MacRumors

While we've already reported that new MacBook Pros are expected to launch on Thursday and reports have even surfaced claiming that sealed shipments are already on their way to retailers, it's worth noting that Apple's top-priority U.S. online store has now gotten in on the act by pushing shipment estimates for all new MacBook Pro orders out to 3-5 business days.

Apple's brick-and-mortar retail stores will of course continue to sell off any remaining stock of the current models, but the company's online distribution system has clearly dried up and any new orders placed will almost certainly be upgraded to the new models released later this week.

Some observers have questioned why Apple would release new MacBook Pros on a Thursday, as opposed to its traditional Tuesday release date. The most likely reason is related to the federal Presidents' Day holiday in the United States today. Apple generally prefers not to launch new products straight out of a weekend, in part due to ensure that media coverage is not diminished as some reporters may still be making their way back from the long weekend. Consequently, Apple has been known to deviate from its usual Tuesday and Wednesday releases in weeks with major U.S. holidays.

Others have noted that Thursday is Apple CEO Steve Jobs' 56th birthday (as well as MacRumors' own 11th birthday), which almost certainly simply makes for a nice coincidence.

Update: Some of Apple's online stores for other major markets such as the United Kingdom were not showing the uniform extended shipping estimates at the time of initial publication, but those stores have since seen their estimates similarly pushed out to 3-5 business days.

After reading the report that Apple is planning to introduce its new Light Peak-based high speed interconnect technology "soon", it struck us that Light Peak could help explain some particularly incongruous rumors we've been hearing about the iPad 2 over the past few months.

First, is the presence of a "mystery port" on early iPad 2 case designs from third-party manufacturers. The case designs have been remarkably consistent and seem to be clearly sourced from the same design document. These early design documents aren't perfect (third-generation iPod touch camera being a notable example), but early case designs have generally done a good job predicting upcoming Apple hardware. Some have tried to identify the additional port as a Mini DisplayPort connector.

Others, however, felt it may represent the rumored iPad USB port that has been predicted a couple of times (1, 2) over the past few months.

As it turns out, the Light Peak prototypes have been using hybrid USB 3 connector connectors that might easily be confused for USB. The exact connector for Light Peak hasn't been described, but it may be close enough to USB to be a case of mistaken identity in the early iPad 2 rumors. The opening for the port may be a bit small for a full-sized USB connector, though it seems feasible that the Light Peak could also adopt a mini USB style form factor as well.

We should note that this is entirely speculative, but thought it could help explain some of the loose ends we've been seeing in the iPad 2 rumors to date. The addition of a new Light Peak port alongside the existing dock connector on the iPad seems like an inelegant solution for Apple, though it's certainly no stranger than Apple adding a standard USB port to the iPad.

It should be very clear by now that Apple is launching the new MacBook Pros next Thursday, February 24th. Early part numbers were leaked and we heard confirmation that Thursday is the day.

AppleInsider now reports that resellers are being notified that they will start receiving sealed packages with the new hardware early next week. Resellers are prohibited from opening the packages until further instruction:

More specifically, the Mac maker this weekend began informing some of its larger European resellers that they could expect delivery of sealed product palettes to their brick-and-mortar stores as early as Monday, which coincides with one of ten federal holidays (President's Day) in the United States.

Both OS X Daily and Engadget are reporting that Best Buy's website inadvertently slipped the part numbers into their inventory this weekend:

While BestBuy lists prices alongside the new part numbers, we are certain that these are simply a placeholder prices (matching current MacBook Pro models) entered by Best Buy. Apple has not told resellers the prices of the new machines.

The other wildcard for next week is whether or not Apple plans on unveiling their Light Peak implementation. CNet believes it could happen soon, but isn't certain if it will be implemented in the new MacBook Pros.

One of the distinguishing features of the Verizon iPhone was the new ability for iPhones to act as a mobile wireless hotspot for other devices. This allowed customers to use their iPhone's data connection to share internet with up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as your laptop or iPad.

While AT&T hasn't publicly committed yet to providing the same wireless hotspot functionality to iOS users, we've known that iOS 4.3 (currently in beta) adds this functionality to the OS. It's simply up to each individual carrier to decide to support it. AT&T did announce support for such a mobile hotspot for other smartphones starting on February 13th, opening the door for iOS support soon behind.

