Rumors

Biosecurity firm Microlatch is rumored to be in talks with Apple to introduce fingerprint technology on future products to secure mobile payment via near field communication (NFC).

The news was first reported by The Australian.

David Murray, former head of the Commonwealth Bank and lead investor of the Australian firm, told the publication Microlatch owns patented technology that meets rigorous banking security standards. According to Murray, the technology does not need central processing or storage, describing the biometric technology as "self-registering."

"There have been acquisitions that suggest that people are positioning themselves around these biosecurity products securing … Read more

Smartphone buyers who think the Galaxy S3 is too big could see a smaller version launch as early as next week.

An invite sent out by Samsung for an October 11 launch event touts a smaller product on the horizon with the headline "The size may be small" and the subheading "and so small can be big," according to Google Translate. The text from Samsung's German branch is also translated as "that's how big small can be," says TechRadar. However you translate it, Samsung is teasing a big announcement about a small … Read more

Apple has begun mass production of a new tablet pitched as a smaller alternative to the iPad, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The paper cited Asian component suppliers within Apple's supply chain, referencing two people familiar with the device who declined to be named.

According to the sources, Apple's rumored product, dubbed the "iPad Mini," will have a 7.85-inch liquid-crystal display -- noticeably smaller than the 9.7-inch screen of the existing iPad, now in its third generation. It will also be lower-resolution than the iPad 3's Retina display.

The iPad Mini is … Read more

A purple halo seems to be the latest glitch affecting some iPhone 5 owners.

Detailed by forum users at tech review site AnandTech, the flaw reportedly occurs on photographs if you aim your iPhone 5 camera toward a bright light source such as the sun or an incandescent light. If you then move the camera so the light source is off screen, a purple halo effect can be seen through the camera. That effect also shows up on any pictures that are taken.

One poster displayed separate photos with an artificial light source and with the sun off screen, and … Read more

The iPhone 5 is now officially certified for China.

Two models of Apple's flagship phone passed 3C (China Compulsory Certificate) certification on Monday, according to Sina Tech.

One goes by the model number A1429, which would be geared for China Unicom's WCDMA network and match up with the Hong Kong version of the iPhone 5, Sina Tech said. The other is model A1442, which would work on China Telecom's CDMA2000 network.

The 3C certification is a mandatory certificate system that inspects and approves various products to be sold in the Chinese market. The iPhone 5 faces two more challenges before it can reach China, … Read more

The iPhone 5 may have the same light leak problem that initially plagued other Apple devices.

Chiming in on the MacRumors forum, one user posted a photo of the new iPhone in relative darkness, showing a small flash of light coming from the top of the device behind the glass panel. Another posted a similar picture displaying the same light leak. Other users have since added to both discussions, reporting the same issue on their new iPhones.

Apple's Discussion Forums have also picked up a few complaints about the light leakage.

Some users say they received a replacement unit … Read more

Apple may have reserved the lion's share of iPhone 5 handsets for its own stores, leaving other retailers in short supply.

Citing "store sales staff and other people familiar with the situation," The Wall Street Journal reported today that Apple's own stores seemed to have a healthy stock of iPhone 5 units to sell this past weekend. But other retail outlets had to grapple with a much more limited supply right from the get-go.

People at Best Buy, RadioShack, and Target told the Journal that they didn't even receive enough units to satisify pre-sales orders. … Read more

iPhone 5 users who suffer a broken or scratched screen may be able to get a replacement directly in the store, according to a report from iMore.

Citing "sources within Apple retail," the blog site said that the equipment used to replace iPhone screens has started showing up in the stores themselves. This move means that Apple store reps could outfit an iPhone 5 with a new screen on the spot rather than switching the entire phone for a new or refurbished model.

The screen swap-out process for the new iPhone would match that of the iPhone 3G … Read more

Consumers awaiting Samsung's Galaxy S4 may face a longer wait than reported yesterday.

The Korean handset maker today denied rumors that the next Galaxy S phone would launch next March. Loosely translated from the Korean, Samsung's Twitter post stated: "Please note that some media reported speculation that the Galaxy S3 subsequent models will be released in a simple rumor is not true. [If] not doing anything, why spread these rumors?"

The buzz spread quickly yesterday after an unnamed Samsung official told the Korea Times that the company is ready to launch the Galaxy S4 at next … Read more