The highly anticipated follow up to Samsung’s Galaxy S II will not be unveiled at next month’s Mobile World Congress, according to The Verge. The Galaxy S III was rumored to be debuting in Barcelona next month, however it has reportedly now been delayed. The reason for delay was not disclosed, although it is still slated to be released “before summer” according to the report. The Galaxy S II was announced at last year’s Mobile Wold Congress, but Samsung is said to have been uncomfortable with the long delay between the global launch and availability in the U.S., where it is the most popular Android vendor. The company will still feature “interesting stuff” in place of the Galaxy S III, perhaps an updated Galaxy Tab or even a new Windows Phone handset.

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With Apple set to unveil its next-generation iPhone(s) on Tuesday, the rumor trough is overflowing with more Apple juice than even the most dedicated fans can handle at this point. According to the mill, Apple is set to unveil about a dozen various iPhone models this week, ranging from a modest update to be hawked on the cheap to a teardrop-shaped overhaul that will feature a 4-inch display and a unibody aluminum design (perhaps similar to the mock-up seen above). In fact, all leaks accounted for, we’re looking at a tweaked entry-level iPhone 4 with 8GB of storage and a budget-friendly price tag, an iPhone 4S due in black and white with 16GB and 32GB variations, and an all new iPhone 5, also in black and white, with 16GB, 32GB and maybe even 64GB capacity options. Oh, and that’s all in addition to a 3G-enabled iPod touch with iPad-like data plans.

Totally plausible, right?

If you’ve been snoozing this weekend, here’s a quick rundown of what you missed:

• Here it is, folks — the somewhere-between-free-and-$350 8GB iPhone 4, model N90A, that’s ready to decimate the entry-level, mid-range and prepaid smartphone competition. Maybe. Gizmodo Brasil has images of parts reportedly taken inside Foxconn’s Brazilian factory.
• Wondering if “iPhone 4S” is just a name dreamed up by blogs as a placeholder for Apple’s supposed A5′d iPhone 4? Nope — apparently it’s real, and 9to5Mac found references to the device in the latest iTunes beta.
• Well if there’s a new cheaper iPhone 4 and an iPhone 4S, that means the mythical redesigned “iPhone 5″ is nothing but a pipe dream, right? Wrong again! Engadget has a screenshot of RadioShack’s inventory system, which clearly now includes 16GB and 32GB iPhone 5 models headed to AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint. They should fit nicely in the iPhone 5 cases now appearing in AT&T’s inventory system.
• Also, TUAW snagged a couple screenshots of a Cincinnati Bell snafu; the regional carrier accidentally posted entries for the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 in its prepaid phones section. That’s right, not only is Apple pushing its new iPhones to regional carriers now — but still not to T-Mobile — but the new handsets will also all be available with prepaid plans.
• Oh, and once these dozen or so iPhones hit the market this month alongside iOS 5, we can also look forward to “Assistant” voice controls and iOS app rentals. Sweet.

Skeptical that all these leaks paint an accurate picture of the iPhone landscape come Tuesday? You’re not alone. There have been enough rumors, leaks and plants this time around to make anyone’s head spin. The only thing we can safely say for sure, of course, is that the mystery will be behind us shortly after 10:00 a.m. Pacific, 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. Be sure to tune in to BGR on Tuesday for all the official iPhone news as it breaks.

Verizon Wireless leaked, and subsequently pulled, a video that showed a woman using an unannounced Android Honeycomb-powered tablet. Judging from the picture grabbed by Droid-Life, the tablet definitely doesn’t resemble the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Flyer, or the XOOM, so it appears Verizon has a new tablet up its sleeve. But what is it? A new summer tablet launch would certainly be exciting and since there’s already promo material that includes the device, we likely won’t have to wait long to find out.

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According to an image from Android Central, the SprintID application that is used on several of Sprint’s Android devices to customize the user interface has accidentally leaked a number of unannounced Sprint phones. The models include the LG Optimus B — assumed to be the Optimus Black — the LG Q, the Motorola Sunfire, and the Samsung Chief. It’s unclear what the LG Q or the Samsung Chief phones are, although we suspect the Chief could be a codename for a possible Galaxy S II launch in the United States or for the recently leaked Samsung Conquer. It’s also likely that the Sunfire is the Motorola Photon 4G, given that Sprint just held a joint event with Motorola in NYC and a launch in the coming weeks would make sense. Hopefully we’ll find out more about these phones this summer.

