MacRumors

Support for interactive e-books created with Apple's iBooks Author software may be coming soon to the iPhone, based on recent changes to iTunes Store wording noticed by Macworld's Serenity Caldwell. While iBooks Author e-books have been limited to the iPad since the software's January 2012 launch, Mac support will be coming as part of Apple's launch of the full iBooks experience in OS X Mavericks, and iPhone support may also be in the works.

In the past, viewing an iBooks Author-created ebook online or via iTunes displayed the following message under the heading of ‘requirements’: “This book can only be viewed using iBooks 3.0 or later on an iPad. iOS 5.1 or later is required.”

While this message still shows up on the Web, visit an iBooks Author book in the iTunes Store and you’ll see the following: “To view this book, you must have an iOS device with iBooks 3.0 or later and iOS 5.1 or later, or a Mac with iBooks 1.0 or later and OS X 10.9 or later.” A request for comment from Apple regarding the wording change went unanswered on Wednesday, and as of this writing, the iPhone still can’t download iBooks Author ebooks despite the text’s claims to the contrary.

Caldwell notes that while the new description certainly is not proof that iBooks Author support is coming to the iPhone, the change to a generic "iOS device" description is intriguing given that it is an inaccurate description under current iBooks compatibility.

As for how iBooks Author books would appear on the iPhone, Caldwell argues that the existing reflowable portrait mode for iPad offers a good basis for adaptation to the iPhone's screen, with resizable text wrapping alongside floating interactive elements that are key features of the iBooks Author format.

A redesigned iBooks app for iOS could be introduced alongside the final unveiling of iOS 7 at next Tuesday's media event, with the updated app presumably becoming available on the same day iOS 7 is released to the public.

Update: Apple has updated the wording on iBooks Author books to once again specify compatibility with just the iPad.

Leading German carrier Deutsche Telekom today announced (via Macerkopf) the launch of its new LTE-Advanced or LTE+ network offering data speeds of up to a theoretical maximum 150 Mbps, with the network going live immediately in over 100 towns and cities in the country.

In the press release, Deutsche Telekom notes that Samsung is launching a new version of the Galaxy S4 with support for LTE-Advanced, and word that other LTE-Advanced devices are coming "at the end of September" is renewing speculation that the iPhone 5S might be one of those devices.

Samsung will be offering an upgrade of its Galaxy S4 with LTE+. Comparable devices from other vendors will follow at the end of September. Deutsche Telekom's latest data products, including Speedstick LTE III, Speedbox LTE II and Speedbox LTE mini, will also support LTE+ in September, following a software update.

Two months ago, a report surfaced claiming that Apple was in talks with Korea's SK Telecom about supporting LTE-Advanced on the iPhone 5S. At the time, we noted that it seemed unlikely Apple would be willing and able to add support to the iPhone 5S given the rarity of LTE-Advanced networks and that the company was only in the negotiation stages roughly two months before the device's debut.

With another leading carrier in a major market for Apple now launching LTE-Advanced, it seems that momentum is starting to build behind the technology and handset manufacturers are clearly lining up to support the standard. Apple has, however, traditionally been somewhat conservative in adopting new cellular technologies before they have widespread adoption, and so it remains to be seen whether Apple has plans to bring the latest LTE-Advanced support to the iPhone 5S later this month.

Chinese labor rights group China Labor Watch (CLW) has released a report (via The Next Web) bringing forth allegations of major labor abuses at a Chinese factory belonging to Jabil Circuit, a U.S.-based supplier to Apple. Specifically, the workers rights group accuses the company of numerous labor and wage violations, including millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages, over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime, hiring discrimination, and excessive standing work.

Additionally, the report states that the factory is currently producing Apple's lower-cost iPhone 5C as these alleged labor violations have been taking place, a device which should be unveiled next Tuesday.

A new undercover investigation by China Labor Watch (CLW) has revealed a series of ethical and legal labor violations in a factory in Wuxi, China owned by U.S. electronics manufacturer Jabil Circuit that is currently producing the soon-to-be-released cheap iPhone for Apple.

Among the infringements uncovered by CLW include millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages; over 100 hours of monthly mandatory overtime, three times in excess of legal limits; more than 11 hours of standing work every day with no rest outside of 30-minute meal breaks; illegally inadequate pre-work training; hiring discrimination; and more.

Many of the violations raised in CLW’s report also contradict the codes of conduct of both Apple and Jabil Circuit. Despite half a decade of outside investigations and self-reporting on myriad labor abuse throughout its Chinese supply chain, Apple has continually failed to compel supplier factories to conform to Apple’s code of conduct and local labor laws before giving these suppliers Apple production orders.

