Rumors

A "reliable source" has informed 9to5Mac that Facebook is currently developing its Facebook Messenger app for Apple's iPad.

According to screenshots provided by 9to5Mac, the iPad version of the Messenger app looks fairly similar to Facebook's current standalone app for iPhone. The app includes one-to-one chats, group chats, and supports push notifications.

Facebook's Messenger app also allows users to see their friends' locations on a map.

Though no timeline for release was mentioned by the source, it did also suggest that Facebook would be adding video chat support through Skype for at least the iPhone … Read more

Last fall the Internet was abuzz about Apple's apparent iPhone redesign for what eventually became the iPhone 4S. Much to the dismay of the media and some louder consumers, the iPhone 4S retained the same design profile as the previous-generation iPhone 4.

At the time, the redesign was expected to feature a teardrop back casing, a bigger screen and, among other things, an ovular home button. If the shape of the home button is any indication of a complete redesign, the latest part leak from Chinese supplier TVC-Mall.com (via Apple Bitch) may not win over many of the … Read more

A Qualcomm conference call Wednesday, according to Reuters, brought Qualcomm's supply constraint issues to light. CEO Paul Jacobs, addressing analysts on the call, stated, "At this stage we cannot secure enough supply to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing."

That supply constraint could affect many cellphone makers hoping to use Qualcomm's advanced 28-nanometer chips, including Apple. To handle the constraints, Qualcomm is looking for new manufacturing partners, a move that will contribute to raising its operating expenses up to 23 percent, according to Chief Financial Officer Bill Keitel.

"Demand went so far ahead of … Read more

Though iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches are becoming less and less dependent on being connected to a computer, one important part of owning an iOS device still requires a Mac or PC -- backup.

The piece of mind that comes along with having an accessible backup for all your contacts, calendar events, texts, apps, and photos goes a long way. For users who experience a malfunction of their device that requires it to be replaced, they must have a current backup of their information or be subject to losing it when Apple replaces their unit.

The wireless sync hubs that … Read more

By using IGZO oxide semiconductors, Sharp will be able to produce LCD screens that require lower energy consumption through smaller, thin-film transistors and increased pixel transparency.

The technology lends itself well to mobile devices that require low-power components. With a new breed of ultrabooks promised by Intel and updates to Apple's mobile lineup, it seems highly likely that Sharp will work its way in as a primary supplier of display panels.… Read more

Apple's touch-screen devices and App Store have helped popularize touch gaming, and the company is now said to be working on a hardware solution to provide more tactile controls.

In a review of Apple's latest iPad tablet, Anandtech mentions that Apple has just such a project in development with plans "to bring a physical controller to market."

The outlet added that the project might not result in an actual product.

The news comes as Apple's App Store is ballooning with games, many of them casual titles. In kind, demand for those titles is strong. According to a study on iPad gaming from market research firm Distimo that was released last week, 50 percent of top paid applications during February were games.… Read more

Sprint's financial chief today tiptoed around the prospect of a 4G LTE iPhone, the latest indication that the next version will come packed with a superfast wireless connection.

Speaking to investors at a conference earlier today, Sprint's chief financial officer, Joe Euteneuer, did not say such a device was coming, but he did say the company has an agreement with Apple similar to that of AT&T and Verizon Wireless, hinting that technology designed for those networks would come to Sprint's as well.

"If you make the assumption that they launch a device at a … Read more

With the third-generation iPad launch now a week old -- unless you're in today's second wave of launch countries, that is -- the rumor mill has turned its attention back to the iPhone.

The latest comes from iMore, which today posts some chewy, though anonymously-sourced hardware details about Apple's next smartphone. Those include a move to a 4G LTE radio like the one the third-generation iPad ships with, a display that's "similar if not same sized" to Apple's long-time 3.5-inch spec, and the move to a smaller dock port for charging and … Read more

Apple's new iPad has been receiving much high praise for its Retina Display, the showcase feature during its unveiling earlier this month, but the inclusion of a 4G LTE-capable option has prompted quite a few discussions over whether Apple's new iPhone will be 4G-ready.

According to Krishna Sagar, a tipster writing to iDownload Blog, Apple is definitely working on a 4G LTE iPhone, and iOS 5.1 has the code to prove it.

Using iFile on a jailbroken iPhone 4 (running iOS 5.1, of course) Sagar was able to find code strings indicating 4G connectivity actions during … Read more