MacRumors

Apple's online stores went down for several hours earlier today, and while the downtime did not bring any new products, it did see a few visible changes for the stores.

One immediately visible change is in the iPad model selection page, where Apple previously listed all 18 iPad 2 models available in the U.S. store. The company has replaced that system with a new, more dynamic process in which users first select a color, followed by a separate step in which they select a storage capacity and whether they wish to have 3G capacity. Users selecting a 3G model then proceed to a third step where they select whether they want an AT&T (GSM) or Verizon (CDMA) model.

The change significantly reduces clutter on the selection page, where the sheer number of model choices led to potentially confusing mass of selection buttons. The new stepwise selection process streamlines the selection page while making it clear to customers the three criteria (color, capacity, connectivity) they need to decide upon.

In another change, Apple has replaced its previous "within 24 hours" shipping estimate status with a new "in stock" indicator on a store-wide basis. The two terms appear to be synonymous, with models offering longer shipping estimates continuing to list their availability in terms of business days until shipping.

Shipping estimates throughout Apple's online store mysteriously ballooned yesterday before returning to normal after a few hours. The issue may have been related to behind-the-scenes changes being made in preparation for today's tweaks to the store.

VR-Zone.com reports on claims from Turkish site DonanimHaber suggesting that Intel will be releasing its high-end Sandy Bridge E processors on November 15th. While not addressed in the reports, server-class Xeon versions of those processors, which would be candidates for inclusion in an updated Mac Pro lineup, are likely to ship at the same time.

The Platform Launch is specified as Weeks 46-47, which covers November 14th to November 27th. However DonanimHaber inisist that the final release date is November 15th.

The three SKUs are Core i7 3820, Core i7 3930K and Core i7 3960X, priced at $294, $583 and $999 respectively. The new flagship, Core i7 3960X, is expected to be 15% faster than the Core i7 990X on average. However, the 3960X is much faster in applications that rely heavily on memory bandwidth (thanks to X79's quad-channel memory) or AVX.

Several rumors had suggested that updated Mac Pro models might arrive in early August, despite that fact that no suitable processors were publicly known to be available for such a refresh. We noted last month that the rumored timeframe had come and gone without a release and reviewed Intel's roadmap that pegged suitable processors for a release during the fourth quarter of this year.

A November 15th launch for the processors certainly fits within that window, and opens the door for Apple to introduce new Mac Pros, which have been eagerly anticipated given that the line was last updated in July 2010. Apple has also been known to receive early access to Intel processors for certain machines, including Mac Pros, and thus it is possible that Apple could even introduce new Mac Pro models ahead of that date and give themselves a headstart on the end-of-year buying season.

Based on the list of Xeon Sandy Bridge E processors set to launch later this year, it seems likely that Apple will target the E5-2620, E5-2650 and E5-2670 for the dual-processor configurations of the Mac Pro, offering options of 12 or 16 cores in those configurations. Single-processor configuration would likely also be made available using other chips.

Apple has launched a new charitable matching program for its employees, with the company offering to match employees' personal charitable contributions up to $10,000 per year. The program is currently limited to full-time U.S. employees, with plans to expand it to other countries over time. The new program was announced today in a company-wide email sent by new Apple CEO Tim Cook and provided to MacRumors.

Team:

I am very happy to announce that we are kicking off a matching gift program for charitable donations. We are all really inspired by the generosity of our co-workers who give back to the community and this program is going to help that individual giving go even farther.

Starting September 15, when you give money to a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Apple will match your gift dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000 annually. This program will be for full-time employees in the US at first, and we'll expand it to other parts of the world over time.

Thank you all for working so hard to make a difference, both here at Apple and in the lives of others. I am incredibly proud to be part of this team.

If you'd like more information on the program, you can get it on HRWeb, which can be easily accessed through AppleWeb.

Tim

An Apple spokesperson has confirmed to MacRumors that the program is indeed now in place.

Steve Jobs' lack of a public record of philanthropy was highlighted just last week, with U2 singer Bono coming to Jobs' defense and noting that Apple has contributed "tens of millions of dollars" to the (Product)RED campaign against AIDS.

Artist's rendition of iPhone 5 with 3.7" display

Suppliers in the iPhone 5 supply chain in Taiwan have geared up production recently with volume shipments of the new Apple smartphones to begin soon. Production of iPhone 5s at OEM maker Foxconn Electronics has reportedly reached 150,000 units per day, according to industry sources.

Lens maker Largan Precision, touch panel maker TPK Holding, reinforced glass supplier G-Tech Optoelectronics and battery vendors Simplo and Dynapack are all operating at full swing currently, the sources indicated.

iPhone 5 shipments are said to be set to reach 5-6 million for the month of September and over 22 million for the fourth quarter of the year. Interestingly, the report notes that while Pegatron has reportedly been tabbed to handle about 15% of the iPhone 5 production load, the company may not begin deliveries until next year.

The report makes no mention of any distinction between the iPhone 5 and the so-called "iPhone 4S", as some sources have indicated that Apple will introduce both a revamped iPhone 5 as well as a cheaper device codenamed "N94" based on the existing iPhone 4 design. Apple has already had considerable success with its cheaper iPhone models carried over from previous model cycles, as evidenced by the fact that the iPhone 3GS continues to rank as the second-best selling smartphone in the United States, behind the iPhone 4.

Details on the iPhone 5 remain scarce, with conflicting information pointing to either an only slightly larger display of up to around 3.7 inches on a device similar in size to the iPhone 4 or a significantly larger but thinner device with a display likely around 4 inches.

