iPhone 5S Release Reportedly Bringing End to Some iPhone 5 Models

The iPhone 5S release date could spell the end of several iPhone 5 models according to a leaked document from a Canadian carrier that shows higher capacity iPhone 5 models going of the sales floor in late September.

Apple’s iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C event is scheduled for next Tuesday, when we expect to see the new iPhone models on stage and learn about plans for the flagship iPhone and a cheaper, colorful iPhone 5C.

Normally Apple drops the price of the previous two iPhone models when the new iPhone arrives, and we expect some movement this year, but with two new iPhones in play Apple could pull a surprise.

The iPhone 5S release has one Canadian carrier planning to discontinue the iPhone 5 32GB and 64GB models.

According to the leaked Telus document on MobileSyrup, the Canadian carrier plans to stop selling the white and black iPhone 5 in 32GB and 64GB sizes on September 28th.

That is one week after the rumored iPhone 5S release date, which would let the carrier sell the iPhone 5 models at a discount until stock ran out. With the iPhone 5 launch, the higher capacity iPhone 4S models sold for $50 off on Verizon and other carriers while supplies lasted.

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Leaked document shows the new iPhone pushing out several iPhone 5 models.

This matches up with a report that Verizon’s stock of the iPhone 5 32GB and 64GB models was in short supply. The U.S. carrier could also be limiting stock ahead of a new iPhone.

This document doesn’t include any information about the iPhone 5 16GB model. Normally Apple would keep the lowest capacity iPhone on hand to sell at the reduced $99 price point, but there are rumors that the iPhone 5C will replace the iPhone 5.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a well connected analyst with ties to Apple’s supply chain claims the company will use the iPhone 5C in place of the iPhone 5 this fall. Another analyst claims the iPhone 5C will replace the iPhone 4S as Apple’s free on contract iPhone.

Given this leak does not include the 16GB iPhone 5 as a discontinued model it is possible that the iPhone 5 will live on as a $99 iPhone option on contract. It is also possible that this document is merely carrier speculation that the higher capacity iPhone 5 models will go away when the iPhone 5S release lands, and not inside information from Apple.

The iPhone 5S release is expected on September 20th in the U.S. and could come alongside an iPhone 5C. The video above runs through the latest iPhone 5S rumors, including design, screen size and possible features. The iPhone 5C is reportedly a colorful plastic iPhone that will come at a lower price.

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Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Pre-Order Coming Soon

Verizon has typically been last to announce details for big name devices but the carrier has come right out of the gate today saying thatSamsung Galaxy Note 3 pre-orders will arrive soon ahead of a release date that is likely going to touch down in October.

In the past, we’ve seen Verizon remain mum on specific details after a big device launch, most recently with the HTC One. Not the case with the Galaxy Note 3 it seems. Shortly after the Galaxy Note 3 event concluded, Verizon put up a Galaxy Note 3 splash page that confirms the device’s existence and also suggests that pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear will be coming soon.

On the splash page, the carrier specifically says that consumers will be able to pre-order “the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with the Samsung Galaxy Gear soon.” It does not mention a specific date, leaving that open for interpretation. Carriers often say soon but don’t actually mean imminent. With that in mind, Verizon’s soon could mean several weeks rather than several days.

Verizon Galaxy Note 3 pre-orders are coming soon.

The Verizon Galaxy Note 3 price is not listed though we expect the carrier to reveal that detail when it reveals the Galaxy Note 3 pre-order date in the future. Samsung has said that the Galaxy Note 3 will land in the United States in October though it did not confirm a specific date.

Verizon’s Galaxy Note 3 doesn’t appear to have a branded home button though given that we haven’t seen a back, it’s too early to conclude that the press image seen here will resemble the Verizon model. The carrier did take heat for the decision on the Galaxy Note 2 so it could opt to change its ways with the Galaxy Note 3.

Verizon’s device will come with support for the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and it will be competing against the likes of AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular.

Like the other devices, the Verizon Galaxy Note 3 should come with a large 1080p display, 13MP camera, new slim and lightweight design with a faux leather back, new S Pen features and more.

It will be joined by the Galaxy Gear smartwatch that will be touching down alongside the Galaxy Note 3 in October for $299.

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Sprint Galaxy Note 3 “Coming Soon,” Signup Page Now Live

The Verizon Galaxy Note 3 isn’t the only Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that is being promoted ahead of its release date as the Sprint Galaxy Note 3 has joined the fray with a signup that is now live ahead of the device’s actual pre-order date.

Shortly after the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 announcement, Verizon threw up a Galaxy Note 3 splash page that confirmed that it would start offering pre-orders soon ahead of the device’s release date which is likely to take place sometime during the month of October. The carrier also confirmed the Galaxy Gear for arrival as well.

