A finding earlier this month by OSXDaily has generated some speculation about Apple’s plans for “Retina” display Macs. The Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 released in late March included an ultra-high resolution version of the background desktop image at a resolution of 3200×3200. A few observers noted that this is higher than any Apple display has ever supported, generating speculation that Apple is preparing for “Retina” display Macs in the near future.
We had previously reported that Mac OS X Lion has made some under-the-hood changes opening the door to such super-high resolution displays.
Taking cues from iOS, Apple has reportedly built in support for what it calls “HiDPI display modes”. These HiDPI modes allow developers to supply 2x-enlarged images to support double-high resolution displays. Like the iPhone 4′s Retina Display, this means that user interface elements will remain the same size, but everything will be twice the resolution and therefore twice as detailed.
Now, MacMagazine.com.br has found that Apple is already starting to include other super high resolution artwork in Lion. They found several icons stored as 1024×1024 sizes, up from a previous maximum of 512×512.
Click for full-size
Of course, this support for super high resolution displays is only the first step, but suggests Apple is planning ahead when the hardware becomes available.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
Former Engadget editor Joshua Topolsky has revealed possible new information on the upcoming iPhone 5, but that information seems to contradict other recent claims. Topolsky reiterates from his previous Engadget report that the next iPhone is to be completely redesigned, and that it looks more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 4. The new phone will be thinner and have a “teardrop” shape which goes from thick to thin, similar to the MacBook Air.
Meanwhile, the home button will be doing “double duty” as both a button and and a gesture area.
this falls in line with testing weve seen for gestures on the iPad, and our sources say that gestures are definitely coming in a future version of iOS. The home button will likely be enlarged, but not scrapped altogether.
He also details that the screen will occupy nearly the entire front of the phone leaving almost no bezel. This information is consistent with some earlier rumors that suggested an “edge to edge” screen. In addition Apple is said to be doing very “interesting things” with bonded glass technology and even exploring designs where the earpiece and sensors are behind the screen itself.
Topolsky is also hearing that the screen may go up to 3.7 inches while keeping the same resolution. This would keep the DPI within the “Retina” display moniker at 312dpi. Finally, there are some hints that there may be some form of inductive or touch charging but this seems unconfirmed.
Joshua Topolsky is the former editor-in-chief of Engadget and is well connected with his previous rumors being published to Engadget. This information, however, contradicts some previous reports from Reuters which suggest the iPhone 5 will carry a very similar form factor as the iPhone 4. Notably, in the same original Engadget report that detailed the “completely redesigned” iPhone 5, Topolsky/Engadget had previously predicted that the iPad 2 would carry a higher resolution screen and SD card slot, neither of which came true.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new research note in support of earlier claims that the fifth-generation iPhone will not go into full production until September. Kuo’s note also corroborates other reports indicating that the new iPhone will be largely identical to the iPhone 4 in appearance and contain primarily internal improvements.
Specifically, Kuo has heard that the iPhone 5 will include the faster A5 processor already found in the iPad 2, as well as a higher resolution 8 megapixel rear camera. He has also been told that Apple will switch to a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models, along with an improved antenna design.
Kuo has also been told that the new iPhone will go into trial production in August and mass production in September, allowing Apple to reach shipment volumes of between 28 million and 32 million units this year. That would align with previous reports that have indicated Apple plans to make its new iPhone available for sale later than usual this year, likely in Apple’s next fiscal year beginning in October.
Kuo’s report does, however, apparently assume that the new iPhone will be introduced at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in early June, despite that event coming at least three months before the device would become available under this scenario. A number of other reports in recent weeks have indicated, however, that there will be no iPhone introduction at WWDC, with Apple potentially looking to its annual September iPod event for the introduction of the new iPhone.
Kuo suggests that the main selling point of the fifth-generation iPhone will be a significantly revamped iOS 5, although the operating system would presumably be fully or nearly fully supported on the iPhone 4 hardware. Kuo claims that the sixth-generation iPhone will be the model to carry a substantial redesign and could launch in the first half of 2012, even with a later-than-usual introduction of 2011′s iPhone model.
Despite a few misses, Kuo has frequently offered fairly accurate information originating from Apple’s supply chain, perhaps most notably pinpointing the smaller, thinner MacBook Air ultimately released late last year.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
Photo ny Kiel Oleson (@kielo)
A week ahead of Apple’s iPad media event, Engadget revises its claims about we can expect to see at Yerba Buena.
Enagdget’s previous claims included an SD card slot and a “super high resolution” display. Those claims generated a fair amount of discussion surrounding the possibility of a Retina display for the iPad 2. The site is backtracking on some of those claims now, saying that “engineering issues” have caused a change of plans:
Notably, that SD card slot and higher resolution display won’t make it into the new model (the latter we’d been hearing rumblings about for a little while). What’s the cause of the switch? Well our sources weren’t crystal clear on the exact reasons, but the gist of what was explained to us centered around vague “engineering issues” which may have forced some changes at the eleventh hour.
Engadget stands by its sources and says we will still be hearing about a faster processor (A5) with more RAM (512MB). A FaceTime camera, of course, is still expected and likely a rear one as well.
The site does reveal that we’ll likely hear details of iOS 5 next week which will be available to the public by summer alongside the iPhone 5. No other details there, but we should hear more on March 2nd.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
Today, Apple seeded Mac OS developers with the first preview of Mac OS X Lion. Apple has outlined a number of new features such as new Mail client, document Versions, and much more.
