More Apple iPhone 6 photos arrive via case maker mockups

 

The Apple iPhone 6 mockups and dummies are coming by the dozens these days. Today, yet another maker has published pictured of its upcoming cases, hugging the next Apple flagship.

While we can't completely rely on the images to confirm the actual design, they are usually based on the real dimensions of the next iPhone, which Apple has to provide for its partners in advance. The button and camera cutouts should be accurate too, and judging by those photos they won't be any different they those of the iPhone 5s.

The audio jack will remain at the bottom, alongside the lightning port and the loudspeaker grille. The volume and mute/rotation lock key remain in their usual places, too. We don't get a side view this time, so we are no closer to solving the straight or sloping edges mystery.

We are still at least three (and likely four) months away from seeing the Apple iPhone 6 officially, and we doubt those leaks will be slowing down until then. However, for all the renders and dummies we have seen the specs picture is pretty blurry - a larger 4.7" is probably the most certain bit, although we wouldn't bet the house on that one either.

We are also hearing a slimmer body and thinner bezels and we'll be rather surprised if those don't turn out true. The screen resolution rumors are all over the place, though, and camera info is pretty contradictory, too. Then again, we can't hope for much more so far away from the announcements - perhaps even Apple hasn't fully finalized the specs sheet at this point.

Samsung Galaxy S5 mini to have 4.5" 720p display, 8MP camera

We all know Samsung is going to release mini and Zoom versions of its Galaxy S5 flagship, just like it did for the Galaxy S4 last year. There is even a rumor Samsung is prepping an Active version, but this is yet to be confirmed.

The Galaxy S5 mini has leaked recently via a case maker, but today we got some info on its specs. As the rumor has it the Samsung SM-G800 Galaxy S5 mini will pack a 4.5" 720p Super AMOLED display and will run on a Snapdragon 400 chipset with quad-core CPU.

Other leaked specs suggest the Galaxy S5 mini will come with 1.5GB RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, 8MP rear and 2MP front camera, IR blaster and a 2,100 mAh battery. Android 4.4 KitKat skinned with TouchWiz should come pre-installed out of the box.

There is no info on whether the mini flavor of the Galaxy S5 will be dust and water proof or not. There is nothing on the heart rate sensor too. We hope Samsung doesn't drop the water/dust protection, because it is certainly a handy feature.

The iPhone 6 screens could enter production as early as May

Sources close to Apple's supply chain are saying the bigger screens for the upcoming iPhone 6 could enter production as early as next month. This would suggest an autumn unveil and launch for the next iPhone, following recent tradition.

Said sources claim the rumored 4.7" display is likely to be produced first while the phablet-sized 5.5" one could be delayed.

The report quoted by Reuters has it that both displays will use in-cell touch technology, which has the capacitive matrix built into the display and not on top of it, allowing for thinner hardware. Because it was allegedly harder to utilize in-cell in a bigger 5.5" display Apple has reportedly decided to mass-produce only the smaller panel at first. Production of the bigger panel is expected to start several months later with the option to go for a film sensor over in-cell.

The display of the iPhone 6 could be made by Japan Display, Sharp and LG and will most certainly be bigger than the current-gen 4-incher found on the iPhone 5s and 5c (and 5 of old).

Japan Display is said to be the first to start production in its flagship Mobara plant, east of Tokyo, this May. LG Display and Sharp are expected to follow suit in June.

There's still a lot to questions about the information coming from "sources". Apple is keeping things as close to the chest as possible and is a company that hasn't historically been too interested in devices with big displays, but maybe it's about time that changed.

Perhaps a 4.7" iPhone 6 with minimal bezels could retain a hand-friendly body for those that like their smartphones petite.

Sketches show iPhone 6 design, rendering surface too

Leaked schematics of the rumored next iPhone 6 suggest two screen sizes and give out some specific dimensions for both models. The schematics come from Japanese Apple-centric Mac Otakarapublication. The smaller model sports a 4.7" display and has the 137 x 66 x 7 mm dimensions (the iPhone 5s is at 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm while the 5" Nexus 5 is just 137.9 mm in height). The larger, 5.7" model is said to sport 157 x 77 x 6.7 mm, which is taller than a 5.7" Samsung Galaxy Note 3 but a bit narrower and a lot thinner.

