Purported Backplate of Next-Generation iPhone Surfaces

Earlier today, we saw photos of components that may or may not pertain to one of Apple’s upcoming smartphones. The frame resembled that of an iPhone 4, but with a modified antenna.

Now another purported next-gen iPhone part has surfaced — the backplate. And like the aforementioned frame, it looks extremely similar to its predecessor. So how do we know it’s a next-generation component? Because it says so…
MacPost originally published the photo, along with several others of what they claim are iPhone 5 parts. But the back casing in particular stands out because it has the markings of an Apple prototype.

The cover is labeled EVT and is dated June 7, 2011. EVT stands for Engineering Verification Test, which is followed by the Design Verification Test. The date makes sense in the device’s timeline we saw leading up to production.

Perhaps the biggest clue on the case is the N94 marking. A few months ago, 9to5Mac uncovered two new Apple devices codenamed N93 and N94 buried deep within iOS 5. The iPhone 4′s (GSM) internal codename is the N90.

Add this new back casing to previous evidence, like the T-Mobile-branded N94 device BGR exposed earlier this year, and things start coming together. Sort of.

Whether Apple releases one smartphone this Fall, or two distinctly different handsets, you can bet we’ll see the iPhone 4′s design reincarnated. The second scenario is obviously more exciting, as it leaves the door open for a major refresh.

But maybe Apple doesn’t need that this year. Maybe Apple’s big play this year is to expand carrier partners, which would have more of an impact on sales than a major redesign.

What do you think we’ll see this Fall?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Choose iPad Over Playbook (Not the Blackberry Kind)

iPads find their way into all kinds of places, and they’re going to be an integral part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ kit when the season begins. The team and its staff got sick of carrying around the old fashioned Yellow Pages-like playbooks of yesteryear. What could they replace them with? Well, iPad 2s of course!

Now, the 90-strong team will each receive an iPad 2 for referencing plays and NFL video archives…
Not only will the team be able to dump that boring old paper playbook, but they have also discovered that the iPad 2 has an ace up its sleeve in the form of video.

The iPads will be used to show video of plays, video of training sessions, and probably even videos of their huge checks hitting their bank accounts if they get their own way!

Unfortunately, no one at the Buccaneers thought that BlackBerry’s ‘PlayBook’ would be the perfect fit for the job, which perhaps once again proves that RIM’s choice of name was a monumentally bad one!

Steve Jobs Biography to Include Details of Resignation

The highly anticipated official Steve Jobs biography will get an update to include the former CEO’s resignation and new job title, according to a PCMag report.

Publisher Simon & Schuster told the site that the book, titled Steve Jobs: a Biography, will reflect the events of yesterday when it finally goes on sale November 21st…
The book’s author Walter Isaacson spent three years working closely with Jobs and those around him, and the book promises a never before seen insight into the mind of Apple’s co-founder and former CEO.

The biography goes on sale November 21st for $20.40 on Kindle, or $32.50 in the dead tree edition. And remember folks, this is the real deal, none of that fake stuff!

We’ve already ordered our copies, have you?

Comex, Father of JailbreakMe, Has Been Hired by Apple

It was only a matter of time. 19-year-old Nicholas Allegra, better known as infamous iOS hacker Comex, has announced that he has accepted a job with Apple in Cupertino.

Comex has been responsible for many famous jailbreaks, most notably his web based tool called JailbreakMe. He is a well respected member of the jailbreak community, and we wish him the best with his future endeavors at Apple.
Comex announced the news on his Twitter account moments ago, and he seems to be receiving mostly positive responses from his followers. Other famous jailbreak developers, like MuscleNerd, have congratulated him on his new job.
Apple has been known to hire talent from the jailbreak community, with the Cupertino company most recently hiring developer Peter Hajas — as we uncovered first — for his work on a system of notifications for iOS called MobileNotifier. Peter is assumedly now working on improving iOS notifications in Cupertino.

It’s a bittersweet thing for the jailbreak community to lose Comex. In one way, we’re happy that he’s been given such a wonderful opportunity to showcase his talents and further his career. On the other, we’re sad to see such an invaluable jailbreak hacker go.

We don’t know what Comex will be specifically working on at Apple, but we can only assume that he will be assigned to fixing security holes in iOS. It’s funny to think that he will help patch the vulnerabilities he exploited. Everything comes around, I guess.

We congratulate you on your success, Comex. Best of luck at Apple!