But one particularly interesting under-the-hood change that we’ve learned about is an evolution of Mac OS X’s “resolution independence” features. Resolution independence has been a long talked about feature that would eventually provide support for high DPI (dots per inch) displays. While there has been the beginnings of support for it starting in Mac OS X Tiger (10.4) and into Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6), full support was never realized. In Mac OS X Lion, however, references to Resolution Independence has been replaced with a new system that could pave the way for these super high resolution “Retina” monitors.
Taking cues from iOS, Apple has reportedly built in support for what it calls “HiDPI display modes”. These HiDPI modes allow developers to supply 2x-enlarged images to support double-high resolution displays. Like the iPhone 4′s Retina Display, this means that user interface elements will remain the same size, but everything will be twice the resolution and therefore twice as detailed. For example, instead of a 1440×900 pixel 15″ MacBook Pro, you could have a 2880×1800 pixel 15″ MacBook Pro. All the screen elements would be the same physical size as elements on the 1440×900 display, but with a much higher level of detail. Developers would simply need to provide 2x-resolution images for their user interface elements, just like on the iPhone to support its high resolution Retina display.
This new system seems far easier to support than the previous system which tried to support an arbitrary number of resolutions with elements described in vectors or multiple bitmaps. So, it’s easy to see how this could pave the way for Apple to start releasing monitors and notebooks with double-resolution displays. There has already been talk about iPad-sized Retina displays which would have 2048×1536 resolution on a 9.7″ screen. It’s not hard to imagine that technology will advance enough in the next couple of years to allow for similarly dense laptop or even desktop displays. HiDPI modes are not enabled by default and must be enabled in Lion’s Quartz Debug.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
iFixYouri and 9to5Mac have posted photos of what is said to be the new iPad 2 screen.
At this point, we cannot tell if the resolution is higher (or “Retina”) but it is definitely higher quality in terms of its build. The iPad 2′s display is also lighter, and over a mm thinner than the current iPad’s display with a smaller surrounding frame.
No other details (such as resolution) have been revealed, but the slightly thinner screen agrees with previous analyst reports that claim that the iPad 2′s screen will be 30-35% thinner as well as offering an anti-reflective coating for better outdoor usage.
Apple is widely expected to release a new iPad in the first quarter of this year.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
iFixYouri and 9to5Mac have posted photos of what is said to be the new iPad 2 screen.
At this point, we cannot tell if the resolution is higher (or “Retina”) but it is definitely higher quality in terms of its build. The iPad 2′s display is also lighter, and over a mm thinner than the current iPad’s display with a smaller surrounding frame.
No other details (such as resolution) have been revealed, but the slightly thinner screen agrees with previous analyst reports that claim that the iPad 2′s screen will be 30-35% thinner as well as offering an anti-reflective coating for better outdoor usage.
Apple is widely expected to release a new iPad in the first quarter of this year.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
An analyst from Concord Securities is claiming to have knowledge of some of the upcoming iPad 2 components in their latest research note. According to Ming-Chi Kuo as reported by AppleInsider, the iPad 2 display will not get a higher resolution display as some have hoped.
Instead, the iPad 2′s screen improvements will focus on thickness and anti-reflection. The screen is said to be 30-35% thinner and also offer a better sunlight reading experience due to the anti-reflective properties.
The report also claims that the next iPad will use a Cortex A9 dual core processor running at 1.2GHz, as well as Imagination Technologies’ SGX 543 dual-core GPU. The iPad 2′s RAM will also see a much needed boost to 512MB, equal to the iPhone 4. The iPad 2 is also expected to use the same lower quality front and back cameras found in the iPod Touch.
It’s hard to tell where this information is sourced. Some pieces have been reported, but some specifics (1.2GHz, anti-reflective screen) seem to be unique information.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
iPad 2 dummy model found at CES
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber weighs in on the recent rumors suggesting the next iPad will have a super high-resolution Retina display running at a resolution of 2048×1536.
I asked around, and according to my sources, it is too good to be true: the iPad 2 does not have a retina display. I believe the iPad 2s display will remain at 1024 × 768. Its display may be improved in other ways brighter, better power consumption, thinner, perhaps.
Gruber believes that the iPad will eventually get this 2048×1536 and even claims there are prototype iPads in Apple’s campus with this exact resolution, but seems certain the next generation iPad will not be that iPad.
Meanwhile, Engadget editor Joshua Topolsky stands by his source that the next iPad will indeed have “super high resolution” screen, though makes no claim on the exact dimensions. Meanwhile, Gruber admits that it could be another resolution, but he doubts it:
I think thats unlikely for reasons pertaining to UI scaling math (the same reason that the iPhone display resolution didnt increase incrementally) but its worth noting that my sources only claim no retina display, not that the resolution is unchanged. The double or nothing line is my opinion, not information from any source.
Both Gruber and Engadget have had a history of having accurate sources. For what it’s worth, Kevin Rose also claimed that the next iPad will have a higher resolution screen, though will fall short of being a “Retina” display.
Powered By iWebRSS.com
If you’ve picked up Apple’s iPhone 4 smart phone, you are probably aware of the new features that can benefit gamers on the go: an improved display (four times the resolution and contrast compared with previous models), an integrated gyroscope to complement the accelerometer (for six-axis motion control), longer battery life and faster Wi-Fi.
See the original post:
Hot iPhone games to try