Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
More Choices: Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will launch the next iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 5S in May or June of this year, Forbes notes. That prediction comes from Topeka Capital analyst Brian White, who says his checks of Apple’s supply chain indicate that the next-generation iPhone will come in a number of new colors and screen sizes. Offering a greater range of choices for consumers would help Apple compete with a myriad of different-sized smartphones running Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system. Until the launch of the iPhone 5 last year, Apple had maintained a 3.5-inch screen on all iPhones, but White thinks the company will offer great versatility this year in response to the greater range of Android phone sizes. Apple could also offer an even smaller-screen phone — an “iPhone Mini” — to compete in emerging markets like India and China. White says that the addition of color options to Apple’s iPod line was a test for similar iPhone options. He anticipates that iPhones will eventually be available in up to eight colors, with iPads to follow.
Chip Switch: Apple has tapped Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) to start test production of the A6X processors used in its latest iPad, AppleInsider noted. The test runs will begin during the first quarter of this year. Rumors have circulated for months that Apple was looking to move away from Samsung, which had previously produced most of its mobile chips. TSM had been cited as Apple’s likely new chip-making partner, with production expected to start some time this year. Apple has been distancing itself from Samsung, formerly a major player in its supply chain, as the two companies have battled over patent infringement claims in courts around the world. It could take Apple as long as a year and a half to migrate its mobile chip production completely away from Samsung. Last month, reports surfaced that TSM is looking to build a major new chip-making facility in New York or Oregon, likely to produce chips for Apple.
Legal Miss: A California judge has issued a ruling dismissing part of Apple’s lawsuit against Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) over its use of the term App Store, Reuters noted. U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that Apple cannot sue the Internet retailing giant over false advertising claims in regard to its App Store. The judge issued her finding in response to a motion for a partial summary judgement by Amazon. Apple is continuing to press claims against Amazon for trademark infringement, amongst other allegations.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