Last month, the group also alleged poor working conditions at primary Apple supplier Pegatron, stating specific violations such as the unethical holding of worker pay as well as poor living conditions. Apple announced in July that it was forming an academic advisory board for its Supplier Responsibility program, saying that it wanted to ensure “safe and ethical working conditions wherever its products are made.” Apple has also published Supplier Responsibility Progress Reports every year since 2007, tracking the ethical progress of its suppliers in order to bring transparency to its product manufacturing process.

Update: Apple issued this statement to AllThingsD, saying the company takes "any concerns about [its] suppliers very seriously":

Apple is committed to providing safe and fair working conditions throughout our supply chain. We lead the industry with far-reaching and specialized audits, the most transparent reporting and educational programs that enrich the lives of workers who make our products. Apple is the first and only technology company to be admitted to the Fair Labor Association, and we are dedicated to protecting every worker in our supply chain.

As part of our extensive Supplier Responsibility program, Apple has conducted 14 comprehensive audits at Jabil facilities since 2008, including three audits of Jabil Wuxi in the past 36 months. We take any concerns about our suppliers very seriously, and our team of experts is on-site at Jabil Wuxi to look into the new claims about conditions there. Jabil has a proactive auditing program of their own and they have an excellent track record of meeting Apple’s high standards.

Employees at Jabil are among the 1 million workers in Apple’s supply chain whose working hours we track each week and report on our website. Year to date, Jabil Wuxi has performed above our 92% average for compliance with Apple’s 60-hour per week limit. An audit completed earlier this year did find that some employees had worked more than six consecutive days without a day of rest, and Jabil has been working with our team to better manage overtime.

We are proud of the work we do with our suppliers to improve conditions for workers. Our program goes far beyond monitoring by ensuring corrective actions where they are needed and aggressively enforcing our supplier code of conduct wherever Apple products are made. We believe in transparency and accountability, both for our suppliers and ourselves.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a fairly solid track record in predicting Apple's product plans, has issued a new research report outlining his expectations for Apple's iPad and iPad mini lineup through the end of 2013 and into 2014. In line with some of his previous predictions and claims from other sources, Apple is planning to release both a fifth-generation iPad and a second-generation iPad mini before the end of this year.

Kuo believes that both devices will run on a new A7X chip, with the new iPad mini seeing a significant processor upgrade from the A5 found in the current model to help support a Retina display in the forthcoming model. For both the new iPad and iPad mini models, Kuo sees component shipments ramping up through the end of this quarter, with mass production gearing up in the fourth quarter of the year, in line with previous expectations for a fall launch.

Kuo believes that Apple had initially intended to launch the Retina iPad mini in early 2014, but that the company has accelerated development in part to remain competitive with other small high-resolution tablets hitting the market.

Since iPad mini 2 will feature better resolution with retina display, we think its AP will have the same grade as iPad 5 - the A7X.

But we now believe that iPad mini 2 may be pulled in for launching in late 2013. Since other brand vendors are all expected to have a line-up of new high resolution 7-8” tablets to launch over the next 3-6 months, we think iPad mini 2 may lose its opportunity in the market if it is slated for introduction next year.

Despite minimal form factor differentiation and unchanged casing colors, we think the retina display will still boost iPad mini 2’s attractiveness. Although the model’s availability is small due to production issues, if iPad mini 2 gets an introduction and launch this year, it should be able to impact consumers and freeze their budget for other brand vendors’ tablets.

Aside from the new Retina iPad mini, Kuo also believes that Apple is working another new iPad mini model for launch in early 2014. That model would still be an upgrade over the current model, but would be based on an A6 chip and carry a non-Retina display, allowing Apple to offer a lower-priced iPad mini line.

As for the full-size iPad, Kuo notes that Apple will experience manufacturing challenges with the smaller form factor, although it does appear that the device will be ready for a launch in the final quarter of this year. Kuo also claims that, as has been rumored for Apple's upcoming iPhone models, the new iPad will support TDD-LTE technology, allowing the device to be compatible with China Mobile's network.

Apple is holding a media event next Tuesday, but that event is expected to focus on the iPhone and iOS 7, with iPad and other hardware updates appearing at a later time.

Last week, The Omni Group released a program called OmniKeyMaster that would allow users who purchased older Mac App Store versions of the company's software to purchase discounted upgrades in the future, directly from the company.

Today, the company said it would be unable to offer upgrades to Mac App Store customers because of Apple's App Store policies.

My apologies: I’m afraid we will not be able to offer upgrade pricing to our Mac App Store customers after all. So long as we continue to sell our apps through the Mac App Store, we are not allowed to distribute updates through other channels to apps which were purchased from the App Store.

