A Bunch Of Models Rocked Google Glasses At New York Fashion Week

Google took its presence at New York Fashion Week to a new level yesterday when it invaded the Diane von Furstenberg runway.

The company, which has live streamed shows from The Tents at Lincoln Center on YouTube for a few seasons now, gave the Furstenberg team glasses in carrot orange, white, and turquoise to use for the show.

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, walked with von Furstenberg during her finale — showing off the glasses.

"Beauty, style and comfort are as important to Glass as the latest technology," Brin said in a statement. "We are delighted to bring Glass to the runway together with DVF.”

New iPhone 5 'won't include' Samsung chips or screen::

Samsung is most definitely not in Apple’s good books following their defeat in a California court last month, and now the two appear to have fallen out over pricing for the Samsung memory chips Apple uses in its iPhone, with Apple replacing the memory chips and screens with non-Samsung products in its first batch of iPhone 5 smartphones.

The first batch of new iPhones, expected to launch this month, will not include memory chips or displays supplied by Samsung, according to reports.

Bloomberg writes that its unnamed source revealed that the switch is due to a because of a disagreement about pricing.

However, Apple will still be using the A-series of processors from Samsung to power the device expected to launch on 12 September, and according to Reuters sources, Samsung still remains on the list of suppliers for the new iPhone.

Reuters sources claim that the reasoning behind the move has nothing to do with the Apple verses Samsung patent dispute. Instead, it is in line with Apple's plan to diversify its supply chain.

Seoul-based NH Investment & Securities Co analyst Lee Sun Tae told Bloomberg: “Apple doesn’t like to be dependent on Samsung - there’s no question about it.” However, they added: “There’s only so much volume Apple can get from other vendors. They will probably have to come back to Samsung later on.”

However, The Wall Street Journal suggests that the reason behind the switch is the escalating disputes between the two technology giants. Daishin Securities analyst John Park told them: “Apple started to lessen its dependence on Samsung for components since the latter half of last year when the two were fighting to win the spot for the world's largest provider of smartphones. But Apple's move to diversify its component vendors likely accelerated since early this year when the Apple-Samsung patent litigation escalated."

According to research by Sanford C. Bernstein, the new screen technology in the new iPhone will be provided by LG, Sharp and Japan Display KK, reports Bloomberg. The smaller screens that will appear in the iPad mini when it launches in October will come from AU Optronics and LG, according to that report.  

According to a Korean Economic Daily report (via Apple Insider), Toshiba, Elpida Memory and SK Hynix will provide the memory chips.

Earlier this year when Apple was reported to have secured chips from Elpida, the news wiped $10 billion of Samsung’s market cap.

According to Bloomberg data, Apple is Samsung’s largest customer, accounting for 9% of its revenue.

Samsung is the manufacturer of the A-series of processors – the A4 and A5 chips that Apple designs in-house and uses as the heart of the iPad and iPhone.

Gartner estimates that Apple will spend around $2.1 billion on these A-series chips this year.

DigiTimes has previously reported that Apple is tied into a contract with Samsung regarding the A6 processor, and won’t be able to drop its chip orders until 2014.

The Apple versus Samsung trial could cost Samsung far more than the $1bn the company is supposed to pay Apple for infringing its patents.

Apple Now Worth More Than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Facebook Put Together!

As of the market opening this morning, Apple was worth more than four of the leading tech titans combined: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Facebook! That’s some serious punch that AAPL is packing! Yowza!

Twitter user @counternotions put the matter into perspective in a very eye opening manner:

Visualized: Apple, The World’s Largest Company (Infographic):

It’s been an incredible year so far for Apple – especially considering that much of the tech industry isn’t really doing so well! Their growth has been spectacular, and they are now the largest company in the world (and the most valuable company ever, if inflation isn’t figured in!).

The folks at Statista (via Mashable) have put together a great infographic visualizing Apple’s impressive stature. Check it out below (click to expand)!

Everything We Think We Know About Apple’s Next-Gen iPhone:

There has been no shortage of rumors regarding Apple’s anticipated next-gen iPhone, with numerous reports claiming to reveal details about the device and its expected launch date. But what should we really expect? Here’s what we think we know so far.

What’s in a Name?

Will Apple’s next iPhone be called the iPhone 5, or will it follow in the iPad’s footsteps and be called “The new iPhone?” Or will Apple call it something else entirely? Considering how Apple changed the naming scheme for the iPad to just “iPad” (The new iPad), I’m betting they’ll do something similar for the iPhone.

What do you think Apple will call it?

Taller 4-Inch Display

Among the most persistant claims about Apple next-gen iPhone is that it will include a taller 4-inch display in 16×9 form, meaning that the next iPhone would be taller, but not wider. There have been a lot of credible sources reporting this at this point (Reuters, WSJ, Bloomberg, and others). I’d say it’s practically a given. In fact, iOS 6 automatically scales itself to a taller display.

It’s also worth noting that the rumored resolution of the taller display (640 x 1136) would qualify it as a Retina display as much as the iPhone 4 and 4S are considered to have Retina displays. Apple has also been rumored to use new “in cell touch” display technology, allowing a thinner display that uses slightly less power.

Again, this makes a lot of sense, and I have no reason to doubt Apple might make such a move. It’s also worth noting that Sharp claims to have already begun shipping thinner displays for the device! Check out this concept post to get an idea of what apps will look like on the taller screen.