Even as Apple is still in the early stages of the planning process for its new corporate campus in Cupertino, California, it appears that the company has acknowledged that even that mammoth 13,000-employee complex probably won't be sufficient and that it will likely begin planning on a third campus once "Apple Campus 2" is up and running in 2015. News of the company's plans comes from Cupertino mayor Gilbert Wong, who spoke with the San Jose Mercury News (via The Next Web).

And just like a new gadget, the company may not be done upgrading. Wong said Apple executives have told him the company is expanding so fast that it expects to start working on Apple Campus 3 at an unknown location after they finish the second headquarters in 2015. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on plans for a third campus.

Planning for the new "spaceship" campus is continuing to move forward, with Cupertino set to hold a public scoping hearing regarding the project's environmental impact report tonight. Apple is reportedly requesting 13 separate approvals from the city in connection with the project, with Apple hoping to receive final approval by late 2012. That schedule would see construction begin on the new 2.8 million square foot circular main building in 2013, with an opening targeted for 2015. The campus will also include a separate 25,000 square foot fitness center, 1,000 seat auditorium, a parking garage, an energy center, and several ancillary buildings devoted to research and development.

In a curious development first noticed in Apple's European online stores yesterday, shipping estimates for many of Apple's products have suddenly been extended, suggesting low supplies of these models. The changes showed up in the U.S. online store as well today, indicating that the issues are not specific to the company's European distribution channel.

Tightening supplies are sometimes an indicator of Apple drawing down existing inventory ahead of product refreshes, but the extended shipping estimates are showing up on nearly all of Apple's products, many of which are not expected to see an imminent refresh. Current shipping estimates in the U.S. online store include:

- iPhone 4: 1-3 business days
- iPad 2: 2-3 weeks
- iPod touch: 3-5 days (8 GB and 32 GB), 1-3 days (64 GB)
- iPod nano: 3-5 days
- iPod shuffle: 1-2 weeks
- iPod classic: 1-3 days
- Apple TV: 3-5 days

- MacBook Air: 3-5 days
- MacBook Pro: 3-5 days for all models except low-end 13-inch, which remains at 24 hours
- iMac: 3-5 days
- Mac Pro: 3-5 days for all models except 12-core, which is at 2-4 days

Only the Mac mini appears unaffected by the extended shipping times, with all stock configuration of the Mac mini continuing to ship within 24 hours, Apple's usual goal for order turnaround. Shipping estimates do occasionally increase on certain products from time, but this type of across-the-board increase is very unusual for Apple.

Update: Shipping estimates on all main Mac, iOS, and traditional iPod products in the U.S. online store have returned to "within 24 hours", with the exception of the 12-core Mac Pro, which remains at 2-4 business days.

Bloomberg reports on an interesting twist in the ever-growing patent dispute between Apple and handset manufacturers supporting Google's Android operating system. According to the report, HTC today filed a new patent lawsuit against Apple and amended an earlier complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), citing nine patents that had previously been held by Google and assigned to HTC just last week.

The four patents cited in the new lawsuit were initially held by Motorola, but apparently passed to Google sometime over the past year before being transferred to HTC. Google is of course currently attempting to acquire Motorola Mobility in a bid to add a hardware component to its existing software program in the competitive smartphone market.

The other five patents added to the earlier ITC complaint originated at Palm and Openwave Systems before being obtained by Google. Google then transferred those patents to HTC last week.

The nine patents originated with Palm Inc., Motorola Inc. and Openwave Systems Inc., with Google taking ownership within the past year, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records. Mountain View, California-based Google recorded transfer of the patents to HTC on Sept. 1, according to the agency’s website.

HTC sued Apple today in federal court in Delaware, claiming infringement of four of those patents that originally were issued to Motorola. Taoyuan, Taiwan-based HTC also amended a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, alleging infringement of three patents first issued to Openwave and two others originally owned by Palm.

Apple has of course filed lawsuits and ITC complaints against a number of Android handset manufacturers, many of which have retaliated with their own lawsuits. But Google has stayed out of the immediate fray, although it has noted that it will support its hardware partners in their disputes. This direct transfer of patents from Google to HTC in order to provide HTC with additional ammunition in its fight against Apple seems to be the clearest evidence yet of that effort.

Japanese site Mac Otakara reports that Apple may be finishing up work on a new version of its Logic professional audio software, with the new version being named Logic Pro X. According to a rough English translation provided alongside the original Japanese-language report, a source familiar with the status of the project appears to report that the news comes from a source involved in a "customer interview" with Apple's Logic team.

The report indicates that Apple will be discontinuing the Soundtrack Pro component of Logic Studio with the update, which would mirror the move taken with the release of Final Cut Pro X earlier this year. Soundtrack Pro 3 had been offered with both Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio, but is no longer included as part of the Final Cut Pro X application set.

As far as other Logic Studio components, Logic Pro X is also said to fold some of the existing production tools such as WaveBurner directly into the core Logic Pro application. MainStage, Apple's software for bringing virtual instruments and effects to live performances, is reportedly set to be spun out as a separate standalone application.

The report does not specify how Apple plans to distribute Logic Pro X, although it seems reasonable to assume that it would be a Mac App Store release like Final Cut Pro X. MainStage would likely also be offered via the Mac App Store much as Motion and Compressor are offered separately from Final Cut Pro.

No rumored release date for Logic Pro X is given in the report, with the only concrete detail being that Apple will not be incorporating a GarageBand-style user interface for the revamped application, likely sticking to a more complex interface more appropriate for the professional-level nature of the software.

Apple launched Logic Pro 9 as part of a revamped Logic Studio suite in mid-2009, and brought 64-bit compatibility to the software in early 2010 in the form of Logic Pro 9.1.