MacRumors

Earlier today, we noted that Case-Mate cases for the redesigned "iPhone 5" had appeared in AT&T's inventory database. The addition yielded the interesting observation that AT&T is apparently placing orders for the cases despite the growing feeling that Apple may not be releasing such a device and instead releasing only the "iPhone 4S" design that is nearly identical to the iPhone 4.

We now have evidence that cases for the rumored iPhone 5 redesign have already begun arriving at AT&T retail stores, as one reader has sent us alleged photos of iPhone 5 silicone sleeves that appear to have arrived at his AT&T store today. Like other cases for the rumored redesign of the iPhone 5, these cases appear to show a tapered design and the mute switch moved to the opposite side of the device.

Third-party cases continue to be essentially the only evidence in favor of a redesigned iPhone 5 even as evidence for the iPhone 4S continues to mount in the form of parts leaks, inventory database listings, and other reports from sources.

Although hope for the redesigned iPhone 5 seen through third-party case designs is waning as evidence continues to stack up for the "iPhone 4S" design and no sign of the larger, tapered iPhone 5, that hasn't halted interest in the iPhone 5 design.

And while we took a stab at some renderings of a potential iPhone 5 based on the case designs, benm.at has now taken things a significant step further and created a physical mockup of the device.

Based on CAD designs, hardware components, several leaked hints, cases and recent, believable mockups we created a three-dimensional computer model. This virtual model was then used to build a very detailed, true prototype that you can hold in your own two hands.

The process to create this prototype is the same that’s used to create the iPad. The back was machined from a sold block of aluminium, which was later treated with glass pearls to get the same slightly rough touch that we already know from the iPad.

The mockup offers an excellent view of what the rumored iPhone 5 design might look like, and while the actual device may not be making an appearance next week, it is possible that the design may have been from a prototype that Apple could be working toward for a future generation of the iPhone.

It has taken nearly two years, but CNET reports that an appeals court has ruled in favor of Apple in its lawsuit against Psystar, a company that began selling unauthorized Mac clones back in 2008.

Circuit Judge Mary Schroeder ruled yesterday that Psystar's Mac clones violated copyrights Apple holds, and its ban on sales will be upheld. According to Judge Schroeder, Psystar specifically violated copyrights Apple holds in Mac OS X, and said that the U.S. District Court's ruling in favor of Apple was just.

Apple was awarded a permanent injunction against Psystar in December 2009, but Psystar appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit a month later.

Psystar was unusually defiant in its stance against Apple given the threat it faced from the substantially larger company, and extended its legal efforts well beyond what most small companies would typically be willing to engage in. Those efforts lead Apple to suggest that Psystar could have been part of a conspiracy with the backing of a larger entity attempting to break open Apple's stranglehold on Mac OS X systems, but no concrete evidence of such a connection has ever been exposed.

Yesterday, word surfaced that entries for revised iPhone 4 models had appeared in Apple's inventory database, but at the time there was no sign of new iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 models.

9to5Mac now reports that entries for an iPhone identified as "N94" have indeed appeared in the database, courtesy of reliable source "Mr. X". The N94 iPhone has been the subject of numerous parts leaks that have revealed it to be iPhone 4-like in appearance, with the device having been rumored to be called the iPhone 4S.

With one of higher-end models of the N94 iPhone listed in the database with a model number of MD234, the developments may lend credence to a leaked photo of what was claimed to be a label for the white 16 GB iPhone 4S. That label, which surfaced on a Chinese forum yesterday, refers to the lower-end device as model number MD239.

That label, presuming it is genuine, also makes reference to both IMEI and MEID numbers, which would indicate that the device is indeed a world-mode phone capable of operating on GSM (IMEI number) and CDMA (MEID number) networks.

There continues to be no sign of the rumored redesigned iPhone 5 that has been the subject of much discussion since case designs based on a leaked design document began appearing several months ago.

Mr. X also indicates that Apple's iPod touch line may be seeing some price drops next week, at least in international markets. It is unknown exactly what price points the iPod touch will come in at in the United States, as it is unclear how much of the international price adjustment is due to currency fluctuation and how much might be due to an actual price cut.

