iLounge

Apple is planning to hold its traditional music event on Wednesday, September 7, according to a new report. Citing a report from Japanese-language Kodawarsian based on information from a source “in the know,” Mac Rumors reports that the event’s timing is similar to events held the last three years, on September 1, 2010, September 9, 2009, and September 9, 2008, respectively. The website for the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts—Apple’s preferred venue for the event in past years—shows no programs scheduled for September 7, suggesting that the space would be available. As noted in the report, Apple has normally used the event to introduce new iPod models, however, the company is widely expected to announce its next-generation iPhone instead of or in addition to whatever iPod models it may have ready as it did not announce a new iPhone at its earlier WWDC event, which it had done the three years prior.

Update: Jim Dalrymple of the Loop claims that Apple will not hold an event on September 7.

Google has updated its Google+ social networking app adding iPod touch and non-native iPad compatibility along with several other minor improvements. Released last month, Google+ provides access to Google’s new social network allowing users to share information with people in their Google+ Circles and keep up to date on what their Google+ friends are doing. Oddly, the initial version was specifically designed to run only on the iPhone, leaving iPod touch and iPad users unable to load the app on their devices at all; this latest update resolves that issue by adding compatibility with the iPod touch and iPad in 2X mode—native iPad support is not provided. Additional improvements include customizable Huddle settings, aggregated add notifications for Circles and performance and stability improvements. Google+ is available from the App Store as a free download.

More evidence of Nuance speech recognition integration has been found in the latest beta version of iOS 5. Citing a pair of screenshots provided by a reliable source, 9 to 5 Mac reports that the feature will be activated via a microphone button that appears on the standard iOS keyboard next to the space bar, with a microphone icon replacing the keyboard for as long as the user is talking, and the text appearing in the selected field once the speaker has finished. The report also claims that the functionality is currently planned to be included on the iPhone and iPod touch only, but notes that iPad support could technically be added. A pair of screenshots discovered in June suggested that such functionality might be included in iOS 5, and reports of negotiations between Apple and Nuance date back to early May.

Apple over the weekend released the fifth beta version of its upcoming iOS 5 operating system for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Listed as build 9A5288d and available exclusively to paid iOS developers, the release does not appear to include any major changes from prior versions, and is once again accompanied by matching beta versions of the iOS 5 SDK, iTunes 10.5, and Apple TV Software. iOS 5 beta 5 is now available to paid iOS developers from the iOS Dev Center.

Square Enix has released the latest iOS remake in its Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Essentially a port from the earlier GBA and PSP versions, Final Fantasy Tactics is a turn-based tactical RPG set in the Final Fantasy universe, placing players in the fictional kingdom of Ivalice where they take on the role of a highborn cadet in the middle of a war for the throne. The iPhone and iPod touch version of Final Fantasy Tactics adds intuitive touchscreen controls for the control of units by tapping directly on the units and on-screen menus and users can now rotate, move and change the size of maps using standard swipe and pinch gestures. Final Fantasy Tactics is an iPhone and iPod touch application requiring iOS 4.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $16. An iPad version is expected to be released later this year; based on Square’s earlier release of Final Fantasy III, users should expect the iPad version of Final Fantasy Tactics to be a separate app sold in the same price range, and iPad users may therefore wish to hold off on the purchase of the iPhone version—perhaps even to wait for either a sharp price decrease or a proper universal release.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has agreed to investigate Samsung’s claims that Apple is infringing on its patents. Samsung filed a complaint against Apple with the ITC last month, and as Reuters reports, is accusing Apple of infringing five patents with the iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone. Apple filed an ITC complaint of its own against Samsung earlier this month; both companies are seeking to ban imports of the other’s products into the U.S.

Apple has been sued by Texas-based Affinity Labs, which claims the iPod and iPhone violate patents related to media playback. According to AppleInsider, the suit states that the “iPhone, iPod touch, and iPhone line of products” violates a patent entitled “Content delivery system and method,” while only the iPhone is accused of violating the second patent, entitled “Method for managing media.” Affinity Labs previously sued Apple in 2009, accusing it of violating three patents related to the streaming and downloading of content. Notably, third-party accessory manufacturer AAMP is also named in the suit, which seeks damages, applicable attorney fees, and a judgement that prohibits either company from further infringement.

Fishlabs has released Waterslide 2, a sequel to its previous hit game Waterslide Extreme with newer and faster challenges. In Waterslide 2 players take on the role of a male or female character or a penguin and race through a gigantic, city-wide waterslide at high speed, collecting pearls and avoiding obstacles; wild algae, crabs, jellyfish and other sea creates will slow the player’s progress and present other unique challenges. Additional in-game power ups such as a vortex and inner tube can be collected and used at the right time to help avoid obstacles and gain additional points. Waterslide 2 includes 30 brand-new levels with atmospheric lighting, OpenFeint and Game centre integration for tracking high scores and achievements and a variety of new enemies, obstacles and items. The game is a universal app with full Retina Display resolution for the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch and can be downloaded from the App Store for $1.