Design

There have been more part leaks surrounding this year’s next-gen iPhone than I have ever seen for any Apple product. Even more interesting, most of those part leaks all seem to agree on details, such as that the new iPhone will have a two-tone metallic back, and will feature Apple’s tiny new micro-SIM standard.

Broad consensus of reports and part leaks also suggest that the next iPhone will be thinner (likely just 7.6mm thin!), feature a relocated headphone jack and FaceTime camera, and include a smaller dock connector. TheTechBlock has also provided some excellent analysis on the next-gen iPhone design, and why it has a two-tone back.

Features and Specs

• 4G LTE - LTE data support for the iPhone has long been rumored, and the fact that Apple brought LTE to the iPad this year made the matter seem even more likely. Reports from numerous credible sources also suggest this will be the case, and the fact that the next iPhone has a slightly higher voltage and increased battery capacity serves as the icing on the LTE cake.

• Smaller Dock Connector - This one’s also practically  given, considering the number of credible reports and part leaks. While there has been some debate about how many pins the smaller dock connector will have, virtually every report so far agrees that the next iPhone will have a smaller dock connector of some sort. Apple is also rumored to be making an adapter so that the new iPhone can be used with older devices.  Reports on the number of pins have ranged from 8 pins to 19 pins, although the most recent reports (and aninteresting part leak) seem to settle on 9 pins.  iOS 6 also references a 9-pin dock connector.
• Faster Processor and More RAM - while no specific claims have been made about the processor in the next-gen iPhone, it’s a fairly safe assumption that they will include a faster chip with more RAM in the device, as is the annual custom. BGR has also reported that the device will feature 1GB of RAM.
• NFC - Another persistant rumor is that the new iPhone will have Near-Field Communications technology, which could enable users to make contactless payments for the device. There hasn’t been as much to support this claim, butprototypes have reportedly included NFC support, and there have been a few notable reports.
• Improved Camera – Apple has improved the built-in cameras in each new iPhone release since the very beginning. It’s very likely that they’ll do the same with the ‘iPhone 5′.
• It Will Still Have a Home Button - all indications this far indicate that the next iPhone will have a home button. It will not be powered strictly by gestures, or be touch sensitive, as previous rumors have suggested.

iOS 6

Apple’s next-gen iPhone will almost certainly ship with iOS 6, which boasts a number of new features, including an all-new Maps app, Apple’s Passbook app, enhancements to Siri, and a whole host of other features and improvements. If Apple keeps with tradition, Apple will release iOS 6 at least a few days before they launch the new iPhone.

Production

Numerous reports from big-name sources, including The Wall Street Journal, indicate that production is already well underway, which is to be expected if Apple does indeed plan to release the device in September.

Release

This is yet another area in which a large number of mainstream outlets and other credible sources all agree. According to reports, Apple will announce the next iPhone on September 12th, possibly alongside the smaller 7.85-inch iPad. Pre-orders are expected to become available that same day, and the device is expected to be released on September 21. AT&T reportedly also expects a late-September launch.

What About the iPhone 4 and 4S?

When Apple released the iPhone 4S last October, the reduced the price of the iPhone 4 to $99, and the iPhone 3GS became free on contract. I anticipate that they will do the same this year: The iPhone 4S will drop to $99, and the iPhone 4 will become free on contract.

Farewell, iPhone 3GS!

Once the next-gen iPhone is released, there’s no good reason for Apple to keep the iPhone 3GS around any longer. I expect that it will go the way of the Dodo (although iOS 6 will apparently be supported on the 3GS). I don’t have a source to back this up, but it seems extremely likely.

Wrapping it Up

While nothing is known for certain about the next-gen iPhone, its features or design, its announcement, launch date, or anything else until Apple officially confirms the details, there are a number of fairly safe bets about such things.

Even so, keep in mind that everything (and we mean everything) should be considered rumor at this point. We’ll keep you updated as we hear more!

Also, if you’d like to get a head start on planning for the next iPhone, check out our guide on when and where to sell your old iPhone!

Next-Gen iPhone Preorders to Begin September 12:

While it’s already widely expected that Apple will announce their next iPhone onSeptember 12th, a new report from Rene Ritchie of iMore claims that Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the device on the 12th as well.

iMore:

A couple of weeks ago iMore reported that Apple would be holding their iPhone 5 event on September 12, 2012. We’ve since learned that iPhone 5 pre-orders are currently planned to begin that same day, at least in the U.S. Release is still planned for 9 days later, on September 21, 2012.

iMore is typically an accurate source of such information, although opening pre-orders for an iPhone the same day of release would be a unique move for Apple. Last year, Apple began offering iPhone 4S pre-orders three days after the device was announced. The report also notes that the next-gen iPhone’s initial international launch will take place in early October.

Apple’s next iPhone is just one month away from being announced, and anticipation couldn’t be higher! As always, we’ll keep you informed of new information as it becomes available.

Samsung’s Dismal Tablet Sales Figures Compared to the iPad::

Just one more interesting nugget of information that has been mined as a result of Apple and Samsung sales figures that are being made public during their trial this week: Samsung Galaxy Tab sales figures in the United States are really dismal when compared to the iPad.

AllThingsD:

From the fourth quarter of 2010 through the middle of 2012, Samsung sold 1.4 million Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets, generating $644 million in revenue. Over the same time period, Apple sold 29.7 million iPads, generating $14.8 billion.

The numbers show that Samsung sold fewer tablets over that entire seven-quarter period than Apple did in its worst sales quarter. Samsung’s revenue for that same period was less than 5 percent of what Apple generated.