This Week's Apple Rumors, Ranked From Dumbest to Most Plausible

Each week, there are dozens of Apple rumors, reports, and patent filings that hint at what’s coming out of Cupertino next. Some are legit, but most are totally bogus. We parse the week’s rumors for you, ranking them in order from “utterly ridiculous” to “Duh, of course.” First up…

DON’T COUNT ON IT: Leaked photos of the iPhone 5S shell, plus specs
A Chinese-language site called C Technology (reposted by BGR) published pictures of what could be the iPhone 5S shell. There’s no way to verify these photos as being accurate, as they look pretty much identical to the iPhone 5, and we’ve seen how easy it is for other manufacturers to ape the iPhone.

As for specs, a “4-inch IGZO display with the same Retina resolution as the iPhone 5, an A6 processor clocked a bit faster than the current model, quad-core SGX 554MP4 graphics, 2GB of RAM and an upgraded LTE radio,” they sound pretty reasonable, but simply can’t be verified at this point.

DON’T COUNT ON IT: Apple may delay the introduction of the iPhone 5S
Apple could be upgrading the next iPhone to a 4.3-inch Retina display screen, and that could delay the launch of the next handset until the end of the year, according to the Taiwanese newspaper the Commercial Times (as reported by Bloomberg).

Apple just upped the screen size of the iPhone last year, giving developers a new 4-inch screen size to accommodate. Apple is also revealing a revamped iOS 7 interface in the fall that will require a lot of app developers to redesign their apps so they fit in with the new look. So, another form factor for developers to have to wrangle? No. It’s too soon. Apple also traditionally iterates on the form factor every other generation, which would mean the next iPhone would share the same design cues and dimensions as the current iPhone 5.

VERY DOUBTFUL: Apple patent details in-display fingerprint technology — and it’s delaying the iPhone 5S
Apple patent filings are hit or miss. A patent could be an indicator of a technology the company is dedicating significant resources towards, or it could be a decoy to lead competitors (and the press) away from what it’s actually working on. One of the latest is that Apple is working on in-display fingerprint sensing technology. Apple’s been rumored to be including biometrics in upcoming iOS devices since it acquired fingerprint security firm Authentec in the fall of 2012. It’s possible that Apple could include this technology in an iOS device this year or next.

A related report suggests that iPhone 5S production is delayed because of poor fingerprint sensor yields, pushing the launch of the next iPhone into September. September, you say? The same month the iPhone was released in 2012? Wow, it really does sound delayed.

ASK AGAIN LATER: Apple pitching ad-skipping as part of its new TV service
This report lands in the middle of the list because well, Apple’s TV doesn’t exist yet, but the source is strong. Former WSJ reporter Jessica Lessin writes on her own blog that Apple has been talking with cable companies and television networks about allowing users to skip the commercials, as long as those skipped ads are paid for.

Apple’s been coy about its endeavors in the TV space, and various rumors and reports have been swirling since 2011. It seems the major snags holding up the platform’s launch are in deals with TV and cable networks, if all the rumors and reports are to be trusted.

SIGNS POINT TO YES: Apple is aggressively hiring for its smartwatch project
Apple is on a hiring spree to dedicate personnel and resources to its rumored smart watch project, says the Financial Times (via MacRumors).

The smartwatch project itself is akin to Apple’s television project — a lot of signs are indicating there’s something in development, but there’s no hard proof yet. However, based on Apple’s recent hirings, it does seem the company is working on a wearable device of some kind. 9to5Mac detailed a number of sensor and fitness experts that have gone to work for Apple recently. Apple also snatched up former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve to work on “special projects.”

WITHOUT A DOUBT: Apple is ramping up next-gen iPhone production
According to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek and sources familiar to AllThingsD, Apple is kicking up production levels for its next iPhone. Considering the last iPhone was released in September 2012, and Apple seems to have moved to a fall release date for its flagship handset, this report is spot on with where we’d expect Apple to be at this point in the year. Or: Duh, of course Apple is ramping up iPhone production right now.

Staples preps Surface RT sale, as rumors of wider price slash surface

Anyone looking to snag a Windows RT tablet should hold off until Sunday, when at least one retailer will be lopping $150 off the base price of Microsoft’s Surface RT. Staples will be selling the 32GB Surface RT for $350 starting Sunday, July 14 until Saturday, July 20, as part of the retailer’s weekly promotional sales. But whether the Surface RT’s cheaper pricing is part of a larger, more permanent price cut or just a temporary drop for one model appears to be up for debate.

The Staples price drop appears to confirm an earlier report by The Verge which said Microsoft plans to cut the prices for the 32GB and 64GB Surface RT. Except it doesn’t, really.

Based on The Verge report, you will reportedly be able to pick-up the 32GB Surface RT for $350 or $450 for the 64GB model. If you want a Touch Cover accessory to go with either slate, add another $100 as you do now. But the Staples weekly ad makes no mention of a price cut for the 64GB model, even though the retailer sells that version of the Microsoft slate.

When approached by PCWorld, Microsoft said it doesn’t comment on rumors or speculation.

Wait until Sunday.
A price cut for the aging version of the Surface RT certainly wouldn’t be a surprise.

If, as Microsoft claims, the Surface RT is truly a PC then a drop in price is long overdue. The company’s RT slate first appeared in October at the same $500 price you can buy it for right now. Nine months without a price cut is an eternity for a Windows PC, where slashed costs typically come mere months after a product launches.

There are also expectations that new Surface models are on their way including rumors of 7- and 9-inch models. A next-generation Surface RT is also expected to come packed with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 800 chip, a veritable speed demon in the world of ARM-based chips.

From Staples' website.
So a long term price drop to move inventory would certainly make sense, especially with reports about Surface RT sales being so dismal. In May, market research firm IDC said just 200,000 Windows RT tablets shipped worldwidebetween January and March—a figure that includes Surface RT sales. (IDC and PCWorld are both owned by International Data Group.)

Then again, the Staples price cut looks like just another temporary sale in a long line of recent Surface deals. In late May, attendees of Microsoft’s TechEd conference were able to pick up a 64GB Surface RT for just $100 . Around the same time, Microsoft offered the rest of the world a free Touch or Type Cover with the purchase of a Surface RT tablet. In mid-June, Microsoft said it would offer its RT slate for just $200 for a limited time to universities and K-12 schools.

So many fire sales in such a short time span do make you think a new model is barreling down the pipeline, though.

We’ll keep our eye out for more Surface RT deals from other retailers in the coming days. In the meantime, however, the only confirmed price cut we’ve seen is the Staples deal on a 32GB Surface RT for $350.