On Monday, however, reports started to emerge that Apple was actually planning to launch three new iPhones in 2013, one of which is dubbed “Math.”
Like others, we believe there’a a good chance the rumor is fabricated, and that includes the name of the alleged 4.8-inch handset – “iPhone Math.”
Announced bright and early in Japan today is the Sony Xperia Tablet Z that we've been hearing about. As you'd expect, this 10.1-inch Android 4.1 tablet features the same design language as its smartphone counterpart, but it's what's inside that really sells this device: a Qualcomm 1.5GHz quad-core APQ8064 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 screen (with Mobile Bravia Engine 2), an 8.1-megapixel Exmor R camera, NFC, LTE (MDM9215M radio), microSD expansion and Sony's very own "S-Force" virtual surround sound technology. Amazingly, these are all packed tightly into a 6.9mm-thick, 495g-heavy body which not only takes a huge leap from the retiring Xperia Tablet S, but it also beats the Toshiba Excite 10 LE that was once the champion in both fields. That's right, Sony now has the world's thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet! Oh, and did we mention that the Tablet Z is both waterproof and dustproof as well? We'll update you guys once we get hold of info on pricing and availability.
Update: For those wondering, Blog of Mobile says this new tablet packs a 6,000mAh battery, which is actually a tad smaller than the Excite 10 LE's 6,690mAh cell. Hopefully Sony's power management will bring its tablet up to about the same mobility performance.
Apple added a new member to its iPad line on Tuesday, offering a 9.7-inch Retina iPad with 128 gigabytes of storage -- doubling the tablet's previous max capacity.
Everything else about Apple's tablet is the same, including the dual-core A6X processor, 2 gigabtyes of RAM, and 10 hours of battery life.To account for the added storage space, the 128 GB Wi-Fi model will now cost $799, while the LTE model will cost $929.
To offer some differentiation from its other iPads -- which start at $329 for the iPad mini -- Apple is targeting the new model primarily at professional users, including those in the architectural and medical fields who handle large files. Gamers, movie fans and avid magazine readers are also likely to appreciate the extra storage space.
The abrupt release marks a shift in how Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) is updating the iPad. Instead of rolling out new iPads once a year or so, as it does with iPhones and iPods, Apple is now treating the iPad more like its Mac line, releasing incremental updates to existing models. (Tech blogs began publishing leaked reports about the new iPad two days ago.)
In late 2012, Apple released a fourth-gen iPad with new processor a mere six months after the release of the third-generation Retina iPad. Much like in this most recent update, all other specs remained the same.
Apple has not explicitly announced this strategy shift, so it's an open question whether or not we'll see a more significant iPad update this year.
