iPhone 5 Rumor Roundup: New Earbuds, Dock Adapter Monopoly, More

This week in iPhone 5 news, we actually heard from Apple itself. Cupertino confirmed that it will indeed hold its iPhone event on Sept. 12 in San Francisco.

The shadowing on the invite, meanwhile, suggests that the iPhone 5 is actually on the menu. PCMag will be at the event next week, so stay tuned for all the details, but news of the press event has not prompted a lull in iPhone 5 rumors.

This week there was talk about Apple holding a monopoly on adapters for its rumored smaller dock connectors, reports of Apple suppliers who either can't get it together for the iPhone 5 launch or can't reach a deal with Apple, and leaked photos of revamped earbuds.

There was also a lot of chatter, meanwhile, about how well the iPhone will perform once it's actually released. One analyst suggested Cupertino might sell 10 million during the first week alone; quite the leap from the 4 million iPhone 4S smartphones that consumers bought during the first long weekend it was available. Studies, meanwhile, found that people are more excited for the iPhone 5 than the rumored iPad mini, while 74 percent of iPhone 4 owners will buy the iPhone 5.

For more, hit the slideshow. Also check out PCMag's previous rumor roundups, which discuss smaller dock connectors and thinner screens, as well as in-cell displays. For the skeptics, see Top Apple iPhone 5 Rumors, Shot Down.

Earbuds

According to leaked photos, Apple's allegedly going to be changing up the design of its famous white earbuds for the big iPhone 5 launch. A Vietnamese site allegedly got its hands on the new buds and, aside from the obvious changes to their once-circular shape, they do appear to be a bit smaller in general.

Dock Adapter Monopoly

According to iLounge, Apple will initially be the only company making adapters for its new, smaller dock connectors. The blog said Apple will offer adapters for $10 each or $29 for a pack of three. USB cables will retail for $19 each.

Samsung Memory Chip

Samsung memory chips will reportedly not be inside the first shipment of new iPhones thanks to a fight over price, according to Bloomberg. The report did not specify how far apart Samsung and Cupertino were on price, and Samsung will apparently still provide the main processors for the iPhone 5. But some analysts suggested that Samsung and Apple’s ongoing mobile patent war has affected their relationship on the component side.

Sharp Display Delay

Sharp has yet to start mass production of screens for the iPhone 5, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited unnamed sources. Sharp had reportedly planned to start shipping iPhone screens by the end of August, but delayed those plans due to manufacturing difficulties.

10 Million Sold

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimated that Apple could possibly sell up to 10 million iPhone 5 units in the first week. Consumers are more eager to hear about the next-gen iPhone, according to a new survey from online shopping site PriceGrabber.com. In talking to1,740 U.S. online shopping consumers, 34 percent of respondents said they would prefer that Apple debut the iPhone 5 at its Sept. 12 media event, as expected, rather than a so-called iPad mini.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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