The report suggests, however, that the entry-level 8 GB iPod touch could come in at $199 or below, down from its current $229 price point. The iPod touch is expected to see only very minor updates next week, with the addition of white models, improved ambient light sensors, and oleophobic coatings for the displays being the primary changes.

Dow Jones Newswires and Bloomberg report on testimony from Apple patent portfolio manager Chip Lutton as part of the Australian dispute between Apple and Samsung, revealing that Steve Jobs personally initiated contact with Samsung in 2010 in an attempt to head off the conflict before it headed into the courts.

Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Inc. (AAPL), initiated contact with rival Samsung Electronics Co. in July 2010 to try to resolve a patent dispute that has since become a legal battle on four continents, an Australian court was told.

Jobs wasn’t involved once the ultimately unsuccessful talks over the Galaxy smartphone began, Richard Lutton, a senior director at Apple and the company’s patent attorney, told Federal Court in Sydney today.

“Samsung is an important supplier with whom we have a deep relationship,” Lutton testified in response to questioning by Samsung lawyer David Catterns. “We wanted to give them a chance to do the right thing.”

Apple is seeking an injunction against Samsung preventing the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia. Samsung has agreed to delay the device's launch several times as the injunction is being considered by the court, and today's reports note that Samsung has offered to make some concessions such as eliminating a feature designed to recognize and ignore accidental touch input. The judge in the case has indicated that she plans to offer a decision next week on a preliminary injunction against Samsung, which would remain in effect as a full hearing potentially lasting several months is conducted.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara reports (via MacPost) that a China Unicom executive apparently confirmed during a presentation at this week's Macworld Asia that the "iPhone 5" set to be announced next week will indeed support HSPA+ sometimes-called "4G" technology, offering a maximum theoretical data speed of 21 Mbps (up from 7.2Mbps). A slide showing the information was photographed by Japanese site PC Watch.

Japanese IT news site "PC Watch" tells that, Research vice president of China Unicom, Huan Wenliang, told iPhone 5 will support W-CDMA based high-speed data transfer standard HSPA Evolution "HSPA+" (21Mbps) at keynote speech in Macworld Asia 2011.

Many had been hoping that the next iPhone would support the even faster LTE 4G standard that has begun rolling out on a number of carriers, but rumors have consistently suggested that Apple will hold back on supporting the technology until appropriate chips of acceptable size and power consumption are available to meet Apple's needs. Apple has historically been conservative in adopting the latest cellular network technologies, having elected to release the original iPhone as an EDGE-only device even as many carriers were already rolling out 3G technology.

Claims of the iPhone 5 supporting HSPA+ surfaced earlier this year, with many noting that the move would result in a significant network speed difference between AT&T and Verizon/Sprint customers in the United States. AT&T has rolled out the intermediary HSPA+ technology as a bridge to LTE, and has been calling HSPA+ "4G" in its marketing -- though many believe "3.5G" is a more accurate description. So, existing AT&T iPhone 4 owners upgrading should be able to see a speed boost if they live in a supported area. In comparison, Verizon's data speeds max out a theoretical maximum of 3.1 Mbps. Meanwhile, true 4G (LTE) support for both Verizon and AT&T is not expected until the 2012 iPhone model at the earliest.

Qualcomm's world-mode MDM6600 chip found in the Verizon/CDMA iPhone 4 already supports 14.4 Mbps HSPA+, but the device itself is limited to CDMA networks.

China Unicom is Apple's current carrier partner for the iPhone in China, although China Mobile and China Telecom are also working hard to secure the ability to offer the device.

Ever since Apple released its first Thunderbolt-equipped machines earlier this year, reports have been surfacing from a number of users complaining about flickering issues on company's 24-inch LED Apple Cinema Display when used with the new Thunderbolt-equipped machines.

Apple has apparently quietly released a firmware fix for the issue, although the update has not been publicly announced and its existence appears to have only been revealed to a small number of customers who have escalated their issues through Apple's support systems.

