iPad mini

A mysterious and unknown hacker calling himself (herself?) "Dream JB" is promising to release an untethered iOS 6 jailbreak for the iPad mini, latest iPad and iPhone 5 on December 22. Dream JB is not associated with any known dev team, and has said he will deliver video proof of the jailbreak via Twitter on Wednesday. If true, the new untethered jailbreak will support all current Apple devices running iOS 6.0.1. This includes the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2 and beyond, iPad Mini, iPod Touch 4th generation and beyond.

Most jailbreakers only use jailbreaking tools from proven sources such as the iPhone DevTeam, or Absinthe creator pod2g. And not surprisingly, a large portion of the jailbreaking community is calling Dream JB's untethered jailbreak a scam. No one knows for sure if Dream JB will actually deliver a safe untethered iOS 6 jailbreak this December, but it will be interesting to see if his promised video actually materializes, and the jailbreaking community's reaction tomorrow.

Apple has released iOS 6.0.1 for all iOS devices including the 4th generation iPad and iPad mini. iPhone 5 owners will need to download an app called "iOS Updater" to access the over the air update. iOS 6.0.1 fixes a bug that prevents the iPhone 5 from installing wireless updates. To download the Updater go to Settings >> General >> Software Update, and tap “Learn More” on the "Updater for iPhone 5" page to access the download screen.

Here's the complete changelog for iOS 6.0.1. You'll notice it's mostly a maintenance release.

-Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air
-Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard
-Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off
-Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks
-Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances
-Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match
-Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen
-Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings

It seems like every new Apple release comes with a new complaint: Antennagate, battery drain, over-heating, and so on... Fortunately for Apple fans, most of these bugs or defects are either fixed or eventually will just go away. However, Apple's iPhone 5 / iOS 6 headaches seem to be growing consistently, with no simple fixes in sight.

The biggest question is whether or not Apple will be able to meet the consumers' product demands this holiday season. According to Asian supply chain sources, iPad mini production is behind schedule, and now iPhone 5 production lines have been frozen by Foxconn after an employee strike.

China Labor Watch (via Engadget) reports that workers at Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory are striking over tougher demands from Apple. Three to four thousand workers stopped working to protest Apple's new iPhone 5 standards, which strictly requires less than a 0.02mm appearance defect on all phones. The new standards were implemented after scratched iPhone complaints started piling up.

Numerous leaks and anonymous tips have all but proven the iPhone 5 and all future Apple devices will feature a 9-pin dock connector. If true, all existing iOS cables, chargers and accessories won't work without some kind of adaptor. According to iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz, Apple plans to eliminate all third-party developers by becoming the "exclusive initial vendor" of their own branded "9-pin Connector". Apple will sell the "Dock Connector Adapters" individually for $10, or three for $29.

Horwitz claims Apple has stopped entertaining "third-party proposals for connector-equipped accessories, making some developers worried that Apple plans to muscle them out of the market for iOS related adaptors and cables.

"Some developers fear that Apple will corner the market for both the adapters and cables, much as it did with MagSafe connectors for MacBook laptops, using licensing agreements and threats of lawsuits to prevent less expensive third-party solutions from coming to market. One source notes that Apple will reap a windfall by limiting competition in this manner, generating revenues of $100 million for every 10 million Dock Connector Adapters it sells for $10. According to the source, Apple estimates that it will sell the first 10 million Adapters by the end of 2012."

According to the Japanese website Macotakara, Apple is developing a mysterious 5-inch Retina display device for 2013. There have been many reports about Apple releasing a 7.85-inch iPad mini, or even increasing the screen size of the iPhone this year, but this is the first time we've heard anything about a 5-inch device.

The Japanese blog , citing “reliable Chinese sources", said "Apple LCD is developing a 5-inch Retina display with a screen resolution of either 1,600-by-960 pixels or 1,280-by-960 pixels." It's unknown if the device is a tablet, phone, or combination of both like the Samsung Galaxy Note.