Stories by John Cox

A new iOSphere trend may have been launched this week, with a video selfie that, by some magical logic, further confirms the expectation that iPhone 6 will have a 4.7-inch display.

A new instant messaging application for the iPhone uses an advanced, "post quantum" encryption scheme to scramble one-on-one chats. It's intended as a bullet-proof secure alternative to WhatsApp's addictive message interface and to mobile carrier's primitive and (outside the U.S.) pricey SMS texting services.

Finally, a "rumour" that reads like real reporting: iPhone 6 could "triple" its base resolution to enable Retina display pixel densities on larger screen sizes.

The iOSphere was rocked by iPhone 6 Sticker Shock, at about 10+ on the Richter scale, when one "report" this week predicted that the Next iPhone will cover its 5.44-inch display with a synthetic sapphire sheet that will boost the phone's unlocked price to $1,285.

Checks and guesses spurred rumors that Apple has begun shipping raw synthetic sapphire material to Asia for processing into iPhone 6 display covers. One analyst estimated the amount shipped would be good for... maybe 115,000 covers.

Aesthetics reared its ugly, or beautiful (depending on your side of the debate), head in the iOSphere this week, as commentarians contemplated the question of whether real iPhones have curves.

iPad rumors have been rare for months, but April showers seemed to have caused them to burst into bloom.

Mobile payments, smarter Siri, better maps and more

A survey of iOS and Android users show the vast majority of them know little, and care less, about the so-called "mobile shopping experience", despite the endless hype about its benefits. Overall, the "mobile shopping experience" ... isn't.

From rare gemstone to mass market material for future iPhones, iPads and more?

The iOSphere this past week wondered at the prospect of iPhone 6 with a Supercharged Siri, an all-knowing, all-doing software entity that will manage your iOS life for you. Eventually, probably in iOS 9, Siri will offer psychotherapy.

Apple is making a billion dollar bet on sapphire as a strategic material for mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad and perhaps an iWatch. Though exactly what the company plans to do with the scratch-resistant crystal – and when – is still the subject of debate.

Hopes, like spring daffodils, burst into bloom this week in the certainty that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will arrive in just five short months as Chinese worker bees prepared the massive assembly lines that will bring the smartphones into the world. And could the 5.5-inch iPhone be far behind?

In the iOSphere, the whole week seemed like one long April Fool's Joke.

Meru Networks has announced two new dual-stream, enterprise 802.11ac access points, including one designed to replace an Ethernet wall plate.