Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
They Still Make Desktops: iMac owners who have complained of a lack of updates to Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iconic personal computer lines are about to get some relief, according to Fox News. Apple is readying updated iMacs to be unveiled in the coming weeks. The new iMacs will feature USB 3.0 connections, larger solid state hard drives, Intel‘s (NASDAQ:INTC) new Ivy Bridge processors and a thinner overall design. What they will not have is retina displays, although some boost in resolution is likely. Supplies of the 27-inch iMac are disappearing, though the 21-inch iMac remains available. The new iMacs may be unveiled at the October launch of the iPad Mini, though they could also be quietly released without a media event.
One Less Phone: With Apple widely expected to debut its next generation iPhone next week, sources say that the company may drop production of its iPhone 3GS, currently is most entry-level iPhone, CNET notes. The newest iPhone is expected to hit store shelves on September 21. If the iPhone 3GS model is eliminated, carriers may offer it iPhone 4 for no cost, along with a two-year contract. Currently the iPhone 3GS is offered for free with a contract, while the iPhone 4 is priced at $99 with a contract. Sources also say the company may start producing an 8GB version of the iPhone 4S in order to attract more low-end smartphone users.
Shape-Shifting: With Apple’s recent $1.05 billion jury award against Samsung for patent infringement still reverberating in the tech community, makers of smartphones that use Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system are pursuing new designs that clearly diverge from any resemblence to the iPhone in equipment and software appearance, InformationWeek notes. The patent infringement lawsuit jury upheld seven key Apple patents, which experts said would provide specific design elements to avoid. Apple currently owns 763 design patents. Legal experts expressed confidence that the jury verdict, as well as Apple’s willingness to pursue costly litigation, would be sufficient to compel smartphone competitors to create unique designs.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
