Apple Starts Making IPhone 5s for October Release

Phone makers Foxconn and Pegatron have started producing Apple's next device, according to reports, signaling a highly-anticipated October launch.

Japanese site Macotakara reports that Foxconn, which is fulfilling 85 percent of the order, and Pegatron, which is taking the remaining 15 percent, are stocking iPhone 5 units -- without iOS 5, which Apple will install, along with the final packaging.

Macotakara also says the manufacturing schedule points to a U.S. launch in early October, while Asia should see it later in the month.

In March, reports surfaced that the iPhone 5 started production, but problems in manufacturing delayed its regular summer release schedule.

Last month, sources indicated the device had once again gone into production, with Apple placing a 15 million unit order.

Apple has yet to confirm the iPhone 5 report, but Macotakara's claim is in line with several other rumors. In fact, Deutsche Telekom has started taking pre-orders in anticipation of a fall release, while Best Buy is gearing up for an October launch, according to leaked documents.

Apple skipped its June summer launch window, causing many to speculate when the iPhone 5 would be released.

If Apple releases the iPhone 5 in October, the new iPhone will enter a competitive fall season, against releases like Samsung's Galaxy S2 and Motorola's Droid Bionic. But until Foxconn or Pegatron confirm they're manufacturing the handset, all reports will continue to be just rumor and speculation.

The iPhone 5 is rumored to run on both CDMA and GSM networks, so Apple can sell the same version on AT&T and Verizon. It is also expected to offer a wider touch screen, an 8-megapixel camera and feature a Qualcomm chip with NFC mobile-payment capabilities.

Ericsson mobile broadband module in Lenovo ThinkPad tablet

Lenovo’s Android-based ThinkPad Tablet – featuring Ericsson’s (NASDAQ: ERIC) F5521gw embedded HSPA Evolution mobile broadband module – offers users the fastest mobile broadband experience available for devices of this type. With download speeds of up to 21Mbps and upload speeds of up to 5.8Mbps, even a few spare minutes can be put to good use. This means that the days when waiting time equated to wasting time will soon be just a distant memory. Business people can now be productive while being at the airport thanks to the launch of an ultra-portable product that provides a mobile connection to the Internet, company business systems and e-mail accounts. And consumers can use any spare time they have to chat or quickly login to social network sites.

"Our ThinkPad Tablet gives mobile professionals the first real business-focused tablet that keeps them productive while protecting their data and managing their device," says Tom Butler, director, Worldwide ThinkPad Marketing, Lenovo. "We have incorporated Ericsson’s F5521gw module into our 3G model to give the users an incredibly fast mobile broadband connection along with other benefits, like cost-effectiveness, low power consumption and long battery life."

With consumers keen to stay constantly connected and the availability of open source operating systems such as Android, cloud services are not only here to stay but are also encouraging people to connect more and more devices, such as laptops, e-book readers, media players and tablets. The market for tablets is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years and it is likely that the majority of those tablets will incorporate an embedded mobile broadband module.

Mats Norin, Vice President, Ericsson Mobile Broadband Modules, says: "We see a clear trend suggesting that devices will soon be considered useless if they cannot be connected. Research carried out by Ericsson ConsumerLab shows that, regardless of the device they are using, people are increasingly discovering how difficult life is when they are not continuously connected to the cloud. Therefore, we foresee long-term growth for embedded connectivity in mass-market notebooks, netbooks, tablets and other consumer electronics."

Lenovo has been using Ericsson’s HSPA modules for models of its ThinkPad laptops since 2008. Now, thanks to the F5521gw module, launched in September 2010, Lenovo will launch its 3G ThinkPad Tablet with the market’s fastest mobile broadband connection. The 3G model of the ThinkPad Tablet will be available in 4Q 2011.

The module is the size of a PCI Express Mini Card, which is a standardized form factor in the PC industry. It will also be available in a smaller, thinner format, as well as a half-size version of a PCI Express Mini Card in October this year. These versions will fit inside smaller devices, such as media players and personal navigation devices. All three versions of the module are based on ST-Ericsson-proven Thor 21Mbps thin modems, which work on both WCDMA/HSPA and GSM/EDGE networks.