Not to be outdone, Sprint has also put up a splash page for its Galaxy Note 3 that offers buyers a chance to signup to be notified about the Sprint Galaxy Note 3 pre-order that should arrive at some point ahead of the release date. Sprint doesn’t come right out and use the term pre-order but it does say that by signing up, users will find out when it becomes available. And given Sprint’s history and Verizon’s plans, we expect it to be for a pre-order date.

Sprint will be offering the Galaxy Note 3 this fall.

Sprint is coy on a Galaxy Note 3 release date as well, only saying that it will be out sometime this fall. The company says here that it will be coming soon though it’s clear if that’s a release date or a pre-order.

Samsung announced that it would be hitting Japan and the United States in October after an initial release in September. Sprint has been amongst the first carriers to offer Galaxy devices so we expect the device to land at some point next month.

Sprint’s Galaxy Note 3 should come packed with all of the perks of the other Galaxy Note 3 models which means a large 1080p display, 13MP camera, new S Pen functionality, slim and lightweight design that uses a faux leather look instead of plastic and a host of other features that should make it appealing to Sprint customers.

The carrier also says that it will be offered with an unlimited guarantee which means that users will be able to keep their unlimited data plans not just for right now, but for life.

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Qualcomm Toq Smartwatch Announced After Galaxy Gear Reveal

Just moments after Samsung revealed itsGalaxy Gear smartwatch, Qualcomm announced a smartwatch of its own called theQualcomm Toq. It uses the company’s Mirasol low-power display technology, which has had some troubles over the past few years as far as becoming a popular display standard, but Qualcomm thinks that implementing it on a smartwatch may bring the hype back up.

While the Toq has a fancy touchscreen display, it’s a pretty minimalistic device — certainly not anywhere close to having the feature set of the Galaxy Gear, but that means that the battery life is far better, lasting for several days, according to the chip maker.

The Toq has a 1.5-inch display, and the Mirasol technology makes it so that the screen looks bright and vibrant in broad daylight, and there’s very little need for backlighting. Plus, the watch will automatically shut down the touch function after a certain amount of time of inactivity, and will have just a small strip of the screen active for swiping to activate the whole touchscreen when you want to use it.

Another way that the watch saves on battery is by just using Bluetooth for all communication between the watch and the phone. This means there’s no WiFi or NFC, and speakers, a mic, and a camera are nowhere to be found. There is, however, an accelerometer, so it’ll at least be able to do some basic fitness tracking.

Qualcomm says the battery lasts around two days, and this is with everything always on. The watch doesn’t have a power or sleep button, so it’ll be able to run 24/7 for two days straight before needing a charge, which is twice as long as the 25 hours that Samsung claims with the Galaxy Gear.

Charging the Toq will be pretty easy as well. It’ll come with a stand/carrying case combo that has a built-in wireless charger using Qualcomm’s proprietary WiPower technology. It looks like it’ll be easy to carry around on your wrist as well. It’s obviously bigger than regular watches, but it’s definitely smaller than the Galaxy Gear. Comfort is a huge factor with watches, so we’re interested to see how well the Galaxy Gear fits onto wrists compared to Qualcomm’s offering.

There’s no word on price of the Toq, but the company says that it’ll arrive at some point in the fourth quarter this year. The watch will come with a pair of Bluetooth earbuds that will accompany the watch as well; no word on whether or not we’ll be able to buy those separately.

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iPhone 5S Home Button Photo Appears to Show Fingerprint Tech

A new photo of an alleged iPhone 5S home button includes what appears to be a fingerprint sensor. This is the first photo of what could be an iPhone 5S home button that includes the new technology in plain view, and it arrives just as Apple confirms the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C launch.

Previous iPhone 5S parts leaks left room for an iPhone 5S fingerprint reader feature, but did not include any actual fingerprint reader or sensor components.

In August we first heard reports that the iPhone 5S home button would use the same Sapphire glass as the iPhone camera cover to protect the sensor and allow users to unlock the iPhone with a swipe.

This could be the iPhone 5S home button with a fingerprint reader built-in.

In this new photo, we see a redesigned iPhone 5S home button flex cable and a new sensor mounted on the home button. It’s impossible to verify if this photo comes directly from an Apple supplier at this time, but Nowhereelse.fr has delivered reliable information in the past.

Adding to the possibility that this is a legitimate iPhone 5S home button is the serial number which starts with an 821. This is common on Apple designed parts for the iPhone.

In addition to what appears to be a sensor on the home button there is a new square built into the cable and what appears to be a resistor of some kind further back.

A possible iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C home button with fingerprint sensor.

The cable matches one leaked last week on MobilePies, as spotted by MacRumors. This previous cable was listed for sale online under the iPhone 5C name. It’s possible that Apple is planning to make a fingerprint sensor a key component of both new iPhone models, but this would be a change from previous rumors which mainly focused on an iPhone 5S fingerprint reader.