We still feel upgrade pricing is important for customers purchasing serious productivity software, since the initial value received from purchasing an app like OmniGraffle or OmniPlan is much different from the incremental value of upgrading that app from version 5.0 to version 6.0. We will continue to ask Apple to support upgrade pricing in the App Store, and I would encourage others to do the same—but until that happens, upgrade pricing will only be available to customers who buy our apps direct from our online store.

A number of developers have asked Apple for the ability to offer upgrade pricing to purchasers -- a very common software pricing strategy -- but the App Store requires that upgrades either be offered for free to existing owners, or sold as a completely separate offering on the App Store, at the same price for all customers, new and old.

Red Sweater Software's Daniel Jalkut called the move a "chilling message from Apple" and filed a bug report with Apple requesting upgrade pricing support for the App Store:

The impact of Apple's continued lack of support for upgrade pricing has been increased by an apparent effort on Apple's part to enforce 3rd party developers trying to accommodate upgrade pricing through their own means:

http://www.omnigroup.com/blog/entry/update-no-upgrade-pricing-for-mac-app-store-purchases

Most of us Mac developers are loyal Apple fans who would like to support the Mac App Store and keep our customers who purchased on the Mac App Store within that system. By not supporting an upgrade mechanism for these customers Apple leaves us in a position where we're forced to either treat Mac App Store customers as 2nd class customers or to forego across the board the expected compensation for major upgrades to our applications.

Apple has moved away from upgrade pricing in recent years, choosing instead to slash the prices of its major software titles instead of offering discounts for current owners. Final Cut Pro X, for example, costs $299 while its prior version was $999.

A new video comparing the purported shell of the second-generation iPad mini to the existing iPad mini and the upcoming fifth-generation iPad has surfaced on YouTube. Shared by Unbox Therapy, the shell, which has been previously seen in photos, has a form factor that is nearly identical to the existing iPad mini.

The only difference between the two shells is the mirrored silver Apple logo on the back of the second-generation mini, which is similar to the mirrored finish seen on prototype fifth-generation iPads shells. The current white and silver iPad mini has a black Apple logo.

While the next iPad mini will not feature any design changes, it is expected to be a major upgrade to the existing iPad mini due to the inclusion of a much-desired Retina screen.

Apple's fifth-generation iPad has been long rumored to share multiple visual cues with the iPad mini, featuring a rounded shell, narrower side bezels, and a more compact design. Apple is expected to unveil both the second-generation iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPad later this year.

Samsung today announced its Galaxy Gear Smartwatch, a wearable device that features a 1.63-inch 320 x 320 resolution AMOLED touchscreen, built-in speakers, and a 1.9-megapixel camera in the strap. It has an 800MHz processor, 4GB of storage, and 512MB of RAM.

Samsung’s watch will support voice control with S Voice and is able to make and receive calls and video memos. Designed as a companion for the newly introduced Galaxy Note 3 and new Note 10.1, the Galaxy Gear also notifies wearers of text messages and other updates. It does not function on its own, requiring a Bluetooth 4.0 connection to work.

The Galaxy Gear is not currently compatible with Samsung devices beyond the Note 3 and 10.1 as it runs Android 4.3, but it will support 70 third-party applications at launch, including popular offerings like Evernote and Path, along with many health oriented apps like RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal.

It includes a pedometer to measure fitness levels, an accelerometer, and a 315 mAh battery that provides up to one day of regular use, according to Samsung reps that spoke to Engadget.

Poor battery life is said to be one of the main factors that Apple is working to overcome with its own iWatch, which is currently in development. In March, a report suggested that Apple had yet to reach its target goal of four to five days of battery life for the device.

The Verge went hands-on with the Galaxy Gear, criticizing the battery life and finding it to be "bulkier than the Pebble" with a "tangible lag."

There are a couple of significant downsides that temper my enthusiasm for the new Gear. First and foremost is the speed and intuitiveness of the user interface — or rather, the lack thereof. There’s a tangible lag to anything you do with the Gear, while the swipe gestures are hard to figure out and do different things depending on where you are in the menus.

Samsung promises "about a day" of endurance from the Gear, but by the end of our briefing with the company, the cameras on most of its demo units were refusing to turn on due to the watches running low on power.

Samsung is offering the Galaxy Gear in six different colors, including Jet Black, Mocha Gray, Wild Orange, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, and Lime Green. It will also come with 10 different clock options with more choices available for download.

"I believe it will become a new fashion icon around the world," said Samsung CEO JK Shin.

The Galaxy Gear will be launched alongside the Galaxy Note 3 in 140 countries beginning on September 25 and will be available worldwide in October. It will be priced at $299.