided on whether the material will be included on all models or just higher-end models, as well as whether the entire cover will be full sapphire or a thinner lamination layer.

Apple's rumored iWatch has also been speculated to include a sapphire cover, as the material is fairly common on high-end watches to minimize scratching.

(Image: GT sapphire furnace)

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8, which brings a number of improvements, tweaks, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first introduced on June 2.

iOS 8 beta 5, like previous betas, includes several minor interface modifications designed to make iOS 8 feel faster and more polished. We've gathered up a comprehensive list of all the enhancements that have been bundled into the new beta release below, and to find out about all of the under-the-radar changes in iOS 8 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Hidden Features Roundup.

Health: According to the beta's release notes, Apple's Health app now collects Spirometry data. Spirometry tests measure lung function, tracking the volume and flow of air when inhaling and exhaling. The app has gained several new icons, the ability to export Health data, and a "Show When Logged" option to display Medical ID on the lock screen. There are also privacy settings for Health in the Settings app.

SMS Relay: iOS 8 users are getting a popup that asks them to use their phone numbers for SMS Relay on their MacBooks, one of the new Continuity features between OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.

Photos: Photos now displays a "Last Updated" notification to let users know when images were last synced to iCloud. There's also an iCloud Photo Settings option to store full resolution photos solely in iCloud while keeping device-optimized versions available on the iPhone to save storage space.

iCloud icons: iCloud Drive, Backup, and Keychain have new icons in the iCloud section of the Settings app. The overall iCloud icon has also been updated, featuring a white cloud on a field of blue.

WiFi Calling: When WiFi calling is enabled, it's now labeled T-Mobile WiFi at the top of the iPhone screen.

Predictive text: There's now an option on the keyboard to toggle on predictive text.

Wallpaper Settings: The Brightness toggle has been removed from the Wallpaper section of the Settings app. Changing screen brightness can now be done via the Display & Brightness section of the Settings app that was added in a previous iOS 8 beta.

Additional features in iOS 8 beta 5 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates to iOS 8 at two or three-week intervals to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's launch. For more information on iOS 8's features, major and minor, make sure to check out our roundups.

Alongside iOS 8 beta 5, Apple today released a new version of OS X Yosemite to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth Developer Preview and two months after unveiling the new desktop operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store and should be available through the Mac Developer Center shortly. Apple has also released new beta versions of Xcode, OS X Server, and Apple Configurator.

OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.

Over the course of the beta testing period, each Developer Preview has added new features and refined the look and performance of OS X Yosemite. DP 4, for example, added a revamped version of iTunes with a streamlined design and support for Family Sharing, while an earlier beta introduced a new Dark Mode.

Today's Developer Preview is limited to registered developers, but last week, Apple made a version of OS X Yosemite available to the public as part of a wide-ranging beta test. The pre-release version of Yosemite available to those participating in the public beta program is not expected to receive as many updates as the developer version.

Notable changes in DP 5:

System Preferences - System Preferences has an updated look with a slightly redesigned top bar.

Launchpad - Launchpad has a new download progress bar.

Volume/Brightness Controls - The Volume and Brightness controls in Yosemite have a new look.

Calculator - The look of the redesigned Calculator has been tweaked slightly and it is now more transparent.

Safari - There's a new setting in Safari to show full website addresses.

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8 to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta update and two months since introducing the new mobile operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update, build 12A4345d, is available through Apple's over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released a new Apple TV software beta update that includes a redesigned UI.

iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages.

Each beta update thus far has brought refinements and additional features to iOS 8, with beta 4, for example, bringing a new Tips app and a redesigned Control Center, among other improvements. iOS 8 beta 5 adds new options for SMS Relay, new features in Health, and more. For a full list of the changes in beta 5, make sure to check out our iOS 8 beta 5 tidbits post.

Currently, iOS 8 is only available to registered developers, but the operating system is expected to be released to the public this fall after several beta iterations. We may be getting close to the end of the beta testing period, however, as one rumor has suggested iOS 8 beta 5 may be the final beta version while another indicates it's the second-to-last beta before a golden master.

Cowen & Co. analyst Timothy Arcuri claims the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will differ in more than just display size, reports AppleInsider. According to Arcuri's supply chain checks, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may include a more powerful processor and a different touch module than the 4.7-inch model.

Arcuri suggests the processor in the faster 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may actually have a larger die than the version found in the 4.7-inch model. This architectural change may hint at an A8 processor with a different graphics processor or possibly a new process for the fabrication of the chip.

Besides two different processors, Arcuri also believes the two iPhone 6 models may ship with different touch modules, with TPK as the likely manufacturer.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone at a September event with the 4.7-inch model possibly arriving first and the 5.5-inch following up to several months later.