One report today claimed that AT&T was just starting to offer this specifically, but many iOS 4.3 beta users have reported that the mobile wireless hotspot simply works with their existing AT&T tethering plans. The fees for AT&T's mobile hotspot service are identical to the tethering plans ($20/month, 2GB additional data).

iOS 4.3 hasn't yet been released to the public. It was originally expected to be released already, but now most signs point to late February. It seems mobile hotspot access will be available for those interested on AT&T.

CNet reports that Apple is expected to announce a "new high-speed connection technology" soon, according to a source.

Apple is expected to adopt this Intel technology in the near future--but likely use a name other than Light Peak, a source familiar with this aspect of Apple's plans said. Intel has said in the past that the first products using Light Peak should appear in the first half of 2011.

While Intel has used the name "Light Peak", Apple will apparently brand the connection under another name.

Light Peak is significantly faster than USB 3.0, which may explain Apple's reluctance to adopt that standard if Light Peak is just around the corner. It's not clear if next week's MacBook Pro announcements will be related, but there were vague hints that the MacBook Pros would have additional enhancements beyond the upgraded Sandy Bridge processors.

It appears the GigaWire trademark Apple filed back in 2001 has been abandoned, so that's not going to be it.

Patently Apple details a recent Apple patent application which describes a new Mac OS X feature called "Safe Deposit Box":

Apple's patent is about a safe deposit box for securing important user files. In one aspect, when a user drags-and-drops a file representation onto a safe deposit box icon, the file is secured. In another aspect, when a user selects the safe deposit box icon and verifies his or her identity, the user could access secured files through a safe deposit box window.

By dragging your important files into the "Safe Deposit Box", files could be automatically encrypted and hidden from access. Original copies would be securely deleted and even copied into the cloud for backup.

One of the key attributes or selling points of Apple's Safe Deposit Box Application or OS X feature is that your digital valuables could be stored "off site" or beyond the home computer to safeguard your digital valuables which could be something like a Will or Living Will, agreements, life insurance policies, home insurance policies, a simple home inventory list or video or perhaps something that's really valuable to most every iTunes fan: a copy of your iTunes Library.

There's no guarantee that Apple is planning on including this into Mac OS X Lion, but rumors have suggested that Apple is heavily investing in some sort of cloud strategy. Apple also plans to release Mac OS X Lion this summer, but has only given a small preview of some of the new features.

According to one analyst, Apple will be delivering a double resolution Retina Display to the iPad 3.

Kuo now claims that iPad 3 will deliver a Retina Display-like quality and resolution doubling to 2048x1536, an enhancement originally thought to make it into the more immediate release of iPad 2.

The iPad 2 has not even shipped yet, but The Wall Street Journal has said the 2nd generation iPad will not get a retina display. Instead, it's believed the iPad 2 will offer a thinner and anti-reflective screen for better viewing in sunlight.

Depending on who you believe, the iPad 3 may arrive as early as this September, accelerating Apple's iPad release timeframe from a 1 year to 6 month delivery schedule. Another analyst has also predicted a true Retina Display for the 3rd generation iPad, but he pegged its release in 2012.

Meanwhile, the iPad 2 is widely expected to be released by April.

Apple last updated the MacBook Pros almost one year ago with Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors. Apple has been due to refresh the MacBook Pros with the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processors which are said to be a significant improvement over last year's processors.

MacBook Pro stock has been dwindling internationally and this morning two Italian sites listed give new MacBook Pro part numbers (MC720, MC721, MC723, MC724, and MC725) that are said to represent the new updates. The new machines are said to be making their way to Italian resellers towards the end of the month with a released date of Thursday or Friday.

We've since heard reliable confirmation that this information is accurate and that the expected release date is next Thursday, February 24th. The move would be a bit unusual for Apple to launch new machines on a Thursday. So, if you are about to buy a new MacBook Pro, wait until next week.

9 to 5 Mac points to a new job listing from Apple that makes mention of the company's involvement in a variety of product lines, notably including "TV". The job listing, which interestingly contains a number of grammatical errors suggesting that it may not have been written by a native English speaker, is for an engineer to work on power supplies for Apple products.

In this position, you will be part of pride developing innovative designs, which are implemented in products used by millions of people. The position primarily involves high-density offline power supply's development for Apple's next generation Macintosh platforms spanning from notebook computers, desktop computers, servers, standalone displays and TV.