Alleged iPhone 6 schematics

Then come two sketches of the upcoming two models but their credibility is yet to be confirmed. The sketches apparently show a 4.7" and 5.5" iPhones with rounder edges, slim waistline and single-piece volume buttons.

According to the source of the sketches the devices sport 7.1 mm thickness. On the bottom, the 3.5 mm headphone jack is located on the far left instead of the right.

Alleged iPhone 6 render

Based on those sketches Martin Hajek created a couple of 3D renders. While those aren't real and could turn to be based on completely false info, they still look pretty cool.

 
iPhone 6 render based on rumors

Recently, we saw a schematic of an unrealistically wide iPhone device but it isn't connected to the ones above.

Najib Razak to visit Perth to see operation first hand with authorities yet to confirm debris sightings linked to missing plane

Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak talking to the media about the missing flight MH370: he will visit Perth on Wednesday. Photograph: Wong Maye-E/AP

Malaysia's prime minister will travel to Perth this week to see the search for the missing flight MH370 first hand and thank the international crews involved in the operation.

The hunt for the Malaysia Airlines plane, now in its fourth week, spans 98,000 square miles (254,000 sq km). Despite satellite images and multiple visual sightings of objects that could be debris, authorities have yet to confirm any are related to the aircraft, which vanished en route to Beijing. Poor weather conditions have continued to disrupt the search operations.

Announcing Najib Razak's visit to Perth on Wednesday, Malaysia's defence minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, told reporters: "We understand it has been difficult for all the families. We understand that many want to see physical evidence before they accept that MH370 ended in the Indian Ocean."

Describing his weekend meeting with relatives of passengers as the most difficult he had attended, he added: "Families are heartbroken. For many families the strain of the past few weeks has been unbearable. But the one message they delivered to me again and again was not to give up hope … We will keep searching, and investigating, and never give up until we find out what happened to MH370."

Hishammuddin promised that while some information could not be released until the investigation had been completed, "the truth will prevail".

More than 150 of the 239 on board the missing Boeing-777 were Chinese citizens and some of their relatives have held angry protests in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing, accusing Malaysia of lying to them.

An opinion piece in the state-run English-language paper China Daily said people "should not let anger prevail over facts and rationality", adding: "We can understand and tolerate those victim families' emotional catharsis as long as their behaviour doesn't violate social norms."

Stressing the Chinese government's contribution to the search and investigation, it added that Malaysia's decision not to publish all information related to MH370 was understandable, because elements relating to their defence capabilities were sensitive.

"Public opinion should not blame the Malaysian authorities for deliberately covering up information in the absence of hard evidence … We still need to speak with evidence and act according to the law, rather than through 'making a noise' or indulging in aggressive or irrational behaviour," the author added.

Earlier, the Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, praised international efforts in the search as he visited Perth, after a joint agency co-ordination centre was appointed to oversee the operation.

Since the plane's flight paths were identified and satellite images have picked up what could be debris, searches have focused on the southern Indian Ocean west and south-west of Perth. Malaysian authorities announced last week that it was believed the plane had been lost in the ocean, claiming the lives of all passengers on board.

Speaking at a joint press conference on Monday with the deputy prime minister, Warren Truss, the defence minister, David Johnston, and the joint agency co-ordinator, Angus Houston, the prime minister said a significant international task force was focusing on the search operations.

"It's been tremendous to see the international co-operation here. We have regular military co-operation with the United States, New Zealand and Malaysia, but to see also the co-operation with us from China, from Japan, from Korea is really heartening and it demonstrates that in a humanitarian cause the nations of this region can come together for the betterment of humanity," he said.

Houston, a retired air chief marshal, stressed that the role of the co-ordination centre was not to run detailed operational matters, but to oversee national and international events.

"My job will be to head up the joint agency co-ordination centre. I will be co-ordinating at the international level, at the national level and of course, most importantly, with the families and the media," he said.

"I will obviously be focused very much on co-ordination. I'm not here to run the search; I'm not here to do the detailed operational stuff that is being taken care of very professionally by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) and the defence force."

More than 100 people were in the air over the site, Johnston said. An update from Amsa on Monday said there were 10 aircraft and 10 ships involved in the search.