Development

When I read the news this morning that Motorola had acquired facial and gesture recognition company Viewdle, the first thing that crossed my mind was, "Here comes multi-user profiles for Android."

Why? Because it's the next logical step for the platform, and one that could help differentiate it from Apple. That, and it's something for which I'm really hoping. Assuming I read the tea leaves properly, future versions of Android will introduce the capability to unlock a device with your face that leads to individual profile settings. … Read more

Apple could be shelling out $167.50 to make each 16GB iPhone 5.

At least that's according to an initial estimate calculated by research firm UBM TechInsights. Looking at the entry-level iPhone 5, the firm broke down the potential cost of each of the various components.

The new 4-inch 1136x640 pixel display costs $18 to build, the touch screen $7.50, and the battery $3. The A6 processor goes for $28, while the camera costs $10 and the built-in WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS is only $4. Add in the cost of several other components, and you end up with a … Read more

The iPhone 5 will leave a trail of winners and losers across the mobile technology landscape, says J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskwitz.

Apple is expected to challenge other handset makers with the new phone's battery performance, screen size, and form factor, Moskowitz said in an investors note released today. Whereas larger rival 4G LTE phones have been called "battery hogs" and "pocket hogs," the iPhone 5 is expected to sidestep such labels and tear market share from other phone makers.

An LTE-enabled iPhone will join a host of other 4G phones offering high data … Read more

The iPhone 5's much-rumored new dock connector is as small as a Micro-USB plug, at least according to French tech blog site NowhereElse.fr (English translation).

Photos of a Micro-USB cable and photos of the new dock connector cable supplied by an anonymous source to the French site show the similarities between the two, most notably in size.

Rumors have floated over the past few months that Apple would reduce the size of the current 30-pin connector used on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Initial reports said the new size would use 19 pins, but later reports pointed to … Read more

Apple iPhone 5 sales could climb as high as 10 million, and that's just in the device's first week, says Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

The iPhone maker sent out invitations yesterday to a product event on September 12 in which it's expected to launch the next-generation iPhone. Previous reports had pointed to that day and also cited Friday, September 21, as the date the phone will go on sale.

With that date in mind, an investors note released today by Munster projects iPhone 5 sales of anywhere from 6 million to 10 million. That estimate covers … Read more

Imagine a mobile phone that automatically turns off its display and sounds when it senses that it's in a movie theater.

That technology would make movie goers happy. And it could pop up in a future iPhone, at least if Apple brings its latest patent to life.

Described as an "apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device," a patent awarded today to Apple reveals a way to change aspects of a mobile device based on certain events or surroundings.

For example, the phone could disable its own noise and display if it knows … Read more

Will the iPhone 5 support mobile payments via NFC? A report out yesterday from the folks at AnandTech says no.

Alleged photos of the iPhone 5's assembly posted by Taiwan-based blog Apple.pro pointed to a part that not seen in previous photos. The dimensions of the part reportedly matched those of certain NFC chips, leading to speculation that the mystery component could be an NFC chip.

The addition of electronic ticket organizer Passbook to iOS 6 also fueled rumors that the new iPhone would let users make mobile payments using near-field communications.

But AnandTech has discounted both of … Read more

Apple has won a patent that adds another piece to the puzzle of mobile payments via near-field communications.

Dubbed "Motion based payment confirmation," the new patent details several ways to help the user confirm that a mobile transaction has actually been completed while using a mobile device like an iPhone or iPod.

One method points to a graphical element on the screen that the user can move to confirm or decline a transaction. Another method cites the use of an accelerometer to sense movement of the device and move the graphical element in response.

Artwork in the patent … Read more

The iPhone 5 will sport the usual home button, front camera, and a currently unidentified component that could be an NFC chip, according to AppleInsider.

Scouring photos posted by Taiwan-based blog Apple.pro (English translation), AppleInsider discovered a part that had not appeared in previous photos. The size of the part has lead to speculation that it could be a chip for near-field communication, or NFC.

Positioned next to the front camera, the square part matches the size of other NFC chips, such as the one made by NXP, AppleInsider noted. Of course, the photos by themselves don't prove … Read more