A graphic depicting a 3G-capable iPod touch has been found on Apple’s website. As noted by the iPhone Download Blog, the main image on apple.com/itunes shows what appears to be a fourth-generation iPod touch with a signal strength indicator and “3G” symbol in the upper left hand corner of the interface. While it is lacking the traditional carrier name, it is consistent with Apple’s recent iPhone promotional materials, which use “3G” in order to negate the need to make a different version of each image for each territory/carrier. As mentioned in the originating report, the appearance of the cellular data indicator on an iPod touch is most likely a mistake by Apple’s image department; we post it only as a topic of interest. [via Cult of Mac]

Apple today released iOS 4.3.5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. According to Apple’s release notes, the update “fixes a security vulnerability with certificate validation.” A separate update is available for the CDMA iPhone and is listed as iOS 4.2.10. [via Mac Rumors]

Apple has released its fourth beta version of iOS 5. Available to paid iOS developers, the release—listed as build 9A5274d—is accompanied by matching beta versions of the iOS 5 SDK, iTunes 10.5 and Apple TV Software. It is unclear what major changes, if any, may be present in the new version. iOS 5 beta 4 is available now to paid iOS developers from the iOS Dev Center.

Update: 9 to 5 Mac reports that the update can be installed on devices running iOS 5 beta 3 via the over-the-air software update feature found within the Settings app.

Photographs purportedly showing white front panels for a next-generation iPod touch have been posted online. 9 to 5 Mac reports that the pieces are supposedly digitizer components, based on information received from the iFixYouri repair shop, and appear to be for the fourth-generation model, with two holes for the FaceTime camera and front sensors, respectively. The report notes that the parts could be for a cancelled white 4G model, or parts for a yet-unannounced fifth-generation unit. Notably, Apple executives have previously revealed that work on the long-delayed iPhone 4 helped the company in other areas, and the company has since introduced a white iPad 2, leaving the iPod touch as the only iOS device note available in a white variant.

Apple has been sued for the second time by the non-practicing entity Personal Audio, which accuses Apple of patent infringement related to downloadable playlists. FOSS Patents reports that the new filing comes just weeks after Personal Audio was awarded an $8 million jury verdict in a case involving the same patents in relation to the iPod classic, iPod mini, iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch, and iPhone. The new case focuses on the sixth-generation iPod nano, fourth-generation iPod shuffle, fourth-generation iPod touch, iPhone 4, and iPad 2. As noted in the report, the damages awarded in connection with the iPhone and iPad could be substantially greater than those from the first suit, which focused primarily on iPods; in any case, the report suggests it is likely that the two parties will settle their dispute soon.

Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer noted that the company has experienced the highest quarterly earnings and revenues in its history, as well as record sales for the iPhone and iPad. Apple sold 7.5m iPods last quarter, ahead of expectations with the iPod touch being over 50% of all iPods sold. The iPod share is now over 70% of all MP3 player sales in the U.S. according to the latest NPD data, and leads in most other markets as well. The iTunes Store had revenues of almost $1.4 billion the past quarter, with continuing strong sales of music, video and apps. The iTunes Store continues to be the number one music retailer in the world with 15 billion songs downloaded to date.

Turning to the iPhone, the company sold a record 20.3 million iPhones in the past quarter, as compared to 8.4m in the year ago June quarter and over double of the smartphone growth overall. Oppenheimer reported very strong year-over-year iPhone growth everywhere, with quadrupled sales in the Asia-Pacific region. Manufacturing capacity has been increased and the iPhone is now available on 228 carriers in 105 countries. Apple now has 5.9m iPhones in inventory, which constitutes enough to meet a demand of approximately 4-6 weeks. 91% of Fortune 500 companies are now deploying or testing the iPhone, up from 88% last quarter. 57% of global 500 companies are either deploying or testing the iPhone.

Reporting its third quarter 2011 financial results today, Apple said it sold 7.54 million iPods during the quarter—a 20% percent decrease compared to the same quarter last year. Apple also sold 20.34 million iPhones in the quarter, a 142% percent increase year-over-year, and up from the 18.65 million units sold in the second quarter. Apple also sold 9.25 million iPads during the quarter, up 183% from 3.27 million units in the year-ago quarter. The unit sales of iPhones, iPods, and iPads bring the cumulative unit sales for the three device categories to 128.89 million, 314.56 million, and 28.73 million, respectively. The company posted revenue of $28.57 billion and net quarterly profit of $7.31 billion, or $7.79 per diluted share, compared with revenue of $15.7 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.25 billion, or $3.51 per diluted share, in Q3 2010.