A link (.dmg download) to the firmware update was posted to Apple's discussion forums earlier today, and a number of users who have applied the update have reported at least initial success with addressing the flickering issues. Users report having to reboot their systems and power cycle their displays in order for the displays to function properly after applying the update.

From the description included in the download file:

The 24-inch LED Cinema Display Firmware Update addresses an issue that may cause intermittent display flickering. This firmware will only install on the Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display when it is connected to a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac.

IMPORTANT:
This firmware update may not resolve the flickering issue if a Mini DisplayPort extender cable is used.

NOTE:
Some USB and FireWire devices may prevent firmware updates from installing correctly; disconnect non-essential devices and use only an Apple keyboard and mouse to apply the update.

Full instructions for installing the firmware update are also included in the documentation.

It is unclear why Apple has yet to publicly issue the firmware update for all 24-inch Apple Cinema Display users, and thus users should exercise caution in deciding whether to apply the update and prefer to check with Apple support regarding their specific issues.

Apple introduced the 24-inch LED Cinema Display in October 2008 and officially discontinued the model in July 2010 when Apple consolidated its display offerings with the 27-inch LED Cinema Display as its sole offering. Apple did, however, continue to sell off its remaining stock of 24-inch displays for a number of weeks after the official discontinuation.

Update: Apple appears to have pulled the firmware update without explanation.

Late yesterday, we reported that Apple appeared set to launch iTunes Music Store offerings in ten new countries, all from the European Union, "at any time". Reports are now flowing in from users in those countries that the music offerings have been gradually going live over the past few hours and are now essentially fully functional.

Contrary to the earlier report from Polish media, all twelve European Countries that had been without iTunes Music Store access now appear to be offering music content to customers. The list of countries includes Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Apple is also making other expansions to its iTunes Store content offerings today, with reports coming in from a number of European countries where users are seeing their first movie downloads available for rental and purchase and the first paid content coming to the iBookstore.

Update: Pigs, Gourds, and Wikis reports that the iBookstore expansion includes 25 new countries, and authors and publishers are now able to select the new countries where they wish to distribute their works in iTunes Connect.

Christian Peters just alerted me to the fact that he can choose Spain as a market for his books on the iBookstore. Before today, you could only choose US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, and Canada.

Now, you can add twenty-five new markets for your iBooks: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Replublic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portgal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.

iFixit has managed to get its hands on one of Apple's new Thunderbolt displays, subjecting it to one of the firm's usual thorough teardowns. iFixit was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to disassemble the new display, and upon opening found a considerable amount of hardware inside to support the display and the docking station functions included in the package.

Both sides of the logic board are packed with enough chips that it’s hard to believe there’s no computer inside this display. Standouts include:

- Pericom PI7C9X440SL PCIe-to-USB 2.0 host controller
- L129NB11 EFL, which looks to be the Thunderbolt port controller
- Analog Devices ADAV4601 audio processor
- NXP LPC2144 USB 2.0 microcontroller
- Delta LFE9249 10/100/1000 Base-T LAN filter
- SMSC USB2517-JZX USB 2.0 hub controller
- Maxim MAX9736B Mono/Stereo high-power Class D amplifier
- LSI L-FW643E-2 open host controller interface
- Broadcom BCM57761 Gigabit ethernet controller
- Supertex HV9982 3-channel switch-mode LED driver IC

The display also includes an integrated 49-watt, 2.1-speaker sound system with a small 1-inch subwoofer, as well as a 720p FaceTime camera and integrated microphone.

As for the display itself, iFixit discovered an LG LM270WQ1 panel inside, the same as that used in Apple's Late 2009 27-inch iMac. Interestingly, the Thunderbolt cable carrying signal to the display is connected to an actual Thunderbolt port mounted on the logic board rather than hardwiring the cable directly to the logic board. The Thunderbolt cable is secured to the logic board port with a cover screwed down on top of the connector.

We chatted with iFixit's Miro Djuric about the curious observation that Mini DisplayPort displays can not be daisy chained off of an Apple Thunderbolt Display unless another Thunderbolt device is placed between the two displays in the chain, but the teardown unfortunately does not reveal the source of this limitation.