While the reference could simply be related to the company's existing Apple TV offering, some observers have been hoping that Apple will one day launch an Internet-connected television set integrating a TV screen with additional hardware to connect to iTunes and the rest of the Apple ecosystem. Consequently, the "TV" mention in the new job posting may give a glimmer of hope to those waiting for an Apple television.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has long advocated for just such a product, arguing that an integrated TV with DVR-like functionality and access to an iTunes television subscription service could offer a compelling alternative to traditional cable subscription packages. For its part, Apple has noted that it has no interest in being in the actual TV market given the difficulty of generating a profitable go-to-market strategy in a crowded industry already operating on slim profit margins. Apple executives have been known, however, to publicly dismiss ideas and products even as they were working on developing them.

Following closely on the heels of rumors of Apple pursuing a new retail store location in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is continuing its focus on the Chinese market with plans to open a new store in Shanghai that will stand as Apple's largest in that country.

The company is planning to open a new store - it's biggest in China - on Shanghai's famous Nanjing Road, an Apple spokeswoman has confirmed to China Real Time after news of the plan appeared in Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily.

The newspaper reports (in Chinese) that Ron Johnson, the company's senior vice-president of retail, said the company is now looking for bigger spaces to accommodate the crowds that routinely pack its China Apple stores, which are visited by more than 40,000 people per dayfour times the average traffic in their American stores.

The store would be Apple's third in Shanghai, with an additional two in Beijing. Johnson had noted in early 2010 that Apple was looking at opening up to 25 retail stores in China over the following 24 months, but according to today's report the company may be slowing that timetable slightly as it focuses on building larger stores than originally planned.

Apple has reported on a number of its earnings conference calls that it has targeted China for a concerted retail effort that has been paying significant dividends with explosive sales growth and retail stores that rank as the company's top performers worldwide in terms of foot traffic and sales.

Apple opened its first Shanghai location, a subterranean store bearing a landmark cylindrical glass tower on the plaza above, in the city's Pudong district last July. A second Shanghai store opened on Hong Kong Plaza in September.

A new series of claims are continuing to point to tightening supplies and an upcoming refresh of Apple's MacBook Pro line, possibly as early as late next week.

The first report [Google translation] from Italian site iSpazio claims that it has received word from an Apple employee that Apple is preparing to launch five new MacBook Pro models carrying order numbers MC720, MC721, MC723, MC724, and MC725. The five new models will reportedly span all three current MacBook Pro sizes of 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch. The new models are also said to be making their way to Apple Italy over the next few days in preparation of a launch "towards the end of this month".

Apple currently offers six standard configurations of the MacBook Pro, with two 13-inch models, three 15-inch models, and a single 17-inch model. It is unclear where a reduction to five total models would be made, although the most reasonable bet might for the 15-inch size to see a drop to only two standard configurations.

Remarkably similar information is being offered [Google translation] by another Italian site, Slide to Mac, causing us to wonder whether the same source claiming to be with Apple Italy has provided information to both sites. This second report's details include claims that Apple's schedule calls for a release on Thursday or Friday of next week and that the update will not simply be essentially a spec bump of the existing models.

Finally, we've been watching supplies of existing MacBook Pro models tighten over the past month, particularly through third-party retailers, but according to Apple Bitch, the squeeze has begun to hit some of Apple's own farther-flung retail distribution points in Asia.

Apparently websites for Apple Stores in several Asian countries have been updated today to reflect longer shipping times for the MacBook Pro. For example, the Malaysian Apple Store updated its website today to show that shipping times for the 13 inch MacBook Pro have slipped from 24 hours to 1-5 days. This is also reflected in other countries such as Hong Kong, Vietnam and Taiwan.

A current survey of some of Apple's online stores in Asia does show shipping estimates bouncing around over the past few days, with many standard configurations showing estimates of 2-4 or 3-5 business days where availability had just recently been pegged at "within 24 hours". Apple's North American and European stores are still showing immediate turnarounds on new orders.

Update: AppleInsider is also reporting that Apple appears to be gearing up for a "significant product launch" as early as next week.

Earlier this week, we noted that some observers were expressing concern over potential antitrust issues related to Apple's new App Store subscription program that forces content providers to at least offer users the option of subscribing through Apple's in-app subscriptions, which sees the company taking a 30% cut of revenue. The program also comes with restrictions preventing developers from including links to external subscription signup options within their apps and offering lower prices outside of their apps.

Any antitrust issues are likely to hinge on how the market addressed by in-app subscriptions is defined, and thus whether Apple is considered to hold a sufficiently dominant position in it that regulators might be interested in stepping in. According to The Wall Street Journal, several regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe have begun "looking at" Apple's subscription program, although the inquiries are still in an early stage that may not proceed to a formal investigation.