“We’re thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Right now, we’re very focused and excited about bringing iOS 5 and iCloud to our users this fall.”

“We are extremely pleased with our performance which drove quarterly cash flow from operations of $11.1 billion, an increase of 131 percent year-over-year,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2011, we expect revenue of about $25 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $5.50.”

Apple has released iOS 4.3.4, the latest version of its mobile operating system for the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM) and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch. According to Apple’s release notes, the update fixes a security vulnerability associated with viewing malicious PDF files. Apple’s support article provides additional details noting that the issue is related to handling of TrueType and Type 1 fonts that could allow viewing of a “maliciously crafted PDF file” to lead to “unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.” iOS 4.3.4 (build 8K2) is available now via the Update feature in iTunes; a similar update, iOS 4.2.9 (build 8E601), is also available for the CDMA iPhone 4.

Laminar Research has released another update to its X-Plane series of flight simulator apps for iOS devices adding simulated systems failures to the experience. Continuing its focus on developing the most realistic flight simulator experiences possible on the iOS platform, Laminar has been consistently updating the entire collection of X-Plane applications with new planes and scenery, new aircraft features and regular tweaks to the flight dynamics for the different aircraft.

Version 9.7 brings X-Plane’s realism to a new level by adding a plethora of system failures that the user can optionally enable and practice dealing with, much like actual flight instructors would do. System failures available in X-Plane 9.7 include flight-control failures, engine failures, landing gear failures, tire blowouts, brake failures and even bird strikes which can be configured to take place instantly or randomly. Failures such as bird-strikes may even cascade into additional systems failures. The aerodynamics and flight model will respond accordingly to systems failures, making the aircraft more difficult to handle and creating unique challenges.

X-Plane for the iPhone and iPod touch is available in several versions divided by category of aircraft: the original X-Plane 9 ($5) includes a series of general aviation aircraft ranging from the venerable Cessna 172 to the concept single-engine Cirrus Jet, with other specific versions available such as X-Plane Airliner ($5), X-Plane Helicopter ($5) and X-Plane Extreme ($5) and more. The iPad version, X-Plane for iPad ($10) includes the full collection of different aircraft and locations from the various iPhone versions all within a single app in an interface optimized for iPad users.

Bongiovi Acoustics has released a new iOS app bringing the company’s patented DPS audio enhancement technology to the on-device listening experience. Known in the iOS community for its inclusion in several of iHome’s speaker products, Bongiovi’s Digital Power Station technology provides real-time audio re-mastering to improve clarity and provide cleaner and deeper bass response, even when using lower-end speakers or headphones. The new universal iOS app allows users to listen to their music, videos and podcasts in their device media library enhanced by DPS technology and optimized for playback through any device connected to the headphone or line-out jack or even the built-in speaker. The app can also compensate for differences in volume between songs, provide enhancement to dialog and sound effects in videos and improve clarity when listening in noisy environments.

Rather than adjusting individual settings, users select from a set of professionally tailored profiles designed to optimize audio for playback through specific types of headphones and speakers. The Bongiovi DPS app is ad-supported and available as a free download from the App Store; the free app includes profiles for the standard Apple earbuds and the built-in speakers of supported iOS devices. Users can purchase an in-app upgrade for an introductory price of $1 to remove the ads and provide access to the full set of audio device profiles, including any new profiles that will become available in the future. Bongiovi DPS requires iOS 4.1 or later and is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, third- and fourth-generation iPod touch and the IPad.

Apple has released its third beta version of iOS 5. Available to paid iOS developers, the release—listed as build 9A5259f—is accompanied by matching beta versions of the iOS 5 SDK, iTunes 10.5 and Apple TV Software. It is unclear what major changes, if any, may be present in the new version. iOS 5 beta 3 is available now to paid iOS developers from the iOS Dev Center.

LogMeIn has updated LogMeIn Ignition, its remote access application for iOS devices adding several much-needed enhancements to the file management features. With the latest version of LogMeIn Ignition, users can now send remote files via e-mail from directly within the app as well as saving e-mail attachments to the File Manager. The update also adds the ability for users to copy photos and videos to and from the iOS photo library and adds a user-customizable settings for controlling timeouts when Ignition is running in the background on a multitasking-capable iOS device. The update also adds several additional performance and stability improvements. LogMeIn Ignition is a universal app and is available from the App Store for $30. LogMeIn requires a free LogMeIn account and free client-side application available for Windows, Mac and Linux.