The iPhone 5S will reportedly use the fingerprint sensor to let users lock the iPhone with a fingerprint instead of a PIN or password. iOS 7 includes new security features that include an authentication that locks out unauthorized users and a new feature that prevents a thief from erasing an iPhone to resell it.

Apple is hosting an iPhone event on September 10th when we should see the iPhone 5S announced with a similar design to the iPhone and a collection of new features as well as a possible gold color option. The iPhone 5C should also make an appearance as a colorful, more affordable option for Apple buyers. We also should learn when the iOS 7 release date is set for.

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iPhone SNES Emulator Sneaks into iTunes App Store

Certain types of apps (such as emulators) are banned from the iTunes App Store, but one developer snuck in a SNES emulator trojan horse style by disguising it as a file browser for Dropbox and FTP, called Remote File Manager. The app works as advertised, with the ability to open a variety of file types, including SNES ROMs.

To get the secret SNES emulator working in the app, simply upload a SNES ROM into your Dropbox folder, and open it on your iPhone using the Remote File Manager app. It will detect that the file is a SNES ROM and will automatically launch the emulator so that you can start gaming away without wasting time.

We’ve tried the app out ourselves and it works rather well, opening up SNES ROMs without a fuss, although the touchscreen buttons are a bit iffy (as with all touchscreen buttons, really). However, you can play games in portrait mode, where the controls look like a SNES game controller, or you can play SNES ROMs in landscape mode, with the display in the middle and the buttons on the left and right sides of the iPhone’s display. The nice part is that the buttons are mostly out of the way, with only a bit of overlap; we can’t say the same thing for most other emulator apps out there.

Other than that, Remote File Manager is kind of a useless app, as there are plenty of other apps like it that are much better, and the Dropbox app has its own file explorer anyway. However, I think what the developer is really getting at is the functionality of the hidden SNES emulator, including the auto-launch when a SNES ROM is detected, which is a really nice touch.

Surprisingly, Apple hasn’t caught the app yet, so it’s still available in the iTunes App Store, and it only costs $0.99. However, it’ll only be a matter of time before Apple catches on, so be sure to grab it now while you still can before it disappears. $0.99 is certainly a good price, considering that emulators on Android usually cost at least a few dollars each. Sadly, Remote File Manager only works with SNES ROMs, so your original NES ROMs are no good here.

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Android 4.4 KitKat Video Parodies iOS 7 Video

Nestle’ss new Android 4.4 KitKat video parodies Apple ’s iOS 7 announcement video complete with a narrator who pokes fun at Apple’s Senior Vice President Jony Ive.

Earlier today, Google announced a new version of Android set for release in the future. That update is not the widely expected Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie but Android 4.4 KitKat that will likely be the version of software that rolls out with the new Nexus smartphone, thought to be called the Nexus 5. The software’s contents are still unknown, as is its release date, but that hasn’t stopped Nestle from releasing a quick Android 4.4 KitKat video.

Instead of showing off the software’s features or revealing its release date, the new video is instead a parody of Apple’s iOS 7 video that arrived shortly after the company announced the software back in June at WWDC 2013. The video mocks Apple’s video right down to the narrator who, instead of Jony Ive, is a Briton by the name of Christopher Caitlin, the Chief Breaks Officer of KitKat.

Rather than show off Android 4.4 Kit Kat, the video shows off the actual KitKat candy that will be tied into the Android 4.4 KitKat launch. Caitlin describes the candy with verbiage that makes fun of Ive’s iOS 7 descriptions which included things like “enduring beauty and simplicity” and that the software is about bringing “order to complexity.”

Caitlin calls Android 4.4 KitKat the “future of confectionery” and claims that “every corner, every edge, every finger of every bar has been carefully considered and crafted to create a beautifully immersive and multi-sensory experience.” He also claims that the company nailed it the first time, a veiled shot at iOS 7 which brings huge change to the software’s looks.

The video also spoofs Apple’s well known slogan “There’s an app for that” by saying that “There is a KitKat for that.”

The release of the video coincides with Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat announcement and it also comes on the heels of Apple’s media invites for a September 10th iPhone event wherein it will show off not only the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C but the iOS 7 update as well.

iOS 7 is expected to arrive with the new iPhones including the iPhone 5C, a cheap iPhone that should compete with the likes of the Nexus smartphone from Google. Google’s Nexus 4 is almost at the end of its life and a new rumored Nexus 5 is expected to land in October with Android 4.4 KitKat on board to compete with Apple’s new smartphone.

Features of Android 4.4 KitKat remain unknown but the company says that it will “make an amazing Android experience available for everybody” hinting at compatibility with tons of Android devices.

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