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Reuters is reporting that Apple, Inc. will ship its next generation iPhone — oft referred to as the iPhone 5 — this September. The publication cites three sources “with direct knowledge of the company’s supply chain” and adds that the updated iPhone will sport a “faster processor.” Reuters writes that Largan Precision Co Ltd will be responsible for the new device’s camera sensor, Wintek Corp for its touchscreen panel, and Foxconn Technology Co Ltd for case production. “The companies would begin production either in July or August before shipping components to Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, flagship of Foxconn Technology Group, for assembly,” the site’s sources state. Analysts and pundits have been utilizing supply-chain checks to try and determine when Apple’s next smartphone will hit store shelves. September of 2011 and January of 2012 have been the two most popular prognostications. The September timeline has been touted by RBC, Avian Securities and Concord Securities in subsequent, independent reports.

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We would like to extend a warm, Apple-rumor fueled welcome to Mr. Kevin Kenney. Technology blogs have picked up on the hiring of Kenney, a San Francisco-based mechanical engineer, by iDevice maker Apple, Inc. Via Kenney’s LinkedIn profile, we see that he is now a “Senior Composites Engineer” for the Cupertino-based company. The engineer has spent the last fourteen years working for Kestral Bicycles where, as 9to5 Mac reports, he was “building carbon fiber bicycles.” The hiring has ignited rumors of carbon fiber iMacs, iPads, and iPhones — personally, we’re holding out for a carbon fiber Magic Mouse. Kenney has worked for Apple on a contract basis for the past several years, and his name is on at least one carbon fiber-related Apple patent. If you read that the iPhone 6 will be made of composite materials , you now know where the rumor started.

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According to the Wall Street Journal‘s sources, Apple’s next iPad is already in production. People “familiar with the matter” have chimed in and claimed that the new iPad will be much thinner and lighter than the existing model. That’s not all as it looks like a front-facing video camera will make its way to the device, if you didn’t believe it already. Topping the list? More memory (1GB of RAM, we’d wager) and a more powerful graphics processor. Unfortunately it seems the display won’t be changing much as far as the resolution is concerned as it’s being reported to be the same 1024×768 resolution. Last but not least, it’s claimed that the new iPad will be available on AT&T and Verizon Wireless, though T-Mobile and Sprint won’t have the honor of retailing the tablet.

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Warning: DigiTimes report being cited, approach with caution. Now that we have that out of the way… the Taiwanese blog is reporting that HTC will launch an Android 2.3 tablet device, code named Flyer, in March — ahead of the BlackBerry PlayBook and Motorola Xoom. The publication notes that users will be able to upgrade the device to Android 3.0 after it is officially released by Google. The report cites “handset component suppliers” and goes on to say that “HTC is expected to launch the two other tablets in June running on Android 3.0.” We’re not sure how much water this report holds, but one thing is a certainty… HTC isn’t going to be sitting on the tablet sidelines forever.Read

Last Friday, technology-centric Internet sites exploded when news of a January 11th Verizon press conference broke. The nation’s largest wireless provider is expected to finally announce the highly-anticipated, oft-rumored, CDMA iPhone. Media outlets ranging from AllThingsD to the Wall Street Journal have emphatically proclaimed that an iPhone announcement is in the works. The publications have also reported that the unannounced device will have a truly unlimited data plan. Speculation is not, however, isolated to this one event and this one device. Digg founder Kevin Rose has thrown his hat into the ring with a next generation iPad prediction. Reporting on “good authority,” Mr. Rose notes:

Apple will be announcing the iPad 2 in the next “3-4 weeks”, possibly Tuesday February 1st. The iPad 2 will feature a retina display and front/back cameras.

Mr. Rose, who has speculated about Apple-specific announcements before and has a fairly reputable track record, did not offer any additional details about the device.

Whatever Verizon has planned, we’ll know at 11:00AM ET tomorrow.