U.S. antitrust enforcers have begun looking at the terms Apple Inc. set this week for media companies who want to sell their content on its popular iPad and other devices, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission's interest in Apple's new subscription service is at a preliminary stage, and might not develop into either a formal investigation or any action against the company. But it comes as Apple has attracted growing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, said Thursday that the commission was aware of the new subscription service and was "carefully monitoring the situation."

While a number of content providers have expressed concern over the new policies, subscription music services appear to be the most vocal opponents at this point, arguing that their slim profit margins simply won't allow them to give Apple a 30% cut of their revenue. But regulatory experts note that government officials may be unable to tag Apple's commission rates as anticompetitive given a lack of benchmark standards in the market and an unwillingness to interfere in complex pricing decisions.

The NYTimes reports that although Apple is working on making a cheaper iPhone as well as integrating voice commands, the company is not planning on launching a smaller iPhone:

But contrary to published reports, Apple is not currently developing a smaller iPhone, according to people briefed on Apple's plans who requested anonymity because the plans are confidential.

The next generation iPhone is being worked on by Apple engineers, and according to the newspaper it is "likely to be similar in size" to the current iPhone.

A smaller screen would require developers to rewrite Apps to accommodate the new form factor -- an issue Apple hopes to avoid. Apple executives also note that they plan on dropping the price of the previous model when the new model is introduced. That means the iPhone 4 will likely take the place of the $49 iPhone 3GS when a new model is introduced.

The NYTimes piece, however, does seem to confirm some of the details given in the original Wall Street Journal report. Notably, Apple is working on making it easier to use voice commands to navigate the device. Apple is also working on changing some of the internal components to reduce costs to possibly sell versions of the iPhone at a cheaper price.

"Although the innards of the phone, including memory size or camera quality, could change to offer a less expensive model, the size of the device would not vary," said the person, who has worked on multiple versions of the device.

Meanwhile, the details of the new MobileMe also seem similar. They believe the new MobileMe would be free and allow users to wirelessly sync and access photos and files online.

Apple today seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.7, termed Build 10J858, to developers for testing. The update comes one week after the company pushed Build 10J855 to developers and has grown in size by a little over 20 MB to bring the delta update to 434.4 MB.

According to those familiar with the new build, Apple has added Safari to the list of areas in which developers are asked to concentrate their testing, joining Mac App Store, AirPort, Bonjour, SMB, and Graphics Drivers that had been included in previous builds. Once again, no known issues are listed in the documentation.

We still do not have an estimated target date for the public release of Mac OS X 10.6.7, as Apple's development cycles can be very unpredictable. This new build marks the fifth version of Mac OS X 10.6.7 to make its way into developers' hands since seeding began nearly one month ago.

There are obviously quite a few Apple retail store employees and ex-employees around, many of whom are happy to share details of what it's like to work for the company, but a new "confessions" report published by Popular Mechanics summarizes some of the more interesting points and dispels a few rumors about what employees do and do not know and how their performance is judged. Among the highlights:

- Apple retail store employees know nothing about future product releases, and find out about them only as they are publicly announced. Speculating about future products is severely frowned upon, particularly in the presence of customers.

I am asked five times per day about the next iPad or iPhone, and I quite simply don't know. But I would be in huge trouble if I said something like "The next iPad is going to have a camera." I actually avoid the technology section of the newspaper so I have no points of view to accidentally comment with or drop into conversation. I'd rather just be dumb about it.

- Retail store employees have to deal with a wide range of customers each day, including "evil" customers who scream or curse their way into replacements at the Genius Bar, "drug dealers" trying to buy iPhones with fake IDs and credit cards, gray-market exporters trying to load up on iPhones for export to other countries, and non-customers who visit Apple stores to post Facebook updates, send out live webcasts, and listen to music.

- Retail store employees are expected to sell significant numbers of add-ons such as AppleCare and MobileMe as they close sales on hardware products. The so-called "attachment rate" is very high for AppleCare, but MobileMe is reportedly generally a tough sell.

- Apple's training and motivational materials can make the company feel like a cult, and while employees aren't paid on commission, their sales performance is publicly shown to all store employees and low-performing employees are taken aside by management to attempt to find ways to increase their productivity.

All in all, there aren't any real surprises revealed in the report, but it does offer an interesting look into what it's like to work at an Apple retail store.