Some speculation has centered around the possibility that a single Thunderbolt controller chip may not have the ability to output the display signal required for both the included display panel and a connected Mini DisplayPort display panel. A separate Thunderbolt chip, such as one found in an intermediary peripheral device, may be required to generate the signal for the Mini DisplayPort panel at the end of the chain.

Update: AnandTech last week provided a good technical explanation of the daisy chaining limitations.

If you connect a Mac to the Thunderbolt Display what is sent is a Thunderbolt signal. DisplayPort is broken off and sent to the display but there's no way to propagate an additional DisplayPort signal to any other non-TB displays in the chain. The output on the Thunderbolt Display is literally a Thunderbolt output, it can't double as DisplayPort.

However, if you connect another Thunderbolt device that uses Light Ridge you can split any additional DisplayPort signals out of the chain. In other words, if you connect the Thunderbolt Display to a Promise Pegasus you can then chain on another DP panel.

(Thanks, @foresmac)

A new survey proffers the debatable conclusion that 41 percent of US consumers plan to buy the iPhone 5 according to mobile ad company InMobi. According to the survey, 50 percent of those planning to buy the next iPhone will do so within the first six months. It is expected that the iPhone will be made available to Sprint's 52 million customers, opening a new market to the smartphone for the first time.

From PaidContent:

If consumers put their money where their mouths are, these numbers could go a long way to bumping up Apple’s overall market share in the UK and the U.S.. According to figures from Kantar Worldpanel, in Q2 Apple had an 18.3 percent share of the UK smartphone market; another research group, comScore, puts it around 20 percent. If people follow through with their purchasing intent, InMobi says this share would go up to 40 percent. In the U.S., the market share would grow to 41 percent.

Other surveys have shown similar demand for the next iPhone, with very high "intent-to-buy" numbers.

However, InMobi notes that if Apple releases a mere product update -- perhaps called the iPhone 4S -- rather than a full product redesign, significantly fewer consumers will purchase the updated phone. If Apple is planning to release a completely redesigned iPhone 5, the company has kept it quiet. There have been very few solid leaks about the next-generation iPhone, aside from the release of some speculative teardrop-style case designs.

PaidContent has much more detail on the survey and its results.

9to5Mac reports that reliable source "Mr. X" has revealed that Apple has added a number of new entries for revised iPhone 4 and iPod touch models to its internal inventory database.

According to the report, three new iPod touch models have appeared under the codename N81A, which it presumes to be the new white iPod touch in three different capacities. The black iPod touch is expected to continue to be offered under the current N81 codename.

This information lines up with what we reported last week, indicating that only minor updates to the iPod touch are expected. MacRumors can indeed confirm that N81A is the codename for the white iPod touch, and that Apple will be continuing to use N81 for the black iPod touch.

Apple is expected to make the black iPod touch update a quiet one, utilizing the same internal codename and SKU as the current line but with only minor changes such as an improved ambient light sensor and the addition of an oleophobic coating to reduce fingerprint smudging on the device's screen. Our information suggests that Apple has been targeting an availability date of October 13th or 14th for the new iPod touch models, although that has apparently been a bit of a shifting target.

Apple's iPhone 4 revisions appearing in its inventory database are marked as N90A, a minor change over the existing N90 device that is the current GSM iPhone 4. The CDMA iPhone 4 carries the codename N92. Two new N90A models have appeared in the database, with the report suggesting that they are tweaked low-end iPhone 4 units in white and black, potentially coming in at 8 GB. The "iPhone 4S" that has been seen in a number of parts leaks and bearing a nearly identical appearance to the iPhone 4 has been carrying a codename of N94 and has not yet appeared in Apple's inventory database.

One more piece to the puzzle comes from our previous information, which had indicated that Apple was also preparing a minor update to the iPod nano. Our information indicates that the revised iPod nano will carry a codename of N20A, differentiating it from the current N20 sixth-generation iPod nano. Apple has also been rumored to be discontinuing the iPod classic and iPod shuffle.