Read [WSJ] Read [AllThingsD] Read [iPad 2]

Horrible news comes from AllThingsD’s NetworkEffect blog Friday morning, as rumors of massive layoffs sullied New Year’s Eve for a social networking pioneer. Myspace may soon find itself full of open space following the dismissal of as much as half of its staff, according to the report. Owned by News Corp., Myspace currently employs 1,100 people, most of whom are located in the U.S. No decisions have been made at this point, and the majority of employees have reportedly been given this past week off in an effort to save money. News Corp. is said to be pushing hard for “drastic cost-cutting measures” in light of the site’s tumbling traffic and revenue. In an effort to rekindle interest in the service, Myspace launched a major redesign about six weeks ago that features an increased focus on entertainment.

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Another round from DigiTimes:

Apple is expected to release three versions of iPad 2, supporting either or a combination of Wi-Fi, UMTS and CDMA, for 2011 with mass production to start as early as the later half of January.

If DigiTimes’ sources are correct, this would mean there will not be a single iPad that runs on UMTS or CDMA networks, rather two different models, countering what most people believed based on prior rumors and speculation. The report claims that Apple will be set to ship over half a million iPad two units next month while they start mass production on them. That information signals in our opinion a late February / early March release. In addition to the rumored support of CDMA, it also appears Apple isn’t giving up on its screen technology as it is rumored to be working on better anti-smudge and anti-glare options for iPad displays. Let’s recap the most solid iPad 2 rumors so far:

• Slightly thinner bezel
• Slightly thinner body, tapered edges, flat back
• Front and rear cameras
• Better anti-smudge and anti-glare screen
• Possibly a dual core 1GHz CPU
• 512MB of RAM
• Redesigned rear speaker, volume buttons
• Verizon CDMA unit

Anyone getting excited out there?

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If we know one thing about Apple it is this: they like control… and this latest rumor seems to reaffirm that creed. Blog GigaOM is reporting that Apple is planning to release an iPhone with an integrated SIM that can be used on any wireless carrier — partnered with Apple — in the EU. A universal iPhone if you will. As the report explains:

Sources inside European carriers have reported that Apple has been working with SIM-card manufacturer Gemalto to create a special SIM card that would allow consumers in Europe to buy a phone via the web or at the Apple Store and get the phones working using Apple’s App Store.

This special SIM would have an upgradeable flash component as well as a ROM component. The article goes on to explain:

The ROM area contains data provided by Gemalto with everything related to IT and network security, except for the carrier-related information. The flash component will receive the carrier related data via a local connection which could be the PC or a dedicated device, so it can be activated on the network. Gemalto will provide the back-end infrastructure that allows service and number provisioning on the carrier network.

This would be yet another way that Apple can control the end-user experience — and potentially the distribution — of its popular smartphone device. For us, one of the benefits of using a SIM-based device is having the luxury of popping the little plastic card into virtually any compatible, GSM device you choose. What do you think?

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There is one trend in the mobile market we would like to see more of: dual-core tablets. Israeli newspaper Ynet is reporting that Asus is due to release a 8.9-inch touchscreen tablet known as the EP90. The EP90 will have a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution (same as the Galaxy Tab), weigh in at 650 grams (30 grams lighter than the Wi-Fi iPad), have a dual-core 1 GHz Tegra processor, and come in a 16 GB and 32 GB model. The translation of the article is a little dicey, but we do see mention of an HDMI-out port, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and a 4-6 hour battery life. The article does not mention what operating system the tablet will run — according to PC World, Asus’ 8-inch tablet offerings can run either Android or Windows Embedded — but the publication’s suggestion that the E90 will be able to “run Microsoft’s Office suite” makes Windows Embedded 7 the prime candidate. Release date and price-point were not mentioned in the article, although Ynet suggests that the E90 will be targeting enterprise customers.

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DigiTimes is reporting that Apple has started receiving touch panels for testing in next-gen iMacs from company Sintek Photonics. As far as the size of the displays? No, they are not 1 inch squares this time — they are said to be around 20″ in diagonal size and feature the same capacitive touch elements as the displays on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. As as usability is concerned, while everyone on this side tries to figure out how a computing device like this would be used, we’re sure Apple has that covered if they are indeed planning on launching a product such as this. They’re trying to reinvent computing, ok?

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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, “Microsoft Corp. will unveil a lineup of smartphones using the revamped version of its mobile operating system on Oct. 11,” and that AT&T will begin selling said devices in early November. Microsoft does have an event planned for October 11 — Columbus Day — in New York City (which we will be at), but we’re not sure any significant announcements will be made at the open-house style event. Perhaps there is another, mysterious event planned for that day? We’ll try to dig up some more information and report back.

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